Page 38 of My Alien Angel (Supernova Casanovas #6)

Fin

The station’s temperature is uncomfortably hot.

I would have expected things in space to be cold, considering Null’s ship was chilly, but Schloppe station is hotter than hell.

Smells similar, too. I’m almost certain that one of the unpleasant odors in the air is sulfur, along with exhaust gas, something rotting and, of course, smelly socks.

It’s dark, too. The few functional lights I can see are low and flickering like we’re in a horror movie.

All in all, it’s not living up to my expectations.

We walk down a long corridor without meeting a single living soul, then through an airlock chamber with doors that don’t look functional.

At least, I think airlocks function better when there isn’t a hole the size of my head blasted through the door.

Beyond the airlock chamber, the smell gets a little better.

It’s still stinking hot, but it smells more like exotic food than rotting corpses which, while making me sneeze periodically, is still an improvement.

There are people here, too. Aliens. Some familiar, like the tiger-striped ones or the blue-skinned ones and some not so familiar, like a woman whose lower half is a long snake tail.

The vast number of different alien species reminds me of the Mos Eisley cantina scene in Star Wars, minus the catchy music.

Remembering the violence in that scene, I shuffle closer to Null, getting as close as possible without actually touching him.

I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate me hanging off him like a frightened child.

Besides, the hood limits my field of vision, and I don’t want to lose Null in the crowd.

I worried I’d look strange wearing it here, but I’m not the only one hiding my face.

Null growls something as we pass by a group of aliens. I don’t catch what he says but mirror his sentiment when I glance over my shoulder and see a metal collar around the neck of a slender, red-skinned alien. A four-armed female is leading him around on a leash like a dog.

Shuddering, I inch even closer to Null, realizing we really are in the lawless part of the galaxy.

More than ever, I’m grateful to Eldri for recommending Null to help me.

My current guide might be grumpy and terse, but he seems as disgusted by slavery as I am, which means he’s unlikely to sell me. I hope.

We stop at an intersection and I step closer to the rickety remains of a railing to admire the view.

This section of the station stretches up and down from where we stand like we’re in the middle of an endless chimney.

Fragile-looking walkways line the walls with various bridges and staircases connecting them at totally random angles.

The walls are lined with various stalls, shops and establishments.

There are people sitting at a bar on chairs that appear to be hovering over open space.

A street food merchant tosses a piece of grilled something-or-other down several levels where a tentacle, a freaking tentacle, whips out from a vent and catches it.

Aliens of all shapes and sizes are selling clothes, weapons, scrap metal, other aliens, and a dizzying array of goods I can’t even begin to describe.

Looking down through the gaps between various bridges and walkways, I realize that deep on the bottom, people are moving upside down.

Is their gravity different from ours? How the hell does it work?

When a hand clamps around my upper arm, I yelp, flinch, and nearly fall. “Careful,” Null hisses, pulling me away from the edge. “We need to ask about your friends. Do you know any of their names and species? Or just the ship?”

“The ship is the Supernova.” I know that one for sure.

“But Omni never really…” I search my memory for names Omni mentioned but can’t come up with many.

Most of the time I spent with Omni, I didn’t even know he was an alien.

He talked about his friends sometimes but, obviously, couldn’t mention any specifics.

“I think he talked about someone named Lyri. She’s a female.

Oh, and their captain is called Zarkan.” At least that’s what Eldri said.

“Omni is a member of their crew, but he’s locked up right now. He has wings.”

“A Quintran?” Null cocks his head to the side. “Interesting. That’s all you’ve got?”

“Well…yeah. Can’t we just look at a list of ships currently docked and find the Supernova?” Null’s unimpressed face makes me pause, I take another look at the chaos surrounding us. “Right. This place probably doesn’t keep lists.”

Laughing, Null shakes his head. “No, they don’t.

They do ask for extortionate docking fees, though, so it’s unlikely your not-friends have been here for long.

I’ll ask around. You follow me and keep quiet.

I might not be able to fight off the horde that will descend on you if they find out you’re a human. ”

A few hours later, I’ve sweated out two gallons of water under my cloak, Null has talked to dozens of aliens, half of whom were only interested in what I was and if I was for sale, and we’re nowhere closer to finding Omni’s crew than we were upon arrival.

At least until Null’s current conversation partner, a half-snake person selling various gadgets, laughs.

“Yesss. They come here sssometimesss. Good cussstomersss.” Looking Null up and down, he smirks. “You ssstand no chance.”

Refusing to elaborate, he turns to serve some customers. Null and I retreat to a quieter corner. “What do you think he meant?” I whisper.

“If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say there’s a bounty on your not-friends and he thinks I’m trying to collect it.”

“A bounty?” My eyes widen.

Null waves his hand at the crowds milling about.

“There’s a bounty on most of the people here.

Including me and now, most likely, you.” A bounty on my head.

Wow! “The UGC puts them out on anyone who breaks the law. They’re usually too small to bother with collecting, especially since the UGC demands the target be delivered alive and unharmed.

Private bounties are much more profitable. ”

“Uh-huh. So, how do we find the crew?”

“We don’t.” Null leisurely leans against a post supporting the platform above our heads. “If I’m right, several of the people I talked with today will alert the crew that someone’s been asking about them. If they’re any good, they’ll come to us. Or they’ll kill me.”

“They won’t kill you.” Moving the hood up my sweaty forehead, I scowl at Null. “They’re good people.”

He snorts. “You’re na?ve, human. There are no good people in the universe.”

“You’re cynical because your life has been shit, but that doesn’t mean you’re right.”

“Yes, it—” Null’s expression hardens as he looks over my shoulder. Before I can blink, he has a gun in his hand, pointing it at a tiger-like alien standing a few steps behind me. “The hood,” he hisses at me and I hastily pull the hood down so it covers my face. It’s too late, though.

“What is Genixarian filth doing here with a human?” the tiger man asks, stepping closer, seemingly not caring about the gun Null has aimed at him.

I quickly discover why when another alien, dressed similarly to the first, flanks us from the other side.

This one is cherry-red, tall, huge, and carries a freaking hammer.

“I think we’ll take her off your hands,” the red alien says. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll just leave quietly.”

Sucking in a startled gasp, I squeeze the grip of my gun tighter. I might have had qualms about shooting at people on board Eldri’s ship since they were just doing their jobs, but my conscience won’t weep over knocking these thugs out.

The tiger-like alien watches curiously as I sidle closer to Null. “You’d be safer with us, human,” he says. “We don’t dabble in slavery.”

Why the hell do they want me, then? “No, thanks. I’m good right where I am. Now, if you could just leave quietly, that would be great,” I say, my trembling voice betraying my fear.

The red alien laughs. “She’s feisty. She’d fit right in. Why don’t we just kill the asshole and leave? I’m tired of this place.”

A third alien joins us, a similar jumpsuit marking him as part of their group. How many of these fuckers are there? More importantly, how many can we take out before they overpower us? I don’t want to be the reason Null dies, but I also really don’t want to become a slave.

“Just wait a minute, Faelin,” the third alien says.

He has two bug-like antennas sticking out from his bald head.

Their tips glow muted yellow and seem to move from side to side, which would be a super cool sight if he wasn’t trying to kidnap me.

“Silthar just told me these two were asking around about the crew of the Supernova. I, for one, am curious why a Genixarian,” he spits the word out like an insult, “of all species would be asking about us. Especially one with a human in tow.”

My jaw drops. “You’re Omni’s crew! Oh my god! That’s so fucking amazing. I was beginning to think we’d never find you. You need to help Omni! He’s—”

“Not here,” the antenna guy interrupts. “You’re attracting way too much attention. Let’s speak on the ship.”

To my surprise, Null rumbles, “I’m coming with her.”

The trio looks at him with thinly veiled disgust. What’s up with that? I mean, sure, Null isn’t the friendliest person around, but why would they hate him on sight?

The red alien smirks. “Our captain splattered the brains of the last Genixarian on board the Supernova all over one wall of the bridge. Eager to join the decor?”

“I promised to keep the human safe,” Null replies, unaffected by the, frankly, nauseating threat. “You three look like random thugs. What proof do we have that you’re even from her friend’s crew?”

The red and tiger aliens seem taken aback, but the antenna guy cocks his head to the side, the glowing tips of his antennae shifting from yellow to blue. “Interesting,” he muses. “I’ve never seen a Genixarian act like you. What are you?”

“That’s none of your fucking business.”

Seeing the situation is about to get out of hand unless someone who isn’t overflowing with testosterone intervenes, I step between the bulky aliens.

They’re all ridiculously taller than me and under different circumstances, I’d enjoy being surrounded by so many hunky males, but right now, my only concern is Omni.

“Oi!” I yell, low enough to not gain the attention of everyone on this floor but loud enough to bring them out of their cock-measuring contest. “Let’s focus on what’s important here, which is rescuing Omni.

So, how about we shelve the Testosterone Olympics for a later date?

Null has been nothing but helpful, so if you could be less of a dick to him, I’d appreciate it. ”

“He’s a Genixarian,” the red alien protests.

“Is he, though?” the one with antennas says mysteriously but doesn’t expand. Null doesn’t react, either, aside from glaring at the three interchangeably. “Let’s talk on the ship. Null,” he smirks, “can join us. He knows how stupid it would be to try anything against a Voidstalker squad.”

Null sneers. “Lead the way, bug.”

Pulling the hood lower to make sure my being human doesn’t cause anymore incidents, I roll my eyes.

Why is it that guys are the same everywhere, regardless of their species?

The galaxy needs a female hand. Imani would wipe the floor with these morons with just a single glare over the rim of her glasses.

All I can do is blabber them into submission.