E:A Vol 1 Ch 7—September 29, 2115

When the Supreme Commander returned two weeks later, he had more data on the epidemic that had now killed close to 150,000 humans and almost as many Rayth who had fed upon any human who had been exposed to but survived the epidemic.

“I have talked with General Cavanaugh,” the Commander said as he met with Victoria and Becket. “I cannot leave my fleet again for some time, not with this epidemic spreading throughout the worlds from which we gather. However, if Victoria is willing, she may join me on my ship.” He lifted a hand as Victoria was about to agree to go. “There is a caveat, and you must consider it with all due care. If you agree to join me on my ship, it will be as my wife.”

“What?” Becket asked, “Why?”

“It would be in name only and it would be to keep her safe. If a male Rayth harms the human wife of another Rayth, it is punishable by death. There are exceptions, of course. My authority should be sufficient to keep her safe, but I would prefer to take all possible precautions. If Victoria was not my wife, and someone disobeyed an order from me and harmed her, they would only have to answer to me. Deadly, though that is, they may attempt it. However to go against our law, they would be held accountable to the High Council and our laws. Either case would be death for them, but disobeying the law would also strip their families and extended families of everything they own, titles, land, and so on. Then they would be banished to one of our outermost colonies. As you can see, the harming of a human female spouse is a much more serious matter and is seldom ever done. Therefore, having Victoria on the ship as my wife would provide the most safety.”

“Vince agreed to this?” Becket asked.

“He stated that it was entirely up to Victoria. Of course, he did not want to lose one of his senior doctors.”

“How long between visits back here?” Victoria asked.

“At least three months. However, if we are near a planet with a bridge, you may bridge back here to Terra 2 if you need or want to. There is something else you must understand. When on my ship, you will be viewed as inferior and an enemy, regardless of being my wife. When in the presence of others, you will not be able to make eye contact with me or any other Rayth. You will not be able to speak freely. You will not be able to roam freely around the ship. Only inside my chambers, when we are alone, will you be able to do as you please. As Supreme Commander of the Raythian Fleet, if I show the slightest bit of weakness due to my care and concern for you, a human, I may be removed from my position. I will not tolerate any disobedience, any breaking of the rules I set down for you, or even the slightest mistake on your part. If we find a way for Rayth to feed off of something other than humans, I will need my position of authority in order to implement whatever solution we find. Therefore, my position must remain secure and I will do what I must to keep it that way. I cannot stress enough how difficult life will be for you on my ship.”

Victoria nodded and swallowed hard, “Okay, so how soon do you need an answer?”

“My ship will be in the area for a week. I have put the ‘rules’ on this,” he said handing her a Raythian glass computer drive that would work with her tablet, “so that you can learn them and be somewhat prepared if you decide to join me.”

“Becket, do you think I’m ready to get out and about?”

“I’d rather have you rest up for at least another week, but I think the Commander will make sure you don’t overdo it.”

October 6, 2115

Becket was helping her pack food supplies for her trip on the flagship of the Raythian fleet, “I know I said that I thought this was a good idea, but now I’m not so sure.”

“There’s too much we have to learn. Besides, I’ll probably be in his quarters the entire time working on finding a remedy for this epidemic, at least for a while. Don’t worry about me.”

“He loves you.”

“Or he’s using me and we just haven’t figured out why or how yet,” she replied.

“Victoria, you know I’m right.”

Victoria stopped her packing and hugged Becket. “Even if he did, I’m not interested in any relationship, with him, you, or anyone. I told you I don’t know if I’d ever want to be in another relationship. Anyway, we have an epidemic to stop. We have to learn about Rayth physiology. We have to get them to stop feeding on humans. No time for romance, my friend.”

Becket chuckled as they packed the last of her supplies.

***

“I will have her back here in three months’ time,” the Supreme Commander said, “and as I said, if we are near a planet with a bridge, she may bridge back, plus she will always have the ability to contact Dr. McKenna through the subspace comlinks I have given them.”

“I wouldn’t mind having one of those,” Col. Hagen said.

“There is need for the two of them to communicate. Not for you.”

“What if she’s in danger?” John pushed.

“If I am correct, you do not yet have faster than light travel capabilities. You would not be able to get to her in time should she be on the other side of the galaxy. You must trust that I will see to her protection.”

“Hey, this whole marriage thing is just, you know, in name only,” Kaven asked, “right?”

“We are legally wed, according to the custom of my people. Nothing else needs to happen.”

“I’m not saying, you know, that it shouldn’t or should…I…uh, never mind.”

“Kaven Maneese, I assure you, when Victoria has the information she needs, all I have to do is to send a file to my home world, and she will no longer be my spouse.”

“Guys, thank you all for your concern, but I’m itching to get going. We’ve got a lot to do.” Victoria smiled as they left the conference room and walked down to the open area in front of the bridge.

“Why the bridge?” John asked. “You can’t teleport to your ship?”

“A quick stop first,” the Supreme Commander said. “A surprise for Victoria.”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” John Hagen said but he gave the Commander a pat on his back. “Take good care of her.”

“I shall do my best. Are you ready Victoria Carson?”

She turned back and gave hugs to her closest friends. “I’ll be in touch every day,” she said to Becket.

“If you will allow me,” the Commander said, “I will have my ship teleport her things up.” Vince gave him a nod, then the Commander signaled his ship and Victoria’s items disappeared. Then he dialed a code on the bridge, and the couple walked across onto another planet.

“A jet?” she asked when they reappeared in an open field.

“I thought you would like to see the flagship from the outside first.” He helped her up to her seat in the back then he climbed into the front pilot seat and gave his men, who’d been standing guard, orders to return to the flagship.

Victoria enjoyed the ride and was in awe at the size of the Rayth flagship. The main body looked like an elongated sphere, though bulbous in the center, with swirls of metal jutting out here and there. Everything was bluish-green in color, very smooth and curvy, nothing like the angular ships Earth was trying to build. As they got closer, Victoria could more clearly see that the elongated sphere wasn’t solid, it was made up of layers upon layers of “pancakes.” Above and below the main body were more pancakes, though in various sizes and shapes, but all wavy and curvy. Odd arcs or tubes of the same bluish-green material connected the body with the layers. It was unlike anything she could have imagined a ship looking like. As she studied it, she realized that the color was the same as the ring on her thumb, her Rayth wedding ring.

“Our wedding rings,” she said from behind him, “are they made of the same thing as your ship?”

“Yes.”

“What type of metal is it?”

“You have not yet come across this in the Mythican database?”

“They may have, but it’s not generally something that would come up in my line of work. And they’re still having a lot of trouble with the translation.”

“It is called benachti,” he replied.

“It’s beautiful,” she said softly, then added, “your ship. It’s not what I expected. Especially after seeing those jets. Can you circle around the ship so I can see more of it?”

“Of course.”

“It’s more like a piece of art, not a spaceship. Does it have a name? Or do I not get to know that, Commander?”

Though she couldn’t see it, the Commander let the briefest of smiles pass his lips. “We do not name our ships. This one is simply known as the Raythian flagship.”

“And what is your name?”

“You do not give up.”

“I’m your wife now, it would be nice to be able to call you by your name.”

“You will refer to me as Supreme Commander or Commander while in the presence of other Rayth. And you are my wife in name only.”

“Yes, but whose name?” she grinned and heard his growling groan of frustration in reply.

“Thank you, Commander, for the flight up. It was breathtaking.”

***

After docking the jet, he led Victoria to their chambers. She was feeling a bit like a mouse in a maze. The corridors, like the exterior of the ship, curved and flowed, branching out into more and more hallways. The curvy walls were bowed in some places, arched in others, and made of the same benachti material. The design was elegant, smooth and fluid, and undoubtedly meant to confuse any unwanted visitors to the ship.

The jet eventually boarded the flagship and the couple disembarked. As other Rayth passed them in the corridors, they gave a slight nod to their Supreme Commander and continued on their way, not giving Victoria a second glance. She stayed a step behind him, as he had instructed her, and kept her head down. His strides were long and quick, and even though they were just walking through his ship, there was a sense of extreme power in how he walked and how he carried himself. It was clear that the others on the ship deferred to him not just because he was their commanding officer, but Victoria sensed, there was also some fear of him.

Just as Victoria thought he was going to walk right into a door, it quickly opened and he entered his private chambers. The door closed behind her and she noticed that her baggage and boxes were piled up to her left.

“I am going to tend to duties. You may unpack your things.” Then he pointed to a hallway down the left side, “A small kitchen so that you may cook. Bathroom. Laundry equipment. Otherwise this is it a small sitting area and a bed—small but functional.” He then walked over to one wall and showed her how to open the hidden closet. She tried and nodded that she got it.

“Kitchen? Do Rayth ships need them?” she asked.

“There are some who enjoy the taste of food. It is pleasurable for them even though it provides no sustenance. And, as I have mentioned, some have taken human mates.”

“Are there other humans on your ship?”

“No,” he answered and went to the door, “do not leave my quarters.”

“I won’t.”

He gave her a nod then he left and went about his work.

Victoria began to unpack her things, finding that the one dresser in the room was nearly empty. She put her things away and looked at his few pieces of clothing. All black, some made of a cotton-like material, others of silk, then his uniforms that were all leather and seemingly handmade.

The laundry machine was also similar to the ones on Mythica. Clothes were put into a tall cylindrical press, one piece at a time. As they went around the cylinder, there was a white glow, then the clothes exited, clean and pressed. Victoria thought it was the best thing ever invented. No soap, no waiting for a “load” to wash. You could do your entire day’s laundry in a few minutes.

Once she was done unpacking, she got out her computer tablet and set about entering information into her personal diary. After that, she checked the equipment in the remaining boxes to make sure everything made it up intact, and once she was satisfied that it had been, she curled up on the bed and fell right to sleep.

The fingers were cool and gentle on her cheek. Then she heard her name and she jumped out of her dream back into reality. “Sorry,” she said.

“I have time now to take you on a tour of the ship. Remember, you must stay…”

“At least one step behind, head down. I remember the rules. Where can I set up the rest of my equipment?”

“I will show you when we get to that area of the ship. Come.”

She nodded and straightened out her clothes as she followed the Supreme Commander out of the quarters. Since his chambers were near the bridge of the ship, she was taken there and informed of what each of the stations was used for. She really wished that Simon Harris and his team could dig into all of that technology, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. The members of the bridge staff were introduced by their rank and function, but no names. Victoria gave each a nod, though keeping her head slightly bowed so as not to make eye contact as she had been instructed to do. She found it difficult, but managed to stay focused on the collars of their jackets.

After a couple other areas were shown to her, the Commander led her to the science laboratory. “First Science Commander, my chosen spouse, Victoria.”

Without thinking due to the excitement of seeing all of the Raythian equipment, she looked up into the eyes of the First Science Commander, and held out her hand in greeting.

The Raythian words barked through the air, and though she had no idea what was said, she knew the Supreme Commander’s words were directed at her. Her chin quickly dropped to her chest and she took a step back.

The First Science Commander addressed his superior. “Sir, I take no offence in her offered greeting. Doctor, it is an honor to meet you. The Supreme Commander has told me of the work you are doing. I am quite looking forward to seeing it.”

Victoria kept her head bowed. “Thank you, First Science Commander.”

“When she is ready, sir,” the First Science Commander turned his attention back to the Supreme Commander, “I will help her move her equipment.” He gave a bow after he was dismissed.

Victoria followed the Commander back down another corridor. “Do not make that mistake again,” he hissed to her without turning.

The sharpness in his voice was something she hadn’t heard before. At least not directed towards her. A quick shudder ran down her spine, but she shook it off as they continued on the tour of the ship. She didn’t make any more mistakes.

On the return trip to the Supreme Commander’s chambers, the First Science Commander joined them with two of his subordinates and moved Victoria’s equipment to their lab while the Supreme Commander returned to the bridge of his ship.

Victoria set up her equipment in silence knowing that she was not to speak to anyone unless they spoke to her. The First Science Commander helped her with the interface into the electrical and computer systems of the Raythian ship, and once things were up and running, he instructed her to return to the Supreme Commander’s quarters. She gave him a slight bow and did as she was told. The crew of the ship knew that Victoria was allowed to use the hallways between the science lab and the Supreme Commander’s quarters alone, but nowhere else. So when they passed her in the designated corridors, they ignored her.

By her watch, it was past midnight and the Commander hadn’t returned to his quarters. She was exhausted by the exciting day, despite her nap, and despite the moment of sheer terror as the Commander snapped at her, so she changed into her pajamas and crawled into the bed, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

She was roused from her sleep long enough to feel the Commander get into the bed, but she was quickly asleep again. She woke just before 7:00 and found herself alone. She stretched and yawned just as the Commander entered from the hallway.

“You don’t need much sleep, do you?” she asked as he pulled on his long black leather jacket.

“Very little,” he replied. “Were you comfortable?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Do not take my rebuke yesterday as harshly as it sounded. But I must insist that you adhere to our rules and customs.”

“I know. I was overly excited. I’m sorry.”

His jacket was pulled on but left open as he strode over and lifted her chin to look into her eyes, “This is my ship. Not Terra 2. If I show the slightest bit of weakness towards a human, or allow you to appear as if you are my equal, things would not go well for you, or for me. You will obey, you must show me and my people respect. Is this clear?”

“Yes, Commander,” she replied, gulping afterwards, suddenly realizing that this wasn’t going to be a joyride. A starkness of what she had gotten herself into finally hit her. He had tried to prepare her, but it hadn’t been enough.

“I do not enjoy being harsh to you, Victoria.” His hand moved from her chin and caressed her cheek for the quickest of moments then returned to his side, “You must understand the consequences of weakness. I did not become Supreme Commander by being a nice guy. I am a Rayth. Remember that.”

She nodded, “I will.”

“You will be expected in the Science Laboratory. I suggest you get there as soon as you can after you have eaten.”

She stood and helped him button his jacket. “I’m sorry I screwed up yesterday. It won’t happen again.”

“I am sure that it will not. And make sure to contact Dr. McKenna. You are expected to check in with him daily.”

“Would it be appropriate to contact him while I’m in the Science Lab, or should I wait until I’m back in your quarters?”

“I will permit it from the Science Lab, but you should seek permission from the First Science Commander before you do so.”

“I will. Thank you.”

He took a step towards the door then turned back to Victoria, “You need not fear me.”

She smiled, though it was tentative. “I know. I just…it was unsettling.”

He gave her a nod then left. She quickly got ready, ate breakfast then made her way to the Science Lab.

“Doctor, you now have access to a small portion of our science database,” the First Science Commander said to Victoria as she entered the lab. He was sitting at her station. “I’ve been comparing your data on this Gyhan bioweapon with ours. Come, let me show you some of the discrepancies.” Victoria, her head bowed, walked over to her station. “And I have talked with my staff. You may freely talk and ask questions. It would be difficult to work otherwise.”

“Thank you, First Science Commander.”

“We can be pretty relaxed,” he offered her a warm smile. “We’re not soldiers like the Commander, though, don’t get me wrong, we can easily kill a human. So don’t think we wouldn’t hesitate if we catch you stealing Raythian secrets. Might not kill you, but we’d certainly drag you to your husband who might just kill you for doing such a thing. He may like you, perhaps even love you, but his first duty is to his people. If you’re using him to get to our tech, our knowledge, he won’t hesitate to kill you. Do not think otherwise.”

“Not here to steal anything. Just trying to help find a cure,” she said. “He’s helped me, saved me, actually. I have no intentions to break his trust. I want to help.” The Science Commander nodded and began to show her the differences in their data, her information on the left screen, theirs on the right. She let out a sigh.

“Is something wrong, Doctor?”

“Forgive me,” she said, “I never even thought about this. I can’t read your language. I don’t think anyone one in my expedition can.”

“Ah. Of course. I should have thought of that. I don’t think any humans can read our language. At least none that I know of. Hmmm. This will be problematic. One moment.” He walked over to one of his staff members and shortly into their talk, Raythian growling words were being exchanged. Then the subordinate bowed begrudgingly, and the First Science Commander returned to Victoria’s station.

“He will teach you our language.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said, looking at the man out of the corner of her eyes, now wary of what she’d just gotten herself into.

“I suggest that you do your best to study on your own. He does not want the assignment.”

“Understandable.”

After a few keystrokes the First Science Commander pointed to her third screen, “This is what we use to teach our children. I am downloading it to your tablet. Do not share it with any of your Expedition members without talking with the Supreme Commander. Now, let’s get back to work. I will explain things as I go.”

Around noon, she asked if she might be excused for lunch and to contact Becket. She was given permission and returned to the Supreme Commander’s quarters. She fixed herself a sandwich and contacted Becket with the subspace comlink the Commander had given her. It worked with her tablet so that they could have a video call.

“Sounds like you have a lot of extra work ahead of you,” Becket said. “Sorry, love, I should have thought about that before you took off.”

She returned his smile, the image perfect on her tablet despite being light years away. “There was so much going on. Anyway, I’ll be sending you a batch file of information after work. As well as the Raythian dictionary, if you want to call it that, and if I get permission to. You and the rest of the expedition should probably learn a little.”

“We’re still trying to figure out Mythican.”

“I’ll see if I can get help with that as well.”

“Other than all of that, are you holding up okay?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I’m very welcome here, but the crew fears the Commander. I’ll be fine.” She looked at her watch, “I need to get back. I’ll send those files tonight. We should plan on touching base at this time every day, if that works for you.”

“It does. Take care of yourself, Victoria. I’m still worried about this.”

“I’ll be fine.”

October 18, 2115

Victoria kept to herself as she worked, only approaching the First Science Commander during their scheduled time together to compare notes. The officer teaching her the Raythian language terrified her. Rumbling growls and hisses were often directed her way, many times with a hand coming up like a claw, threatening. She did her best not to fall off of her chair, but she was truly scared and couldn’t help but let it show.

Victoria didn’t mention the incidents to the Supreme Commander. She just tried to learn as much as she could each night so that the threats would be fewer each day. But at the end of the second week, the officer and the First Science Commander were in a rather heated argument over the officer’s threats against her. Victoria tried not to watch as she sat at her station as the blows began, but she couldn’t help herself even as she hunkered against the wall.

Moments later the Supreme Commander strode into the room. With a hand on the collar of each man’s jacket they were torn apart. Victoria didn’t need to understand the Raythian language to know that the Supreme Commander was demanding an explanation. When the First Science Commander supplied one, the two Rayth were released and the Supreme Commander strode over to her.

“You disappoint me,” he hissed as he loomed over her, “work harder or I shall let the officer make good on his threat.” Then he thundered out of the room. Victoria sat stunned and horrified.

When she was able to shake off her fear, she went back to her research, interspersing it with practicing her Raythian when she was at a roadblock. When the First Science Commander told her that her shift was over, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to return to the Supreme Commander’s chambers or continue to work in the lab. But she went to his quarters and sat down, shaking from head to toe. She couldn’t even think about cooking herself dinner. She knew she had to eat, she was starving, so after a few minutes of calming her nerves, she got up and fixed herself some chicken and rice.

Usually, the Supreme Commander didn’t return to the chambers until after midnight, but he entered just as Victoria finished her dinner. He walked up to her, using his finger under her chin to prompt her to stand. She kept her eyes diverted, then simply closed them. She was afraid. Memories of Jason and his beatings flooded her mind as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Come, Victoria, we must work on your Raythian. I do not wish to hear that my wife is slacking in her training.” She opened her eyes as he wiped away her tears. “I am sorry that this is difficult for you. And you should have brought this to my attention sooner, especially after you were being taught by one of my Science Officers.”

“I thought I could learn it without bothering you.”

“You must keep me informed of everything, Victoria. I cannot protect you if you do not.”

She nodded and followed him into the main room. She grabbed her tablet and sat on the bed while the Commander removed his jacket and tossed it across the foot of the bed. Victoria scrolled through the pages until she found her place in her studies. “This is where I’m at. Pronunciations are my weakest area. I’m pretty good at remembering meanings and sentence structure.”

For the next four hours, she was tutored, nonstop. With the Supreme Commander’s help, she learned how to properly form the difficult combination of sounds, and apply the correct emphasis to the syllables. Though she was still learning elementary words, she was thrilled when she could get through her entire list, all properly pronounced and defined. The Commander noticed she was tired so he suggested that they call it a day and get some rest. He began to undress while she took her pajamas to change in the bathroom. When she returned, he was placing his dirty clothes on top of the dresser. Victoria would tend to them in the morning.

“Do all Rayth have white hair?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“What about eye color? Other than yours, I’ve only ever seen Rayth with blue eyes. I’ve never seen any others with silver eyes.”

“A genetic rarity. Rayth have blue eyes.”

She sat on the edge of the bed. “And you’re much more muscular than the others. Or at least it seems that way. Hard to tell, though, with all of that black leather you guys wear.”

“As with humans, that requires work.”

“Ah.” She smiled. “I’ve never seen you exercise.”

“There is a sparring arena on the ship. Did I not show it to you?”

“You did. I guess I thought you were on the bridge all day.”

“I spend most of my time there, and my office right off of the bridge, yes,” he replied as he got into the bed.

Victoria slipped under the covers while the Commander waved his hand over a switch to turn out the lights. It was then that Victoria realized it was the first time that they had gone to bed at the same time. He had never come “home” until after she was asleep.

“Thank you for helping me tonight.”

The Commander rested back and stared up at the ceiling. “You did well. I do expect you to continue to work hard and ask me for help when you need it.”

“I will. I just didn’t want to bother you.”

“It would be best if you did.”

“It would help if I actually saw you for more than a few minutes each morning.” She reached over and put a hand on his arm. “Do you purposely wait for me to be asleep before you return each night?”

“Yes. I did not want you to feel awkward.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m here to learn about you, about your people. Like your eyes, I’ve been wanting to ask you about that since we first met. I think we need time to talk each night. To learn from each other. And for me to let you know when I’m having trouble with something. My time here is short and if Vince doesn’t allow me to continue, this may be the only chance I have.”

“He will allow it. You need our help.”

She curled up on her side. “He may not think so, true or not.”

“He will. We are going for a gathering tomorrow. You could join us and get some of your own food.”

“I don’t think I could. I have canned food to keep me until we return to Terra 2. I still have a little frozen chicken left too.”

“You do not want fresh food?”

“I’d love it, but…” she wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, “I’d rather not get it while you’re feeding on humans.”

“We are gathering them, not feeding upon them.”

“What? I thought the gatherings were the feedings.”

“The villages we go to do not have enough people to feed my entire crew, let alone the Empire. We bring some of the humans onto the ship and put them in pods in our storage bay. We feed on them as needed. We cannot take all of the humans, we take only a few since they need to repopulate…”

Victoria sat up and put her hands over her ears. “I can’t hear this. You have humans on board! Now? To feed on?”

“It would be inefficient to travel without food on the ship.”

“I asked you if there were other humans on board and you said no.”

“Other humans such as you, a spouse, no, there are not any.”

“You lied to me!” she shouted.

“We were discussing Rayth with human wives. You asked if there were other humans on board. In context, my answer was not a lie.”

“But…” she stammered, “you didn’t show me these storage areas. I thought you showed me the entire ship.”

“I did not think you would want to see that particular area. And no, there are many areas of the ship that you have not seen, nor would I allow you to see.”

“Are they alive?!”

“Victoria, you know they have to be in order for us to feed on them.”

She sat in the chair next to the bed, her head in her hands. “You should have told me.”

“You knew, Victoria. You chose not to believe. We are Rayth. We must feed, just as you must eat. I know you do not like what we feed upon, but we have no choice. The reason you are here is to find another way.” He turned on his side, his back to her. “Get some sleep, Victoria.”

January 3, 2116

When the Raythian flagship returned to Terra 2, the strain of her three-month tour was seen on her face. Though no cure was found for the epidemic that was spreading throughout the galaxy, the combined efforts of the Expedition: Andromeda team and the Rayth progressed much more quickly.

Only Dr. Becket McKenna knew of Victoria’s struggles on the flagship, and though he somewhat trusted the Supreme Commander, he was upset that he hadn’t fully disclosed everything about his ship regarding its cargo.

“Commander, how long will you be staying with us this time?” Gen. Cavanaugh asked.

“Victoria has come up with a number of tests she wishes to run, tests that our equipment was not designed for and equipment she could not bring on our ship because it was needed here. I estimate that three days should be sufficient.”

“And do you want Victoria to rejoin you when you leave? I know her time has been spent finding a cure for this epidemic instead of learning more about your physiology and such, so I am willing to let her join you for another three months if you think it could be of benefit.”

“It would be, however, Victoria should stay here on Terra 2 for some time. She did not fully comprehend what it would be like on my ship.”

“Has she been harmed?” Vince asked, now worried about his number two doctor.

“No.” After a pause, “I should get to the infirmary so we can start the tests.”

Vince allowed him to leave, making a mental note to talk in-depth with both Becket and Victoria to make sure she truly hadn’t been harmed.

When the Supreme Commander entered the infirmary, Becket and two other staff members were there, but Victoria wasn’t.

“She’s in her quarters,” Becket said, “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me today.”

“She should not return with me,” the Commander said after the other two staff members left and the testing began. “Victoria’s expectations of what Raythian ship life would entail were not realistic. I should have prepared her more thoroughly.”

“Yes, you should have,” Becket said more sternly than he intended.

“I believe she will want to rejoin my crew when I embark. I would like you to dissuade her.”

“I’ll try, but how will this reflect on you? If your spouse doesn’t return with you on your ship?”

“I will handle it. Besides, it is not uncommon for Rayth to leave their wives or mates behind.”

“How else can we continue our research? Perhaps one of your crew would like to spend some time here on Terra 2.”

“That would not be possible.”

“It would be much safer than one of us joining you on your ship.”

“Perhaps, but what would General Cavanaugh do when my crewmember wished to feed?”

“Ah…good point.”

***

“It’s been far too straining on you,” Becket said over dinner that evening. “Victoria, you really need a break.”

“It’s because I went in blind,” she replied, “None of us thought about having to learn the Raythian language. And I wasn’t expecting to have to encounter gatherings. I just had this sort of romanticized idea of what it would be like living on a spaceship trying to find a cure for evil in the galaxy. That’s changed. I’ll be fine. Besides, my Raythian has gotten pretty good, at least my basic communication skills. It’d be a shame to waste all the hard work I put into learning it.”

“What about your day-to-day relationship with the Commander? You told me how you didn’t think you could handle it much longer.”

Victoria sighed, “I know, but that was weeks ago.”

“And everything’s okay now? You’ve avoided him since arriving this morning.”

“It’s not him, it’s me. The tension is from my end, not his. When we’re on his ship, he’s so different. I know he told me that I had to defer to him and such, but when confronted with it on the ship, when the weight of it hit me, I wasn’t really prepared. Like I said, I had a fairytale vision of what it would be like. A couple of days here, and I’ll be good to go.” She reached across the table and squeezed Becket’s hand, “We haven’t even begun what we set out to do with me being on his ship. We know this is the only way.”

“It’s not the only way. It’s just the only way we can think of at this point.”

“Becket, I’ll be fine. Being here, just today, has helped so much. Three months without having access to a bridge…maybe I was scared I’d never be able to come back, I don’t know, but now that I’m here and knowing I can return, knowing for sure, that helps so much.”

“I’m going to keep a close eye on you the next couple of days. If I don’t think you’re ready for another trip, I won’t let you go.”

***

Victoria walked into the Commander’s chambers later that evening. He was sitting up in bed, glass computer tablet in hand.

“Do you want me to rejoin your crew?” she asked, standing just inside the doorway.

“Yes.”

“But you told Becket to talk me out of returning.”

“I did. You were ill-prepared to be on my ship. That is my fault. I apologize.”

She walked over and sat beside him. “I think we’re both at fault. Let me return with you.”

“If Dr. McKenna believes that it will not be more straining on you, you may return.”

Victoria scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. A moment later, she was asleep.

January 5, 2116

After two more days of tests on the Supreme Commander, Victoria joined him back on the Raythian flagship. This time there were no illusions, and the brief reprieve on Terra 2 revived her and made her more determined to bring Rayth and humans together. The tensions between her and the Commander had disappeared, and that helped her more than anything.

“Would you teach me how to fight?” she asked one evening after their time of research together. Two hours were spent each night tutoring Victoria in Raythian culture, customs, and language.

“Fight? As in combat?” the Supreme Commander asked.

“You said that’s how you get your exercise, in the sparring arena. I need to learn to defend myself.”

“Against a Rayth? I do not think even my training could help you with that.”

“No, I mean…when I’m out with the Alpha Team, they always have to watch out for me. I can shoot a gun, but not very well, and other than that, I’m pretty helpless. Knowing how to defend myself would be pretty helpful. It might have helped me, at least a little, when Jason attacked. I don’t expect to become a warrior, but I’d like to be able to do something to help myself.”

“Very well. We shall start tomorrow.”

***

She was checking over some notes when the Supreme Commander entered the science lab. “Victoria, come,” his deep, raspy voice ordered. She saved her work, left her station and followed him through the curvy, winding corridors.

They entered the sparring arena which was nothing more than a large room with a padded floor. Around the circular room, there were several smaller circular areas, all visible from the main area with only waist-high walls facing the main arena. There were four other Rayth the large arena, each practicing their techniques against the others. She had only just glanced at them when the Supreme Commander’s massive hand caught her around the throat, lifted her up, and backed her against the nearest wall. She clawed at his hand.

“How would you get out of this?” he asked.

She choked, gasping for air, her fingernails digging into the flesh of his hand but not deterring him at all. The other Rayth paid no attention. The Commander lowered her to the ground and released his grip. Victoria bent over, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled for breath. “First lesson,” he said, “always be aware of your surroundings. Do not let anything distract you. You had time to evade that.”

She nodded, still choking. “Let us begin,” he said.

He started with a couple of defensive blocks. Victoria watched every move and found herself groaning in frustration when she couldn’t get her own body to perform properly. After thirty minutes, she was sent back to the science lab, but the Commander remained and used the four other Rayth to work on his own skills. By the time he left, the others were left behind, on the floor, trying to regain their breath.

Victoria had already eaten her dinner and was just putting on her pajamas after showering when the Commander returned to his quarters. She finished dressing and started to brush her hair when he knocked on the bathroom door. “Are you unharmed from the lesson?”

“Gonna be sore tomorrow, but I’m fine.”

“Very well,” he said and returned to the main room and gathered his pajamas and waited for her to finish so he could take his own shower. Once he was done, they both settled into the main room. “Go through your words,” he said pointing to her tablet. She took the glass tablet and sat down on the bed and began reciting the words, just to make sure her pronunciations were correct. The second time, he quizzed her on their meaning. Then he had her use them in a sentence.

When she finished he gave her a nod, “You are doing quite well and learning quickly.”

“I asked the First Science Commander to use only Raythian in general conversation with me. It’s going to be a while before I get the scientific words into my vocabulary. I still have a long way to go.”

The Commander walked over to her side of the bed, put his hand around her neck causing her to swallow hard, but he didn’t apply any pressure. Instead he leaned in and kissed her.

Victoria’s heart leapt and raced. Her reaction was unexpected. Her hands slipped up his arms and embraced him. She wasn’t sure if it should continue, if she wanted it to continue. But she didn’t need to worry. The Commander withdrew from her.

“Zy’nayth,” he whispered as he crawled into the bed, rolled onto his side and turned out the lights. “I am tired. Good night, Victoria.”

“What’s Zy’nayth mean?” she asked, trying to calm her racing heart at the same time. But she didn’t get an answer, the Commander was asleep. Taking his cue, she curled up beside him and fell asleep.

January 7, 2116

The next morning, she was awake before the Supreme Commander who didn’t wake up until after she had finished her breakfast. When she walked into the main room, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands, his long white hair hiding his face.

“Are you feeling okay?” she asked as she sat beside him. “It’s not like you to go to bed so early and wake up so late.”

“I think perhaps Dr. McKenna poisoned me with his tests.”

“No! He wouldn’t…”

He turned his head just enough for her to see one eye. He was smiling. Awkward on a Rayth, but it was warm and friendly. “I am joking, Victoria. Rayth do have a sense of humor.”

Victoria chuckled, then moved the hair blocking the view of his face to behind his ear. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I have been just as strained as you have been, Victoria. I needed a good night of rest. I am quite all right. And I apologize for my actions last night. It was inappropriate and not part of our arrangement.”

“No harm done,” she smiled. “But, I need to be honest with you. I don’t know…my feelings for you are…complicated…and if you’re wanting this to…wanting us to be more…I don’t know. I don’t really want…at least I don’t think I want a relationship right now.”

“I am in love with you, Victoria. I know you do not feel the same about me. I will refrain from such behavior.” He smiled again, “At least I will try.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

He gave her a nod then went to shower and ready himself for his day of commanding the fleet. As Victoria helped him with his jacket, buttoning the last button, she looked up into his silver eyes. “What does Zy’nayth mean?”

“Hmm, loosely translated, lightning warrior.”

“Why would you say that before going to sleep?”

“It is my name. Do not share that information. It is only for those closest to us.” Her hand was brought to his lips for a gentle kiss, then he left his quarters.

 

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