My favorite thing about U’sek’s was that they didn’t do relationships. No cuddling or pillow chat expectations, no worries about one getting too attached or thinking it was more than a fun time. Their species considered sex to be for pleasure and reproduction. They didn’t do relationships in the same way humans did and, frankly; I didn’t understand most of it because Zavir always struggled to put it into words we could understand. Regardless, I appreciated their laid-back style, and the four arms. Zavir got me in positions I didn’t know I could do, and somehow my muscles thanked me for it in the morning.
I suppose I should thank the militia too. All of us received a plethora of medical treatment to ensure there were no issues having sex across all species because… well, if you put a bunch of lonely horny people in a group then that was bound to happen to some of them. So, yeah, thanks to the militia for that, or something.
“You have no class, Lucky,” Ryker said, shaking his head.
“Says the bastard who messages me asking for details anytime I leave with anyone.” I flicked ashes at him but never took my eyes off Roys, whose jaw was moving from side to side.
“Those messages are private. Between two friends. It’s entirely different.”
“We’re mostly friends here, so it’s fine.”
We both glanced at Roys walking ahead. Everyone followed, with Ryker stepping out of position to trek closer to me.
“I’ve never done a tour with a survey team,” he said, holding out a hand for the last of my cigarette. I knew he’d give in and handed it over. He knocked his visor off for a moment. “Our tours were always…” he waved a hand toward the sky. “Up there.”
Guard duty for me, mostly. Ryker joined the militia three years ago. Took two years to go from a cadet to a private. Cadets were essentially the testing phase to see where they would place best. Ryker was a glorified stock boy on cargo ships. I spent most of my time in a speeder. Not much fighting, unfortunately. We were tasked with flying alongside diplomats or protecting the cargo guys, like Ryker.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved flying. I understood a speeder better than my mind. It was an extension of my body. However, after flying around in space, passing planet after planet, eventually, I wanted to be on one. I sat in the cockpit staring out into space to see another planet, a home for many, and wondered what it would feel like to be down there.
Gravity was a bitch, though. Being born on a colony, one among the shitty Outer Rim, and living my whole life in space, I had to do a year ofhard gravity tests and a strange concoction of meds to ensure I wouldn’t die in the atmosphere.
“What are they going to do exactly?” Ryker asked before finishing the cigarette. He coughed and tugged the visor back on.
“Survey, apparently,” I replied.
“You know what I mean.”
“Our survey team is made up of ten individuals: two geologists, a mineralogist, an engineer, four botanists, and two assistants. Their job is to ascertain whether Illionxonah-14356 can be prepared for settlers or used for resources. Regardless, they will conduct tests on the environment and report back their findings to the Intergalactic Court,” Roys explained.
“That bitch was eavesdropping,” I said, causing Ryker to laugh.
“Okay, but how do they know from a few tests done in three months whether The Planet is habitable? They cannot possibly learn everything there is to know in that time,” Arana argued.
“The survey team doesn’t make that decision. Once the Intergalactic Court receives their information, they will determine whether it’s viable not only to prolong but also expand the survey team. There could be up to ten separate teams on Illionxonah-14356. After a year or so, the Intergalactic Court will make the final decision,” Roys replied, cutting another stalk. Even with that exoskin on, his muscles flexed, reminding me of how they felt on my fingertips, to be pressed against them, panting and moaning.
Roys stopped at a scurrying noise. All of us raised our flamethrowers. The flora beside Ryker and I moved. We prepared ourselves. A rat creature waddled out with six legs, a blossom on its head and little tendrils for whiskers. The rat nibbled on the bud of a plant and wandered back into the forest.
“As I was saying, the militia will stay for the first few months. If the planet is inhospitable danger-wise, then the survey team leaves with us. If it proves hospitable, a small military team will come to live on Illionxonah-14356 long term with the survey team,” Roys said.
“Which would never be any of us,” said Iylene.
“Correct. We will be reassigned, and another team will descend.”
“This may be the most I’ve ever heard the captain speak,” Arana said over her shoulder at me.
I heard him say a lot. None of it for their ears, and I wanted to hear more. I liked when he got all riled up, how different he was, like he had peeled back a protective layer that shielded him day in and day out. There was something gratifying about getting that strong composure of his to break, and wondering how many others had managed the same. Roys never had anyone, not that we knew of, though it had been a short time since his arrival. I couldn’t really imagine him in a relationship, even what happened between us seemed like more than he could manage. He was surprising, to say the least.
“Those are the cushy jobs, likely for the colonels and their favorites,” Ryker added.
“Yes, we’re lucky, too, in a sense. This isn’t the worst I have seen.” Roys cut aside more flora, tossing the remnants of it into the jungle.
“Weren’t you nearly eaten by a flora the other day?” Zavir asked.
“Like I said, not the worst I have seen.”
“Details,” Ryker demanded, as he would. He was the nosiest bastard, likely because he came from money. His mothers were politicians, and gossip was their language of choice. Ryker learned from them, although less for political reasons and more for his own intrigue.
“Careful, Ryker, you’re asking a lot of our captain. We keep pushing his buttons; who knows what will happen.” My chest warmed thinkingof that right eye of his twitching. No doubt it was because Roys almost looked my way before stopping himself.
