157. Way to Xenon

(Gwen POV)

Moving forward from the locked gangway, I looked nostalgically at the cargo hold of the Tetrax ship. And although I have never been here, the whole situation reminds me very much of the time when I was on Normandy.

Of course, I understand that everything that happened there was not real, but it's hard to just forget the adventures that I went through in pursuit of Saren.

True, this does not solve my current problem, because I do not know where to go. This place is so huge that I seem to be already lost, even though I walked only a few steps. But when the ship starts to take off, it can become dangerous, especially when we start to pass through the dense layers of the atmosphere…. I need to find a safe place...

- ...wen, Gwen.

- Yay!!! - I screamed in surprise when someone put a hand on my shoulder.

- Don't be scared, it's just me. - Lex said calmly, it was he who was behind me.

- Lex!!! Don't sneak up on me! - still not moving away from fright, I shouted, holding my chest.

- I didn't mean to, you just hovered in your thoughts and didn't even pay attention when I called you. - Lex said, seeming to calm his raging rage a little.

- I… I'm sorry, I got lost and couldn't figure out how to find you and Tetrax. - I said honestly.

- Nothing, I understand, but you shouldn't have come here, Gwen. You should have stayed with Grandpa. - Lex said, clearly concerned for my safety.

- I couldn't just leave you alone. I can see that you're not okay. Maybe you can tell me what happened? - I asked softly, moving closer to Lex.

- I… I don't want to discuss it. I screwed up again and now I just want to fix the mistake. - Lex said with a pained expression, glancing at Omnitrix.

- Nothing, I understand. You don't have to say anything else, just let me support you. - I said softly, taking the guy's hand.

- Oh, okey. Still, I can't convince you.- Lex said with a sigh, squeezing my hand.

- Stubbornness is our family trait, that's right. - I said with a smile, feeling the warmth of Lex's hands. I really missed this...

- Okay, let's go, Tetrax, probably already tired of waiting. It's time for us to go. - Lex said shaking his head, and led me deeper into the compartment, never letting go of my hand.

- Wow… - I said, impressed, as we approached the platform, which turned out to be an elevator and lifted us up.

- Yes, Tetrax has a very impressive ship. Although, for my taste, too much free space, which is simply wasted. - Lex said as the elevator took us through various technical sections of the ship.

- Well, I think it all looks cool. At least cooler than 'Merlin' was. - I said with a smirk, more to distract Lex.

- You know, this is sad to hear. Although 'Merlin' was not with me for long and I received it from the sectants, I nevertheless used to him. It will forever remain in my memory, like my first spaceship. - Lex said, finally showing a small smile.

'It worked…' - I thought to myself, glad that I managed to cheer up Lex a little. I don't know what happened to him, but I won't let him sink into self-flagellation and anger. Not on my shift...

- And here is the captain's bridge. - Lex said, pointing to the oval room, illuminated by a large number of holographic screens.

- Gwen. Looks like Lex was right when he said you were the one who infiltrated the ship. - Tetrax, who was waiting for us, said with a smile.

- Did you know I would do it? - I asked, glancing at my cousin.

- Of course, it was very predictable. - Lex said with a smirk as he approached Tetrax.

'Asshole...' - I thought involuntarily, somehow happy that he knew me so well.

- Lex, Gwen, this is my pilot Gluto. - said Tetrax, pointing to a three-eyed pink slug sitting in an exo-skeleton, which replaced his legs and arms.

- Nice to meet you, Gluto. - I said politely, finding this quirky alien quite endearing.

- Is he a Protost? - Lex asked curiously as he watched Gluto manipulate his tentacles on the ship's side panel.

- Yes, although I don't know much about him or his race. I met him on one of the missions when I dealt with the colony of slavers. There I freed Gluto and since then, he has been in charge of piloting my ship. - Tetrax said with a smile.

- Protost? Does he have anything to do with that green jelly alien of yours? - I inquired.

- Gluplrplll! - Gluto gurgled something.

- No, the Protosts are not related in any way to the Polymorphs, the Goop race. They just have similar body composition and abilities, although there are plenty of differences. Protosts hail from the humid moon of Myceto, from which, by the way, the Mycetian Swamp Hopper originate, which Grandpa recently fed us. Polymorphs live on a volcanic planet with heavy gravity. As you can see, both races have polar opposite habitats, and from what I've read, both races don't like to be compared. It is even considered an insult. Isn't that right, Gluto? - Lex explained in detail, after turning to the pilot.

- Grulp. - Gluto gurgled affirmatively, shaking his jelly body.

- Oh, that's how. I'm sorry if I offended you, Gluto, I didn't mean to. - I said sincerely.

- […It's okay…] - Gluto's exoskeleton sounded out a mechanical, static voice.

- Gluto, can you talk? - Tetrax asked in shock, apparently unaware of this possibility of his pilot.

- It looks like he can do this through the universal translator installed in the exoskeleton, but apparently it is malfunctioning and works with interference, so it is difficult for Gluto to speak and therefore he does not often do this. - Lex said, carefully examining Gluto's body.

- Can you fix this? - I asked, pitying the poor alien.

- No problem. I'll take care of that when we're done. Do you mind, Gluto? - Lex asked.

- Grulp. - Gluto gurgled once more, clearly agreeing.

- That's good, but it's time for us to leave, otherwise we are already delayed. Everyone take your seats. - Tetrax said, immediately sitting down on a large chair specially designed for him.

- The climb will be a little hard, so sit still and don't get up until the artificial gravity kicks in."l - Lex said as he sat me down in one of the passenger seats.

- Okey. - I said with some enthusiasm, grasping the handrails that lowered and fixed me in the chair.

- Okay, everyone is ready. Go ahead, Gluto. - Tetrax said as Lex took his seat.

Gluto shook his body again and began using his tentacles and robotic arms to type something on the ship's side panel very quickly.

Soon, the ship itself shook a little and we began to slowly rise into the air, until suddenly they rushed forward, so fast that I was slammed into a chair and my face began to blur from the pressure.

Fortunately, this did not last long and soon we found ourselves in the weightlessness of space, all pressure was gone, as was gravity, which Gluto immediately returned.

- Ugh… - I sighed heavily, removing the handrails.

- How are you? - Lex asked worriedly as he approached.

- It's okay, I just didn't expect it to be so hard. On Normandy and Merlin it was quite different. - I said as I struggled to my feet.

- Well, you compared. Merlin was built for comfortable and fast travel, such a space yacht, and Normandy was just a simulation that imitated non-existent technology for flight. - Lex said.

- Yes, I know, I know… - I said with a sigh, trying to hold back the urge to vomit.

- Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon. For everyone, the first time is the hardest. - Tetrax said with a smile.

- I don't want to hear it from a humanoid crystal… - I said a little rudely.

- Oh… - Tetrax said awkwardly, realizing that his physiology made him much more resilient for such things.

- Here you are. - Lex said as he handed me a bottle of water.

- Thanks. - I said quickly, greedily starting to drink water.

- Glalprulvial. - Gluto gurgled something as he continued to press the holographic panels to control the ship.

- Exactly, we need to find out where Azmuth is. Luckily, I have a scanning device on my ship that will be able to detect Azmuth' DNA signature on the watch, and we should be able to find it without any problems. - Tetrax said.

- No need, I already know where he is hiding now. - Lex said calmly.

- Oh, where are we heading to? - Tetrax asked curiously.

Gluto and I looked with interest at Lex, who answered only: - Xenon.

- Xenon? - Tetrax asked with some doom in his voice.

- Yes, Xenon. - Lex said, nodding his head, seemingly not worried at all.

'I have a bad premonition…' - I thought, watching the reactions of Tetrax and Gluto. It doesn't seem to be that easy...