Jace Strickland POV

  Thriexa turned to us, her violet gaze steady. “Since you expressed interest in our spaceship, our first stop will be to see the transports.”

  I nodded along with Henry and Hail, but my mind was racing. Everything about this place—the seamless blend of civilization and nature, the quiet efficiency of the Eova—was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was hard to wrap my head around the idea that these people had been traveling the stars for generations. And now, we were about to see one of their ships.

  Sculki and Thriexa led us toward the massive central building, its structure unlike any human-made facility I had ever encountered. The walls were not constructed in the traditional sense; they seemed to have grown into place, as though the very trees had shaped themselves to house the Eova’s core operations. The more I looked, the more I realized how intentional it all was—branches forming archways, natural light filtering through carefully positioned openings. It wasn’t architecture in the way I understood it. It was something more… alive.

  As we stepped inside, I was immediately struck by the openness of the space. The interior was vast, stretching high above us in what seemed like an endless canopy of wood and woven plant life. A warmth filled the air, a sense of movement and purpose in the way the Eova moved through the halls.

  A young man dressed in deep red approached, his posture respectful but assured. “Welcome,” he said smoothly. “May I take your bags?”

  I exchanged a glance with Henry and Hail. The request was reasonable, but after everything we had been through, handing over our possessions wasn’t something that came easily.

  Before we could answer, Thriexa spoke. “You will be staying in this building. At the end of the tour, you will be shown your accommodations. For now, you may leave your belongings with him.”

  I hesitated, my instincts warring with my reason. But if we were truly going to earn their trust, then we had to extend some in return. I unshouldered my bag and handed it to the young man, who took it with a polite nod. Henry and Hail followed, though I could see the reluctance in their movements.

  As we continued deeper into the structure, my eyes kept drifting to the way the hallways curved as if they were guiding us rather than simply existing. There were no sharp corners, no abrupt edges—everything here had been designed, or perhaps cultivated, with an intrinsic understanding of its purpose.

  Thriexa walked beside me, her presence measured but calm. “When our ambassadors return home, we host a banquet to welcome the people of the planet to our new home. That will be happening tonight.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “So it’s a formal event?”

  She nodded. “Yes, it is an important tradition among our people. It signifies the beginning of a new chapter, the blending of cultures. Tonight, you will see what it means to become part of something greater.”

  I considered that for a moment. “So this isn’t just about introducing us to your people. It’s about making a statement.”

  She smiled slightly. “You see more than most. Yes, it is a way for us to show that we do not come as invaders, but as those who seek unity. The banquet is as much for us as it is for you.”

  I exchanged a glance with Henry and Hail. It was a lot to take in. Just hours ago, we were interrogating these people, trying to figure out if they were a threat. Now, they were inviting us into their world, asking us to witness something that had never been shared with humans before.

  “Guess we better be on our best behavior then,” I muttered, earning a chuckle from Thriexa.

  “I trust you will manage,” she said, her voice laced with amusement. “Come. We have much more to show you before then.”

  We continued walking, the corridor gradually widening as we approached an open-air section of the building. As soon as we stepped outside, I saw them—the transports. My breath hitched slightly at the sheer size of them. They were enormous, larger than any aircraft I had ever seen, their sleek exteriors reflecting the filtered sunlight. They weren’t just ships; they were something far beyond what human engineering had yet to accomplish.

  The crafts were elongated and smooth, their metallic surfaces woven with what appeared to be organic material. Faint, glowing lines pulsed along their frames, as if the vessels were alive, breathing in tandem with the land around them. Their design was seamless—no visible seams or rivets, no indication of assembly. It was as if they had been grown rather than built.

  “How many transports are there?” Henry asked, his voice edged with amazement.

  “We maintain seven active transports at all times,” Thriexa explained. “Each is capable of holding over two hundred passengers and a full cargo load.” She gestured toward one of the towering vessels. “This one is ready for departure at all times, should we ever need to return to the station above.”

  Hail crossed his arms, tilting his head as he observed the transport. “And how exactly do they fly? I don’t see any engines, any thrusters.”

  “The technology is different from what you are accustomed to,” Thriexa replied smoothly. “It does not rely on combustion or traditional propulsion. Our ships are powered by an internal energy field that allows for controlled motion within any atmosphere or beyond.”

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  Before Hail could ask anything else, a man dressed in deep green approached us. He was tall, his expression calm yet analytical.

  “Welcome,” he said, dipping his head slightly toward Thriexa and Sculki before turning his gaze toward us. “I am Bopro Tophae, lead engineer of the transport division. I understand you have many questions. I will do my best to answer them.”

  Sculki glanced at Thriexa before stepping forward. “We should divide the tour. I will remain here with Agent Meyer and Commander Hail to discuss the transports and how we arrived on this planet. Meanwhile, Thriexa, you should continue to show Agent Strickland more of our people and their way of life.”

  Thriexa nodded, turning to Jace. “I believe you will find our way of life just as fascinating as our technology. Come, there is much to see.”

  Thriexa led me away from the transport docks, deeper into the heart of the settlement. The sounds of the bustling Eova filled the air, but my mind was still reeling from everything I had seen so far. The technology, the seamless blend of civilization with nature, and now, the promise of something even more intriguing.

  “I want to show you something,” Thriexa said, her tone holding an edge of excitement. “You were interested in our history. This place holds all of it.”

  I followed her into a large, domed structure that, at first glance, looked like the hollowed-out trunk of a massive tree. But once we stepped inside, my breath caught in my throat. This was no ordinary building.

  It was a library—though calling it that felt like an understatement. The space stretched far beyond what I had expected, with shelves twisting like vines, reaching toward the high ceiling where soft orbs of light pulsed faintly. But what struck me the most was the variety. Books, scrolls, glowing crystals embedded in pedestals, holographic projections that hovered in midair—every form of recorded history imaginable surrounded me.

  “This… this is incredible,” I muttered, stepping forward to get a closer look. “How much information is in here?”

  Thriexa smiled. “This library holds knowledge from across the galaxy. Every planet we have visited, every culture we have encountered, we have taken great care to preserve their history. Every civilization records its past in different ways, and we honor those differences by keeping their records intact in their original forms.”

  I turned slowly, taking in the sheer scope of it all. “And all of this… it’s accessible to your people?”

  “Yes,” she said simply. “Knowledge is the foundation of understanding. We believe that the wisdom of others is just as important as our own.”

  I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “This place makes every archive I’ve ever seen look like a kid’s bookshelf.”

  She chuckled, but there was warmth in her gaze. “I thought you would appreciate it.”

  As I walked past an ornate pedestal, the glow of a nearby crystal caught my eye. It pulsed faintly, almost like it was alive. “And this?” I gestured toward it.

  “Some civilizations store their histories in physical objects,” Thriexa explained. “This one records memories in an energy-based format. If you were to touch it, you could witness moments of history as if you were there.”

  I pulled my hand back instinctively. “That’s… both fascinating and slightly terrifying.”

  She laughed. “It is an adjustment, but a valuable tool nonetheless.”

  I studied her for a moment before speaking again. “The Eova… you’ve traveled so far, encountered so much. But tell me—do you all have abilities beyond telepathy?”

  Thriexa’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of intrigue in her gaze. “You figured that out rather quickly,” she said, her voice carrying a note of admiration. “Our people have lived among many different worlds, adapting in ways that allowed us to survive. Yes, the nations of the Eova have different abilities, each shaped by the environments they once called home. ”

  Curiosity gets the better of me, and I ask, “What exactly are these abilities?”

  Thriexa gives me a knowing smile before she begins. “Each nation of the Eova has an ability unique to their heritage. The Borzork,” she gestures as if envisioning them, “wear red and have the ability to absorb and store heat, using it to increase their strength or speed. The Topzell, clad in orange, can assimilate any language, spoken or unspoken, within moments.”

  I nod, trying to keep up as she continues. “The Luxsor, in yellow, can create illusions, manipulating heat mirages to distort perception. They also have the gift of memory sharing, allowing them to see into one another’s pasts. The Bopro, in green, possess heightened intelligence, but beyond that, they are naturally attuned to technology, allowing them to interact with and shape the tools they create.”

  She takes a small pause before continuing, as if making sure I am absorbing it all. “The Jaret, wearing blue, are the dream-weavers. They can enter and influence the dreams of others. The Aurra, my people, wear purple. We can sense true intentions and, on a larger scale, influence the intentional currents of those around us.”

  My mind races as she speaks, and I can’t help but marvel at the sheer variety of these abilities. “And the others?”

  She nods. “The Bedzut, in pink, are emotional weavers, capable of manipulating emotions—calming or agitating as needed. The Klaro, in white, are healers, but they do not simply mend wounds. They can communicate with and channel the energy of nature itself to heal through plants, minerals, and the land itself. This is how our structures are shaped rather than built. Finally, the Zetill, in black, are the strongest telepaths among us. All Eova can communicate through telepathy, but the Zetill have no limitations to distance.”

  I stare at her, stunned. “That’s… unbelievable.”

  She tilts her head, a glint of amusement in her eyes. “And yet, here we are.”

  I frowned slightly, voicing my thought out loud. “What nation are the Aizihs from? What are their abilities?”

  Thriexa’s lips curved slightly, as if she had been expecting the question. “You will find out tonight,” she said simply. “There are things best revealed in their proper time.”

  “So, you can read intentions. Is that why you trusted me instead of the other interrogators?”

  Thriexa’s expression softened slightly, as if amused by my deduction. “It is not just about what I see in someone’s intentions, Jace. It is about what I feel from them as well. The others who questioned me sought only to extract answers, to break my silence. You… you sought to understand. That is why I chose to speak with you.”

  I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I fully understood. It was strange to hear her speak about my own intentions as though they were something tangible, something she could grasp.

  Before I could dwell on it further, Thriexa took a deep breath and stood still, just absorbing the moment. She let her gaze wander across the open space, watching her people move through their lives. There was a peace in her expression that was almost mesmerizing. It wasn’t just familiarity—it was something deeper. She belonged here, and she was letting herself feel it.

  I watched her, caught off guard by how composed she was. Despite everything—the interrogation, the uncertainty, the risks she was taking—here, among her people, she was calm. Grounded. It was a side of her I hadn’t seen before, and I found myself unable to look away.