Fanbound #8

     Before they could get all the way to the beacon of light, they discovered a more interesting structure in front of them. It looked like a huge door, standing alone in the desert of stone and inlaid with simple designs of stone relief and glowing purple characters. When they got closer, they found that the designs inlaid in the stone were actually simple likenesses of the major alien races. Their attention was soon drawn from the enormous door by a smaller, warmer glow towards the base.
     A figure sat there, sitting in a chair and staring up at them. Its eyes glowed with starlike brilliance, and Kevin didn't want to disturb it, but Cobalt pushed past him.
     “Hello! Do you know where to find medical help? We have an injured Hylotl here, and we don't want him this way any longer than he needs to be.” Cobalt patted Nhu on the back.
The figure was silent for a time, then, as they approached, the glow faded from its eyes. The glow had been reflection from their glasses, and they sat in a generic hoverchair--good to read a nice book in on a rainy day.
     “Yes, I do believe I know where to find medical help. Follow me, and afterwards, I have a message to give you, Kevin.” said the figure in the chair. They got up on humanoid legs and stood in front of the trio. It was an elderly human female.
     “Oh! I recognize you! You're...Esther! Esther Bright!” Kevin snapped his fingers. Esther Bright had been the previous head of the Protectorate Academy. Now that he thought of it, he couldn't remember a time that he had seen Esther since he had been very young.
     “And Kevin! So good to see you! You've grown quite a bit, I see. I heard about Earth...tragic, indeed...” Esther's eyes gained a sorrowful tone.
     “Um, let's try to catch up on greetings later; after I'm not carrying a Hylotl and after he's okay.” Cobalt grumbled.
     “Who are you?” Esther asked. She turned and began walking towards the glow that could still be seen behind a stone pyramid.
     “My name's Cobalt. I'm a merchant on the planet Phyrraxis Epsilon-B-352.” Cobalt said.
     “Why are you here? Merchants there seldom want to get off planet...especially not with an injured partner.” Esther asked, still walking.
     Cobalt shifted Nhu to another spot on his shoulders, “Some sort of tentacle thing just came out of nowhere...Destroyed the marketplace and probably decimated civil defense.”
     Esther made no indication she had heard, and Cobalt was about to repeat it, but he was stopped when she suddenly broke into speech, “Ah...so, essentially the same thing that happened to Earth? Other planets in the area are reporting such incidents as well. The solar system is being evacuated until they can 'sort it out'. I assure you, this can't be stopped by conventional means. I'll tell you about that later, though.”
     Kevin and Cobalt were now both intrigued, but neither of them were so much that they would abandon their casualty. They hurried on, Kevin becoming more surprised with every feat of agility the now-elderly Esther performed. The ground wasn't perfectly flat, of course, and every now and then they had to avoid a stone jutting up out of the ground or a sudden drop. Fortunately, the gravity was very much lower than the planet they had been on, so even if they had fallen, it wouldn't have been much of a bump.
     Eventually, they saw a building in the distance, with several smaller structures outside. Near one, a...penguin...appeared to be welding something to a large machine. Kevin knew about the other more intelligent penguin race outside of Earth, but he had never imagined one working as a mechanic.
     Cobalt was completely blind to anything except for a drink and medical help. Cobalt stumbled in through the sturdy looking sliding door first and almost dropped Nhu when his foot hit the threshold.
     Esther stopped a female Avian with mild cream colored plumage and blue eyes by raising a hand and her voice. The avian quickly walked over, and her eyes immediately went to Nhu, still laying lifelessly on Cobalt's shoulders. Cobalt, who had been just staring at the ground, looked up in surprise as the weight was lifted from his shoulders. The avian held Nhu in her arms like one might cradle a child.
     “Oh! Hello...are you a medic?” Cobalt asked rather stupidly, he thought instantly after.
     “Of course! I wouldn't be the one taking an injured alien away if I weren't going to do something to help him!” the avian said, her eyes smiling. Cobalt was silent, but Kevin seemed to be preoccupied with Esther, who was talking. Cobalt decided to listen.
     “...now, let me take you to a series of sights that I think you'll find very interesting.” Esther finished just as Cobalt turned his attention to her.
     “Fine! Let's go, then.” Kevin said, looking excited.
     “Wait! First, can I get some chocolate? I saw an advertisement on the shop over there.” Cobalt asked. Kevin experienced some surprise at his surly companion's somewhat meek attitude around Esther. She did have quite a bit of an air of authority around her.