Page 1 of Baby For The Tark Commander

Chapter One

RANA TOOK A DEEP BREATH as she entered the Faction Embassy, her stomach fluttering with anxiety. Today was the day she’d been dreading—her twenty-first birthday, and the day she had to officially enter the surrogate registry. She’d put it off as long as she’d dared.

Like all women on Earth between eighteen and twenty-five, she was now eligible for selection by one of the aliens of the Faction. According to the agreement made seven years ago at the end of the Vorathan invasion, Earth owed a “debt” to the Faction, to be paid by providing human women as potential surrogates.

Rana thought it was an archaic custom, but she understood why the desperate leaders of her battered world had agreed to it. That didn’t make walking through the doors of the Embassy any easier.

The sterile white walls and sleek metallic surfaces felt cold and imposing. She wished her best friend Priya could have come with her, but she had to do this on her own.

A severe-looking Faction official directed her to take a seat in the waiting area. Rana sat, perched nervously on the edge of the smooth silver chair. She watched as other young women entered, some scared like her, others nonchalant.

After twenty tense minutes, a proctor said, “Rana Shreveet?” Rana stood on trembling legs and followed the proctor down a wide hallway. She was directed to a small exam room containing complex medical equipment and told to sit on the table.

Moments later, a Mosaic doctor entered. Like others of his gene-spliced race, his appearance was an amalgamation of different alien species. He had dusky purple skin, a bald head, and large luminous orange eyes.

“Hello, Rana, I am Dr. Mikal.” He introduced himself in perfect, lightly accented English. “Please relax. I know this process can cause anxiety, but it will be over quickly.”

She tried to calm her breathing as he began the examination, which included a full body scan, retinal scan, and DNA sample. After confirming her good health, Dr. Mikal smiled kindly.

“There, all done. Your profile will now be entered into our database for potential matching. You are free to go and will be notified if you’re selected.”

Rana thanked the doctor and took the printed information packet he offered. She stepped outside into the sunny day moments later, finally able to breathe. One step down, though she had four more years of eligibility ahead of her.

Trying to push her worries aside, Rana strolled through the bustling market on her way home, picking up some greens to cook a special dinner. She wanted to make tonight nice for her parents. They had been devastated when receiving the letter reminding her she was almost out of time to register and still be in compliance with the law.

After dinner, she left her parents’ POD to walk a few sites over to the POD she shared with Priya. Even seven years later, housing was scarce with so much of their city still in ruins from the Vorathan attacks.

She changed into her nightclothes and tried to lose herself in a historical K-drama on her datapad, but her mind kept drifting. What if she was selected? Would it be one of the giant Grimlocks or the frightening, cold-blooded Serps? It could be a Tark or an Alphan. Rana shuddered at the thoughts.

A soft ping drew her attention—an incoming video call from Priya, who was working the night shift as a nurse at the hospital. She accepted eagerly, ready to vent to her closest friend. Priya’s face filled the screen, her large dark eyes full of sympathy.

“How did it go?” asked Priya, who had gone through her own registration almost five years ago. Her BFF was almost free and would be released from the proxy program on her next birthday.

Rana grimaced. “About as dehumanizing as expected. They scanned every inch of my body like a farm animal.”

Priya shook her head, her thick braid slipping over one shoulder. “Ugh, I’m sorry. It was the same for me, but at least it’s over now, right?”

“For today, but I’ll have to live with this threat hanging over my head for the next four years until I’m twenty-five.” Rana sighed, hugging her knees. “I can’t have a boyfriend or any kind of normal life until then.”

“I know. It sucks.” She gave an encouraging smile. “At least the chances are still pretty low you’ll actually get picked. I mean, there are billions of us and only a few hundred thousand of them. Try not to stress too much.”

Rana nodded, wishing she shared her optimistic friend’s attitude. “I hope you’re right. I’ll feel a lot better after your birthday passes next month with no match.”

They chatted for a while longer until her eyes grew heavy, and her friend’s dinner hour ended. After wishing Priya a good night, she curled up under a blanket, her mind churning with restless thoughts. Somehow, she had to find the strength to get through this.

***

TWO WEEKS LATER, RANA walked down the street with Priya, enjoying their day off together. They passed a sprawling refugee camp of PODs, tents, and makeshift dwellings. It was one of many that still housed those displaced by the invasion. The scars left behind would take lifetimes to heal.

Priya linked her arm through Rana’s. “Let’s not waste our free time. I’m taking you shopping.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Ugh, do we have to?”

“Yes. When’s the last time you bought something new? We just got paid.”

“Oh, all right.” Unable to say no to her exuberant friend, she let herself be dragged toward the shops. She had to admit, it was nice to peruse and daydream a little, even if she couldn’t justify buying much. After mostly browsing, they stopped to get dinner from a street vendor.

“It’s so ridiculous,” she said over noodles and what she hoped was pork. “My body doesn’t belong to them just because of some archaic deal.”

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