As if.
“Hey, A-Man,” the baritone voice on his shoulder had a subtle mechanical, whirring undertone to it. “Let’s ditch this guy. I bet we can find those babes all on our own! As the great Latin proverb states, ‘Fortune favors the bold’. Let’s be bold and see what kind of fortune we can find here on our own.”
Ari couldn’t help the pain-filled sigh that rolled out. How he wished he was free to do what his companion suggested. Why, taking apart one of those sexbots alone would… never mind.
“Slow down, Sparky. I wish we could, but we agreed to find these human women. So, that’s what we’re gonna do.” He glanced at the small spider-shaped sentient droid resting on his folded, spindly legs parked on Ari’s left shoulder.
The bot’s gold-and-silver body was aerodynamic in design, perfect to slice through the air using iridescent wings hidden under his back panels.
“You sense anyone here?”
Ari looked up at the sound of the deep rich voice coming from the male walking next to him. Turning away from the droid, he took a second to open his senses before shaking his head. “Nah, just us and the two oldsters goin’ the other way.” All was good. No one around. Whistling, he shoved his fingers into the back pockets of his jeans.
“I bet we’d find them faster on our own!” His bot companion jumped up. “Look, if we just ditch these guys…”
The scene changed.
The world around him dissolved, replaced by a surreal landscape that felt both familiar and alien. He found himself insideElemi.But a totally different environment from the disaster he’d seen in the engine room of theNebula Viper.
The surrounding walls were a deep, shimmering green, like the surface of a still pond catching the morning light.
He reached out to touch them. The exterior was soft, warm, and supple, as if preening beneath his fingers.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” The feminine voice coming from the ship was like smooth, rich velvet as it wrapped around Ari’s senses. Her tone was low and husky, each word laced with a seductive cadence full of mystery and intrigue. She spoke with a refined elegance, a hint of sophistication that danced on the edge of her phrases, leaving a hint of allure in the air.
He couldn’t help the shiver racing down his spine.
“Oh, you and I are going to have such fun!” There was an undeniable confidence in her voice, a dominant presence that demanded attention and respect.
Ari cleared his throat and glanced around. He was in the main cockpit, a place comfortable enough to fit a small crew of five or more. Its oval layout emphasizedElemi’sorganic base with flowing lines. There was an apparent pilot’s seat in the center, elevated enough to provide an open view of the room.
He took in a deep breath of the sweet, earthy scent in the air. Like a forest after a rainstorm. The whole place was calming and soothing, melting the stiffness in his shoulders. Soft, ambient sounds surrounded him along with a rhythmic hum, like a distant heartbeat.
He headed to the center of the room, where a spiraling column of light rose from the floor, pulsating in time with the ship’s organic rhythm. Beneath his feet, the surface was firm yet slightly yielding, shifting gently whenever he took a step—as if the ship adjusted to how he walked. As he got closer to the center, a sense of belonging enveloped him, warm and comforting, like an embrace. Wispy glimpses of distant memories vied for his attention, tantalizing him to explore.
Reaching out, he brushed his fingers against the column of light, and the image disappeared.
Once again, everything around him shifted. This time to a place as unfamiliar to him as anything he’d come across since he woke up and got caught in Morgan’s mesmerizing gold-green eyes.
Ari stood on the edge of a floating island suspended high above the shimmering cosmos. The island was a breathtaking paradise, unlike anything he’d ever imagined. The scent of exotic blooms filled the air, mingling with a crisp, invigorating breeze that carried whispers of an unseen ocean far below.
He turned around and his breath caught at the sight of an endless landscape of lush greenery dotted with trees bearing vibrant, iridescent leaves that glowed gently in the soft light of the celestial sky. The sky itself was an ever-changing tapestry of colors, with galaxies swirling in slow motion and stars twinkling like distant jewels.
The sand beneath his feet was smooth like cool silk, a mixture of stardust and soft earth that shifted delicately as he moved. His barefoot steps were soundless, adding to the dreamlike quality of the world around him.
Taking in the serene beauty, he was drawn to a gentle waterfall cascading down from a crystalline cliff.
The water sang as it fell, creating a melody that harmonized with the rustling leaves and the distant calls of ethereal creatures hidden within the foliage.
A soft rustle nearby captured his attention. And there she was, the eternal beauty that was Morgan. She emerged from the dappled shadows of a towering tree. The sight of her was as astonishing as a sudden burst of sunlight, brightening the already luminous world around them.
Morgan’s golden curls flowed freely around her shoulders, catching the ambient light and reflecting it like a halo around her head. Her attire was as radiant as the setting, a flowing gown made of golden fabric that shimmered with every step she took. Adorned with delicate patterns reminiscent of constellations, it subtly emphasized her elegance and strength. The dress glided across her body like liquid moonlight, accentuating her graceful movements as she approached.
Ari’s mouth dried. Here, in this strange place, he saw Morgan in a truly different light.
Her golden curls were a heady mixture of blonds and browns, as well as fiery reds. So many shades he didn’t even know existed. Bright eyes of leaf green blended with hues of gilded yellow under brows and lush lashes that matched the unique color of her hair. Her mouth was wide, curved at the corners, giving a peek of her small, even white teeth. Tiny laugh lines graced the sides of her succulent lips and wide eyes, evidence of a sense of dry humor he had to have overlooked. Her glorious light skin had an undertone of café au lait, rich and creamy.
As she neared, her gentle smile widened.
