Servant For An Alien Leader by Roxie Ray
Urul
“How’s Slurya?” Wisteria pulled her cloak tight around her shoulders. When she glanced at me, her braided red hair whipped around her neck, tumbling over her left shoulder. Something in her voice told me her question wasn’t as innocent as it appeared.
“That’s over.” Frowning, I looked into the distance, where the setting sun unleashed tongues of burnt orange over Macros’ green skies. There was a gentle breeze in the air, and the crops that covered the rolling hills danced under it. A hundred yards from where we stood was the landing pad, an imposing structure where Macros’ newest employees were scheduled to land.
“Still wouldn’t stop talking about her ex?” Wisteria smiled, cocking her head. Her eyes slightly narrowed, as if she already knew exactly what my answer would be.
“Nope,” I grunted. As much as I liked Wisteria, the last thing I wanted right now was to dissect my relationship with Slurya. That part of my life, small as it had been, was over. Besides, it wasn’t like there was much to dissect.
“I’m sorry, Urul,” she whispered, gently placing her hand on my shoulder.
“Honestly,” I said, “I’m relieved. Slurya was pretty, but that’s not enough. I stuck around because she was so damn insistent, but in the end…” I shrugged. “It just didn’t feel right.”
“It wasn’t meant to be,” Wisteria agreed. “One way or the other, though, you will have a mate and a child this year.” There wasn’t a trace of doubt in her voice, but I still laughed.
“Seer or not, you sound just like my mother.” My laugh turned into a sigh. “Have I told you that she’s found a girl for me, back on Raider? Young, pretty, and supposedly dying to meet me. She’s even refused to go to a fighting ceremony until I can go back and fight for her hand.”
“Are you thinking of going?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Having my mother as a matchmaker doesn’t sit right with me, but if I don’t find anyone in the meantime...maybe.”
“Whatever happens,” Wisteria said, “it’ll be a good thing. You have good instincts, Urul. You just have to trust them.”
“We’ll see.”
“I’m serious,” she insisted. “Why do you think my brother trusts you so much? Even the IEP was happy about having you on Tracorox. You’re a good judge of character.” Her smile widened. “For instance, I’m sure this person you’ve hired is great. Tell me about her.”
“Her name’s Rita,” I replied, “and you’re right. She’s great. She’s an accomplished veterinarian, and back on Earth, she used to run a shelter for animals—and a farm. Sure, it’s not like the fauna here on Macros is the same as on Earth—from what I’ve read, they don’t have leaf-monsters, rapuses, or even pladgers—but I’m sure she’ll learn fast.” I didn’t know why I was going on and on like this about her credentials. Perhaps I was simply excited to have someone so qualified, but just talking about her put a smile on my face. I cleared my throat, trying to remain professional. “It’s the same for the medicinal herbs we grow around here. She might not be used to them, but she’ll learn.”
Wisteria just kept smiling quizzically. I’d unleashed a torrent of information about Rita, and I cleared my throat and decided to change the subject. “What about the other employee? You know, the one Rahl hired.”
“He’s also a human,” Wisteria said. “An architect and a farmer, as it turns out. Oddly enough, I think he also helped out at an animal shelter. We’re lucky to have both of them at the same time, if you ask me.”
That seemed like a weird coincidence, but I didn’t have the time to say anything. A low rumbling came from the distance, and both Wisteria and I looked up at the skies. The rumbling turned into a deep roar and, a few seconds later, a low-orbital shuttle cut through a curtain of clouds.
The small pod was a sleek design, meant to ferry people between orbital stations and the surface, and it made its way to the landing pad like a speeding bullet. The engines roared even more loudly as they fought against gravity, and they only stilled once the shuttle finally touched down.
“Let’s do this,” I said, leading Wisteria to the edge of the landing pad. The hydraulics on the shuttle hissed, its door lowering to form a short ramp, and…
There she was.
Locks of her blonde hair danced in the breeze, and her brown eyes gleamed with curiosity. When her eyes caught mine, she offered a timid smile, and her skin seemed to glow as tiny dimples formed on her cheeks. The images I’d seen of her paled in comparison to the real thing. Her attire was simple—those tight, bluish pants earthlings always wore and a plaid shirt over a low-cut blouse—but she was absolutely stunning. There was something about her, though, that I couldn’t blame on the thick golden hair, kind brown eyes, or lithe figure; it was like a magnetic heat, so fiery and intense I couldn’t even think straight.
“Welcome to Macros,” I said, battling against the fog that had settled in my mind. “It’s a pleasure to have you here. My name is Urul Slaygzra, and I’ll be your supervisor. I’m originally from Raider, as I’m sure you can tell, but I’ve been on Macros for a long time.” I waved a hand at Wisteria. “This here is Wisteria, my friend and the sister of Macros’ leader, Rahl the—”
Not one for formality, Wisteria just beamed at Rita and pulled her in for a hug. She towered over Rita, but the human didn’t seem intimidated. She returned Wisteria’s embrace with an affectionate smile.
I cleared my throat and extended my arm. Humans didn’t do warriors’ salutes—the clasping of forearms—and so I merely shook her hand. This was how a man and a woman in a professional capacity were supposed to greet each other, according to what I’d learned from studying human customs. Still, if I were being honest, I would’ve preferred a hug.
Rita’s fingers were delicate and warm, and an electric charge zinged all the way up my arm as they brushed against my wrist. I looked into her brown eyes, fascinated with the golden flecks of light in them, and my breath caught in my throat. This woman was something else. She returned my gaze, and even though she was still smiling, her eyes were unusually wide and I wondered if something had startled her.
“Is this your first time off Earth?” I asked her. “I’m sure seeing us must be an interplanetary shock for you.”
“Well, I—”
“She’s just terrified of being stolen and ravaged by a scary Raider man.” A tall human male with a cocksure grin and floppy brown hair stepped from the shuttle’s interior, dragging a large suitcase after him. He wiped the sweat off his brow and looked around, his blue eyes assessing his surroundings.
He was barely taller than Wisteria, and his human frame was puny, with more bones than muscle. There was nothing impressive about him, and I could’ve beaten him with one hand tied behind my back...but he still had the gall to insult my people with stereotypes we still fought to break free from.
“David.” Rita scowled, shooting the man a menacing glance. She rolled her eyes at him, but her tone was light. “You’ll have to excuse him. He doesn’t know when or how to keep his mouth shut. He thinks being abrasive makes him look cool.”
“Such sweet words from my ex-wife,” David laughed, his cocky smile never wavering. When I heard that word—ex-wife—something I didn’t recognize tightened my chest.
Rita cleared her throat. “Right, so, I don’t know if you were aware when you hired us, but David and I used to be married. That’s not going to be a problem, though. We’ve remained good friends since the divorce.”
“The best of friends,” David agreed. “For sure.”
“We were hoping to give each other some space after leaving Earth, but…” She waved a hand at the shuttle and shrugged. “It is what it is.”
“Nice wordplay on space,” David said, his eyes lingering on Rita’s for more than a heartbeat. Rita laughed, which just proved her point—even if these two were divorced, they were still friendly with each other. That being the case, it was probably best I ignore this simmering attraction and stay as far away from Rita as our jobs allowed.
After the introductions were made, I loaded Rita’s and David’s baggage into the rover, then hopped behind the controls. Once we were airborne, I let Wisteria take charge. While she pointed out a few landmarks in the region, relishing her role as a tour guide, I let my mind drift back to Rita.
I was insanely attracted to her, had been from the moment I saw her in that auction room, but I didn’t dare try anything...especially since her ex-husband would also be living here. Plus, dating human women hadn’t gone so well for me. I’d tried it once before, with Gayle, and I wasn’t looking forward to adding yet another failure to my record.
It’s not just that, though, I thought, suddenly aware of how anxious I was. My palms were sweaty and my mouth was strangely dry. Even though I wanted to build a family, I’d never truly loved anyone. Gayle had been just a passing thing. As perfect as she was—and I’d thought so since I met her—we weren’t well suited, and I never really felt more than affection toward her. Then there was Slurya, but that relationship hadn’t even left a mark on me. She was attractive, yes, but that was pretty much the extent of it.
This woman, though…
Oh, she was dangerous.
If I allowed my interest—or, rather, my attraction—to grow, I could see myself really falling for this one. And if that happened, it would inevitably end in hurt...and it would hurt bad. No, I couldn’t take the risk.
“That’s where you’ll be staying,” Wisteria said, snapping me from my thoughts just as we crested a small mountaintop.
It was already dark, but under the mountainous cover stretched a long basin, surrounded on all sides by thick woodlands. Then there were the crops, their varied orange hues turned a deep burgundy at night. They surrounded a small settlement built on top of a hill, and the brightly lit buildings there made it possible for me to ignore the rover’s sensors. Relying on nothing but instinct and experience, I flew the rover to a small clearing.
“What’s that?” Rita asked as she climbed out of the hovercraft, pointing at a large building occupying most of the clearing.
Colorful shrubs lined the walls, which were as tall and crystalline as most Macronite buildings, and the whole edifice blended with the landscape seamlessly, reflecting the surroundings so it felt more natural and lush than buildings on other planets that stood out in stark contrast to nature—one of the many reasons I loved this planet. To the side was a large garden with a stone fountain, which opened into the fields, where orchards grew alongside crops of medicinal herbs.
“That’s our new climate and space observatory,” Wisteria replied, her words brimming with pride. She’d been the one to suggest we take over the building. “It used to be a school, but we built a better one on the other side of town. Instead of demolishing the structure, we’re reusing it.”
“It’s quite impressive,” Rita said, appraising our surroundings with inquisitive eyes. She looked up at the telescope, which poked out from a domed structure mounted at the top, and then down at the glass walls encasing the labs.
“We also have an animal center on site,” Wisteria added. “Some animals in need of care reside here permanently.”
“Like in a sanctuary?” Rita asked.
“I guess you could call it that,” Wisteria replied. “There have been a few changes in the weather patterns lately, and some of the local faunae are struggling because of it. We’ve also been having a few issues with our crops, so…” Wisteria offered Rita and David one of her bright smiles. “We’re happy to have you here, that’s what I’m trying to say. Your talents are sorely needed.”
“I never heard of these problems before,” David said, still eyeing the old school. “I thought Macros was at the forefront of ecoscience.”
Apparently, someone had been reading his planetary propaganda packets.
Rita threw him another scowl but didn’t say anything. She just shook her head and turned to me. “What’s causing all these problems?”
“We’re not sure of the source,” I admitted. “We’ve been running tests and developing new tinctures, but all we know is that there’s something toxic out there.”
Wisteria clapped her hands. “We’ll have plenty of time to talk about this later this week.” She threw me a quick glance. “Rita and David must be exhausted from their trip, so let’s show them their new houses and let them get settled.”
Before I could say or do anything, Wisteria laid a hand on David’s shoulder. “Your house is on the eastern side, just a few minutes from here. Come, I’ll show you.”
I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. If Wisteria was showing David to his place, then I should do the same with Rita. I sighed as Wisteria led David away. Keeping my distance from Rita wasn’t going to be easy, that much was clear. Even now, my body tingled with the desire to touch her, to close the space between us and kiss her senseless. I was going to have to work hard to keep myself in check and not overstep my boundaries. After all, she was working for me. Despite my inexplicable draw to Rita, I had to keep my head on straight.
“That’s you.” I pointed at the small buildings dotting the place where the woodlands met the clearing. Only the front walls showed, as the rest of it had been built around and into the massive trees. They looked like small cottages that had been built by nature’s own hands.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she whispered, her eyes alight, clearly charmed with the Macronite houses.
“That’s Macros for you.” Smiling, I grabbed her suitcase and led the way into one of the houses. “The Macronites like keeping a balance with the ecosystem. Instead of thinking they’re above it, they believe they’re one with it.”
“That’s a good philosophy to have,” Rita said. “If only humans thought like that.”
Once inside the house, Rita started exploring. She was fascinated with the tree trunk which doubled as a colossal pillar, running her fingers over the bark. Then she went from room to room, whispering to herself as she tried to identify the many plants strewn around the house.
“I’ve never seen this one before,” she said, admiring the blue vines that adorned her bedroom’s windowsill, the tendrils curled into a tight, hanging coil.
“That’s a climber,” I said. “Watch out for them, they’re very friendly.”
She made a confused face but smiled all the same. I was about to tell her more about the climber, but her expression gave way to a yawn.
“Well, I better get going,” I said awkwardly. “The water here is potable, so feel free to use it. You also have one of those…” I waved at the rectangular device on the corner of her kitchen.
“A fridge?”
“A fridge,” I repeated, feeling like a complete idiot. “It’s fully stocked. Anyway, I live right across from you, in case you need anything. If you look out the window, you can see my place. Your, uh, ex-husband is just a few minutes away, too. Rahl and Wisteria don’t live here, but they’re often around. Wisteria might move here, though, so she can supervise things and…”
I trailed off once I realized I was rambling again. It was time for me to leave, but my feet had grown roots and I couldn’t make myself move.
“I’ll be working here tomorrow,” I said. “You can find me outside. Get some rest tonight. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
“I am,” she admitted. “Thank you.”
Rita accompanied me to the door, smiling graciously. When I stepped outside, I turned to face her one last time, which just made me feel even more awkward. It felt like we were at the end of a date, and now it was the time for the to kiss or not to kiss ritual. Thankfully, Rita didn’t seem to notice it. Either that or she was a damn good actress.
“Thank you for everything, Urul,” she said, and my heart skipped a beat as my name rolled off her tongue. “I’ll look for you tomorrow morning.”
“Have a good night, Rita.” As I walked away from her place, it was as if my feet had been wrapped with thorns, and I had to fight to keep moving. What the hell? I barely knew the woman, but it physically hurt to walk away from her.
Back at my place, with nothing but the walls surrounding me, that pain became even worse. Some primal part of me resented any and all barriers between us.
“What the fuck am I doing?” I said aloud, sitting by the windowsill in my bedroom so I could see Rita’s house. It was no more than a stone’s throw away from where I sat, but the distance was absolutely and inexplicably unbearable.
I closed the distance with my gaze, half-hoping to catch a glimpse of her before I turned in, but her window was blocked by a semi-opaque landscape painting that many of the homes around here had. That was for the best. I’d never been the kind of guy who’d spy on others—especially women—and I wasn’t going to start now. Even if I couldn’t begin to understand the magnetic pull toward a woman I’d only just met.
Keep away from her, I warned myself. That’s the smart thing to do, Urul. Don’t be an idiot this time around or you’ll only end up hurt again.
