"Captain! Wake up!"

   I stir in my sleep but keep my eyes closed. Maybe, I am just dreaming. Why would Aurora call in my personal quarters? She has never done it, not even once since we've been flying together. What could be so important? There is hardly a maneuver that she can't handle on her own to avoid a meteorite or any kind of debris we may have encountered. Damages or failure in equipment which would prevent her from navigating the preset course are practically impossible. There are only few reasons for her to do it and each of them is pure science fiction.

   "Captain! Your presence on the command bridge is required immediately. Wake up!"

   I hesitantly open one eye only. Did she just increase the volume almost twice? Her voice is still even, but it is piercing straight though my ear drums.

   "What got you, girl?" I grumble. "Have you gone insane? Turn the decibels down and stop yelling."

   I am finally fully awake and quite puzzled at first to find myself stark naked, sprawled across the bed with my legs tangled in the blanket. I always sleep with a shirt and boxers on and wrapped like a cocoon. It's too cold when your body is completely relaxed, so I never go to bed with no clothes on. Then the events of the previous night pop out into my sleepy mind. I dozed off in Adam's arms. The man radiates heat like a stove. I was tired, but tried to stay up as long as I could because it was heaven. Too bad I eventually gave in to exhaustion.

   He is gone now. It's only me in the big, messy bed. The bastard must have crawled back to his sanctuary. My mood instantly sours. What was I thinking? I hoped he would change his ways because we had sex. Well, technically we didn't exactly fuck, but it was still something. It was special for me, but obviously not so much for him.

   "Haru, get up!" Aurora's voice booms in the silent room. "Drag your lazy ass here this instant."

   "Watch your language, crazy woman," I frown. "I don't need all this drama. Report! What is happening?"  

   "Possible Code 1," she clearly announces and my eyes go so wide that I probably look like the lemurs of Madagascar. There must be some kind of a malfunction or glitch. This can't be true.

   "Repeat!" I choke out, jumping out of bed. 

   "Possible Code 1, Captain," she states and it is enough to send me running for the door.

   I am glued to the command bridge windshield in less than ten minutes, sweaty and panting. I might have set a world record in running. It usually takes nearly thirty minutes to cross the distance from my house to the other side of the ship at a normal walking speed. My jaw drops at the sight outside. They are more than a hundred, so close that I can take a good look at each of them with bare eye. God help us!

   "Aurora, get the admiral immediately," I whisper in utter shock and disbelief. "This conversation is classified as top secret, one on one, only me and him. Access denied to all third parties, no exception, including the President, The International Council and The Military Defense Board."

   "Connection established," she informs me in few seconds. "Security level zero, one on one."

   "Haru?" Admiral Mbabazi's sleepy voice brings me instant relief, despite the subtle notes of irritation in it. "Do you know what time it is in Uganda? Four in the morning. I just got home after a twenty-three hour flight from Los Angeles. You better have a really good reason to wake me up. Are you alright?"

   A muffled, questioning female voice can be heard nearby.

   "Sleep, darling. It's Haru," he mumbles soothingly. "I'll go to the kitchen to talk to him."

   "My baby Haru!" the woman exclaims. "Oli otya?" (Lusoga language: How are you?)

   "Niabo Wotali," I beam. "Bulungi. Wasuze otya eyo?" (Lusoga language: Madam Wotali. I am fine. How was your night?)

   Nothing can ease the tension in a difficult situation like the admiral wife's sweet smile. I love this woman like a mother. The memory of her millet bread and the finger-licking good Mujje Tulye* warms my heart.

   *Mujje Tulye - traditional dish of the Busoga tribe, made of sweet potatoes with groundnut sauce

   "She can't hear you, Captain," Mbabazi grumbles. "You've classified the call. It's one on one. Don't worry. I'll make sure to pass on your regards. My dear Wotali is missing you every day. Now, we are alone. What's up? Why is this sudden secrecy?"

   "Possible Code 1," is my only answer.

   "Kyi? Lwaki? Sikyitegeera (What? Why? I don't understand)..." The admiral is so startled that unconsciously switches to his native language. He comes to his senses pretty quickly and barks, "Aurora, give me visual connection."

   "Yes, Sir," she promptly responds before I can protest. 

   "Are you drunk, boy?" my tutor wheezes. "What are you doing on the bridge as naked as the day you were born?"

   I palm my face. Can this get any weirder? "I am sorry, Sir. Didn't have time to get dressed."

   "Really?" he bellows. "In the middle of a possible alien invasion you are running around without a stitch on?"

   "Well, if that's what it is and Aurora's shields fail to stop a potential attack, I don't see how any clothes will help me," I retort defiantly. It's actually the pure truth. Light shields are the strongest defense. If the invaders are powerful enough to break through them, there is nothing else to save me. It doesn't really matter what I wear on board the ship, except for the fact that my ass is freezing. I also doubt they have come to explore fashion trends on Earth. Maybe, they don't use clothes at all.

   "Yeah, you have a point," the admiral says. "Let me see what we're talking about."

   "Aurora, give an external view," I order. 

   "Good Lord!" The Commander-in-Chief gasps. "How many?"

   "One hundred and thirty five," my ship answers.

   "Disposition?" Admiral Mbabazi has braced himself. His voice is strong and full of determination. I can feel he firm hand and brilliant mind of an outstanding leader, responsible for billions of people's safety. "Haru, go get dressed. I want you back here in thirty minutes."

   "Yes, Sir," I nod and run back to the house, even faster than before.

   "The spheres are equidistant from all sides," Aurora starts reporting. "You could say we are surrounded, Sir. They maintain the same speed as ours and move in a cluster."

   "Any signs of biological presence?" The Admiral proceeds. "Attempts to communicate?"

   "Negative to both, Sir," Aurora responds.

   "Continue on the current course without slowing down," he commands. "Priority number one is First Rank Commander Hinode's safety. Are there any detected damages in the defense system or reduced capacity of the shields?"

   "Negative, Sir. All levels charged at one hundred percent."

   "Good! Captain," he addresses me, "report any occurrences that differ from your usual routine. Elaborate on a possible trigger."

   "I... ugh... No... I mean, there was something..." I finally reach the door, leading to the living quarters and start wiping the sweat off my face to make it easier for the camera to scan my retina. "It's kind of personal, Sir... and... umm... I'm sure it's unrelated."

   "Let me be the judge of that, boy," the boss interrupts me. "Spill!"

   "I... we... me and Adam..." The more I towel off my sweat, the more it drips down my neck. Fuck! There's no point in rambling. He won't let me off the hook. I take a deep breath and blurt, "We played a little game... sexual... for the first time. We didn't... you know... do it... Cough! Cough!... Just a little..."

   "Huh?" Mbabazi is obviously puzzled. "Who the hell is Adam?"

   "The Universal Companion," I huff in embarrassment. "The identity I chose... Adam."

   "Ohh," the admiral chuckles. "Adam. I see. So you two had sex?"

   "No... Yes... Partially."

   "Right," he snorts. "You spurred an alien invasion by partially having sex. Haru, you are the only person who can make me laugh in such a dangerous situation."

   "I told you it was unrelated," I frown.

   "We cannot rule out possibilities at this stage," the admiral states. "Are you ready?"

   "I am," I mutter, still uncomfortable with the confessions I had to make, but at least looking much more decently.  I hope he doesn't decide to question me for further details, but I wouldn't be surprised under the circumstances.

   "Alright. Get back to the bridge and keep an eye on the blacks," the commander-in-chief instructs. "Don't engage in any kind of interaction without my permission. Keep the channel open. We will wait for the standard twelve hours of surveillance before notifying The President, The Council and The Board. You stay calm and don't move a muscle until then. Good luck, son! Mbabazi out."

   "Why does this sound so familiar," I sigh.

________________________________

A/N

Hello at the end of Chapter 9.

Thank you for reading and supporting! ❤❤❤

Do you think there is any connection between the events of the previous night and the blacks appearance?

Were you disappointed like Haru when Adam wasn't with him in the morning?

Why do you think he didn't stay?

Share your thoughts, have fun and criticize if you think it's necessary. All opinions are appreciated.

And don't forget to vote, if you liked the chapter.

Love: Anny