Domik
Domik watched as CJ got out of the truck, her hands raised as she stepped to one side.
The guard, clad in the black Space Force uniform of combat pants and jacket, and heavy boots, turned to look at Domik through the window. “You too! Get out of the truck!” His voice was hard and Domik hoped this wouldn’t turn to violence.
I don’t want CJ to get hurt.
Domik opened the door and slid out of the truck, lifting his hands he unfurled to his full height. The guard tilted his head back to look up at him, taking a step backward.
“Who the fuck are you?” the guard asked, as the drumming of rapid footsteps sounded on the road.
Another half dozen armed men emerged from the light, identically clad, standing at a distance with their guns raised. Domik noted that none of them was trained on CJ, only on him.
Good.
CJ took a hesitant step toward Domik then, when the armed guards didn’t react, another until she had closed the small gap to stand partly in front of him. He growled a warning, and she pushed a hand backward as if to hold him back.
It was laughable that she thought she could protect him.
Didn’t she already do that?
He swallowed, hating that she would need to be the one to put herself in danger yet again. That he couldn’t be understood.
I am going to learn the language of her people. This is untenable.
“We’re here to see General Russell,” she said, and the first guard laughed.
Domik took a step forward, stopped only by CJ’s small hand on his chest.
The guard laughed again. “Sure. And I’m the Queen of Sheba. Nice try lovely.”
CJ bristled. “My name is Sergeant Clodagh Jones. I am a veteran of the Mars attacks and am assigned to the Taurean Starship Zataras. Our shuttle was damaged in the defense of Earth and our escape pod crashed. We have made our way here to speak urgently with General Russell.” She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the guard. “What we have to say will interest him. You don’t want to get in our way.”
“Is that a threat, girl? Don’t you see what you’re dealing with?” He laughed, turning to gesture at the soldiers to either side, and Domik had never wanted to choke someone more badly in his life.
CJ smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, continuing as if the stupid human hadn’t spoken. “Did I forget to introduce my friend? How rude of me. Domik, why don’t you tell them who you are?” She looked up at him and winked.
Domik growled, taking a step forward, ignoring the rifles that tracked him.
Good. If these idiots shoot someone, it won’t be her.
Domik opened his mouth and let all the frustration of the past few days come out. He knew that none of the humans would have translation chips, except for CJ, so they wouldn’t understand the words he spoke. So he let loose in an uncharacteristic display of frustration. “You are all a bunch of fools. The Xakul are going to tear you all apart because of your ignorance, and I won’t be sad to see that happen. At least there will be more targets for those insect bastards.”
He turned his head and met CJ’s wide eyes. “It wasn’t the shuttle escape, or the crash, or being captured that was the worst thing to happen to me in the past few days. It wasn’t even the beating I took.” He reached a hand to brush away a smudge of dirt on her cheek, uncaring that the soldiers were watching him. “It was being separated from you.”
CJ’s mouth dropped open as she stared up at him. He broke away to step in front of her and face the Space Force troops once more.
“I am Specialist Domik Vo’Ress of the Taurean military, stationed on the Starship Zataras. And you will all die if you don’t listen to her.”
The leader, who had been stunned into silence, shook himself. “What did he say?” He said to CJ.
“Oh,” she said, smirking as she peered around Domik’s side. “Couldn’t you understand Taurean? No translation chip then, hmm?”
The man swallowed. “He was just speaking shit. Get back in the truck and drive away. You’re not getting on—”
“Stand down, corporal.” A hard voice came from behind the line of Space Force troops, a tall figure emerging from the flood of light. “Did you say you were Sergeant Clodagh Jones? The survivor from Mars?”
CJ blinked, trying to focus. The figure stepping in line with the troops and finally becoming clear. A woman, eating an apple. CJ raised an eyebrow; she wasn’t fooled by the casual attitude. The way the Space Force marines just moved out of her way told CJ this woman was the person who had to be convinced to let them on the base.
