She distracted herself from the conversation and asked the question that was plaguing her. "Why aren't there any windows?" She just had to ask. "The planet is mostly rocky and cold. While Zotheans are immune to the conditions, other species find it hard to survive in such harsh conditions," he explained. "The city is built inside the mountains so that we are insulated from the cold outside."She tried to picture something from Interstellar and failed. "How cold is it outside?" she asked curiously. "It averages from minus fourteen degrees Celcius to minus sixty degrees Celcius."Ellis nodded. So the weather conditions were like Antarctica on Earth. She imaged the Zotheans walking around like penguins and let out a giggle."Is it always so cold or is it winter right now?" she asked. She wanted to see the outside world without freezing to death. "It's summer. The current weather report shows clear skies but minus

"Ellis," she heard someone call her. In her sleepy state, she hummed and pushed her head deeper into the pillow. When her name was called again, she groaned and covered her head with another pillow. Something tickled er nose and she tried to turn her head to get rid of it. Unfortunately, it followed her. She cracked her eye open and saw the tip of Logan's tail had slipped under the pillow and was teasing her nose. She pulled the pillow away and saw Logan sitting up beside her. His eyes twinkled with mischief; he looked so playful that her morning crankiness melted away in an instant. She smiled at him and wanted to pat his head like she would a cat. "Time to wake up already?""Yes!" Laurel said from behind her. Ellis turned around and saw her standing at the edge of the depression. She grinned at Ellis, careful not to show her teeth. "You two look very cozy. I'm almost sorry to tear you apart!" she said. Ellis blinked and let out a giggle of amusemen

"Today, the special market will sit, so it's the best day to take you around," Logan said softly. Ellis peered around at the open market. Stalls littered the road, covered by tarps to protect from the weather. It seemed so much like a flea market that Ellis felt right at home. People flocked the stalls and bargained and she even recognized some of the alien species from the dinners. Ellis tried her best not to stare but did peek at the aliens often.No one recognized them and for that Ellis was thankful. When she looked back, she could see that the Koln had accumulated a lot of paper in his hands. She shrugged and kept looking. Logan took her closer to the stalls so that she could look and read the signs aloud to her and explained what they were. "What is that?" she asked, pointing towards an item that Logan had skipped. Logan twitched. "A tail extender," he said, filled with embarrassment. "Guaranteed to extend the length a

"We have a council meeting after this. I would like for you to join me," Logan told her when they stopped at their apartment. She was made to change into a more formal looking tunic and Logan matched her. Logan even put a matching tiara on her head. Ellis felt very much like a Disney princess. She looked at herself in the mirror and had to appreciate how good she looked. Through the winding hallways they walked, Logan told her about how the Council representing different ministries came to a decision and then presented it to the Emperor for him to sign or discard."The political framework seems easy but the relationships are difficult. Most of these people have been members since my parents were on the throne, so they consider me a youngling. It's hard to earn their respect.""I understand," Ellis replied. She meant to observe and say nothing. She had no power at the moment, so she couldn't voice her opinions. Nin strode forward a

Ellis lay limply in the hot bath, staring at a woman who was clearly pregnant. As she stared, a sudden thought passed her head. Her period had yet to come. A sliver of fear passed through her that she was pregnant before her rational brain reminded her that she had not had sex for a really long time. Then she remembered that she had been taken by aliens. So, nothing was impossible. "Laurel?" she whispered. The other hummed. "I haven't had my period yet. Am I pregnant?" Laurel turned to her with a peculiar look. "Do I have to go over the birds and bees with you?" she asked. "Well, maybe you should," Ellis hissed. "Did they plant a baby in me or something?" She probed around her body to check for any newly formed bumps. "No, it is the same insert pendrive in Slot A thing. Your period won't come. Something about genetic coding. Some earlier women get their period every four or five months, but apart from that, the new com