41. Questions
1283 Words
We don't make it to the command room until 10 the next morning.
Collin and Star are having breakfast at the table.
Victor and Tobias are standing by the captains' chair talking to Dipak and Marcus on the laser screen. I don't think they changed clothes. Then I realize they're yelling over top of each other and I can't make a word out. But I wanted to ask Marcus about the boat anyways.
I run over between them. "Can I buy Luke a boat?"
Marcus shakes his head. "No. We can't..."
"BUT A LITTLE BOAT. HE CAN FISH ON THE RIVER... PLEASE."
"He's not ready..."
Victor turns to me and falls into the chair. "Why the hell are you trying to give him a boat?"
"FOR 1 OF HIS BIRTHDAY PRESENTS. I NEED TO THINK OF 8. Well, 7, the last is a bar of gold."
"I already know what I'm getting him."
"It had better have a bar of gold in it."
"Woman, I have no gold. He can't play with gold anyways."
"YOU'RE A KING. YOU HAVE TO GIVE HIM GOLD."
Tobias falls over laughing and jumps back up. "She's got you there. I'm not a king yet though."
Marcus and Dipak crack up laughing.
I glare at Victor.
"FINE. BUT I'M TAKING IT OUT OF THE CASTLE VAULT."
"That'll work. I should really give him 400 bars of gold. 1 for each year he's been alive."
They all say, "You can't."
"I WILL DO WHAT I WANT. I WILL GIVE HIM A CASTLE AND 400 BARS OF GOLD."
Tobias rubs his eyes. "Then you have to do that for all your nieces and nephews."
Victor holds onto the chair. "I won't complain about that."
Tobias loses it. "ALDEN."
He comes in after a second of the 2 of them trying to stay standing. "What?"
"Your mate is trying to give Luke 400 bars of gold and a castle."
"Woman no. That is too much. He would never learn to appreciate anything. It would all be given to him. You can do the 1 bar since that's the custom for you. But no more than that. If he actually needs something, I'm sure he'll ask."
"Marcus says I can't give him a boat either." I push my bottom lip out and make it quiver.
"Aww that's not going to work sweetheart." I start sobbing and the boys chuckle. "You know he has some medical things going on. His dad gets to make the choice of what he's ready for. If he said no, that's it. You have to accept it and think of something else."
I cross my arms and stomp my foot. "I'll do it anyway."
"And how bad is that going to be for him? He'll have a brand-new toy that he gets to look at and wants to play with, but his dad will have to tell him no. All that will do is make him have a meltdown every time he thinks about it."
"FINE. BUT YOU'RE ALL MEAN." I slam myself down in the captain's chair and pout.
Victor smiles. "We were telling them about the rockets."
Then Victor and Tobias start yelling again. I jump up and scream, "THEY WERE SO LOUD. WE HAD TO PUT THINGS ON OUR EARS." The boys yell over me.
"ENOUGH."
We turn towards Alden.
He rubs his eyes. "You need to eat and go pass out. Go sit over there and eat."
We go sit down.
Alden rubs his eyes. "Did you need anything?"
"No. They sent the transmission to tell us about the planet."
"I'm sure you heard enough." They laugh and the transmission ends.
Victor and Tobias pass out after they eat. Then Alden starts asking the brains questions about the planet. He has them start another scan on it. After a couple of hours I snuggle up in his lap.
"You want to take a nap, baby? You act like you didn't get your sleep out."
I shake my head fast and snuggle him. He's so warm.
He rubs my back lightly. "Maybe I wore you out earlier."
I giggle and feel myself falling asleep. I love him so much.
I wake up in his bed and it's almost dinner time. I slept for quite a while. I fix myself then go to the command room. We're still above the snake planet and Alden is sitting at the conference table with a bunch of papers. "Still here?"
He pulls me onto his lap. "I want to make damn sure that 1 section is clear. I'm nervous about that. Figured while everyone is sleeping, I'll get a deep scan done."
I lean in and kiss his marking spot. "I know something else that needs to be done deeply."
He wraps his arms around me as Victor and Tobias come in.
"You 2 look like hell."
"What was that alert about?"
"We didn't get an alert."
"What was it?" Victor stares at the brain.
"Message from snake planet leader Bilnar. Snake ate part of a woman. Snake has been killed and he is requesting assistance."
"Was it a regular snake?"
"Unknown. Attempting to collect remains."
"Where did it happen?"
"The main village."
"Let's go down and talk to them. They're probably nervous still." Alden stands up.
Victor picks up a box and changes clothes. Then Tobias does it.
"At least you 2 don't look homeless anymore."
Half an hour later, we're standing in the center of the village. A man comes out of a house and shakes Victor's hand. "We weren't sure if we should say anything." Then he smiles at me. "I'm Bilnar. I got elected to run the place, so to speak."
"It's nice to meet you sir. And we don't mind helping out with an investigation. That's why we're still here, actually. Trying to make sure everyone is ok before we leave."
Victor nods. "Better to be safe than sorry."
"Right this way." He points to a couple. "They found her in the entrance of their house. They said they have only seen the victim in passing a few times. Had no idea why she would be in their home. Maybe she was running from the snake is the only thing I can think of."
Tobias chuckles. "She wasn't the only 1 who runs from little snakes."
I give him a dirty look and the rest of them smile.
"Don't worry, miss. I imagine everyone on our planet will run from them for a long time." He leads us into a house. It's made of wood. Seems like any other house. "This is what's left of her."
I can't help but stare. It seems like something ate her stomach out. The fabric of her dress around her stomach is missing too.
"The gentleman who owns the house heard something and ran in. He stepped on the snake before it got away. Your people came and got it about 3 minutes ago."
Victor stares at her. "She looks familiar."
Tobias nods and seems sad. "She was with me last night. She turned yellow. I figured she drank too much. I put her down on the couch at that house we were at. She was passed out anyway. I didn't think she'd get back up for a while. When did this happen?"
"An hour ago."
"She must have woken up and tried to go home."
"Warning: Alien parasite detected."
I jump on Alden and wrap around him. "What's that mean?"
"It means we're going back to the ship now. You 2 move your asses. Is the parasite on us?"
"No, sir."
Victor looks at Bilnar while Tobias pulls him. "We'll be back. We need answers."
"Yes sir."
- Writer
