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Aly didn't say anything because she couldn't argue. They knew it to be true when they found out the ships that brought them here didn't take people off. Not without strict permission from the Xolis council. The ships that were docked were for materials to be exported only. And they were heavily guarded by second-ranked enforcers. No one left Lethe Maws.

"Do you really believe Julian will be able talk with one of the council members?" Aly asked.

Mark shook his head. "Honestly? Not a chance. But he has to keep hope in the others somehow. Otherwise..."

Aly thought of Ethan and how awful he had looked at the last meeting. And how scared Jamie seemed. Once again, the image of the tylian flashed in her mind, and Aly wondered how much longer they would last before that hope died. And one of them with it.

Mark's hand fell on Aly's knee and squeezed gently. Aly didn't move away, though she tensed briefly. She smiled at him and placed her hand on top of his in a friendly manner. She locked eyes with him and noticed the dark circles forming underneath his gaze.

"You seem to be doing okay, though, huh?" he said. "You seem to be taking things better than the rest of us."

Aly wasn't so sure. If anything, she was just much better at hiding it. She was scared too, but she tried her best to focus on other thoughts, tried to see the better side of their predicament, if there even was one. It was the reason she drew the other people around her or the scenery or anything. And why she wanted to try to help the abbiots or strike up a conversation with a grex. She wanted to continue working at the mission and have something to show for it. And if she never did see home again, then she wanted to believe she was where she was now for a reason.

And maybe that reason was to integrate and start a new life.

Aly unlatched from his gaze in hope that he couldn't read her face and her thoughts. She would never voice this to him (or the others), but home didn't give her the same bright and fuzzy feelings that it might for them.

Because Earth hadn't exactly felt like home to her for a long time.

It was why she had joined the Grayhart mission after all. And though she might like to see the blue planet again, to see fellow humans, she didn't care to step back on Earth's soil. Not really. In fact, if they did ever get back to the foundation's base, she would probably hop right back on the next ship, ready to go on in search of the next planet holding its secrets of life and advancement.

Aly let her hand slide off Mark's and opened her palm upward as an invitation. Mark took it gladly, entwining his fingers in hers.

"You were always the optimistic one, Aly," he said.

Aly looked back at him but didn't smile. Instead, she leaned in and kissed him softly at the corner of his mouth. Mark tensed in surprise at first, then closed his eyes and returned the kiss.

She shouldn't have done it. But after the last couple days, after her encounter with the nillium and seeing the dead body of the tylian, she felt suddenly very alone and more afraid than before (though she was grateful in being able to hide her fears) and in need of comfort.

This wasn't the first time she had sought out comfort in Mark. And just like before, he was ready to comply.

They parted and looked at one another. Mark opened his mouth and Aly knew the words he was about to say. But before he could say them, both their techbands went off.

Breaking the moment, they drew apart from one another and looked down at their wrists.

The message was from Kate. There was to be another meeting tonight. Only this time, they were to meet at...

"She can't be serious," Mark breathed.

Aly's heart did a little jump of excitement. "I think she is pretty serious."

Mark snorted. "Great, just what we need. Another reason to be glared at."

Aly gave him a sly little smirk and elbowed his side. "Our shifts will be over soon. I should probably get back to work. I'll see you there." Aly got up from the rock and walked off, feeling just a tad better than before.

"Yeah, I guess you'll have to," Mark called after her. "But I won't drink, and I call the first seat facing the wall."

Chapter Five

Ryziel had perched high up on the rock, making sure not to be seen, watching the human woman carefully from his hiding place. Watching as she fixed the bot in her lap then paused to look around, her eyes passing over where he was hidden in shadow. She was alone like the others had been. Braxin hadn't cared to keep them together, maybe to ensure they didn't get to talking or be distracted from their work.

He had gone in search of the humans and had found each one of them. The first had been a man. He prepared himself, in case his Drega slithered its way to the surface at the mere sight of him. But, to his great relief, he had felt nothing. Only maybe a little guarded at first but nothing more.

When he found the next human and saw it was another female, it was as he had feared, only this time his Drega was not so quick to rise. But it was, indeed, there. It wasn't like the first time, when he thought he would lose himself. Not by far. But the instinctual urge was there, only more as an itch that he could at least ignore. For the most part.

When he found two more females, the itch was stronger, his receptors vibrating slightly, but he could still manage at least some, though it made him uncomfortable after a certain point and so he left. After that, it was men again and—again to his relief—he felt nothing.

When he finally found the area in which the lone woman from the bridge was located, he prepared himself first. Even her scent, now familiar to him, drew his Drega out even a little, unlike the others who, though making him stir somewhat, did not seem as appealing.