Page 68 of Alien Jeopardy

Selene: No

Right. That solves that. For now.

Poppy: Ken agreed to abide by the contracts we signed. We can’t opt out now, but if we are critically injured or ill Ken will do his best to assist

Poppy: I am so sorry. I cannot begin to make this right

I take a deep breath because I know Poppy, and I know she’s beating herself up for this.

Ellison: We’re going to make it out of this

Poppy: In good news, he has also agreed to not kill any of us off, so when we complete his new ideas for the show, we all get to go to Sueva.

I’m not sure how legally binding Ken’s word is, but I look up at the clouds still blotting out most of the sun overhead anyway. “Thank you, Ken.”

“Where did you find the tablet?” Rex asks. I glance up at him, warmth spreading through me at the sight of him, whole, talking, right here next to me.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” I say, and I’m sobbing again. So much for not having a migraine. “I was so scared.”

“You took a very big risk, a risk you shouldn’t have,” he says, and there’s a note of censure in his voice. I open my mouth to argue, but he presses his against mine, and whatever I was going to say dies on my lips as he kisses me.

“But you saved my life. You are incredible, hyrulis.”

“I don’t know what that means,” I whisper. My hand finds his cheek, the other still clutching the tablet, and I soak him in as he stares down at me.

“It translates to…” He pauses, and my fingers wander up to his temple, then to the gentle striations of his horn. “Queen of my heart. Treasure of my life.” His orange eyes meet mine, and my heart skips a beat.

“No one’s ever called me anything like that.”

“You should know how precious you are.”

The comms tablet dings, and we both look back at it.

Lily: this whole place is fucking fucked

Lily: I’m so glad you’re all alive. And I guess we’re all staying alive? Shit. Shit!

Lily: Good job working that out, Pops

Lily: we’re alive too. I think my ankle is sprained, but Zan is making me a brace right now

Lily: I would say let’s try to meet up, but I think the AI is going to actively keep us from that

Poppy: You are correct. Ken wants us separated. I tried to change that, but there was nothing to work with in the contract when it came to that.

Lucy: I gotta go

Selene: Same. Be safe

Ellison: Let’s check in each morning and night, okay? I will feel better if I know you’re all okay.

Poppy: we can’t discuss strategy, FYI

Poppy: That’s why that one message was censored

Poppy: We should all get back to work though. I get the feeling Ken doesn’t like down time

I like their responses, sending my own goodbyes.