41. CHAPTER 41

We looked like a band of medieval paupers, but looking out the window to see the massive station orbiting that big whitish ball was awe-inspiring. Ships lined the lengthy tubes like a bunch of yachts parked at a marina.

I was fixing my hair and the hospital gown, although I doubt it would make much of a difference. Let"s face it: we all looked like hell except for Connor, who remained in the simple blue shirt with the Outer Worlds logo printed on it, black pants, and simple black boots provided to all colonists. I wasn"t surprised he wasn"t wearing the suits given to all androids, an all-white jumpsuit to distinguish them from humans.

I think nothing Connor could do would shock me at this point. He was unshackled AI, and their limitations and capabilities were gonna be put to the test light-years from home. I could picture it now: humanity creating a statue of me for the sole purpose of spitting on because I created the new robot overlords. Yeah, I"m gonna stop thinking about that.

Lorvian was at the bridge talking to some pencil pusher who was putting us through the wringer about our ship, decontamination measures, and blah blah until we could finally bring our ship onto the planet"s surface. The yellowish glow of the lights guided us to the landing port, where at least hundreds of ships lined what I could only describe as a parking lot for spaceships.

A Valisian man waved a bright glow stick, directing the traffic flow and urging us to a spot while ushering others along. The lights traveled the massive structure ahead, bathing it in a golden glow.

I saw a few arches and sections with curves and slopes until they twisted in beautiful swirling designs. This was a palace, and it was overlooking a large, expansive city below. Now, this place is what I expected a group of long-standing space-traveling aliens to look like.

Women and men exited their crafts dressed in elegant gowns and outrageous suits, and if I was self-conscious before, now I was kicked in the gut by my shit-tier appearance.

Lorvian must have been feeling it, too, though he made no moves to show it. "I"ll make shopping arrangements for us all. I won"t go in there looking like some pauper."

"So, this is the palace?" I said, feeling ready to vomit. Did I mention before that my nerves were in my stomach? Well, in case I didn"t, this is a great time to tell you that my nerves are in my stomach. "What"s going on, some sort of ball?" I said as a joke.

"It seems like it," Lorvian confirmed my fears. "My father hates hanging out with the nobles. If they"re here, then it has to be for an event. And the place is all spruced up." He pointed outside, but aside from the glowing lights, I couldn"t see what he was pointing at. I forgot their eyesight was much better than mine.

"Is this ball tonight?" I asked, trying to calm down.

"No, this is the arrival. The guests arrive a day in advance, and tomorrow is the main event. Depending on the festivities, it"ll be a full day of the upper echelon mixing it up."

"Sir," Connor checked the screens. "Someone is hailing us."

"Just open the airlock and extend the stairs," he groaned.

"If you do not mind, I would prefer to remain here to monitor Cormac"s condition," Connor said.

"Fine," Lorvian looked from Connor to me, then back at him again. "I"ll look into getting him fitted for a metal limb. Take his measurements. I know a talented inventor capable of making damn near anything, and has helped a few of my crewmen in the past."

I was glad. Cormac was easy to hate, but I couldn"t deny the fact that he did do what was within reason for himself to help me, even if it carried other motives behind it. I didn"t feel right convicting him as guilty until I heard his side of things, and it seems like Lorvian was perhaps willing to do the same.

"And tell no one you are an AI," Lorvian said before exiting the ship.

Lorvian got on the comms and punched in some numbers until a soft-spoken male replied. "Have a vehicle brought to my ship ASAP. Large enough for four."

"The King is expecting you, sir."

"I"m late already. An hour or two won"t hurt any more than it has. I"d rather not get yelled at while looking like I should be out digging ditches."

"Yes, sir, of course."

"Are my siblings here? Regis perhaps?"

"Um…No sir."

I followed along with Zai and the boy Duero. So far, I haven"t had the chance to talk to the kid, as he seemed to run away from me whenever I stepped in his direction. But I guess it"s understandable. I didn"t feel right just tossing the kid somewhere, even when Lorvian mentioned a possible orphanage during one of our talks.

The city was like a golden dream. The white and silver car, or hovercar, glided smoothly through the white cobblestone streets, causing everyone to stop and stare. While the ride was nice and I enjoyed the luxury, I worried about being surrounded by an entire planet of Valisians.

"So, is everyone like you?" I asked Lorvian, who sat and stared out the window before turning his attention to me.

"I"m one of a kind. You should know that by now," he winked.

I looked away and blushed.

"If you"re worried about whether you"re on a planet of bloodthirsty killers, you can relax. Most of these people have only seen my armor in the vids." Lorvian played around on his wristband until a small screen popped up and he began typing something I couldn"t read.

"Ah, I see."

"We call this city White Grove. It"s one of the last standing. Our population is much lower elsewhere." He finished but didn"t look up from his screen.

Just as he spoke, I saw a group of young Travol children. No, they were leaner, and their faces were more Valisian despite their bluish skin color.

"Um, those children..."

"Those are Travol hybrids, and that Valisian woman is their caretaker."

"Oh yeah, this hegemony," I said. "I half expected marching soldiers down the street or something."

Lorvian laughed. "Unless it"s a parade, you won"t find that happening."

"So much has changed and yet so much is the same as I remembered," Zai said, looking out the window.

We parked in front of what I could only describe as a boutique and Lorvian finished whatever he was doing and exited the car.

The long red-haired woman opened the door and quickly ushered us inside.

"If anyone found out such vagabonds were shopping here, it would destroy my rep!" She placed her hands on her hips. "Hello, Lorvian. Nice to see you again."

"Thanks for opening up. I know you like to sleep in before a ball."

The woman looked over us all, and her dark eyes stopped at me. "Oh my!" She gasped. "I heard the rumors at the palace, but this..."

I felt self-conscious.

"Caspian, this is one of my sisters, Heime."

"Oh!" I laughed and held out my hand for her to shake, and she looked at it and me for a long moment before holding out her hand in the same way. I took it and shook it. "It"s how we greet new people where I"m from."

"Ah... okay. I hate touchy-feely aliens." She wiped her hands, and I wanted to slap her, but then again, considering how I must have looked and maybe even smelled, I guess I couldn"t blame her.

She directed us to the back of the store, informing us about the type of clothing that would be expected out of us from the morning up until the evening ball. Apparently, I needed at least four different outfits, one for tonight and three for tomorrow. I stood on the podium while she scanned my body with some sort of device, which she explained was to take my measurements, and she headed to the front of the store to "throw something together for tonight" with the promise she would deliver my other clothing in the morning.

This was already stressful. Lorvian and the others were picking out their own outfits, and the child Duero poked and prodded at the dresses until one worker shooed him away. It was perhaps the only childlike action I"ve seen out of him since I first saw him, but then again, what else could the kid do onboard a ship? Maybe I should stop being so creeped out by him and give him more of a chance. Maybe we can pick up some Valisian games or whatever these kids here like to play.

The woman returned with a black and gold tunic and pants cut and let out to fit my frame. "It"s perfect," I said, feeling comfortable and less like someone who escaped an insane asylum. They then told me to sit while another brushed my hair and braided it up into a style while they trimmed my nails. It was embarrassing how much dirt I let get under them, although I washed my hands.

Lorvian entered my little area dressed in a sharp black suit, his long hair draped over his cape. Zai was behind him, his black hair neatly combed but dressed in a black leather cloak and simple pants. And they dressed the boy in a small suit like Lorvian"s but without the cape attached.

"Wow," I breathed. "You look good!"

"And you look beautiful." Lorvian leaned in to kiss me, but a woman pushed him off.

"Don"t ruin the gentleman"s luster." Heime cackled at the rebuff by her workers.

Lorvian stood back and sighed. "Now I know why I never return home," he said, but with no malice.

"I"m sure you"ve dirtied him up plenty of times," Heime laughed. "Enough for two of those suckers to be growing in there." She pointed towards my belly.

"What?!" I exclaimed. "Two?"

"Oh yeah. I had them myself," she said proudly. "Your belly is already dropping." She came over and felt my lower stomach. "You should get yourself examined by one of our doctors." She stepped away, and her reddish brow furrowed.

"I"ll make arrangements for a doctor to see you tonight," Lorvian said before growing silent. The air seized and took on a cool chill.

"Lorvian, what"s wrong?" I asked, wanting to know—no more secrets for my so-called safety. I wanted to know now.

"I can only hear one heartbeat."