Caged With The Alien Warrior

10.

Ronan

The fear in Aanya's eyes made me tear my gaze away from her. I couldn't bear to see her like that.

The Szenists words replayed in my head.

"He has no information. Now that Specimen 23 and Specimen 56 have expired, we are in need of a new pair."

"He is compatible with Specimen 124."

"We will find out if you're lying, Specimen 124."

"Specimen 001 will be under observation. Initiating Experiment 056. Copulation is required between Specimen 124 and 198. Once progeny is achieved, Specimen 001 will be returned."

I was Specimen 198, Aanya was Specimen 124, and Specimen 23 and Specimen 56 were Lani's parents. And Aanya and I were compatible for coupling.

I was right. I wished more than anything that I had been wrong.

And now that we knew Lani's father was Rhodinian and she had blue eyes and blonde hair just like Kier's... he could be her father. But Specimen 23 and Specimen 56 "expired," according to what the Szenists said. Kier couldn't be dead. No. It wasn't possible. Kier couldn't be Lani's father.

The Szenists were creating forced breeding experiments. This was enough to get them removed from the Intergalactic Alliance. The implications made my head hurt.

Aanya let out a strangled noise from the back of her throat, drawing me back to our present situation. Me. Her. Copulation. Progeny.

I took a hesitant step forward like I'd approach a wounded animal, and I didn't cross where the bars used to be. "You said that human younglings need physical touch to survive, yes? They have to bring her back, no matter what."

Aanya cringed and double-checked to make sure she wasn't facing the camera. She stood but didn't move closer. "That was a bit of a lie– babies don't need touch. I made that up."

"Well, they have not uncovered the lie yet, so they will bring her back," I reasoned.

"But they'll figure it out eventually." She chewed on her bottom lip, liquid brown eyes full of worry. "What do I do then?"

"My team is tracking me, and they'll be here soon for Kier and me. And you and the youngling." I could never leave Aanya and Lani in the Szenists clutches.

"Really?" Aanya's voice caught, eyes shining. "You'd help us?"

I startled. "You thought I'd just leave you here?" I frowned. How could she think that? "I swore on my honour that I would do everything in my power to protect you from harm."

Aanya wrapped her arms around herself, looking at the ground. "I didn't think you were being serious."

My frown deepened. "Do hy-oo-mans not uphold their oaths?"

"Not in my experience, no," Aanya grumbled. "They make empty promises and leave you when you need them most."

"I make no empty promises to you." I pressed a hand against my chest. It burned that Aanya could think I wouldn't stay true to my word. "My team will come, and the Szenists will burn."

"So we just need to survive until then." Aanya finally looked up, hope shining in her eyes. "I can bluff that Lani needs human touch, and they'll believe it. They will."

It was a sound plan. I nodded.

Aanya's brown skin reddened, and she fidgeted with the edge of her dress. Was she sick? Did she–

Aanya cut off my thoughts. "And, it's not that I don't– I mean, I don't want them to decide, well, erm– I'm a virgin."

I blinked at her. There must've been some issue with the translation. "You're untried?"

She bristled, crossing her arms. "That's what I said, didn't I?"

"You're fully grown, aren't you?" Was Aanya a youngling herself? That was the only reason I could think as to why she'd be untried. But she didn't look like a youngling at all, with her curves and her... I forced my eyes to stay focussed on her face.

"Yes!" She crossed her arms, indignant. "I'm 21. No, 22 now, actually. I'm 22 years old, I think. Keeping track of time here hasn't been an exact science."

"Ah, 22 revolutions. That's fully grown for your race?" I really had to clarify this point.

"Yes. Well, 18 is like the official adult age, but yeah." Aanya looked up at me with curiosity. "How old are you?"

I straightened. "26 revolutions."

"That's fully grown for your race?" she parroted, tone mocking.

I raised a brow. I was most definitely fully grown. "Rhodinians reach maturation at 14 revolutions, yes."

"14? That's young."

I shrugged.

"But yeah. I'm a virgin. I'd rather not have sex for the first time locked up on camera." Aanya's cheeks reddened as she waved at the vidcam that recorded us. "And I don't want to give them another baby to experiment on like Lani."

"We have a plan. The Szenists do not know that Lani can survive without you. We will use that."

Despite the bars between us being gone, we both stayed on our sides, on our cots. We talked for the rest of the night, both uneasy without Lani.

Morning came, and the Szenists came to return Lani, thank Goddess.

"Your failure to initiate Experiment 056 has been noted. Specimen 001 will be returned for 12 hours, and the experiment will recommence with proper... incentive," the Szenist hissed, his words ominous.

Aanya clutched Lani to her chest and looked at me over Lani's head, eyes wary.

We got Lani back, but what was coming next? 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

What do you think is coming next? 👀 Comment your predictions! 

Comments and votes are much appreciated.

Virtually yours,

Ro