by Calista Skye
He shaded his eyes with one hand. There was movement. Tall shapes, more and more of them, so dark he could only spot them because the landscape was so flat and he saw their silhouettes.
He saw no obvious Acerex warriors there. These looked much more like that Kunuru he'd killed.
Something flashed in the sunlight. A reflection. He had seen that many times in combat – that was a blade. Or rather, two blades. Close together.
He sped up, jogging towards the group of aliens.
There was someone else there, too. Someone less tall, but with a fuller figure. Someone with long, dark hair ...
Now he sprinted as fast as he could. If only he'd landed closer!
Nobody there had seen him. He drew his sword, and even as he ran he felt how the hilt fit his hand much better than Groti'ax's had.
There were many Kunuru. If it was true that there was now only eighteen left, then this had to be all of them, or close to it.
All the Kunuru in one place. One of them holding the same kind of large scissor that had killed Groti'ax.
The aliens seemed to draw close together, and he'd lost sight of the shorter figure in the middle of the huddle.
Then one of the aliens' head exploded, and the being fell to the ground.
He tried to run even faster.
A thunderous exclamation filled the air, so powerfully it made his chest tremble.
“Earthling expletive,” his translator said into his ear.
He knew that voice. He knew it very, very well.
And at that moment, he knew one more thing: The world had changed.
He could feel every grain of ash under his foot as he ran. He could feel every atom of air that he breathed. He could see the smallest details of the woman standing among the Kunuru, every single strand of hair. The tiniest wrinkle in her garment. Every speck of dirt on her boots.
He was on the Fire Planet. And the Fire Planet was beautiful and wonderful. It was the most important place in the universe. Because she was here.
He ran ever faster. And faster. And faster. It should not be possible, but in this new world, it was as natural as breathing. It was her.
He started to laugh, and the Kunuru turned to look at him. Ava did too, and he saw the surprise in her dark eyes.
A wave of squat, metallic machines flowed towards him from the Kunuru ship. He had fought them before, the day Groti'ax died. Then, he had struggled with even ten of them. They had delayed him so much that he hadn't reached Groti'ax in time to save him.
Now, here was hundreds of them, flowing towards him like giant spiders.
He didn't slow down. He didn't change grip on his sword. He just slashed at the first of the machines, hit it perfectly and in the same stroke caught the next one, again perfectly. He didn't have to think. The sword came alive in his hands and guided itself, danced between one metallic enemy and the next, cutting them up, each stroke hitting two or more of them and destroying them. Not one stroke hit their armored parts, not one stroke found only air, not one stroke sent a jarring shudder up his arm. They all connected perfectly with the robots' weak points, barely giving off noise as the edge hit each enemy machine at the perfect angle to slice through it.
He laughed again. “Just wait, my love!” he yelled, as his sword moved faster than his eyes could follow. “I'm on the way!”
All the machines came for him, and he cut through and broke them all, while still running at top speed, faster than he had ever run before.
Then there were no more of them, and he was next to Ava, noticing that his blade was glowing red from the friction of the fight.
Her scent was not strong, but still it overpowered the stench of the Fire Planet in his nose.
He peered down into her warm, clear eyes. “I have come for you, my Mahan.”
She was pale and slightly trembling.
The dead Kunuru lay at her feet, and she had his tube in her hand. The last-ditch weapon that the tribe had made for Xark'ion when it became clear that he was not a natural swordsman. Yes, that tiny arrow could do a lot of damage.
“I'm talking to the Kunuru,” Ava said.
Xark'ion pointed at the dead alien with his sword, ignoring the Kunuru still around them. Seventeen, he counted. “Doing more than talking?”
“He... they ... he had that scissor.”
A cold fury spread in his body. They had tried to do the same to her as to Groti'ax.
“But you had a tube.”
She lifted the hand with the now expended and empty wooden pipe. “I didn't mean to kill him, but he was about to use that thing on me.”
“If he had, I would have killed him, too. He was dead the moment he opened that weapon. What have you talked about?”
She took a deep, trembling breath. “Peace and friendship. But they're not listening.”
He ached to embrace her. But she had to want it. She was his Mahan, he knew that now. As well as he knew that the sky over his village was blue. As well as he knew that he was now a true swordsman.
But he wasn't her Mahan. Earthlings didn't have that. He wouldn't impose himself on her.
He turned around, and took in the Kunuru. They had retreated a few yards, slowly and quietly, keeping a close eye on Ava and him.
“You will listen,” he said.
35
- Ava -
His voice was so deep and clear and commanding that Ava instinctively straightened, ready to listen to anything he might care to say.
The Kunuru pulled closer together and looked over with what would have been obvious anxiety, if they'd been humans. They were tall, but Xark'ion still towered over them, as wide as three of them put together.
Her heart had swelled with joy at seeing him. She wasn't alone anymore. He was there to protect her, and she knew that he would do that better than even fifty of Charlotte's gunships.
The way he had fought his way through those robots – she hadn't even been able to see his sword, because it was moving too fast. He hadn't even slowed down. And that was supposed to be a warrior with lackluster swordsmanship?
She wanted to throw herself around his neck, to cling to him forever, to feel his strong arms around her. And she totally would when this was over.
“You see now that Earth isn't all peace,” he said. “You have drawn Earth's ire. It's not easy to accomplish, but when you do it, they strike back with immense violence. Do you want her to continue? You are down to seventeen of your kind. I can't hold her back if she wishes to destroy you all now. She looks small, but she can kill with one angry glance of her eyes. I know. I drew her anger when I killed your Nur. I barely survived.”
Huh? Ava drew breath to protest. She had no intention or way to even hurt the feelings of one of these aliens, much less physically. Then she shut her mouth. Xark'ion was signalling don't interfere, we're talking in their secret sign language.
“The Earthling is ... fierce,” the ghostly voice of the oldest Kunuru agreed. “Are they all like that?”
“No,” Xark'ion said. “This one is unusually peaceful and restrained. That's why she's a diplomat. The others of her kind are bad. There are twelve billion of them. And now you have provoked them.”
He quickly threw a theatrically worried look behind him, as if to check that she wasn't about to murder him.
Ava arranged her face in a frown that could mean anything. It was probably completely lost on these aliens, but she would do her part. She had no idea of where Xark'ion was going with this, but as long as he didn't start massacring them with his sword, she would let him do his thing. He had come for her.
“We know you Acerex are terrible when provoked,” the Kunuru leader wheezed, “but you fight with swords and are laughably predictable. No Acerex has ever killed a Kunuru before. This one fights with small objects and explodes our heads. She even found us only shortly after we became aware of the existence of Earth. We have never been found before.”
“Earthlings are determined. And crazy, once you provoke them.”
> “She commanded you to kill Nur,” the chief Kunuru concluded. “To show the power of her people and her command of you. The Acerex are now the hammer to Earth's anvil. And in the middle to be crushed between them, Kunuru.”
Xark'ion didn't protest, and Ava kept quiet. If that was what he wanted these guys to think, then fine. She was rapidly losing interest in being all that friendly with them anyway. Her neck had been in that scissor.
“Earth offered us friendship,” Xark'ion said. “Their friendship is true. They have not killed a single Acerex. They have even helped us in our battles against your underling species. Since then, we keep winning. Have you noticed that?”
“The Acerex have become a more efficient hammer of late,” agreed the old Kunuru. “To our delight. Now that we know the reason, it pleases us less.”
“This Earthling offered you peace and friendship,” Xark'ion continued. “Her offer was sincere, but Nur then started insulting her friend – me. It enraged her. Earthlings will not have their friends insulted.”
The Kunuru paused, and it seemed to Ava that they were frantically conferring with each other in some silent, secret way.
Finally the old alien spoke up again. “Will Earth allow us to follow Vrun's command?”
“To cleanse the universe of everything that's not Kunuru? They will not.”
“Will they then offer us other commands?”
Xark'ion glanced at Ava.
Yes, she signalled silently. She had no idea what the alien really meant, but her spine was tingling in a familiar way. This was probably a breakthrough.
“Yes,” Xark'ion said. “They will offer the Kunuru other commands. Do the Kunuru then wish to accept the Earthlings' offer of friendship?”
“How many of us will she murder if we accept?”
Again, Xark'ion glanced at her.
Zero, she signalled.
“Perhaps not very many,” Xark'ion said. “Provided none of you start to insult me.”
With his hands he signalled stay calm. We're talking.
“If we accept friendship – when does it take effect?”
Right now, Ava signalled.
“She is still angry,” Xark'ion said. “Notice how she isn't talking, but her hands are moving with tension. She's trying to restrain herself from murdering you all. It takes all her effort. But her offer stands. The friendship takes effect as soon as all your underling species are removed from the vicinity of Earth and allowed to return to their home worlds for good. No Kunuru threat must hang over them. They must no longer be your slaves. No harm must come to them or to Earth.”
“Then she will give us commands to replace that of Vrun?” the old Kunuru asked.
Yes, Ava signalled.
Xark'ion shrugged. “If the Kunuru prove worthy of it.”
“Earth will not murder us all if we accept friendship?”
No!
“As friends, you will be relatively safe from the rage of the Earthlings as long as you behave peacefully towards everyone.”
“Will we, the Kunuru, be the hammer to Earth's anvil?”
No.
“Perhaps,” Xark'ion said airily. “Perhaps not. She's too enraged to make that decision at this time.”
“May we still accept the offer of friendship?”
Yes! Ava signalled frantically.
“Again, she is very furious. But she has only killed one of you today. That is a good sign. Let me ask her.”
Xark'ion turned to face her and bowed. “Honored diplomat Ava, the Kunuru respectfully ask if it is too late to accept your generous offer of peace and friendship.”
Ava thought fast. Whatever Xark'ion had been doing, it was working.
“The Kunuru have angered me greatly,” she started in Acerex, since that was what they had all been speaking so far. “First by insulting my good friend, the Acerex warrior Xark'ion. Then by trying to cut my head off with their scissors. I'm not sure if they are worthy of our friendship. Still, my leaders on Earth have tasked me with this. So I must reluctantly state that yes, the offer of friendship between Earth and the Kunuru still stands. But seriously, that scissor thing was messed up.”
All the Kunuru clumsily imitated Xark'ion's bow. “Then we, the Kunuru, accept the offer. As stated by me, the Hierarch of First Rank, Sur.”
Ava wanted to pump her fist in the air. Success!
Xark'ion smirked at her, and immediately a fine little tingle hit her down below. Stars, it was as if he was hard-wired straight to her pussy. Even here and now.
The Acerex warrior faced the Kunuru and straightened. He seemed ten feet tall and as solid as a mountain. “Then go and release the other species from their thrall to you and remove the threat to Earth. Then remain in your ship in orbit around this planet. When Ava wishes to speak with you, she or her representative will come and contact you. Do not set foot on the surface or try to extinguish the Fire.”
“So confirmed and assured,” the Kunuru said. They all bowed once more, then they quickly entered their ship.
Xark'ion led Ava over to her own shuttle and got her inside. “We don't know how that Kunuru ship works,” he said as he opened the hatch for her. “It might be unhealthy to be in the vicinity when it takes off.”
But there was no big drama – the silvery oval just hovered in the air for a moment, then slowly ascended into the clear sky.
“Good cop/bad cop, huh?” Ava said as she sat down in the co-pilot's seat. “And you cast me as the bad cop.”
“Bad cop?” Xark'ion said innocently. “There's nothing bad about you.”
“Just an Earth expression. What you just did is an old trick for negotiations. Often used for interrogating criminals, less often for inter-species peace agreements with space aliens. Never mind. That was insanely well done. You read them perfectly.”
“Really?” Xark'ion mused and powered up the engines. “I just repeated what you did with the Solp king. I suppose it means I'm skilfully using well-established diplomatic techniques. Might there be hope for me after all?”
Ava didn't reply, so that he would look up from the instruments. When he did, she held his gaze. “Warrior, I think there's hope for both of us.”
A happy, boyish smile slowly spread on his face when he realized what she meant.
She reached her hand out and placed it on his knee. She just had to finally touch him. “A lot of hope.”
- - -
They flew over to Xark'ion's shuttle so he could slave it to Ava's and have it fly itself. Then they took off again and shot up from the Fire Planet.
“I think we did it,” Ava said. “I didn't detect any deceit in them. I'm pretty sure they mean it. But we'll only know when we get back to the Friendship and can confirm that they are in fact withdrawing from the star systems around Earth.”
“They meant it,” Xark'ion said definitely. “Earth is now friends with the Kunuru. Acerex is too, I think. Although that should probably have been stated more clearly.”
“Hey, they can't be friends with one and not the other. Nothing will come between our worlds. Meanwhile,” Ava said calmly despite what she felt, “did I hear you say something about your Mahan?”
Xark'ion looked out the side window with a sudden shyness that Ava found adorable. “You did. It turns out that you are. After all. In spite of what I said. It can take time to realize, and my mind was full of obstacles-”
“Hey.”
He turned his head back, and Ava leaned in, snaked one arm behind his neck, pulled him close and kissed him.
It turned into a long kiss, and by the end of it, they were out of the Fire Planet atmosphere and Ava's pussy was soaked.
She stared into his green eyes, relishing the warmth from his body so close. “You came to get me. To the damn Fire Planet.”
“Truly, I didn't know you were there at first. But then I saw you and my world changed. I had to rescue you from the Kunuru and reverse the problems I caused.”
Tears sprang to Ava's eyes. She had judged him so harsh
ly. “And you did. You're incredible.”
“If you hadn't been there, it would not have succeeded.”
“That feeling is very mutual. We work well together, don't we?”
His gaze wandered over her body, and it was as if she could feel it as a physical touch. “I always thought so.”
“I thought you had tricked me. That you faked our relationship so I would lead you to the Kunuru and you could have your revenge.”
“That's understandable. Nothing was faked. All I said was true. But I was taken by surprise when that first one was so obviously Groti'ax's killer. If he hadn't taunted him, I might have been able to control myself. But as it was ...”
“As it was, you loved your dead friend and the grief and anger took over. You wouldn't have been Xark'ion if it didn't. I remember how totally distraught you were at Groti'ax's funeral. You damn near killed yourself. You have an emotional depth to you that no other Acerex warrior has. Of course you had to avenge your friend. You weren't in control of yourself. Your feelings took over. I was upset back then. Now, I love and admire you for it. I understand you now.”
He looked at her with wonder. “Ava, I love you. Will you marry me?”
The cockpit and the space beyond spun around her, and she suddenly laughed. “Yes. Yes, of course I will. Your diplomatic skills won't get you out of this one.”
“I never want to get out of it. You're my Mahan, and I love you.”
“I love you, too. Since the first time I met you.”
He kissed her tenderly. “I want to spend more time with you. Anywhere. Just the two of us.”
She put her hand on her stomach and grinned. “Just the two of us? Not for long, warrior. You see ...”
She told him, then had to cover her ears.
“Acerex victory yell,” the translator informed her.
36
- Ava -
“All reports are clear,” President Goanesi said. “The aliens are pulling back from the solar systems around us. They appear to be going back to their home systems. It's too soon to be absolutely sure, but it does appear that the danger is over. All Earth forces will be ordered to stand down when we get final confirmation.”
