Theron's Hope (Brides of Theron) (9 page)

As the bidding began, Zane was the first to motion his bid.  Another warrior stepped up to bid, “250 kryins.”  Zane and Grace looked over to the direction of the bidding warrior.  Zane recognized him at once as Roran.  He was one of the members on Brylon’s engineering team.  She looked quickly at Zane, panic in her eyes.  She was pleading for him to bid, he just knew it.  Zane shouted out again, “500 kryins.”

The warrior followed her eyes to see that his competition was Zane.  Roran immediately recognized the look on the good doctor’s face, Zane was obviously smitten.  He signaled to the auctioneer that he was no longer interested in bidding and nodded respectfully to Zane. The auctioneer waited a few seconds for any other bid and said, “Going once, going twice, sold to Dr. Zane.”

Zane paid the auctioneer the amount he had bid and then approached his Earth female reaching out for her hand slowly and carefully.  With the same apprehension she brought her hand to meet his as he gently tugged to help her up smiling at her comfortingly the entire time. They walked through the lounge as the warriors all around them parted to one side or the other to let them pass. 

She didn’t know what was going on or what was being said.  The first thing she was determined to do was learn this bloody language.  She hated being in the dark and
not knowing what was being said around her.  Zane never took his eyes off of her and motioned several times.  It looked like he was determined to win her.  For this, she was glad.  He was a handsome man and she was certain that she could get used to him with time.  Hopefully, he could get used to her.  When the man next to her motioned with his fingers a 1 and then a 2, she knew Zane had won.  This made her feel better knowing that her fate was aligned with this kind stranger. 

He was walking up to her now.  They still had their eyes locked on each other when he reached out for her hand and she slowly took it.  They walked through a path of warriors on either side of them and out of the room.  She did not know how long she had been holding her breath but as they entered the elevator she started hyperventilating.  Zane quickly noticed her distress and he tried to help her by speaking in a calming tone of voice. 

“You are hyperventilating Grace.  You need to calm down.”  He started to rub her back gently.  “Do you want me to take you to the clinic?  Are you alright?”

“Hell no, I am not alright.  This goes against any human rights issue I have ever reported.  Being auctioned off to the highest bidder, my God Zane, what the hell is going on here?”  She said as his hands were stroking her back.  His gentle touch did much to calm her breathing, but in her head, the questions were about to explode.

“Maybe we should go back to my quarters and discuss this.  I will tell you some of our history and let you know what we are doing on your planet.  Is this agreeable to you?”

“Fine!”  Grace did not say another word until they got back to Zane’s quarters.  They walked down a hallway that resembled a hotel.  The short carpet was a light rose brown and along the walls were indentions that had various symbols on them.  They came to a door that had a carving on it of something she had never seen, some kind of a symbol.  She wondered if it was the equivalent of the caduceus used by the physician’s on Earth.  She would make a note to ask later.  He placed his palm to the panel next to the door and it slid open.

He motioned for her to enter the room and followed in behind her.  She looked around the room and saw many beautiful things.  She could see that he was a collector of fine art.  There were paintings on the walls, spectacular paintings of stars and galaxies displayed in a way she had never seen.  He noticed her interest as she walked over to a sculpture of what looked like a body organ and pick it up. 

“That is a model of my heart.  It was a class project I completed long ago.  We were to scan our heart and have a computer produce what you see there.  The art is mine as well.  It is a hobby I really enjoy, when I have the time.”  Zane smiled a bit embarrassed at the thought of her seeing some of his most precious secrets.  “Maybe I can paint you sometime?”  He added nervously.

“Maybe you could start by explaining a few things to me like you promised,” Grace answered sharply. 

“Alright, Grace.  But before we begin, would you like to take a seat on the sofa because this might take a while?  Are you hungry or thirsty?”  He wanted her to be comfortable when he started his explanation.

She sat on the closest sofa in the room, not answering him but giving him a skeptical look.  She saw how he became nervous in the clinic when she talked too much.  It seemed to affect the way he behaved in front of her.  It took all her self-control to keep herself from speaking a word.  She had so many questions but she resolved to wait until he finished telling his tale.

He sat down across from her.  Gods, she is beautiful.  He was bringing all of his thoughts together trying to make sure that he did not come off like the idiot he felt he was earlier this day.  She really did make it hard for him to speak but this time she was really quiet, not asking a thing. 

“Let me start off with a brief history of my civilization.  I am from the planet Theron which is located in the galaxy X-Tran.  We are a peaceful civilization and trade with many other planets in many other galaxies.  Ten years ago
our enemy the Drylons started a war with us, breaking a peace treaty that we have had in place with them for hundreds of years.  They desire a substance called cavementon that we mine on an adjacent planet in our solar system.  Due to their efforts to take our planet’s resources and gain access to the cavementon, they have tried to eliminate us from existence.  They have killed or captured many of our warriors focusing mostly on our females.  Right now, only 20% of the women of our race remain.  Those that are left reside on our planet in hiding or on ships like this one.  The problem we are facing now is that the current population of women is not enough to sustain our race.  We will go extinct if measures are not taken and this is what brings us to our current mission.”

“We have been searching for a planet that contains women of a close enough genetic composition to be able to interbreed with us in order to sustain the Theron race.  Now, we have been looking for some time and finally happened upon your planet, earth.  I have been down to collect samples and have found that your people only have only minimal differences of which should not prevent us from being able to successfully crossbreed with your women.  We have made arrangements with your country’s government.   In exchange for technology and the necessary material that makes space travel beyond one’s own solar system possible, we have been given permission to take females from your planet as mates and bring them to our home planet Theron.”

“Let me get this straight.  My government sold me for technology?”  Grace was dumbfounded.  She knew that it was typical for the government to do something like this, she just never imagined the possibility that it would actually happen.

“Not just technology but the ability for your planet to advance enough to be able to trade with other solar systems.  This is a great opportunity for your planet and ours.  Just imagine the possibilities.”  Zane gave her another of his reassuring smiles.

“Alright, I can understand that.  I have reported on plenty stories on the crimes of government.  Now, can you explain to me what happened at the auction?  What did all of that mean with respect to me?”  Grace asked

Zane knew he had to tread carefully on this question.  “I purchased you at the auction.  You are to be my mate.  I will care for you and keep you safe with my life if need be.”

“Mate?”  Grace was overwhelmed by all this information.

“Yes, mate.  It is the equivalent to husband in your tongue.  You will be bonded to me and have my children, and in return I will promise to care for you and protect you all the days of my life.”  Zane hoped this would be an easy pill for her to swallow.

“I don’t get a choice in the matter?”  Grace asked.

“On the contrary, you do.  If you are not happy with me as your mate, in six months’ time you can choose to be put back up for auction in order to have a chance to try with another warrior.  If any of the Earth females are abused or not happy in any way they can choose to be put up for auction again.”

Just then the communication speaker Zane carried with him crackled to life.

“Zane, I need you!”  Zane recognized the voice of his commander. 

“Hey Zeb, How’s it going?”

“Zane, I need a sedative. Things aren’t going very well at the moment.” Zane looked at the woman sitting quietly across from him.  She will have to get used to this
since it was a part of his occupation to be called away at a moment’s notice.

He responded to the transmitter, “I’m on my way.”

“Grace, I hate to leave you but I must.  It is my duty on this ship to take care of everyone on board.  I hope you can understand.  I will lock the door behind me and when I return I will bring your things here.  Please make yourself at home.  This is our home now." Zane kneeled before her and looked into her stunning eyes and asked, "Are you all right?”

“Sure, I will be fine.  It will actually give me some time to think.  Thank you for going to get my things.”

Zane nodded at her and left the room.  Grace could hear the sound of the lock engage and then she took full advantage of his invitation to make herself at home.   She figured if she was going to be with him for the rest of her life, she had better get to know him.  She surveyed the quarters that were now her new home.  The main door entered into the living room.  There were two large and rather comfortable sofas along the walls.  Behind the one on her left was a window.  The curtains were open and she could see out into the vastness of space.   Between the sofas was a low table that had a top that looked like thick grey glass on a brushed nickel pedistal.  Along the back wall was a small kitchen with a bar that had several stools.  This must be where meals were eaten because she did not see any kind of dining table in the room. 

She wandered down the hallway entrance that was between the sofa on the wall and the kitchen.  The room behind the first door on her left was an office with a desk and three chairs surrounding it.  Bookshelves lined the four walls of the room.  The desk was placed catty corner almost in the center of the room.  It was tidy like the rest of his apartment.  She wandered further down the hall to the bedroom.  It was laid out in an L-shape and was huge.  Closets and drawers lined the walls.  Even the shelves, where he placed his shoes, had doors that slid inside the shelf.  She assumed that they were designed this way so that everything could be safely stowed in case the ship shifted suddenly, keeping the contents safely inside.  Sitting centered on the back wall was the largest bed she had ever seen.  With the average Theron pushing 7 feet, it had to be. It was slightly wider but much longer than any king sized bed she had ever seen. 

The curtains were closed, covering the window behind the headboard of the bed.  She was curious to see what was behind them.  She climbed onto the bed and felt the soft grey coverlet.  It was a material she had never come across before.  It had the feel of cotton but was as smooth as satin and had the look of velvet.  The bed had to be made of some kind of foam material and felt more comfortable than the foam mattress that she spent a fortune on in her penthouse apartment.  The curtains were made of the same material as the coverlet and she gently pulled them back.  There in front of her eyes was the planet Venus.  It was amazing. 

Her curiosity satisfied, she got off the bed and made her way to the right side of the room and through a doorway that led to the bathroom.  It contained a shower
with several showerheads on the walls, a sink, and a toilet.  All of the fixtures in the bathroom were made of a metal similar to a brushed nickel or aluminum but amazingly when she touched it, she could feel the warmth as if it was being heated from within.  The toilet was similar to something you would see on Earth, but the seat was as high as one of those you would find in some handicap stalls and was made of the same metal.  She found this prospect exciting.  She would never have to sit on a cold toilet seat again.  The sink was rather simple and only had about a foot of counter space on each side.  Obviously there wasn’t a decent area for applying her make-up.  She might have to have Zane add something like the vanity she had at home.