The first few days in the Galactic Center are a blur. I only leave at night. And even then, I don't go far. I just walk around the hotel, and the immediate area. I don't see much of interest, but I do get a feel for the place. The layout, the people, the general atmosphere.
It's still overwhelming, but I'm getting used to it. Slowly.
I do see the space port, though. It's not far from the hotel, and I can see the ships coming and going. That must be where we docked, and in all likelihood, it's where I'm going to need to go to escape.
The trouble is I can't just... stowaway. If it were just a matter of getting away from Xilukulkas, then sure. I'd already be gone. But there's no way any of these ships are going to Earth. So I need to find...
Something.
A small ship. A little thing I can take to Earth. And it needs to be able to take me there. I'm trying, a little, to figure out how to do it myself. The starsail had a little library with some relevant information in it, and I have... one of those little tablets.
The kind like what was in Xilukulkas' moon.
I've been looking into every instruction I can find on how to pilot little ships, and which little ships to pick.
I'm...
Woefully, terribly under-prepared. There's no chance I could become an expert on it. Maybe if I had one of these to look through all of those seven months on the way to the Galactic Center I could do it, but with less than a month?
I just need to be able to do enough. If the autopilot can get me home, then I can manage that.
I think.
I hope.
It's an uncomfortable feeling. But it's what I have to deal with. I can't just sit around and wait for someone to hand me the key home. I need to earn it.
On the fifth night, I decide to venture further into the city. I wrap myself in a dark cloak, and leave the hotel. Llywelyn won't notice I'm gone. He never does. He's always too busy lounging in the hotel, or complaining about the crowds. He hasn't left the hotel since we got here.
The cloak itself isn't to try to sneak out and hide my identity - we're free to come and go as we please, apparently. It's mostly just not to draw attention to myself once I'm on the street with the other people trying to do their business late at night.
It's... a different atmosphere than during the day. It's still busy, but there's a certain... seediness to it. The lights are dimmer, and the people are more... tense. There are more shady characters, and more police. I can see a few fights break out, and a few arrests. It's not a place I'd want to stay for long.
But I need to.
I keep my head down, and my hood up, and I walk. I don't have a destination in mind, but I'm looking for something. A ship. A small one. Something that looks like it could get me home.
I don't expect that I'll just stumble across something, but the truth is I don't have much more of a plan than to go looking.
That's the kind of plans I've always had, after all. Which probably means I've only gotten this far with dumb luck.
But if it is, then I only need a little more luck to make it home.
I walk for a while, and I'm not really finding anything. I see a lot of ships, but they're all big. Or too... not right. I don't know how to explain it. They just don't look like they'd get me where I need to go.
I'm starting to get tired, and I'm about to turn back, when I hear a voice.
"Hey, girlie."
I stiffen, and turn to see a group of aliens standing behind me. There's five of them, and they're all... ugly. They're big, and burly, and have too many eyes, and teeth. Their skin is a mottled gray, and they're wearing dirty, ragged clothes. They look like thugs.
I'm not an expert on aliens, that much I've learned quite well over the past year.
But these people. Are definitely some kind of thugs.
"What are you doing out here all alone, huh?" One of them asks, stepping closer. "Dangerous place to be this late. Why don't I take you back somewhere safe?" He grins, showing off his sharp teeth.
"No thanks." I say, and take a step back.
"Ah, come on, don't be like that." Another one says, and they start to surround me. "We're just trying to be friendly."
"You should say thank you." A third one says, and they all chuckle.
I roll my eyes. "You're supposed to be so superior and your pick up lines are as bad as the dumbest human." I scoff. "At least try a little."
They pause, and exchange glances. "What did you just say?"
"I said that you're a bunch of sub-sapients. Are your translator apps broken? Are you illiterate?" I ask, crossing my arms.
They bristle, and the first one growls. "You've got a mouth on you, girlie. I think we need to teach you some manners."
"Yeah, let's do that." Another one agrees, and they start to move toward me.
I sigh. I really don't have time for this.
It's my own fault for making it worse, I guess. But I'm not about to apologize. I've had enough of this shit to last me a lifetime, and I don't have time to deal with it now.
So when the first one reaches for me, I grab the knife in my cloak and stab him in the wrist. He howls, and stumbles back, clutching his arm. Blood pours from the wound, and the others stare at me, shocked.
I pull out the knife and lunge at the next closest one, slashing at his throat. He dodges, but not fast enough, and I catch him across the face. He screams and falls back, clutching his eye.
The other three back away, their hands up. "What-! Kruikghaman!"
I do the only reasonable thing in the situation.
I give press my advantage and stab the one still within reach. In the leg, then the arm. I don't get any more cuts in, unfortunately, as the whole of them sprint away.
Which is...
A little surprising.
After all, with five of them, I'd probably have lost eventually. They're bigger, stronger, and more numerous. But they just... run away. I guess they weren't expecting raw violence. Or they're just cowards.
I watch them go, and then look down at the knife in my hand. It's just a steak knife from the hotel. I stole it last night. I guess it's good that I did.
I clean it off on the cloak, and put it back in the hidden pocket inside of it. Then I look around.
The street is mostly empty now. The fight drew some attention, but not much. A few people are watching from a distance, but they don't seem interested in getting involved. That's fine with me.
I turn and start walking again.
I guess that's enough excitement for one night. I should head back.
Or, well...
I keep walking.
Just a little bit more.
I want to see if I can find something before I go back.
I just need a little more time.
I can do it.
I just have to keep looking.
I'll find something.
I'll find a way.
I'll get home.
I have to.
If that means stabbing more aliens? Well...
I've done worse.