Our New World: Science Fiction Romance Read online

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  Our New World

  Science Fiction Romance

  By: Olivia Myers

  Contents

  Our New World

  Biomechanical Hearts

  The Big Bang Alien Love Affair

  Thank You

  Our New World

  Ka Levithan pressed his scaled wings to either side of his draconic form, scoping out the south-western terrain beneath him. At either side of him flew a pair of his most trusted scouts. Altogether, the extraterrestrials formed the group that would find a new encampment for their collective species. As a group, they had been scouting for some time now. The faith of their people had been placed solely in this single group, and Ka was determined not to let them down. Their recent discovery had been that of a planet called Earth in the Milky Way Galaxy. It was similar to their home planet in numerous ways, though the toxic ecosystem that had been the downfall of their home planet was notably absent here. Ka had led his scouting group across the entire planet, and had searched fervently for just the right location. Now, they were several hundred miles due south of the nearest human settlement, and the warm desert airs during the day mimicked their home atmosphere pleasantly. Ka settled his talons in the sand, casting a wary gaze across the desert. It stretched for miles around him, and his companions scattered across the vicinity to scope out the area.

  “Ka! I think this could be it!” Li called out in their mother tongue. Ka shifted into his humanoid appearance to more easily blend into the surrounding terrain. He squatted close to the ground, gathering a handful of sand and allowing the grains to fall between his slightly-webbed fingers. He inhaled deeply, taking some pleasure in the way the dusty earth tickled his nostrils.

  “I think you may be right,” he called out to Li, rising to his full height. The other extraterrestrials moved closer together. Li had gathered a small sampling of the sparse flora that sprinkled the area. Ka took the sample, running a scan on it to determine the chemical makeup. It was an eighty-percent match to the samples they brought from home, which was the closest they had come thus far. The scouts exchanged a look as Ka considered the results of the scan. The scattered samples of their home planet’s fauna and flora were all that remained of what once was their home. Though his people were scattered across the universe by now, he could still feel the steady throb of their collective want—no, need—for a new place to congregate. Though he had hoped against all hope that he would succeed in finding a peaceful home, he knew that he must be willing to use force if necessary. However, for the time being, it seemed that the group had gone unnoticed in their flights across the planet’s surface.

  “We should call to our magnanimous leader. He will certainly be pleased by what we have found,” Ka announced. The rest of the scouting group cheered ecstatically, throwing their hands skyward and blowing celebratory plumes of fire towards the clouds above. Ka initiated the transmission to their leader, who would begin sending additional scouting parties to the area. If all went well, the species would have a new home for their own.

  “Ka, I do hope you have a positive report,” Elder Fa said pleasantly through the transmitter. Ka smiled happily, eager to please his leader. He began to detail a report about the area they had secured through naming the planet, giving the chemical and atmospheric makeup of the surrounding area, and pinpointing their location on a universal scale. His leader hummed emphatically, and Ka hesitated, unsure if he was satisfied. “Yes, this Earth sounds as if it will make a glorious home for our people. Shall we forever coexist peacefully with its natives.” Elder Fa announced, and Ka smiled, preparing to close the transmission. However, before he was fully able to close out of the connection, a sudden burst of fire exploded between him and his other scouts. He roared angrily, sensing the unease of a group in an aircraft above them. “Ka! What is happening?” Elder Fa cried out, but Ka was unable to reply. He dropped the transmitter and accidentally trampled it underfoot as he scrambled back to avoid another blast. From the northern horizon, there marched a multitude of the native inhabitants of the planet.

  “We come in peace!” Ka screamed, now knowing the cliché usage of the line in human film. The humans, clad in primitive cloth armor began to surround them.

  “Identify yourselves,” a lone human called, pointing some sort of assault weapon at Ka.

  “We are the fulgonians. We have come in search for a planet to call home. It would be a great honor to coexist with your people on this planet,” Ka announced. The lead human looked to his fellow troops, and it seemed for a moment as if they would let Ka go unscathed.

  “Capture them. Geomex will perform the necessary studies to determine whether they are a danger to us,” the human called out to his troops. The entirety of the gathered humans began to gather around Ka and his scouts, who were swift to engage in combat. Ka could make out his fellow scouts gathering some distance ahead, proving a formidable foe for the human army. Soon, however, they were outnumbered and outgunned. Ka watched as his brothers shifted into their draconic forms, blowing large columns of fire towards the surrounding humans. The human forces scattered, and Ka made to shift into his dragon form as well but was struck in the back of the head by something large and metallic. He dropped to the ground, clutching his bleeding scalp.

  “Get one of the nets! Restrain him!” another human called, and Ka tried to scramble away as the humans bound and tied him. He watched in dismay as his fellow fulgonians flew away, but he knew his sacrifice would not be in vain if they escaped.

  “Ka!” Li called out to their leader, hesitating for a brief moment as the other fulgonians took to the skies.

  “Go without me! Warn the others!” Ka shouted back desperately, trying to shift into his dragon form once more. The net-like material surrounding him sent shockwaves through his body, and he could feel little but a numb sensation throughout his limbs as the human troops rounded upon him.

  “Call Geomex! Prepare them for the incoming shipment,” one of the men called.

  “Please! Just let me go! It will be as if we were never here,” Ka pleaded, struggling against the material that bound him. The humans considered him for a long moment, and one crouched before him, shining some primitive-looking lighting device in his eyes.

  “We are simply following orders,” he offered and received a sharp nudge from his superior.

  “Don’t talk to him. Engage the shock mechanism to subdue him until an armored vehicle arrives,” the other human, a burly man with thick hair along his jaw, ordered. The other hesitated, staring at Ka for a long moment.

  “Please,” Ka implored. Then, as if he had not said anything at all, shockwave after shockwave of electricity shot through his entire body. The shocks rendered him helpless to fight off the human forces. As his world went dark, he could only hope his people were wise enough to not pursue a peaceful resolution with this war-obsessed species. He knew that their only answer would be to fight fire with fire, though only one of those fires would be a metaphorical one.

  At Geomex headquarters, Selina Murphy walked side-by-side with her father, who just happened to be the head engineer at the complex. He walked with a stiff spine, a stark contrast to the hesitant steps his chubby daughter took at his side. They were silent, which Selina was more than slightl
y grateful for, considering how condescending her overbearing father had been in the days previous. It had been driven into her head on multiple occasions that she was in the big leagues now, and she was not to tarnish her father’s good name. The occasional lab worker glanced toward them as they passed, and Selina pretended not to know they were judging her every move.

  “Shoulders back. Keep your head held high. They won’t respect you if you don’t prove you deserve it,” Bart Murphy bit out, and Selina shifted her posture, allowing her bangs to obscure her eyes and the fact that she was blatantly rolling them. As they approached the room where she was to be informed on the specifications of her assignment, her father spoke a familiar phrase under his breath. “Don’t blow this, Selina,” he murmured. She inhaled sharply but simply nodded in response. He flashed his ID at the security scanner, and the door slid open for the two of them to step inside. In the center of the room, there was a long table with lab coat-clad men lining either side. Selina took her place beside her father at the head of the table. The older man hesitated for a moment before roughly gripping her shoulder. He leaned in, repeating himself quietly. “Don’t blow it,” he asserted before making his way out of the room. Once he was gone, Selina visibly relaxed, offering a smile to the group of scientists.

  “Can someone possibly tell me what I’m intended to do?” Selina asked with an easy smile. The group of scientists exchanged uneasy looks before the one nearest Selina spoke up.

  “Your job will be to tend to the highly classified specimens held in the facility. You are to gather daily samples from each specimen for our testing purposes,” he said vaguely, and Selina wondered what exactly these highly classified specimens were. Before she could voice the thought, the group rose and headed toward the back of the room. They each flashed their ID badge for security clearance before stepping into the next room. Selina swiftly followed, mimicking their actions and finding herself somewhat shocked to find she actually had the proper clearance. She stepped briskly through the door, trailing after the group as they led her down a series of winding hallways with intermittent, locked doors. As they stepped through another door, Selina became aware of the small windows, which scattered the walls on either side of the hall. She glanced through one of the windows, receiving the shock of her life when a small creature resembling an octopus blinked one giant eye back at her. She stumbled back, and the group ahead of her hesitated. The lead scientist in the group doubled back to fetch her.

  “What is that?” she asked loudly, and the creature gave a little quake before skittering away from the window and deeper into the containment chamber beyond.

  “That is specimen ET Four-Six. One of the many you will be collecting samples from,” the man said softly, fixing her with a stern look. “We will ask you to keep your voice down. Many of our specimens are sensitive to high-volume disturbances,” he added as an afterthought, paying little mind as she stared toward him in disbelief.

  “ET, as in extraterrestrial?” she inquired haltingly. The man snorted derisively but gave no definite answer and guided her further down the hallway. She glanced into each square-shaped window as she passed, looking into the various containment chambers and taking in the specimens that she would have to interact with on a daily basis. One resembled what appeared to be a large cube of gelatin. It quaked and quivered, giving no indication that it was truly alive. She considered the creature for a long moment, breathing a sigh before moving to the next window. She was met by a large and hairy fist slamming against the glass. She shrieked, jolting back away from the observation window.

  “What did I say about loud noises?” the scientist bit back just loudly enough for her to hear. Quietly, he continued walking. “I knew she was only here because of her father,” he muttered. Selina clutched her chest, feeling vaguely wounded by the statement but, more than anything, frightened by the creature in the containment cell before her. It vaguely resembled a gorilla, though its hair was patchy and shone a vivid shade of pink. It watched her through three, beady, red eyes and slammed its fist against the glass once more. There was a small caution symbol in the corner of the observation window where the specimen’s identification information was written. Selina did not linger longer than necessary at that particular window and scrambled to catch up with the rest of the group. Though they did not have faith in her abilities, she was determined to prove them wrong. At the end of the hallway, they came to a final door marked with giant, cautionary signs. She felt a jolt of fear shoot through her body, wondering what exactly could be contained within. If the ape-like specimen had only warranted one small caution symbol, what could be so dangerous to require such precautions? The majority of the group lingered some feet away from the door, though the lead scientists gestured for her to step forward. She did so hesitantly, clasping her hands in front of her chest as the older man spoke.

  “This is your most important task. The samples gathered from this particular specimen are crucial to our studies above all else. I do ask that you keep an open mind,” he said. She hesitated before smiling with a confidence she did not quite feel.

  “I am certain I can handle the task,” she said firmly, flashing her identification badge beneath the scanner and trying not to flinch when it beeped, signaling that she had the proper clearance. When the door opened, the lead scientist gestured for her to step inside. At first, she saw nothing, simply the darkness of the unlit containment chamber. She glanced over her shoulder inquisitively, quirking a brow at the wide eyes of her new colleagues. She turned back, and her own eyes widened as she made out a set of glowing, green eyes staring back at her. The lights in the room began to switch on, and she could make out the massive form of what looked like some sort of lizard. She blinked slowly, uncomprehendingly. The lizard-like creature was the size of something from the Jurassic period, and two, large wings spread from the center of its back, fanning back and forth to send a gentle breeze through her hair. As the creature rose from the ground, its wings beating furiously at its sides, fire exploded from the massive lizard’s mouth. She could feel the heat of the flame tickling her face, and everything became fuzzy when she realized it was a dragon—a real dragon—in the room before her. She could hear the screams of her colleagues and the roar of the dragon-like creature, and the last thing that crossed her mind before she blacked out was the sarcastic thought that she was doing just fabulously on her first day on the job.

  When she awoke, it was to the face of her disapproving father. She jolted upward, eyes fervently seeking out the creature that had given her such a fright. She could make out the sound of derisive laughter and glanced toward where her group of colleagues sat. She knew they were thinking the very same thing that their boss had said in the hallway earlier. Her father’s disdain permeated the room, and he shook his head, glancing toward the man that served as her boss.

  “Give her another chance,” he commanded, more than inquired. “She was just a bit swept up in emotion, as women tend to be.” The man who served as her boss nodded and stepped up to help her to her feet. She realized they had not even had the decency to move her more than a scant few feet away from the containment chamber. She rose shakily and thought to protest, but she knew that her father’s approval was on the line. Though he was overbearing and sometimes seemed outright abusive, he was all she had left in this world, and she would do whatever it took to make the older man proud.

  “Are you sure you can handle this, young lady?” her boss inquired in a somewhat snide tone. She mused that no, she wasn’t sure, but she had little choice in the matter. She would not be alone in this world, even if all she had was her father.

  “I’m ready,” she said firmly, glancing toward the door to the containment chamber. Her boss fell into place beside her, scanning his badge to open the door. They stepped into the room, and panic gripped Selina’s heart as she looked for the draconic beast. Where the beast had stood, there was instead a tall, well-built man with dark hair and vivid, green eyes. Perhaps most shocking were the s
cales that spattered his shoulders and knees and the long, spade-tipped tail that protruded from the base of his spine. He considered her through curious eyes, and she took in his nude form in all its glory, blushing brightly. He stepped toward her, and it took all of her willpower not to retreat. He was less fearsome in this form, but something about him still sent a jolt through her. Perhaps, it was his alien nature. Perhaps, it was how strikingly handsome his more humanoid form was. All the same, her heart felt as if it were pounding out of her chest as the dragon-turned-man stepped toward her.

  “I am sorry for frightening you,” Ka said softly, and Selina was surprised to hear him speaking in human tongue, let alone English. He examined her from head to toe, and she was certain her face could not get any redder. The elder scientist at her side stepped forward with the tools necessary to gather the needed samples from Ka. He spoke quietly, guiding Selina through the process. She tried to listen closely and absorb the information, but she could not draw her eyes away from the dragon man’s magnificent form. His tail swished casually from side to side, and he watched Selina with wide, curious eyes. He looked every part the predator toying with its prey.

  “Are you listening, Ms. Murphy?” her boss inquired, and Ka glanced toward him, cringing as the needle of the lead scientist’s syringe pierced his skin. He bared his teeth, exposing sharp canines. A shiver shot through Selina’s body, and the thought of what he might do with those teeth entered her mind unbidden. She drew her eyes to the syringe, noting the neon green hue in Ka’s blood. His eyes were fixed on the syringe now, and his tail flicked with agitation. “Your turn. We have the sample we need, but you need to practice gathering a sample supervised before we set you out on your own.” The lead scientist rumbled, handing the supplies over to the shorter and somewhat round woman. Selina juggled, trying not to drop the sterile equipment. Ka’s eyes were on her once more, a single tooth peeking out against his bottom lip as he stared at her with an almost worried expression.