Star Side

Chapter 23

When I got out, however, he followed again, crooning and clicking.

"Whatchjetk," he rumbled.

I froze. "What?"

Levi poked his head out of his factory. "Did it just say a word?"

"Watch it?" I tried. "Waaat-ch jet ka?"

His big horned head jerked up. Its floppy wings perked up like a dogs ears.

"Whatchjetk mrrkk kk kktch Giller ick kkk."

"Aaaaand back to clicking," said Levi.

"No! There were words!"

"Goody, doesn't solve the problem that he didn't stay in the cell." Levi ducked out of his lab and pushed some buttons to bring the force field back, which once more attracted the attention of the alien. A few more buttons and I heard some fans turn on inside.

"What are you doing?"

"Sucking out the air," he said. "Yeast works best in anaerobic environments and the lack of air stops the alcohol from evaporating right away."

"Why would prison cells need that function?"

"They don't. I blocked the outtake vents of the life support circulation so it can only intake." Even as we watched, I saw the rubber stops of all the bottles pop up a bit, the only visible sign of lower air pressure.

The alien around me let out a growl, one so low I felt it more than heard. Something tickled in the back of my mind, like claws or needles.

"I don't think he likes that," I said.

Levi just shrugged. "You putting it in a cell or not?"

"Well...he won't stay...and it's not like he really fits..."

"Then we can just keep him in the whole brig."

I jumped a little. "Wha—that was an option?" And he let me work myself into a tizzy trying to get him into a cell? "You jerk! Why didn't you say so?"

He cracked his neck. "Tired."

"Like hell!"

"Well, it's not like he can hurt my booze with the force field up, so—"

"Yes, your precious booze. What about the door?"

"Reinforced. Duh. and it's not like it knows the pass code." He rolled his eyes at my surprised look. "Yes, you need a pass code to get both out and in."

"And you never thought this was the brig?"

Levi just looked at me, shook his head, and picked up his rifle from where he left it under the control panel for his moonshine cell.

"Come on. Let's make this quick." He cocked the gun at his hip and rolled his dark eyes round to the alien. "Git."

The alien jerked, as though Levi had shot a physical blow with just his look, and his growls grew louder. A wing came about to block off my sight of Levi.

I heard the rifle cock.

"Whoa whoa, no need to get crazy about this," I dared to reach out a hand to push away the bat-like wing. The membrane felt like hot velvet beneath my palm.

The alien's growls abruptly stopped. The smell of brimstone abruptly faded to something piney, like cheap Christmas tree candles.

I tried to convey 'stay' and the 'safe' waves he had emitted to me. The whole 'emission' thing I didn't really get, as there was no difference to me between thinking and 'emitting,' not that I'd ever know if such a thing existed. All I know is that, when I brought up feelings or certain intentions, the alien seemed to respond.

Sure enough, it crooned again, soft as air.

"Racka," I thought I heard amidst more clicks. "Raggik k k tch." A chirrup, another croon. The wing came back around me.

I pushed away again, which just made him start purring. Loudly. The Christmas candle scent got stronger, along with the musk.

"Stop," said Levi. "It gets weird when you touch it."

"Stop making everything sound perverted, we're different species," I had to push the wing away again. "Stay!"

Shouting seemed to be the key, as the alien finally backed off, eyes darkened with widening pupils.

"Hurry up," snapped Levi.

I sprinted to the door. The alien made two large steps to go after me, raising one of his eerie human-like hands as though to catch me.

But then the double doors were zipped closed. The locks hissed in place.

I stared at the door for a long second while Levi lowered his gun, waiting for a bang of a fist on the other side or something. But nothing came.

"Well, that went smoother than I thought."

"Speak for yourself." Levi shook himself hard. "Creepy bastard."

I couldn't say I related.