The sun was setting and Maghrib Adhan could be heard faintly from the nearest mosque. Tika and Varka arrived at the living unit where Professor Arga and his family lived. It was understandably bigger than Tika’s living quarter, and had a few rooms to accommodate the small family.

“Come on in”, Professor Ratri said as she opened the door. Tika and Varka followed her in, and immediately be greeted by Kumis, Indah’s cat. He sniffed at Tika and Varka’s socked feet, before standing on his hind leg and meowing. 

“He’s being clingy today”, Professor Ratri said, leaving Tika and Varka to the kitchen.

“Oh, really? Who’s a clingy baby? Are you a clingy baby?” Tika lifted Kumis off the floor and made smooching noises at him. “Are you baby? Yes, yes you are baby.”

“I don’t know if I’m being jealous or not, but stars, he is adorable”, Varka said, making Tika laugh. Varka scritched the top of Kumis’ head, making him squint his eyes and purr loudly.

“Professor Arga and Indah aren’t home yet, Auntie?” Tika asked.

“Not yet. In a bit, maybe”, Professor Ratri said from the kitchen. Delicious smell of food hung thickly in the air.

Bayu trudged out of his room. He was wearing a shirt with the UESA logo on it and a pair of short shorts. His hair was a mess, as if he just woke up from sleep. He gave Tika and Varka a long stare before groaning, rubbing his face.

“I get it, you’re dating”, he said. “You don’t have to wear matching clothes too, you know?”

In that moment, Tika realized that both her and Varka were wearing white clothes — Tika in a white dress with white flower emboss, while Varka in white button up shirt and black pants.

“A happy accident”, Varka returned calmly, before sauntering off to the kitchen. Tika could hear them asking Professor Ratri if there was something they could help.

Tika couldn’t hear Professor Ratri’s answer — her voice was being swallowed by the noise of cooking. But she could see Varka helping Professor Ratri cutting some vegetables. For Varka who was raised with replicator technology that could make food with a press of button, cooking with their hand had to be quite an experience. Tika couldn’t help but admire them as they worked with their hands.

“I wonder what smell this is”, Bayu said all of a sudden. Tika opened her mouth to answer, but he beat her to it and laughed. “Oh, right. The smell of someone falling in love. Ew, no wonder it smells awful.”

Tika rolled his eyes. “I get it, you aromantic dweeb. Love is overrated for you.”

“Heck yeah it is!” Bayu laughed and flopped onto the couch. “And besides, nothing, or no one, in this universe understands me like maths.”

“Remind me again that one time you tried to argue one of Velrakis’ finest mathematicians about one of our most advanced theories”, Varka said as they walked out of the kitchen. In their hand was a bowl full of stir-fried spinach with oyster sauce and it smelled absolutely heavenly.

“He was being a smug prick about it! I had to argue him on principle!” Bayu shot back.

“Of course, and it had nothing to do with your wounded pride”, Varka said calmly. Tika giggled.

“Oh so that’s how it is. Two against one, huh?” Bayu was ready to throw down, and Tika was only partially worried for his wellbeing. “If only Indah is here.”

“If Indah is here, it’s going to be three against one”, Tika reminded him, standing up to assist Varka and Professor Ratri carrying food from the kitchen and onto the dining table.

Bayu flopped back against the couch, grumbling incomprehensibly. That was when the front door opened, and Professor Arga entered the living unit, followed by Indah and Emperor Velandar.

The sound of a plate crashing onto the floor made Tika turn around. Varka dropped the plate they were holding, and its contents — fried tofu and tempeh — rolled all over the floor. Their face was filled with absolute fear and their body was beginning to shook, something that Tika had never seen before.

Tika put herself between Varka and the Emperor.

“May I talk with my progeny?” the Emperor asked calmly. “Privately.”

Tika opened her mouth to argue. Varka was so terrified that they were shaking just for seeing him! How could he ask such a thing?! But Varka beat her to it.

“Father…”

“Come, ni’amhe”, the Emperor urged.

“No”, Varka said.

The Emperor blinked, confused. 

“Whatever you will say, I will tell Kartika”, Varka continued. They came up to her and held her hand, their fingers intertwining together. “She’s my ah’va. She deserves to know everything.”

The Emperor took a deep sigh, but it was clear that Varka would not budge. Whatever ah’va meant, it sounded like something important in Anur Arta culture. The Emperor then turned to Professor Arga and his family, who were still watching them with wide eyes.

“May I borrow a room where I can speak with my progeny and his… ah’va, in private?” the Emperor asked.

“O-oh, of course”, Professor Arga stuttered. “Here, in my study.”

They entered the Professor’s study, where bookshelves lined one side of the wall. They sat on the comfortable sofa — the Emperor slightly awkwardly, as he folded his long limbs to fit into the human-sized sofa.

“Human housing is very… small”, the Emperor commented.

“We don’t normally receive guests taller than two meters”, Tika answered snappishly. She took a seat next to Varka. The Emperor was silent, and he looked particularly intrigued when Tika took Varka’s hand in hers once again.

“You caused Mother’s death”, Varka accused.

“Something that I deeply regret until today”, Emperor Velandar said, his face was filled with deep sorrows.

“Regret only is not enough”, Varka hissed. “How could you want to take over the planet that she missed terribly? How could you even think that it was a good idea?!”

“Ni’amhe…” the Emperor said softly. “I thought it was the only way for our people to live side by side with the humans. I thought, the humans are so primitive. Our people’s presence can bring them to the age of prosperity—”

“I’m sorry, primitive?!” Tika interrupted, no longer able to hold her irritation. “Just because our people can’t travel the stars like yours do, doesn’t mean that our people are worthless! We are a civilized people, with a very diverse culture, and we are proud of it!”

“Is this how you persuaded less than advanced people like the Jotnar and the Ndalu to join the Intergalactic Coalition?” Varka accused. “By offering them technologies beyond their imagination? By being their savior, so that they depend on us completely? And for what? So that our people look grander in comparison, is that true?”

Emperor Velandar was silent, but his eyes were wide.

“You are truly your mother’s progeny…” he said softly. “Have you ever thought that our people actually have nothing?”

“After a month living on Earth? Yes, I have thought about it”, Varka returned sharply. “Our people are stagnating. The people of Larkis was right, utopia without any regards of other beings’ lives are not real utopia. The Mothership had even never have non-Anur Arta as our leader!”

Tika suddenly remembered Varka’s conversation with the people fo Larkis, over than a month ago, the one that she couldn’t understand. Was that what the people of Larkis said? A chance for welfare and dignity? Tika felt bad for hurting them, before she remembered that they did try to hurt her and Varka.

“I know I am wrong”, Emperor Velandar said. “I know there is racial disparity between the Anur Arta and other beings. I also know the system is broken. That’s why I came here, to apologize to the humanity. To fix everything.”

Tika stared at the Emperor in disbelief. Would it possible for someone to change so drastically and in such short time? Only a month passed since she left Mothership Velrakis. Next to her, Varka looked like they couldn’t trust him either.

“The Velrakis-Aran has been ordered to find planets we can live on”, Emperor Velandar told Varka. “You are a Velrakis-Aran. Would you… like to help?”

This time, Varka was quiet.

“ … Varka?” Tika asked. Would Varka leave with the Emperor? Did that mean she would never see Varka again?

“This is too sudden”, Varka replied. “I… enjoy life on Earth.”

Emperor Velandar sighed. “I understand”, he said, standing up from his seat. Like this, he looked old and weary. “I have predicted your decision, so I… took the liberty to pack your things up from your room at Velrakis, and take it with me here.”

“Oh”, Varka hummed. Their eyes were wet. For a moment, Tika thought they were going to cry.

“Here”, the Emperor handed something to Varka. “Long distance communicator. I want to hear about your life on Earth. And… I also brought a small ship for you. If you decide to change your mind.”

“I will take it to the UESA to be studied”, Varka said sharply. “They deserve to study about our technology, after everything that you put them through.”

Emperor Velandar smiled, as if he had predicted it too.

“I am happy to see you happy, ni’amhe. Life on Earth suits you”, he said, proud, before walking out of the room. Varka fell back to the couch next to Tika and covered their face with their hand.

“That went well”, Tika said. “At least there’s no shouting match.”

“Oh, no. We Anur Arta are too civilized for that”, Varka hissed. “I used to be proud being an Anur Arta. I used to believe that everything I did was for our people, and for other beings who live on the Mothership. But now… I don’t know…”

“It takes years to unlearn everything bad that has been taught to us”, Tika said. “But it’s not too late, Varka. I believe in you. You’re getting there.”

“Thank you, Tika”, Varka returned, smiling.

Tika returned their smile.