Leaving Normal

This part dedicated to Magali and Blonde-Esistentialist for always being there

Michael’s head was pounding and waves of nausea rolled like the tides inside of his stomach.

“Michael, we’re all ready. I’ve checked the systems and they’re a go.” Alex sounded from the corridor. Alex was his best co-pilot. That man could fly this baby out of any kind of trouble. Plus he cooked, which was always nice to have on board, instead of the gruesome gruel Max and Kyle usually made.

Michael squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the band that had resumed marching on the inside of his skull. That witch had definitely put a curse on him. No doubt about it.

“You alright? You don’t look so good.”

“Ugh, I need some axtrix and a Snapple stat. Then I’ll be fine.” Wordlessly Alex dug around in his pockets and produced a packet of the Antarian pain relief and handed him the Snapple he had been drinking. “You are a legend. Are the prisoner’s quarters ready?”

“Yep, no windows, a 2 door locking system and there’s nothing in there that she can use to make a weapon.”

“And you’re absolutely sure about that? I’ve just had to chase her around the woods because somehow she’d managed to escape from the prison, on the 8th floor with 3 guards watching over her. That woman is a menace! She broke my nose.” Michael exclaimed, albeit a little petulantly and slumped down into a nearby seat, noisily swigging the Snapple and swallowing the axtrix, grimacing at the bitter taste the two created in his mouth.

Footsteps could be heard approaching the ship. It was Isabel, with Maria following her in restraints. Kyle and Max were behind Maria, all keeping a close eye, determined she didn’t attempt a 2nd escape before the ship lifted off. In space she definitely wouldn’t be able to leave…she had nowhere to go.

Michael stood up, wincing as the headache disagreed with his sudden movements. Maria noticed his face contort with pain and pounced upon it. She was terrified and couldn’t show any weakness to these aliens. She had no idea what Michael had done to her earlier and had no plan B to escape from here. Plus the blonde girl had a mean face.

“Geez spaceboy, I didn’t think I hurt you that badly. I am only a little girl after all. Aren’t you supposed to be some big-shot captain?”

Michael glared at the petite blonde whose eyes and lips and elbows had already caused him so much pain and confusion. “Look you…human!” He bellowed. “You are a prisoner. You will go to your quarters and not leave. Not until we get to Antar and the Court takes your annoying presence off my hands. Then finally we will all be rid of you, one less human to screw Earth up for the rest of us.” He felt old, tired and unbelievably weary. Sitting back down, he spoke slowly, quietly and to the floor, “Isabel, please take the prisoner into her quarters and inform her that dinner will be at exactly nineteen hundred hours.”

Isabel saluted, with only a hint of sarcasm and tugged Maria down the adjoining corridor to her room. Kyle and Max walked to the canteen, giving meaningful glances towards Alex as they passed, communicating their own worry at Michael’s uncharacteristic behaviour.

Alex was deeply concerned; he had never seen Michael so worked up over a woman before, especially a human. Or see him act so childishly. Whoever this Maria was, she must definitely be quite interesting to have such power over his captain.

Michael continued to stare into the empty space between himself and his co-pilot. “I don’t think we should have taken this job. I don’t trust her. She…there’s something going on with her…” Michael looked up helplessly into Alex’s probing gaze. “I have a bad feeling about all of this.”

Alex put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Your Uncle wouldn’t have given this job to you if he really thought it was too dangerous. You’re just tired, your pride is little bruised and it’s been a stressful day. Go lie down and I’ll wake you before dinner.”

Michael smiled and gave a slight nod. The closest thing he had to a mother was Alex. He often teased him, calling him “Mother Hen” and caustically asked if he will tuck him in at night. But after a day like today, it secretly felt nice to have someone else worry about his well-being. Isabel used to do that...until…well…until she changed. He trudged up to his own quarters and promptly fell asleep on top of his bed.

Maria studied her room; a double bed in the corner, a bookcase with a few books on the shelves, a bathroom adjoining and a wardrobe for her clothes. Spartan was an understatement. There was a small porthole window above her bed, too small for her to climb through, but at least she would see the stars.

Isabel watched Maria look around and was disappointed; she was a lot smaller than what Isabel had imagined. The stories she’d heard…Maria had sounded like an Amazon of a woman; tall…strong…a warrior. Instead, she looked small, delicate and as dangerous as a kitten.

Antarian women were built strong; they equally matched the men in size, agility and combat skills. She was so surprised when they came to this planet and saw such diversity; tall, short, fat, thin, black, brown, white… it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. From what she had gathered in her Human Popular Culture classes, wars were fought over their differing colours and many men and women wanted to look the same anyway.

Hundreds of magazines all depicted what she’d thought at first were the same people; tall thin blonde women…tall tanned dark males…essentially, what the Antarians looked like. It did make her laugh.

“So you’re Maria DeLuca huh? Thought you’d be taller.”

Maria rolled her eyes; she had heard that line often, even from the Antarian judges. Just like everyone else they underestimated her because of her size, her petite frame. They assumed the rumours of her deeds were highly exaggerated but they quickly learned.

“What a surprise.” Maria shot back and threw herself angrily on the bed. She was stuck here. She couldn’t believe it. Stuck on an alien ship, for god knows how long, with that butthole of a captain and a tattooed lesbian for female company. “How long am I going to be stuck here?”

Isabel lit up a cigarette, ignoring a deadly glare from Maria. “Two weeks. Give or take.”

“Two weeks? Two fucking weeks?! Here? No way. No way. You’re aliens! With alien technology! Can’t you zip it up a bit?” As Maria started to pace, her mind coolly assessed the information Isabel was feeding her. It was a classic trick; act up an emotional breakdown, be panicked and helpless and they drop their guard. Then hit them with something heavy.

“A little eager to be sent to your death aren’t ya...I have to admit I am disappointed. I expected more of a fight from you.” Isabel watched as the girl she once idolised start to hyperventilate.

“I just can’t stay here. Not with you cold blooded monsters, not with that dildo of a captain. If you’re going to kill me, then just kill me. Why add the torture?”

“Its protocol. You have animal ethics on your planet, so do we. Anyway, with your barbaric technology we wouldn’t even get to Antar before you shrivelled up and died of old age. Two weeks is zipping it.”

Isabel glanced down to put out her cigarette and Maria readied herself for the perfect moment.

Now!

Maria leaped soundlessly into the air and delivered a spinning roundhouse kick to Isabel’s head and Isabel flew sideward and hit the opposing wall. Maria smiled. It worked every time. But as Isabel got up, Maria’s smile faded, now, that didn’t usually happen.

“You little bitch!” Isabel roared as her head throbbed with pain. She ran towards Maria, quicker than Maria had anticipated and felt Isabel’s fist connect with her jaw, splitting her lower lip.

“Now, now,” Maria taunted as she wiped away the blood, “wouldn’t want to beat up the livestock. I’d expect Antar wants me in one piece.”

Coldly, Isabel smirked. “Accidents happen. Besides got two weeks to heal.”

They circled each other warily.

Maria made the first move and Isabel retaliated. Maria had learned many forms of martial arts which had worked to her advantage as she grew to be just over 5ft in stature. As all Antarians were tall, Maria knew exactly how to use their size against them.

As angry as Isabel was, she was in awe of the grace Maria exuded as she fought; the swift but devastating blows were like a dance performance compared to the blunt and brutal way of fighting that was taught in Antar.

After, they both stopped; bloody, bruised and neither gaining the upper hand. As they stared at each other, they started to laugh and a mixture of respect and hesitant admiration crept into their eyes.

“What the fuck!” Alex shouted from the doorway.

Isabel and Maria’s heads whipped around and laughed even harder at Alex’s horrified expression.

“Chill out Opie, got it under control.” Isabel grinned and looked at Maria. “Man, so glad that you live up to your rep’, was almost disappointed.”

“As are most people, at first.” Maria laughed even more, feeling a little light headed from the fight.

She looked over at Isabel and at the two other male soldiers who had joined the doorway but they all looked strangely far away, like she was looking through the bottom of a glass milk bottle. Maria frowned and stumbled slightly. “I don’t feel so…” Darkness overwhelmed her and the last thing she saw was the floor rising to meet her face.

Red.

All he could see was red.

Charged and thirsty for blood.

Gunfire could be heard in the distance.

Explosions everywhere. Deafening. Ringing in his ears.

Flickering lights of flames as fire engorged and overwhelmed the world he looked upon.

Then all he could see was a large pair of eyes watching him amidst this madness, the eyes shifted between the familiar haunting blue that followed him in this re-occurring nightmare to a shocking green. That green…where did he know that green from?

Someone was screaming through the noise. It was chilling; the screaming was raw and went on forever. It bled death and anger and fear and grief.

Michael!

A voice was calling him from outside this raging hell…

Michael!

The voice was loud and vaguely familiar…

Michael!

Michael shot up from his bed and had one hand firmly clasped around a throat, squeezing it without mercy or malice as his head shook the harrowing images away.

“Mmigrrgle!!” Alex attempted to speak as his throat was being crushed and tapped Michael on the arm that was assaulting him.

Michael’s eyes opened a little more and saw who he was really fighting. “Fuck, Alex I’m sorry.” Michael quickly let go of Alex and watched as he fell to a heap on the floor. “You alright? I thought you knew not to do that! Remember last time?”

Alex nodded a little as he wheezed, desperately trying to catch his breath. “Was my fault.” He croaked. “I should have remembered.” He lent clumsily against the wall as colour returned to his cheeks. “Dinner’s ready. Thought you might be hungry. Oh and our prisoner is in the medic bay, unconscious because her and Isabel decided to beat each other to a bloody pulp.”

“What!” Michael sprinted out of his bedroom and down the metal corridor with Alex hot on his heels.

The medic bay contained three beds and a quarantine area, along with the regular medical equipment for both Antarian and Human. Wars had been fought in this ship and there were still the occasional missions, so Michael kept the area stocked with supplies.

He burst into the room and saw Isabel sat on a table, with an unconscious Maria on the table next to her. Michael stopped short for a moment, speechless at the state Isabel’s face was in. One eye was blackened and painfully swollen, her bottom lip was split and bruises spread from her jaw to her temple.

Maria’s was no better, but because of her delicate structure, the bruises and blood looked worse on her face, as if Isabel had attacked a child instead of a dangerous convict. Michael felt another odd pull of emotion as he looked down at Maria’s still form.

“Jesus Isabel! Why didn’t you call for backup! We have one fucking job to do on this ship and that’s get the prisoner to Antar safely. Not beat her unconscious!” Michael ran his hands through his hair, desperately trying to hold on some sense of control.

“Yeah Isabel!” Kyle interjected, “Why didn’t you tell us a catfight was going on! We missed all the fun.” He pouted, utterly disappointed.

“Don’t worry Michael. She’s fine, just a little dehydrated.” Isabel said, wincing as she spoke. “Didn’t need no back up, had it under control. ‘Sides, all Dumb and Dumber would have done was cheer it on. Though, if she’s fainted then I’ve definitely won that round.”

Alex’s eyes widened, “That round?! What do you mean ‘that round’, why was there a ‘round’ in the first place! By the time I got there, you were just bleeding and laughing with each other.”

Michael frowned. “Laughing? What were you doing laughing? You never laugh! Especially with humans.”

Isabel shrugged. “That Maria girl aint bad. She got some incredible fighting skills. We sort of understand each other now. Anyway, she’ll live and I’ll live.”

“Well you said it wouldn’t be boring.” Max laughed and clapped Michael on the back. “Let’s go and have some food.”

Michael’s eyes never moved from Maria. “You go; someone has got to watch her and make sure she doesn’t try to escape again.”

The others resumed on to the canteen, talking amongst themselves while Michael sat quietly next to her table, still careful that they did not touch.

“You know,” He murmured, “you have been a major pain in my ass and it’s only the first day. You haunt me, dive on me, break my nose, electrify me with your weird mojo and beat up my sister. I can’t trust you around any part of my ship. I can’t even trust you with your own damn guard.” Michael sighed and stared at her, how could something so small be so powerful?

Maria started to stir, her eyes opened slowly and widened as they saw Michael’s face peering down at her. “What the hell happened? You better not have…y’know…done the Alien Alakazam on me again! Damn aliens.” She gestured wildly as she sat up on the table. “And what’s all this? Is this where you abduct people? Or because you’ve conquered the planet, that’s all done with now is it?”

“Me?! You’re the one who cursed me; I have done nothing to you!” He suddenly realised how close his face was to hers and a shot of lust sent him nearly groaning as he took in her darkened eyes, her swollen lips and her sexy messy hair.

“Look, buddy,” Maria raised a finger and waved it threateningly in the air, as if warding off the insane animal magnestism between them, “you need to get your facts straight. I’m no witch, so whatever delusions you have up there in your warped brain, keep them and your hands to yourself, alright?” She struggled off of the table and walked away defiantly, chin in the air, and down the right hand side corridor.

“Oh, genius! Your room is the other way.” Michael called out after her.

“Your ship sucks.” She grumbled as she passed him again, with her chin still in the air.

“And so do you!” He shouted back, a small smile played about his lips. Max was right; no matter what, these two weeks certainly wouldn’t be boring.

Authors Note: Sorry if it's been a little long, though another part in under a year, that isn't too bad for me hehe and its a long one!

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Shelle: Thanks for the fb, glad you're enjoying it! I really hoped it would sizzle, but when you're writing it you can never tell lol.

Blonde-Existentialist: Hehe yeah I thought I'd just cut to the chase there. lmao shenanegains, such a fantastic word! Thanks for constant fb.

cjsl8ne: Lol yeah though Maria and her mother are pretty scary on the show lol.

Magali: I love how you always leave questions, it's brilliant :D I would say there is more yes, probably connected to the dreams he has too.

elaine451: Wow a new reader, thats great :D im so glad you like it! and thanks for the compliment on the dialogue, i work really hard at that and i never know if it sounds right to others. im welsh and we do have a habit of our sentences sounding backwards. a bit like yoda. lol. Yes, I can definitely tell you that Liz will appear. Hope you liked isabel in this.

Shar82204: Thanks for the feedback, hope you liked the new part!

Allie: Lol, updating now. sorry if it wasn't soon enough XD

eNough89: I have to admit, I don't usually read unfinished either, unless its overly compelling but I'm glad you stumbled on mine! Thank you so much for the feedback! Hope this new Long part satisfies you for the time being.

bigmak: Thanks for the fb!