Page 63 of Uncovered By the Alien Commander
“Tyrxie... I—” Kaanus begins, concern etched on his scaled features.
“Answer me, you voiding bastard!” Tyrxie screams, interrupting him, leveling her pistol at the Captain.
I know Tyrxie is very capable of killing, recalling her cold execution of the Tuskarian that tormented her. Yet I remain steady, folding my arms, content to leave the matter in the hands of the Gods.
“I killed them... Void, I killed them all. Every last one of them,” Kaanus exhales, looking to the cold, hard arcweave ceiling,finding no solace. “Some primitive planet I raided many years ago.” He shakes his head, sadness in his voice.
“Earth,” I answer, lingering on the strange word.
“I don’t know. Perhaps,” he replies, unaware or uncaring of how precarious his life dangles before the furious female.
“My parents, what were they like?” Tyrxie demands, her voice now betraying emotion.
“Just people,” Kaanus states, offering nothing more as he takes another swig.
“Just people?” Tyrxie repeats, bitterness and resentment infused into her words. “Tell me something. Anything, or I swear I’ll blow your voiding brains out, right here, right now.”
Kaanus’ gaze now glistens with moisture, the only hint of emotion from his blank Argorian eyes. “They must have loved you fiercely. Pictures of you plastered on every wall,” he whispers with a downcast head.
Tyrxie erupts into sobs, her tiny shoulders shaking as the gun trembles in her grasp. My heart aches at the sight, yet I remain firm. “Why me? Why didn’t you sell me?” her voice quivers between tearful breaths.
Kaanus glances at Tyrxie, his features etched with sadness, a mirror of hers. “When I reached into your bed, you grabbed my finger with the tightest little grip. You smiled at me then with your bright green eyes. Eyes the opposite of mine. I couldn’t let the bastards have you. Not you. So, I raised you like a daughter... I’m sorry, Tyrxie, I truly am.”
“Daughter?” Tyrxie spits the word like a rancid poison. “Void your empty words!” She steadies the gun with both her hands, peering down the sights. “I want my life back. The one you stole from me!” she screams.
“Pull the trigger. I deserve it.” Kaanus rises on an unsteady leg, taking a final swig from his bottle, resigned to meet his fate.
Time stretches into what feels like an eternity, the air heavy with tension. Tyrxie’s labored breaths betray her hesitation, and I know without her saying a word—she can’t pull the trigger.
“Xandor, I’m lost,” Tyrxie pleads, her voice and hands shaking.
“Only you hold the answer,” I reply, divulging nothing, not wishing to influence her decision.
“I can’t do it,” Tyrxie admits, lowering her weapon. “You stay the void away from me, you hear? And when we reach Nebia, I’ll be leaving with Xandor,” she adds with a relieved breath, before she turns to exit the room, like an angry shadow.
I linger to hear Kaanus whisper, “Farewell, Tyrxie.” As I gaze at the Captain, who shows no sign of relief at his spared life, slumping onto the bed. He appears broken, staring into his bottle, like some useless thing cast into the void. But a broken captain serves me no purpose.
I grasp his robe, hoisting him to his feet. “Look at me, Kaanus,” I demand with a jerk. “Look at me!” I repeat until his head snaps to attention, coming out of his shock. “You’ve been gifted your life. You can still atone for your dishonor from his day forth.” He nods his head in slow motion. “Get us to Nebia.” I snatch the bottle of alcohol from his weak grasp, crushing the polymer vessel in my grip. “Sober up, and captain this ship,” I command with a stern expression.
“Yeah...” Kaanus nods his head with increasing intensity. “Yeah, I can do that,” he declares as he regains his senses.
Excellent.
Chapter 25
Tyrxie
Tears
Istalk out ofthe Captain’s chambers, wiping the tears that sting my eyes. How I tire of crying.There aren’t enough tears in the universe to extinguish my pain. The gangway echoes beneath my feet. A familiar urge tempts me to disappear into a hidden passage. But with effort, I keep my gaze ahead. Those actions belong to the old me, the version of me who was a slave, disguised as a crew member.
What am I now? A freed slave?
A part of me always knew the truth. Hyanxa made sure of that with her constant barbed reminders. But to acknowledge it, to unravel its depths, would’ve calcified the terrifying reality. How could I continue living on this ship among those who killed my parents and enslaved me? A life without hope drove me to burythose questions deep within, because to know the truth would’ve broken me.
Void Kaanus!I wish I possessed the courage to have pulled the trigger. Avenging myself and my parents would’ve been the correct action... right? A treacherous anxiety churns my stomach as memories come unbidden, of sitting on the Captain’s lap as a child gazing out at the mesmerizing stars.
He occupies a place in my heart that he stole.