Waiting Shapeless

Chapter 29. Orbiting Gnumus

Tyler: Human

"You'll stay in this room." Said the large Pardos, gesturing to a small room that broke off from the main storage area.

Tyler looked inside.

Other than a soiled mat that lay in the corner and the small mirror on the far wall, the room was barren. The metallic floor was only mildly filthy. Rather, it looked used. The room was probably where the Pardos usually slept.

She walked into the room hesitantly and dropped her small bag of belongings onto a cleaner part of the floor.

She was officially his collateral. She felt a lot more nervous now that she was separated from her teammates. But she had the gun for defense and could easily signal back to Byralnus through her suit if anything happened.

Tyler turned to look at him. "I don't even know what your name is." She faltered.

Her captor hesitated awkwardly for a moment, turning his head slightly. He had refused to look at her since they first met on the dunes.

"Hudaryus." He said finally.

Hudaryus. She didn't know too many of the Pardos species. If this was a common name, she couldn't tell.

"I'll bring you food and... water." Said the Pardos.

Tyler tried to make eye contact with him again, but the green being quickly turned away and closed the door.

Tyler shook her head and turned towards the dirty mat, contemplating its sanitation before sighing and tentatively sitting down on it.

There was something up with the Pardos. He seemed to be conflicted with something.

What is it that he had said when he saw her?

The Pardos barged back in, causing Tyler to jump.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I..." He was carrying a container of what looked like something potentially edible and a cup full of clear water. "I should have knocked. I apologize." He awkwardly thrust the dishes into Tyler's hands while averting his eyes.

"Hey... what did you call me when we were on Gnumus?" Tyler asked, cautiously choosing her words. "Natalliea? Was that it? ...What is a Natalliea?"

The green Pardos flinched slightly, then his eyes seemed to lose focus and he subconsciously grabbed the metallic cylinder strapped to his bare chest.

"I... it was nothing. I didn't mean to say anything." He said awkwardly after the silence. The large Pardos looked tired.

Tyler looked down and shook her head. Talking with this being was more difficult than trying to hold a conversation with Heva. "Okay, fine. You can leave me. I'll take some privacy now."

The Pardos distantly turned and walked out of the room, pulling the door closed softly behind him.

Tyler sighed. She had never imagined that she would one day be held hostage by an awkward alien in his little ship.

She studied the container that the Pardos had given her as she settled into the dirty mat she was supposed to sleep on. At the bottom of the container there was a brown lump of steaming vegetation about the size of her fist. It looked like something from the Otacke Universe, but she wasn't completely sure. She picked at it with her fingers, tearing off a small chunk of crumbly skin and wearily placing it into her mouth.

Tyler quickly spat it back out into the container, the heat from the piece burning her tongue. She marveled at the brown thing. Somehow it wasn't hot to the touch on the outside, only the inside.