Page 4 of Stardust Paws and Alien Claws

But maybe she was more focused than I thought.

Cassidy nodded, absorbing the information. “You said there were other crew members aboard? What are they like?”

I eyed the human female skeptically as she inquired about the crew. Who would she encounter the most during her stay? My mind immediately went to Kylari,

She had been part of my crew longer than anyone, sticking by my side through the roughest jobs and tightest scrapes. Loyal to a fault, with a cantankerous demeanor masking a deep well of wisdom. If anyone could be trusted around the fragile human, it was her.

“Kylari’s been the engineer aboard this bucket of bolts for decades,” I began gruffly. “There’s a streak of mischief there, but she knows these systems better than anyone. You’ll want to steer clear when she’s elbow-deep in repairs, otherwise she’s liable to mistake you for another faulty component and start tinkering.”

A small smile played across Cassidy’s lips at that. Good, she had a sense of humor about her predicament. The female would need it to survive aboard my ship.

“She’s got a real soft spot for machinery though,” I continued. “Treats the Koloss like her own kin. You’d do well to show the old girl some respect if you want to stay on her good side.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Cassidy said, unconsciously mirroring my gesture by trailing her fingers along the wall. “What about the others? Any...oversized reptiles or tentacled horrors I should watch out for?”

I barked out a harsh laugh before I could stop myself. “You’ve got a decent grasp of things already, little female.”

Who else would she run into?

“Zylith is a Novalian - big brute with rocky grey skin and horns protruding from his skull. Doesn’t say much, but he’s strong as a granite boulder. Hauls most of the heavy crates around like they’re made of polystyrene.”

Cassidy’s eyes widened slightly at the description. I couldn’t blame her - Novalians cut an intimidating figure.

“Then there’s the twin Arenkar pilots, Jharra and Jhessi,” I continued. “Inseparable pair, those two. Tiny little guys, but fast and dexterous enough to make up for it when we’re dog-fighting raiders. Which happens more often than I’d like...”

My voice trailed off as we entered the docking bay. The immense chamber echoed with the din of machinery and the shouts of dock workers. Craft of every conceivable size and shape lined the hangar, being loaded or unloaded by scurrying alien forms.

And there, at the far edge of the chaos, was the docking port to Koloss. My ship.

“That’s her,” I said with a touch of pride, gesturing to the battered old hauler visible through the portholes. “The Rusejoss Koloss. Not much to look at, I know, but she’s sturdy as they come.”

Cassidy was staring around us with open fascination. I watched the expressions playing across her face, mesmerized by the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled.

A sudden commotion nearby shattered the moment. Shouts and screeches echoed through the hangar as a small, bright pink furry creature came barreling past, chased by a feathered child no bigger than a human toddler.

“Narko! Narko, come back!” the kid was squealing in a high-pitched tongue.

The fur-ball - some kind of pet, by the looks of it - was zipping between the feet of startled dock workers with remarkable agility. A couple of burly reptiliods made grabs for it, only to come up empty-handed as it slipped through their clutches.

It was heading right for us. Without thinking, I stepped forward and braced myself, arms out to try and cut off its escape route.

The little blur shot between my legs with a squeak. I whirled around just in time to see it scamper under a hovering pallet stacked high with crates.

“Oh no you don’t,” I growled, dropping to all fours.

“Doanor, wait!” Cassidy called out behind me.

But I was already crawling after the furry menace, my larger frame making the tight space even more cramped. Gritting my teeth, I squeezed further underneath, boxes scraping against my back and horns.

There! I could see the creature’s tail flicking around a corner up ahead. Putting on an extra burst of speed, I lunged -

And came face-to-face with a very startled Cassidy, who had circled around to try and head it off.

We collided with a muffled thump, our bodies pressed together in the confined space. Cassidy let out a surprised gasp as I landed half on top of her, our faces mere inches apart.

Sweet celestials, she was even more stunning up close. Those ocean-blue eyes, those full lips parted in surprise, the intoxicating floral scent of her hair...

Somewhere behind us, the alien child was still wailing for its pet. Right, I had a job to do here. Forcing myself to snap out of my daze, I opened my mouth to apologize.

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