The Missing One Ch. 02

So no sex yet, but it will soon be underway. I just felt like the story needed a bit of buildup.

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The Afranoas were a fearsome creed and for centuries had continued to be an unrivaled enemy of the Revocons. The Afranoas and the Revocons had once been strong allies in the fight to etch empirical dominion in the galaxy. Together they had conquered countless worlds and peoples, solidifying their individual clans as the rulers of the galaxy. However, that alliance came to an end when the ruling families of the Afranoas begin selling people from conquered worlds to various planets in the galaxy, a practice that the Revocons stood staunchly against. As a result, Revocon elders attempted to bargain with the Afranoa leadership in order to persuade them to cease their practice of enslavement. When the Afranoas refused, the alliance between the two powers was broken and the Revocons and Afranoas had been under the resulting cloud of perpetual fear of all-out war ever since.

This was the reason why the presence of an Afranoa ship had triggered the ship's security indicator as Afranoas never showed up to greet Revocons with anything other than strife.

"Sir, a lead member of the Afranoa vessel is sending a communication indicator to our ship, should we accept?" one of the ship's engineers called out to the commander.

The commander roared back, "Accept it, I want to know why these fucking shits have sent a war ship to my region!"

In seconds, the image of an Afranoa commander appeared on the screen. The Afranoa came in two shades either really light (almost making their skin appear translucent) or really dark (a color resembling the shiny reflective material of leather). However, under unique conditions the colors would combine resulting in an Afranoa with either dark translucent skin or light reflective skin. These Afranoas were said to be the fiercest as the genetic conditions that allowed such a visible change in the standard outward appearance of an Afranoa was said to change other subtler features of a Afranoas physiological composition. The most important of this abilities included: increased strength abilities, increased healing abilities, increased intellectual capabilities, and telekinesis. These attributes could prove to be a dangerous mix when held in combination with the fact that Afranoas were already heralded as one of the strongest species in the galaxy.

So when the Afranoa commander on the screen featured the tell-tell physical attributes of these "unique" Afranoas, the commander of the Revocon retrieval ship knew that the Afranoas were definitely not there on positive pretenses.

.............

The human

He grabbed my arm as a blaring sound cut through the room. Panicking I punched him in his chest. This caught him off guard, and he quickly dropped my arm as I took this opportunity to run. I didn't know where I was going and I had a growing fear that my idea of finding a way off of this ship and successfully making my way back home was probably futile. I mean, I had no way of flying an alien ship and there was no way I would be able to physically outmatch any of the creatures onboard, but fight or flight mode isn't known for making humans the smartest.

None of the aliens seemed to notice me as the alarm had made all of them start in a panic. They were everywhere yelling and barking at each other in what I assumed to be orders and a new feeling begin to replace my anxiety. Dread.

After all, these appeared to be badass aliens and if something had them running around it must be bad, and right when I had resolved that it was probably better to be protected by these humanesuqe aliens then face whatever they were running around for alone in space, the familiar looking blond alien boy latched my arms with holographic looking cuffs and pulled me down the hall.

The alien

The blaring noise of the ship's warning alarm echoed in my ears and I immediately searched the room for the hybrid girl. Whether the idea was born out of my failure to protect her the way I was supposed to the first time or my mild attraction to her gorgeous eyes all I knew was that I had to get her to a safety pod as retrieval vessels are not known for being well armed to fight battle vessels (which is the alarm that the system was indicating).

I grabbed her arm to lead her to the pod room only to have her punch me so hard that I absentmindedly dropped it reeling from the pain (and surprised at her ability to hurt me). She bolted out the door and I was pissed as hell.

It didn't take that long to find her and once I did I decided it was best to activate my helo-cuffs because this silly little hybrid was probably intent on trying to kick my ass again and that wasn't going to happen. It was only once she was close and still did I see how the day's toll had already changed her. Her hair was matted to her scalp, her skin bruised and covered with filth from the floor of the aquanoe holding, and again I felt guilt.

.............

Commander Ilfeone sat in the control room waiting for the Afranoa commander to speak.

The Afronoa's voice interrupted the blaring sounds of the ship's alarms as he succinctly greeted the commander with, "Hello, Commander Ilefeone, it's been a long time since I've been graced with your presence. However, in our last meeting you were attempting to blast my ship into the eons with your defense fleet so forgive me if I approach this conversation with some caution." The Afranoa was attempting to fain concern as he greeted the Revocon commander but wise ears were able to notice the subtle insult to Ilefeone's demoted position (a popular tactic used by Afranoas to disarm enemies by inciting one's anger to blind them against the Afranoa's strategy).

The captain quickly rebutted, "Caution should not be necessary seeing as how your armed vessel has more than enough capability to defend itself against a modest retrieval fleet, and I do remember over my lifetime attacking multitudes of Afranoa ships so you will have to forgive me if I do not remember you or the ship you reference."

The Afranoa commander's face briefly flashed with hostility at the Revocon's words but he quickly covered his fleeting anger under the guise of a smile and sneered, "I was a boy when you hit my vessel so it figures that you would not remember my face from that battle but I vowed to never forget yours. However, your inability to recollect those events are of little consequence to me now as they have served their purpose for allowing me to become what I am today, Cal Huder, chief of the Afranoa Militant Defense."

And before the Revocon commander could respond to the chief's revelation, the ship's system sent out another warning this time notifying the ship's members that they were in the target zone for an enemy weapon.

At the sound of the ship's alarm Chief Huder let out a bellowing laugh as he watched the familiar look of panic, uncertainty, and confusion fill the eyes of the rival commander and with that he pushed a weapon indicator buttoned zoned to target the retrieval ship.

Revocon retrieval ships best defense were weapon neutralizers and the commander hoped they would be powerful enough to withstand the notoriously powerful weapon technology of the Afranoa force as he attempted to escape through warp speed.

The commander reached for the ship's monitor and alerted the crew to ready themselves for possible impact and to activate the ships weaponry.

.............

The alien

NO!. The weapon alarm.

Abogog increased his pace practically dragging the human hybrid along with him towards the transport room, but as soon as they neared the door the ship violently lurched, viciously throwing their bodies down the hall.

Quickly, Abogog steadied his feet willingly himself to get the girl back to the transport room but as he looked around him she was nowhere to be found.

His search was interrupted by Reyeden screeching, "Abogog! Where have you been? We need more men in the defense room, Now!

"Reyeden, I have to find the girl and get her off this ship!"

"The girl! The girl! Our ship is being attacked by an enemy vessel filled with Afranoa defense warriors and you're worried about a human hybrid!"

He knew Reyeden was right. They had bigger things to worry about than getting the hybrid back to Earth and it was his duty to protect the ship (After all the commander had never been able to fully decommission him... yet). Yes, he was here to fulfill his desire to gain access to the defense fleet and maybe this attack was a chance to redeem that want.

With that he headed to the defense room.

.............

The human

The hit had ironically thrown her back towards the entrance to the aquanoe chamber. She was confused but resolved that maybe her best chance at getting off the ship could be found in the beast who'd tried to eat her.

She slowly entered the chamber a battle raging through her head as to whether her decision to revisit the aquanoe was a good one. She didn't have to walk far as upon her entrance, the beast was already near the door.

With a wide green the aquanoe greeted her with, "We meet again hybrid?"

"Yes...um I was hoping...you knew how to get off the ship?"

"I do, but my knowledge comes with a price."

"Anything, I just want to go home."

"You have to take me with you."

She froze at his words. How could an 8ft creature, built like a tank, with blood stained teeth ever think he would fit in on planet earth.

"I don't..th-think that would work"

With that the creature laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

"I don't want to go with you to Earth I just want to get off of this ship too. The Afranoa are attacking it and it will only be a matter of minutes before they succeed in blasting this ship to bits. Before you opened that door I had no way to get out, but it seems the goddess is with me after all. So, here's the plan. I will get us to the transport room and we will escape through a pod. Pods allow two travels before they automatically reroute to their programed home planet. That's just enough to get you back to Earth and to get me back to Jedo."

"You have a planet? But, why are you here and who are the Afranoa?

"No offense, but can we get into that when we're in the safety of a pod."

She held the door open indicating to him to lead the way. Quickly, he treaded down the maze-like halls eventually stopping in front of the door that the alien had tried to open before the ship was hit. He tapped a screen and the doors receded opening to a vast white room where a variety of doors lined the wall. The creature studied the various plates that were on the doors handles until he came across the one she assumed held the pods. With a click the door lifted revealing shiny globe shaped machines.

The creature opened the door of one of the pods that was nearest to what she assumed was the exit gate.

"Get in."

Shawnee got into the ship and sat in what she presumed to be the passenger's seat. The creature quickly followed behind her and began tapping the pod's screens.

.............

The alien

"Why aren't we warping!?"

"Because Abogog, the Afranoa specifically targeted our warp capabilities, so if we warp they will be able to easily follow us as we can no longer jump space distances efficiently." Reyeden shouted to Abogog.

"This is beginning to look hopeless, you know? And who is the Afranoa chief intent on destroying us?"

"Abogog you ask the worst questions at the worst time!" Reyeden screamed as he and Abogog braced themselves as the ship absorbed another hit, "and if you must know its' the chief of the Afranoa defense himself, Chief Huder!"

With that, Abogog grew quiet, his face contorting into a solemn line for now he knew the arrival of Huder was about much more than the toxic tension between the Afranoa and the Revocon, it was about him. For Huder was his brother.

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