Page 13 of Torn from the Alien Commander

“No, I don’t believe you!” I scream, shaking my head. The escape pod pressing in around me, the pitying stares of the others maddening. “Xandor will find a way.”

Noroth places a massive hand on my shoulder, his stare intense. “Soon he’ll rest with his ancestors. His own words,” he states, collapsing my universe with crushing finality. My heart feels torn out and cast into the void. I recoil and fall into my seat, head buried in my hands, unable to look at anyone, struggling to even breathe.

“He told me to tell you that he loves you and his last thoughts were for your safety,” Noroth continues, wrapping a sympathetic arm around my weeping body. His words only stoke my brutal misery.

If he loved me, then why has he abandoned me?

The bitter thought comes, stupid and selfish, but I can’t help but lash out. My mind reels, consumed by despair, anger, andanguish. Anger at Xandor for saving me, but not himself. Yet worst of all is the seething anger I have for myself. “If I hadn’t gone to see Kaanus, Xandor would still be alive!” I wail, lost, hating myself for my foolish actions.

Now they’re both dead.

“Void, it was crazy in there,” Hyanxa says, her voice laced with unusual sympathy. “Who’s to say? If you left a fraction earlier, you both could’ve been caught in a blast.”

Her words ring hollow, knowing if I had followed Hyanxa when she urged me to leave, Xandor would still be alive. The realization is almost unbearable, that I must live with the terrible shame that I did this to him, killing the only male who truly cared for me.

As my weeping diminishes, leaving behind a gaping wound where my heart once stood, Noroth moves back to his seat. “Don’t worry, Tiny!” Quad booms, rubbing my back with two hands, “Scary is best basher. He’ll survive.” He beams with a nodding head.

I’d give anything for that to be true.

“Void sake, Quad,” Hyanxa interjects in annoyance. “Now’s not the time.” She sighs, exhaling a puff from her vaporstick.

“What?” Quad exclaims, glancing around in surprise. “I speak truth.”

I would laugh if I’d any joy left in me, but there’s nothing—only an emptiness that can never be filled and a burning regret that will torment me for the rest of my days.

Please forgive me, Xandor.

The escape pod jerks and rumbles with increased turbulence, prompting the others to cast nervous looks around. A deafening, blazing sound roars through the cramped enclosure, and I can feel the temperature rising. It can mean only one thing—we’re penetrating Nebias atmosphere.

Instinctively, I grip my seat to avoid being thrown off, driven more by reflex than by self-preservation.I don’t deserve safety.“Hmm. Good Nebian’s don’t blast us. Yes?” Job states, his antenna growing more animated.

“Perhaps they realize earlier error? No?” Mob speculates, his arms limbs fluttering with renewed excitement.

Hyanxa frowns, examining the glowing blue console controls, which now projects a dense urban sprawl, the first insight into a place I know nothing about. “Going to be voiding hard to land. The entire planet is covered in buildings.”

All their gazes snap to the display, a look of concerned wonder in their eyes, while mines are sore and blurry. Tall sweeping buildings with pointed tips crowd the projected landscape, jutting outward like sharp teeth awaiting us for its meal. Not surprising considering it was the Nebians who destroyed our ship, killing Kaanus and Xandor. A bitter, worrying thought about what fate awaits us down on the surface. I’d probably feel panicked if I had the emotional energy left to care.

The ship shudders and jolts as Hyanxa engages the stabilizer thrusters. “Grab onto your seats. This is going to be a bumpy ride,” she declares until the console beeps and several objects appear on the holographic display. Immediately, our escape pod shakes and groans under great strain. “Void, I’ve lost control! They have us in some kind of tractor beam.”

“Least they haven’t expired us. Yes?” Job states, glancing around the cramped pod as if the walls might implode at any moment.

“Let me do the talking,” Noroth says in a solemn tone. “Nebians have no love for us Klendathians. Better to distance yourselves.”

As the escape pod creaks, being pulled off course, Hyanxa stares at Noroth, a look of sadness crossing her fierce, scared face. She nods in agreement, hard and strong, wishing I couldconjure the same. “I’m turning off our thrusters. Let’s see where they’re taking us,” she declares, her hands darting over the controls.

The groaning and shuddering cease, leaving only our ragged breaths and tense silence. Noroth and Logarn inspect their armor and gauntlets, hinting at an ominous future for all of us.Have we escaped the fire only to land in molten plasma?I’d welcome a quick death, then I wouldn’t feel so much pain and anguish.

Then I could live with Xandor like in his strange religion.

The sensation of the escape pod descending interrupts my morbid thought. Glancing at the console, it seems we’re now inside one of the buildings. How such a thing is possible is a mystery to me, much like the Nebians themselves. Suddenly, our vessel jolts as it contacts the floor, causing my teeth to rattle with the jarring impact.

We wait on edge, glancing around the vessel, wondering what fate awaits us. The sound of movement outside, along with the whooshing of airborne vessels, can be heard. No doubt we’re surrounded by powerful tech, resistance impossible. “Intruders, come out slowly with your hands up!” A booming amplified voice demands.

“No one do anything stupid. Not like we’ve done anything wrong,” Hyanxa cautions, sweeping a glance over everyone. Her hands dart over the controls, and the escape pod door slides open, permitting a refreshing stream of fresh air to pour into our enclosure.

Despite the bellowing mist, I rush to the exit. “I’ll go first,” I offer, knowing my life has little meaning left. With my hands raised, I take a step out. Large darkened silhouettes and the deafening roar of hovering vehicles assaults my senses, then a blinding light forces me to shield my stinging eyes.

“Hands up! I’ll not warn you again!” The booming voice demands, prompting me to elevate my hands, despite my instinct to cover my sight. As I walk forward, almost blind to what’s happening, I can just make out a large sleek armored vehicle shaped like a giant person approaching.

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