Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Lunar had not planned to be discovered.
The fact that she saw him was a blow to his ego.
He couldn’t stop thinking about it.
No, her. He couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Shadow-walking was an art form on Zorveya, perfected through generations of necessity.
Light-dwellers dominated the planet's resources, forcing those of the shadow to develop stealth techniques for survival.
Lunar was considered exceptionally skilled, even among his own kind.
Yet somehow, this Earth female had perceived him where countless others had failed.
After his encounter with Poppy, Lunar had spent hours analyzing the small black stone she'd given him.
The object possessed unusual properties, absorbing ambient energy in a pattern similar to his own shadow manipulation.
Not advanced technology, merely a natural mineral with convenient attributes.
Yet she had selected it specifically for him.
Fascinating.
Morning had found him restless in the inadequate Crimson Rock accommodations.
He hid from the others. Solar's constant emissions made proper rest impossible, and Eclipse's diplomatic hovering only added to his irritation.
When Solar finally left to check the continental breakfast, Lunar had slipped out without announcement.
His actions needed no explanation or permission.
He tracked Poppy's energy signature to a building identified as Desert Animal Rescue, where she appeared to be caring for injured non-sentient creatures. He’d been drawn to this place before and found it to be an unusual occupation, but one that suggested useful skills for survival.
Patience. Caution. Understanding of biological needs.
After observing her routine for approximately two Earth hours, Lunar had followed her to another location, the Duskrock Yoga and Spa Meditation Center.
The facility's design offered abundant shadows for concealment, allowing him to move undetected through its corridors while observing human behaviors.
Or so he had believed.
"I can feel you," Poppy's voice called softly as she stepped into an empty room. The compact space was stocked with supplies and unusual Earth food holding artifacts. "You don't have to hide from me."
Lunar remained in shadow, calculating options. Retreat was logical. Engagement threatened the mission's success. Curiosity, an instinct his shadowy ancestors had fostered as vital for survival, urged him to stay.
“I know you’ve been following me today. Show yourself,” Poppy said louder.
Lunar kept watching, observing her closely. Her form was pleasing, so delicate. And her emotions calmly washed over him. She wasn’t chaotic like the other humans.
“Do you understand me?” Her eyes searched the shadows. “Please, say something.”
"How do you perceive me?" he asked finally, maintaining his shadow form rather than stepping into visibility.
Poppy appeared relieved to hear his voice emerging from the darkness. "I sense energy patterns. Yours is distinct. Like a void that moves with purpose."
"Most humans lack this capacity," Lunar observed.
"Most, yes." She smiled slightly. "I take after my grandmother. We’ve always been sensitive to what she would call shadow frequencies."
"Shadow frequencies," Lunar repeated. The terminology was primitive but conceptually accurate. "Your species classification system does not include such perceptual ranges."
"I'm an anomaly." She took a step closer to his position, her eyes not quite focusing on where he actually stood, but impressively close. "The stone I gave you last night, did it help?"
"It’s not safe for you to know about me," Lunar replied. Solar and Eclipse would not be happy about this.
"I can’t help who I am," Poppy said. “You can trust me.”
Before Lunar could respond, the door burst open, flooding the space with light that disrupted his shadow form. Solar stood in the doorway, his irritated glow barely contained by the deteriorating skin-suit. Golden energy spilled from the edges.
"You," Poppy whispered, looking at Solar. "You're the bright one. From the crash."
Solar ignored her, focusing on Lunar. "Eclipse sent me. We must go to our assigned dwelling. You should not be talking to anyone."
"This human has unusual perceptive abilities," Lunar replied coldly, refusing to be treated like an errant child. "She detected my presence despite shadow concealment."
"That doesn't matter," Solar insisted, his skin brightening with typical arrogance. The room's lighting fixtures began to flicker and buzz with his uncontrolled emissions. "Eclipse has secured new accommodations."
Poppy seemed unaffected by Solar's display, her attention returning to Lunar. "The shadow stones should help. I have more if you need them."
Solar's attention snapped to her. "What do you know of us?"
Poppy met his gaze without fear. "I know you're not from here. I know you crashed near Pete's shop yesterday. I know you're different from each other, light and shadow." She gestured toward them. "And I know you can manipulate energy to the point you’re disrupting the retreat's electrical system."
The overhead light exploded in a shower of sparks as if to confirm her assessment. She gave a small yelp of surprise and jumped out of the way of falling glass.
"Poppy has offered assistance," Lunar explained to Solar, willing the Solarian for once in his life to be calm.
"Poppy?" Solar repeated, his tone suggesting disbelief. "You revealed yourself to a human without authorization. Have you forgotten our mission parameters?"
"I revealed nothing," Lunar countered, finding Solar's hypocrisy typical. "She perceived me through means I have yet to determine."
Poppy stepped forward, her posture suggesting a mediating intent similar to Eclipse's habitual interventions. "Look, I don't want to cause trouble. I just want to help. Duskrock can be overwhelming for sensitive beings."
Lunar hid his amusement at the fact that she called Solar sensitive. It wasn't a compliment.
"We do not require your assistance," Solar stated with characteristic dismissal. “And I am not sensitive.”
Poppy gave him a bemused look. "Really? Because from where I'm standing, you two can barely be in the same room without causing electrical failures. That seems like something that might draw attention."
The lights began to flicker. Lunar automatically reacted to Solar’s wave of heat. He lowered the temperature in the room, summoning the shadows. If the hot-headed Solar wanted a fight, he’d give him one. After being trapped with him for months on a spaceship, Lunar had met his limit.
Eclipse burst into the room with a human female, the coordinator from the crash site. "Both of you, control yourselves. You're causing an outage."
"I tracked the shadow-dweller as instructed," Solar replied with unnecessary self-importance. "He was engaged in unauthorized contact with this human."
"I was conducting necessary reconnaissance," Lunar corrected, refusing to be characterized as disobedient when his actions had a strategic purpose.
Eclipse turned his attention to Poppy.
"Hi. I'm Poppy Jensen. I work at Desert Animal Rescue," she answered with remarkable composure. "I felt your arrival yesterday. I gave your friend here a shadow stone last night when I sensed him outside The Crash Zone."
Solar glared at him. "You attended the human gathering place without informing us and made contact?"
"I was not aware I needed permission to conduct independent exploration," Lunar replied, deliberately allowing his shadows to deepen. The room's temperature dropped several more degrees. Solar's response was predictable. The remaining functional lights pulsed erratically.
"I have a suite reserved for you," Solar’s friend interjected. "Private entrance, separate bedrooms, minimal staff interaction. But we need to get you there now before someone calls the electrical company about the power surges."
"You trust this human?" Lunar asked Eclipse.
“You can call me Rowan,” she said.
"Yes," Eclipse said without hesitation. Lunar noted the emotional indicators in Eclipse's tone. The twilight-dweller had formed an attachment to this human female after less than one planetary rotation. Fascinating, if potentially problematic for mission objectives.
"Fine," Solar interrupted, always needing to act like he had authority. "Lead us to this suite."
"I wish to speak further with Poppy," Lunar stated.
"You can do so later," Eclipse ordered. "After we've relocated to a more secure area."
Lunar observed Poppy retrieving another black stone from her pocket, identical to the one she had given him. She offered it to Solar.
"Black tourmaline," she explained. "It absorbs negative energy. You might find it helpful for dampening your output."
Solar hesitated. Lunar stiffened, ready to defend Poppy if Solar insulted her. Finally, Solar accepted the stone.
He detected the subtle energy shift as the mineral began absorbing Solar's excess emissions. The effectiveness of these natural Earth minerals was unexpected and potentially valuable information.
He wondered how many stones Poppy could get her hands on. He’d like to bury Solar under a pile of them.
"We need to go now," Rowan insisted, checking her communication device. "Stephanie just texted me. The maintenance crew is heading this way to check the electrical panel."
Eclipse nodded. "Solar, Lunar, follow us. And please, try to maintain your human appearance."
As they exited the room, Lunar positioned himself close to the walls where shadows were deepest. He observed Poppy naturally walking next to him, keeping distance while staying within communication range. She adjusted her pace to match his, showing careful attention to his movement patterns.
"The desert has deep shadows at night," she said quietly as they followed the others through a service corridor. "Caves where sunlight never reaches. Places where you might properly rest."