Page 28 of My Alien Sunshine

Right, she probably doesn’t know she’s on a spaceship. I doubt Drayth or Mu spent time explaining it to her. Perhaps she doesn’t even understand the concept yet. I decide to change tactics. “Do you have any friends here? Someone you play with, someone nice? Other girls or boys?”

Frowning, Ellen shakes her head. “Just Zuri. And Mama. There are never nice people around the house. Mama tells me not to talk to anyone, that they’re all dangavous.”

“Dangerous,” I correct her absentmindedly. If she’s telling the truth, there are no other slaves around. That makes matters slightly easier. All I have to do now is to take her to the hangar, steal a shuttle, leave the ship, and wait for the Supernova to come and pick us up. Oh, and do all of that without anyone noticing us. A piece of a Karetelan pie.

“Alright, my lady,” I tease the girl, kneeling before her so that I don’t loom over her. “How about we go find your mama?”

“Yay!” she exclaims and rushes to collect her doll.

Chapter 16

Faelin

“Hey, Failin?” Ellen asks as she moves toward the door. “Why are you red?”

I chuckle, ruffling her hair. Nala’s hair. This girl is a smaller version of my perfection and I love it. “Why are you striped?” I return playfully, not bothering to correct her mispronunciation of my name. “Wait by the door, alright?”

She obediently pads over to the door. While I quickly restrain the unconscious Genixarian, Ellen explains, “I’m striped because I’m a high-bird. That’s what Master Drayth calls me. Mama scowls when he says it. Why doesn’t she like high-birds?”

“It’s not a pretty word. Some people say it to hurt others. But I think your mama likes high-birds just fine,” I add, grinning from ear to ear. I’m definitely calling myself a high-bird from now on. “I’m a high-bird too, and she likes me.” At least I hope so. “And she certainly loves you more than anything in the universe. She just doesn’t like Master Drayth.”

“Master Drayth is scary. Zuri doesn’t like him.” With her tail wrapped around her body, Ellen holds the doll close to her chest.

“Then Zuri is a very smart doll.” Having taken care of Aunt Mu, I crouch in front of Ellen, thinking about how to explain the next steps to her. I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to a child this young. “How about we play a little game now?”

Ellen scowls, looking so much like her mother that I have trouble not laughing out loud. “I don’t want to play games. I want to go to Mama.”

“Right, uh…” Maybe dumbing it down for her isn’t the way to go. “Okay. You’re a big girl, so I’m going to speak to you like a big girl. We need to sneak out of here without anyone noticing us. Which means we will have to be extremely quiet and you need to do exactly what I say. Do you understand?”

Her expression grows more serious than I’d expect from a four-year-old. “I’m a big girl,” she confirms, clutching her doll tighter. “Can Zuri come with us? She will be quiet.”

“Of course.” I get ready by the door, casting one more glance at Ellen. “Stay behind me. And when I tell you to run, what do you do?”

“Run?”

“Good girl.”

With the stunner in hand, I touch the door control, ready to take out anyone on the other side. Fortunately, the corridor is empty. “Let’s go,” I whisper to Ellen before leaving the room. I burst into a jog, then slow down when I realize Ellen can’t possibly keep up with me on her short legs. As we move toward the nearest engineering walkway access hatch, I keep glancing behind me to check she’s there.

She follows, her lips tightened into a thin line, her hands squeezing poor Zuri so tightly I’m worried the doll will be crushed. Her wide eyes dart from side to side and she winces at the slightest noise. The girl is scared but, just like her mother, she doesn’t show it. Such a brave little thing.

“You’re doing great,” I whisper when we reach the hatch. “What about Zuri? How is she doing?”

“Afraid,” Ellen whispers back, her voice barely more than a breath. “But quiet. Is Mama in there?” she asks, pointing at the hatch.

Damn, I wish I could tell her yes, but I don’t want to lie to her. “Not yet, sweetheart. We need to go through here and take a trip on a tiny ship. Then we’ll wait for your mama to pick us up.”

“O-okay.”

“Don’t worry, it’s safe. Especially for you, since you’re so little,” I say half jokingly. “You won’t get stuck anywhere. Look at me.” I gesture at my wide shoulders. “I’ll probably get stuck trying to get around the next corner and you’ll have to push and push to squeeze me through.”

She giggles, smacking a palm over her mouth as she remembers to be quiet. “I can’t push you, you’re too big!”

“Then you should probably go first,” I suggest, ushering her into the passage. We’ve been standing here for too long and I’m beginning to worry someone will catch us. “Just remember, stay quiet. And when I get stuck?”

“I run?” she replies, still giggling. “Zuri can push you. She’s strong.” Her voice wavers as she enters the walkway. “It’s dark in here. I don’t like dark.”

I rummage through the bag of UGC supplies before handing her a small flashlight. “Here. This will chase the dark away. Now, go forward until I tell you to turn. And don’t touch the pipes, some of them are hot.”

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