Tidal Souls

Los Angeles, California The descent to earth was a smooth ride, considering they’d felt a little warm upon entry at 100 km. But the ship was built for gravity and drag and could resist higher temperatures more extreme than the earth’s atmosphere. Cleona guided them safely to Franklin Canyon Park. The famous Los Angeles discovery trail lay deserted at three in the morning. But, no one would spot the spacecraft. It was invisible to the naked eye and hovered above the trees. Stralath rappelled to the ground and waited for his teammate—Cleona—to join him. Once they’d packed away their gear, he stood and took in her human form and nodded with approval. He’d been to earth a few times. This was Cleona’s first mission to the flourishing planet, and she looked acceptable. A short human stature, though. Her brown hair wa

Los AngelesThere was little time to rest. Traveling beyond the speed of light led to severe exhaustion—craft lag—and Stralath rallied his energy as they walked up the stairs to the large white mansion. A mix of security personnel and partygoers milled around the front lawns, and Stralath ignored them all, intent on meeting the most powerful person on earth. As expected, a bodyguard stopped him from entering the massive double doors. Cleona waited while he flashed a business card, and the muscled human stepped back, allowing them entry. Heading through the lobby, Stralath knew where to go as he'd been here before. They entered the vast drawing-room and slowed. A bar took up the far end, and a central fountain surrounded by sofas and chairs created a welcoming space. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked out onto the gardens surrounding a small lake. Celebrities took up space and gathered in groups around the massive water feature. A wide staircase beside the

Darghelm led his scouting pod over a sea ridge and into darker depths. They were many miles away from land, and exhaustion ate away at his vigilance. They'd been away from home for two weeks, and he missed the familiar terrain surrounding the Fisheri fortress. He'd gathered enough intel for concern, and their leader would not be pleased with the report. Darghelm's caudal spine throbbed in time with his strokes, and he glanced back at his long tail. A few days of rest should help his strained muscles. His skin was a hybrid of fish scales, sensory cells, and collagen fibers. A combination not ever seen on earth. Plenty of sea creatures on the planet had mastered the art of camouflage, like the cuttlefish. The fisheri species had evolved way beyond any of earth's imaginings. Thanks to their advanced evolution, his alien species had hidden for centuries in the deep oceans. Darghelm watched his tail darken as they drifted deeper. His concealment abilities were so innate and s

Galene loved the off-campus studio. She was back in California at the UCLA School of Arts and preparing for her first official exhibition. Three years of hard work led to a taste of gallery life, and she refused to disappoint herself or her professors. She had her last year of college ahead and needed to focus on direction and narrative within her art. Crossing the quiet street, she glanced at the old industrial warehouse and smiled. Ten of her fellow students shared this massive space with multi-level studios. Yes, the old building seemed unaccommodating to the average person, but it felt eclectic and welcoming to art students. Old sofas and messy studios sat next to a make-shift pottery space. They also had a lithographic and printing room, a sculpture space filled with stone, wood, metals, and a workshop and welding area. The sounds of artists working always motivated Galene to try harder to translate her passion onto canvas. Pulling out her security pass, she swiped

Galene needed to get her shit together. How had she lost her favorite paintbrush? The stiff hog bristle brush was what she needed for her background blend. And now, she'd gone in search of a similar tool, begging fellow students to lend her theirs. She'd buy a new brush later that evening. Grumbling at how much time she'd wasted, Galene raced back to her studio and headed straight for the open tin. Dipping the broad brush into bright green paint, she turned to her new canvas and, with an arched swipe, let loose. Green globs struck white canvas as she dipped the brush again and raised her hand. "What in the living hell!" The deep voice behind the easel had her freezing as a large man stepped into view.He clutched his paint-splattered jacket like he'd been stabbed and gaped at her in shock. "O