Jarl on Faruul (Origins Part 6)

by W Bradley

returned and I could hear Kesla’s voice. I expected his face to show anger, or maybe fear, but he looked bored, if anything. Perhaps I wasn’t reading the Prooth expressions correctly.

  “This is one example of how any human will be useful to our cause.” Kesla was saying. “Had I been holding this device whilst feeling the ‘trigger emotion’ I would be irretrievably dead. Your human brain cannot be affected by the chemical in the spire. Thus, you survived.”

  “I’m sorry.” I grunted. “What?”

  “That device is an enemy weapon. If I held it and felt curious, I would have been killed. You were not.”

  “Oh. Didn’t even hurt.”

  “It shouldn’t hurt. It should kill you.”

  “I was just…”

  “You’re an idiot.” Leyla interrupted. She was looking at me for the first time since I met her, but with contempt. It took a moment for my face to relax following the sudden shock.

  “There should be a notice saying: ‘Don’t touch. Deadly alien devices.’” I muttered to Kesla. He smiled. Leyla didn’t.

  “Here.” Said Kesla after a moment. “Take this.” He handed me a tiny almost-transparent square which immediately dissolved into my skin, vanishing completely.

  “So…” I began. “What was that…?”

  “It will strengthen your mind against corruption. Many Prooth, like the one in the questioning, believe your minds to be susceptible to easy alterations by the enemy; you could be turned against us, even without your knowing.”

  “Good thing you had some tiny squares lying around then.” I chuckled at my own comment. The square must have gone to my head. Leyla merely looked embarrassed to be human and turned away.

  Kesla and I spoke for hours about the Prooth and the war against a species known as the Saerg. Leyla just listened and tutted at almost every comment I made and sighed at every question I asked. After a time this grew tiresome.

  “What is your problem with me?” I demanded of her suddenly, hoping to catch her off-guard. She looked at me, seemingly annoyed that she would have to speak to me directly to answer the question.

  “I just… Don’t like people like you.”

  “You don’t even know me!”

  “I know enough. You treat everything like a joke. You almost died and you’re laughing about it immediately afterwards. If we are going to have to work together, we will both be killed by your idiocy.”

  “… I… Like to think I’m serious when needs be…” I felt ashamed and embarrassed in front of the Prooth.

  “Just… Just don’t get us killed.” Finished Leyla.

  Kesla watched Leyla and I with intrigue (I think) and remained quiet for several long seconds before speaking again.

  “We should return to the questioning. They will be gathering again by now; nights do not last long here. I will be able to prove to them that your minds are now not easily… Meddled… With…” He turned away abruptly and held a hand up to us which I took to mean ‘be silent’. He appeared to be concentrating on something.

  “No… Can’t be…” He muttered under his breath. Then he span to us again and yelled: “Run!” And a split second later there was a sharp cracking sound and Kesla fell forward. I didn’t have time to think before Leyla had my arm and was dragging me into the room where she and Kesla had been earlier. From there I saw where she was heading: a door, or at least the shape of a door in the wall. I hurried beside her and quickly began feeling around the edge of the door, attempting to find an opening.

  “Here!” exclaimed Leyla and the wall section vanished. I gasped as we hurried into the cool alien air and looked back into the dwelling to glimpse what looked like a hooded Prooth rounding the corner.

  We sped between the dwellings aiming away from the dome. Occasionally a Prooth would emerge from one of the buildings and yell in his native tongue when we were spotted. I assumed this was to alarm others to our actions but I had no idea where we stood if we were to stop and talk it out. Were we now fugitives from the whole Prooth race? Or was it just one or two of these aliens who wanted us captured? Or dead? So far, those who had seen us fleeing had only shouted. None had attempted to stop us. Regardless, I trusted only Leyla for the moment.

  We did not stop running until I could no longer make out a single Prooth-made structure in the distance. The foliage was thicker there, providing plenty of cover to allow us time to rest.

  Following a period of silence, we wordlessly rose to our feet and began to walk onwards. We had not spoken for so long now that I couldn’t come up with a topic which seemed appropriate.

  We continued to pace onwards for what felt like hours before Leyla suddenly placed a hand on my chest, stopping me from walking further.

  “Do you hear that?” She whispered. I listened. There was a faint humming sound ahead of us.

  “I do now. It sounds like it’s coming from the other side of those rocks.”

  I climbed the largest of the rocks before us and peered down at the scene on the far side. There were two Prooth and another alien humanoid stood beside a large cube which hovered above the ground and span in all directions violently. That was the source of the humming and it made it very difficult to hear the conversation the three were having but I could tell the Prooth were scared judging by their body language and expressions. The other creature looked confused.

  I watched and waited for any changes, hoping the cube would become quiet at some point. Then Leyla appeared in the scene. She walked up to the Prooth nearest me and greeted him as though he was an old friend. His face brightened at the sight of her and the other Prooth relaxed. The group seemed less threatening then, so I made the decision to join them.

  “-attacked in Kesla’s home.” I caught the end of what Leyla was telling the three.

  “Is Kesla dead?” Asked the closest Prooth.

  “He told us to run.” Replied Leyla. “He may have been knocked unconscious. I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

  “And this is Jarl?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  “Hi.” I said. “Who are you?”

  “I am Mal. This is Felri.” He indicated the other Prooth. “And this is Gheid.” The other alien creature stepped forwards and shook my hand.

  “Nice to meet you, Jarl, Leyla. I am a Sindenian from Earth.”

  “From Earth?” I coughed. Leyla shook her head in dismay.

  “Yes from Earth. Did you not listen in the questioning?” Leyla said.

  “No.” I replied and Gheid laughed.

  “I’m glad you are both safe.” He said sincerely. I noticed how flawless his English was. “We can get you up to speed later. For now, we must get to somewhere safer. Mal, Felri, can you retrieve Kesla? I think we have been forced to begin our plans.”

  “Plans?” Questioned Leyla.

  “Yes.” Came Mal’s slow reply. His expression became grim and he stared at the violently rotating cube. “If you had the key to end all suffering in the universe, would you turn it? The Saerg have that key. We have reason to believe some Prooth want it and I am sure they would use it.

  “The plan… We have been recruiting, as you know, but we are not recruiting for the war against the Saerg as we told you. We need your help and the help of the Sindenians against our own kind. To find and stop those of us who would end everything.”