S.P.E.C.T.O.R – [A Sci-fi space adventure with fantasy elements]

“What on Deverinian Nine was that about?” Belmilor, whose arm Merle was holding, asked as the group of six stepped out of Primus Depths.

“I can’t believe we booked six months in advance only for them to ask us to leave,” Merle pouted. “We should complain.”

“To whom?” The female Deverinian Erkath, who had identified as Zinran, asked. “It was Grynrim who personally told us to leave.”

“At least they refunded our deposit,” The male dragon said with a sigh.

“They just kicked us out of a restaurant we booked a reservation for six months ago, and all you’re bothered about is getting the deposit back?” Merle scolded.

“Come on, babe, you know Orry cares about credits above all else,” Belmilor remarked.

“So now what?” The male Herpolisk asked.

“I guess we go find somewhere else to eat,” The female Solarian said in a disappointed tone.

***

As they followed her, Grynrim led them to a large, ornate-looking staircase which descended and had been hidden behind the service desk.

As they descended, the walls turned into see-through windows, allowing Adam to realise what Rowena had meant when she asked him why he thought Primus Depths was built at the edge of the dome.

One entire side of the restaurant was curved and appeared to have been built into the side of the dome itself, allowing the guests to look out onto the ocean as they ate.

“This is incredible,” Emma remarked as she looked out the windows onto the ocean.

“How did they even make it part of the dome?” Adam asked in wonder.

“Your look of amazement is always so amusing,” Erksth chuckled as she held Adam’s arm. “And now there are two of you.”

“Why are they so amazed by this?” Grynrim asked. “I mean, I’m happy they like it, but they’re like a pair of little kids.”

“It’s not surprising really; the planet they’re from is dramatically less advanced than what we’re used to,” Revi explained. “They’ve barely even begun exploring the universe.”

“Seriously?” Grynrim asked in surprise. “How did they even get here then?”

“That’s a long story,” Rowena chuckled.

“Good job. We have a big feast planned for you then,” Grynrim said with a smile.

“A feast?” Tephe excitedly asked.

“Those were Sealord Aergagon’s orders,” Grynrim answered as she led them to the large circular table which had been reserved for them.

As they approached, they saw that the staff members were quickly adding an extra seat to the table.

“Shall we all be seated?” Grynrim asked as she made an inviting gesture.

Everyone nodded and began to take their seats, but when Erkath went to pull out her own chair, Adam quickly unhooked his arm from hers before pulling out her seat for her.

This surprised Erkath, because out of all the women here, including his three girlfriends, it was she to whom Adam had offered his assistance.

“Thank you very much,” Erkath said with a lovely smile as her tail swayed slightly before she took the seat offered to her.

“Lucky,” Tephe grumbled as she and the others noticed Adam’s actions.

Rowena chuckled before taking her own seat while saying, “You missed your chance there, Tephe. If you wanted Adam to pull out your chair for you also, perhaps you should have taken his other arm.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” Tephe pouted.

“Because I didn’t know,” Rowena replied while shrugging.

“Perhaps we should have Adam help us all take our seats,” Aphrodite teased.

“Whilst I like that idea in general, I think it’s a bit over the top,” Lorelie remarked. “Perhaps in the future we should leave it to just those who are either on his arm or going to be sitting beside him?”

“If that’s the case,” Rowena said with a smile before asking, “Would you be so kind, honey?”

“Of course,” Adam replied after Eekath had seated herself, and he then went to pull Rowena’s chair out for her.

“Thank you,” Rowena said happily before pecking him on the cheek and taking her seat. Such a gentleman.”

“My, my, someone’s popular,” Grynrim said with a chuckle as she sat down before looking at Adam with growing curiosity.

Erkath waited for Adam to sit down beside her before asking, “So what did you mean earlier when you said, ‘Tephe and I were the first true aliens you ever met ’?”

“Wait, I was first? Yay,” Tephe cheered before realising something and mumbling, “That doesn’t add up.”

“But I thought Gract and I were the first aliens you met?” Lorelie asked in confusion.

“Gract?” Adam asked in confusion as he sat down between Erkath and Rowena, before remembering who Lorelie meant. “Oh, that Gobli who was your manager back then. I completely forgot about him.”

“Can’t blame you for that; he was hideous, both in looks and personality,” Rowena chuckled.

“True,” Adam nodded before turning back to Erkath and explaining. “Ignoring Dract, Lorelie is obviously the first alien I encountered after leaving Earth; however, it didn’t feel and appear that way at the time, other than her turquoise hair and stunning beauty…”

“Charmer,” Lorelie said with a smile.

“Which are way beyond anything we find on Earth,” Adam continued. “She looked remarkably human, and it was only later, when I first saw her true form, that it really sank home that she was different.

Before that, I had seen and observed several other races, but you, with your red skin and tail, and Tephe, with her horns, made it obvious that you were not human. Even Rowena looks human when she doesn’t show her wings.

You and Tephe were the first truly out-there individuals I interacted with; honestly, I’m surprised at how so many races look or have a human-looking form.”

“It is one of the great mysteries of the universe,” Revi remarked. “Even those races that are not humanoid, such as myself, Erkath or Tephe, take on a very Terran-looking humanoid form after we transform.”

“That’s because in the end all races come from the same source, come from The One,” Eytelis remarked as she sipped her drink.

“Oh, here we go,” Aphrodite said while rolling her eyes.

“The One?” Adam asked.

“Oh, right, I’ve been meaning to ask you about this,” Emma remarked. “It’s a faith you Dryads believe in, right?”

“Not just we Dryads; it is the faith the Environmental Sustainability Bureau was built upon,” Eytelis answered.

“What is the one, then?” Emma asked.

“No, no, please don’t ask that?” Aphrodite pleaded.

Eytelis ignored Aphrodite and was about to begin when Grynrim suddenly coughed politely and said, “Since this is going to be a long conversation, why don’t we talk about it while we eat?”

After speaking, she signalled towards one of the nearby staff members, who nodded before plates of food began to be brought over.

The surrounding tables, filled with other guests, had naturally been paying attention to their group and had been surprised when Grynrim had sat down to join them.

“I can’t believe Lady Grynrim is joining them.”

“She hardly ever eats with her customers.”

“It must be because it’s Diva Lorelie’s group.”

“Wow, this is quite the spread; you weren’t kidding when you said that a feast had been prepared,” Adam remarked as he looked at the large circular table, which was now laden with food.

“I’m glad you’re impressed; I just hope you’re equally impressed by how it tastes,” Grynrim said with a smile.

“Considering Primus Depths has the best chefs in the Reef Galaxy, I’m sure we will be,” Kasumi replied as she began to fill her plate.

“Yay,” Tephe cheered as Maya, who sat on her head, made strange noises.

“What’s that? You want to try some too?” Tephe asked, causing Maya to nod excitedly.

“Oh my!” Grynrim said in surprise as she stared at Maya. “I didn’t notice before because of how small it was, but is that a Levithan?”

“Yup, her name’s Maya,” Tephe said happily as she began to load her own plate with food while Maya made noises of complaint and used her fins to hit Tephe’s horns.

“Yes, yes, I know you want to eat some,” Tephe said. “You can share my food.”

Maya, however, shook her head and made more noises of complaint.

“What do you mean you want your own plate of food?” Tephe asked. “Why can’t you just share mine?”

In response to her question, Maya once again shook her head while making noises of complaint.

Adam and the others all chuckled at their interaction before Adam grabbed one of the small plates and said, “Come tell me which food you want to try, Maya.”

Maya chirped happily and flew off Tephe’s head and down towards the table, where she began to point out the foods she wished to try with one of her whiskers.

As Adam quickly loaded the plate up with her requests and placed it down in an open spot on the table nearby, Maya chirped at him happily before landing next to the plate, where she began to eat.

Grynrim watched in surprise before saying, “I had no idea Levithans ate our food.”

“Neither did we until she started following Tephe around,” Rowena remarked.