by G. E. Stills
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.” La’lani gazed at him in awe. “You look like a Men-gar.”
“That’s the idea. Just keep reminding yourself that I’m still Aaron.” He grinned. “I don’t want to feel the kiss of your blade.”
La’lani removed her weapons and handed them to him. Next, he escorted her toward the command building as if she were a prisoner. When they entered, he quickly scanned the interior. It was a single large room with four Men-gar occupants. One of the aliens, obviously in charge, glanced up from a desk when they entered.
“What have we here, Bla’tar?”
So Bla’tar is the name of the alien whose identity I’ve assumed.
“I found this one lurking in the bushes and took her captive.”
“Is she alone?”
“I think so, but as soon as we have her collared, I’ll take some of the others and search better.”
The leader rose from his chair and strode to one of the walls. A number of collars hung there, along with several of what he instantly recognized as keys. Next to them was a case containing several pistols. The leader removed one of the hanging collars and a key. Standing beside La’lani, he placed the collar around her neck and moved to insert the key to lock it in place.
“Now!” Aaron yelled to her.
He reached out and placed his hand on the leader’s shoulder. For the first time, in a long time, the energy ball located below his navel, throbbed to life. A high voltage charge of electricity surged from it, through his torso and arm, to exit from his fingertips. The alien shuddered and dropped smoldering to the floor. He tossed La’lani her knife and at the same time, spun to face the other three Men-gar.
Two of them stood close together, the other across the room. He pointed a finger at each of them and bolts of lightning flashed out to strike them. Both Men-gar jolted back and still smoking, slumped to the floor. He spun to face the last, only to see a headless corpse tumble to the floor. La’lani stood over him with a bloody knife and a snarl on her face.
La’lani turned to face him and stood motionless. She glanced at first one smoldering corpse, then the other two. Her gaze moved to him, her eyes wide in shock.
“I’ll tell you about this ability later. There’s no time right now.”
Reaching up, she ripped the unlocked collar from her neck and tossed it to the floor. “Damn right you will. We’re going to have a lengthy discussion. I would learn more about you.”
He located a backpack sitting in one corner. Quickly he removed the keys and grabbed the pistols, scooping them all into the pack. He cracked the door and peered outside. The skirmish inside had happened so fast the Men-gar hadn’t even had time to shout a warning.
He took careful aim at one of the prisoner guards with the unfamiliar pistol. Before he could fire, La’lani’s bow twanged once and seconds later again. Both Men-gar crumpled to the ground with arrows in their necks. He took a moment to shift back into a Sutani and then the two of them dashed across the open space. He shot off the lock and threw the door open to find, eight Sutani prisoners huddled in one corner.
Shelly provided the Sutani words to him. “Let’s go,” he shouted. “Now!” he emphasized. Spinning on his heel, he bolted back outside.
La’lani’s bow twanged again and across the clearing he heard one of the Men-gar cry out in pain. He ducked belatedly, when a beam struck the doorjamb just above his head. Glancing in the direction of the sleeping quarters, he saw two Men-gar scrambling from the entrance.
Two of the Sutani prisoners crawled from inside, grabbed the pistols from the fallen guards and rolled into the clearing, firing. He dropped to his knees just in time when another beam, burned into the building behind him. It came from the direction La’lani faced.
So much for getting out of here secretly. Now we’re caught in a cross fire with no way to reach the covering jungle.
A third Sutani squeezed from the from behind and he handed the man, his pistol. The prisoner added his fire to La’lani’s arrows.
Think, Aaron, what now?
“Perhaps we can use one of the shuttles,” Shelly suggested.
“I don’t know how to operate the controls.”
“I do. I can teach you quickly,” she answered.
Two Men-gar fired from the living quarter’s entrance. One of them slumped to the ground a hole burned in his chest. A shot from behind bored into one of the Sutani lying prone, killing her. He turned left, in the direction of the shot. Lightning bolts burst from his fingers. Several trees and bushes erupted into flames. He heard a Men-gar scream in pain from the same area.
Another Sutani crawled over the ground and took the pistol of her dead comrade. She poured her fire at the remaining Men-gar firing on his right. He watched as the alien fell forward and the firing from that direction ceased. The Sutani kneeling next to La’lani crumpled and fell to the ground with smoke curling from his chest.
Damnit we’re getting cut to pieces.
Bolts of lightning streaked from his outstretched fingers and he watched the barracks structure sag first and then roar into flames, lighting the area bright as day. Screams came from inside.
“Get to the shuttle on the right,” he yelled.
The remaining unarmed Sutani dashed across the clearing and huddled down under cover by the shuttle. Next he sent the two on the ground to join them.
He hurled two more lightning bolts setting more trees and bushes on fire. “La’lani, let’s go.”
The two raced across the open space. He scrambled on board the open air shuttle. From the corner of his eye, he saw La’lani stand and send another arrow streaking across the clearing. Seconds later, he heard a scream and all firing ceased.
“Get on board,” he ordered.
The Sutani jumped in the open aircar and huddled in the center aisle.
Shelly’s voice boomed in his mind, “No time to teach you. Give me control of your hands.”
He surrendered to her request. Moments after that, the shuttle lurched into the air and wobbled. It steadied, as Shelly became more familiar with the controls. No shots came from the burning camp below. They hovered in place while all on board searched the camp for any living Men-gar.
“I think we killed them all,” La’lani breathed.
“I agree, but I don’t intend to stick around in case they called for help. How about we fly to the lake where I crashed and land there?”
“Sounds good. Do it.”
“Shelly. Give me control of one hand for a moment.”
“Yes, Aaron.”
Tilting the shuttle slightly, he sent bolts of lightning into the roof of the command building.
“Okay Shelly, take us to the lake.”
“Yes, Aaron.”
The shuttle surged forward and skimmed across the dark sky. Unfamiliar constellations twinkled down on him. Warm air rustled through his clothes. A few hours later, he landed on the shore of the lake. After everyone else climbed from the craft, he eased the shuttle into the jungle foliage. Exhausted, Aaron sat on the ground watching while the others covered the shuttle with leaves and branches.
“We can hide in the cave for now,” La’lani said. She glanced at Aaron leaning against a tree. “Are you alright?”
He nodded and Shelly fed more adrenalin reserves into his system.
The eight of them raced through the jungle all day and all night, only stopping long enough to take breathers. Talking was limited to brief introductions and a few commands that La’lani issued. The size of the group reduced the danger of predators attacking. Shelly sent the last of the adrenalin flooding into his blood stream.
Leaving the jungle behind, they started uphill through the meadows and clumps of trees. He faltered and stumbled. “More stimulant, Shelly,” he said.
“I’m sorry, Aaron. There is no more.”
He grimaced and tripped.
La’lani was beside him instantly. “Aaron, what’s wrong?”
“Exhausted from the battle is all. Determination has gotten me this far, but I’m nearing the end of my stamina. You should leave me here and get the others to safety.”
“Not a chance.” She wrapped an arm around his waist and put his arm over her shoulder. “I will carry you if I must, but we are not leaving you here.” One of the Sutani men dropped back and supported him on the other side.
“La’lani is right. We will not leave you here. We owe you our lives.”
***
He was semiconscious by the time they reached the cave. Me’kon greeted them exuberantly. Although the former prisoners knew he was different, Aaron remained in his Sutani form to make everyone more at ease.
“So the first order of business is to get rid of those collars,” Aaron said from his seated position. When Me’kon’s was removed he sighed in relief. He handed Me’kon the key. “Take their collars off and then distribute the pistols.”
Struggling to his feet, he said to La’lani. “I need to rest. I feel like I could sleep for days.”
“Why are you suddenly so weak?” La’lani asked. She grabbed him around the waist to keep him from falling.
“I haven’t used my electrical casting ability for a long time. It’s left me weak.”
La’lani assisted him to one corner. Wait here.” She returned moments later with her sleeping mat and rolled it out. “Sleep here. I’ll try to keep everyone quiet. We need to go hunting anyway to feed all these extra mouths. I’ll ask Me’kon to stay here with you while the rest of us are gone.”
“Thanks La’lani.” He yawned and lay down on it.
“Sleep well, my new friend. And Aaron, we will talk later,” she said. Turning her back to him, she joined the rest.
Aaron inhaled her scent from the mat. “She smells nice.”
“Yes she does,” Shelly agreed.
He smiled and fell asleep almost immediately.
CHAPTER FIVE
He opened his eyes to view a pair of blue knees less that a foot in front of his face. He shifted his gaze upward. La’lani sat on her heels with her legs folded, staring down at him in silence. Her hands rested in her lap. She returned his smile. “Have I been asleep long?” he asked.
“A full day.”
“Damn, I knew I was tired, but a full day?”
“You started to stir about an hour ago. I’ve been sitting here looking at you since.”
“You’ve been sitting here for an hour watching me sleep?”
La’lani grinned. “You’re not hard on my eyes to watch.”
Understanding dawned on him and his cheeks heated. “You’re a very pretty woman, La’lani. You’re not hard on the eyes either.” He smothered a chuckle when La’lani’s face became darker blue.
She cleared her throat. “Do you feel up to going outside? Maybe taking a short walk, where we can talk in private?”
“I think so.” He sat up and climbed to his feet. Glancing around, he saw the group had been busy while he slept. Leaves formed new sleeping mats. A large supply of wood sat in one corner. The smell of something roasting on the fire made his stomach grumble with hunger.
The talking stopped and all eyes followed him and La’lani as they strolled toward the entrance. Once outside he breathed a sigh of relief. “Talk about feeling like I was under scrutiny.”
“You were,” La’lani chuckled. “They’ve witnessed you shoot lightning from your fingers. No Sutani can do that. They also watched you fly the Men-gar shuttle as if you were very familiar with the controls. Me’kon and I have told them nothing.”
“Should I tell them about myself?”
“We will decide that later. Right now there are other things for us to talk about.”
Side-by-side the two of them silently ambled away from the cave entrance. La’lani broke the silence. “So tell me, Aaron, do you have other abilities besides shapeshifting and shooting lightning from your fingers?”
“No, those are all the abilities I have.” A shaded truth, but Shelly is not really an ability.
She stopped, turned to face him and the gaze from her large eyes bored into his. “When we first met, when I was leading you through the jungle, you could have struck me down with your lightning at any time, couldn’t you?”
“Yes, but I had no reason to. You rescued me. Remember?”
“I rescued you, but after I learned you spoke Men-gar, I treated you badly.”
“You were suspicious of me. You didn’t know if I was friend or foe. I couldn’t blame you for that. I only hope that you trust me now.”
“I trust you, Aaron. I’m awed by your powers, but I trust you. I have to admit, I’m growing to like you too.” She cast her gaze down and shuffled her feet. “A lot,” she added.
Reaching out, he grasped her hands in his and smiled. “I like you a lot too, La’lani.” He held her hands just a little longer than necessary, but at last let them go.
“Does it require the use of energy to maintain your Sutani form?”
“No, only during the transition itself.”
“Then I think,” she suggested, “You should remain in the form of a Sutani for now. Let the others become better acquainted with you before you change.”
“And my ability to cast lightning?”
She winked. “We’ll tell them you were born with the ability. Not a lie, just not the entire story.”
“Very well. If that’s what you recommend.”
“That’s what I suggest.”
With the explanation decided, they drifted back to the cave entrance.
***
The nine of them trooped back to the cave from the makeshift shooting range after their daily practice. After long grueling hours and many weeks, all of them were relatively proficient in shooting. Aaron was thankful that the pistols used a type of laser technology and therefore a finite supply of ammunition was not a factor. In addition, the gunfire was almost silent.
Slipping through the jungle foliage, he watched La’lani ahead of him. He didn’t make nearly as much noise moving along the trails anymore, although his progress was still clumsy compared to hers.
She’s like a damn ghost. He gazed at the muscles that rippled smoothly with each move of her back and legs. A damn beautiful ghost.
Lovingly, he ran a hand over the holster belted around his waist. The leather was composed of different colored splotches of purple. He remembered how secretive La’lani had been while she was fashioning it and how surprised he’d been when she presented it to him as a gift. The others had made holsters too, but none of them were as fancy as his.
A smile pulled his lips wide when his thoughts focused on what happened next after she presented the holster to him. In his exuberance, he pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips. He’d been shocked at himself, but it was nothing in comparison to her surprise. Based on her initial reaction, he surmised she’d never been kissed before. Probably did not even know what a kiss was. She was a fast learner though. Her arms wrapped around him and the kiss lengthened. When they pulled apart, both of them were nearly breathless.
Lost in thought, he did not notice La’lani stop abruptly. He did not see her hand signal. Instead he bowled into her. He didn’t knock her down, she just stood there like a stone statue and absorbed his collision. Her arm wrapped quickly around his waist to prevent him from falling. In silence, she guided him down with her into a squat, never taking her eyes off of something going on in front of them.
Sheepishly, he peered at the others behind them. They had squatted too. Gracefully, unlike him. Peeking around La’lani’s shoulder, he caught a glimpse of one, two, no, three, wolf like creatures slipping quietly through the jungle growth. They sat in silence for several minutes until La’lani signaled th
e all clear. They resumed their feet and moved along the trail once more.
When they entered the cave she took him by the hand and jerked him outside. “You need to pay attention when we’re moving through the jungle,” she scolded. “Not be daydreaming or studying my backside. You could have gotten us killed.”
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I was wrong. What were those things?”
“Bansos. They usually hunt in packs of ten or more. They are one of the few animals in the jungle that would not hesitate to attack a group our size. They are very vicious fighters.”
“Again, I apologize. I’ll pay attention when we’re out there and stop letting my mind wander. I’ll watch for your signals and try not to just watch you.” He turned to head back into the cave.
“Aaron.” Reaching out, she spun him around to face her.
“Yes?”
She pulled him into her arms and kissed him. When they broke for air, she said, “We’ve only done that once before. I liked it then. I liked it just as much right now. I’m glad you find me, not hard on the eyes.” She grinned. “Now go.” She shoved him gently toward the entrance. “Get something to eat. I need to speak with my brother.”
Over his shoulder, he said, “I’ll send him out.” He then licked his lips, tasting her.
“Me’kon,” he called out when he entered the cave. “La’lani wants to talk to you outside.”
“Is she okay?” Me’kon asked. Concern etched his brow. He stood from his seat beside Sherella, one of the women they had rescued.
“Yes, she’s fine.”
Me’kon strode outside while Aaron sat down on his haunches next to the fire. He dished some of the stew into a bowl carved from wood. Soon, he engaged in conversation with the four women and two men seated around him.
When La’lani and Me’kon returned from outside they took a seat on the other side of the fire from him. La’lani refused to look him in the eyes, but instead stared into the fire. For a moment, Me’kon glared at him coldly, but then began talking to Sherella. Neither Me’kon nor La’lani spoke to him the rest of the evening. From the looks they exchanged, clearly Me’kon and La’lani were not happy with each other.
