Haven 1: Ascend

by Sandra R Neeley

  “Yes, it’s here,” he answered, moving quickly toward Zha Quin to hand it to him.

  Vivian raised her broken piece of sword and moved backward, planting her feet, preparing to fight them.

  “Slowly!” Zha Quin ordered.

  Ba Re’ slowed his approach and handed the dagger to Zha Quin.

  Vivian’s eyes caught the shiny, jeweled handle as he took it from Ba Re’ — she recognized it. And now she recognized the alien, too. He’d been the one to free her. She wasn’t sure how she’d ended up here, but she knew for certain that this male had freed her and had given her the dagger he now held.

  Zha Quin held the dagger up, showing it to her. Vivian took a step toward him, a gleam in her eye at recognizing the dagger he’d given her when he’d freed her. But the other one had moved closer as well. And while she may be able to fight one, she couldn’t fight all of them at once, especially since she didn’t have the dagger yet. She retreated to her spot against the far wall, again standing in the doorway to the bedroom, watching them.

  “Move back away from her,” Zha Quin said. Then he approached her slowly and laid the dagger on the floor in front of her before moving away again. He’d decided to mimic the actions that had won her trust originally.

  “Sit down,” he ordered his friends, as he himself took a seat and watched her.

  “What are you doing?” Ba Re’ asked, not taking his eyes from the little female watching them all.

  “I’m winning her trust again. Sit! Now! She needs to see that we will not charge toward her. Sit! I’m hoping she will take the dagger.”

  “Yes, she needs another weapon,” Ba Re’snarked.

  “She does,” Zha Quin answered. “With a weapon in hand she will not feel as helpless. She will be more receptive of me.”

  Ba Re’ wanted to see what would happen, so he rounded the couch and took a seat.

  Zha Quin looked at him like he was crazy, “What are you doing?” he demanded.

  “Watching!” Ba Re’ answered.

  “I meant sit where you were. Just go away! She is afraid. And you are not helping. Leave!” Zha Quin demanded.

  “Fine,” Ba Re’ answered. “Next time get your own lost clothing,” he mumbled, rising and heading toward the whooshing door.

  “Assign translators to my quarters, and bring a bathing tank!” he called after Ba Re’ as the door closed behind him. Then he returned his attention to his Ehlealah. He smiled at her, then indicated the dagger sitting on the floor a few feet from where she sat.

  “Will you take your dagger, Ehlealah? I will not touch you. I only wish to show you that you are safe.”

  Vivian looked at him suspiciously, then at the dagger.

  “It is yours, little one. I’ve already gifted it to you. You need only step forward and take it,” he said softly. He’d noticed that the louder he spoke, the more she flinched away, so he kept his voice low and soft.

  He heard movement behind him and reluctantly his eyes left Vivian's to look over his shoulder. “Why are you still here?” he snarled at Kol.

  “To see what happens,” Kol answered.

  “I told you to go,” Zha Quin said.

  “No, you told Ba Re’ to go,” Kol explained.

  “Get. Out.”

  “You might need my help. I know about humans,” Kol offered.

  Zha Quin heard movement and returned his attention to his little human. He smiled, pleased at her expression.

  She’d darted forward while he spoke to Kol, snatched the dagger from the floor and returned to her place in front of his sleeping chamber. She turned it over and over in her hands.

  She raised her eyes to his, a soft smile on her face.

  Then he heard her stomach growl.

  Chapter 8

  “I thought I asked for food,” Zha Quin said to Kol.

  “You did. I gave instructions to Cook. It shouldn’t be much longer,” Kol advised.

  “I want it here now. She needs food. She’s been starved. I want food, here, now. A lot of it. And I want food in my galley at all times, so that she may eat all she wants anytime she wants.”

  “It’s coming, Zha Quin. I promise,” Kol assured him.

  “I need you to see to it now,” Zha Quin pressed.

  Kol, glad to be of service to not only his friend, but to his friend’s human, rose from his place on the floor to see to it immediately, “I’ll go right away.”

  “If preparation is not finished, bring me something, anything she can eat,” Zha Quin instructed.

  “I will,” Kol called over his shoulder as he hurried through the front door.

  Vivian watched as the dark blue alien left the apartment they were in. When the door slid open earlier for the dark grey one to leave, she’d thought she’d seen several guards outside — now she was sure of it. A couple of them had peered inside when the door had opened for the blue male. Damn, she thought, If I even manage to escape this room, how am I going to sneak past them?

  Zha Quin watched her, saw the expression on her face change as she watched Kol leave his quarters. “He is coming back with food for you. He won’t be long.”

  Vivian watched the male who was watching her, snarling to her softly. She leaned against the wall beside the door behind her, standing her ground but relaxing somewhat. He’d sent the others away, and he was not threatening her. And she believed that he was trying to communicate with her, rather than actually snarling at her. Her stomach growled again, and this time she lowered a hand to rub at it, still clutching her dagger in the other.

  Zha Quin’s heart hurt. His female needed, and he was not able to see to her needs. He raised his voice to address the ship, “Computer!”

  “Yes, Commander,” the ship answered.

  “Summon the commissary. Food will be delivered here. Five minutes. They have five minutes, or I start locking people below deck!”

  “Yes, Commander.”

  Three minutes later a ping sounded throughout the rooms, signaling someone requesting entry to his quarters.

  “Enter!” he called out, which made the door slide open.

  The ship’s cook stepped into his quarters, his hands holding a huge platter piled high with an assortment of meats, breads and spreads. “May I enter, Sire?” he asked.

  “Yes, and be quick about it.”

  Cook entered, followed by three other of his crew. All were assigned to the commissary and carried trays and dishes laden with various foods. The last carried two glass carafes filled with drink. Then Kol walked in, carrying a platter filled with food he’d never seen before. There were brown pieces of meat between slices of bread and a large bowl filled with lumpy, orange-colored food.

  “I’ve brought the bargurs and the paste. I believe she will like these best,” Kol said proudly as he placed the dishes on the short table that sat in front of the couch.

  The cook and his assistants had not approached any closer than several feet inside the door once they’d seen the human female wielding her knife at them.

  “Come forward, place the rest of the food and drink on the table. Then leave us,” Zha Quin instructed. “Move slowly so as not to frighten my Ehlealah.”

  The table was completely covered with foods of all colors, textures and shapes. Vivian’s eyes grew wide as she watched dish after dish of food being laid out. Then, when the blue male finally placed the dishes he carried on the table, her breath caught. Could it be? Burgers and Pasta! It looked like real hamburgers and macaroni and cheese! She took a step forward, excitement showing on her face. But then she stopped, waiting, not wanting to go any closer. She watched as the aliens that brought the food left, the door closing behind them, leaving only the red and the blue aliens behind. The red one spoke to the blue one. Then he begrudgingly left, too.

  “But I want to see if she likes the bargurs and the paste!” Kol complained.

  “I will tell you. Now, please, leave, while the food still holds her interest, go,” Zha Quin implored.

  Kol sigh
ed, “Very well, but please pay attention to what she likes. If I ever have a human of my own, I will need to know what foods to stock for her.”

  “I will tell you. Now go.”

  As soon as Kol left and the door whooshed closed behind him, Vivian took another step toward the food-laden table. Her eyes taking in all that sat awaiting her. It was too easy. She raised her chin in the air, backing away from the food. They were trying to poison her, make her sick again. Or they were trying to drug her. She was not falling for it. She chose no food over tainted food. It was not the first time these damned aliens had amused themselves with giving her bad food. She looked at the food again — it was probably drugged, because it didn’t look rotten. And that made it almost more cruel.

  Zha Quin watched her moving away from the food. Why was she not eating? He’d seen the interest she had when his crew had carried it all in. He lifted a hand, pointed to the dishes, then to her, nodding his head.

  Vivian watched him, giving no indication she understood.

  Again, he pointed to the dishes and then Vivian.

  Slowly, Vivian shook her head.

  “They are for you,” he told her. “Eat. It is all for you.”

  Vivian watched the red alien who’d not moved from where he sat on the floor across the room from her. He was growling at her softly, but she’d begun to be able to discern small differences on the sounds he made. She had no doubt now that he was trying to speak to her. She moved back to the wall beside the bedroom door and slid down it to sit on the floor herself. She watched him, making no move to eat or to communicate with him.

  Zha Quin didn’t know what to do. He wanted her to eat, knew she wanted to eat, but she wouldn’t touch what he offered. Then he remembered. The room she was chained in had been littered with rotted food. She’d not taken a bite of anything he offered until he first took a bite. She was afraid of being drugged. He got to his feet and walked slowly to the table. Then he knelt down beside it. He picked up a piece of pale pink meat and placed it in his mouth, chewing. Making a point of letting her see that he enjoyed it. Then he picked up another and used a spoon to smooth one of the spreads over it before folding it and taking his time eating it.

  Occasionally, he’d allow his eyes to wander to hers. She was watching him, closely. He picked up another slice of pink meat, used another spread on it, and held it out offering it to her. She looked from the food in his hand to his eyes and back to the food, but made no move to come closer.

  Zha Quin wasn’t ready to give up yet. He moved to the other side of the table and took a seat on the couch it sat beside. He used the large spoon-like utensils that had one side of the spoon serrated as a knife would be, to scoop a little of each type of spread and put it on a plate. Then he put a couple of different types of meat and what looked like flat bread on the plate. He held it out to her. She shook her head. She’d never seen these kinds of foods before. And they didn’t come from a package — anything could be in them.

  Zha Quin felt defeated. He was at a loss. Then he remembered the box that Kol had left in his galley. He stood and went straight to the box, fumbling around inside it ‘til he found what he wanted. Then he went back to the couch and showed her what he held in his hands.

  Vivian watched the alien, hope springing to her chest. He held out a white, ceramic bowl. Obviously from Earth. It was Corning Ware, for heaven’s sake. And with it he offered her a fork and a butter knife. She got to her knees watching him.

  He held the bowl and the utensils out to her, rumbling softly. He was trying to say something to her, she was convinced of that. Then he reached for another of the sharp spoon things and scooped what had held her attention to begin with.

  Zha Quin scooped some of the lumpy orange paste, as Kol had called it, and put it in the Earth bowl. Then lifted one of the bargurs and set it in the bowl with the paste. He laid the utensils in the bowl, then placed it on the far end of the table. He sat back and met her eyes, then he indicated the bowl, “It’s for you. It won’t hurt you, I promise.”

  Vivian moved half the distance to the couch and coffee table. She licked her lips. She really wanted what he offered her. But she wasn’t sure yet.

  Zha Quin knew Vivian wanted the food he offered, but needed a bit more convincing. He smiled at her, reached for the bowl and used the fork to take a bite of the paste. It wasn’t what he expected, it was creamy and soft. It wasn’t bad, just wasn’t something he was familiar with, but he struggled to make it look like he enjoyed it. Then he picked up the bargur and took a big bite. Again, he chewed, thinking it was not what he’d have chosen, but he’d eat shraler if it would convince her to eat. And he hated the damn shralers. In fact, one of his crew had smuggled one of the vicious felines aboard, and he’d insisted it be offloaded on their last supply stop. They couldn’t be trusted. They attacked for the simple pleasure of attacking. He’d been attacked by one as a child and had never forgotten — it was why he hated the damn things now. Some people tried to hold them as pets, but not him.

  Vivian watched him intently as he took a bite of the food he’d put in the bowl. Then he sat back and lifted a — magazine. Where the hell did he get a magazine? He started thumbing through it. She moved a bit closer and got a better look at the magazine he held. She snickered. Cosmo, he was reading Cosmo.

  Zha Quin glanced up at the sound of her snicker and saw that she’d moved closer. He went back to looking at the pictures in the magazine. He couldn’t read the words, but the pictures were interesting.

  Before he knew it, Vivian knelt at the end of the table he’d put her bowl on. She lifted the bowl and smelled the food. He pretended not to notice.

  She lifted the fork and touched it to her lips. She touched the tip of her tongue to it and let out a little moan before shoving the forkful of food into her mouth. She chewed slowly, savoring each taste, each texture as it floated across her tongue. She loved macaroni and cheese. And this was the real thing. It wasn’t the best she’d ever had, but it was real macaroni and real cheese, though the cheese wasn’t a type she was familiar with. She took another bite and another and another until there was none left in the bowl. Then she lifted the hamburger and took a bite. It wasn’t a real hamburger. She wasn’t sure what the meat was, but it wasn’t beef. It tasted a bit wild, like the wild game her uncles had hunted for their family while she was still on Earth. But it was meat. And the bread was so close to the bread she remembered from Earth that it was enough all on its own. She took several more bites before putting it back in her bowl and looking over the other offerings that sat on the platters.

  Zha Quin didn’t move. He watched Vivian eating and sampling some of the foods that were unfamiliar to her with his peripheral vision. He didn’t look directly at her, and he didn’t move other than to turn the pages of the magazine that he held. But he was greatly pleased when she ventured a little closer to him to scoop more of the orange paste into her bowl.

  Once she’d refilled her bowl and moved a couple of feet away to sit and enjoy her meal, he put the magazine down and lifted one of the carafes filled with red liquid. He poured some into a glass and lifted it toward her, then sat it on the edge of the table closest to her.

  Vivian watched him. When he set the glass on her side of the table and didn’t drink from it first, she raised her eyebrow, looked at him pointedly and made no move to reach for it.

  Zha Quin grinned at her response. He leaned forward, lifted the glass to his lips and took a long sip from it. It was refreshing, a juice from one of his favorite fruits. He took another long drink before reaching for the carafe and drinking from it, too, before topping off her glass and putting it back down on the table. Then he sat back, picked up the magazine and started thumbing through the pages again.

  Vivian moved two feet closer to the table, put her bowl down and reached for the glass. She sniffed it, decided it smelled like peaches and took a tiny sip. It did taste like peaches, with a little nectarine thrown in and maybe even a little edge of cantaloupe. It
was delicious. She drank down half the glass, wiped her lips with the back of her hand and sat down to finish her second helping of macaroni. She did not move back the two feet to where she previously sat.

  Zha Quin very, very slowly moved to set the magazine down beside him on the couch, but she froze mid-bite and watched him. So instead he held it in his hand, while using the other to reach for the juice to refill her glass. Vivian watched him like a hawk, her entire body poised to run if necessary. But after he refilled her glass, he set the carafe back on the table and sat back again, making no move to approach her.

  He tapped his chest, “Zha Quin Tha,” he said.

  Vivian watched him, but didn’t respond.

  He tried again, “Zha Quin Tha.”

  Vivian swallowed her last bite of macaroni and cheese, sat back on her heels and watched him trying to speak to her.

  Again he patted his chest, “Zha Quin Tha,” he said slowly, intently.

  She couldn’t duplicate the sounds he made, but it sounded like one of them was Keen.

  The male tried again. He tilted his head to the side a bit, placed his hand on his chest preparing to speak, but before he could say anything, she surprised him. “Keen,” she said softly.

  The red alien’s eyes lit up, his cruel-looking face softened, and he smiled, showing all his teeth. He nodded, then said, “Quin.” Then he pointed at his chest, “Quin,” he said more forcefully, a happy tone to his growls.

  Zha Quin was thrilled, his female was trying to say his name. But now he needed to know hers. He pointed to her and lifted his hands, palms up toward the ceiling, shrugging his shoulders.

  “Vivian,” she said quietly.

  His eyebrows pulled down over his eyes. He didn’t catch it. He sat forward, meaning to pay more attention, to hear her better, but she took it as offensive on his part. She decided that it was better to pretend to be this Ehlealah, whoever the hell she was. He seemed to like her better that way. “Ehlealah,” she said hurriedly.