Jace Strickland POV

  After the banquet, I had needed air. Needed a moment away from the weight of what I had just learned. I found myself walking through the settlement, my mind spinning as I took in everything with fresh eyes. The people I had thought were simply ambassadors were rulers, and the world I was trying to understand was even more complex than I had realized.

  The Eova moved through their settlement with ease, their conversations flowing in that strange mix of spoken words and unspoken understanding. I watched as a group of Luxsor wove glowing strands of energy between their fingers, shaping what looked like intricate patterns of light in the air. Nearby, a Borzork absorbed heat from a nearby fire, his skin briefly pulsing with a molten glow before dimming again. Everything around me felt surreal, yet undeniably real.

  I wandered further, the sound of the waves drawing me toward the shore. The sand was cool beneath my feet as I stepped onto the beach, the sky stretching endlessly above me, stars gleaming in the darkness. And then I saw her.

  At first, I thought she was just another figure lying on the sand, staring up at the sky. But as I got closer, the familiar shimmer of violet hair caught the starlight, and I knew. Thriexa.

  She lay there, arms folded beneath her head, gazing at the sky with an expression I couldn’t quite place. Not sadness, not longing—something deeper, something quieter. I hesitated for a moment before stepping closer.

  “You don’t look like a queen,” I said, lowering myself onto the sand beside her.

  She didn’t turn her head, but I saw the corner of her lips quirk upward. “That’s because I am not one.”

  “Could’ve fooled me,” I muttered, stretching out beside her. The stars above us felt almost endless from this perspective, like we were floating in the void of space itself. “You had the entire room hanging on your every word. And from what I’ve seen, your people don’t just respect you—they trust you. That’s more power than most leaders ever really have.”

  She exhaled slowly, her gaze never leaving the sky. “It is not power I seek, Jace. It is responsibility. And responsibility can be heavier than power ever will be.”

  I turned my head to look at her, taking in the quiet way she said it. There was no arrogance in her words, no desire to prove anything. Just truth.

  “That’s a lot for one person to carry,” I said.

  She nodded. “It is. But I do not carry it alone. My mother leads alongside me, guiding me as I prepare to take her place one day. And I have my friends—those who stand beside me, who share in the burdens and the triumphs. I am never truly alone.”

  Something in her voice made me want to say something reassuring, something to ease whatever weight she had been carrying before I even stepped onto this island. But the words didn’t come, so instead, I just lay there beside her, letting the silence settle between us.

  The breeze rolled over us, cool and salty, carrying with it the distant sounds of the waves breaking on the shore. I let my fingers brush against the sand, grounding myself in something tangible, something real.

  “You’re different from the leaders I’ve met before,” I admitted.

  She finally turned her head to face me, her violet eyes searching mine. “And you are different from the interrogators I have met before.”

  I swallowed, feeling the weight of her words settle deep in my chest. She wasn’t just talking about the other agents. She wasn’t just talking about Hail or Henry. She was talking about something bigger. And I didn’t know what to do with that.

  So I just nodded. “I guess we’ll figure out what that means together.”

  A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, and for a moment, just a moment, the distance between us didn’t feel so vast.

  She shifted slightly, her gaze drifting back to the stars. “They look so different from here.”

  I followed her gaze, studying the sky above us. “What do you mean?”

  “When traveling through space, the stars do not look like this,” she said softly. “They do not twinkle or shift. They are constant, unblinking. Beautiful, but cold. Here, they feel alive.”

  I frowned, turning onto my side to face her more fully. “You’ve seen them from so many places, haven’t you?”

  She nodded. “I have seen them from four worlds. But Earth’s sky is unique. I have never seen stars quite like these.”

  There was something wistful in her voice, something that made me realize just how much she had lost along the way. How many homes she had left behind.

  I let the silence stretch between us again before speaking. “Tell me about them. The stars. The places you’ve seen.”

  She looked at me for a long moment, as if debating whether to share something so personal. Then, slowly, she began to speak. And as she did, I listened, drawn into a world far beyond my own, into stories of planets I would never visit, skies I would never see. But in that moment, lying beside her on the sand beneath the vast expanse of the stars, it didn’t feel so distant at all.

  Thriexa Aizih POV

  The morning after the banquet, the air on the island was different—charged with the weight of what came next. The celebration was over. Now, it was time for decisions.

  Hail was the first to speak at breakfast, his expression serious, but there was something else in his tone—disappointment. “Before we talk about next steps, I need to say something. You both hid your identities from us. You let us believe you were just ambassadors, but in reality, you’re the ones in charge. That’s a pretty big thing to keep from us.”

  My mother, seated calmly across from him, met his gaze without hesitation. “It was not done to deceive, Commander Hail. It was done to protect. There are worlds where revealing our leadership too soon has led to fear, to violence. We have learned that it is safer to wait, to understand those we meet before we reveal the full truth. It was never meant as a slight to you.”

  Hail exhaled sharply, his frustration evident. “No, I don’t think you do get it. We’re supposed to be building trust here, and trust doesn’t work if one side is holding back crucial information. You let us believe you were just ambassadors, when in reality, you’re the ones making the decisions. That’s not a small thing to omit. How are we supposed to work together if we don’t even know who we’re working with?”

  I could feel his anger pressing against me like a wave crashing onto the shore—raw, unfiltered, and far stronger than I had anticipated. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. Human emotions were always more intense than those of other species, but Hail’s frustration burned with an intensity that caught me off guard. It wasn’t just professional disappointment—it was personal. He felt betrayed.

  I hadn’t expected that. I had seen wariness, suspicion, even fear in others before, but this? This was something different. Reaching deeper, I allowed my ability to settle over him, reading past the frustration that crackled in the air like a storm on the horizon. Beneath his anger, I sensed something more—a core of determination, of duty. His frustration wasn’t born from arrogance, but from his belief that honesty was the foundation of trust. He had built his life around that principle, and for him, our secrecy had been a betrayal of that trust.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  It was a sharp realization, one that made me see just how differently humans perceived honesty. For the Eova, trust was built over time, carefully, through observation and experience. But for Hail, trust had to be given freely to be genuine. I wondered how many other misunderstandings like this we would have to navigate in the days ahead.

  I could see the tension tightening in his posture, his hands clenched at his sides. Before my mother could respond, Jace spoke up. “I don’t like it either, but I understand why they did it. If they had told us from the beginning, would we have treated them the same? Or would we have seen them as a bigger threat?”

  Hail turned his glare on Jace, but he held his gaze. “We’re here to figure this out, not let our egos get in the way. They had their reasons, just like we have ours. The important thing now is what we do next.”

  In my mind, I heard my mother’s voice, calm and certain. You chose well, Agent Strickland trusts you and will be an excellent ally to our people.

  A quiet warmth settled over me at her words, but it was mixed with a deep sense of responsibility. I had made a choice, one that would shape the future of our people on this planet. My mother’s approval meant everything, but it also reminded me of the weight I carried.

  I exhaled slowly, my gaze flickering toward Jace. He had spoken up for me, defended our decision, even when it had cost him in the eyes of his own people. I had known I could trust him, but hearing my mother confirm it sent a strange sense of reassurance through me. I had chosen well. Now, I had to ensure that choice was the right one.

  My mother nodded, her expression unreadable. “Now, let us move forward. There is much to do.”

  Hail sighed, his tone still firm. “I need to head back to the FBI command post. I want to request a meeting with the President personally. If this is going to move forward, we need to handle it the right way.”

  My mother, ever composed, nodded in agreement. “I will accompany you. Our message must be received with clarity, and it is important that your leaders understand we come in peace.”

  Hail hesitated, clearly not used to negotiating with alien diplomats, but then he nodded. “Alright. I can get clearance for you to be there.”

  My mother inclined her head. “I will bring a Topzell to ensure accurate translation and a Zetill to help me remain in contact with my people and Thriexa. Communication, both spoken and unspoken, will be vital.”

  Jace and Henry exchanged a glance. This was happening fast. But maybe that was the only way it could happen.

  “Henry and I will stay here,” Jace said, glancing at me. I had been watching the conversation with quiet focus, but my mind was already turning ahead, preparing for the next step. “We’ll continue learning what we can, and we’ll help prepare for the meeting with your country’s leader.

  I nodded. “That would be wise. When my mother returns, there will be much to discuss. But until then, we must ensure that we are prepared. The first meeting will determine the future of our people on this planet. We cannot afford missteps.”

  Hail sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Then let’s get moving. The sooner we get back, the sooner we can arrange this meeting.”

  My mother stood gracefully, her presence as commanding as ever. “Then let us begin.”

  After my mother and her communicators departed with Hail, Vorak Sculki’s voice resonated in my mind, steady and efficient. We have much to do today.

  I know, I responded, already shifting my focus to the tasks ahead. I have Aizih duties to attend to, and I am scheduled to train with Tocci.

  Good. I will be researching human traditions that may prove useful in our meeting with the President of the United States, Vorak Sculki said. Understanding their customs could be crucial in ensuring our message is received well.

  I agreed, knowing how much first impressions mattered. That is wise. And what of Jace and Henry?

  Sculki hesitated for only a moment. They remain on the island. Perhaps they could be useful in helping us accomplish our tasks today. If we are to understand humanity, working alongside them could be beneficial.

  I considered this. Jace had already proven insightful, and Henry was methodical in his approach. Their perspectives could be valuable. Then let us see what they can do.

  A moment later, I sensed movement nearby. I turned to see Jace and Henry approaching, their expressions shifting between curiosity and uncertainty. They came to a stop in front of us, and I saw the way Henry’s brow furrowed as he observed Vorak Sculki and me standing in focused silence.

  “Are you two… talking?” Henry asked, his tone cautious. “Like, telepathically?”

  I gave a small nod. “Yes. We were discussing the tasks for the day. But do not worry—we will speak aloud in your presence.”

  Henry seemed to consider that for a moment before nodding in understanding, though I could tell he was still adjusting to our way of communication. Jace, however, simply smirked. “Good to know you’re not secretly talking about us.”

  Vorak Sculki stepped forward, her posture poised. “Henry, you will come with me. There is much research to be done before we meet your world leaders. Your knowledge of human customs will be useful in ensuring a productive conversation.”

  Henry inclined his head. “Makes sense.”

  I turned to Jace. “You will stay with me. There is much to prepare before my mother returns.”

  Jace Strickland POV

  As we walked back toward the main building of the settlement—the home of the Aizihs, her home—I couldn’t help but glance around again, trying to piece everything together. The morning light cast long shadows across the pathways, illuminating the structures that had risen from the ground as if they had always belonged there. The seamless way the Eova had built this place unsettled me in a way I couldn’t quite put into words.

  “How were you able to build all of this so quickly?” I finally asked, my voice edged with curiosity and something else—skepticism. “The settlement looks fully established, but you’ve only been here for a few weeks.”

  Thriexa met my gaze with that same composed expression she always wore when she knew something I didn’t. “We actually had more time than you believe. Your people only became aware of us when we allowed it. The Luxsor among us created heat mirages to distort satellite imaging and aerial scans. We masked our presence while we built what we needed.”

  I stopped walking, my brows drawing together. “So you settle in a new place, build enough structures to make a home—so that by the time anyone notices, refusing you becomes much harder?”

  She turned to face me fully, sensing the frustration creeping into my voice. “Jace, we always settle in uninhabited areas. We do not take what belongs to others. And if the leaders of a planet do not want us, we leave. It has happened before.”

  I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. “Still, from our perspective, it looks like you’re putting governments in a position where saying no comes with consequences. That’s not an easy thing for us to accept.”

  She held my gaze, steady and patient. “I understand. But our intentions have never been to manipulate. We choose worlds carefully. We come only where we see potential—not just for us, but for those who live there. We bring technology, knowledge, medicine. We help improve lives, not take them over. Our goal is not conquest—it is survival. We do not force ourselves where we are not wanted.”

  I wanted to believe her. And part of me did believe her. But part of me also understood the weight of what she was saying. The Eova didn’t need to invade—just their presence alone could shift the balance of power on any planet they settled. And Earth? We weren’t exactly known for handling power shifts well.

  I let out a slow breath, shaking my head. “I hope, in time, you’ll see why that’s hard for us to accept too. We don’t handle uncertainty well. And you—your people—you’re the biggest unknown we’ve ever faced.”

  She nodded slightly, as if she had already expected that answer. “Perhaps. But unknowns are simply truths waiting to be understood. I hope, in time, you will see that for yourself.”

  When we reached the Aizihs’ home, Thriexa paused at the entrance before turning to me. “I have a training session this morning,” she said. “You’re welcome to join me, or if you’d rather, you can explore the island and meet more of my people. Trenal can escort you, or you may go on your own.”

  I frowned slightly. “What kind of training session?”

  Thriexa’s expression remained calm as she explained. “In every form I take, I must learn to defend myself. It is necessary to understand the limits of this body, to train in its strengths and recognize its weaknesses. Control is essential.”

  Her wording threw me off. “Every form?” I echoed, trying to make sense of what she meant. “You talk like you haven’t always been in this one.”

  She gave a small, knowing smile but didn’t elaborate. “Will you join me?”

  I found myself staring at her, my mind caught on her words. Every form I take. It wasn’t that I hadn’t realized the Eova were adaptable—I had seen their seamless integration into this environment, how they built their settlements to grow rather than consume. But this was something else. Something deeper.

  I had spent days with her, looking into those violet eyes, memorizing the way she moved, the way she carried herself. And yet, this wasn’t her true form. Not really.

  The thought sent an unfamiliar feeling twisting in my gut. What did she really look like? Was her true form anything like this? Would I even recognize her if I saw it? And why did the idea of her being something completely different bother me?

  I shook the thoughts away and forced a smirk. “Yeah, I think I will. Might as well see what kind of training an Aizih goes through.”