by Kizzie Hayes
“Although I have to say, I considered just finding a good rock band to join. Travel the world and really experience things,” he said with a laugh. She joined him but knew he was serious.
Marcus had also spent considerable time and money in supporting many charities, helping those he considered less fortunate and most in need. His passion showed in everything it did and it was merely a confirmation of what she already had found out about him. He was a man… alien… who had a heart of gold.
“So how can I understand you, Marcus? I can see on the computers that you have a completely different language?” She asked.
“Translator, they are one of the greatest inventions in the last two thousand years,” he held up the small geometric pendant he always wore. It was something he was known for, reportedly wearing it under his jersey during games. Now she knew why.
“I believe that our languages are similar enough that you could learn it as I did yours,” he answered and offered her a beer with lunch.
“Thank you. Actually, talking about similarities, how is it that two species look so closely related?” she asked. She had so many questions she knew she would never get through them all anytime soon.
“That is due to the same gravity and energy requirements of the individual species. My home planet is not exactly like earth, but it is close enough to the things that allow a species to grow that we do look like we could be offshoot species even though we are not. There are many humanoid races and most of them have no connection at all,” he told her and they dug into the lunch that Kirkpatrick had served them.
*****
They had eaten and were sitting around a campfire on the beach. Gillian had never done that before and found it to be as fun as she would have thought. Marcus had heard from his people and they said they were getting close and trying to locate the Earth First people. Due to this, they were both quite surprised when they were embracing, beginning to enjoy each other’s company as they had the night before, when an alarm sounded from the hut and Kirkpatrick was yelling something about proximity alerts. Gillian felt like cold water had been dumped on her hot desires as Marcus took her hand and hey ran up the beach to the hut. Kirkpatrick was on the porch.
“Enemy is about twenty miles out and searching. I don’t know how they could have discovered us but they have, you need to transfer now,” he said. Marcus shook his head.
“It is too late damnit! As close as they are, the transfer will be noticed and possibly tracked. We need to go on foot and hope home base will find us soon. Shit, come on,” he said to both Gillian and Kirkpatrick.
“How did they find us Marcus?” Gillian asked as they ran through the hut to the back door that led into the jungle.
“I don’t know. We have everything set to passive. They shouldn’t have been able to discover anything until at least tomorrow morning. This is very frustrating,” he commented, sounding highly annoyed. Gillian was bordering on fear, remembering the destruction of his house and the place in India. The grabbed a pack off of the back door and ran out into the jungle. They had barely cleared the area when she heard a whine of what she guessed were engines from the other direction. They all hunkered down in the brush as they heard the whining change pitch with a whooshing sound. Kirkpatrick looked confused.
“They are landing,” Marcus told them. “They may be trying to find us instead of destroying us outright,” he whispered.
“That or since they can’t get us by bombing from overhead, they want to find us and make sure when they shoot us,” Kirkpatrick pointed out.
Gillian felt a coldness enter her with his words; she threw up a wall of sarcasm.
“Thanks, man. I am glad you are here to keep the mood light, jeez,” she said. He looked embarrassed and Marcus laughed softly, throwing her a look. Gillian felt a little bad but ran with the other two to keep ahead of the Earth First people.
“We should have some time. They will want to search the base completely before moving on,” Kirkpatrick said hopefully. Gillian reached out and squeezed his shoulder in appreciation of the change in tone.
“That is the hope. Unless they have enough people to split formations,” Marcus said and Gillian sighed. Great, if it is not one of them scaring her it is the other. Marcus obviously felt her fear.
“Sorry, I really do think we have some time so I wouldn’t worry too much,” he said.
“I would!” She heard an unfamiliar voice as they ran into a clearing. There were five aliens standing with large weapons pointed at them. Gillian felt a sudden wish that Surveyors were equipped with weapons. Marcus had explained that no surveyors had any weapons, beyond their own strength, since they were on peaceful missions. Gillian groaned and Marcus stepped up between her, Kirkpatrick and the Earth First squad.
“So you are going to kill two sentient earthlings? How can you justify your existence as a group promoting the best for all?” He asked with a rumbling fury in his voice. Only then could she feel the pure rage he must have been suppressing. She trembled to hear it, even though she knew it was in his friend’s defense.
“Hard decisions are sometimes necessary Surveyor. If the regrettable deaths of two earth people guarantee that Earth is closed down for future exploration then it will be worth it,” The leader said.
He was a tall alien, about Marcuse’s size without his bulk. They all wore red jumpsuits and boots but he stood in the center and had a strange badge on his chest. It looked like one of the letters she had seen as part of their alphabet. She assumed he was the leader anyway.
“So you are more concerned with your own agenda and not the lives you say you do. Interesting, you can call it a hard decision but I find most of those are nothing more than people trying to justify their actions. I imagine not your entire group is behind this raid you are leading,” Marcuse said. Gillian did not like how the Earth First guys were tightening their grip on their weapons.
She felt her chest tighten and tears come to her eyes. She felt she was about to die and realized death was a thing to be feared. Her usual defenses against fear were not applicable in this case. She could do nothing except stand there and wait. She trembled and Kirkpatrick moved closer to her side. She felt a comfort knowing he was there and Marcus was doing his best to defend her. She saw Marcus tense, as if he was about to do something drastic. She could actually feel his determination when there was roaring sound and her hair was whipped around by a sudden wind. She crouched with Kirkpatrick and Marcus turned and put his arms around them both as a voice on a loudspeaker boomed.
“Everyone hold positions! This is Fleet command! All earth First operatives throw down your weapons or we will act with extreme prejudice!” The booming voice said. The wind continued to howl and Marcus muttered curses, holding her tight in his protective arms. Some of his determination seeped into her and she lost her tears and her anger and strength came back to her as the wind finally calmed down. They looked up and saw the Earth First people on the ground with their hands over their heads. Light began building around the five people, forming a dome over their position.
“Well it’s about time,” Marcus said looking up. Gillian could not see anyone but he was answered.
“We wanted to wait until they stated their intentions. It will make it easier for a conviction. Earth First will lose all credibility over this incident and cease to be a problem. I don’t know what you were worried about Marcus. We had it under control,” This time it was Gillian who cursed softly under her breath.
They could have told them that! She pushed her hair out of her face. It had completely escaped the tie and she tried to twist it at the nape of her neck. Marcus glanced at her with a wink, her anxiety begin to ease and she grinned. Looking over at Kirkpatrick she saw that he wasn’t even ruffled. How did he do it, she wondered?
Then she heard a laugh. It was a maniacal thing that made her turn back to the Earth First prisoners. One of them was standing under the glimmering dome that covered them. He had a small piece of machinery in his hands
and it was beginning to glow.
“Under control do you? You are no match for true determination and conviction,” the leader shouted and began laughing as the device he held began making a strange rumbling sound. Marcus turned to them with panic in his eyes and shoved both Gillian and his butler back the way they had originally come.
“Run! Run!” Shouted and they did. Gillian did not know what that device was but she ran as fast as she could. They had maybe made it halfway back towards the hut when there was an explosion behind her that felt like she was hit in the back with a hot club. She felt herself lift off the ground and fly through the air. She heard herself scream as her shoulder slammed into a tree and blackness took her.
As Gillian came to, she could hear a conversation. She felt pain through her right side, especially her shoulder. She opened her eyes and saw she was lying in the bushes. She had leaves tangled in her hair and felt like she had been beaten up. She got to her feet. Her right shoulder was howling pain but she somehow managed to push that aside. Pain just means I am still alive, she told herself grimly. She moved as quietly to the sound of the voices. One of them was a weary-sounding Marcus.
“So kill me then. You have already killed what I love, why let me live? Get it over with, murderer,” he said. Peering through the bushes, she could see Marcus looking about how she felt. Barely keeping his feet and seeming like he had given up on hope. She could not see Kirkpatrick anywhere.
The big Earth First guy was not far from where she was and she felt herself crouch. She had a picture in her mind at how she would finish this. Gillian had no idea if it would work, but she had nothing else and she refused to just give up. She was ashamed at how she had just stood and waited to be shot earlier. Not this time, she told herself viciously.
As she thought it she saw Marcus seem to frown and then his lips twitched. She did not know if he had sensed her or not but she couldn’t wait for the bad guy to know she was there. Without thinking, she burst through the bushes bending low with her good shoulder leading the way, just like she had seen Marcus taking opposing team members down. She connected below the guy’s rear, hitting him with her full weight. It drove him to his knees and he went face first into the dirt.
Her shoulder screamed at her and she rolled to the side gasping and crying out in her pain. She forced herself to remain conscious and saw Marcus pick up the weapon the Earth First leader had held and pointed it down at him.
“If you move I will kill you and not think twice about it. You killed your own people and almost killed a representative of earth. You deserve to die,” he snarled, panting. He glanced over at Gillian and she gave him a weak smile through her pain. He nodded but she could see his concern as he looked back at the now prisoner. When re-enforcements arrived, Gillian let herself go, and everything faded to black again.
Gillian stood on the sand as the sun came up. She was still exhausted, despite the sleep she had got. Her right shoulder was in a mechanical brace that healed the longer she wore it. The rest of her felt bruised but not as bad as she might have been. Marcus was talking to several of his people down by the water where a submersible craft was parked. Kirkpatrick limped up next to her. His leg was in a brace like hers.
“Do you know what you are going to do Gillian?” He asked quietly.
“I don’t know. I know what I want to do but… it is a big decision,” she answered. “Do you?” She returned.
“Oh yes. I have known for years. Marcus made the offer when I decided to stay with him. I have no one here to miss me,” he said.
Gillian nodded thinking the same thing. They had learned that the world thought she had died at the ranch along with the star running back and his butler. It was a strange freedom and she wasn’t sure what to do with it. Marcus laughed at something the small man he was talking to said. She smiled, feeling his joy even from there. Her lover turned and walked back up the beach towards her and his butler. He was all smiles as if he had no care in the worlds. She could understand the feeling.
“They are ready for you Kirkpatrick. You can go on board now if you like. They will be staying here a few more days. The decision was that all movement on the planet should stop for a time, just in case anything was detected. No one believes it was, but better safe than sorry,” he said. Kirkpatrick had a big smile on his face.
“Thank you, my friend, I have been waiting for this for years. See you soon,” he told Marcus. He hugged Gillian and walked down to the craft floating on the water. Marcus didn’t watch him go, he had eyes for Gillian. Gillian watched her friend and butler go up the ramp and into the ship. Then she turned to her lover.
“I think I know what I want to do, but there is one thing I want more. Are you sure they can wait a day?” She asked concerned he had arranged it just for her.
“I am sure Gillian. I will support whatever you want to do. I meant what I said before. No matter what happens you have given me a great gift to hold to my breast for the rest of my days,” he told her and her eyes misted up. She felt the same and hugged him. After a wonderful moment holding each other, she broke the embrace.
“Then there is one thing I want more than to be with you for the rest of my life,” she said. He looked hesitant but smiled gamely.
“That is,” asked.
“One interrupted night with you on the beach before things start hopping again. Just one, then I will go anywhere with you!” His smile broadened and she giggled. He scooped her up in his arms and she squealed as he ran up the beach with her. She had a brief moment of reflection that it had been the strangest interview she had ever had.
THE END
Another bonus story is on the next page.
Bonus Story 42 of 44
Werebear in the Woods
When Karen had started dating Brad, she had ignored every warning sign. Money going missing from her purse, his knack for conveniently forgetting to bring his wallet when it was his time to pay, and the list of places they couldn’t go to because he had ‘history’. The man had been a walking time bomb, and she had continued to walk blindly beside him. Well, she was certainly paying the price now. With a good job disappearing behind her and her cozy apartment now empty, all her worldly possessions were packed up into her newly acquired rusty excuse for a car.
The road ahead had been undulating with a film of water that was continually leaking from her eyes. She wasn’t crying; she would not cry but her eyes were definitely taking their time to adjust to her new situation. Ever grateful to her parents for setting up a temporary home and job for her, she wiped a hand across her eyes and prepared to turn off into what looked like an impregnable forest.
The road became a bumpy track; the way the trees crowded over her was unsettling. She thought she might recognize the place; she knew she had visited it before but that was when she was young and she had no real memory of the trip. The sun disappeared behind a canopy of evergreens and patches of frost adorned the flatter parts of the road. She knew she didn’t have a choice but if she had, second thoughts would have been creeping in halfway up the track that seemed to go on forever.
Just as she was wondering if she should consider reversing back all that way, the trees thinned and the road smoothed. Up ahead was the cabin, bathed in winter sunlight from the west with frost on the east. It was really pretty and had a view of the forest that would be fantastic from the wide veranda that wrapped around the sunny sides of the building.
She got out of the car and stretched; it had been a long drive and she had only made one stop. What she needed was a cup of coffee and maybe to sit on the porch swing and watch the sun as it dipped below the tree-line. As soon as she stepped onto the porch she realized that it wasn’t going to happen like that. The swing was dangling at an angle that no normal person could comfortably sit on and when she pushed it, the squeak was loud enough to scatter birds from tree tops all around.
“You’re number one on my list,” she said and marveled at how her voice was absorbed into the open space around her.
>
The next problem appeared when she realized that the electricity was off; after spending forty minutes trying to find a switch to turn it on she approached the large wood burner. The email she’d received from her uncle said that the wood was kept in an open shed out by the back door and there were oil lamps dotted around the cabin, most of which she’d been assured were full. Of course, he’d also told her that the electricity would be switched on so who knew what she would find.
She brought her boxes of food into the grubby kitchen which also boasted a wood stove and was glad that she’d packed several bars of chocolate and crackers because she had no idea how to start a fire. City girls used switches and everything was instant. Sure, her gran had cooked on a wood stove but Karen had never taken any notice. She was going to starve, which might help her shift the pounds she’d added after falling into a pit of misery when Brad had disappeared, taking her life along with him.
When she dumped her suitcase on the bed in the larger of the two bedrooms, a cloud of dust bounced off the bed and made her sneeze three times. She checked the smaller bedroom and found it in a worse state than the first. That was when the tears began to flow like a river to the sea. She flopped onto the battered sofa and cried until the light outside became dangerously low.
“Pull yourself together, woman,” she said out loud wondering if it was okay to talk to yourself if no one else knew. “Make a plan.”
She figured lighting would have to be the first priority and then heating. The place was cold and it was getting icier the lower the sun dipped. There was a handful of logs by the stove but she might need more and she did not want to go outside when it got dark. It took her just a few minutes of fumbling until she had safely lit the oil lamp. She felt pretty pleased with herself but when she looked out of the window she saw no sign of the sun and everything was steeped in shadow.
