Tarik watched Zhandia and a blonde girl walk through the lunch line. They were talking as if they were old friends, as they headed to the table with the Royals.
'So, she managed to befriend one of them…' he thought, 'but the others are still wary.' Aware of the shortening time on earth had Tarik thinking of ways to push the mission forward. They didn't have the time it would take to gain their trust and help. He knew Zhandia wouldn't approve of his methods, but it was worth her wrath.
Tarik glanced around the group, trying to decide who would be perfect for his plan. None of the aliens, because they could defend themselves. The blonde! She was perfect. Not only did she accept Zhandia, but she was the mate to the Second-in-Command. He was a hothead, Tarik remembered, and he doubted that anything changed with this "Michael".
With a small smirk, Tarik left the hiding spot in the bushes and went to put his plan in motion.
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"I would like to thank you all for allowing me to sit with you. It is daunting to be in a strange place and be considered different." Zhandia spoke up over the uncomfortable silence. She felt their vibes as clearly as if they were spoken aloud. She knew that they didn't want her there. It saddened her, because she remembered a time when the four of them were inseparable.
"No problem. We know what it was like to be new…. Or some of us, since I've lived here all of my life." Maria knew she was babbling, but she was nervous. She was aware of the anger emanating from the aliens, especially Michael. She'd deal with it later.
"So, where did you say you were from?" Liz spoke up, looking at her from across the table.
"X'nthar. It is a very small place. Not many people are left since the war began." Zhandia's voice was tinged with grief and helplessness.
"It mus be pretty small, because I've never heard of a place that in Geography class. You'd think that a place that was at war would make the news." Max gave Zhandia a pointed look, suspicious of her every move and word.
Zhandia felt anger brewing beneath the surface, but she refused to let them see it. How dare he question her! She was the only one keeping their planet from being obliterated, while he went on, oblivious to the problems his home planet was facing. Just because he was reborn as a hybrid, didn't even matter to her. She was tired of their mistrust and questions, as well as the demands put upon her as the Queen and only ruler of X'nthar.
"You do not know anything about me. You do not know what I have gone through, what I have had to give up for the cause. While you are living free and happy, people are dying. My people! You may cast me as evil, as a liar… You may distrust me all you want, but I am not what you think I am. I would look to your past, and those that you considered friends. You should have learned that your own judgements are wrong. That people were not as they seemed to you."
Before any of them could respond to her outburst, the bell rang, ending their lunch. She stood up and grabbed her tray and walked away. She felt a moment's despair that she failed her mission, but she straightened her spine. She wouldn't give up saving her planet until the very breathe in her body was gone.