I. See. You.
Before I could continuemy second favorite hobby—after Tendril Touchy Time—Ziggy added, “And I’m uncertain how much the other species on the planet know about Trols, so I’d rather keep Pedro close.”
Wait.
“Other species?” I yelped. “What? I thought all these planets we’ve been going to werehomogenous…”
Borque-Ziggy gave me an odd, accidentally threatening look. “Why would you think that? Humans may be the dominant species on Earth—supes, I should say—but that doesn’t meanyourplanet only supports life for a single species, correct?”
“Hmm…” I replied, forcibly stopping myself from asking a million follow-up questions to this bombshell. “I justassumed, since I haven’t reallyseenother species anywhere… except on Stellaria.”
A smirk twitched the fur covering Ziggy’s lips. “Just because you haven’t noticed other species doesn’t mean they’re not there, noticingyou.”
Well, that’s not creepy or anything.
“Okay, then,” I huffed, crossing my arms, annoyed yet again that I was being given only partial intel. “What other creatures should I be looking out for on Hydrassianidesellaria?”
Yeah… I don’t know what the planet is called…
Ziggy raised his furry paw to his mouth for a pretend cough.“Dionaea.The planet is calledDionaea—after thedominantspecies.”
I chewed on my bottom lip, dredging up my rusty Latin to remember what on Earth was in theDionaeagenus.
Oh, gawd…
“Are you telling me there are going to be giantflieson this planet?!” I gasped, clutching my Han Solo vest dramatically. “Like… Jeff Goldblum-sized flies?”
Jeff Goldblum—smash.
The Fly—pass.
There was no mistaking the baffled expression on Borque-Ziggy’s face. “I’m talking aboutDionaea muscipula,Micah. I believe Earthlings have welcomed adolescent versions into their society as ‘Venus flytraps.’ Unwisely, I might add.”
“EXCUSE YOU?!” I shouted, startling Pedro into popping their furry little head out of the baby sling.
Okay, but that’s adorable…
After quickly snapping a dozen photos with my phone, I refocused. “Venus flytraps are actually aliens? I thought that was justLittle Shop of Horrorslore.” My blood ran cold as the rest of his statement caught up with me. “Wait… so what we have on Earth are only adolescents?”
Ziggy nodded. “Yes, and as long as Earthlings aren’t stupid enough to feed the adolescentshumanblood, they will remain a manageable, relatively safe size, unlike what’s onDionaea.”He paused to give me a hard look. “So stay away from the tree line once we’re there.”
DULY FUCKING NOTED!
“You don’t have one of those in your skinsuit closet, do you?” I shuddered as I checked my own shields. “Because ya boy is also swiping left on man-eating plants.”
Along with Lacertus and those creepy giant spider things…
Arachs.
He made a chuffing sound that was probably a laugh. “Very well. I will addDionaea muscipulato theextremely short listof skinsuits you’re uninterested in. Any others you can think of at the moment?”
I ignored his painfully accurate dig in favor of giving his Wookie wardrobe an exaggerated once-over.
No doubt noticing my perusal, Borque-Ziggy grinned, exposing a pair of vampire-worthy canines that promised fun, bitey times ahead. His fur—pelt?—was pin-straight, chestnut brown, and so glossy, it reflected the various lights blinking in the landing bay, indicating our imminent arrival onDionaea.It was alsothick,because when my gaze drifted south, there was no way to tell what he was packing below the proverbial belt.
Since I don’t think my man is wearing any clothes beneath all that fur.
The thought of some random Hydrassians—or oversized house plants—seeing Ziggy naked made near-psychoticjealousyblast through me, but I banished the ridiculous concern. Western Earthling standards of so-called “decency” didn’t apply in outer space, as I’d come to learn many times over during our adventures, and I doubted the snake-headed seers would find him attractive anyway.
