A trip to Destet

���Wait, so where are we going?���

Tess sighed. For a human, Silvia was dumb.

���We���re going to Distet. There���s something I need there.���

���And what is it?���

Millard replied from the co-pilot seat. ���Tess is trying to find her mother���s necklace.���

Ah yes, of course. Tess, her partner Millard (in both aspects), and Silvia were on a spaceship trying to find her alien friend Tess��� stupid necklace which her mum supposedly pawned away to get Tess safely to earth.

Silvia leaned back onto her chair. She understood that Tess wanted to have a memento of her dead mother her sacrificed her life for Tess or something, but Silvia just didn���t understand how Tess��� mother was willing to give her life for her daughter.

Silvia���s mother wouldn���t have. She would have thrown away Silvia In a heartbeat. After all, ���a female was no use as she can���t inherit our billion-dollare empire and residence���. She really hated her parents.

���We���re here!��� Tess leapt off the spaceship first. For an alien, she looked and acted remarkably human. Her green-blue eyes surveyed the distance.

���Millard? Silvia? I think we have arrived,��� she shouted into the spaceship.

Millard came out next. His chestnut brown hair, usually so neat, was a bit ruffled during the long flight.

���Umm, darling? Are you sure this is the place.

Silvia, who had gotten out last, had to agree. The whole planet was a barren wasteland, save a tiny dot in the distance that looked a bit like a small city.

Tess sadly nodded. ���Long ago, Destet was a thriving city. But there was a famine. Only the richest, or those who lived in the cities, were able to get enough food. Everyone else died. The rich and the noble haven���t come out of their city since.

Silvia nodded along, then stopped. Was she relating to aliens?

. Tess didn���t notice the change of expression on Silvia���s face. ���their market though, is really famous. Many of us (by us she was referring to aliens) trade here because of the various trinkets and the low costs. You have to be careful though, as there are lots of pickpockets.���

Tess then started walking towards the market, then stopped, realising that no one was following her. ���Guys, if you want to make it home in one day, I suggest we move along.���

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Silvia was SO TIRED. The desert was a lot bigger than she thought, and they had drank all the water already. Millard was walking without the usual spring in his step, but Tess seemed to be unfazed by the distance they had walked.

Though, it may be because of her species.

After twenty five more minutes, they had arrived. The capital city (the inly one still left), was quite colourful, with flashing lights and street signs everyone.

Tess turned around, adressing her little group. ���Okay, so let me fill you in on some information about this place. The capital city is called pelagus���. It mean it means main in Latin. The leaders, or elders, live here, and so does everyone else.���

Tess paused, deep in thought. ���The city is very welcoming to most aliens. The tourists help boost their economy. But the resident aliens hate humans and consider them a sort of delicacy, so I suggest you adopt another species��� name.���

She stopped again, though only briefly. ���The market had everything you need. Millard, if you need to stock up on moon rocks, I suggest you do it here. But be careful. There are a lot of pickpockets and theives. And they are very good at stealing.���

Tess finished her little speech. ���Now come on guys, we need to het the necklace back.���

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���A heart necklace made of diamond and ruby? Yes, I believe I have seen it before.���

Tess, Millard and Silvia were at the market. Well, a store in a market. The owner, who had pink skin and a third eye on their forehead, somehow looked almost comical and funny to Silvia.

���Well, do you have it?��� Tess stomped her foot impatiently.

���Unfortunately, no, Miss������

���Hunter. Teresa Hunter.���

���Yes well, I don���t have it anymore, Miss Hunter. But I did sell it to a gentleman with round glasses and a scar across his cheek. I think he owns the auction house.���

���Oh thank you, shopkeeper.��� Tess rans out of the store, Millard following behind. Silvia shook her head in exasperation before joining them, leaving a puzzled alien behind.

After asking for directions by a incredibly stupid and sexist qui (part of the amica race), Tess and company arrived at a nice little auction place. It had white rose bushes growing from the sides, which really matched the auction house���s blue walls. A painting of a girl with orange skin hung on top of the door.

���A tribute to Hixa, the creator god,��� muttered Tess, from under her breath. But Silvia didn���t hear her, as she was transfixed by a terrifying sight.

A boy who looked suspiciously human was covered in blood red spots. He was being carried in a cage, while onlookers cheered or jeered.

Millard stared in horror at Tess. ���What was that?���

Tess looked down, face pale. ���A sidled. He will be eaten by sunset. I���m sorry you had to see that.���

All emotions left her face and she then went inside the auction place on her own.

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wait. Did Tess go in there on her own?

Apparently yes. Silvia looked at Millard. ���Do we follow her?���

Millard furriwed his eyebrows. ���There must be a reason she went in there alone like that. Maybe she was worried that we wouldm���t be able to handle all the horros inside? The sidled was pretty horrific. Or maybe she���s worried we���m end up like the sidled. She���s a worrier, you know.���

���We still have to help her.��� Seeing a window, she got an idea. ���How about this? We���ll watch from there, so we won���t be in danger and we could help her if she���s in danger.

���Good idea.��� They both climbed ip the walls and sat on the window still.

A few minutes passed without incident. But of course, something went wrong.

. The room was soundproof, so she could not hear anything. Tess did stand up, though, and looked as if she was yelling at someone.

Then, the man she was yelling at gave her a death stare. Other people followed suit, and the auction suddenly became a battlefield.

Tess ran out. ���I got it,��� said she. ���I got the necklace. Now let's get out before the fight comes out.

No sooner had she said that that the fight erupted outside too. Tess grabbed Millard���s arm and Silvia���s jacket. Pulling them along. They reached their spaceship just in time.

���So, it looks like our mission was a success.���