Chapter 2

It had been several seconds since the firing had stopped outside the door. Both Darknok and Sarwin knew what that meant. The three Earthers were either dead or captured. Darknok hoped they were mercifully the former.

"Captain?"

He turned to his engineering officer.

"Yes, Lieutenant?

"Sir, we are the only ones left. The Grok will be blasting through the door any moment and while they prefer Earthers, they attack women of all species," she said, withdrawing the blaster from the small holster.

"Understood..."

"It has been a privilege serving with you, Sir"

"And you have served with honor Lieutenant..."

He searched for more to say, but there was nothing. His species paid compliments rarely so the Communications Officer knew what she had meant to him. Her respect and loyalty for her Captain had long since turned to unspoken love, a love which would die with her here, in the cold reaches of the edge of the galaxy.

"Captain, I..."

"No need for words Lieutenant."

"You... knew?"

"Yes."

"Could there ever have been..."

He walked to her, took her hand.

"Perhaps, Sarwin, perhaps."

"Too late," was all she could quietly stammer.

He leaned over and kissed her lightly, her eyes still entwined with his as the "phutt" of the blaster dulled her large orbs and she collapsed in his arms.

He laid her gently on the deck and walked quickly to the console, determined to complete his last mission.

"Captain," came a strange bass voice through the universal translator on his wrist communicator.

"This is Captain Darknok. Who is this?"

"I am Raynoor Tomalker, First Officer of the Grok Battle Cruiser Xatox."

"Better speak fast, you're about to have your atoms scattered across an entire sector."

"I am aware, Captain, of your Alliance detonators. They are not unlike our own... I propose we... negotiate."

"The Grok don't negotiate."

"What has occurred in the past does not necessarily have to be repeated in the present... or the future."

"What the Draggle are you talking about?"

"Captain, we have the three Earth women. I would prefer to speak... in private."

Darknok's instinct told him to simply press the button and send them all to their makers, but he was intrigued. Never before, in a single instance, had a Grok ever so much as hinted at any kind of compromise.

"Come alone and bring the Earthers with you."

"Understood, Captain."

Darknok stood poised, his finger over the detonator button as with his other hand, he pushed the release for the door to the bridge to open.

He could see several Grok troopers in the corridor as the door opened and, fearing a trick, his finger was poised to end it all, but they all retreated as a single Grok officer entered with the three women, all still dazed from stunner or blow.

There was immediately something different about this Grok, thought the Captain. Like the others he stood over eight feet tall, brimming with muscles, his face brutish, but, aside from the splendor of the uniform he wore as second in command of his ship, his eyes, his posture and demeanor characterized a nobility which Darknok had never seen in a Grok before

"Captain," he acknowledged.

"Are you all right?" asked Darknok of his three crew.

Dontil shook her head as if to clear it.

"... Yes, I... guess so, Captain."

"They haven't..."

"They have not been harmed, simply rendered unconscious so we might take them alive," assured the Grok officer.

"What do you want, Grok?"

"It's quite simple. You foiled our attempt to storm the bridge from the other corridor. I and my men want to live. You and your crew want to escape to Altarian space. I see no reason why both cannot be accommodated."

"Since when do the Grok make deals?"

"Captain, the Grok are the most ferocious fighters in the seven galaxies."

"I do not question your barbarity or savagery."

The Grok officer let the insult pass.

"In the past we have often been... inflexible, a trait that has not only earned us our reputation, but has, at times, proven a disadvantage to us as well. I have decided to alter that."

"Why you? Why not your Captain?"

"Two reasons. First the Wornok (UT - Admiral), although not afraid of death, sees no reason to risk his existence at your hand. He therefore stays aboard the Xatox. Besides, he and I do not exactly see eye to eye on what I am proposing. Secondly, and more important, I am not only First Officer of Xatox, I am also Raynoor Tomalker, son of Tiripodes VII, Czar of Grok."

"Oh so your Captain won't risk his own neck, but he's willing to risk the life of a son of the Czar?"

"I serve my planet and my Empire, Captain. Every Grok must serve in the military. I would be unworthy to someday become Czar of Grok if I were afraid of death."

"What do you propose?" asked Darknok cautiously.

"A simple trade. You refrain from activating your detonator and I will allow you to leave in an escape pod. Your trip to Altarian space will take a while at sub light speed, but I am sure you will agree, it is better than the alternative."

"My crew?"

"You and the three Earthers are all who remain alive. As you know Earth females are highly prized by..."

"They go with me!"

"Captain, let us be reasonable. My crew has been in space for an extended tour of duty. We have fought many battles, suffered many casualties, not unlike today, but this will be their first chance in over a galactic year for some... recreation."

The three women, cast worried looks at each other.

"No deal. They come with me!"

"Captain, I am new at this game of negotiation. Let us arrive at a mutual agreement. You may take one of the females with you for... companionship. The others will stay."

"I said, no!"

"All right then... leave one. Your ship is worthless to us. I must have something to offer the crew. "

Again, the three women exchanged glances. Vishi's mind was clearing and she was now racked with guilt for not having honored the pact which the three of them had made. No less afraid than the other two, she nevertheless was determined to honor that commitment now.

"Captain, I'll stay," she said, her voice weaker than she wanted.

The shock on the face of Raynoor was as great as that on Darknok, Dontil and Clovis.

"You would do that?" asked the amazed Grok of the attractive Earther.

"... yes..." she answered, able to look him in the eye only briefly.

"Does she know what that means?" he inquired of Darknok.

"She knows."

Raynoor stood before her and lifted her chin gently so that the two were eye to eye, he reading her unusual courage, she his unexpected compassion.

"In the past year I have done battle with many Earthers, men and women. Most have fought and died bravely, but never have I even heard of an Earth female willing to give herself into our hands."

"Bravery takes many forms, Grok," growled the Captain.

" You are a courageous woman, Vishi Andarus," he said, glancing at her ID badge.

The Grok and the Earther's eyes exchanged a moment of mutual admiration.

"I... I'll get my things, Captain," she said, willing herself not to falter, images of her ravishment already playing out in her mind.

"No, Ensign!" replied Darknok, looking back to Raynoor. "We all go or we all die."

The two, Grok and Nordqua stood eye to eye across the control console, their wills in silent conflict. At last Raynoor spoke.

"Very well. You drive a hard bargain Captain. Were it not for the fact that you now hold the upper hand..."

"But I do hold the upper hand, now don't I?" smirked Darknok.

"Yes, you do. Very well. You and the three Earthers may leave."

"Don't trust him Captain!" exclaimed Dontil, finally shaking off the effects of the stunner.

For the first time, the Grok bristled.

"Do I have your word, as an officer and member of the Grok royal family?" asked Darknok.

"Captain, don't do it! It's a trick," cried Dontil.

Darknok looked to his First Lieutenant. He had been unable to save the others. He had been unable to save Sarwin. His own life no longer mattered, but perhaps, just perhaps, he could save these three who, like the others, had put their complete faith in his abilities to bring them home safely.

His finger lifted off the button and it was at that moment that the door to the bridge opened and a Cylenium blast caught him full in the chest, scattering his heart and lungs all over the bulkhead behind, his lifeless body rebounding off that bulkhead and collapsing over the control console, ironically his lifeless fingers falling close to the detonator button.

Raynoor and the three Earth women, their mouths agape, turned to see Admiral Garmov Ensidor stride through the door, Cylenium rifle still in his hands. Standing almost a head taller than his First officer, the Admiral was an imposing figure indeed, huge, confident and ugly where there had been a trace of nobility in Raynoor.

"Nice work, Raynoor, you distracted him just long enough. Perhaps there is something to be said for this..."negotiation" after all!"

"Sir, I was not trying to distract him. I was trying to reach an agreement."

"Frakk! (UT translation unnecessary) He was Alliance. We do not negotiate with our enemies."

"Sir, there may come a time..."

"There will never come a time, Raynoor. You are of the royal family. Perhaps in the political arena you deal with such things. Here we fight wars. Here we do not negotiate... ever!"

He strode over to inspect the Earthers, Raynoor stepping back in deference.

His eyes met those of Vishi, who looked quickly away as he surveyed every docim (UT - equivilent of 1.345 inches) of his prize. Meena also felt her skin crawl as his eyes played up and down her body as well. Her eyes closed, simply unable to meet those of the seemingly omnipotent figure who towered above her. Only Anserk did not look away as he stepped in front of her, defiantly staring back into the huge black orbs, as her body was scrutinized.

Ensidor smiled. He reached out and in one powerful motion ripped the top of Anserk's uniform from her, her firm, full breasts exposed to the leering Admiral.

"Yes, this one will do nicely. I invoke Akqunoon Ishtai! (UT - First Penetration). The right of first penetration was technically reserved for the first warrior to enter the bridge of an enemy vessel, but no one was about to challenge Garmov Ensidor, Admiral-Isti Class of the Imperial Grok Space Fleet.

As his hand came up to painfully grasp her breast, Anserk spit in his face. Immediately two troopers stepped forward to administer the butts of their rifles, but the Admiral simply raised his finger. Two more troopers stepped forward and the four subdued the kicking, cursing woman, stripping her naked before releasing her.

Anserk backed away as the Admiral neared. She had been trained in hand to hand combat at the academy, but never had she expected to face someone almost three feet taller and outweighing her by over 270 pounds. They circled each other, Anserk in her fighting crouch as Vishi and Meena, each with a rifle to her back watched the one sided contest in horror.

As Ensidor made to move to his left, Anserk lashed out with a kick, behind which was her full body weight. The kick caught him full in the chest, yet it had no effect whatsoever, Anserk bouncing off the massive figure, falling to the floor and quickly getting to her feet again, real fear now evident in her eyes. Again he closed the distance and this time Anserk aimed for his genital area, only to break her ankle on the armor cup worn by the Admiral under the pants of his uniform. He smiled again as Anserk howled in pain, then hobbled onto one leg.

"Ready to submit?" he laughed.

"Never you bastard," she snarled.

He feinted to the right and Anserk, trying to hop into position to face him, lost her balance and fell back against the bulkhead. He was on her instantly, pinning her arms to the wall with one hand while the other first groped her nest then moved to grasp her chin and hold her resisting face looking up into his. He lowered his head to hers.

"You're dry Earther. Maybe you'd like to start by sucking my schtook."

"Go to hell!" cried Anserk biting his hand.

The Grok Admiral grunted and spun away, then in a move belying his size, he swiftly slapped her twice, driving her into a corner where she collapsed, dazed by the blows. He reached down, pulled her to her feet and began raining backhanded blows on the helpless woman. Blood began flowing from Anserk's nose and mouth and she screamed as the Grok grabbed and twisted her wrist, snapping it in three places. She tried to fight back with her good arm but it was futile. He began a series of body blows, aimed at her breasts and midsection, each taking the breath from the her and chipping away her will to fight. The blows were only moderate in strength, since a single blow at full power would have killed her almost instantly, yet the woman was taking a pummeling like few Earthers had ever experienced. Even the boxers of centuries ago seldom took such a beating before wisely falling to the canvas to be mercifully counted out.

"Ready to spread your legs, Earther!" he grinned, sardonically.

She had to gasp three times before getting enough air in he lungs to mutter, "never!"

He kicked her good leg, breaking it between knee and ankle. Anserk shrieked with the pain as he then forced her to stand on broken ankle and leg and receive a serious of punches which began as breathtaking and soon escalated into blows her body simply could not endure. He caught the collapsing woman and again pinned her against the bulkhead.

"Since we have been at war, I have made a study of the human body, Earther. Now feel this!!!!"

He jerked her arm dislocating her left shoulder, Anserk now approaching unconsciousness, her body no longer able to endure the physical torment.

Are you ready for my schtook now ?" he demanded.

The reply was weak, almost inaudible as she slunk once again to the floor.