Modified: the Alien's Mate

Chapter Three

Twenty minutes later they arrived at the base of the canyon.  Their footsteps kicked up pebbles on the winding path of a dry riverbed. Layered rock walls in various shades of colours were like beacons as the twin suns began to lower casting monstrous shadows which followed them as they passed cacti and small rodents with piercing eyes along the banks nearby. Regina’s sweat and body odour were pungent in her nose as they came to a stop near smooth large rocks which looked perfect for resting.

Tired, Regina wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

“How far are we from your ship?” she asked, peering up at him for confirmation.

            “It is not far from here. Someone should be along shortly to render a hand.”

Regina had assumed he was alone. She was not sure why she thought this, he did say he was the captain of a ship. A captain would not go anywhere alone, she pondered.

Looking around the riverbed, she could not see the ship, nor anything that looked like a vessel. “Are you certain your ship is here?”

“I am most certain,” he answered curtly.

It felt as if he was offended that she had questioned him. Still, it was not the most important thing to worry about. Her eyes went to his side, he had not complained about his injury. On their journey to the riverbed, he had tried his best to talk about the local area and though it had been interesting that his knowledge about his planet was extensive and had been impressed, nothing could stop the questions that popped into her head about him.

He claimed to be a captain in the Intergalactic Space Corp, and she had no reason to doubt him, but it bothered her that he had deliberately filled the time with things that were of little importance. By doing this she was certain it was to stop her from asking the questions she wanted to.

The shriek of a bird bounced off the canyon walls and her body jerked at the sound and she took a step back. “Ouch,” she hissed. “I need to sit.” Regina hobbled to a nearby stone that was smooth and worn down by the weather. When she was comfortable on the stone, she massaged her ankle and the handcuffs that Bando had tried to place on her rattled like dungeon chains reminding her of what had happened before.

“How’s your wound?” she asked, staring at his side but did not allow her eyes to roam any other part of his naked form. He still had her vest pressed to his side. Regina wondered why he was not in a rush to seek medical attention. She was no medical expert but the blast to his side had done damage. If it had been her who got hit by the laser pistol, she would be halfway to meeting her maker by now she thought.

He was looking at her and she lowered her eyes.

“My thanks for your concern, but I will live,” he answered.

His words were meant to stop her from asking questions, but she was not the kind who took the hint easily. If she had been she would not be a wanted woman. If only she had listened to her parents, she thought. In hindsight, she wished she had been more worldly, if she had not been sheltered by her parents, she would not have met Beur and she would not have ended up on Sigma Twelve doing time for a crime she had not committed. A sigh left her, what was the point in thinking about the past when she could not change it. Now she could. She was older and more experienced.

Now she had the means all she needed was someone to help her get Beur. Regina lifted her eyes and scanned his features. “I heard that Karans heal very fast, is that true?”

            His eyes watched her as if he were trying to guess her intentions. “We heal faster than humans but make no mistake a blast from a laser pistol can incapacitate us also.”

            Was he trying to make her feel guilty for saving her?

Her eyes left his face as she stared at the shade and shadows cast by the lowering suns on the tallest peaks of the canyon. She already felt bad and responsible for getting him injured.

Her eyes were drawn to his injury again but this time she allowed her gaze to skim his eggshell-coloured skin and his alabaster hair which hung loose straight down his back. She catalogued these things clinically and did not allow her earth sensibilities to think anything of his nakedness. From what she understood of Newahans, Karans were not prudish about their nakedness. Now that she had a chance to look at him, a tingle began at the base of her neck.

Disconcerted by the fact that she could find him attractive, she let out a loud sigh hoping this would relieve the sudden fluttering in her chest.

The whole time she was wrestling with her emotions, he had been watching her. When she exhaled, he tilted his head and eyed her in an intense way that made her flesh prickle. “Is there something you want to say?” she asked, giving him a sidelong glance. She was afraid that if she faced him, he would see that she found him interesting.

“You humans are somewhat prudish,” he said. Her eyes shot to his face. “What do you mean?”

He scoffed lightly. “Regina Wilde, for the last minute you have made great efforts not to stare at my nakedness.”

Regina’s mouth fell open at his accurate assessment of her. “I don’t know what you mean,” she denied but there was a heavy feeling in her stomach that he could see every emotion she displayed.

Straightening her shoulders, she met his eyes and willed herself not to look at anything below his neck.

“I was surprised that’s all,” she said, keeping her eyes peeled on him. “I am not used to running around with a naked male, or any male for that matter,” she added, saying former beneath her breath.

He did not say anything. His eyes just watched her as if he were always trying to anticipate what she would say.

“Aren’t you going to tell me the reason you have come looking for me?”

“I cannot say,” he answered, meeting her eyes.

            She sighed. “And you expect me to go with you without any sort of information whatsoever?” asked, letting him hear the distrust, hoping he would interpret her words the way she wanted him to. “You want me to go along with you on your own words alone?”

            “I do.” His voice was self-assured.

 Those words made her feel as if she were the one who should be distrusted. After being in his company for such a short time she could decide about a part of his personality and that was that he had tried hard to keep her out of the Allarian’s hands. For what purpose she was not sure.

            Regina was out of options too. With Beur sending the mercenaries after her she decided that the best place to be on the captain’s ship. It was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire but what other option did she have. There was an old earth adage: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Was that how it went? She could not recall. It felt as if it was a long time since she had read an earth text.

“Where are these people you say would be here then?” she asked, hoping this would distract her from the thoughts of distrust that kept her stomach churning like a brewing tornado.

He c****d his head as if he heard things, she could not. She would have missed this subtle gesture if she had not been focused on his face. “They should be here presently,” he told her.

It was not long before she heard footsteps crunching stones coming in their direction. A moment later a female dressed in the standard black and gold of the Intergalactic Space Corp, came to stop before them. With a palm over her chest, she saluted.

“You are late Fox, the Allarians almost gutted me,” he scolded the female.

The female, a slender human with intricate gold tattoos on her amber face was stone-faced as she took the criticism.

            Regina saw that the woman was methodologically scanning the captain’s body. “I have dealt with them, captain. As we speak, a ship has been sent to intercept them.”

            “Good,” he nodded. “What happened?”

Regina tuned out as she watched the woman’s face. Only for a split second, she wondered at the relationship of the two but then she shook the thoughts off telling herself that this had no bearing on her situation.

The woman Fox was Newahan, she was from one of the human colonies that had settled on the planet since the Cascade. Her tattoos were a mark of the colony she belonged to. Regina scrutinised the deep spirals on either of her cheeks and wondered if they hurt when she had had them done.

Her eyes lingered on the female then went to the Captain.

Even though the captain had said he healed fast she was surprised that Fox was not helping him with his wound. She had not offered to help because she knew little or nothing about how to care for an injury like the one, he had suffered.

Disconcerted, she wondered if there was something she had missed and if so, what did this mean for her.

“I want those Allarians Fox,” he was saying. “They cannot come to Newah and disrespect our laws. How dare they fire weapons in our forest. They will never set foot on this planet again.” There was determined anger in his voice.

She knew the Newahans were a stickler for certain rules, it was one of the reasons she had had her friend Rika smuggled her onto the planet. Regina had felt that she would not be chased across the system and she would have time to clear her name. But Beur had found a way to find her and by the Allarians using force it was clear to her that he did intend to kill her.

How she should feel about this, she was not sure. The one thing she was certain of was that this captain may be the key to helping her.

Another set of footsteps came towards them along the riverbed. Her posture stiffened and she relaxed when a young man in a similar uniform, came to stop and saluted as Fox did, then handed a bundle to the captain.

“Your garments, captain.”

The captain took the bundle with one hand then peeled the vest from his side and handed it to Fox.

            She was near enough to him to see that he had stopped bleeding. Surprised, she stared at his wound then at his face to find his eyes watching her.

            “Fox will take you back to the shuttle.” His voice was commanding and for a moment she contemplated disobeying him. He was not her captain, why should she follow his orders, but she was reminded why she should listen when he poked the gaping hole in his side. The shot must not have hit any vital organs she thought if it had he would not be standing.

            As if anticipating her reluctance, Fox and her subordinate assumed positions on either side of the stone giving her no other option than to follow them.

            Sliding off her resting place, she stood. “Bloody Heck,” she said, as a sharp pain shot up her leg and she sat back down with a jerk.

            “You are injured?” Fox said, staring down at her.

“I think it’s just a twist.” Fox put a hand under her elbow to help her up, but she shrugged it off. “I’m okay, I can walk by myself,” she said stubbornly.

            “If you say so,” Fox countered. Her voice was filled with disbelief as her eyes went to her foot and stared at it for too long.

            Determined to get to their shuttle on her own two feet, she shoved herself to her feet again. This time she gritted her teeth and ignored the biting pain.  As the two Newahan escorted her away, she turned to look back at the captain, but he had disappeared.

As she hobbled along, Fox’s pace was slow. She was grateful for the woman’s consideration. Yet, there was a small part of her that was wondering why the woman was treating her with respect. This was not what she expected.  Did Fox not know she was a convicted murderer? Why then was she showing her kindness? It was not what she had come to expect of people who knew her personal history.

Even so, she pretended that this small act had not touched her. She remained silent. Regina knew that there would be no point in fishing for information from these two. Unless she had a torture device, Fox and her companion would not answer any of her questions, she would just have to be patient and wait for the captain.