Chapter 81: This keeps getting worse.The nitch was now after Chasm. The alien liquid moved slowly like thick blood, and the creature wiggled toward him as if knowing exactly where Chasm stood. He stumbled further back into the strange healing tube, but his movement seemed to catch more of the attention of the black liquid. As if part of the blob was a kind of head and neck, the nitch lifted slightly and turned to Chasm. He could almost feel eyes on him."Get to high ground," Rhylent called as he broke a glass plate in half. The alien then threw the jagged pieces at the new puddle heading to Chasm's spot. The sharp glass severed the liquid in half. When the nitch split, gray Nebos slipped over the black goo. The silken fabric then turned a disgusting shade of brown. While the Nebos helped him, Chasm looked for a place that wasn't close to the floor. He needed to stay as far away from the evil creature as possible."We need help." JP shot at the muck, and drops splattered before re-form
Chapter 82: One problem at a time."Everyone off the floor, and nobody move." From the doorway, Keltrix emerged with his black tubes bouncing. He eyed the lab and the nitch that was trying to kill them. "Humans, cover your mouth and nose." The alien shoved his curls over his shoulder as a flood of Nebos poured in from the doorway."How did this happen, JP?" Behind Keltrix appeared Octnavin, the great ruler. "We have not had a nitch in the palace since our creator's creator was a young Dagerstanteen."The two aliens held weapons that started to shoot fire from the barrels. The black fire lit the goo causing giant puffs of yellow smoke. All around the room, the Nebos rose to eat the smoke like big mouths consuming at a rapid rate. Chasm covered his mouth and nose as instructed."After I removed the peela from Norwell, she ripped the nitch from her neck. She still has four more." JP nodded toward the black bands around her wrists and ankles.Chasm stayed on the counter as the Nebos flippe
Chapter 83: Still in an alien lab.As consciousness returned to Chasm, a few things hit him all at once. The first thing he noticed was that his cheek was pressed to a warm chest with smooth skin. He thought he caught the scent of fresh apple blossoms. Once again, not a single ache or pain bothered him. That wasn't normal.As his eyes fluttered open, he inhaled. He discovered that he was still in JP's lab but not in the water tank. If he recalled correctly, he died, or maybe he'd hoped that he had died. Another beating didn't sound fun, and if he was still in an alien laboratory, his life hadn't improved.Tentacles slipped up and down his spine in a soft rhythmic pattern. The gentle petting had Chasm glancing up to dark stormy blue eyes. Rhylent held him on the exam table. The alien's warm blue skin smelled like apples. A tiny memory of eating an apple on Earth was one that Chasm had cherished his whole life. Now he could smell the apples as if he held a fresh piece of fruit in his han
Chapter 84: That's a bribe. The leader of the Dagerstanteens twisted his tentacles behind his back. He looked lost in thought, and then suddenly, he pinned Chasm with a look of I-might-kill-you. "I would be most thankful if you were the one that saved my offspring." Octnavin's eyes flashed like a laser.Chasm leaned forward in his seat as his eyes narrowed. "I did save him.""Perhaps we could make a deal as you made with JP. You like deals?""What deal?" Chasm could think of a few things he wanted. Food and water would be a good start. Even now, his stomach ached. That was the problem with being younger. His now young, healthy body craved nourishment on a different level than his old body."I would give you a present or a gift of thanks for saving Daris if you could explain how you knew so much about the poison and the cure. It is the information I want for something you might want.""Better." Keltrix nodded. "If you do not wish to give the information to me, I will have Rhylent kil
Chapter 85: Dagerstanteens lie.The room stilled like someone had sucked the air out of it. The silence was like space. Chasm could only hear his heart beating.Nothing. Suddenly everyone moved and spoke at the same time. Chasm leaned back in his chair. Once again, the Dagerstanteens were upset, and once again, he had no idea why. Norwell sat when everyone started talking at the same time. She shared a look with Chasm. Her eyes said she had no idea what the problem was either."Do you think we are still getting food?" Chasm whispered to Norwell."Not for a while," she whispered back."No." JP sat back at his desk. "No," he repeated. "No.""This means Fenton is alive." Rhylent looked to Octnavin. "Right?""I feel ill." Keltrix dropped to his knees and wrapped his tentacles around his body as if hugging himself. "This is my fault. I was with Murry, and I did not find Fenton as I should have. I am to blame.""No one is to blame. We need more information." Octnavin began to pace. "Maybe
Chapter 86: So... these are your slaves.Rhylent slipped off the table and came to Chasm's side. The entire room seemed shocked at his announcement, but Chasm didn't know why exactly."Really?" JP asked. "You will do this?""So these are your slaves after all?" Keltrix asked as his pale-blue eyes sparkled with amusement. He looked like he was secretly laughing at his sibling."I have flown more than all of you. I have traveled, and I have seen much. It would make sense that I do this for Fentontailia. If I see a planet or a station in their thoughts that connect to Fenton, I will be able to identify where it is better than all of you. It makes sense that I will be the one to do this action.""This is quite the sacrifice, Rhylent." Octnavin frowned. "Are you positive?""Yes." Rhylent lifted his chin."Rhylent is a sounder choice," JP agreed. "He has more flight time than all of us put together."In Rhylent's explanation, Chasm now understood why Norwell selected Rhylent. This alien knew
Chapter 87: Rhylent's room.As they left the lab, Rhylent led them through passages that twisted and turned in gray Nebos. When their feet treaded on white and cream Nebos, Chasm had the notion that they were in Rhylent's home. The hall reminded him of the spaceship. The color was the exact shade of the pants he wore."This wing of the palace is mine. Where my Nebos goes, you may go. You cannot leave this area unless you are with one of my siblings. Only travel with me, or my family or their humans. Do you understand? Go with no other Dagerstanteens.""What happens if we disobey?" Chasm asked. "Not that I am planning on disobeying you," Chasm added quickly."I am not concerned about you breaking my rules, Chasm. I will know where you are at all times. Once you drink from me, I will know if you defy my order. Your mind is not strong enough to hide things from me.""You might be surprised at Chasm's capabilities. It is not an accident that he survived all the slave owners we have had." N
Chapter 88: A new touch."Where is our cage?" Chasm asked Rhylent when he couldn't stand the confusion and the silence any longer. He felt like he'd been standing in Rhylent's room forever. He needed to do something or say something. He never was a fan of this feeling of limbo."Cage?" Rhylent walked over to the bed and then climbed on top. He sat with his back to the wall and crossed one ankle over the other. "Explain."Chasm frowned and decided he would need to explain with better language. There were moments when it seemed like Rhylent didn't really get him, and they weren't on the same planet."Where do we sleep, Commander Rhylent? Where is our cage? Where are we kept when we are not with our master?" "There is no master. There is no cage." Rhylent glanced around his room. He waved idly to the entire space. "Sleep where you are comfortable.""The floor?" Chasm glanced to the Nebos. The alien fabric wouldn't be too bad. They did feel soft and warm."Chasm," Rhylent's stormy blue ey
Chapter 136: The end of... Life and Death.Standing between his grove of apple trees and his rows of orange trees, Ike stopped and inhaled the blossoms in the wind. The bright star of the Dagerstanteen planet had him closing his eyes and sighing in delight. He'd never been outside this much, and he was addicted to the warm fresh air. He grinned. There were a few things he was addicted to now, one of which was the three humans laughing, chatting, and strolling toward him.Ike opened his eyes and smiled at the three men walking between his carrots."Ike," Chasm called. "We are here to learn.""Thank you for agreeing to take care of my plants while I travel with JP." Ike nodded."Caveman." Sloan approached him using the nickname he'd given Ike after they met. Sloan held up his hand, and Ike slapped Sloan's palm before his new friend jogged over to where the row of raspberry bushes was growing. "This is badass."Ike glanced at Chasm and raised an eyebrow."It means good," Chasm translated.
Chapter 135: Taking the fire back.JP didn't make a sound after Lee's announcement, but Ike could see his thoughts moving in a whirl. JP was making plans. The alien was rigging up a way to pull him from the fire if he said yes. The alien was also simultaneously trying to figure out how to keep Ike alive for a long time if he didn't hold the fire and if they didn't get the lifesaving water. Ike was very old and his Dagerstanteen blood would only do so much. Plus, all the humans needed the healing water. It wasn't just his life they were talking about here."I…" Ike pictured going back to the rain planet. He would have to watch time tick by while he held the fire again. The loneliness would eat at him. "I will have to return to the sanctuary," Ike murmured."Never," JP snapped."You do know that you burned that to the ground, right?" Keltrix asked."I will forbid you from returning to your old home." Octnavin's sentence was unmovable stone. "If you were to take the ember and regrow the P
Chapter 134: Life after the fire.As soon as Ike had the sensation of being set on a cold table, his eyes opened wide. It had been a long time since Ike felt the sensation of cold."JP?""He is here."Ike looked into Keltrix's eyes and then pushed away from the tentacles holding him. He sat and swung his legs until he was on the edge of an exam table in a laboratory."Where am I?" Ike glanced at Keltrix and then at Octnavin. Next to him on a second table was JP. The alien looked burned from head to toe. He wasn't moving, and Ike felt panic. Did the fire kill JP? Why was everyone acting like it didn't matter?"JP?" Ike set his hand on his blackened skin. The hard surface was rippled and rough."What is that thing that Sloan likes to say?" Keltrix asked Octnavin."He bounces back fast." Octnavin crossed his middle tentacles over his chest."Yes," Keltrix agreed. "That's it.""Where are we?" Ike glanced at the leader of the Dagerstanteens. "Is JP dead?""This is our ship, and we are parke
Chapter 133: At the fire temple.Ike kept himself conscious by listening to the Dagerstanteen that carried him. JP found the most boring things to list in Ike's head until he had to fight not to sleep. Although Ike struggled to stay awake, he did agree that JP kept his emotions and the fire calm.As the air got colder, the cooler air had him focusing. The six of them started to climb up a wide rock staircase on the closest side of a small mountain. The guards that had followed them stayed at the bottom. All around them was water, and there were no sides or railings to the steps. One move to the left or the right, and they would fall into the dark, murky moat.Ike lifted his chin and tipped his head as they marched. His heart beat a little faster when he spotted the Panchen Fire Shrine.This is where he would die.When they reached the end of the staircase, JP stepped onto smooth marble. Ike noted that the water lapped at the highest point and splashed like the liquid wanted to take ove
Chapter 132: Albeon.When Ike awoke, he was cradled in JP's tentacles, but the skin was not soft and silky. The tentacles that held him were stiff and hard and throbbing with heat. The alien had turned his skin into armor, and Ike didn't know why.Blinking rapidly, Ike was about to explain again how he was heading to Albeon no matter what JP said, but as he focused his eyes, he was shocked and speechless at what was happening around him.JP stood in front of Princess Lee and three old Albeon women. Ike knew who those women were. Shay had told him about the three elders. There was Dilma, Payson, and Rolla. He was finally on the planet Albeon and besides the women in front of him, all around the open field, stood male Albeon guards of every shape and size. The number of weapons pointed at him was concerning, and he found himself holding his breath.On the right of JP stood Octnavin holding a sizeable pink bundle in his arms. On JP's left side stood a fully armed Keltrix like a silent sen
Chapter 131: Out of control. Fenton and Shay stood in his living area. As Ike walked out of his bedroom, he began to roll a cigarette. He felt nauseous and wanted to curl up and cry and rail against the unfairness of life. But he wouldn't do that in front of anyone. He could fall apart later when he was alone. Right now, he had to get dressed and leave with some dignity. He could hear Baja in his head. He needed to get it together and keep the fire calm."Ike—" Fenton stopped when JP strode out of Ike's bedroom. "JP? What are you doing here?""Greetings," Shay murmured as her eyes went from JP to Ike. "I didn't know he was...." Shay lifted her eyebrows and then grinned. "What were you doing in your bedroom?""Talking." Ike gave Shay a warning look to let it go and then brought his cigarette to his lips."Arguing," JP said at the same time."Did you bring me a new ship?" Ike asked as he lit his cigarette and ignored the Dagerstanteen."I brought mine. I will escort you." Queen Shay nod
Chapter 130: Time to leave.Ike used JP's tentacle as a pillow as he stared at the ceiling above his bed. For the last two days, he'd had sex, talked, ate, laughed, and had more sex. In the end, he did everything he could so that he wouldn't have to tell JP that he was going to his death. He'd never been this happy, and he hated to end his relationship with the Dagerstanteen but....He knew he had to, and soon.Any moment Lee or Shay would show up with a ship, and he was leaving to fly to Albeon. He must get rid of the fire. The flame was staying calm right now, but the blaze could get out of control, and it was only a matter of time before the fire burst from him. His exhaustion was rising from trying to keep the fire from blowing, and he was scared to find out what would happen if he ran out of energy. He would not be responsible for that kind of destruction. Ike had to tell JP and explain. It was the right thing to do.Ike rolled over and cushioned his cheek against JP's shoulder. H
Chapter 129: Playing."I cannot believe I am about to make a fool of myself." Ike sat in the middle of the bench and stared up at the massive instrument. The strings were on the right and left and came down from a long bar across the top. He couldn't even reach some parts of the instrument unless he got up and ran around. He refused to be that ridiculous.Cracking his knuckles, Ike paused as he decided he would play the easiest song he knew, and even though he couldn't hit all the notes, it would probably sound good enough that his ears wouldn't bleed."Any time," JP teased."You'll regret this." Ike glared at the alien and then reached his hands outward and wiggled his fingers.JP made a slight giggle under his breath.Ike ignored the alien and began the song. He plucked at each string until the notes shimmered in the air. The sound waves rolled off the loominairin, and he grinned at the beauty of the music. The song was simple, and he had just reached halfway went JP moved behind him
Chapter 128: Flying back home.When Ike awoke, he pulled himself into a sitting position and leaned against the front window of his ship. He was naked and covered in a blanket. After he rubbed his eyes, he glanced over his shoulder. His home planet was coming into view."What happened?" Ike bounded to his feet in shock and then wrapped the cloth around his waist. He hunted for his armor and picked up the pieces of clothing strewn all over the command deck."I do not know what you are asking me. Nothing happened." JP gave him a quick look before he went back to flying his ship. "You fell asleep after you reached your third climax. You have quite the stamina. I think that is your Dagerstanteen blood." The alien sounded amused. "When we were free to leave the ocean floor, and there were no threats to the ship, I took over flying and let you rest. I said goodbye to Tullie for you.""I bet you did," Ike muttered as he pictured what JP probably said about Ike being placed in a sexual stupor