Thriexa Aizih POV

  The meeting room was smaller than I was used to, but it was comfortable, the space filled with warm light from the large windows overlooking Washington, D.C. The city stretched beyond the glass, a stark reminder of how much work remained. Every decision made in this room would shape the future—not just for the Eova, but for humanity as well.

  Trenal stood beside me, arms crossed, exuding his usual calm confidence. Though he had a lighthearted nature, he took his responsibilities seriously. This was his first major role in integrating our people into human society, and I knew he would be invaluable. He had a way of making even the most overwhelming tasks seem manageable.

  Sam entered the room with purpose, a tablet in her hands, already skimming the details of the discussions we had been having over the past few days. She was efficient, sharp, and completely focused. Her energy was different from Trenal’s—more direct, more forceful—but I sensed they would balance each other well.

  “Alright,” she began, sliding into her seat across from me and Trenal. “You want to start with the Klaro?”

  I nodded. “Yes. I want to bring the Klaro here to begin their efforts. Their abilities have saved countless Eova lives, and I know they can do the same for humanity. We will start in D.C., proving what they can do in hospitals here before expanding further. More hospitals, more people saved. Eventually, they should be able to bring healing to the entire country.”

  Trenal smirked slightly. “We always start small, and before long, we are spread across an entire world. It is our way.”

  Sam tapped her fingers against the table, already calculating. “That’s ambitious, but possible. We’ll need to coordinate with hospital administrations, city officials, and the media to make sure this isn’t seen as favoritism or selective care. We don’t want people to think the Eova will only help those in power.”

  “Agreed,” Trenal said, leaning forward. “I will coordinate the Klaro. We will determine how many can be stationed in different cities at a time, and what level of care they can provide without exhausting their abilities. We can’t afford to burn out our healers.”

  Sam gave him a considering look. “You’ll handle the Eova logistics, and I’ll handle the human side?”

  Trenal gave her a small grin. “Unless you want to handle both? I wouldn’t mind watching you scramble.”

  Sam rolled her eyes, but I could sense the amusement beneath her exasperation. “That is not going to happen.”

  “Then it is settled.” Trenal leaned back, clearly pleased with himself. “You handle the humans, and I handle the Eova. Try not to slow me down.”

  I shook my head at their banter, but I was pleased. Despite their differences, I could already see how well they would work together.

  “That brings us to the Bopro,” I continued. “I want to bring them here and pair them with the best human scientists. There is so much potential to improve human technology—transportation, communication, medicine. The Bopro have advanced knowledge that could accelerate human progress exponentially.”

  Sam folded her arms. “That will be harder to sell to the public. The Klaro heal people, which is easy to accept. But suddenly introducing alien technology into human infrastructure? People will be resistant. Some governments will want full control over what’s shared.”

  “Then we make it a collaboration,” I said. “We invite the top human scientists to work with the Bopro. That way, humanity is involved in its own advancement, and no single nation holds all the power.”

  Trenal nodded in approval. “A controlled integration. Logical. It will prevent unnecessary conflict and ease fears of dependence on Eova advancements.”

  Sam sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “You both make it sound so simple. But fine. I’ll handle the political side, set up meetings with scientists, and smooth things over with the right people.”

  “Then it’s settled,” I said, leaning back slightly. “Trenal, you are officially in charge of coordinating the Eova side of these efforts. I trust you to handle it.”

  Trenal dipped his head in acknowledgment. “It will be done, Aizih.”

  I smiled. “And Sam, you are in charge of coordinating the human side. You and Trenal will work together. I want full cooperation between both worlds.”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Sam glanced at Trenal, arching a brow. “Think we can manage that?”

  Trenal gave a small, amused smirk. “As long as you don’t slow me down.”

  Jace Strickland POV

  The meeting ended, and while Trenal and Sam lingered to discuss logistics, I found myself walking beside Thriexa as we left the room. The weight of what she was trying to do settled between us, unspoken but present.

  “That was a hell of a plan you put together,” I said. “You’re really trying to change the world.”

  She glanced at me, a small smile playing at her lips. “I have to try. What kind of leader would I be if I didn’t?”

  I studied her for a moment, something in my chest tightening. “It’s just… a lot. And you’re carrying all of it.”

  She exhaled, glancing out the window. “I have carried the weight of my people for lifetimes, Jace. But this world, this body—it makes it harder. The emotions are stronger here. Everything feels… heavier.”

  I hesitated, then spoke before I could second-guess it. “I get that. Kind of. When my mom got sick, it was like the world was too much. Too loud, too raw. My sister, Sam, she took care of her while I stayed away. I told myself it was for my job, but the truth was… I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t know how to. And I was the one providing for them, making sure the bills were paid, making sure there was food on the table. I thought that was enough. But it wasn’t.”

  Thriexa turned toward me fully now, her gaze softening. “You regret that.”

  I nodded. “Yeah. And it took me too long to admit it. Sam and I… we weren’t exactly on speaking terms for a while after that.”

  She studied me for a long moment before stepping closer. “And now?”

  “We’re figuring it out,” I admitted. “But I don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I don’t want to push people away just because I don’t know what to do with everything I feel.”

  I hesitated, then exhaled softly. “You and Tocci—you were the ones who pushed me to talk to Sam. I don’t think I ever actually thanked you for that.”

  Thriexa tilted her head slightly, her violet eyes studying me with quiet warmth. “You don’t need to thank me, Jace. Family is worth fighting for. I only gave you a nudge in the right direction.”

  I let out a short, dry chuckle. “A nudge? You practically shoved me into a confrontation.”

  A small smile tugged at her lips. “And yet, you needed it. And you don’t regret it.”

  I shook my head. “No. I don’t.”

  Thriexa didn’t move away, and for some reason, that made it easier to keep talking. “You know, when we were kids, Sam was always the brave one. She used to drag me into the woods near our house, convincing me that there was buried treasure or some kind of hidden world just waiting to be found. I always played along, but I knew she was the real adventurer.”

  Thriexa’s lips twitched. “I find that hard to believe. You seem quite capable of adventure.”

  I let out a small laugh. “Not like her. One time, when we were about eight or nine, she swore up and down that there was a secret tunnel under our backyard shed. She spent days trying to dig an entrance, only for our mom to find us covered in dirt, completely ruining her flower beds. Sam was so sure she was going to find something. I think she just liked the idea of going somewhere no one else had.”

  Thriexa tilted her head, considering. “She was searching for something beyond what she knew. A restless spirit.”

  “Yeah. That’s Sam,” I admitted, rubbing the back of my neck. “She always looked forward, always had a plan. I think that’s why it was so hard for her when our mom got sick. She couldn’t plan her way out of it. She just had to watch it happen.”

  A long silence stretched between us. I wasn’t sure why I was telling Thriexa all of this, but it felt natural. Like she was someone who wouldn’t just hear the words, but understand them.

  “I didn’t know how to deal with it,” I continued. “So I ran. I threw myself into work, convinced myself that providing for them was enough. That I didn’t have to be there, just make sure they had what they needed. But I was wrong. And Sam? She never said it, but she resented me for it.”

  Thriexa placed a hand on my arm, her touch grounding. “She does not resent you now. I can feel it in her intentions—there is no anger, only the quiet longing of someone who wishes to rebuild what was lost. You have mended what was broken.”

  I nodded, swallowing past the lump in my throat. “Yeah. And I don’t plan on making that mistake again. I lost too much time with her once—I’m not going to lose my sister again.”

  Thriexa was quiet for a moment before she spoke, her voice softer than before. “I envy that bond you have with her. I grew up surrounded by my people, but my childhood was different. I was born on the space station while we were traveling between planets, just like every other Eova. My first memories aren’t of a home, but of the vastness of space. The hum of the ship, the artificial light, the endless stars. That was all I knew.”

  I watched her, captivated by her words, by the way she spoke of something so extraordinary as if it were ordinary.

  “When I was only a few weeks old, by your time, I was sent through the transformation portal for the first time. I didn’t grow up in my true form. None of us do. We are born as Eova, but we live as something else, adapting to wherever we land. It wasn’t until I had lived a full lifetime on my first planet that I saw my true self again, when we left for the next world.”

  I tried to imagine that—growing up in a body that wasn’t truly my own, only discovering what I actually looked like after an entire life had passed. It was almost incomprehensible. “What was that like? Seeing yourself for the first time?”

  Thriexa hesitated, a faraway look in her eyes. “Strange. Familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I had spent so long identifying with the body I had been given for that world that seeing my true form again felt… like waking up from a dream. A dream that lasted decades.”

  I exhaled slowly, trying to process that. “That’s… a lot.”

  She gave me a small, knowing smile. “It is. But it’s all I’ve ever known. And yet, somehow, being here, experiencing life this way—it feels different. The emotions, the connections, the weight of everything—it’s stronger, harder to ignore.”

  I held her gaze, realizing she wasn’t just talking about Earth.