Ari’s eyebrows rose at the guy’s appearance.
The guy definitely wasn’t a human. His skin was blacker than midnight, with an opulent sheen. His full lips were a deep purplish-black now set in a hard line while the alabaster white of his hair could rival any Akurn’s. The strands rested on his shoulders in a straight line, nary a wave or curl in sight.
But it was the neon-blue pupilless eyes framed by platinum-white eyebrows and lashes that gave Ari pause. The intelligence shining from them was obvious. Here was a formidable male. To be safe, Ari sent a tendril of psychic power to him, just to make sure he wasn’t a threat. What he found wasn’t a big surprise. The male’s mind was a formidable one, not that easy to penetrate. For now, Ari pulled back to keep his options open.
“Oh, Ay,” Chloe turned her back on the male and waved his admonishment away. “Please. As if I’d be in danger with Morgan, here.” She narrowed one eye at Morgan. “Right, sista?”
“More than right.” Morgan’s smile was wide. “If you came an hour ago, things would have been much different.”
Chloe gawked around the docking the bay. “We thought we caught a criminal Ozevroc ship in Federation Consortium space.” Her attention came back to Morgan. “So why are you here and not them?”
Morgan chuckled. “Well, they are here,” she thumbed over her shoulder at Ari plastered to her back. “But my friend here has them in a psychic freeze.”
Chloe’s dark eyes bore into Ari. “Is that right?” She hummed, tapping a finger against her lips until her eyes widened on JR12. “Oh my god!”
Her squeal made Ari wince.
“Is that JR10?” Chloe leaned to get a closer look at the droid on Ari’s shoulder. “Wait, you’re not JR10.” She straightened with a frown.
“No.” JR12 gave a little dance. “I’m his son, JR12!”
“How can…” Chloe frowned.
“Are you still with the AoA?” JR12 bounced. “Are there some of them on board? Can I meet them?”
“I don’t…” Chloe started.
“Aruu—“ Aylzrunth placed a large palm on Chloe’s shoulder. ”—I think there is much to discuss.”
“I believe he’s right,” Ari agreed with the male. “Isn’t there a better place for us to get acquainted, Morgan?”
Morgan sighed. “This entire ship is a cesspool of Ozevroc, ah, stuff. It’s either here or back to the engine room.” She looked up at him. “What do you think?”
Ari smiled with a nod. “I think here is just fine.”
With little effort, he generated a large cushioned sectional couch that the four of them could relax on. “How ’bout you all get comfortable and I’ll go back to the replicron and grab the consumable-maker so we can have some food and drinks.”
He laughed at their wide eyes and open-mouthed gapes before teleporting away.
The small group gathered on the sectional Ari had made for them in the cargo bay.
Whenever she got a chance, Morgan studied Ari out of the corner of her eye. She couldn’t believe how strong his psychic ability was. Especially after he teleported to get the consumable-maker from the replicron and brought it back so the four of them could get whatever they wanted to eat once she programmed their requests.
It seemed easy enough for Ari to conjure things up while keeping the Ozevroc frozen. She couldn’t imagine the energy drain it took to do that. Keeping a close eye on him was becoming second nature as the four of them enjoyed the most relaxing hour she’d had since leaving Aethralis. Like four friends getting acquainted at dinner rather than being on a hostile alien ship.
Now that the light meal was long gone, the four of them relaxed with drinks in hand.
Morgan smiled when Chloe laughed at something Ari said. While she hadn’t been in the same group as Chloe on theStarChanceduring the exchange program, they’d become fast friends during the meal breaks. It was nice to reconnect with her.
Chloe preened when Morgan commented on the unusual tiara her friend wore.
Aylzrunth called it aQabhuth-Kun, something he’d been born with.
The thin circlet looked like silver with a gleaming, diamond-shaped blue gem at its center.
Hard to believe every part of it was living tissue.
He explained that, on his home planet Runihura, a male placed this circlet on the head of hisaruu, his eternal mate. Instinctively, theQabhuth-Kunmerged into her skin, signaling to everyone they belonged together.
