The rhythmic hum of the engine room always had a soothing effect on me. As I stepped through the doorway, I was greeted by the sight of Grix busily scurrying around, checking every system with his six nimble legs. The insectoid engineer stared up at me with his multifaceted black eyes, antennae twitching in curiosity.
“Everything running smoothly, Grix?” I asked, my voice echoing off the metal walls.
His complex chittering reply assured me that everything was in perfect working order. I nodded, satisfied. My crew’s efficiency was second to none, and I took pride in their dedication to our mission.
“Good. Keep up the great work,” I said, turning back toward the door. Sometimes, it felt like I was the captain of a well-oiled machine rather than a spaceship.
And yet, despite the Reza’s near-perfect performance, something nagged at the back of my mind. A disquiet I couldn’t shake, even as my ship soared smoothly through the vast emptiness of space.
As I made my way back to the bridge, my heavy footsteps echoed through the silent corridors. As I stepped onto the bridge, the control panel lit up before me.
“Captain, you have an incoming call from Admiral Velnat,” Exton announced, his brightly colored scales catching the light, glittering as he gestured at the screen.
I sighed internally, bracing myself for whatever the admiral had in store for me. “Patch him through.”
The screen flickered, revealing the stern visage of Admiral Velnat. His cold eyes bore into mine, demanding my full attention.
“Captain Ozias,” he barked, his voice filled with authority. "Report. How many specimens were you able to acquire for the breeding program?”
I hesitated for a fraction of a second, my mind whirling as I considered the potential consequences of my words. For reasons I couldn’t quite understand, I was compelled to downplay the actual number of women we had taken. Clearing my throat, I replied cautiously, “We managed to secure around 30 potential females, sir.”
“Thirty, eh?” The admiral’s eyes narrowed as he assessed me, but then he surprised me by nodding approvingly. “That’s a promising start. The more specimens, the higher our chances of success in rejuvenating our species.”
“Indeed, sir,” I agreed, trying to keep my voice steady. As much as I understood the importance of our mission, I couldn’t shake the feeling that what we were doing was wrong. The image of Lilah glaring at me, her blue eyes full of defiance, haunted my thoughts.
“Keep up the good work, Captain,” Admiral Velnat commanded, his voice cold as the void between stars. “Our people are counting on you.”
“Understood, sir,” I responded, forcing a tight smile. I could feel the admiral’s gaze boring into me, searching for any hint of weakness or dissent.
“Excellent,” he responded, and for some reason, the hint of satisfaction in his voice sent a chill racing through my limbs. "I expect nothing less than perfection from you and your crew."
“Of course, sir,” I said, forcing myself to maintain eye contact with the imposing figure on the screen. "We will not disappoint you."
“See that you don’t,” he warned. “Dismissed.” With that, the screen went dark once more, leaving me with my swirling thoughts and the quiet hum of the Reza’s engines.
A part of me knew I should be pleased by the admiral’s approval, but all I could think about were the women we had taken from their homes and lives. Their frightened faces filled my mind, stoking the flames of guilt that burned within me.
“Thirty potential females,” I whispered to myself.
“Captain,” Exton’s cautious voice broke through my thoughts. “Why did you tell Admiral Velnat we have thirty females when we both know there are thirty-two?”
My lips twisted. “I don’t quite know myself. I suppose I wanted to make allowances for any accidents on the trip home. We can never be too careful.”
“Accidents?” Exton arched an eyebrow. “You’ve never been one to doubt your crew or the safety of our ship before. What has changed?”
My mind drifted back to Lilah and the other women we’d taken captive, desperation carved into every feature.
“Nothing’s changed,” I lied. “As I said, it’s just a precaution. We’re dealing with a volatile situation here. Who knows what might happen?”
Exton’s gaze lingered on me, searching for the truth he knew I was withholding. But I held my ground, maintaining a stoic facade as the seconds stretched into an uncomfortable silence.
“Very well. I trust your judgment, Captain,” Exton replied, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press the matter further.
I breathed out a silent sigh, relieved to have dodged further scrutiny for now. With a stiff nod, I turned to leave the bridge and headed toward the holding room where our newest “passengers” were being detained.
Descending further into the bowels of the ship, I steeled myself for a confrontation with the females we had collected. The air grew colder and more sterile as I approached the holding room, the metallic scent of confinement biting at my nostrils.
I didn’t even know why I felt compelled to speak to the prisoners at all.
And yet, here I was.
The door to the holding area slid open with a soft hiss, revealing the thirty-two females huddled together in various states of distress. My gaze, however, was immediately drawn to Lilah. She glared at me, those blue eyes shooting daggers at my scales.
“Captain Sachine,” she spat out, her voice dripping with venom. “Come to gloat over your collection of trophies?”
“Hardly,” I replied, my tone measured. “I’m here to address any concerns you may have.”
“Concerns?” another woman scoffed incredulously. “You kidnap us from our homes, lock us up like animals, and now you want to play therapist? Give me a break.”
“Where are you taking us?” demanded yet another, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The others chimed in, their questions overlapping and escalating in volume.
“When will you let us go?”
“What are you going to do with us?”
Their questions came fast and furious, each query layered with fear, anger, and despair. I held up my hands to quell the torrent of emotion boiling over before me.
“Enough!” I bellowed, silencing the clamor with a single word. “One question at a time.”
“Are you going to hurt us?” a timid voice asked from the back of the room.
“Absolutely not,” I assured them, my emerald eyes scanning the faces before me. “My intentions are not to harm any of you.”
“Then what do you want with us?” Lilah inquired, her words edged with suspicion.
“Perhaps it’s best if I explain everything once we reach our destination,” I hedged, evading the question for the moment.
“Which is where, exactly?” she pressed.
I ignored the question. “You will be treated fairly and with respect during your time aboard this ship. No harm will come to you, so long as you cooperate.”
“Cooperate?” A petite female, her amber eyes narrowed in suspicion, shook her head derisively. “And what does that mean, exactly?”
“Simply obey the rules and stay out of restricted areas,” I replied, forcing a hint of humor into my tone. “It’s not as if we’re asking you to scrub the floors or polish our scales.”
“Has anyone ever told you you’re not funny?” Lilah continued to glare at me.
“Occasionally,” I admitted, offering a wry smile. “But I find it helps to lighten the mood.”
“Really? Because it just makes me want to punch you even more,” she snarled, the blazing anger in her eyes challenging me to respond.
I chuckled softly. “Well, I suppose I’ll have to work on my material.” I hesitated, torn between my loyalty to my people and the growing discomfort eating away at my conscience. “I want you all to know that I do not relish this situation any more than you do,” I finally said.
“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe,” Lilah replied.
“Believe what you will, but my intentions are not malicious,” I insisted, hoping that my sincerity would shine through.
No one spoke for a long moment, the females staring at me with hatred burning in their eyes.
“Are you taking us to a breeding facility?” she demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a laser blast. The other women turned to stare at me, their expressions a mixture of fear, anger, and disbelief.
No. That was the one question I could not answer.
And suddenly, I knew why I’d felt compelled to come down here.
I was dancing on the edge of a precipice, teetering between duty and desire.
I have to get out of here.
“Rest assured,” I told the females, meeting each pair of eyes in turn, “you are in no danger aboard this ship. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to.”
Silence fell on the room like the ominous calm before a storm. And as I turned to leave, their resentful stares burned against my back.