Alien Bride

He looks pretty messed up. His eyes are black from a beating he must have taken here. Blood cloaks his shirt. He’s still strong, but I can tell he hasn’t eaten in days.

“What has happened to you?” I ask.

He falls to the ground, weak but unwilling to take my

hand. “I’m fine,” he growls.

“You are not fine, Akron,” I say.

He stumbles to his feet, wagging his head. “I’ll get over it.”

Reaching forward, I grip the front of his shirt and feel the cold blood soaking through. He’s injured.

“Tell me what happened to you,” I demand.

He groans in pain, kneeling once more. “What happened to me?” he asks, face twisting. “You happened to me.”

He lunges forward, prepared to strangle me, but he misses and falls face first into the dirt.

Lurching forward, he clenches his stomach, trembling like a wounded animal.

I stand above him. “I’m sorry for what has happened to you, but I am not the source of your troubles. Blame the aliens that abducted me, sure. But you and I both know the Empire is the real enemy.”

He slides across the dirt, away from me. “Why did you come here?”

I follow, and he finally stops, chest pumping inches into the air.

“I came here for your help,” I say.

“Fuck my help. Why would I help you? I have lost everything. And now, the slaves have organized their own rebellion. My ship is fucking toast. I’ve been hiding for a full day now. I’m on the verge of death,” he cries.

I start to pace. I wasn’t aware of the slave rebellion. Good for them. They deserve independence, but they could easily mistake us as their colonizers.

Time is limited.

“We just need to band together and think,” I say.

“I just wanted to lay low. I didn’t want to participate in all of the bullshit. Why did I ever let you lot into my bar?” he asks.

“No time for useless questions that rely on self pity and blame. There is only the present, not the past. You hear me? So stand up and help me think of a good plan to get my husbands back from the Empire’s hands.”

He pauses. “They impregnated you?”

I nod. “I am carrying,” I say. “Whether they live or die, I will have their child.”

Groaning, he stands and hobbles toward a rock. “And I’m assuming the sentinels took them away? You escaped?”

I nod again.

“I’m surprised a primitive being such as yourself made it this far,” he says.

Even I’m amazed. I’ve always had it in me. I guess I just needed a little push.

He glances back at the cliff and sighs. “All right. Fine. I won’t kill you,” he says.

“You really thought you could kill me? You’re barely hanging on,” I joke.

He swings his weapon. “I’ve got the ammo.”