by Leslie Chase
Sitting by the fire one evening, frying another fish over the fire — and yes, we were both getting a little sick of the monotonous diet — Gemma looked up at me with a look on her face I'd not seen before. Determination mixed with sadness in those eyes, and I wanted more than anything to make her look happy again.
"I will stay," she said. Her accent remained terrible, but I could understand her words. "I stay with you."
A smile tugged at my lips, but my heart ached. This was a conversation we'd need to have eventually, but I had hoped to put it off. Our time together was making it hard to think about sending her away, and I was no longer certain I could. But I was sure of one thing — I could not bear to see her harmed because I'd failed her.
"It's too dangerous," I said, keeping my words slow and simple. "Too dangerous for you."
"Dangerous?" her eyes narrowed and she shook her head. I could see her trying to marshal an argument, but it wasn't easy. Eventually she simply shook her head again and tapped me on the chest. "No. Not dangerous: you protect me."
I laughed, I couldn't help myself. Gemma grinned too. It was funny, trying to have a meaningful conversation in our mix of Crosan and English, and the sight of her smile lifted my heart.
Trying to be serious, I took her hand and kissed her fingers.
"I will try," I told her earnestly. "But there are too many dangers on this planet for you, and I care about you too dearly to lose you to one of them."
Too much, too fast. I could see it in her eyes. Sighing, I tried to simplify it.
"My enemies will come for you," I told her, hoping that would get across. 'Enemies' wasn't a word we'd taught each other, but she seemed to get the gist.
"You will kill them with your spear," she said, pointing to the fishing spear with her free hand and grinning. "Or your claws and teeth. Or I will hit them with a rock!"
Mother of Storms, she's determined. It was an appealing, frustrating trait. I couldn't help smiling even as I looked up at the sky.
"I will do my best to keep you safe," I promised. Hadn't I already proved that by following her into a storm? "That includes sending you home to Earth, if I must."
Whether or not either of us want you to go, I added silently. Gemma looked away, trying to muster her arguments, and then froze. Her hand stiffened in my grip, and she stared past me, out to sea.
"Corvax! Look!" Gemma's eyes were wide and I turned, catching her excitement. Out on the ocean, near the horizon, I saw a ship.
My heart leaped as I watched it. Whoever it was, they were far from the shipping lanes and in dangerous waters, and I was grateful for that. But there was a problem, too.
The ship looked fast and sleek, and I saw heavy harpoon guns mounted along its side. Some clans kept warships for defense and it looked like one of those. Except we were far from the islands of any clan with such weapons, and that could only mean one thing.
Pirates.
11
Gemma
The sight of the ship made my heart ache and confused emotions flooded through me. On the one hand, finally we'd be off this tiny island. No more fish for every meal, and maybe something other than spring water to drink.
On the other... now we had to face the future. Part of me had hoped that our involuntary exile would last long enough that we'd miss the ship to Earth, and I'd have to stay on Crosos longer even if I couldn't talk Corvax round. Now, though, that hope seemed dashed. Or at least it would be, if they noticed us.
For a crazy moment I hoped that they wouldn't. That they'd sail on about their business and that we'd be stuck here longer.
That's stupid, Gemma, I told myself. We can't stay here forever, no matter how much fun it is.
And Corvax was taking it out of my hands anyway, adding green wood to the carefully-tended fire. He'd never allowed it to go out, no matter how hot the days got, and now I knew why. Smoke rose to the sky in an unmissable column. The decision was made.
I expected Corvax to look happy, excited to return to his family. But as the ship turned toward us I watched the emotion drain out of his face, back behind the stern walls of his watchful duty. Our accidental holiday was over and he was going back to work.
My heart fell a little at the sight of that. I'd grown used to the smiles and warmth Corvax had shown, and now he was going back to being the man who wanted to ship me home. It wasn't fair.
Turning back to the sea I saw the ship draw closer. It was huge and heavily armored, as I supposed it had to be on these dangerous waters. At the prow stood two Crosans, their skins the same deep blue as Corvax's, watching us curiously. There was something about them that made uneasy. It didn't look like they were here to rescue anyone, or at least they weren't happy about it.
"Danger," Corvax said, voice low and firm. He followed it with words I didn't know, but I thought I caught the word 'hunter' in there. Probably. My vocabulary was still spotty — I could talk about the island, and I had an embarrassingly good knowledge of words for body parts. Beyond that I got lost easily.
Is he calling them predators? I could see that, looking again. The armored ship had weapons mounted, and the aliens watching us held spears that looked a lot more dangerous than Corvax's fishing spear. Were we delivering ourselves into greater danger by signaling to them?
"Danger? Hunters?" I tried to get more detail, but it wasn't easy. I'd thought I was getting good at the local language. Now it was clear just how limited my grasp of it was.
But Corvax nodded, doing his best to explain. "Hunt... big fish. Big, big fish? Dangerous. Hunt easier fish when they can."
Working my way through that, I nodded slowly. Anyone who hunted the monsters in the deep ocean here would be tough and dangerous — and on the lookout for easier ways to make a living. A little piracy wouldn't be beyond them.
I looked back at our little home. The small covered sleeping area, the fire pit, the stream heading inland. Maybe we'd have been happier staying there, though we didn't really have a choice. A few weeks of fun in the sun was one thing, but a diet of just fish wouldn't be good in the long run. Sooner or later we'd have to leave. Facing the approaching ship, I tried to look brave.
The ship stopped well short of the shore and the two men leaped over the side to land with a splash and swim towards us. Corvax watched, eyes hard and face set. Nervously, I stepped back to let him take the lead.
One of the two smiled at me as they walked out of the surf. It wasn't a pleasant smile, and the way he looked me up and down made me feel as though I was being sized up for market. The other one, the larger of the pair, stared at Corvax with an equally appraising eye.
Both of them were big men, tough-looking and scarred. The bigger of the two was huge, fat in the way that covered muscle. The other was lean and wiry, smaller but looking no less dangerous for that.
Back aboard their ship I saw the crew gathering at the railing, watching and laughing amongst themselves. I couldn't make out the words, and I was just as glad. I wouldn't have wanted to know what they were saying about me.
Corvax took a step forward and I could see the tension in his muscles. He spoke, quick low and confident, speaking too fast for me to make much out. 'Protector' for sure, and 'Rohar' — but the rest was a mystery to me.
Whatever he was saying, the pair of pirates laughed as though it was an amusing joke. The fat man spoke in a booming voice, pitched to carry back to his ship, and while I couldn't make out the words, the gesture he made towards me was obviously obscene. I felt my body tense with fear and anger and saw the tremor of Corvax's muscles as he stepped forward.
I put a hand on his arm to restrain him, terrified. Whether he could beat this man in a fight or not — and I didn't doubt his skill — the ship's crew were all watching. No one could beat them all, and even if he could, where would that leave us?
"We need their help," I whispered, hoping that my meaning would get through despite the language barrier. Corvax growled, and I hoped that meant agreement.
His reply to the pair
was short and angry, and the only word in it I understood was 'mate.' There was more laughter from the ship as he put his arm around me, and the big alien repeated his gesture emphatically.
With a roar, Corvax lunged forward to punch him hard. The speed was breathtaking — one moment he was at my side, and the next his fist smashed into the other alien's face. The big man was quicker than I'd have expected, though, and twisted aside so that the blow didn't land straight on. Instead of sending him to the ground it merely made him stagger back, blood running from his nose.
He swung his spear in a blinding-fast arc, but Corvax was too close for such a long weapon to be effective. Catching the shaft in one hand, my mate ripped the spear from his enemy's grasp and flung it away into the surf.
With a snarl of rage the pirate rushed forward, his powerful arms grabbing Corvax around the waist and throwing him down into the sea. But Corvax twisted in his grip, pulling the other alien with him and rolling. A wave washed over them as they struggled in the surf, separating them and leaving them both spluttering as they got to their feet. Corvax grinned at his opponent, shouted something, and charged.
They met with a thud that seemed to shake the beach, both knee-deep in the water as they wrestled, neither getting the upper hand. On the ship, the pirate crew howled and shouted encouragement and laughter, enjoying the show. I wished I could enjoy it as much, but my body shook with fear as I watched.
Behind Corvax, the smaller alien brought up his spear in a whip-fast motion, the tip gleaming in the sunlight. It looked vicious, with a broad, razor-sharp head that would tear my beloved Protector open if it struck him. My heart leaped into my throat and I knew that Corvax wouldn't get out of the way in time.
And that he didn't care. He'd die to protect my honor if he had to. Could I do any less for him?
As the spearman started to lunge, I leaped into the way, grabbing at the shaft and knocking it aside. The blade bit into my left arm, crimson blood welling up, and I yelled in pain. But my right hand held the spear and turned it aside just in time, missing me and Corvax by inches.
"Coward," I shouted in English. They wouldn't understand, but at least it made me feel better. "Let them have a fair fight."
The thin man shook the spear, trying to dislodge me. It was only then that I realized how much danger I'd put myself in. He could have killed me at any point — he was a trained fighter and I had no idea what I was doing.
But I'm the prize they're fighting over, I told myself as I hung on for dear life. He can't kill me, or they get nothing out of this.
I hoped I was right, because I could see the murderous anger in his eyes. If he decided I was more trouble than I was worth, I was a dead woman.
That didn't change my mind. If I could keep him from killing Corvax, I'd call it a win. That was all that mattered to me right now.
Beside us, Corvax and the other alien struggled for control. The big man lifted Corvax again with impressive strength, slamming him down into the water. Corvax went under and I yelled in shock and fear.
I needn't have been afraid. Corvax rolled, pulling his opponent down with him, and the two of them tumbled over and over in the surf. As they went, they traded punches, and the sea foam was stained red by the time they came to a stop. Corvax sat astride his foe, pinning him down and raining punches on his face until he stopped moving.
Standing, knuckles bloody, Corvax turned towards the other alien, growling wordlessly. The man let go of the spear as though the shaft had turned red hot, and I threw it aside. Rushing to my Protector's side, I checked him for injuries. A few bruises and scrapes were the worst of it. His enemy lay unconscious in the surf.
"Enough." Corvax said, loud and clear. To my surprise, there were cheers from the deck of the ship, and someone threw a rope ladder over the side.
"Ritual combat," Corvax explained, once we were alone in a cabin. "I beat the leader, so now I am leader."
It stretched our ability to communicate, but when we had a chance to go over things we could get the idea across. I looked up from bandaging his knuckles and shook my head, not quite believing that I'd understood correctly.
"He tried to kill you," I objected. Corvax smiled and nodded. The smile wasn't especially cheerful, and I knew that we were still in danger.
"They..." he trailed off, waving his hands around as he tried to think of words I'd understand. "They are hunters. If we're weak, we are prey. If we're strong, though, they listen to us."
He shrugged, eyes flashing, and I knew he considered the tradition barbaric. So did I, but right now it worked for us. At least it meant that they'd take us back to the Rohar island rather than selling me into slavery or whatever else they might have had in mind.
I sighed, flexing my injured arm. It wasn't easy to understand the alien planet, but at least now we were on our way back home. Well, to Corvax's home. I'd like it to be mine, too, but we hadn't finished our discussion of that. Now that we were heading back from our accidental break, would Corvax want to keep me around?
I guess I'll find out soon enough. At least back there I could probably get a replacement translator.
For now we were stuck aboard the pirate ship, with a too-small cabin to share. It might not be comfortable but at least it was heading in the right direction. That was all that mattered. And the crew were, to my surprise, friendly. Even Orshak, the big alien Corvax had beaten unconscious, had come to with smiles for us. Which was good, because he was the captain of the Halloran, and if he'd held a grudge we wouldn't make it far.
One advantage that being on a ship had over our island was that I got to practice my Crosan skills. Over the next couple of days I found my vocabulary expanding in leaps and bounds. Having lots of people to speak with was a big help, and I was a curiosity to the pirate crew. All of them were happy to talk with me.
"None of us has seen a human before," Captain Orshak told me when I had enough of the language to ask why. He sat at the ship's wheel, staring out over the blue sea as though he were a king surveying his domain. "Any alien is rare. So yes, little one, you will be sought after. And you fought my first mate! Impressive. If you chose to stay with me, I'd make sure you're well looked after."
I crossed my arms and glared at him, not trusting my grasp of the language to swear at him properly. Orshak looked back straight-faced for a second, and then laughed uproariously, slapping his thigh. The crew paid him no mind — apparently these outbursts of humor were common enough to be ignored.
"Joke," he gasped as his laughter subsided. "Joke! Don't wish to anger the mighty warrior!"
That made my face heat and I glared all the harder. Which did nothing to suppress his humor, and he laughed harder and harder until I sighed and turned away to look out to sea. It wasn't that funny a joke, surely? Maybe it lost something in translation.
"If I'm so sought after," I tried once the captain had calmed down a little, "why are you taking us back to Rohar?"
His grin was wide enough to swallow the world.
"I'm an honorable man," he said. "Your mate beat me fair and square. Plus, he offered to pay well for safe return."
Which was probably a lot more important than honor, I thought. But at least the captain had a kind of honor, and it was hard to stay angry with the rogue. As pirates went, we could have done a lot worse.
12
Corvax
The pirates were a jolly bunch, but I knew that they'd slit my throat as soon as look at me if they smelled a profit. It was refreshing that they didn't even hide that from me, though. There was something reassuring to the straightforward greed of these men and women, out alone on the dangerous ocean.
I don't need to worry as long as I'm offering a bigger reward than they'll get elsewhere for me, I told myself. And while the Rohar might have their problems at the moment, we didn't lack for wealth. Captain Orshak wasn't a good man, but he was a shrewd one.
To help matters as best I could, I threw myself into the work of the ship beside the crew. I wasn't trained in ship
handling, but my strength was useful and no one wanted to turn down my help. After a few days, I felt a wary respect, even friendship, growing between me and the crew of the Halloran. It was an odd feeling, but it was there.
"You're a lucky man to have such a mate," one of the crew said as I hauled on a line beside her. "Wish I had one so brave."
Her name was Prisha, one of the pirates who'd taken the time to show me how to help on the ship. I nodded to her seriously, suppressing a shudder at the memory of the fight on the beach. I'd been too engaged in my own battle to pay attention to Gemma and hers, and it was only when the captain lay unconscious in the surf that I'd seen her injury. Gemma should never have to fight. I should have protected her, kept her safe.
"She is amazing," I agreed, pulling my mind back to the present. "That's why I'm going to make sure she's safe and send her back to her homeworld. Here, she's going to get herself killed."
"Idiot," the woman said. There was no malice behind the word, which somehow made it sting more. "How would you feel if she tried to keep you out of harm's way like that?"
"I am a Protector, a warrior. I have to face these dangers. She does not, and she's not ready for them."
"I don't have to face the dangers of the open sea, either, but I chose it," she said. "Why not let her choose to stay with you, if she will? Come on, she stood in the path of a spear for you. That's got to be worth something."
I tied off the line, stepping back to look at the woman. She looked back at me, eyes narrowed and appraising.
"It's not your place to judge my decision," I said slowly. "Gemma is in danger here, and I can send her back to safety. That's what I'm going to do."
It wasn't easy to ignore her words, though. Part of me couldn't help remembering just how whole I'd felt with Gemma in my arms, and imagining how empty my life would be without her. Perhaps I should give in to my selfish temptation and keep her at my side.
