Chapter 1

1

“ H uh,” the foreman said. He snorted and glared at Karuk. A thick, round nose that looked wet dominated the foreman’s face.

Snot dripped from the tip.

Eyes that judged him. Thoughts that were equalling judging.

Karuk didn't like the way he was staring at him, or the stereotypical thoughts running through the foreman's head as he took in Karuk.

Karuk remained motionless, waiting to hear what the foreman decided. Was he here to stay, or was he back on the ship, off to another world and another job?

The foreman looked back at the data card, then back at him. He rested his meaty thumbprint on the seal.

Karuk didn’t exhale, but inside tensions released.

“Get fitted for your suits. You’ll be doing hull repairs.”

Karuk nodded.

Turned and walked away.

As he did, he could hear the foreman talk to another manager. “I’ll bet you a thousand credits the pretty boy won’t last a week.”

“I give him a month,” the other male said. “He won’t make any longer than that. Pretty boys don’t do labor jobs. Not with gold like that all over him.”

If they only knew, Karuk thought. Being known as a galactic ‘pretty boy’ because of his genetics didn’t actually mean he had grown up in a life of ease. The Dalgurians had a reputation of looks, but life didn’t always favor that. Many believed their appearance, with the gold flecks in the skin—marks of achievement in their culture—showed some kind of wealth.

Others considered them monsters of the worst kind because of their other abilities. The ones that let them know what those around them were thinking or feeling had made them a kind of monster among all humanoids.

No one liked their inner most thoughts revealed.

But what many didn't realize was that the Dalgurians didn't want to hear those thoughts and feel those emotions, either. It took years of practice and focus to block the noise. And some permanent hardware.

He reached up and brushed the golden piece that wrapped around his ear’s shell, adjusting the metal slightly.

Designed to add to appearances, he hated it.

Necessary, though, for the blocking of other emotions and thoughts. Many of his people wore them. The ornate details only added to the vain reputation his people had. Very few knew they actually helped control the overwhelm.

Karuk had to stay very aware of his surroundings now, so he welcomed anything to block out the noise, even if it annoyed him.

He had joined a manufacturing company, working to build whatever needed construction. He may have not started as a builder, but he learned quickly, and had worked in a few different places thus far.

This was his latest assignment. Some far-off unknown humanoid world, building a space station.

Limited humanoids to deal with. Once he got used to his team, he’d be settled. He rarely had to deal with many outside of his work team’s circle, and that was fine with him.

No locals he’d have to deal with, as far as he knew.

He wasn’t even sure where they were, just that it took a while to get here.

Some place called Earth, where the humanoids, similar to Terrans, were interested in mating with aliens.

Made him wonder what the world’s population was like if so many of their people will mate with aliens they’d never seen before.

What was the world like?

Did he care about that?

Not really.

It was only a place to hide.

To get away from his past.

At least, until they release him.

He wondered if they noticed he was gone yet.

Karuk released the helmet, and the air hissed, warmer than the air in the space suit’s reserve. The hum of the air pressurizer hit his ears, making a rumble. He ran his hand over one ear, adjusting his special ear clip. If he didn’t, he’d be able to hear all the thoughts of those around him, and even for those few seconds, he heard enough.

They were not happy with him.

Others on his team removed their own hull work suits.

Aggressively.

The three males and one female surrounded him.

The female, her hard ridges on her nose showing her Nevillian heritage, glared at him.

Point of fact, everyone glared at him.

The team was not fond of their newest member. He didn't need to read their minds to know that.

Karuk was not as tall as the two Xairians or the Paxian on the team, and they all regarded him as an annoying little addition to their group.

“What were you thinking, Pretty?” Resko, the Paxian, fired at him now that he was free of his gear.

“That was stupid,” Girrick added, a Xianan with his gray-purple skin.

Karuk was still pulling the gear off. He wasn’t as used to the zero-g suits as the others were, and couldn’t disrobe as fast as they did.

“You nearly sent me reeling!” Bardon, the other Xianans, with brighter purple skin than Girrick, yelled at Karuk, backing up Resko.

Karuk stood up straighter as he unbuckled his uniform. “You didn’t listen.”

“I listened! You don’t listen!” Bardon cried, shoving him back.

The wall of anger hit him just a second before Bardon did. Karuk slammed against the wall of the airlock, his feet still tangled in the suit, magnetized, so he couldn't move his feet for the moment.

Everything hummed with pain before Karuk righted himself. Jerked off the rest of his suit, and took a breath.

They were ready to fight.

He brought up his hands to engage.

Bardon came at him.

Karuk was ready this time, and dodged the attack, twisting out of the way, and Bardon fumbled forward, catching himself on the wall.

He spun, and Resko jumped to his side.

The two felt like a wall of hate coming right at him. He shifted his position, aware of the exit that was being blocked by the other members of the team. The chamber gave very little space for a full physical fight.

Regardless of the space restraints, Karuk wasn’t letting anyone slam him into another wall.

“You don’t belong?—”

“Hey!” Came a voice from the other side of the chamber.

It was the foreman. His thick features, including his distinctive round nose, dominated the doorway. And he did not look happy at the moment. Tusks that Karuk didn’t realize he had appeared.

“He started it!” Bardon yelled.

“I don’t care who started it. Get out here! Knock this fodder off!”

The team lined up and started marching out of the tunnel.

Each one shoulder-shoving him, because he wasn’t in the line with the rest.

Cher, the female, glared at him. Again. “You’re in the way.”

Karuk stepped back, giving her, and the rest more space, and waited until they filed out before he left.

The foreman gestured for him to move along.

Karuk followed.

Just as he got back into the main part of the station, the foreman put his hand on his shoulder. “They’re just testing you.”

Karuk nodded. “Doesn’t feel like a test.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Karuk glanced at him. “Why are you encouraging me?”

“We need the help here.”

He didn’t believe him. “Don’t.”

“What?” The foreman asked.

“No one trusts a Dalgurian, unless they want something.”

“What makes you think I want something?” the foreman asked before sniffing with his enormous nose.

“Everyone wants something.”