Page 65 of Torn from the Alien Commander

“Congratulations, my love,” Xandor whispers into my ear, while I’m still overcome with shock. “It mightn’t have the personality of the Mutalisk Hammer, but at least it works,” he adds with a laugh.

“Um... Is this for us?” I shift my gaze between the beautiful ship and my handsome Xandor. “Like an actual Nebian ship?”

“An actual Nebian ship.” He nods in agreement. “For you and the crew. Earned a million times over,” he echoes my early wordswith a proud smile. “The bravest, strangest band of mercenary misfits that’s ever graced the void of space.”

I struggle to hold back tears, rushing over to stand before the immense glimmering ship. It’s like a work of art, a single piece of solid chassis as solid as my love for Xandor. I run my hand over the cold surface, marveling at its construction.

“It’s bad luck for a ship to go nameless. What shall it be called?” The Imperator inquires as I notice a drone hovering beside me.

An answer snaps to my mind, the one person who’d appreciate this gift more than me. “Kaanus’s Gamble,” I mutter, my words amplified yet still filled with automatic purity. A part of his legacy to live on, the good side that struggled, the side that sacrificed his life to save ours, the side that used to tell me stories as I gazed out into the stars.

“A fine name!” the Imperator declares. “Though there won’t be much need to gamble when that ship gets going!” he laughs, followed by the deafening crowd.

“Now, let us bind our splendid alliance. Ambassador Xandor, if you would join me,” the Imperator gestures to a podium that’s now rising from the platform, as his hovering surface carries him to stand before it.

A radiant red projection extends up, dominating the sky, detailing the terms of the alliance. “With our biometric signature, we bring into reality this alliance for the betterment of both our peoples,” the Imperator declares, placing his hand before the beam of light, causing the color to flash to blue for an instant.

An eerie silence lingers as millions wait with bated breath to see Xandor loom over the podium. He reaches his massive hand into the red light, pausing for dramatic effect. “Death to the Scythians! Honor to the Nebians! Honor to the Klendathians!” he roars, placing his hand inside the flickering light.

The silence erupts into a deafening cheer as the ground shakes with the stomping feet of the countless crowd. The Imperator holds out his knee while grinning, a final symbol of agreement. Xandor wastes no time completing the simple act with a little too much gusto, almost toppling the Imperator. Thankfully, he helps straighten him before he falls.

The Imperator laughs, reaching into a compartment on the podium and extracting two golden plates. Both appear engraved with writing. “I hold history in my hands, a copy for each of our peoples. Take it back to your High Chieftain with pride.” He offers Xandor one of the shining plates. “Let us celebrate this momentous union with feasting, dancing, and song!”

As the twin suns beam down on us, and the deafening crowd stomps their feet and roars their approval, Xandor approaches with a smile. “We have a party to attend.” He flashes the golden plate for emphasis.

“Oh, such a striking beauty you are!” Gnaeuthan, the red-haired Nebian, declares. I only just learned his name moments ago. “Tall, but not too tall, long sleek limbs.” His orange eyes roam my body from top to bottom, making my skin crawl. “Yes, and your delicate features!” He moans, as if in pain. “Hair of purest black and green eyes. Twin stars, your beauty is unbearable!”

“Um... Thanks,” I reply, distracted, scanning the immense throne room for my Xandor. I smile, seeing him talking with Logarn and Noroth, laughing and slapping each other in hearty banter.Unlike me, who’s stuck with this creep?

“You know... I’m a Consul. I watched you in the Imperial Forum, knowing I had to speak to you.” Gnaeuthan leans in, his silly large collar tapping me in the face. “How about a modelingcontract? I have connections that’ll go wild for such an exotic beauty as yourself. A thousand credits a day, how does that sound, my lovely?”

I almost choke on my fruity Nebian cocktail, maybe just a tiny bit spat onto Gnaeuthan’s long collar.Thank the stars he didn’t notice.“I think that sounds ridiculous!” I declare at the outrageous amount.

Gnaeuthan’s leering smile flashes to a brief frown before he barks a laugh, “Oh, you are a shrewd one I see. How about one and half thousand credits a day? You’ll get no better offer, I assure you.”

Has this Nebian lost his voiding mind?

“Leave the poor lass alone, Gnaeuthan.” I recognize the squeaky but stern voice as my former jailor, Thalaxia. “You’re not interested, are you?” she asks, turning to me dressed in a black flowing robe with a high collar not as long as Gnaeuthan’s.

“I have no idea, I just got here!” I exclaim, feeling overwhelmed by the nosey crowd and the loud music.

“Listen Curator, I outrank you. Best—” Gnaeuthan sneers directed at Thalaxia.

“Yes, and we’re both off duty, so why don’t you void off?” Thalaxia interjects, folding her broad arms beneath her ample breasts.

Gnaeuthan recoils as if slapped. “Nobility is never off duty,” he grumbles before turning to me. “Seek me out when you want a life of riches and fame,” he offers with a nod before stalking off.

“Thanks for that,” I say to Thalaxia, breathing a sigh of relief. “Does he usually lure females in with ludicrous lies of wealth?” I ask, frowning at the retreating Gnaeuthan.

Thalaxia snorts, “Oh, no, he’s genuine. The only problem is you’d be indebted to the loathsome quark.” She takes a drink from her translucent cup. “And believe me, that’s not worth all the credits of the empire,” she laughs.

I give a short sympathetic laugh that doesn’t touch my eyes, stunned that the offer was genuine, that someone would pay me so much based on my looks alone.He knows nothing about me! Unlike Xandor who looks after me—he always does.The thought steadies and refocuses me. “It’s good to see you again, Thalaxia. What do you make of all this?” I ask, gesturing to the buzzing room filled with elaborately dressed Nebians. “You had a sneaky part to play in all this,” I suggest, leaning in to whisper conspiratorially.

“Oh, my!” Thalaxia startles, her face deepening its shade of blue. She clears her throat before continuing. “I still can’t believe it.” She shakes her head and glares at me. “That you managed to break into the Imperial palace, kill the Prefect, and still negotiate a peace—I’d never believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.”

I smile, a sense of pride at her amazement washing over me. “We had inside help.”Not to mention having Xandor know the voiding future!“You and Felixus. So, we can’t take all the credit. Or all the blame!” I let out a giddy chuckle, feeling the potent cocktail working its tricksy ways on me.

“You’re far too modest, lass.” Thalaxia smiles, taking a generous gulp from her cup. “Do you think it’ll last? This peace, I mean.”

---