Nyla was exhausted. The past several hours with Karla had drained Nyla of anything resembling a normal level of energy. But she also discovered why Karla had been so excited. Shopping was indeed fun, but she didn’t know how Karla still had energy. In the top left of the display shimmering in the air in front of the two women a number had slowly been building upward. It had long left the numbers that Nyla had names for behind. 

Karla glanced over at Nyla. “I think we can call it there. Why don’t we go get some food and just relax until Cal comes back?” She asked with a smile.

“That sounds good.” Nyla said and stood from the chair, and following Karla from the building out onto the street. As they walked, Nyla spotted something that made her eyes go wide. “A tiny human!” she exclaimed under her breath. 

“A baby, yes.” Karla said and continued walking. “Humanity as a whole keeps its families, specifically the children and the elderly, protected.” She gestured to the shimmering portals that seemed to be materializing and destroying people as they walked in and out. “We have a pocket dimension layered inside of pocket dimensions and black holes. Access to it is limited to the direct family of the inhabitants only.” 

Nyla thought for a moment. “Why would you tell me this? Isn't the location of your loved ones something that you should guard with more care than that?” 

Karla smiled. “Tell me Nyla would you care to face my uncle in combat, even with a hundred of the finest warriors of your people?” 

Nyla recalled everything that had been said about Cal, and the aura of danger that she had sensed from him a couple times, and shook her head. “Even if it was hand-to-hand combat only and not dealing with the vast technology difference between humanity and my people. I think Cal would decimate any force we could send at him.” 

“Good, not many other races have a sense for combat.” Karla said approvingly. “As to why I tell you about the location of our family, firstly the security is top notch. And secondly is that if somehow, Cal were to fall in battle. humanity is not helpless.” She gestured into a window they were passing.

Nyla looked and saw that inside there were people of various ages, and they were all practicing with something that looked incredibly similar to her people’s Kat’Nash blades. As she watched she realized that those who were leading the class were teaching where to slice in order to land a killing blow. Nyla’s eyes widened. “Do all humans do this training?” 

“Admittedly, no, they do not.” Karla said. “But the thing about humanity is that we have an attitude problem. If someone comes and hurts us, even the most peaceful of humans is capable of great violence. The big difference between, for example, those masters there,” she gestured at the two men leading the class in the dojo, “And Cal is three things. First, he is intent. Those men learn and teach their skills for cultural reasons as well as self-defense. Cal learned to fight with the sole intent of killing. Second is the breadth of training. While those men are masters and almost certainly know more about their specific style of fighting than Cal does, Cal was taught the most effective and lethal methods of every style of combat that we still have a record of. And last is motivation. Cal is incredibly unique in that he feels it is his duty to ensure that humanity survives and that no other ever has to do his job. While most humans can be motivated to fight in desperate times, Cal is able to summon up the will to fight for almost anything.” 

Nyla walked in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant Karla had chosen, processing what Karla had just told her. As she sat down and the menu popped into existence in front of her, Nyla heard Artie's voice in her head. She was starting to get used to it, but it still startled her. 

“Nyla?” Artie said, his tone inquisitive.

“Yes, Artie?” Nyla responded mentally.

“I just wanted to let you know that I will alter the menu to have symbols. Anything with a green triangle is something that you can eat.” 

“Thank you Artie.”  Nyla said.

“No problem!” Artie exclaimed before silencing himself. Before Nyla’s very eyes, the menu shifted and a couple of items disappeared entirely from the menu, with a good number of the remaining dishes gaining a small green triangle next to them.

After a short discussion about food, Nyla and Karla ordered, and they continued talking about various things before settling on the topic of Nyla’s people. Karla would ask a question, and Nyla would answer. The story of how Nyla had met Cal also came up, and when she got to the part where she had offered herself to Cal, Karla barked out a short but harsh laugh.

“Oh, honey,” Karla said in a reassuring tone, “don’t take the rejection personally. You look too similar to human children. On top of that, Uncle Cal is weird when it comes to interactions with women outside our family. I have on a couple of occasions, seen women make not-so-subtle passes at him, and he shuts them down completely.” 

“I really look like a child to you all?” Nyla said, looking down at her body. She had always believed that she had an exceptionally womanly figure. 

“It’s your height. Don’t you worry. You are fine in every other department, but your height just makes us think that you are a child.” Karla smiled at Nyla. “Besides, I am sure you have men back home falling over themselves to be with you.” 

Nyla stiffened, and her tone grew icy. She stared straight ahead and briefly told Karla of her history with her people. How she had been captured and used in the hopes of breeding more with her abilities. 

Karla said nothing. The deep familiar bass of Cal’s voice spoke softly from behind her. “I didn’t know all that. Sorry I ever suggested you go back. If you want, we can let the Jix have them, I will even give them directions.” 

The notes of his voice, while pleasing, sent a cold chill though her spine as Nyla looked up into Cal’s eyes. She knew at that moment, if she said to,he would do exactly as he had said. Nyla opened her mouth to object and her voice caught in her thought, the part of her that relived the torment every time she closed her eyes, fighting to be let out and scream “YES” to watch her people burn. 

The only sound that escaped Nyla’s throat was a slight gasp and then Karla spoke up, interrupting Nyla’s thoughts. “Cal! Don’t scare us like that! You nearly made her choke on her words!” 

Nyla was thankful for the distraction, and she quickly drank some water to drown the murderous thoughts in her mind. Cal nodded. “Well, forgive me then. Though I dare say from the amount that I saw you spent, I am entitled to a bit of goodwill?” 

Karla shrugged and took an exaggerated sip from her glass of water. Cal took the seat next to Nyla and placed an order for several dishes. As they waited for the food to arrive, Nyla and Karla asked Cal what he had been up to. 

“I just got done checking in with my…handler? My Boss? The old guy that deals with everything that I demand from the council.” Cal said.

“Well, mom says that Mr. Gren is a kind person.” Karla said.

“Oh, he is!” Cal said with a reassuring tone, “He just also happens to be the king of bad news. Nyla, we should head out as soon as we are done. We will be having a guest join us.” 

They ate their meal at a relaxed pace, and when they were finished, Karla promised to come and see Nyla on her world. Cal led them back toward the council building. 

“Who are we going to get, Cal?” Nyla asked, sensing that Cal was not happy with something. 

“Someone who should either be dead or forbidden from setting foot on this planet.” Cal said absent-mindedly. 

Nyla decided it was best to leave him be and asked Archie instead. “Archie, who is it that we are getting.” 

Instead of Archie’s voice, a strangely mechanical voice spoke. “Access denied. User EX-009173 does not have clearance.” 

Nyla was unsure of what that meant, so she decided that her best option was to simply follow. When they finally arrived at the council chambers, Cal led them directly to his sister’s office. Shoving the door open and walking in heedless of the shouts to stop by two strange beings and another human. 

“Ah, Cal, you are here.” Tannya said, her tone as emotionally neutral as any Nyla had ever heard. 

The contrast between the neutral emotion and the anger in Cal’s voice when he spoke shocked Nyla, but she listened intently. “Yes, I am here. Where is the little shit?”

The two strange beings who had been outside were walking in with weapons drawn and leveled at Cal when another voice spoke up. “Heshna, Valpin, I suggest that you drop your weapons and return to your post before Cal here decides that you can no longer be ignored.”

The two beings looked at the speaker, who was somehow behind Nyla, and then nodded and left. Closing the doors behind them. The speaker who had dismissed them stepped forward and bowed slightly to Cal. 

“Good evening, Bearer of Sin, I am Pinetil.” The feminine speaker said. 

Cal grunted. “What the fuck do you want?” 

Nyla overheard little of the discussion. She was in awe of the woman, Pinetil. While Nyla stood at only half the height of Cal’s impressive 6’2” of height, Pinetel seemed to be an intermediary. At 5’5” in height, Pinetil was the most beautiful creature that Nyla had ever seen.

Pinetil had long, flowing hair that seemed to float around her, it frowned from her scalp, nearly to her knees. Her skin was as pale as the first snow on Nyla’s homeworld. Her hair and skin seemed to radiate a golden light. And, to top it off, Nyla felt somewhat jealous of her figure as she seemed to have an amalgamation of feminine aspects from both races. Her body seemed to curve in all the right ways. 

Nyla looked at Cal and wondered why he was so hostile to this woman. “Excuse me,” Nyla said, and Pinetil turned to face her, “I just wanted to say that you are beautiful.” 

Pinetil smiled ruthlessly and then dismissively turned back to Cal. “And that is why we are right, if you would only see…” she fell silent rapidly.

Nyla looked at Cal, and had to stop herself from fleeing. The look on his face was unlike anything she had ever seen, it looked as if the fires of damnation burned in his eyes and he seemed tense, as if he longed for nothing more than to strike. 

Cal spoke, his voice a cold blade that felt as if it did its own kind of damage. Every word made all three women shiver as he spoke. “Nyla, allow me to introduce our guest. This is Pinetil Axshram, prime representative of the Jix and newly appointed ambassador. She will be joining us on your world.”

The room seemed frozen and Nyla wanted to run.