Page 28 of My Alien Jewel

“HEY! YOU!” a voice booms out behind me.

I turn abruptly, coming face to face with a seething Krestilian. His antennae are ramrod straight, not moving as they usually would, the tips glowing with alarming orange light. “What the fuck did you do this time?!” he shouts at me.

I step back and keep retreating until the wall stops me. Terrible memories of being yelled at and the various punishments that always followed threaten to resurface and drown me. I fight against the panic attack as I think of Nikolai lying on the floor of the storage room.

Nikolai promised the crew wouldn’t hurt me. He said they’re good people.

Then why is this one yelling at me? And…why did he say that I did something? What the fuck?!

I shake my head, both from fear and in answer to his question. I didn’t do anything. Does he think that what’s happening to the ship is my fault? Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. Right now, all that matters is getting help for Nikolai. I open my mouth to tellthe male before me that Nikolai is hurt, but as usual, no words come out.

Panic claws at me. I didn’t bring Nikolai’s datapad, not that I would have been able to find it in the mess the gravity generator left in the storage room. But without it, I can’t explain what’s going on.

Still glaring at me, the Krestilian steps closer and reaches out for me as if he wants to shake me. Or slap me, my panicking brain suggests.

Whimpering in terror, I drop to the floor, bringing my knees to my chest and covering my head with my arms. I’ve long learned to protect my head and stomach when being beaten.

No hits come. Instead, I hear muffled curses. “Fuck. Shit. I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you.” I risk a glance up and see the Krestilian crouching in front of me. He runs his hand between his antennae, tugging on one so hard he winces. “I’m sorry,” he repeats in a much calmer tone. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. I just need to know what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

“N…Ni…ko…” I rasp, surprised that there’s an actual sound coming out of my mouth.

“Nikolai? He’s not here. We can find him later, but now—”

I shake my head vehemently. “Nikolai,” I rasp out, finally managing to get his name right. I tug on the Krestilian’s sleeve and point down the corridor.

He frowns, his antennae swaying from side to side. “I don’t—” Then he notices the blood coating my fingers. “Wait, is that blood? Is he hurt?”

I nod, wiping the tears away from my eyes. Now is not the time. “Nikolai.” I point to the blood and then down the corridor again.

“Fuck,” the Krestilian mutters. “Alright, show me where he is.”

Relieved that he finally understands me, I don’t even protest when he grabs my wrist and pulls me up. As I rush back down the stairs to the engineering section, he follows a few stepsbehind, talking to the others over his comm. I think he’s telling them to come and help Nikolai, but I can’t hear him correctly over the sound of my heart drumming in my ears and the blaring alarms.

It only takes a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity before we finally arrive back at the storage room. Nikolai is still lying in the same position he was when I’d left him, in a pool of his own blood.

“Don’t go anywhere,” the Krestilian barks at me before rushing over to Nikolai. He picks through the scattered contents of the first aid box until he finds a small handheld scanner, then holds it over Nikolai’s head.

I want to smack myself. I should have thought of that! These scanners are simple, idiot-proof devices used to provide a basic assessment of the person’s health condition before first responders arrive. Anyone can operate one, yet I didn’t even think to use it.

The Krestilian points at the bandage on Nikolai’s head. “You did this?” he asks. I nod hesitantly, expecting to be yelled at for doing a sloppy job, but he merely grunts. “Good job. He’ll live. We just need to get him out of here. You too. The life support in this section is glitchy and I can’t guarantee it won’t stop working. And even Silithrae need oxygen. Am I right?”

I don’t respond, taken aback by how casually he mentions my species. I search his eyes for the inevitable flash of greed that usually follows such a statement, but there’s none.

He smirks. “Don’t look at me like that. I don’t care what you are. We might not look like it, but we’re the good guys,” he says right as the door opens again and more people pour in.

“Speak for yourself,” a tall Quintran says. “I do look like a good guy.”

A Syndoran follows him inside, carrying a stretcher. “Oh please, Omni, have you looked in the mirror lately? You look like shit.”

Omni smacks the Syndoran with the tip of his wing. “I look like beautiful shit. Put the stretcher down here.” They keep teasing each other even as they gently lift Nikolai off the floor and secure him to the stretcher. Once activated, the stretcher hovers a few feet above the floor and the crew simply guides it out of the room.

“Come with us, please,” the Syndoran tells me. “D’Aakh is going to seal off this part of the ship, and it might be dangerous. You’re safe with us, I promise.”

I give him a shaky nod. I believe him, and even if I didn’t, I need to stay with Nikolai. I don’t think I’ll be able to relax until he opens his eyes and smiles at me again.

We climb the damned stairs again. I’m so numb that I barely even register my muscles aching. I’m exhausted, yet so full of adrenaline I doubt I’d be able to fall asleep.

The crew brings Nikolai to the ship’s infirmary and, under the Krestilian’s guidance they move him into a large machine. It hums, probably scanning him again.