Page 19 of Protected By the Alien Space Guardian

“If I say go, you will run into the ship, understood?” I ordered.

“Yes,” she replied between gritted teeth. The fact that we had to fuse one of her molars because of this habit worried me that the ease of fixing her teeth wouldn't prevent her from continuing to grind them.

I was on the verge of calling her out, but my attention shifted by the unexpected opening of a small hatch on the other ship. Noodar emerged from the extended ladder, his footsteps echoing on the metal rungs.

“About time,” he admonished as he spread his fingers at his side to indicate he meant no harm. He was bare-chested to prominently display his black lines. Even though I had already suspected as much, it was still a schock to see.

“Noodar,” I greeted him, my voice filled with weariness.

He stopped a few paces away, eyeing Zoe curiously before staring at my marks. I had rolled my sleeves up to allow him to see them.

“It’s been too long Raasla, my brother.” He opened his arms with a wide grin. He had always been more cheerful than me.

I nudged Zoe behind me before I stepped forward and allowed Noodar to pound my back with his fist while embracing me. I even gave his back a few pats before letting go.

His hands grabbed my shoulders. “I missed you, brother. It’s good to see you’re still as buoyant as ever. ”

Ignoring his sarcasm, I grunted and indicated for Zoe to come forward. “This is Zoe. Zoe, Noodar.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he replied with a warm smile and bow of his head.

“You too,” Zoe replied pleasantly, albeit a bit reserved.

“Noodar?” a female voice called from the hatch of his ship.

“It’s alright, Luphelia.” A Mantarian stepped out of the hatch. Zoe tried unsuccessfully to hide her sharp intake of breath.

Noodar grinned at her. “Isn’t she a beauty?”

Mantarians were anything but pleasant to the eye. Their yellow dotted, dirty-looking gray skin was wrinkled from head to toe. Strands of black hair clung to various body parts, some longer, some shorter, and some braided lovingly. Contrary to most of her species kind, Luphelia walked erect, though, not stooped. Her three legs were long, and her orange eyes burned like fire. As she approached, the darker, black lines on her arms stood out.

“Princess Luphelia. Luph, this is my brother, Raasla, and his mate, Zoe.”

“This is the princess you were supposed to protect.” My mind formed a picture now, one confirmed by a surprisingly pretty smile from Luphelia and Noodar nodding his head.

“You didn’t fail your mission,” I stated.

“Never,” Noodar admitted.

“Let’s go inside and sit down. This seems like a longer conversation,” Zoe suggested, looking up at the Black Abyss and shuddering.

“An ominous place you picked.” I reproached Noodar.

“Nobody in their right mind will come here. No worries. Luph’s species is familiar with the Black Abysses, and there is nothing to fear.”

Perplexed, I turned to Luphelia, but we had many other things to talk about besides this, so I let it go.

Zoe led us back into my spaceship, where she had already prepared snacks and drinks. Snacks were not something I was used to. I ate when I was hungry, not to socialize, but Zoe insisted it was the proper thing to do. She seemed right about it too, as our guests took their seats, and Luphelia exclaimed happily over a piece of farock—some delicacy Silla had given us, among other things. Eating and drinking it seemed, broke the last of the tension between Noodar and me.

Surreptitiously I studied Noodar’s mate. Her skin reminded me in color and folds of that of an elephant’s, even though she was of slight build. Her three legs were something to get used to, same as her orange eyes, but the soft smile on her gray lips indicated a sweeter nature than her looks made her appear.

The yellow dots on her skin were also a bit off-putting, making it look as if her body was being ravaged by some kind of disease, but that too I tried to put out of my mind, reminding myself that I was in the company of aliens and not all of them would be pleasant to the eye.

“Thank you so very much,” Luphelia said politely, taking one of the farocks and nibbling on it. “I never thought I would eat one again.”

“We have plenty. I’ll happily send some back with you,” I offered.

“That would be very sweet and welcome, but I don’t want to take away from you.”

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