We get back in the ship quickly, my mind rushing with confusing thoughts. 

When we get to the Control Room, Hectaar smiles weakly, "Mission Accomplished, eh?"

Vilgrin, tense and ready to burst, exclaims, "Lift off! We can melt them in the heat!" 

Then adds with pure loathing, "Those ungrateful brats."

Lofty folds her arms and quietly sits down on a chair. 

Stacy shakes her head, "Calm down, Vilgrin. They were scared."

I frown, "What have they to be scared off?"

No one answers me because Vilgrin starts shouting again and so does Hectaar. I slip out of the room and into the passengers one. Even in there, I can hear muffled arguing from the Control Room. Finally, I hear Stacy shriek, "SHUT UP!"

There's silence and some whispered insults before Lofty walks into the passenger room. She doubles back in shock when she sees me and then tries for a smile, "Well."

I return the gesture, ignoring the fact that she'd been shocked to see me, "Yes."

There are a few moments of awkward silence before Lofty sits down on an armchair, looking absolutely miserable. I sit down on the stool next to her. Tapping my thumbs together, I'm at a loss for words. 

Usually, this doesn't happen as I always have something to say. However, I've never really been good at cheering people up and I had a feeling that it would be best if I said nothing. 

So I didn't. 

Lofty did. 

She asked, "Why did the Earthlings point their weapons at me?"

I gulp, "Well. Because. You're... different?"

Her eyes flare, for once her true Scaldian coming through, "What? So they kill anyone who is 'different'?"

I look up and face her fearlessly, because that's how you earn a Scaldian's respect, "Yes."

At my gaze, she withers, "I shouldn't've come with you guys, I just ruined everything."

I reassure her, "Earthlings can be extremely racist. It's only their natural instinct to turn against anything or anyone who is, even if just slightly, different."

Lofty thinks about it for a moment then laughs, "That can't be. You're a Earthling and you're not racist at all."

I grin cheerfully with her, "Oh, whatever. We've completed our mission, they'll be thankful soon enough."