Page 18 of The Space Traveller's Lover

Kuzhma-Or leans forward while his gleaming black helmet barely moves.

The glittering throne stands over the glassy platform, making him look even taller, even more imposing.

She feels the pressure of his invasive stare all over her body.

Still, she manages to stay firm, controlling her nerves, in time to confront Athguer, who has appeared by Kuzhma-Or’s side while intensely observing her.

They are both looking for any sign of weakness, any sign of fear or hesitation.

Kuzhma-Or raises his chin and his long thin lips ripple as he recognises Zula-Or’s Quark-Star diamond sparkling on Shaillah’s chest, the unmistakable signal of approval from the high counsellor herself.

“Zula told me you have visited her. I can see she is very pleased with you,” the supreme commander admits somewhat reluctantly.

“I feel privileged to have met our distinguished wise lady, Zula-Or,” Shaillah calmly replies.

“Shewe” (Very well). Kuzhma-Or keeps looking at Shaillah, slowly nodding while stroking his glossy white beard.

At the same time, Athguer lets a subtle proud smile escape from his usual hermetic expression.

No one is speaking a word, but they are all mind-conversing. She keeps hearing phrases inside her head, their meanings getting more apparent as she starts deciphering their words of judgement.

“Soyelani, Yei Boishen” (I am ready, My Commander), she proudly announces .

Kuzhma-Or raises his thick eyebrows at Shaillah’s resolute and self-assured stance.

“I see that Rothwen is very pleased with you as well,” he concedes, his prying gaze steady.

He bends his sturdy body even further towards her.

The shiny images of the two suns distinctively etched on his backrest flash in front of her eyes.

“Come, Shaillah.” He beckons her by briskly moving his head as he stands up from his golden throne.

Rothwen gently pushes her towards the platform, making her climb the glistening steps.

Suddenly, Shaillah finds herself standing over an endless dark background, bristling with the bright swirls of infinite star clusters. She doesn’t dare make a move, lost in the vastness of the fascinating cosmos unravelling at her feet.

Kuzhma-Or’s face beams with an arrogant smile as he watches her dazzled reaction. “That’s right. We all wonder at the riches of the universe. We all want some of it. Watch as I am standing on your local zone,” he boasts as he pompously opens his arms while ordering her to come closer.

Shaillah slowly moves forwards, her eyes fixated on the floor.

As she steps on a star point, the view under her boot focuses and zooms in on that particular region.

She stops at a prudent distance from the supreme commander, still staring at the multitude of glittering celestial bodies moving towards her, their sizes growing against the starry background.

But as she feels Kuzhma-Or’s powerful presence stirring the air around her, she can’t help but lift her head.

Her eyes slowly follow the tall, sturdy figure blocking her path.

Starting from his ebony boots, she inspects the highly decorated uniform and the intricately braided belt, studded in multicolour gemstones.

A thick golden pendant in the shape of an arrow-like ring-bound spaceship hangs from his broad shoulders.

Sweeping over his white-silver beard, she confronts his piercing, overpowering gaze.

Their gazes are locked in a silent duel. Shaillah is looking for acceptance with an unwavering stare, while Kuzhma-Or’s prying eyes are still trying to find even the slightest imperceptible hesitancy.

He points at the colourful view zooming in under her feet; she follows his finger hovering over the yellow sun and its familiarly shaped planets. She immediately knows she is beholding her own solar system .

“Just another star at our disposal. We ignored it for aeons as we extended our grip around more challenging star-studded regions in our beautiful Senyeraikh” (Milky Way).

“But not anymore. Now we are here, and we must take what is rightfully ours. There will be no respite, no withdrawal.” Kuzhma-Or’s pupils contract and widen, flashing with a fearsome glare as he speaks in a vengeful tone.

Shaillah hardly reacts to Kuzhma-Or’s foreboding words. She knows she can’t flinch in the least, and she feels proud of herself, as she puts one arm across her chest while cheering, “Suan enjie Rom-Ghenshar.”

She looks out for Rothwen through the corner of her eye, and she gleefully smiles as she sees him walking towards her.

“Impressive!” Kuzhma-Or cheers as he turns to his chief scientist. “What do you think, Athguer?”

“Perfect, she looks perfect,” Athguer boasts while walking towards them with an all-triumphant grin.

Then Athguer takes both of Shaillah’s hands and holds them tightly against his chest while noting in a sceptical tone, “She should not only have our greatness in her looks, but also she must have our unbreakable spirit. I perceive something deep in her mind that still hasn’t settled down … It’s troublesome.”

Shaillah swiftly withdraws her hands from Athguer’s grasp while firmly staring at him. “I’ll prove you wrong!” she ripostes, her face beaming in sheer conviction.

Athguer is taken aback by her impulsive response, his eyes widening in admiration as his eyebrows flash up.

“Save your qualms for the lab, Athguer!” Rothwen objects. “She is as ready as she can be … for now.”

“Let Shaillah go back to the humans and announce our first meeting to inform them of our reasonable terms. We’ll see if she lives up to our expectations. And we’ll see how the humans react,” Kuzhma-Or intervenes in his typical commanding tone.

Kuzhma-Or’s words take Rothwen by surprise. The thought of Shaillah returning to the humans unnerves him.

But as he is about to protest the order, Shaillah’s response leaves him speechless: “It’ll be my honour to take your message to the humans,” she declares in a resolute tone as she bows to Kuzhma-Or and Athguer .

“Ai Rom-Ojserahni sen Rom-Ghenshar” (All the universe’s power to the Rom-Ghenshars), Kuzhma-Or booms while the rising beat of a haunting melody starts echoing through the vaulted walls.

“Ai Rom-Ojserahni sen Rom-Ghenshar,” Athguer repeats, nodding and glancing first at Shaillah and then at Rothwen, inviting them to join.

Rothwen’s exasperated gaze gradually changes into one of reluctant concession as Shaillah turns to face him with a reassuring smile while sending her thoughts to him: I’m doing it for us.

“Ai Rom-Ojserahni sen Rom-Ghenshar,” Rothwen finally cheers as they all come together in a tight circle.

“Ai Rom-Ojserahni sen Rom-Ghenshar,” Shaillah exclaims, standing proudly next to Rothwen.

Kuzhma-Or firmly crosses his hands over his chest as Rothwen does the same in their solemn army salute. Then a rotating glowing sphere starts to descend from the high ceiling.

“And now for the Rom-Ghenshar Chant of Honour: ‘Unshe, Rom-Ghenshar, unshe’” (Forever, Rom-Ghenshar, forever). Kuzhma-Or raises his powerful voice while, with a single glance, he sends an order to his guardian robots.

The packed formation of robots stands up at once and starts singing, making the whole place vibrate as if its foundations are about to give way.

“Unshe, Rom-Ghenshar, unshe,” they all sing as one.

As the booming voices resonate ever louder, echoing and amplifying all across the vaulted chamber, the expanding sphere fills the whole space around them, revealing the vivid, colourful holographic scenes, showing passages of their past victories and conquests in ever-increasing details.

Shaillah feels moved by the exhilarating showcase and the contagious, emotionally charged rhythm. Her face lights up with sheer excitement as Rothwen proudly stares at her. Any thoughts about her past she manages to keep well away from her mind while she keeps singing.

“Unda ye. Anse kori. Unda ye. Suan enkleerm, suan enjie Rom-Ghenshar” (Follow me. Never stop. Follow me. Always advancing, always victorious Rom-Ghenshar).