Cost of the Heart

Tag: Under a Dark Star

  • Under a Dark Star: Burning Regardless

    Under a Dark Star: Burning Regardless

     Asha and family sat there in the darkness of night embracing them. Echoes of thoughts together in mind and heart Asha felt warmth creeping through her body that she never felt before. Turning she gazed upon Talas, never looking at his form beyond basic wellness inspections. She had peered into his mind and heart, that was the Talas she had looked at. That is how she saw him; but now she intensely bathed him with her emitter eyes wanting to know every feature of his face. She felt an ease that he could not see her, just feel her presence and mind as well as the heart he had helped grow deep in her essence.

    A tearless, whisper of a sob escapes Asha’s mouth now covered with a mandible.

    What was that, Asha? Did you say something? Talas reached out both with mind and his hands to comfort Asha. She felt his mind gently touch her as his hand grasped a now-chitin covered arm. Just adjusting Talas. She then added quickly not thinking an untruth, the temperature is cool on the chitin.  

     “Mm” Talas grunted. Wondering at the thoughts he felt from Asha. They were tinged with sorrow but joy. Talas didn’t pursue the thoughts as not to pry into her mind. She will share when ready. Asha, I can’t see. If you can lead me back to the crash of my ship and maybe where my armor is along the way I can get stuff to see in darkness and help you hunt. Talas would feel better with a plasma pistol also.

     He “felt” a beep and a red film tinged his eyes briefly as a warning. My suit is coming back up. The goo filled back up.

    Goo? What is goo Talas Asha over hearing Talas’s thoughts asked.

    It is the repair nanites for my survival suit, they were relished while we were in the water. The minerals in the water were used by the suit to manufacture them. Part of the design for long term use. It helps me stay alive here. My armor would help even more during the day.

    No, Talas. Armor no good. My armor no good. Star’s anger is not stopped with armor. Nothing stops the wrath of the Star. Asha thought to Talas with a sad resignation to the finality of the Dark Star’s fatal rule of the day.

    My armor can take rads from a 20 Mtn yield nuke. The blast, well that is another story. Haha. Talas laughed out loud with his thoughts. Hiding a memory of a ship he had been walking on the surface of go nova under his feet. The memory consumed him like a sudden sea squall.

     Above his head laser beams flashed, rockets and missiles detonated. Sometimes on target sometimes missing. His boot firm on the destroyer ‘Emperor’s Hammer’ surface. He had been deployed to repel boarding parties. Scanning the “sky” Talas watched for boarding shuttles or free-space troopers. They specialized in space combat, planetary insertions, and ship boarding. He was one so he knew and that was why he was out here with his 20mm plasma cannon and 10mm plasma auto-pistol. Looking at his HUD to verify load out and resource levels, Talas sighed. At that moment he felt a vibration and his comms exploded with abandoned ship klaxons. Not knowing what was happening, they were too far in the rear and no enemy boarders showed on his HUD.

     Talas kicked with his feet as he released the magnetic field. Just millimeters off the hull plate the ship disappeared into a ball of imploding light which pushed out in such sudden force Talas became just another piece of debris flying out from the explosion. All in silence, the radio was silent, space was silent, just the forces of the explosion brought any awareness that something catastrophic had occurred. Spinning but in tandem with the outward vectors of all the shrapnel Talas actually had little chance of colliding with his own ship but with another one.

    “Fire correction jets, stop spinning. Bring me to view direction of travel.” Talas stated calmly as he recovered from shock and string of unintelligible words. The suit fired attitude adjustment jets bringing Talas out of his spin in position to see his direction of travel.

     Nothing was in front, just clear space Talas thought to some minor relief. He still was heading out away from the fleet and nothing was on his suit comms. They were fried or no one was looking for survivors. If I slow down the ship debris will catch me. Ok, Talas, training. Rember survival training. Going through all resources he was ok for a few hours.

    “Begin location beacon. Turn to face on coming debris. Identify and highlight closest objects with projected vectors.” Talas started running through the procedures to maximize deep space survival.

    “Corporal Talas, this is search and rescue. What is your status?” His suit came to life with clear and crisp reception.

    “Search and rescue, this is Cpl. Talas. Alive and well. Moving fast with debris trailing.” Relief now starts to seep into his body and mind.

    “Understood. You will need to do complete fuel burn and accelerate so we can do a drive by and grab you.”

     “Ah ok. What do I need to do?” Talas said a little hesitantly.

    “Sit back and enjoy the ride, we already have control of your suit, you should notice increase in velocity and rapid depletion of your fuel. We are on intercept course now. You will get picked up and dragged behind us with our magnetic capture field. As we can we will pull you into the hanger bay. Search and Rescue 12 out.” Nothing more, just silence with no expected reply from Talas.

     He tried to do as told but his thoughts spun, he watched the fuel gage reach zero but no sight of the S and E ship. Suddenly as those thoughts finished Talas felt a gentle tug on him growing and pulling him away and askew to the fly debris.

     “Ok, get ready to get pulled in. This will jar your teeth.” The gruff male voice informed him.

    “Ugh” Almost biting his tongue Talas managed to clinch his jaws for the next part of the rescue.

    Rolling the ship came into view with the landing bay wide open to swallow him whole he hoped. I was helpless, no control.

     The bright lights of the bay blinded Talas as he tried to focus and prepare for the stop. Which happened just as he was preparing to be caught in the rescue net he knew would be waiting for him.

     Just as quickly as he hit the net several pairs of hands were on him, setting him right and pulling him to the air lock as the bay area closed and began a slow process of pressurizing the large bay area.

     He pulled his helmet off once in pressurized atmosphere. He felt sick.

    “How are you corporal? We need to get you to medical for a complete evaluation.” One of the attending medics stated as she was peering into his eyes for signs of trauma.

    “Look, I really need the head. Like now.” He began to brush past everyone then turned, “Where is it?” he finished meekly.

    The same female medic who was asking questions grabbed him, helped him out of the vac-suit and lead him down a hall to the lavatory. “Here” She shoved him in.

    Talas shut the door with no reply. Turned and threw up into the toilet until he was dry heaving. He thought he had thrown his toenails up. After about ten minutes he came out of the lavatory a little fresher and more in control.

    “Yea, me too the first time.” That was all she said to Talas as she turned him over to the nurse on duty. Talas just remembered learning he was the only survivor, going on leave.

     He spent many nights in arms of women he paid to lie to him. Tell him they loved him and would miss him if he died.

    Talas’s thoughts came full circle to the here and now. He thought of Asha, she would miss him if he died. She would cry for him. She loved him. He didn’t have to pay her.

    (continued)

    -d²

  • Under a Dark Star : Cobwebs of Minds

    Under a Dark Star : Cobwebs of Minds

     Talas had crawled out of the pool of water and was sitting on the edge waiting for Asha. She was thinking about things. She had never felt the things she had these past two nights. She had been intertwined with another’s being. She saw and felt emotions alien to her. All in the mind. Her hip leg/arms snapped into the socket on her body with a snick she felt through her body. Clearing her thoughts a little they drifted to her babies. My little ones, how many are you left? Reaching out with her thoughts she caresses each little mind she could feel. There was a gentle “cooing” in her mind as she reached out.

     Gently taking the egg sack of what was left of her babies Asha swam up and joined Talas at the edge of the pool.

    Asha, how many babies are left? Talas found himself concerned as he could hear and feel Asha climb out of the water to settle next to him. The night was full and darkness swallowed all.

    Many babies lost. Maybe 20 left. Will know when they come out in two more nights. I hurt Talas, I never hurt before. Why do I hurt inside.

    Talas could feel the pain and loss that Asha felt inside each of her thoughts he touched. Asha, they were your babies, your children, of course you mourn the loss of them. You loved them. Talas soothed and caressed Asha’s heart and mind.

    Talas, I not Love before. I no care how many live or die. I just train as many for the reaping as I can. Only 10 can be reaped. Rest die. I don’t want babies to go to reaping now. I hurt for other babies now. This love hurt. I no like it. Love for you different. It not hurt. Asha let loose a loud cry of dispar that echoed through the cave. Raw and primal were the sobs that followed. Reaching over Talas pulled her in tight. The chitin armor hard and edged. Talas didn’t care; he just held Asha as she cried tearless sobs. Asha, I love you.

     Talas held that thought not as an echo of words but as a blanket of pure caring and balm for her heart. Talas wrapped Asha in his blanket of thought soothing her mind and holding her heart gently but securely as he could. Talas reached out to the babies feeling their “cooing” he held them in that same blanket of love he suspended Asha in.

     The babies, now being comforted after suffering such an ordeal, were experiencing something new from their mother and this other creature that was not food. They were young enough for this not to be alien but it was new and welcome. Mentally they snuggled into their mother and this not food creature felt something new. Each of them in the web of thought and emotion including Asha, with Talas coming to tears with the overwhelming feeling of family, of unity, of oneness through love.

    This family wrapped in darkness shared the brightness of love dancing through the forged heart Under a Dark Star.

    (continued)

    -d²

  • Under a Dark Star: Become One

    Under a Dark Star: Become One

    Talas woke intertwined with Asha still kissing to keep him alive underwater. Looking up he saw the surface of the pool still tinged with blood red to burnt orange coloring across ripples. Feeling the babies cry at the edges of his awareness there was something different. More “cooing” instead of gnawing? Shaking his head he felt Asha’s grip tighten. Her groggy thoughts touched his.

    Talas, you, ok? Still not safe. Only when light gone. Her thoughts gently caressed his mind and heart. Her tone soothing to him, he tightened his hug feeling her smooth warm body against him. How long, Asha, we need to hunt for babies. This thought stunned him, he felt a need to care for the babies, for Asha. He knew she was still weak and needed to eat.

    Asha felt these thoughts that wafted through Talas’s mind. His concern for her and her babies touched and melted a heart she once did not have. Her love for Talas now whole and complete. There was no turning back from this abyss of feelings, desire, and commitment. She belonged to Talas and he to her.

    Talas, I love you. Tonight, and maybe another day. Sun angry, bad angry. Babies be ok, Asha be ok, she in your arms. With that warm thought wrapping around Talas’s mind Asha wrapped her body even tighter into Talas. Their thoughts blended.

     She delved into Tala’s heart; found his desires, his most secret hopes, Asha found his heart and devoured it completely. Talas laid bare and did not hold back. He felt her penetrating into his most precious thoughts and feelings. His memories of love, the broken heart as a boy, all of it. In turn he felt her void of loving memories, the hurt she felt when rejected by him, the raw, primitive desire to love and be loved. Loved by him, to love him. Only him. Talas realized.

     There could be no physical coupling between these two. The body make up would not allow it.

     Asha though danced and spun webs of desire and passion within Talas’s mind. He followed with abandon. The two became one in heart. Each one’s mind alien to the other, but the hearts, those knew each other. It was through Talas’s own heart that Asha grew one. They made love in the most intimate of ways, through the mind’s eye. Each a breeze or torrent of passion within a shared waking dream throughout the night and day.

     The Dark Star’s raging solar storm lasted for three full cycles day and night. Asha and Talas stayed in that in between awake and dream state with each other the entire time. Even in sleep Talas felt her and Asha felt him.

     Night fell, the surface of the pool was dark, both Asha and Talas looked up while in their life/love embrace. Each clung to the other not for just life but for existential existence.

    I want to stay here… The thought was simultaneously both of theirs. The emotional and mental hug and deep kiss would move poets to tears if there were any present to see and know. There was nothing physical, it was in the minds of Asha and Talas which created a singularity of a heart in each one burning to never part from the other.

    Asha, I adore you. Thank you for not eating me. Talas mentally laughed.

    Asha happy no eat Talas too. I love Talas. I will learn ‘adore’ Talas. The pureness of those feelings overtook Talas.

    His tears went unnoticed in a pool of water.

    Talas, no sad, I love you. Feeling his tears instead of seeing them, Asha was confused by the waves of emotions coming from Talas. She physically caressed him on the cheek while gazing through the water into his eyes.

    Asha, oh my Asha. These are tears of not just sadness but joy too. I found you. They are bittersweet my love, because it took so long to find you, but find you I did.

    The two Lovers stayed submerged another two hours wafting together through the passions of the heart.

    (continued) -d²

  • Under a Dark Star: Up coming story

    Under a Dark Star: Up coming story

    HI all, this week I have a minor health issue so I will not be posting any story scene for Asha and Talas. I do plan to finish their story in about three or four more posts. I did upload for your enjoyment an image and poem for the next tale in the “Under a Dark Star” story line. It will be on the same moon as Asha and Talas.

    Thank all of you for your support. Please, if you are viewing this on Facebook, go to my website : http://www.costoftheheart.com for more information on my book being released the end of this July 2026, “Cost of the Heart: Into the Fire” as well as the complete story of Asha and Talas as it unfolds. -d²

  • Under a Dark Star: Firestorm

    Under a Dark Star: Firestorm

     Asha ran with labored breaths but on she pushed watching for purchases as she hop-skipped across the terrain to the cave, babies, home, to Talas. She notices that the landscape is getting lighter, with fewer shadows. The back of her body chitin and most hind appendages were warming. NOT time, the star not time to rise! Asha’s mind screamed.

     Talas looked out into the bloody glow just at the horizon. I haven’t seen a sunrise here. Asha always hides away in the day. What passes as day here. Talas muses as he scans the forming shadows across the land like growing gnashes and wounds bleeding out.

     Asha stumbled from the glare forming as the early red dawn began warming the landscape. Closing her emitter eyes Asha carried on now pushing hard as the back caprice began warming up to much. There! I see the cave, no Talas, get inside!” That last thought she projected to Talas as hard as she could. “AHHHH!”

     Asha fell flat on the ground feeling a surge of heat across her body and a bright searing red light flashed across the sky.

     Talas felt Asha see him Asha, what?! Asha’s warning hit him just as he watched a huge angry bloody red solar flare fill the sky. Blinded and pulling up his arms extinctive he felt Asha’s pain and mental push to get inside. On the ground he crawled towards what he remembered was the entrance. Ow, there’s a rock there, ok, more left, it’s getting hot.
     Talas reached out with his thoughts; Asha, are you ok, can you get here, I am blind but inside.

    Asha, ok, I will be there soon, we must get into the water pool at back of cave. Star angry. Never seen it this angry. I see you, Talas. Asha grabbed Talas with ease in one smooth movement and continued to run to the back of the cave. Babies, mommy is home. Will feed you tomorrow, eat your dead sisters. There, there I know my babies, mommy loves you.

     Talas’s thoughts were gently invaded by this mother children exchange. He kept his thoughts deep to himself. As suddenly as she had picked him up they were suddenly in cool water. Catching his breath before he went under.

    Talas, under water with Asha and babies. Star angry. Hide under water. With those thoughts Asha pulled Talas further under the water to the bottom of the pool. She had grabbed one of the egg sacks. It would have a third of her total children, the others would cook in the bright solar flare reaching around the large gas giant to touch the outermost atmosphere of the moon. The entire cave lit up and Talas could feel the water warm by several degrees. His flash blindness was subsiding as the light was fading above them on the surface of the water.

     Talas started feeling the need for air. Struggling against Asha’s grip he tried to break free. Asha! I need air! Solar flare is over.

    No, not over Star is mad it will as you say ‘flare’ again,

    I need air! With that forced thought at Asha he did his best to break out here grip, he could not it was useless. Asha please…

    Come here, turn face me.

    He rolled in her arms as she would let him. He gazed into the face that terrified him. The water and flash blindness blurred her so he could only make out shapes, not as bad. With that thought he was pulled closer and felt something forced into his mouth tube like, further till it sealed gently in his mouth like a rebreather mask would. I can breathe!

    Yes, Talas. Asha hold you so we both can breathe. I can stay underwater for a long time. You breathe my air. Take a big breath and hold, Asha needs to take off armor.

     With no more discussion she began to release Talas, trusting him to stay with her. Just as in the cave under the ancient city Asha popped open her chest plate and wiggled out leaving the same two appendages behind as before.

    Talas watched Asha shed her chitin armor like he did his power armor. Obscured through the water Talas could make out her vibrant blue skin color. She reached out and pulled Talas close to her again. Wrapping her self around Talas and what Talas thought strangely as a kiss she started breathing for them both. He lived through her.

    They both sunk to the bottom intertwined. Talas felt the contours of her warm soft body against his now. Their thoughts mingled.

    Talas, what is ‘kiss’? You kiss Asha? She held him gently but tight as a lover. Not understanding what she did nor feel, she let it flow.

    Ah, well, I guess this is the ‘kiss’ of life, that is what I meant. Not a ‘kiss, kiss’ you know. Again staringly Talas did not quite believe his  own words and knew as soon as he thought them she would know. Asha, lets just rest. Please, I could not sleep while you were gone. I need to sleep. With these last thoughts of finality for a conversation Talas found himself curling into Asha’s body and letting go of thought and the now.

     With those last thoughts from Talas; Asha knew something was different. Talas not repulsed by Asha now. Talas kiss Asha, Talas Love Asah now. These thoughts not only echoed around in Asha’s own mind but gently caressed Talas’s as they both drifted in a pool of water entangled through deep shared dreams.

    (continued)

    -d²

  • Under a Dark Star – Darkness

    Under a Dark Star – Darkness

    Asha felt her chitin warming. She rose up on four leg/arms and looked at the horizon. The deep blood red glow slowly seeping over the horizon silhouetting an ancient, deserted city. I fell asleep. I must get back home. Looking around, where am I. This is too far; I won’t make it back. Mmm babies will sleep but Talas. He will sleep too. I can die, he care not for me, but babies need me. Too far. Secret cave at city. Old home will have to do until night again. With that thought Asha skipped ran on all eight leg/arms to the safety of a cave as the heavy shadows of the Dark Star chased her.

    She was born under that star; she would die under that star she knew one day but not today. Her chitin now hot as she was getting full rays of the eclipse red star upon her. Pushing forward as her joints began to ache as the radiation seeped into the softer areas of her armor. Hissing and gasping in pain Asha saw the cave ahead only meters now. Stumbling she pushed ahead as her inside body started to burn from the searing heat of her chitin. Steam was now coming off her armor. The blood red light soaking the rugged cliff side she was running for. Blinded she blinked to get her bearings again and as such closed her emitting eyes tight, this helped but the surfaces were bright and the safety of shadows obscured now with the rising mist as the eclipsed star’s rays warmed the moon’s surface.

    Reaching the cave entrance dragging herself she felt the cool air in her lungs, the darkness safe and assuring she continued to drag herself further into the cave. She was still cooking from the heated chitin that encased her. Once before this had happened, she knew what she needed. Opening her emitter eyes, she could now see the cave in its entirety. It was large, not as large as the Home, but it should have what she needed. A pool of liquid that would cool her armor off. The air helped a little, but she was cooking inside.

     She heard/sensed the dripping of liquid. Examining her surroundings she zeroed in on where the dripping was. She now hoped there was a pool large enough to get into. The sound now closer and deeper. Relief passed through her as she saw the large pool of liquid. Any liquid would do to cool her. Slipping into the cold dark liquid she realized it was water and drank deeply. As the cold water cooled her chitin she could feel her armor straining with the quick change in temperature. With a loud crack-pop her chitin cracked completely down the entirety of her front body if she stood. The relief of cold-water rushing in made her gasp. Slowly wiggling and working each limb out of the protective outer body made of chitin which acted much like a power armored suit she left it behind to swim and soak in the pool of water healing her inner body.

     Feeling her body’s temperature returning to normal she found a shelf in the pool of water to lay on. Relaxing every muscle, letting the emotions of the night go; Asha silently sobbed until sleep took her into the day.

    Talas had a fitful sleep without Asha near he realized. She seemed to soothe his thoughts while he slept but without her he woke off and on to gnawing feeling at the edges of his mind. He found he missed her in a strange sense, he felt safe with her, but she was a monster. With those thoughts running through his mind wondering if he would ever get home. Where am I? No stars just that red eclipse for daylight and starless dark for night. Where is she?

     Talas had been able to get around a little and made his way to the entrance of the cave. On the horizon he saw the faint tinge of a blood-colored thread stretching across and growing. Any minute I will see here skipping home. HOME, what the. I am not home! Talas watched for Asha a bit more then made his way back to the sleeping silks, this is what he thought of the bedding now and collapsed into the spun silk sheet like bedding. Weary of fitful sleep, nightmarish dreams, longing for home, and the damnable gnawing, gnashing at the edge of his mind, those Babies, Talas drifted off again to sleep with thoughts and hopes of Asha’s return to his surprise.

    -d²

  • Under a Dark Star- Talas:

    Under a Dark Star- Talas:

    Horror and unimaginable fear wracked Talas’s mind and body. With such fear the thoughts physically caused Asha to wince and step back; You LOVE me because I am not food!!

    Talas’s body continued to shiver and shake both in pain from the wound but more and deeper from the terror that faced him.

    Slowly and tentatively Asha creeped physically closer to Talas as well as quietly crawled into his mind again between thoughts as a spider traversing a delicate web.

    Talas, she began soothingly and softly, you showed me. I saw it in your mind. You want to find a mate and love her. You can love me. There is no one else here. Please, I want to know love.

    Blankly Talas stared back at the creature with 6 eyes, 8 appendages, two antennae, and a fanged lipped mandible. To say she was arachnid would be wrong, arachnid like yes, but no abdomen like a crab but thin like a wasp not round. Looking at her was unsettling. Talas could not look away.

    Asha gently pushed here and there on the optical centers of the mind, slowly she could see what pleased the eye of a human. Suddenly wincing at the hideousness she was to him she felt it through her being and let out a cry of true pain.

    A low screech escaped her mouth of such sorrow, “Sccaaa….” Talas, you see me as this?!

    She had been so proud of her shiny chitin, her glowing eyes, the gentle twitch of antennae for affection, to include her dancing gate of a hop skip from rock to rock. If her kind had tear ducts all eyes would have teared.  

    Talas just watched petrified. Again, the same low screech then she ran off into the night to hunt. Leaving his mind to his own thoughts.

    He shuddered as he heard her screaming as a banshee of earth folk, her voice fading as she continued into the night. He felt the children chewing at the corners of his mind. He forced himself into a fitful nightmare filled slumber.

    Asha’s voice raspy and her small vocal cords ached from wailing for at least an hour as she ran jumping from cervices to crag she killed with abandon, becoming the monster that Talas saw her as. She killed mercilessly, throwing pieces and carcasses to the horizon, she kept none of it, the slithery things and diggy things can have the food tonight. The babies will be hungry, but she did not care. Maybe she will get caught by the Didon and finally die. She did not know how old she was, she could not remember being a hatchling. Only always with children, hunting, feeding, taking to the reaping. Her thoughts, dark and of her babies eating Talas stopped her cold. She hunched over, sobbing without the soothing release of tears. Just the raw pain in the middle of her body. A heart a poet might say. Feeling the pain and sting of rejection but not just rejection, repulsion. She lay on the ground sobbing and flailing with no tear to fall.

  • Under a Dark Star

    Under a Dark Star

    Asha

    Asha came upon Talas’s passed out body with limbs sprawled out. Kicking him with her forward leg/arm she muses, hmm hard shell. Will sharpen children’s teeth. What is this? The head-thing still warm, still making sound. Asha cocked her head as she listened to the faint thump of Talas’s heart, still strong but faint beneath the jumpsuit composite armored shell. As she listened to the heart, she then moved closer to the large hole in the faceplate. Breathing in through her nostrils she could smell the carbon dioxide he exhaled. Food, the children will be sated today. Sniffing more over Talas the iron smell of blood filled her nostrils. Not from here, from out there. Too bad food, may have been play thing. Oh well.

    Looking at the horizon the deep red glow crept across the craggy expanse. Nightfall, must get home before star see me. Asha grabbed Talas’s broken leg with one of most hind feet/hands and began dragging him as she made way in the opposite direction of the rising dark star. A popping sound from Talas made Asha look back over her shoulder as she kept crawling forward on the seven leg/arms she had with one pulling Talas. The pop had set Talas’ compound fracture of his femur. Cocking her head a faint gasp reached her ears. Dropping the leg she was pulling she rotated on all eight legs to face Talas’s body laying face up on the dusty floor of the baren cavern she was pulling him through to get to the home. Rising up on her back four leg/arms she looked down on the slowly moving grunting thing.

    Talas started gaining consciousness when his bone was inadvertently set and the enviro-suit started to treat the wound.

    “Wha, where, Pia, status.” Pia was silent, just the wind made a sound he could hear through his helmet even with the faceplate damage. Hearing a rustle Talas tried to raise up on his elbow a managed to roll on his side in a fit of blinding pain. He saw her then, Asha.

    “AHHH, what in bloody hell is that!!?” Talas screamed in fear and pain as he tried to push away with his good leg dragging the broken.

    Asha gazed upon Talas with curiosity as he scream and was pushing his way across the hard ground. Where are you going food. You are broken, I am not.

    Asha bound like a jumping spider. As she lands her center four hand/feet pin each limb by the ankles or wrists. Her other four arms begin to look for ways to tear away the dropsuit armor.

     “No get off.” Talas struggles but to no avail. Asha now gazes into his face.  Talas completely silent now in fear he has never felt. The urine bladder of the suit fills as he screams and Ash screams back.

    “AHHHHHHHH” Ash screeches into Talas’s helmet, this can come off, quite food so we don’t attract attention. Be quite, we can be eaten. She thinks as she fumbles with Talas’s helmet. Yes, releases, ah from way beyond, not red hole place. Must get you home to my babies, they are hungry. The helmet flies off into the coming blood dawn as she looks for the first time fully into Talas’s green eyes. What, you.. Asha freezes.

    Talas squirms, fighting to get away from the iron grips binding him to this creature. My helmet, have to keep it from getting it off. A whimper escapes Talas’s mouth, images of being eaten by small creatures like this flooded his mind.

    No, no what no! Please I don’t want to die being eaten. Emperor’s Beards, not like this, I wanted to at least love once. Please! My helmet, oh, oh my god… His helmet gone from time now as he stared into darkness within the two predominant dark orbs that pierced his mind and heart like a laser through the night.

    Dark primal thoughts intertwined with those of Talas’s warmest and cherished. NO, these are mine, my thoughts. Laid bare was the raw emotion behind each of those thoughts of love. ‘Mine’ Invaded his thoughts, repeatedly, That’s not me, that’s not my thought. Raw, sharp. Dark as obsidian. His thoughts turned over at the invasion of his emotions, he was now just an observer of the logic while his heart was detected repeatedly. He broke and sobbed in a deep mourning of loss quivering for what seemed an eternity.

    Asha fell deeper and deeper into this well of passions never felt, devotions never believed possible, a oneness never hoped for. Her dark primal cold existence felt emotional warmth for the first time. “Ahh, ah, mmm.” She sobbed as Talas sobbed and she tore into his most cherished memories and love. Need it what is it, warm, dark and light at same time, Love!! I want it. This food thing will give me love. I will love it. Babies will be hungry another night. Will hunt again tonight. Have to go now!

    Franticly and now efficiently after probing Talas mind of his suit she was able to rip his armor away in seconds with all eight arm/legs working.

    With all the armor off Asha started to lift Talas onto her back.

    “No!” Talas shouted with a painful twist which caused him to land on the ground.

    “Humf. That hurt, no!” He shouted at her. Looking deep into his eyes she sent a piercing thought into his mind.

    Like a sledgehammer Asha’s thoughts pealed back his resistance, ‘We go, I put you on back. Star kill, trsickls kill, we go home now; babies alone!’  Talas went limp with the psychic blast of pure fear and was completely compliant as Asha held him with her middle four arm/legs tight to her back as she ran across the scrub and scree on the other four arm/legs. He felt the heat from the rising sun, but the dawning light was dark and heavy. He closed his eyes and slept as she cradled him on her back running to safety.

    Pain shot through Talas’s body as he felt himself being set down on a soft silky bedding. Not once did he open his eyes. Once fully resting on the bedding he grunted and gave into the deep sleep his body needed.

    Sleep slowly drifted away as Talas heard a strange screeching muttering just out of earshot. In his mind a buzzing nagged him at the edges. He heard the thing No Asha, she was coming closer but was not muttering anymore. Where am I what are these things.

    ‘Talas, you are awake’ she pushed gently in his mind he felt. Thoughts not as primal but still raw and pure.

    ‘What do you want? Am I food, why didn’t you just kill me?’ dark thoughts of being eaten by thousands of tiny, fanged mouths echoed through his mind.

    ‘No, you no food. I love you. You love me. We have love together. You want love, I want you to love me.’ His mind reeled as these strange dark thoughts crawled into each hope he had of love. How can I love this, this thing, this horrendous creature.

    Talas shuddered with the last thought.

    ‘I not thing, I Asha, your wife. You love me. I love you.’

    With every fiber of his body and mind he screamed, “HOW CAN YOU LOVE ME? Or I you!”

    Gently, silently, Asha’s silken voice seeps into his mind; ‘I love you because I don’t want my babies to eat you. You are mine, husband and you will love me.’

    -continued

    -d²

  • Under a Dark Star – Planetfall

    Under a Dark Star – Planetfall

    Under a Dark Star

                    –Forever locked in an orbit eclipsing the sun so daylight never is beyond a blood sky of shadows in the darkness of the void. Those that gaze upon the star’s crown, darkness falls forever. Only the night is safe, to roam about, to look, to hunt. – proverb for survival

    Blaring alarms woke Talas in midair, What the, hey why am floating, wait no! The ship is falling! The sound of screeching metal being torn was added to the alarms.

    “Sarah! Where are we, why are we falling?” Talas shouted competing with the screeching alarm.

    The ship answered in a female voice crisp and professional, “We are in a gravity well of a local planet. I am unsure where we are. The skip-drive failed and no stars are available for triangulation.”

    “What do you mean no stars? We were dead center of the spur. Edge of the empire but in the center of the sector.” Talas’s voice cracking slightly from the dryness of his throat. He had not completely recovered from his last planet drop.

    “Sarah!” Talas shouted as he looked for a hand hold towards the pilot seat. A thunk and sever vibration began.

    He was no longer floating in a free fall with the ship but being thrown about like a rag doll. Talas hand just about to grab hold slipped. “Argg!” A frustrated yell escaped his mouth keeping cool was no longer in the cards.

    “Sarah! What was that!” The blaring alarm was replaced with screeching atmosphere escaping or getting in, Talas could not tell. Bright light, Talas throws his hands up in time to block flying shrapnel as the nose of the ship began to disintegrate.

    Chaos erupted in the small ship cabin as atmosphere poured in through growing rents in the exterior walls, suddenly the keel bent.

    Flying backwards the long-range patrol soldier grunted as he hit the back bulkhead.

    “Emperor’s Beards!! Well to the drop suit. Well Sarah go into the void with peace.” Speakers came alive with a static for a moment, faintly a reply came back.

    “Talas, good hunting.” There was nothing else as Talas fought his way through the disintegrating ship to the safety of his drop suit.

    Calm surrounded Talas as he fell away from the forming fireball that was home in the coldness of the void. Into the upper atmosphere of a faraway planet forever unknown he plummeted down.

    “Pia, give me rundown.”

    The suit’s computer came alive showing a display HUD across Talas’s visor.

    “Suit temperature nominal but rising, internal temperature in specifications, reaching planetary terminal velocity, five kilometers from surface.”

    “Roll so I can see the sky.”

    Talas felt the pressure and vibration as each little jet fired off rolling him so he was looking up and falling backwards.

    The suit rocked from an explosion and the visor darkened to protect his eyes. “Goodbye Sarah.”

    “Pia, clear visor.”

    “It is Cpl. Talas.” The metallic whisper came in his ear bud.

    “There are no stars, where are the stars? Pia, does this planet have a moon?” His voice starting to have a bit of concern.

    “Searching loaded scans prior to termination. No, it is a moon of large planet. Currently the dayside is experiencing a full eclipse of the sun from the planet.” The cool crisp voice was of no comfort. It was pitch black up and pitch black down. No lights, no intelligent life, fortunately? Talas wondered.

    “Prepare for landing” Pia, said as reto-jets started firing slowing Talas down and righting him for a rolling landing ending with him standing. That was the plan anyways.

    Three jets gave out at once on his left side. “What’s going on” A flashing HUD filled his faceplate. “Out of fuel, how high up are we?”

    “You will survive.” Pia answered mechanically.

    “You didn’t say ho…” Talas didn’t finish, he felt the ground hit and a bone snaping vibrate to his teeth. “Medical protocols…” was the last thing he uttered as the grayness took over his mind.

    Talas heard through the greyness as he fell deeper into unconsciousness, “Approaching lifeform detected.”

    Across the plain, a local inhabitant followed the arc of Talas’s decent.

    Hmm, food? Children are hungry. Last night hunt.  The creature looks down at a forward arm most arm. Colors pretty. Hmm if not food maybe keepsake from out there.

    “ahh!” The exploding ship temporarily blinded this creature that saw in full spectrum of the electromatic spectrum. She had stood up to extend her upper torso that crudely resemble a humanoid female. Blocking the rest of the following wavelengths with her hands she rotated away from the explosion in lightning speed on the four legs she still stood on.

    Shaking her head her eyesight cleared. Now to find that maybe food.