Page 47 of My Tiny Giant
Under pressure, Agan and I became each other’s eyes and ears, our minds seemed to sync. We became each other’s strength.
I’d never had that happen before with anyone else, and I missed our connection, now.
I missed him .
Would it be possible for us to achieve similar harmony in the regular, every-day life? When we didn’t have a common enemy to fight or a dangerous situation to escape?
“May I suggest you take a trip to the Central Mall today?” Helix offered after breakfast. “It is deemed even more spectacular than the East Mall of Voran.”
I had rested well after the mission at the professor’s ball two days ago. According to Rick, the Voranian government was satisfied with our work.
Both General Trulgadi and Professor Voltuds’ assistant had been detained and questioned. Rick said the assistant would be put on trial. He faced a jail term if convicted. General Trulgadi would probably be extradited to Tragul for the Ravils to decide his fate. Whatever his true motives were, by secretly dealing with someone like Professor Voltuds, he broke his people’s trust. Governor Eehie, the Head of the Ravil Government, had already been notified, too.
I suspected Agan would eventually go back to Tragul as well. There’d be very little chance for me to run into him again during any of my remaining missions on his planet since he no longer fought fescods in the jungle.
“I don’t feel like going out today,” I said to Helix. “I think I’ll just stay in and watch TV. Do you have any movies from Tragul? Made by Ravils?”
An opaque white screen descended from the ceiling of the living area of my apartment, and I took a seat on the oval green couch in front of it.
“No,” Helix replied in a subdued tone of voice, as if he could predict my disappointment. “The movie industry is practically non-existent in Ravie. That country’s technological development has been significantly impeded by war. Resources are diverted to the life-sustaining industries, with extremely limited funds available for entertainment. I can locate a few documentaries made by the Ravil Army or some motion pictures made by Voranians that feature Ravil characters or take place on Tragul. Would that be something of interest to you?”
“I’ll take what you’ve got.” I made myself more comfortable on the couch.
Helix started playing a Voranian movie filmed on Tragul. It was well done and had obviously been shot on location. I recognized the red sands and the luscious green jungle of that planet.
During my time on Tragul, I’d had very little time to stop and admire the scenery. Yet even from the little I’d seen, the place was breathtakingly beautiful. Now, in the safety of the apartment on Neron, I could fully appreciate the gorgeous images on the screen. If it wasn’t for the raging fescods and backstabbing yirzi roaming the planet, Tragul would surely be a travel destination for every other race in the Galaxy.
I also couldn’t get a certain Ravil off my mind while watching the movie about his home world.
Agan and I had parted rather abruptly. After leaving the professor’s home, we’d returned to the Voranian Army headquarters where we’d been separated. I’d given my report and returned to this apartment, without getting a chance to see Agan again or to say goodbye.
“Helix, is there a way to contact someone in Voran if I don’t have their tablet contact information or their house AI identification number?” I could no longer fight the urge to speak to Agan. We had been through a lot together in the past few days. It wouldn’t be weird if I called him just to say hi, would it?
“Do you have the name of the person you wish to contact?”
“Yes. Agan Drankai. He is a lieutenant in the Ravil Army. I believe he may still be in Voran.”
He should, at least for the next little while. Rick had told me that the Ravil delegation hadn’t left for Tragul the next morning as General Trulgadi had planned. Since he got detained, the rest of the Ravil officials remained in Voran to complete the initial investigation which was currently under way.
“Lieutenant Agan Drankai is registered as a member of the Ravil delegation from Tragul. He is staying at the Ravil military base just outside of Voran. Would you like me to connect you with him? I will pause your movie to use the TV unit for the video call.”
“Yes please,” I rushed out, not giving myself a chance to overthink this or to change my mind.
Straightening in my seat on the couch, I smoothed down my navy-blue blouse with white polka dots, briefly wondering if I should’ve changed into something nicer. Maybe I should’ve gone to the mall first, after all. Voranian women wore the most adorable dresses with flared skirts in bright colors, decorated with bows, ruffles, and lace. I’d meant to buy a few like that myself before leaving Neron...
The screen of the TV flickered, sending my thoughts into disarray. Then, a pleasant face of a woman came up on it.
“Ravil Army b—” she cut herself short, staring at me, her mouth hanging open.
I must have had a similar expression as I felt my jaw drop. I’d never spoken to a Ravil woman before, and I certainly hadn’t expected to see one when calling Agan.
Her caramel-colored mane framed her lovely face with thick, layered curls that reached her shoulders. Her large, oblong eyes of jade-green were dreamily beautiful. Several strings of red, glossy beads wound around her long, graceful neck. Instead of a shirt or a blouse, she only had a brightly embroidered scarf with a long fringe tied over her breasts.
She recovered first.
“I’m so sorry,” she said in a melodious voice. “I’ve never met a human before. That’s what you are, right? A human?”
“Yes.” I nervously adjusted the pink scarf I’d tied to hold back my hair pulled up into a messy bun. “I, um...Sorry this is probably a wrong number. My AI must’ve made a mistake.”