Return to Platform

Amoeba caught sight of Dietrich's massive cruiser from the sky deck as it docked miles above Nepxus' atmosphere; her excitement grew as she witnessed the bridge being tethered, she couldn't wait for him to hold her in his arms again. It was exhilarating to have someone to hold after months of insolation from one another. Her heart fluttered like crazy in her chest and her wings quickened nervously making her hover mid-air, she stared up as the docking lights started flashing and the shells chimed in the distance.

'Amoeba meet me at the back steps of the Atrium in two hours.' Dietrich advised over their line. She noticed how his voice quivered, almost as if there was a secret thread that someone could clip and he'd fall apart. She felt terrified for a second but answered back to him none the least and started to the Atrium escaping the small crowds.

Both hands pressed against the cold heavy metallic door, she was alone in the Atrium as she waited. No lights could play with her here, she could feel the rickety floorboard amongst the soles of her feet. She hummed to pass the time, waiting for time to race ahead but it seemed to beat slower as the seconds dragged into minutes. She could hear the crew bustling on the other side of the door.

"I told her the betrothal rate for inter-species has increased from just two years ago." A crewmate boisterously exclaimed.

"In Nepxuan time?" A familiar voice joined.

"Of course, your highness. All reports have a Nepxuan basis." the crewmate continued.

"What'd she say to you?" Asked the familiar voice.

Amoeba started to fiddle with the edges of her silks as she waited patiently, her eyes were focused on the big doors as the footsteps got closer.

"She told me, there's no way she's marrying a griffin...still any use in trying?" The crewmate asked desperately.

The door swung open and revealed Dietrich speaking to Gun; one of his many alliance crew confidants, he looked exhausted and drained but was still maintaining interest in their conversation. He could see Amoeba waiting but turned and he grabbed Gun's shoulder and looked into his eyes.

"I think she sounds pretty reasonable, there may be a rise in the figures but if she isn't serious about marriage then maybe you two should take a break.' He took a step forward while maintaining eye contact. 'basically just try to be with someone who'll give you the attention you deserve and who wants to be with you even through the hard stuff."

Dietrich patted him on the shoulders, after dropping that thoughtful nugget he turned and grabbed Amoeba's hand and held it up for Gun to see.

"A wonderful lover is a great friend you want to spend your tomorrow with.' He looked at her smiling. Amoeba could feel the energy draining from him. 'Right?" He said grinning, baring his tiny teeth at her. She smiled back trying to mask her concern.

Dietrich pulled her off to the side and they both watched as the rest of the crew filed into the Atrium in silence. She ran her hand along his arm before resting it on his shoulder and poking his cheek. He chuckled and turned to her showing her a smirk. Bending down he kissed her cheek and rested his forehead on hers and inhaled her perfume. Amoeba lived for these very moments; where she felt that their friendship was more than what it was, Dietrich was different in private than in public amongst the Alliance civilians or the company of his father.

"I missed you more than the stars speak to their embers.

Everything burns when you're away, you know.

Sometimes I wish that you'd never go." Amoeba hummed with her head still pressed against his. He opened his eyes and smiled at her.

"I missed you, too. I always do.' Dietrich whispered back to her. His eyes lingered on her lips for a moment before he stood back up against the wall. 'Ready to go get your gift?"

Amoeba grinned and Dietrich smiled back at her wearily. He guided her onto the ship, pass some lingering crew members, and the port mechanics who were invested in reprogramming a malfunctioning back-up engine. There was a sweet smell of licorice in the air as they got closer to the barracks located by the airlock and the voyage storage area. Yuma stood outside the door, deep in thought as she swung her ax in her hands. Dietrich stopped grabbing hold of Amoeba, she stayed quiet beside him.

"Yuma, what are you doing here?' Dietrich called out to her. Yuma looked up startled. 'I thought you'd be in the Atrium with the others by now. I brought Counselor Amoeba here to go over a possible plan of action for our Elf stow-aways." He took a step away from Amoeba and watched Yuma correct her posture and salute her.

"Stow-aways, Elves be

Are there three or two?" shocked by the news, Amoeba asked quickly. Dietrich kept his composure and decided to re-direct Yuma.

"The Elven girls will have to attend Nepxuan rehabilitation labs. I do wish you'd supervise their recovery suitably." Dietrich said plainly, looking straight at Yuma. 'Or is that too big of a task for you to accomplish, I could let General Maydoc handle them." Yuma looked up, suddenly motivated more than ever.

General Maydoc happened to be Yuma's best friend; they were two reckless and passionate beings with an adverse need to be the absolute greatest at anything they do. Yuma also looked slightly pissed off now, Dietrich was growing more tired by the second.

"Honored, Your Royal Highness. I won't let you down." Yuma answered reluctantly. She turned and went to open one of the barrack doors before pulling each Elf out one by one.

Amoeba looked in astonishment when she caught sight of them, they reminded her of taller sized humans but with a terrain smell. Both of the girls were a light purple hue; one with dark brown hair and the other with white hair and white freckles and they wore the same uniforms, they also were heavily sedated and could hardly open their eyelids. Thomas, one of the crew members came and helped Yuma remove the girls, trying awfully hard not to step on his own tail in the process. Yuma handed the keys to Dietrich hesitantly before continuing down the hallway to the Atrium.

Dietrich turned the keys over in his hands.

"Stow-aways do not sleep like thieves,

thieves do not wake like rebels,

what do you wish to achieve when you deceive me,

You'd rather be a king who conspires with devils." Amoeba replied harshly in her soft voice. Her eyes seem to cut at Dietrich, this wasn't a gift. She didn't want to play host to a couple of rebel soldiers, she couldn't hide them as if they weren't fugitives.

Dietrich's smile slipped from his face; now he was purely exhausted, he glanced down into her golden irises, they were begging him to explain as he reached into his pocket.

"No, they're not stow-aways. One tried to take the bridge and the others fought with the crew and lost. The ship's android killed the one on the bridge and I tranquilized one for attacking me in the infirmary, he accidentally healed me...twice.' Dietrich looked at other locked barrack doors, he bit the corner of his mouth. 'He can heal me, Amoeba. I need more time to figure out about the Rooting or I might end up dying. I'm terrified because I'd rather save lives than take them and now I finally have the chance to do that but I don't know how to." Dietrich spoke quietly in an unfamiliar broken voice.

Amoeba stepped forward grabbing his chin and gently turning his head towards her, she leaped upon her tip-toes and collided her lips with his. She took in the taste of his tart sap and sugary nectar tongue, and he held onto her hips. He breathed in her perfumes and she settled back on the soles of her feet. Dietrich looked at her speechlessly before wiping a bit of sap from the corner of his mouth. She wiped away a tear from his cheek, and he smiled at her.

"I need your help to hide him from my father, try to make him forgive me, or at least tolerate me. I'm taking his brother as collateral. He'll help me in order to keep his brother out of harm's way." He looked into Amoeba's eyes.

He reached into his pocket grabbing a tranquilizer and handing it to her. She turned it over in her palm and watched the fluorescent liquid splosh around the needle. He put his hand over hers, making her look into his eyes. Dietrich turned to open the doors, Amoeba waited patiently behind, her silks fluttering in the breeze as the door opened.

Dietrich dragged out two Elfs; they both shared Elven features but there was a slight distinction, the older Elf caught her attention, she could feel the sensation bubbling up inside her. Drowsy the Elf lifted his eyes toward her and they both stared at each other. Dietrich brought the other Elf to his feet and lifted him over his shoulder.

"Amoeba we have to go, the ship needs to be inspected and we have to hide them both before the counsel meeting.' Dietrich called out to Amoeba, who stood star stricken over the Elfs. 'What's the matter?"

"They're rebels...' Amoeba said bursting into a wide smile before twirling and morphing into a gaint muscular version of herself 'I'll tame them." she said picking the older Elf and lifting him over her shoulder. Dietrich caught sight of the two Elfs as the younger one reached out to his brother, he stared at his attacker who was notibly woozy.

"You brought this on yourself...rebel." he whispered to him as he shut his eyes to dream away his nightmares.