Page 9 of Arakiba (Alien Legacy Brotherhood #3)

Chapter Eight

A ri glanced around the dim corridor inside the Nebula Viper that led him to garbage heaven. Oh joy. Looking forward to once again bask in the delightful aroma of rotting shit… or whatever that stench was that blended nicely with the acrid smell of sharp, musty metal.

He couldn’t wait.

At least he wasn’t alone this time. Well… kinda sorta, since Morgan had synchronized his handheld with hers. She also created earbuds from the replicron so they didn’t have to rely on texting each other. Though she huffed at being left behind, she was smart enough to know if she stepped one foot out of the engine room without an Ozevroc, the nutesh snare would blow her head clean off.

They decided it’d be best if he went out late into the sleep cycle to avoid any of those aliens. Too bad her replicron couldn’t create a weapon for him. He felt downright naked, with just his bare hands to defend himself.

“You’re almost there,” Morgan’s sweet voice whispered in his ear. “I’ll tell you when to stop. You’re looking for a faint seam in the wall.”

Ari’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the walls as he passed, searching for the faint seam she mentioned. The metal panels appeared flawless, blending into one another with no obvious entrance in sight.

“There!” Morgan’s voice rose. “It’s right there.”

If she hadn’t warned him, his hand would have moved right past it. It was a small, grimy panel that was practically invisible under layers of soot and grime. Stepping closer, he reached out, his gloved fingers tracing the edges of the panel. It felt solid, unremarkable.

“Okay, press on it in this sequence with only two fingers.” Her tone was excited. “And don’t you dare get creative, understand?”

He grinned. Yeah, the woman was in her bossy mode again. Shoving the tempting scenario of her being naked while she was in that mood out of his mind, he pressed down on the tile in the deliberate sequence she described. He kept his touch light and sure. For a moment, nothing happened and…there—a subtle shift in the wall.

A nearly imperceptible seam appeared, the metal barely parting to reveal a narrow gap.

Ari pressed a little harder, and the hidden door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a dimly lit passage beyond. The flickering light inside cast long, eerie shadows. All right, now who doesn’t want to explore a creepy hallway in a spaceship full of hostiles? His heart beat faster in anticipation. He stepped forward, leaving the semi-polished corridors of the ship behind, and entered the heart of the garbage chamber.

Instead of calling up his ball of fire, Ari turned on the light fixture of his handheld. Its narrow beam was just wide enough to see where to go.

“I’m in,” he told Morgan, keeping his voice low. The sharp nefarious stench burned the back of his throat. He sucked in a breath, which only made it worse. His eyes teared up. Thankfully, Morgan had given him a small device that hung inside his nostrils. Once in place, he took a breath of cool, clean air. Damn, he should’ve put that in before he stepped one foot inside this disgusting place.

He did his best to ignore the thick, viscous streams of dark sludge oozing down the walls he could see out of the corner of his eye. Probably a toxic cocktail of alien chemicals and decaying organic matter.

The muck glistened in the dim light, leaving a trail of iridescent residue that clung stubbornly to the corroded metal.

He took in a grateful, clean breath. Thank the goddess, he didn’t have to continue to breathe more of that nasty stuff.

A faint purplish light up ahead caught his attention. He frowned. Was that there before? To get a better look, he switched off the handheld light. The deeper he ventured into the darkness, the brighter the purple glow grew.

“I see a purple light ahead. Is there something that should do that?” he whispered.

“Purple light?” Confusion laced Morgan’s animated voice. “There is no way there should be a light like that there.” A pause.

Woman must be studying the schematics on her computer.

“You’re almost to the main chamber where there’s a heavy concentration of that crystalline mixture. It’s to your left when you enter. Tell me if you see anything.”

“Yes, missy bossy ma’am,” he snarked. The daydream of her bossing him around in the bedroom came back. Whoa, slow down, boy. Pay attention to the purple menace first, bedroom Olympics later. Maybe. Hopefully.

When Ari reached the end of the narrow, grimy hallway, the space opened into a vast chamber, dimly lit by flickering orange lights. Mountains of garbage rose in chaotic heaps, filling the cavernous room. A wave of oppressive heat gave him the crazy idea that the chamber was alive and breathing.

On his right, a massive machine dominated the place. Its mechanical arms moved with relentless, rhythmic precision. The device grabbed piles of refuse, compressing them with a deafening crunch before depositing the compacted blocks into a gaping chute below. The machine’s gears groaned under the strain, sending vibrations through the floor.

Wow, good thing that hadn’t been on when he was there before. He might have gotten caught up in that mechanical monster’s deadly grasp. His to-do list didn’t include getting mushed into a cube.

A glowing purple light attracted his eye to a narrow path along the edge of the chamber. It was just wide enough for him to skirt around the machine’s reach. Going sideways, he squeezed away from the main chamber and found himself in a small room. His breath caught. There, in a crude, makeshift cage fashioned from bent metal bars, stood a figure unlike anything he’d ever seen before. The man, if he could be called a man, consisted entirely of crystalline purple. The guy’s body refracted the dim light into shards of amethyst hues that danced across the filthy walls. His faceted skin glimmered, and his eyes, deep and mysterious, met Ari’s with a mix of fear and desperation. The cage seemed almost too small for the being, confining him to a hunched position, yet the crystal man’s presence was undeniably powerful, radiating a strange, silent energy.

“Uh, Morgan?” he rasped.

“Yeah?”

“Good news! I think I know what is making that crystalline stuff.” Ari reported with a wry grin. “Bad news… it’s glaring at me like I owe it money.”

Ari didn’t wait for Morgan’s reply as he eyed the crystalline creature in the cage, fascinated by its faceted form glinting under the harsh overhead lights. The weight of its gaze—confused and utterly alien made Ari’s heart pound. He stood frozen, feet glued to the metallic floor. The confusing fight-or-flight instinct warred inside him.

“As’ni sooo hungry.“ The purple crystal’s voice was masculine, but soft and hesitant. “You bring As’ni food? As’ni hungry,” he whimpered. “Furry, furry won’t feed. Furry, furry won’t let me out!”

Ari relaxed at the childlike cry and cocked his head. “Morgan, did you hear that? Is this guy saying he’s hungry?” he asked. “How is it I understand him and not the Ozevroc?”

“You must have some kind of translator device implanted in you that could pick up his language,” she chuckled. “I think I’m glad it doesn’t work with the Ozevroc. No telling how they’d react to your less than funny humor.”

Not so. He was as funny as hell. Looks like a conversation he had to have with the obviously clueless woman later. Aiming the handheld to the humanoid creature, he ran the scanner over the purple crystals, mirrors, and glass.

“Morgan, are you getting this?” He kept his voice low.

“Oh, the poor thing,” Morgan crooned. “Look how sad he is.” She cleared her throat. “Get a little closer so I can scan him better.”

Oh, sure. Get closer to the behemoth stuffed in a cage. Exactly what he’d been dreaming about doing his whole life.

When Morgan gave an impatient hum in his ear, his shoulders slumped. Well, crud. No getting around it. He shuffled closer to the cage, but kept an eye on the large, ah, thing. “Hey, guy. How ya doing?” Ari winced. Wow, that was lame. He cleared his throat. “I’m Ari. You say you’re hungry, eh?”

The purple crystal man nodded, then tilted his head. He gripped the bars of the cage in one massive hand while holding out the other. “I know you?”

Now it was Ari’s turn to frown. This thing knew him? Impossible. “I don’t think so.”

The behemoth didn’t like that answer. The crystals around his wide mouth pursed. He shook the cage. “As’ni need food!”

If Ari wasn’t mistaken, the guy’s clear, purple eyes fixated on his handheld. When he raised it, the creature’s eyes followed as the prominent ridge above his eyes furrowed. “No, more. Not enough!” As’ni made a fist from his thick, three-fingered hand. With a sudden, deliberate motion, he lifted his massive arm, each crystalline joint shifting with a grating sound, like boulders scraping against one another.

His fist slammed down with brutal force, knocking Ari off balance.

The impact hit with a power Ari never imagined was possible as the metal floor buckled and rippled like lake water when a stone was thrown in. The resulting shockwave traveled outward, making him stumble again, his hands instinctively reaching for the wall as the ground shifted beneath him.

A deep, resonating hum filled the air, vibrating through Ari’s bones, as the ship groaned in protest. The walls shuddered, and overhead, the lights flickered. His pulse quickened, matching the erratic thrum of the lights as he fought to stay upright, his fingers digging into the cold metal for stability.

Then, as quickly as it began, the quake subsided. The ripples in the floor stilled, leaving the surface warped and uneven, a permanent scar from the creature’s wrath.

Ari’s chest heaved as he forced himself to breathe, adrenaline rushing. He glanced at the creature, its crystalline form unshaken but somehow diminished.

The temperature in the room dropped. Puffs of cold air came out of Ari with each exhalation.

The creature put his hands over the side of his head and moaned. “Hungry. So hungry.” He shook his head back-and-forth.

“Did you shine the multicorder light on him?” Morgan asked, her voice in his ear.

“Yeah. I think that’s what made him mad.” Ari made sure the beam was away from the creature.

“The readings I’m getting from your handheld confirm he’s made of the same materials that crystals and glass are on Earth. Of course, with a few alien variations mixed in.” She continued. “If that’s so, I think I know something that will help feed him.”

Ari’s eyebrows rose. “You want to feed this thing?” A bunch of crazy scenarios swarmed in his mind. And most of them ending with him suffering excruciating pain.

“Yes.” Her voice was excited. “If we can get him to trust us, we can make sure he doesn’t go around killing more Ozevroc or sabotaging our systems.”

Watching the alien with its arms around its knees, rocking and groaning, Ari voiced his concerns. “I don’t think he’s smart enough to create the system problems we’ve been having.” He didn’t want to voice his suspicions this was the guy who killed the two Ozevroc. From what he could see, the blocky teeth from the creature fit the indentation on the last furry body they’d found.

“Of course not,” Morgan admonished. “But he can help us find the Ozevroc who are trying to overthrow Welozz. And that kind of revolt will get us killed before we fix Elemi and escape.”

Good point. “Okay,” Ari said. “What do you want me to do?”

“See if you can generate that ball of fire again. Then take it close to the creature and see how he reacts to it.”

“Reacts?” He didn’t like the sound of that. “In what way?”

“I’m hoping that kind of heat and energy is what he needs.”

Her calm statement sent a dull throb through his temples.

“So, what do you want me to do? Toss it at him?” Then run like hell.

“Perfect! Yeah, do that!” she exclaimed.

Ari swore to the goddess…if that was her clapping in the background…

With one last look at the simpering crystal giant, Ari put out his hand, palm up. Hey, look at that. He brought the fireball up with barely a thought. His fingers tingled with raw energy as the psychic fireball coalesced in his palm, its heat licking at his skin without burning him.

The ball pulsed with a fierce inner light, swirling and rolling like a contained storm.

Ari focused, shaping the fiery orb with his will. He stepped closer to the cage. “Hey, As’ni? That your name? As’ni?”

The alien’s crystalline body reflected the chaotic glow of the fireball. The bulky creature stopped moaning and looked up, his huge palms falling to his sides. “As’ni. Yes.” He nodded. Then his eyes fixated on the bright ball Ari carried. “Food?”

Ari raised his hand. “Is this what you need, As’ni?” Please let this be what the guy needed. He’d sure hate for him to lose his shizzle again. No telling if the ship could handle another tantrum like that.

As’ni jumped up, hitting his head on the top bars. Not that he seemed to care. He hunched and threw out his massive paw, his fingers opening and closing.

The look of sheer hunger stamped on his face made Ari take a step back. Damn, he’d hate for that creature to look at him like that. But no, the guy remained fixated on the ball of fire.

“Gimme.” As’ni‘s voice wavered. “Give to As’ni.”

No way was Ari going to get close enough for the mammoth creature to grab him. Tossing it might be the chickenshit way to go, but at least it’d give him a chance to survive. His jaw tightened. Okay, let’s see if this worked.

“Okay, As’ni. Catch!” Leaning on one leg, he pulled back his arm, the psychic flames flaring brighter in response. With one a swift motion, he hurled the ball of fire at As’ni.

It soared through the air, leaving a trail of searing light in its wake.

As the fireball struck As’ni‘s chest, something unexpected happened.

The flames didn’t explode on impact. Instead, they paused, hesitating for a fraction of a second before an unseen force sucked them into his body. Then the fireballs of wild energy flowed inward, absorbed into the countless facets of As’ni‘s crystalline form.

Ari sucked in a breath. Wow, that was the weirdest thing he’d ever seen.

As the fiery light spread through As’ni‘s body, it moved like liquid fire. The creature’s translucent surface glowed brighter, the fireball’s energy becoming one with it, refracting and scattering in brilliant patterns. A dazzling light danced within, illuminating every edge and angle until it radiated a steady, blinding gleam.

Ari blinked in disbelief as As’ni‘s crystalline form shimmered with an almost joyous glow, the remnants of the fireball casting playful patterns of light across the room. The creature shifted, his massive head tilting to one side, and for a moment, Ari could swear he saw something like a smile in the way the crystals curved at the edges of what passed for a mouth.

As’ni‘s body pulsed with a soft, contented hum, the sound vibrating through the floor.

Then, just as suddenly, the light dimmed. The fireball extinguished—completely absorbed, leaving no trace. As’ni‘s body returned to its usual cool gleam, the flames snuffed out within its depths, as if they had never existed.

Ari clenched his fists. Hopefully, he didn’t just help that creature become more erratic.

“So good. Yes, food,” As’ni rumbled, patting his tummy. His voice resonated like stones rolling together. The creature’s tone was warm, almost affectionate. Happy like a puppy getting a treat.

Ari swallowed, nerves still taut, but he forced a small, cautious smile. “Yeah, food. We’re… friends now, right?”

As’ni‘s head bobbed in a slow, deliberate nod. “Friends. Better than bad furries.” His purple head tilted with a frown. “Don’t like furries.”

“What’s a furry?” Ari whispered to Morgan.

“He must be talking about the Ozevroc holding him hostage,” she replied.

Well, that made sense.

“Good.” Ari stepped closer to the cage. “As’ni feel better?”

“Yes, yes!” As’ni clapped. “Go with friend?” The creature’s unibrow scrunched together as he gripped the cage bars. “As’ni want.”

“Okay, As’ni. But you’ve got to be real quiet so the furries don’t find us,” Ari warned. “Think you can do that?”

“Yes! Yes!” The giant grinned, showing his blocky, lilac teeth. “As’ni be real quiet.” He made a shushing noise. “Okay if As’ni bring toy?”

Toy? “What kind of toy?” Ari asked.

His eyes widened when As’ni reached behind him and pulled out something that looked like a curved claw.

The object appeared to be crafted from a blend of precious metals and crystalline materials. Etched on its surface were elaborate carvings and symbols pulsating with a soft, ethereal blue glow.

If Ari wasn’t mistaken, that thing had to be the ancient relic the Ozevroc were looking for. Goddess, Ari hoped this wasn’t a mistake—letting this guy bring that. But maybe it would give him and Morgan an advantage somehow. “Sure, bring it.” He nodded.

As’ni gave a happy chirp and clutched the relic like a favorite stuffed animal against his wide chest. His crystalline face creased in a childlike grin.

Keeping As’ni in his sights, Ari walked around the cage, looking for a latch of some kind that held the door shut. Ah, there. Reaching over, he flipped it open and took a careful step back. With a flourish, he gestured to the open doorway. “Come on, buddy, time to get out of there. Follow me.”

As’ni hesitated only for a second before lurching forward with surprising eagerness. The heavy thuds of his steps were like an excited child eager to follow his new best friend.

“Hey, Morgan”—Ari headed back to the dingy hallway out of the garbage chamber with the lumbering steps of his new friend close behind—“hope you’re ready for a sleepover. But I gotta warn you, he’s not exactly a chatterbox, but I swear he’s bringing a gift that will just keep on giving.”

Morgan couldn’t remember the last time she was this nervous. Which was just ridiculous. Not like she wasn’t in constant contact with Ari, so she had no reason to worry about him traipsing around a hostile spaceship with a strange alien. Yep, he was just fine. The man was clever enough not to get caught. Even without his memories, he was a confident, smart guy. Okay, she should keep that in mind. Maybe the reason for her edginess was the gift he promised to bring. He had such a goofy sense of humor, there was no telling what it could be.

Besides, she had a little surprise of her own. She glanced at the worktable. Fingers crossed, that last, final touch was the only thing needed.

Rubbing her sweaty palms down the sides of her overalls, she jumped when she heard low murmurs and less-than-stealthy, clumping footsteps. She rushed to the engine room doorway, gripping the multicorder a little harder than she should have.

“In here, buddy.”

The sound of Ari’s voice made her tense muscles relax. They made it.

“More food! Yes?”

That gravelly deep voice had to be the crystal creature’s.

The lilting tone of his grinding, childlike voice was a surprise. Even though she heard and saw much of their exchange on her own handheld, she suspected seeing him in person would turn out different.

When Ari slid in first, she sucked in a breath, examining him with her eyes wild. Just to make sure he was okay. No reason to linger on parts of him she enjoyed the most. No siree. Keeping it professional here.

Then the loud thumps of the lumbering giant when he came into the room made her take a step back. Holy goddess, he was big. Not necessarily tall, but stretched wide as all get-out. His humanoid form maintained proper proportions while striking an intimidating chord all the same. But when she checked his blocky face, she relaxed. The child-like eagerness when he looked back at her made her smile.

“Oh, pretty lady!” The creature trudged to her before dropping to his knees with his arms wide. “I like pretty lady.” He looked back at Ari. “Can I play?”

“No, As’ni.” Ari smiled. “She’s mine to play with. I promise we’ll find you something even better.”

Morgan shivered as thoughts of what playtime with Ari would entail. Sensual, enjoyable explorations for two consulting adults to enjoy. Not that she’d admit that to him. Crossing her arms, she gave her full attention to the crystal man.

The giant’s shoulders slumped and his lower lip pouted. “Okay, Ari friend. As’ni be good.” He stood and looked around, clapping his hands. The echo of his crystal palms hitting together made a unique musical timbre. Like something a caveman would do with two resounding rocks. “As’ni go over here.” The crystalline alien moved with an odd, clumsy grace, his multifaceted form glinting under the harsh overhead lights. He stopped in front of a sprawling heap of discarded tools, metals, and assorted junk. A collection of the ship’s many repairs and mishaps that hadn’t made it to the incinerator yet.

“Remember, As’ni,” Ari’s voice was smooth but firm. “Don’t go out of this room or the furries will find you. Okay?”

As’ni‘s bulky head nodded vigorously. “No leave. Stay with Ari.” The glint of the discarded metallic pile grabbed the creature’s attention.

It was then Morgan noticed the swinging object hanging from a protruding crystal at As’ni‘s waist. “Is that…” She moved toward the crystal man, but Ari stopped her with a firm-but-gentle grip on her upper arm.

She glanced at him.

“Yeah, I believe that’s the Talon thingy the Ozevroc are looking for.” He nodded to her multicorder. “Why don’t you scan it first, just to make sure.”

Heart pounding, Morgan aimed her handheld at the swinging device as As’ni moved from object to object. He’d pick one up, then discard it over his shoulder before moving to another. With his back to them, he sang a simple ditty and appeared absorbed in finding his new favorite toy.

Morgan hummed to herself, and it only took a moment to examine the readings before she decided. “Yes, that’s definitely the Talon of Ancients.” She pursed her lips. “But that gives us a bigger problem.”

Ari tilted his head. “How so?”

“How are we going to give it back to the Ozevroc without them blasting us into extinction because they think we stole it?”

“Well, first things first.” Ari studied As’ni. “We’ve got to get it away from him before we do anything else. Trust me”—he eyed the busy alien—“you don’t want him throwing a tantrum.” With his lips pressed into a thin line, he sauntered over to the crystal man and crouched next to him. “Have you found a new toy yet?” He gestured to the pile.

As’ni‘s glassy eyes flickered with interest as he studied the debris.

Morgan moved to stand next to Ari. Goddess, she sure hoped As’ni wouldn’t choose anything sharp or dangerous.

With an exclamation of joy, the crystal man reached out with surprising gentleness and plucked a small, twisted coil of metal from the pile. It was a simple thing, once part of some now-defunct mechanism, with an intricate spiral design that caught the light in a dozen different ways.

It reminded her of an old Slinky toy made popular several decades ago in the human world.

As’ni held it up, turning it slowly in his hand, the metal reflecting off his crystalline skin creating a dazzling display of colors. He seemed mesmerized by how the light played through the coil, creating shifting patterns on the walls. There was a childlike wonder in the way he examined it, as if he’d discovered something truly magical from a pile of junk.

Morgan exchanged a glance with Ari, who raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Guess he’s into shiny, bouncy things,” he muttered with a note of unexpected softness in his tone.

She agreed. How interesting that the giant found one of the simplest of things in the pile to hold his attention.

“As’ni—“ Ari placed a hand on the creature’s shoulder. ”—is this what you want?”

As’ni‘s smile was wide as he nodded. “As’ni keep.”

“Okay, buddy.” He patted the purple crystalline shoulder. “But where are you going to keep it?” He pointed to the artifact dangling from his waist. “Looks like that would be the perfect place for it. Would you like to trade me so you can keep your new treasure with you?”

The alien’s nod turned vigorous. “Yes, yes! You keep.” He took the artifact off the hook at his side and handed it to Ari between his finger and thumb. “I no want now.” He dropped it, not even looking to see if Ari grabbed it or not.

When he did, Morgan breathed a sigh of relief.

“As’ni—“ Ari stood. ”—you stay here and play with your new toy. Morgan and I will be right over there.” He pointed to the workstation.

The creature nodded, singing to his new toy, and ignored them.

When she and Ari reached the workstation, she leaned to him and kept her voice low. “Now, what?” They had to get rid of the artifact before Welozz made another unscheduled appearance.

“Well—“ Ari scratched the side of his scruffy jaw. ”—I think the only thing we can do is put it back where it belongs.”

Morgan put her hands on her hips. “And just how do you propose we do that without getting caught?”

“Yo… Wrench Queen,” an unfamiliar, male mechanical voice piped up from the table. “Good thing I’m here to save the day.”

Morgan jumped. She’d totally forgotten her own surprise for Ari.

“What’s this?” Ari leaned down with his hands on the top of his thighs and glanced at Morgan. “You got it to work?”

“Hey, Captain Obvious! Of course I’m working.” The gold-and-silver spider bot on the table jumped up and down. “And I ain’t no ‘it’, buddy!” The droid poked a slim, golden foreleg in Ari’s direction. “You better mind your manners, or I’ll tell everybody about that sexbot you took just before we left.”

Ari straightened. “Huh?” His golden brows furrowed. “What’s a sexbot? And why would I want one?”

Morgan glowered at Ari and crossed her arms. A sexbot? One of those monstrous sex toys that looked like a metallic Barbie and held her prisoner on FiPan? She knew damn good and well why he’d steal one of those. Especially if he got it to work.

“Jeez, Arakiba,” the spider-bot complained. “If I have to explain that to you, why did you insist on taking one?”

“Arakiba?” Ari’s hands fisted at his sides. “Is that my name?” He looked away with a blank expression.

Morgan turned to the small droid. “Is that his name?” She pulled up her multicorder and typed it in. It didn’t take long for the device to spew out various scenarios until the last paragraph. There it stated that Arakiba was one of the original Adamou created after the Titans. It stated that he and his four “brothers” perished in the great flood thousands of years ago.

She looked up at Ari who was still lost in his thoughts. That couldn’t be him. Could it?

The bot dropped onto his bulbous butt, like a dog with his back four legs spread out. “Hey, what’s going on here?” His spider head swiveled between her and Ari. “If you didn’t know that’s his name, what’ve you been calling him? Blondie?”

She ignored the droid and put a gentle hand on Ari’s forearm. “Does that name sound familiar to you?”

He blinked before focusing on her. “No.” He shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck. “It doesn’t.”

Morgan turned her attention back to the small bot. “Are your memories intact? Do you have total recollection?” Hopefully, this droid had the key to not only help Ari, but it might have the info they needed to speed up the repairs on Elemi . “Do you know what your designation is?”

“Designation? Get a load of you, Missy!” The bot stood on all eight legs. “My name is JR12. But you can just call me Starchaser.“ His metallic undertones had a slight whirring sound.

“Look, Zippy.” Ari addressed the droid. “Answer her question. Are your memories intact or not?”

“What?” JR12 cocked his head. “Yours aren’t?”

“JR12…”

Morgan hid her smile behind her fingers at the exasperated tone in Ari’s voice.

“Down boy! Dang, if it was any more obvious, it’d be written in neon.” JR12 groused. “Of course I do.” His multifaceted eyes glinted in the low light of the room. “But then I wouldn’t know if I didn’t, now would I, Einstein?”

Cheeky little bot. Morgan snickered.

“Believe me, you’d know.” Ari’s jawline hardened. “Okay, let’s try this another way.” He turned and faced her. “Morgan…”

“Morgan?” JR12 jumped up and down. “Are you Morgan Elara Jackson from Atlanta, Georgia?”

Startled, she took a moment before she answered. She’d forgotten she’d told the Zerin when she’d joined their exchange program she was from that place in America. Being undercover, she hadn’t divulged her true origins from Aethralis. But how did this droid know her fake profile?

“No,” Ari answered before she could. “She’s from…”

“Yes, that’s right.” She interrupted before he finished. “I’m Morgan Jackson from Atlanta.” She pursed her lips. “How’d you know that?”

“Holy cosmic craziness! I don’t believe it.” JR12‘s excited tone matched the quivering of his small gold-and-silver metallic body. “Look at us, completing our mission without even trying. Didn’t we show them stupid naysayers we had what it took? Finding her that fast in this big, wide galaxy!” He snapped his front chelicera together. “Boy, Sue Fitzmaurice sure was right when she said, ‘You must go on an adventure to find out where you truly belong’ . And boy, oh boy, was she ever right! Ain’t we’s da bomb, A-Man?”

Ari chuckled.

A-Man? Morgan eyed the man, who had a stupid grin on his face. What a dumb nickname. Did he want to be called that? Or should she now call him Arakiba? She gave the muscular, handsome man a quick once-over. Nah. He’d always be Ari to her.

Back to business. “What do you mean you found me?” Morgan quizzed the bot. “Were you looking for me?” She glanced at Ari, who shrugged.

“Yes!” JR12 replied. “The Chancellor of the Federation Consortium, D’zia E’etu, sent us to find the missing human women kidnapped from the exchange program.”

She couldn’t help it. His little hops made her grin.

“And we were lucky enough to score Elemi to take our journey with.“ The bot stopped moving and glanced around. “And just where is the divine diva?”

Before Morgan pointed the prone ship out, JR12 slumped. His body turned to the vessel in the corner of the large engine room. “Oh no. That purple ass did more damage to her than I thought.”

“Purple…” Ari began.

“Pretty toy!” As’ni stomped over to them, his hands outstretched, fingers clenching and unclenching with an eager childlike rhythm as he focused on JR12. “As’ni want!” The spring he’d coveted swung on the hook from his side, apparently forgotten.

“As’ni, no!” Ari stepped in front of the crystal alien before he crashed into the table.

As’ni skidded to a stop. He stood rigid, his enormous fists clenched at his sides. His lower lip quivered, jutting out as his breath came out quicker, shallower. The unibrow over his deep-set eyes furrowed, casting shadows over his wide eyes, which were rapidly filling with clear crystal tears. He glanced from Ari to Morgan, and his wide chest rose and fell as a soft, high-pitched whimper escaped his lips.

“As’ni no play?” His voice quivered.

“Ack! It’s him!” JR12 squeaked and jumped high enough to land on Ari’s shoulder to nestle under his long blond hair. “Don’t let him get me!”

What in the world? Morgan watched the bot quiver and shake as if the crystal man scared him.

“No, As’ni.” Ari patted the alien’s shoulder. “JR12 not good for you, very boring.”

“Hey!” JR12 chirped from Ari’s shoulder.

“See, you like this better.” Ari picked up a small penlight from the tabletop. “Lookie how pretty.”

“Ooh, pretty.”

Ari successfully diverted As’ni‘s attention.

The giant played with the light after Ari showed him how to click it on and off.

“Now, be a good boy and sit over there to play with your new toys. Okay?” Ari gave him a couple more pats before nudging him with an open palm between his crystalline purple shoulders. “And if you stay there and behave, I’ll make you some more food.”

“Food?” As’ni looked up with a wide grin. “As’ni like food.”

“Good. Go on, then.” Ari gestured to the small pile of discarded metal the creature had played with earlier.

With a cheerful hum, As’ni did as he was told. When he reached the edge of the metallic hump, he dropped his butt onto the floor with a loud thump.

“Jumping galactic glory.” JR12 announced in a calmer tone from Ari’s shoulder as he scratched the side of his bulbous head with one of his spindly forelegs. “Who’d have thunk?”

“Thought what?” Morgan asked, watching As’ni play with this new collection. The alien shined the penlight on his metallic spring as he bounced the coils over and under the light.

JR12 grunted. “That the very creature that blew up Elemi is now as docile as a cat pretending it didn’t just eat your pet mouse.”