Page 8 of Alien Haven

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“What’s this I hear about you taking in a human girl, Chief? I thought you specialized in troubled Nobeks.”

Groteg chuckled at the man who’d popped in his office. “Sara and Tori are sick of being outnumbered. They insisted we even the odds for a change.”

Martin Wilkes laughed. The assistant chief of security for the Earther side of Haven’s law enforcement force was a friendly guy, personable and easy to talk to. He was also as tall and muscled as a Kalquorian, six-foot-five of pure brawn at forty-two years of age. “I’m sure those ladies can hold their own, even when it comes to Nobeks. You don’t mind me nosing in, seeing as this new ward of yours is Earther?”

“Not at all. I had planned to send you a report detailing the particulars anyway. I waited until her actual arrival due to the Darks taking over the Galactic Council and the pandemics…”

“Yeah. She might have been refused entry.” Martin’s demeanor turned appropriately serious as he was reminded of the multiple areas of trouble befalling the galaxy as of late. “What’s the girl’s name?”

“Jennifer Seng. She was tossed out of college after damned near blowing up her professor…hell, most of the university’s chemistry lab too. It was the last in a series of escalating pranks to impress her peers.”

Martin stared in wide-eyed shock. “Why wasn’t she brought up on charges? Or was she, and this is what they decided on? Is it her first criminal offense?”

“She meant no real harm. Nonetheless, she’d been warned on multiple occasions to rein in her mischief. Her final antic made her family and the authorities decide she should face punishment. She’s never been on a farm before. The isolation is quite a shock.”

“She’s used to an urban setting, huh? Clubs instead of corrals?” Wilkes grinned.

“It’s a wakeup call. She’s in for quite a few surprises.”

“You’re in for it yourself, my friend. I have sisters, and you’ve never heard the intense distress of a teen or twenty-something when they can’t go out and have fun.”

The young woman Groteg was determined to fix in his head as “Jennifer” hadn’t struck him as particularly shallow. She was probably too worried about those eager to find her.

He wished he could bring Wilkes into his confidence as to his ward’s true identity. Unfortunately, the spy contingent of the fleet had warned only he, his clanmates, and the spy liaison present on Haven were to have the information.

“What was she studying in school?” Martin checked the time, indicating he had to stop indulging his curiosity and be somewhere soon.

“Astronomy. Smart girl, but a lot of growing up to do. Similar to the troubled Nobeks we get.” Groteg hit a button on his computer. “There you go. Full report straight to you and Chief Connelly.”

“Thanks. Hate to chat and run, but I have to give a speech at the local school on the advantages of staying on the straight and narrow. Universities don’t have an exclusive on pranksters.”

“Better you than me.” Groteg didn’t mind community outreach, but he hated giving speeches.

“Which is how I feel where your latest miscreant is concerned. Maybe I’ll use her as an example of how not to behave. Enjoy the angst.” Chuckling, Wilkes left the office.

* * * *

“This is the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had,” Charity declared after a single bite.

Imdiko Utber chuckled. “I had a lot of practice, thanks to the kids. Chicken tenders, mac and cheese, and pizza. You’d swear there were no other foods worth eating.”

“Tacos,” Tori declared. “Tacos are always to be on the week’s menu.”

“Grease and lactose, the fuel of the younger generation.” Charity had another forkful of mac and cheese and had to fend off a moan of sheer lust. Utber’s recipe was utterly decadent.

“It is a challenge to make sure it’s healthy,” the Imdiko chuckled.

“Such language. How dare you assault our ears with words like ‘healthy.’” Tori grinned at Charity, whom she sat beside.

The girl had wandered in Charity’s room as she was unpacking earlier. Her nonchalant façade had faded as they got to know each other. It had taken only half an hour before she was gabbing in the breathless way adolescent girls had when they’d found a confidante. Charity was amused, touched, and a little saddened…when had she left similar eagerness behind? Had she ever experienced it? She thought she might have been denied, having spent a portion of her own formative years under the yoke of hardline followers of Holy Leader Browning Copeland. There’d been Copeland himself, making it clear Charity was to become his latest wife when she was only fifteen…

She felt a rush of gladness Tori hadn’t grown up under the shadow of fear. Her angst was of the pure preteen kind, the testing indulged in by someone flexing independence fromparents and teachers. Charity’s had been more of a defense mechanism to keep growing terror at bay.

She glanced at those around her, this fascinating family formed from a series of tragedies. Adam continued to sneak worshipful glances at her when he wasn’t telling Groteg of the new coach for the football team he played running back for. Sara and Utber gently coaxed James to eat his buttered wedi stalks, which they’d caught him trying to hide under his napkin. Tori pumped Charity for information regarding college and the men she’d met. The girl beamed at Groteg when he turned an anxious eye toward her and said, “Why are you asking about boys?”

“I’m just curious how those in GC space are different from these around here.”

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