Page 3 of Alien Haven

Shewouldsee him again, she vowed. Though his problems were his own, she was determined to loosen him up. His laugh brightened their surroundings when it came, which was far too rare. He was a genuinely good guy.

Had she been in the market for a serious relationship, she admitted she would have judged Ilid a better than acceptable prospect. The Dramok breed of Kalquorian men had a habit of being bossy in her opinion. In defiance of his categorization, Ilid possessed an aura of vulnerability under the surface. She found it alluring. His parents were absolute darlings from what she could tell from their short acquaintance. That assessment included the watchful and brooding Nobek Gruthep, the protector of the clan. He and his clanmates doted on Ilid while obviously trying not to smother him.

In short, Ilid was wonderful, as was his family. Jennifer almost regretted her determination to play the field, but she’d eschewed dating Kalquorians until recently. She had a lot of catching up to do when it came to the species her eldersister Hope had committed to, in love and career. Fortunately…or unfortunately, depending on how things went…Ilid would possibly return to Kalquor in a month anyway.

An attendant who’d kept the sole five civilian passengers of the spacious shuttle comfortable during the trip, wearing the armored uniform of a Kalquorian fleet member, offered a slight bow as Jennifer and Ilid neared the hatch. “Welcome to Haven.”

“Ee-i-ee-i-o,” Jennifer muttered in sing-song.

“Matara?”

“An old Earther tune regarding the glamorous life on a farm. I can’t wait to be among the cows and pigs.”

Ilid chuckled. He’d heard her complaints when it came to being stuck on Haven, a mostly agricultural community. He’d been appropriately sympathetic while finding humor in her concerns about backwoods hayseeds and watching where she stepped when she went outdoors.

She was relieved not to be knocked backward by the smell of animal manure when she exited the hatch. Indeed, Haven’s largest spaceport bore a remarkably respectable resemblance to such facilities she’d been to throughout the galaxy. It appeared as technologically modern as busier ports, if less hectic and noisy.

Despite the welcome absence of fertilizer aroma, Jennifer noted an appalling amount of flannel shirts, stained dungarees, and tall boots among the obvious fulltime residents who hurried past groups of uniformed ships’ crews. Even the Kalquorians whom apparently called Haven home had adopted clothing reflecting an Earther influence. Yeehaw, she thought, her mood dipping. Two flavors of hayseeds.

She slowly descended the ramp to the ridged flooring, which offered stable, nonslip footing. Feeling Ilid close behind, she said, “It’s quieter than most spaceports. Fewer ships.”

“Anti-virus protocols have shut out a lot of commerce, I’d guess,” he ventured, also gazing at their surroundings. His expression had taken on the nervously watchful cast she’d caught glimpses of during the trip.

Nobek Gruthep, a scarred but likable member of Kalquor’s warrior caste sporting an ass-long graying braid, placed a hand on Ilid’s shoulder. “Their security watches carefully for Darks, too. There have been no instances of suspicion our enemy has gained a presence on Haven.”

Ilid visibly drew a deep breath. Another nervous glance at his surroundings, and he relaxed enough to smile at Jennifer. “Where is this Clan Amgar supposedly responsible for rehabilitating you, Miss Behavior?”

Jennifer blew a raspberry at him but laughed. As far as Ilid and anyone who asked knew, she’d run a bit wild in the now Dark-overrun Galactic Council, where she’d attended university until a few weeks prior. According to her cover story, she hadn’t gotten in the sort of trouble to land her in a detention facility…thanks to her father’s high-ranking position in the government…but it had been decided she should cool her heels on Haven while she learned to stay out of mischief.

In response to this tale, Ilid had given her the pun nickname of “Miss Behavior.” His mother had been quick to defend Jennifer. She vigorously protested a young person’s right to make mistakes, especially in the current climate of war and viral pandemics. Jennifer had merely laughed at Ilid’s gentle teasing. She could take a joke, and he was as non-malicious as a person could be.

In response to his question about her guardians, Jennifer glanced at the few people rushing past. “I have no idea what they look like. Their Matara is an Earther and…oh, that might be them.”

An attractive blond woman, flanked by two Kalquorian men, was hurrying along the walkway in the middle of the docked vessels. The blonde waved at Jennifer, smiling a welcome.

“Nobek and Imdiko. There’s no Dramok,” Ilid’s father Jadel said in an undertone, probably to his clanmates.

“It’s nice three of the four came to meet her on a regular workday.” Diju stepped forward to stand next to Jennifer. The muscled but plump Kalquorian woman waited expectantly, making it clear she regarded herself responsible for the younger woman until her rightful caregivers arrived.

The oncoming trio eyed Ilid and his parent clan warily, but their expressions remained pleasant. Jennifer decided it was up to her to head off any concerns.

“Hi!” she called. “Clan Amgar?”

“Here we are, Jennifer.” The Earther woman was extremely slender, the sort of leanness that spoke of hard work rather than lack of nourishment. When she shook Jennifer’s hand, there was surprising strength in her grip. “Sorry we ran a bit late. I’m Sara.”

“It was my fault we weren’t prompt.” The unfamiliar Nobek’s gaze took in Clan Codab, each man in turn. “I’m Nobek Groteg, head of the Kalquorian branch of Haven’s security. This is our Imdiko, Utber.”

“It’s good to meet you. Let me introduce my new friends. This is Dramok Ilid and his parents, Matara Diju, Dramok Codab, Imdiko Jadel, and Nobek Gruthep.” Jennifer glanced between the Nobeks. “Your names are similar, and you’re both involved in law enforcement. I bet I’ll get them mixed up. Don’t smack the silly Earther when she calls you the wrong names.”

The pair glanced at her and chuckled. Groteg visibly relaxed. “I’ll let it pass this first time.” His eyes twinkled.

She grinned, liking him on the spot despite his intimidating appearance. “You’re the head of the planet’s security? Isn’t the area kind of…isolated for you to work from?”

“Isolationdescribes Haven’s overall setup in a nutshell,” Utber laughed. “The town of Sunrise is small, but it’s mere kilometers from the seat of our government. The location has been deliberately kept rural for the safety of the planet’s leaders.”

“It’s easier to keep tabs on those who show up to cause problems,” Groteg agreed. “It appears to be an odd arrangement, but so far, it’s worked for us.” His attention turned to Clan Codab. “I understand your clan is interested in expanding your bakery business beyond Kalquor.”

“Under our son’s management.” Diju beamed at Ilid. “If we find Haven suitable, he’ll do an amazing job.”

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