Chapter Eight #2
"You cannot see threads that bind action and consequence. I was instructed to take you as a mate if you agreed to join our program. This is so I can remember my actions. Even a child can see this."
He paused, his voice softening, "There were Volardi who were not kind to their Femeni. They were the monsters I spoke of earlier, and I will not repeat their sins. You will have autonomy, Thomas, but I say this so you have no false expectations. We will never be true mates."
"B-because of my father."
"It is a failing on my part. I cannot be with the son of the man who destroyed my life. I will treat you well out of duty, but also so I will not be punished again."
***
The shuttle finally touched down, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.
The well-lit, blazing landscape outside was unlike anything I'd seen, even in the Nevada desert.
Sudo looked like a cracked gemstone under a furnace-hot sky with jagged scarlet canyons, glinting mineral veins, and narrow mountains.
The air shimmered with heat mirages, bending the horizon like a funhouse mirror.
Broken outcrops of crimson glass jutted from the sand like broken fangs, catching the sun in such a way that the valley glimmered as if on fire.
In the distance were buildings carved from stone, their surfaces pitted with holes that gave them a Swiss-cheese appearance.
And the heat hit me like a physical force, dry and relentless. I hadn't seen a single drop of water in sight when we flew. No lakes, rivers, and certainly no ocean. It was everything LA wasn't—arid, cracked, and barren.
Zephyron exited the ship first, his towering frame silhouetted against the harsh sunlight. For a moment, he stood there, taking in the landscape as if it were the only thing anchoring him to reality. Then he turned. "Welcome to Sudo."
I took a deep breath and stepped out onto an alien planet. Huh? So that's what it feels like. Pretty much like Earth. I took a few seconds to 'inhale' the experience. It reminded me of the Las Vegas desert back on Earth, and the dry air already burned my lungs.
"Wait! I thought your, uh, province was on the night side."
"It is, but you would not see it well at night. This territory belongs to an older Sentinel and touches my borders. I wish for you to see your new home or one close in appearance."
"Is it all like this?"
He paused. "The Sandari keep their territory as they like with tiny stone buildings, marketplaces, and sand-slide arenas, but yes, overall the same."
"No water?"
His tone shifted as if speaking to a child, "Water is death."
"No. It's life."
"Water breeds sickness and erosion. Even a small rain can collapse a canyon. Beyond the necessary intake, I do everything to ensure our kingdom never sees more than what is necessary to survive."
"A desert everywhere," I muttered under my breath.
He heard, and his violet eyes narrowed. "Your planet has spoiled you. Liquid everywhere... fewer places to live, and storms that kill. These things harm a planet."
I squinted against the glare as the dryness settled in my throat.
"Yeah, well, water's kind of a big deal for us.
You know, drinking, swimming, staying alive.
" Then shame hit me. "I... I'm sorry. You stopped to show this to me when you have two loved ones to bury.
" For a moment, he didn't move. "You probably don't want, uh, two bodies in your ship. "
"No, I do not."
What could I say? My father had taken two lives because his sons, or rather me, couldn't say no. The guilt wasn't obvious to Zephyron, but it lingered just under my skin.
Distant movement caught my eye as two lean figures approached in robes. They drew closer and weren't Volardi or Human. Nobody has ears like that.
"Uh, Zephyron?" I pointed, with my voice raised. "What are those?"
He followed my gaze, his expression barely shifting. "Sandari."
The two creatures stopped at a cautious distance away.
They were tall and slender, their ochre-colored fur blending seamlessly with the desert around them as if natural camouflage.
Large, tufted ears twitched at every sound, and their golden eyes reflected the light like polished glass.
Loose, breathable robes in earthy tones draped their frames, adorned with intricate patterns of beads and metal charms. One of them carried a staff, its tip topped with what looked like a quartz shard.
I stared, and my mouth went dry, or drier. "Wow, a real alien."
"You have already seen what you would call aliens."
"Yeah, but... you've got purple eyes, fancy chest flecks, and are bigger, but you still look Human. These guys?" I gestured at the furry critters. The Sandari exchanged glances, their ears swiveling toward us. Their movements were cautious like they would bolt at any second.
"These are legit aliens, not ones that look like us," I said.
Zephyron scoffed, "It is Humans who look like Volardi. Our empire is older and larger."
"Of course," I muttered, still staring.
They spoke in low clicks, with a mix of guttural sounds and whistles with a slight howl. Zephyron howled back, his voice smooth and deliberate. They visibly relaxed, their postures softening, though they kept a wary distance.
"They are friendly," Zephyron said, his tone dismissive.
"Seems like they don't trust us."
"It does not matter. This is not their territory, and they know better than to challenge the local Sentinel."
"Not their territory?" I frowned, glancing back at them.
Zephyron's gaze shifted toward the horizon.
"Many years ago, our scout ship arrived.
The Sandari were dying from an environmental and biological crisis born from their foolishness.
We provided solutions such as removing water and, in return, delegated small portions for survival.
We took one third of their planet as proper payment. "
I blinked and already knew the Volardi way, but still asked, "Just gave it to you?"
"Without our intervention, the entire race would have perished. Instead of losing all, they retained two thirds."
The Sandari's ears twitched, and they exchanged a brief, hushed conversation before retreating, their running swift and graceful. The wind caught their robes, and the fabric rippled back as they disappeared into the distance.
If I were going to live here, I needed to understand the people I'd be around for the rest of my life. "So... what's the Volardi soul?" I asked. "I mean, Earth has stories, songs, and movies. Things that feed the heart. What about you?"
We both had implants for language, but not quite tailored for the subtleties of each planet. Once I explained, his answer came without hesitation. "We are warriors without equal, but... what sustains our soul is a responsibility as the universe's custodians. We solve problems other species cannot."
That wasn't exactly a lie, but they were also dealmakers.
His hand pressed against my back, firm but not unkind, and he guided me back toward the shuttle. "We have two to bury," he whispered. "Then we will convert your body so you may bear my children."
The words hit like a punch to the gut as the heat of Sudo's desert closed in. This was my new reality, and there was no going back.
***