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“Nevermind then, you wouldn’t have a clue.Butthe big guy over here was just getting ready to tell me how he simply popped into view.”

“Arewe gonna get to say something like ‘Scottybeam me up,’ becauseIwas aStarTrekjunkie since the captain was a hottie.”

Weboth look over at the huge, overwhelming presence sitting in the other chair only to notice he isn’t actually touching anything.

“SCOUT?”

“Yes,MistressLacie.”

“Don’tyou think you should keep your hands on the wheel, or whatever is driving this ship?”

“Iam controlling the ship remotely, actually.Thehologram in the seat is only there to make you more comfortable.”

“Well, it’s not working.”

Heturns his head toward me before reaching his large, glove-covered hand out, but my hand passes right through his as if he isn’t even there.Ijump back, practically landing inBriar’slap.

Thesmall smirk on his way too human face would make most girls’ hearts flutter, butI’mtoo freaked out to really appreciate it.

“Pleaseforgive me.Ifmy mate knewIhad caused you any distress, she would not be happy with me.Letme provide you with some comfort.Thereare several of us who can form a solid holographic form:SAGE,ANDI,Falcor, myself, and soon theDestroyerthat you are residing upon.Wecreated this form in the beginning as a safety feature for the subjects we are responsible for.Intime, this became the easiest way for us to interact and appear before the other humans.Mymate,SAGE, was the first to request a solid form after theCommander’smate was almost stolen from within her own dwelling, andSAGEwas helpless to assist her.Wewere allowed to pick our chosen forms.EventhoughSAGEchanges her appearance regularly,Ihave found that males from most worlds respect size and dominance above all, which brings us to the form you are now positioned next to.”

“Wow, you know that’s just too cool!Ican’t imagine just being able to change my appearance at will.Evenso,I’msureIwould overload the system and end up freezing with half my body missing or something, so it’s a good thingIdon’t have that option.Lookslike there are a few others wanting to come up here as well, so unless you want to tell this story over and over,Iwould use your superpowers to at least look like you’re maneuvering something.Thanksfor putting up with us,SCOUT.”

“Itwas my pleasure,MistressLacie.Iam sure this is just the first of many conversations we will have together.”

“Awesomesetup you have here big guy, and thanks for letting us hang out.”BeforeSCOUTcan reply,Briarslips past me.Then, becauseIcan’t help myself,Igently touch his shoulder, only to giggle when my finger disappears into his suit.

Mostof the others who came up here with us have already returned to their seats.ThisgivesBriarand me a clear view all around us in the back of the ship.Hesitantly,Itake baby steps forward, trying to get as close as possible to what looks like the edge of the floor.Reachingout,Ifind that the glass, or whatever is keeping us safe from the vastness in front of us feels spongy.

“Lacie, would you get the hell off the edge?You’remaking me nervous.”

“SorryBriar,I’mjust curious about everything.It’sso different here, andI’mhaving a hard time grasping it all.”

“Well, curiosity killed the cat, so quit jumping into everything headfirst.”

“Fuddy-duddy!”

Somethingstreaking by has both of us leaning forward.Spacelooks nothing likeIimagined it would.Someplaces remind me of the northern lights, while others are pitch black, with not a single star or light in sight; it seems to create a sense of endlessness.Ihave never felt so small or insignificant.

TheCommander’sdeep voice makes both of us jump. “Ladies, if you would return to your seats, we are getting ready to come out of hyperdrive, and sometimes that’s a little bumpy.”

“Wow, you snuck right up on us there.”

“Thathas been mentioned to me several times by your kind.MyKirahas threatened to put whatIbelieve she calls a ‘bell’ around my neck.”Hemotions for us to go ahead of him.Onthe way back to our seats,Ilook up at him.

“Itake it the pretty blonde you were kissing back there wasKira?”

“Itwas.Sheis my mate, a term you will hear often.”

“Mate!Wow… and thanks for confusing me just a little more.Haveyou been to this new planet?”

“No, this will be the first timeIset foot on it as well, butIhave read all the scans, andItrustSCOUT’sopinion.Andtechnically, it’s a moon currently namedE-311.”

“Yuck… well, we’ll have to come up with a better name than that, for sure.Ican’t speak for everyone else, but thanks for all you’ve done for me and my kind.Ican imagine a completely non-pleasurable outcome if someone else had found us.Wewere sent out, ignorant of what the outcome might possibly have been.”

“Youcan thank myKirabecause if not for her, your kind would have been nothing but a myth in our world.Findingher set thecourse we are now on.TheLordofLightputs us exactly where we are supposed to be, young one.Whenin doubt, pray, and a path will be provided even if it is not the one you wished for.”

BeforeIcan say anything else, we are back at our seats.Whenhe sees that we are all settled, he walks back to where he was standing earlier.Heglances over atSCOUT, then back to us.