“Holy fucking shit,” Fin exclaims, rushing forward. “You have a fucking alien spaceship in your basement!”
“An old one,” I note, recognizing the model. “I saw at museum.” It’s a small shuttle, one of the first models to ever have hyperdrive. Until that point, only the massive ships had the capability to travel through hyperspace. This model changed the rules of the game. It’s centuries old but, despite the age, it looks to be in relatively good shape. Then I notice the different material of the patches on the hull and clumps of clearly human wiring sticking out from the walls. They’ve been fixing it. Studying it. “How long?” Winds, this is such a massive breach of the Non-Interference Directive that the UGC would level this place to the ground with all of us inside if they knew.
Almost reverently, Lewis places her hand on the hull. “We found it in the 1940s, but it obviously crashed here centuries ago.”
“You’ve had this thing locked up in here for eighty years?!”
“Yes, Ms. Young. Much of the technology invented over the past sixty years is based on this ship in one way or another. Or did you think we put a person on the Moon a mere sixty-six years after inventing the fucking airplane due to simple human ingenuity? Everything was based on this old piece of crap.” She smirks. “You saw it in a museum, you said? Perhaps we could get a good price for it on the galactic antique market.”
They definitely could. I stare at the old shuttle in disbelief, momentarily forgetting all about Garresh and the kidnapped humans. This changes everything. If human advancement has been influenced by alien technology for decades, is the Non-Interference Directive even still applicable? And what happens to Earth once the Non-Interference Directive no longer applies?
“So,” Lewis interrupts my musings, “can you fly this thing?”
Chapter 27
Fin
AsOmniandLewisargue about the state of the spaceship, which is a deathtrap according to Omni, my thoughts churn. Omni is going to leave Earth as soon as he gets this thing operational. Alone, or with a team of ambassadors Lewis is trying to force him to bring along, but he will leave. And he’ll get arrested and possibly sent to alien jail. How fucking fair is that?
What about me? What about what I want?
Being curled up against Omni’s warm chest feels like the most normal thing in the world. It feels right, like a romance novelsoulmatelevel of right. I’ve never felt like this with anyone and Idon’t want to lose this…whatever this is, before it’s even started. I’ve only known Omni for a little over a week but my heart recognizes him as if he was always meant to be part of my life.
He feels the same. I know he does. The occasional touches, the way he brings me closer without even realizing what he’s doing… Omni might feel like he needs to distance himself from me, but his subconscious actions scream differently. He wants me and I want him, and that’s all that really matters, right? The rest is just semantics. Well, Omni going to space jail is a pretty important detail but maybe if I’m there to speak on his behalf, I can confirm he’s done nothing wrong on Earth and anything he did do was only to protect us primitive little humans. Hopefully, he’ll get off with a slap on the wrist. There has to be some fucking justice in the universe, right?
“Omni,” I call, approaching the tangle of Earth and alien cables he’s hunched over. Several scientists in white coats are huddled around Omni, their wide eyes eagerly studying every adjustment he makes as if he’s teaching them rocket science 101, which he basically is. Pausing for a second, I examine both the space ship we’re in and its current inhabitants, knowing that what I’m about to say won’t exactly be private, but I’m running out of time and this needs to be said.
“Fin,” Omni replies, smiling brightly at me. I’m trying to look confident in my resolve, but I’m obviously failing as I see the moment the I’m-leaving-soon thought hits him. His smile falters. “I…”
“I’m coming with you.”
Every fanboy scientist is staring at me. Some in horror, others with what appears to be envy, but no one says a word.
“You can’t,” Omni states as if it’s a foregone conclusion. “You have a life here. Friends, family… I cannot—”
“Omni,” I interrupt, trying to block out the ugly thoughts bombarding my brain. It doesn’t work. My thoughts are stuckin a loop. Does he not want me to come? Does he have an alien girlfriend back on his ship? Maybe I was just a distraction and he prefers his bachelor life? Steadying myself with a deep inhale, I block out the negative conjecture and ask, “Do you want me to come with you or not?”
One of the scientists gasps. They’re all white middle aged men, which is as annoying as it is expected. I tried to get Lewis to bring Imani down here, but she looked at me like I was an idiot. Apparently, while Imani is a genius, she’s “the wrong kind of genius” for this task. So, while I’m surrounded by middle-aged white wieners who are infatuated by the fact that Omni is an alien, they equally hate him for being an alien. Not to mention he’s planning on taking their toy away.
Hurt flashes over Omni’s face. “Yes. I want you come, Fin. But is too dangerous. Garresh’s ally will not like me going to blockade. He will try stop me by all means necessary.”
Wait, did that mean he’ll try to have Omni shot down or something? That was not part of the plan! I open my mouth preparing to loudly voice out my protest but Omni suddenly pulls me into his tight embrace. “Please, Infinity. I need you safe. Even if far from me. I want you in life, every day. To rub your feet, watch television with you. I want to eat your cunt.” Multiple gasps echo through the shuttle and my cheeks flare with heat. Gently tilting my face back, Omni brings his lips to mine in a tender, slow kiss. A goodbye kiss. “Please, forgive me,” he whispers, pulling back. Then he motions to the guards by the door. “Take to her friends.”
To my utter shock, they nod, marching up to grab me by my arms before escorting me out. What the fuck? I’m going to kick Omni’s ass the next time I see him, and Iwillsee him, that is abso-fucking-lutely certain. I’m going with him into space and there’s nothing this entire base full of soldiers or even Omni himself can do to stop me.
Yanking my arm out of the uniformed soldier’s grip, I scowl up at him. “Take me to Colonel Lewis.”
“She’s in a meeting.”
“Do I look like I care?”
Exchanging confused glances with her buddy, the soldier shrugs. As we go through the maze of corridors, she talks quietly to someone over the radio. I can’t hear the words, but the result is obvious—a harried-looking Lewis is waiting for us at the next bend in the hallway. “What the fuck do you want?” she snaps.
“I need a favor.”
“A favor? A favor?! Are you kidding me?” Eyes closed, Lewis takes in a deep breath and once again it looks like she’s counting to ten. I’m no expert, but I don’t think someone with such temper issues should be in command of a super-secret military base. Perhaps she has other skills I don’t know about. “Fuck, I could count to a million and it wouldn’t do shit to calm me down.” Turning to face me like a mother at her wits end dealing with a recalcitrant child, she asks, “What can I do for you, Ms. Young?” Her smile is nothing short of saccharin-sweet again.
“I want to go with Omni.”
