Page 26 of Found By the Alien Warrior

"Go ahead," I said, watching the bare form of her silhouette as she moved towards the bathroom.

As the sound of running water filled the small space, I rested on the bed pallet, allowing myself a moment's respite. I wanted to go in there with her, to linger in the heat and water, to forget the cold metal confines of the ship and the twisted games we were forced to play. But reality was an anchor, always dragging us back to the grim task at hand.

"Aurik?” She called from beyond the misty barrier of the shower curtain. “Could you hand me a towel?”

I went in there and grabbed one for her. Seeing her towel off made me wish to reexperience the last several hours again.

The door sounded a foreboding knock—our cue that this stolen moment was over.

Sonya sighed. "Time's up."

SONYA

I couldn’t stand those damn guards.

As soon as we heard the knock, I felt all the warmth, intimacy, and safety Aurik and I found in each other’s arms make room for other traits we had to constantly use while we were captives. Strength, endurance, force of will. I was so tired. I just want to be. Be free. Be fulfilled.

Be with Aurik. My body still remembered the pleasure we gave each other. It would have to be enough until I had the chance to explore the constellations of our minds and bodies together again. I wondered, was I capable of going deeper?

It was time for me to return to the female quarters, to the isolation that made every cell in my body scream for the contact we'd just lost.

With a heavy heart, I zipped my dress, avoiding the mirror that would only show my troubled reflection. A last glance at Aurik built up my resolve; we had to be strong for each other.

I trailed down the corridor of the ship after the guard. Passing a window in the ship's long corridor, the black expanse of space pressed against the glass, a darkness that seemed to swallow all hope. Zephyra was gone.

"Where are we being taken now?" I whispered to the void, knowing it wouldn’t give me an answer.

Three days passed. The ship moved slow. Was it to avoid detection? Time on the ship blurred into a ceaseless cycle. Day and night looked the same from outer space. From my quarters, I could hear the grunts and thuds of fighters in the training area one floor below.

“I should stretch before I join the other females down there.” Vessa finished tying on her wristguards before she went into a few leg bends. I watched her lithe form twist and contort through a series of exercises that spoke of lethal grace.

"Your movements are precise," I commented, pretending to display a casual interest in combat skills I didn't feel. "What will you do when you become the strongest female warrior?”

“There’s no such thing as the strongest. Someone is always stronger than you somewhere. You just have to get better.”

I tried another question. “Do you think you’d want to go home and share your achievement?"

Her laugh was a cold hiss. “I have what I need right here."

"Of course," I said, keeping my tone light. "You sound like the independent type."

Vessa's eyes narrowed, sharp as the edge of a blade. "If you're trying to imply that I would be better off outside the ring, you're wrong. I revel in the spotlight."

"Right, my bad." I pivoted away from her gaze, seeking refuge in the mundane task of gathering my laundry.

"Sonya," Vessa's voice stopped me, her towering presence blocking my path to the door. "We haven’t talked much since we’ve been traveling, but I can tell you have questions for me. Don't make the mistake of assuming that I'm like you.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I once owed Korga a favor I couldn’t pay. He gave me this arrangement instead. My debt to him ended months before you arrived."

Shock rooted me to the spot. "You’re not captive? You could just walk away?"

"Of course." She tilted her head, her gaze assessing. "But it's better for me here."

I completely disagreed, but wanted to know more of her reasons for sharing. "Why are you telling me this?" I asked, searching her face for any semblance of camaraderie.

"Because I was new here like you once. The less you resist, the better."

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