i'm so very fond of this chapter, ^^

GO TEAM USA! SOCCER FTW!

http:/ www. youtube .com/watch?v=VLdkN-ygeIA

Zales.

I'd never thought I'd say it. Those kinds of things are reserved for old people. But really…

The prices on bread these days are outrageous!

And that's way I'm punching dough right now on top of the kitchen countertop and making some whilst Josh is cutting coupons across from me. I realize that Mom and Dad probably left us alone on purpose so we could learn to fend for ourselves…

"Ugh…I need a break," I wiped my hands with a towel, "Hey, Josh, leave the bread to rise, I'll be right back!"

"I can't fathom where you're going, sister dearest…" he snipped at the coupons, "do tell so I won't be worried for you…FUCK!"

He cut himself.

I snickered, "Band-aid's in the bathroom, Shakespeare!"

"Shut your mouth!"

I opened the garage door. Surprisingly, I found Krone setting up some kind of flat projector thing on the floor, it was connected by three different wires to something inside his ships cockpit.

"Hey, what's up?"

He glanced at me, "I managed to send a message to the communications bureau and I received one this morning telling me to set up for visual contact."

"Your gonna talk to someone back at your planet?"

He nodded.

"That's awesome!"

Like something out of Star Trek , I walked up to him, "Need any help?"

"No, I'm set."

"Can I stay?"

He pondered on it a moment, "If you want to."

"Cool!" a real life intergalactic phone call, wow. "So who are you gonna talk to?"

"I honestly have no idea."

The projector thing shot a light, like an actual projector would, only this one didn't need a blank wall or something. The screen was in midair. Things were a bit fuzzy at first, I couldn't hear to well either, it must be bad connection. Sweet Jesus, how nerve-racking! Okay, okay, I see something! Just a little more…man it's like messing with the cables of a TV to try and make it clearer…come on come on!

I wonder if Krone's nervous? Nah, probably not. Oh! I see something! It's a someone! No, it's a Yautja! He's dressed sorta…wait a minute…do I…it's…it's….

"ZALES?"

The screen finally cleared.

"ZALES!" it's Zales! "Ohmigosh! It's Zales! Zales!" I shook Krone's arm, "Krone, it's Zales!" I looked back at the screen, "Hi, Zales!" I like Zales.

I heard the belly laugh I knew so well. I used to think when Zales laughed, babies were born.

"Sophie!" the Elder Yautja laughed again, "It's been so long!"

Like super long. To clarify: yes, Zales is the high Yautja Elder that use to visit when I was a kid. His name's not really Zales, it's Zalesladras, but like I can pronounce that…when I was six I just called him Zalesies. What? I was only six and I had a speech impediment!

"It's great to see you again, Zales!" I felt like floating.

"It's a pleasure to see you again to, Sophie," he leaned forward on his throne chair, his face came closer to the screen, "You've grown so much! It seems like only yesterday that you barely reached my knees!"

Seeing how tall Yautja are, barely is an understatement.

I giggled, "Yeah…"

Zales was always super nice to me, he use to slip me candy when my Mom told me I couldn't have it, I told him once that I liked pancakes so much that I wished I could have it every day. He proclaimed that once a week there'd be a Pancake Day, it's still in practice in his honor.(even now, we've kept our pancake mix rations in check. )

"I left something in the kitchen, so I gotta go," we were living on bread and water right now, "It was super great seeing you again, Zales, I missed you so much!"

"As have I, young one," he leaned back into his throne, "Now don't mind me, go do what you must, it was truly a pleasure to see you still so lively as you were last I left."

I smiled, "Bye!"

I ran to the kitchen, the bread was just about done rising. I set the oven and prepared to put the bread in, hopping as I did everything,

"What are you, the Easter Bunny?" Josh was leaning on the island, reading a magazine.

"Krone's talking to Zales!"

"Zales?" he stopped reading.

"Yeah!" in goes the bread, "Isn't it awesome?"

He frowned and picked up his magazine again, "I guess…"

"Josh! It's Zales!" didn't he hear me?

"Yeah, I heard you…!"

I set the oven timer and leaned right next to Josh, "Don't you wanna talk to him?"

"Why?"

I huffed. Josh was the kind of person who'd be more psyched if Jessica Alba where on the line…

"Fine then," I turned on my heel and walked off, "I'm going back."

"They're probably talking about important Yautja stuff," he said, "you're gonna interrupt them…"

True…damnit, Josh.

"Jerk…"

000

I fidgeted. Maybe they were done? It didn't want to seem intrusive…I should knock! No…I guess I could wait a while…but I wanna talk to Zales more! What are they talking about anyway? Stupid Josh…just cuz he doesn't like Zales…oh, look, twenty minutes already passed! Going in!

Krone was putting back the equipment.

Aw…no Zales…

"You all done?" I asked walking up to him.

He nodded.

"Need any help?"

"Get that cord over there…"

I carried the heaviest white cord all the way back to the cockpit, I should really stop helping Krone…

"There!" I let the cord drop, it made a huge bang. I might've broken something…

"Well, you didn't tell me to be careful…" I said before Krone had the time to scold me.

He only sighed.

"So…will you be able to talk to Zales a lot now?"

"I'm almost completely sure you broke the only form of communication, so, no."

I felt small. "Sorry…"

"Don't be, my ship still doesn't have enough power for constant contact anyway."

I put my hands on my hips, "Hey! You made me feel bad on purpose!"

He chuckled.

I stuck my tongue out at him, "Jerk!"

He sat down, I sat down next to him. "I didn't know the Elder was so fond of you…"

"Zales? Yeah, he's super cool!" I said, "He used to say, 'Sophie, if I ever get irritated at this planet and decide to take it over, you'd be the only ooman left free' and I was like, 'Along with my Mommy and Daddy too, right, Zalesies? Cuz you know I can't live without them!' and he'd be like 'Very well, they too will survive for your sake' and I'd be like 'yays!' and he'd start laughing!" ah, good times…

He chuckled, "Zalesies?"

I laughed behind my hand, "I was six! And I still can't pronounce his name!"

"I've never heard anyone address the Elder in the same manner you do…"

I shrugged, "Maybe I'm just special…"

He looked at me with his hazel covered eyes, "Indeed."

My face felt red, "Ah, c'mon, don't take me so seriously!" I scratched the back of my head, "I was just joking…"

"I wasn't."

I half smiled and I hugged my knees. No one said anything. I started thinking about what Zales said, about me still being lively. That was a lie and a half, I was just excited to see Zales again is all, I'm as lively as a middle aged ladies sewing circle. And special? Not a chance! I just knew Zales from when I was a kid, kids have that kind of intimacy with everyone. I wonder if Krone thought I was a kid? Would that be bad? I hugged my knees tighter.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" nothing I can figure out that is, "um…thanks…"

"For what?"

"For calling me special," I finally looked at him again, "No one's ever called me that…"

"It's the truth."

I play punched him in the arm, "Stop it! You're embarrassing me!"

He chuckled.

If when Zales laughs babies are born, when Krone chuckles the sun comes out on a cloudy day.

000

Zales is the grandpa I don't have =D

Funny thing about his name, I didn't know that there was a store name ZALES until after I wrote this…so I was like: well…that sucks. I named him after a store! XD I thought I had a really original name here and I'm at the mall later and I spot a store named ZALES! It was so embarrassing…

ANYWAY!

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