The Stars Cry For You

Ren's eyelids fluttered open, and he blinked rapidly to clear the haze clouding his vision. His body felt warm, the kind of warmth that came from lying in direct sunlight, though the light overhead was dim. Slowly, his surroundings came into focus: a smooth, gray ceiling, almost like polished stone, arched above him.

"Not a bad place to wake up after getting shot with... whatever that was," he muttered under his breath, stretching slightly to gauge his injuries. Nothing felt broken, which was a relief. He tilted his head to the side and froze.

A child, wide-eyed and barely containing a gasp, was standing a few feet away, staring at him like he was the galaxy's rarest species—which, technically, he might be to them. Ren raised an eyebrow and met the kid's gaze head-on.

The child yelped, turning on their heel and sprinting out of the room.

"Well, that's not ominous at all," Ren muttered. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and planted his boots firmly on the ground. The material beneath him was warm, almost alive, and he decided not to think too hard about it.

Moments later, an older individual entered the room. Their features were marked with lines of age, but their bearing was firm, authoritative even. They gestured for Ren to follow.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. No need for the silent treatment." Ren stood cautiously, his body protesting only slightly as he trailed behind the elder. "I mean, considering you didn't kill me while I was out cold, I'm going to assume this isn't some elaborate murder setup."

The elder stopped and turned, speaking in a string of unfamiliar words. The cadence and tone were gentle but firm, and Ren frowned.

"Uh, come again?" He tapped the small chip implanted just below his right ear. "Aria, what's going on with the translator? I'm getting nothing but gibberish here."

[Ren, the language appears to be undocumented.] Aria responded in his ear. [Given the species' apparent developmental stage, it's likely the Galactic Alliance didn't prioritize programming it into the translator database.]

Ren groaned, rubbing his temples. "Great. Primitive, undocumented, and I'm stuck playing charades. Great day huh."

The elder gestured again, this time more insistently, and Ren sighed. "Alright, lead the way, Grandpa. Not like I've got a better plan."

The elder led him through a series of winding corridors carved from the same smooth stone as the ceiling. Eventually, they emerged into a wide, open space dominated by a massive fire in the center. Around the fire gathered dozens—no, hundreds—of the planet's inhabitants.

Ren's scientist's mind went into overdrive as he observed them. They were humanoid, more so than most aliens he'd encountered, but their skin shimmered in shades of deep, metallic brown, almost like living bronze. Their eyes glowed faintly in the firelight or was it just the reflection.

"Well, this is... different," Ren muttered, hands slipping into his jacket pockets. He glanced around the crowd, his sharp gaze cataloging every detail. "Skin like polished alloys, glowing eyes, and a tendency to drag unconscious strangers to a bonfire. Not your usual Tuesday."

As the crowd murmured among themselves, Ren's eyes narrowed. His brain, always several steps ahead, conjured a hundred scenarios. "Okay, so… statistically speaking, they're not going to eat me, right? I mean, they look civilized enough. But then again, I'm probably the first off-world snack they've seen."

The elder stepped forward, addressing the crowd in the same incomprehensible language. Ren tilted his head, analyzing the rhythm and pitch. "Speech patterns suggest a structured grammar. Great, because I've got time to decode an alien Rosetta Stone."

One of the younger beings approached, holding what appeared to be a bowl filled with a glowing liquid. Ren's eyes lit up with curiosity, though he kept his posture relaxed. "Oh, now this is interesting. Bioluminescent fluids? Chemical analysis is going to be a blast—assuming it's not, you know, poison."

The being extended the bowl toward him, their expression expectant. Ren hesitated, glancing at Aria's interface. "Aria, thoughts on chugging mystery goo?"

[Advisable only if you enjoy the sensation of internal organ failure.]

Ren smirked, taking the bowl but not drinking. Instead, he pretended to study it reverently, all while discreetly pouring a few drops into a hidden analyzer in his jacket. "Let's not jump straight to death by alien cocktail, shall we?"

The crowd watched him intently, their murmurs growing louder. Ren raised the bowl in a mock toast, his grin widening. "Well, guess I'm the guest of honor. Let's see where this party goes."

The crowd's attention shifted abruptly as a group of the beings entered the clearing, carrying something between them. Their movements were deliberate, almost reverent, and Ren's curiosity skyrocketed. When they stopped in front of the elder and unveiled the object beneath the cloth, his jaw tightened.

He recognized it instantly. It was a translator, an old-generation model from the Galactic Union. The design was slightly modified, but there was no mistaking the bulky, outdated device. His mind raced with questions, but before he could voice any of them, the elder stepped forward and pressed a button on the device.

The elder cleared his throat, then spoke again, his words now perfectly clear. "Can you understand me now?"

Ren blinked in surprise before recovering quickly. "Yeah. Loud and clear." His gaze flicked to the translator, his brow furrowing. "How do you even have that thing? And why does it work when mine doesn't?"

The elder straightened, his tone calm but observant. "I am called Jora. And you… you are not from around here, are you?"

Ren eased the tension in his stance. "Good eye."

Before he could say more, one of the middle-aged beings stepped forward, gesturing toward Ren. "He looks like the last one who came from the stars."

Ren's curiosity sharpened. "Another person from the stars? So, I'm not the first." His eyes darted back to the translator. "That explains how you got this thing. But it doesn't explain why an older model has this language programmed when my newer one doesn't. What's going on here?"

Jora raised a hand, a gesture that seemed to convey patience. "Eat first. Then I will answer your questions."

Ren hesitated but eventually sat down with the others around the fire. He glanced at the glowing drink in his hand and activated his connection to Aria. "You done analyzing this stuff yet?"

[The drink contains high amounts of pectin.]

Ren let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "So, fruit jelly. No toxins?"

[None detected.]

"Good." He downed the drink in one go and was pleasantly surprised. "Tastes like apples. Definitely bringing some of this along."

As he ate and drank with the beings, the fire crackling in the center, Jora finally began to speak. "Long ago, a great ship fell from the sky. From it came someone like you—different, strange, yet not unwelcome. He brought us knowledge and tools."

Ren leaned forward slightly, his mind clicking through possibilities. "And I'm guessing he's the one who left the translator here?"

Jora nodded. "You are free to use our land and resources as you see fit. If you need materials to repair your vessel, you will not be hindered."

Ren gave him a lopsided grin. "Appreciate it. Let's just hope this trip is less eventful than my landing."