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  I gather as much of the more appealing stuff as I can onto a blanket. If the flashlight loses power soon, I may not have another chance for scavenging. A drawer next to the bed is open, so I peer in. I’m not sure if I’m looking at weapons or sex toys, so they’re for next time I’m here. Maybe. I put the bag from my friends into the larger sack before hoisting the bundle over my shoulder. I’d be happier if I could find another light or even a ball of yarn to lead me back to the outside. I drop the bundle into the damaged room before returning to the rest of the ship.

  There’s another living area. Nice, and the other guy’s complete opposite in cleanliness. Loose items litter the floor, too, but nothing like the other area. I want to strip the bed of its mattress to drag outside but it’s probably too heavy. I need to stop lifting and pulling, yet also need to accomplish as much as I can before dark. I pull the corners of a blanket from the bed. I’d planned on going through the drawers and cabinets. Nothing opens at first when I just pull. Since this a ship, maybe it’s like sailing vessels. I double press on the door as if it’s my car’s gas tank door and the cabinet opens. There are clothes here. Good, and Alien Two folds everything like the neat guy he is. With the sudden find, I regret taking my friends’ belongings. But without the flashlight, I would never have been able to search this room.

  I throw everything from the drawers onto the blanket and go. I still haven’t found food unless that was what Alien One had stored by his bed. Nope, not going there because I know what I store in my nightstand. Instead, I leave the room, walking further into the ship. The hall curves around as if running along a racetrack. Daylight streams in from a large opening in the top where the center of the vessel used to be. The rain is still pouring down, flowing into the hallway. This is going to be a mess in a few years. I don’t even want to think about where I’ll be by then and continue on through the ship.

  The smell reaches me before the sight does. Our holding area. I peer inside. Sewage seeps through the buckled floor. I gag. There’s nothing in there I need. Except, the food? I shake my head at the idea. They dropped our meals along this wall, the one shared with the hallway and door. I shine the light for a better look along where I think the compartment is and find an dip in the surface. After pressing twice like before, the panel opens up and gummie bricks fall down. They’re harder than earlier as if less fresh. I don’t care as long as there is some nutrition left. I scoop all of them into the blanket, now glad Alien Two is cleaner than One. At least I hope he’s washed his blanket once or twice.

  Not gonna think about that right now.

  I could go back the way I came, and should. But, curiosity keeps me continuing on until the hall rejoins the larger cargo bay in a huge circle. I go back to where my other pile of scavenged items is and retrieve them. The dark hallway feels too narrow. Deciding on a place closer to the ship’s open wound, I set everything down. After a little time spent trying to arrange the blankets around me into a place to sit, I give up. My entire body aches, I’m starving, and my adrenaline is gone. I sink to the ground, sitting on the edges of the bed covers I’ve pilfered. I need to stay awake, sort things, set up a camp of sorts, except, I’m warm now and mostly dry. The rain drums on the roof, sounding like my favorite white noise at home. A break to plan what to do next couldn’t hurt, so I grab a pillow and smooth out a clear place to lie down completely. I find a position my hip is sort of happy with and close my eyes for a second or two. No sleeping, just planning in a comfy spot. Being an ostrich sounds really good right now, except, this is a new world. Plus, I have no idea what else is out there. Tomorrow. I’ll explore and find out what those strange noises from the surrounding trees are from.

  Chapter Two

  Xell

  The ache in my hip wakes me with more of a dull pain than sharp jab. I don’t want to open my eyes because I don’t know what’s out there. I open my eyes to a pink glow filling the area. The sky, visible through the hull’s damage, is also a beautiful pink. Sunrise? Some sort of pollution? Aurora borealis? Now I have to get up and see for myself.

  “Kik. Kikkik.”

  The sound startles me and I look over to see a bird sitting at the threshold. After blinking the sleep from my eyes, bird isn’t the correct word for what this is.

  “KikkkKik.”

  “Hello to you, too.” I sit up slowly so the animal isn’t startled. It has a beak, scales on his head, feathers and wings, before the feet are scaly again with talons. If he were on Earth, I’d wonder if he were venomous with the bright purple and gold coloring. Nature’s way of saying, “I’m poisonous, and taste bad.”

  He, or I assume it’s a he, keeps chattering. I sit up and he flies flying off with a clicking squawk. Good to know he won’t attack when feeling threatened. I rub my eyes, ignoring how he might have friends who plan on ganging up on me later. Nope. Seeing him makes me want to explore where I am a little more. Maybe there are edible fruits or vegetables growing wild, something the birds here like to eat. I won’t know unless I leave my comfort zone.

  The warm air feels good now. My hair is still damp and I’m sure my black roots show by now. Oh well, being blonde was fun, but overrated. I put Ralph’s pocketknife, his small flashlight, and Joey’s multipurpose keychain into my pockets. I shift my weight from one foot to the other, testing my hip. Painful, but bearable. I’m starving and pick up a gummie brick to eat along the way.

  Taking a bite out of the sticky food in my hand, I step out of the ship and onto solid ground. The graves of my friends are visible from where I am. I have to check and sure enough, nothing has disturbed their rest. I sigh, glad the Kik bird thing can’t dig. Now there’s only a myriad of other animals and disasters to worry about. I take another bite through the tough skin of the gummie and chew while walking. Horrible possibilities could be anything like animals coming up from underground, mass flooding, or even the two aliens coming back and wondering who’d been here pilfering their things. I almost regret watching all of those science shows as a kid. Now, the disasters and pitfalls of a strange place seem too real.

  The air feels fresh and new as I walk toward the sunrise, following a natural trail leading down through a valley. The way seems clear and like somewhere I need to be. Odd, but all right. I might as well know where things are and if I can find fresh water. As I walk, bulbous stalks rise up in various sizes along the way. Some of the succulent flowers within flowers are tiny and beautiful, others are huge. I’m tempted to pick a smaller one, but am not feeling quite so brave. Not until I know for sure they’re not poisonous or hiding toxin tipped thorns somewhere.

  A trio of Kik birds fly off as I approach, protesting, their wings rustling. Either I’ve startled them or they have predators. Great. I’d rather they be a lot more curious than afraid of the lone human. I’m not even going to start with a repeat of the “What sort of saber-toothed predators are wanting me for a snack right now?” train of thought. I’d rather focus on the beautiful forest of sorts ahead of me. Very inviting. I feel like I’m the first to explore such a beautiful place. I must be hungry because even the distant rocky hills look appetizing. I take another bite of the gummie, not too certain the aliens packed nutrition into these. Especially if I want to taste the stones around here.

  I must be in some sort of shock. The birds didn’t create the pathway or the trails branching off in other directions. Back home, I’d want to explore every one of them just to see where they go. Here? I feel like if I don’t get, somewhere, I’ll die. Kind of scary, yet comforting with every step forward. I stop and look back, not sure how far I’ve walked. It seems like a couple of miles but I know my hip won’t let me get so far. The ache is not as bad either.

  I finish off my breakfast and give in to the urge to keep moving. The trail I’m following goes around a huge stalk. I turn the corner and a rock building with spires appears from among the vegetation. The red stone blocks surprise me. They’re not stacked like Earth bricks but laid side to side as if they were books. I walk closer. Vines wi
th tiny dark aqua leaves scale the walls. The windows and door show nothing but darkness inside. I’m a little scared but far more curious about what’s inside. “Hello?”

  There’s a slight echo and a few Kik bird replies before everything goes quiet. The shade-cooled air envelops me as I wait for more, but nothing happens. Judging from the moss and odd ivy, my bet is that no one is here. I step closer to the doorway and hear drips. If the building resembles anything similar to a home with running water, I’m moving in as soon as I can pack my things.

  A gurgle, loud and similar to a watercooler stops me. A flock of Kiks fly up, hovering above their former perches. The sound came from my left. I look to see if it’s a sick Kic, but no. A stalk sways a little as I watch. Another gurgle and the stalk shivers before its belly splits. “Ew!” escapes me as a clear liquid gushes out. Dear God, I hope that’s not how they reproduce. As the goo spreads across the path behind me, the ground bubbles and hisses. Curious, I turn to better examine the commotion. The soil seems as if it’s boiling, yet I don’t feel heatwaves from the reaction. The moss, patchy over the dirt, doesn’t look affected at all. Maybe there’s something in the earth which isn’t in the plant life. I take one of Joey’s keys off of the chain before tossing it in the goo. After a few startling jumps on the surface, the key sinks, dissolving as it falls. “Yikes,” I whisper. Mental note to avoid exploding stalks with bellies. I don’t want to think about what the gel would do to my skin.

  At least now I know why some of the older stalks have rings of thick moss around them. Kiks settle in again on the nearby stalks. Since the danger seems over for now, I turn back to the stone building. Hopefully, acid doesn’t explode from it, too. As I approach, a rush of cold air greets me. Air conditioning? Since it’s already getting hot even in the shade, yes please to staying cool. I walk into the building. The walls are at least a foot thick, solid stone, and there are no coverings for the door or windows. I also don’t see any other openings leading outside. Not very fire code friendly, but all right.

  Like the spaceship, the further I go, the darker it is. Water drips from above. I dig out the flashlight and examine the floor, walls, ceiling. No cobwebs so no spiders. Yay. A mosaic lies under dirt and plant debris. I want to sweep everything away to see the artwork, but later. There’s something at the back of the room, dark and large. It’s also made of stone, so I’m not too worried about getting closer to learn more about what it is for sure. If the structure had been furry with anything other than moss, I’d be back at the crashed ship by now.

  My foot slips a little on the slick floor a little before I catch myself. The slip is a reminder to be cautious before I continue advancing. I watch where I put my feet a little better, the mosaics under me beautiful among the larger stones. It’s as if whoever built this managed to squeeze in art wherever possible. I glance up as I keep going to find a podium in front of me emerging from the darkness.

  Another step and a blue green light floods the chamber. I gasp, the brightness hurting my eyes a little. The podium is lit up, too. If there are security cameras, I’m in trouble. I’m motionless as a screensaver of sorts begins in front of me. It’s mesmerizing with swirling cool spectrum colors. I move toward the podium. The lighting shows an indention carved out of the top’s rough surface. The depression looks like a three-fingered hand with a place for a wrist. I reach out with a finger to trace the hand placement. The stone there is warm and smooth. My body’s warmth causes a glow everywhere I touch. Interesting.

  I watch the screen some more. The whole room would leave me running back to the ship if everything were even a bit more kept up. The moss, plants growing along the walls, leaking from the ceiling all tell me no one’s been here for a long time. Although, I wonder where the power source for the room is? The light isn’t natural at all.

  The three-fingered handprint fascinates me. How does anyone do anything with just three digits? They’d probably wonder what we do with so many. I put my hand in the impression, trying to see how I’d divide my four into their three. The metallic rock under my palm heats up. Just as I’m done with my experiment, an electric dome appears, covering the top and imprisoning my hand. “Holy hell!” I scream and try to pull my hand away. It doesn’t budge. Needlepricks race over my palm. They hurt before my hand goes numb. I keep trying to pull away and as the numb spreads to my arm, I shove aside the panic and grab the knife in my left pocket. I won’t be the first trapped animal to lose a limb to be free, I try to reassure myself before pressing the blade against my skin.

  Just as I break my skin, images flood my mind. They’re like memories or a movie from alien people and places. Wars, loves, triumphs, and disasters all play out in my mind and on the screen ahead of me. The entertainment hurts like the worst migraine I’ve ever had. I close my eyes and lean against the podium. The knife clatters to the floor as my mind goes black.

  Chapter Three

  G’nar

  “Are you hoping some Earth women are waiting for us?”

  I lean back in the small scout vessel’s pilot seat, ignoring Deek’s insubordination. “Look, I tagged the ship on a whim. Anyone leaving the planet had been there illegally in the first place. I sent a tracker to catch them. Not because I wanted an Earther of my own.”

  “Right. Have you seen those women?” he asks. I shake my head while giving him an eye roll as if he doesn’t know where I’ve been for the past three years. He grins while adding, “I mean, of course you have. It’s just that there’s such a variety. Tall, short, dark, light, round, slender. How did the Emperor or KirKrell ever choose just one?”

  The news about bonding with Earthers have been intentionally scarce but I figure Deek could use some information. Plus, I don’t mind bragging about being one of the few Gharians to ever have lived on Earth for a significant amount of time. The anthropologists are still giddy over my and the Emperor’s reports from there. “Our people are still working on why, but from personal experience?” I glance over at him and he nods for me to continue. “Lin was the only Earther on the moon where KirKrell and I were working.” The next part isn’t so easy to explain. “As for the Emperor? I don’t know how I escaped bonding when he didn’t.”

  “How did you avoid finding someone?”

  I frown when seeing where the tracking beacon is leading us. Refocusing on Deek’s question, I send our pursuit data to my background processing. “I took an oath to uphold Intergalactic Alliance laws and refused to allow even a hint of breaching the Lesser Worlds Order. If our mission failed, it wouldn’t be because of me.” I’ll admit, I couldn’t keep the smugness from my voice and it rang in my own ears, too. I’d succeeded where even the Emperor had not. Pax might be a beautiful woman and worth a galaxy, but breaking the law wasn’t an option for an Enforcer like me.

  “If you weren’t my superior officer, I’d suggest none of them found you appealing.”

  I laugh, shrugging. “Most of the women didn’t mind my attention. I think they liked me as much as I liked them.”

  He laughed. “Good to know there’s hope for me if I’m ever assigned Earth.”

  Deek’s a decent looking guy. A little full of himself, but it’s justified. I have to give him grief, though. “Right. Keep dreaming. I don’t think the Emperor will change the LWO for anyone, even the new Empress.”

  “Do you think we’ll ever round up the assassins who killed the former Empress?”

  “Yes. Empress Paxton may be his everything now, but so was Empress Jeul. If the murderers killed for money once, they’ll do it again.” A message appears in the Heads Up Display in my mind. The Vadhmoshi’s ship truly is on the quarantined planet. I send the information to Deek via our inner communications.

  “Pless,” he hisses. “Landing on Earth in a huge show of force would be easier.”

  “I know.” Deek is as happy as I am about Emol being our destination. For whatever reason the Vahdmoshi went there, we can’t bring them back to Ghar for justice. I scan the orders displayed in my HUD. Nothing
is allowed on or off of the planet surface. Probes are allowed down but are considered lost once deployed.

  “Scan for humanoid life forms and send a probe?” Deek asks.

  I reply, “You’re reading my mind.”

  “More like reading the regulations on dealing with off-limits planets.” He waves a hand over the control panel. “Since your system is full of nothing but policies, then yeah I know your next move.”

  I can’t help but chuckle. “You might be right. The laws are clear and I didn’t get where I am today by breaking the rules.”

  I’m not telling Deek anything he doesn’t already know about me. My upbringing in the failed colony of Fleeg is an open secret. Being from there is shameful, or supposed to be, except I’m not bothered at all. No one chooses where they’re born, just where they’re going. My trajectory is up. I view my career climb to Enforcer as a point of pride, to Tunsa with what anyone else might say. After running the calculations to Emol, I reinforce the information in case Deek hasn’t already made his own computations. “We’ll be there in an hour.”

  He swivels in the co-pilot’s chair. “I’ll ready a probe, then.”

  I nod as he heads back to where we keep supplies for missions. Very few planets are off-limits to us. The probes are their own separate systems and keeping them ready to go isn’t usually a priority. Our ship’s artificial intelligence focuses on life support and mobility nearly all the time. While I’m waiting for Deek to give me the all-clear, I download the latest information on Emol.