PART 27:
Ezral knocked on Liana's bedroom door. When he didn't receive an answer, he knocked again, a little louder. "Liana," he called. Still no answer and he began to worry. He had noticed that during the past two days she hadn't been herself, she wasn't eating or sleeping. His daughter was usually up by now, ready to eat with him. He opened the door and found Liana sitting on her bed, her back to him.
"Liana," Ezral said walking over to her. He noticed that she was crying. "Liana, honey, what's wrong?" he asked sitting own on the bed next to her.
"Trip's going back to his ship," she said wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I'm sure he'll be back."
"No, he's not coming back."
"Why?"
"He has a lot of work to do."
"Liana," Ezral said, lifting her face. "Tell me the truth. What's going on?"
Liana looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I love him."
"And he doesn't feel the same way?"
"No," Liana said. "He told me he loved me too." She sighed. "But I had to tell him I didn't love him."
"I don't understand Liana."
"If I don't stay with my own kind," Liana explained. "Trip will get killed."
"Who told you, you had to stay with your own kind?"
"Drak, he was so angry. He hates Trip and he told me that he would hurt Trip if I didn't stay away."
"And so you told Commander Tucker, you didn't love him?"
"I hurt him so bad father," Liana said with tears running down her face.
"What do you want, Liana?" Ezral asked.
"I want to go to Trip and tell him how much I love him."
"Then go tell him."
"What about Drak? He told me if I said anything to you that I wouldn't like what happens."
"Don't you worry about Drak," Ezral assured her. "I'll take care of him."
"But Trip's already left."
"No, I saw him just a little while ago. He was headed to the drill site."
Liana stood and kissed her father. "Thank you."
Ezral watched her run out the door.
End of Part 27