Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
Maxxon
T he shuttle's ramp lowered with a hiss, and I stepped into the cavernous hangar bay of the Boat. The place was in chaos, a frenzy of activity as Drexians and other alien species rushed about, their voices echoing off the high ceilings. The revelation of our existence to Earth was changing everything, and the ripple effects were already visible on the station.
I fell into step with Torven and Dakar as we made our way from the hangar bay into the gleaming white corridors of the station proper. The stark contrast between the utilitarian fly zone with its exposed steel beams and pervasive scent of burned fuel and the sleek interior of the Boat with its bright lights and glossy white paneling always struck me, but today it felt particularly jarring. It was as if I'd stepped from one world into another—which, in a way, I had.
As we took long strides down the corridors, I found myself unsure of my next move. Should I report to my superiors as usual? Or simply retire to my quarters? The standard protocols seemed woefully inadequate in the face of our current situation.
We reached the central chasm of the station, a massive open space that ran the entire span of the Boat. I paused at the railing, peering down into the void and the open Promenade at the bottom. In the center of the space, a colossal holographic projection played the ongoing broadcast to Earth. Former High Commander Kax's face, magnified to gigantic proportions, looked out over the station with an expression of calm authority.
Our transport’s pilot had briefed us on what Kax was doing as we’d returned from Earth, but it still seemed unbelievable. After so many years of being unknown to humans, of keeping our existence a secret, and of using subterfuge to acquire tribute brides, everything was changing. There would be no more lies, no more secrets, no more procuring of women.
I gulped. I was out of a job.
The white curved walls of the station's interior shone and reflected the light from the hologram, and through the clear exterior walls of the station was the vast expanse of space. Embedded in the inky blackness, stars twinkled from millions of light years away. It was a view that never failed to humble me, no matter how many times I saw it.
Crisscrossing the open chasm were the inclinators, transparent tubes that twisted and turned as they zipped residents from floor to floor. They moved with a fluid grace that belied their complex technology, like crystalline serpents writhing through the air.
I shifted my gaze to the Promenade. Even from this height, I could see people gathered at the small cafe tables, their faces turned upward to watch the broadcast. The fake trees that lined the walkways swayed gently in the artificial breeze, all to give the illusion of being on Earth.
Kax’s words boomed throughout the station as everyone seemed to freeze and listen. His voice was steady and reassuring as he explained our presence to the people of Earth. I had spent a lot of time on the planet, but even I didn’t know how the humans would react to such a revelation. Would they panic? Would they welcome the offer of friendship? Would they power up their weapons and try to destroy us?
I couldn't help but wonder if Allie was watching this same broadcast and what she might be thinking. The thought made my heart twist.
“Bad luck,” Dakar said as he stood next to me.
I turned my head to him, snapped from my wandering thoughts. “What?”
“I’m guessing this reveal means there won’t be a need for brides to be taken in secret.”
He was right. My mission, the very reason for my frequent trips to that blue planet, was obsolete. And that meant I would have no excuse to see Allie again.
Dakar thumped his hand on my shoulder. “But that’s good news in another way. This should get you moved up into a position with Inferno Force.”
I should have been thrilled with this. Joining Inferno Force was what I’d wanted since I left the Drexian Academy. Working as a tribute bride procurer had only been a stepping stone before I could earn a place on a highly competitive Inferno Force team.
I nodded mutely.
Dakar squeezed my shoulder. “You survived the invasion and kept a human safe. That will go a long way. Plus, you now have Torven and me to recommend you.”
Torven grunted as he turned to keep walking. “You’d make a good Inferno Force warrior.”
Dakar leaned closer. “It might not sound like it, but that’s high praise from my friend.”
It was hard to get excited, even about joining Inferno Force, when I was absorbing the fact that I would not get to return to Earth and see Allie. I’d assumed that I’d have at least a few more trips, which had meant I could have taken a detour to her town, but that wouldn’t happen now.
"Maxxon! There you are!"
A shrill voice cut through Kax’s steady voice and my melancholy thoughts. I didn’t need to turn to know that a small Gatazoid with vibrant purple hair was rushing toward me.
Serge was the station's enthusiastic wedding planner, which meant that I knew him well. I finally pivoted to face the inevitable onslaught.
Today, Serge wore a bright green suit with lapels so wide they nearly touched his shoulders, and dark green platform boots that clomped loudly on the polished floor as he stalked toward me waving a clipboard.
Behind him hurried Reina, a tall Vexling female with pale gray skin and striking blue swirl of hair that defied gravity and made her almost as tall as me. She wrung her thin fingers as she muttered to herself.
"Did you locate the bride?" Serge was nearly breathless when he reached me and he put a hand on my arm and sagged. "The one you were sent to Earth to find?"
"No. The Kronock invasion began before I could complete my mission."
Serge's already large eyes widened, and he threw a short arm across them. "That might have been our last tribute bride." Then he turned to Reina and slumped against her. “What will become of us?”
Reina patted his shoulder. "Now, now, Serge. I'm sure everything will work out. Drexians still need brides, after all." She glanced at me. “Don’t worry, hon. We understand, and we’re just glad you’re safe. The invasion sounded awful.”
“Speak for yourself,” Serge muttered from beneath his arm. Then he threw up his hands. "Everything is going to change! I told them, I warned them, but did anyone listen to me? No! We never should have revealed the tribute bride program. It was working perfectly fine in secret!"
"It will all work out,” Reina said, her breathy words upbeat even if her expression was strained. "We'll still have jobs as wedding planners for the Boat. There will always be Drexians who need mates and weddings to plan.”
“She’s right,” I said, earning me a sharp look from the Gatazoid. “Once humans saw the Kronock and the Drexians defending them, once they knew that aliens were real, there was no going back to business as usual.”
Serge sniffed. Even if he knew this was true, he didn’t like it.
“But it will all be different.” He stamped one thick-soled boot. “I just got used to Mandy’s new computerized matching system. If you ask me, The Dating Game method had been working just fine.”
“It was time for a change,” Reina said firmly. “And now, there will be more.”
Serge’s hair was flushing hot pink at the roots. “If it isn’t broken…”
Reina hooked a hand under Serge’s elbow and started to lead him away with a backward wave at me. “Welcome back, hon.”
The pair continued their back-and-forth as Reina propelled her colleague down the corridor, leaving me stunned. Serge was a bit on the hysterical side, but he was also right. Everything was changing.
I resumed walking, but the pristine corridors seemed to stretch endlessly before me, each identical white panel a reminder of the sterile, ordered life I'd always known. But after experiencing the chaotic vibrancy of Earth—having known Allie—it all felt hollow.
I thought of Allie's laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she smiled, the warmth of her hand in mine as we navigated the dark caverns, the trust she'd placed in me despite discovering that I was an alien. How was I supposed to forget all that? How was I supposed to forget her?