Free Galileo (Battle of the Species) by Meaghan Sinclair Page A

human father not at least teach you the principle of this?”
    “No. I wasn't allowed to use telepathy or anything else on Earth, but he was pretty cool about accidents.”
    “I’m sorry, what do you mean by ‘anything else’?” Paro asked.
    “You know, that energy stuff.”
    “’Energy…stuff?’ Do you mean to tell me you don't know how to use your telekinesis?” he asked looking shocked.
    “Uh…sorry?” 　Renn asked.
    Paro shook his head. “Hollen will be very disappointed to learn how far behind you are.”
    “Hollen?” Renn said, surprised to hear her name, coming from a Mindeerian or not. “You know my mother?”
    “Of course I know your mother. Your mother is one of the greatest warriors Mindeere has ever had. Besides that, she's my niece.”
    “Niece?” Renn said, even more surprised. “So you're my great uncle?”
    “Yes,” Paro said, furrowing his brows while he looked at Renn’s mouth. “Open your mouth, boy.”
    Renn obeyed, opening it wide enough to enable Paro to stick his fingers inside and feel his teeth with his abrasive fingers.
    “No fangs I see,” Paro grumbled in disapproval. “You have teeth like a human.”
    Renn looked up and noticed the prominent fangs on the Mindeerian as Paro curled his lip in disgust. Renn had seen pictures of Mindeerians, but never with their mouths open. He just assumed they would be the same as him.
    “Peculiar,” the professor continued, “but I’m sure Hollen had her reasons for mating with your father.”
    Renn froze at hearing Paro say, “Your father.” It came out with such disdain, it almost sounded like a hiss. He wondered whether it was Adam he objected to or that he was human. Either way, Renn wanted to change the subject, but didn’t feel like talking anymore.
    “You can’t hide your thoughts either, can you?” Paro said.
    Renn looked up at his great uncle and said, “Yeah, all right, I get it. You’re disappointed I was raised as a human, but I am half human and I’m not ashamed of it. I love my father very much and I would appreciate it if you didn’t hiss when you talked about him. Now, I would definitely like to learn about Mindeerians, but could we please…” Renn stopped, feeling overwhelmed and defensive, exhausted by the last few hours. “I’ve just been through…” Renn stopped again, clamping his mouth shut, unable to explain all that had happened.
    Paro put his wrinkled hand beneath Renn’s chin and pulled it up so he could see his eyes. “Show me,” he said.
    “What?” Renn asked, thoroughly confused.
    “I want you to recall the memory. Watch it in your head as it happened, so I can see it. This is your first lesson in telepathy,” Paro said, in a calm voice.
    Renn closed his eyes and thought about that morning. He remembered Frank running up, the dogfight, the police craft crash-landing, the Eminites, the Aranea, and so badly, not wanting to leave his father. Renn opened his eyes, unable to stop the tears from streaming down his cheeks when he looked up into his great uncle’s face.
    “It’s over, child. You’re safe now,” Paro reassured him.
    Renn nodded and wiped his nose with his sleeve.
    “Excuse me, Professor,” a voice said next to them.
    Renn looked over to see a human male in his forties standing near them, shifting awkwardly as if embarrassed at interrupting the moment.
    “Principal Lockrin instructed me to take young Renn to his dorm,” the man said.
    “Yes, thank you, Tom,” Professor Paro.
    Paro said “goodbye” to Renn telepathically and Renn couldn’t help but be grateful to Tom for the interruption. Too many wrinkles between his brows and around his lips showed that the scowls were frequent, and Renn was in no shape to defend himself at that moment.
    “So, Champ,” Tom said, as they turned down a corridor. “This is the Galileo. Do you know much about the Galileo?”
    Renn shook his head. “Nope,” he replied. Just add it to the list , he thought.
    “Well, then