Page 11 of Alien Haven

Ilid didn’t try to keep the reluctance from his tone. “I guess I shouldn’t stop by in a day or two if you’re trying to be a good influence on the younger generation. If you want me to keep my distance—”

“Are you kidding me? You’d better come visit. I refuse to cool my heels here on the ass-end of nowhere the whole duration of my sentence.”

“I hear Miss Behavior howling to break free.”

“Just because I’m not a nun doesn’t mean I’ll get into trouble. A girl’s gotta have some fun off the farm. But no hot and heavy where we might be caught. Keep an eye out for the inn you promised we could escape to.”

Ilid laughed, delighting as always in her enthusiasm. Also in the memory of the kissing and heavy petting they’d indulged in during the trip to Haven. Jennifer had made it plain she’d been up for more than the little they’d managed, but they’d both been conscious of his parents’ proximity to wherever they managed to be on the small vessel.

He’d also preferred a romantic setting rather than a quick do-me in the tight, spare shuttle quarters allotted for sleeping. He was too fond of Jennifer to treat her like a one-night stand, even if it was all they ended up enjoying.

“My parents and I are going to town tomorrow to look at the local bakery for sale. I’ll check to see what fun we can have there.”

“No pig wrestling. Or cattle branding.”

“I have no idea what those are, but I’ll stay clear of them.”

She laughed. “I miss you already, Ilid. Com tomorrow and we’ll make plans for as soon as possible.”

“Consider it done.”

* * * *

A couple hours later, Ilid lay in the large bed in the room designated for him. He gazed at the open window, through which the cool night breeze wafted drapes. An actual window, he marveled. On their home planet, Kalquorians used energy-efficient vids to give the illusion of the outdoors. Some had vents to simulate breezes.

Somehow the real thing seemed nicer. But then, everything about Haven had pleased him thus far.

Above all, there were no Darks to threaten him. The terrible entities, part of a larger alien force known as the All, had invaded from another dimension and threatened the galaxy. Ilid had been among the first to confront the terrible creatures while orbiting a planet called Bi’is. The Darks had destroyed Bi’is’ entire civilization in a matter of weeks after their arrival.

Few people could detect the Darks by sight. Ilid was among them. As an ensign on a spyship, he’d been aware of strange, transparent shadow shapes draped on the shoulders and necks of his fellow crewmates, controlling everyone around him. At the beginning, he’d thought he was going insane. The Darks had realized he was on to them and inflicted horrific experiments to learn how he was able to see them. Thanks to a fellow low-ranking crewmember who could also detect the malevolent creatures, Ilid had been set free. In his attempt to expose the Darks to the fleet, his rescuer had accidentally destroyed the spyship. Badly injured, Ilid had barely escaped alive on a shuttle, the sole survivor of his crew.

Other ships had honed in on his distress call, and he’d been able to warn the Kalquorian Empire of the Dark menacedetermined to wipe them out of existence. After the trauma he’d endured, Ilid had been remanded to a psychiatric hospital. He’d been unable to sleep because of nightmares, plagued by hallucinations of shadows creeping up on him, and terrorized by the knowledge the Darks were coming for Kalquor. The All and its Darks had taken control of the Galactic Council of Planets, the ambassadorial body of many worlds, including Kalquor and Earth II.

The idea of his parents having to cope with his ongoing overwhelming distress had sent Ilid into a greater blackness. A few weeks earlier, he’d attempted suicide rather than cause them further pain. The quick-acting hospital staff had kept him from succeeding, and his parents’ determination and love had lured him back into wanting to live. The trip to Haven, where safeguards had thus far thwarted the Darks’ infiltration efforts, was the latest effort to restore Ilid to emotional well-being.

It’s an escape though. I’m still not facing my fears.

Then, on board the shuttle taking him to Haven, he’d met Jennifer. She’d somehow made his hurts less in the three days he’d known her. She was a bright spot in an increasingly grim universe. It wasn’t just Diju’s eager matchmaking helping him consider a future with someone special.

Fertile Kalquorian women had become few, thanks to a deadly and often sterilizing virus. Kalquorian men had banded together in clans for several centuries, made up of three breeds: Dramok, Imdiko, and Nobek. Until recently, such a union had been the legal requirement to clan an increasingly rare female lifegiver, the celebrated and venerated Matara.

Earthers had changed everything. The numerous human women had been found to be compatible for carrying children fathered by Kalquorians, thanks to an ancient ancestor common to the two species.

Nowadays, a single Kalquorian man of any breed could clan, or marry, a human woman. Clanning of all the breeds continued to be a favored tradition among several, however. Prior to his encounter with the Darks, Ilid hadn’t been able to conceive of heading anything but the typical four-person clan, though he was perfectly willing for his future Matara to be Earther.

The Darks had destroyed his hopes. Ilid’s damaged psyche had challenged his view of himself. How could he be a true clan leader…a real Dramok…when nightmares left him screaming? When he’d run from Kalquor to escape the continuing Dark threat hanging over it?

Meeting Jennifer had allowed some of his dream to reassert itself, despite his misgivings. She’d shown him he still wished to have someone to share his life with.

An Earther might not have the expectations of a Nobek and an Imdiko. Perhaps Ilid was Dramok enough for such a relationship. He wondered if a human woman could accept a less than perfect man if she didn’t know the extent of how badly he’d been broken.

* * * *

“I’m concerned the sudden appearance of a young Earther woman on Haven at the exact same time Charity Nath vanished from Alpha Space Station might raise suspicions.”

Charity paused nibbling her toast smothered in homemade blueberry jam to consider Sara’s worried comment. She nodded her agreement. “Never underestimate the fanaticism of Earthtiques. Even before coffee.Especiallybefore coffee.”

It was her and the lady of the manor, the kids having gone to school and the men to work. Charity had been allowed to sleep in after the excitement of arrival. She’d missed the breakfast rush, during which Clan Amgar’s dozen hired workers had also been fed.

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