Page 40 of My Alien Pirate

"Alright," he said, his voice calmer but no less intense. "So, what's the plan to get her back?"

I blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. "Excuse me?"

Rodriguez's eyes hardened. "You heard me. What's the plan? Because I'm telling you right now, I'm going to be stuck to you like glue until we get Nova back safe and sound."

I studied the human, reassessing him. I didn't know what this 'glue' was he spoke of, but I could guess his meaning. Despite his smaller stature and obvious physical disadvantages, there was a fire in his eyes that I couldn't help but respect. It was the same fire I felt burning in my own hearts – the unshakeable determination to save Nova, no matter the cost.

"You're injured," I pointed out, but there was less heat in my voice now. "And this isn't your fight."

Rodriguez's jaw set stubbornly. "Like hell it isn't. Nova, Sara, and I might be the last of our kind. I believe I'm in a unique position to make a difference—I have to help. Besides," he added, nodding toward the various bleeding lacerations on my body I hadn't bothered to see Daz about. You look like you could use all the help you can get."

I felt a reluctant smile tugging at the corners of my mouth at his own cocky grin. "You don't give up easily, do you, human?"

"Not when it counts," Rodriguez replied seriously. "Now, are you going to fill me in, or do I need to start pushing buttons at random until something happens?"

27

Set a Course

Icouldn't help but chuckle at the mental image of this small being trying to touch my crew's work stations. "Alright, alright. You win." I turned to address my crew, who had been watching our exchange with a mix of concern and fascination. "Bring Captain Rodriguez up to speed on our current situation and efforts."

As Grixxa began briefing the human, I found myself reevaluating my opinion of him. Perhaps having an unpredictable element like Rodriguez on our side could work to our advantage. At the very least, his determination to save Nova matched my own, and right now, that counted for a lot.

"Captain," Lyra's melodic voice interrupted my thoughts. "I believe I've identified a pattern in the Crimson Claw's previous raids. There's a high probability they're heading for the Zenobia Nebula."

My hearts leaped. Finally, a lead. "Excellent work, Lyra. What do we know about this nebula?"

As Lyra began outlining the nebula's characteristics – a roiling mass of cosmic gases and newborn stars, notorious for wreaking havoc on sensors and navigation systems – I felt a small spark of hope igniting in my chest.

"It's the perfect place to lay low." Rodriguez scratched at the short, black filaments that grew on his jaw, proving he'd been paying attention to Lyra's briefing. "Lots of places to hide, hard to track someone once they're inside."

I nodded, impressed despite myself. "Exactly. Vex'kar's crew could hole up there for weeks, waiting for any pursuit to die down before moving on to sell..." I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence.

Rodriguez's head snapped in my direction. "Sell? Sell what?"

I looked down and rubbed at my chest where an uncomfortable tightness grew. "Humans are unknown in this dimension, therefore, uh…" I couldn't bring myself to finish the thought.

"Nova," Jorixx picked up my train of thought without hesitation. "She'd bring a huge price at one of the slave markets. In fact," he added, much to my consternation. "That's what we were supposed to be doing with her when we came across you and the other human. We were supposed to be set for life."

My ridges flared orange and red in shame and anger. When I glanced up at the human captain, his face was red, his lips tight. Before I could explain he shot forward and smashed me in the mouth with one of his small fists. I reared back in surprise, my hand flying to the small cut he had managed to make in my tough hide. The dark purple blood on my fingers was a shock.

Jorixx and Grixxa closed in on the captain in a second but I held up my other hand to stop them. "No, I deserved it. Leave him be," I instructed and they reluctantly stood down, but hovered menacingly over him.

"I am ashamed to admit that this was the plan, at first," I stated. "But the more I got to know Nova, I knew I could not do it. She means more to me than all the credits in the world."

Manny filled his lungs several times before he crossed his arms over his chest and stared me dead in the eye. Searching for something. Finally, his chin dipped once and he spoke again. "Then let's get her back. What can I do?"

I nodded and turned to Jorixx. We would have words about his outburst later but for now, I needed his expertise. My voice was flat and cold, however, when I asked, "What's the status on our engines?"

My engineer's response was hesitant and his three eyes avoiding my hard gaze . "We've made some progress, Captain, but we're still looking at several clicks before we're capable of FTL travel."

My hands fisted in frustration. Every moment we delayed was another moment Nova spent in my enemies' clutches. Another moment for the trail to grow cold.

It was Rodriguez who spoke up, his brow furrowed in thought. "What about that nebula you mentioned? The Zenobia Nebula, right? You said it wreaks havoc on sensors and navigation. Could we use that to our advantage somehow?"

I blinked, taken aback by the human's unexpected suggestion. "It's... possible," I said slowly, my mind racing. "The nebula is treacherous, but if we could navigate it successfully..."

Rodriguez's eyes gleamed with determination. "Sometimes the most dangerous path is the one your enemy least expects. If we can't outrun the Crimson Claw, maybe we can outmaneuver them."

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