Fray

The first thing that I notice about the new planet is that it's very green. And it's very, very hot. Earth isn't what I expected. Since it's filled with females, I though that maybe it was perfect. It's far from it, even if it is covered in lush green beauty.

We're here for a reason, and it's the most important mission of my life.

I have the ship landed near the beacon of life we received, but not too close by. We're surrounded by trees on all sides, and I don't waste any time sitting around once the ship touches down. I leave the ship that I've been stuck in for many days, and I take a look around. My small crew goes around fulfilling their responsibilities as I leave quickly. As General, I'm the Captain of the ship, and I will be the first to search this planet we've landed on.

I'm beyond excited and nervous at the idea of it all. Females. I've never seen one. I'm shocked that they're even real. The universe has granted my dying race a second chance, and Earth is where we'll find it.

I walk through the forest, listening to all the different creatures make their varying noises. I've been told that there aren't any dangerous animals on Earth, at least not on this part of the green and blue planet. This place is very strange already. It's so very different than the place I know as home. It's also nothing like I've ever seen for. But this place is sacred, because this place holds females. Real, life giving females.

The last female of my kind, a Rytarian female, died many moon cycles ago. We don't have any more left. After the virus took them all away, we thought we had no hope. Then, one lucky male crash landed, finding himself on Earth. He says he was saved by a female who patched up his wounds and provided him shelter and kindness. Now they are mates.

It's a miracle, but apparently this place is filled with countless females who look like our own kind, but very small and very delicate and pale.

They are quite adorable.

I saw one right before leaving to journey to this mysterious place. She was beautiful. I need to find many more, and hopefully one of my own. That's the whole reason we're here. Rytaria awaits.

My heart starts racing at the mere idea of having my own mate to love. It fills my soul with joy just seeing one precious female. I've never seen one in my life until a few days ago.

Our race is dying out, and Humans hold the key. They have what we seek. Their females can hold our kits, one has already conceived a kit. Half human, half Rytarian. It's amazing, truly.

It is a miracle from the Gods.

But that's not all that females are good for. They are kind creatures, fiercely protective of their children, and above all, they provide companionship and grace to every planet. What would a male be without a female? I will tell you what, absolutely miserable. I've lived on our planet for 26 turns of the planet, and most of those turns were spent on a female-less wasteland. All I've ever known is males everywhere.

Now is the chance to change to rectify the lonely nature of Ryataria and the males that inhabit it.

I hike back to the ship, only to see many of the crew unloading supplies to set up camp already. They are as eager as I am. I observe quietly from the sidelines. For the most part, I go unnoticed, that is until my impatience gets the best of me. I'm excited to get started with finding the females we seek.

"All level 1 warriors with me. We start the search for females right now." I call out, and all my best fighters drop what they are doing to listen to their commander.

I fold my arms as they gather around me. I wait until they are all here before I open my mouth to give my instructions to the warriors before me.

"We will search until the sun goes down. We will split up. Go far, but not too far. I want all reports by dark. If you happen to find a female, do not grab her. We must be gentle and kind to these blessed gifts to our kind. Do not scare them. If you must, follow them, or see if you can somehow bring them back to the ship. But do not frighten or hurt them. They are royalty as far as I am concerned."

In reply I get many nods and murmurs of acceptance of my plan. I don't see any problems, it seems this will go well without any problems.

"Any questions?" I ask, and a young male raises his hand. I gesture to him. "Yes, you?"

"How long do we have to go. It is very hot, and the air is filled with water. It is not pleasant." He complains, looking around at the tall trees surrounding us as they hum with whistling life. Small, feathered creatures flutter from branch to branch. The sun beats down hot on the back of my neck.

I narrow my eyes at him. I was told I was given an elite crew, but I suppose elite means different things to different males. This male in particular is young and inexperienced in matters like this. I'm not sure why he is here.

"Do not complain of a planet that harbors such treasure. Understand?" My second in command, Locanas, raises his voice at the young male. The kit nods his head shakily, fear in his gaze. "This is an amazing opportunity for each and every one of you. Do not forget that."

"Thank you, Locanas. Now, who is ready?"

They all voice their agreements, and I purse my lips, ready to begin more than I've ever been ready for anything in my life.

I just hope that the females are ready.

Soleil

I lay on my back, staring up at the beams of sunlight stretching across the tree limbs and showering down on my face. I subconsciously play with my hair, twirling a lock around my finger while I block the brightness out with my arm draped on my brow.

"You know, I would think that my hair would have grown longer by now." I muse, looking at the gold and brown strands with heavy scrutiny. I hear Elodie snort beside me, and I glance over at her with a grin.

She's braiding a flower crown out of daisies, it's a very Elodie thing to do.

"It's been less than 2 years since you shaved your hair off. You're lucky it's past your shoulders already." She shoots right back, grinning at me. "Your Mom was royally pissed. That was absolutely hilarious."

I laugh obnoxiously, fiddling with my scalp at the memory of it being completely naked. I thought I was a complete genius back then. I never imagined that my rebellion would cost me all of my scissor and knife privileges shortly after. Apparently cutting off my feminine curls is illegal here.

"Yeah, well, she was only pissed because I did it to spite her. She's been trying to marry me off for years. It was a drastic measure that I had to take." I shrug, thinking of all the many ways I could ward off men's attention forever if Momma let me. I could get very creative if I had to.

Elodie simply shakes her head, going back to braiding the little green stems of the wildflowers together.

"You're pretty no matter what you do with your tan skin and dark hair. What I wouldn't give to look like you." I hate that my best friend of all people thinks so little of herself. It bugs me.

It's not her fault really, it's the Group. That's what our community is called, all the people from the compound. Everyone there thinks that Elodie is ugly. I'll never understand it. So what if she has red hair? She's beautiful in her own way. Pale skin and all.

I hate it here. And even if Elodie thinks I have it better off than her, she's wrong. What's worse, being shunned because you're considered hideous, or being over sexualized and objectified for being a minority? I have no idea, but part of me thinks it's the latter. Just because I'm half Brazilian doesn't mean that I'm a piece of meat. I'm treated like a commodity here.

I know it didn't used to be like this. Before the wars, the world was different. That was over a decade ago, it's 2033 and this is my reality. A broken world that has no government, no electricity, and no safety. We're told to be thankful for our protection, but it's more like a prison.

"Well. I'll be someone's very special wife. One of many other special wives." I insist, knowing my destiny is not of my own choosing, but that it's inevitable.

"I hate it when you complain about that. Sure, it's not ideal, but at least you'll have someone." Elodie says quietly, and I turn onto my stomach to look at her. I know she's serious, but it's hard to believe. I glance at my best friend.

She's a face of freckles hidden behind thick waves of orange.

Poor Elodie. She's basically been marked as undesirable goods. All the men have made it clear that none of them will take her for a wife. She'll be alone forever in the relationship department all because of her coloring that people don't want passed down to their children. But Elodie is beautiful, inside and out.

It's not fair. We're not objects to be collected or discarded.

"You'll always have me, Elodie." I promise her, always devoted to her above anyone else around here. She's the only one who has always been there for me.

Elodie smiles, leaning forward to plop the messy flower crown on the top of my head. I laugh, rolling away from her.

She playfully shoves me, and I push her back, we land in a pile of laughter and messy hair. I push my curls away, glancing back up at the trees once again with longing. I want to stay out here forever.

"I wish we could live out here. Live on the run, travel world, just the two of us." I say, always dreaming of a better life far away from here. It seems just out of reach, so close and yet so far. Elodie is quick to shake her head adamantly.

"You know how dangerous it is out there, Soleil. We're lucky as far as I'm concerned. I've heard the stories about what happens to girls out there. It's awful." She tells me, and I know what she's talking about.

It's all we've been told for years to help keep us "safe". Sometimes I'm convinced it's a bunch of bullshit to keep us in line. If we stay scared, then we won't run. We become baby making machines to save the human race. I don't want it. I don't want to be forced to have a man's baby that I don't even love, a man that will have multiple baby mommas. It's not true love. It's not what a family should be.

I sigh, nodding in response to end this conversation. It just makes me depressed, I don't want to think about marriage and an endless life of enslavement as a woman. Just because there's more of us than there are men doesn't mean that we should be stepped on, does it?

I have a feeling that no matter what, I'll survive, it's what I always do.