Empyrean Iris Story Collection

Clover Chains

They slept on the shuttle that night, Vir curled up in the corner with waffles, and Sunny lying on her back staring out the window at the vast expanse of stars. It had been a nicer view of space on her planet, but Earth was just so remote and the stars were distant. There was only one moon, and no closely neighboring planets. The Drev home world was, in fact, the moon of a much larger planet, so the night sky was practically ablaze at night. Earth sat in an inky black void, so alone.

Humans, so alone. She looked over at Vir who lay curled up on his side asleep arm draped over the dog. She had caused him a lot of trouble, she hadn't understood just how much trouble, and instead of being with his human family, he had chosen to stay in the shuttle with her as what? A show of solidarity to the alien that tore of his leg?

The thought made her a little sick. And then his family had been made at HIM for keeping her. That confused her. Of course the old grey human and the young dark hair human were nice enough to at least meet her, but she could still see their apprehension.

And then there was Vir himself, was he still afraid of her? He had almost said as much, and that thought confused her, and hurt her more than it should. He seemed to act so normal most of the time.

She didn't sleep at all that night, instead watching as the stars spun in the sky.

The sky faded to a soft yellow, than pink, and then blue before Vir awoke, stretching himself out beside his dog. The dog yawned, and its ears came back arching its back a little.

He looked up at Sunny giving her the bright sort of smile he was known for. You wouldn't have thought yesterday was a terrible one by looking at his expression. Wouldn't have known his PTSD had struck with a vengeance.

"What do you think Sunny, some breakfast?"

She tilted her head a little, "And where do we get that?"

"At the house of course." He responded. His voice was calm and nonchalant, but she thought she detected a flash of something in his remaining eye. His posture was stiff and cool. Sunny made no argument pushing the door to the shuttle open allowing a cool morning breeze to wash over them. He stopped sunny at the top of the ramp. Pulling out the pegs they had attached, and then left, on the back of her armor when attaching the machine gun.

He levered himself upwards resting his weight on the pegs before patting her back, "Come on Sunny, let's go." With a modicum of apprehension, Sunny charged into the trees with the dog running beside her and the human balancing at her back. She slowed as she came into the yard.

A strange alien scene, with an unusual structure, and a soft carpet of short trimmed grass. Flashes of moon white human faces in the window peering out at them with suspicion and distrust. Vir stayed right where he was leaning on Sunny's shoulder like he belonged there since the beginning of time.

The dog lay in the grass at Sunny's feet. Snuffling around in the dirt occasionally licking it's paw.

Krill was the first one to notice floating down from the porch to land on the grass.

"Are you feeling well, Captain?"

Captain Vir dropped down from her back, "Very good, thank you for asking. Are they having breakfast?"

"Yes, the other humans are feeding."

Vir rolled his eyes, "Why do you always have to make things sound so weird." The human wondered heading up the stairs and into the house closing the door behind him just a crack. As soon as he walked in Sunny heard voices raising slightly. There was wild gesticulating as the humans spoke with each other. Sunny looked away trying not to listen in on their arguing.