Her Brutal Alien (Alien Overlords)

Everybody in Megaris seems to be on the verge of a breakdown. Tix maybe more than others. I look into her eyes, and I see genuine regret for her actions. She seems to wish she could control herself, but can’t help it.

“Hey, Tix. How is it going?”

The casual greeting masks another terrible event unfolding. Two korabi have cornered us in the alley, and there is no way out. That seems to be a deliberate choice on their part. Very unsettling. I look up, hoping one of the many surveillance flying machines is nearby. I cannot see one.

I have never seen a korabi with tattoos. They are all kinds of bright colors, but they are never patterned. These two are, though. They also have the sides of their head shaved so they have matching mohawks cascading over their muscular shoulders.

They are not interested in me. They are focused on Tix, for whom trouble seems to be a near constant companion.

“Revenant wants to see you,” the bigger one says.

“Maybe I don’t want to see him.”

“Maybe you don’t have a choice.”

Now they are leveling weapons at us. Big weapons. Weapons which almost make me wish I had let Tusk take me home yesterday. We are in danger. I can feel every part of my body throbbing with adrenaline. It is not just me at stake. I am a vessel for innocent life. And that’s when I snap.

I am a gentle woman by nature. I have never enjoyed violence. What I did at Mark’s bidding always made me sick. Always. But today, right now, as my leg swings out, catching the korabi nearest to me in the knee, I feel very much at peace with what I am doing. He did not expect it at all, as evidenced by his sudden scream of pain and the way he drops his weapon as he is falling to the ground on a shattered joint.

Tix grabs it, quick as a snake. She has it pointing at his head before the other one can react.

“Get the hell out of here and tell Revenant I’m not coming back. I’m shacked up with the royal house, see? I’m out of his reach. So he can kiss this ass goodbye.”

“This is going to piss him off, Tix,” the standing korabi says. “He’s going to come at you even harder than before.”

“I’m going to let you both live,” Tix says. “But I won’t next time. Now fuzk off.”

She backs away, gun still aimed at the pair of them. The uninjured korabi helps his companion up and together they make an embarrassed retreat.

“You were incredible!” Tix turns to me with a broad grin. “I mean, you can really move. Wow. That was amazing!”

“I can look after myself,” I smile. “Let’s get back to the hotel. I’ll make you something to wear.”

“I want a skirt just like yours out of this pink fabric,” she says. “It matches my hair.”

A few days later…

“You don't look good,” Tix says.

“I don’t feel good,” I admit. I have been sick, on and off, for weeks. At first, I thought it was just the misery of the breakup making my stomach churn, but the urine test at the palace revealed the best and worst news of my life. I am to be a mother. A single mother in the middle of Megaris. What a horror that is, even with my newfound friend by my side, alternately being incredibly good company and almost getting me killed.

“I used to have the best of everything,” I say. “I gave it all up because I wanted to be independent. But it’s hard. Even with the bux.”

“And I’m your friend, even in spite of the bux,” she says. “Remember that.”

Tix has more or less hitched her wagon to mine. I have needed the friendship and company. She’s close to my age, and she seems to understand how difficult men can be. Plus, she likes the free accommodation and food she mooches almost constantly. I don’t mind.

I lurch toward the bathroom again. It is my fifth or sixth time this morning. I can barely keep anything down.

“I think you should go to the palace,” Tix says when I return. “You need medical attention and care. It’s not normal to be this sick. I’ve seen lots of pregnant ladies over the years.”

“He’ll find me there,” I say.

“So, what if he does? I won’t let him get to you. I’m ferocious. I kicked that old Tusk guy.”

“You did. I would make yourself scarce if you ever see him again. He will not let that go.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can take care of myself,” she says, waving her hand. “Let’s get you somewhere there’s a doctor.”

I have way to communicate with the palace. They left me a sort of plastic box that voices travel through, like a phone, but you can take it anywhere. It’s actually pretty useful.