Cosmic

Chapter 1

Chapter 1A bluff landscape shimmered into view, precious seconds wasted as the light scorched Axel’s eyes. They should have worn protective headgear. At least goggles. The heat sucked the moisture from his eyeballs so fast, blinking gave rise to gritty irritation.

So, this was Sarras, too gentle a name for such a barren and infertile wasteland. Talk about a shitty planet.

“I don’t like thisssssss.” Snake’s familiar whine died out on a hiss, the last word stretching out before fading. Stressed, Snake reverted to sounding like the reptile of his nickname, a quirk which made Axel’s lips twitch.

Fear…not an unusual condition for Snake, but this time a good reason existed for his companion’s obvious distaste. Pushing his wry amusement aside, Axel said, “Why am I not surprised?”

Despite the quip, and appreciative of the other man’s unease, Axel lost no time examining the desolate landscape with his scanning equipment. Records forewarned of a dismal world, yet not even Axel had visualised scenery this bleak. Torrid, cracked, desiccated. Brittle, twisted plants. Arid soil. The air came from a furnace.

“People used to live here?” Snake asked, although they had discussed this back on the ship. Green, elongated eyes slid left and right in pale oval features framed by chin-length dark hair. The tip of his tongue flashed between his teeth, making Axel wince, for Snake had extremely sharp teeth. Would come as no shock if one day his tongue emerged, forked and flickering, though only the mannerism made Axel’s imagination run to that way of thinking.

Suppressing a sigh, Axel’s reply rasped, as parched as the dirt. “Still do. Only now they use the subterranean passages for more nefarious purposes.” He used the back of his hand to wipe irksome beads of sweat from his lips and forehead, drawing attention to the lack of sweat on Snake’s face. With luck, only he would notice, their esteemed leader busy checking a similar scanner.

“Hot.” A word murmured as though Marshall uttered a curse, Snake not the only one inclined to state the inescapable. The man’s already tight curls contracted in the heat, making him appear older than his years, the lines on his face more apparent than usual.

“I don’t mind heat.” Words spoken by Snake so softly, perhaps to himself, or so only Axel would hear, though Axel strained to catch any hidden meaning. A little click in Snake’s throat might refer to the irony in his statement—a shared recollection less pleasant than Sarras. Despite the temptation to tease Snake about his liking the temperature, Axel remained silent. Wouldn’t do to mention such things in front of Marshall; such statements were unsafe, and he would never purposely endanger Snake.

Their commander pointed. “The entrance we want will be over the ridge.”

At least Marshall backed down from his first idiotic notion of using the primary access point, charging in gung-ho.

Though he’d done so many times before transporting down, Axel noted the power level on his gun one last time. “Better get a move on.”

“Sounds like you’re enjoying yourself.”

From Snake, the comment stung, though Axel wasn’t about to let him know. “I thought I did an excellent job of sounding bored.”

“Enough!” Marshall snapped, glancing around. “Stop acting like children. We’re relying on you, Snaithen.”

“Sure,” Snake replied. Although he didn’t sound happy, Axel never doubted the alien’s ability.

All three men moved off, Axel pausing as a strange tightness coiled around the top of his spine, causing him to peer back, to search the distance. No one should be out there. No one would want to be. Perhaps he should tell the others—better to appear foolish than do something stupid—but he said nothing, wrestling with the sensation someone watched them.

* * * *

What were they up to? The three men moved over the ridge heading to one of the emergency access points, disappearing for a time, flashing back into view as neon outlines in the optical viewer of the helmet’s ‘eyes’. While two kept watch, the dark-haired one worked on the tiny panel to one side of the entrance. Surely they didn’t expect to crack a Coalition reader? The damn things needed two virtually unbreachable security cards and a retinal scan.

“Well, I’ll be…” The door slid open in…what? Two or three minutes? And no alarms sounded. Using hand gestures two disappeared inside, while the one who had opened the door made his way back over the ridge, settling in, waiting near the place they first appeared. And how did they manage that? The lack of activity said no small craft showed up on any scanner, and no one had yet perfected visibility camouflage capable of blocking Coalition sensors.

Only one thing they could be here for, though. And however they arrived meant possible evacuation. One man alone was an obvious choice for interrogation.

* * * *

“Turn over.”

Ice swept through Snaithen’s veins as he jolted against the burning earth, freezing in place a second later, baking without, frosty within. No way! He hadn’t heard a sound, detected no disturbance until…the voice sounded light yet oddly mechanical.

“Don’t reach for any weapons.”

Sure thing. An attempt to give verbal agreement died in his throat, Snaithen spreading his fingers, pressing his hands open against the dusty terrain. See, I’m no threat.

“Roll over. Make it slow.”

Sparing a glance to the ridge, Snaithen did as the stranger commanded. Come on, guys, where are you? The last thing Snaithen wanted was for the Coalition to take him prisoner. Axel understood that. The man wouldn’t allow them to capture him. He surely wouldn’t.

Wimp! Even in his head, his thoughts sounded pathetic, too much like a plea. Though…he should have returned to the ship. Why had he agreed, suggested even, that he keep watch?

Now more than the desert landscape scratched at his throat as tears prickled his eyes, blurring the vision of a dark creature crouching close by. Even as he blinked to clear both grit and moisture, the being crabbed over him, making Snaithen squeak. What the…? Oh…not an animal. Of course not. Only a few creatures lived on Sarras, all of them weird, but no reports said any of them talked. Snaithen huffed, relieved the figure appeared humanoid.

Plastering a grin on his face, Snaithen reached out, preparing to bargain, shifting up on one elbow. The stranger moved so fast, slamming him down on the ground before the attack registered, teeth clacking shut, scoring his lip. For crying out loud, he might have bitten his tongue!

The newcomer threw down a pair of wrist locks as if…what? He should bind his own wrists and go along meek and mild as this off-worlder or Coalition guard pleased? No chance. The sore spot in his mouth was a pinprick compared to what he’d suffer in the grip of the Coalition. No way he’d allow himself to become someone’s experiment.

He faked reaching for one of the restraints, using the movement to take advantage of his upward rolling momentum which the stranger combated by moving in, lifting the gun, preparing to club him.

No! He wasn’t going to die here. Throwing himself forward, he grappled with the stranger’s legs, a sudden shift in the baked and crumbling landscape causing a slip, sending them into a spin. They came out of it, a gun shoved under Snaithen’s chin.

* * * *

Always trust your instincts—a lesson learned the hard way and the reason Axel cut back to check on Snake at the chosen lookout spot in time to find a stranger on top of him, menacing in the recognisable black, blue, and green shimmering shell of a survival suit.

Instinct also made Axel shoot to disarm instead of kill. He wanted answers why someone would hide out on a planet no one wanted to be found dead on.

“What part of we’re not Coalition, do you not understand?” Axel spat, still scrambling to gain control. Difficult to brawl in a survival outfit, or fight a person wearing one. Hands slipped every time he and Snake tightened their grasp, a portion of the problem being Snake’s natural inclinations warring between fight and flight, pushing away as much as trying to grab hold, the outsider sandwiched between them.

“Snake, hold still!” Not expecting Snake to obey, the alien surprised him by hesitating. Their opponent paused, and Axel spoke into the ensuing silence.

“I told you we’re not Coalition, and we’re your one way out of here. Now, I’ll ease off, and we all roll apart. Of course, if you prefer, we can carry on grappling.” Giving the body under him a squeeze in an inappropriate place, he grinned when the newcomer’s movement conveyed disdain.

As though someone tired of their fight, klaxons rang out making them a silent tableau. The first to move, tugging off the stranger’s glove, Axel pressed an encoder into the stranger’s palm, saying, “This is your one way off the planet.” Stepping back, all three separating, he then barked out a command to the ship.

Seconds later, back on board, having beamed up minus one, Axel placed himself in front of Snake. The incursion discovered, and he and Snake fighting an unknown, Axel had left Marshall to make his way up alone. If he didn’t appear…Axel wouldn’t mourn.

Distracted by such delightful thoughts, a roundhouse kick sent his weapon flying, turning his arm numb, making him snarl. A threatening sound to which the stranger would react aggressively.

Shriving to sound civilised, Axel snapped, “We can always send you back down.” Hard to tell whether he threw out an empty threat, but they didn’t have time for this. The sound of the materialiser operating—a noise Axel likened to iron filings rolling in a barrel—announced Marshall’s regrettable return.

As though of a single mind, the three stepped back, Axel putting himself in front of the outsider and Snake, shielding them both from Marshall’s aimed weapon.

* * * *

The newcomer waited, free to smile within the helmet’s concealment.

“What by damnation is going on?” the curly haired man snapped, stepping aside, facing his colleagues.

“That’s what I would like to know.” The voice drew attention to a blonde woman, hair streaked red, chin raised, lips pursed. Another woman stood beside her, hair short and dark, eyes darker, lips twitching, gaze dancing.

“Don’t ask me,” the one called Snake whined. “Ask Axel. Ask him why he brought him up with us. All I know is he tried to murder me, he did.” He clutched his neck, though no one had struck him there.

“She,” Axel said.

“What?” Snake sounded stunned, though he should never have mistaken her for a man—her stature was too small, and she was not flat chested, despite the costume minimising these…attributes. No doubt the green-eyed man suffered from the prideful assumption he fought another male.

“She. As in female.”

So…the most interesting one was Axel, and he did nothing to disguise his pleasure in realising something none of the rest had. Of course, he’d been in closer proximity; her left breast still tingled from the briefest squeeze. At least the suit concealed her perked-up n*****s.

Damn. She should be more angry than this. Not interested in a man who copped a feel—not even a grope intended as pure intimidation in the heat of battle—and who enjoyed getting one over on the crew and likely often appreciated the opportunity to do so.

Chances were, if he hadn’t already figured out she was female, he would have the moment he tugged off one of her gloves and spotted her slender hand and long fingers. The moment replayed in her head. When, with the merest hesitation he’d pressed a peculiar object into her palm, saying, “This is your one way off the planet,” had she known her freedom meant using a materialiser, with her knowledge of what the machine did to a person’s molecules…Well, she would have taken the chance, regardless. Alas, to escape Sarras, she would have risked anything.

And this worn-out troop and ship might prove interesting, particularly with such a banned device on board. Owning a materialiser was now grounds for execution, so the fact this crew risked using one said much about them.

Making no sudden moves, she unfastened her helmet and lifted the protective hat from her head. If nothing else, Snake’s shock and…admiration—open mouth and gaze flashing down and up—proved gratifying. No one looked well, having lived several months in survival attire, so she harboured no illusions about her appearance. But she was still a fine-looking woman—screw modesty—and even Sarras did nothing to diminish her effect on these people. Well, almost all. Axel merely raised an eyebrow.

“Not observant, is he?” Tone casual, she allowed a hint of a grin to tweak her lips, directing her smirk at Axel, noting the bright glitter of his eyes, the sandy blond hair curling around his ears. For a moment, their gazes locked, and they might have exchanged more than a modicum of understanding, but, too fast, the man’s expression shut down, turning blank, emotionless. The almost painful twist of disappointment in her lower abdomen disturbed her. She never behaved this way. Never experienced such an immediate reaction to a man. Her enforced stay on Sarras truly had lasted too long. Ah well.

Now that he knew the truth, Snake warmed to her. “An insectile nightmare from biker’s hell. I like the look.” His lips curved, body language flirtatious. If Axel wasn’t interested, perhaps the ship offered other pickings…and not second-rate ones at that. Pursing her lips, she gave Snake an appreciative once over, though he failed to notice, still taking in her outfit.

“What the hell is that thing?” The dark-haired woman frowned.

“The suit?” Axel grinned. “It’s for survival. Fulfils a basic function.”

At least he didn’t go into details, not all of them pleasant, but the way the others stared at the thing caused her to give the black, leather-like material a once over. Having been inside the suit so long, she’d almost forgotten what it looked like. With the boots cut to knee height, the gloves flaring at the wrists, and the helmet round and insect-like with slanted, oval eye sockets to allow for projected all-round vision and sensory input, many referred to the style similarly as Snake had—a biker’s nightmare. A fresh glimpse did nothing to change her agreement.

“Who the devil are you?” demanded the man with curls, clearly in charge, even if some others in the room didn’t consider him the leader. If this man wanted to maintain control, he should do a better job. She ignored his raised firearm.

“Before we get to the details, I would examine your sensors. No doubt several quest ships are launching.”

The crew’s response came as no surprise. Vague expressions of what the hell are we doing? flickered across their faces. Then they all fled the tiny room containing the materialiser. She followed, one of the crew now, though the others would take time to realise, accept, and make peace with the new order.

And, if lucky, perhaps in time Axel would mellow and happily roll over, too.