They also got a fizzy drink, though Karuk was not a fan. It was dark and bubbly and made him burp. Jenny was also very excited about it. Made by a doctor, she said. But she only had a single glass of it. After they finished what they could eat, Jenny wrapped everything remaining and put in the food storage box. She called it a fridge. After, they both relaxed on the couch and stare at the glistening tree.
So far, Mr. F had not attempted to climb the tree. Though so far, he had not moved from his spot, either.
Karuk believed Jenny was wrong about Mr. F’s intentions.
Which was fortunate. The large tree brought him joy. Just smelling the fresh, organic scent of him soothed him. He had been in space far too long.
“Tell me of this Christmas tree. What does it symbolize?”
“It’s Christmas,” Jenny said.
“Is there a reason for the tree?”
“You know, I’m not sure. The history of it goes back for centuries, I remember that in school, but I can’t rememberexactly why, other than it is supposed to be a gift of love and light. A symbol of the coming brighter days, I believe. I’ll have to look it up.”
She pulled out of her pocket her personal communicator. “That’s right, I need to connect this and see what I’ve been missing.”
Though she hesitated to do it.
“Why do you wait? Do you not wish to hear from your people?”
“It’s not my people I’m worried about.”
Karuk raised his eyebrow. “Are you concerned about the one who stalked you?”
She nodded. “I don’t want to know what he’s been doing since I’ve been gone.”
“It has been several weeks, would he continue his onslaught?”
“Most likely,” Jenny said. “But I also know that my parents may want to reach me as well, so I should, just to see how they are doing.”
He saw her nervousness and put his hand on her arm. “I promise you; I will let nothing happen to you.”
She patted his hand back. “I believe you.”
“I mean that,” he said. “We have a great deal of respect for females in Dalgurian culture. On our world of Feox, females are regarded as our life and future bringers, because they bring the next generation. And those who harm females are regarded as the worst of our people, the only worse is those who harm young ones.”
“Good. Those who harm children should be considered the worst of the worst.” She scooted closer to him and raised his arm.
He realized what she was doing and put his arm around her. Her little frame curled up next to him. A blanket rested on partof the couch, and she tugged it to her and tossed it onto her legs, as well as his.
It was comfortable. Cozy.
Intimate.
He didn’t want to let her go.
Not ever.
“And why isn’t your world called Dalguria?” she asked as she smoothed out the blanket. “You’re called Dalgurian. Shouldn’t you be Feoxian or something?”
He chuckled. “Our original home world, Dalgur, was lost to a super nova. We were able to find a new world, Feox, to settle on.”
“Why didn’t you call it Dalgur 2?”
“The world was already named. We had to get permission to live there from the Galactic Alliance.”
She leaned into him. “So there is some kind of galactic empire. Do they have soldiers in white armor with big face masks?”
