by Faith Hunter
It collapsed.
Wyatt holstered his gun and ran forward. “Jake!” He reached the creature and stopped, uncertain. Lord, it was big. And it had a tail? Wyatt had no idea what he was looking at, but it had clearly asked for help and he wasn’t about to leave it lying in the dirt.
He heard footsteps overhead. Jake, Bill Cooke, and Bill’s son, Jesse came into view.
“Mother of God!” Jake said.
“Go get Doc,” Wyatt said. “Have Andy bring the wagon.”
Jake gaped at the creature.
“What are you standing around for? Go!”
Wyatt looked at Bill. “I could use your help down here.”
“What the hell is that thing, Wyatt?”
“I don’t know, but we can’t just leave it here.”
Bill paused, looking uncertain.
“I’ll help, Sheriff.” Jesse slid down the side of the furrow. Bill frowned at his son then, grumbling, slid down and joined them.
It took four of them to get the creature up and onto the wagon. There was solid muscle beneath the soft fur. Wyatt’s fingers brushed over the blue skin. It felt supple, like a snake’s.
“Wyatt,” Doc said as he approached. “John and Matthew have some burns that still need tending to. What’s so blasted—” He made a choking noise and Wyatt turned.
“This might be more serious.”
~*~
They covered the creature with a tarp and took it back to Haven. None of the men wanted to ride with it, and Andy didn’t even want to drive the cart. Exasperated, Wyatt gave Andy his horse and drove the cart back himself. Townsfolk gathered as they rode into town. Jake and Doc waved them off, saying that the Anderson’s were fine. Wyatt didn’t slow, he wanted to get the creature into the jail before it woke up.
When they reached the jail, the three men half-dragged the creature inside and put it in a cell. Jake slapped a set of handcuffs on it and left the cell as quickly as he could. Wyatt turned to Jake. “Keep anyone from coming in here until I give the word.”
“Yes, Sheriff.”
Wyatt locked the cell door. He turned at the sound of his desk drawer sliding open. Doc bent over the side of the desk and came up with a bottle of whiskey. It rattled as he set it down.
Wyatt took the bottle from Doc’s shaking hand. “It might need your help.”
Doc looked at the creature. “Good God, Wyatt, what the hell is that thing?” He reached for the bottle.
Wyatt put the whiskey back in the drawer. “I don’t know. But it asked for help and I aim to make sure that it gets some.”
Doc’s eyes grew wide. “It spoke to you?”
“Yes, it spoke to me.” He’d never seen Doc this rattled before. “Now what do you think?”
Doc tried to compose himself and looked into the cell. “What do I think?” He turned back to Wyatt. “I think this is a creature from another planet. How can you be so calm about this?”
“Somebody has to be.”
Doc scowled.
“You didn’t see it, Doc.” Wyatt turned to cell. “It couldn’t even stand on its own. It looked right at me and asked for help. Then it collapsed.” He turned back. “Do you think you can do anything for it?”
“I haven’t the first idea how to treat it. I could very well do it more harm than good. I don’t even know what it is.”
“It is awake and can hear you.”
Both men jumped.
Doc scrambled behind Wyatt’s desk and put his back to the wall.
Wyatt turned to the cell. The creature watched him with those black eyes.
“Are you hurt?” Wyatt nodded toward Doc. “Doc’s a bit startled is all, but he knows his stuff. If you need him, we’ll get you patched up.”
Wyatt felt a tingling in his head as the creature sat up.
“I don’t need to be...patched up.”
Doc took a step forward. “You speak English?”
Wyatt frowned. “Course it speaks English. You just heard it didn’t you?”
The creature leaned forward. “I’m wearing a translator.” It started to raise its arm and noticed the handcuffs. It cocked its head and sniffed the metal encircling its wrists. It spread its arms and the chain between the cuffs snapped with a loud metallic clink. Broken pieces of chain clattered on the floor.
Doc jumped back with a gasp. The creature raised its arm showing Wyatt a thin band nestled in the creature’s fur. “You’re hearing...what did you call it? English?”
“What is the tingling in my head?” Wyatt asked.
“What tingling?” Doc said. His voice rose in pitch. “Does that thing get into our minds?”
“The translator will request the definition of terms and phrases that do not directly translate.”
“Oh God.” Doc shook where he stood. “Oh good God.”
Wyatt crossed the room. “Take it easy, Doc.” He steered his friend toward the door. “Why don’t you head on down to the Wheel, have a drink on me, and calm yourself down.”
Doc swallowed once, nodded and left. The door rattled in its frame behind him.
Wyatt turned back to the cell. The creature was taking in its surroundings. “Where am I?”
Wyatt sat on the edge of his desk. “You’re in Haven. My name is Wyatt Porter and I’m the sheriff here.”
The creature furrowed its brow. “Sheriff...” There was a prolonged tingling in Wyatt’s head. He wasn’t sure if he was comfortable with that thing rummaging around up there.
“You are a peace-keeper.”
Wyatt nodded. “That’s part of it. I’m also the man to turn to when an alien crashes into town.”
The creature’s face fell. “Did anyone need to be patched up?”
“Nothing Doc couldn’t handle.”
Relief flooded its face.
“What about you?” Wyatt asked. “When you arrived, you couldn’t even stand. You sure you don’t need Doc to take a look at you?”
“I will be well. I just needed time to...recover.”
Outside, Wyatt heard footsteps on the porch. A voice filtered into the room.
“Don’t you stand in my way, Jake. I’m going in to see my husband and I will knock you down if I have to.”
The door opened and Sarah swept in. “Wyatt, some of the boys said you found something strange out at—” She gasped, staring at the creature in the cell. Her hand went to her mouth and she took a step backward.
The creature bowed its head. “Ma’am.”
Sarah straightened. She tore her eyes from the cell and looked at Wyatt.
Wyatt scrambled to say something that might make sense. “Sarah this is...” He trailed off, turning to the alien. “I’m sorry, but I never got your name.”
“I am called Molidialamulus.” The creature bowed its head again. “It is a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”
Wyatt blinked. “Molidia—”
“Moli,” Sarah said.
Wyatt looked from the cell to his wife.
She smiled at him. “It’ll be easier for you to remember.” The smile vanished and she turned to the cell. “Ma’am is it?” She walked forward. “Moli, what are your intentions?”
He blinked. “Ma’am?”
She sighed. “Are you harboring any intentions to harm my Wyatt or Haven?”
Moli sat up straight and met Sarah’s eyes. “No, ma’am.”
She stared at him for several seconds, then nodded, reaching a decision. “Then I reckon we can get along. Welcome to Haven, Moli.” She turned to Wyatt. “Come on down to the Wheel when you can. I’ll have something warm waiting for you.”
She kissed him soundly, then left. Wyatt watched the door close behind her in utter silence.
“I like her.”
Moli sat with his teeth bared in what was probably a smile. “She reminds me of my mate. They have the same—” Another tingle. “Fire. You are a fortunate man, Wyatt Porter.”
Wyatt glanced back at the door and smiled. He walked over to the wall and grabbed a ring of keys
. Returning to the cell, he unlocked the door. “I reckon I don’t need to keep you in here any longer.” He paused. “Not that I think the cell would have held you considering what you did to the cuffs.”
At Moli’s puzzled look, Wyatt gestured to his wrists.
“Oh. Apologies for damaging—”
“It’s all right.” Wyatt fished a key out of his pocket and removed the handcuffs. He felt a surreal wave pass over him as he considered that he was standing in a jail cell with a creature from another planet towering over him.
Wyatt put the broken handcuffs on his desk. Moli flicked one of the iron bars with a nail and it rang.
“So what brings you to Haven?” Wyatt asked.
Moli cocked his head. “I thought you did.”
Wyatt shook his head. “No, I mean what brought you here? To Earth.”
Moli walked over to the rifle rack and sniffed it. “My ship was shot down by the Mor-Dalgar.”
“The what?”
He ran a claw along the barrel of a rifle. “Mor-Dalgar.” Wyatt’s head tingled. “Organized criminals.”
“You’re a lawman?”
Moli nodded and Wyatt wondered if he put that bottle away too soon. “Are there more than your kind out there?”
Moli bared his teeth and walked to the desk. “The universe is teeming with life.” He looked at the rifle racks and then at the cell. “Most of us are peaceful, but some are not.”
Wyatt let out a shaky breath. “That doesn’t sound much different than normal folk.”
Moli laughed. “Exactly.” The laugher faded. “And like your people, we have need of peace-keepers—sheriffs.” He exhaled. “The Mor-Dalgar are dangerous and I fear that I may have led them to you.”
Wyatt sat on the edge of his desk. Other aliens—dangerous aliens—might be coming to Haven. It was too much to process. Desperate, he latched onto what he could make sense of. There was another sheriff in town and he needed help. Wyatt could get behind that.
“We’ll deal with them when the time comes.” Wyatt stood. “How about we head on down to the Wheel and see what Sarah’s got cooking for us?”
~*~
As the day drew on toward night, they headed back to Wyatt’s house. Horses spooked whenever Moli got near one, but he was able to keep up on foot.
Little Wyatt was fascinated with the alien lawman, asking endless questions about his ship and the planet he’d come from. Moli endured the attention with good grace until Sarah and Wyatt shuffled the boy off to bed.
After that, the three of them each took a mug of beer out onto the porch. The night was warm and clear. Crickets chirped softly in the grass and stars filled the sky. The view always made Wyatt feel pleasantly small.
“How was your first day on Earth?”
Moli chuckled. “It didn’t start out so well, but it ended with friends.” He took a drink. “And this...what did you call it? Beer? And watching the night sky. A very good ending, indeed.”
“Which one is yours?” Sarah leaned back in the rocker she shared with Wyatt.
Moli looked up. He hopped off the porch and walked backward. After a moment, he pointed. “There.” Wyatt and Sarah came over to look. “See where those three stars line up? Look at the lowest one. There’s a star just to the right.”
“It’s beautiful.” Sarah’s voice was filled with wonder.
“Looks like it’s a long way off,” Wyatt said.
Moli didn’t speak for the space of a long breath. “Yes, a very long way off.”
Wyatt reached up and put his hand on Moli’s shoulder. “Will you be able to fix your ship?”
Moli paused. “Perhaps. With the right materials, it should only be a matter of...”
He trailed off. As they watched, a tiny ball of flame streaked across the sky. It disappeared over the horizon.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Wyatt would have called it a shooting star and forgotten it as soon as it passed. A lot had happened since then.
“That wasn’t anyone looking for you, was it?”
“Impossible to say.” Moli glanced at Wyatt. “I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.”
~*~
Early the next morning, Jake took Moli over to Turner’s to help Andy move some heavy items. Wyatt was alone in the jail, sweeping. The front door was propped open and a warm breeze flowed through, mixing the smell of horses and dust with the fresher scent of grass and wildflowers.
Wyatt leaned the broom against the wall and stepped onto the porch. He inhaled deeply, enjoying the breeze. Then, he heard the sound of galloping horses.
John Anderson drove his wagon up the road at a breakneck speed. Matthew was up next to him and the rest of his family was huddled in the back. They raced into town preceded by a bad feeling that Wyatt felt deep in his guts.
Anderson hauled his team to a stop. His eyes were wild.
“There’s more of them, Wyatt.”
“Take it easy, John.” Wyatt stepped off the porch. “Start at the beginning. What are you doing racing a wagon with your family in the back?”
He took a deep breath. “More spacemen. Come down this morning and landed in my fields.” He looked over at Turner’s. Moli and Jake were on the way back. “They weren’t like him. They were tall and thin. Started poking around.” He turned to Wyatt. “They was green.” He made a visible effort to collect himself. “I didn’t like the look of them, so I got the family and got the hell out of there.” He paused. “Don’t know if we’ll be going back.”
“Your family’s had that farm for years,” Wyatt said. “Come inside and Jake will see to the little ones. We’ll talk this out.”
“Sheriff.” Jake pointed down the road.
Wyatt saw three figures moving toward the town. They were tall, half again as tall as he was and thick limbed.
“That’s them!” Anderson snapped the reins and the horses took off. Wyatt took a hasty step back.
“Damnation.” He scowled at the retreating wagon. The visitors were the light green of a new head of lettuce. They wore vests, exposing muscular arms, and dark green pants tucked into heavy boots.
Moli curled his lip in a snarl. “Mor-Dalgar.”
Wyatt looked at him. “Get inside.”
“Wyatt, you can’t step into harm’s way on my account. I—”
“You’re not the law here. In.” Wyatt steered Moli into the jail. Jake followed. When they returned, Jake had a rifle and Wyatt was buckling on his gun belt.
The street emptied as the Mor-Dalgar walked into town. They each carried a long, thin tube that reminded Wyatt of a rifle barrel.
Wyatt stepped off the porch and faced the three visitors, his hands hooked into the loops of his belt.
“Welcome to Haven.”
The Mor-Dalgar stopped. One of them took a gigantic step forward. “We come for the Taareki.”
Wyatt frowned. “And you are?”
“I am Sak-Ratam.”
“My name is Wyatt Porter and I’m the sheriff of Haven. If Moli wants to go along with you, that’s fine with me, but I will not allow you to take him against his will. If those are weapons you’re holding, you and your boys need to put them away.”
“Miserable creature, you dare to speak to your betters.” The Mor-Dalgar behind Sak-Ratam raised its weapon.
Wyatt’s hand flashed to his hip. He drew his gun and fired. The Mor-Dalgar let out a squawk, staggered backward, and fell. The weapon erupted with a roar, spitting an ugly red light. Heat washed over Wyatt and something behind him exploded. Screams ripped through the street.
The other Mor-Dalgar shifted, but Jake raised his rifle. “Don’t.”
Sak-Ratam took half a step backward and looked at his fallen companion for a long second.
Wyatt pointed his pistol at Sak-Ratam. “Jake, go inside and round up some folk. Grab the buckets from out back and see what you can do to help.”
The alien on the ground shuddered, gasped, then struggled to its feet. It stood, hunched and clutching at its chest. Its red e
yes bored into him. It was hurt, but Wyatt wouldn’t bet that it was out of the fight if it came to that.
“Your weapons are useless,” Sak-Ratam said.
“I beg to differ.” Wyatt’s eyes flashed to the injured alien’s chest. Was it even bleeding?
“You can beg all you want. If you do not surrender the Taareki to us by the time your sun is highest again, we will take him and leave this place in ashes.”
They turned and left the way they came. Wyatt watched them go until they were out of sight.
~*~
The front of Turner’s General Store was a blazing wreck. The blast from the alien weapon lit it like kindling.
Wyatt raced to the store. The heat from the flames grew too intense for him to get to the door. Around him, townsfolk rushed to battle the blaze. He tried to see through the smoke. “Andy! Jake! Moli!”
The front door was impassible. Wyatt had already started around to the back when Jake came from that direction.
“The fire’s everywhere.” Jake coughed. “I couldn’t get in. Moli—”
“Wyatt!”
He turned. Sarah ran up the road toward them, her skirts bunched in her hands. “I sent Little Wyatt into Turner’s!” she screamed.
“Lord, no.” A side window shattered. Fire engulfed the entire first floor and flames crept up the sides of the building.
Wyatt strode toward the door, but Jake blocked him.
“Get out of the way, Jake, that’s my boy in there.”
Jake shook his head. “Sheriff, he’s—”
A wall on the second floor exploded in a shower of broken timber. Wyatt grabbed Sarah and Jake and pulled them away as a large trunk tumbled end over end to shatter in the street.
Smoke billowed from the hole, then Moli emerged. His fur was black with soot. Andy Turner was draped over one shoulder like a sack of grain. In Moli’s other arm, Little Wyatt looked out at the town with horrified eyes.
Their eyes locked and Wyatt stepped forward. How the hell were they going to get them out of there? Maybe a ladder—
Moli disappeared back into the smoke. An instant later, he leaped out through the hole. Little Wyatt shrieked as they sailed through the air, barely clearing the burning porch roof. Moli hit the ground hard. His leg buckled and he fell, twisting to protect Little Wyatt.
