Not Quite Terran Part 2 (Scifi Alien Romance Serial) by Erin Tate Page A

them all. She could no longer walk down the pathways or take a meal at Albe’s without being accosted.
    And Varr wasn’t on the station to refute and deny the rumors. With Karru’s departure, Varr disappeared.
    They’d both left her holding the bag. Though, what should she expect? She had been used and now that she’d served the purpose, what use was she to them?
    None. Absolutely none.
    “My lodgings are off-limits to all.” She clutched his data pad, leaned back, and pressed it against his disgusting face. “Please, depart.”
    She got another chuckle in response.
    He straightened and grasped the device. “Varr has been gone for twelve wentics. You will need a male soon enough. Duggis will be this males.”
    She wanted to correct his grammar and say “these males” but she valued her life. Ignoring him, she gestured for the next in line. But before the fifth of the Duggises approached, she was shut down. The blast barriers that surrounded a station at the end of shift or as the result of attack slammed up and blocked her from access. Then a metallic voice echoed around the chamber. “Officer Varda, report to Stationmaster Poxu immediately.”
    Panic took up residence in her heart, sending it racing and pumping rapidly through her veins. Adrenaline flooded her body, her fight or flight response attacking her and she battled the desire to bolt. Poxu wanted to see her.
    Their last conversation began with “explain” and ended with “investigation.”
    Was the investigation at an end?
    Part of her hoped so, hoped his inquiries and exploration of the event twelve wentics ago was at an end and she would be cleared. Grumbles and snarls came from the other side of the barrier, but it was no longer her problem. She immediately spun toward the hatch behind her seat and waited for it to open. The moment it slid apart, she stepped onto the stairs and descended into the crew tunnels. She was quick to get to the stationmaster’s office and the Bushrak behind the desk waved her along. The woman was so timid and sweet, Rebecca wasn’t sure how she managed to work for the volatile Poxu.
    She passed through the doorway and immediately stepped to her right and went to attention, waiting to be noticed by the stationmaster. He continued with his conversation on the comm, the languages he used flowing from one to another until she counted six he was using in regular rotation. Predictable and easily recognizable, though she did have difficulty translating them due to the varying grammar and syntax for each one.
    One thing she did recognize was that he believed—the caller believed—there was more to Varr’s visit to Rebecca’s quarters. The first stirrings of uncontrollable panic struck her and she struggled to remain in place when everything inside her demanded she run.
    “ … Karru… Knara… Palia… ”
    Palia. Karru.
    So even Poxu believed.
    The stationmaster turned toward her, his eyes alighting on her frame, and he was quick to silence the call. “Officer Varda, come forward.” She did as ordered, approaching his desk and immediately returned to attention. “So formal,” he tsk’ed. “Smart. Very smart.” He shuffled through the various data pads crowding his desk, searching until he found the one he needed. “This investigation is an interesting puzzle.” He frowned and stared at the device. “I have just been informed the Luvendari thrown over the stair railing has awakened.”
    She gulped but remained silent and he continued. “He states the two of you were in the corridor, but,” Poxu paused and stared at her, his gaze searching, “neither of you tossed him over the railing. I asked you once to explain, but I am unsure of your story. Who else was with you, Officer Varda?”
    To lie without lying.
    “I saw only Varr and the Luvendari at the time of the incident.” She did not mention she did see someone less than two tics immediately following the Luvendari’s “departure.”
    He hummed. “And