But the second possibility sent a chill down his spine. If it wasn’t space sickness, then they were potentially facing a more immediate and sinister threat. One that couldn't be remedied or understood as easily. As they walked, Erzo remained alert, his senses heightened to any unseen dangers that might lurk in the shadows of the space station.
As they entered the apartment, Erzo meticulously double-locked the doors, first the main entrance and then their own. He could sense her unease, her steps growing more tentative with each pass she made around their temporary home. Finally, she stopped, her shoulders drooping in an obvious display of exhaustion and stress.
“I’m just being paranoid,” Polly muttered, more to herself than to him.
“You’re not paranoid,” Erzo disagreed softly.
Polly threw her hands up in a gesture of resignation. “But there’s no one here.”
“That’s good,” he replied calmly, trying to ease her worries. “How about some tea?”
Polly nodded, gratefully accepting the offer. She perched at the food prep counter, her eyes following his movements. There was a sense of comfort in the normalcy of making tea.
Erzo, maintaining a composed exterior, asked, “How many did you see?”
Polly raised an eyebrow. “Your tone’s too calm for the question you’re asking.”
He half-smiled. “Would you prefer if I were in a panic?”
Inside, his mind was racing, but he kept a calm facade for her sake.
She sighed, wrapping her arms around herself. “I guess not.”
Handing her the tea, he gently prodded, “So, what’s the total count?”
“Seven,” Polly said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Did any of them have tails?” he inquired, trying to piece together the puzzle.
She shook her head. “They were like shadows, barely there.”
Erzo took a moment, sipping his tea, his thoughts swirling. They could be anyone from any corner of the universe. Disguised Serenity, for all its allure, was a place where intergalactic law often took a back seat. It was a place where all kinds of deals went down, far from the Galactic Alliance's grasp.
But if these shadowy figures were linked to the Charro, and were coming for him, then Polly would be caught in the crossfire. An innocent bystander in a game she didn’t even know she was playing. The thought made his grip on the teacup tighten. He had to protect her at all costs.
Polly’s “One of them... I remember something distinct.” She traced a line diagonally across her chest, from shoulder to hip. “He had this strap, like for a bow and arrow.”
His heart skipped a beat. He raised his hand to show the width. “About this wide? Crossing from this shoulder down?”
The implications were troubling.
“Yes, exactly,” Polly confirmed, her eyes widening. “Is that significant?”
Erzo nodded, his expression turning grave. “It’s more than significant.”
Polly’s gaze sharpened. “You know what it means, don’t you?”
“I have an idea,” Erzo admitted, wishing he were wrong. He hastened to the apartment’s entrance, activating the additional security scanner.
A blue-white light cascaded from the ceiling, sweeping the room. Polly watched, puzzled. “Erzo, what is that?”
“A security sweeper. It’s safe for us.”
“But what’s it looking for?”
Erzo’s voice was steady but tense. “Anything unusual, out of place.”
“Like those translucent men I saw?” Polly asked, skepticism lacing her tone.
