Page 6 of His Human Librarian
But not this time.
I set her down in the passenger seat, place her luggage in back, start the vehicle and drive down the street.
Hyrrokin whisper and point, surprised at the arrival of a new human in Fire Creek. I know everyone in town and they know me, so it’s easy for them to identify newcomers. I don’t say a word to anyone, letting the gossip I started amongst the staff in the station do its work. I turn a corner and drive toward the med lab.
The female glances over at me. “I’m terrified of demons. I know it’s a little silly, but I was told a demonic story when I was little and remember it like it was yesterday. And, um, to me, the Hyrrokin features look demonic and this why I was initially scared.”
I grunt in response. “I’ve heard that other species in the four sectors think we look like whatever evil was invented in their mythology.”
“Does this bother you?” she questions.
“No, we consider this fear a powerful weapon in battle. Other species have put down their weapons and withdrawn at the sight of our powerful bodies. We are a proud species.” I park in front of the med lab. “We’re here.”
She attempts to step out of the vehicle on her own, but I carry the Librarian inside and greet the attendant who looks vaguely familiar. This Hyrrokin was not born here but I believe has lived in Fire Creek for many years.
“Good morning, Mr. Sandstone,” she greets. “Oh, who is this? A new human fiancée?”
The Librarian gasps with surprise and her cheeks turn pink. “No…no. Of course not. My name is Taylor Dumas and I am not his fiancée. I arrived on Tarvos a short while ago and was scared of…um, how everyone looked and then I accidentally tripped and fell…”
“And screamed and fainted,” I grouse as I set her on her feet.
“Yes, I fainted too. I guess I really hurt myself when I fell on the metal platform. They bandaged me up and gave me pain reliever, but I need…”
“She has many deep cuts that need to be fixed and possibly a sprained or broken ankle,” I explain.
The attendant smiles warmly at the frightened human I’ve brought with me. “Oh, no. Hyrrokin-fright syndrome. It happens to lots of beings. And I can understand how you were hurt so easily. Humans lack any claws or a tail and have very delicate skin. Lie here please and we’ll get you all fixed up.”
A message flashes on my tablet. The human obediently lies on the med lab bed and I step out into the hallway to see who has called.
It's that traitor Erid.
“The Librarian arrived on time?” he questions.
A growl rumbles in my chest, and I close the door behind me for privacy.
“I couldn't be there with you,” he tries to explain, “because there was a murder to investigate amongst those rich houses on the edge of the wildlands.”
“Heh. I heard all about it on the news services. But you should be here, considering you're the Sheriff and the one who told these Librarians about the cave. This is all your fault.”
“Sten, you found ancient textual artifacts on your property. The legality is clear. I’m supposed to report it, then it gets referenced to the Librarians. This project was always going to be referred to the Intergalactic Antiquities Council.”
“When you said Librarians, I thought you meant Hyrrokin.”
“No, I meant to an intergalactic library. How could you not have known that?”
“I’m a rancher, not a historian. Now I have to pay for everything, and they're all coming down here. I haven’t told anyone else about this because telling you was enough.”
“How big is the team who arrived today?
“One being stepped off the disk.”
Erid chuckles. “Just one? That’s not so bad. It doesn't sound like you have to pay for much. It won’t be difficult accommodating one Librarian for a short time.”
Gray smoke puffs from my nostrils. “They sent a human.”
“That is surprising. I assumed the Librarian would be a Gravian, just because the headquarters are on the Gravian home world.”
“I did too.”