Veta felt almost adrift as she would have been, had her pod been left floating out in space.
Just as alone, and unsure of where she was.
Focus. This was about moving forward. Getting a perspective of the universe.
Maybe enjoying the scenery of this great ass in front of her.
They moved through the jungle-covered land.
Branches hung low, with trees of all sorts of shades, not just green. Flowers poured out of the shapes like bright beacons in the middle of the shrubbery.
She probably would have found the place quite beautiful if it weren’t for the circumstances.
“So, what is your name? Or designation?” Veta asked her Rhimodian. What was he even? A guide? Protector? She wasn’t sure.
But right now, she needed him to keep her alive.
He glanced at her. “Wrathin.”
She nodded. “Nice name,” she said. “Do you have a surname?”
“What is a surname?”
“A secondary name. One that helps distinguish you from others.”
“Not for that purpose, no.”
Wrathin weaved in and out of the vegetation like he’d done it all his life.
Hell, he probably had. His skin had a tint of green to it matching the plants. He probably grew up here. Did they do that? Skin adapt to their environment?
“And you are Veta,” he said.
“You knew that because?” she asked. She remained a few steps behind. Her hand darted to the hilt of the blade on her hip.
Interesting that he had not taken it.
She would have disarmed him, were the situation reversed.
“The Terrans called you that when they found you.” He darted around a tree, and through the shrubbery, almost vanishing for a second.
“Right,” she muttered. She ran through the trees, branches slapping at her as she did, until she popped out back on the trail, with him just a few strides in front of her.
He glanced back at her, amusement in his eyes.
It took all her effort to keep up with him. Her legs were half the length of his, after all. While she was feeling better, she still didn’t feel quite right.
Though she doubted on her best day that she’d be able to outrun him.
She was still exhausted. That fight with the soldiers should not have taken so much out of her, and it pissed her off that they’d almost snuck up on her.
“Did you expect their attack?” Wrathin asked.
“No. Though I should have,” she said, more for herself than for him. He wasn’t wrong, she’d heard them come. Dumb soldiers thought their voices didn’t carry.
Juke never was the smartest soldier she’d met. This whole thing was a huge mess. She had no idea the state of the other ambassadors.
“I need to be able to find the others,” she said aloud, though for herself.
