Ar'Tok - Alana Khan Page 0,10

proximity to me. I don’t blame her. I know I’m repellent.

I launch into a jog, then a run. The faster I can get her out of my arms, the better it will be for her.

We make the turn onto the dorm hallway, whizzing past doors until we pass mine. I stop at hers, palm the plate, race through the door, and set her on her bed.

“I’ll have one of the females help you, Star. I’m so sorry I . . .”

“Can you stay?” Her brown eyes look large and luminous. I shake my head; did I hear her right?

“You want me to stay?”

“I’m afraid. I’ve never met another being before—none except my mom and dad. I was raised on the Misfit. Drones delivered all our goods, or my father took the little cruiser to the nearest planet—without my mom or me. Humans are illegal.

“Dr. Drayke scared me. The females he wants me to meet? They’re going to scare me. Thank the Gods the doctor didn’t touch me, I don’t think I could bear it. I’m going to need some time to adjust.”

I read a book once about a person who fell into another dimension where up was down, and black was white, and nothing was as it had been. I feel like I plunged into that dimension.

Did I hear her correctly? Out of all the people on board, she wants to be with me? She couldn’t endure the doctor’s touch, but she tolerated mine?

“Okay. No problem. I’ll stay. Are you hungry? I could get us food, or have someone bring it. You don’t have to see anyone. I’ll take care of everything.”

“I’m starved,” she admits.

Star

Ar’Tok comm’d the kitchen and someone will bring us some food. He seems bewildered by me and hasn’t said a word for a while, which is just as well, because I have a lot of thinking to do.

I grew up on a satellite knowing that if anyone discovered my mom or me, they’d sell us into slavery, or worse. When I was young, my dad taught me how to fix everything on board. He wanted me to be able to fend for myself if anything happened to him and my mom.

I learned how to wrench the engine at age seven. Dad put me in charge of renovating the hydroponics lab at ten. I’m a big girl. Dad used to tell me I was wise beyond my years.

So, where did that female go? Because the word ‘scared’ has never been in my vocabulary until today. And I want that word banished. Right. This. Minute.

I’m afraid to meet some Earth females? That will not do. I won’t allow it. I am not a coward. All that shit stops now.

The knock on the door startles me, but my initial bolt of panic just strengthens my resolve to look my fear right in the eye.

“I’ll get it and be right back,” Ar’Tok says. He’s so sweet and seems to be having more trouble with our new situation than I am.

“Nope. I’ve got this. Tell whoever it is to come in.”

He arches a questioning eyebrow, the one over his good eye, but opens the door.

“Hi! I’m Maddie, the chef,” a human female practically sings. She carries a tray with two plates heaped with food.

“Star,” I say. “Pleased to meet you.”

“I have no idea what you like to eat, so I brought you a little of today’s lunch and a smattering of leftovers. Something will certainly make you happy. We were all so worried about you last night as we were speeding to rescue you. When I heard you were safely onboard, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re probably in a daze, confused by this turn of events, so I have two things to say. One, don’t worry, we are a good bunch of people no matter what we look like. There are a lot of different species here, but everyone is nice, and I promise you, you’re safe. Two, stay as long as you want. We’ll take care of you.”

“Thanks, Maddie. Thanks.” That wasn’t so hard. Maybe I can do this.

~.~

I’m wearing my spacesuit, standing in the airlock between the two ships. It was less than twenty-four hours ago that I was talking to Ar’Tok over comms thinking everything was right with my world. Now I feel a flash of anxiety as I’m about to re-enter my ship.

I want to take another look at the oxygenator and see the extent of damage in the hydroponics lab.

The ship is eerie. I don’t