I nodded my appreciation. “It’s incredible. You’re very talented.”

  She plucked the line, sending shivers across the entirety of the construction. Somberness drifted into her tone. “Websss remindsss me of homesss.”

  “Do you miss your planet?” I asked.

  “Yesss. And noessss. Likessss Bensss. Likesss Noahsss. But sometimessss lonelinesss.”

  “You can come down and hang out with us whenever you’d like. You don’t need to hide up here all the time.”

  “Not hidingssss. Feedingsss.”

  I only noticed the half-dozen cocoon-wrapped packages on the deck amidst her web after she mentioned it. I tried to disguise my sense of disgust, but her clattering laughter suggested I’d failed miserably.

  “That’s actually kind of the reason I came looking for you,” I said. “I don’t know how much you keep up with current events, but Ally and I found a capsule under the deck plating in the hangar. It turned out there was an Aleal inside.”

  “Alealssss?’ She replied, surprised. “Altersss?”

  “No, I don’t think so. It’s a tiny one, like a blob with tendrils. Matt said Aleal only eat brains, but I figured since you probably knew Alter and you’re more of a carnivore that you might have a better idea of what we should feed it. I’m sorry if that comes across like you’re some kind of monster or animal or something.”

  She clattered amusement in response to my awkward apology. “It’sss okay. I havesss what you needsss.”

  “You do?”

  “Yesss. Altersss and I atesss the samesss.”

  “That’s great!” I exclaimed excitedly. “I’m so glad I came to you first.”

  “Yesss.”

  She skittered into her web, deftly maneuvering through the strands and scooping one of the cocoons off the deck. She returned with it clutched in her pedipalps, holding it out to me. “Thisss should do the trickssss.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Ratsss. Bensss letsss them on boardsss for me to eatsss. Aleal can eatssss.”

  I didn’t ask her if that meant the rat was still alive under the webbing. In this case, ignorance was bliss. I held out my hands to accept the macabre gift. Ixy passed it over, the outer webbing slightly tacky. “Thanks, Ixy. You’re a lifesaver. Let’s just hope the little space slug didn’t decide to eat Alyssa’s brains while I was gone.”

  Ixy clattered in laughter again. “Good lucksss.”

  My quarters had never seemed so far away. What kind of madness had I invited by sheltering the Aleal, that I was carrying a gift-wrapped rat down for it to devour? And why hadn't anyone mentioned the rats before now? There had to be rules against vermin on starships, didn’t there? But then, rats had been present on sailing ships from day one. Why not starships? Ixy kept the rats down on Head Case just like cats did on sailing ships.

  I had joked with Ixy about the Aleal attacking Alyssa while I was gone, but Matt’s conviction over the alien’s threat sent a wave of doubt and dread through me as I exited the elevator. What if my friends lay bleeding out, their lives and brains forfeit to the Aleal's appetite? Grisly fates assailed my wild imagination during the seconds I spent navigating the lounge and dashing up the steps. It seemed ridiculous. A side-effect of hunger and exhaustion.

  Still, I threw open the door prepared for anything.

  Anything except both Tyler and Alyssa strewn across my bed, gentle snores serving as proof of life. The Aleal was nowhere to be seen. My breath caught nervously until a tiny tendril poked from beneath my pillow. It had moved closer to the pair when they conked out while waiting for me, overcoming its fear to seek comfort in companionship. How could Matt be so worried about something that wanted to be near people like that? I decided with finality that despite any past history with an Aleal, he had to be wrong about this one.

  “I’ve got a treat for you,” I said, holding up the cocoon for the Aleal to see. Its tendrils perked up, as if it already knew what lay beneath the arachnid mummification.

  My voice woke Ally, who bolted upright when she saw the little guy near her head. Her screech frightened it back under the pillow while also waking Tyler.

  “Huh? What’s going on?” He growled, head whipping back and forth in search of the threat. “Do I still have my brain?” He clutched at his head.

  “You never had a brain,” I replied. “It’s okay. I’ve got something for the Aleal to eat.”

  “What is that, and where did you get it?”

  “It’s a rat. Ixy gave it to me. Apparently, Ben lets them run around parts of Head Case so she can catch and eat them. Now our new friend can eat, too.”

  “Gross,” Alyssa said.

  “Yet fortuitous,” Tyler added. “Did she jump scare you?”

  “Does she ever not jump scare me? I think she practices her attack moves on us.” We all shared a laugh at the Xixitl’s favorite pastime.

  “It’s okay, bud,” I said to the Aleal. “They were just startled awake. I’m going to put the takeout under your blanket.” I lifted the bottom of it and stuck the cocoon beneath. No sooner had I hidden the package than the Aleal crawled across the bed and jumped to its hideaway, going after the morsel underneath. Thankfully, whatever it did to feed didn’t make any sound.

  “I don’t know if I’m more tired or more hungry,” Alyssa said.

  “More hungry,” Tyler decided. “Let’s go eat.”

  “I’m going to sleep now,” I said. “You two go on without me.”

  “I think I’ll hit the sack, too,” Alyssa said. “I can barely keep my eyes open.”

  “How is it, sharing a bed with Meg?” Tyler asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  “Get your mind out of the gutter, T-bone,” she snapped angrily in reply.

  “You could have put a mat on the floor like I did,” Tyler said in defense.

  “Yeah, because that looks so comfortable,” she hissed, rolling her eyes. “Meg’s been so busy fixing Head Case, she’s hardly ever there. When she is, I don’t even know it until I wake up and she’s in the bed next to me. And, she told me I can redecorate however I want. But the pink is growing on me. Anyway, we get along pretty well, so it’s all good.”

  Tyler slid off the bed. “Well, you two enjoy your slumber. I’m going to have Asshole make me a huge plate of nachos and start rewatching phase one of the MCU. Toodles.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Ally again before slipping out of the room.

  “What a day,” Ally said once he had gone. “Have a good night, Noah. Thanks again for being there for me, earlier.”

  “Any time,” I replied.

  She stood, her eyes drifting to the Aleal’s new nest. “Goodnight, Alfonse.”

  “Please don’t call it that,” I said.

  She laughed, offering a wave before following Tyler out of the room.

  Fear and adrenaline subsiding, my eyelids abruptly felt leaden. It had been a long day. Hopefully, everything would make more sense in the morning. My adventurous optimism returned. Nothing had killed us yet, not even a ravenous, carnivorous alien. That had to count for something.

  I stretched out on my bed, beyond caring I was fully dressed. My eyes slipped closed. Almost immediately, I felt a slight shift on the bed. Opening one eye, I watched the Aleal approach from my feet. It seemed slightly larger than it had before, its previously translucent innards were tinged with red. I did my best not to think about the processes leading to the discoloration, instead monitoring its advance toward my head. I wasn’t afraid, so much so that I closed my eyes again as it reached my neck.

  The Aleal nuzzled my jaw, tendrils twining loosely around my neck like a living scarf. Any lingering question about its intentions evaporated. Comforted by the closeness of an unlikely new companion, I drifted off to sleep.

  CHAPTER 40

  None of us knew what to expect when we reached Cacitrum. We had no idea what this planet would even look like.

  I gazed at the forward transparency in anticipation, my heart pounding in tense excitement, my stomach—stuffed with butterflies—churning nervously as Head Case emerged from its hyperspace compression field.

  “Shields up, weapons hot,” Matt said, frosty as usual while entering the unknown. We had to be ready for anything, including an immediate fight.

  The curve of space regained its infinite flatness as the hyperdrive disengaged and the stars expanded away from us. Instead of a field of black, the space ahead of us bustled with activity.

  "Whoa, look at that traffic!" Tyler exclaimed. "This definitely ain't Cedar Rapids.”

  "Or Goldhaven," Alyssa murmured appreciatively. "So many ships coming and going. It's like JFK at rush hour."

  Hundreds upon hundreds of vessels swarmed around an Earth-like world, ranging from small personal craft barely larger than Matt’s hop racer to titanic dreadnoughts that dwarfed even the largest craft in Earth's collective navies.

  “When did you ever visit New York?” Tyler asked.

  “I went to New York City with three friends after high school graduation,” she explained. “We did Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, all the good stuff.”

  “I didn’t know nerdy gamer girl had any real-life friends.”

  Her mood soured slightly. “Yeah. We kind of drifted apart after that trip. They went off to college, and I…didn’t.”

  I toggled magnification on my surround display, zooming in for a better look at the planet. Brilliant white clouds swirled across emerald continents and sapphire oceans, speckled with the tell-tale silver gleam of several dozen metropolises scattered across the globe. Even from high orbit, I easily spotted slender towers and elegant arches hinting at masterful and intact alien architecture.

  “It looks amazing,” I said, marveling at the view.

  "The planet's a beauty alright," Matt agreed. “It’s hard to believe the Warden controls a world like this after seeing Goldhaven."

  "However many worlds he controls, at least one of them has to be legit." A hint of hope tinged Ben's words. "If this Levain person is down there waiting for us, maybe we'll finally get some straight answers."

  “Even if he isn’t down there,” I said. “They must have something like the Internet, or at least libraries or something.”

  “Captain, we’re receiving a hail,” Alyssa said from the comms station.

  “It’s probably whatever passes for Orbital Control or Planetary Defense,” Ben replied. “To put it in Spiral terms, anyway. Open the channel.”

  “Channel open.”

  An unfamiliar voice filled the flight deck. "Unidentified freighter, this is Cacitrum Orbital Defense. You have entered Cacitrum space on an unauthorized approach vector. Reduce speed to one-quarter and transmit identity credentials immediately."

  I glanced at Matt. He had allowed me to handle the drop from hyperspace and our approach to the planet. "Should I put us into evasive maneuvers?” I asked. Having witnessed Matt handle our disastrous first encounters, I was pretty sure I could mimic a few of his tricks if needed.

  “Not yet,” he replied, swiveling his head toward Ben. “We don’t have identity credentials. What do you want to do?”

  “Are you sure?” Ben answered. “Levi, do we have identity credentials for Warexia?”

  “Affirmative. Shall I recite them to you?”

  Matt’s mouth dropped open. Ben smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “I didn’t think the Warden would send us here with no way to land. Noah, cut our velocity as requested.” I did as Ben asked. He put a finger to his lips to keep us quiet before re-opening the comms. "Cacitrum Orbital Defense, this is independent starship Head Case requesting permission for landing. I’m transmitting our credentials now.” He turned the comms off again. “Levi, send the credentials on the active comms channel.”

  “Confirmed. Credentials sent.”

  We held our collective breath. In the updating sensor projection, a dozen larger ships had started angling our way, no doubt part of the Orbital Defense fleet.

  Thankfully, the reply came quickly.

  “Credentials accepted. However, your ship configuration is not recognized in the COD database. You will proceed to Traffic Control Zone Three for further screening and provisional clearance. Do not deviate from the assigned trajectory. Compliance is mandatory."

  "Acknowledged. Following guidance as directed.”

  “What does configuration not recognized mean?” Alyssa asked.

  “It means they’ve probably never seen a starship that looks like a robot head before,” Tyler answered.

  A squadron of sleek, smaller craft with obvious offensive capabilities swung into flanking formation around Head Case as COD transmitted additional navigation data to us. Per instructions, I adjusted our course toward a waystation hovering at the edge of the planet’s upper atmosphere.

  "Armed escort, not a good sign," Tyler muttered beside me. “Worse, they’re toting torpedoes on their bellies. Are we sure these folks aren't just a different brand of Warden groupies?"

  “We have to assume everyone in this galaxy is a Warden groupie until proven otherwise,” Ben answered.

  “And those are missiles they’re carrying,” I added. “It doesn’t get more clear-cut than that.”

  The traffic control station grew rapidly from a silver speck to an asteroid-sized construct. Beneath a sleek central tower, six levels of curved docking arms spilled a rainbow of running lights into the black. Dozens of ships of all sizes and shapes were already docked there, a constant flow arriving and departing, threatening to unnerve me. This was the first time I’d had to fly Head Case through such dense activity.

  An authoritative female voice filled Head Case’s interior. "Unregistered vessel Head Case, you’re cleared for docking on level six, berth nine. Once you arrive, power down and stand by for inspection."

  "Cacitrum Orbital Defense, Head Case acknowledging and complying." Ben answered smoothly.

  The assigned docking station flashed red and green to identify itself and help guide our approach. Our weapons-heavy entourage split formation, clearing a path for us to maneuver gently into the waiting berth. Rather than panic, I did my best imitation of Matt, forcing myself to stay calm and guiding the ship toward the solid object with confidence I didn’t really have. Firing vectoring thrusters, Head Case continued shedding velocity as I closed on the target.

  “Their docking arms aren’t designed for a ship like ours,” Matt said. “You’ll need to do a hard turn and burn to slip us in head first.”

  “Maybe you should take over,” I replied.

  “No, you’ve got this,” Matt insisted.

  I exhaled sharply to exorcize my nerves. Perhaps sensing my tension, the Aleal shifted in my pocket, a pair of tendrils snaking into the open and shivering questioningly. “I’m fine,” I said. “Just a little nervous.”

  The station loomed over us. I didn’t wait for Matt to signal the turn, trusting both the telemetry on my surround and my instincts to choose the moment. Swinging Head Case in a tight one-eighty, I killed the main thrusters and fired the retros at max power, eyes wide as we quickly closed on the docking arm, certain we were coming in too hot. I was just about ready to close my eyes and brace for impact when the station’s docking clamps stretched out, grabbing hold of Head Case and bringing us to a stop. An umbilical immediately extended toward the hangar bay. Through the rear feed, I watched the interceptors pull back but remain close.

  "Looks like the welcome wagon is waiting," Tyler quipped.

  Ben stood as Matt completed the shutdown sequence. "Let's head to the hangar and put on our best smiley faces. We don’t want anyone to get the wrong impression.”

  “It just occurred to me that because of the Warden’s translator service, we have no idea who or what we’re speaking to,” I said. “Or in what language.”

  “Yeah, they could be sentient trees or something, for all we know,” Tyler agreed.

  “If a maple greets us at the hangar bay door, I think I’ll wet myself,” Matt said.

  “I already did on our approach,” Alyssa remarked. “I thought we were going to crash.”

  “I wasn’t worried,” Tyler said.

  “That was a nice piece of flying, Noah,” Ben said.

  “Thanks,” I replied, heat flushing my cheeks. I had to admit, I’d even impressed myself. And it sure was fun.

  We trailed Ben from the flight deck down to the hangar. Tyler, Alyssa and I, despite the peaceful days spent in hyperspace, had taken to mimicking Matt. We wore armored underlays beneath our clothing and carried sidearms within quick reach. I’d grown so accustomed to the feel of the blaster at my hip and the fit of the protective fabric against my skin that I felt naked without them.

  We’d just finished descending the hangar stairs when a loud rapping echoed across the compartment. Our guests had arrived.

  “Levi, open the smaller hangar door,” Ben said.

  The control panel chirped before the door whisked open. Ben stepped forward to greet whoever passed through.

  “If the Warden steps through that door, I’m going to wet myself,” Tyler said, winking toward Ally.

  Thankfully, the Warden didn’t make another grand entrance. Instead, a quintet of humanoid robots filed across the threshold, gleaming alloy chassis topped with featureless mannequin heads. Clutching sleek rifles tight to their steel chests, they shifted into a perfect line in front of us..

  “Uh, welcome aboard Head Case," Ben greeted politely. “I⁠—“

  “We will survey the interior of your vessel,” one of the robots announced. “Please, stand aside. This will not take long.”

  “They don’t think much of privacy here, do they?” Tyler quipped as we stepped aside, allowing the robots to spread across the hangar. They quickly scanned the deck and climbed the steps. All but one vanished into the elevator.

  “What are you looking for?” Ben asked the sentinel left behind.

  “Illicit or stolen goods. Contraband. Outlawed technology,” the robot answered.

  “We have weapons on board,” Ben announced. “An entire armory full of them.”