The scanner showed genome residue on the bed.
Genomes that were not Jenny’s.
She came into the room. He blocked the door.
“What, what is it?”
“He was here,” Karuk said.
“How can you tell?” she asked, trying to push around him.
He kept her back and held up the scanner. "This is reading foreign genome residue."
She twisted against him, and slipped under his arm, until she popped up in front of him in her bedroom.
"Jenny," he said, his hand on her shoulder. “I do not want?—”
She wiggled out of his grip. "Look, it's my room, I'm going to know what's wrong with it." She put her hands on her hips and stepped over to her bed, pulling at the blanket on the top. "Wait,I know I made this before--Eww! He was on my bed!" Her whole body shivered as she stood there, refusing to look at the bed.
"He is the lowest of the scum on the hulls of ships," Karuk said. "Star ships."
This made her smile, but only for a moment. "Regardless of the ship, I agree with you there." Her gaze ran around the room, looking at her things. He followed her gaze, and she walked to her furniture, examining the trinkets setting on each piece, her fingers grazing them.
"What are you looking for?" Karuk asked.
"Dust. If he moved anything, the dust would be gone," Jenny said. "I've been gone for a while. There's dust everywhere." She paused at a small box. "Except on anything that had been moved..." her words trailed off as she picked up a small box.
He took a couple of steps toward her. The room allowed little movement between her furniture. Once again, everything on Earth seemed to be made for smaller beings.
"What have you found?" he whispered.
"This box. He messed with this box. I can see where the dust has been brushed away."
Karuk scanned it, and additional genome traces appeared on the box. He took a reading all throughout the room. It seemed he put his hands everywhere. He may not have moved much, but he seemed able to touch everything in the room.
While Jenny's face remained neutral, Karuk could feel her emotions and how they churned underneath. Fear, panic, worry, and anger, all fused together to make a stew of feelings that bubbled beneath her skin.
"Do not worry, Jenny. I will keep you and Mister Fluffikins safe."
This made her smile. "Me and Mister Fluffikins, huh?"
"I cannot include you and not consider your special companion as part of the unit."
"I'm sure he has many opinions about that, if you dared not include him."
"Mister Fluffikins has many opinions on many things," Karuk said.
"Oh does he now?" Jenny asked, crossing her arms.
"He does. Perhaps he will wish them shared the next time we three are together."
“I’m sure he will.” She pulled out her communicator and started taking pictures of her apartment. “Let me get some pictures for evidence, if we need it.”
“As you like.”
He walked around the residence, taking in her things.
The little pot on her counter that looked like it was bubbling over. When he touched it, he realized it was artificial, a decoration. Not heavy, but when he touched it, some of the sparkle on it came off in his hands.
