Gunny had calmed down and had opened up considerably now that he realized that we were 100% there for him.

  “I should probably have told you about this a lot sooner…” He admitted. “But it was pretty tough.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Eva replied. “It’s not something people generally are very open about. Especially after having been betrayed like that, being open to anyone, even if they are long-term friends of yours, is not evident at all.”

  Gunny nodded silently.

  “Do you think it is time for vanilla pudding, Lauren? Or are you more in the mood of chocolate?” Luna asked. This resulted in some strange looks from both Eva and Gunny.

  “I’m feeling Vanilla, what about you?” I replied.

  “I think so too…”

  I then looked at Eva and nodded over to my girlfriend. She caught on immediately. “Ah, right.” She smiled. “Then I’d like some vanilla pudding too.” I’m not entirely sure if she realized what the code-word actually stood for but from the looks of it it did kinda seem like she did.

  “Are we having dessert still?” Gunny still looked very confused.

  “Well, if you want dessert…” I shrugged. “But Luna would like to tell you something.”

  Gunny shifted his gaze from me over to my girlfriend. “Which is?”

  “But before she does…” Eva interjected. “I think it is safe to say that both Lauren and I trust Luna with our very lives.”

  I nodded affirmatively.

  “Okay?” Gunny squinted for a second but then opened his posture up again. Probably too look less intimidating. “Sorry, go ahead, LC.”

  Luna took a couple of deep breaths before she opened her mouth. “I have a confession to make now that we are all being open with each other. I have a bit of a secret that both Lauren and Eva know about… I want you to know that it’s not because I don’t trust you that I kept it from you for so long… We just didn’t really find the time to do so…”

  Gunny nodded slowly and waited for Luna to continue.

  “Well… the secret is that I’m not exactly from Earth…” Luna nervously crossed her arms and somewhat moved behind me to use me as a bit of cover.

  “So you were born on the moon, or what?” Gunny now looked really confused. “I mean, I could have guessed that because of your name.”

  Eva pinched the bridge of her nose. “No, that’s not it, Gunny… Not at all.”

  “I’m not exactly from a moon, no.” Luna replied. “I’m saying that I’m not really from your solar system. Quite a bit further away than that. I am, what you would call, an alien.”

  Gunny looked dumbstruck for a good minute before he started chuckling and looking at me. “Are you guys trying to cheer me up with some kind of elaborate joke or something? I suppose it’s working because I’m laughing and all…”

  Luna stepped even more behind me in response and I slowly shook my head at him. “It’s no joke at all. Luna is not human.”

  “She isn’t.” Eva attested my reply.

  Gunny’s eyes went wide open. “Wait… You three are serious?”

  “As serious as can be.” I nodded.

  “You are an alien?” Gunny looked at Luna.

  Luna nervously nodded back. “I am… yes…”

  “Like… one of those that attacked the ship? Or the Dokazuuk?”

  Luna shook her head. “Neither. Although my race did know of the Empire.”

  Gunny stayed silent and then looked at the ground. Clearly lost in thought. “Then, how do you look human?”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “It’s a bit complicated.” She replied.

  “She has this box that she can use to change form.” I commented.

  “More or less, yes.” Eva added.

  “So what, you are a spy of sorts then?”

  Luna nodded. “That was my original purpose aboard, yes.”

  Gunny looked up and stared directly at me. It’s not that he looked angry, but he definitely had an agitated air around him. “And you are okay with that? Why didn’t you capture her?”

  I raised my hands in defense of my girlfriend. “Luna has been nothing but helpful. It’s thanks to her that our ball of earth is still a ball of earth and not some random spacedust in the solar system.”

  Gunny immediately back down again, his eyes went even wider than before. “Wait… What do you mean?”

  “M-maybe it’s best that I explain to you why I was sent to earth?” Luna stuttered.

  Gunny nodded bewildered at my girlfriend’s suggestion and Luna then proceeded to explain the entire situation between the Conglomerate and the Empire.

  “Do you understand my mission now?” Luna asked after her explanation.

  “I do, more or less.” Gunny nodded. “Although it doesn’t really sit well with me that you still spy for your… people.”

  “If she wouldn’t, that wouldn’t look well to her people. Which would be detrimental for us.” I reply.

  “I understand that, but I’m no fan of underhanded things like spying…” Gunny crossed his arms. “But… I do see that it’s a necessity.” Gunny then looked at me.

  “So have you seen her real form yet?”

  “I have. It was how she proved to me that she wasn’t human.”

  “And how do you know that’s what her real form is like?” He then looked over to Luna. “If I understand correctly, you can change forms to pretty much anything humanoid, right,”

  Luna nodded.

  “Because I trust her.” I shrugged. “Besides, if that wasn’t her true body, I don’t think she would have been as happy as she was when…” I coughed just in time as my cheeks started to turn a little red.

  “So you have been swayed by her looks.” Gunny rolled his eyes. “Why am I somehow not surprised you went to bed with the alien spy on board our ship.”

  “Well… You know me I suppose….”

  Gunny rolled his eyes again. “So you, Eva and Ellie know about Luna, and that’s it?”

  “Pretty much.” Luna nodded.

  “We tried to tell as few people as possible.” Eva continued. “Because her state of being ultimately also betrays her purpose on board. It’s in the best interest of both us and humanity as a whole to keep it as hidden as possible. At least for the time being.”

  “And why did you decide to tell me then? You couldn’t possibly know my reaction. I’m still not sure what to do now if I have to be completely honest. This is all a bit much.”

  “Because we would have to include you eventually.” I replied to Gunny’s justifiable comments. “And I would rather have you know now so you can support us, rather than finding out accidentally or second-hand later on.”

  “Openness begets openness.” Eva added, referring to what Gunny had just told us about his own life.

  “I suppose…” Gunny, while keeping his arms crossed and looked at Luna for a couple of seconds before he sighed deeply. “I’m sorry for being this hard on you, LC… Luna… It’s just that I would rather not deal with spy stuff… But…”

  As Gunny went silent again for a couple of seconds I decided to pry him for the rest of the sentence. “But?”

  “But I am happy… or maybe it’s better said that I am relieved that you are the alien spy, and not someone else.”

  Luna shyly raised her finger. “As far as we know…”

  “Right… as far as we know.”

  I smiled and walked over to Gunny, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for understanding.”

  Gunny rolled his eyes brushed my arm aside, offering his hand and arm for a classic handshake instead.

  I looked at him and tilted my head slightly in confusion.

  “Let me shake your hand, Commander Davis.” He stated.

  “Why?”

  Both Eva and Luna looked confused at Gunny as well.

  “Because you accomplished your mission, that’s why.”

  I squinted my eyes. “I’m still not following, sorry.”

  Gunny grinned and with his open hand quickly motioned towards Luna. “If memory recalls you got yourself assigned on a space expedition to look for alien life and more importantly to find yourself a cute lesbian alien girlfriend, right?”

  Eva snorted and Luna’s face turned bright read. My cheeks too started to flush pink.

  “That’s your cute alien girlfriend standing right there, isn’t it?”

  “Son of a…” I started laughing out loud and grabbed his hand. “I had completely forgotten I had told you.”

  “Damn right you did.” He smiled back but then his face turned serious again. “Seriously, spy stuff aside, I am happy that you have found happiness and that you miraculously succeeded with the task you set out to do.”

  “Thank you very much, Gunny.” When I looked back at Luna she was still red as a tomato. “I’m sorry, my love.”

  “D-don’t worry about it.” She stuttered. “I’m just happy that Gunny’s mood has returned even if it’s just a little.”

  “I wouldn’t say I’m completely through the heartbreak yet though.” He replied.

  “Well… I might have a good idea to fix that.” I commented.

  “Like what?”

  “How about some good old-fashioned hiking?”