“Please, I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” Eyrn pleaded. Her bravado had given way to terror.

“The evidence is stacked against you kid.” Lemm maintained her thick, pungent tone, her eyes never leaving the smaller woman’s frame.

“I just want to go home…I’m sorry for whatever you think I did but…” Eyrn was trying to hold it together, but she was visibly trembling from the pressure.

“You look like you have a fairly good grasp of the situation from the look of it!” Lemm’s stern expression refused to budge. She felt no sympathy for the sniveling prisoner.

“Please just listen to me! I don’t know what the ‘Terran Conservation Act’ is! I don’t know what an ‘indigenous’ even means! Please just let me go okay? There has to be some mistake!” Eryn pleaded as she backed herself further into the wall, knocking over a tray of medical supplies over in the process. Her readied stance has broken apart, giving way to her panic.

Lemm felt a strong obligation to her crew and Captain. This insurgent had taken out two armed guards, injured the ship’s Captain, and was caught red handed with smuggled humans in the red zone. Eyrn’s innocence was no longer even a possibility in the commander’s eyes.

“I will repeat this only once more! You are under arrest…” Lemm began but was swiftly cut off.

“I am not a criminal!” Eyrn screamed.

“You were caught in violation of the Terran Conservation Act with Indigenous Human Beings in your possession!” Lemm shouted back.

“Listen if it’s about why I left the compound, Darren was with me they said it was okay I didn’t AWOL I swear!” Eyrn took quick shallow breaths, tears had begun to fall down her pale cheeks as her emotional devastation began to take its toll.

“Commander something isn’t right….” Captain Bass spoke up, his voice low and muddled as he attempted to shake off the intense blow he had taken to the head. A blow that caused far more damage than it rightfully should have.

“Sir, those implants make her a risk to ship security, she is likely disoriented from the gravitational distortion! I suggest we have Dr. Geen place her under anesthetic until we can transport her to Titan Station for proper detainment!” Lemm looked quickly to the Captain, concerned for his well-being, taking her eyes momentarily off Eyrn.

“You’re not taking me anywhere! I didn’t do anything! I don’t even want to be here! Just leave me alone! I want Darren! Where is Darren?” Eyrn shouted, Lemm’s condemning speech stirred anger from within Eyrn and forced her into action.

Taking advantage of Lemm’s momentary distraction, Eyrn rushed forward charging at the Amazonian woman, with fire in her eyes.

“Just leave me alone!” Eyrn screamed, stopping about a foot before Lemm, pivoting on her left foot, she lifted her right leg up as high as she could delivering a side kick to Lemm’s stomach.

Commander Lemm took the full force of the kick and stumbled back a fair distance. She maintained an upright posture, her eyes going wide at the force and severity of the impact!

“That’s enough…” Aerty spoke up, attempting to assert himself despite the throbbing pain his head, and the blood trickling down his face from his nose.

“You little slag!” Lemm cursed and rushed forward, swinging at Eyrn with incredible force.

Eyrn ducked and maneuvered around Commander Lemm, avoiding the blow. The force of the larger woman’s assault was absorbed by the infirmary walls and left enough of an impact tremor to give off the distinct impression that Commander Lemm was not holding back.

“Grrr!” Lemm growled as she swiftly turned on her heel, swinging her leg up to kick the smaller woman aside the head.

Eyrn swiftly pivoted back, avoiding the kick, which was followed up by a series of fast jabbing punches. Eyrn dodged and ducked and swiftly danced around the fast punches, catching the last on in her side, sending her stumbling forward.

“Aahhhch!” Eyrn winced at the full force of the blow and screamed out in pain. She caught herself off the medical examination table and quickly moved it in between her and the raging hulk.

Lemm took hold of the large solid examination table and attempted to shove it aside, when a thunderous voice broke in.

“Commander Tam! Stand down!” Captain Bass bellowed, as he forced himself upright and took a confident step forward.

Commander Lemm turned briskly eyeing Captain Bass defiantly. “Captain I highly suggest…”

Captain Bass swatted Dr. Geen away as he took a few more steps forward, snorting heavily to fend off the blood flow from his nose.

“I said stand down!” Captain Bass ran his hand under his nose, eyeing the crimson red on his finger before looking towards Eyrn.

Eyrn backed away from the encroaching captain anxiously. Her wounded prey behavior taking over after the man’s confident and jarring shout.

“What’s your name?” Aertimus’ voice was a fair bit lower but held on to its thunder in a commanding form.

“E…eyrn…” Eyrn responded clamoring and trembling visibly.

“Do you have a birth name Eyrn?” Aerty asked next.

“Just Eyrn…they never gave me one…” Eyrn looked down, gathering the gall to speak back, her eyes shot up and she stammered out quickly. “How did this happen…how did I get so small?” she half begged, yearning for some answers.

Captain Bass narrowed his eyes, and sent Commander Lemm a curious look. Lemm was standing alert as Dr. Geen was assisting the downed officers.

“I assume you were born that way?” Aerti suggested, mildly baffled.

“No! I am many things sir bit short is not one of them!” She shook her head, as if that might make everything look right. “This doesn’t make sense!” The stress in Eyrn’s voice was evident from her high pitched quick tone.

“Calm down…take a few breath…galvaton’s teet kid you look ready to keel over.” Aertimus sighed, tapping his finger to his chin.

“Lemm, c’meer…” Aerty beckoned for Lemm who responded by bounding over like a bull.

“Yessir!?”

“You picking this up to right? Her language…she isn’t speaking common galactic Archavian…” Common galactic Archavian was what humans would call the lingua franca of the Empire. Even loosely affiliated species used it for commerce and diplomacy.

“No…I can always tell…call it a sixth sense…but I can feel this damn thing ticking when its working.” Lemm spoke, her eyes never leaving Eyrn.

“Why are you choosing to speak in a human language?” Aerty asked, his tone lowering yet still, curiosity guiding him now.

“I’m sorry…this is the only language I know…well I can speak a little Spanish and some French but…”

“We were unable to pick up traces of your space craft from low orbit…were you shuttled to Earth or are you using a cloak?” Aerti asked with interest.

“Craft? I don’t know…listen if its money you want I don’t have any…they don’t let me work but….” Eyrn was cut off.

“How long have you been down there? When were you dropped off? When did you arrive?” Aerty was building to something. His tone has sharpened, his pitch was rising just a bit.

“Arrive where?! Nevada? They moved me there when I was 89…I think….” Eyrn looked down.

“That doesn’t make sense!” Lemm shouted, hushing herself after a harsh look from Captain Bass.

Aertimus’ heart nearly skipped a beat, the cards were starting to fall into place. The ancient technology, her jarred reaction, his suspicions were starting to gain some credibility.

“You can’t be 89…you don’t look a day over 25.” Lemm gruffly huffed.

“My second officer here is right lass.” Aertimus furrowed his brow.

“I’m not lying…I turned 162 this year! Please you have to believe me…the year was 1943, I remember it. They moved me in a big train and I remember complaining it was a very bumpy ride….” Eyrn pleaded.

“Captain, if I may?” Dr. Geen spoke up.

All eyes fell on the Dunnermac doctor.

“The math works out to 14 years of age…I believe she is measuring her chronological age by a Terran solar calendar.” Dr. Geen smiled, his hands motioning gently before him enthusiastically. “Her chronological age is roughly 25 Archavian solar rotations.’

“I don’t understand?” Eryn whimpered.

“Do you really think…” Aerty asked, amazed.

“It can’t be! There is no way she could have gone unnoticed for over 25 years!” Lemm insisted.

“I’ll be dammned.,..” Aerti whispered. It seemed impossible. But it was the only thing that made sense.

“Sir I strongly suggest we follow….” Lemm began, only to be swiftly cut off.

“Dr. Geen, transfer the injured crewmen to Medical Bay 3. Commander Tam, stand guard outside Medical Bay 2…no entrance unless under my authorization.” Aertimus spoke with unyielding authority.

“Sir…”

“That is an order!” The Captain shouted.

“Yes sir….” Lemm grumbled as she began to set the Captain’s orders into motion.

Eyrn watched nervously as the room began to clear out, leaving only her and Aertimus, who was standing a safe distance from her.

“Please…I just want to go home…I’m sorry for whatever I did…please I’m not a criminal or a pirate or whatever I just….”

“Eyrn…do you know where you are?” Aerty asked in a gentle voice.

“…I…no…” Eyrn repeated, almost annoyed to do so. “Listen I just want Darren ok where is Darren!” Eyrn repeated.

“I promise you he is safe, we would never dream of hurting a human…you have my word your human is safe and unharmed.” Aertimus spoke with assurance in his voice.

“O…ok…” Eyrn responded, feeling a little bit less tense by the captain’s assurance.

“Do you know what you are?” Aerti followed up, his voice still soft.

“I…what do you mean?” Eyrn looked down.

“Species…what species are you?” Aerti asked.

“…”In all her years, all her adventures, she had never been able to answer that burning question. She wanted to answer proudly ‘human’ but deep down she knew she wasn’t. She couldn’t be, not because she was bigger and lived longer. That was only superficial. No, she wasn’t human inside. Everyone else was human. They moved around quickly, they lived for the moment. Each day was important! But she seemed to crawl along at a snail’s pace. Like she was stuck in molasses.

“I don’t know…” She whispered.

“Eyrn…I’m walking towards you…okay? I’m not going to hurt you…okay?” Aertimus asked with caution, cradling his nose.

Eyrn nodded.

“Why am I so small…why is everyone else so big? Where am I? What is happening right now?” Eyrn begged.

“You are not small…we are not big…you are as you were born. That has not changed. You are an Archavian, as am I…as is Commander Lemm.” Aertimus whispered, closing the gap between them slowly.

“Wait…what?” Eyrn gave her head a shake and spoke barely above a whisper.

“You’ve always felt different right? And I don’t mean size. You’ve always felt slower, like your life was being dragged out…you’ve been watching them live, love, and die and you’ve never quite fit in.” Aertimus began, taking a step forward, looking down to the smaller woman with the deepest sympathy he could ever have felt.

“I…how did you….” Eyrn stammered.

“You’ve loved deeper, and thought longer on any one thing than some have their whole lives…you’ve looked upon them with love and care but you never really knew why…deep down inside while you look the same, and sound the same, and act the same…you’ve always know you were not the same…haven’t you?”

Eyrn opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, her eyes searched for an exit, but her feet would not move. She eventually looked up, meeting Aertimus’ eyes with her own. She was so lost, so confused! But his eyes were comforting, soothing, and full of sorrow.

“You are…as I am…we are the same Eyrn.” Aerty stood before her at last, so close their bodies could almost touch. As slow as he could, at almost a snail’s pace he set one open palm before him, as if motioning ‘stop’.

Eyrn trembled, her eyes wide, her breathing labored and shallow. Her attention fixated on his hand.

“You are not a human, you are not a monster, and you are not a freak. You are a Titan, Eyrn,” Aertimus said, smiling gently.

“A…what?” Eyrn muttered softly, in disbelief.

“A Titan…from a world known as Archavia.” Aertimus clarified softly. “You and I…and nearly everyone else here are the same species.”

Eyrn reached out timidly and set her hand against his. Her fingers were much shorter and her palm not even half his. But they were the same. He was taller than her but he was no giant, and she was no monster. She was as he was…they were the same.

“Where am I?” She spoke, her voice horse.

“You are aboard the Starship Gyfjon. Orbiting above the Earth.” Aertimus spoke, a hint of wonder in his voice.

“I…I don’t feel so good…” Eyrn’s eyes rolled back and her body went limp into Aertimus’ arms.