Page 29 of My Alien Pirate

Taking my hand in his, he led me down the corridors to the room where all the activity seemed to be centralized. I recognized it vaguely from when I had awoken there only a few days before.

"Sara," I choked out, recognizing our chief engineer on the nearest metallic-looking table. She looked even worse than the captain, her skin ashen, dark circles under her eyes, blood matting her white-blonde hair.

Taking her limp hand, I squeezed, remembering the first time I met Sara at the Academy. She was tall and blonde, with a bubbly personality that lit up the room. In contrast, I was more reserved, often lost in my books, and often looked askance at my incongruous features with my Asian American features except for the striking blue eyes I'd inherited from my Irish father. Despite our differences, we instantly connected.

I recalled it vividly; I was in my happy place, the academy library, surrounded by the familiar musty smell of old books in the ancient books section of the library and the soft murmur of fellow students. My peace was interrupted by a burst of laughter that filled the room. I looked up, feeling mildly irritated, and there she was—a tall, striking blonde woman, Sara, in the center of a group of cadets, gesticulating wildly as she told a hilarious story, her wide blue eyes sparkling. I felt an instant pang of envy for her easy confidence.

Little did I know that this woman would become my closest friend. Sara, always adventurous, noticed me and wasdetermined to draw me out of my shell. Her exuberance broke through my shyness.

"Hey there! You're Nova, right? I've seen you around, but we've never officially met. I'm Sara, and I just know we're going to be great friends!" I couldn't help but smile back at her infectious grin, my natural reserve melting away.

As we got to know each other, we realized our differences complemented each other perfectly. Sara introduced me to new experiences and people, pushing me beyond my comfort zone. In contrast, I provided a steady presence, helping her focus and succeed in our demanding courses. We balanced each other out, and our friendship grew stronger until we had an unbreakable bond.

Now, seeing Sara pale and lifeless broke my heart. I couldn't bear the thought of losing my brightest light, my dearest friend, the person who illuminated my life since that first day we met.

"Hang in there, Sara," I whispered desperately. "You have to fight. We still have so many adventures ahead of us."

As I watched, Daz flitted around, scanning and muttering to himself. The med bay was a flurry of activity, with machines that reminded me of the character R2D2 in the old-timey space movie "Star Wars" except they were equipped with trays and scary looking instruments. I stood frozen next to Zharrox holding myself back from throwing myself at my friend.

"What's wrong with them?" I asked, unable to keep the fear from my voice. "Why aren't they waking up?"

Daz's single eye turned on me and blinked slowly. "Severe dehydration, malnutrition, and oxygen deprivation as far as we can tell based on your scans as a baseline," he reported. "The pod's life support systems were failing. It's a miracle they survived this long."

I felt my knees go weak, but Zharrox's strong arm held me up. I was too overwhelmed to even feel embarrassed by his touch in front of his crew.

"But they will survive, right?" I pressed, looking between Daz and Zharrox. "You can help them?"

Daz made a chittering sound that I thought might be their version of a sigh, turning back to the too still figures on the metal beds. "It's too soon to say for certain. Their physiology is... unfamiliar to me. Similar to yours, obviously, but there are differences I don't fully understand yet."

I nodded, trying to process this. Of course, alien medicine would have its limits when it came to treating humans. But still, it had to be better than nothing.

"I can help," I said, straightening up and gently disentangling myself from Zharrox's support. "I have medical training. Basic, but it's something. And I know human physiology."

Daz's eye swiveled to focus on me. "That would be most helpful," he said after a long pause.

For the next hour, I worked alongside Daz, explaining human biology as best I could while he and his techs administered various treatments. Grixxa assisted, her delicate touch surprisingly well-suited to medical work. Jorixx hovered near the door, looking uncomfortable but unwilling to leave. And Zharrox...

Zharrox stayed close, his presence a constant comfort even as I focused on the task at hand. Every now and then, I'd catch him watching me, his ridges pulsing with an emotion I couldn't quite decipher.

Finally, Daz stepped back, his many arms dropping to their sides. "I've done all I can for now," he announced. "They're stable, but still critical. The next few hours will be crucial."

I nodded, suddenly feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me. "Thank you," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "All of you. I... I don't know what I would have done if..."

To my surprise, it was Jorixx who spoke up. "No need for thanks," he rumbled. "It's what any decent being would do."

Grixxa shot him an amused look. "Careful, Jor. Your soft side is showing."

The security chief huffed and stomped out of the med bay, but I could have sworn I saw his hide flush a deeper green.

As the others filed out, leaving only Daz to monitor the patients, Zharrox lingered. "Nova," he said softly, "you should rest. You've been through a lot."

I shook my head, even as I swayed slightly on my feet. "I can't leave them. What if they wake up? They'll be confused, scared..."

Zharrox's ridges pulsed with what I was beginning to recognize as concern. "At least sit down," he said, guiding me to a nearby chair. "I'll have some food brought in. You need to keep your strength up."

As I sank into the chair and let it form around me. My eyes never left the still forms of my crewmates as I tried to reconcile my feelings for the hulking alien next to me. I felt a rush of gratitude towards him for rescuing what was left of my crew and for his treatment of me since he returned, but he had run hot and cold since. I was struggling to figure him out.

"Zharrox," I said, catching his arm as he turned to leave. "Thank you. For finding them. For bringing them back. For... everything."