Page 17 of New World

“I only took this job to escape being enslaved on a mining asteroid. I plan to meet up with my brother on Cryon II. I have no desire to cause trouble or bring trouble to myself.”

Mei’s gaze sharpened.

“Then why are you here?”

Tiv’s mandibles clicked together softly, her posture shifting.

“I came to check on the pod.”

Tiv motioned toward the escape capsule, her expression unreadable. Mei stilled.

“The Legion has placed a bounty on these pods,” she explained, voice lowering slightly. “They believe they carry the Ancient Knights of the Gallant.”

Mei’s stomach tightened. Her gaze flickered to Grak. He had said the same thing… and had also called her ‘ancient one’. She looked back at Tiv with a frown.

Tiv tilted her head, as if sensing her confusion. “I was on duty when we picked up yours. I hid it here, knowing it would be the last unit emptied.” She paused. “But when I came to check, I realized whoever was inside had already woken up and disappeared.”

Mei’s mind raced, accepting the debt owed, but needing more information.

“You didn’t turn me in,” Mei said carefully.

Tiv shrugged. “I had no reason to. Besides, we’re not so different.”

Mei narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”

Tiv’s mandibles clicked softly.

“The Legion destroyed the moon base where my parents worked, killing them to test their new weapon. I barely escaped,” Tiv continued, voice softening. “I snuck onto a supply ship. I was not as good at hiding as you. The pilot found me and demanded that I pay for my passage. I didn’t have the credits the pilot wanted, so he planned to sell me.” Her mandibles twitched with distress. “I escaped and ended up here. I disguised myself as a male to get the job. It was easy, given my species.”

Mei’s lips curved into a compassionate smile as she understood Tiv’s cautious movements now, her nervous glances and her silence. Mei exhaled, her shoulders relaxing slightly.

“That’s why I was drawn to you,” she murmured.

Tiv gave her another sharp, knowing smile. Mei’s lips twitched when Tiv clapped her lower hands in excitement. It was hard not to like the unusual alien.

“Now that you know about me,” Mei asked, “what do you plan to do?”

Tiv tilted her head toward Grak’s body, mandibles twitching.

“Help you.”

Mei lifted an eyebrow. Trust was dangerous. She had spent her life avoiding it. But Tiv had seen her. And she had said nothing. That meant something. Tiv continued, voice lowering conspiratorially. She motioned toward Grak.

“There’s talk of other Ancient Knights appearing. If you want, I can help you find out more once we reach Cryon II.”

Mei studied Tiv, looking for sincerity in her alien features. She found it.

Finally, Mei said, “I accept your offer of assistance.” She meant more than those words conveyed, but they were the only words she had.

“We must dispose of Grak’s body. It will smell very bad in a few hours,” Tiv said with a shudder.

“Help me seal his body in the pod. We need to get the pod off the freighter somehow,” she murmured, grabbing and hefting Grak’s bulk.

“I can do this,” Tiv said as she lended her aid without hesitation. “I will send it far away.”

Within minutes, they secured the lid of the pod, locking the corpse within. Mei wiped her hands on her trousers, eyeing the sealed pod.

“What exactly are you going to do with it?”

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