by Sarah Noffke
~~~
“What’s that, to the west?” Julianna asked over the comm.
Eddie squinted over the rolling green hills, the setting sun partially obscuring his vision. On the plains that bordered the forests, dust clouds hung over a great commotion.
“I’m going back up for a closer look,” Eddie stated, pulling back on the controls, lifting the Q-Ship into the air.
He cloaked the ship—something they hadn’t done when arriving on Sunex. He’d figured that since it was considered the safest place on Nexus back when Knox had been transported there, cloaking wouldn’t be necessary. Maybe it had been a mistake to think that the land would still be safe.
Eddie zoomed the Q-Ship closer to the action, and immediately saw what was responsible for the disturbance. Sunex might have been considered a place of peace a decade ago, but something was seeking to destroy that now.
~~~
“The Petigren are attacking the natives,” Eddie said over the comm.
Julianna shot a sideways look at Knox in the copilot seat. His face automatically turned a shade of green.
“Looks like the Saverus are one step ahead of us,” Julianna stated, cloaking her ship.
“Fucking slippery snakes,” Eddie said with a sigh. “However, they haven’t breached the camp’s borders yet.”
Julianna released the hatch door of her Q-Ship, turning to face the Special Forces unit seated in the rear. “Take out all Petigren. Be cautious, though; the Saverus could be out there, looking like anyone.”
The soldiers saluted before filing out the back.
“Carnivore, what’s your status?” Julianna asked Lars over the comm.
“Ground forces have been dispersed,” he reported.
“Good,” Julianna said. “I want you to fly overhead and provide cover. Focus on keeping these rat-fuckers away from the perimeter of the camp.”
“Copy that, Strong Arm,” Lars confirmed.
“Black Beard,” Julianna said. “I’m taking Mohawk to the village center.”
“I’ll meet you there,” Eddie said.
~~~
Fletcher sent teams one and two to take the battle to the perimeter. “Team three, hit them straight on,” he said, throwing two fingers at the fight.
The soldiers took off at a sprint, weapons in hand. Once on the ground, Fletcher could tell that the natives were losing the fight. He wasn’t surprised. Inhabitants of Sunex were not equipped for war, which is why Ghost Squadron had already saved them from the Brotherhood once.
These people can’t catch a break, Fletcher thought, taking off.
The Petigren, as he knew from experience, didn’t fight fair. He watched as two rat-men attacked one of the natives from behind, one taking out his legs, and the other sinking his sharp teeth into the back of the man’s neck.
Fletcher picked up speed, launching his foot forward when he was only a couple feet away. The Petigren looked up in time to see the bottom of Fletcher’s boot connect with his hairy face. Pulling the butt of his rifle around, Fletcher clubbed the second Petigren over the head.
A rat-like man whipped around from the kill it’d just made, blood dripping down from his chin. A cackle spilled out of its mouth before it launched in Fletcher’s direction. The Petigren didn’t make it another step before a bullet struck it down.
Fletcher dared to turn around, and found Nona standing a few yards behind him, her rifle at the ready. “Thanks,” he told her.
Her eyes darted to something at his back. With reflexes to impress, she moved the rifle an inch and fired. Another approaching Petigren fell.
Fletcher slung his rifle over his back and pulled the knife from his boot. He lunged into the thick of the fighting, where the natives were using their fists to fight the Petigren. Nona could take the perimeter, but someone needed to make a dent in the major artery of the fight before things spun out of control.
Fletcher stabbed a Petigren in the back, keeping him from choking one of the long-haired natives. The beast fell. With a quick breath, Fletcher wrapped his arm around the neck of another Petigren, slicing its throat in a single movement. Bodies were crammed tightly together in this pocket of the battle, which meant that Fletcher had to act fast before the natives were overwhelmed.
~~~
Dovon elbowed the face of the rat-creature closest to him. The animal dropped.
Dovon’s people, the Sunexans, might not know how to fight, but they were larger than the aliens and much stronger. He pulled an axe from his belt and launched it through the air, taking down another monster bounding for him.
Around him, he could see his people were losing. They didn’t have the prowess to overtake these enemies; fighting wasn’t in their blood. And there were too many of the creatures.
The lookout had spotted at least a hundred of the giant rats. Alleira had ordered the strongest to cut the enemy off before they got to the border. They’d already been pushed back so far, though.
Dovon whipped a large stick around, slamming it into a Petigren’s face. The beast wasn’t as easily deterred as the others had been, and kept after him, knocking Dovon to the ground. Dovon kicked at the rat, but it chomped at his legs, from its position on all fours. Scrambling back, Dovon took up a rock. He threw it hard, slamming it into the monster’s face. The Petigren rolled to the side.
Dovon glanced at his back as he scrambled to a standing position. The gates to the Sunexans’ land was only a few yards away.
He feared they’d lost this battle. Disappointed Alleira.
Another Petigren charged for him, this one looking more rabid than the others. Dovon frantically searched; he was out of weapons. The monster would be on him in seconds. He was about to turn and run for the border, when a man with a bald head and dressed in a black uniform shot seemingly out of nowhere. He grabbed the rat around the neck, halting him immediately. With his other hand, he stabbed a knife through the enemy’s chest. The Petigren shrieked loudly in its death throes.
The man dropped the giant rat and spun around, as if aware of the attack approaching from behind. Two more of the horrible creatures had snuck up on him. The man reached forward, grabbing one by the hand, and yanking it over his head as he spun around. He flung it to the ground like it weighed nothing at all. The other rat jumped onto the man’s back, but he wasn’t startled. Instead, he yanked his arm holding his knife up over his head, and stabbed the creature straight in the back.
Shrugging off the dead beasts, the man spun to face Dovon. “Get inside your borders. This is our fight; no more from Sunex shall be harmed.”
Dovon nodded, in a daze from the battle, before turning and sprinting for the fence.
~~~
Julianna landed her Q-Ship beside Eddie’s. Those from Sunex were already gathered around the main communal area, their tanned faces looking apprehensively at the ship.
The air was crisp and laced with an ocean breeze as Julianna stepped out of the Q-Ship. She hoped that the Sunexans would recognize her and be put at ease.
Lars has been successful at pushing the Petigren back from the perimeter, Pip reported.
Good. What about the ground forces? Julianna asked.
They are taking a beating, but thinning the numbers dramatically.
And the Sunexans?
They are being sent back into the protected territory.
Good. I’ll relay that information to Alleira.
Tell her I think she’s pretty.
You never tell me you think I’m pretty.
No, no I don’t.
The leader of Sunex stood in front of her people, her long, almost white blonde hair, braided into four different sections. Her white robes contrasted with her tanned skin and made her bright blue eyes pop. She was no doubt beautiful, as were all from Sunex.
Julianna turned back to find Knox still hanging by the Q-Ship. He blinked around at the people, staring like he was trying to recognize them.
Julianna waved him forward. “Come on. We’re going to get answers.
”
Eddie hurried over, Marilla and Chester behind him.
Alleira’s eyes darted to the warfare at Julianna’s back as she stepped forward. Many of the Sunexans’ faces contorted with pain as the sounds of slaughter traveled across the hills.
“Ghost Squadron, do you know about these attacks?” Alleira asked.
“Yes, and we know who is behind them,” Julianna stated. “We will have them under control soon. Your people are being sent back inside the security of the border.”
“Good. We thank you,” Alleira said, her eyes darting to Knox by Julianna’s side.
“We need to speak with you immediately,” Eddie interjected, his tone urgent.
“Of course.” Alleira held up her hand, motioning to a large tent in the distance. “Follow me to my quarters.”
Julianna nodded and joined the leader of the peaceful people. The people parted, many of the children looking at the strangers with amused expressions.
“The Petigren, the ones attacking you, when did this start?” Julianna asked.
“We spotted them an hour ago,” Alleira answered. “Your timing was a blessing.”
“I think it was luck,” Julianna said.
“You sent men out to defend the land from the Petigren, correct?” Eddie asked.
“I sent my people out to see what these creatures you call the Petigren wanted,” Alleira explained. “Defense isn’t our first mode of thinking. We don’t just expect warfare; we’re quite surprised that’s the option others choose.”
“Have any of those men from the first group returned?” Eddie asked.
Julianna knew what Eddie was getting at. If the Petigren were here, then the Saverus weren’t far away. It was entirely possible that they were impersonating one of the Sunexans.
Alleira shook her head. “They were attacked immediately. After that, I sent another group to defend our borders.”
Eddie gave Julianna a cautious look. “To be safe, we request an audience with only you, Alleira. We must be very careful.”
Alleira spun around at the entrance to her tent. Hers was larger than the others and covered in a green netting that made it blend in with its surroundings. The leader of the Sunexans darted her eyes to the man by her side, who was shirtless and wore feathers in his long hair. “You will leave us here.”
“But my queen—” the man argued.
“I’m quite safe with Ghost Squadron,” Alleira cut him off.
“As you wish. I’m here if you need anything.” He nodded, pulling back the tent flap for them to enter.
~~~
Eddie threw off his jacket upon entering Alleira’s quarters. The tent smelled of burning herbs and was stiflingly hot. Marilla and Chester had stayed back, giving Marilla a chance to study the Sunexans. She had never been exposed to their culture.
Chester accompanied her ‘out of curiosity’, but Eddie sensed it was more because he didn’t want to be out of Marilla’s presence. Oh, to be in love and never tire of someone, he thought fondly.
Alleira’s long, white robe billowed when she swept around to face them, her hands pressed together in front of her. “This attack… it is about you, isn’t it?” she asked, her gaze on Knox.
He straightened between Eddie and Julianna.
“You recognize our friend, Knox?” Eddie asked.
“Of course,” Alleira stated. “Although you’ve grown since I last saw you.”
“How long ago was that?” Julianna questioned.
Alleira blinked, seeming to muse on the question. “It would be close to ten years, now. He called himself ‘Dominic’ then.”
“The Petigren and Saverus are attacking Sunex because they want to know what happened to Knox,” Eddie explained. “More specifically, they want to know what he did with a device after coming to your land.”
“Will you please tell us about Knox’s time here?” Julianna asked.
Alleira gave him a curious look. “Do you not remember, Dominic?”
Knox shook his head, his hands pressed firmly into his pockets and his shoulders pinned up high.
Alleira sighed. “You were young and, I suspect, had undergone a major tragedy. I’m grateful to see you, as I have worried for quite some time that something bad happened to you.”
“What?” Eddie asked. “Can you start from the beginning?”
Alleira nodded. “One day, Dominic appeared in the center of the village. He said that a woman named Kyra had sent him to us to keep him safe. Since he was a child and no obvious threat to us, we vowed to do just that. However, the night that Knox appeared, I had a dream. My people have long trusted our dreams to give us insight and direction. This dream told me that although Dominic would be safe within our borders, he would never feel accepted. Differences in appearance, unfortunately, divide even peaceful civilizations.”
Eddie studied Knox. With his black hair and pale skin, he would certainly stick out among those from Sunex.
“I made arrangements to send the boy to Federation Border Station 7,” Alleira continued. “I set it up so that he would be welcomed by a loving family, and offered everything he would need to flourish.”
Julianna shot a curious look at Knox. “Are you remembering any of this?”
He shook his head.
“Dominic never arrived on Border Station 7,” Alleira said. “I later received word that the ship he’d been on experienced an engine failure, and crashed on an unidentified planet, with no survivors.”
“That’s how you ended up on Planet L2SCQ-6,” Eddie inferred, grateful to finally be getting more puzzle pieces.
“Your report must have been wrong,” Julianna said, throwing her arm in Knox’s direction. “He obviously survived.”
“I see that it must have been,” Alleira stated. “I’m grateful for the error.”
“Knox, or rather the boy you knew as ‘Dominic’, would have had a few pieces of a device with him,” Eddie began. “Do you remember that?”
“Yes, of course I do,” Alleira said. “They were odd, but nothing of interest to us.”
“Are you saying you don’t have the device?” Julianna asked.
Alleira shook her head. “It was not ours to keep, nor do we have an interest in anything technological. It is counterintuitive to the peace we work hard to maintain through living simply.”
“You sent me, along with the device,” Knox said, his voice a ghostly whisper.
“Knox? Are you remembering something?” Eddie asked.
Knox shook his head and then corrected himself by nodding. “I only saw a flash. I was on a ship, and on my lap was a wooden box that contained the Tangle Thief. At least, I think that’s what was in there.”
“Yes, the box was a gift from us,” Alleira said with a smile.
“Well, that doesn’t tell us much, but at least we know that the Tangle Thief isn’t here,” Eddie said with a sigh.
“And we know that it might be on Planet L2SCQ-6,” Julianna offered.
~~~
“It’s an electronic,” Chester said, handing his pad to a little girl with cerulean eyes. She blinked back at him.
“Go ahead, take it,” he urged. “There are a few games that I think you’ll like.”
“The people here don’t use electronic devices,” Marilla said at his side.
“I know.” Chester rolled his eyes. “I’m trying to educate them. Just you wait, they’re going to thank me.”
“What if you destroy their innocence?” Marilla argued.
The little girl had taken the pad. Her eyes widened when Chester swiped his finger across the screen, and it lit up.
“Here, you’ll like this game. Just try and match three candies in a row,” Chester explained.
“What’s candy?” the girl asked.
“And one day you’ll be credited with destroying the last remaining peaceful society in the galaxy,” Marilla said with a laugh.
Chester gave her a sideways smile. “Hey, this isn’t The Gods Must Be Crazy.”
&nb
sp; “Did you just make a movie reference?” Marilla asked.
Chester laughed. “I’m surprised you got it.”
“I’m an anthropologist, and that movie is a beautiful example of what can happen to a primitive civilization that encounters technology,” Marilla explained.
“So I shouldn’t show this little girl how to play online slots?” Chester joked.
Marilla shook her head. “I’m going to take soil samples. Try not to corrupt the natives.”
“I make no promises,” Chester called as she retreated.
~~~
Verdok slipped the braids tied with feathers off his shoulder. He couldn’t understand why the primitive people of Sunex weighed themselves down with long hair. He’d shapeshifted into the queen’s chief advisor days ago.
Verdok had almost concluded that the task was a waste, having learned nothing about the boy or the location of the Tangle Thief. If he had to sit around a fire and chant useless verses one more time, he was going to explode.
He had been about to abandon the mission when the elders of the council had apparently taken matters into their own hands. They had to have been the ones to send in the siege of Petigren, resorting to force rather than stealth. They were growing impatient, which meant Verdok was going to be under fire. They’d execute him if he didn’t produce results soon.
The elders’ impulsive move had worked in Verdok’s favor. He had been inside the border when the attack happened, so no one suspected him of being a Saverus.
Now Ghost Squadron had done all the work for him, in asking these questions. He pulled away from where he was stationed behind Alleira’s tent, having heard enough. Planet L2SCQ-6. That’s where he’d go next.
The council would have to give him another chance. He had procured this information, whereas all they’d done was sacrifice hundreds of Petigren.
~~~
Having spent most of the evening helping to treat the injured from Sunex, Fletcher’s team was exhausted. They’d set up a camp outside the border perimeter.
It hadn’t taken long for the ground forces to overwhelm the Petigren, and now the dead were piled up and burning in the distance.
