Of Claws and Scales

3

Thane sensed the moment the female in his arms stilled. He scented the nape of her neck, reassuring himself that she was still alive. What was it about this female that captured his attention? Vousk only bonded with females of their own kind, but from the moment he scented her fear something was off.

He ran to the sector where his ship and the spacecrafts of his fleet sat quietly cloaked in darkness. Within proximity, his ship's rear hatch open and he ran inside. The hatch closed with a soft click behind him. The quarters were small, only fitting to one Vousk for over a dozen light years. There was his captain's chair where he commanded his fleet while his fingers once shifted back from his claws would glide over the instrumental panel that guided his aircraft. Then behind him was where he spent most of his time resting in hyper-galactic awareness. He survived with just the bare essentials but it had been worth the retribution.

Thane walked with large steps and laid the female on his resting pad. Under the soft red light, he noticed the soft fleshy skin of her bare body devoid of the scales that coated his kind in a tough armor. His reptilian eyes flicked as he studied the female. Dark hair that gently spread around her face. Dark lashes touched the bone structure of her cheeks. He noticed the plumpness of her lips, quite unlike his kindred females whose lips were thin and dry. His double-lidded eyes blinked and then with a low gutteral groan he shifted back into his humanoid features. He rolled his shoulders with a pop and walked to his captain's chair. With a quick backwards glance towards the female, he sat and pressed the controls and left the dark planet of Iedreon-71.

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Zora gasped, blinking her eyes rapidly, dizzy and confused. She lay there a minute as her eyes adjusted to the reddish hue. It was hard for her to make out her surroundings as she peered around. She sat up and cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. The last thing she remembered was the creature with its heavy limbs and large claws embracing her as it ran out of where the Issyn held her captive. A shiver raced down her spine. Zora feared she replaced one monstrosity for another.

She gently stood up from the soft-cushioned bed that she laid on and stepped down a few steps. She noticed a captain's chair in front of her by a few feet and a male, dare she say man guiding the ship she must be on. Zora stared at the back of his head, indecisively with a frown. She didn't know what to do. Should she try to hide in some corner where he was sure to find her? Or should she go back to the bed where she woke up? -No. She distrusted that idea. Zora shook her head.

The chair turned and the male peered at her in the red-hued darkness. "Come," he motioned and said in a gravely voice.

Zora stood there a moment unsure, but then relented and walked to him.

He turned his head towards her, "We're headed to my home planet."

"What?" Zora's gasped in shock and squeaked. Then she coughed.

The male just looked at her out of the corner of his eye. Then his fingers clicked across the keyboard and flicked a few switches. He turned his chair and stood up towering over the female.

Zora backed up a few steps. She shivered, "What are you doing? Don't you have to fly the ship?" She asked innocently.

"I've set the course." He shrugged then stepped towards her. "What is your name?"

She hesitated, distrusting as she had only just met him but he did save her from the Issyn. With a sigh, she thought What the hell.

"Zora, my name is Zora."

He brought a hand to his chest, "My name is Thane, Lead Captain of the Vousk. We have come from Cheon-47, my home planet to search and destroy."

Zora stepped back. She pressed her garments together.