I agree with him except for one thing. I wanted him all to myself and I thought point, it seemed unlikely I would get the chance to have him alone for a while. This was war, and I was pregnant. Getting more pregnant by the day as my body grew faster than I imagined possible.
Kronos appeared to like the changes. He kissed the top of my head.
“Would you like to remain on the bridge for a while?”
“Am I allowed?”
“Yes, Lady Jessica.”
I blushed when he called me that. I didn’t feel like a lady. I still felt like an Alaskan girl — one who had gotten in way over her head. I thought for a moment about Nancy and Tina. I’d never see them again. Everything in my life was different all because they’d kicked me out. One more night and I would have burned up with them.
I sat in the chair to Kronos’ left. His ship had telepathic elements to it and I watched in awe as they all moved as a unit, communicating via their connected minds. I couldn’t hear the thought of every crew member, but I could hear the buzz of telepathic communication overhead.
I didn’t know how fragile peace could be. Then, staring out at the view screen, I saw the first weapon used in space. It started slowly enough. The telepathic vibrations in the room got stronger and soon, they didn’t bother concealing their thoughts from me.
Someone was coming. They weren’t scared. Devorans didn’t experience such unfettered emotions like fear. But there was tension. And uncertainty. Kronos didn’t ask me to leave. He rose and stared out the view screen at what had attracted the buzz.A metal ship, shaped like a donut appeared on the screen. Red light emanated from the ship.
>
Kronos closed his eyes and the Devoran ship fired first. Telepathy gave the advantage of instant command. Instant retribution. A large blue beam of light streamed from our ship into the other. The explosion was loud and rumbled the ship beneath our feet. I clutched the sides of my chair. Talk about turbulence.
The awful rumbling grew worse. The Taurean ship fired a weapon. When it hit, the bridge shook. Two of the crew members fell over. I clutched the sides of my chair tighter. This is it, I thought. I’m going to die. Here. This is where it ends.
>
The other ship responded. I gasped when the Taurean male came onto the screen. I’d thought Devorans were different… terrifying… the creature on the other side of the screen was far worse. The horns were the first thing that drew my attention aside from the reptilian skin and the slits where real people would have a nose.
I wanted to squeeze my eyes shut but at the same time, I couldn’t look away. In space, it looked like light shattered, like the lights when sprinkling away from a fireworks explosion. As the tiny pinpricks of light drew closer, I realized each one was a small bomb. They attached to the hull of the Devoran ship and exploded.
I screamed. The ship spun — evasive maneuvers — and I squeezed my chair, wishing that I was less powerless, wishing that I could actuallydosomething. When the ship was steadied, we’d lost them for a moment. Kronos rushed to my side.
>
“I can’t rest. That was terrifying!”
“I know. But you must. Please, sweetling. Please, do it for me.”
He pushed my hair out of my face and kissed me, but I held strong. No. If there was going to be a war on my planet, I wanted to see it for myself.
“What if they attack again?”
“You’ll be safer in our quarters. Please…”
“Kronos, what if something happens.”
I clutched his arm, pleading with him to keep me by his side.
“No one can touch my lady without facing the consequences.”
I had no choice but to believe him. I returned to our quarters. My belly protruded in front of me, too round for how short a time I’d been pregnant. The attendants were all called to duty. I tried to occupy myself but within ten minutes, the floor shook beneath my feet. Another attack. I climbed into bed, my stomach knotted.
The floor shook more. And more. I started to worry. Then my worry stopped and turned to real fear. A beam of light materialized in my room and then, there it stood — another alien. A green one like I’d seen on the view screen. Its voice emitted guttural and deep.
“A female,” he hissed.
I’d never heard a voice more menacing. I screamed and ran, hoping to find a weapon before I reached the door and secondarily, hoping to get to Kronos. He whipped a tail out from behind him. I didn’t realize he had a tail until the end came flying at my head and then I fell unconscious, into a deep, deep slumber.
When I woke up, I was surrounded by veiled aliens. Creatures with scaled, green reptilian hands and black shrouds covering them. One of them spoke.
