Hello... So I'm back to working on this little beauty. HAHAHA. I have Ice Era Chronicles to write, and friends waiting for me to play Sea of Thieves... but this story still gets me back to my computer. Anyway, for those of you still with me. Cool.
Cheers.
~M~ from C.M. Moore
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*Chapter 9*
The Command Center.
It took Murry longer than he expected to understand the tiny green Nebos's directions. By the time he reached his first left, Murry was so buoyed by his success in figuring out Petey that he almost forgot how scary it was to be in the halls of an alien ship.
That changed quickly.
As Murry followed Petey's sliding from one palm to the other, he found the halls of the ship empty and foreboding like he entered a horror film. His shoulders tensed waiting for the killer to pop out at any moment. The areas were all draped in other silks, satins, and even wool looking piles. The coverings blocked doors and before long he was hopelessly lost. Left and then right, Murry trotted. As he came to a wider walkway, he got the feeling he was crossing onto someone else's fabrics.
After the second right, Murry spotted his first alien ahead. The Dagerstanteen was close to five-nine and lean. His tentacles were not as muscular and well-formed as Kel's. The alien spotted Murry, closed a door, and then gaped. His mouth didn't drop open, but Murry suspected that if his mouth could open, the alien's jaw would be on the floor.
Dropping his eyes, Murry hurried by. The alien's eyes drilled into him as he rushed away. On the second left, Murry passed another alien. This one looked like Kel but his tube hair was shorter and more black brown. The alien turned and watched him as Murry kept up his jog.
When he reached the next corner, Murry picked up the pace. His panic was building, and he'd only seen two aliens so far. He prayed he was close to the command center.
When he came to a door not covered in cloth, Petey tightened on his fingers and then slid up his arm to tie around his bicep again. This must be the place. Murry had no clue how to get the door open. The entrance wasn't covered by the fabric but was a simple metal door with no hinges or handles.
When the door slid open and an alien stepped out, Murry rushed past him with a thank you wave. The wave was out of habit. He must look crazy. He probably was crazy.
The command center was a small half-moon shape room with a large window on the far side. A few aliens had the glass tablets and stood in different spots around the space. They all looked up and froze when he entered. The alien he passed coming into the room, re-entered the area. Murry didn't blame him. The creature probably wanted to either watch Rhylent beat the crap out of a human or make him drink.
The door closed with a swish and Murry scanned all the occupants. In the center of the room, he spotted Rhylent's white mohawk tubes. Exactly like Kel explained, his younger sibling's tentacle had grown back. Rhylent still had the same white hair and smokey gray eyes. His lips were in a perpetual frown, and he looked crabby. His surly disposition was familiar. Murry's heart dropped. The alien had wanted to kill him last time they met. He hoped that it didn't happen today.
Heads turned as Murry walked to the center of the room. He stopped in front of Rhylent. The alien didn't even look up from his tablet.
Kel's sibling swept Murry with a disapproving glance waving his middle tentacle. The Nebos on the floor shaped into a chair. Rhylent sat and then leaned back.
"You have annoyed many Dagerstanteens on this ship, including me." Rhylent stared at him and crossed one leg over his knee. "I am getting bombarded with warriors' complaints even as we speak. This is unacceptable. You will be returned to your home planet right now."
"But I..." Murry struggled to come up with what to say. He didn't want to leave Kel just yet. Besides, Murry was on a mission. "I haven't gotten Kel out of my system yet."
"You drank from Keltrixtionlenz again, didn't you?" Rhylent's eyes narrowed as his lips flattened into a straight line.
