Heading South - Chapter 1: The Spark on Tate

Buckle Up Readers! This ride starts with a kiss and spirals straight into cosmic betrayal.

Planet Emoh was a serene place carved into sky-high gardens and ivory towers slicing through the clouds. Junn, heir to the Elrae Conglomerate, was everything anyone dreamed of, rich, bored, sharp-dressed, and super sharp in business. 

His next meeting was with the bankers on Planet Tate. Junn didn’t particularly fancy that place as it wasindustrial, hot, and rough around the edges, but work was work for him and he’d bear anything for a good deal.  

The business meeting went as expected: serious people and aliens in thick suits and skirts, arguing over numbers, projections, and profit margins. Junn fast-tracked the agenda and got the best deal, per usual. He checked his watch. On time. 

And then it happened. 

As he stepped out of the building, with his laptop bag in his hand, a kid—barely older than sixteen, rushed from the nook in the left, like a shadow and snatched the bag clean off, and bolted. 

“Hey! What the fuck?!” Junn sprinted instinctively but stopped after a few steps as it was useless. The kid was too fast. But someone else was faster. 

A black flash, someone running and moving like lightning. A sharp shout cut the air, and in one smooth motion, the thief was tackled, flipped, cuffed, and pressed against the pavement. 

“No stealing on Tate, don’t you know the law?” spoke the female the voice. 

Junn reached the scene. She stood up straight and strong, like confidence stuffed in a woman’s body, slim, powerful, with dark tactical pants and a tight patrol shirt that clung to her perfect form just enough to distract. She flipped her ponytail as she turned to him. 

“Your bag?” she asked Junn, holding it up. 

“Y-Yeah,” Junn said, still stunned by her beautiful face and soft skin. 

She handed it over to him. “Sorry for the inconvenience on Tate.” 

Before he could say anything else, she was already back on her hoverbike. Junn was standing speechless, his eyes fully soaking and observing the woman he saw. She sat on the hoverbike, ignited the engine, wore her black shades, and finally took out a little spray from her pocket and sprayed a single shot on her neck. 

The spray broke Junn’s trance and “Wait—what’s your name?” he shouted. 

But she was gone in a blur, swallowed by Tate’s streets. 

For the next 36 hours, Junn thought about nothing else. The board meeting, the profit reports, nah fuck all that. He needed to know her name. Needed to see her again. 

He bribed hotel staff. Asked his assistant to search. Nothing. 

Finally, a fruit vendor outside a crowded checkpoint mentioned, “Yeah, yeah, that’s Officer Lila. She does Sector C rounds. A good-hearted human but strong. Saved my cousin from a mugging once.” 

Junn waited on the edge of Sector C for hours. The minute he saw the black hoverbike again, his heart raced. 

She parked near a cafe, clearly off-shift. 

He approached carefully. “Lila?” 

She turned, narrowed her eyes behind the shades. 

“Junn Elrae. You saved my laptop the other day.” 

“Oh. I remember.” She smiled. 

“I owe you coffee,” he said. 

“You don't owe me anything, that was my duty. But… I could use caffeine,” she said. 

They sat on the outdoor table at the cafe. She stirred her drink slowly, sipping like she was enjoying his company. 

He was mesmerized, by her voice, her calm, the way she leaned slightly on one elbow when listening. 

“So,” she asked. “What’s a billionaire doing in Tate without bodyguards?” 

Junn grinned. “Bodyguards are boring. I can protect myself.” 

“And we both saw that.” She teased him. 

“It was just a laptop, I can buy a new one everyday,” he smirked, then continued, “Not that I’m not grateful for you to save it haha!” 

She smiled, their drinks finished, she stood, wiping her hands on a napkin. 

“Wait.” He grabbed her wrist. She blinked. He pulled her back gently but firmly. She sat down on the chair next to him. He didn’t let her wrist go and cupped her face with his other hand. 

“You’re gonna hate me for this,” he whispered, before kissing her. 

It was not soft. It was not subtle. 

Their lips crashed like waves against cliffs. He darted his tongue in just immediately. He was greedy, tasting her mouth, her lips, her whole tongue, claiming her. Her body was tense at first, then went soft and pliant. He pulled her closer, her breasts slightly touching his chest. Her hands pushed against his chest but didn’t really push. He roamed his one hand over her butt, squeezing it, then up in the curve of her waist and when he almost reached her boob, they broke apart, she gasped and licked her lips without breaking eye contact. “You’re insane,” she said, smiling. 

“Maybe,” Junn replied, eyes burning with desire. She ran a hand through her hair, cheeks flushed. “See you around, laptop guy.” And just like that, she was gone again. Junn wasn’t satisfied, he instantly fell in love. “That’s the woman of my dreams.” 

Headed back on Planet Emoh, Junn couldn’t get her out of his head. His assistant, Lee, noticed immediately. 

“You keep opening the same file and closing it. Who’s the girl?” 

“Find out everything you can about Officer Lila from Tate.” 

Lee raised a brow. “Stalker vibes. Noted.” 

Days turned to weeks. Junn was busy with work and for his next deal, he had to leave for Solar System Resh, a faraway place known for both rare materials and black-market deals. The travel was scheduled for 3 months. He didn't really like long travels but again, work is work. Lila was constantly in his head. Her voice. Her scent. That smile after their kiss. 

Time passed and on the 47th day in Resh, Junn was ambushed. Blaster shots rained past his head as he ducked behind crates in the shipyard. “You rich brat, you think you can just walk out of here?” one alien sneered—blue-skinned, tusked. They were fifteen and armed. They took Junn to a warehouse and presented him a laptop, “Login and transfer the funds. Now.” Junn knew he had to escape. He snatched of theirs'splasma guns and fired blindly taking out one. But he was outnumbered. Surrounded. The mafia wanted his bank access, and they’d do anything to get it.  

He backed into a corner. Gun losing ammo. Out of breath. 

“Any other stunt, Junn?” 

Suddenly, a hand pulled him back into a dark door, which shut immediately. Junn stumbled to his feet and turned to face his savior. 

His heart stopped. “Lila?!” 

She pulled down her hood and gave a sly grin. “I’m full of surprises.” 

He stared at her. “What? How? What the fuck are you doing here?” 

“On a mission,” she said. “Been tracking this mafia for months.” 

She led him down a corridor into a hidden bunker, slamming the door shut behind them. He was shaking. She looked back. “It’s okay... shh I’m here, it’s safe here,” as she hugged him into a soft embrace. 

“Now I am,” he whispered. Junn in the very moment became aware of her body that was touching and rubbing against him from top to bottom. He backed her into the wall and pressed her against the wall, kissing her like he was starved, forgetting the danger he was in five minutes ago. Her lips opened under his and she moaned a muffle by his mouth. The moan turned something in him on. He flipped her around, with her back now facing him. His hands gripped her waist, sliding up under her shirt, fingers brushing skin. Lila yanked off her jacket, breathless. “You’re insane, Junn..” 

He silenced her with another deep kiss, suckling on her tongue. His hands roamed her curves, greedy, aggressive. She gasped as he found her hips and pulled her closer, bodies aligned, heat burning between them, grinding his hard member through his pants on her ass. She took one hand off the wall and turned it back to feel his hardness. Junn moaned. 

“You’re lethal,” he whispered into her neck before biting gently, making her shiver. 

Their lips locked again, frantic, hot. As he was grinding against her butt, he slid his hands up her sweatshirt and grabbed her breasts. He kneaded them both with both hands over her bra, while their tongues still dancing together. They were glued so tight, as if clothes didn’t exist in that moment. His thumbs reached the hem of her bra cups was about to pull them down, but she pulled back suddenly. Both panting. 

“Focus. We don’t have time,” she whispered. “Wait, I need a release!” Junn exclaimed. 

Still panting, she smirked “Later, maybe..” and opened her satchel and pulled out a laptop. 

“You need to lock your accounts. They’re trying to hack you as we speak. These guys are too good.” 

He hesitated, a little dizzy from her taste. 

“Right. Okay.” said Junn. 

She handed him the laptop. As he slid it from the sleeve, a jeweled flower brooch fell out. Red rubies glinted.Lila blinked, picked it up calmly. “It’s my mom’s, now hurry up.” she said. 

The pace of the conversation and the haste to login sparked a flicker of suspicion in Junn. But, he brushed it off and logged in. “Blocked external access. Locked everything. Logged out.” Junn exclaimed. She nodded. “Good. That’ll buy us some time.” 

“We should go back,” he said. Lila smiled. “Yes, you have to. As for me, I’m staying. I need more evidence. I’mgoing to get rid of them completely this time.” 

She handed him a keycard. “Take the starcruiser parked out back. It’s fast.”

He hesitated. She didn’t and both of them marched to spaceship, hiding in the shadows. The spaceship inside was clean and almost new. Lila went to the cockpit to check a few things, “Fuel tank full. Navigations on. You’re good to go.” 

Junn came and stood behind her, “Want me to go so soon huh?” She tgurned around and pushed him on the captain seat and sat on his lap. “You’re in danger, sweety, you have to go.”  

Junn groaned and pulled her closer on his lap, aligning her on top of his member. “Sweety? You’re gonna pay for it,” he spoke and cupped his hands on her ass and started rocking her, grinding her into him. His hands lifted her sweatshirt, finding her bra. “I wanted to touch them, but you don’t let me huh,” he spoke as he slid her bra cups down, exposing her breasts. He pinched and rolled the bud of both of her nipples softly as they hardened under his touch. 

She gasped. “God… Junn...” His mouth trailed down her neck, kissing, biting. His hands kneaded her breasts, thumbs teasing her nips until she arched into him. Her pelvis rubbed against his member through thin layers of fabric, and the friction was maddening. He suckled both nipples one by one, then took her tongue into a deep kiss. She moaned against his mouth, “They’ll catch us if you keep doing that.” 

“Worth it,” he said, breath ragged. They kissed and kissed and kissed, long and deep, tongues rolling and tasting, saliva dripping down their lips. He lowered his hand and was about to unzip his pants, but she pulled away, hair messy, cheeks flushed. “Go. Now. Before I forget why I came here.” And she ran out the spaceship’s door. “Wait, don’t leave me hanging? I need a release!” Junn screamed in a loud whispering voice. But she didn’t stop and pressed the door close button.  

As the ship door closed, Junn’s assistant Lee called through his comm. 

“Junn. You were right to be suspicious. The laptop you used to log in, hacked your account.” 

Junn’s blood ran cold. He turned to the door and looked straight into Lila’s eyes. 

“YOU!” he screamed, “You hacked me?” Lila looked back, eyes wide and laughed out loud, “I’m her twin. Not Lila!” 

Junn was about to run to her and the door slammed shut. Junn leapt to open it, but the engines were already primed. The ship took off, ‘destination locked’. Junn ran back to the cockpit and checked the navigations. It wasn’t Planet Emoh. 

“Shit!” he screamed, pulling out his phone hastily. “Lee, ship’s locked to a dead rock! A fucking deserted planet!” 

Lee came through again. “Hold on. We’re getting a spaceship specialist on the line.” 

Another voice clicked in. “Name’s Rawl. I’m gonna try to override the nav manually. You got 4 minutes before you hit the solar system exit vector. After that, you’re fucked.” 

Junn bolted to the control panel, Rawl guiding him step by step. “Override thrusters. Cut gravity locks. Input failover code: Sierra-Eo-9…” 

Codes running on the console. The ship flying fast. 

“Lee, we’re losing time!” Junn exclaimed. 

“Hold on, hold on!” Lee spoke. “Thirty more seconds!” 

The nav finally blinked red. Manual override granted. Rawl howled. “I got control. Diverting now!” Junn fell into his chair as the ship tilted hard, throwing him against the seat. 'Course changed to Planet Emoh.’ 

Safe. He breathed. “You guys saved me.” 

Lee exhaled. “You okay?” “Hungry. Starving. There’s not even a snack bar here,” exclaimed Junn. The journey was 18 hours long, and without food and water. Junn struggled through, the nonstop journey, Lila’s betrayal, hacking the ship, all the stress was taking a toll on him. 

When Junn’s spaceship landed on Emoh, his team promptly reached and opened the latch. Junn was unconscious inside. Two guys picked him up instantly. His parents ran into the medbay an hour later, worried sick. 

“You’re grounded for life!” his mother shouted through tears. Junn just laughed, waking up after hours on a hydration drip. 

Later that night, he called Lee and they both checked his accounts again. 

All intact. Lee spoke, “You were smart to log in with a dummy account. They tried to drain it and got fifty credits and a fake login screen. Dumbasses.” 

Junn grinned and said, “Remind me to double your salary. But first, I need you to do one more thing.” 

He fell asleep with one thought swirling in his mind. The real Lila. And her twin that kissed him into betrayal.