My Alien Beast (Draci Alien 3)

I’m still trying to do the calculation in my head when I run right into a very invisible but also very solid object.

“Ouch.” But this has to be it. I reach out and feel all along the contours of the smooth metal of the object, completely invisible to my eye. “So cool,” I can’t help breathing out.

I repeat the strange alien words First taught me and then hold up my hand. He said this is all I had to do to get past the bio-reader, and that the shuttle would “take it from there.”

I’m not sure what that means, until a small oval-shaped panel lights up. I press my hand against it, like First told me to. I’m surprised when my hand slightly sinks into the light. First called it a plasma display but I thought that just meant like a plasma TV screen. Apparently not.

Then something from the glowing light jabs my finger. I yelp and yank my hand back, but at the same time, I hear a voice say, “Access granted, trace Thraxahenashuash sequence detected.”

“Oh!” I whisper in surprise as an access panel slides to the side, revealing the insides of the alien shuttle. I step inside and lights turn on at the movement. Still, I’m glad the door doesn’t immediately shut behind me. The warm shaft of sunlight from outside provides a little bit of normalcy as I step inside the large craft.

It’s bigger than I expected. I run my hands along the unusual metal that looks like it’s seen better days. In fact, the entire shuttle is a strange mix of fascinating technology that looks beyond anything I’ve ever seen… but it also looks like it’s seen better days… and those better days may have been about a hundred years ago.

A cloud passes overhead outside, briefly dimming the light from the open door. It’s enough to remind me that I need to get a move on. It won’t be long until sunset and the last thing I need is to get lost out in the desert in the dark. Flying here wasn’t that bad, but that was because it was a straight shot with observable landmarks in the light. I don’t even want to think about how turned around I might get if I try it at night.

I head to the main captain’s chair and then look to the left, at the panel underneath the intimidating looking control panel. The control panel itself is full of bright plasma, like on the much smaller panel outside. The last thing I need is to accidentally push some button that like, launches me into outer space or something, considering my luck. I avoid it as I duck down to the cabinet door underneath it. I press on the edge of the door like First instructed me and it slides to the side.

Inside are several strange items. I pull them all out. Some look like spare parts, although by the shape of them, I have no clue what they could be for.

But the last item I grab and pull out looks like the item First described. It’s about the size of a dinner plate and has two handles that I grasp with both hands. As soon as my fingers close around the handles, a rectangular screen turns on and a beam of light suddenly shoots out of the device, scanning me from head to foot.

I almost drop it, especially when it starts spouting the harsh, guttural language that Shak sometimes speaks. Even more alarming? I can freaking understand it. The mechanical voice speaks quickly, but one thing I hear loud and clear.

Twins.

I set the device down quickly on the captain’s chair. Okay. I blink, then look down at myself, a hand going to my stomach.

Did that thing just scan me and—

Twins?

Holy shit. I yank the satchel off my shoulder, pulling out the water and rice. Taking a long swallow of water, I shove the device in the satchel and get ready to leave when a noise from behind me has me frozen in my tracks.

“Your kind really are as obtuse as has been reported. I’ve been standing here for five minutes and you couldn’t even tell.”

I swing around at the voice, but there’s no one there.

The voice continues to speak. “I was waiting for First, but you’re an even better bounty.”

And then an alien materializes from thin air, as if they too were cloaked just like the ship. It’s not First, either. No, this is a fully alien alien.

And from the way the alien is exposing its fangs as it approaches me, I don’t think it’s one of the friendly ones.

Nineteen

FIRST

It’s many, many hours later, and Giselle still isn’t back yet.

I glare out from the porch at the moon. It is past midnight, and still, she has not returned.

There could be many logical reasons for this.