Loving Marianna

Chapter Forty- Eight

After a couple days of flying we arrive to Altore VI one of the planets that is involved in the interstellar war.

"Who are you?!" A voice asks through our comms.

"Hopefully a mediator from Earth." I answer back friendly but firm.

"We mean no harm, just want to find out what's happening and what we can do to help." It's quiet on the other side for a minute until the voice comes back, "just you." My mates go to protest but I'm quicker in accepting. They all fight over each other and I wait to speak.

"I'll be fine, this is supposed to be a big mission where I'm in charge. And if anything goes too wrong Stephen can always just pop in and grab me." I reason getting up heading towards the hangar 18 pairs of footsteps follow me in tow.

"I'm going alone people! If you want to help make sure everything is ready if we need to fight or make a speedy getaway. Fury has been testing me because I'm new, did you ever think he's testing if you all can do your jobs with me?" Their silence is deafening and I feel a little guilty, after all they just want to protect me.

"Alright so let's do this as a team. Right now I need you here supporting me. Okay? I love you all but I have to go." I say swiftly taking off to the hangar. I pick a ship I know moves quickly with fighting maneuvers and has top grade weaponry. I drop out of the hangar and head towards the planets ship bay. Once I land I'm immediately met by metallic sunset Orange beings pointing their weapons at my ship. I hold up my hands before opening my ship taking a breath of relief at the fact that I can take a breath and am not dying of oxygen depravation. They keep their weapons locked on me as I step out.

"I'm Marianna Yanis from Earth. I don't mean any harm I just want to know about this war and hopefully help." I say keeping my hands up. All of a sudden I feel warm arms wrap around my legs and I look down to see a little girl with the same mesmerizing skin as the others.

"Tyca! Get away from her!" A man yells ripping the child off of me. The child begins crying and sniffles out, "free me, free me." She says over and over. Those who still have their weapons pointed at me look at my face closer and a few lower their weapons ordering the others to do the same. A man who is very obviously the child's father backs away with her but takes a closer look as well.

"You're the woman who freed my family and the others of this planet." The man says recognizing me dropping to a bow the others following suit. I look around awkwardly.

"Thank you, but it's really not necessary to bow. I was just doing what was right."

"That is why it is necessary." The man says rising gripping my whole arm pulling me into a hug his child joining.

"Are you the leader?" I ask the man when we pull away.

"One amongst three. Come with me, I'll introduce you to them and we can discuss matters." The man lifts the child and we head out of their ship hangar and into the first part of their world other than metal that I've been able to see. My mouth drops as the sky matches their skin creating almost an Aurora borealis effect across the whole sky in orange, different shades of beautiful orange metallic people bustle around selling and buying from small carts and quaint shops along a flow of stone paths. The man chuckles at my reaction.

"Sorry, it's just so mesmerizing." I smile.

"I don't blame you. It takes my breath away still." He smiles back guiding us through the busy streets with ease.

We stop in front of one of the biggest buildings that I can see for miles which still isn't lumbering like some of the buildings on Earth and enter.

"Who's this absolute delicacy?" A woman asks from the second level leaning over looking down, her warm voice echoing through the building.

"Don't be weird Mina she's an esteemed guest from Earth get Dessi and meet us in the war room." He places the child down and we make our way to the war room.

It's not long before Mina and who I presume to be Dessi enter.

"I'm Marianna." I shake their hands as they introduce themselves.

"Mina." She says turning my hand as I shake hers and dropping a kiss on it. I kindly pull my hand away.

"I'm engaged." I smile turning to the other woman. Seeing Mina smirk not dejected at all.

"I'm Dessi. I'm also sorry for Mina she has no self control." The tall muscular woman laughs.

"And I am Torval, let us sit and discuss the matter at hand."

"Sorry if this is blunt but, why are you at war with Jorba?" They all look shameful and unsure if they should tell me but Torval gives them a reassuring look and Dessi speaks up.

"We are ashamed to say we started this war. When so many of our people were enslaved our planet began failing, we are a planet built on community and togetherness, cogs on a wheel. And when you take so many cogs away.. the wheel breaks. We tried to ask Jorba to help us being as they are the closest planet to us with minimal struggles and a surplus of supplies but when our ships tried to approach they would shoot us out of the sky without even asking what our business with their planet was." She chokes up so Mina takes over.

"So we started watching them and disguising our ships to look like theirs so we could steal food, medicine, clothes, basic things people need. Things our people need and would die without. When our people returned we stopped when things were back to normal, but they're still pissed about us stealing even when we tried to offer double what we originally took." I nod in understanding.

"Did anyone kill or hurt anybody when you guys were stealing?"

"Not anything more than a bump on a security guards head." Mina admits.

"Well as much as stealing isn't cool. It's not like you were doing it for greed. You tried to ask for help and sometimes you do what you have to do to ensure the survival of those you care about." I say. They visibly relax hearing that I don't think they're a bunch of no good thieves.

"Okay well I'll try to talk to them and we can go from there." I smile rising from the seat.

Torval grabs my hand.

"You'll die! Didn't you hear what they said crazy earthling?! They shoot down anyone who comes near them!" He yells concerned.

"You saved my life, I won't let you go and give yours away like that." He begs almost desperately, I grab his hand reassuringly.

"You saw what I'm capable of when I freed you. If they try anything you should be more scared for them than for me." I chuckle.

"Hopefully it won't come to that but I'll be okay." I add.

"I would like to come as a representative of Altore. They might respond more positively to me because I was not here for the initial stealing." Torval tells me rather than ask. I size him up before nodding my head yes.

"You'll have to listen to everything I say though so if I say stay on the ship so we're not blown to smitherenns you'll listen?"

"Yes. You are the Captain." He giddily salutes.

"Alright then. Let's go."