Page 12 of Protected By the Alien Space Guardian

“You mentioned more floors and bodies.” Eric nudged me.

“Right. Yes.” I filled them in about the elevator and how it took you out into space and the upper floors, trying not to analyze that I was eating and discussing dead bodies at the same time.

“We should get a detail together and investigate.” Eric nodded at Peter.

“Good luck with that.” Peter swiped his spork over the group of people, all more or less happily eating at the moment. “Not many of them will be willing to pitch in.”

“We need to motivate them,” I suggested. “Raasla said it’ll take five space days, whatever that means, to reach that planet that takes in refugees.” We all looked at each other with pinched faces at that statement. None of us would have ever thought of ourselves as refugees. And here we were.

“Anyway,” I pushed on through the awkward moment, “we need to keep them busy during that time. Otherwise, they’ll fall into depression.”

Eric tilted his head questionably at me.

“I’m not an expert,” I admitted, “but I watched my parents retire. My mom has many hobbies, my father… nothing. He died only a few years after his retirement. People aren’t meant to sit on their asses and watch cowboy western movies all day.”

Not that there were many of those around here, but the soldiers got my meaning.

“Keep them busy,” Eric agreed.

Briefly, I wondered who had appointed us leaders, but looking around, I didn’t see anybody else step forward. The two military men were the most likely candidates, and me… I was just falling in by dumb luck and default, I supposed. And because I had never learned to keep my mouth shut when I should.

“So how do we know a space day or night?” Peter asked.

“Good question.” Eric looked over at Raasla, then at me.

I shook my head. “Oh no, I spent all the time I’m willing to spend with him today.”

Eric’s left eyebrow rose.

“He’s an arrogant bastard,” I elucidated.

His eyebrow arched another notch.

“I’ll go,” Peter rose, taking his now empty plate with him.

I had to turn in my chair to watch him approach Raasla. A surge of resentment moved through me at the sight of the woman having her hand on his arm, animatedly talking to him. His black eyes rested on her, and there was that damned, dimpled smile again, that went straight into my tummy, making it flutter. Stupid alien man.

The incessant chatter of the human female, Ellie, as she had introduced herself, was getting on my nerves. I found myself glancing over to the table where Zoe sat with the two human males. She looked ridiculous and adorable in her Cryon uniform.

My stomach knotted as I watched her smile at one of the two human males. I didn’t like it.

When one of them rose to recycle his used plate before he approached me, I contemplated running my fist through him just because she had smiled at him. What held me back was how the idea startled me. I had never provoked a fight or fought over a female. It just wasn’t worth it. There were so many of them.

Not like her, my mind shouted.

“Captain Raasla?” I didn’t correct the human but forced myself to stay calm and pleasant as I nodded. “Can we talk to you for a moment?”

The we implied that I was to get up and follow him. Something I would have never considered under normal circumstances, but to get away from Ellie of the incessant chatter and roving hands, I would swallow my pride. That Zoe sat at the other table had nothing to do with it. Not a thing. Or so I told myself.

“If you will excuse me.” I sent my best seductive smile at Ellie and followed the human male to his table.

“I’m Peter, by the way. This is Eric and Zoe, you know already,” Peter introduced.

He pulled a chair out and sat down. The three stared expectantly at me. Zoe’s eyes were slightly veiled, rendering me unable to read her mood.

I remained standing with my arms crossed over my chest. “You wanted to talk?”

“Hm, yeah, do you want to sit down?” Eric asked, pursing his lips uncomfortably.

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