Close Encounters

by Katherine Allred

  They got it. All of them were smiling and nodding, and gesturing for me to show them how to find the spot again. I obliged them and then motioned for Junior to try it.

  Junior shot a glance at Thor, and then complied with my request. It only took once for me to locate his center. I placed my hand just above the rim of his loincloth. “This is where your leverage needs to come from, not your stomach. See?” I replaced my hand with his, then had him lean front-to-back and side-to-side. “Feel that? It’s the point your whole body revolves around, the place your balance comes from.”

  By the time I motioned for his instructor, all the Buri were smiling at me. Teacher moved closer, and I glanced at Junior. “Now, I’m going to do this slowly, and I want you to pay close attention to this part right here.” I patted my abdomen. “Don’t watch the moves, watch what my body does.”

  Grasping the instructor’s forearm, I turned my back to him and pulled his arm over my shoulder, sliding both hands down to grip his wrist. Then I hooked my right leg around his, pulled his foot out from under him, and very gently flipped him over my hip to the ground.

  I brushed off my hands and placed them on hips as I smiled at Junior.

  Junior watched the whole thing intently, a smile on his lips. When I finished, he nodded in reply, and I stepped back.

  Teacher had regained his feet. He gave me a bow and then, with no perceptible warning, rushed Junior. The youngster was ready for him, though. In one smooth move, he grabbed, turned and flipped.

  “Excellent!” I laughed and applauded. “I think you’ve got it.”

  Thor had moved to my side, and we watched as all the males twisted and turned, trying to find their center of gravity. It looked rather like an aerobics class on Primus Centauri Four, with the participants in desperate need of some good spandex body suits.

  I smiled at Thor, only to discover he was frowning at my jumpsuit. “I’m on my way to my ship,” I explained, pointing in Max’s direction while sending Thor a visual image. “I’ll change into the kechic when I’m through there.”

  His gaze lifted to mine. He studied me for a second, then growled something at Brownie and picked up his spear. Okay. It looked like he was going to tag along with me and Ghost.

  “Max, we may have company on board. Thor is with me, and I don’t know if he’ll come inside or not. Better lock up everything you don’t want damaged, just in case.”

  “Yes, Kiera.”

  To my surprise, Thor followed me up the ramp as though he’d done it all his life, while Ghost remained at the bottom, eyes alert as he scanned the horizon. I went straight to my terminal, already preoccupied with the information Max had prepared. “Make yourself at home.” I waved vaguely toward the back of the ship as I sat down, and heard Thor move away.

  “Okay, Max, what do we have?”

  A holo came to life in front of me. It was a planet, but hard to see because it was surrounded by darkness. “Ashwan,” Max announced. “The world was discovered two hundred and fifty cycles ago by a scientific exploration team that was doing research on dead stars. When they realized the planet had once been inhabited, they called in a group of archeologists.”

  “Good.” A sound came from the back of the ship, and I paused. “What’s Thor doing?”

  “Trying to figure out how the saniflush works. He also seems rather taken with the mirror.”

  I grinned. If I were male and looked like he did, I’d be taken with the mirror too. “Print me out the plans for an old-fashioned gravity flush sanitary, will you, Max?”

  On the other side of the cabin, three or four sheets of tough laminate paper ejected from a slot.

  “Thanks. Now back to Ashwan. What did the archeologist find?”

  “Not much at first. The environmental conditions were extremely harsh. The planet’s atmosphere was gone, and it was covered in a thick layer of ice. The only reason they knew it had it once supported life was because the very top of one building protruded from the ice.”

  “Did they do a spectral analysis?” I glanced around as Thor came back into the cabin. He grunted and gestured toward the hatch. Guess now that his curiosity had been satisfied, he was ready to leave.

  I shook my head. “I’m not finished here. Have a seat.” I pointed at the other command chair, and mimicked sitting.

  He approached it gingerly, and eased his bulk onto the seat. Then promptly grabbed the arms and growled when it automatically adjusted to his size and weight.

  “Max, run Holovid 101 for him. That should keep him occupied for a while.”

  Holovid 101 was the standard introductory vid for new races. There was no narration, only images that depicted the history of the human race. It started with a shot of Old Earth taken from the moon, went through all the evolutionary stages of man, continued through our first meetings with other species and the exodus into space, and ended with Alien Affairs helping other races to join the Galactic Federation.

  When the first image materialized in front of him, Thor jumped, then slowly lifted his hand to poke it with one finger. His hand went completely through the holo, and he yanked it back. But it didn’t take long until he was absorbed in what he was seeing, and I returned to the information on Ashwan.

  “Spectral analysis,” I reminded Max.

  “Yes, they did several.” The holo changed to a vid of the surface, floodlights illuminating the terrain. The scientist had erected a biodome near the building they’d discovered. It was both living quarters and a place where they could work without the pressure suits that supplied oxygen and protection from the cold.

  Max continued as the vid camera panned left to show the rim of a stone structure, the blue-white lights casting eerie shadows on its crevices and ridges. “The spectral analysis showed that beneath the ice lay the remnants of a huge stone edifice. Most of it was destroyed by the weight of the ice bearing down on its walls. Only the tower remained intact. It took them almost two cycles to gain entry, but when they did, it was well worth the effort.”

  The view changed again, this time to a room inside the tower. It looked as though the occupant had just stepped out and was due back any second.

  “The cold preserved everything in perfect condition,” Max said. “And the scientists learned quite a bit from what they found.”

  “Such as?” I prompted.

  “The Ashwani had a feudal culture, similar to that found on Old Earth during the medieval era. Large areas of land were ruled over by a king, with a nobility swearing fealty to him. In turn, they were allowed portions of the kingdom, with peasants to work the land. But unlike Old Earth’s feudal structure, the dividing line between the nobility and the peasants was almost nonexistent. From the drawings they found, everyone did what they were good at. One showed a king’s daughter going to work in the fields, and another, a nobleman baking bread.”

  “Interesting,” I commented. “How about weaponry?”

  “The most advanced they’ve found are swords, and only the soldiers used those.”

  “So they did have warfare?”

  “No sign of hostilities were found, but with their societal structure it would have been inevitable. Especially after their star began to die. Once the exploration team knew what to look for, fifteen other castles were discovered under the ice, and even now, scientists aren’t sure they’ve found them all. Land for crops to feed everyone would have been at a premium with their world dying around them.”

  I nodded. “Any images of their weapons?”

  The view changed to what looked like a small arsenal. Shields hung on one wall interspersed with spears and swords. Leaning forward, I peered a bit closer at the spears. Bingo. The Buri’s spears had triggered my memories of the Ashwani, and I was staring at the reason why. I’d seen these images before, and the spears were flat black metal with odd markings inscribed on them, just like the Buri’s.

  A feeling of satisfaction flooded through me as a piece of the puzzle clicked into place. All my instincts were telling me that the B
uri were descended from, or related to, the Ashwani. Now I had to prove it. Not to mention figure out a few incidentals like how they got to Orpheus Two and how long they’d been here.

  I chewed on my lip for a second before addressing Max again. “What about their clothing? They didn’t wear kechics and loincloths, did they?”

  “No. The climate was far too cold at the end. The garments the archeologists found were heavy and warm.”

  “Any bodies?” I crossed my fingers. DNA samples of the Ashwani could very well link them to the Buri and prove they were the same species.

  “None, but you have to remember, the Ashwan star died long before the planet was discovered. The population probably starved to death many cycles before the end.”

  A sigh expanded my chest. “Damn. I guess that blows any chance of proving the Buri were a colonization party sent out by the Ashwani. At least for now.” I glanced at Thor. He was riveted by an animated holovid of Australopithecus africanus, one of the first apelike men to use tools and walk erect.

  “Given the level of technology the Ashwani achieved, it’s not likely they were capable of space travel anyway,” Max responded.

  I leaned forward and propped my elbows on the console. “Did they find anything that would give us a clue to the Ashwani’s physiology?”

  “Oh, yes. Numerous things. Their clothing and tools indicate they were larger than humans. And since the planet is twice the size of Earth, the gravity would have been greater, making their bones denser. Dried plants and herbs were also found in sealed jars, and after extensive testing, it was concluded they all had medicinal properties compatible with human physiology.”

  An idea hit me, and I straightened abruptly. “They have the DNA for these plants?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “The Buri have crops. Max, what if they brought seeds from their home world? That would make sense, wouldn’t it? I can gather samples of the Buri plants and run DNA tests on them to see if they match the ones on Ashwan. That would help prove our theory.”

  “I’ll have to request the DNA analysis from the archives.”

  “Do it, and put a rush on the order.”

  Max hesitated. “Kiera, the probability that the Ashwani and the Buri are related is extremely low, in spite of the similarities.”

  “How else do you explain those similarities? Haven’t I taught you there’s no such thing as coincidences?”

  “It could be parallel evolution. I know it’s very rare, but it has happened before.”

  I shook my head. “Not this time, Max. I’ve got a gut feeling about the Buri. I don’t know how or when, but they’re descended from the Ashwani. I’d stake my reputation on it.”

  “And lose it if you insist on making this part of the record without proof.”

  “Oh, I’ll find proof. If it takes me the entire two-month time limit, I’ll find it.” I leaned back. “But first, I have to find out what Dynatec is after and why the Buri aren’t reproducing in higher numbers.”

  That statement reminded me of Claudia Karle. “Max, is Second Lieutenant Karle keeping her comm unit with her at all times when she’s in the field like I asked her to do?”

  “Yes, as do all the members of her mapping party.”

  “Okay, here’s what I want you to do. Wait until she’s out of hearing range from the others and then change the frequency on her unit remotely. Tell her I need to speak with her privately, and ask her to join me for dinner at the Buri village the first opportunity she has.”

  “Yes, Kiera.”

  A tingle of satisfaction went through me with that problem out of the way. “Now, let’s see some of those drawings of the Ashwani you mentioned.”

  “There is one particularly vivid tapestry they found that you might be interested in.”

  The image in front of me vanished, only to be replaced by a holo of a large wall hanging. It depicted a table loaded with food, around which a dozen or more Ashwani gathered, eating, drinking and laughing.

  The Ashwani in the center of the group was an elderly male, his dark hair streaked with white. Around his forehead was a circlet of gold. But it was the younger man next to him that made me gasp aloud. Except for a wider brow and a scar on one cheek, it could have been Thor.

  Before my brain had time to really register what I was seeing, Thor moved. With a deep growl, he lunged out of his chair and grabbed at the image. When his hand passed through it, he flung his head back and let out a roar so full of anguish that it froze me in place.

  I was still sitting there as he spun to face me. His fists were clenched so tightly he was in danger of snapping his spear in half. And from the expression on his face, I was in danger of having that spear used on me. Eyes narrowed to glittering slits, he stared at me for what felt like an eternity, then turned and stepped through the hatch.

  Finally, I started to breathe again. “Max, did you see that?”

  “It was rather hard to miss.”

  “Damn it, there was something about that tapestry he recognized!”

  “Or maybe he was reacting to what he perceived as the presence of another, threatening male.”

  “I don’t think so. It may not be incontrovertible scientific proof, but it’s good enough for me. The Buri are descended from the Ashwani, and what’s more, Thor knows it somehow.” I jumped to my feet and headed for the hatch. “I have to find him.”

  But by the time I reached the bottom of the ramp, he was gone, the only sign he’d been there the swaying of a few branches at the edge of the jungle.

  CHAPTER 8

  Ghost stood at the bottom of the ramp, a perplexed look on his face as he stared in the direction Thor had gone. I touched his arm, and he swung his gaze to me. “Do you know where Thor is going?”

  He didn’t understand me, but he knew who I was talking about. After a few phrases in Buri, he shrugged and shook his head.

  Frustration consumed me. “Max, do you see him?”

  “Yes. He’s moving toward the village. Quite rapidly for someone who is not enhanced, I might add.”

  Well, at least Thor wasn’t running away from his people. Only from me. But he wasn’t getting rid of me that easily. I would clean up Dynatec’s mess if it killed both of us.

  Making a brief detour to grab the sanitary plans Max had printed out, I jogged toward the village, Ghost one step behind.

  Thor wasn’t hard to spot. He stood outside the new building, hands on his hips and a fierce scowl on his gorgeous face. Brownie and Churka were with him, Churka talking a mile a minute, her voice tinged with desperation. They all glanced at me when I approached, then Churka touched Thor’s arm and her tone turned pleading. The only thing I understood was the word Shushanna, repeated several times.

  With a snarl, Thor yanked his arm away from her, shot a glare in my direction, and walked into the jungle. My stomach sank all the way to my toes. He was even more upset than I’d first thought, and I didn’t know how to get through to him, to make him understand. I had to try, though. His reaction to that tapestry was too important.

  Dusty stood near the doorway of the new building, observing the proceedings, and I took a second to shove the plans into his hand before starting after Thor. I’d only taken two steps when Brownie blocked my path. Considering the mood I was in, this was not a good thing. Brownie and I had tolerated each other after I’d given him the knife, but it was an uneasy peace at best. He wasn’t about to welcome me with open arms, and right now he was feeling distinctly vindicated, as though I’d finally proved him right.

  At this point, I didn’t much care if he hated me.

  “Move.” My voice came out low and threatening, and I instinctively assumed a loose-jointed fighting stance.

  Brownie lowered his chin and shifted his spear to a two-handed grip, holding it point-up across his body, ready to move rapidly in any direction. A menacing rumble came from deep in his chest.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if you don’t get out of my way.” My gaze stay
ed locked on his, waiting for him to telegraph his intentions as I took another step. Adrenaline flooded my system and my heart pounded in reaction.

  But I had forgotten Churka. Before Brownie could move, she threw herself between us, her back to me as she faced him down, her body vibrating from the force of her emotions.

  Damn, I’d really wanted to hit someone. However, Churka’s anger was quite impressive. Seeing it was almost worth giving up the chance to pound on Brownie. Especially when it was accompanied by a spate of spitting and snarling that had him looking for the nearest exit.

  When she was through shredding him, she turned, patted my arm, and with a final glare at the rapidly retreating Buri, gestured in the direction Thor had gone. It was all the encouragement I needed, and I headed for the jungle at a fast jog.

  “Max?”

  “He’s approximately two hundred yards beyond the communal kitchen.”

  “Is he still moving away from the village?”

  “No, he seems to be pacing.”

  Exhaling one long breath, I slowed to a walk and tried to calm down. It wasn’t easy. I still had all that excess adrenaline pumping through me from the encounter with Brownie. But I didn’t want to make Thor think I was charging him, either.

  Maybe a peace offering was in order. I stopped and searched the jungle around me. There. A gorgeous white flower dangled from a smaller cluster on a nearby tree. Swirls of black and gold made up its veins, the colors running together in the interior. Black and gold. Symbols for me and Thor? Maybe.

  By the time I reached him, he’d stopped pacing. He was standing between two trees in a shaft of sunlight that had been filtered to a pale golden hue by the leaves above. Dust motes drifted in the rays, and a mothlike creature danced in and out of the light above his head, a winged attendant to his dilemma.

  And there was no doubt he was a man in a quandary. His shoulders were slumped, eyes closed as he lifted both hands to rub his jaw.

  He was in profile to me, so I studied him covertly. I had no idea how to get through to him, to find out why the tapestry had upset him so much. The subject was a little too complicated for the fingers-on-the-temples trick I’d used before. Showing him an image of the tapestry might set him off all over again, and I didn’t want to risk that happening.