by Sahara Foley
Taggner fought the bile rising in his throat as the smell from the outer room permeated his nose. He had a choice to make. Surrender the girl or watch more of his officers die a horrible death.
After hearing the numerous gunshots from his officers trying to defend themselves, he realized his own gun wouldn’t make much of a difference. The only evidence their weapons did any harm were the tattered bullet holes in the suit the man wore. The man, however, showed no injuries at all.
As he slowly tightened his grip on the strange looking weapon, Taggner threw his hands in the air. “Okay, okay. She’s upstairs, under heavy guard. Let me call, so they can bring her down. I don’t want you killing any more of my people.” His stomach lurched with revulsion.
Taggner was giving up the girl to save the rest. Will I be able to face myself in the mirror, again? He didn’t think so. Claudia, please, forgive me. I failed you.
Lurga studied the Earthling. Having dealt with many different races who had multiple limbs, holding one or two up in the air had no meaning to him. What did matter were the tone of voice and the words spoken. This Human was beaten and knew it.
The warrior gave a curt nod. “Bring the girl, now. If you do not, I will destroy everyone in this place, except her.”
Taggner picked up a headset off the table and made a call, whispering in low tones to a person on the other end. After he hung up, they all waited; the tension so thick in the air he thought he would suffocate.
What’s taking them so long?
He glanced out a small window that looked out over the front of the building and gasped. A large crowd was gathering. Cops, at least, a hundred of them, and more cars were arriving. They raced through the parking lot, their emergency lights flashing, but no sirens.
Taggner’s heart jumped into his throat as he broke out in a sweat. Oh My God, we’re looking at a massacre here. We have no way to stop this guy. I must prevent the slaughter, but how?
Taggner turned his attention back to the chubby man. “I don’t know who you are, or why you want the girl. If all you want to do is protect her, there is no reason to harm any more people. We’re the police. We’re here to protect her, too!”
“If this is your protection, I can see why the Warrior Woman made a death bond with me to take Karrn,” he taunted. “I am Lurga Pukani, Ispepyein Warrior. Your Warrior Woman, Claudia Giroux, exchanged her life for that of the child.” Where is Karrn?” he growled with impatience. “A trick means you all die.”
Taggner’s heart skipped in his chest. Did he just say Claudia was dead? No, that can’t be! I waited too long.
Overcome with grief, it took Taggner a few minutes to understand the rest of what the stranger said. Lurga Pukani? An Ispepyein Warrior? Is he an assassin from some obscure Oriental martial arts cult? That made sense to some degree, but still didn’t answer how bullets or rockets couldn’t kill him.
The old cop sighed. I doubt I’ll ever find out the whole truth of what went on here, today.
Lurga gave another impatient growl. He was getting tired of waiting. Soon, he’d go find the girl himself.
Just as he was ready to shoot the leader of these Humans, the male pointed and said, “There – they’re coming. Hear the lift?”
Lurga had no idea what a lift was. A humming and snapping noise came from part of the blue, blood-streaked wall and then it slid open, revealing a small boxed room. Inside, stood a tall, pale-looking female, cradling a dark-haired, sleeping girl child.
The female officer was visibly shaking with fear. Taggner explained to her over the phone what to expect, but there was no way she could be prepared for the horrendous scene confronting her. Tears welled in her eyes at the sight of what remained of her friends and colleagues.
Trembling, breath coming in ragged gasps, she stepped around and over body parts as she headed toward Tagger’s office. Stopping in front of the Inspector, she held out Karrin. “Please? Take her, now.”
As soon as Taggner took the child, she spun around and puked all her shoes and the floor.
Taggner couldn’t blame her. As the female officer heaved away, he felt like doing the same thing. He peered down at the beautiful, sleeping child in his arms.
Who are you that Claudia would sacrifice her life to save you? What makes you more special than her?
Taggner held her out to Lurga. “She’s been given a sedative, so she would sleep,” he explained in a rough, sorrow-filled voice. “She’s all yours.”
Lurga wasn’t listening. He was consulting his hand-link with Contruda to see if the girl matched his target. Growling in triumphant, he dropped his Human form. “Yes, this is whom I seek.” With one long, sharp claw, he pushed a silver button on the hand-link.
Taggner gasped in shock as he backed up a step, suddenly having to peer up at the monster before him. He flinched when Lurga reached down, gently took the girl from him, and cradled her in one arm. The seven-year-old girl looked like a toy doll in his massive, gray arm.
Without a word, Lurga turned and stomped toward the double glass doors leading outside. He smashed through them, shattering them into thousands of shiny shards and twisted aluminum. He proceeded down the steps, unmindful of the weapons aimed at him from the hundred officers barricaded around the front entrance.
Fearing a slaughter, Taggner rushed to his window and threw it open. “No, don’t shoot, you bloody fools,” he hollered. “Let them pass. That’s an order!”
Lurga glanced up at the window and gave a brief nod. He didn’t want to kill any more of these weak Humans, but it was, now, his sacred duty to protect Karrin. Their weapons couldn’t harm him, but what about her frail, thin-skinned body?
Contruda told him her electromagnetic readings were different than the other Humans, but it couldn’t decipher what the difference meant. So, he didn’t want to take the chance she could be harmed.
As a corridor opened in front of him, looks of terror on the faces of the men and women, he proceeded across the parking lot and out into the street. His invisible spacecraft sat waiting for him. He stepped up into his fighter, and then he and the girl disappeared.
Shouts of horror filled the air as the group of armed officers saw the massive, gray, monstrous creature vanish from view, along with the small, dark-haired girl it carried. A few seconds later, a strong gust of wind, followed by a sonic boom, reverberated over the area.
A breathless Inspector stood in the parking lot. He panted, looking in the direction he felt sure something had just flown. Something so fast it broke the sound barrier on takeoff.
Taggner stared at the stunned, ashen faces around him. I’m sure I look exactly the same way.
His stomach knotted into a fist, thinking about all the bodies they needed to reclaim and identity. With a heavy sigh of grief and loss, he started back into the building. All these deaths, including Claudia, were for one little girl.
Was she worth it? Sadly, he didn’t think so.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Karrin's eyes fluttered a few times, but she was unable to open them. They were glued shut, like she’d been sleeping for days instead of hours. She rubbed them, trying to get rid of the gritty sand.
Finally, Karrin was able to open her eyes. She blinked several times and started to panic, thinking something was wrong with her sight. Everything appeared dim and blurry.
A light flickered off to her left. A fire was burning, but the color of the flames didn't seem right. They were blue/green instead of the yellow/orange she was used to.
Sitting up, a thin silver blanket fell from her shoulders and puddled in her lap. She was lying on another silver sheet, but it was larger and padded for comfort. Lots better than the cot she slept on at the Home.
Home! Where’s Mamma Claudia? Where are Slick and Jake? The small girl remembered their frantic flight in the sewers, and then ending up in an unfamiliar building. A nice lady gave her some milk and a cookie, and she got really sleepy. I must've fallen asleep. How did I end up here? Where am I?
&n
bsp; Karrin’s heart pounded with fright as she turned around to find out where she was. Nothing looked familiar. Well, at least, the trees and grass seemed the same, but everything else appeared off. She had to squint to bring everything into focus as the lighting was so strange. She couldn't tell if the sun was setting or just coming up.
Large rocks sat all around her. They weren't gray or brown, but a dull black color. When she stared at them for too long, they made her stomach queasy. Curious, she reached out and gingerly touched one. It was warm. However, the air was crisp enough to cause puffs of steam when she breathed.
The child climbed to her feet and swayed a bit as dizziness overcame her. Just that slight exertion made her breathless, as the air was heavy and oppressive. She leaned back against one of the warm, black rocks and gulped lungfuls of air.
It didn't help. Karrin clutched her throat, gasping for breath, heart racing in panic. She was suffocating.
A soft scraping noise drew Karrin’s attention in that direction. The dim, misty lighting shifted and a man stepped into view. The small girl shrank back against the rock.
This was the chubby man who showed up at Claudia’s house. The one they said was a bad man, who wanted to hurt her. She glanced around frantically, looking for someone to help. The only things around her were more rocks and a huge silver rocket.
The fat man stopped in front of the fire and dumped five flapping, gray creatures from a silver net. He peered at the girl. She was flattened against the rock, eyes widened with fear. "Fear not, child. You are safe now."
"You're the man who came for me at Mamma's house." Karrin paused, wheezing. "She sent me with Slick and Jake to get away from you. What happened to them?" She frowned and gave him an accusing glare.
He stomped on one of the flapping, gray critters and stared at the girl. "They have passed on to their ancestors. I am Lurga Pukani, and it is my duty to protect you. You will be safe with me."
Karrin took a step forward, away from the rock, her face pale from shock. "You killed them?" she asked in a small voice. "Why? They're my friends." She sniffled as unbidden tears filled her eyes, then wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
Why does everyone die? A wave of loneliness and grief overcame the girl, and she slowly sank to the ground, hugging her knees tightly to her chest. What's going to happen to me, now? Will I end up back at the Home? Please, anywhere, but there.
Karrin sobbed softly into her knees, her promise to never cry again forgotten.
Lurga knelt and began jerking the heads off his wiggling catch, bluish blood coating his human hands. Why is the girl crying? She made him uncomfortable, and he was irritated with himself over the emotion.
Does she not understand the honor bestowed upon her by the Warrior Woman? She is, but a child. Perhaps, I need to explain it to her.
Lurga sat back on his heels as he gazed at Karrin. His urge to pat her on the shoulder made him feel foolish and weak. “The Warrior Woman Claudia Giroux made a bond with me that I will protect you, no matter the foe. Since your, er, friends would not surrender you to me, I had no choice, but to eliminate them. I only performed my duty, that was all.”
“My friends died because of me?”
“You did not kill your friends. They died protecting you. That was their choice.”
Satisfied with his explanation, he went back to his task. He picked up a headless body and slit the stomach open with a finger and pulled the guts out.
“I needed to find a place suitable for your Human anatomy. That is why I brought you to Switch. According to Contruda’s analysis, we have everything here to sustain your physical body: air, food, and water.”
Curious in spite of herself, Karrin observed with puffy eyes as the stranger continued cleaning what looked very much like fish, only in the wrong color. She inhaled a few times, still unable to catch her breath. “Why can’t I breathe? I feel like I’m drowning.”
Lurga shook his head, angry with himself. He didn’t expect her to be awake so soon when he returned. He rose and reached into his pocket and withdrew a silver tablet and broke it in half. He held one-half out to Karrin.
“Swallow this, it will help you breathe. In a few days, your body will be acclimated to the atmosphere. Your anxiety is making you fight the heavy air, but you were fine while you slept.”
Lurga glowered at her hesitation. “Here, take it. I have other matters to attend. I need to ascertain how to prepare these for your nourishment.”
Karrin stared uncertainly at the pill. What if it’s poison?
“Swallow it, child.” Lurga growled with impatience. “If I must make you take it, I will. Your well-being is my only concern until I find your rightful place in the Universe. Swallow it!” he roared in his gravelly voice.
Without a thought, Karrin’s little hand shot out and grabbed the tablet. She shoved it so fast into her mouth, she punched herself in the nose. The small child grimaced in pain as a bitter flavor coated her tongue.
Within seconds, the pressure on Karrin’s chest lessened. She took a deep breath, relishing the ability to breathe again.
Lurga smiled with satisfaction as he knelt back on the ground to resume his preparations.
Karrin watched with fascination as he cleaned the fish with only his fingers. She would never be able to clean them that way without a knife. “Where is Switch? I’ve never heard of it. Are we overseas somewhere?”
Lurga chuckled. “No, child. The planet Switch is eleven solar systems from Earth. With the archaic instruments on your world, you Humans will never find it. This planet is known by a different name, but with your vocal apparatus, you would never be able to pronounce it. So, Switch it shall be called.”
Karrin took a closer look at her surroundings as she noted the difference in colors and smell, again. I’m in outer space somewhere. I should be scared, but I’m not.
“Why do you call it Switch?”
“I named the planet Switch for what it represents to me. Here, I can switch from a Warrior to just an Ispepyein. I come here to relax, to read, and to get away from the lying and fawning of court. Mainly, I come here to be alone. I also choose this planet because it's not close to any of the frequently traveled space routes the other races use. No one ever comes here, and no one cares to. However, there are sentient life forms that live here. You lean against one, now.” He pointed a bloody, blue finger behind Karrin.
Karrin shrieked in fright as she jumped away from the rock. She turned around, hand pressed against her pounding chest. She studied the black boulder. It appeared like every rock on Earth.
“This rock is alive?” She squinted at the man, frowning. Is he making fun of me?
The funny-looking man grimaced at Karrin, which could’ve been a sneer or a smile. She couldn’t tell which.
“Hmm. Contruda said there would be many items you would not be able to see because of the structure of your eyes. Do you see the stream from which I caught your food?” He nodded in the direction he came from when Karrin first noticed him.
The girl stared unblinkingly until her head hurt. All she saw was heavy, misty air. She rubbed her eyes and shook her head. “No, the only things I see are the black rocks and that silver object. What is it?”
“That is my personal fighter. All Ispepyein Warriors have one. For some strange reason Contruda cannot process, it changed to silver in my journey to find you. Even Contruda has turned silver.” He shrugged. “I suspect the change was brought on by the silver ore from Lear that is on board.”
The little girl chewed on her bottom lip, trying to process everything the man told her. None of it made any sense.
“I don’t understand any of this, Lurka,” she said in a huff. “How can rocks be alive? What is an Ispep – Ispep… whatever you are? Why am I here? Where are you supposed to take me? And, why are you burning the fish?” She stared at him as if he were about to answer all the questions of the Universe.
Lurga glanced at the fish cooking on sticks around the edge of the fire. They
were turning blue/black. He pushed them to the ground where they lay smoking. “Contruda said you required your meat to be fired. That is what I have done. Are they not to your satisfaction?”
“No,” she said, her nose wrinkled at the aroma of burnt fish. “They’re all burned up. Do you eat them?”
“Certainly,” he replied, poking at one with a finger, “but I usually bite the heads off and eat them whole. I already ate my fill before I brought these to you. Do you wish me to catch more? Can you prepare them the way you prefer?”
“Yes, I can.” Karrin squatted beside the overcooked fish and gingerly picked one up. She peeled away the blackened skin, surprised to find white, steaming meat underneath. “Look, this one’s not too bad.”
She pulled off a small piece and flicked it with the tip of her tongue. A sweet, fishy flavor filled her mouth, causing her stomach to rumble, reminding her she hadn’t eaten for a while. “Oh, this taste great. What are they called?” She picked off another piece and shoved it into her mouth.
“Dmfopurrll,” Lurga said in a deep, guttural growl.
Karrin giggled. “Well, I can’t say that. I’ll just call them ‘fish.’”
“Ffish,” Lurga repeated back, then again, “Fish.”
The starving girl picked through the burnt fish, finding the ones she could eat while Lurga answered her questions. However, she was still confused, especially when it came to the part where he was supposed to find her rightful place in the galaxy. She was from Earth, so she couldn’t understand where else she belonged.
