Page 67 of Soros
Star fiddled with her long blonde hair. “I was only on Earth for a very short time, but I have to say that my visit wasn’t very pleasant.”
Cacala wrinkled her brow and seemed confused by that statement. Poking her head inside the first cabin and then the second, she chose the second and put down her things. “I thought humans were innocent and mostly kind. Why else would we protect them?”
With a shrug, Star gestured that she didn’t have the answer. “From what I saw they did horrible things to each other.”
“Most are kind, but we were unlucky and ran into some hardened criminals who abused and trafficked women,” I explained. “Ko’roz mind-clouded them.”
“They were pirates,” Star said and dipped her chin. “It seems that everyone hates on Malbreean but these humans were just as bad, if you ask me.”
I couldn’t disagree because she was right.
“Nerix says that I can’t go back there.”
“What?” I stared at Star. “What do you mean? Where else would you go?”
She looked down and raised her shoulders in a small bob.
Annoyed with Nerix, I led our little group back to the bridge to confront him, but as soon as Lios saw us, he said, “Cacala, before we push this machine into full speed and start jumping galaxies, Ayedin and Elan will take you on a tour of the ship and see if we have a uniform that fits you.”
Star and I walked over to the white chairs with the beautiful view of space. While getting strapped in, I addressed Nerix. “Did you tell Star that she can’t go back to Earth with me?”
He didn’t look the least bit guilty. “Of course. Why would she when we now know how dangerous Earth can be?”
“Do you know any planets without crime? You can’t argue that Star can hide her identity better on Earth than in any other place.”
“She almost got killed by those humans,” Nerix pointed out.
“You can’t be blind to the fact that Star is in danger wherever she goes, Nerix.”
“I know. But I’m not letting her go back tothatplace.”
“That place…” I stared at him. “Don’t judge all of Earth by one bad experience. Earth has a lot of good to offer.”
“So does Eidrona, Ursox, or Scilm.”
Zobran looked over and added, “Or Tandaquon.”
Nerix grunted. “No offense, Zobran, but your home planet has prolonged periods of darkness. You would have to be native to Tandaquon to enjoy living there full time.”
“But that’s where Jade and her family lives now,” I said and wrinkled my brow. “Does she know that she’ll be living in darkness at times?” Studying Zobran’s rings in his eyes, I had to ask, “Is that why you Thaddoinian have those golden rings in your eyes?”
“Probably, and it’s definitely why we hear better than any other Descendants of Doom. Our hearing was sharpened over time along with our eyes.”
“You don’t hear better than us Ugons,” Lios protested. “We have superior ears.”
Zobran smiled a little. “No, Captain. You Ugons have large ears, we Thaddoinians have sharp hearing. It’s not the same.”
“We have excellent hearing,” Lios expostulated.
“In that case both of you should be able to hear me when I tell you that Earthisthe safest place for Star,” I said.
“Maybe we should ask Star what she wants,” Soros suggested, and it made us all turn to watch her. The intensive attention from so many of us made Star lower her head and lift her shoulders like a tortoise hiding from danger.
“What do you want?” Lios asked her.
“I don’t know,” she said in a mousy voice.
“Which planet do you want to live on? Do you want us to help you get a new identity to avoid getting hunted down by criminals?” Zobran wanted to know.
