But god, does the sun feel good on my skin.
I put my hand over my brow and try to see everyone who stands at attention for our arrival.
“Who the hell is that?” I hear someone with a valley girl accent ask.
“Shit, that’s not the marauders…I was really jonesing for that damn cotton candy vape.” A tall brunette looks completely crestfallen.
“Hi,” I squeak out over the groans and disappointed stares of the human women around me.
“Hey,” someone says dismissively before turning away and walking back to whatever she was doing before.
“A cotton candy vape?” Raf’ere asks, brows arched.
“Just a bad habit lots of humans love.” I pat his arm and walk down the steps that have unfolded from the cruiser.
As everyone’s attentions shift, there’s one woman who goes against the flow of the crowd and waddles closer. She’s blonde, gorgeous, and struggling to move with what looks like one of the biggest pregnant bellies I’ve ever laid my eyes on.
I recognize her, she’s the woman from the photo on Tri'ot’s data pad.
“Opal,” I say before dropping into some strange uncoordinated curtsey.
“Oh stop that right now!” she drawls in with a thick southern accent. “Welcome to Earth 2 darlin’! Raf’ere, it’s not like you to bring in refugees yourself.” She eyes us both with a bewildered stare, before turning to me with a warm grin. “So, where’d you find this beauty?”
“A cry-cryopod,” he stutters slightly, and the queens brows knit.
“Y’alright cousin?” She places a hand on his arm and he nods.
“Yes, Marta was found in a cryopod, I think she was on the crashed Deenz ship.” He pulls his shoulders back.
“Oh my god, Jessy is going to freak out! You’re our missing crash survivor!” Opal tries her best to wrap her arms around me, but there’s simply too much belly and not enough arm.
“Excellent, how is Gra’eth’s mate?” Raf’ere asks in a strained small talk kind of way. It doesn’t come naturally to him.
“Oh you know, she still hates you,” Opal laughs. “In fact, just as they announced your cruiser had landed, I think I heard her stomping down the hall. You might wanna hide.” She winks.
Raf’ere scoffs and changes the subject. “I was wondering if you might be able to host Marta with the other women tonight?”
“Just tonight? I kind of figured you’d be staying with us for good. People don’t usually come to Earth 2 for sleepovers.”
Raf’ere sets his jaw, and looks at me. There’s something he’s hiding behind those blue eyes of his.
Why the hell won’t he answer her?
“Just a few days, right Raf’ere?” I ask.
Opal looks at me, then looks at Raf’ere, and then back at me.
“Is there…some kind of situation I should be aware of between you two?” She seems suspicious.
I look over at Raf’ere, wanting for him to fight for us, to fight for me.
But he just crosses his arms and grits his teeth.
“I guess not,” I say with the shittiest of attitudes I can muster.
“Riiiiight,” Opal says, grabbing my hand. “Well, let me show you around.” She drags me quickly away from the duke.
I can hear his heavy shoes plodding quickly behind us.
