Page 5 of Honor Bound

She stepped out—or tried to. Her legs buckled after two unsteady steps, the lingering effects of stasis and the gravity of the planet conspiring against her. She braced for impact, expecting to collapse gracelessly, but muscular arms caught her before she could hit the ground.

The contact startled her, and she turned her head slowly, afraid to make a wrong move. Her eyes met the alien female’s—kind, curious eyes that studied her with both caution and something she couldn’t quite decipher. When the alien female smiled, the tension in Julia’s chest eased slightly, and her lips quirked in response, a reflexive reaction she couldn’t suppress.

“Ki ‘ci mu tu,” the alien said, her voice melodic and warm.

Julia blinked, her mind scrambling to process the sounds. “I—I’m sorry. I don’t understand,” she stammered, the words tumbling out in a mixture of apology and confusion.

The alien female’s smile widened slightly, a hint of amusement flickering in its expression. “You are safe, ancient one,” she replied, her voice accented but intelligible.

Her breath hitched. “You… speak English?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief and the faintest edge of hope.

The alien woman chuckled, the sound deep and resonant. “We know not this ‘English,’” she said smoothly. “We speak the language of the ancients. As do you.”

Julia’s mind blanked.As do you.Her breath hitched as she mouthed the words, her own voice sounding foreign to her ears. Impossible.

The words settled over her like a jolt of electricity. Her mind swirled with questions, the scientist in her grasping for answers even as her instincts screamed for caution. Ancients? What did that mean?How can we be speaking the same language?

Yet despite the whirlwind of uncertainty, one truth remained steady: she had survived. And whatever lay ahead, she would face it.

* * *

Julia was acutely aware of the steady, firm grip of the alien’s arm around her waist, the female’s warmth grounding her as she stumbled over the tangle of parachute fabric and cords. Her legs felt weak, traitorous after her time in stasis, and every step sent a tremor of uncertainty through her. The alien guided her gently, patiently, and when Julia finally managed to steady herself, she pulled away with a murmured word of thanks.

As she straightened, Julia’s breath hitched. She was surrounded by them.

A hush fell. The inhabitants formed a silentsemicircle around her, their gazes wide, unblinking, unreadable.A collective breath, held in anticipation.

She swallowed thickly, her throat tightening with the weight of the moment. Her eyes darted from one to the next, drinking in the details of these beings who seemed both alien and strangely familiar.

Their appearances were as varied as a painter’s palette. Some were tall and willowy, their limbs long and graceful, while others were shorter and sturdier, their builds exuding quiet strength. The colors of their skin ranged from soft bluish-purple hues to sun-warmed tones strikingly similar to her own. Yet all of them bore markings—elegant, glowing lines that began at their necks and arced upward to their foreheads, pulsing faintly, as would veins carrying an inner light.

The markings didn’t seem painted or tattooed; they appeared organic, an intrinsic part of who they were. Julia’s focus lingered on them, fascinated. Each set of markings was unique, intricate as fingerprints, yet they shared a fluid, almost musical symmetry that suggested a deeper meaning, one she couldn’t yet fathom.

The clothing added another layer of contrast. Many of the women wore flowing dresses in bright, jewel-like colors, paired with leggings that shimmered faintly under the alien sunlight. Others opted for fitted trousers in earth tones, adorned with belts that sparkled with embedded crystals. The men’s attire, while simpler, retained a quiet elegance, their shirts and tunics reminiscent of designs that wouldn’t look out of place in a high-end boutique back home.

Then Julia’s attention snapped to a small group standing apart. These figures, clad in leather uniforms that clung to their forms like second skins, radiated authority. Each carried a long spear tipped with a crystal that refracted the sunlight into brilliant rainbows. These weren’t decorations; they were weapons, held with the confidence of those who knew how to wield them. Julia frowned as she noticed one trait they all shared—they were all women.

A deep rumble rolled through the crowd, low and resonant like the prelude to a symphony. The noise quieted the murmur of voices, and Julia turned her head toward its source. The crowd parted in a ripple of movement, heads bowing as a single figure emerged.

The woman who approached moved with deliberate grace, her long black gown flowing behind her as would water over stone. Her presence alone was commanding, and Julia felt the air shift as if even the planet itself acknowledged her importance.

When the woman’s gaze locked onto hers, Julia’s breath caught. This woman’s eyes were a deep, liquid brown, so striking that Julia felt a brief sense of drowning in their depths. Intelligence and curiosity shone in those eyes, but there was something more—a weight, an unspoken power that made Julia’s pulse quicken.

She quickly averted her eyes, bowing her head in mimicry of the others, though her instincts screamed at her to look back, to understand this woman who seemed to see through her. For a fleeting moment, Julia wondered if the woman could read her mind.

When the stately figure stopped in front of her, Julia forced herself to meet her gaze again. Her chin lifted almost reflexively, her fingers curling at her sides as she fought the trembling in her hands. The woman studied her in silence, her expression serene yet unreadable. Then, slowly, her lips curved into a smile, and Julia saw a glimmer of something she couldn’t quite describe—approval, perhaps, or satisfaction, as though Julia had passed an unspoken test.

“Welcome to Plateau, ancient one,” the woman said, her voice melodic and resonant, carrying a weight that both soothed and unnerved. “We have been expecting you.”

Julia flinched at the words, and before she could respond, a ripple of celebration swept through the crowd. Excited cries echoed across the floating island, growing in volume until they were a tumultuous chorus of voices. She turned, startled, as smiles broke out on the surrounding faces, their expressions radiant with joy.

Some lifted their hands toward the sky, while others clapped or called out in a language she didn’t understand. Julia’s eyes widened as several of the uniformed women sprinted toward the enormous, moth-like creatures perched nearby. The creatures’ polished silver wings shimmered as the women leaped onto their backs. With practiced ease, they rose into the air, whooping and calling out in exhilaration.

The sound of their cries carried on the wind, rippling outward across the floating islands until it became a symphony of celebration. Julia’s awe deepened as she turned back to the woman before her, now realizing the scale of what she had just witnessed.

“My name is Julia Marksdale,” she said haltingly, her voice trembling with both exhaustion and determination. “I’m… my ship broke apart. I need to know… did you find anyone else?”

The woman’s expression softened, though her calm exterior didn’t falter. She inclined her head slightly, her gaze steady as she reached out to catch Julia’s arm.

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