Binary Star

Chapter Two: Encounter

"Oh, you mean Snowy?" Jinnai asked. "She's just a cat, a stray that hangs out around here. I don't care for animals, but the girls like to feed her and pet her sometimes. She wouldn't hurt a fly." So that was the beast I had faced off against back then. I found his lax attitude about it stunning. Clearly, the humans' massive size had given them an equally large advantage against the planet's deadly native creatures. I scoffed. "Well, I beg to differ. Your Snowy attacked me and nearly mauled me to death. I would have been eaten alive if I wasn't armed. But that's beside the point. Obviously there are many things I do not understand about this place, which leads me to my next point."

"As a Scout, it is my duty to collect information about Earth's enviroment, weather, climate, native animals, customs, and culture, so we may one day coexist in peace. Like I said before, I don't know why the council chose you as my partner, but that is not the important part. What really matters now is that the two of us become aquainted and get to know each other better, so I can begin my work as quickly as possible."

Jinnai seemed to hang on my every word. After an awkward moment of silence, he asked, "Hey...can I pick you up? Like, can I hold you?" My cheeks grew red. I didn't expect him to say something like that. My initial anger quickly simmered down to a fearful nervousness. Trying to contain my blush, I pressed my arms against my chest and replied, "Y-yes...I suppose you can. Just...please be gentle, will you?" He smiled. "Of course I will." He reached his hands down to me. I tensed up as his fingers caged around my back, and I was scooped up into his palms. I fell on my rear end and gripped onto his fingers. I took slow, steady breaths, trying to remain calm. I could feel myself being gradually lifted up into the air. I glanced down to the floor and shuddered at the sheer drop down below.

When Jinnai stood up to his full height, he drew me closer to his face. I gulped. I was so close to him, I could see my reflection in his dark gold eyes and hear the swish of his eyelashes every time he blinked. He intently studied me, poking and prodding at my body. "You're so soft...and warm," he remarked, seeming transfixed by my appearance. "I never thought you'd be like this. You seem...just like a person."

I felt the heat of his breath with each word he spoke. I squeezed my knees against my chest, nearly curling up into a fetal position at this point. I was aware that I was instinctively making myself as small as possible, but I couldn't help it. My heart pounded against my ribs, and I was sure puddles of sweat were pooling up in the bottom of my boots. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I didn't know what to say. I had been struck speechless. Jinnai noticed my fear, because he pulled away and said, "I'm not gonna eat you, you know."

"Th-that's nice to hear," I stammered. "Why are you so afraid?" Jinnai asked. "I won't hurt you, I swear. Also, I'm sorry I yelled and threw that book at you. It must've scared you pretty bad. It's not every day that a tiny girl shows up in my dorm room. I mean, I can't even talk to normal-sized girls, and now I have to deal with a really small one..."

"I don't know," I muttered. "It's just that I've never met a human in person before, and...it's a little scary, that's all." I glanced around the room. "C-can you put me down somewhere, please? I need to sort out my equipment." Jinnai acted as if he had snapped free of a trance. "Oh, yeah. How about over here?" He placed me down on a windowsill and released me from his grasp.

"Go ahead, do your...alien stuff or whatever."

I removed my pack and plugged my wire into it. The metal lid slid open, allowing me to dig through my equipment, weapons, and personal possessions from the S.S. Lillium. I pulled out my frilly white nightgown, kicked off my boots, and started stripping down my uniform. "Whoa, what are you doing!?" Jinnai snapped. I jumped at his sudden shout. "Wh-what's wrong?" He stared in disbelief. "Are you just going to strip in front of me?" I didn't see what he was so worked up over. "I am changing my clothes. Do you have a problem with that? You are another species, so it doesn't make me feel embarrassed."

The human rolled his eyes and collapsed onto the bed. "You know what, just forget it. Where are you going to sleep anyway? I doubt you'd want me to just toss you in my sock drawer." I slipped on my nightgown and produced a blanket from my pack, casting it over the windowsill like a fishing net. "I will sleep here. It's not the most comfortable, but it'll have to make do for tonight.

Now if you don't mind, I'd like to sleep. Getting all the way here was exhausting."

"Fine," Jinnai mumbled. "Just...don't do anything weird to me in my sleep, alright?"

"Of course," I answered. "I wouldn't study you without your consent first. Plus, trying to do such a thing while you're unconscious would be dangerous for me. I'll see you in the morning, Kobayashi." He didn't answer me. I don't think he really knew how to act around me. Then again, I wasn't quite sure how to act around him, either.

I laid down on the blanket and rolled over on my side. It still felt hard and cold. I would have to do something about sleeping arrangements later on. I looked toward the window, watching the night pass by. It was my first night on Earth, and I felt overwhelmed. So many obstacles stood in my way. I had so much to learn about this place. Even with Jinnai sleeping right below me, it was lonely.

I wasn't used to this kind of quietness. At the same time, it made me wonder about Berenice. Where was she? What was she doing right now? Was she okay? Our whole lives, we had never been apart for so long. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt we would be apart forever. Whatever the case, I couldn't dwell on it. After all, I had an important day ahead of me...