CHAPTER 5
“I’m sorry for your ordeal, Andie of Earth,” Lanicar spoke softly.
He rummaged through a drawer and brought me a new jumpsuit.
“Our database doesn’t have much information about humans, but it does say that you prefer to wear clothing that covers your whole body.
I will turn so you can dress. Trunar, please leave us for the moment. ”
I took the garment and waited for him to turn his back.
I shakily put it on while he busied himself at one of the machines on the other side of the room.
The jumpsuit was huge on me, even bigger than the one I found on the ship, but I appreciated being fully clothed again.
I tied the extra arms around my waist, busying myself for as long as I could to avoid conversation.
Lanicar came back with a cup of warm liquid. “This is Oonag, a restorative brew,” he said. “It may help you to feel a bit better.”
I took a sip. It was bitter, but it was hot. The ache thrumming through my head reminded me that I was probably dehydrated, on top of everything else. “Thank you,” I managed. I wasn’t sure what else to say.
“I know this is a difficult time for you, but rape is a serious matter for us. Justice here is very swift. There are likely investigators on their way who will want to interview you,” Lanicar began.
“Will they believe me?” I asked. Victim blaming was a thing, and so far, the world I found myself in didn’t seem to be any more hospitable to women than Earth.
Not only that, but I was an alien here, accusing one of the native Ptexari, and I didn’t know anything about their legal system, so I knew I was in a vulnerable position.
“That’s difficult to say,” Lanicar said. “As long as your story rings true, they likely will, but I am not an advocate, and I do not know what the outcome will be for you. But you are my patient, and I will try to help you to the best of my ability.”
This gentle male had just met me, and he was the first person I trusted since I’d been kidnapped. I couldn’t say I felt completely safe, but I felt a little bit better knowing someone was at least willing to give me the benefit of the doubt.
A chime sounded, and two more aliens walked in.
One of them was slightly narrower and leaner than the other, and lacked the colorful crest on their head that I’d seen on the others.
I wondered if this was a female. Otherwise, their bodies looked generally the same.
No nipples on any of them, and they both wore the same leather-looking skirts.
“Greetings, Lanicar and Earth female,” the narrower one spoke. “The King has sent us to interview you regarding the accusation of rape against the Crown Prince.”
Oh shit. The Crown Prince. My rapist was royalty? There was no way this trial was going to be fair. I was looking at life in prison or execution for sure. I started shivering again as more tears threatened to fall.
“I am Investigator Shara, and this is Investigator Morinar. Please state your name, species, and residence. Recording has started,” she said.
“Um. My name is Andrea Rivers. Andie, for short. I’m human, and I’m from planet Earth.”
“We are not familiar with Earth, but it will be entered into the record. How did you come to Ptekennan? Do you have immigration documentation?”
“Well, no. I was kidnapped from my home planet a few days ago. Then I was in a holding cell, and I think I was sold to this big insect-looking alien. The ship we were in crashed here earlier today.”
“Were there other survivors?”
“I don’t think so. I didn’t see anyone on the ship other than the insect thing, and he died. I was in some box that filled with a blue liquid, and I think that’s the only reason I made it.”
“Yes, that is a pressurizing gel. You were smart to enter the pressurization pod before impact,” she nodded.
“Well, I was drugged and paralyzed and locked in the ‘pod,’ so I didn’t have a choice. But it saved my life, so I suppose I should be grateful, in a way,” I said acerbically.
“How and when did you meet Prince Dakleth?”
“He came to the crash site and opened the door. As soon as I saw him, I ran. Then he chased me, pushed me down to the ground, and raped me.”
“We need to go step by step, Andrea of Earth. You first met when the door to the spaceship opened, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Did he say anything?”
I thought about it. “No, I don’t think so, but even if he did, I wouldn’t have been able to understand it because I don’t speak your language. He just stood there and stared at me.”
“Did he show you any identification?”
“No.”
“Did he attempt to assist you in any way?”
“No, he just stared at me.”
“Did you say anything to him?”
“Not at first. I was pretty scared of him.”
“Why were you frightened?”
“Um, hello, I had already been kidnapped, sold, and the insect alien touched me inappropriately a lot, so I was already on edge. I crashed on an unfamiliar planet, and then this big alien just stands there, leering and growling at me, and then he got an erection, so I knew what he was thinking. Plus, he’s a foot taller than me, so I knew I probably couldn’t fight him off if I had to.
” My voice started to wobble at the end.
“He got an erection? You mean his penis emerged from its pocket?”
“Yes, I could see it through his skirt. And I had zero interest in whatever he was thinking.”
“What did you do next?”
“I shoved him as hard as I could, and I ran.”
“What was your intention?”
“To get away from him!!” I was getting frustrated with their soulless questioning. The logical part of my brain knew they had to ask, but I was scared, angry, and freaking traumatized. Did I really have to relive this whole experience now?
“Your intent was to flee?”
“Yes! I just crash-landed on a planet I don’t know.
I’ve been stolen from my home, and my family, and friends.
Some insect space pirate bought me as some sort of slave, and then a new giant alien is waving his dick in my face.
What possible reason would make someone think I wanted to have sex in that moment?
I just want to go home.” The tears started falling again.
“When you fled, did you say anything to him?”
I was slowly losing my shit at the constant questions.
I knew I sounded hysterical. “I took one look at him and screamed ‘Aww, HELL NO’ in his face! He may not have understood the words, but my tone and my running should have been clear enough! That bastard ignored me and chased me down. He pushed me down, tore off my clothes, and shoved his cock in me, is that what you want to hear? And yes, I told him to stop. I begged him over and over, and he wouldn’t stop.
Then he sliced my back up, and I passed out.
What more do you need from me?” I was practically screaming at them.
Lanicar tried to pass me another mug of that blasted bitter tea, and I waved it away.
I looked at the wall. I didn’t want to talk anymore.
“We can see this is difficult for you to recall. Do I understand correctly that you screamed ‘mate’ at Prince Dakleth, pushed him in the chest, and then ran away?”
“Mate? I didn’t say ‘mate’. I told you I said ‘hell, no’.”
“Hmm, I think we may have a translation issue. I’m going to turn the translator off for a moment, and then ask you to say exactly what you said to Prince Dakleth, the way you said it, please.” She tapped a button on the tablet and then nodded at me.
I channeled all my frustration and yelled at her the same way I yelled at the monster earlier this morning. “Awww, Hell No!” I shouted.
The two investigators looked at each other. The first one tapped the button to turn the translator back on. “What does this phrase ‘A-Hel-No’ mean in your language?” the interviewer asked. She drew the words out slowly.
I had to pause and think for a moment. “Um, according to some of our old legends, Hell is a place the souls of evil people go when they die. It’s a place of eternal punishment. In the afterlife.”
The investigators bobbed their heads in understanding, so I continued. “Saying ‘Hell no’, or ‘oh Hell no’, or some variation like that is our way of saying ‘absolutely not’. As in, I’d rather go to Hell than for this thing to happen, I guess.” The investigators both looked troubled.
They exchanged long looks with Lanicar and each other.
Nobody spoke for a very long two minutes.
Finally, the larger one spoke. “We understand. Thank you for your testimony. It is our obligation to go and interview Prince Dakleth now, but I believe this case will be resolved quickly. Lanicar, you have our permission to explain certain… cultural rituals to Andrea of Earth.”
They gathered their recorders and left the room. Lanicar invited me to a table with two chairs on the other side of the room. He handed me the cup of tea and got one for himself. He looked very grave.
“Andie, I am deeply sorry for what you have been through. I have something to tell you, and I do not know if this will make things better or worse for you.”