Chapter 3

Elina

The first thing I noticed was the buzzing sound of machines and something beeping, like one of those machines at a hospital. My head is throbbing, my mouth is dry as the Sahara and I feel nauseous. What happened? The last thing I remember? Hmm…. It was an ordinary weekday evening. I didn’t drink anything, right? No, I’m sure I just went to bed as usual. Why do I have a hangover? Am I at a hospital?

Trying to open my eyes, I quickly close them again against the bright light. Ugh, I feel queasy. ”Amanda!” I called for my roommate. My voice sounds and feels like I’ve been out having the time of my life. I’ve never blacked out from alcohol before, but I can’t remember even drinking. “Amanda! What did you give me?” I shout as loud as my voice allows which is not very loud. It comes out like a raspy, broken croak.

“Aaa, thee have woken up, human female.” A squeaky voice says. A squeaky voice that is not Amanda. So I am at a hospital or what?

Opening my eyes, squinting at the bright light, I look towards the voice. I have no idea what I’m looking at. I blink several times trying to understand what it is? It looks like a big guinea pig on two legs and without fur. Am I on drugs?

It is about four feet tall, its eyes are small and light yellow in color and the skin is a light pink with some large darker spots. Its mouth is wide across its snout and the nose is a darker color than the skin. It’s face is wrinkled like an old person, so it has to be an older version of whatever thing it is. The head is long and sticks out in an unusual way in the back, like the head was too short to fit everything that should be in there. On the head the creature has short grey hair with a large bald spot on the top. 

The creature has a long body and arms but short legs and long feet. The body is wide and a little chubby, like it really likes its food. It is dressed in a light blue shirt that stretches over its tummy, light grey trousers and a white overcoat like a doctor. On its chest sits a card with the creature's picture and something written in letters I can’t read.

“Me name is Skillys.” The creature says with something that could resemble a smile. The front teeth almost look like those of rodents and they have a slight orange tint to them. My jaw has fallen into my lap and I know I’m staring but I can't help it. After a short paus it continues. “Do thee have a name, human female?”

I try to say something but the only thing that comes out is a strangled noise. What is that? It looks hideous. Is this some kind of candid camera? Did Amanda do this? I narrow my eyes at the creature and then suspiciously look around the room. I look around the room taking in the light grey walls. I’m lying on a hospital bed in the middle of the room up against the inner wall. Opposite from my bed there seems to be a sliding door leading out of the room. On one wall there is a counter with a sink and several strange machines. Next to the bed is a small table and next to that is the beeping machine, which I’m wired to. I’m dressed in a large white hospital gown and nothing else. Not even panties. And I am covered by a white blanket.

“Me can see that thee are still a little shocked.” A little? “Thee are currently on a Galdrian battleship orbiting the third planet from thee’s home planet. Thee are the first human us have brought here for testing. Us is very excited.” The creature does one of those strange smiles again. “Us have searched several different galaxies to find a species that resembles the Galdrians as much as thees species.”

I gave the creature a distrustful look while I got up in a seating position. I do not resemble it at all. I sit up and the blanket falls down around my waist. “What do you want from me?” I managed to crackle. Clearing my throat. “I’m thirsty” I add.

“Of course. Me forgot. That should be from the sedative us gave thee for the journey and the operation when me put thee’s translator in.”  The creature moves as quickly as it can on its stubby legs to the side of the room to collect a pitcher with clear liquid and a tall glass and bring it to the small table next to my bed. Its hands are small but the fingers are long with neatly trimmed nails. “This will help. Don’t worry. It is only liquid to quench thee’s thirst and still thees hunger until thee is well to eat. It will help with the nausea as well.”

I take a small sip of the liquid as I ponder what to say. It tastes fruity and a little sweet and very good. I quickly empty the whole glass and reach out for the pitcher to fill the glass again. “What translator?” Is the first question I decide to ask. 

“The translator is operated into thee’s ear. It translates mees language so that thee can understand. It is a very helpful invention that makes it possible to communicate even when the language differs.” It takes a short pause before continuing.

“Aha.” I nod and pretend that I find it fascinating. “So… Did Amanda put you up to this? It’s a really genuine costume you’re wearing.” I decided to get right to the point. I have no energy for some stupid prank. The creature looks confused by my outburst.

“I promise thee that this is not a costume.” He says.

“I’m really not in the mood for pranks so just stop it right now.” I give the guinea pig a stern glare.

“This is not a prank, human female. I promise thee that.” He says nervously as he wrings his long fingers together. “This is very much true. Thee is here because the Galdrian people need females to breed with-” The creature continues and I choke on the drink, spurting it all over the blanket that covers my legs. “Are thee alright?” He says with concern at my coughing.

“Come again?” I ask the creature as the coughing slows down. My eyes are as big as saucers as I look at him, or it, or whatever I should sort it out as.

“Thee have been brought here to breed with a Galdrian. Us need to see if thees species are compatible with the Galdrian people. Them are-”

“Whow! Hold your horses now, little rodent! I’m not breeding anything at all!” I feel the irritation and anger flare in my chest. “Now stop this charade! I am not enjoying it at all. If You  are looking from somewhere Amanda, you have had your laugh.”

“As me said, this is not a prank. Thee is on a Galadrian spaceship called The Royal Vorian. At the moment we are in orbit of the planet humans call Saturn.”

Saturn? That certainly isn’t around the block. But there is no chance this is the truth! RIght?! I look around the room and feel the panic take over. My heart starts beating a hundred miles a minute as and here how the beeping on the machine quickly catches up. It feels like there is not enough air in the room and the room is getting smaller every second. Then as fast as it came the feeling goes away and I feel relaxed again. I look at the creature which now stands next to a tube going into my arm and a needle in hand.

“Me is giving thee something to help keep thee calm so thee does not faint.” It smiles at me and puts away the needle when it's done. Then it gives me a pointed look. “Now let me start by saying that me is not a rodent. Me is a Farnder. Farnders are a species that are highly specialized in science and us have been assigned by the Intergalactic Committee to find a suitable species for the Galdrians to breed. Since the disease came to their planet hundred years ago the female population has decreased to only ten percent. Them are in big need for a compatible species to survive.”

The creature falls into silence to let me digest what it has told me. At least it’s not the rodent I’m supposed to breed. I sincerely hope the Galdrians look better than this thing. Not that I’m planning to breed them anyways.  “What disease?” Is the only thing I ask from all the information, trying to focus my thoughts.

“Us have not found the cure for it. The disease has probably been made in a laboratory and then released as a means to extinct the Galdrian people. It only affects the female, makes the female sick and unable to reproduce and eventually they die. Us have found that the males can carry the disease without symptoms and all has to be tested before them get to meet with a female. The Galdrian are fierce warriors that are strictly loyal to the Intergalactic Committee and what them stand for. The Intergalactic Committee needs the Galdrians for protection of more peaceful species and therefor has decided to let a group of Farnders to aid them in finding new females.”

I nod in silence as I listen and try to figure out what to do with my situation. “So…. Then you just decide to kidnap a human to use as a guinea pig in your breeding program? No question, no possibility to refuse?” I can feel anger rising in my chest, and tears form in my eyes. Why do I always weep when I get angry?! I clear my throat and blink back the tears. “What about my rights? What if I don’t want to breed these Galdrians?” My voice comes out stronger but I can still hear the slight shaking.

“The Intergalactic Committee had to make a tough decision after all other attempts had failed. Us have tried other species, to breed them in artificial uterus and them have been breeding them females as much as possible. The situation has reached a critical level and us need a solution fast.” The creature gives me a hopeful smile trying to smooth over the kidnapping and using me as a breeding horse. “To reduce genetic disease them need fresh females. The Intergalactic Committee gave us the clear to find a species on a lesser planet and bring-” 

“Let me stop you right there. Lesser planet? I am not a lesser being!” Not only has he kidnapped me but he insults me by calling me a lesser being?

“No, human female. That is not what us means. A lesser planet is a planet that has not reached out into space yet. For thees planet it is because thees species is young. The human seems to be a highly intelligent species.” The creature silently observes me with its small hands linkt in front of its chubby stomach.

“And if I refuse all this?” I give the creature a pointed look that says I’m not gonna fall into line with any of this.

“Us have placed a lot of time into choosing thee.” The creature gives me a big toothy smile and says “ And thee are already here, so let us try. The Galdrians are similar to thee’s species and after research on thee’s information forum us have found that thee should find them attractive after thee have gotten used to thees differences.”

My anger spikes again. “You can not take someone from their home, from their family and friends, bring them out in space and tell them to breed some alien!” I yell at the creature, then I fall back onto the bed with a sign. I wonder if anyone has realised that I’m gone yet. At least my job will know when I don’t appear in the morning. Amanda usually sleeps till noon so she won't miss me until the evening. “How long have I been here?”

“For seven earth days.”

A week? Poor Amanda. She must be worried. And I’m sure Mr. Mason will fire me when I come back. I suddenly feel exhausted. “I want to be left alone and sleep.”

“Of course, human female.”

“Elina. My name is Elina.”

“Very well, human named Elina. Me will leave thee to rest and will send Nim with something to eat. Nim is mees mate from many years back.” With a smile and small bow of its head Skillys stubble off to the sliding door. By the door he climbs up a small stool and fiddles with a panel next to it, dimming the light.

I kept an eye on him the whole time to see how he would open the door. Pressing the largest button in the lower corner the door opened, he jumped down and with one last look in my direction he left me alone in the room. Considering how large the door is and the height of the panel the Galdrians are probably taller than the Farnders.

I lay in silence listening for any noise that may indicate another living being. The only noise is the beeping and buzzing from the machine next to me. Silently I got out of the bed, removed all tubes and wires, the beeping now becoming a constant long beep. Frantically I search the machine to find an off button, before deciding to just pull the plug. I guess I just died. I think to myself with a smirk. Tiptoeing barefoot to the door I put my ear against it and listened again. I can not hear anything from outside so, holding my breath, I take my chances and press the button to open.

Outside the room is a long hallway stretching in both directions. The walls are the same light grey as the room I’m in. I can see that there are different colored doors along the walls and they seem to have some symbols on them. I don’t hear any indication that there is anyone, or anything, in the hallway, so taking a deep breath I decide to go to the right.

The hallway stretches on and there doesn’t seem to be any end to it. I keep sneaking forward as quietly as I can, stopping from time to time searching for any indication that I’m not alone any more.

After walking for about 5 minutes I see that the hallway opens up to a larger area. I stop at the corner and listen for noise. It’s still quiet so I carefully look around the corner. It is a large open area with chairs, tables and couches. Along one of the walls there is a counter with a sink and a large cabinet that looks somewhat like a fridge, but what catches my eye are the large windows that cover one of the walls. Outside the window all I can see is the black of space and a variety of dots that must be stars and far away planets.

Slowly I creep out from my hiding behind the corner and make my way to the window. It is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen and at the same time the most frightening. Is it true? Am I really on an alien spaceship in the middle of outer space?

***