Starship Lovers [Defense Troopers 2]

CHAPTER 1 Marty paced at the foot of Faruke’s bed. The man was sleeping, but Nick told him it was natural and needed when someone was healing… but f*****g-A, there was nothing natural about Faruke. Damn, had it only been a month since his life had completely tilted off its axis? Marty was still trying to wrap his mind around his new understanding of what the universe really consisted of. Thinking that there might be living beings on other planets was a hell of a lot different from discovering there really were. He and his best friend, Bryton, lived with his dad who owned a junkyard. They had lived there his entire life. His dad had hired some new guys and Marty just had a feeling inside that something was off about them. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it until one night, he had seen the new guys sneaking parts from his dad’s yard into the house his dad had allowed them to use for as long as they worked for him. When Marty and Bryton had gone searching the place, they found a hell of a lot more than some stolen parts. They found their very own version of Star Trek. Faruke and his friends found Marty and Bryton hiding away after Marty had inadvertently taken a very important device he had thought was a game system of some type. When they were discovered, their leader Valkin explained that they were from a planet in another solar system. They were here because Valkin’s twin brother was after something called the vessel. It held serious powers within it and if the i***t got his hands on it, Earth, and their planet, Apparati, would be destroyed along with so many others. The device Marty held was called a Battle Capacitator and it was used to assist them with completely shifting into machines. As long as it was broken, they could only partially shift. Marty thought they were f*****g nuts, until the arm of one of Valkin’s men turned into an AR15 right in front of his eyes. They had to get the device up and running because there was another group of men who had arrived on earth at the same time, and if they weren’t stopped, they would destroy as much of this world as they could, to get the vessel for themselves. Marty and Bryton agreed to help them and between Marty and Trek, they were able not only to get the capacitator working, but also able to actually improve its capabilities. The craziest thing though… if all the other s**t wasn’t head f*****g enough, Valkin tossed a big bomb on them when he started talking about how Bryton was his Solomente. From what Marty understood a Solomente was like a mate, the same as in those paranormal books Bryton read all the time. Valkin had told this crazy ass story about how his people used to have eight limbs and two heads but they were separated. Now when they found that other half of themselves, they wanted nothing more than to love them, keep them safe, make them happy and spend the rest of their lives together. The door opened, and Bryton walked into the room carrying a tray. “Hey, Pops thought you might be hungry.” Marty started to shake his head, but Bryton wasn’t about to hear it, “You will eat it, or I will get my man to hold you down as I puree it and pour it down your throat.” “You know you really have an attitude. I would think with all that s*x you’re having, you would be… I don’t know… skipping around singing Zipadeedoodah or something.” Marty said as he sat down and placed the tray on the side table. Swirling his hips, Bryton countered, “I’m more the Pitbull and DJ Kass doing the Scooby Doo Pa Pa.” Marty picked up his roast beef sandwich and took a bite. Bryton walked over to Faruke, “You know, he looks so innocent and sweet when he sleeps. Yet, when he opens his mouth he’s like that Alien creature which spits acid.” “God, Bryton, why do you have to be such an ass. The man almost died.” Marty hissed. “And if I recall, it was me who kept it from happening. Somehow I think I’m going to regret it.” Bryton muttered. Marty snorted as he finished half of the sandwich, took a drink, then said, “This coming from the man who said he needed Faruke to live so he could have someone who could almost match him in sarcasm wars.” Bryton shrugged, “I’m not the one who promised him dates if he lived.” Marty felt his stomach knot and feared that half of his roast beef sandwich was going to come back up. “What’s going on with you?” Bryton asked. Marty looked at Faruke carding his fingers in his dark black hair. The man was so f*****g gorgeous. He was so tall and had muscles on top of muscles and those eyes… son of a b***h, Marty could look into those turquoise orbs for days on end and never get tired of it. “You really like him, don’t you, Marty?” Bryton softly asked. Sighing, Marty replied, “I can be standing clear across the room and just a look from him makes me hard as a rock, Bry. I don’t understand it. He is so not my type. He always seems angry. He snaps orders instead of asks. He thinks he can tell me what to do all the time. He’s just not the kind of guy I would look twice at no matter how sexy he is.” “I don’t think he’s angry as much as frustrated and pissed. Valkin said that he and Marston were best friends. The three of them used to do everything together and the day that Marston showed his true colors, he killed two of Faruke’s guys and damn near killed him too. Then you add in the fact that they had to leave the only home they have ever known, leaving behind their friends, family… it just can’t be easy.” Marty nodded, stood up and turned to Bryton. “I just don’t know. I don’t understand any of this. How did we go from two average guys trying to live in an average world, to trying to save the world with men from outer space who can shift into machines?” Bryton snickered, “Well it did liven up our lives, that’s for sure.” “Bryton, I’m serious. What do we know about any of this? Did you see the size of those men who attacked this place?” Marty asked in awe. “Marty, our side is just as big and if you remember correctly, we kicked ass too. They didn’t leave here unscathed. You were amazing coming up with those machines to help Valkin and the others fight off Marston and his men. Faruke suddenly made a sound. Marty quickly turned to see those beautiful eyes looking at him. “I’ll get Val.” Bryton said, leaving the room. Marty went to Faruke, smiling, “Well hey there, big guy. You had us all worried.” “What happened?” Faruke asked. “You were shot when Marston and his men attacked our home.” Marty replied. Faruke went to sit up but Marty gently pushed him back down. “Don’t even think about it. You were hurt really bad. You need to rest.” “I’m fine.” Faruke argued. Marty’s eyes welled with tears, “You died, Faruke. You died… and Bryton and I brought you back. So, you just lie there and stop your f*****g arguing for once.” Faruke grunted, lying back down, “Great, you’re telling me I owe one to the prick who sucks Valkin’s d**k. Just great.” “Don’t be so crude.” Marty wiped at his eyes.” Sighing heavily, Faruke replied, “I’m sorry. Don’t cry, Brainiac. I swear I’m fine. Whatever you guys did helped, and Apparati heal really quickly.” Valkin, Greton, Trek, Corbal, and Shen came into the room. Valkin walked over to Faruke, “Hey there, cutting this s**t kind of close this time, weren’t you?” Faruke snorted, “You aren’t getting rid of my ass that easily.” “He’d better not get near your ass. I’d hate to have wasted all that energy putting you back together again, just to kill you.” Bryton said as he joined them all. “You’re just worried I might show Valkin a better time.” Faruke laughed. “Worrying about you is like saying Val would have to worry about me around Selena Gomez.” Bryton responded, cuddling up to his mate. Everyone started talking and laughing, when suddenly, Marty’s phone began to ring. Marty answered, "Hey Barron, now is not really a good time." "Wait, Marty, I really need your help. I have a job with the Defense Department and I am running into a really big problem." Barron spoke quickly. Marty sighed, "I really would like to help, but I am seriously hip deep in poop right now myself." "Look Marty, I wouldn't call if it wasn't an emergency. They are expecting me to have this thing fixed fast. I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't a matter of life and death." Barron said nervously. Marty didn't say anything for a minute. Those words ‘life and death’ rang a bell for him and it took him a second to remember. He and Barron had worked a project together a while back and got to talking about movies. Marty said his least favorite movies were the horror ones. Not because they were scary, but because the people were always doing stupid s**t. Like you had an axe murderer out there killing off all your friends, yet you went outside to take a piss. Barron had said his least favorite were the ones with hostages. He hated them because when people called, the heroes never did anything to try and get help... call their friend by a different name, or just outright tell the person it was a life and death situation. Marty had joked that if ever Barron was being held hostage, he could say that and Marty would come and save the day, but Barron would owe him one. Marty did his best to sound calm, "Okay, Barron, I have a few things to do, but I can be there in an hour. You will owe me one." Hopefully Barron understood him. The young man laughed lightly, "I think this makes four I owe you now. See you soon. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." "It’s a promise. See you in an hour." Marty hung up. Turning to Bryton, he said, “Something’s wrong. Remember that guy, Barron Middleton?” Bryton gave Marty that blank look he always did when he had no answer and didn’t want to upset Marty. Marty rolled his eyes, “The computer tech I worked with a few times when I did some freelance stuff for the feds.” Instant recognition came to Bryton. “Oh yeah. The cutie that needs some cotton added to his pillow.” “What the hell does that even mean?” Trek asked with a laugh. Bryton turned to Trek, “It means he’s all kinds of cuddly cute, but the man is nuts.” “He is not nuts, Bryton. He’s a genius.” Marty argued. Bryton turned to his best friend, “There is a very fine line between genius and insanity, and Barron crosses it a few times every day.” Valkin asked, “What has you concerned?” “And where do you think you’re going in an hour?” Faruke asked, ignoring Marty’s ugly stare. “Barron and I often find ourselves working on projects for the feds together. We talk about mundane s**t to pass the time. Once we talked about movies.” Marty said then finished explaining their conversation. “So, he wants help with the Defense Department project. Why does this concern you?” Faruke asked. Marty looked at Faruke, “First, Barron would never do a project for the defense department. Second, he purposefully used those words in case he was overheard, or the phone was tapped. Only I would understand the meaning. He’s being held by four people and he needs my help.” “Who the hell would want to take Barron? He’s nuttier than chunky peanut butter and he’s annoying as hell. The man never stops talking.” Bryton said. Marty gave Bryton a look, “Are you sure you’re talking about Barron and not yourself. Where do you think I taught my patients to work with the man to begin with?” “Oh, ha ha.” Bryton responded. “How do you know he’s being held by four people?” Calkin asked. “Because he said that’s four he owes me. Barron doesn’t owe me s**t. If anyone owes anyone it’s me who owes him.” Marty replied. “What if it was Marston? What if he’s the one who took Barron?” Bryton asked. “Why would he do that?” Valkin asked. Marty looked at Valkin, “Everyone in the cyber world knows about Barron. He’s a fucking genius. I mean a serious crazy ass genius. This guy works for the feds not because he wants to but because he has to. He hacked into the FBI data base, broke into their WITSEC program. He didn’t do it to out them, he did it because he was bored. He refuses to work for the Defense Department because he says they would use his skills as a weapon to kill people. The thing is, if Marston is looking to fix his capacitator, he would go searching and it wouldn’t take long for a black hat to spill his name.” Faruke sat up on the side of the bed. Marty rushed to his side, asking, “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Faruke looked at Marty, “I don’t understand half of what you said, but if you think your friend is in trouble and Marston is behind it, you are going to need all the help you can get to rescue the man. I’m fine and I’m going.” Valkin nodded, “Okay, gear up men we are going for a ride.”