Chapter 5

“Nevermore.” Raven whispered soothingly to Nevermore as she stood there calmly while facing down the startled soldiers from the camp. Nevermore almost lashed out, panicking slightly at all the guns pointed Raven’s direction but he chose to trust Raven.

Even as she raised her hands in a gesture of peace, he could already feel the darkness beneath her cloak ready to defend her. He had to remember that Raven was a Titan in another place and another time. Still, he couldn’t help but give them a glare from the eye she had on her suit.

He kept quiet for now, letting Raven do the talking for them like they agreed upon earlier. He wasn’t quite sure he could do the sock puppet routine with an “Avatar” just yet and it’s not like he couldn’t be with her given he had parts of himself literally attached to her. Raven also was a far better diplomat given her abilities.

“I guess you’re the new neighbors?” Raven greeted as she asked their visitors, making him snort out in amusement while the soldiers couldn’t help but stare back in shock and disbelief at how she spoke basic english. Still, they kept their guns trained on Raven.

There was tension between both groups but Raven’s words seemed to have snapped them out of their funk as their leader(?) shouted “God damn it, stand down! Stand down!” The woman pushed down the gun of her nearest subordinate. The effect was almost immediate as they visibly relaxed and complied, though keeping it on hand. While the helmet made it hard to see their expression, it was clear to him however that they wanted to avoid confrontation.

“Do… you need help getting up?” Raven asked as she lowered her hands and looked down towards the scientist they surprised earlier. The woman's clear visor made it easier to see her expression as she blinked and scrambled up.

“No! I’m good, I’m good.” She replied as she dusted herself off. The woman was still wary as she kept her eyes on them but she didn’t look like she'd bolt off like earlier. Her eyes seemed to be drawn towards his eyes but given the cat-like slits he chosed to fix the get up he made for Raven, it could be quite eye-catching. He couldn’t help but give her a wink making the woman blink in surprise.

The leader of the group soon walked up to them, her grip on her futuristic rifle relaxed yet kept close to herself. “Sorry about that, my men are a bit jumpy right now.”

“Understandable.” Raven replied while we looked at the camp. Several RV trailer-like structures were currently set around what appeared to be a communicationation tower with the satellite dish and the small terminal down below.

“So, explorers?” Raven asked, voicing the question that’s been bothering him for a while.

“Yeah, but it seems that somebody beat us to the punch.” The major replied good naturedly as she extended an arm out for a handshake.

“Major Melchora Vasquez of the System Alliance Reservist Corp.” The now named Major replied. Raven took her hands and shook it as she introduced herself in turn. That got him thinking as that name was an awfully familiar name from a certain franchise. Stil, he couldn’t be quite sure.

“Raven.” She replied back as the Major looked down on the gray skin of Raven’s hands.

“Annabelle Barnes, Xenobiologist from the Eden Prime University. Umm, hi?” Piped up the girl from earlier as she waved at Raven with unbridled curiosity in her eyes upon seeing Raven’s skin color.

Nevermore now knew where they were and he wasn’t quite sure if he liked it or not. On one hand, they didn’t have to face Planet Busting aliens but on the other hands, they might face some planet population harvesting aliens.

“Quarian?” The Major asked curiously.

“Half-Human.” Raven replied succinctly. Nevermore could already feel the Major’s eyebrow raising at that as the woman nodded in turn.

“We were just about to make some pasta, want to join us? That is after you decontaminate. You don’t have a suit after all and this is an unexplored planet. We’re not sure if you caught anything here as unlikely as it is.” Melchora then said.

“We wouldn’t mind.” Raven agreed to the request as it wasn’t an unreasonable request.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

“Umm, if you could follow me? I’m also the exploration team's medic by the way.” Annabelle replied demurely as she gestured for them to follow her.

While Annabelle led the way and the people in the camp went back to what they were doing, Nevermore whispered into Raven’s ears. “Raven, I know where we are.”

“Oh?” Raven whispered as I caught her attention but his explanation had to wait as Annabelle went inside the trailer with a white cross over a red field painted on its side.

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“Oh wow, your skin is so smooth and pretty! I thought it was just the gloomy atmosphere making you look gray but it’s real.” Annabelle exclaimed as she held on to Raven’s hands and inspected every inch of her exposed skin much to Raven chagrin. The attention was nice but Annabelle was rather touchy as she took every chance to touch her. Nevermore chuckle filled her ears making her sigh out in exasperation.

“I would appreciate it if I could have my arm back thank you.” She replied as the blush she had on her spread from her cheeks and down to her neck. She wondered what it was with her and touchy people, it was as if they were attracted to her.

“Oh, sorry about that.” the doctor/xenobiologist said with an embarrassed chuckle. Without her protective suit on, after the lengthy decontamination and rapid field test for any potential pathogens, She could see the sheepish smile on the other girl's face. She was… cute for the lack of better words. The embodiment of a golden retriever given human form with her blonde hair and almost goofy smile. She didn’t need her empathic abilities to know her feelings.

“It’s fine. Just not used to all the contact.” She half lied. She wasn’t sure anymore about that with Nevermore wrapping around her quite literally with the tentacles just writhing under the surface of her suit. She had to dig her fingers on her thighs just to remind her boyfriend to stop being so touchy around in public.

“So, you said you were half-human? Mind if I ask what your other half is? It’s not everyday that I get to learn that there’s a species compatible with humans.” Annabelle eagerly asked.

“I’d… rather not tell. Personal reasons” She replied, her discomfort clear for the other girl to see.

“Ohh, yeahhh… sorry about that again. I’m kind of a goof here.” Annabelle replied as she hummed, the girl tapping her chin while deep in thought.

“Ok, ok, one more question and hopefully I don’t step on anyone's foot this time around.” Annabelle said as she gathered her courage to ask once more. “How long have you been here? We’ve only detected this planet like a week ago and it seems like you’ve beaten us to the punch.”

“A week or so give or take a few days.“ She replied. She wasn’t keeping an exact time on her head, but she hasn’t quite lost track of it yet.

“Oh! So, how did you find this world? Your ship must have been real close to this nebula to discover this planet.” The girl asked with a giddy smile on her face. As she tried to answer her first question, Annabelle drowned out her reply with her rapid fire questions.

“Ohhh, it must have been exciting seeing the planet for the first time! Do you have a ship? Are you one of those new age hippies cause you don’t exactly carry any tech on your person especially with your suit which looks amazing on you. Who made your suit by the way? It’s very pretty! Like, the rippling lights across the ridges I kinda give it this techno organic feel! It kinda looks alive especially with that evil looking eye that’s giving me a look of confusion? What’s with that anyways, that eyes giving me that look like my colleagues give me when I start talking-”

Raven and Nevermore could only stare in bewilderment at the girl's dizzying amount of questions. Before the girl could work herself up to much or worse, make herself pass out as she has yet to stop asking questions, Nevermore decided to stop her there and then.

Her cape reached out and shushed the girl by covering her mouth while tentacles grabbed her by the shoulder, surprising the girl and stopping her dead in her tracks. With a mouth forming just below the eye in the suit, her boyfriend breathed in before finally speaking to Annabelle

“Girl, Breath. Breath!” Nevermore shouted as she shook the girl's shoulder making her flail about as she pushed the membrane covered cape off her mouth and took in a gasp of air.

For a few seconds, there was silence between them before Anne said. “It speaks!” She shouted, pointing at Raven’s suit.

“I speak.” Nevermore happily replied.

“Nevermore, stop teasing the doctor.” She said as she gently pinched the bridge of her nose. They had a plan, let her do the talking but that plan couldn’t withstand hurricane Annabelle.

“It has a name?!” Annabelle shouted in surprise before quickly adding “Oh huh, Quoth the Raven ‘Nevermore,’ neat name”

“Thank you.” Nevermore replied, causing the mousy doctor to jump and shout in surprise as she scooted away from them.

“Annabelle, meet Nevermore, my… Boyfriend?” There was nothing she could do about the situation now that the cat’s out of the bag. She just had to make due.

“Ummm… Hi Mister Nevermore. Nice living clothes?” Anne greeted back hesitantly waving at the eye while mouthing out ‘Do you need help?’

“Oy! I’m right here! And it’s Living Planet to you!” Nevermore shouted.

Raven couldn’t help but cover her face and groan as things got a lot more complicated.