Saved By The Stars: An Alien Reverse Harem Romance (SOS Space Station) Read online

  Saved by the Stars

  An SOS Space Station Novel

  A.J. Macey

  Blurb

  All it takes is one disastrous space patrol for Trixa’s life to change forever.

  After an unfortunate injury and long medical grounding to the SOS Space Station, Captain Beatrixa Faust finally gets her next patrol. Filled with excitement, she sets out on her newest mission for the Orion Intergalactic Safety and Security Corp.

  But when things take a turn, she finds herself not only stranded on a strange planet, but a prisoner to the Carth Rowdu. Can Trixa convince the leader and his two brothers that she’s no threat to them and leave the planet’s surface or will one accidental touch and a curious set of glowing tattoos keep her within the brothers’ grasp?

  Warning

  The SOS Space Station Series is an alien romance WhyChoose/Reverse Harem collection of standalones featuring MFMM meaning the female main character doesn't have to choose between her love interests. Please note, there is no reading order between the three standalones.

  This book collection contains references involving PTSD, violence, and other themes that some readers may find triggering.

  Contents

  Note

  Alien Guide & Index

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Epilogue

  Want More?

  Also by A.J. Macey

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2021, 2020, 2019 by A.J. Macey

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof

  may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover: Jodie Leigh-Plowman at JodieLocks Designs

  Editing: M. Stewart

  Formatting: A.J. Macey at Inked Imagination Author Services

  Dedicated to:

  My daughter, Evelyn Rose.

  Rise and conquer.

  Note

  This is one book of a three book shared universe. They all can be read separately and there is no reading order. There are some elements that match, such as the SOS Space Station, but the writing styles and journeys are different.

  Happy Reading!

  And make sure to check out Jade Waltz’ Healed by the Stars and Jarica James’ Chosen by the Stars here:

  https://geni.us/sosshareduniverse

  Alien Guide & Index

  Bionic Artificial Oculus (BAO): artificial eyeball equipped with a scanner and database of information, relays information about visual stimuli to the user. Looks silver and blue between the mechanics and blue circuitry. Trixa has one installed post-battle injury

  Carth Rowdu: this specific tribe of the Rowdu. Gold in coloring. Live on planet: Yarilia Trorlis 3X9

  Yarilia Trorlis 3X9: home planet for the Carth Rowdu. Including several forests and large mountains including Ostea forest, the largest Doccore forest in this sector of the galaxy

  Draatov: Carth Rowdu’s Chief/tribe leader

  Sagrolla: shit

  Brars: fuck

  Brarsi Sagrolla: fucking shit

  Bonerth: asshole/idiot

  Cao boria: alright/okay/term of agreement

  Sollo: greetings (hello/morning/night)

  Qix’i: species living on the nearest planet to Yarilia Trorlis 3X9, want to take it for themselves for the sap when I’Yriel refused to allow them to harvest on their planet

  Doccore: a type of tree made with golden bark and purple leaves, produces a very sought after sap used in delicacies/wine and fuel making (if distilled a specific way, it can be potent fuel)

  Muhiri: pink and purple flower, round bud, used in sleeping draughts and the essence used for sedatives

  Rfnari: a deep plum-y fruit with a rough skin and sweet milk within, used in conjunctions with Muhiri for sleeping draught and other medical tinctures

  Paffita Taffy: sticky taffy treat from the Exodus V1 sector, well known as one of Trixa’s favourites

  Igral: a Qix’i pastry delicacy

  Caestroik: snake-like creatures known for being mysterious and withdrawn from outside societies

  1

  Beatrixa

  One, two…

  One, two…

  The rhythmic thud of the ball launching from the machine and hitting my racket calmed me, but despite my zoned-out haze, I felt my lips curl into a frown. No matter how much I tried to exercise and work through the previous injury, the slight ache always started to form in my shoulder.

  “Ugh,” I grumbled, storming off to the side and smacking the neon button on the wall. The whirling sound that filled the room ceased when the machine was turned off, leaving my huffing breath the only noise to fill the narrow sports hub. “You were supposed to help,” I muttered to the machine as if it was the cause of all my problems. As if the sleek, white monstrosity I’d stared at the last five months was the reason I’d been grounded from flights… and not the eye injury, torn muscles, and dislocated shoulder from my last patrol.

  In my defense, they had long since healed thanks to the SOS Station medbay doctors and tech from the bioengineering department.

  Sighing in defeat, I turned from the room and dropped the racket in the chute for sanitizing. The hiss of the hydraulic seal made my lips curl even further into a scowl, the sound haunting me after being in the room so many times. Shoving the annoyance away, I started through the halls to my quarters.

  I’d come down to the gym that morning in hopes I’d be able to make it through an hour of my designated physical therapy exercises without pain. Then I’d march up to Orion Intergalactic Safety and Security Corp. (OISSC) on the top floor to show I’m fit for duty, and my commander would let me return for the next available flight.

  My plan clearly didn’t work.

  “Heyo, Cap!” was hollered at me as I reached the bank of elevators. Glancing through the crowd, I found a fellow OISSC patroller weaving his way over. “Looking pretty cranky today.” Lieutenant Davies’ bluntness made me chuckle, the irritation from the morning slowly seeping out of me. He may have been a rank below me, but that never seemed to stop him from shooting shit. that may have been because he was three years older or possibly because his ship’s captain was a bit more of a hardass than me.

  Which is why I flew solo—no crew, no hassle.

  “Yeah, still trying to get flight-ready after that diabolical scrimmage with those damned pirates. Should be soon. I just hope Commander Monaco is open to the doctor’s stamp of approval,” I explained, eyeing the lift as it came down from the upper levels of the station.

  “Ah, yes, the ‘you must be in tip-top shape to run any OISSC missions under me.’” Davies’ voice deepened in a mock impersonation of our outpost commander, every patroller having heard the speech a hundred times over the years. “I’m sure it’ll all work out soon enough. We’re running a bit thin after Captain Monaco and his crew were grounded. Repairs are supposed to take at least a month or two at
the earliest.”

  My brows rose sharply as we stepped into the lift, my head angling to look up at Davies. His shoulder shook with laughter when he saw my surprise. The engineer and repair crews of OISSC were some of the best of the best, and if it would take them that long to fix, then it must have been bad.

  “Don’t look so surprised. You know what it’s like to go toe-to-toe with the crews out there. Busted their ship to hell and back. Honestly surprised they even made it back in one piece—”

  Before he could finish his sentence, my holotablet buzzed and dinged. Flashing him an apologetic smile, I dug it out of my pocket and checked the screen.

  Commander: Captain Faust, report to HQ ASAP

  “Hm, well... guess we’ll see if it’s going to be a good meeting or a bad one,” I said, holding up the tablet screen for Davies to see.

  “Hey, could be approval to go out.” He clapped a hand on my back when we reached his floor before stepping out of the lift. “Keep me up-to-date, and if you’re still grounded, call me up, and we can hit up some of the usual haunts.”

  “I don’t go to the strip club!” I called out, teasing him. His laughter slowly faded as he walked out into the hustle and bustle of the retail spaces in the business sector of the station.

  Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm the anxious nerves building in the pit of my stomach. I wanted more than anything to get the hell off this station and back on my ship, but I knew there was no way I could before I’d been cleared by my boss. I missed the solitary quiet, the homey peace, and the ability to get away when I was on patrols. The station was nice enough, but it felt as though a piece of me was missing. The best I could do was to hope and pray.

  Without getting my hopes up.

  The lift thinned out as we passed the final few floors before the top levels, and I soon found myself alone in the metal and glass elevator. Thankfully, it was a quick ride to the floor where the patrol outpost was stationed.

  When the little bell dinged to signify reaching my floor, I took one final reassuring inhale. Striding down the hall, other patrollers and crewmen nodded respectfully to me. I returned all the silent greetings, not trusting myself to open my mouth and not have my voice waver with my building excitement. Reaching Commander Monaco’s office, I hit the communication panel to the left of the door and waited. After a brief moment, I heard the door unlock. My boss’s voice filtered out of the wall panel.

  “Come in, Captain Faust.”

  Commander Monaco sat behind his desk, his broad shoulders spanning beyond the width of his chair. As always, the outpost top boss’ office was neat and tidy, and the white metal walls were polished to a near shine. I wanted to glance around at the various objects in cases or on the commander’s bookshelves to see if there were any new objects or finds since I’d last been there, but I kept my eyes forward, looking at the back wall directly above Commander Monaco’s greying buzz cut.

  “You wanted to see me, Commander?” I asked, clasping my hands behind my back. With a nod, my boss gestured to the chair in front of his desk. Obliging him, I stepped forward and sank onto the hard plastic of the seat.

  “Yes, Captain,” he started, shuffling papers. The commander had always preferred physical copies over digital records, so his desk was covered in several neat stacks of information he needed to reference at a glance. He opened a folder to his left, his eyes trailing quickly over whatever was inside before continuing. “It says you’ve completed the physical therapy necessary for your shoulder?”

  “Yes, Sir,” I answered, trying hard to not nod my head frantically.

  “And your eye?” he asked, finally looking away from the manilla folder to me.

  At the mention of the newest addition to my body, my eyelids fluttered. In addition to my long and tedious recovery for my arm and shoulder after the last patrol had gone awry, my right eye had been severely damaged. There was no way to save it, so the doctors came up with a different idea. The smooth machinery in its place felt odd, my body extra aware of the missing eye.

  “Functioning at optimal levels, Sir,” I relayed, not wanting him to think there was anything wrong with the Bionic Artificial Oculus. “Though I have not yet had the chance to operate the BAO’s additional functions outside of initial tests to ensure they worked.”

  “That’s alright, Captain.” He waved a hand at me. “How are you coping with your grounding orders?”

  I nibbled the inside of my lip for a moment.

  “Permission to speak freely, Sir?” He smirked before nodding. “I’m going utterly insane,” I stated bluntly. “I miss my ship and my patrols. Being stuck on a godforsaken station for months on end isn’t my idea of fun.” I regretted letting everything tumble out, but when a humorous smile curled his lips, my worry eased.

  “Well then, I suggest you prepare, Captain, because you’ve been reinstated for your next patrol run.”

  2

  Beatrixa

  A new patrol! I barely contained my urge to scream in excitement as I left the commander’s office and strode down the hall to the lift. I needed every moment of my one-hour prep time. Not to get my flight suit on or get my bag packed for the trip, but to visit the best part of patrols.

  Galactic Goodies.

  Dhara had the best treats and snacks, and it had quickly become a tradition for OISSC crewmen to snatch up a bundle before departing. When I was grounded, I had refused to go in and buy any, knowing it would make me more stir crazy not being able to fly or make it impossible to fit into my suit.

  And I certainly can’t have that.

  The trek to my room was a blur of a sea of faces lost among my giddiness. When I reached my door, I couldn’t type in my code and swipe my ID card fast enough. The room wasn’t anything special, a small living space that led into a kitchenette with my bedroom behind a plexiglass divider. The galaxy swirled across the panels, giving me some privacy whenever I had anyone over—which, if I was honest was almost never—but now that it was just me, I snatched up the remote and turned it off. The panels became clear, revealing my impeccably made bed and tidy space.

  Making a quick stop in the kitchen to brew a pod of my favorite pre-flight tea, my lips curled into a wide smile. My pre-patrol routine had been the same for the last five years—unless it had been an emergency run or attack dispatch—and it was like coming home after a long day, calming yet enticing.

  The scent of mint and sweetness filled the air as the machine steeped the leaves. I stepped back from the counter into my room, digging out my duffle from the closet. It was already packed with my essentials, always prepared in case I was called in during my medical leave.

  I showered quickly, braiding my long russet strands before dressing in my uniform. The dark grey-and-black material was new. The previous suit I’d worn was too damaged from the attack that left me injured. I missed the worn look from years of wear but reluctantly gave it up, knowing it was useless with a damaged shoulder.

  “Here’s to hoping nothing happens to this one,” I muttered as I glanced down to buckle and secure the various pouches and armor pads across my body. Grabbing the final piece to my uniform, I wrapped the thin golden-yellow material around my shoulders, the Captain’s Cape draping down my left bicep to where it cut off at a point behind my left leg. It was a silly piece of cloth that did nothing more than signify rank, but it was required, so I secured the straps under my right arm and looked in the mirror.

  Same fighter pilot captain, same uniform—one only a few other women had the rank to wear. The only difference one could see after my accident was the bionic eye. Ever since Commander Monaco had brought it up, it felt odd and out of place in my skull. It was the same proportions as my previous body part but stood out against the normal green iris of my other eye with the silver and blue mechanics. There were natural materials used within the BAO to keep the body from rejecting it, as well as medicated eye drops for irritation or other side effects of the device. I’d had it for nearly half a year, but it still shook me.
It was a stark reminder of what could happen out in space.

  Shaking away the melancholy train of thought, I stepped out of the bathroom and grabbed my bag on my way to the kitchen. The to-go mug was steaming as I put on the lid, the soothing smell of the brew chasing away the remainder of the negativity that had filled my mind.

  I locked up my unit as I left, making sure the long-term alarm was set. My flight was planned to be a week long, and I didn’t want issues with anyone trying to break in while I was away, nor did I want my food deliveries to arrive, only to spoil.

  Now that I wore my uniform instead of civilian clothes, people on the station eyed me warily. Not that we were a threat or dangerous, but OISSC’s reputation preceded them. We did safety patrols in and around stations, worlds, ships, and transport convoys, but we were also the first line of defense in any form of attack—well trained for fighting in flight and hand-to-hand. After the years of corrupt military and governments, vicious pirates, and petty thugs across the universe, people had the right to be wary.