Thabo by Luna Hunter

Author:Luna Hunter [Hunter, Luna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-10-05T23:00:00+00:00

9

Riley

I’ve never been more nervous in my life. My heart is beating like a jack-hammer, and I fear it’s going to burst right out of my chest. My knees are so weak I’m afraid I’ll buckle and make a fool out of myself, with all the eyes in the universe on me.

One step at a time.

That’s how I do it. Left foot, right foot, left foot… I’m nearly at the podium. I can already feel the Tyk’ix’s delegate cloudy eyes shooting daggers. I don’t know what we’ve ever done to earn their ire, but I feel like they would turn all of humanity into vapor if they could get away with it.

And I’m going to stop that from happening.

“I’m here,” I say into the microphone, mustering all the courage I have. I grip the podium, my knuckles turning white as I hold on for dear life.

The room erupts with chatter, and I allow myself a triumphant smile. I have no idea where DuPont is, but considering what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, I no longer rule out foul play. All the more reason I have to show the assembly what humanity is made of.

I glance over my shoulder to see Thabo and Michelle rooting for me. I’m happy to have them by my side – I probably would have chickened out if it wasn’t for them.

“Who are you?” the Tyk’ix bristles, his tentacles fluttering.

“Riley Harper, sir,” I answer. “DuPont, my minister, wasn’t feeling too well unfortunately, so I’m here to take his place. I see you’ve started without me?”

I watch the purple alien closely to see if he knows more about my boss’s whereabouts, but he doesn’t let anything on. “The Alliance doesn’t wait for anyone,” he says.

“As it shouldn’t,” I reply, “but I’d like the opportunity to state my case.”

Cries and screams rise up from the hall below.

“Order, order,” the Melek delegate says as he slams his fist down on his lectern. His black hair is pulled into a ponytail, his beard long and bushy. He’s wearing a ceremonial shawl and a loincloth – that’s it. “I won’t have this sacred hall reduced to a common tavern. There will be order!”

The chaos dies down, and soon, the hall is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. However, all I hear is the beating of my own heart.

“State your case,” the Falur delegate says. He’s wearing a dark-green suit of armor made from dragon-like scales. His dark hair flows freely, and he stands as tall as a Zoran.

I take a deep breath before starting my speech. I haven’t planned for this – not even in my darkest nightmares did I ever imagine I’d have to state humanity’s case in front of a hundred hypercritical aliens, but here I am. I don’t even know what I’m saying; I’m running on pure, unfiltered adrenaline at this point.

To my own surprise, I seem to be doing a pretty good job of it as well. The Melek and the Falur are both nodding, and the Tyk’ix is growing paler by the second.

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