Terran Attraction

By Echo Ishii

Kerylis Delgado is a top ranked fighter pilot for the Terran Republic Asteri Elite. She’s got a dream assignment working with sentient ships and a sexy, alien co-pilot named Nyin. His muscular body and long blue hair stir up all kinds of lustful thoughts -- ones that he might be able to hear.

Nyin feels an attraction to this vibrant, rough-around-the-edges human woman. Stronger than he’s ever felt with any other. Working so closely with her each day makes him struggle to keep his feelings to himself -- not so easy when you’re a telepath.

As they both work to get a hybrid ship up in the air, they will discover that there are some thoughts that run deeper than telepathy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Changeling Press
• Release date: Jul 17, 2020

Book preview

telepathy.

Chapter 1

Kerylis zipped up her flight suit. It was grey and worn out at the elbows, but it fit fine. The changing room was nearly empty. She breathed in the smell of sweat and wished she hadn’t. She slammed her locker shut.

Are you ready, Captain Angelica? she said impatiently to the woman beside her.

Yes, Captain Delgado, replied the woman. Kerylis bit back the urge to call her a girl. She was just out of the Terran Republic’s Elite Asteri flight school and had already gotten her pick of missions. That’s how life was if you were related to a senator.

Jacasta Angelica had lush black hair and perfect curves. She spent half her time blushing and giggling while anyone male fawned over her. Kerylis did not have curves, perfect or otherwise. She was too tall and too muscular to get a lot of male notice.

You’re flying with a Xinth this time. Okay? My partner and I will be in formation with you, but you’ve got to hold your own.

I can, you know, the junior pilot said, sounding annoyed.

Whatever. She grabbed her helmet without a word, and raced out into the corridors of Terran Republic Airfield Headquarters. Other pilots pushed past them in the opposite direction for another day of repairs and simulations. If they were jealous, they didn’t show it. The higher ups in Terran Command might not like her much, but she knew she was the best.

Kerylis rushed out onto the airfield. She gave herself a moment to stop and take a deep breath of the cool, crisp air of Xinth while Jacasta struggled to catch up. The poor girl was still trying to get her jumpsuit buckled properly. She thought about helping her, but dammit, she wasn’t her mother. She just shook her head and waited.

There were about a dozen ships ready -- Terran-Xinth hybrid fighters. They were slender, sleek machines with an oblong mainframe and four wings along the sides. The color was dark black at first glance, but then shifted to a kaleidoscope of reds and greens as if it were alive. Which it was. Xinth sentient ships. She swore she could hear them humming.

Her colleague finally caught up. Are you ready now?

I am. Where’s my ship?

You’re working with Arun. Your ship is an SU3. Kerylis knew she should ease up on her. She was young, but she was a decent pilot. It wasn’t her fault she had bloodline connections and enhanced DNA.

It was still unfair, though.

I’m flying with an alien, Jacasta said with awe.

A telepathic one at that, said a Xinth male who stopped right in front of them. He was tall with obsidian skin and long blue hair. You’re the human? he said as his gaze wandered up and down his co-pilot’s curves.

Obviously, came a coy little reply with a girlish squeal. Kerylis rolled her eyes.

I’m Arun. You’ll be my partner on this flight. If you feel afraid or uneasy my senses will pick up on it, and I’ll do all I can to alleviate your discomfort. He gave a wide smile. Jacasta tittered again.

But don’t worry. My telepathic abilities only pick up on your emotions. I can’t read your mind because you’re not telepathic. He leaned in. Although, feel free to express all the emotions you want."

He grinned at that. Kerylis snorted with exasperation.

We lift off in formation at 1400 hours. We’re first in the SU4. You two have the SU3, Kerylis said gruffly. Getting back to the basics was what needed to happen. Not watching young love fumble around before her eyes. She had more important things in life to do than be the third wheel.

The SU4 is near the back. Nyin is already there, I imagine, Arun said.

Lucky me, Kerylis said. I’m flying with Nyin again.

It looks that way. The Xinth leaned closer. She looked into the dark black pools -- no pupils -- of his eyes. They shifted color from black to navy blue. If he’s unpleasant company, you can always ask to fly with me, he said. He smiled to show two sharpened teeth on both sides and a snakelike tongue with a piercing on the edges of it.

I’ll keep that in mind.

Arun grinned at her again, his eyes flashing. Go on, then. Have your fun with Nyin.

We just fly together, she said too quickly.

I’m sure that’s how you see it, Arun replied cryptically. He gave Jacasta a little wink and nod for her to follow him. She fell in line like an eager puppy. Males on Xinth outnumbered females five to one. And Xinth males had no qualms about some human/alien indiscretions on their downtime. If she had had better people skills, even Kerylis could have gotten laid.

She darted out of the way of other pilots, ships, and ground crew as she went to find Nyin and the ship. There she was, the SU4, a beauty she’d nicknamed Little Moon. It didn’t look any different than the other ships but Little Moon had her own special personality. She’d know her anywhere.

Her co-pilot Nyin was already at the ship. She looked at his tall, muscular figure covered in a tight silver-blue uniform that contrasted with his obsidian skin. He had long blue hair in two braids that fell down on each side and a pattern of white raised dots that made a line across his cheeks. His eyes were large oval pools of black that shifted in color. He was a least a foot taller than her. She had to admit he was very attractive.

Is she ready? Kerylis asked as she approached, going for light-hearted friendly banter. She even smiled.

The ship is ready for flight, he replied with hardly more emotion than the onboard computer. Actually, less. The ship was clearly sentient. She sometimes had her doubts about Nyin.

"You’re a good girl, Little Moon," she said giving the ship a little pat along the side. It was warm, like something alive. She felt the vibration under her fingers.

"Why do you insist on calling it Little Moon? Nyin asked. He referred to the ship as SU4 in every report. SU4 meant sentient unit fourth grade."

It’s sentient, right?

It’s a form of sentience but it’s not a household pet. Nyin finally turned to face her. I wish Terrans would expand their notions of sentience. He turned away and she rolled her eyes at his back.

"Well, it makes me feel better. I name all my ships even when they aren’t sentient. Yellow Star was my first fighter. It was a rambling piece of junk I put together from spare parts. I flew it about three miles before it crashed." She remembered that rush of adrenaline from being in her own craft.

You could have gotten yourself killed, Nyin said, still running diagnostics.

But I didn’t, Kerylis replied smugly. After real academy training, she’d given names to every fighter she’d been assigned. Mad Hatter, Speedy, GiGi, and Blue Bottom Babe.

My first ship was a small SU1.

That’s a lower intelligence than SU4?

Not lower. That implies inferiority. It means its communication abilities are less sophisticated. It still followed basic telepathic commands.

Nyin finished speaking and finally put the diagnostic tools back in the box. He shoved it all in the storage compartment. She watched as he took out a small triangular device -- the Xinth flight recorder -- and placed it on the side of the ship. The surface of Little Moon swirled red, then green, then blue, and the recorder was absorbed inside until it disappeared.

She didn’t think she’d ever get used to watching something that alien.

"Do you think Little Moon is aware that I’ve named her?" Kerylis said as she opened up the cockpit and fiddled with the seat adjustment. Nyin kept setting it back to specs every damn day, but it made her back sore. She liked to lean a bit while she flew.

She expected Nyin to scoff but instead he stopped and went quiet for a moment. The black pools of his eyes widened and narrowed.

I’m not sure. When I communicate with it, I get a sense of organized thought but it’s patterns and images. I am not certain if a focused, organized syntax is something it recognizes.

Of course he’d have a theory. He’d give a whole lecture. Nyin was so serious.

Not that Kerylis wasn’t serious when it came to ships. Being a fighter pilot was her whole life. She leaned into the cockpit, trying