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He sat behind his desk, which was littered with metal parts, and motioned for Kiara to take the seat in front of it. She looked at the cables hanging from the back of it, which Nazyn hadn’t even noticed. His office was filled with so many half-devices and electronic chips, they’d become part of the decor.
“I’d rather stand, thanks. Half an hour, like every keynote speech at the Forum,” she said. “The equipment will be shipped there tomorrow and you’ll arrive on Friday. The presentation is on Sunday.” Kiara looked over the list on her tablet. “But they want you to give a speech after you arrive.”
“Who?”
Kiara hesitated. “Does it matter?”
Nazyn tilted his head to the side. “Who?”
“Okay, fine.” She sighed. “Yakirian talked to the organizers and insisted on a speech. He wants you to impress them. And talk to the human executives, work the room.”
Nines. He was sick of speeches. He’d been giving one every other month since opening that blasted portal. “How can I work a room?”
“It means you need to charm the pants off everyone in said room.”
Nazyn gave her a horrified look. “I willnotundress them.”
Kiara hid her laughter behind her palm. Poorly.
“Sorry, sorry.” She said between giggles. “I’m just used to working with Deryg and he gets human idioms much easier. You don’t have to undress anyone. You just have to awe them. Network. Mingle. Impress.”
Nazyn understood the need to impress the humans, he did. But hehatedthis wholenet-workingsystem the humans had. On Deruzia, you worked hard on an invention, presented it, and that was it. You didn’t have to convince anyone of its merits, they could see it themselves.
Nazyn was a lot of things, but, despite what Rynar thought, he didn’t enjoy beings fawning over him. He hadn’t grown up with compliments. Quite the opposite. As a youngling, he’d received grimaces and nasty stares.
Hearing compliments now made his horns shake. He felt at ease in his lab, with his inventions, not getting more attention.
This event was too important for his uncouth social skills to manage.
“You can talk to people,” he said.
Kiara smiled. “Yes, that’s kind of a requirement for working in PR.”
“Why don’t you join me?”
“Why, Nazyn, I know the whole romantic fraternization rule was stricken from Alien Inc.’s rules of conduct after Zaryn and Lily basically forced Yakirian to do it, but I never saw you in that way.” She laughed. When Nazyn gave her another horrified look, her smile fell. “It’s a joke. Calm down.”
“Humans make a lot of jokes. I need a human to accompany me to the event.”
“That might be a good idea.” Kiara looked him up and down, then muttered, “Though I swear I don’t understand it.”
“What, exactly?”
“Nothing, it’s just…you look like the kind of guy who wouldn’t have an issue with charming people. And let’s leave it at that,” she said. “Thanks, but I can’t come. I have to plan Alien Inc.’s event in a few weeks and it’s driving me insane. I still don’t know how to decorate that massive pillar in the atrium.”
Nazyn frowned, his thoughts rumbling like they always did when something puzzled him–he wanted to understand it. Looks. Charming. People. “Was that a compliment?”
“Yes, and I don’t give them out often, so enjoy. Now, who do you want to accompany you?”
“Walter made all the travel arrangements.” And he was a decent assistant. A bit too concerned with the rules. And he always talked to Nazyn like he was ready to give a standing ovation. Nazyn didn’t feel comfortable around him.
But…he had made the travel arrangements.
Kiara’s brows rose. “Yeah…as a PR specialist, I’d advise against that.”
“Why?” Nazyn agreed, but he still wanted to understand it from a human’s perspective. They were magnificent beings.
“He’s about as charming as a brick,” Kiara said and gave him a pointed look. “Donottell him that, he has enough self-esteem issues as it is.”
