by Terry Frost
Jeeves responded, “I agree with that assessment, Colonel.”
“I hope we can find a place to land soon. I’m anxious to check those things out.”
“There seems to be a small clearing one mile to the northeast, Colonel.”
The clearing was about five hundred yards deep into the umbrella forest on the east side of the main river and that was where Jak slowed the shuttle to a hover then descended down for the landing.
He shut the engine down and made a call to the Colossus. “This is Colonel Hammer and shuttle Striker One has landed.”
Every crew member in Command Central let out a controlled, but excited yell for the success of landing on an alien world since the first landing of Humans on the planet Mars. Admiral Arvin didn’t reprimand his crew as he was excited himself. General Dubois remained his normal stoic self as usual. The general believed it to be a sign of weakness to show any such emotion, and that was typical of most military commanders, with the exception of Jak Hammer.
Jeeves was the first to get up from the co-pilot’s seat and moved to the back of the shuttle. Jak started for the rear of the shuttle while slipping on an insulated jacket. He pulled a small metal flask out of the jacket and raising the flask to his mouth and said, “ “Here’s hoping this universal language chip the USC put into my head does its job.”
“Actually, Colonel, I’ve always found it amusing that the USC calls the translation chip a universal chip. Before this mission and relating to languages our universe only extended to Mars.”
Jak took a small sip then put the flask into a pocket in his uniform jacket and slipped the jacket on. The jacket was better in cooler climates than just their USC uniforms and they were long enough to conceal a blaster pistol.
Jeeves didn’t require a jacket, his body could withstand temperatures down to fifty degrees below zero. The carrying of a weapon not concealed was prohibited by rules of First Contact protocol, besides, Jeeves was a weapon.
With the hatch opened the two men walked down the landing and the first thing Jak noticed was the smell of the air. It wasn’t at all foul, instead, the air smelled almost too fresh. After a few steps from the shuttle, Jak began to feel vibrant, more alive than he had in years.
The air had no effect on Jeeves. Instead of taking a second to analyze the air he walked straight to one of the umbrella trees and was feeling of the tree’s bark. He went to pull a piece of the bark off for future analysis and got his first surprise of the mission.
Now Jeeves could pull a cabin door off its hinges without effort but the bark wasn’t coming off.
“Jeeves, what are you doing?”
He didn’t immediately respond and a few seconds later he applied all the force he could muster in his hand, and while pulling, the piece of bark came off. He stared at his hand, then opened it and looked at the bark.
Jak was still looking at Jeeves when Jeeves turned his head toward him and began walking to him. He stopped and looked at Jak and said, “This bark is very similar to some grade of hard metal. I need to analyze this. Most interesting.”
While watching Jeeves walk toward him he thought damn, I wish he would tone down that damn platinum hair color, it kinda freaks me out. Especially in low light conditions because all I can see of him is his hair. We’re gonna have to have a discussion about that the next chance I get.
“Excellent. You can do that as soon as we leave here with our entire bodies attached. Now let's concentrate on our prime directive, shall we, Mr. Science Officer.”
“Why Colonel, I think you were being obtuse about my science officer designation.”
Jeeves’s comment did not receive a response.
Once they had made their way a few hundred yards through the forest both men had been completely quiet. Jak was slightly startled when an unusual sound came from the top of the tree they were approaching.
They got to within a couple of feet from the tree when the tree’s leaves exploded with a tinkling sound comparable to the sound wind chimes make. A winged animal flew out from under the canopy of the tree. It was about the same size as a pigeon on Earth, except the animal’s wings, were bright yellow and its body was dark purple.
When his heart stopped pounding and he released the grip on his blaster he said, “This place has some intense colors to it.”
“I’m excited about your growth, Colonel. You didn’t shoot first then ask “What the hell was that, which is a departure from what I’ve grown accustomed to.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep moving.”
Other than the flying bird they heard a few non-discernible sounds throughout the forest as they proceeded forward. Finally, Jak could see a thinning of the trees and before long they had taken a knee a few steps away from exposing themselves to the open area and the large flowing river.
“I’ll need time to collect some samples of that grass.”
“You will have all the time you need Commodore before we leave the planet.”
Jak’s earpiece spoke, “Colonel, Captain Slain. The admiral wants a situation report.”
“Thought I was to give General Dubois my report, Captain.”
“I’m just relaying orders, Hammer. You know what orders are, don’t you?”
In a whispered voice, Jak said, “Haven’t seen much. Jeeves has found some interesting materials to analyze, that is all, Hammer, out.”
“That’s some fine details, Colonel. I’ll make sure to relay those to the admiral, Slain, out.”
Colonel Hammer and Commodore Jeeves remained in their kneeling position for several more minutes as they scanned the area immediately around and in front of them. It wasn’t long before they saw a much closer view of the zebra type animals running northward coming up from the south. It was as if something had made them run.
As they passed in front of the two men the four-foot tall animals had two well-defined spikes coming out of their foreheads.
“They may resemble zebras, Jeeves, but their fairly small and I don’t recall ever seeing spikes coming out of the heads of zebras.”
“Your observation is entirely correct. Maybe I should recommend to General Dubois that you would make a good science officer with that spot on analysis.”
“One of these days, Jeeves I’m gonna send you to the moon,” Hammer said while making a fist and acting to punch upward.
“I don’t see the relevance in that statement, Colonel. Personally, I think my duties would be better served on Colossus than on Earth’s moon.”
If in the future I want to avoid schooling Jeeves every time I’m being sarcastic. I should just think before I say it. But what fun would that be? I like confusing Mr. Know It All.
First Contact
Just as Jak completed the thought, a loud rustling noise and the thunderous sound of hooves coming from the forest to their right less than fifty yards from their position. In the next instant, a group of six zebra-like animals came out of the forest and into the open grass area.
But this time, they were carrying some kind of alien creatures on their backs, and the riders were yelling and spurring them like cowboys while on a dead run toward the same type animals they were riding.
“Holy hell, would you look at that?”
“Yes, Colonel, I am looking.”
The aliens were riding bareback with one hand holding onto the mane of the animal and the other hand was holding something similar to a short, light purple tube in their other hand.
“What do you make of them?”
“Hard to say, Colonel. But from what I’ve just observed the aliens are bi-pedals, two arms, two legs, but their heads are canine.
“Well, shit a brick, they look like small French Bulldogs. I’ll say this much, they sure can ride those things. I see now what made the zebras run,” Jak said as he pointed at two of the aliens that were pushing the animals from the rear of the herd.
The aliens quickly caught up with the running herd and ran their animals alongside. Close to the exact same time, the riders held out the tube in their
hands and made a whipping motion. A blue-white charge came out of the tube which looked like a lightning bolt with a lasso on the end.
“I’ve got to get me one of those,” Jak said.
“While you're at it, Colonel, get two of them.”
“Damn, I think a slight Human trait came out of you, Jeeves, old boy. Were you pleading?”
Jeeves ignored him as they continued to watch the aliens run alongside the herd of animals with some sort of energy device, blazing blue. The last alien in the line of six thundering hunters whipped his device at one of the zebras and the lasso closed around the zebra’s neck.
The alien pulled on the device and the captured zebra instantly left the hunt and followed the other riders, but only at a trot. The device seemed to make the creature completely docile.
“What an extraordinary weapon, or tool for that matter,” Jeeves said.
It wasn’t long before six of the eight riders had captured their targets and were heading back to where Jak and Jeeves were hiding in the edge of the forest.
“Colonel now would be an excellent time to introduce ourselves to the aliens since we don’t have anything to ride so we can follow them.”
“Now? You mean right now?”
“Affirmative.”
“Okay, but you stay here for a few minutes. I don’t want them scared because of the way you look.”
“What is wrong with the way I look?”
“It’s the hair and the color of your skin and those eyes. Yeah, those eyes too.”
While Jeeves pondered Jak’s comment Jak stood up and walked out into the clearing. The alien riders were straight across from him and only forty yards away when two of the aliens spotted the tall creature standing just out of the forest’s edge.
They started making a yipping sound then the rest of their group saw Jak too. All of them started making the same sound. They removed their lassos from the animals and the lassos disappeared back into the tube, and to Jak’s surprise, the animals remained still.
The alien in the middle of the group raised his right hand then brought his arm forward and made a loud yip. All of them spurred their animals into a full charge mode heading straight at Jak.
Oh shit. I don’t think our First Contact is going to go well Jak thought as he put his hand under his jacket and placed it on his blaster. If I kill a few of the little fellas, I’ll certainly catch hell from Dubois, but I’m not going down by a bunch of tiny alien bulldogs.
Chapter 6
The aliens were almost upon Jak and the leader cracked his lighting tube and the long blue-white charge shot out of the tube. Jak started to bring his blaster out when suddenly every charging alien pulled back on their zebra’s manes and stopped less than twenty feet from him.
They dismounted and went down to one knee with their heads bowed and Jak heard them saying, “Allawi, Allawi.”
“Well, I’ll be damn. Jak thought they think I’m a God, and none too soon.
Once Jak stopped gloating about all the possibilities that might be in his and Jeeves’s favor he heard Jeeves who was standing just behind him say, “Rise, my friends.”
Quickly figuring out the aliens were looking at Jeeves as a possible God and not him, was a little deflating to Jak’s ego. Their leader was the first to stand up but he kept his head bowed. Soon the rest followed suit.
Jak couldn’t take his eyes off the tiny beings. They were magnificent in their shining silver battle gear that covered most of their bodies. The gear wrapped around their upper body and was ribbed with stiff, four-inch collars that come up to the bottom of their jawline.
Their shoulders, forearms, and shins were also covered down to the top of their boots and weren’t wearing any type of battle gloves. Jeeves noticed they had three long fingers and a thumb, same as apes and chimpanzees.
Only their heads, necks, biceps, and thighs were unprotected by the lack of gear. All the aliens had black and tan colored skin with the exception of their leader and he was a mix of black and pure white.
On the right side of their battle gear ran a channeled two-inch wide and four-inch long strip running downward, and what was secured inside the channel was amazing.
Jak turned to Jeeves and whispered, “Are those gemstones on their armor?”
“Yes, and there might be a significance to the size and type’s of stones in the channel.”
“Yeah, maybe they have something to do with their status.”
The lead alien’s gem channel carried four dark blue sapphires the size of nickels. And the last stone at the top was a brilliant white diamond about the size of a quarter. Jak’s assessment of how magnificent the aliens presented themselves was spot on. Jak thought why are they bowing to Jeeves when they were about to try and lasso me?
Standing near 6’3” Jeeves must have looked all powerful to the aliens standing in front of him, him with his platinum spiked hair and blue-green skin.
“Please raise your heads so we can fully present ourselves to one another,” Jeeves softly commanded.
That request seemed to have had a positive effect on the pint-sized Battledogs. They raised their heads and slightly flexed their biceps and puffed out their chests.
Looking into the brave eyes of their highest ranking member Jeeves asked, “Are you Alpha?”
The alien nodded his head and said, “We are Alpha?”
“You are all Alpha,” Jeeves said while waving his hand in a sweeping motion.
The alien shook his head negatively and thumbed his chest then said, “We are Alpha.”
“He is telling you that he is Alpha.”
Jak took a small step closer to the Alpha which got an immediate response with a warrior’s stare. Jak stepped back and asked, “What do your species call themselves.”
“We are Nawi.” Just as he said it the Battledogs all let out a quick yipping session then quickly ceased.
“Who are we?” asked their leader as he pointed at the two tall aliens.
Jeeves answered instead of Jak and said, “We are Humans.”
The animals were starting to fidget and snort which didn’t escape Jak’s attention so he started scanning the area, then said, “Your animals sense something.”
Their leader said, “We run there,” pointing to a large pile of huge rocks on their side of the river. He and his men mounted their zebras and spurred them in the direction of the rocks.
Jak turned his head to the right and saw Jeeves looking at him and said, “We running,” and they both started sprinting after the Battledogs. The aliens and their mounts could move rather quickly but the tall Humans could cover ground too and weren’t too far behind.
Not even halfway to the rocks, Jak saw something running thru a taller section of grass to the left of the Battledogs and whatever it was had a long, purple and black tail. Ten yards from the rocks the creature jumped out of the tall grass knocking one of the Battledogs off his mount.
The predator was huge compared to the size of the zebras. It had the body of a jaguar but was twice the size of the big cats back on Earth. Its body was mostly coal black with yellow stripes that ran laterally down the length of its body.
The creature’s body was rippled with muscles and the thing’s claws were an impressive four inches long. When it landed it turned and that was when Jak saw the animal's teeth as it postured itself in a low stalking fashion while showing its teeth as it slowly crept toward the Battledog.
The animal didn’t give the downed zebra a second look, as its target was the shaken Battledog. The Battledog jumped to his feet with lasso tube in hand and gave it a whipping motion which brought out the blue blazing charge.
The rest of the Battledogs had made it to the rocks and were yipping at their comrade telling him to run to them. The downed dog hit the predator with his lasso and it did nothing to dissuade the animal from continuing his movements toward him.
Surprised that the lasso didn’t phase the big cat-like creature, Jak could tell the animal was set to pounce on the litt
le Battledog. The big cat sprung into the air and without a second’s hesitation Jak pulled his blaster out and shot the cat in mid-air.
The creature landed on top of the Battledog but didn’t move. Jeeves ran over to the predator and Battledog and with ease removed the predator off the shaken alien. He picked up the little alien and asked him if he was alright.
“We are good and we thank you.”
All the Battledogs were howling and yipping, which to Jeeves and Jak seemed to be a vocalization of cheer. Their zebras had scattered about and their leader gave a command for his men to go and retrieve their mounts.
The Battledog leader came down from the rocks and walked over to Jak and Jeeves who were kneeled by the predator while looking the magnificent animal over.
“That be named Pugan. Bad beast likes to eat Nawi.”
Jak stood up and said to the alien, “What are we name?”
“Ah, yes. Introducink is the correct way. We are named Hopus.”
“We are Jak and he is Jeeves.”
“What type of weapon you use on pugan? As well, where do Humans make home?”
It's difficult to watch this little dude talk our language when his mouth doesn’t make the same movements as ours do Jak thought.
Jeeves had already thought about Jak using the blaster to kill the pugan and knew his superiors would not be happy about using technology far beyond those used by these aliens, but in Jak’s defense, the use of the blaster was justified.
Holding the weapon out for Hopus to see, Jak said, “This is named Blaster. Would you like to hold it?”
“We would, much.”
Jak quickly put the weapon’s safety on, then handed it to the Battledog commander. As he handed the weapon to Hopus, he saw Jeeves’s right eyebrow shoot up and new he was silently admonishing him for handing the alien the weapon.
Hopus held the blaster up in front of him while admiring it. Jak could tell the Battledog was not too unlike himself in the admiration of cool weapons. Hopus handed the blaster back to him looking pleased that he was allowed to hold this alien’s weapon.
