Chapter 5

Chapter

Five

BEHTU

" P lease, don't hurt it." Jules clutches my arm when I advance on the unrobed Gehrt.

"Why is this creature onboard my ship?" I growl, my gaze piercing into the cowering figure.

"It's my fault," Jules rushes to explain. She stands before me, draped in a sheet she ripped from the bed. "I hit the poor thing over the head with the butt of your blaster and took its robe as a disguise so I could leave the ship and rescue you."

"You incapacitated a Gehrt for a robe?" My growl reverberates through the room, tension coiling in my powerful frame as I process her confession. "You risked too much for a disguise."

Her actions spoke volumes about her resourcefulness, but her recklessness chills my blood. Even my sivot shifts uneasily beneath my flesh.

"It was to rescue you, so I don't think I was risking too much," she states simply as if that justifies everything. There's steel in her voice challenging me to question her motives.

"To rescue me?" I echo incredulously, skepticism giving way to a disbelieving snort. The idea that I, a Star Maverick could require rescuing by a mere human female like her borders on ludicrous, almost laughable. Yet as I stare into her unwavering gaze, an unfamiliar warmth blossoms within me, a shift catalyzed by her reckless bravery against all odds. And I have to admit, I was in desperate need of rescue. Had she not come to my aid and triggered my sivot, my head would no longer be connected to my body.

"We will talk about your... motives later," I say gently, a rare softness coloring my baritone. Inside this wisp of a female beats the heart of a space pirate—bold in the face of the most perilous situations.

The Gehrt cowers, its large, luminescent eyes wide with fear as they dart between Jules and me. It's a pitiful sight, this creature, so far from its own kind, trembling on the cold metalloid floor. Its attempts to communicate come across as a series of chirps and thrills, high-pitched sounds that resonate oddly against the walls of the command deck.

"Can you understand it?" Jules whispers, tugging the sheet tighter around her. I growl low when she inches toward it. She's in no danger from the docile creature, I just don't like her near it. "My translator isn't kicking in."

"No. Gehrt speech is all clicks and whistles. Not even my translator implant can decipher its language."

The Gehrt's spindly fingers twitch as it continues to emit its anxious symphony of sounds. Each note seems to be laced with desperation.

"I'm so sorry for hitting you on the head." Jules crouches a few feet away.

Internally, I wrestle with an unfamiliar sensation tugging at the edges of my hardened heart. Why should I feel anything for this Gehrt? Compassion has no place in the life of a Star Maverick. Yet there's something undeniably compelling about its plight. I've spent my life fighting to maintain my freedom, but always on my terms. The vulnerability of this creature claws at my resolve.

"Hand me the robe, Behtu." Jules reaches out a hand. "He looks cold."

I reach for what's left of the robe after my sivot ripped it from Jules' body. My blaster clatters to the floor still locked in the holster, and there's a sack of rillium next to it.

"The Gehrt is a sexless species," I say, snatching up my weapon carelessly abandoned on the floor, then stuff the sack of rillium in my pants pocket.

"What are we gonna do with it? We can't take it back to that planet."

"Vont 4," I supply and drape the shredded robe around the creature's trembling body. It peers up at me with frightened eyes. "The Gehrt are from a planet called Hurj. The Stryt invaded their planet a long time ago, took many captive, and forced them into slavery."

"That's horrible." She makes a soft sympathetic sound in her throat, then snarls, "We should go back to Vont 4 and rescue the rest, then blow those Stryt fuckers to hell."

"Bloodthirsty little thing," I guffaw.

"It isn't right to take other beings captive just because you can and force them into servitude."

I watch Jules' eyes soften, an ocean of compassion in their verdant depths and wonder if she's recalling her abduction. She's never spoken about what happened to her before I found her on the Lizordian reaver's ship, not to me anyway. I won't press her to talk, she will tell me when she's ready.

Jules inches closer, a hand hovering as if to provide comfort but not quite daring to touch. The creature's chirps are plaintive, and though I can't understand them, Jules seems to.

"Shh, it's okay," she murmurs, her voice a soothing balm. "You're safe now. We won't let them hurt you anymore."

My brows draw together as I watch this display. Why does she care so much? It's just a Gehrt. Expendable, replaceable. But Jules doesn't see it that way. Her empathy is like a beacon, illuminating the dark recesses of my indifference.

There's something in the way Jules looks at the Gehrt, something that stirs a strange protective instinct within me that has nothing to do with my sivot and it's not just for her, but against my better judgment, for the creature too.

"Hurj is close by," I begin, my voice a low rumble of reluctant admission. "We can take it home."

Her head snaps up, surprise etched onto her features, shock clear in those piercing eyes that now hold mine with an intensity that borders on electric. There's a shift in the air, a crackling energy that wasn't there before. She sees something in me that perhaps I haven't acknowledged until now, the possibility that beneath my cocksure swagger, there might just be a glimmer of something more.

"You mean that?" she asks, her tone a mix of hope and caution. This female stirs something within me that I wish to ignore. But it's impossible. Not with her looking at me like that, as if she expects me to be better than I am.

I nod, feeling my sivot shift as if in agreement. "Yes. For you, I will do this."

For a moment, there's silence between us, charged with the electricity of unspoken truths and burgeoning respect. Then, without warning, she launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist and holding me tight.

"Thank you, Behtu," she says, her voice thick with emotion.

She peers up at me, and the intensity of her gaze is like a supernova, searing through layers of armor I didn't even realize I wore. In that look, something fundamental changes within me. My sivot stirs, restless beneath my skin, and I know without a doubt that this female has awakened more than just my dormant beast. She's ignited something primal, a connection that binds us together with an intensity that terrifies and exhilarates me all at once.

"You need to take a seat and strap in," I tell Jules.

"What about our friend?" She motions to the Gehrt cowering on the floor.

"Bliking dund," I mutter under my breath. Crossing the command deck, I drop down a flight seat and motion for the Gehrt to take the seat and strap in. It scurries over, keeping its head bowed, and does as it's told.

With the Gehrt settled, I take a seat at the helm and plot a course for Hurj. My life is one of constant motion, seeking treasures among the stars, living by the code of a space-bound marauder. It's not in my nature to play the rescuer, especially to beings I have no connection to.

Jules takes the seat next to mine, grinning from ear to ear. Her verdant gaze shines with respect and something I'm not ready to acknowledge.

"What's in the sack?" She points to the bulge in my pocket. "The Stryt found it onboard."

"Rillium. Fuel chips," I answer, then turn a quizzical look her way. "How did you get it back from the Stryt?"

"In my disguise, I was mistaken for one of them." She nods her head at the Gehrt. "The Stryt handed it to me and told me to follow, so I did in hopes of finding you."

My sivot stirs with fear. If she was discovered to be human, she would have been taken to General Kragar and kept as an exotic pet to with her what he pleased. The Universe is too dangerous a place for her, even with my sivot to protect her, there is too much that would cause her harm just for being what she is.

I should return her to Pryt where she will be safe, but I'm reluctant to part ways with her again. Perhaps a short reprieve at my hideaway on Ritk.

JULES

I lean against the cool metal wall of the ship, watching Behtu as he extends his large, blue hand to guide the trembling Gehrt down the ramp to deliver it home. The creature's slender limbs shake uncontrollably with fear or excitement, I can't tell. Maybe a little of both. I would imagine if I were returned to my world after being abducted and forced into slavery, I would feel similarly.

Hurj is a bizarre planet, its very ground seems alive with undulating waves of iridescent hues that shift and meld like a mesmerizing dance. Clouds like flickering flames cast an eerie glow over the rugged terrain while electric energy hums through the air, crackling with an unknown force.

Even though I haven't known Behtu for very long, his act of kindness doesn't seem like something he does often. From what I've learned about space pirates in the time I've spent on Pryt with the other rescued women, Star Mavericks are self-serving loners who follow their own rules and live by their own creed except when it comes to other Mavericks. They're a brotherhood of elite thieves who travel the Universe, always managing to stay one step ahead of the law.

"Go on, small creature. You're free," Behtu murmurs, his voice a deep hum that vibrates through the air. The Gehrt hesitates before scurrying away, its bare feet kicking up dust that sparkles even as it settles.

I turn to peer through the viewport watching it go, feeling happy I helped at least one creature back to where it belongs. Just before disappearing into the twisted flora, the Gehrt pauses and looks back. It lifts a hand, a gesture so unmistakably human that it tightens my chest. I raise my hand in response, giving it a little wave. It dashes off until it's lost to the alien wilderness.

As Behtu watches it go, there's a softness to his usual impenetrable gaze, a vulnerability that warms my heart, threading an intricate web of emotion beyond the primal heat and fierce desire I've come to associate with him.

Behtu turns, his broad shoulders casting a shadow on the gleaming deck as he strides back inside the ship. The ramp retracts with a hiss, severing our last tie to Hurj.

"Take a seat and strap in," Behtu commands, as he settles in behind the command console.

"Where to now?" I ask as the planet's bizarre landscape, a chaotic jigsaw of jagged peaks and swirling mists fades as we take off, shrouded in the planet's eerie glow.

"My hideaway. We should lay low for a while. General Kragar will be seeking revenge for the destruction my sivot left in his wake."

I obey, feeling the electric hum of the engines revving to life. The vessel speeds up, pressing me back into the seat, and I steal a glance at Behtu. His focus never wavers, hands dancing over the console with practiced ease, yet there's a ferocity in his movements, a silent vow that nothing will stand in the way of what he wants.

Outside the viewport, space engulfs us in its infinite embrace. Stars strewn across a black canvas, flickering like distant flames. Diamonds scattered across an infinite expanse, each one a story, a secret, a seduction.

"So beautiful," I whisper, more to myself than to him.

"Space or Hurj?" Behtu's voice cuts through my reverie, a smirk playing on his lips though his gaze remains locked on the abyss ahead.

"Both," I confess, letting the darkness wrap around me like a lover's caress. "There's something... liberating about flying off into the stars."

"Spoken like a true Star Maverick," Behtu murmurs, his words vibrating with the thrill of our flight, the promise of danger and passion intertwined.

"Comparing me to a space pirate, Behtu?" I smirk and raise a brow at him."Except, I'm not a thief."

"You have the heart of a pirate, running into danger half-cocked," Behtu growls. The console lights dim, and the ship's low hum vibrates through my bones.

Behtu turns to look at me, his glossy blue skin catching the starlight. The eyes of his sivot flash an intense white piercing the semi-darkness of the cockpit before returning to a pale blue. "What in the bliking dund were you thinking?" he reprimands, though I detect an underlying concern. "Coming after me like that. If the Stryt had discovered you were human, you would have endured a fate worse than death."

My heart races, not just from the adrenaline of recalling our violent escape from Vont 4 but from the intensity of his gaze. "And you would be dead if I hadn't," I retort, meeting his ire with equal fervor. "I wasn't about to let them execute you without a fight."

"You are human. You know nothing of the Universe or the dangers it holds."

"Maybe not," I concede, my breath hitching from the intensity of his stare. "But I couldn't stand by while they..." My words trail off, choked by the memory of his capture, and the helplessness I felt watching him being dragged away.

Behtu's expression softens, the anger ebbing away as quickly as it surfaced. "I'm not worth your life, Jules."

"You were worth the risk to me," I whisper, the air between us igniting a different kind of heat, one that has nothing to do with danger.

His eyes search mine for an explanation, a map to my madness. The atmosphere crackles with tension, heavy with unspoken words neither one of us is ready to put a voice to.

A flicker of respect passes across his cool gaze, softening the hard lines of his face. Dangerously captivating. Even in the dimness of the cockpit, he shines like a star too bright to look away from. "Impressive how were you able to navigate the city," Behtu says softly. "Your resourcefulness was... unexpected. Vont 4 is a disorganized maze of structures."

"I'm a New Yorker," I say proudly, my voice steady despite the flutter of my heart. "Manhattan is the city where I was born and raised on Earth—sprawling, chaotic, alive. It's where I developed my sense of direction. I learned to look up, use the skyline, and pick out usual buildings as landmarks to help me find my way."

The tension between us shifts, becoming something lighter, and I seize the moment. "Speaking of our grand escape," I tease, a smile playing on my lips. "You were totally wearing that hover car like a circus bear in a tiny suit."

I toss my head back and roar with laughter, recalling how ridiculous Behtu's sivot looked crammed inside the tiny car.

"What is a circus bear?" Behtu scrunches his brow at me, his lips twitching upward as I continue to horse laugh.

"A large furry animal," I chuckle, wiping tears from my eyes. "Sorry. I shouldn't laugh at you, but you were huge and that car was so small."

"You mean, you're sorry for laughing at my sivot," he corrects.

"Wait," my voice wavers, anxiety coiling in my gut as uncertainty grips me. "I thought your sivot was just you all hulked out."

"I am the sivot and he is me, but also more than that," Behtu answers vaguely. "Shall we discuss how you came to be aboard my ship? Last time I checked, you were in your room asleep on Pryt."

"How could you possibly know whether I was asleep in my room or not?" I cross my arms, irritation replacing tender feelings. "You didn't bother to stop in and say goodbye. I'm pissed at you about that."

"How did you stow away on my ship without me knowing, Jules?"

"I'm stealthy and I followed you. There, I answered your question, so answer mine. Why are you diverting when I ask about your sivot?" I challenge. "Since I'm having sex with both of you, I think I have a right to know more about your beastly alter ego."

"Jules—" Behtu begins, but whatever he intends to say is lost as the ship jerks violently. A shrill alarm suddenly blares through the ship as we slow to a stop.

I clutch the edge of my seat as the viewport flickers, revealing a menacing silhouette of a ship materializing from the void. It's sleek and predatory, like a dagger poised to strike. A radiant light emanates from beneath the vessel and explodes outward.

"Bliking Grymloks!" Behtu curses, his fingers flying over the console with practiced ease. "Shields are failing."

"What do they want?" I gasp, struggling to keep my voice steady amid the blaring alarms.

"Me. Which is why you should have stayed on Pryt," Behtu snarls, his glacial irises now the fierce blaze of white I've come to know is his sivot. "It's too dangerous for you out here."

"Well, maybe you should stop pissing people off and you wouldn't have to worry about being first on everyone's shit list," I volley back.

Behtu shoots me a glare and growls, "Well, maybe if you weren't so bliking distracting, I wouldn't be caught so off-guard."

The ship lurches violently as the light beam encasing our ship grows brighter. "Hold on!" Behtu's hands dance across the console, deploying countermeasures. "I'm going to try and pull free of the energy depletion ray."

I can feel the thrumming power of the engines straining against the assault. Behtu snarls, a sound so primal I can almost see the sivot, coiled and ready beneath his glossy, blue skin, a force of nature waiting to be unleashed.

The stars outside become streaks of light as Behtu wrenches the ship away from the light that holds us captive. The ship responds with a surge of acceleration that presses us into our seats. Time stretches thin, reality blurs, but we're hit from behind with another hard blast, punctuating the urgency of our plight.

And then?—

Darkness swallows us whole.