Page 56 of My Alien Pirate

I noticed Jorixx standing in the shadows of the corridor, his three eyes tracking every movement in the med bay. He'd been increasingly present during these visits, though he tried to remain unobtrusive. His hide showed the telltale mottling of suspicion as he observed the interactions between the humans.

Sara's recovery had been remarkable – Daz's nanite treatment had her almost back to her old self physically. But emotionally, things were... complicated. The easy intimacy she and Manny had shared aboard the Phoenix seemed strained now, as if the trauma of our ordeal had created an invisible barrier between them.

"Hey," Manny said softly, hovering at the foot of Sara's bed. "How are you feeling today?"

Sara managed a wan smile. "Better. Daz says I might be able to start physical therapy soon."

The awkward silence that followed made my chest ache. These were my closest friends and seeing them struggle to connect hurt. Before the accident, they'd been inseparable – stolen glances across the bridge, private dinners in the captain's quarters, shared jokes that made the rest of us roll our eyes. Now, they could barely meet each other's eyes.

"Fascinating," Jorixx's gravelly voice made me start as he materialized beside me. "How quickly allegiances shift among your kind." His third eye fixed on Manny's retreating form while the other two studied Sara. "One must wonder what other... changes of heart might occur."

I bit back a sharp retort, knowing it would only fuel his suspicions. Besides, I'd noticed how his hide darkened whenever he saw Manny and Grixxa together - whether from concern for his fellow crew member or something else, I couldn't tell.

Movement in the doorway caught my attention dragging my attention from Jorixx, and I saw Grixxa pause there, her ridges pulsing with concern as she took in the scene. She'd been helping Daz with Sara's treatment, her delicate touch and natural empathy making her an excellent caregiver. But I'd noticed something else too – the way Manny's shoulders would relax when she entered a room, how his eyes would track her movements.

"Captain," Grixxa said softly, "I have those reports you requested."

Manny turned, and I saw it again – that subtle softening of his features, the slight straightening of his spine. "Thank you, Grixxa. And please, I've told you to call me Manny."

Grixxa's ridges flushed a soft pink, a color I'd come to recognize as pleasure. "Of course... Manny."

Sara watched this exchange with sharp eyes, her fingers twisting in the bedsheets. I saw a flash of something cross her face – pain? Resignation? – before she looked away.

"I should go," Manny said, glancing back at Sara. "Get some rest."

As he left with Grixxa, I moved to sit beside Sara's bed. She was quiet for a long moment, staring at the door where they'd disappeared.

"It's different now, isn't it?" she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I took her hand, squeezing gently. "What do you mean?"

Sara's eyes met mine, filled with a mixture of sadness and understanding. "Manny and me. Whatever we had... I think it died with the Phoenix."

"Sara..." I started, but she shook her head.

"No, it's okay. Really." She managed a small smile. "Maybe it's better this way. We were more caught up in the idea of each other than anything real. And now..." She glanced toward the door again. "Now there's Grixxa."

I followed her gaze, thinking about how naturally Manny and Grixxa seemed to fit together, despite their obvious differences. "Are you okay with that?"

Sara was quiet for a moment, considering. "You know what's weird? I think I am. Seeing them together... it reminds me of you and Zharrox."

I felt my cheeks flush. "What do you mean?"

"That look they get when they're near each other, like everything else fades away." She squeezed my hand. "It's how you look when Zharrox enters a room. Like you've found your other half."

I couldn't help but smile, feeling the warm pulse of my bond with Zharrox even now. "It's different than anything I've ever experienced."

"I want that," Sara said softly. "Not what Manny and I had – that desperate clinging to each other in the face of duty and protocol. I want what you have with Zharrox, what I think Manny might find with Grixxa. Real love, not just comfort or convenience."

I leaned over to hug her, careful of her still-healing injuries. "You'll find it, Sara. And until then, you have me."

She hugged me back, and I felt some of the tension leave her body. "I know. And maybe..." she pulled back, a hint of her old mischief in her eyes, "maybe there are some other interesting aliens on this ship worth getting to know?"

I laughed, relieved to see a glimpse of the old Sara. "Well, Jorixx is single..."

Her mock horror made us both dissolve into giggles, and for a moment, it felt like old times. But we were different now – all of us changed by our experiences, our relationships, our choices.

Later that evening, as I curled up in Zharrox's arms, I told him about my conversation with Sara.

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