The Lost Artifact Of Spode

28

Mel forced his attention on his surroundings, trying together mind off of his thoughts. The Proximians he walked by were starting at him again. Being the only alien here, it wasn't unusual for them to stare at him. But with being with the Imperial and dragged through the halls, he felt the attention was stronger than ever on him. No matter where he looked, a pair of nosy eyes met his gaze.

So he looked towards the only place he knew he wouldn't find any eyes. Above him, to the glass dome.

The sky is oddly clear today. He can actually see the sky beyond the clouds for once. And in that sky, a small, red rock stared back at him.

At first, his heart sunk into his stomach and his steps faltered. With how large the rock is in the sky, Mel immedietly assumed it was falling right into this planet. However, it's not growing in size nor moving across the sky. It’s just planted in the sky.

"Keep moving," the guard suddenly orders, pulling Mel back to their current pace.

"Sorry," he mumbles, but his attention falls back to the planet. There's something so... familiar about that rock. But he couldn't figure out what. "What planet is that?"

The guard looks down at Mel, then follows his gaze up through the glass and to the planet. To his surprise, the guard actually answers Mel, "Uzuri Nyeku."

His eyes fell at the answer. He doesn't know why he was expecting an answer that meant anything to him.

"Oh?" Imperial Xia suddenly speaks, her attention on the planet above them as well. "Well, wouldn't you know. That's the planet we found you on!"

"Is it?" He asks. No wonder it felt so familiar. It's where he nearly lost his life afterall. Twice. All over a dumb dream...

Mel stared at the red rock once more, losing himself in her hue. He's surprised he was able to recognise it at all, however. Before now, the planet looked a completely different colour to him. Something he could compare to Earth.

Surely, Earth can't look like that, right?

"What were you doing there anyway?" She prompts.

He mindlessly lies to her, "A new energy source for our ships."

As soon as Mel realised what he said, he mentally slaps himself. He froze in his spot, getting the guard to run into him.

"Watch it!"

Imperial Xia spins around, her interest aroused. "Oh?"

"Wait-!" He stutters. "I didn't mean-"

"What's so special about this energy source?" She quizzes, stepping closer to Mel.

"I don't know why I said that," he admits, "There's nothing there. I was lying!" Why did he lie?! He couldn't have thought of a worse lie to give than the one he gave Mr. Adaway to let him come here to begin with.

He didn't even need to lie his way out of this. He just lied to lie!

However, his reaction had Imperial Xia even more convinced he slipped out a truth rather than a mindless lie. "C'mon, you already said it. Now tell me what's so special about it."

"No, I swear!" But he already knew the truth wouldn't work here. She seems too far convinced with herself. He needs to keep the lie going with more lies.

He and his big mouth...

The Imperial leans down to Mel's level and wordlessly waits for his answer, a large menacing smile streched across her lips.

He carefully mumbles out, "More energy."

"More what now?" She pushes. She tauntingly holds her hand up to hear ear. "I can't hear you, you need to speak up!"