Page 63 of May the Stars Have Mercy
He pulled away with a soft chuckle, “My mate’s brain will overheat from how much the wheels turn.”
She snickered, “I don’t know how to make them stop.”
He gazed over her face for a moment before he returned to being Kannatch instead of just her mate. As he left the bunks to speak with the pilot, she pulled on her flight suit. Once the pants were on, she could see the lines of magnets on the fabric. She opened the trunk where they kept the armor plates. Xexis had already taken his and they were likely being put on in the command deck. Unlike the Vroz who had connectors at the back of their skulls that kept the magnets engaged, Aphrodite had to do hers the old fashioned way.Well, the Buddy way.“Buddy.”
He chirped, floating before her. They both wiggled with excitement. Aphrodite beamed, “Engage Armor.”
Text flew across her screen:
Armor engaged.
The armor platelets flew from the truck and snapped into place. She watched as they clumped together against her body and clicked into place. Once everything was settled, she connected her data pad into the forearm of her armor and watched it boot into her armor system. For a moment, between the plates, lights glowed to show the armor was online. As most of the plates did nothing but just move with her, they didn’t have to come online. However, the thrusters on the back of her calves and shoulders booted up with a hiss. Her boots clamped down as they adjusted to the gravity and flooring beneath her. Lastly, her masterpiece. Two mechanical claws craned out from her back, giving her four arms like the Vroz.
Rexna let out a slow gasp, “You are magnificent, Mphronatch!”
“Thanks.” She blushed, giving Rexna the full twirl of her armor. The plates fit snuggly around her body and breathers. “I was jealous not having four arms, so I gavemyself two more.”
“Ingenious!” Rexna stepped up, inspecting her armor with awe sparkling in their eyes. Rexna was in their armor, identical to the ones hunters used. The only difference was where Xexis had weapons on his armor’s belt, Rexna had anti-gravity tools. Jruc scuttled up the side of Rexna’s armor and did a small bounce as greeting to Aphrodite and Buddy.
The crew followed down the sharp bend in the ship and rounded the cargo hold. The scientists had taken up their stations there as there was more room and a higher ceiling than in the lab. As the ramp descended onto the planet Orvian, Aphrodite followed Xexis out onto the ramp. Her boots thudded against the edge as she stared across the dusty planet. The ground was orange and spongy with tall beige trees. Wide leaves in the shape of elephant ears that were snow white made the ground away from the clearing mostly shaded. Where the ship landed, the ground was being blown around by the last few gusts of the engine. Xexis stepped down onto the earth, his pack following him. He turned to face his mate.
Helmet under one arm, he gazed up at her.Like he were memorizing her face.She grabbed his cheeks and pulled his forehead to her lips. “We’ll be fine, just don’t go into dark caves without me.”
“No dark. No bite,” Grooug growled from over Xexis’ shoulder, flashing a heavy flashlight at the ground with a scowl.
Aphrodite chuckled, “What he said.”
“My mate, if you run into anything, call for me.” He glanced at Buddy. “You will alert me immediately.”
Buddy did his best to salute with his pudgy, metal tentacles. Xexis’ pincers wiggled happily before he returned his gaze to Aphrodite. He pulled on his helmet, never tearing his gaze from her till it clicked into place. She spared one last kiss on top of his helmetbefore he turned from her. Rexna stepped down next to her, waving the hunters off as they left the vessel.
Instead of waiting for him, watching and being restless, Aphrodite kept herself busy. Putting herself to work, she helped the scientists set up their stations in the cargo hold. Their pilot came down to join to help screw things in place.Just in case of an emergency take off.Then they were taking dust samples around the ship. Aphrodite and Buddy were taking scans under the ship, ensuring the ground was solid beneath their feet. They’d found out that the planet was riddled with caverns and depths that one could fall to their death in. Before the station crashed into the planet, Aphrodite would have never known that it was full of random pockets. However, when they removed all the pieces from the crash, it was like cracking open a sponge and seeing all the caverns.
Buddy stopped scanning as shadows appeared in the trees surrounding the ship. Aphrodite followed the movement from her data pad to the horizon as three Orv people stepped out of the trees. They were easy to pick out because the Orv were shaped like lizards.Mostly lizards.They had long necks and salamander heads, they were bulky and tended to walk long distances on all hands and feet, then could waddle bi-pedal short distances. The three walking toward Aphrodite were in the Orv traditional clothing of sand colored fabric that wrapped over their body protectively from the sun. However, as they got closer, they pulled back their beige hoods and looked at Aphrodite with confusion.
“A human!” One trilled, their long purple tongue flicking out in the air.
“Excuse us, human, what are you doing here?” the middle Orv, the redder of the three waddled closer.
“Oh! This human is in Vroz armor, you must be traveling with the hunters!” The yellow Orv on the left wiggled happily, their long, fat tail leaving a squiggly line in the dusty earth.
“I am!” Aphrodite glanced at Buddy and whispered, “Scan.”
Her drone bobbed through the air and rounded the three so they didn’t see the grid of light scanning their bodies. Aphrodite kept her pleasant smile upon her lips as she stepped out from the shadow of the ship. The orange and purple speckled Orv, who spoke first, flicked their tongue in the air again before their lips spread to a gummy smile. “Human, you smell of Vroz.”
“I am traveling in a ship full of Vroz. I’m Aphrodite.” She offered a hand. The three bowed their heads to stare at her offered hand in pensive thought for a long moment. Then, with a gasp, they all sprung up and jabbed out hands to her.
“You are Aphrodite the Mphronatch! The Council announced you, many greetings and kind tidings, Mphronatch!” they trilled in unison. She did her best to shake all their hands, but each paw clamped around her palm and jerked her arm vigorously. Laughing nervously, she glanced at her data pad.
Not infected.
She exhaled in relief before nodding to Buddy to continue on his scans. Aphrodite fixed her attention on the Orv’s before her, “Thank you, I appreciate the warm welcome. But we’re here to study the effects of the station crash.”
“Yes, terrible tragedy,” the red one sighed.
“May their flesh not blister.” The orange one bowed their head to Aphrodite.
“May the dead stay dead.” The yellow one sat down on the ground. They all seemed to have the same thought and flopped down onto their backsides with their tails out behind them. Aphrodite continued to stand as they were still her height even when sat.
