by J.A. Marlow
The robot took three paces backwards, lowering the tip of the weapon to the floor. The bright tip dimmed.
The movement didn't fool Sasha a bit. All it had to do was bring it up a little and fire.
The bear looked down at them, the dark eyes narrowing, "You shouldn't be in here. Go on, turn around and go out the way you came in."
The bear turned to go down one of the hallways, grumbling something under his breath that Sasha couldn't make out.
But she could make out the reaction of the departure of the bear on the robot. The weapon was rising. Zach saw it as well, taking a small step back.
Sasha had a better idea. She looked down the hall at the departing form of the bear. If it had meant them harm it could have killed them in one swipe of its massive paws.?And compared to the other alien they saw, she liked the appearance of this one. Maybe it was the vest with the ornate ribbing around the edges.
Now, the robot, she knew what it wanted to do. And she didn't want any part of that.
Before the bear could get any further and the weapon any higher, Sasha jerked Zach down the hallway. She quickened her space, dragging him along behind her. "It won't fire at the bear!"
"What if the bear is dangerous?" he whispered back.
Sasha noted the robot was following them, but the closer they got to the bear the lower the weapon dropped towards the floor. "You mean after you screamed at it?"
"It's a bear!"
"Bears don't talk!"
They both went silent as they grew close, shadowing the bear as it ambled down the hallway. The part of her mind not worried about how they were going to get out of the situation laughed at the sight they must present.
A polar bear walking on two legs with the long claw of one paw hooked into its tool belt, two human kids dressed in winter gear dwarfed by the size of the polar bear, and a robot pacing behind with its weapon moving up and down depending on how close the humans were to the polar bear.
What an odd parade.
The bear rested a stubby-fingered paw on one of the panels and a door slid open. That's when she saw a familiar object on the bear's wrist. A translator just like she and Zach now had.
Sasha slipped in after him before the door could close with Zach so close behind her that his feet hit the back of her boots.
The robot, she was pleased to note, stopped at the entrance of the door with its weapon lowered completely to the floor. But it also didn't move away as the door stopped just shy of closing fully.
Great, it was waiting for them to come out.
"We have company," a high-pitched voice said. "Why did you let them in?"
Sasha searched to identify where it came from. A dark brown furry little body rose up from the equipment covering a counter on the right side of the room, pouring a yellow liquid into a glass beaker.
The body reminded her of a tail-less beaver. But, not the eyes. The small blue intelligent and shrewd eyes narrowed at them while two stubby paw-hands completed their task. "They should not be here."
The bear looked around. Spotting them, it huffed in a way that made the hair at the back of her neck stand up. It sounded much too similar to a bear when it was agitated. "I told you to go back the way you came."
"Go! Out with you," the smaller creature yelled out in a voice that only rose in pitch. He rose up on his haunches, waving them away with his long-fingered front paws. "Go back to your caves. Uppity creatures."
Zach didn't answer. He stood next to her, plastered against the wall and staring up at the bear with wide eyes. Had he even seen the annoying fur-ball on the counter?
Sasha pointed at the robot at the door, "We're not going anywhere right now. Not until someone does something about that thing."
The bear angled to one side to see past her. It huffed again. "Out with you, security-bot! Now!"
The robot didn't move. The bear stalked towards the door and Sasha and Zach moved out of its way.
It put a paw on the panel next to the door. When the door did nothing, he took his paw off and put it on again. The door inched open but refused to close further. "The door mechanism isn't working."
"Engineering needs to get this fixed," the creature on the counter muttered. It raised its voice, pointing straight at Sasha, "And get them out of here!"
The robot hesitated. Retracting the weapon as it took a step back. "Resuming security search pattern."
"You do that," the bear yelled after it as it disappeared down the hall.
Sasha let out a deep breath. It was nice not to have weapons aimed at her.
"Stupid things." The creature on the counter dropped down to all four paws to root around the bottles against the back wall of the counter.
"They have their uses," the bear said. It sat down on a big stool at another counter, turning to study Sasha and Zach. "Now, what to do with you? Any ideas, Yenni?"
"You are the one fascinated by them, not me." Okay, a name for the fur-ball. "Can you get them out without the Admiral knowing? Or perhaps? hmm."
"Out with it," the bear said while Sasha eyed the door. The robot was gone, but if they left on their own would it be waiting for them down the hall?
"They are here, you need to advance your research. Use them as test subjects. You can't get much closer to them than you are now."
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
SASHA'S ATTENTION SNAPPED back to the two. The very suggestion robbed her of her voice in shock.
She glared at Yenni and swallowed hard. "How dare you! We are not lab rats to be put through mazes and dissected! We are living, breathing, thinking creatures worthy of respect."
"And they speak," Yenni added.
"Of course they speak. You've heard plenty of evidence of their ability to communicate," the bear said.
Yenni pulled a flat tablet next to him, touching it precisely with small front paw finger. "Communicate? Jabber incoherently is more like it. Whatever. They are your field, Nanuk. You deal with them."
Sasha turned her attention to the bear. "Nanuk? Is that your name?"
The bear sighed, shifting on his stool. "Close enough. You are not capable of pronouncing my true name."
"Good. Hello, Nanuk. My name is Sasha Neeley and this is Zach Callahan. If you would, we would like a safe way to get to our snow machine and allowed to leave. Without robots firing at us."
"Firing?" Yenni repeated, looking up from a thin object laying flat on the counter.
"The security-bots are active," Nanuk said.
"Oh, wonderful. The Admiral's small-minded security force have their weapons out." He smacked a paw against the pad. "Work, you stupid thing. What is wrong with the systems tonight?"
"You are both cubs," Nanuk noted. He picked up a flat tablet like the one Yenni was using. "Very interesting. Are you at your rebellious stage?
"A way out," Sasha reminded, choosing not to answer the question which most likely would have included her suggesting that he ask her older brother. She pointed to the door, "We didn't ask to be dropped in here. We only want to go home."
Nanuk set the tablet aside. "Of course. Pardon me. The possibilities excited me so. I shall take you topside. Yenni?"
"Don't look at me. The Admiral is still mad at me for bringing the samples in." Yenni slapped the tablet again, "And why? Is it not my field of study? Was it not already dead? Did I not follow all protocols including decontamination?"
"All except asking his exact permissions."
"He can kiss my-"
"So, tell me young Sasha," Nanuk interrupted so quickly that Sasha had to smother a laugh. "How is it you fear our robots and not me? I understand I look much like a predator of your world."
"A polar bear," Sasha automatically supplied. She cocked her head at him. "And polar bears don't talk, walk continually on their hind legs, or wear clothes or tool belts. Besides, the robots felt threatening. I don't get that feeling off of you."
The edges of Nanuk's long mouth curved upwards. "Very observant. And you successfully suppressed your ur
ge to flee or scream, unlike your friend. I am impressed."
"Zach is new to Alaska and doesn't know polar bears only live further north," Sasha said, looking over to Zach to give him an apologetic look.
Only Zach was no longer behind her.
"You have a television?" Zach said from somewhere to the left.
Zach stood at the end of the counter on the other side of the room from Yenni. In front of him was a big old-fashioned television still in its wood cabinet with wires leading away from the back of it. Through the static moving across the screen a sitcom silently played with no sound. All in black and white.
"Ah, yes. To further my studies," Nanuk said. "I found it abandoned in a cabin rotting away. It has been most helpful."
"You are studying humans from our entertainment?" Zach asked, scratching an ear.
"What better way is there?"
Zach gave Sasha a grimace, "We're in trouble."
"You were judging things here by old science fiction movies. Same thing," she reminded him.
"No, not the same thing. I know they are complete fantasy," Zach objected. He backed away as Nanuk walked to the counter to turn it off.
"I understand fantasy. I also listen to the human radio frequencies, view what you call internet, and various news programs. I find them very enlightening." Nanuk stood tall over Zach and looked him up and down. "You fear me?"
***
Zach stopped backing away from the big body looming over him. Setting his jaw, he announced, "I am not afraid of you."
Nanuk huffed. "Perhaps you are right, and the adolescent girl is wrong. Perhaps I am dangerous."
"I'm not wrong," Sasha said, putting her hands on her hips. "You may be big, but you are also soft."
Chattering laughter came from Yenni, "She has you classified well, Nanuk."
"If you wanted to do us harm, you would have done it." Zach said the words strongly in hopes he would believe it. Everything about the place made him nervous. But, it was time to put the old movies out of his head. Time to think logically. "There is one thing that bothers me, speaking from a scientific perspective."
Nanuk's ears went up. He retreated to his stool and gestured at him with a claw. "Scientific? By all means continue."
Yenni looked up from his work, suddenly finding him interesting. Zach swallowed hard and rushed to put his thoughts into words without them sounding completely insulting or accusatory.
"I surmise that the area we currently stand in is a space craft of some sort. You are not from Earth."
Yenni laughed again. "Smarter than I expected."
"Who said we were stupid?" Sasha flung back at him.
Nanuk waved a paw, "You surmise correct. Continue."
"From what I see on the counter, as well as what you have said, humans are a field of study for you. But as we have barely left the surface of our planet to land on our own moon the question becomes why? From a scientific perspective, why should our world garner any attention?"
Nanuk sat back. "Indeed, good scientific questions. Satisfy my curiosity. I find human reasonings endlessly interesting. What conclusions might you have come up with using your limited observations?"
But Zach had turned his head towards the door. Perhaps it was his over-active imagination, but it had sounded like a weapon zap. It was a sound that sent a shiver right down to the center of him.
But he didn't expect the howl of fury that followed it. Nor the body of a security-bot, minus a head, skittering along the floor past the open door. Or the sound of four legs pounding along the floor in the outside hall.
"Now that sounds like a real bear," Sasha said, her voice shaking.
"To the back of the room!" Nanuk shouted.
Zach made a run for it as the loud huffs and growls of whatever it was approached fast.
A dark brown body slipped to a stop at the door. It roared into the room, small beady black eyes latching onto them.
Zach flattened himself against a counter in the back of the room, the edge biting into his lower back. What did they do now? The bear blocked their only way out.
***
Hawk lost count of the cups of coffee he consumed. Or the number of crackers someone slid in front of him. McRoyal and Grandpa Neeley took turns sitting next to him, but they'd both disappeared to help the latest batch coming in from the train.
He watched the people mill around the snow machines outside the window. Three groups back from the train and still Zach and Sasha were missing.
"Problem, mister?" Wide brown eyes stared at him over the top curve of the chair across from him.
He recognized the voice as one of the children of the store owners, but he couldn't recall the name. He couldn't recall any of the names of the people he'd been introduced to when he'd come inside.
"I'm looking for my son."
The little boy nodded his head solemnly, a lock of unruly brown hair falling over his eye. "I could tell."
Hawk took a sip of the still-hot coffee. Someone must have topped it off when he wasn't looking. "How can you tell?"
The boy pointed to the chair next to him. "Because Darnit knows it."
Hawk looked down to the half-pulled out chair next to him. Darnit's head rested on the seat, staring up at him with wide blue eyes. He cocked the notched ear.
The boy reached out and scratched the top of Darnit's head. Darnit took his eyes off Hawk long enough to look in the boy's direction, and then continued the stare in Hawk's direction, all without moving his head. "Darnit always knows. He's really good about that."
And probably good at biting people, especially after giving them that fake human smile that bared all those sharp teeth.
The serious gaze of the mangy mutt immediately made him feel bad for thinking it. Darnit might embody all the traits he detested in dogs, but he'd never attacked him or Zach. In a funny way it made Hawk feel better that the dog might be worried right along with him.
And looking at him, with his head sitting on the chair, just watching? well, maybe the dog really did sense Hawk was upset.
"Darnit is a unique dog," Hawk finally said, realizing the boy was waiting for him to say something.
"Yep, real special," the boy said, nodding. "Are you going to go live in the haunted lodge?"
Hawk almost choked, nearly spilling his coffee. "Haunted?"
"Peter, I need help packing groceries," Ms. Dunn said, reaching out to grab the boy's shoulders and turn him away from the table. "Let Mr. Callahan have a little peace."
Haunted? Why did people keep saying strange things about the lodge? But, considering how things had gone so far, it would be his luck.
He looked down at Darnit. "Do I look worried?"
Darnit woofed. He licked his sharp teeth and settled his head back down on the seat of the chair.
Oh great, the dog answered him. Hawk rubbed his eyes. "I must be going crazy."
Good lord, the dog was trying to grin again.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
"THEY HAVE THEIR uses? Where are the security-bots now?" Yenni yelled, launching himself off the end of the counter. Gossamer wings erupted out of the long brown casings along his back, flapping wildly.
Nanuk grabbed him as he fell out of the air. "Heavy gravity, remember?"
Zach saw the door inch open under the brown bear's straining muscles. The sight of the teeth and claws combined with the huffing and growling set his heart racing.
Sasha pushed past him to follow Nanuk and Yenni. He demanded of her, "What do we do?"
"Play dead."
"That's not funny."
"I'm serious. You can't run, you can't fight. You play dead."
The bear at the door roared as it managed to get one shoulder through. Nanuk disappeared through a narrow door in the back corner of the room. Zach pushed Sasha through it.
He turned to see the bear squeeze the rest of his body through the door. Muscles rippling under its fur as it rounded a long cabinet. Zach stepped back against a tall line of cabinets.
"I thought bears hibernated in winter," Zach said, trying to catch his breath.
The bear roared in fury, throwing itself at the barrier again and again. As it did, Zach spotted a spot of wetness on one shoulder. His mind flew to stories of the abilities of angry injured bears. He had to turn away to keep from getting sick. He couldn't believe he was hoping a security-bot would show up.
"They should be, but it looks sick," Sasha said, backing away even further.
"It is a young male and has no fat reserves left. It will not act like a normal bear. This is a problem," Yenni said, jumping out of Nanuk's grasp. The wings furled, rolling themselves into the protective back casings.
He bounded across the floor of a room filled with shelves, cabinets, and crates to another door. He reached up to a lower pad at the door. The door slid open half-way before stopping.
"The bear could get through that," Zach said.
"It's not intelligent enough to know to go back in the hall." Yenni looked around the edge of the opening. "No security-bots."
"That mesh door isn't going to last long," Sasha warned, joining Zach at the other door.
"Bears are not as unintelligent as you assume," Nanuk said. He squeezed through the opening, catching one of the tools against the door. With a yank he freed himself. "Remember the cabins?"
Yenni followed him out. "Fine, we need to find new shelter. Where would you suggest? The entire ship is experiencing faults."
Zach slipped into the hall, automatically searching for the security-bots, but this time wanting to see them. "How about behind a forcefield? We found one still operational not far from here."
"I don't remember the direction," Sasha said. She looked up at the ceiling as the lights blinked. "It might not be working anymore anyway."
"Parts of the ship are safer than others." Nanuk sniffed the air in both directions of the hall, "To the left. Head towards the core."
"Right. Human children, follow us." Yenni shot down the hall, galloping on all fours. "We might need something to distract the bear."
"That isn't funny," Zach yelled after him.
"He was joking," Nanuk said at them before following Yenni.
Zach gave Sasha a worried glance. "I'm not sure he was joking."