This is my first original story ever and rather nervous about posting it. This has been edited to the best of my ability, enjoy.

Warnings: M. Slash. Sci-fi/Romance.

Chapter One.


Zyobi stood looking out the window of a space station. He stared in the direction of where his home once was galaxies away. A home, he knew only from what his older siblings had told him, a home that had been filled with lush plants, wildlife, cool lakes and the deepest of oceans. It was hard to imagine being surrounded by cold metals, death and sickness in the blackness of space.

"They finally let you out," Suya approached with a huge fanged grin. "Thought your sister might have jettisoned you off the station for that stunt you pulled." The sandy haired, yellow eyed Sakari towered over Zyobi not only in height but muscle mass as well.

Zyobi glanced away from the window and the billions of stars. He fell into step at the other's side and headed down the corridor away from the Elder's Chamber. "She almost had me removed from battle if it wasn't for Remoriu." Zyobi smiled to himself, his older brother always held a softer spot for him.

Zyobi's metallic bracelet on his wrist started to flash. He lifted it frowning at the message to report to the medic bay, "strange how I had only reported in days ago."

"More have come down with the sickness." Suya informed him. "We are losing good fighters and family members. With the way it's going, if the war doesn't kill us off the sickness sure will and there will be none of us left to worry about finding a new home."

"We weren't meant to live like this," Zyobi muttered, his dark wine red eyes narrowing. "Surrounded by all this," he gestured to the station walls surrounding them.

"The Council has ordered special teams to finding a suitable home; two planets have been made top priority." There was a small note of hope in Suya's voice. "We could be once again surrounded by open fields and forests so thick you can't move." It was harder on Suya; he was old enough to remember the world they left behind.

"How do you know all this?" Zyobi hissed up at him, grey ears flicked forward.

"My sister and yours are friends." Suya reminded him.

The ears on top of Zyobi's head flatted at the mention of his sister. Suya's sister Yeder could never keep the secrets Onazel confided in her. "She isn't privileged to such information."

"Relax." Suya laughed. "You're too uptight." Both Zyobi and Suya sidestepped a group of Medics running towards them and down the corridor. "I also heard that the Elders called upon you this morning something about having found you a compatible mate." He nudged Zyobi, who stopped walking.

"Yeah, they did." Zyobi averted his eyes.

"So," Suya pressed eager to know, who his best friend would be stuck with for the rest of his life. "Who is it?" Suya ran off the names of single females on the station for a full five minutes.

"Enit." Zyobi said cutting him off.

"What?!" Suya yelled.

Zyobi shook his head. "Most of the females have been taken off-duty weeks ago and placed in the Breeding program."

"So they matched you up with the historian scroll keeper. I smell your sister is behind this." Suya hissed his fangs bared and ears flattened.

"Enit is good and kind, and it's not like he's a complete stranger or anything, I do know him."

"Yeah, we all know him, what is he like a million years your senior?" Suya growled.

"Seven hundred," Zyobi said in a level tone. He didn't like the idea of being forced to mate with someone. Zyobi's sister enforced it, worried that the sickness would soon take told of him.

"They could have chosen someone closer to your age." They started walking again.

"It's not like there is a huge range of compatible mates available to pick from. I'm lucky to have been chosen at all to be someone's mate, not everyone is called upon these days... and I don't want to be alone forever." Zyobi suddenly cried out in pain as his white ear was pulled raising him up on his toes.

"Cut the crap, you live for this war; no historian or your sister will change your mind." Suya lent in inches away from Zyobi's face still holding onto his ear by his claws. "Besides, you've never mentioned anything about wanting a mate before." Suya narrowed his eyes. "I don't think it's even crossed your mind before that meeting you had... did they brainwash you?"

"Zyobi?" They both glanced over to see Enit standing there in his long dark robes. His long black hair ended at his waist, his intense silver eyes watching them. No, Enit wasn't watching them. He was watching Suya with a hard cold glare.

"Speak of the Scholar." Suya snorted letting Zyobi go, "If you mate with him Zyobi you'll never see a battle again. Your sister is making sure of that." Suya turned on his heels and headed for the landing bay with a wave.

Zyobi rubbed at his ear as he approached his, future mate. "Suya's had a bad morning." Despite being in the Council Chambers that morning Zyobi hadn't realized that Enit was so tall that he had to glace upwards.

"I know you're busy so I'll make it short." Enit cleared his throat. "Would you join me for the evening meal? To talk and get to know each other on a more personal level before we commence the mating ritual."

Zyobi's ears flattened, he wanted to refuse but couldn't, he needed to talk to his sister again. If his brother and sister could refuse mates then why couldn't he. Enit was good and kind, he'd find other possible mates. "Sounds good," Zyobi forced a smile; he'd see his sister before their evening meal.

"Alright then," Enit nodded. His chest puffed out sounding rather proud and happy with the outcome, "my chamber tonight." Zyobi nodded. "Until then," the shorter Sakari flushed as he was suddenly engulfed in a hug by the much larger male. Zyobi closed his eyes taking in the scent of the other. Enit smelled of nothing. Zyobi's eyes shot open as Enit cupped his face and placed a kiss to his lips.

"Take care Zyobi." The taller male ran his thumb over Zyobi's cheek and pulled away; he turned and headed back the way he had come. Zyobi placed his claws over his lips for a moment... yes; Enit was good and kind and would make a good... Shaking his head and remembering that he was meant to be on duty a few minutes go. Zyobi entered the landing bay to find half the stations fighters at work, doing repairs to starfighters and building new ones.

"Thought you'd never joins us." Suya approached him.

A small group rushed between Suya and Zyobi. "They get younger and younger every year." Zyobi shook his head ignoring his friends comment and watching youths barely out of training, run about the landing dock; some of them looked barely old enough to have been taken away from their life bearers. War wasn't prejudice when it came to age or gender; every able body was called to duty.

"Someone has to replace us old ones." Suya patted his back and cringed with a fast apology and yanked his hand away.

"It's fine." Zyobi rolled his shoulders. "I'm healed now and active for duty."

"How's Esa?"

"Repaired and back to her humourless self." Zyobi glanced towards his ship that sat by the entrance of the landing bay.

"That ship has one hell of a personality and a twisted attraction to you." Suya shook his head.

"All ships are like that with their fighters." Zyobi reminded him. "They are a living organism after all."

"Mine hates me. I think Orin tried to kill me once by cutting off my life support." Suya growled his ears flicked about on his head in an irritated way.

"You argue too much with..." They both fell silent as orders boomed around them.

'The Nezu are attacking! All available fighters report for duty. All available fighters report for duty. The Nezu are attacking!'

Zyobi sighed. "That's us."

"Time to get a little payback," Suya ginned.

"Don't we always," Zyobi replied.

"Watch your back." Suya waved turning and jogged away shouting orders as he approached his ship the Orin.

"Captain!" A small voice yelled above the noisy chaos. "Captain!" Zyobi turned about and spotted a child running at him, dark pink curly hair, matching ears and eyes. "Captain, I'm your new navigator, Thui." She came to a stop and saluted him, "Reporting for duty, sir." She held out her wrist to be scanned.

She only looked a couple of seasons old. "Go home to your life bearer." Zyobi brushed her off, he had the highest casualty rate on the base when it came to navigators. The last battle, he barely made it out alive himself. Esa was all he needed in battle. He programmed her himself to be his navigator and to think as one.

"Can't sir, the Nezu wiped out the Thashkarai about a month ago while I was on a reconnaissance mission ... everyone I know is dead sir," she frowned determination in her voice, "I finished top of my class, from battle strategies to hand to hand combat sir. I've done eight live battles. I just want payback sir. I want to kill them all!"

Zyobi sighed it was the same story of everyone here; they had once been such a peaceful race and now, killing the enemy darkened every mind. "Yeah, yeah, settle down." Zyobi grumbled as he swiped his wrist over hers, and all information darted across his thick electronic wrist band. "No saluting, drop the sir and don't let me down. Let's go." Zyobi waved at her to follow.

"Yes sir!" Thui rushed after him.

Zyobi dropped down into his seat as the ship came to life. Vine like cables slinked from the back of his seat, the sides and up from the floor attached themselves to parts of his body. 'Welcome Zyobi.' It spoke in a soft automated feminine voice. 'I've missed you.'

"Ready for battle, Esa?" Zyobi watched as Thui landed in her seat in front of him and instantly accessed Esa's systems.

'A new navigator, Zyobi?' Thui yelped in pain as the vine like cables darted a little too harshly into parts of her body and the screen the young female had accessed went black and vanished, the ship shut down.

"Esa, be nice I'm following orders." The ship didn't respond. "Esa?" Zyobi growled. "No time to be jealous."

'Navigator Thui acknowledged.' Esa spoke again, the ship restarted. 'Let's see if she's better than me.'

"Systems on-line, weapons and engines are a go." Zyobi flicked switches. "How are you feeling Esa?"

'Getting used to the new body, Zyobi.' It replied in a level tone. 'Speed is up by twenty percent, hyper jump charge decreased by ten seconds. I'm now the fastest ship on the station.'

Zyobi grinned, "is that boasting I hear in your voice?"

'Not at all captain I'm incapable of such emotions.' Zyobi snorted at her comment. 'And congratulations on getting your compatible mate, captain.'

"Esa, stay out of my personal files." Zyobi ordered knowing he would only be ignored.

'Yes, Captain.'

"Course plotted for Selay galaxy," Thui spoke up. "The report is in; three Nezu fleets are headed in our direction. Orders from command; seek and destroy all enemy ships. This will be an easy battle." Zyobi opened a channel to the command centre. "This is captain Zyobi of the Esa we are ready for launch." He put his head back and the seat moved like a huge hand it engulfed his head creating a helmet and visor, Zyobi's hands slid into the armrests that ended at his elbows, fusing parts of his body to the organism that was his ship. Five hundred ships launched from the space station at once, each ship leapt into hyper space.


When they had reached their destination and came out of hyper jump they were suddenly face to face with fifteen of Nezu's space stations and their entire fleet. Was this a trap? Zyobi growled. Intelligence rarely shared all they knew, but surely they would have told them of the numbers.

Not very long into the battle they had lost over three hundred or so ships. It looked like the Nezu were moving their entire colony. 'Incoming transmission from the Orin,' Esa informed opening the channel.

'Zyobi,' Suya's voice filled the cabin. 'I'm calling a retreat before everyone is...' the line went dead.

"Suya! Suya?!" Zyobi growled. "Esa, track the Orin." Zyobi blasted his way through a small blockade, taking out three of the enemy ships; the other five turned and followed him.

'The Orin has been destroyed no escape pod was deployed. I'm sorry Zyobi.' The ship shook with the blasts from the enemy that was on his tail.

'Shields are at forty percent. One more direct hit and we are done.' Esa informed.

"I know, I know." Thui growled, her fingers moved over the screen with precise fast movements through the battle. "There are too many of them!"

"Just a little longer Thui." Zyobi took out another enemy fighter before his ship.

'All ships are to retreat!' Came the orders from the command centre. Thui manoeuvred the ship to dodge debris and enemy fire, while Zyobi defended the ship with open fire.

"A little late. Thui, get us out of here!" Zyobi barked at her.

"Course plotted for..." The whole ship shook violently; smoke and gases filled the cabin with ear-piercing sirens. 'Hull has been breached. Life support systems damaged. Weapons unresponsive. Support shield in place.'

Zyobi screamed as bits of metal from the ship were embed in his side and shoulder, blood soaked his suite. "Thui?" Zyobi gasped wanting to know if she was alright. "Thui!?" He got a glimpse of the young female slouched over the control panel that was covered in her blood. "Esa, activate hyper jump!" Zyobi ordered and watched on his visor as five gliders approached him preparing to fire. "NOW!" Zyobi yelled.

Everything froze for a second before jumping into hyper space with a small blast of energy, the stars blurred in slim lights as they speed through the galaxy. Zyobi dislodged the helmet from his head and ripped off both his sleeves and tied them together; he gritted his teeth and pulled out the long bit of metal from his side with a pained scream. Taking deep breaths and fighting off unconsciousness. "Command centre, this is the Esa, I've taken extensive damage, my navigator is dead." Zyobi wrapped the makeshift bandage about his waist and yanked the other bit of metal from his shoulder. "Command centre respond!" Zyobi cursed when nothing happened. "Esa..." He trailed off as it became hard to breathe and the ejector light flashed brightly at him... nothing worked, he was dead in space and no one knew he was alive.

The edges of Zyobi's vision started to darken and moving became too hard.

'Activating escape pod.' Esa announced in her level voice. His seat expanded out like it took a deep breath and swallowed him whole. 'It was an honour knowing you, Zyobi.' Esa bid her farewell. The black seed like pod shot out of the ship at top speed as Zyobi fell into unconsciousness.

Few moments later his ship the Esa exploded.


To be Continued.

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