Chapter 1
“Cass, please reply?!” Those were the last words she heard before she and the shuttle were engulfed in the amazing but nauseating purple light.
They were completely engulfed for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only several seconds.
She closed her eyes tightly, feeling the contents of her stomach rising.
Quick as the turbulence started, it stopped. Opening her eyes they widened in fear.
Not only was Earth nowhere in sight, but another unfamiliar planet was directly ahead.
Either that or her vision had gone, because the planet was a combination of pinks and purples.
Not to mention, the land masses were in completely the wrong places.
There was nothing she could do but hope for the best. The shuttle was caught in the planets gravitational pull and the energy field she was caught in a short time ago head left her instruments useless.
Unbuckling herself briefly, she pulled her helmet back on before returned to the safely of her seat.
Tightening the straps around herself, she hung on for dear life and prayed to the God she had never believed in before, begging for a miracle.
Once she was certain she was low enough in the atmosphere she pulled the lever which released the shoot she would use during a normally landing.
She had no idea if it would work. But hoped for the best.
Suddenly the shuttle jolted and slowed down its descent.
“Thank goodness!” She exclaimed followed by a loud sigh. “Now let’s just hope we don’t land in the sea,” She spoke to herself.
All she could see out her small window was a lot of purple. She was almost sure it was land, but she couldn’t be certain.
Another jolt as the shoot caught a branch about a hundred feet from the ground.
“No, no, no, no! You can’t do this!” Just as she said it the branch broke and shuttle began to fall again, eventually coming down with a bang on the ground.
Jarred, but seemingly uninjured, a million thoughts rushed through her head.
Where was she?
Was there air, food and water on the planet suitable for Humans?
Was there animal life?
But most prominent in her mind, is there intelligent life?
The idea of possibly being the first Human to meet an Alien was exciting.
She was worried, but more excited about the possible adventure she could have.
Breaking free of the straps and the chair, she stood up and went in search of the emergency kit.
Which included, dried food pouches which could easily see her through a few weeks, water purifying tables, a medical kit and a number of other things.
There she found what she was looking for. A specially designed handset which, with a small sample, could take readings of various things from air to food and water.
It was originally designed to detect poisons, but had been adapted for many more things since then.
Whatever had effected the shuttle’s systems hadn’t effected the handset thankfully.
Handset in hand, she tried to pull the lever to open the door. But it only opened a couple of inches.
But it was enough to get a reading on the planets atmosphere.
Seconds later and the machine beeped. Air completely suitable for Humans, looking deeper into the readings there was something else she nor the handset recognised but it didn’t seem to be a threat.
In truth, she had no choice either way. She only had a few days supply in the shuttle and only a few hours in the tanks. She had to risk.
Pulling off the heavy helmet, she placed it and her gloves on the side.
At only five foot five, she wasn’t the tallest, biggest or strongest person. But she tried anyway, kicking and hitting the door to try and open it further, to no avail.
She decided to have a quick breather and drink, then try again.
Minutes later and she was sat on the floor crying. All her brains and all the tools at her disposal and nothing helped.
The door had to be blocked by a tree or something.
She moved to the window and looked out. She seemed to be in a strange forest with purple grass and brown and purple trees.
The shuttle was turning into a oven. If she didn’t get out soon, she wouldn’t.
She hadn’t wanted to break the window, but it was looking like she had no choice.
Locating an axe used to collect rock samples she proceeded to hit the glass in a dozen key locations to weaken the specially designed glass.
On the tenth hit the glass shattered and fell to the ground.
A cool breeze blew in and she almost cried with happiness. The glass was broken, but the window had a special reinforced metal shield to pull down during accidents. Such as a meteor hitting the glass.
It wasn’t safe to take into space. But it would keep wildlife out.
Climbing out of the window, she moved all the glass aside, not to hurt herself in the future.
The trees were huge, twice taller than any on Earth. But they did little to block the sun.
It felt like summer, she was too hot. She stripped off her space suit, leaving her in only a tight red union suit she wore beneath. Pushing the suit through the window, she stretched out her aching muscles.
If she was in company, she’d be embarrassed. The suit left little to the imagination and clung to the perspiration on her body.
She didn’t have any of the special pants on that they use on long journeys because she was only meant to be gone a couple of hours.
Bending over, she stretched her hands to the floor. Then raised a leg to the shuttle, leaning forwards and stretching. She repeated on the other side.
In that moment she was thankful for the ballet classes her mother had forced her to go to for years which made her so flexible. It was just what she needed after being coped up on that shuttle.
But when she started puberty and started to develop, becoming more and more curvy, she was told she was too big for ballet. She wasn’t bothered. It gave her more time to study.
What she was bother by was being called big. She wasn’t overweight or fat, she simply had more curves than some women.
She didn’t understand why boys and girls at school called her fat when many women paid for curves like hers.
It was a puzzle to her. People in general were.
She moved to take in the damage on the shuttle when something or someone grabbed her by the waist and lifted her high off the ground.
She instinctively screamed and tried to free herself, hitting and even biting the large muscular red arms around her.
Instead of letting her go, the person letting out a hearty chuckle and turned her to face him.
Over seven foot of pure muscle. The man was a beautiful sight, dressed in only a vest and trousers and boots all that seemed to be made from some kind of black reptile skin.
With long thick braided maroon hair, dark silver eyes, pointed ears almost flat against his head and many tribal – likely traditional – tattoos in black on his body and large arms.
He seemed just as interested in her, looking her over.
“What have you found, Xon?” Another two males approached scaring her. She could see their sharp pointed teeth as they spoke.
Again she began fighting for her freedom, forgetting everything about first contract.
“A tiny female, Warrior Kosh,” He said in a very formal manner.
“She appears to have crashed. But I have yet to speak to her.”
She bit her captor’s shoulder.
Instead of letting her go, his arms tightened and he made what sounded like an aroused groan. But she couldn’t be certain.
“Let me go!” She screamed and hit him again.
The other two men approached, looking her over as eagerly as their friend.
“You illegally landed on Telka,” The alien Xon addressed as Warrior Kosh spoke. “Until we have satisfactory answers…” He leaned in and smelled her. “I will do as I see fit.”
“Arrogant bastard,” She mumbled in reply but he didn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words.
“It was an accident, I was destroying a meteor when I accidentally was pulled here and crashed. Now put me down! I’m not a child!” She exclaimed loudly.
“I am certain you’re not,” She heard the yet unnamed alien mumbled.
But Warrior Kosh – who seemed to be the leader, indicated to let her down.
They towered above her by almost two foot. She was intimidated but tried not to show it.
“What species are you, little Cass?”
She stared at him accusingly. “How do you know my name? For that matter, how do we speak the same language?” She was certain for a minute it would turn out to be a sick joke at her expense.
“You’re name?” They all looked confused. And then he pointed to a small pin on his vest. “This translates languages. What is your name?”
“Cassandra but everyone calls me Cass,” She answered unsure if it was real or not. It felt real.
They all smile. “Cass is the name of a rare but very beautiful flower which grows on our planet,” Warrior Kosh explains.
“We are the Venchy and this is our planet, Telka. Where are you from, Cass? You are unlike I have ever seen.”
They were all being incredibly nice. But she still felt unsure. What’s to say they wouldn’t eat her?
“I’m Human, from Earth. I don’t know where I am. I’ve never met an alien species before.” This seemed to surprise them.
“This system is populated by over a hundred species that we know of. Perhaps in your accident you travelled further than you thought.”
Several other men came from nowhere, scaring her. She instinctively moved closer to Xon and the others.
“There is no need to fear. They will not hurt you, little Cass,” Xon assured her, placing a hand on her arm.
“Are you alone?” She nodded, “Yes, I was on a lone mission. I was only meant to be gone a short time.”
“Then you will return with us,” Warrior Kosh told her and turned to the others and ordered them to move the shuttle.
“Hang on,” She remembered what she was wearing but tried to not make a big deal of it since they hadn’t said anything.
“I need my suit, I haven’t any shoes on.”
“The big white clothing?” Xon asked.
It was clear then that he had been watching her a while.
“It is unsuitable.” Meaning she’d cook, which was true.
“This isn’t meant to be outerwear, this is just to keep me warm in space. I haven’t any other clothes or shoes. I need my suit,” She tried to argue.
“Clothing will be provided,” Warrior Kosh assured her. “As for your ship, it will be taken with us and you can collect what you need later.”
“The ship is no threat, no weapons of any kind,” The third man announced as though he had just finished a scan.
“I told you already, I didn’t mean to come here. How the hell am I meant to be a threat? You’re huge!”
“I am sorry if I offended you, Cass, I was just performing my duty,” The third man apologised. It was strange to see such large men bow and treat her so kindly when men on her own planet didn’t so much as speak at her.
“No, I am sorry. I overreacted. I am pleased to meet you all, if you aren’t planning on eating me, that is.”
“Eating you?” They laughed. “We don’t eat sentient life.”
Warrior Kosh moved closer and picked her up, “I will carry you, then you will be safe.” Not giving her a chance to protest, they began moving through the trees.
Quickly relaxing in his arms, the last few days without sleep caught up with her and before she knew it she was asleep.
