A hastily pitched tent acted as a conference room. On one side of the folding table were uniformed and suited humans wearing medical masks and nitrile gloves and on the other was the Felivaren delegation plus Minji.

“Agent Erik Ramirez,” the federal agent placed his hand on his chest instead of extending it for a handshake.

Oorow mirrored Ramirez and put their large furry hand to their armored chest, right above their baby’s head. “Máru, Mráoru Oorow Ananek’d.”

“This is Protector Oorow Bobtail,” translated Tavy.

“And you are?”

Tavy mirrored Ramirez and Oorow and placed a slender hand to their chest, “I am Linguist Tavy Blackwhisker.” Tavy reintroduced the three feline people next to them. Ramirez nodded. He forced a smile under his mask but his eyes didn’t change.

“So please state why you are here. What brings you to New York City?” He asked as if he were talking to a common tourist. He seemed stranger than the Felivar. His calm demeanor unsettled her. There was literally nothing to calm about. The world had just seen alien cat people exit giant spacecraft into Central Park and this man was talking to them like they were from Canada. “State your purpose for the record. Why here? Where’s home?”

“Our home is dead,” Tavy said it defensively.

“Refugees?” Ramirez raised an eyebrow and Tavy nodded. “How many of you are there?”

Minji looked up at the swarm of craft high above their heads. If the people that came from these three could pack the meadow then each one must be packed shoulder to shoulder with frightened people.

“Chu‑Láláu-Térru,” said Oorow.

“Around two-hundred thousand,” Tavy translated.

The makeshift command center was suddenly a cacophony of yelling into phones and of demands for logistics and supplies. It was a frenzy of movement, but none of the Felivar reacted, except the old priest that looked like a white tiger, Softpaw. They closed their big blue eyes and dropped the soft smile that they were holding onto for so long that Minji thought it was real. They began to say something that was like a low chant or maybe a song. It hit her then; like the times a girlfriend had dragged her to Catholic mass. This alien priest was praying and ended each line with the same refrain, “Ná Brráh Hríú.”

They continued to pray aloud, and the sounds of the scramble quiet to a stop as other Felivar began to repeat the ending line “Ná Brráh Hríú.”

Most had tears in their eyes, most could not look up.

The large warrior, Oorow muttered the phrase finally along with the rest and pet the head of their sleeping baby. The old priest opened their eyes to look at the humans around them, clasped their hands together, and put them to their forehead before bringing them back down into their lap. A thanks for the moment.

“Ná Brráh Hríú… may they be blessed…” Tavy cleared their throat and rubbed their eyes, “Billions have died. May they be blessed. We are what’s left.”

A silence fell over the tent as Tavy continued. “High Priest Softpaw was praying for the souls of the dead, may they be blessed. We are the survivors of a…” they stuttered as they collected their thoughts.

“Genocide?” Minji offered then she put her hand to her mouth.

Tavy nodded, “Extermination.”

Ekoko stared at the mass of Felivar and Oorow exhaled heavily through their nose. Oorow began to speak in Felivaren and Tavy was quick to translate for the Protector.

“We were once a proud and numerous race. We were like you with cities that sprawled out and roadways that stretched across continents. Our allies first encountered the invaders. The first to engage them didn’t get the chance to tell anyone else. They struck the major nations first, wiping out all life. We were an afterthought and it was thought that we wouldn’t put up much of a fight,” Oorow’s face twitches at that, “We proved them wrong. We bled them. It wasn’t easy. I lost my partner. If not for this little one, the light in my life would be gone…” Oorow closed their eyes just for a moment and breathed deeply.

“A commander from our allies disobeyed orders and came to our aid. They informed us that the invaders were going to use the four moons, our gods, as ammunition to finish us off so they would be free to mine the planet. That is where the pods came from; the escape pods of battleships. They tore open a door and we went through.”

Minji thought to herself that if the ‘life boats’ were this big then how big could the ships be? Were there more people like them or others?

“Thank you for that ma’am or sir or… thanks,” Ramirez nodded to Oorow, tight smile behind the medical mask and dead eyes.

“Shær,” Tavy said slowly, “we don’t have distinctions like you do. Shær is how you politely-“

“Yeah, ok sure. So then Cher,” the agent cut them off; didn’t care. Minji felt like she could punch him, “Help me, help you before things get out of hand,” said Ramirez as he placed a briefcase on the table. He popped the latches and withdrew some papers. “I’m sure we have something to offer for the both of us.”

As he flipped through them, Minji could see photos of glyphs and carvings on ancient buildings and temples. They had been here before. Ramirez flipped a page and then back again but the only words Minji caught were ‘autopsy report.’ He unnerved her.

“What offer?” Asked Ekoko as they peered over Minji’s sunglasses, “Food? Water? Shelter?” The spotted Felivar’s tail slapped air. “Yūun,” Ekoko looked at Minji and she couldn’t help but smile a little at being addressed. “This leader?”

“No. No he’s not… who do you represent? Really.”

Just a stare. “We’re getting off topic,” said the agent.

“Ph!” Huffed Oorow and shook their head.

Tavy and Ekoko nodded. Minji felt more confident that she was a united front with her new friends. “You’re not DHS. You’re not DOJ. You’re not even military. You’re something else. Get me someone with actual authority.” Minji didn’t sound like she was scolding kids or litterers anymore.

The sergeant’s radio crackled; “Wilson and Mayor Cutolo en route to your location, over.”

“The real leaders,” Minji clarified and her companions nodded.

As a helicopter flew in low overhead Ramirez closed his briefcase. Minji stood along with the assembly. She got a chill. She turned back to see the empty space where Ramirez was.