First Life, page 39
part #1 of River Saga Series
“Why?”
“I’ve been watching people. It’s what I do. And I don’t fully trust what’s transpired. If you want my suggestion, hear me out.”
“Go on,” I urged Desmond.
“We don’t tell a soul about Krissa. Not yet. Not until we know more.” He frowned at the alien woman, who could have passed as a colonist.
“Fine. Indie will…”
His hand snaked out, gripping my wrist. “Col, listen to me. Don’t tell anyone about her. Not Indie. Not Franklin. Not Gordon. Nobody,” Des said through clenched teeth.
“Fine.” I figured it was best not to argue with the man.
“Miya, did you hear that?” Desmond asked.
“Gotcha. Who is Krissa, then?” Miya asked.
“I am of the Class Five Rusa, from…” Krissa began, and Miya shook her head.
“None of that. Pretend you’re sick for now. I’ll come up with a story, and use one of the deceased people’s IDs for you. Don’t worry, Krissa. We’ll figure this out.” Miya grinned at the woman, who nodded her understanding.
The alien put a hand on her stomach, and feigned an ache.
“That’s a good start. Miya, time to return.” We entered the same hatch we’d escaped from earlier.
I was about to start for the residences, where Miya could hide our new friend and get her fed and clothed, when I spotted the dot in the sky. “Des, what’s that?”
His eyes went dark, and the toothpick fell from his lips. “I’ll be damned. That’s Palora, coming back to the surface.”
“That can’t be good. I thought we had a couple of weeks,” I muttered.
A few people lingered outside, and I told Miya to make herself scarce while everyone’s attention was diverted.
Desmond and I stayed behind, watching the primary Angor vessel fly toward our colony. I knew one thing. Palora was going to carry us from Dicore into a fight we didn’t understand quite yet.
“Don’t worry, Colton. I’m coming with you.”
“You are?”
Desmond smirked from the corner of his mouth. “You think they’re going to break us up? We’ll find a way to prove our value. They won’t be able to reject us. Deal?”
As much as I didn’t want my friends thrown into any more danger, I couldn’t deny that I wanted them nearby for this next chapter in our lives.
I shook his hand, patting his back with the other. “Thank you, Desmond Locke.”
“You’re welcome, Colton Beck.”
We stared at Palora while it descended from the heavens, about to land a mile from our colony. With our discovery of this Rusa stranger, we were on the cusp of something important.
Krissa smirked at me, peering at the giant Angor starship, then meeting my gaze once more. “Friends of yours?”
I nodded, then shook my head. “That remains to be seen.”
“This is going to be fun.” Despite her unusual attire, she walked into our colony as if she was the queen, returning to her throne.
“I told you this was a mistake,” Desmond whispered.
“Which part?” I asked.
“All of it.”
Dicore was ours. I’d been told I was in fact Rusa, not human, and the Angor were here to unite us with the fourteen thousand Xeno patients we’d assumed were dead.
My first life had been cut short.
I hoped my second wouldn’t share the same fate.
THE END
Nathan Hystad, First Life
