Page 27 of Oh No, I Shot A Spaceship And Kissed An Alien Cyberchef

“I didn’t-” I try to protest, but the words catch in my throat. How do you explain that you’re just a really, really unlucky chef?

“You are under arrest. I will personally see that your story ends here, Chef.” Zoreth’s voice drips with disdain on that last word, like “chef” is the worst insult he can think of. I’d be offended if I wasn’t so terrified.

“Laura, I—” I start to say, but Zoreth roughly shoves me towards the door. I want to explain, to tell her everything, but there’s no time.

The last thing I see as I’m dragged from thekitchen is Laura’s stricken face, her hand outstretched as if to stop this nightmare from unfolding. But it’s too late. My past has finally caught up with me.

As the door slams shut behind us, I can’t help but think: I really should have installed that lock.

Chapter

Ten

LAURA

Most of the staff have gathered in the kitchen. Despite the fact that we have actual meeting rooms, and a whole entire hall that can act as a gathering point, or even a ballroom given its size, we meet here. In my domain; the kitchen. Because apparently, when the heat is on, everyone flocks to where the actual heat is. Go figure.

“Good news or bad news first?” Rist asks, gazing around at all of us. Volscian males line the edges of the room, more than I recognize. The human women are squished into any space we can find; some of us are sitting on countertops, and I’m pretty sure one girl’s standing on the small coffee table in the corner. She is not normally that tall. Given how rickety and old that thing is, I really hope it doesn’t break beneath her. But I ain’t about to be the one to call her out—who wants to start an “am I calling you fat” drama, especially right now?

“Good, please,” I beg him. I feel like if I have some hope, then I can deal with the other things that are to come. I really need to hear that Nelan’s okay. Major Zoreth refusedto let me in to see him after he was dragged away, and the General was more focused on trying to breathe at the time. Apparently, fine dining isn’t supposed to be a life-or-death experience. Who knew?

“The General is going to recover. We got him in the med chamber in time,” Rist tells us. “We just need to isolate the poison and synthesize an antidote for full recovery.”

Shoulders slump as relief passes through all of us. At least we haven’t killed the guy... somehow. I still don’t understand why he collapsed. Was he allergic to something I put in the food? And why was Nelan arrested instead of me? The Major just jumped at the chance, like they knew each other before...

“The bad news is about Nelan, right?” I ask. That pit in my stomach is growing more and more with each moment that passes. Nelan’s always been a bit standoffish, but what if there was a reason for that?

“It is.”

I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. No need to panic. Panicking right now won’t help any of us. Though if anyone has a paper bag, I wouldn’t say no to some controlled hyperventilation.

“Our chef, Nelan, has been arrested, accused of poisoning the General,” Rist announces to the group. The room erupts in noise, each person more upset than the last. It’s relieving to know that I’m not alone in this, that I have friends and family who will support us.

I’m not alone, not anymore. It’s weird how back on Earth, I felt so lost and vulnerable. I’d truly been alone, with not a single soul to help me in my time of need. And yet, here in the vast reaches of space, when I should be the most afraid, I am surrounded by friends. Turns out, gettingabducted by aliens was the best thing to ever happen to my social life.

“It’s not looking good for him,” Rist continues.

“Why?” I ask, frustration leaking into my voice. “I was the one who cooked the food. Even Major Zoreth saw that! So why is Nelan the one under arrest?”

Rist sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He grips his horn for a moment, giving it a squeeze. If he was a human, I’d describe the action as pulling at hair. He’s as frustrated as I am at least. We are in this situation together, supporting each other as best as we can.

“I’m sure some of you are aware now that... well...” Rist hesitates. It’s the first time I’ve ever truly seen him uncertain to speak. I’ve seen him frustrated and confused plenty of times... but never hesitant.

“You should tell them,” Sutek announces from the back of the room. He’s leaning against the wall, his red arm around his mate, Zoe. “Only some of them know. They deserve to know.”

Despite the high tension of the room, Sutek looks utterly relaxed. He lounges against the wall, playing with a strand of Zoe’s hair, like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Maybe it’s because his mate is beside him... Or maybe it’s all a trick. His eyes shift around the room, studying everyone. Even in his downtime, he’s wearing weapons. I know he’s even got ones we can’t see—hidden in places I don’t even want to know about—because Zoe went on and on one night about how she kept finding them. Despite his relaxed attitude, this male is a trained warrior. No, he’s more than that; he’s an assassin. His entire past, the very fiber of his soul, involves death.

I’m glad Zoe found him and is happy. But I realize with certainty that I don’t want that sort of tension inmy life. I like the cozy vibe of chilling out in the kitchen with Nelan, and looking forward to the little things each and every day. I don’t want to have to worry about Nelan coming home or getting injured. Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer my relationships without a side of potential homicide.

I choke up when I realize I didn’t get a chance to tell Nelan how I felt. He was asking. It was so obvious! So why did I stall? Why did the words get caught in my throat?

Because I was still scared. I am still scared of getting hurt.

And yet, here I am, about to cry over a guy anyway. All my attempts to keep myself safe, to keep my heart safe, mean nothing. Not when the guy I love is about to be taken from me.

“Everyone here at this hotel hasn’t had the best of luck,” Rist begins. His hollow voice draws my attention. He sounds so defeated right now. “You females all were abducted from your homes. And I’m glad that you found your way here, where you can be safe and find yourselves again. Really, I am...”

Rist stares down at the floor, opening and closing his mouth. Every time he looks like he’s about to talk, he stalls. Jeez, dude, spit it out already! We’re not getting any younger here, and some of us have a wrongfully accused chef to save.

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