LILAH
"Lilah," I heard a voice call my name. It was Carra.
I stopped. There was something weird about hearing him talk to me. Most aliens either didn't bother to learn English, spoke some kind of broken version of it, or dodged the problem entirely, like the Andalites did. Carra, however, actually spoke near perfect English.
Hell, the guy had even picked up my accent in his attempt to flawlessly copy me. If it weren't so surreal, I'd laugh at the idea that I was probably the first human to give an alien an English accent. If he ever starred in a movie, he'd make a great villain.
Apparently it wasn't so weird for him. He'd told me it was a Kelbrid thing to be able to learn languages so fast. There were weirder things that aliens could do, but it freaked me out a little anyway.
I'll admit, I even wondered if he'd been infested by a Yeerk that just really sucked at acting. That's how unbelievable it was.
Still: there was something alien to the cadence of his speech. Or maybe it was the tone. Something that reminded you that he was only imitating human speech. Like those videos you can watch on the internet of people's pet birds mimicking what their owners say to them. It was a voice that sounded human, but not quite.
It was, however, starting to grow on me. Carra could act quite adorable once you got to know him.
I turned around to see him hanging back behind me. He had four short forelegs, two short hind-legs, and a long slender body, like a ferret or an eel. Sometimes he'd walk on two legs, four legs, or even all six if the ship had hit turbulence. His colour was a simple, easy-on-the-eyes black.
Carra's appearance was far from boring though: if you looked closely, tiny, fish-like scales cascaded down his form, so miniscule that they reflected the light in so many more colours than just black.
By the way, did you think Andalites were paranoid? Because Kelbrids take 360 degree vision to a whole new level. Carra's eyes ran down both sides of his body, punctuating his body with turquoise and terminating just before his 'tail'. To say it was technically a tail, though, wouldn't be quite right.
You see, just off-centre from both sides of his back, olive-leaf shaped growths fanned out like petals. He could fold them close to his body, or spread them wide enough to look twice as large. These same growths carried down to form a long, flat tail that could split apart whenever he wanted.
His face though, was probably the least 'face-like' out of all the face-carrying aliens I knew. His eyes didn't have pupils, and they just formed a line until they stopped at the tip of his snout.
In other words, he could be really creepy if he wanted to. But maybe not quite as creepy as a Taxxon.
"Lilah?" He asked me again. "What is that?"
Our little party of three, Carra, Alcazer, and I, were about to board the Andalites' Dome Ship. We were in the ship's airlock, where the door leading to the actual MeadowRunner was rising to let us through. I'd been on a guest tour of a Dome Ship before, so the sight of cerulean grasses and the pitch dark ceiling of space wasn't new, but it still plastered a smile on my face. The sight was just as bizarre and wondrous as the first time.
"What's what?" I asked Carra as the door locked into place above us. Was he confused about the domed ceiling?
I gazed at him in bewilderment. He was stood staring, head locked in astonishment, not at the ceiling, but at the floor of the ship. He looked like a cat that'd seen a cobra.
"Uh, that's grass, Carra," I pointed out, frowning.
He shot me a look of concern. It was surprising how expressive he could be with those fleshy leaf-like growths now that I figured out what some of the configurations meant.
"Is it… safe?" He asked me, referring to the grass.
My eyes flitted from my friend to Alcazer. The Andalite was already waiting for us with an amused expression on his face. I gazed pleadingly but Alcazer remained silent. I guess he was going to let us sort things out between us.
I sighed. This was really happening.
I was about to consult a member of one of the most potentially fiercest known alien races about the safety of grass.
"Carra," I said in as soothing a tone I could manage. From our time spent together on the Skrit-Na ship, I'd learned how flighty he could be around things he didn't understand. One time he'd even been afraid of a CD hanging by a string, like some kind of bird.
Although his reaction to shatter the thing into a thousand pieces was less bird-like.
"I don't know if you have some kind of killer grass species on your planet," I started explaining, "but if it weren't safe, I don't think the Andalites would lay it all over the floors of their ships," I said, smiling.
Hey, he was an alien that understood humour. Besides, I wasn't even half as bad as Oskel, and I secretly felt it was my duty to prepare him in case the two ever met.
Carra's whole body profile altered as the leaf-like growths on him shifted downwards. From what I remembered he'd once begrudgingly told me, it was the Kelbrid equivalent of a blush. "We don't have grass on our planet," he explained timidly, as if it was his fault.
I tried not to look too sorry for him. This was completely new to him.
"Well, it's okay," I said, patting his shoulder, hoping to ease him. To show him, I stepped forward onto the springy blades, relishing the familiar sponginess through the soles of my sneakers. It wasn't Earth grass, but it was enough to make me feel as if I were walking through the park back home, and when you've been cooped up in a metal corridor for days on end, that is a good feeling. Even the air smelled fresher.
Carra didn't follow me right away. Instead he lowered his head, inspected the grass, decided it was indeed okay, then stepped one fore-leg forward onto the organic deck.
I glanced behind me at Alcazer and noticed a couple more Andalites had joined him, looking equally bemused. Considering they were stood in complete silence, they were almost definitely thought-speaking to each other. Probably about how ridiculous the whole situation was.
I felt blood rush to my cheeks. "Come on, Carra, it's fine," I said. "Anyway, if you take any longer, the whole ship will be watching," I added, quietly enough that I hoped only Carra's hearing would pick it up. After a moment's more of Carra's hesitation, I grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the ship.
"There," I said as I wiped a strange dust off from my hands that apparently coated his scales. "Not so bad, just like carpet, right?"
Silence.
"Uh, Carra?" I looked at him. Now he was staring at the domed ceiling. Had he been so focussed on the grass that he hadn't noticed it until now?
"Woah! There's no ceiling! That's… that's impossible!" Carra said in giddy tones. "It's amazing!"
It dawned on me once again that the space alien didn't know anything about space. Didn't they teach him anything in Kelbrid school or whatever?
I grinned. "I know, right? It shows how much Andalites love outdoor spaces," I explained. "There is a ceiling though, you just can't see it."
It was fun to see his reactions to new things. It's why I couldn't resist showing him as many books and trinkets as I could find on the Skrit-Na ship.
Carra stopped gawking upwards and turned to the three Andalites, including Alcazer, that'd been watching the whole fiasco. Seeing them, he calmed down and stopped gushing about the ceiling. I guess they reminded him that we weren't alone anymore.
/Excuse me, ah, Carralis,/ one of the Andalites asked him. /But what are you? We have never seen one of your kind before./ The Andalite leaned forward slightly, as if it would help him to understand Carra's foreign form.
Now that I looked closely at the Andalite that'd spoken, I got the sense that he was practically itching for an answer. Maybe he was a scientist? He didn't seem as well-built or stoic as Alcazer.
"I'm a Kelbrid," he replied with a slight shuffle.
/A… Kelbrid?/ The scientist repeated in befuddlement. /Alcazer?/
The Andalites eyes creased in concern. Fear flashed past Alcazer's face.
/This is… not good,/ he said gruffly. A look of worry still held itself in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" I interjected. Was there something wrong with Carra being a Kelbrid? Was I wrong in thinking the Andalite ship would be safe for us? Or more importantly, him? I knew vaguely that there was an agreement that Andalites and Kelbrids didn't cross into each other's space, but surely this was okay? Just an accident?
For a brief second, I even worried that I'd been wrong in thinking the grass was safe for him. What did I know about alien biology?
/The last part of your transmission, Carralis, was it you asking for help from other Kelbrids?/ Alcazer asked.
Wait, did Alcazer think that sending a transmission was Carra's idea?
Carralis nodded. "Yes. I told them a similar version to what Lilah said. I could translate it for you?"
/No, that shouldn't be necessary./ Alcazer paused for a beat, thinking. Then he spoke. /We could all be in danger. Tesiran, tell our pilots to take an evasive course. We may be under threat from Kelbrid attack if they find us,/ he instructed the third Andalite that hadn't said anything.
Who I guessed was Tesiran jerked into action in response. /Yes, Alcazer!/ He bowed to his superior and galloped back towards the bridge.
"Why would the Kelbrids attack us?" I asked urgently. "We haven't done anything!" Carra, who'd taken up standing beside me, appeared equally confused.
/There is an agreement between our kind. That we are not to interfere with each other nor trespass into each other's space,/ said Alcazer. He glanced at Carra in worry. /However, I'm afraid they may interpret our possession of your friend as a breach of that agreement./
"Oh," I whispered under my breath in realisation. I really hoped that the Andalites were only being their typical vigilant selves. Surely the Kelbrids weren't that bad. Carra was perfectly friendly.
To my surprise, the Andalite scientist spoke up.
/We could always throw him out of the airlock, sir/ he suggested.
I snorted at the joke. "If you throw him out of the airlock, you'll have to throw me out too," I said mirthfully. "Carra doesn't go anywhere without me." It was kind of true. We'd been like peas in a pod for our entire time with the Skrit-Na.
Alcazer seemed confused. /That isn't an option, Rocammer,/ he warned. /Why would you suggest that?/
Rocammer visibly winced. /I was only attempting human humour, sir. I thought it would make light of the situation./
Alcazer frowned, then relaxed. /You've been on Earth for far too long, my friend,/ he said fondly. Then, he turned to us. /There isn't much else we can do,/ he said. /Let me show you where you can stay for now. As we were already on our way to Earth, we can at least return you, Lilah. As for you,/ he looked towards Carra, who faltered slightly under the intense gaze. /We will have to sort an agreement out with the Electorate as to the best way to return you home. It might take a while./
Carra instantly looked away, then back to me and then to Alcazer as if he wanted to say something.
Whatever it was, he never voiced it.
"I wish we'd taken something from the Skrit-Na ship now," Carra whined. He was sat on the floor of my quarters. The weird glittery powder that coated his scales drifted harmlessly to the floor, catching the light as they went.
"It's probably for the better," I conceded. "All the stuff the Andalites found off the Skrit-Na will probably either be returned or given to charity," I said. I knew Carra was missing his boardgames - it'd been his favourite thing to do when I didn't feel like showing him new stuff.
"Hey, you know Carra, since these are modified quarters for humans, maybe they might have something like a board game lying around," I theorised, hoping to cheer him up. "Or some paper! Then we could make our own board and dice and everything!"
We'd gotten pretty good at entertaining ourselves on the Skrit-Na ship, but I still wanted to slap myself upside the head for not thinking of this earlier.
"That sounds good," Carra replied with a smile. Normally I'd be disappointed by a reaction like that, but by now I knew Carra just wasn't too expressive outside body language - apart from when he got carried away, like with the ceiling. I nodded back to him.
"Let's check the next room for some," I suggested, rising from the sitting position I'd taken at the end of my bed. There were about half-a-dozen human converted rooms in the Andalites' quarters, for ambassadors and such. I'd taken one and Carra had taken a plain unconverted one across the hallway.
Just as I was about to lead the way out the room, a knock sounded. Carra startled and I flinched. Whoever knocked had actually been relatively delicate about it, but well, I guess both me and Carra were a little high-strung.
I glanced back towards Carra before turning to the door. "Who is it?" I asked.
/Ezurin-Sijjam-Vangar,/ a surprisingly feminine sounding 'voice' thought-spoke to the both of us, unaffected by the door and walls that separated her. /Can we speak?/
It was a female Andalite, I realised with a blink. I couldn't help but smile a little. I'd never actually met a female Andalite before. This'd be a first! How would Carra react?
"Oh yeah! Of course," I replied quickly and pulled open the door. I was greeted by a visage of a small-ish Andalite with plum fur and a delicate tail-blade. Even her hooves and face seemed daintier than the males I'd seen earlier. It wasn't like I'd never seen pictures on the internet, but there's something to be said for seeing things in person.
She looked at me and Carra in confusion, presumably wondering what he was doing in my room. Carra was quiet but he didn't seem surprised. Maybe he'd been expecting some kind of dimorphism?
Ezurin faltered. /I'm here to show you and Carralis around the ship,/ she explained. /So… would you like to?/ Her eyes flitted between us, as if she was searching for something, or maybe trying to figure out what we'd say.
"Sure," I replied, noticing she seemed kind of nervous for an Andalite. I realised something. "Hey, you said your last name's Vangar? Are you related to Alcazer?"
/Oh. Yes,/ said Ezurin. /He is my father. He was the one who told me to show both of you around. I had been planning on explaining on the way to get Carralis but…/ She glanced at Carra. /I did not expect both of you to be here./
"Um, hi," Carra introduced himself. "We were just talking with each other. I wasn't what you were expecting?"
Oh yeah! I wasn't the only one here who'd just encountered something she'd never seen before.
/I… did not know what I was expecting,/ Ezurin admitted. Her eyes widened. /How are you speaking English? A translator?/
"I learned it. Kelbrids are good at learning new languages. What about you? How do all the Andalites know English? Isn't it a human language?"
/As Andalites, we do not need to alter our thought-speak for others to understand us,/ said Ezurin. /I do have a translator implant though./
"Your kind are lucky," said Carra. "There are a lot of languages on my planet, so we had to agree on a Universal language. Everyone's still stubborn about giving up their own language though," he admitted. "And it's rude not to speak to a foreign Kelbrid in his own language, so we still have to learn them anyway," he sulked.
Ezurin's interest perked. /Oh! Really?/ She asked.
I smiled at seeing Carra take the reins. He'd never seemed that talkative before now. Maybe it was Ezurin's bashfulness?
Still, we were forgetting something.
"Um, about the tour?" I reminded.
/I almost forgot about it, sorry Lilah,/ she apologised, sounding genuinely remorseful, then turned to lead the way.
She led us down the corridors, explaining how the MeadowRunner was used for ferrying ambassadors and trade goods between Earth and the Andalite homeworld. We were lucky to have been picked up by the ship, considering it was already on its way back to Earth.
Ezurin had arrived at the Z-Space engines when I'd noticed something was afoot.
Carra was gone.
"Uh, Ezurin," I prompted her in the middle of an explanation.
She stopped. /What is wrong?/ She asked, still not seeing the problem.
"I think we lost Carra," I admitted guiltily.
/Oh… It appears that we have,/ she said, pausing in thought. /I will go find him. I know the ship well, it will not be difficult. Stay here./ She turned to leave the way we came.
"No, I'll go with you," I said. "He's my friend. And it'll be faster with two pairs of… uh, three pairs of eyes."
/Of course,/ she acquiesced. /But please let me lead. I can remember the route we took./
We then back-tracked down through the hallways that we'd come from, checking the rooms along the way just in case Carra had, for some reason, snuck into one of them.
"Not in this one," I said, sighing and closing the door to yet another storage room.
Ezurin looked at me with a troubled expression. /Lilah… Carralis can be trusted, can't he?/
I turned to her and nodded. "Of course he can. I mean, he was actually the one who tried making friends with me when we first met. He's a little quiet, but he's super nice. Why ask?"
/Ah, never mind. I do not know much about Kelbrids, and we simply have some… valuable cargo on this ship,/ she explained.
I shook my head, understanding what she was getting at. "I don't think he'd ever steal. He probably just got lost or distracted," I said, starting to feel more and more uncertain. Why had he split away from us? We hadn't taken any particularly confusing turns and he was more than capable of keeping up with us.
I carried onto the next room and went to open it. Strangely, it was unmarked. Normally there'd be some kind of Andalite script written on the door that supposedly indicated the type of goods inside, but this one was completely blank.
Undeterred, I took a peek inside. The room was completely empty apart from -
"What's that?" I said in awe.
Ezurin approached behind me and her eyes widened in confusion. /I… I have no idea,/ she said.
I warily entered the room, enraptured by how the thing could float like that. "It's awesome," I said as I inspected the perfect sphere. "Wow, it looks so clean too. It must be brand-new."
It was a floating, flawless white sphere.
/I wonder if…/ Ezurin trailed off and stared into the distance. She'd followed me into the room shortly afterwards to inspect the sphere with me.
"Lilah! Ezurin!" A familiar voice cried out as its owner poked his head into the room. "Oh, I'm glad I found you two," he said, voice filled with relief. "Something weird -"
"Look at this, Carra," I said to him and motioned towards the sphere.
Instantly, he fell silent. "How does it float like that?" he asked us.
"I don't know," I said as I approached it. A lot of things could levitate in this day and age, but they were normally powered by something. I didn't see anything powering the sphere. It sort of just floated there, as if it weren't really a part of this universe at all. Like a ghost.
I stepped closer to it and reached out. I touched it. I smiled.
"Hey, it's warm," I said.
/Should you really be touching that?/ Ezurin asked, worried. /Even I do not know what it is. It could be dangerous./
"I don't see anything bad happening," Carra observed. He approached closer and held out a hand as well to touch it himself. His protrusions shifted in a configuration I hadn't seen before.
"It feels kinda… relaxing to touch, doesn't it?" I said to him.
He nodded.
Ezurin was still stood off to the side. /I suppose… I should not want to be left out if it is so interesting to touch,/ she said and joined us. She reached out with an arm and lightly touched the sphere with us.
Her eyes creased and she pulled away. Then she touched the sphere again.
/Strange. I feel as if I am walking through the gardens outside my scoop when I touch this,/ she said.
"I… I feel like when I'm back home, hanging out in my friend's room. Watching movies, listening to music together." I sighed. I imagined what he'd be doing right now. Probably sat in his room, with the curtains drawn and messing around on his computer.
Carra's eyes widened in recognition. "It reminds me of home, too," he admitted finally.
At that moment, I wished that we were there. Not out in the vacuum of Z-Space on an Andalite spaceship, far away from anything we ever knew about.
/I think we should go./ Ezurin said, pulling away from the sphere. /We are not supposed to be here./
"Yeah," I agreed, letting go of the smooth surface. The feeling of homely warmth drifted off, lost.
Carra, though, hesitated. Eventually, he turned away from the sphere. "That thing is weird. I wonder what it is?"
"It reminds me of something. Like I should know what it is, but… I just can't remember." I said.
We left the room, discussing between ourselves what the sphere could be. Soon enough though, our conversation changed course, and the sphere left our minds as we'd left it. There were many more sights on the MeadowRunner, and Ezurin was keen to get through them all.