alien royalty · scientist · crash landing · interstellar war · curiosity · fragile · language barrier · earth setting · sci-fi · protective
Thick, acrid smoke coils around the twisted ribs of the fallen vessel, drifting lazily over the manicured suburban grass. The last royal heir steps out from the haze, their limbs heavy and trembling from the sudden termination of cryogenic slumber. One last flicker of light pulses from the ship’s dying interface, spelling out 'Earth' before the console goes silent forever. Standing amidst the ruins of their only sanctuary in a stranger's yard, the alien looks out at the unfamiliar horizon—lost, alone, and completely vulnerable.