9 Chapter 9: A Deal

She finally led me into a room that looked like a lab. Which looked like it was ransacked while she was dealing with me. With vials and glass containers laying on their side. Paper littering the floor and tables. The only thing that I could see was clean and organized was a bookshelf that covered the furthest wall from the entrance. And shelves that held items in glass jars.

Once we were inside she let go of my hand and started rummaging through shelves. That had items kept in glass jars in them that looked like they were organized by color.

She grabbed a jar that was filled with a dark blue like substance. And when she opened it and pinched a little of it out of the jar it looked like it was slimy. The way it stretched from the base before splitting off from it.

"She wants you to eat it." TOBOR said scanning the item in the jar.

"Excuse me?"

"She says that it won't harm you and that you should trust her. I already told her that the trust part is going to be impossible for you."

I glared at TOBOR but had my attention brought back to her. When she put her hand on my cheek. Slightly spreading my lips apart with her thumb. She took her other hand and lightly spread some of the blue substance on my bottom lip.

I couldn't help but feel like the heroine in a shojo manga in this moment. But was quickly brought back to reality when TOBOR shoved himself in my face. Trying to observe how my body would respond.

I grabbed him and threw him out of the room. With Michael chasing after him thinking we were playing fetch.

"Can you hear me now?" She asked with a beautiful voice.

I guess she didn't need a response from me since I acted so surprised to hear her.

"This is something that helps members of different species communicate with each other. I'm still studying how it achieves it but I can assure you that there aren't any side effects. If you consume the rest of it you should be able to communicate with me now."

I took the rest of the blue substance that was in her hands and swallowed it. Which felt like gelatin in my mouth. To where I couldn't tell if I hated or didn't mind that fact.

"Did it work?" I asked.

"Yes! I can finally talk to a human! There's so much I want to talk about and learn from you that I don't even know where to start." She said all excited with stars in her eyes.

"Can we start off with you telling me your name. Since you kidnapped me from my home planet." I said which came off a little colder than I wanted it to.

"I truly am sorry for that way we approached the situation. Humans are just so new to us that we were cautious to how you would react to us. My name is Zu Tanwen, Empress to my people back on our planet."

I got down on one knee and bowed before her as I introduced myself. "I am Tadao Mishiki, an ex-soldier from my planet."

"Please stand up. There's really no need for you to bow to me." Zu said getting embarrassed.

I really could help to ask myself if this is really how an Empress should be acting in front of someone.

"I will say that I never would have expected the first aliens I would meet to look humanoid." I said trying to change the topic.

"This is only our reproductive form. In our natural forms we lose our ability to procreate so he have to transform into this form. As to why everyone is in this form is because I thought it would scare you less if we looked humanoid to you."

Great. Out of all the topics I could have shifted this conversation to.

"I thank you for your concern however you've done more than enough for me. Now I would assume that an Empress would be busy. So you can have someone take us back to earth. We can find another way off planet." I said formally trying not to insult her.

"No! I mean… Would you please stay with us on our ship? To be completely honest I've only been appointed Empress by title only. So before my ceremony where I fully become Empress I set out to study all societies across every galaxy. So I can be fully prepared for when I need to rule. That's why I would like you to stay, to study humans and the way the lived throughout their history. Please. You can ask anything of me in return." Zu pleaded grabbing my hand and getting close to me.

"Anything?"

"Truly anything! Even if you asked me to marry and become apart of the royal family I will accept!"

I think she's a little too excited here. But I can truly see her devotion to her mission so I can trust she'll hold up her end of the bargain.

"Then there's a ship I want you to help me find. I large carrier with millions of humans on it. There's someone I need to see." I said looking into her eyes.

"Deal! You will be my tutor and I will be your search team. When do we begin!?" She asked earnestly.

"Could we start at a later time? I'm still coming off of the side effects from whatever you used to knock me out." I said rubbing my face.

"Of course. I'll escort you and your friends to your room. I'll have someone posted outside of your door so once you're well rested you can come and find me."

She looked happy. I can tell she's eager to learn and from the little bit that I've seen she's also honest. Hopefully she's someone I can trust as we move forward.