Corporal Ibanez rubbed her eyes and leaned against the neck of the stranger-turned-acquaintance. They had only just met hours ago, or was it longer? She was starting to lose track of the time, truthfully. Izzy had stopped asking questions long ago, as Lauryna quietly sifted through the data base for something, anything.

Izzy felt like curling up and falling asleep. She was warm, and the cascading ginger locks of silken hair created a dark canopy over her, and the rhythmic breathing of the giantess was actually somewhat soothing. Eyrn’s shoulder had always been a favorite napping place of hers when she was “on guard duty.” Izzy had her exposure with Eyrn to thank for the mild reaction to these ‘Titans.’ She had ceased fearing the gentle, whimsical Eyrn a long time ago. While Eyrn was large and imposing, she didn’t seem to have a cruel or violent bone in her body, at least when humans were concerned. Isabel couldn’t be completely positive, but got the same vibe from Crewmate Lauryna Gwenn.

“How come you’re so fascinated with us?” Izzy asked, sleepily.

Lauryna had been engrossed in the lengthy data base when she heard the small, whispering voice of the tiny human on her shoulder. Feeling her small form against the skin of her neck brought a warm feeling to Lauryna’s core. She had always adored humans; she had owned many pets in her day, and they’d all been well cared for. Aside from menial labor and work she thought beneath her, cruelty to humans was about the only thing that made Lauryna Gwenn angry. She didn’t understand how anyone who held such power over another – a smart, intelligent and trusting creature — could abuse it.

“Hmmm? Sorry what was that?” Lauryna snapped back to reality, brushing her hair to the side to expose Izzy.

Izzy frowned as the cool air hit her and she was forced to sit up. “Just wondering why your kind is so fixated on us is all.” Izzy found it hard to lean up against the slippery smooth slope of Lauryna’s neck. She eventually settled on a comfortable position and crossed her legs causally.

“How do you figure?” Lauryna responded, bemused.

“Well, all this ‘protection’ stuff…you set up a major space station on our back door, you constantly patrol around the planet, making sure the bullies of the galaxy don’t steal our lunch money…keep yourselves hidden like some sort of cosmic super hero…what gives?” Izzy let out a yawn as she felt Lauryna shift uncomfortably.

“I don’t know…would you rather we didn’t?” Lauryna said after some time, turning her attention from the data base to Izzy.

“Well no, I mean I’m sure your people have saved our hides…even if we don’t know it.” Izzy spoke pensively, she pushed herself up and crawled out a bit, letting her legs dangle off Lauryna’s shoulder, she held on to the fabric of the giantess’ shirt and sat, looking down to the immense drop below.

Lauryna instinctually set her hand close to Izzy as she felt the tiny woman crawl. Once Izzy was again settled she took her hand away.

“See that’s what I mean…you’re always worried I’m gonna hurt myself or something. You’re very…I dunknow…doting?” Izzy laughed, idly swinging her legs.

“It’s in our nature.” Lauryna spoke simply. “It really is a dangerous universe out there. While Archavians are the biggest and most influential race you’ll come across, there are a slew of others, and they’re not all as friendly as we are.” Lauryna sounded sad. Just mentioning this made her want to scoop the tiny human up and coddle her. She resisted.

“So you’re the biggest…and are we…?”

“The smallest…yup…well, the smallest sentient race anyhow,” Lauryna said. She reached out and tousled Izzy’s hair with her smallest finger. “But you’re also the cutest!” Lauryna’s voice went gushy and adoring for a moment.

Izzy wished she was big enough to swat the woman’s finger away, but simply sat begrudgingly as Lauryna mussed her hair. “Nonsense, we are just smaller versions of you!” Izzy protested, jeering at the hand as it pulled away.

“Well, there are some major differences…but we do resemble each other strikingly don’t we?” Lauryna spoke as if she honestly had never been presented with that bit of information before.

“If it were not for the size, how would you even tell one from the other?” Izzy asked, driving her point home.

Lauryna sighed adoringly; she understood what Izzy was getting at and gave her head a bit of a shake. “It’s not my doing Izzy; I already said I was sorry.”

“Just doesn’t make any sense is all I’m saying. It couldn’t be more clear if it was written in stone in front of ya’ll.” Izzy grumbled.

“You’re right, you are absolutely right.” Lauryna set her hand beside her shoulder and motioned for Izzy to hop aboard.

Izzy complied.

Lauryna brought the small woman before her face, she had a half smile across her lips and her eyes were soft and concerned. “I can’t find anything in the data base about Eyrn…and I went back quite some time….” Lauryna looked apologetic.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be that easy, now, would it?” Izzy shrugged, she was sitting cross-legged.

“I’m sorry…I wish there was more I could do.” Lauryna bit her lip, she stroked the small woman’s back with her forefinger.

Izzy, who was normally not one for toughing, didn’t protest, as it actually felt sort of nice. “What is going to happen to us now Lauryna? Now that we are aboard this ship…” Izzy asked, avoiding eye contact.

Lauryna continued to stroke the small woman’s back as she made her way slowly to her living quarters once more, she sat on the chair that accompanied the sofa and braced her hand against her belly. “Well, that depends really.” Lauryna chose her words carefully.

“On?” Izzy wrung her hands together, her stomach felt like it was churning, and she found herself more than a little anxious suddenly.

“Well I guess it depends on Captain Bass. No doubt he knows about…oh…oh shaka….” Lauryna threw her head back against the back of the sofa and cringed, closing her eyes tightly.

“What?” Izzy felt the great giant’s movements and braced herself against the warm palm she sat in. “What is it?”

“Oh…I’ve had you here far too long…how in the Emperor’s name am I going to explain this to the captain!?” Lauryna whimpered and pulled her legs up tight against her chest, she moved her hand containing Izzy to the arm of the couch and deposited the human on said arm, then she hugged her knees tightly.

“I guess we didn’t think of that, did we?” Izzy cringed.

“This is not going to go over well Izzy…this is a big deal…shaka, I didn’t even think of how I was going to return you….” Lauryna sounded afraid, panicked. She could see her career ending just moments after it began.

Izzy was quiet for a while, and then spoke up. “I wandered off…on my own…I made my way out of the room they left us in…and explored the ship on my own. You found me snooping around for food and brought me back to the captain. You’re not insubordinate. You’re a hero,” Izzy said, simply, with a grin.

“Wait…what?” Lauryna looked over to Izzy suddenly; she looked on the verge of tears.

“Tell them you found me wandering around on my own. How will they know otherwise? I won’t tell them. Darren and Reese were asleep…so was Eyrn. You and I are the only ones who know the truth and….”

“You…would cover me like that?” Lauryna sounded amazed.

“You’ve been nice to me, why would I want to see you in trouble?” Izzy asked, somewhat confused by the giant’s tone.

“No…I mean…well thanks…that would actually work…come to mention it.” Lauryna quickly scooped Izzy up and planted a rather large wet kiss across the small humans face. “Thank you!”

“Gah! Hey now wai…mmmmermmmphhht!”

Once free of the oppressive giant hug, Izzy regained her composure and timidly asked, “Ok…so how are we gonna do this…do you have to like detain me or something?” Izzy asked with trepidation as she eyed the expansive palm around her. Even if it was only an act, she wasn’t too fond of the idea of being ‘detained’ by a palm the size of a truck.

“Hee hee, Izz, you’re not a criminal. Even under the ruse of your clever ‘plan,’ at worst you’re a very confused yet adorable casualty of a flopped rescue mission.” Lauryna took a moment to repeat to herself what she had said. After she finished she looked back down to Izzy with a quirky smile.

“Ok, so no ruff tuff act then? You don’t have to get mean and beat me up a bit?” Izzy asked once more, just to be certain.

Lauryna laughed a small sort of giggle that ended with a shy snort. “Izzy, if I beat you up I’m not sure there would be anything left to hand over to Captain Bass!” Lauryna smiled a most adoring smile.

“Hey I’m new at this alien abduction thing okay, give me a break! I didn’t see you coming up with the clever plan….” Izzy crossed her arms in a huff.

“Okay, okay sorry.” Lauryna regained her composure and sighed. “Look, I understand you’re anxious, and I can’t promise I will have much of a say in what happens after I hand you over to the captain. But Aertimus Bass is a good man; he won’t let anything bad happen to you, or your friends. Ok?” Lauryna smiled reassuringly

“Yeah…I hope your right. But it’s what comes after we leave this rig that has me worried.” Izzy tried to sound confident, but she was wracked with concern.

“Well, I don’t see why they would remove you from Eyrn’s custody. Even if she has been raised by humans, she has rights, and one of those rights is to….” Lauryna paused, already backing up on her own words. “Oh…Izz I didn’t mean it like that….”

“No, actually I’d rather end up her pet on paper than legitimately somebody else’s…..” Isabel didn’t sound offended, just distracted.

“Right! And you said it yourself; you were all really nice to her…so you’ve no reason to be afraid of her, right?” Lauryna spoke up, attempting to be positive.

“Well, we’ve had our moments but for the most part yea…I trust her,” Izzy said softly.

“If it were up to me I would send you home…but even the Captain’s hands are tied on that one….” Lauryna muttered as she ran her finger down Izzy’s back.

“I know.” Izzy was quiet for a moment. It was a lot to consider, too much for her to take in all at once. The thought of never seeing her home again, never walking her favorite paths, never visiting her favorite places, her friends, her family….

Lauryna could read the tiny woman’s pained expression, and practically melted. She felt her eyes sting with the telltale onset of tears. But she held herself together well enough. “We never wanted this to happen….” Lauryna whispered.

“I know.” Izzy looked up, her eyes were dry. “Look let’s just get this over with okay…god knows what those three are up to without me to keep them in line!”

Lauryna nodded and brought her hand to her front breast pocket. It was a small hidden pocket in the stitching of the uniform. Convenient for holding small items…and in this case a tiny stowaway.

“Do you mind riding here? I don’t feel comfortable having you out in plain sight until we get to the Captain, and I’d hate to stick you somewhere I wouldn’t be able to hear you….”

“Okay…thanks.” Izzy climbed into the large pocket. It was actually a very tight fit, as the elastic material of Lauryna’s uniform hugged Izzy tightly against Lauryna’s chest.

“All snug and comfy?” Lauryna asked.

“Snug is one way of putting it!” Izzy wiggled and squirmed but between the absorbent breast flesh behind her and the spandex like material before her…she was stuck but good.

“Okay…off we go then!”

***

Science Officer Dayun punched away frantically at the computer terminal, while Decanus Derna Tae peaked over his shoulder anxiously.

“Did you get it yet? You’d better hurry up…somebody is gonna catch you….did you make sure to wipe your trail Dayun?…hurry up…how much is she paying you for all this anyhow? I think I hear somebody coming…is it supposed to take that long? Oohhhh I don’t like how long it’s taking!” Dec. Derna stepped away and nervously paced from one side of the science lab to the other.

Dayun, a hoplite elite of the Pir class, punched away at the data terminal with precision, he seemed to tune out the younger officer’s droning as if she wasn’t even there. After a few more moments, Dayun pulled out a small thumb sized elongated disk from the computer terminal, and pocketed it. His attention turned back to the Decanus.

“Ok, run the diagnostic and make sure there is no record of the download.” Dayun walked with hurried paces out of the science bay.

“If I get caught, I’m not taking the fall on my own, Dayun!” The taller dark skinned woman spoke up anxiously as the shorter hoplite exited the room.

“Just make sure you don’t get caught then,” was all he said as he exited the room.

“I’m still getting my cut right!?” Derna sighed as she was once again alone.

***

Darren Avery stepped off the Captain’s outstretched palm, onto a computer terminal near the strange contraption that had taken them aboard the Gyfjon in the first place. It was a sort of tractor beam-like device, but the technology was far beyond Darren’s experience. He made a mental note to ask about it later.

Soon after Captain Bass entered the room, Commander Lemm Tam, entered carrying an anxious Reese Jones in one hand and a small cube secured between the thumb and forefinger of her other. She carefully set Reese down on a large, marked-off area, and crouched down before him, kneeling as she did so.

Reese backed away a few steps but attempted to maintain his composure as the goddess slowly and meticulously reached out to give the small cube to him. “Please take this.” She spoke simple and calm.

Reese apprehensively reached out to secure the small cube, which was no larger to him than his own fist, perhaps a tiny bit smaller.

Lemm stood and backed away, standing beside Captain Bass, who looked down to Darren with a nod. “Right, I think you should explain it to him Darren….” Aertimus spoke steadily.

Darren awaited the outreached palm of Commander Tam and gingerly hopped aboard, holding onto her thumb for balance as she carried him to the flood, next to the trembling Reese Jones. Sergeant Avery hopped off and jogged over to Reese, who greeted his commanding officer with a salute.

Darren chuckled. “Nope, private, I work for a living,” he said.

Reese grinned, bashfully, and dropped the salute. “Sorry, Sarge.” He looked thoughtful. “It’s not too late si….Darren…you can still come home,” Reese said.

Darren gave his head a shake. “’n when the Twat wakes up without a single familiar face? Naw, Reese ah can’t do that to’er,” Darren said somberly. “Look don’t you worry none’bout me ‘lright?” Darren tried to smile, but his face betrayed the severity of the decision he had made. “’ll take good care’a’er!” Darren slapped Reese on the shoulder and then motioned to the cube he held in his hand.

Reese half smiled, he was not doing nearly as good a job hiding his emotions as Darren.

“So, ya ‘member the address?” Darren asked, narrowing his eyes.

“I have it written down.” Reese motioned to his pocket.

“I dun care what ‘appens…ya’get this package delivered t’that kindly old lady alright?” Darren narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

“Yessir.” Reese nodded.

“They tell me it’s DNA coded…er sum’shit like that. So only her or one of’er family will be able’t use it.” Darren motioned to the cube. “It collapses a bit…think there’s a button on the top what makes it get bigger’er smaller,” Darren shrugged.

“I’ll figure it out….” Reese half smiled, holding the cube at his side.

“Dr. Freeman’s counting on this message getting delivered. Sadly none of us’ll ever know if ya follow through’er not Reese. But you’ve always been a man of yer word. So I ain’t worried.”

“Thanks, Sarge. I…good luck, Sarge.”

“Reese….” Darren smiled, proudly, and stiffly saluted. “Y’never know. Mebbe they’ll bring us back someday. ‘Til that happens….”

“I hope so.” Reese sniffed back tears and returned the salute. “It’s been an honor, Darren.”

Private Jones sniffed back tears and saluted his commanding officer in return; they both held their salute for a few moments before Darren set his arm down. “Live well Reese….” Darren unhooked a small metallic dog tag from around his neck and handed it to Reese. “Live well.” Darren turned on his heel, and slowly stepped onto the waiting palm of Commander Lemm Tam. He looked up to her slowly, and around the gargantuan palm he was standing in. He sighed with a heavy heart as he sat and waited for her to deposit him back onto the terminal surface.

“All personnel not proceeding to planet surface please clear departure terminal.” A metallic female voice chimed in from around the room. Commander Tam braced her palm against her stomach to steady her traveling guest and stood beside Captain Bass. Darren peeked through slightly parted fingers, as Reese Jones departed from the departure platform.