Xizi locked his gaze with hers, his eyes glowed as they turned serious. “Ashley, I need you to swear to me that you will keep my species a secret. I trust you, but this is important. Our survival depends on it.”
Ashley’s heart quickened in her chest as she nodded her head solemnly. “I swear,” she replied, her voice low and serious. “I swear, Xizi. I will keep your species’ abilities a secret. No one will ever know.”
Xizi exhaled in relief. “Thank you, Ashley. I knew I could trust you.”
“Your people are the Rkekh, correct?” she inquired, wanting to be certain she knew what he was in case she was asked about them—or him.
Xizi took a deep breath before he spoke. “Yes, you are correct. We are the Rkekh. We are a minor species that, at one time, had a tiny home planet which was basically non-existent compared to all the other space-faring species.
“Our galaxy’s government discovered us, and somehow my people became a rare and valuable commodity to those with nefarious plans. The Yaarkins invaded our planet many generations ago and enslaved everyone. Those who were fortunate enough to escape or were off planet helped form a network amongst themselves in order to keep our species alive—and safe.
“We, the Rkekh, evolved into a nomadic species, remaining isolated and traveling in clutch groups. Only when clutchmembers discovered their enax would they split from their siblings, never to speak to them again. Not only for their own safety, but also for the safety of their family, they did not want to be the cause of others discovering where everyone in the clutch was.”
Ashley frowned, unable to believe the horrors his species had to endure in order to survive and keep their family safe. “But why? Why would your galaxy’s government allow your species to be hunted?”
“Because the Yaarkins are a dangerous and powerful species.” They want to capture and control other races, including mine. My people are not warriors; we are scientists and explorers. We are no match for the Yaarkins in battle, due to how they evolve and expand. Only the Verya are capable of combating them.”
“Which is the commanders’ species, correct?”
“That is correct, which is why I have complete faith in them and their cause.” Xizi sighed and looked out the window. “Who knows how bad things have gotten in the twenty years I’ve been gone, but if they’re willing to put all of their effort and resources into building a sanctuary and rescuing those in need, I fear things have gotten worse.”
“But you never explained why your species is hunted?” Ashley turned her body to follow his gaze, wondering what he was looking at—and frowned when there was nothing but the scenery of them traveling through space out their window. “What secret is so important that you made me swear not to tell anyone?”
“Our unique genetic makeup makes us highly desirable for experimentation and exploitation by other alien races,” he explained, his voice heavy with sadness. “We are known as shapeshifters or doppelgangers. We absorb genetic information from other species and store it in our spines.
“Each spine is a different species. The larger they are, the more genetic makeup Rkekh has absorbed. The ones near the top of their heads are the first ones they’ve copied, and the farther down the spine, the newer species they’ve collected.”
Ashley sat up and leaned against his thigh, leaning over him to inspect the spines on his back. It surprised her how many he had, and now that he mentioned it, there was a wide range of sizes—none of which were identical.
“And you said that I was an exotic collector, and yet, your species play Pokémon with other species, needing to collect them all,” she teased, cringing at how it sounded out loud. “With how humans have to deal with deep fakes, I can understand how dangerous your ability can be and why others would be interested in it.”
“That’s why we have to keep our location and existence a secret. If others knew about us, we would be in constant danger. It is also why my kind has resorted to gathering as much genetic material as possible from a few species in order to live among them as one of them. It’s too dangerous to walk freely like I do, and I’m afraid I’ll have to transform into one of the sanctuary’s common species as a precaution in case I’m discovered.”
“What are your plans?” Ashley inquired, reaching forward to touch one of the larger spines nearby, but paused and asked Xizi for permission. He nodded and gave her a quick grin that didn’t meet his eyes. “Wouldn’t those on this ship already be aware of your existence and that of your clutchmates?”
“I need to discuss it with my clutchbrothers and the commanders to what we should do, but in the meantime, I need to ask you what you want me to be?”
Ashley’s heart sank at the thought of Xizi and his people living in fear. “I understand what you’re asking,” she said firmly. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you and your species, but I believe the choice should be yours, not mine.”
As he looked at her, Xizi’s face softened. “Thank you very much, Ashley. I knew I could put our secret in your hands,” he said, reaching out to take her hand. “But I need to know whether you want me to live as a human or as another species. I have enough Swynemi genetic code to become one of them, and there are plenty of them on this ship to help me blend in.”
“Swynemi?” She tried to match the species name to those she knew, but came up blank.
“The species of the two crew members.”
“Oh! Space fairies!” She covered her mouth in humiliation. “I apologize. I know they’re not Earth fairies, but that’s what I imagined them to be.”
“That’s probably because they visited your planet at some point in your species’ history,” he explained. “Earth was a common planet for many species to play on, which is why your scientists are unable to explain certain things.”
“I knew the Ancient Aliens show held some truth!” Ashley exclaimed, grabbing his tail in her excitement. “There are too many coincidences for it not to be.”
“Ashley, you haven’t answered my important question,” Xizi urged, turning over and grabbing her thighs, holding her in place while locking his gaze with hers. “What species do you want me to be?”
She stared at him, unsure how to respond to his request. It seemed too personal, and she had no right to express her thoughts on it.
“I can’t.” She licked her lips, suddenly worried that she would make a mistake during this crucial conversation. “I don’t feel comfortable telling you who you should be because you deserve to be yourself.”
“Being myself would be dangerous for everyone on this ship if information about our existence was leaked,” he explained, his voice tinged with the gravity of their situation. “As my enax, you have the right to demand what I should be, because being with me endangers your life as well.”
