Chapter Eighteen

Zoe

“Not bad. Not bad at all.” Sarden surveyed me with apparent satisfaction—satisfaction I didn’t exactly share. The ‘disguise’ he had put me in was pretty much the exact opposite of the Majoran dress I had worn on Gallana. Instead of exposing my goodies, it covered everything and I do mean everything.

Don’t get me wrong—I wasn’t complaining about not being naked. Or mostly naked, anyway. But the bulky black clothes he’d had Al synthesize for me were heavy and hot. They consisted of a shapeless, long-sleeved shirt, thick trousers, and as if all that wasn’t enough—a cape.

I mean, really? A cape?

“I’m not wearing the cape,” I said, frowning at myself in the 3-D viewer thingy. “I’m not freaking Batman.”

“The cape probably isn’t necessary,” Sarden agreed.

I was pleasantly surprised that he was giving in so easily.

“Great! Then just give me a pair of dark glasses to hide my eyes and I’m ready to go.”

He frowned. “We need to hide your hair as well. It’s so red it really stands out.”

“Says the man who has red skin,” I pointed out.

“Which is normal for a Vorn, even if it’s not for an Eloim,” he said. “But your combination of pale, silky skin with such a profusion of red hair is unusual—and desirable.”

“Is that what this is about? Look at me in this get-up.” I spread my arms, indicating my bulky, be-caped figure. “Do I look desirable to you?”

Sarden’s golden eyes suddenly went half-lidded.

“Always, sweetheart,” he murmured. “I find you extremely desirable, which I think I’ve made clear in the past.”

“I didn’t mean…I mean, I wasn’t fishing for compliments,” I said, feeling my cheeks go hot at the way he was looking at me. “I just meant, I don’t think anyone is going to be lusting after me while I’m wearing a baggy sweatshirt and a freaking Batman cape. That’s all.”

“I know what you mean, but I disagree.” He frowned. “You really have no idea of your own beauty, do you?”

“I, um…” I didn’t know what to say about that. When you’ve been called “chubby” and “chunky” and been freckled and short and pretty much the exact opposite of what society says is beautiful, like I had all your life, it’s hard to get a sense of your own “beauty.”

“Luckily, I do,” Sarden continued evenly. “Which is why I had Al synthesize this.” He pulled something from behind his back and I stared at it in disbelief.

“No,” I said at last, when I could talk. “No way am I wearing that thing.”

Sarden arched an eyebrow at me.

“Then I guess you’re not coming with me.”

“What? But I did everything you asked. Look, just give me a scarf to wear over my hair or something. But not this—how will I even breathe in it?”

I gestured at what he was holding out to me—a mask. But not just any mask—this thing would cover my entire head. It looked a little like those caricature rubber masks that bank robbers use to protect their identity when they’re committing the crime of the century.

And wearing this thing would certainly be a crime. It wasn’t just ugly—it was hideous.

Green, pebbled skin that reminded me of an alligator’s hide, black, compound eyes like a fly, and pointy, Shrek-like ears stared back at me. The mouth was a small, blue wrinkled hole and the nose wasn’t even a nose—just two flat nostril slits.

“What is this even supposed to be?” I asked Sarden. “It’s awful.”

“It’s a Grubbian,” he said patiently. “They’re one of the few sentient species as small as you Earthlings. Also, they’re traders, known to frequent the outer ports. You’ll fit right in with this on.”

“I’ll smother with this on,” I protested.”

“It’s very comfortable— made out of a special smart-fabric. I ran a shipment of it for a rich merchant in the Acanthion system last cycle and kept a bolt back for myself. Thought it might come in handy.” He grinned at me. “It’s illegal in most systems, you know.”

“Great,” I grumbled. “So now you’re trying to make an intergalactic criminal out of me.”

“Oh, you’ll see plenty of criminals in the Giedi Prime port—but only if you wear this.”

He nodded at the mask and frowned at me. With a sinking feeling, I understood he wasn’t going to let up until I put the damn thing on. And he said I had a one track mind!

“All right—fine.” Gathering my hair into a loose, messy bun at the nape of my neck, I pulled the weird Grubbian mask over my head.

I had expected the closed in, claustrophobic sensation and the weird, plasticky smell of a Halloween mask. I was pleasantly surprised though—the mask was completely breathable so I didn’t get the feeling I was suffocating. I could tell something was over my face, but it was more like a thin piece of fabric or gauze—the same sensation I imagined I would feel if I was just wearing a veil draped over my head.

“Well?” Sarden asked.

“All right.” I sighed. “It’s not awful. But won’t it look weird, me not having any facial expressions. I mean, unless, uh, Grubbians just walk around stone-faced all day.”

“Oh, you have expressions, all right,” he remarked. “Every time your face moves, so does the mask. Even the tiniest twitch is relayed to the smart-fabric.”

“Smart-fabric, huh?” I murmured.

“See for yourself,” he gestured at the 3-D viewer again.

I looked at it, taking in my weird new appearance and wrinkled my nose.

The ugly green mask wrinkled its nose too—well, the nostril slits did, anyway.

“Hey!” I didn’t know whether to be horrified or delighted. I settled for a mixture—hor-lighted?—and made another face which the mask copied perfectly.

I winked my eyes—the big, black bug eyes of the mask winked back. I waggled my eyebrows and the brow-ridges of the mask did the same. I stuck out my tongue—the mask did too. Only the mask’s tongue was long and thin and blue. Amazing.

Sarden let loose a deep, rumbling laugh and I realized I was acting like a fool. But honestly, it was so cool—I couldn’t help myself.

“Okay,” I said, looking up at him. “This is pretty awesome. I mean, it’s ugly as sin but I like it anyway.”

He raised an eyebrow at me.

“So you’ll wear it with no more complaining?”

“No more complaining,” I promised. “This is going to be fun.”

“Zoe…” He put a hand on my shoulder and looked at me intently, suddenly completely serious. “All joking aside, the station on Giedi Prime is damn dangerous. There are going to be males there who would cut you to pieces and use you for bait for a xanthun hunt without a second thought. So be careful when we’re down there and never get too far from me. All right?”

His words made me feel like someone had dumped a bucket of ice cubes into the pit of my stomach.

“Okay,” I said, in a much more subdued voice. “I got it. I’m just there to gather information and I won’t get too far from you.”

“Good.” He nodded. “Now here’s what to listen for…”