Harem - English version [onc2024]

Chapter two

When Earth still existed, it was but a puny speck compared to some of the other planets, but that is precisely what makes our species rare. Since the moment we were forced to leave our home planet, we fanned out across the cosmos, and that always makes it extra special to meet a fellow Earthling.

Although I often pretend to be indifferent, my spirits feel heavy now and that has nothing to do with my current state. Ray is dead and that makes me feel extra alone in the vast space that the universe embraces.

Besides that, I feel guilty for being alive. I'm supposed to fight myself to death in such a hopeless situation and I haven't succeeded.

'Sim1,' Malahkii growls. Unlike me, he is completely surrounded by metal shackles. Even now that I have my helmet on, he is ten times more terrifying than I am, but I wish they wouldn't make that so obvious. The Boltrunian's grin spoke volumes when he put just a simple set of handcuffs on me.

The worst part is that it's effective.

The other survivors of our ship are also around. The remaining soldiers are cuffed in the same way as Malahkii is. Others, like the captain; his direct subordinates, and the smaller workers (like me) are only handcuffed.

'What is it?'

Now Malahkii is never very talkative, but now he stops talking altogether after he mentioned my name. I look at him a little more closely. He shuffles uncomfortably in place and his face expresses some kind of pain.

'Do you have to pee?'

As far as I'm concerned he just does it on the spot, it's not like we're very clean at the moment and it took the guards a long time to wrap those chains around him.

'No!' His exclamation startles me. He stares at me briefly and sighs. Then he makes an attempt to stumble in my direction. Questioningly, I approach him.

He leaves me perplexed as he presses himself against me. The chains around his body feel cold and heavy.

It is as if he is trying to hug me. He has never done anything like that before.

'Malahkii?'

He bends down and growls some unintelligible words into my neck. Although every humanoid is required by treaty to wear an implantable translation mechanism, there are of course ways around it, and that is what he is doing right now.

'The beast is going to the arena, that little one is suitable for one of the other options. That's if anyone wants it, of course.' The offending Boltrunian is back, and he points indifferently at me at those last words.

I look at him indignantly. Although I have never been captured before, having just been freshly graduated, I know that soldiers are always sent to the arena in such a circumstance.

Every planet I know of, at least has one.

Without dutiful movements, Malahkii, along with my fellow soldiers, is dragged one way and two guards grab me under my armpits.

'Malahkii,' I call after my friend. I haven't even said goodbye to him. His strong-haired back stiffens slightly, but that is the last I see of him before he is forced into a dark corridor.

I myself am sent in a different direction with those remaining, and we leave behind the large hangar, what's filled with about a hundred spacecraft. I want to pay close attention to the route so that I can find my way back to what is, for now, the most logical route of escaping, but as soon as I walk through a maze of chilly steel-colored corridors, I realize that the chance becomes smaller and smaller.

Everything looks alike, from the large bulbous lights on the ceilings to the steel floors. The sparse doors are made of the same material, making it a monotonous whole.

Except for the sound of our footsteps, the place is dead quiet. None of the prisoners dare to say anything; we all know that it's useless.

After a while, the guard at the front opens a door. The palm of his reptilian claw lights up, making me immediately realize that my own ability to open a door in this place is severely limited.

Along with about five peers, I am ushered into a big room, whose walls and doors are also made of steel. The rest walk on. I expect, I will never see them again.

There are some indefinable elements in the room, but I see also some furniture I recognize. Chairs and tables. Mirrors. There are several humanoids present and I can easily divide them into two groupings.

The first group consists mostly of snail-like aliens. Their eyes on stalks enhance that effect. Each of them wears a gray robe over their gray bodies, so they pretty much blend in with the walls in terms of color. They have long, thin arms with pointed fingers. With these they perform certain actions at the second group.

I immediately realized that I belong to the latter.

'Charlaegh, I have some new ones for you.'

The largest snail comes slithering closer and runs it's fingers over my body. Although I am fully clothed I do my best not to shiver at that unwanted touch. I do not want to show weakness and I know there is no point in flinching.

Although Charlaegh's voice is deep and raspy, I think I detect some femininity in it. 'That's late. What took you so long?'

'They were hard to catch.'

Despite my precarious situation, my lips form into a smile. We may have been defeated, but we did not surrender without a fight.

'These have been selected for the harems.'

Captain Nayel feels that now is the right time to protest loudly. 'Wait a minute.'

Without being able to say anything further, he is punched so hard in his blubbering belly that he doubles over. Green bubbles well up from his snout.

'Does anyone else have anything stupid to say?' The guard looks around questioningly.

The others look at the ground and say nothing. I yield less easily, but I also keep quiet.

'Very well. In this place you will be made beautiful, which will produce much gold.' I doubt I'll see any of that.

As was the case even on Earth, gold is a precious commodity. Partly because of this, Earth has made a name for itself: it was one of the few planets that possessed that material, and since my home planet no longer exists, it has become even scarcer.

Besides the captain, the other four also look furious, but everyone remains silent. Ending up in a harem doesn't seem so great to me either, but if no one buys me for that, I will serve as a living thing to experiment on or as food. I have not been found strong enough for the arena, which means I probably won't be bought by anyone to do heavy labor for either. I know those are pretty much the options for a slave. 

The guards nod in satisfaction. I briefly hope they leave now, because the slugs don't look like they will survive an attack with a sharp item and it's not in my character to give in, but the muscular creatures find a spot near a wall and there they fold their arms over each other.

Charlaegh grabs me and she guides me to a chair. As soon as I sit down, I look straight at my own masked face. A memory of an Earth beauty salon flashes through my mind.

Without being opposed by me, Charlaegh begins her task. Once she has peeled me from my headgear, I see how she looks at me in surprise. I myself grin at my reflection such that all my teeth are visible, then I begin to clean them extensively with my tongue.

Although long hair is unhandy in my profession, it also gives me vibes of home, which is why I've never had the heart to cut off more than the dead ends. As the snail begins to unknot and then comb out my tousled braids, it falls like a red waterfall almost to the ground, and I notice that it attracts attention.

How much there are many races with hair, most species like to overdo it by letting it grow over their bodies to an (almost) full degree - my friend Malahkii is a perfect example. Since I always wear a hood over my skull, this sight is new to everyone in my current environment.

I continue unabashedly cleaning my teeth and pretending not noticing anything else.