Through the Kisandra Prism

by Jack Challis

  A hundred yards behind the tiny humanoids she caught a glimpse of a sinewy, muscled spotted body, gracefully gliding through the taller grass: a leopard! Blodwyn never believed the myths that man was never the natural prey of big cats; all types of humanoids were in fact amongst the favorite and the easiest of prey species for the big cats: until the arrival of gunpowder.

  Every time the small humanoids looked his way, the leopard stopped – motionless and undetected; it was only a matter of time, Blodwyn thought.

  Slowly, she maneuvered the silent space-chariot behind the stalking feline and zapped it with the laser that had been built into the nose cone of her craft. The leopard sprang high into the air in a backward summersault, as only a cat does when reacting to the sudden shock or pain. Landing on its feet the leopard bounded into the nearest cover; ears pinned back.

  Seeing the fleeing, much feared ‘spotted one,’ their main predator, the small humanoids quicken their pace towards the rocky kopie and their relative safety. Blodwyn follows silently, determined to help these small distant ancestors in their perilous journey across the dangerous, open, predator-infested plains. Reaching the kopie the small family immediately climbed high into the tree which was covered in small figs and feasted: they were starving.

  She landed the space chariot nearby and watched this primeval scene from the distant past and felt greatly privileged. After eating their fill the two adults left the fig tree; the two children remained in the high branches, perfectly still.

  While the male Ramapithecus began to investigate the small crevices in the rocky kopie, his female began pulling up dry grass for bedding. Finding a big enough crevice was a priority. A den, in which the entrance could be blocked with rocks against a forced entry, was the safest way to survive an African night for these small, defenseless and distant humanoids.

  Suddenly Blodwyn saw the male recoil with shock from an entrance to a crevice shelter; there was something in the crevice that terrified him! The male rushed to the female, they spoke in nervous soft barks and grunts; it was easy to see they were in a state of high tension.

  The creature in the crevice was a real danger to their lives; one of their biggest enemies! The male pointed towards the distant shelter of the hills – the female shook her head – she knew they would never make it to the wooded hills and to safety before night fall; the prime time for predators. Besides, the creature in the crevice may have fed well and could sleep for a very long time.

  Of course Blodwyn could not understand their conversation but the body language was plain; they were terrified. The female Ramapithecus seemingly won the argument, they would stop the night here; it was the lesser of two evils. The two small sub-humans returned to the relative safety of the fig tree and rejoined their two children.

  Blodwyn decided she would make sure these two small ancestors of man would survive the night, it was the least she could do, although she still did not know what creature was in that crevice in the rocks.

  The same common burning African sun was now at its zenith; she would return before night fall to watch over man’s small distant relatives. There was so more exploring to be done. Silently, and invisibly the space chariot slipped away into the hot, humid African afternoon to look for more adventures in that far and distant prehistoric time – three and a half million years BC.

  She took the craft to almost full speed and headed for some dark mountains in the distance; in the direction the small family of humanoids had come from: she was curious.

  She soon passed low over a river, which is now called the Mara. A strange group of beings with large, shiny orb-eyes were watching her pass over. Their heads were just above the muddy water. She had seen those large eyes before on – Goya Perilus – did the Oga Koya evolve on Earth?

  Before long she was over the Olduvai Gorge, and then followed the contours high over the Rift valley. Below, nothing moved. Altering course, she headed west until the vast planes gave way to forests that stretched as far as the eye could see; in fact these forests stretched all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. She was tempted to continue but did not want to lose her bearings. She had to return to the fig tree before nightfall.

  Gaining confidence Blodwyn flew lower now, some fifteen feet above the ground; she wanted a closer look at some of the animals. A large pride of lions was lethargically sprawled beside their early evening kill, reduced now to a gleaming, fleshless skeleton; they looked no different from the lions of today, perhaps maybe a little larger in size. The pride scattered at her low approach. Preoccupied watching the big cats Blodwyn nearly hit a tall termite tower! This quickly brought her back to reality. “How long would it take the lion’s fear to turn into a dangerous curiosity, if she was forced to land in a damaged craft?” she wondered.

  Carrying on she then saw another predator that looked half feline half hyena, twice the size of any lion. This lone hunter did not run away from the strange flying object but held its ground and stared back at her. She was not going to let this predator notice where she was going to land: she needed to re-fill her empty water bottle.

  Blodwyn soon found a small stream that flowed into the river and followed it several miles to its source among some large boulders. Not being able to land here, she would have to get out and walk to the spring. She circled the spring several times looking for any danger that might be lurking nearby.

  The same African sun was now three hands’ breadth from the distant Gol Mountains; prehistoric night was creeping closer on velvet slippers. It was still very hot as she got out of the space chariot. This time she made sure she had not forgotten her small hand laser. Blodwyn gave the new surroundings a good coat of looking over; she had learned her lesson. She also knew when in Africa, regardless of time, it is always wise to watch where you placed your feet, there were many biting and stinging creatures around: some extremely venomous!

  Slowly climbing over the large boulders she reached the spring and found to her disappointment that the pool of water was about ten feet down in a well; getting to it was going to be an awkward and slippery. What concerned her most was that she would lose sight of her immediate surroundings. There was also a screen of thorn bushes some fifty feet away that worried her; it would allow any predator to approach unseen – but she needed water –fresh, clean water.

  Slowly she made her way down the moss covered, slimy rocks which were dangerous. At the bottom, a clear rocky pool had formed, covering a pile of human-like bones. “No – way!” thought Blodwyn.

  She decided to fill her bottle from the trickle of water flowing from chest level; but she still had to stand on the bottom of the well. It was always safer drinking moving water. But it took longer this way – too long.

  The bottle was only half full when she had a strange feeling she was in danger. Before she could decide what to do – she heard approaching voices. It was too late to climb up again, so she pressed herself into a shallow recess of the rocks and waited: her heart pounding. She was trapped! Holding her small laser ready she waited.

  As the voices approached she could hear they were speaking voices, holding a conversation, a conversation that included the most unusual of sounds. Above Blodwyn, while she was filling her water-bottle, from around the screen of thorn bushes a strangest race of colorful humanoids had approached the water hole. Modern anthropology had not even discovered this particular race. There were no artist impressions of this species of prehistoric man in any book.

  The moving groups of humanoids were guarded by big males on both flanks carrying spears.

  Blodwyn waited – hardly daring to breath – they had to see her! The first to approach were two females of the species. Blodwyn was shocked at the pure simian shape and color of their vibrant red and blue faces and protruding jaws. These were dark humanoids with the striking faces similar to modern day mandrills but more humanlike. So busy were these females gossiping, they just threw their animal-skin water bags into the rocky pool without seeing her and waited for them to fill, continuing the
ir animated conversation.

  Blodwyn’s foot accidentally slipped from the moss covered rock – this noise betrayed her presence – their eyes met! She hid her laser behind her back; just in case. The two females let out a high pitched screams and barks that shattered the still, heavy afternoon; Blodwyn nearly died!

  She stood stock still, partly from fright, partly from self survival. Soon several dozen of the strange humanoids were staring down at her in amazement, eye brows raised. It would be premature to use her laser; what use would it be anyway against so many. A juvenile member of the group threw a small rock at her head; the youngster was quickly chastised by one of the females by receiving a hefty clout.

  “Little swine!” thought Blodwyn.

  The warriors quickly arrived – spears held ready; she smiled at them. They in return began flashing their eyebrows up and down and yawned, exposing gleaming two inch long canines. “Were they threatening her or flirting?” She wondered, but never found out; sharp words from the females made the warriors return to their guard duties, except for two, who still held their spears ready and regarded her with interest.

  She now had a chance to study her curious audience while they were plainly discussing her strange appearance. They pointed at her red hair and green eyes, then her clothes. They, the females had well shaped dark, human, glistening bodies, well rubbed with oil. Many kinds of lovely, skillfully crafted ornaments adorned their necks, arms and ankles. All wore soft-looking, tanned, animal skins covering their bodies.

  She had to do something – anything to remove all doubt as to her friendly intentions she did not wish to aggravate the mood of these strange humanoids. Bending down, she picked up the animal skins full of water and helped them up to their surprised owners. This action brought toothy smiles from the females, whose canines were not as long as the males but nevertheless still very imposing.

  As the situation grew calmer, she took more detailed stock of the watchers. To her amazement the warriors – now at ease, had bronze spearheads and the females were adorned with bronzed bracelets and ornaments – how could this be – the bronze-age was nearly four million years away!

  One of the females took two flints from a small leather pouch and struck them together, showing her the wonder of the sparks; like an explorer may show a wild savage a mirror for a reaction.

  ‘Wonderful – wonderful,’ says Blodwyn, clapping her hands and putting on her most impressed “as never before face.” The female kept the leather pouch but carefully threw the two small flints down to her; Blodwyn gave the female a most gracious curtsy; although she nearly slipped on the moss covered rocks while doing so.

  What could she give the female in return before perhaps being asked for an item of clothing that would leave her partially naked – her straw hat, Blodwyn would give her the hat in exchange. The female accepted it and put it on, smiling.

  These humanoids were of modern human proportions and height; but their facial features were more simian than the little humanoids she had seen earlier. They seemed to have completed their process of evolution. Their sculls were larger than modern humans; did this mean they were more intelligent? Then, to Blodwyn’s dismay the females beckoned her to climb up: she had no choice.

  As soon as she reached the top all the strange mandrill-faced females began to inspect her closely. This was lifted and that was looked under; she was constantly sniffed. The sniffing was accompanied by much giggling and tongue clicking.

  “Thank God I had a bath this morning and wore jeans.” thought Blodwyn. Her golden red hair and green eyes and pale skin caused the most interest and then their attention shifted to her clothes.

  “Oh my God” thought Blodwyn “I hope they don’t want me to undress – like the Ora-Pellas!”

  When the warriors started to show an interest in Blodwyn’s attire they were again shooed away by the females – this was girly stuff.

  After all the female members of this strange race had satisfied their curiosity, they noticed she was carrying no food. (In those far and distant times; traveling without food is comparable to traveling without money or credit cards today.) One of the females poked some half rotten, dried meat in Blodwyn’s mouth – it was vile! Blodwyn felt like spitting it out – but this would cause offence so she chewed her eyes closed.

  ‘Yummy,’ she declares: gagging! This piece of acting was a mistake. Soon her mouth was being stuffed with all kinds of strange, rancid, and rotten items of food; being produced from different parts of their persons. She did not like the smell or taste of any of the offerings but continued to chew with a sickly smile on her face: she was about half an inch from violently retching! One of the warriors on look-out duties barked out a warning; the group quickly began to leave.

  There were many backward glances by the females in her direction; she wondered if this was an invitation to join them; she shook her head and smiled. As soon as the party of strange humanoids was out of sight Blodwyn breathed a sigh of relief and spat out the contents of her stuffed mouth. Events could have turned out far differently had these humanoids adopted a different paranoid attitude about a strange new life-form suddenly encountered at a waterhole.

  She waited until their voices faded into the distance. She had been caught out again; caught in a vulnerable position. Blodwyn quickly took a quick look around; in the far distance a large pride of lions were lethargically coming in her direction. She quickly made her way back to the space chariot: she was grateful the strange humanoids had not seen the space-craft.

  The red flaming glow of the sun was now kissing the distant Gol Mountains – she had to get back to the small helpless humanoids and their dilemma concerning their choice of shelter for the night.

  The red orb of the sun was now nearly out of sight; it was a wonderful sunset. Burning crimsons splashed with fiery orange hues and piercing rays of sunbursts: a typical African sunset. But unlike the magical sunsets and twilights of the Western hemisphere, the more dramatic sunsets of Africa are short: too short!

  Blodwyn reached the rocky kopie with the fig tree just before darkness. She landed silently under cloak, twenty feet from the crevice that caused the small humanoids such a quandary. In the fading light she could just make out the outline of the small humanoid family huddled in the fig’s upper branches. It was easy to understand what terrors night brought to our distant ancestors; it was no wonder modern humans were so nervous of the dark. She kept her eyes on the crevice; nothing stirred: darkness fell like a thick warm blanket.

  Her mind wandered to the extremely strange humanoids that had surprised her at the water-hole earlier on… what had happened to their species… why had they left no evidence of their existence on our planet – were they the near relatives of the alien Mandrill-faced Dandy Indra who became space travelers before man and now belong to the advanced Alien space traveling races?

  A single shriek of terror cut through the night like a sharp cold blade! Blodwyn switched on the spotlight on the space craft, this was no primitive headlight; she saw nature at its cruelest. A scene of horror was framed in the vivid light. A large African python had stealthily rib-walked up into the fig tree while Blodwyn was night dreaming. The massive snake had already looped a thick coil around the small male humanoid’s chest while he was still in the fig tree. One scream of terror was all the small humanoid had time to utter, before the breath was squeezed from his chest.

  The male’s family had now awoken and added their own high pitched screams of terror at the loss of their protector and breadwinner to the python. Blodwyn was now faced with her own dilemma – should she fire the powerful laser in the nose of the space-chariot; would it injure the small humanoid? She fired!

  The thick coils of the constrictor jerked… then contracted. The muscular, sinuous body slowly began uncoiling, rotating in the way snakes are capable of. Both constrictor and victim fell from the fig tree with a dull thud. Snake and humanoid did not move!

  “Ho no… I have killed the small humanoid – what a stu
pid cow!” Blodwyn says to herself.

  The small humanoid’s partner began a soft mournful wailing as she looked down at the still body of her male; she knew it would soon be disappearing into the throat of the python. As Blodwyn watched both python and the small humanoid began moving; gaining his feet the humanoid took a very deep breath – his first for several minutes – he was alive!

  But why was he not trying to escape?

  The small being stood confused, rubbing his chest, apparently oblivious to the calls of his family; to hurry back to the scant protection of the fig tree before the giant snake recovered; staved of oxygen, the small humanoid’s brain was still numb… not functioning, not grasping the need to act immediately.

  ‘Get a move on - escape!’ Blodwyn screams, – ‘before the snake grabs you again.’ Slowly the Ramapithecus male seemed to come to his senses and weakly began to climb the fig tree – watched by the glassy-eyed reptile that was also coming to its senses: Blodwyn knew that pure instinct would make it strike again. Another blast from the space chariot’s laser, right on the snake’s large scaled, triangular head was spot on this time; the huge constrictor wiggled like a wounded worm.

  The small humanoid weakly returned to the huddle of his family. The large python, when it finally recovered, glided back into its dark lair like spilled quicksilver. Turning off the light and uncloaking, Blodwyn went to sleep; she was exhausted.

  Dawn brought a glorious sunrise – the beginning of another African prehistoric day of tooth and talon. She ate a large ham and mustard sandwich with cress for breakfast and cloaked the space chariot, then ate a leg of roast chicken. The family of small humanoids waited until the sun’s warming rays reached the fig tree before moving – they had survived another night. The Ling chrysalis in front of Blodwyn began to wiggle. She wet a tissue and dampened the outer casing of the chrysalis; she knew the little Sisling would be with her on her next adventure.