Chapter 4

The alien walked for hours through the night. Elian had been taken through miles of wild extraterrestrial landscape, across the face of a planet that no human had ever set foot on.

Elian hadn”t seen any of it. He”d spent the entire time slung over an alien”s shoulder.

His muscles ached. Weariness seeped into his bones, the adrenaline from his earlier panic replaced by numbness with each mile they crossed. His chest hurt, the burn he”d suffered while escaping the ship throbbing in a dull ache. Elian drifted in and out of consciousness, lulled by the steady rhythm of the Borraq”s powerful strides.

Finally, the alien halted abruptly. Elian jolted back to alertness, his heart pounding — and then he was unceremoniously deposited onto the mossy ground with a yelp. He scrambled backwards, struggling awkwardly with his bound hands and feet, and eyed his captor warily.

The Borraq paid him no heed, dropping the modest pack that he carried, and scanning their surroundings with sharp, calculating eyes. Elian”s throat constricted with fear, his mind racing with possibilities of what this alien intended.

Torture? Interrogation? Rumors echoed ominously inside his head.

When Elian had first looked out onto the planet, he”d wondered where he”d crashed. Once humanity had got off of Earth and out into the stars, they”d soon found that the galaxy was full of planets. There were so many possibilities: uninhabited planets, planets with colonies, planets with outposts, mining planets…

But there was one planet that Elian hadn”t thought of — and for good reason.

No human had ever visited the home planet of the cannibalistic, brutal, violent Borraq, humanity”s enemies.

Until now.

Elian watched his captor, waiting for whatever was about to happen. But to his surprise, the Borraq simply proceeded to unpack a thin bedroll and a small satchel. Elian looked on, perplexed, as the alien methodically assembled a rudimentary one-man camp, seemingly unperturbed by his presence.

Parched from the hours of exertion, Elian”s eyes zeroed in when the Borraq extracted a canteen. His throat burned with desperation. Mustering his courage, he croaked, ”W-water?”

The Borraq eyed Elian warily, his gaze inscrutable. Elian”s heart pounded in his throat as the towering alien approached, movements slow and deliberate.

Cautiously, the Borraq crouched before him, tension in his broad shoulders, his eyes narrowed.

He was wary. Of Elian.

Elian let out a disbelieving laugh that bordered on hysterical. ”I should be the one scared, not you!”

His words tumbled out. ”I”m just a human. You”re...” Elian trailed off, drinking in the sight of the Borraq”s muscular frame, broad shoulders tapering down to a trim waist. ”A giant warrior like you has nothing to fear from me.”

The Borraq”s jaw tightened, but he remained silent. Then, some internal assessment done, he reached out.

Elian”s breath caught in his throat as the alien”s thumb grazed his lips. With surprising gentleness, he cradled Elian”s chin in one massive hand, tilting his head back.

Then, the Borraq raised the canteen to Elian”s mouth with his other hand. ”Drink.Slowly.”

Cool water trickled past his lips, and Elian drank greedily, the liquid a balm for his raw throat.

This close, Elian could make out the finer details of the Borraq”s striking features. The Borraq”s golden skin seemed to radiate heat, etched with subtle ridges that followed the contours of his chiseled features. Elian”s gaze traced the sharp angles of the alien”s high cheekbones and strong jawline, his breath catching at the sight of those piercing green eyes.

Despite the Borraq”s imposing stature, there was an almost regal quality to his presence. The way he held himself, confident and unyielding, commanded respect. Elian”s eyes lingered on the alien”s muscular frame, taking in the broad shoulders and toned physique that hinted at immense strength. Crowning the Borraq”s head were a pair of impressive horns, curved and sleek, adding to his otherworldly allure.

Elian”s pulse thundered in his ears. The Borraq”s strength was undeniable – he could so easily crush Elian”s delicate human form. Yet, those powerful hands handled him with a strange sort of gentleness. Even when he”d captured Elian, when Elian had fought against him as hard as he could, the alien hadn”t hurt Elian.

Elian knew the rumors, the whispers of what happened to humans unlucky enough to cross paths with the Borraq. But now, a part of him wondered if perhaps the stories didn”t reveal the entire truth.

Elian drained the last few drops from the canteen, the water soothing his parched throat. ”Thank you,” he rasped, offering a hesitant smile.

The Borraq merely narrowed his eyes in acknowledgment before turning away.

Elian”s smile faltered, but he pressed on, desperation for any shred of connection overriding his self-preservation. ”I”m, um. Elian,” he ventured.

The Borraq didn”t so much as glance his way, deftly unpacking supplies with an economy of movement.

Elian swallowed thickly, undeterred. ”What”s your name?”

Silence stretched between them, thick and oppressive, broken only by the ambient sounds of the alien wilderness. Elian”s cheeks burned with a mixture of embarrassment and loneliness so acute it hollowed out his chest.

Still, the words tumbled from his lips, a torrent he couldn”t contain. ”Okay, well… I... I don”t know where I am. My ship crashed, and everyone else...” His voice cracked, eyes stinging with unshed tears. ”They”re all gone. I”m the only one left.”

Elian drew a shuddering breath, hugging his knees to his chest as the weight of his solitude threatened to crush him. ”I don”t even know why my ship crashed. Or if anyone”s looking for me.” A bitter laugh escaped him. ”Hell, I don”t know if anyone will notice the ship went down… It was supposed to go dark, it wasn”t meant to make contact with home base for years.”

Elian faltered. The woods seemed to press in around him.

”I”m just… alone out here,” he confessed in a small voice. ”And scared.”

The admission hung heavy in the silence. Then, just as Elian”s fragile hope began to wither, the Borraq spoke in a deep, rumbling baritone.

”Rael.”

Elian started, eyes widening. The name was uttered simply, without preamble or inflection, yet it unlocked something in Elian”s chest.

A tiny spark of possibility amidst the overwhelming darkness.

A tremulous smile tugged at the corners of Elian”s mouth as he met Rael”s inscrutable gaze. ”It”s nice to meet you, Rael. Or, uh, I wish it was.”

Rael didn”t seem eager to continue talking. He turned back to his work, but that was okay.

Elian had never expected to be in the middle of the woods at night, watching an alien set up a tent.

The sight was surreal. Rael moved with a lithe, powerful grace, every movement efficient and purposeful. He started a fire, arranging branches according to qualities that Elian couldn”t even begin to recognise. Satisfied, Rael moved on, preparing his rations for the night.

It was like watching a nature documentary, if the host of the documentary happened to be a seven-foot-tall alien with muscles that could crack rocks.

Elian sat still, watching him. Despite the heat of the fire, a shiver ran down his spine. He was still in the clutches of an alien, out in the middle of nowhere, with no one to hear him scream for help.

But there was something else, too. Curiosity, he realized. He was seeing something incredible. This was an alien, right in front of him, doing… Well, doing something.

Surviving, just like humans did. Despite the gulf of difference between them, there was something universal about the need for shelter, the way that all creatures sought out a safe place to rest.

That universal similarity was a little comforting. It was something that Elian could understand, something that made the world — no, the universe — a little bit less unknowable.

Then, Rael”s gaze pierced him. ”It”s time to eat.”

Those four simple words made Elian”s blood turn to ice. Memories assaulted him, a greatest hits compilation of every ghastly tale whispered about the Borraq in hushed tones.

They were cannibals, insatiable in their hunger for flesh — human flesh. They gorged on the raw, still-twitching bodies of their victims, relishing in the screams as teeth tore through soft, vulnerable skin. Everyone seemed to know someone who knew someone who”d heard someone else say that they”d seen it on the battlefield.

Some said the Borraq delighted in the suffering, keeping humans alive and conscious for as long as possible to prolong their agony…

Elian”s skin crawled. Were the tales just wartime propaganda, twisted fictions designed to demonize the enemy? Or did they hold a horrifying kernel of truth, a glimpse into the brutality the Borraq were capable of?

His gaze skittered to Rael, lingering on the alien”s powerful physique. Those broad shoulders and corded muscles could easily overpower Elian”s comparatively slender human form. His throat constricted with terror as he imagined himself trapped in that vise-like grip, helpless against Rael”s strength.

Then, with agonizing slowness, Rael began to move towards Elian.

Elian”s heart hammered in his chest. ”P-please,” he stammered, his voice cracking with fear. ”Don”t kill me. I”ll do whatever you want, just please don”t kill me.”

Rael paused. He regarded Elian for a moment, the fire casting his features into sharp relief. Despite the play of light and shadow across his face, his expression was inscrutable. ”Why would I kill you?” he asked.

”Y-you said it was time to eat,” Elian said, his words tumbling over each other in his haste to explain. ”And e-everyone knows what Borraq do to the humans that they catch—”

”Silence,” Rael said.

Elian”s mouth snapped shut. He stared at the alien, wide-eyed and trembling.

Despite the chill of the night, a bead of sweat ran down Elian”s back. His heart hammered in his chest. Despite the fear, despite the very real danger he was in, something in him bristled at being treated like this. He was a human being, damn it, not a creature to be cowed!

”G-go on,” he stammered. ”If you”re going to kill me, then just get it over with!”

For a moment, Rael said nothing. His piercing gaze bored into Elian, as if he could see right through to the core of him.

And then, to Elian”s shock, Rael”s lips curled into a smile. ”Humans are foolish creatures.”

Elian”s heart was still pounding with fear, but despite himself, he couldn”t help but be curious about the alien in front of him. ”Do Borraq eat humans?”

”Silence.”

”That”s not a no.”

Rael arched an eyebrow. ”It”s not a yes, either. You”re a skinny, fragile creature. Why would I bother eating you, when there are so many other, better game beasts out there?”

It was the most that Elian had heard Rael say so far. Elian”s cheeks flushed. ”You”re teasing me.”

Rael turned away from him, reaching into a pouch at his side. He pulled out a wrapped stack of thin, wafer-like objects. He broke one in half and offered it to Elian.

Elian eyed the proffered food warily. ”What is it?”

Rael”s expression was inscrutable in the flickering light of the fire. ”It”s sustenance. Eat it or don”t, I care not.”

As Elian watched warily, Rael began to eat his portion. Not poisonous, then. When he offered the other to Elian, Elian leaned forward and took it from Rael”s hand.

It was salty and a little dry. But right now, it was the best thing he”d ever eaten.

He choked it down, his throat working to swallow the mouthful, and accepted the drink of water that Rael offered to wash it down.

Then, Rael tensed, staring at Elian”s body. Elian froze mid-chew. ”W-what?”

Those alien eyes seemed to bore straight through him. The scrutiny made his skin prickle with unease, and he fought the urge to squirm under the weight of that stare.

Rael”s brow furrowed. Before Elian could react, the alien reached out, his powerful fingers grasping the tattered remains of Elian”s shirt. With a sharp tug, the collar tore, exposing Elian”s chest— and the angry red burn that marred his skin.

Elian gasped, instinctively trying to hunch inwards to cover himself, but Rael”s grip was like iron. Whatever he wanted, there was no getting away from him.

But Rael made no move to harm Elian. ”You”re hurt.”

”It”s from when the ship went down… It”s just a burn.”

Rael narrowed his eyes at Elian, assessing the wound. Then he produced a small container from one of the pouches at his side, unscrewing the lid to reveal a thick, viscous salve within. Dipping his fingers into the ointment, he began to spread it across Elian”s burn.

Elian hissed at the initial sting, his muscles tensing, but then… Relief. Cool, soothing relief. The fiery burn that had plagued him since the crash melted away, leaving only a pleasant tingling in its wake.

Despite himself, despite the fear that still gripped his heart, Elian found his eyes fluttering closed as Rael”s fingers worked the salve into his skin. The touch was unexpectedly gentle, almost… Intimate.

Then, all too soon, he was done. ”Rest,” Rael commanded, gesturing to the bedroll. ”I”ll keep watch. If you attempt to escape, you won”t like the consequences.”

His kidnapper had given him food and water, and now, he was treating his wounds and offering him a place to sleep.

Elian”s head spun with the whiplash of it all. One moment, he was sure that the alien was a monster. The next, he wasn”t so sure.

Here he was, at the mercy of an alien. And that alien was currently tending to his needs, showing him an unexpected glimpse of decency underneath his terrifying exterior.

Elian squared his jaw.

But none of that mattered.

Because as soon as he could, he was going to escape.