"Did you get clawed by one of those scabbers?" Ajax asked while taking out clean bandages and ointment.

    "Yes, and I'm lucky I made it out alive," Sylvie replied quietly. She shifted awkwardly and then proceeded to ask, "I've been meaning to ask, why did you-" She jumped when Ajax placed the bandage soaked in disinfecting ointment over the cuts. "Sweet cheese that stings!"

    "What do you expect it to feel like?" Ajax chuckled.

    "You could have at least given me a warning!"

    Shekira Jinx and KiKi heard Sylvie's outburst and laughed.

    "Those two are just like brother and sister," KiKi giggled.

    "Really? I see it more as a start of a great relationship," Shekira told her.

    "Maybe the relationship will change, but for right now, those two are like siblings."

    "I hate to interrupt whatever you two are talking about but are we headed back home or to a different planet?" Jinx asked.

    "Let's head to Rood, that would be a safer place for the humans than any other planet in the alliance," Shekira informed him.

    Jinx punched in the numbers then the ship zoomed into hyperspace. During the flight, KiKi and Shekira were completely absorbed in a strategic, holographic board game while Sylvie watched with interest. The boys were tuning the ship's engine and sometimes the sound of the tool box falling on top of the boy's heads could be heard and a loud 'ow' would follow afterwards. When the ship signaled that they had reached their destination, the whole party ran up to see the beautiful reddish orange moon.

    "Wow, you live there?" Sylvie breathed.

    "Yes, it is home," Shekira sighed. "It is good to be back."

    "Glad to have you back sister," Jinx turned and smiled at her. "You two KiKi."

    "Thanks Jinx," KiKi told him, staring happily at the sight of home.

    They were greeted by a group of aliens, all the same species with the head tails. The men had tattooed head tails and the women wore ribbons and headdresses on theirs. In fact, Jinx's head tails were also tattooed, which Sylvie never noticed until now. Several older couples, Sylvie guessed were the leaders, stepped forward when they exited the ship. One of the woman ran forward and embraced Shekira and Jinx.

    "Oh thank the ancestors you two are alright, I was beginning to worry since Jinx never told us why he left." She stepped back and glared at Jinx with more relief than anger.

    "Sorry Mother," Jinx rubbed the back of his neck.

    "It's more my fault really, I'm the one who dropped my guard and allowed myself to get sold into slavery. But I was actually on a mission as well. I was looking for KiKi, who I heard had been brought to a slave camp," Shekira explained, gesturing to KiKi.

    "It is sadly not uncommon for our species to be used as slaves; I do not blame you. Who are these two?" she asked, looking curiously at Ajax and Sylvie. "You did not bring umaros here did you?" she added quietly.

    "No, this is Ajax, the human I befriended four Earth years ago," Jinx introduced.

    "So this is the Ajax we've heard so much about," she slightly bowed at him.

    Ajax bowed back.

    "And the girl is Sylvie, a human I met back at the slave camp. I dare say she suffered more than many other slaves have during her time there," Shekira gestured for Sylvie to walk forward.

    "I am Jara Fa, the chief's wife of the tribe, and this is the chief, Siron Fa." A tall man stepped forward and stood next to his wife.

    "It is pleasure to meet you both. Now, let us celebrate, for the ancestors had safely brought us back General Shekira and Strategist Jinx, my children," he announced.

    Sylvie was given a short, maroon dress which had one strap over the shoulder to wear to the feast. She let her hair hang freely down to her waist and combed it till it shone. Shekira met her outside Sylvie's guest room, wearing a loose, golden yellow top that was slightly revealing and similar pants. Gems dangled above her head tails from a silver headdress.

    Shekira led Sylvie to a bonfire that burned in the center of the village while long tables were set up on either side of it. Colorful foods of different varieties rested on the tables but no one was eating since the chief and the elders had not arrived yet. Sylvie decided to explore a little and she did not notice how much attention she was drawing while she was walking amongst the tribe of head tailed aliens until a child outbursts, "Mother, is that a human?!"

    The mother shushed the child and Sylvie could not help but giggle. Several little alien kids ran up to her, throwing questions at her like stones.

    "Is that hair on your head?" one asked.

    "Yes," Sylvie replied.

    "Why do you talk so weird?"

    "Because I'm from Earth and I live on a state called England."

    "Where's England?"

    "It's on Earth."

    "What's Earth like?"

    "Alright children, leave the poor girl alone," KiKi dismissed the crowd and hugged Sylvie. "My species style suits you well."

    "Thanks, you look nice too," Sylvie complimented. KiKi wore a short, strapless, green dress and a headdress that sparkled in the torchlight.

    "You are welcome, now come sit next to me," she took Sylvie by the hand and pulled her to a table where Ajax, Jinx, and Shekira sat, waiting for the cue to dig in. The men wore baggy pants with only a vest as a top. As soon as the chief blessed the meal, the celebration began. A band of interesting instruments and drums played upbeat music. Sylvie watched as performers danced around the bonfire, some dancing with fire and others with spears.

    By the looks of these people, they all appeared to be warriors or warriors in training. They were friendly people and were very excited to see a real life human. It was like she was some exotic animal, except they treated her like an intelligent being. Once the people finished eating, the music changed to music resembling folk dancing music. The village people began dancing some sort of line dance. Something pinched Sylvie and she whirled around to see KiKi, standing next to her, "Come on, let's dance."

    "Um, I'm not much of a dancer so I'll stay here," Sylvie told her.

    "I will teach you, come on!" she grabbed Sylvie's hand and yanked her toward the dancers.

    "Fine." Sylvie gave in and allowed KiKi to drag her to the dancefloor. After a good long time of stumbling around, Sylvie managed to figure out the basic footwork. When the dance was over, another played and KiKi and Sylvie decided to team up to convince Jinx and Ajax to dance. Jinx gave up easier than Ajax, but it helped that Jinx already knew how to dance. Shekira sat there watching them, drinking a beverage.

    A partner dance started playing and Sylvie was asked by several young men to dance. She managed to keep up, and the part she enjoyed the most were the aerial tricks that the men did. The first time they did it, Sylvie shrieked and nearly fell out of the man's arms. They made sure from then on to warn her next time they were to pull something like that again.

    Ajax did not want to be involved with slow dancing and took his place next to Shekira, who handed him a small glass of the beverage. KiKi and Jinx danced together and the thought occurred to Sylvie that they could make a cute couple, or wait, maybe they already were a couple? The person sitting on the other side of KiKi during the feast, was Jinx. The first person Jinx noticed was, KiKi. By the end of the celebration, Sylvie's feet ached and as soon as she lay down in nice, warm sheets, she fell fast asleep.