by Laura Watson
Samel stepped between them, his back to the Herrie, and broke the mesmerizing hold it had on Mikel.
They were at a good, safe distance from the Herrie or Samel and Mikel would have been snatched up in one of the long hairy appendages, and quickly devoured.
Those Herries weren't the most agile of beings.
Their gait, as they walked, was cumbersome and slow, but close up, they were quick and very strong. Once they had a grip on their prey, it was over swiftly.
The Herries didn't care what they ate. If it moved, they ate it. They walked along the shores of the ancient ruby colored sea, there on Liftun, mesmerizing and devouring everything they came across.
Liftun wasn't a planet that was safe for walking around on. No, not on the surface, but safe enough if you stayed in the ship to watch the sunrises.
A triple sunrise was a very rare occurrence on Liftun. It only occurred once every ten thousand years.
Sarah had seen a double sunrise there, with Mikel, when she was only three years old.
Mikel had taken her there when they left the Desert with Samel and Pate that night. It was so long ago in her mind now. Sarah would never forget that sunrise though. The double sunrises occurred more frequently on Liftun, about once every fifty years, and they were breath taking.
The shimmering refraction of those massive suns'
rays reflected back from the ruby colored sea in every direction and sent arcs of ruby, sapphire, orange and scarlet slivers of light cascading all over the water and up into the sky for as far as the eye could see. A triple sunrise! She thought, that must have been an incredible sight! “It was utterly fantastic,” Michael said, sighing happily, as he read her unspoken thoughts.
Mikel talked on about Liftun to Sarah as they walked, happy to have his friend by his side once more.
They arrived at the Command section of the ship as Mikel was finishing up his latest fantastic story.
Serel didn't like Sarah. She knew that
immediately. As they entered the Command area, he glanced at her and then looked back to the tall, wide, panel of tiny screens he had been studying as they entered. That one glance relayed his instant dislike of her and she wilted in her heart. Her hope quickly faded.
Serel continued studying the screens. There were hundreds of them. Each displayed a different row of symbols. Some had images of the ship. Some displayed the beings inside of the ship and some displayed machines. Most of the screens had strange symbols, rows and rows of them. Serel didn’t acknowledge Mikel. Mikel stood patiently and waited. He couldn't address Serel first.
It was hours before Serel finally acknowledged Mikel’s presence in there. Sarah knew it was hours because time flowed differently in there. He turned quickly from the panel he had been studying and Sarah stepped back. His eyes were red… the color of sapphires.
Serel's eyes sparkled fiery colors of vivid red and orange. His appearance was formidable even though physically, he was identical to Mikel in every way except for the color of his eyes.
He loomed over Sarah, appearing over seven feet in height. His fiery eyes bored into her own eyes, into her mind and into her very soul.
It was Serel's essence. It was the projection of himself, of his essence, that she saw. He projected himself formidably. Mikel did not appear to be intimidated, however, he gazed at Serel steadily.
Serel already knew why Mikel had brought her there. He knew almost everything that transpired on board and what he didn’t know, the other two Elect knew. Each had a knowledge level that was
commiserate with their positions. They were granted no more and no less than their positions allowed them.
Serel and Mikel communicated on a level that was privy to them. They spoke on a channel in their minds that only they could tune in to. Sarah wasn't aware of what they were discussing or even that they were discussing anything. They appeared to only be staring at each other. They stood like that for about twenty minutes before Serel turned once again to study the panel of screens. Mikel told Sarah to follow him out of there.
They went to the space where Mikel lived. He didn't have many things in his space, only his essential items. Material objects held absolutely no appeal to these beings.
Sarah walked to the large viewing window that occupied almost an entire wall in Mikel's room. The planets and stars flew past at dizzying speeds and Sarah had to look away quickly because it was making her nauseous.
She noticed that Mikel had one of the tree branch looking things that she had seen in her mind when the Grays first grabbed her on Earth. She walked over to get a closer look at it. “Don't touch him,” Mikel said firmly.
“What is it Mikel?” Sarah asked, a little uncertain as to why Mikel had reacted that way.“Is it poisonous?”
“Not in the way that you think of poison, Sarah,” Mikel replied, the edginess leaving his voice.
“You certainly are a being that likes to touch everything, aren't you Sarah?” Mikel said teasingly.
“Not all beings like to be touched, you know...and this particular being would give you a nasty shock if you touched him without his permission.” “Do you understand Sarah?” he asked.
Sarah stared at the branch thing, not believing that it could actually shock her. “It most certainly can, and will,” Mikel said, the firmness entering his voice again. “So, don't touch him, okay Sarah?” “I won't, Mikel. I promise.” she said, looking at the branch thing with dawning concern.
Sarah put as much space between herself and the branch thing as she could. Mikel chuckled. His voice sounded like crystals tinkling together when he laughed.
“He isn't going to sneak up and bite you Sarah,” Mikel laughed. “He just doesn't want you to place your hand on him.” “Don't worry,” Sarah said ruefully, “I won't.”
Mikel thought that was the funniest thing he had ever heard and succumbed to a fit of laughter. Each time Sarah inched further away from the branch thing, Mikel started laughing again. Sarah now sat as far away from it as she could and eyed it warily as Mikel laughed.
Mikel regained his composure and walked to the viewing window. He pressed a panel on the wall beside of the window and instantly the window became opaque. The dizzying site of the stars and planets flying past was no longer visible and Sarah was glad. It was hard for her to look at that without feeling sick.
Sarah sat down on the smooth, cool, floor of Mikel's room and waited for him to tell her what Serel had decided to do about her. She shot a glance over at the branch thing to make sure it hadn't moved. It hadn't, but it looked like it was listening. She didn't know why she thought that, it didn't look like it had ears of any kind, but there it was, listening, her mind insisted.
Mikel read Sarah's thoughts and chuckled again.
Sarah has no idea who the Brancher is or what power he possesses, Michael thought, amused. Her primitive alien mind could not have withstood a connection with the Brancher. If she had placed her hand on him, her mind would have sizzled and quickly burned to a crisp.
The Brancher did not let many beings touch him.
Of the great spectrum of living beings, only the youngest, most innocent minds and the oldest, wisest of minds were allowed to touch him. Mikel was well liked by the Brancher. He had bonded with Mikel when Mikel had been on Liftun to watch the triple sunrise.
Mikel visited the surface of Liftun later that day, after the suns had ended their early transit and the sea had returned to it's ruby red appearance.
The Brancher watched Mikel as he descended the small ramp from his ship. In his hand, Mikel carried a silvery mesh bag to place specimens in. Mikel loved the planet Liftun and its' vast array of brilliantly colored flora and fauna. He loved to study life, how it lived, how it grew and what it thought.
The Brancher had seen Mikel do this many times on his frequent visits. The being Mikel intrigued the Brancher. He watched as Mikel gently dug around the roots of a small plant and uproot it as painlessly as it was possible to. He placed the leafy yellow plant ge
ntly into a clear container that had numerous small holes for air circulation. Mikel held the plant by its' brilliantly red colored stem, holding his other hand underneath the root ball to keep the orange soil from dislodging. The Brancher watched the being Mikel, a growing fascination filling him.
The Herries had begun to make their single file march back to their nest along the ridge as Mikel, oblivious and absorbed in his work, caught the lead Herries attention.
The Brancher scuttled down from the hill where he had been observing Mikel. Mikel's back was turned towards the Herries. He was completely engrossed in his work.
The lead Herrie was able to make his
cumbersomely slow way down from the ridge without Mikel noticing and now stood behind of him. He was almost able to touch him with his long black appendage.
His hunger raged in him, he was always
hungry...so hungry. The Herrie stretched his appendage further out, towards Mikel's small shoulder. He was almost close enough to get a grip on it. Almost...
The Brancher scuttled along at an amazing pace.
His long stick like legs churning up clouds of orange dust as he ran. He saw the Herrie advancing slowly on Mikel. If it got within grabbing distance, it would be a quick and brutal end to such a wise and worthy being.
The Brancher quickened his pace.
Not even the sound of the Brancher's galloping, through the thick undergrowth, was stirring any response in Mikel. What a fascinating being! The Brancher thought. He saw the Herrie stretching forth its'
appendage, almost touching Mikel's shoulder and skidded to a stop directly in front of it.
The Herrie looked in vain for the Brancher's eyes.
Its' glittering rows of emerald green eyes scanned the Brancher's form. It bellowed in frustration. There was no way to mesmerize it. The Herrie stretched his long, gangly limb, out. He reached for the Brancher.
Mikel now faced the two combatants, his
peaceful reverie had been interrupted by the Brancher's sudden arrival. He almost jumped into the air ten feet when the Brancher skidded to a stop behind of him.
What was more frightening, when he turned around, was the presence of a huge Herrie, almost within snatching distance. Mikel averted his eyes from the glittering green of the Herrie's eyes before it could mesmerize him and looked at his benefactor.
Mikel had never seen anything like the being that now stood protectively in front of him. He saw the Herrie reach for the stick like being and despaired. Poor thing!, Mikel groaned in his mind, it was only trying to help me. Mikel knew the Herrie would make quick work of the stick being. There was nothing he could do to help it now. The Herrie was too close to it.
The Herrie's claws were open, poised to snatch the Brancher. His hunger raged in him. He was hungry...so hungry. He snatched the Brancher up, ready to quickly stuff him into his gaping maw. As he lifted the Brancher closer to his snapping jaws, his eyes began to burn.
The Herrie smelled an unfamiliar smell. His vision blurred, and then blackness enveloped his once glittering eyes. The appendage that held the Brancher burned hotly for an instant and then disintegrated, depositing the Brancher neatly back onto the orange ground. The Herrie beat at it's head with the remaining appendages. It was no longer hungry. It would never be hungry again. The Herrie drifted away from its'
ravenous shell, into space and time. It's head burned and in a second, the hairy black appendages, still operating on the impulses they had received, smacked at the disintegrating head. The ashes flew in every direction from the wildly beating appendages. The bloated body and remaining appendages quickly followed suit and burned to ashes.
Mikel watched in utter despair as the Herrie grabbed the stick being. He waited for the snap and crunch of the being's delicate looking frame. The Herrie's appendage stopped moving. It held the stick being in mid air. Mikel smelled a burning smell. A sickening greenish black smoke boiled from the Herrie's green eyes. In an instant, the Herrie was gone. It had been reduced to ashes in less than two seconds. The light breeze that blew steadily across the planet's surface took the ashes with it. There was no evidence that a Herrie had ever been there just a moment ago.
The Brancher saw the Herrie's mind. It was starving and was meant to starve. Ravenous, repulsive beast. The Brancher focused one word into the Herrie's primal mind. BURN. And it did.
The Brancher now turned to face Mikel. His fascination for Mikel increased as he gazed upon his small face. What will he do now? The Brancher wondered. Wonder...that was a luxury that he had not had in eons. Will he flee to his ship? Will he try to communicate? What will he do now? He studied Mikel's face eagerly.
Mikel looked at the stick being that had just saved his life. What is it? Mikel wondered, how did it just do that? Will it do the same to me? The stick being stood in front of him on long spindly legs. It defied logic. Mikel had encountered many strange beings during his existence, but this...this being was FANTASTIC!!
Mikel stretched forth his hand. The stick being scuttled forward to meet it. As Mikel placed his hand on the stick being, feeling the rough, bark like flesh, his mind became illuminated with a brilliant white light. He saw what the Brancher was. It was one of the highest order of beings. It gathered and stored knowledge and power...raw power.
I will stay with you, the Brancher's silky voice slid through Mikel's mind, wrapping it, caressing it.
This was a decidedly delicate discussion. Mikel felt like he was balanced on a razor blade. If he moved incorrectly in any direction, well, it is best not to think of that right now, Mikel reasoned.
Mikel told the Brancher that he was scheduled to be back on board the patrol ship. Serel, his Commander would not approve of him bringing a guest. Mikel thanked the Brancher for saving his life but politely refused the Brancher's request to accompany him.
The Brancher had not made a request. The
Brancher made the decisions. He wanted to stay with this being Mikel. He sensed that Mikel was frightened of him, and he was wise to be, but he had no intentions of harming this wise old being, or of frightening him. I will let him think he has persuaded me, the Brancher told himself. What he does not know will not hurt him.
The Brancher's voice moved silkily through Mikel's mind. When will you return? He asked. His satin smooth voice showed no indication of his intentions. “I will return here after the patrol ship has completed it's next mission,” Mikel replied. Carefully...walk the razor blade carefully, Mikel reminded himself, “that could be a year, or ten years, it depends on the mission,” he added.
“And what is a year, for you?” The silky voice asked in return. “Our year, on the patrol ship,” Mikel replied, “is fifty years on Liftun.”
The Brancher knew this already. The Brancher knew every thought Mikel had now. His mind had slipped sleekly into the deepest recesses of the being Mikel's mind and had gathered all of the knowledge it contained.“I will not keep you any longer, as you must be on your way before nightfall,” the Brancher's smooth voice said as it unwrapped itself from Mikel's mind.
The brilliant white light in Mikel's mind slowly faded and Mikel was back in his body. He removed his hand from the Brancher, hesitantly, almost reluctantly, and turned to leave. After one last look back, at his benefactor, Mikel walked quickly back to his ship.
Back on board safely, with his bag of specimens safely tucked away, Mikel pressed a button on the lighted keypad at his instrument panel. The ramp retracted. He thought he heard a hurried, scratching noise as the ramp closed.
Mikel listened intently for a moment, but the sound, if there had even been one, wasn't there anymore. He pressed a quick sequence of buttons to start the craft's engines. The ship made a rapid ascent into the oncoming night sky, leaving the Brancher, and Liftun behind.
Sarah had no idea what the Brancher was. She sat against the far wall of Mikel's living area and stared at it suspiciously. Mikel was amused by her reaction to him, but he had to think seriously now. He would talk to her about the Branc
her later. The first order of business was to instruct her about Serel's decision.
“You should not have doubted me,” Mikel began, “Serel read your fear.” Sarah looked at Mikel, guiltily.
She couldn't deny that she had doubted him. “Serel sees your fear as a weakness and your doubts as an insult against me,” Mikel continued. “He won't allow you to stay with me here.” Sarah was beginning to feel like the main course again, images of the Grays feasting on her intestines buffeted her mind.
“Don’t assume,” Mikel warned her, as he read her thoughts. “Serel promised that you would not die at the Grays’ hands. You do, however, have to return to their space, and stay there, until we can return you to your home.”
Serel's decision mortified Sarah. How could she survive there with the Grays? They horrified her.
“Serel’s decision is final... and... fair, don’t you think?”
Mikel asked gently. “Some of the young ones in the Command area and in these living areas are very impressionable, Sarah.”
“The young ones don't understand humans, and they have already begun to imitate you. That can't be allowed. They'll be punished, and they've done nothing wrong. It's just their nature to imitate.” Mikel paused, “Do you understand, Sarah?” he asked.
Sarah reluctantly nodded her head in agreement.
She had already seen a young one brush hair, that he didn't have, out of his face. He had instantly imitated her gesture after watching her as she stood in front of Serel.
“He is being punished now Sarah,” Mikel said.
The young one would learn a painful lesson today, administered by Serel himself, Mikel thought, sadly.
Sarah's eyes filled with tears. “I'm sorry Mikel, I didn't mean to get him into trouble.” “I know you didn't, Mikel replied, adding firmly,“but that is why you cannot stay in this part of the ship.”
“You won't be harmed,” he continued, as Sarah listened intently, wiping her eyes with her hand. Mikel immediately wanted to imitate her gesture, as was also his nature to, but refrained. “The Grays have been forbidden to harm you.” he stated.
