CHAPTER 6

Memories Of Yore


'Coming generations will learn equality from poverty, and love from woes.'- Kahlil Gibran


Amaya finished eating her after-work snack, a medium order of slap fries from Gunter's, for revoking a fine against a parent who had their ten year-old youngling taken into MNU custody for walking publicly without a name tag. The imprisoned brownish youngling had nostalgically reminded her of Christopher and the day he'd lost his tag in the park and immediately snatched up the case and fought for the child until he was released. Most younglings who were kept in custody were said to be put to death within months since humans, particularly MNU, couldn't tolerate them no matter what age and that was a giant 'no' in her book. She couldn't have been more happy to return that innocent youngster to his worried parent and reunite them. If federal law couldn't protect all the rights of the poleepkwa adults, she'd do her damnedest to make sure children would be immune when it came to jail time. After years of protecting them, the poleepkwa trusted their legal fate in her hands and she wasn't wary of walking through the district without a disguise (whenever she was on business and not to see Christopher) as many of her old clients spread the word about her success rates. The good thing was that there were other lawyers who were coming to her office whom wanted to learn the ropes about the culture and defend them. She hoped there were more liberalists like her in South Africa that wanted to help the alien species with open sincerity because they needed all the help they could get.

She plopped down onto the slate colored couch with a tired sigh from the afternoon commute, licking her salty fingers with indulgence as she did so. Wedding diet or not, she earned those delicious fattening fries and would burn the calories off gladly. The day hadn't been as hot as yesterday but walking in heels tired one quickly and she hated heels. Every job had its downside and guessed hers were pumps. She wiggled her bare toes happily in freedom as she flung her shoes onto the floor and stared at the ceiling in thought. Davin was working for MNU since he left in the morning and Amaya refused to call him during break time for their usual lunchtime chat. She'd agreed to leave the argument aside because her parents were arriving later on tonight but it wasn't over. It completely infuriated her to know he would be working cases against her and the poleepkwa, against everything she poured her mind into studying and fighting since entering college. Sure, some of the aliens may be at fault by aggressive behavior but she couldn't blame them after all the mental conditioning MNU has done. Hell, they let drug dealers off the hook but if a poleepkwa broke a single violation in public like asking for directions, they could be jailed for years! She loved taking each case and wiping them smugly in MNU's face as she cleared all charges for her defendants. But there was one case she just couldn't bring to court.

"Christopher's being evicted tomorrow" she sighed gloomily and closed her eyes against a blue throw pillow. The lack of physical evidence and lateness was impossible to make a case in the city courts and cursed the company for their slithering sneakiness. Bastards. Her fingertips trailed over the threaded embroidery of the soft pillow as her lips thinned worriedly, "I hope he has a plan or at least knows of the evacuation. He's been so dodgy with me lately but I'm only trying to help. I hope MNU doesn't hurt him if they search his home, he has all those computers. . .who am I kidding? They live for that kind of torture. Sick minded freaks."

"I don't want anything to happen to him" she whispered faintly and curled up against the couch in a fetal position, wishing she could keep him safe as she did years ago. Her friend would never place himself in the line of fire and always used non-violent approaches but MNU simply didn't care sometimes. He wasn't an aggressive members of his kind, sure he could get furious, but his self-control was well managed in public. Untying her long hair from its tight twisted bun, she pondered aloud, "He's always listened to them despite their insults and beatings, he wouldn't do any different this time. His plan is too important to allow himself any drawn attention. And Oliver's so curious about the world, I hope he doesn't take a wrong step with them. He's playful with everyone no matter what species you are and MNU's a pain when it comes to dealing with children. I don't know what I'll do if they're hurt."

I'm so tired of seeing my people treat them like trash, she thought bitterly and closed her eyes to grab a much needed nap. I've spent years hoping prejudices would simmer down but I'm beginning to think it was only in vain.


12 years ago. . .

Amaya waited patiently inside Laura's home for Christopher as she fixed the little batches of cans and clothing she brought. Today, she brought Christopher several cans of cat food as a delightful surprise since his mother didn't have a fond taste for it like the rest of her kind but her son did. She couldn't wait to see his pleased expression. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead from the hot climate of the day and she wiped them off before brushing back stray strands from her braided hair. Humidity was high as well and her hair was unmanageable with the sweat trickling down her neck. The metal sheets of the roof didn't help the weather either as they warmed up to the sun's rays and only served to cause heat to be trapped inside the home. How did anyone survive in the shacks without dehydrating due to the extreme weather?

I'm ready to start panting like a dog to ward off the heat, she thought desperately and tugged at the neckline of her gray tank top to let air pour inside. No relief was gained and she groaned restlessly, grabbing a can of potatoes to stack next to another of chicken.

The brown door creaked open and the fourteen year-old turned to see Christopher hobbling inside. Her lips hitched in a happy greeting towards her best friend but the corners faltered seconds later. Her eyebrows furrowed to his strange pace and she ran to him worriedly when he massaged the left side of his head. What was. . .? She could see thin rivulets of blood running between his scales and blurted instantly, "What happened? You're bleeding!"

"MNU security force" he replied grimly and she led him over to an empty wooden chair so he could relax. Her muscles were tense as to why he was hurt in the first place and who'd do such a thing to him. He wasn't aggressive towards anyone! Christopher never disobeyed regulations and he was always polite! Amaya already knew where everything was kept in the main house in case of emergencies and she grabbed a white cloth from a bundle inside a single brown drawer kept out in the open. She liked to call them the multipurpose napkins/towels. Kneeling down, she dipped an orange canteen to soak the cloth with water and closed the top with its lid to run back to him. Amaya applied it over the open injury, located above his left eye over the ridge in between the open space near his antennae, and sighed quietly in concern. Questions of how, what, where, why, and who popped into her mind but she let Christopher relax before speaking. She wanted to know what horrible brute had done this to her best friend. His left eye closed from the sharp pain as she blotted away the blood to cleanse the area and he noticed his mother missing, asking quickly, "Where is my mother?"

"She went over to Jane's to chat while I fixed up, your ma deserves the down time" she answered softly, knowing how much Laura enjoyed talking to her oldest and dearest friend. Whenever Christopher complained about it, his mother would point out that she oversaw his hatching day and he wouldn't be there if Jane hadn't lent a hand. The younger poleepkwa would then walk off to sulk guiltily on his favorite dusty hill and told Amaya he was never having a hatchling in his life.

She tilted his head up with her free hand to ask firmly, "Now, what happened? Don't sugarcoat it, Christopher."

"I-I lost some of the marbles I've collected and I tried to retrieve them" he explained quietly as the pounding in his head made it hard to concentrate. The officer had struck his head with the butt of his rifle and cracked open his softer scales around the delicate eye area. It was both a painful and frightening experience but at least he'd left with his life. Amaya's fingers tightened around the cloth as he continued shamefully, "I was too close to the border walls and a passing guard assumed I was trying to leave by crawling underneath. It's practically impossible with my size but I tried to grab my marbles with my fingers through the cracks. My hands aren't small as they used to be but I was so close. It took months to collect those four and I began to explain once I was caught, I don't ask for trouble, but MNU never wants to hear it. So instead of explaining a misunderstanding, I was beaten down and here I am. I count myself lucky that I received this rather than a bullet. Others aren't so fortunate."

"You're not supposed to get near the fence, Christopher" she scolded fearfully and hated MNU for placing the ominous metal and wiring fence around the Poleepkwa territories, now legally renamed as District 9. The aliens could no longer travel past Johannesburg unless it was work-related (though some poleepkwa managed to bypass it and cause chaos in the streets) and the fence meant business since MNU constantly watched the area round the clock. It was a prison in her view and she missed spending time in the city with him because they couldn't sneak around secretly as they had during childhood. Christopher never liked the city to begin with but that didn't mean he enjoyed having what little freedom he had to begin with stripped away. Amaya had rerouted a new path through the Nigerian territories and squatter homes to sneak in undetected through small gaps in the fence. The fence was never to be approached by poleepkwa and most that committed such actions were shot dead on sight by snipers. Christopher told her once about hearing sharp shots at night as he walked home and how it had frightened him, knowing another of his kind perished at the border. Plus, he didn't want to be caught in any crossfire either. Gangs were beginning to rise on both sides and it wasn't for the better.

Her free hand pressed against his cheek to cup it gently and she sighed, "Forget whatever falls there. Your life isn't worth it and they'll use any excuse to shoot you. I don't want to lose you like that."

"No nagging, Amaya, my head is already pounding" he groaned pitifully and her face softened, not wanting to cause more suffering to her friend. Quietly, she cleaned his skin thoroughly to prevent any infection and winced at the broken green scales that showed tender darker skin underneath that filled with blood when pressure was removed. How could this not hurt him? Poleepkwa skin was just as sensitive and filled with pain receptors as hers was; mentally cursing MNU for treating him in that manner. He hadn't even argued to deserve a strike! Christopher stared up at her worried face, already knowing how each little neuron was packed with upset comments and appreciated all of her unspoken concern. He liked being cared for, it meant that he mattered to someone on Earth and wasn't just another unknown statistic in District 9. He managed a small hidden smile aimed at his lap and pointed out with his own worry for her, "You're early today. I keep telling you it's dangerous during daylight now that the barricade is set up. The wall can pierce your weak flesh and the Nigerians, MNU, and my people can give you trouble along the way. You have to be careful or I may have to break off our friendship to keep you safe. You're a young and innocent human, I don't anything happening to you, Amaya."

Especially if she's coming to see me, he thought uneasily as she blew lightly on his wound to see if his blood clotted. The small breath gave his shoulders an involuntary shudder and she apologized gently as he smiled.

"You're never getting rid of me, Christopher, I'm very persistent" she joked lightly and tickled the ends of his long antennae with her index finger as they flicked back and forth. She loved their little sharp movements in the air and it helped to ease the tension flooding both. The sensation shot a pleasurable tingle down his nerve endings and he hissed at her in protest for it. He hated knowing he'd given her a weak spot months ago as she scrubbed dirt off his forehead with a loofah she'd brought to help his hygiene and accidentally nudged his sensitive appendages. They were his basic but advanced sense of smell but highly delicate to any physical touches. Fortunately, she didn't inflict pain but rather ticklish pleasure. She smiled widely and squeezed his shoulder proudly, "See? I diverted your attention. I wish you could get ice cubes out here, it would help the pain a lot. Maybe you should lie down and sleep it off?"

"I think my mother has pain medication from the MNU doctors" he mumbled and winced when cold water seeped into his open skin from her dabs. His friend was indeed helpful but she could go overboard at times with his caretaking. The clear liquid fell over his left eye and he grabbed her hand into his to break in, "Let's give the rag a rest for right now while I grab a few pills to settle this headache. It's the only thing that will help effectively at this point."

She merely nodded quietly and clasped her hands over her chest in which he assured her concern with a smile, "I'll be fine, Amaya. Luckily, I can regenerate any broken patches of my shell and the pain will leave."

"It still doesn't make it better" she muttered despondently with crossed arms as she watched him stand up slowly. Giving him a hand until he regained his balance, she couldn't help but feel small under his stature. She could see why humans were intimidated by their heights and strength but they weren't savages. Christopher was kind and intelligent, he'd never cause trouble for anyone. He didn't even like to fight! Too bad she didn't have a dog she could release on the MNU pigs for hurting her friend.

Christopher simply patted her head and walked over to dig through a blue cooler he'd found a few weeks ago and his mother stocked it with medical items they received whenever the MNU doctors told them it was time for a checkup. He hated those. He'd much rather have medics from his own people diagnose him rather than those who hadn't received intensive training on their anatomy and psychological systems. Most would treat him like a patient who was lucky to receive any treatment, basically cold and thorough, and it was rare to see one who was caring and friendly. Carefully, he inspected each little bottle to read the correct drug name until he found the right one in the small stack. His mother placed them inside a cardboard box and used others to separate bandages, ointments, and sanitizers. His hand clutched a small white bottle labeled acetaminophen and he opened it to chew one pill down his throat. His system wasn't as complex as a human's so medicine was absorbed into his bloodstream at a much faster rate.

Amaya, meanwhile, ripped off a piece of fabric from an old blanket lying on a chair. It wasn't easy to rip off but when the need was great, little human hands could be strong. The whole thing hurt her poor knuckles but shrugged it off, telling herself her pal needed her. Anxiously, she walked over and waited for him to turn around with expectant stormy eyes. Her worry over his wellbeing never ended and she doubted it ever would. Their years together only bonded them further in an unbreakable clasp and instead of teaching him about Earth customs when they were kids, he taught her his true language and traditions since she turned twelve. She carefully listened to his every word and tried to mimic his vocal sounds but knew her voice was garbled whenever she spoke his language due to their vocal chord structure. When the two dug through the heaps, she tried to find suitable items that could be used to produce their guttural growls and hisses but luck wasn't on her side. After two tetanus shots and a mouse bite, Christopher told her to call it quits.

Instead, she decided to become fluent in their written word and the two wrote endlessly in the loose dirt for hours to communicate readable sentences to each other. She found it much more easygoing than learning the entire language and Christopher decided she should stick to their basic speak. Amaya protested by denying him cat food but relented after an hour. . .she just couldn't stay mad at him. She blamed it on his antennae. At home, she practiced the lessons he scribbled down in her notebook (similar to what he taught the younglings) and practiced them at school during lunch instead of gabbing about who liked who and what styles were in. Girl stuff just wasn't her main interest at the moment. She had sisters to talk to about fashion, makeup, and she didn't hold an interest for any boy at school. . .well, there was a certain someone in Jo'burg. Unfortunately, she couldn't go public with it because, well, he wasn't human. Her attention and eyes were solely focused on Christopher as of late and she chastised herself for thinking such immature things. Boys weren't meant to be the main focus of her life (despite popular belief) but he was always there for her. Knowing he was a male didn't help matters either. . .actually, she wouldn't have cared what gender he was since his species was hermaphroditic. The gender-based emotions and behaviors humans defined for their own species sexual orientation were non-existent among his kind. He could be as sensitive as a female but aggressive as a male; a platter of both worlds. It was an innocent attraction that would bloom but never fully mature as time went on.

Her hands wrapped the white cotton bandage around his head as he leaned down to meet her shorter stature. She smiled in remembrance at how quickly he'd grown over the past years while she'd barely grown many inches to reach her teenage height. The little scrawny boy she met years ago was gone and an adult Christopher towered over her now but his sweet personality remained. She found it strange but humorous that his real age was in humankind's early 20s but the mentality of the equivalence would keep growing due to his long lifespan. She was joyful when he acted as immaturely as she did so she wouldn't feel like a naïve teenager next to him.

Her fingers tied the cloth under his chin, reminding her oddly of the old world war eras of hospitalization bandaging. It was the best she could do on short notice until Laura returned. Amaya met his grateful gaze and she spoke firmly but caringly, "Don't get banged up again, Christopher. Please. If you need anything, I'll gladly get it for you but don't put yourself in danger. I get worried every time MNU confronts you and I'm sure your mother doesn't need stress."

He nodded quietly to her plea and his antennae drooped, touching her hair, which earned him a content smile from her lips. He picked up a fruity smell from them and assumed it was from her little chapstick she carried around in her pocket. With a secretive whisper, he spoke softly, "My mother's workload has been tiring her lately, I've tried to clean and cook- I'm not very good on the last- but she keeps waking so tiredly."

Christopher sighed worriedly with downcast eyes about the issue and her hands squeezed his supportively as he admitted, "I don't know what to do. I need to help her somehow, I don't like being helpless, Amaya. I've tried applying for work but I'm not at my full adult height yet so I'm believed to be underage."

"Well, your long lifespan keeps you young" she stated gently with a small smile. Poleepkwa maturing took place physically between their second decade of life but their mentality would remain quite immature unless others guided them. Obviously, education lacked in District 9 but Christopher always kept himself sharp to his surroundings and any heat cycles to mate driven by hormones were cooled off by a bucket of ice cold water or listening to his mother and Jane talk on and on endlessly. He made sure Amaya wasn't there during those times since she was the only being he held as an interesting partner but she was very young to him. Such an idea was inconceivable and appalling. He found it strange how human females entered fertile reproduction stages before their bodies finished developing mentally. Very absurd. Amaya was seen as a child in his eyes despite her contradicting arguments against it when he told her as such. As a middle-class child, she had access to good education and she never hesitated to point out that girls her age could become pregnant, sold into prostitution, labor slaves, young wives, and so many things that made him question what kind of species would allow such horrible things! In time, he'd grow to accept his teenage friend as an equal.

"You'll get your chance but it's not an easy life, your mama says so" Amaya assured with a comforting smile and held his hands over her chest to boost his confidence. Her small fingers curled around his fisted hands and he couldn't help but notice the incline above the start of her breasts. Why did her species need mammary glands? Evolution took care of the hatchlings of his kind by developing the full function of their stomach. Human children had a weakness to the head while poleepkwa hatchlings had sensitive skin. So many differences between their kinds. Good thing his hormones were kept in check by strong self-control, if she was years older. . .well, he'd ask for permission and bed a willing partner. For now, he'd simply treat her as an innocent youngling and smiled as she babbled on, "Just keep getting stronger and smarter, by the time you're done, you'll have a job somewhere. I know you can do it. I can leave you lunch hidden somewhere so you'll find it and-"

"No more sneaking around, it's dangerous enough for you to be here" he pointed out gently and cupped her chin with his hand making a light rosy hue cross her brown cheeks. His eyes blinked curiously to her skin change and had been noticing a lot of it lately. He blamed it on an unexplained human quirk and brushed it off. Calmly, he lectured, "You have good sense now so keep your mind alert at all times. I worry you'll be caught by MNU and I'll never see you again."

I miss you more every week that I don't see, talk, or touch you, his mind admitted but kept it to himself. Amaya was quite young for such mature feelings from him in his view (despite her attempts to prove she wasn't a kid), he felt old for it too, but cherished her innocent friendship nonetheless. Maybe someday, she'd grow to miss him in that affectionate manner as she entered her human adulthood in the future. It was doubtful since the majority of her time was spent among humankind but he kept the candle of hope burning.

"I can disguise myself and I'm learning as I go" she smiled confidently and wrapped her hands around his covered green wrist to give an assuring squeeze. Her stormy eyes met his sunny bright hue and she promised, "You're my best friend, I'll always come for you. There isn't anything that'll stop me- okay, maybe MNU and my parents but. . .don't laugh!"

"It's lessening the headache as the medicine works" Christopher justified heartily and patted her head with a soft rap. Her face brightened in relief that his pain was leaving and he decided to change the subject away from MNU. They weren't worth wasting his precious time with Amaya. Tilting his head to the side, he asked curiously, "Why are you here so early? That raised my alert that something was wrong when I came in."

"Nothing's wrong, I was telling your mother that I'm spending the night here for the first time" she said giddily and clenched her fists against her chest excitedly. The anticipation of her first sleepover with him had her beaming ecstatically at him. Christopher's eyes widened to her bold plan and Amaya gave him a mischievous grin as she explained, "I told my parents I was staying at a friend's house and repeated the same to other friends to jumble them all up. As long as I get home by noon, I'm okay. I tell you, watching mystery and spy films really helps me blend in like a shadow. I bet I could grow up to be a spy!"

"Amaya, it isn't safe here" he stated firmly to argue her idea and shook his head in disbelief. What would drive her to want to stay in District 9 of all places? Nobody wanted to be there willingly! The last thing she needed to be was brash and pointed out with a sharp hiss, "MNU flies overhead, dangerous Nigerian gangs barrel through the streets, rebellious youngsters try to attack humans and scare our own defenseless residents, this is not a place you want to sleep in. I don't like living here but you have a choice of a safer environment."

And I don't have a luxurious home like average humans, he thought depressingly in self-consciousness to his poor living conditions. Human homes were clean and decorated with beautiful items which were then discarded to the dump after they became worn and given to his people. He remembered reading Amaya's books and seeing the illustrated pictures, hiding a solemn glance to what he could never have. I have a floor made of various old wooden floorboards and brown dirt, with plastic wrap and newspaper filling open crevices that carry air and dirt inside. Insects buzz around constantly and spoil our food, some even try to bite us. How can she like that? What would dare her to even try?

"I wanted to spend a full day with you here, I won't wander far and I'll stick to you like glue" she confessed sheepishly, twiddling her thumbs meekly, and smiled up at him. After months of meticulous planning, she'd managed to create a believable deceiving scenario for her parents just so she could spend time with Christopher. As a child, she enjoyed the little hours the two spent together since they traveled the hidden slums on the way. Now, she wanted to spend her time with him as normal teenagers did for hours on end and tighten their bond so time wouldn't break them apart. Not wanting to be turned away, she insisted, "I'll listen to every order you give and I can help you clean, cook, whatever you'd like. I want to have fun with you like a couple of friends should in the open without fear and the little hours I spend here aren't enough anymore. I want to talk for hours about any topic we can think of, laugh our lungs out, help you around the house, chase grasshoppers, dig in the heaps, read together, look at the stars; three hours every two weeks just doesn't cut it for me. I miss you."

Her cloudy blue eyes peered up at him with the fading hints of innocence as adolescence matured her critical thinking on how to outsmart him. Christopher would always be the smart one of the duo but she rivaled him closely. The twinkle of craftiness only created his fondness to grow as she sought to stay by his side, even if she had to fight him for it. Her irises were always seen during the summer months right before the gathering of turbulent storm clouds in a graying blue sky. He loved the cleansing and soothing downpours and the image of his little friend etched into his mind across the skyline every time a rain drop fell on his forehead. That same shade stared hopefully at him as she pleaded, "Please? You'll be the boss calling all the shots so there's no trouble. Please let me stay?"

Christopher hesitated to her request for the dangers she could face while being there, not to mention his own implications but if his mother had allowed it. . .plus, he privately wanted her there with him as well. She was right, he missed their old adventuring days and wanted to rekindle that secretive sneakiness between both. Blaming his generous charisma, he answered. . .

"All right, but that look will only work for a few more months and then you're officially a woman" he stated firmly to exert his authority (though he doubted she'd listen) and Amaya grinned triumphantly, gripping his wrists to give them a delighted squeeze. Wasn't he the greatest friend in the world? She jumped giddily with a squeal that warmed his insides for being the one who caused such outward gushing emotion.

"Technically, I'm a grownup at eighteen" she said matter-of-factly and he snorted with a small hiss. His knowledge relating to his people always increased with age but he also wanted to assimilate Earth's knowledge as well. Amaya just enjoyed ruffling his feathers when it came to a fact he either didn't know or deemed anyone should know. He had the mind to be a professor or scientist. . .unfortunately, he didn't have rights to be as such. She would've loved to grow up and work with him publicly as a colleague but it wouldn't be.

"I'm a poleepkwa, I learned my entire life cycle from my mother of all people so don't expect me to be an expert on yours" he joked playfully with a chuckle but took the fact into his mind to remember it. Four more years, eh? How much would she have changed by then? Dismissing the age fact, he jumped to another topic, "I'm supposed to-"

His front door opened and three of his friends bounded in since they planned to go rummage through the heaps for anything worthwhile. The four of them would forage every time an MNU truck brought a shipment so they could get first dibs. Christopher didn't like rummaging unless it was absolutely necessary (the cuts weren't worth it and he rarely grabbed good things) and opted on simply talking to the others instead. He would only rummage with Amaya on her visits since she carefully wrapped cloth over his hands to make sure he wouldn't be cut. She'd promised to bring him thick gloves from the hardware stores next time to help. The three pairs of feet stopped abruptly when they saw Amaya and the youngest, Adam Jackson, shouted fretfully, "That human beat Christopher! Run!"

He was about to bolt outside but Christopher grabbed the shorter and younger male in place by the shoulders as his brownish limbs flailed. Adam didn't trust humans by a mile and his first instinct was to run and avoid total confrontation with any of them. His hide was of a grayish-brown, resembling the mountain tribes of their home world, while his antennae were much shorter and his eyes were a chocolate hue similar to humans on earth. The tattered clothes he wore reminded her of a Greek toga in a taupe color (she guessed from the rare washings) and he didn't use any wrappings around his arms or legs as Christopher did. His stockier build kicked at the air for precious freedom but Christopher kept his hold and stated sharply, "She is my friend and has held my trust for quite a time. You won't breathe a word of this, understood?"

"Humans can't be trusted, they're schemers and liars!" he shot back defensively and crossed his arms, raising his chin in defiance despite being restrained. His friend may have fallen for a human espionage ploy but he wouldn't! Humans were the root of all evil and only sought malicious intents and he was sure she'd be no different. Adam struggled against his friend and argued shrilly, "How can you be so stupid to trust one? If you wanted a pet, grab a cat, at least you can gain access to cat food! This creature brings nothing but misery! All of her kind do!"

"She's never betrayed me and I hold her very dear" he pointed out with a hiss while she blushed lightly at the latter part. It was rare to see him so protective in public and his decision to argue in her behalf. . .well, she'd never forget it. Poleepkwas never sided with humans or vice versa but she and Christopher would always protect each other. Seeing his shoulders arching forward defensively, his back straightened in alertness, his narrowed eyes alight with boldness, every inch of his body depicted a fierce protector in her eyes. If only she was older and gutsier, she'd dare herself to kiss that handsome protruding cheekbone of his. He simply shoved Adam aside as the other hissed in protest, rubbing one of his soft brown shoulder joints. Christopher's antennae shook irritably as he sized down the brownish poleepkwa with a glare and snapped, "And if you have a problem with it, my fist would be very glad to meet your face."

"When you put it that way. . ." Adam spoke hesitantly and quickly ducked behind Paul Smith, the oldest, for protection. His brown antenna flattened against his round head in submissiveness while the taller male snorted shamefully at his skittish change in personality. Adam could certainly be blunt but he lacked the assertiveness to take action, using a hasty retreat instead as his signature exit.

"You're never any good at confrontation" the dark, almost navy black, toned male spoke with dismay and walked over to study the short female. His intellect was close to Christopher's but unlike the thinner male, his size was intimidating to humans. He wore a slightly torn quilted orange vest and a pair of blue jean shorts which she was sure had been cut down to size as fabric lingered at the edges. He towered over her frame, scrutinizing her image, and she held her breath nervously in case the slightest movement set him off. Was he going to insult her as well? She couldn't really blame them since she was 'one of them' but hoped they wouldn't chase her out. Poleepkwas were like cheetahs in the open, especially the forest and grassland tribes, and she'd be a tiny inexperienced gazelle to them. Christopher's shoulders remained tense as he watched his friend analyze her and heard him point out, "She's not very old, a child, I believe."

"I'm a teenager" Amaya stated indignantly, rebellious about her age as most teens were but held out her hand politely. Mannerisms were essential in her everyday life and the poleepkwa would get the same respectful treatment. With a small smile, she greeted gently, "I'm Amaya Turin, may I ask your name?"

"Are you MNU?" he grilled roughly and she shook her head timidly, withdrawing her hand instantly to her side. Uneasiness settled into her stomach as she tried not to stare at his dark looming figure. His silver eyes scanned her face meticulously as Christopher hissed in warning and Paul ignored him, demanding, "Nigerian?" Another shake. "Business linked?" Shake. "Slum resident?" Shake. "Prostitute?" A vigorous shake there. "Government?" Shake. "Activist that thinks we're mindless drone pets?" Shake.

Paul nodded with satisfaction as he finished his interrogation and told the others simply, "She's clean. Beats me where the hell she's from but it's not around here."

James Hill, a yellow-black Poleepkwa, snorted incredulously to snap, "And we're supposed to trust that simple questioning?"

"In a room of four Poleepkwa, I'm sure a human would either run or soil themselves as they pleaded for life while spitting at us at the same time" he answered calmly and even Christopher had to be impressed with the calculation. Out of the trio, Paul's attitude was similar to Christopher's (hence, why he trusted him most) and he always brought his older pal to learn at his home while James and Adam teased frogs by the water holes. Paul was also the only one from the quartet who worked for MNU and Christopher constantly prodded him about job openings. He nodded to the edgy human, who's hands were clasped nervously, and introduced himself, "Paul Smith, packing drone for MNU, and watcher over these two idiots."

"Ha, how we love your sarcasm" James grunted dryly behind him while Adam exclaimed he wasn't dumb and promptly tripped over a brown stool he failed to see in his path. Paul sighed deeply at his clumsy friend and shook his head, antennae arching forward with irritancy.

"You're an embarrassment to your tribe, do you know that?" he scolded the mountainous descendant as Adam rubbed his foot sheepishly. Christopher could only stare in amusement to his friend but kept a close watch on Amaya, inching closer to her as Paul and Adam broke into an argument in their true language.

"It's very nice to meet you" she spoke half-heartedly to the duo as the tense moment dried her mouth, her tongue feeling like a dry cotton ball, and gave Paul a small smile to remain polite. He wasn't going to chase her out of the district so that was a huge relief.

"Why would you keep a human around? They're bad news" James hissed sharply to Christopher, stupefied by his careless idea of befriending one, but the green poleepkwa wasn't budging on his choice. He cared for his long time friends but Amaya was also a cherished companion of his and they relied on each other to keep secrets they couldn't share with others. Christopher would never give up Amaya unless it was absolutely necessary and his friends arguments concerning his friendship flew out the door.

"Thank you" Adam added in sardonically but he flinched when Paul turned around to lecture him again, hiding behind James this time for protection.

"I trust Christopher's judgment and it's not our place to say who he spends time with" he stated simply and narrowed his eyes to straighten both younger males out. They squirmed under his firm gaze as he pointed out casually with threat lacing his words, "Right?"

"Yes" Adam replied meekly to his friend's foreboding figure and James simply snorted in agreement.

"The grumpy one is James and the jumpy one is Adam" Christopher explained to Amaya, completely ignoring his friends silent torture. He never interfered Paul's methods to make the other two respectable (it became quite embarrassing for both whenever the two caused outlandish ruckuses in public) and stayed out of it. Most of the time, they deserved it anyway. He patted Amaya's head to ease her discomfort and changed the tune to a lighter subject, asking Paul, "So are you heading for the heaps?"

"Is she coming along too?" James questioned with a suspicious growl and Amaya ducked behind Christopher in which Adam retorted that was his bit. Their fierce eyes and soft growls weren't making it easy to remain calm inside the shack and her only defense was Christopher. She'd rarely been in close contact to aggravated poleepkwa and didn't want to face their strength, speed, and jaws that could crush metal.

"Yes, is there a problem?" Christopher challenged coldly and she grabbed his hand to nab his attention. She didn't want to be a problem between the friends and completely understood their distrust since poleepkwas constantly watched over one another. Tribes were nonexistent in D9 as they were forced to disband during their first years there but clusters of families and friends became adopted little tribes to make everyone feel secure. Amaya saw firsthand how loyal the alien species was compared to her own people who would rarely intervene on someone's behalf protectively in public unless others joined in. Humans only united when one or two stood out in protest but the poleepkwa were instantly on guard in numbers. Her small digits squeezed his fingertips to pull him away as he hissed warningly to his two reluctant companions.

"You can go, I won't mind, I'll just help your mother fix up in the meantime" she said softly to stop the gruff arguing and tense moment. Seeing him riled up was a rare sight and she wanted him to be happy and relaxed among his friends, not the opposite. Christopher should be his kind and sincere self; his natural temperament was passive and she didn't want to disrupt that. The instant dislike from the others was expected but she wasn't keen to the feeling of it and wondered how Christopher dealt with it as he encountered humans. Did he feel ashamed and withdrawn as well? Vulnerable? Nervous? She planned to stay so she could help him out and would do so, even if he had to have fun elsewhere. It was his happiness that mattered to her. With a shy smile, she looked up at him to speak quietly, "I brought you some blankets so I'll change the beds and spray the corners with Raid. I know you don't like bugs scurrying around."

"Amaya-"

"It's okay, you need to have fun out here" she assured kindly and stroked his arm confidently. Guilt was one emotion she would never accept from him since life was bad enough in D9 but appreciated his constant concern for her. Giving a quick glance to his friends who's eyes were fixated on her, she told him bashfully, "Make sure not to exert yourself or risk opening the wound. I'll make you vegetable soup and add some cat food on top of a slice of bread. I know you hate it when I put it inside the soup but I'm getting better at cooking, I promise. You'll like it this time."

"She has cat food?" James asked out of the blue and Christopher ushered them out with his hand.

"Wait outside, I'll join you in a minute" he ordered and the trio huddled out with complaint. James blurted he was serious about the cat food but Paul grabbed him by the scruff of his tattered black shirt to yank him outside. Christopher could only sigh in dismay to his friends behavior but was glad Amaya hadn't run off screaming from fear. She had grown resilient in his company to things that would scare most teenagers her age and gave her credit for it. However, he wouldn't have her feeling the same humiliation he felt when he encountered her kind. It was a horrible emotion and he often wondered why humans acted in such awful ways. Christopher turned to the teenager and squeezed her shoulders delicately to apologize with an embarrassed expression, "I'm very sorry about them, Amaya, I didn't know they would barge in unexpectedly. I'll make sure they don't blab about your visit to anyone. Everyone has learned to mistrust humans here and never interact. It is the natural reaction of all my kind when encountering your people. My thoughts will never turn against you and I find myself quite lucky for having such generosity and friendship from you."

"No, I'm the lucky one for having you as my best friend and everything I do is to keep you comfortable and happy on my planet" she said softly and smiled warmly from his touching words. He was her perfect companion and his kind spirit uplifted hers from any emotional rut she was in. She crossed her arms to occupy her jittery hands, they sweated at times when she was closest to him. His cooler skin gave hers shivers from the physical contact whenever they were near and she cursed it on her teenage hormones. At least she wasn't a giggling mess. All she could say were words from the heart, "You're a wonderful person for trusting me despite my people's cruelty and I'm honored to have your friendship after so many years, Christopher. I'll always be here and no one will change that, not even you."

The side of his hand caressed her brown cheek as he nodded approvingly and she smiled fondly to the light touch. Oh, how feathery and smooth it was on her skin. A second later, she realized how allowing it to linger might give him a romantic interpretation and scooted back with a nervous smile. She wished his hand could've stayed in place forever but he could never know of her small crush. He tilted his head in slight surprise as she smiled shyly, cheeks blushing pink, and Amaya prattled nervously, "I'll still be here when you get back, okay?"

"Don't tell my mother about the incident, I'll play it off as a fall in the heaps" he pleaded quickly with worried eyes and she nodded supportively. His secrets would be safe with her and hidden until his say so.

"I won't" she promised and he smiled in that strange poleepkwa way with lidded half-crescent eyes before rejoining his friends. Her own eyes watched the door shut quietly and her shoulders slumped afterwards. She knew she'd never be able to have such friendship with any other poleepkwa as she'd done with Christopher but hoped to earn their trust one day. Sometimes, she hated being human and wished she could be one of them, to see and experience their painful toils and not be seen as a despicable human.

Besides, I'd make them uncomfortable and Christopher needs to have fun and relax outside, she thought quietly and twiddled her thumbs with a warm smile. He deserves it.

"There has to be other people out there that want to help, I can't be the only one" she sighed softly and poked her tan skin, flesh that was warm, squishy, and fragile against any form of physical harm. The poleepkwa could crush and rip open her body with their strength compared to humankind's weak grip. Why did humans think they could control everything? Instead of living alongside others, they destroyed land and put creatures into extinction, waged wars for hypocritical reasons that hurt the innocent, demolished poor towns to create grandiose cities no one could afford, competed against others for national prestige and bickered if one didn't get their way. . .so many things that were wrong with humankind. She knew there had to be good in the world but where?

"Maybe I'll find it someday" she murmured half-heartedly and returned to stacking the little metal cans into columns. She held a can of vegetable soup (his favorite once she added in meat) against her chest and smiled hopefully, "And maybe one day, Christopher can be free and we can walk along a beach. . .sounds corny but. . ." she paused and smiled widely with tenderness, "He gives me the best butterflies in my stomach that no one can beat."

Laura slipped back into their home a few minutes later and her round blue eyes blinked curiously to the sight of Amaya twirling happily while stacking cans. Humans were really peculiar at times. The girl gasped when she noticed her presence and laughed nervously at being caught. Laura simply walked over to pat her head in her motherly way and told her with a smile, "I just saw Christopher passing by with his friends. He said he got a bump from falling during a scuffle with James. That boy's always getting into trouble and Adam tends to follow in his example. If Paul wasn't in that group to straighten them out, I'd never let Christopher go out."

Amaya chuckled at her motherly concern and wished their human equivalences could see how similar they were after all the prejudice they spouted. After her years with Christopher, she already felt a part of his family and Laura always welcomed her happily which she was grateful for. Amaya grabbed a soup can she'd brought to them and said brightly, "I promised Christopher I'd make him some soup. You don't have to cook today, I'll find the supplies out back for the fire. All you get to do is rest and I'm sure Christopher will agree."

"You don't have to do that, didn't Christopher invite you. . .did his friends insult you?" Laura asked softly, knowing their attitudes, and the girl gave a slight shrug as she tried to wave the topic away. However, the poleepkwa female sensed her change in scent and uttered, "Oh, Amaya-"

"It's okay, I'd just dampen their fun and it's the least I could do here since I'm spending the night" she smiled shyly and headed over to grab a can opener from the table. She could feel Laura's blue motherly eyes pointed at her back and Amaya smiled at her concern, it was always there despite their species difference. It felt good to belong in the small shack and be worried for. Turning to her, the girl assured, "As long as I can stay here without a problem, nothing else matters."

At night, Laura had locked up the metal door to secure her bedroom as her mattress rested against the door while Christopher's laid next to hers. Amaya would simply use a sleeping bag at the bottom to lie horizontally against the only open space left. She didn't mind and her small form didn't occupy much space. Besides, she could prod Christopher's feet for fun so he could keep her company. The older poleepkwa was heading to bed after her only day off work and would allow the two to talk softly for an hour. Rules were rules and the two would obey their elder. Amaya cuddled into her thick sleeping bag as Christopher decided to sleep at the bottom of his bed instead. Besides, it wasn't every day that his human friend stayed overnight and he was joyful over it. He fluffed his small stitched up red pillow and brought into view a square silver object in his hands. She'd never seen it before and was sure the technology wasn't human, prompting her to ask quietly, "What's that?"

"A holo projector" he stated easily and turned it on, the light from the candle nearby repelling most of the blue reflective light. He'd already chosen his topic for the night and knew she would enjoy it. Her eyes widened to the projected image as the intense light turned them blue and he explained proudly, "This is my home world. You can see it's similar to Earth but we have larger masses of land and numerous small islands. My mother lived on one before raising a family while my father came from the forested areas near one of the capitals. Our planet has diverse environments like yours except our volcanoes and earthquakes are almost gone since it's highly evolved in its tectonic shifts and complete over so many millenniums. Our continents are gathered around our south pole mainly because the north is mostly composed of tundra deserts. Unlike yours that are split across two oceans and reach the magnetic poles, ours are kept close by so in turn, we have more seas than oceans."

Amaya smiled in astonishment as she studied each continent and wondered how they appeared in reality. There was no doubt they were larger but unlike Earth's that were linked together by land bridges, his continents were separated by water. Was their grass green? Did they have clouds? What color was their water? Did it rain there? What animals lived there? Did they have pets? It was surreal to see such a world before her eyes and by the serene look in his own golden eyes, she knew he missed his planet. She noticed several moons orbiting the planet and he answered, "My planet has seven moons, all are seen during the night and two are visible at all times. Many contain ice but they're beautiful above the horizon nonetheless. At night, the sky lights up brighter than any I've seen and the water glitters like your gems called 'diamonds'. It's a gorgeous sight and unique to my world. Our sight is naturally keen to bright light as I've told you so it's always been hard for me to adapt to Earth's nighttime."

"Your planet's gorgeous" Amaya whispered softly and considered herself lucky for seeing another world besides her own that carried sentient life. Unfortunately, his life was changed drastically when they left his world and she pondered to why they would leave willingly. She knew he would never leave his precious world, his words were laced with tenderness every time he spoke of it, and that in itself arose another question, "Do people live there right now? You've never told me why you landed here on Earth."

"I was a youngling so I didn't know much either but I've learned over the years and I couldn't expose a young mind like yours to grave situations" he trilled fondly with a playful smile and she frowned to his protection of her. Couldn't he see that she wasn't afraid as long as he was there?

"I'm not a kid anymore, Christopher" she chuckled softly, amused by his worry, and tickled the small pair of antennae on his head. He batted her away and hissed in protest; he never should've told her they were extremely sensitive and ticklish. She grinned to his complaint and pondered aloud, "Soon, I'll be a grown-up and have a job, go to college, and try to help the world like we promised. Too bad you couldn't be Ambassador Johnson, I could've been your assistant."

Both smiled forlornly at the impossible but creative idea from long ago and his eyes glanced somberly at the glowing projector to say, "My world was ravaged by a communicable disease that began in the capitals. Most people lived there for less commuting or worked there daily to leave by the evening but many perished as the first outbreaks began. No one knew what it was or its triggers except that it was highly fatal in most cases. My father took me out of school when it spread like wildfire in our city and I remember seeing so many people hacking blood, pale and shedding skin, symptoms I'd never seen."

His eyes closed in remembrance to that day as his father kept him tightly wrapped against his green chest while he ran home. Quietly, he retold his own account, "My father covered me with the top portion of his blue robe to prevent any contaminating air pockets that I could breathe in. He wore a silver mask over his mouth to ward off the disease, I was extremely frightened. I thought we were being attacked from above and my eyes were closed most of the way home. I didn't want to see what was happening but I dared a peak at the city border and my people looked so frail, lying on the floor or seeking help as our government tried to help the infected. I never want to see such a sight again. I woke up with nightmares for a few days as we isolated ourselves in our home and I constantly asked my mother about the people in the cities. She told me to keep hope for them and I did while also hoping we wouldn't catch it."

Amaya released the tense breath she'd been holding to the vivid description and he patted her head comfortingly. He was used to her human sentiments and respected her sincere empathy as he went on, "We called it the White Haze due to the white residue the ill coughed up along with white patches that appeared over their shell and the sterilizing white mists medics sprayed over the capitals to contain the spread. My father showed me images as the updates came in and I saw our cities covered in an eerie white, I could no longer see our beautiful vibrant skyscrapers and our welcoming lights nor our populated streets. They were abandoned and empty, a carcass picked clean by the plague. Everyone fled the cities as areas were quarantined but that only aided the spread of the disease as unknown carriers passed it on. Soon, people on the islands and remote areas showed symptoms which made it into a full blown pandemic. My people rarely became ill during their lifetimes, we trusted our natural environment and immunities to protect us. We never had to use so many antibiotics as your kind does but I believe that may have been a factor that worked against us. It's ironic that we're immune to all of humankind's diseases but not one from our own world."

Amaya squeezed his clenched hand as it lay on the projector and his voice steadied proudly, "My father was a brilliant man of science and those that were able to fight off the disease with natural born immunities began working on a cure. Many had already perished and the government- it consisted of a council from leaders of the main tribes on my world- well, they decided to request help from the Intergalactic Republic as conditions worsened."

"The what?" she asked curiously and he pressed a finger against her lips. Her cheeks darkened to the cool lingering digit and she became silent as the simple touch delighted her. She smiled apologetically for interrupting his tale and nodded for him to go on. Girlish feelings or not, she would respect his openness with his old life but he merely smiled with that golden twinkle in his eyes to ease her.

"They're the main governing body of the universe, it's an entire democracy consisting of star systems that regulate laws, business, everything needed to maintain a peaceful and just universe" he answered gently to appease her mind and explained, "I learned about them during my studies on the home world. It was mandatory to learn our history and the federal governing body of our universe. Our curriculum is designed quite differently from yours but I was always eager to learn. Everything about the universe fascinated me beyond belief and I couldn't wait to see their hidden wonders when I was old enough. My people traveled the stars to help others build or species sought our services, that was our main skill and contribution in the universe. We're craftsmen of architecture and engineering, tamers of the land, servants of our mother earth. . .you get the idea."

She muffled a laugh to his vibrant golden eyes as he smiled proudly to his people's history. The humans couldn't take that away from him. It was a change of pace for Amaya when learning about her own history and she crossed her arms under her chin to watch him. This was what she missed sharing with him; pure honesty and time to share all of their problems. Time was incredibly precious when it came to seeing him. Christopher gazed at his enthralled friend, comforted by having her constant interest with any topic he brought up. Taking a few seconds for a breather, he retold the departure of his world as she listened, "Cities crumbled and decayed as no one tended to them anymore and everyone remained home in isolation. My mother took care of us day after day while my father remained in the cities trying to find a cure with a scientific team handpicked by our leaders. Time ran out and an order came declaring an exodus for those that were immune and hadn't caught the disease yet. Families were torn apart and beloved friends were left behind as a consequence for the better good. Three ships were designed to travel to the capital planet of the Republic to plead for aid and gather needed materials to produce a cure. My father made sure our family was on the first ship off the planet but he stayed behind on the home world, determined to find a vaccine for it. I didn't want him to stay, I begged my mother and I cried to my father, refusing to let him go when it was time to board."

'Father, you have to come with us' Kraaivyanwe whimpered to his father, clutching the blue fabric draped over his chest to stay with him at all costs. He didn't want him to leave the family all alone on the ship and stay on the sick planet.

'I have to remain here and help, you'll understand when you're older' he soothed softly to his distraught youngling as the moving sea of people deafened some of his words. He purred soothingly to his son as his little golden orbs closed mournfully and stated gently, 'It's time for you to go and keep our family safe. Your mother needs you.'

'But I need you' he warbled weakly as his thin antennae batted at his father's throat to remember everything about his creator. Lush sapphire blue robes detailing his rank. Tall and lean as all of the forest dwelling tribes. Golden eyes akin to his that gazed at him fondly every day to regale him with tales. Arms that huddled him tightly to protect him from harm but gentle enough to fall asleep in. A kind but authoritative voice to keep him well-mannered but playful at home. Kraaivyanwe admired his parent and wanted to be exactly like him one day. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be on their home planet.

Crystalline tears cascaded down the corners of his eyes for the first time in his life and dampened his green cheeks as he pleaded desperately one last time, 'Father, don't stay.'

Zairhok stroked his son's head, holding him closely to calm him down somewhat and comforted wisely, 'Someone needs to protect our world and you'd do the same if you were me. I don't want to leave you but your brother and sister need you as their older brother. Know that I'm very proud of you, Kraaivyanwe, and never give up when someone needs your help. That is why I must remain and give our people a fighting chance. I know you will grow up to be someone respectable and I hope to see it one day.'

'I'll miss you' he whispered sadly and squeezed his father one last time, relishing every second he could stay with him. Finally, he was placed back down onto the ground as he shivered despite his warm clothing. Clutching his father's covered leg, he wiped his blurry eyes and promised, 'I'll come back with everyone and bring you help. You'll see.'

'I wouldn't expect any less from my little one' he chuckled somberly and led him over to the rest of the family.

'Everything's clear so we have to go in now' his mate explained quietly and held her two youngest in her arms. He embraced them, flicking his antennae over his two chirping children with fatherly tenderness as their blue eyes gazed brightly at him for the affection. Her forehead pressed against his, heart thudding painfully against her back, and she whispered, 'Take care of yourself and sanitize everything wherever you travel. I'll be waiting for you, my dearest, and so will our offspring.'

'Father' the young pair purred softly and he held them for a minute to talk to them as he'd done with his oldest before returning them to his mate. Leaning forward, his tendrils curled around hers affectionately one last time before ushering them towards the ramp leading to the entrance of the ship. Kraaivyanwe was reluctant to leave as the humming of the fully operational ship entered his hearing but a gentle push from his father carried his little legs over to his departing family.

With a heavy heart, Kraaivyanwe followed his mother obediently but not before giving his father one last grieving glance as the large crowds covered his line of sight seconds later. All he could remember was his golden gaze and blue robes fluttering against the wind current.

Christopher cleared his tightened vocal cords while Amaya tried to blink back oncoming tears. He rarely spoke of that day with anyone but his mother and even in the present, he missed his father dearly. Dwelling in the past constantly brought him emotional stress he didn't need in the dangerous district. Moving forward with the story, he said softly, "That was the last I saw of him and I thought about him every single day as we traveled, dreaming about the day when I would be reunited with him. But now, the harsh reality has set in and I doubt he survived the airborne disease as many leaders perished by the time we left. I didn't want to think about what happened to the rest of my people who remained behind. . ."

Pausing for a moment, he glanced at the revolving hologram as its light hum filled their gap of silence. She studied the light cloud cover revolving around the northern hemisphere of the planet while sneaking a peek of his face, noticing each downcast blink, dullness in his eyes, movement of his tendrils, and shifting angles of his antennae. If only she could take his pain away and return him to the sanctuary of the stars above. He caught her wandering glance and her eyes darted away shyly, returning back to the projector as she tried to hide her caught glimpse. Christopher hid an endearing smile to her modest demeanor and it allowed him to recount the next chapter, "I can't recall how long we traveled since I focused on watching over my siblings and assuring them we would be fine. It was my first trip through galaxies of unknown systems and as a youngling, I should've been excited but worry ate at me constantly. We traveled the endless solitude of space as we headed to the capital but our fuel was very low by the time we entered your galaxy and a backup plan became crucial in the end."

"We knew we wouldn't last long once the backup reserves of fuel ran out; electricity and plumbing would stop, food would spoil by the lack of good temperature, communication was cut off with the other ships, and we were plunged into darkness inside the ship instantly. We could no longer stay inside our quarters once the power shut off since the doors were activated by motion sensors and everyone was ushered out immediately before we were trapped inside the rooms. Mother took care of my siblings and I in a small area we clustered on, giving us whatever morsels of food she could find in the kitchens- there were days when we wouldn't eat, building fires with whatever usable items that could be burned. Families burned most of their belongings just to keep warm; space is quite cold, Amaya. I huddled with whatever clothes I managed to salvage while the rest were burned for kindling, allowing my siblings to keep theirs due to their young ages. I slept next to them for body heat as my mother kept us cuddled against her and I shared my meals so they wouldn't cry or get sick. We were lucky in fighting off illnesses since most medicinal tools remained locked inside the medical bay which is why your people found us in such malnourished conditions."

He shut off the projector to darken the room to the flicker of the candle's swaying flame and placed it inside a wooden crate for safekeeping. His mother had snuck it into their home as a reminder to never forget their planet and where they belonged. It was their most precious possession of their old life and Christopher had unofficially named it as their family heirloom. Amaya's eyes followed his form to hear the rest, needing to know what he'd been through until he landed on Earth.

Stories like this make those survival autobiographies on TV sound like crap, she thought admiringly as he lied down on his bed to meet her expectant gaze.

He patted her hand lightly to keep the eagerness contained and finished calmly despite the story was anything but tranquil, "The captain searched for suitable worlds that we could survive in and your planet qualified for the similar air composition. . .although your air is a bit filthy for my taste. We arrived at the closest landing area possible but fuel ran out from the entire procedure of entering the atmosphere and the mothership shut down instantly once we hovered above the city. We remained trapped inside because all of our doors were inaccessible and there was no way out, especially in pitch black darkness. My family and I waited, wondering what lay outside the new planet but struggling to survive in total darkness for another day. I didn't know whether it was night or day, all I had to light my way were empty barrels with weak fires, and the worst part was smelling the bodies of those who didn't survive. They were placed in the farthest areas but the decomposing smell was always there as a reminder of what could happen to us. I slept most of my hunger away and I stretched to keep my body active but you had to conserve your energy to survive. Frankly, I'm quite disgusted that it took months for your people to finally approach our ship and free us. I use 'free' lightly because MNU quickly staked their claim on 'protecting' us. All of us were interrogated but the questions were all about our technology and weaponry, nothing about who we were and how they could help. Arrogant bastards. There were humane groups that helped us settle in during the first months, I was so thankful to eat food of any kind after going weeks with only unpurified water and received warm blankets since our clothes were used to keep the fires burning. It made me appreciate the little necessities I always took for granted before. I slept curled up to my siblings inside a cot and we were so happy to see daylight once we woke, we cried gratefully for the first few days."

"Nonetheless, in the end, we were moved from temporary open tents to these shambles of a home within months as humankind grew disinterested and wanted us to be kept tucked away as a dirty secret. MNU then placed their iron hold on us and it continues even now without argument. I was eager and hopeful to know about your planet and have your species help mine, even become friends so we could help you build your society to another level but all humans wanted was personal selfish gain. I never knew what happened to the other ships, I can only hope they reached the Republic and our people received aid. We abandoned our collapsing civilization to seek help from others to only become enslaved as property and treated like trash by supposed friendlies. Your people believe themselves so highly over others and completely arrogant but they're nothing compared to the oldest civilizations. Even our own couldn't compare to them. You have been lucky to be in this isolated galaxy, there are malevolent worlds that wouldn't hesitate to overtake you and gain Earth as another territory."

"I'm sure MNU would crap their pants then" she snorted derisively and clenched her hands, furious towards her own kind for turning their backs on a species in need. What the hell was all that humanitarian bull countries spouted about but aliens weren't included?! They were living and sentient beings that deserved the same equality. Her friend slept in a dusty room surrounded by a shabby woodwork of a home with barely any good essentials while most executives of MNU owned comfortable mansions and too many damn maids serving them like gods. It was absolutely despicable!

His fingers trailed over her cheek to simmer her down, appreciating the sympathy from a young being who refused to follow her society's norms. Oh, how he wished she could live with him in a free world where nobody ostracized each other. He trilled softly and encouraged her, "But you're different and I hope there are more of you out there in your world. A younger generation that will become open-minded and unafraid of change or differences."

"You've suffered even before you left your world and it's worse here" she sighed disgustedly and held his hand as she sniffled to the arduous tale. A child, no matter the species, should never have to experience such traumatic events and mature prematurely (which he had over the decades). He'd never told her about his life before Earth, brushing the topic off and leading her to play a game to ward her questions away. The only stories he told where of his early years on Earth and they weren't any better either. Seeing his shy but kind personality as a youngling as he struggled to survive had sealed him inside her heart and her fondness, whether platonic or romantic, would only grow. Her fingertips rubbed the joints of his fingers gently, already having memorized every groove of his hand, and whispered, "No one should see their world fall into decay and leave it forever. It's a part of you. I wasn't born when you arrived but if I'd been, I would've gone straight to the government to plead your case. I don't understand why nobody's spoken publicly about it either. Countries help starving people but not starving aliens? It's stupid! I'm not an adult now either but when I'm old enough, I will raise it for you if no one has. You're just like me in every way except for our physical features but it shouldn't matter, you deserve the same respect I have. It's not fair that you're in this miserable place only because you needed help and we couldn't- no, we wouldn't give it to you."

Wiping her damp eyes, she squeezed his hand tightly to whimper, "I wish you could return to your world and be free, Christopher."

"So do I but who knows if the disease was fully contained? I can only hope so for my people's sake" he sighed gloomily, thinking briefly about his father, and flicked his antennae over her forehead to cheer her up. Unhappy tears were an occurrence he never wanted to see on the faces of his loved ones and suggested soothingly, "Let's go to sleep. There's no need to be upset over the past."

"Oh, and here I am getting excited over hearing a happier story" she smiled lightly at him for the kind gesture. If only her people could see how compassionate he was towards others and show that the poleepkwa weren't monsters from children's nightmares. She fluffed her pillow for an added poof of volume and told him confidently, "Your language and society is one thing but your life there is what defines you. I want to hear about little Kraaivyanwe's adventures. His favorite and worst places. His little outings whether rebellious or alongside family."

He laughed softly to her never-ending curiosity of his life and teased nonchalantly, "I suppose I could tell you one. My secrets are yours."

She gripped her pillow in enthusiasm but before he could speak, shots rang out in the distance and she yelped in surprise to the awful sharp noise. The sound of gunshots were new to her ears and she clutched her pillow tensely, wondering frantically where they came from. Her eyes locked onto the window nearby fearfully and Christopher quickly walked over to blow out the candle. Amaya felt vulnerable once the darkness engulfed them but knew Christopher would protect her. Laura simply shuffled in her bed, unaffected by the gunfire, and ordered her son, "Go to sleep and don't make noise. Those Nigerians and our youngsters don't make a good combination or reputation for us."

Christopher walked back to his bed with silent footsteps and the glowing moonlight outlined his silhouette through the maroon cloth serving as a curtain. He was accustomed to the random acts of violence over the years but the fear of being caught in the crossfire never left his mind. Several guttural howls broke into night and Amaya tensed to the unnatural sounds, privately agreeing with Christopher's say about District 9 not being a place any human would want to sleep in at night. She admired his unyielding resilience to this harsh living since childhood and flinched when numerous shots pierced the air. Would they get closer? What would they do to innocent civilians? That was enough to give her goosebumps for a month and she let the unafraid front fall down. Fearfully, she scrambled over to Christopher's bed, pulling her bedding behind her, and wedged herself between the wall and his form. Yes, it was embarrassing to do it but she felt safe by his side when it came to facing unknown danger.

"I won't take up space and I have my own blankets" she whispered to him pleadingly as she clutched her sleeping bag against her chest and he patted her head to signal a 'yes'. Wasting no precious seconds, she lay her sleeping bag next to him and slipped inside with her pillow to be secure in her safety zone. He was her fortress and she would bear each of his burdens to stay with him; he was worth more to her than all the valuable jewels in the world. She curled against him to block out the moonlight filtering into the room as they shared his mattress and whispered faintly, "I don't regret spending the night here but how do you manage to sleep with this noise?"

"Sometimes I can't but it's better to hear them in the distance than having them drive by and shoot at our home, others aren't so lucky" he answered bitterly, remembering empty homes filled with human bullets before they were scavenged by others, and sighed depressingly, "It's not a good life here, Amaya, but we must manage."

He deserves so much better, she thought helplessly and wished she was older so she could be listened to for giving his people civil rights.

"My respect for you has grown double the size after hearing your story but then again, I always respect you" she murmured quietly against his clothed chest and smiled. The lower body temperature radiated from his new flannel shirt but her skin only grew warmer at finally being close to the one her heart beat faster for. He was so close that she could run her fingertips over his cheek and savor that physical touch. But those were wistful thoughts with no daring motivation behind them to make them true. She was his friend first and wouldn't allow a silly crush to cause awkwardness. High school teenage drama gave her enough insight to know better. With a fond smile, she whispered, "You should be traveling the stars instead of living in this dank cesspool of oppression. See? You've even improved my grammar and most teenagers my age don't speak as eloquently."

"It's my pleasure to teach you and you've done the same with me" he trilled lightly and stroked her hair softly, threading his fingers into the thick entrapping follicles and warmth greeted his fingertips as they lingered over her scalp. There were times when he wished she was older and he could sneak in a caress that would flush her cheeks, leave a smile on her lips, and brighten her eyes. . .but she was too young for such things. Ponderings aside, he asked slyly, "Are you still eager for learning the top languages in the world?"

"As long as you're there" she agreed softly with an enthusiastic grin and felt his chin rest on top of her head. The action lessened her grin into a tender smile and she closed her eyes to sigh, "I want you to be happy and brilliant and all those other little bits that make you Kraaivyanwe."

He smiled to himself with pride for her interest while she lied contently with feeling his chest rise with each breath, her lips parting slightly in a comfortable smile. Dangerous or not, the night would be memorable and she thanked her rebellious mind for going through with her idea to spend the night. She would make sure there would be others so she could experience the good and bad of District 9 to never grow apart from him. His personality always eased her through any situations and this time was no exception as he asked playfully, "Do you want to hear about my first trip to the city?"

A quick nod was her response and he began with a low but amusing tone, "I was about 4 earth years old, I believe, and my father wanted to take my mother and I to eat and celebrate his promotion at a new facility there. My mother was expecting two eggs to hatch, my brother and sister, and they were being watched at the tribe's hatchery. Anyway, I remember walking the paths of pressed dirt, a color so brown and rich it makes this place look infertile. . .actually I think it is, I planted a few seeds but they never grew."

Amaya laughed into her hands at his honest joke and he continued with the entertainment, "Either way, we took the suburban paths to the transport areas that would take us into the city. My father owned a speeder, it's a hovering vehicle that's used universally- I'll tell you later, but I wanted to see all of the scenery with the slower public trip. Mother had to hold me back whenever I clung to window to see our fertile land, walking people, grazing wildlife, sights I'd never experienced in my young life. I waited anxiously but I was an impatient youngling, fidgeting in my seat until my father placed me on his lap and explained every object we saw. He never hesitated to answer my questions, no matter how childish they were. He told me that once I saw streets consisting of smooth metal and the tops of skyscrapers, we were in the city. He explained the faster traveling speed was aided by the metal structuring of the streets and how the city divided into sections depending on work, leisure, training, and residences. I grinned excitedly when I caught my first glimpse of a gray sky top city hovering in the sky, wishing that I could walk up there too and touch a cloud if possible. Everything was simply amazing to me. I practically skipped as I watched the crowds of scholars walk by in their beautifully adorned robes. I used to wear one of my father's old ones during his schooling years at home and imagined myself as a top scientist working alongside him on top projects. I wanted to own one of those robes and feel the handmade stitch work with their unique decorations to show my father I could be like him. Building crafters wore light and flexible armor as they enlarged the cities and were guided by the blueprints the city leaders designed. It was stunning to see many differently ranked people at work side-by-side. Now, the intellectual are rare here and workers without a cause are all we see in the district. I walked next to my mother, keeping up with her strides as my little legs asked to rest, while my father talked to me about each building and I remember he picked me up and placed me on his shoulder so I wouldn't have to walk. I liked to poke his antennae, similar to you, but he never minded and simply talked on. He was quite popular in the city, everyone greeted him respectfully as we walked by and I smiled at all the different people from outer tribes and residents-"

Howls and shots rang out simultaneously, cutting off his words and she grabbed his hand underneath the covers for support. She didn't want a fight to erupt anytime soon and prayed silently to protect Christopher and his mother once she left. Nervously, she whispered faintly, "I think the howls scare me more than the shooting. I don't want to know that people are killing each other out there. Please keep going, I'll just hold your hand for emotional support. I used to do the same when I was a scared kid with my ma but it's not childish, okay?"

"I didn't say it was" he chuckled innocently and proceeded to whisper his small tale in the dark to lead them both away from the violence outside. Amaya would listen carefully, closing her eyes to imagine his words into vivid settings, and would continue to do so as she aged and spent nights there alongside him. Her fingers would intertwine with his underneath the covers and he wouldn't object, giving back only a squeeze of consensual agreement. She would love those private moments as the two whispered tales of all genres, curling up against each other for warmth but disentangling themselves by morning to ward off Laura's suspicions of wrongful misconduct. Christopher was pretty sure she knew of his growing feelings but she said nothing of it. The seeds were blossoming and he would be there waiting for Amaya when she reached adulthood to be her other half if she wished to.


"Father?"

Christopher turned towards the open doorway as he finished reading a novel Amaya had brought him and placed it on the table. The sun was beginning to set with its fading blue and orange hue of goodbye as he spent his hours before dinner reading to enlighten his mind and relax. Simple but effective meditation to get him through the day. Their dinner had already been cooked, vegetables and beef, and their dinnerware was set down on the table. All he needed was his little one's arrival and he was perfectly punctual. Oliver had gone off to play with his friends once more and would take an extra lesson tomorrow morning after class which he was not looking forward to.

"Did you have fun?" his father asked and his brow ridges raised in surprise when his son brought (more like hauled with his underdeveloped strength) in a small portable television. How had he found that? And carried it home safely? Poleepkwa youngsters could be quite aggressive and they stole items from the younger younglings if they wanted them badly enough, sometimes erupting into fights. He stood up on edge and walked over to his son to carefully inspect him for suspicious bruises and sighed in relief when he found none. His skin was perfect from his head down to his feet, dusty and dry but completely safe. Fatherly crisis averted. Curiously, he asked in astonishment, "You brought this all the way here?"

"Yes!" Oliver piped up proudly and puffed up his small chest, his posture straightening to make him appear taller and bravely confident. He patted the dusty white television with his little green hand and told him excitedly, "I find it while David made mud balls and George try to catch gras-grassy-grasshoppers!"

"Easy, little one, you're ruining your conjugation" Christopher trilled amusingly and patted his head as the child hopped happily with delighted chirps. His little Oliver was getting quite lucky with his finds lately and he was glad that they kept his son energized and happy as well in the harsh land. Nothing fazed his son- poverty, being poor, discrimination, lack of good housing, scarcity of food, so many things- but it was a good quality to have and Christopher couldn't be prouder of his son whenever his round face smiled at him. He picked up the small television and set it on the table to clean it later. Flecks of dust and caked dirt stuck inside the dark crannies, meaning cleanup duty, and he had to see if it would work also. For Oliver's sake, he hoped so. He smiled at his son and asked skeptically, "And no one gave you trouble as you walked home?"

"No, I took back streets" he replied proudly with vibrant eyes and trilled cheerfully at his crafty skills. Why did adults doubt his sneaky talents? He had been rummaging through one of the new heaps MNU dumped recently while he played tag with his friends and the small TV picked up his curiosity as it lay wedged between a broken stereo and metal sheets. Once he'd pulled it out, he said goodbye to his pals quickly and ran straight home while hoping no one would take it from him. It was such a wonderful find. . .even if he himself didn't know what it was exactly. But it did remind him of the computer screens his father decorated their home with and typed in every other night for his secret projects. The thought that it could come in handy sealed his decision to haul it back with fierce determination. Anything that could help him leave the district and go home was extremely valuable. He wasn't a good fighter compared to the older younglings but he had a good bite to fight them off and retreat. His father taught him to strategize the best non-violent methods instead of using his fists and his slim physique allowed him to fit almost anywhere. He'd only fought once when another youngling taunted his short height and his father lectured him till nightfall about being reckless and the dangers of it. Needless to say, he never tried to pick a fight again since he hated lectures. He would take Amaya's human quote, 'Be a lover, not a fighter', and follow that.

"Wash your hands and I'll serve you dinner" his father ordered gently and ushered his short form towards a small plastic bowl filled with water on the table. Oliver trilled cheerfully to himself as he washed his hands with the yellow soap bar his father used for the dishes and clothes. Christopher smiled as he watched him trill to the similar way humans hummed for fun and scooped up the sizzling pieces of beef from the hot pan onto their metal plates along with their vegetables of green beans, carrots, and broccoli. Oliver hated broccoli for some unknown reason while he loved it; the plant reminded him of several shrubs his mother planted back on the home world which he ate secretly during his years as a youngling. His father then caught him red-handed one evening and instead of lecturing him, he sneaked in a few bites of his own before blaming it on the grazing wildlife.

Oliver's blue eyes brightened at the hot food placed before him and cheered gratefully, "We eat today!"

"Indeed we do, but tomorrow, you'll have a snack and dinner only as you head over to Jane's" he reminded simply with his parental lecturing tone and the youngling's antennas flattened against his head instantly as he warbled flatly. Christopher could see his reluctance and assured gently, "I'm doing this to help you speak better, son."

"I talk good" he pouted sullenly with a soft warble. Language wasn't his forte and he didn't care for it, he wanted to study science and know what lay above Earth- to see a young star, a spiral or irregular galaxy, the beautiful planets and moons, comets with ethereal ice trails, everything the universe offered. Why did he have to study language? It was dreadfully boring to him! Well. . .at least he found an object to occupy mind. Instantly, he brightened up to ask, "We see image box?"

"It's called a television and I'll fix it, I don't want you getting electrocuted" his father stated with his usual concern for his little youngling and Oliver purred happily. As long as he fixed it, his young mind was content. Christopher trilled amusingly and ordered, "Now eat your food before it's cold."

The little poleepkwa listened obediently and ate his food with an eager mouth and a grateful stomach as his thin legs kicked cheerfully underneath the table. Food was a privilege that he never allowed to go to waste (even by picking the leftover crumbs with his fingertips) and his stomach needed the available nourishment. He couldn't wait to grow another inch. His jolly blue eyes gazed at his dirty but new keepsake and hoped the next find could be his father's fuel. Nevertheless, he wanted his item to work for at least a little while and knew if anyone could get it working, it was his ingenious father. He considered himself lucky for having such an intelligent and loving parent that kept him safe and healthy, even to his own expense.

"Do you like it?" he asked shyly and held his hands over his chest modestly to await his father's answer. After all, he didn't want to fill their home with heaps of useless trash that would add to more cleaning and eyed the white television warily.

Christopher merely smiled tenderly to his child and soothed gently, "Of course, Oliver, anything you like is yours to keep here. You deserve your little finds and I won't say otherwise."

The youngling purred gladly to have his father's permission and his innocent boyish mind was determined that the next item would be his father's so he could have an equal share too. After all, parents deserved it for nurturing their children and his father was the best. Oliver ate his vegetables with ravenous chomps from the hunger he gained in his afternoon playing and squeaked sheepishly when his father gave him a glance for his hasty manners. He decided to slow down. . .but the anticipation of fixing his new toy excited his mind and before he knew it, he had chowed down his entire meal and let out a burping growl of satiety. Oliver gave his parent an innocent eyeful of his bright eyes before folding his hands neatly over the table. Christopher shook his head amusingly at his impatience and ate his own meal slowly to fill his stomach steadily, satiating any future hunger pangs. Oliver's blue eyes blinked at him while his arms crossed over his lap in wait, watching Christopher's fork lift up and down, up and down, up and. . .

"Father, finish!" he complained with a soft whine and dropped his head onto the table in protest. Couldn't he finish fast like him so they could start? He really wanted to use his 'television'. Christopher merely smiled at his child's antics and swallowed his food quietly without reply as Oliver pouted for his undivided attention.

"I told you that hastiness only brings defeat" his father lectured wisely without glancing up from his plate and Oliver got off his chair to scamper over, grabbing his own fork to place onto his parent's plate.

Christopher raised his brow ridges in question to his idea and the youngling piped up with cheerful blue eyes to chirp energetically, "Two forks help you finish much faster, father."

His little hand stabbed the thin strips of beef his father had torn apart with his fingers and Oliver held the fork up to Christopher's mouth to try and hand feed him the food himself. Christopher found it funny that the parent-child roles were reversed and remembered feeding him as a fussy hatchling at the table as he wriggled to be free. How the years passed and he would make sure his son wouldn't see another year on Earth. Oliver's peppy face smiled at him from his perch and trilled excitedly to point out, "Eat. We fix image box."

"Settle down, little-" his father responded but Oliver snatched the opportunity to pop the forkful inside his father's mouth. He broke into a triumphant giggle while the older male removed the empty fork from his mouth with a blank expression (nothing his child did surprised him) and placed it onto the plate. What a rambunctious little youngling. Christopher picked up a piece of meat and dangled it over Oliver's mouth which he happily chomped up within seconds. He smiled at his endless energy and spoke humorously, "See? Now you're riled up and you'll be hungry again soon."

"No" he denied coyly in a long drawl and smiled innocently at his father, a smile Christopher knew wouldn't stay long on his green face if he didn't do as he asked. Why had he been blessed with such an endearingly playful child? He often asked himself that every time he gazed at his perky face. He was a rare gift, a precious token that he'd taken care of since his fragile days as an egg. A premature egg at that. . .but that was another story. Oliver wrapped his small fingers around his father's wrist to shake it and chirped softly, "Father?"

"Why don't you wash your dinnerware and I'll finish here? I'm sure I'll be done and I can start working on it while you do your lessons" Christopher bargained with his son and raised his brow ridges with a nonnegotiable tone, "Hmm?"

"All of my lessons?" Oliver groaned miserably and slumped his shoulders depressingly. He knew a compromise was inevitable and his parent always wanted him to be on top of his schoolwork rather than his technological treasures. Still, he wanted his new toy and he was going to get it. His father nodded for his answer and he uttered a soft whine before he agreed flatly, "Yes. I start now?"

His father nodded with satisfaction and the youngling scampered away faster than a bullet to clean his dish outside the house, metal plate and utensils clanking against the plastic bowl as he left hurriedly. The white door slammed back into place after his exit and a minute later, scrubbing and the sloshing of water could be heard. Christopher watched his little one's silhouette through the white but lightly transparent door panes and resumed eating his meal peacefully. He smiled fondly at his child's enthusiasm for any object, whether operational or busted, and praised the heavens for giving younglings such a resilient personality during hard times. He'd been the same during his own younger years but it would fade from his son's personality once he reached adolescence and experienced the raw hateful reality of life inside District 9 and even worse among MNU's humans. Quietly, he finished his meal quickly after losing his appetite to the dark thoughts but his son's irritated clicking from outside lifted his mood somewhat.

He's my little fighter, he thought caringly and stood up from the table to stretch his sore and tired limbs from lifting the factory packages at work. The constant reminder of his most precious person kept his motivation running throughout the hardships of his day shift and coming home was the best part of his day. He watched Oliver's form as the youngling hissed outside and chuckled to himself, Ever since he hatched from his egg, he's been notoriously feisty.

By the time Oliver completed his grammar lessons, he'd been too exhausted to finish math and would do that portion in the morning. He didn't mind math, it was child's play to him but oh, how he hated language which is why he tackled the toughest subjects first and left the easy ones for later. Today was his lucky day though, he'd found a working object and he'd been given a night of electricity from the city. What great luck! He'd jumped all over the place happily as his father fiddled with the wires to clean them with a rag and get them running as he fixed each strand delicately, keeping the youngling behind him to stay safe and not get in the way. His son, however, tried to sneak a peek with any opening Christopher gave to see what the entire process was but didn't gain a valuable sight with his short jumps. All he received were glimpses of his father's green arms and hidden handwork that blocked the television. Soon, Oliver became tired of his ecstatic jumping and decided to sit down on a brown stool, kicking his thin legs to continue his giddy movements. Christopher had to stop at one point to laugh heartily at his child's unblinking gaze aimed at his back and told him to fix his bed to pass the time. Oliver made him promise to announce when he finished and his father nodded with a deep laugh, watching his little cautious footsteps leave slowly just in case he finished at that exact moment and he missed it. However, it would take a while to patch up the device internally and to clean it from the outside.

"I'm finished."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Oliver was at Christopher's side within seconds with his thin round elbow nudging his father's leg as he sought a clear opening. The older poleepkwa simply smiled at his excitement and let the youngling stare at the blank gray static screen as Christopher's three fingers tried to work the round protruding dial under the screen to get a decent channel. His son was entertained by the scratchy static sound itself as his thin fingers prodded the glass screen curiously but jumped back in surprise when a clear picture greeted him. Had he accidentally activated it? Christopher squeezed his stiff shoulders in assurance, receiving a loving purr from his son, but his face turned serious when he saw he'd tuned into a publicly broadcasting MNU press conference.

Out of all the channels in the world, I get this this piece of-, he thought sourly but Oliver interrupted his thoughts as he pointed to the screen again.

"I know him!" his son exclaimed unexpectedly as his blue eyes peered at a human male in fine clothing answering questions from a panel of journalists from their local Jo'burg news crews and several international reporters. The older poleepkwa rarely cared about human news since they never included his people (unless it was another hostile interaction) but their own government conflicts amongst each other. Any important news for his kind was usually passed along among the gossip in the district or at work.

Christopher could only wonder why his child knew any humans at all after his strict rules banning his contact with them but before he could ask, Oliver immediately blurted, "He's Amaya's partner! She showed me flat paper images of their trips."

He noticed the large logo on the wooden podium and tilted his head quizzically, "He works for MNU? But. . .Amaya hates MNU."

"I'm as surprised as you are" his father replied grimly, anger sparking inside him as to why his childhood friend would choose to associate herself with an MNU employee. She harbored the same hate for them as he did! Or maybe it wasn't him? His son could've interpreted a similar human, they all looked the same to his little one most of the time. Carefully, he questioned, "Are you perfectly sure, Oliver?"

"Yes, I saw their pictures since they live together, they have a very pretty home" his son replied without doubt, wishing he could one day have such a luxurious home as theirs, and poked the screen gently. His young mind didn't comprehend his father's hidden anger as Oliver was happy if his friend was happy too. He smiled shyly and told his father, "He loves her and she does too. Maybe they'll have a hatchling and I can play with them! Amaya loves hatchlings. She says so all the time!"

Christopher's eyes narrowed dangerously at the tiny screen towards the one Amaya loved. What was so special about him? He looked as average as any other human and was MNU affiliated at that! Couldn't she have picked someone else? His eyes kept analyzing the male to scrutinize every last visible cell and deemed him not worthy of Amaya if he was related to MNU. She hadn't told him that fact before! Had she been hiding it intentionally?. . .Was she beginning to trust the human over him?

It is inevitable, he's going to be her mate soon, he thought rationally but his eyes darkened down from their golden hue to glance away from the screen sullenly. Amaya is going to start her life with another away from us. . .away from me. My plan is being finalized and I will be leaving her behind soon. We will cut our tightly woven binds and walk separate paths as we return to our true societies.

His hearing picked up the human's authoritative voice in the conference, "A classified project will be soon underway to protect every citizen in Johannesburg against the prawns with allowance from governmental authorities. We have received every complaint of your worries, fears, destroyed properties, encounters, and I will make sure our legal team brings every prawn criminal to justice for your personal distraught and damages. Our citizens deserve to sleep soundly at night without the stress of alien felons prowling the streets to cause residents harm whether it's nighttime or not. Another program will also begin to increase our local surveillance and amount of MNU officers on duty at night to secure your homes and businesses as well. I will hand over the issue to our Head of Security to assure you of the constant safety our company provides. Thank you."

Christopher wanted to smash the television against the wall for the human's derogatory terms and attitude towards his people. They planned to take more legal action against them? They already lived in the slums with meager pay and no food, what was next? His people were shot for any damn reason and no one spoke out about it against MNU! An angry growl formed deep in his throat in aggravation to the evil company and Amaya's disappointing choice. The humans controlled every detail of their lives behind their backs and imposed each new regulation without room for questions. He hated their arrogance whenever he met them and tried to use loopholes within the MNU's laws and from tidbits Amaya gave him. Was that classified plan what she came to warn him about? The evacuation of the district? There were so many overwhelming questions but the one that burned him the most was,

"Why is she choosing such a despicable cretin?!" he exploded furiously, scaring his little one with his harsh voice causing Oliver to break his gaze from the news report. His blue eyes widened fearfully with a timid stiffness in his body and Christopher calmed at once, leaning down to embrace him. He purred gently to soothe Oliver's unease and his son returned it with faint affectionate clicks of his own. Christopher locked his eyes with his and ordered softly, "Stay here and play around with your new find, I will set it up in the bedroom so you can watch it at night. I'll be behind the house if you need me."

Oliver nodded obediently without a word, wondering why his father had such an outburst. He rarely became enraged before him, he was a collected and nonviolent male unlike others of their kind. His blue eyes watched him leave worriedly before he returned to the television, bored with the humans conference and fiddled with the knob as his father had done to search for another program. He broke into a merry giggle when he saw a Disney cartoon show and sat down on his little stool to watch it happily. He'd never seen the moving pictures of television before and it was rare to find objects for live entertainment, most found radios only. Plus, MNU fined you if they found out you were using media outlets and other media technology without their consent. Oliver kicked his thin legs into the air and laughed when he saw an animated white duck wearing a sailor suit flailing his limbs angrily at a black mouse who wore a friendly grin.

Humans are weird, he thought as he watched the strange entertainment. But I like it.

Meanwhile, Christopher paced furiously behind his home, kicking clumps of dust into the air, while wishing he had enough money to buy a beer. His mind couldn't wrap around the fact Amaya was going to live alongside an MNU employee. MNU! All of his muscles were tense as betrayal stabbed at his heart but she would've told him the truth. She never lied to him and he could read her like a book after years of friendship. Humans were quite easy to read with their facial expressions and bodily scents but she'd never come off as deceitful. He never questioned her because she was thoroughly honest in every way but was she changing?. . .No, he couldn't begin to doubt her after their years together and she deserved the benefit of the doubt. On the other hand, it would make sense as to why she was being forced to cut her ties with him for the past months. Had the human become more special to her heart than he was? The thought of finally being replaced by another as a best friend stung him deeply. She was there for him without hesitation, despite his worry over her safety, and never left his side willingly.

I told her to be happy but I didn't think she'd be closer to MNU, he thought solemnly and traced his fingertips over his tattered red vest, a previous gift from Amaya to keep him warm that was now shredded and kept secure with brown tape. She'd given it to him before her engagement and he held onto it wistfully as he wished she wouldn't have to leave. . .but it was for the best. They see her as a danger to their company, what if they threaten her life now that her mate's a part of them? Or worse, what if she joins them to please him? Humans are loyal to their mates. . .well, publicly.

"No, she would never do such a thing" he hissed to himself to discard such shameful thoughts and clasped his hands behind his back. Downcast golden eyes gazed at the loose dry dirt at knowing she would choose an MNU employee rather than a human who wasn't with the company who oppressed him daily. It was a direct punch to his heart as both grew up to despise MNU and he never expected her to accept her future mate's job after all her help. She'd sneaked him clothes, books, food, blankets, toys, bathing items, and unwavering loyalty that arose deep secrets between the two alone. He refused to believe her decision and reassured his faith in her, "Amaya's a fierce fighter for my people and always has been since childhood. She's kind, friendly, loving, intelligent, everything MNU despises in enemies. Does she care for this male so much that she'd go against her deepest beliefs?"

He sighed deeply to the depressive idea and lowered his head to mutter, "I wish I could hear her say on the matter. Assumptions will only cloud my mind. . .but what if I don't see her again? What if she's right about the evacuation and I leave before she finds me? I can't risk my life to find her because of Oliver but. . ."

Looking to the orange-purple sky, his amber eyes glittered against the sunlight and he exhaled longingly, "My love for you still beats strongly, Amaya."


A/N: A super long chapter, I know, but you guys deserve it after waiting quite a bit. So Christopher is no longer the cute little youngling from chapter 1 but I tried to portray his innocent side in the father-son flashback on his planet. I hope I lived up to making the poleepkwa world half-decent and not trash it since I've no idea on what to go on except my own theories based on the hologram Oliver kept watching in the film. More descriptions will be added as the story flows along but I'm sure this chapter was packed enough with new characters and Christopher's story time. We'll delve into the Amaya/Christopher pair later so hope that little cliffhanger hooked you guys a bit. Thank you for your story alerts and faves, also to my reviewers: Tapanda08, Nina Modaffari, Isabella Raventhorn, and Halfmoonglasses. I appreciate all of your feedback and questions regarding the story!