Free Ark: A Scifi Alien Romance by Lucy Snow

it?”

    Melissa held up her hands. “No, no, nothing of the sort. It was a joke, really, it was.”

    I was still suspicious. “I will be on the lookout for other women all the same.”

    Melissa sighed as she headed toward the door that led to Ambassador Fuller’s quarters. “You really know how to make a girl feel special, Ark.”

    “I do not understand.”

    “You’re supposed to say that I’m the only girl you’d ever dream of winking at.”

    “I have not yet met all the women in the galaxy, Melissa Crane of Earth, so I cannot say that in good conscience.”

    Melissa sighed again. “You’re hopeless, Ark. A lost cause.”

    I nodded. “I have said the same thing to Admiral Kaalax about Earth.” I saw Melissa grimace. “But,” I added quickly, “I am beginning to change my mind on that.”

    Melissa thought about that for a second before she nodded, a small smile creasing its way across her face. “I’ll see you later.”

    And then I was alone in the dining room. I finished recycling my plate and went back to my quarters.

    This woman intrigued me. There was far more to her than I had initially thought, and now my desire to have this mission end quickly was quickly being replaced by a desire to have it go longer just so I would be able to spend more time with her.

    Shortly thereafter it was time for me to met with Admiral Kaalax. I stood in front of the door to his quarters and buzzed in, entering when the door slid open.  

    Kaalax was halfway dressed, pulling his undershirt over his large body, and just before the fabric covered him and molded itself to his strong shape I caught a glimpse of the legendary scars that ran all over his body, and I was once again reminded that I had the privilege of being the personal aid to one of the most celebrated commanders in Kreossian history.

    Each of those scars told the story of a campaign, a hard won battle that furthered the interests of the empire and further lit the way for more conquest, pushing back the darkness of the galaxy.

    Kaalax didn’t talk much about old campaigns and I had learned not to ask. When he wanted to, though, he would tell such stories that I couldn’t help but believe all of them, no matter how fantastic.

    We didn’t speak that morning; the Admiral seemed pensive and deep in his thoughts and I went about my appointed tasks to help him get ready without comment. Today was the formal part of the conference - Admiral Kaalax would explain to Ambassador Fuller what the Kreossian Empire was offering by sponsoring Earth to join the Commonwealth, and the privileges and responsibilities that would entail.

    And then Kaalax would formally invite Earth to join us, and presumably Fuller would accept on behalf of his people. We’d open formal talks to begin integration of Earth into the Commonwealth, and the Admiral and I would soon be back on our way to Kreossian space.

    Of course, the sooner this conference ended the sooner I’d have to say goodbye to Melissa. Already the thought of putting light years between us was less than appealing thought, but I had no choice. The empire would send me where it wanted, and as a faithful warrior I would go.

    When Admiral Kaalax was ready, we walked out of his quarters and to the formal negotiation room just off the dining room, where Kaalax and Fuller had enjoyed their dinner together a few hours earlier.

    We sat down on in our seats just as Ambassador Fuller and Melissa entered the room, both wearing the formal robes prescribed in the instructions we had sent over. This was a very high brow affair, these induction discussions and ceremonies, and even if I had little use for their results, I could appreciate the pageantry of it all.

    Admiral Kaalax stood up and began his well-rehearsed speech, giving Melissa and Fuller a brief history of the galaxy as we knew it, and how the Kreossian empire came to be. He left out a lot of the sordid details, but I could see that both Melissa and Fuller were