Page 87 of Meteor Storm

“Who?”

“Thilar.”

She shook her head, confused, which told me they didn’t have much information about where I’d been or who I’d been with. Feeling a little unstable on my feet, I walked to the corner, far from the others, and sat down on a bench against the wall. Innifer sat next to me, holding my hand.

“Who is Thilar?” she asked.

“He’s the monrian in the other room talking to the clerics and there is a pretty good chance that I won’t see him again after today.” I glanced up at Vahko as he stepped in to talk with Yuros and I envied the fact that he and Innifer were traversing space together, going on missions, and existing as a couple the galaxy approved of. “You and him,” I said. “I never would have thought.”

“It was a lot.”

“You love him?”

Innifer smiled and nodded. “Yeah.”

“I love Thilar,” I admitted for the second time. “But these monrian customs… I’m pretty sure we’re about to be separated.”

“Does Thilar want that?”

“No, but what choice do we have? I just spoke to two women with so much power in their hands and I have nothing. I’m just a human and I’m finally realizing how small I am. And Thilar is in the same position as we speak, probably being told what a failure he is for having feelings for me.” I leaned forward, burying my face in my hands. “God, I never thought I could be like this, fawning over a man, but I can’t stop. I think I would lose my mind if someone came in here now and told me it was done. We were never going to see each other again. God, that hurts.”

Innifer’s smile flattened and she glanced up at Vahko for a moment. After some thought, she took a deep breath and stood.

“Stay here and just relax for a bit.”

I nodded, raking my fingers through my hair and hanging my head. I had already left everything on the table and I didn’t care that I’d just come off as a love-struck schoolgirl to what was essentially a former employee. The Penny from two years ago seemed long gone. Now, I was just staring at the pieces of myself, trying to figure out how they all fit together.

In the middle of the room, Innifer pulled Vahko aside and started to speak with him. His attention focused on her like a laser as they discussed something and all the while, my brain was exploding with doubts and questions about what would happen when I left that place.

26: Thilar

I stood in that same room, hands clasped behind my back, my body at attention. Naan and Kora quietly spoke amongst themselves before turning to address me. I grounded myself, preparing for the worst, hoping for the best, and accepting whatever fate they deemed worthy.

“Our brief talk with the human was enlightening,” Kora said. “As Yuros reported, she’s quite attached to you.”

“Perhaps unhealthily attached,” Naan added.

“As you are unhealthily attached to her. We both sense it. As do you, I suspect.”

I let out a defeated breath and lowered my eyes.

“But she was quite interesting, despite how underdeveloped her species seems to be. Her emotional capacity, as you said, is advanced, but also quite unmanageable.”

There was a knock on the door behind me and with a nod from Kora, the guards opened it, allowing a valerian man to enter the clerics’ chamber. His gait was proper and practiced, his suit dawning the blue veins of a valerian general.

“This is a peculiar time for you to request an audience. How can we help you, general Vahko?”

Vahko stood beside me in a similar stance, hands behind his back.

“I will have to take my leave soon. I realize the decision about an outpost might take time. I also realize that with your limited knowledge of the humans, it might benefit you to send someone along as an ambassador.”

“One of our people?”

“Yes. Humans know nothing about monrians, yet. And monrians know little about them. I do think it would benefit you both to be introduced to one another.”

“That is something that would need to be discussed with a larger council. Which we don’t currently have.”

“I understand.”