Heart Of The Sun (2 page)

Once inside, they see many rooms, though all but one open out into the sky, their contents ruined. One is still sealed, however, and they find a bounty of supplies and two comfortable looking beds to sleep in. Alan looks at the bed with weary eyes, but it still wary of the Karalian in the room with him.

“Go to sleep,” the Karalian says. “I will not kill a sleeping man.”

Alan feels relief wash over him, and his exhausted mind doesn’t even question the veracity of the Karalian’s claims. He pulls the blankets over him, and as soon as his head hits the pillow, he falls asleep.

Chapter Two
True Colors

Day Two

Rinax One

Alan wakes, half expecting to sit up and hit his head on the rack as usual. Instead he finds himself in the colonists’ facility, coldness seeping through every vein. He pulls the blankets closer as the memories of the previous day come flooding back and his stomach growls. He looks around for the Karalian but he is nowhere to be found.

Has he abandoned me here?
Alan isn’t sure whether to be happy or frightened by the prospect. The Karalian is his enemy, certainly, but an alien planet is a bigger threat than a single alien to face alone. He pulls himself from his bed reluctantly, wishing for the usual half-warm shower he could have expected on the Heart Of The Sun, the human ship where he’s stationed.
Where I was stationed. Now I’m MIA, presumed dead. Nobody will ever expect to see my face again. I’m not sure I expect to see theirs either, as soon as my Karalian friend shows his true colors.

As if on cue, the Karalian appears at the door, his hands covered in blood. Alan recoils at the sight, wondering what being the Karalian has slaughtered in the night.
There’s no chance there could be colonists still living here, is there?
The Karalian sees his fright and lets out a cold, thin laugh that makes Alan’s skin crawl. It’s then that Alan looks behind him and sees the animal lying dead on the ground, a deer-like creature that the Karalian has obviously hunted and dragged back here.

“I’m sorry,” Alan says sheepishly, “I...”

“You thought me to be a savage killer,” the Karalian says. “Is that what you teach your children about our people? That we are merciless killers?”

“Aren’t you?” Alan feels resentment building up in him. “Your people have killed millions of mine in this war. You don’t even have the decency to return the bodies.”

“We don’t subscribe to your rituals and superstitions,” the Karalian says. “A body without a mind is just a shell. We cannot waste precious resources returning every body to you.”

“You have no compassion. Without that, we will never see eye to eye.”

There’s silence in the room for a second, and then the Karalian scoffs, shaking his head. “I should have simply eaten this beast raw where I found it. Instead I brought it back for you. Why did I even bother?” He turns and walks out of the room. Alan follows him quickly, racing to catch up with his long strides. 

“I didn’t mean... I mean thank you,” Alan says. “You’re not like any other Karalians I’ve met. That’s all.” He shakes his head, searching for the right words. “Look, maybe we should just start over. “I’m Alan. Lieutenant Alan Watson. Fifteenth Battle Fleet.” he offers out his hand, but the Karalian stares at it as if unsure of the gesture, and Alan withdraws.

“Vash Zor'Vina,” the Karalian says. “Warden of the...” He trails off, shaking his head. “That’s not important. What matters is that we find a way to survive on this rock until help arrives. Perhaps we are bitter enemies, perhaps all your hatred for me is deserved, but we need to form a truce if we’re going to make it off this planet alive.”

He’s being the adult one here,
Alan realizes.
All I’ve brought to the table so far have been accusations and stereotypes. He’s saved my life and brought me food. Perhaps I should give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
“Agreed.”

“Then we shall not discuss the war further at this time.”

“Agreed.”

They break down an old table and throw it in the hearth. Vash whispers something and green fire burns the wood down slowly. They dangle the meat over the fire. Vash eats his portion mostly raw, the blood dripping down his chin as he tears into the supple flesh. Alan waits until it is mostly cooked and eats it carefully, savoring the taste.

“I wanted to apologize. For before.” Alan says. “I didn’t mean to spout stereotypes about your people.”

“They’re true, aren’t they?” Vash sighs. “My people do become ever more mercenary as time goes by. Once we had codes of honor, but war and blood have stolen even those from us. We have put aside research and learning to pursue the art of war and the way to victory at any cost.”

“I never thought I would hear a Karalian say that.” Alan wonders if he’s made a misstep again, but remains quiet.

“No race is only one voice,” Vash says. “You have cruel men within your ranks as well. Men who would see us wiped out than come to any kind of agreement.”

“True enough.” Alan concedes the point. “The war’s a million miles away right now, though. What do you think we should do while we wait for rescue?”

“Eat. Sleep. Learn what we can from these colonists about this planet.” Vash wipes the blood from his mouth. “Find warm water. I need to wash.”

Alan smiles, letting his guard down. “You and me both, Vash.”

* * *

They spend the day looking over worn books, tearing out maps and anything else that might be of use. They descend and hurry inside the building, shuttering the doors of their room against the coming storm. It beats on the roof and howls around the building as they cower in the dark.

Vash finds some candles and with a flick of his fingers, lights them and places them around the room. The warm glow seems to set them both at ease and they sit in their beds, huddling tightly in their blankets.

“What’s it like... having magic?” Alan asks, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“What’s it like
not
having magic?” Vash asks in response. “I can’t imagine a life without it. How do Humans cope?”

“Technology, I guess,” Alan guesses. “We’ve never had magic, so I doubt we’d know what to do with it if we did.”

“I suppose not,” Vash says. “Do you have family at home?”

“Yeah,” Alan says. “My parents, and my little brother, Chester.”

“No mate?”

Alan smiles a little at the translation. “No. No... mate.”

“I see.”

“You?”

“No mate either. Or family.” Vash looks pensive as he says it, as if speaking of something he once had and lost.
Best not to probe him about it,
Alan realizes.

At some point the conversation dies out, and with it the storm raging outside. They both settle into a quiet slumber. Alan wakes first, hearing a noise at the very edge of his hearing. Staying still, he opens one eye a fraction to see Vash sitting on the edge of his  bed, naked. The candlelight dances off his features, almost human in nature except for the red patterns that cover his whole body except for his prick. Which, Alan realizes, is hard as a rock. He bites his lip as he realizes what the gasping noise is and sure enough, he sees Vash grasp his cock in a tight hand, stroking it gently. 

Alan knows he should look away, but he can’t. He’s entranced by Vash’s closed eyes, the way he concentrates on a body that deserves to be concentrated on. Alan bites his lip as he contemplates the Karalian’s massive cock. He realizes it’s been a long time since he thought about anything sexual, his pilot days filled with fighting for his life and catching sleep when he could. Now he’s faced with an attractive man, he can’t help but feel himself grow hard under the covers.
You’d have to be made of ice not to. Look at him, it’s as if the Gods sculpted a perfect man.
He hears another gasp and concentrates, knowing that if he moves, Vash will hear him and know he’s been watching. His prick aches, but he stays as still as a statue as Vash’s pace quickens.

Vash stifles a cry as he comes, seed spilling onto his chest as he utters an alien word. It’s a beautiful whisper, foreign and exotic, adding spice to an already hot scene. Alan can’t hold back anymore as Vash turns away. He slips his hand down, silently and slowly snaking under his blankets until he grasps his cock in his hand. A couple of strokes and he’s coming, biting his lip and spasming silently in the candlelight.

Perhaps it is an involuntary whimper, or maybe the slightest rustle of sheets and blankets as Alan comes, but Vash’s ears prick up and he turns around before Alan can close his eyes. He bolts them shut too late, just in time to see Vash’s angry expression directed at him as he stalks across the room and rips off Alan’s blankets, exposing his unzipped pants and the evidence of his guilt.

“I’m sorry, I... It’s been a long time... I...” Knowing he can’t hide, Alan’s eyes are open now and a thousand excuses start pouring from his mouth. “I didn’t mean to watch, I just...” His voice sticks in his throat as even now his eyes are enraptured by Vash’s naked body, pouring over his features nervously as he tries to turn away.

“Did you like what you saw?” Vash’s eyes have a threatening gleam to them. 

The wrong move could mean my death. He could snap my neck like a twig and think nothing of it.
“I told you, it’s been a long time since I saw anything sexual. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy.”

“Are you
kast’ka
?” The alien word does not translate and it hangs in the air between them, each breath they take heavy, their hearts pounding like drums.

“I don’t know what that means,” Alan admits.

“A male who likes other males. I know your species has them.” Alan isn’t sure if Vash’s words are a judgement or simply a statement of fact.
I can’t lie to him. He’s already seen the evidence. He already knows. Lying now would just give him an excuse to kill me.

“I am.”
For the first time in my life, he makes me ashamed to say that I am.

“You should have told me. We should not be sharing a room.” Vash gathers his blankets, hiding his nakedness behind them and stalks out into the hallway. 

There’s a spark in his eyes that looks less like anger and more like fear, but I can’t be sure of anything right now that isn’t my own shame. He’s an alien, a Karalian, the worst enemy of Humankind and I just watched him rub one out. I wanted him. No matter what excuses I made, if he had come to me and asked, I would have done anything he asked me to. I may have sealed my own fate with my foolish desires. The Karalians are not Human. They do not share our standards when it comes to acceptable behavior. I’m a poor ambassador to my people in a situation that could have led
to co-operation between enemies.
He bows his head, acutely aware of the sticky seed running down his stomach. He wipes it away angrily and lies back down, staring at the ceiling until he falls asleep.

Chapter Three
Hunters

Day Three

Rinax One

Alan is hungry when he awakens, his stomach growling and complaining. He reluctantly gets up and leaves his room, going outside the bunker to make water. Of Vash there is no sign and so he tucks himself back in, about to go and apologize to the alien when he sees movement at the corner of his vision. A deer-like creature, one of the beings that Vash had killed before, runs through the underbrush and then stops in a clearing. 

This is a chance for a meal,
Alan thinks.
Perhaps I can show Vash that I am a hunter too, in my own way. That I’m not so different to him.
He draws his gun from its holster and sneaks closer, being careful not to step on any loose branches underfoot. He lines up his shot perfectly and is about to fire when he hears the sound of engines in the distance. A million black birds scatter up in the trees and the ears of the deer prick up. It races away into the trees, running from its unseen predator.

That sounded like some kind of engine. Have they come to find me? Or perhaps it is the Karalians, coming for Vash.
Alan forgets about the hunt and sneaks through the trees, drawing closer to the sound until he spies the markings of a Karalian ship. A dozen Karalians hustle off of the ship and it floats away, back up into the atmosphere. Alan can’t help but notice how heavily armed the Karalians are; in addition to their usual staves and charms, each man carries a gun of Human design.
Stolen from the dead, no doubt.

The Karalians form up in front of their leader, who barks at them in their own language.
Without Vash’s translation jewel, I can’t understand a word. Still, the way they’re armed, the way they’re standing... They don’t look like soldiers on a rescue and recovery mission. They look like... like exterminators.
Alan’s fears are confirmed when the leader draws a line across his throat.
Have they come for me? Do they even know Vash is here? I have to get back to him. He’ll know what to do. Maybe he can talk them down. They are his own people, after all.
Uneasiness rolls in his stomach along with the hunger.
Maybe, after what happened yesterday, he’ll hand me right over to them. I wouldn’t blame him. Still, I have no other options. I can’t face a dozen heavily armed men alone and expect to win. I have to trust that Vash can get over his distaste of me.

He starts off through the trees, getting a head start while the soldiers are still talking and the drop-ship’s engines cover the sound of breaking twigs. He finds the facility’s door and lets himself in.

“Vash! Vash! Come quickly!” His yells echo off the walls of the empty facility, but there’s no response.
Perhaps he left last night. What if I’m all alone now?
He rushes down the hallway, checking each door in earnest and coming up empty, his fear growing as he starts to run out of corridor.

“What’s the matter?” Alan turns to see Vash emerging from the last door, clad in his light battle armor. He’s never been so relieved to see anybody and clutches at Vash’s arms as he recounts the story of the soldiers in the forest.