The Alien Commander's Surrogate

Episode 56

Salex

I looked sideways at Ghantlan as we marched in a pair towards the bridge. "Do you really think I'd murder you?"

"For looking at your mate?" Ghantlan seems to consider it for a moment, "I would murder a male for looking at mine."

"Yours?" I jerked to a stop and he followed more sedately. "Do you have something to tell me?"

The younger male shrugged, "No, nothing like that. But hypothetically speaking, if I were ever in that situation, I would have felt that same blood lust I glimpsed in your eyes."

Silence enfolded us, dark patches appearing on Ghantlan's cheeks, "All this to say that I don't' blame you if you tried."

"Noted," I cleared my throat, "Let's continue, Oren is meeting us shortly."

We resumed our pace, and while my heart ached to be back in my quarters with Hillary, I knew that she was already on her way to visit the other human women who were just now waking up. With the engines starting up and less stresses on our life systems, Lylta had actually elected to put not one but two women back into a coma-like status. They were the two who took the transition the hardest and while it wouldn't solve our problems forever, it was a temporary fix. I was the one who had the permanent fix, but knowing that and doing something about it were two very different things.

The doors slid open at my approach, a stone-faced Oren standing alongside my chair on the main deck. "Prime," I said, bowing at the hip. Ghantlan remained at my side and did the same. Oren surprised us both by matching it with a short bow of his own.

"Commander....Ghantlan..." Oren backed away, letting me step forward onto the deck. "What are you thinking?"

All around me eyes turned, faces strategically blank as they waited to see what I would say. "I have a plan."

Oren tilted his head, waiting, eyes shining with victory. He had me and he knew it. "As a commander, every part of me would like to call your brother, tell him what you are up to. Tell him what kind of danger you are posing to all of the Trenzian people."

The tension in the room skyrocketed. "But as a father, as a mate, I cannot let this continue a moment longer. Generations ago, we lost our chance to find mates because of our powerhungry ways. Let us prove to the Prime, to Trenzia, to the entire galaxy that we deserve another chance."

Several crew stood, golden eyes bright, "Let us choose to be better than our ancestors."

A cheer up around me, led by Ghantlan and followed quickly by Us'ia and others. Oren smiled broadly, then stepped close, "To our chance," he shouted, raising an arm in the air, my fist gripped in his.

"To the chance," the crew joined in. I let them cheer for a moment, letting them celebrate. There was more, so much more that would need to be ironed out. But this was a good start.

"This ship, my ship, will now pay homage to Prime Oren in our efforts, not in carrying goods or settling disputes among our colonies, but in finding and restoring peace between Trenzians and humans, beginning with the brave women who carry our young."

"Our singular focus would be facilitating relationships between Trenzian's and willing humans who are their match. We will be a safe place, with our strength and power being used to bring people together rather than driving them a part."

I cleared my throat, "I see a world where eventually we are not needed. Where Trenizans can have futures outside the battlefield, where our younglings will be raised by their parents."

The was no more cheering after that.

Us'ia stepped forward, "That seems like a grand dream, Commander. But how do we all that?"

Oren stepped in, "I can answer that. You will not be forced into this work. Those of you who would like to continue in this role will be moved onto my ship. You will not suffer any judgement. But those who choose to stay, you will be on the front lines of seeing just how exact our system can be. For those of you who have surrogates on board, you will be asked to volunteer as much information as possible so we can find a way to convince my father that this is a possible future."

I paused, watching the faces of my crew. The Prime may be on our side, but that didn't mean his father would, no less his brother. And we would need to convince each of them. The system could be linking up potential mates with out ever knowing it. Setting up the Trenzian's for a lifetime of bloodlust, and restarting the cycle with the resulting youngling all over again.

We were more than that.

We could be more than that.

"Every man who would like to stay on for this mission, please answer on your communicator by the end of the day."

I turned to the door, giving them the moment I knew they would need to talk amongst themselves.

"Commander?" I turned, Lylta stood in the group, but stepped forward when I slowed to look at him.

"Yes, Lytla?"

"Is it worth it?"

"The chance to have her?" I sighed, my heart aching in my chest. "Absolutely."

Oren's hand slammed down on my shoulder and together we moved back through the door. Ghantlan stayed behind with the rest of the crew. And when the doors slipped shut, the Prime leaned into me, whispering. "How does it feel, Commander, to be a part of the first coup in Trenzian history?"

My stomach twisted and for a moment I almost shrugged him off. But then a soft beep came over my communicator. Under Hillary's beautiful digital profile a message from her appeared.

Hillary: The ladies are all doing better now. The baby is going wild today, get home so you can feel them kick.

I looked back at Oren, my stomach settling with a lurch. "It feels like the future."

***

Next episode we get to meet ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the ladies. Or at least the ones that are awake! So exciting!

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