Green-Eyes stood up straighter, meeting my gaze firmly. “My name is Levi. I’m the captain of this ship.” At once, his eyes widened as he remembered something important. He jerked towards the smoking spacecraft. “Dammit, the ship!”
Levi rushed to the silver hull. He groaned, miserably running his small hands down its sides. Was it important to him? I didn’t care for the unnatural thing, but I did not like seeing him upset.
“What is wrong?” I asked, stepping closer to him.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Jaeyoung and Paz watching me closely. If they were Maeleons, they would’ve noticed from my relaxed body language that I meant him no harm. But they were not, so I had to use my words. I was grateful their devices allowed us to communicate with ease.
“It’s all right. I would never hurt him,” I told them, hoping it would assuage their concern.
Levi’s cheek pressed against the hull as he sighed. “The ship is totally wrecked. All because of that damned light...”
“The red light that kept beeping?” Paz asked, his voice sharp with irritation. “You said it was nothing! Why didn’t you tell us? Now we’re stuck on this weird planet!”
When Levi winced, my stomach knotted in sympathy. I didn’t want them to argue, and I didn’t want Levi’s feelings to be hurt.
But I recalled one important fact. Their ship’s wreckage harmed the Sweetfields, whether intentional or not. It was my duty to report to the other villagers.
“I must tell the others what happened here,” I said solemnly.
Paz’s eyes widened. “There are more of you?”
“You know, Paz, for a diplomat, you could stand to be more thoughtful with your language,” Jaeyoung noted in a neutral tone. “We’re on a different planet talking to a sentient, speaking being. It makes sense it would be a social creature.”
Paz ducked his head. “Yeah, you’re right.”
Levi regarded me, his gorgeous green eyes searching my face. “What’s your name?”
He was interested in me, too. I was happy.
“I am called Zat’tor,” I replied.
Levi nodded, then took a deep breath, as if preparing himself for an unpleasant experience. “All right. Zat’tor, please take us to your leader.”
Paz groaned. “Did you seriously just use that reference?”
“I wasn’t trying to make a reference,” Levi grumbled.
The term confused me. What did he mean by that?
“I am the leader,” I told him.
Levi stood up straighter, like I’d suddenly gained importance. “Y-you are?”
“Yes. Everyone in the village is a leader of alternating tasks,” I explained.
“So, there’s no, like...president?Prime minister?Chieftain?” Paz asked.
“I do not comprehend,” I said, baffled by his strange words.
“No strict hierarchical system. Fascinating,” Jaeyoung murmured, poking his thin fingers against a screen on his wrist.
Levi cleared his throat, squaring his shoulders. Even at his most upright posture, he was a head shorter than me. He was so adorably tiny that I wanted to wrap my feelers around him like a carnivorous plant swallowing an insectoid whole.
How odd. I’d never experienced such an urge before.
“Allow me to explain, Zat’tor,” Levi said. “I’m the captain of this crew, which makes me the leader. My crew takes orders from me. But it also means their lives are my responsibility. So, for the sake of my crew and my mission, please help us return home.”
He performed a strange gesture. He bent his upper body forward at the waist, keeping his arms at his sides while lowering his head to me. He resembled a wilting flower. Was he sick? Worried, I put my claws on his shoulders and eased him back upright.
