Ark: A Scifi Alien Romance by Lucy Snow Page A

scouts…”

    “I saw them. But more importantly, I understand the humans. They are immature and they are reckless, but they are also not foolhardy. They know that attacking the empire would result in their destruction. They are not so stupid to have actually done so.”

    “They are the only ones who could have done this.”

    Suddenly Admiral Kaalax seized forward, wrapping his arm around Ark’s head and drawing him closer. I could see the pain on Kaalax’ face, and I knew he was saying his last words.

    I watched as he whispered something to Ark, and Ark’s eyes widened in response. As Kaalax fell back onto the bed, Ark leaned back, standing up. I could see his face was wracked with a different kind of pain - the pain of losing a dear friend and mentor.

    “Ark,” Admiral Kaalax whispered one last time. “Think before you judge - remember what I said, otherwise it will be…your…undoing.”

    Then he spoke no more, and the look on Ark’s face as he stared at me told me that his friend was gone.

CHAPTER 06 - ARK

    I stayed standing in front of Admiral Kaalax’ body for longer than I would like to admit. I kept watching him, thinking he would wake up from a long nap and we would proceed to get off this planet together.

    As I stood there waiting Admiral Kaalax to awaken, all the battles we had fought together flashed into my mind. Conflicts across the galaxy, campaigns that affected the futures of thousands of systems, and Kaalax and I had fought together, strategized together, and conquered together.

    And that was just the two of us. Before Admiral Kaalax met me he had been the most decorated warrior in the history of the Empire by himself, with songs sung of him throughout the galaxy. He was a legend.

    And now he had died on this backwater planet in the middle of nowhere. He had a died a death without glory, while trying to induct a tiny and meaningless world into the Commonwealth.

    I shook my head in disgust. This was not the way for a warrior to die. This was not a battle, this was not how I wanted to leave this life. And Kaalax would have agreed with me.  

    Then, of course, he would have smiled to me and said, ‘Remember, Ark, that we do not get to choose how we leave this life, but we do get to choose how we make use of it.’

    It made me feel a mixture of great sadness and relief that my friend and mentor and commanding officer’s voice still resided in my head like that. I knew that as long as I could hear his advice I wouldn’t steer myself wrong.

    Finally, I shook my head, knowing that this was getting me nowhere. I still had a planet to escape from, I still had a fleet to return to, and I still had a…human to keep alive. I glanced at Melissa. She sat off to one side, watching me with those big eyes of hers, saying nothing, giving me the space to breath and grieve. I was thankful for that small courtesy.

    I sighed and went to the supply closet. “What’re you doing?” Melissa asked, standing up.

    I opened the closet and searched inside, pulling a shovel out. “I must bury him; it is unseemly for him to lie like this. I must conduct the funeral ritual.”

    I heard Melissa walk toward me, felt her hands on my arm and waist. “I’m so sorry for your loss, Ark. Is there anything I can do?”

    I closed the supply closet, my shovel in hand. “There is nothing to grieve, Melissa Crane of Earth. Admiral Kaalax is gone from this existence. He will be remembered for all time across the Kreossian Empire, but all that is left is a husk that must be cared for.”

    Melissa nodded, and stepped back, giving me more space. “If there’s anything I can do…” she started.

    “There is nothing.” She looked away, clearly hurt by my harsh words. “I will let you know if that changes,” I whispered. She nodded, and smiled.  

    “I’ll be over here.”

    I nodded and went outside the ship. The sun beat down on the jungle, and its heat made the work of digging slow and tiring. Still, it