by Rena Marks
“What can we say to make them feel better?” Atareek says to me.
I shrug. “I have no idea. I’m not even sure what they’re apologizing for. Eretar came out and put that other striped bitch in her place, so to me that’s apology enough.”
“You know I would never allow anyone to harm you, right?” Atareek stops me with a hand to my cheek. His thumb grazes my jaw line.
I turn my head to kiss his hand. “And you know I’ll never let any woman put her hands on you.”
His beautiful lips curve in a sexy grin before he lowers his head to kiss me. Something about him taking care of me flares up the passion.
His mouth tastes like he’s been chewing mint. I run the tip of my tongue alongside his, and he pulls me closer, his large hand warm across my lower back.
He pulls back to murmur, “I forgot we have company.”
We turn our heads at the same time to see Eretar and the chief staring at us. He mumbles something to Eretar and she nods.
Atareek takes my hand and we move closer to them, smiling. The chief motions us to follow him, and takes us to a cave that has drawings on the walls. He and Atareek head over there, while they try to communicate.
“Baby,” I call out from where I stand with Eretar. “Maybe you can try to ask him if we can bring her with us. We’ll bring her back, of course. But it would be interesting to see if Niki can give her a language download.”
“I’m supposed to relay that how?” He asks, his eyebrows raised to his hairline.
I giggle. “Try to draw a picture of us with her standing between us. Make sure you draw it so we’re protecting her, not kidnapping her.”
“You’re making this worse,” he growls.
From across the room, I can see Atareek drawing a picture for the chief. There are a lot of blue men, and he draws me and him separately, then a tree of the striped people. He circles us, then draws an arrow to our blue men.
The chief looks saddened, and nods. I have no idea what he’s sad about. Then I take the chalk and draw a striped woman with us, standing between me and Atareek. As Eretar stands further back, I point at her, and then circle her on the board.
The chief speaks to her. Her eyes grow wide and she shakes her head.
Atareek takes the chalk and draws another day, with our hunters bringing her back to the tree of her striped people.
This makes her pause and think about it. She and the leader talk back and forth, and then she shyly nods. I cheer, and hug her.
That night’s dinner has a lot of excited babble, as people find out Eretar is going on an adventure. Atareek and I stay calm, and make plans together.
The next morning, Eretar looks worried when we leave the tree. I try to reassure her the best I can, with lots of smiles and soft words of encouragement. She looks even more scared as we traipse through the bone forest, but she’s brave.
“Don’t stop,” Atareek growls. “She’ll freak out if something grabs her ankle. And we have no way of explaining to her that it’s fine, we’ll just cut it off.”
“I know. But we need that plant for reverent mother still. It really is horrid to not know each other’s languages.”
“Niki will fix that soon enough. I’ll grab the plant quickly.”
We’re huffing as we hurry through the dark zone, and pause just long enough for Atareek to hack at the dry ground and dig up a plant with a couple of suckers. Eretar’s eyes dart around everywhere, the sky, the ground, back behind us. I walk her around in circles, around Atareek and the plant, in case he needs us, but not wanting to stand still and have a vine twist up and grab her. Finally, he’s done and we all breathe a sigh of relief when it’s bright daylight at the edge of the dead forest.
It’s quite a different atmosphere as we walk back toward the beach we’d left. Now she’s nervous, but not quite as scared as she was through the dark zone. She’s obviously never left the safety of her underground home.
“Too late to join the others at the north point?” I ask.
Atareek nods. “They’ll be at the cave now, and will stay there for a day, probably two if I know Rayhaan. Imagine how surprised they’ll be to see what we discovered.”
I grin. “Imagine hers.”
To say it’s a surprise is an understatement. We pick up the baby cradles on the way, and it’s easier to have another pair of hands. We’re not far from the cave now.
We can hear the voices of the others in the distance as they gather around the cave, a few starting the fire while others prepare meat. They begin to wave and call out to us, and then it dawns on them that we have a third person, and there’s complete utter silence.
There’s even silence when we approach closely, and eyes are big all around.
“Holy shit,” Lucie says. “What is she?”
“Blaedonian. We found another tribe. I think when the cave of origins flooded, half the people went to shore and the other half went underground. Probably their tribe thought the land-dwellers perished with the night creatures, and the land dwellers thought the underground group perished when it was discovered the creatures came from underground.”
“Why does she look so different?” Kalki asks, standing near her.
I grasp Eretar’s hand, so she isn’t afraid like we were in her cave.
“Her name is Eretar,” Atareek says. “We were pulled into a hidden tree so they could admire our necklaces. Of course, they have glow rocks but never thought to make jewelry. We spent the entire time visiting them.”
“We think because they’re underground dwellers, their skin never changes from the stripes as children. Perhaps our blue is skin damage? And our children lose their tails, but look. Their tails have developed to help them swim,” I say.
“And the children,” Atareek adds. “Too young to talk, but they swim like fish. Their flipper tail propels them through the water.”
“She looks terrified,” Tessa says. “She can’t understand anything.” She takes her necklace from around her own neck and brings it to Eretar, hanging it over her head as a comforting, welcome gift.
“Shi-lee.” Eretar murmurs.
“Come, let’s sit,” I say, bringing her to the wooden log near the fire. She sits primly, eyes still wide, as she takes in the site of all our blue hunters paired with human women. I can’t imagine what she’s thinking.
“We’d like to take her to Niki,” Atareek says. “To see if the language implementation will work. Then we’ll take her back to her village and she can explain to her people all she’s learned.”
“It may not work,” Rayhaan says. “It’s an unheard of language.”
“So was Blaedonian,” Lucie points out. “None of us ever heard it before you guys.”
He shrugs. “But the aliens who kidnapped you did. They must have watched our people for a while. Let’s just not get our hopes up.” He hands her the first plate of food. “Eat up,” he says.
“Eet-ip,” Eretar repeats, smiling as if she’s proud of herself.
A few of our people giggle. Jillian hands her a waterskin. “Water?”
“Wodder?”
“Water,” she repeats, and Eretar takes a drink. We all clap like a she’s a child who’s taken her first step. She blinks, startled.
Just then Lucie’s pet shallga jumps onto Lucie’s lap and screeches. Lucie covers his mouth with her hand to shush him, and Eretar’s eyes look like they’re about to pop out of her head. The shallga runs off, angry at us for not giving him first meat off Eretar’s plate.
“He’s spoiled,” Lucie comments. Rayhaan grunts, and hands her a plate of food.
Eretar waits until Atareek and I receive our plates, as if she’s afraid to be poisoned. I laugh, and pick up a groilak to bite into. A burst of juicy flavor floods my mouth at the cooked fruit.
She does the same, and her eyes widen.
“Looks like they eat different foods,” Jillian says.
“Yes. Not much fruit. Their food is a lot more savory. Crab for breakfast. They use a lot of
herbs for flavoring, but the herbs that grow in their forest are different from ours.”
“What are we doing with her, anyway?” Jillian asks. “Not that I’m complaining. I’m just wondering.”
“We thought maybe Niki could take a crack at language implementation before we take her home. It would be nice to be able to trade stories, wouldn’t it? To have cousins on the same planet?”
We’re all in agreement there.
“I cannot believe there are more people on the planet,” Rayhaan says.
“It seems like the Stargazers would have told us,” Cammie says.
“Maybe they didn’t know. Since the others are underground and surrounded by glow rocks, it could interfere with their scanners or something.”
“Wish we had some way of calling them.”
I shrug. “They specifically said they don’t want to interfere. They only want to make sure we’re safe from other aliens trying to steal the glow crystals.”
“I just thought they’d be curious as to what’s happening. Niki’s baby being born. Stuff like that.”
I grin. “What makes you think they don’t know? Maybe they’re watching us.”
Eyes grow large, especially Lucie’s. Rayhaan is always getting her alone and sneaking off from the others, so I know what she’s thinking, and I hold back my laughter.
Atareek doesn’t. His spills forth, which makes mine erupt.
“I think they purposely don’t watch,” he says.
“Or else they’re getting rich with all the sex tapes they’re selling back on Earth.”
We laugh harder and Lucie looks annoyed. Poor Eretar looks confused. Atareek and I wipe our eyes finally and we continue eating.
“Hmmph,” Lucie says, looking down her regal little nose at us. “You two are quite the pair.”
Rayhaan just leans back, looking like a stud, and grins.
We clean up and prepare for bed, the entire time Eretar is looking at the darkening sky. I try to assure her it will be fine, but of course she doesn’t understand. She tries to mimic snarling night creatures, and I nod to tell her I understand.
Her worry grows, and I’m sure she’s going to chew her lip raw before tomorrow. Atareek and Rayhaan place the barbed wire guard made of dried vines over the doorway, then roll the boulder over the cave’s entrance. Eretar still looks worried, so we make her bed toward the back of the cave, close to us.
I try to calm her. “It’s okay, Eretar. Go to sleep. Nothing can get in.” But this is the first time she’s slept above ground, and it isn’t easy for her.
Chapter Nine
We begin the trek back to the village early the next morning. There are already a few travois made, so we add our stuff to the mix to be carried. I wish I could explain to Eretar where we’re headed, but it’s impossible. Poor thing probably thinks we live in the cave, and these are all the people in our tribe.
Boy, she’s in for a surprise.
The gates of the village are finally in site, and I love watching Eretar’s expressions. She’s never seen anything so huge, but then again, it was odd for us to see the trap door in the tree they’d created.
”Valencia!” The tiny voice calls out, and two skinny figures come running. Na’Leia and Au’Lani are sisters, and have taken a liking to me for some odd reason. I can’t seem to get away from them.
They hug me tightly, all scrawny arms and bony elbows.
“You’re back,” Au’Lani announces unnecessarily.
“Were you looking for me?”
“It was boring without you here.” She slips her little hand in mine, and brushes some dust from my skirt, as familiar as a little momma. I notice both little girls are dressed in my same manner, and when she moves, Au’Lani’s halter shifts. She’s wearing a tiny leather band underneath the fabric. There’s nothing for it to hold up, of course, and I bite back a grin.
“Who is she?” Na’Leia asks, staring at Eretar.
Funny how kids just accept. They never question what she is, like the adults did.
“Her name is Eretar. She doesn’t speak our language, so we need to find Niki.”
“She’s inside. The baby’s kind of sick.”
I glance quickly at Atareek.
“It’ll be fine, Vee,” he says. “She’ll give Eretar the language and you two can collaborate with reverent mother over Nikolee.”
I take a deep breath. He’s right, so right. “Yes.”
“I’ll go get Niki,” he says.
It was a wise move, since there are crowds of people milling around us, checking out Eretar. Slowly we make our way to the picnic table, and Eretar runs her hand wonderingly over the smooth wood. Then the crowd parts as Niki, Drakar, and reverent mother come outside.
“My God,” Niki says, the baby wrapped tightly in her arms. “It’s true. There are more people on the planet.”
“Crazy, isn’t it? I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. I’m hoping we can implant Blaedonian into her.”
“I haven’t tried it in a while. I guess I can try.”
“The two Blaedonian languages are pretty different. She’s pretty lost at everything we say.”
“Where did you find her?”
“The dark zone.” I quickly explain the story, feeling like I’ve told it a hundred times. I notice that Atareek has Drakar pulled to the side and is explaining to him also. “How is Nikolee?”
“He’s not nursing well.”
“May I see him?”
She nods, and hands me the baby. Since we’re on the picnic table and it’s shady here, I unwrap him. Eretar is staring stunned at the half-breed.
“He’s definitely jaundiced,” I murmur, looking into his tiny eyes. The greenish hue to his skin is much more apparent now.
“Did you bring dried herbs from the dead zone?” Reverent mother asks.
“I did. And I had a brilliant idea. Maybe, instead of trying to lower a dose for Nikolee to take, we should feed them to Niki. They will more than likely pass through the breastmilk.”
Reverent mother looks excited. “That is brilliant. I’ll go make a tea for you, Niki.”
Without pausing in talking to Drakar, Atareek pulls our backpacks from his back and hands Lachlana mine. She hurriedly takes it inside.
I wrap up Nikolee, cooing gently at him.
“Oh, and look at this idea.” Atareek goes to one of the travois and pulls a cradle off. He brings it, setting it near me.
“From the tall trees near the beach waters?” Drakar asks.
“Yes. Valencia calls them cradles.”
“They’re different than Earth cradles,” I tell the gawking human girls. “They can rock, but that’s not the primary purpose. The primary purpose is…watch this.”
I set the tiny, curved baby inside and the walls of the walnut-shaped bark, though it’s smooth like an acorn. The spongy inside cradles his body, keeping him in a curled position even as the walls of the tree-nut roll upward to encourage the shape. Nikolee immediately falls asleep.
“It’s perfect,” Niki says. “He loves it.”
“We brought a few. Some are larger than others. They’re for newborns, naturally. They’ll probably outgrow them by six months of age.”
Niki shrugs. “They’re getting active by that age anyway.”
Then Niki taps Eretar’s arm, and looks into her eyes. Eretar looks toward me, confused.
“It’s okay,” I try to explain. Of course she doesn’t understand, so I hold her hands and point to Niki’s eyes. Then they’re both staring at each other and Eretar looks uncomfortable. Suddenly, blam. There’s a red flash and the beam zaps from Niki to Eretar, and it knocks her for a loop. She falls back dazed, and I catch her. We all sit on the grass.
Eretar’s moaning and rubbing her head. She’s leaning, half in my lap and half propped up against my chest.
“Still works,” I comment.
“What?” Eretar says. “I can…understand you. Is this some sort of…trick?”
“No,” Niki says. �
��When we were abducted by aliens, they were experimenting on me to see if they could get me to transfer computer implanted languages. It’s a long story, but apparently it still works. You now know our version of Blaedonian.”
“Aliens?” She knows the word, but not the meaning. Of course. They’ve never seen an alien in any form.
“An alien is a being from elsewhere. We,” I point to Niki and me, “are aliens from Earth. You guys would have been aliens to us, as we are to you. Other alien beings, Drurians, stole us from Earth, and stole Drakar from here. But their ship crash landed on the planet, and we now live here.”
“Oh,” she says, her expression clearing. “Now I understand why you made that drawing on the wall, with the ship in the sky.”
“I guess that was a little confusing,” I say. “How’s your head?”
“It’s better. I’m just so stunned. So amazed. I had no idea this was possible.”
I nod. “We did. This is why we wanted to bring you with us. We will take you back, of course. So you can share with the others the differences between the two cultures.”
Drakar leans in. “I hope we’ll have lots of sharing between us.”
There’s still activity going on outside, even though it’s getting later in the day. A fire’s been lit in the pit. There are so many people milling around Eretar, trying to see her, talk to her. Just hear her speak. She squeezes my hand tightly, and I like to think she realizes this is what we went through. At least Atareek and I were together. Poor Eretar is going through it all alone.
“Tell us about your life,” asks Byndi, as she heffs little Jacobi up onto her hip.
“You’re like us,” Eretar says, surprised.
The rest of us look at her, confused.
She giggles. “It’s just that, all the women I’ve met are the pink ones. I began to think there were no women left like us. I thought your healer was the last one.”
“Oh,” Byndi says. “There are a few. Unfortunately, most have been corrupted by these humans,” she teases. “Wearing their skirts short. Dancing ballet. Removing their underarm bushes.”
