Blackout Part I

chapter 23

You have no idea how good it sounded and felt to have me feet back on the ground. Sure-I had crutches, but at least I could walk! I couldn’t help but smile to myself when I opened the door to the dark room I’d been in for weeks. I can tell ya-the bed did heaven for the back that’s been sleeping on a pile of material in the corner.

Nexxus had been really busy with Luda lately. I couldn’t help but go into a laughing fit when Nexxus had first told me about her. I mean c’mon-a race of men getting their first woman? (And an attractive one at that-Luda’s really pretty for a bald reptile) It was as funny as hell. I could see them squirming to get next to her. Males, they’re so predictable. Nexxus is actually pretty protective of Luda-scary protective.  It’s both cool because she’s something he cares about in a race that’s not supposed to care, and scary because there’s this aggressive look about him when she’s around.

Luda herself is really…interesting. She’s not like the other hybrids (and not for the obvious reasons). I’ve seen how the other hybrids act while I’m doing chores around the ship for Nexxus. Some of the hybrids even start trying to learn English from me. It’s kind of cool but then they get that whole over lord act about them a lot and then it’s just irritating. The other hybrids are joking around and laughing, they’re having heated discussions and games to test their strength against another’s. They have personalities. Luda kinda seems…dead. Her face doesn’t usually show emotion of any sort, her voice when she speaks is monotone, and she holds herself like a statue-perfect edict. The other hybrids kinda pick up human attributes, they slouch, they burp,  they try to out disgust the other, some smoke-things that make being human disgustingly funny (other than smoking-I guess they have yet to know that that kills you).

Luda doesn’t do any of that. So being that it’s my job to teach her English and any other language I may know-I have enough time in the day to try and give her that personality she’s missing, in a word; ‘corrupting’ her. It should be fun.

Captain Thrask has been really active lately. I could hear him come inside the lab and start ordering Nexxus around. He’s either excited or antsy. I hope Bradley’s giving him a hell of a time. I feel kinda guilty for not being able to get contact with him. Since I’ve been all banged up I haven’t gotten privet access to the radio. I don’t wanna seem like one of those people who if they don’t get the answers they want, they give up.

“Glad to see you’re up human” Nexxus smiled from across the room. I smiled back at him. His is the face I love most on this ship. Yeah-most Delrath’s look exactly the same to me. Nexxus even looks a lot like his brother. But his face, unlike many others on this ship, is friendly.

“Yeah, it feels good to be up” I agreed “Hey Luda, how are you today?” I smiled to the female. She had her usual expression-nothing. How could something that beautiful have almost no personality?

“I am fine” she mimicked poorly-yeah we’re gonna have to work on English a lot today. She stood there beside Nexxus with something like a clip board tucked into her arms. Her posture was that of a bored, erect and unwavering…that’s gonna be the first thing to go.

“Alana-I have a meeting to attend today, I’ll need you to watch Luda for me” Nexxus said, straitening some papers on his desk.

“Why not take yer new assistant with you?” I asked. Nexxus had told me about the fiasco with his brother and Quopar about Luda (yeah, he also told me who Quopar was-the bastard that took my neighbors and me from home). Only way to really protect her from those two and a secure a place for her on the ship was to give her the job of assistant-which she executed perfectly.

“I’d rather not. Maybe another time” He replied. I guess that meant both Quopar and the Captain were going to be there, meaning a hazard for Luda. So I’m stuck babysitting on my own today. Lovely.

“Alright, when you leaving?” I asked, sitting down

“Now” He smiled guiltily. Damn it, Nexxus always does this to me, telling me he does gonna be busy right before he leaves. I’m left without a plan and a useless unfeeling hybrid. He’s gonna have to pay when I’m fully healed.

“You’re a jerk” I mumbled and Nexxus came over and patted my head, smiling and apologizing. He grabbed his blood green robe from a hook, waved goodbye to us girls, and then left. He looked happy, what a fib. We both know he’s dreading this meeting and is probably gonna come home complaining. “So Luda…” I tried to fill the silence that he’d left behind “what’s on the agenda today?”

“engish” she tried. Eh…at least it was close.