Page 38 of Space Daddy’s Guide to the Galaxy (Villains in Space #2)

38

ZIGGY

Now that I’d put the pieces together, it was painfully obvious who the “masterminds” were behind this entire situation. It was also slightly embarrassing, considering Stellarians had been outsmarted by a bunch of snakes.

Nearly outsmarted.

Micah gestured for me to elaborate, and I nodded. “Word must have traveled that a Trol egg had somehow ended up on Marox. With how valuable karnilian was to their business model— how they themselves had most likely driven Trols to near extinction—the Hydrassians would have been willing to do anything to claim that egg for themselves.” I chuckled humorlessly. “Well… almost anything.”

It didn’t take long for my incredibly impressive mate to catch on to my train of thought. “They knew the Stellarians would be one of the only species that could go against the Maroxians…”

“Besides the Lacertus,” I added begrudgingly, with a nod at the one before us. “But it sounds as if that wouldn’t have been an option.”

Krunk scoffed. “Absolutely not. When we captured Uuktar, the first thing they attempted to bribe us with were the coordinates for Karn.”

Micah straightened to attention “Did they give you the coordinates?”

The Lacertus observed him silently for a moment before huffing. “No. Because we had no intention of ever tempting fate in that way again.”

WHAT?!

This went against everything I thought I knew about our greatest enemies. They had a seer at their disposal—one who could lead them to the origin of untold power—yet they had apparently refused the opportunity. They had refused to take advantage of coveted intel that could have finally brought them victory over my kind.

“Not everything is as it seems when it comes to certain species.”

Honnor’s words blended with Leeloo’s in my memory, reminding me so much of my personal history was based on propaganda created by those who did not care what others lost because they had everything to gain.

And it sounds as if I’m not the only one.

I looked at the Lacertus in front of us—really looked at them. Not their outward appearance, but at how their history and beliefs were so similar to, so intertwined with, my own.

“Enjoy facing your greatest enemy, Zig-ee.”

Leeloo hadn’t mentioned the Lacertus when they said this, because that wasn’t who they were talking about. They meant my own assumptions, the demons I hadn’t yet exorcised.

They were talking about me.

“I… may have been wrong about the Lacertus, sunshine.”

“It’s okay, Zig. Once you know better, you can do better.”

I cleared my throat, rallying to not only be vulnerable with my mate, but in front of a species who no self-respecting Stellarian would ever show weakness to.

Because they would never show us weakness either.

“I’m not entirely convinced any gemstone is needed for the Hydrassians’ rituals,” I carefully said. “But I understand better than most that the pull from karnilian is very real. When I was attempting to figure out what our… what this Trol was,” I reached up to absently run a gloved hand through Pedro’s fur, “I opened some sort of channel between us. The stone is all I can think about when Micah lowers their shields—like a maddening drumbeat. Therefore, I understand how some might stop at nothing to claim it for themselves, no matter how rare it is. No matter how one must kill a Trol in order to…”

My words lodged in my throat like the stone in question, but my stellar collision stepped in to support me.

As always.

“Can I please have Pedro, Zig?” he gently asked, and I gladly obeyed, snatching the squawking creature from my shoulder and handing them off to my partner.

I’d assumed Micah was simply giving me breathing room from my shame, but then he held the Trol aloft, so Pedro’s owlish yellow eyes could meet mine.

Then, he lowered their shields.

I gasped, leaping backward as a wave of uncontrollable desperation washed over me, luring me toward my prize, promising me everything…

“MICAH! You need to shield them… No, shield ME! Trap my tendrils inside me, please…”

“No.”

“PEDRO IS IN DANGER ? —”

“No, they’re not,” Micah brusquely made our conversation public, shoving the creature closer to me despite the obvious risk. “What are you feeling right now, Zig?”

Feeling?!

“What?” I snapped, my frantic gaze darting to our audience. “I… I do not believe now is the time for a session with Dr. Micah…”

Because that is a level of vulnerability I refuse to display in front of my enemy.

Former enemy…

Unfortunately, Dr. Micah’s methods were unforgiving. “Is the first thing that comes to mind how you want to cut Pedro open and violently tear the karnilian from their chest with your tendrils?”

BY STELLARIA!!!

It absolutely was not what came to mind. In fact, the thought of harming one hair on Pedro’s tiny body had my tendrils retracting so far inside my Earthling form, they practically disappeared into my core.

“No,” I choked out, my body shaking with the effort needed not to snatch the creature away from someone willing to even suggest it. “I could never?—”

“Because what you’re experiencing isn’t the blinding need to covet the stone for yourself,” Micah calmly cut in. “It’s called a protective instinct—specifically, a parental protective instinct.”

WHAT?!

“B-but, Pedro is not my… our…” I sputtered, backing away.

“No, Pedro is not biologically yours.” Micah smiled. “Or ours.”

Ours…

“Buuuut…” my relentless mate continued. “I actually think by coming in contact with the stone, you activated a kind of reverso imprint on Pedro—making your true form believe they’re actually your offspring.”

Excuse me?

“Fascinating…” Krunk murmured, seemingly captivated by the free show they were receiving. “Do you believe that is the original purpose of the stone being embedded in this species, My-kuh?”

My scientifically-minded mate eagerly nodded his head. “I do! I’m also protective of the Trol, and they’re obviously comfortable with me, but the bond between Ziggy and Pedro has been super strong since day one?—”

“I disagree,” I attempted to argue, but Micah was uninterested in granting me mercy.

“Almost since day one, whatever.” He grinned, rolling his eyes good-naturedly before sobering. “Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ve been the only one to mistake this pull, Zig, and the Hydrassians capitalized on that biological response for financial gain.”

Sighing, I dejectedly stared at the squirming creature, unable to ignore how I found the odd ratio of their enormous eyeballs and furry face to be slightly adorable.

“What’s the matter? Do you want upsies with your space daddy?” Micah cooed in the ridiculous, sing-song voice I’d often witnessed him use back on Earth with the babies in his family.

Which is slightly adorable as well.

Pedro responded with a squeal and a scrabbling of their claws until I retrieved the creature from Micah’s arms, placing them back on my shoulders with a sigh.

Fine.

It’s practice.

To my increased annoyance, the Lacertus chuckled. “Why are you seeking to return this Trol to Karn? Clearly, they have found loving caregivers in both of you.”

Micah smiled softly. “Well, I don’t know if life aboard the Lodger is the right kind of set up for a baby, no matter how much I want to…” He cleared his throat, blushing deliciously. “And we should at least try to reunite them with their own kind, right?”

The Lacertus stared at my stellar collision thoughtfully. “I have often wondered whether all the species in the galaxies should be as segregated as we are… While you both look similar at the moment, you are not the same.”

You’d be surprised.

“Yeah, about that…” Micah rubbed the back of his neck. “Have you really not heard of Earth, Krunk? Or the Lacertus’ history with Earthlings like me?”

The lizard cocked their head, visibly intrigued. “What are the coordinates for Earth?”

Even with this new ground between our species, I wasn’t eager to give these lizards a map to my mate’s home planet.

“It’s difficult to chart to outsiders, since the locals call their galaxy ‘Milky Way,’” I deflected. “But it’s a fertile, blue planet with a single moon, about three or four galaxies past Taius.”

“Gaia!” the umber-colored Lacertus from earlier called out, hesitantly lumbering closer. “03-Via Lactea.”

Recognition lit up the purple Lacertus’ reptilian eyes. “Ah, yes… I remember now. That was a colonizing mission that failed when the Stellarians appeared to claim supremacy once again.”

Should I correct them?

I don’t think I will.

Unfortunately, Micah did not share my deeply ingrained need to dominate when it came to the Lacertus.

“Actually.” He raised a finger. “Lacertus DNA is still alive and kicking on my home planet. I can even show you proof!”

Here we go.

Micah dematerialized his Eki robe before wrestling his phone out of his pocket and swiping through his photos until he found one of him and Zion in full supe form.

“This is my eldest brother.” He turned the device to show Krunk. “He has a deathpond too.”

The Lacertus peered at the phone screen. “Eldest brother, you say? They are so small… like a baby.”

Oh, I will be sharing this assessment with Zion.

Micah snorted. “I’m sure Ziggy can’t wait to tell him you said that.”

He knows me so well.

What followed was my mate convincing Krunk and several other Lacertus to pose for selfies so he could “show the haters back home how the big dogs hang.”

Whatever that means.

After an hour of this, Pedro showed signs of fatigue, and that was as good an excuse as any to take our leave—although, where we would go from here was a mystery.

“Oh, Stellarian!” Krunk called to us as we prepared to depart the cave. “If you know how we might schedule an audience with the new Astrum Force Command, we would be grateful. The Lacertus wish to form an alliance between our planets and settle our differences once and for all.”

I froze as the enormity of that request sunk into my borrowed bones. “Yes… I believe I could help facilitate a meeting with the new Head Commander.”

Micah scoffed. “Of course, Honnor would be willing to meet, Zig! This is exactly the type of outreach they’ve been pushing for. Plus, you’re their offspring. Plus, you were originally supposed to be Head Commander.”

So ridiculous.

Krunk cocked their head again. “Is that so? I did not realize I was in the presence of such a prestigious Star Unit warrior! It is no wonder you were prepared to take on an entire clan of Lacertus by yourself.”

I yanked my helmet on as my cheeks heated. “You kidnapped my mate,” I grumbled as Micah snickered.

The Lacertus sighed. “We may have overreacted at the pier. My kind is known for our short tempers, unfortunately. The tiniest offense or threat could result in a rampage of epic proportions.”

“Well, that sounds familiar ? —”

“Behave, sunshine.”

“I would like to bestow a parting gift.” Krunk gestured toward the scene of the crime. “Take Uuktar with you—to guide you to Karn.”

Micah blinked. “Wha… you’re giving us your prisoner? What about revenge on the Hydrassians?”

Krunk shrugged. “You have the power to remove the shields imprisoning them, so go ahead. It will help you get your Trol home.” His mouth spread in a fearsome grin. “What you decide to do with the seer—with all of them—after that is entirely up to you.”