Modified: the Alien's Mate

Chapter Four

It took Regina and her escorts five minutes to get to the shuttle, but to her, every footstep was hard to take. When she was escorted inside the six-seater craft and directed to a seat, she took it gratefully.

Fox went to the helm and began the launch sequence.  “You’re not waiting for the captain?” she asked, getting anxious that they were going to leave him behind.

“He will be here presently,” Fox replied, just as the hatch door closed and the captain dropped into the seat next to her. He had dressed in civilian clothes; a black shirt with ruffles at the neck and wrist and braies. He was barefoot, but he reached behind the chair, took out a pair of hessian boots, and shoved his feet in.

“Are we ready to depart Fox?” he asked, looking up as he placed the first boot on his feet.

The woman did not answer, she placed her hands on the lever before her and pushed it forward. Within seconds, gravity was pushing her back in the seat and she was gripping the hand rests of her chair tightly. It felt as if she was holding it forever before she felt the effects of their ascent into space ease when they zoomed through the stratosphere and into orbit.

            It was no more than ten minutes before they were able to dock on a cruiser that was orbiting the planet. Regina still had a death grip on her seat when the captain reached over, took her wrist, and unlocked the bracelet. Before she could rub her wrist where the metal had grazed her skin, he was clasping a black proximity bracelet into place.

            “Where do you think I can go?” she asked, meeting his eyes, then craning her neck to look at the cruiser. “I don’t think there will be anyone on there that will help me.”

            “On board my ship there are many humans. A few may be sympathetic to you.”

She stifled the urge to roll her eyes. If someone were not offering her to get revenge on Beur she would not take any chances. She wanted to say this, but she held her tongue. Regina was aware of Fox and the other Newahan watching them.

            Staring down at the circular bracelet on her wrist, she sighed. “This may have been the worse decision of my life,” she muttered beneath her breath.

She felt more than saw him look at her. “Do I have something on my face,” she asked. Regina was not too surprised when did not answer. Her assessment of the captain was much like the beast he could transform into, he was not much of a conversationalist.

            As the ship was cleared to go into the hangar, she stared down at her finger. No one would know she had all the information on Beur with her. If the worse came to the worse, she could always use it to bargain for her freedom.

            Once the ship was safely in the hangar, the hatch opened, and the captain hightailed it out of the shuttle before she had unbuckled her safety harness.

            “Where is the captain going?” she asked, panic rising in her voice as she stood and made to follow him. “I need to talk to him.”

            Fox and her subordinate stepped in her path. “He has to report to the medical bay,” the woman said.

            Disconcerted that she had forgotten his injury, she hung her head.

“The captain will see you once he is done.” Fox’s eyes were watchful as if she were willing her into submission. “I will take you to get cleaned up.” She swept Regina with a casual glance, but her eyes did not miss her dirty clothes and her bruised almond skin.

            “I guess I could do with a shower,” she agreed.

“Once you are refreshed, I am certain things will not be as bad as they seem in this moment.”

            It was impossible not to read too much into the woman’s words. Could Fox be giving her a hint that something positive may come out from being on their ship?

            He had spoken about arresting her but so far, they were not treating her as if she was a prisoner. It was baffling to her, but she would not allow herself to become complacent. Not until she knew what it was that the captain wanted.

            Fox and her companion escorted her out of the ship and commandeered one of the elevation tubes. Once they were on the officer’s floor they disembarked, walking along chilly corridors that were well lit.  Five minutes later they came to stand outside a door.

            Fox placed her palm on the console next to the door and it swished open. “I will have someone bring you clean garments and food.” Fox’s eyes swept her body and Regina shifted uncomfortably. “Use this time to rest,” she advised, ushering her inside before entering.

            Warm light flooded the room, lighting every nook and cranny. Instead of only a bed she was surprised to see that the room was well furnished and could have been used for any elite members they had to transport.

            A frown creased her brows, why was she being treated so well? There was a tingling in the base of her neck, she was a prisoner, why were they not locking her in the brig? They were treating her like a guest, she rationalised. Something was not right, she thought.

             “Your captain, what’s his name?” she asked.

Fox had turned to leave, she paused at the open door and turned. She wore a puzzled look on her face as if she were wondering if there was a reason, she did not know his name.

            “We were being chased for most of the time, it never came up,” she explained, before Fox could say anything.

            “Captain Edgar Wolfblood,” she answered proudly.

The name was strange, but then he was Karan, she thought as she watched Fox leave. Whilst she was wondering what was going on, Regina was certain she heard a lock engage. Going to the console on the wall, she placed her palm on it and was not surprised when the door only beeped and did not open. “I guess they don’t want me to be running around the ship.” Her eyes scanned the bright room. “Where do they expect me to go, I’m a wanted person, an ex-convict.” Her voice was too loud in the room.

Regina was still standing in the place where Fox had left her when the door chimed and was opened by a female ensign.  Talk about not giving her privacy she thought as she watched the human female place the tray and the bundle on the table before leaving as if she was contaminated.

            “At least they’re hospitable,” she muttered.

            She rubbed her arms, as a small chill went through her. Skimming a small circular table with two chairs, a pair love seat, in rich velvet, in the far corner of the room and the two tall bookshelves near the seats.  Regina walked over to the bookcases, her eyes scanning the books through the protective glass. There were at least thirty text from earth and Newah all the others were military based tomes, as he eyes read the spines, she saw that they were written in Universal English.

This was not the room of a prisoner she thought.

Near one of the bookcases, there was a partition. Regina went around the partition and saw a large bed made up with rich silk; it looked inviting, and she sat on the edge of it and bounced two times assessing the quality.

When was the last time she had slept in a warm bed like this? Before she went to see Alex, she recalled. The two days she had hidden from the Allarians, she had foraged fruit in the forest and had found a hiding place high up in a tree. Regina had been tired and hungry; it had made her careless and she had gone looking for food without making sure the Allarians had gone. It had been stupid, look where she was now, she pondered.

            Getting up she went to a small door to the side of the bed, opening it, a pleased gasp left her.

A shower, she could not wait to get in a wash the grime from her body, but just then, her stomach rumbled, and she went back to the table where the food was still waiting.

            It was earth food she saw; steak, potatoes, and vegetables she was sure were from Newah. Regina sat down and forgot her manners; picking up the steak she began ripping it apart with her teeth forgetting the cutlery which lay next to the plate. By the time she finished the steak she was shoving potatoes in her mouth.  Two minutes later when she sat back on the chair and finish the glass of water with the meal, she felt her hunger was satisfied.  

            A small smile played on her lips as she went to the bed and began undressing. “I bet this is how they lull unsuspecting people into a false sense of security,” she muttered beneath her breath, as she finished unbuttoning her blouse and slid it off her shoulders. “What the hell, I may as well enjoy their hospitality,” she added to the room.

            Regina did not know when she was going to enjoy such nice things again, she thought as she leaned down and undid the straps to her boots and slid her still throbbing ankle from them.

            The warm water will help, she thought as she finished undressing and went to the shower. When she stepped into the cubicle, she thought she would not have any regrets if this were her last day of freedom, her belly was full, and she was finally enjoying a warm shower. Bliss.

Yet, her throat clogged with tears, as the events of the last few weeks came crashing into her consciousness.

            A tear slid down her cheek, as she turned the knob on the shower. Warm water burst from the square opening above her as she closed her eyes and let the sting wash away the grime from her body, her shoulders shook with despair for her friends and herself.

There was a weakness in her legs, and she sunk to the floor. Pulling her knees into her chest, she circled them with her arms and sobbed uncontrollably. The sounds of her crying and tears mingled with the warm running water. It was a long time before she composed herself.