Once the door closes behind me, we’re standing in what looks to be a hallway or waiting room. In front of us there is a wall of glass. Koba walks up to a panel and inputs a code into a digital keypad that appears once he presses his fingers to the wall. The others stand behind him. After a few beeps and clicks, a section of the wall opens and I follow the other three through the opening.

This area of the space station is busy with more members of the Force diligently working at their stations. Large computer consoles occupy most of the room, with digital images flashing across huge screens on the walls. There’s a large table in the center of the room where three Gaian officers, that look to be about Koba’s size, stand around analyzing some sort of image being reflected on the table. I watch as one of them uses his hand to swipe an image away while a new one appears. It reminds me of working with an iPad or a huge touch screen back on Earth. It’s clear from this room that these aliens are sophisticated and advanced with their forms of technology.

“Marilyn,” Koba says, pulling my attention back to him. “I’m going to take you to see one of our medical personnel. He will check you over to make sure you’re okay.” The way he’s standing at attention with his arms held behind his back makes him look very official. Once again, I feel a slight flutter in my chest when I look at him. These guys are certainly professional when it comes to their jobs. The way he has been doting on me and asking about my well-being since he rescued me from the alien ship is almost charming. And I never would have expected an alien that looks this tough to have a charming side.

“Okay,” I say, trying to push these strange new feelings away. I suppose it’s normal to form an attachment with your rescuer. In fact, I’m sure I’ve read articles about it over the years. It’s hard not to develop feelings for someone who saves you from a terrifying situation. Just from piecing together a few things that Koba has told me, my fate would have been ending up as a slave to the highest bidder in this galaxy. I don’t even want to think about what type of life that would be like.

“This way,” he says, motioning toward a hallway. He turns and walks through the hustle and bustle of what I imagine is one of the command centers of the station. I watch the screens as I follow Koba and there are digital images of various sections of space flashing on the wall. The alien working at the computer console types things on keys that are lit up with a glowing green background. His fingers are flying so quickly I don’t know how he has any control over what buttons he’s pushing. Somehow the images continue to change in front of him, zooming in closer to a specific section of the planet.

“Everyone seems really focused in there,” I say to Koba once we’ve left that part of the space station behind us.

“Yes, it is the central command center of Lunis Station. Members of the Force work on various projects, from locating wanted criminals in the galaxy to tracking enemy spacecraft so we can intercept ships and confiscate their shipments.”

“Will they be the ones that will help me get home again?”

“Yes. I plan on having a team get started on finding Earth right away.”

“Thank you. Do you think it will take long?” I don’t want to sound impatient or ungrateful for everything he has done for me, but I’m anxious to return home.

“I honestly can’t say. We will work diligently until we figure everything out, you have my word.”

“Thank you, Koba.” I needed to have that conversation and get my worries out in the open. As long as I know they’re helping me get back home, I’m going to try to relax and settle in here. “It just blows my mind that there’s this whole world out here.” I wave my arms in the air, motioning to the walls around us, but also pointing outside of the window at the space beyond. “I have the opportunity to see with my own eyes a world that is so much bigger than I ever imagined.” Koba is quiet and I look over to see him looking at me inquisitively. “Sorry, that probably sounds stupid.”

“No, of course not. I’m actually amazed that you have such a positive outlook on this situation. It must be such a shock to be taken from your home.”

“Well, don’t get me wrong, being kidnapped by those creepy green monsters was a nightmare. I wouldn’t want to do that again. But now, thanks to you, I’m starting to feel safe again. I know that you’ll find a way to get me home.”

He’s still walking with his hands behind his back and I can’t help but wonder if it’s because of how I touched him before. I hope I didn’t offend him by being so bold and curious.

“You should feel safe. No one can get to you while you’re in this place.”

“It certainly looks secure,” I say as we continue to walk down the hallway. “I noticed you have a lot of technological capabilities. All of the men in that room, were they looking at actual photographs of space or were they just schematics?”

Koba makes a small sound in his chest that sounds very similar to a chuckle. “You are very inquisitive.”

“Sorry. Like I said, it’s all just so new to me.”

“Many of the images come from our satellites. Other images we collect when we’re out on missions. If we confiscate a smuggler’s ship or their shipment, we take images of all of it.”

“It helps you keep track of everything?” I ask.

“Yes. And it helps us to identify patterns so we can make connections between sellers and buyers.”

“That makes sense. Put an end to the purchasing and the smugglers go out of business.”

“Exactly,” he says, smiling down at me. “I’d love to hear more about Earth when we have a chance to talk more. Perhaps after you’ve had an opportunity to rest for a while.” Then, as if he can read my mind, he adds, “Don’t worry, by the time our medic is finished and you’ve had a chance to clean up, you’ll be more than ready to sleep.”

We’ve reached the end of the hallway now and Koba holds out his arm, motioning for me to enter one of the rooms to our left. I walk through it and stop just inside the doorway. I was finally starting to feel calm but as soon as I see the medical rooms, I can feel my heart start to pound in my chest. There’s a soft dew of sweat that breaks out along my forehead and my breathing becomes shallow. This room isn’t exactly like the one on the Atronox ship, but it’s too similar for comfort. The strange medical equipment and cold slab of metal in the middle of the room start to give me flashbacks from before.

I step backwards but have nowhere to go when I feel Koba’s solid wall of muscle behind me. There’s a doctor sitting at a work station who stands up and begins to walk towards me. He doesn’t look like Koba’s kind, and he doesn’t look like the Atronox either. I’m trying to take deep breaths, telling myself that he’s here to help me. I don’t want to have another episode like I did when I realized that Koba had no idea what Earth was. But the thought of lying on that table is something I can’t handle right now.

I whirl around, hoping to step around Koba and out into the hallway. But he catches me in his arms and holds me to him. “I can’t…” I begin to say.

“Marilyn, this is Doctor Trevvula. He works as the main doctor on the space station. He’s here to help you.”

“This room, I can’t…” I say again.

Koba looks past me to Doctor Trevvula, clearly unsure what to do with me now. I make a futile attempt to free myself from his arms so I can leave the room. Maybe I’ll be able to calm myself down if I can get this image out of my mind. My hands are holding onto Koba as I stare straight into his chest. I’m focusing on my breathing, in and out, in and out, when I feel a quick pinch at the back of my neck. My heart starts to calm and my breathing slows down as well. A peaceful feeling moves through my body all the way to the tips of my fingers. My limbs relax completely until I’m no longer holding myself up. Once again, I collapse into Koba’s arms and let the darkness take me.