Karrin Warrior Child

by Sahara Foley

  "Then, we must leave. Back to Switch. NOW."

  Karrin stared at the remaining teardrop on her finger. "No, Lurga. You also taught me an Ispepyein Warrior does not run."

  "You are not an Ispepyein, Karrin." he growled, snapping his teeth.

  She held her wet fingertip up to his almond-shaped eyes. "No, and you are not Human, either. Maybe, after spending so many years together, we are both. I know how to fight, and you know how to cry. Send a message to the five ships. Tell them to leave us in peace, or I will send them away."

  Lurga grinned like an enormous man-eating shark. "You learned well, little one." He tapped on the buttons.

  The screen read: 'Lurga Pukani, guardian to the Warrior Child Karrin, sends this message to the five fighters who approach our ship. The Warrior Child defeated your enemy. She demands that you leave our space, or she will relocate you in a fashion you will not enjoy.'

  As the last line faded from the screen, Karrin said, "Two of the fighters stopped. The other three are still advancing, about four hundred miles away." She gave him a devilish grin. "Where should I send them?"

  He pointed to a star on the chart. "Here. Let them explain how the child they were contracted to destroy, telekinetically sent them to Calen." He burst out laughing, a sound like a combination of bubbles breaking on water and the hiss of escaping steam from a teapot.

  Karrin grinned back. She enjoyed hearing her Lurga laugh. A sound seldom heard from an Ispepyein. Focusing on the dot on the chart, she concentrated on the five ships. “All five ships are, now, at Calen. What now?”

  He nodded and tapped on the keys. “Now, we find out who you sent to Calen. Even with their PSI powered drives, it will take them six days to return.” The hiss and blurping gurgle came from his throat again.

  His message read, ‘Lurga Pukani wishes to hear from his sister Zelka immediately.’

  The answer came speedily. ‘Zelka to Lurga. What did you do to Leader Kargan? His ship disappeared from our scopes.’

  The hissing and blurping got louder. ‘Who was with Leader Kargan when he foolishly attacked Lurga Pukani and the Warrior Child?’

  The answer came back. ‘Unknown. The soldiers were four returning fighters Kargan demanded to accompany him to confront you. Who is this Warrior Child? Where is Leader Kargan? Did my brother unwisely destroy his leader and my mate?’

  Lurga laughed some more as he tapped away. ‘Lurga knows his sister only fears no longer being the mate to the Leader. Fear not, Zelka. The five fighters were sent to Calen by the Warrior Child, Karrin. The Earth child I vowed to protect, but who protects me, instead.’

  A few seconds later, the screen showed, ‘Zelka demands to understand how the fighters were moved to Calen. How could a mere Earth Child trap the dangerous entity Kargan could not?’

  Lurga typed, ‘Zelka’s demands mean nothing to the Warrior Child. She has bested Lurga Pukani in battle and can best any Ispepyein Warrior you send her way. If Zelka wishes answers, we shall come for a visit. If there are Warriors there who are foolish enough to attack us, I will be more than willing to send them to their ancestors.’

  The screen remained blank for a few minutes, then, ‘Your presence is both welcomed and guaranteed unless you provoke an attack. Come in, Lurga.’

  He growled. He knew the games Zelka enjoyed playing. “My sister can take anything I do or say as a provocation. They cannot harm you, but if I am attacked, move off to the side, so there is room for me to defend myself.” He touched his claw tip to the chart and gave Karrin a nod.

  She gave an acknowledging nod. “We are there, ten miles above your planet.”

  Ispepyeins never kiss, as their hard, gray skin is not suitable for the act, but Lurga had been kissed by this girl for years. He tightened his hard skin and pulled it up to cover his triangle-shaped teeth. Leaning over, he kissed his ward on the forehead. “You are an amazing child, my Karrin.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  While Lurga guided his silver fighter to the Leader's Palace, Karrin thought about her situation. Other than Lurga, she hadn't seen another living being in seven years. Keeping her busy with survival and battle training, there was little time to miss other people. Now, she was feeling nervous. The differences between her and his people were enormous.

  The confused girl stroked the fine hairs on her arm, then pinched her pale, thin skin. Her mentor’s skin was gray, thick, hairless, and felt like sandpaper. She ran her fingertips over her lips, making her shiver. Soft and pliant, and her teeth were a single row of rounded stubs. Not good at all for tearing and rendering food.

  On Earth, Mamma and Slick said she was a beautiful girl. When they first arrived on Switch, Lurga told her she looked ugly. Over the last several years, every time she caught her reflection in the water, she appeared uglier and uglier to herself.

  Karrin signed. Does he still think I'm unpleasant to look at? For some reason, it bothered her if he did. Will his people see me the same way?

  Karrin fidgeted in the co-pilot's seat, picking at the armrest. "Um, other than you, I don't know any Peps. What are they like?"

  Lurga tapped on the keyboard, not understanding her question. "I imagine we don't differ much from your Human race. Though I must admit, after researching your people's history, I am baffled. On your world, your people distinguish themselves as either black, white, brown, or yellow, though I noticed not one Human who was truely yellow. While I was searching for you, I found the same DNA markers for each race scattered among your people. Yet, your people choose to separate themselves from each other by these designations.

  "I have visited many worlds, little one. Some races are raised, like ours, to fight. Most races chose the path of peace. However, the inhabitants of Earth prefer to fight among themselves for such a small, insufficient piece of rock. Why? For what benefit?

  "You all share the same planet. You should be learning how to live together, not kill each other off." He chuckled. "Believe me, there are space-faring species that will take advantage of your distraction with self-annihilation. I am surprised this has not yet happened."

  "Well, that's not what I meant. I mean, how do your people live among themselves? How do they interact?" Karrin squinted out of the corner of her eye at him.

  "As I said," Lurga snarled, impatient at being interrupted by his student. "most species chose a path of peace, which leaves them free to pursue enlightenment and intellectual endeavors. These planets learned to co-exist harmoniously with each other. Sometimes, there are conflicts of interest among the different worlds. When that happens, they hire us, as caretakers, to instill the peace, once again. This led to an unforeseen conundrum. The better we are at being caretakers, the fewer battles we fight. No one wants to face our Warriors.

  "But, on Ispepyein, because of our fierceness, disputes are handled differently. We are not allowed to fight each other on our home world. Therefore, we must seek legal recourse to accuse another of slights or injustices that would provoke us to attack. In short, little one, we are bored to death when confined to home. Still, the battles we crave off-world are just as lacking." He grunted in frustration.

  "Our race feels nothing you would refer to as compassion, except for our females, during their breeding time. Once their cycles are over, they become mean and spiteful. They enjoy provoking the males into fights. This is our nature. So, no matter what I do or say, my sister will see it as a provocation.

  “Since that will be the case, I will speak your language when addressing her. I am aware you understand our language, but your speaking apparatus will not allow you to talk Ispepyein. Zelka will attack me one way or the other, and this way, it will be on my terms." He typed some commands on the screen. "I just instructed Contruda to connect to her hand-link, so she can understand us."

  "Oh great," Karrin said under her breath as she flung herself back against her seat, crossing her arms. "Now, she'll hate me, too."

  Lurga cocked his head at his co-pilot. Ever since she started her bleeding cycle, her te
mperament fluctuated on a daily basis. Air hissed through his vents as he signed. She is turning into a female Ispepyein.

  "Do not concern yourself, little one. Zelka is the leader's mate, and I am a traitor for not fulfilling my contract. She has no choice, but to try and kill us. If she fails, Kargan will, once again, lose face among his people. I fear she will fail, and Kargan will be insulted. Such is life." The silver fighter settled to the ground with a soft thump. "We are here."

  He pressed a button to release the hatch. When he stepped out onto his homeworld, Lurga was met by six big males, Seeder pistols aimed at him.

  "I, Lurga Pukani," he rumbled in Ispepyein, “am here at the request of my leader's mate. However, if you wish a battle, I am more than prepared to accommodate you. Either lower your weapons or use them." He flashed his teeth at them, his two Seeder pistols in hand, but pointed at the ground.

  All of a sudden, the six males hissed and growled as they carefully backed up. They gaped at each other before hastily holstering their pistols and running off in two different directions. They fled like one of the beasts from Farla was chasing them.

  What in All God is going on? Warriors never ran from a fight. Have they grown weak since I went away?

  Shrugging, Lurga placed his guns back into their holsters. He turned and stopped, his three hearts fighting to come out of his throat. From the hatch of his silver fighter, a black, menacing cloud boiled out until it towered several feet above him. The Planet Destroyer was loose.

  *Relax, Lurga,* came a soft, mental voice. *It's me, Karrin.* The immense cloud shrank until it took the shape of a black Karrin, then she turned her usual pale color. "I thought Ispepyein's feared nothing," she said with a giggle.

  "We do not fear known adversaries," Lurga grumbled. "We do not understand these dangerous beings, capable of absorbing energy. I was prepared to fight it, fearing for your safety."

  With a sly smile, she took his large, gray, clawed hand into her soft, small, white one. "Well, it looks like some of your people know about these energy beings, but they ran away before I could ask them." She broke out in laughter.

  Lurga hissed through his teeth, not liking the bravery of his people being mocked.

  Karrin glanced sideways at him, noting how angry he was becoming. "Look, I thought they were going to shoot you. I wanted to help you, and before I knew it, I became the energy being. I had no idea I could change shapes. It's kinda scary, actually." She bit her lip. What if I couldn’t change back?

  "Why didn't you just send them away, like the ships?"

  "I never thought of it," she answered, shrugging.

  Lurga reflected on his student as he led her up the broad, steep steps to the Leader's Palace. She was full of surprises. Where did her PSI powers come from? Somehow, she was a shape-shifter, too. The palace guards ran in terror, like little frightened Peenas.

  The Greatest Ispepyein Warrior burst out in a loud hissing gurgle that echoed off the castle walls.

  Laughter twinkling in her strange blue-colored eyes, Karrin squeezed his scarred hand. "I love you, too, Lurga," she said in perfect growling Ispepyein.

  Lurga stopped mid-stride and stared down at his prodigy. Whatever she was, she was not all Human. He stooped over and, with one arm, picked her up as if she weighed less than a feather. Laughing again, he strode through the wide, metal doorway, Karrin's arms wrapped around his thick neck.

  The brother to the Leader’s Mate marched across a room four fighter lengths long until he was confronted by an ornately-carved, massive double-sided door. Towering over them, the door handles would've hit Karrin at eye level if she were standing. Lurga pushed against the doors and stepped into the room.

  The chamber took Karrin's breath away. With wide eyes, she peered around, awed by the immenseness of the room. The ceiling was so high it disappeared into a dark haze.

  Lurga walked down a long orange carpet with pictures of battles embroidered on it. He stopped in front of a female Pep and set Karrin on her feet.

  Zelka sat in an enormous chair, flanked on each side by six impressive guards, their hands resting lightly on Seeder pistols at their hips. Their eyes followed every movement Lurga made.

  The Leader’s mate was dressed in a bright green gown, embellished with shining gold trim. She wore gold sandals that set off the dark red painted on her claws. Her sharp, white teeth gleamed as she grimaced at their entrance, which Karrin knew was an Ispepyein equivalent of a smile.

  Karrin shifted her feet and picked at her shirt made from blue squirrel fur. Compared to Zelka, she looked like a lower life-form. Something to be squashed underfoot.

  With a wave of nausea, she sneezed as a cloying odor overcame her. Her eyes watered, and her nose itched. Covering her tortured nose, Karrin glanced around, looking for the source of the terrible aroma.

  Scattered around the room were stands with round orange pots on them, smoke drifting into the air. Without thinking about it, Karrin shut down the olfactory receptors of her nose. She took a deep breath and smiled. No more bad smell.

  Zelka's gold-painted breathing vents were fluttering in anger.

  Karrin looked up at Lurga, concerned. He was scowling at his sister, grinding his teeth. What’s going on? What did I miss?

  Then, she remembered the telepathic connection Lurga had with his sister. She concentrated on him and heard Zelka mentally berating her brother. His sister was trying to talk to him through their mental link, but he was ignoring her.

  A sneer in his voice, he growled in formal Ispepyein, "Greetings and Good Battle to my sister, Zelka, and her guards, from Lurga Pukani and the Warrior Child, Karrin, she who bested the energy beast."

  Zelka peered down her snout at the frail Human child who was gripping her brother's hand. She gnashed her teeth. "This weak child bested you and the energy being? I do not believe you, my brother."

  Karrin stepped off to the side of the warrior before he could respond. She read Lurga's fate in Zelka's mind, and she had to save him. Too many of her loved ones had already been lost and the thought of being alone, again, terrified her.

  "I am Karrin, the Warrior Child," she said in perfect Ispepyein as she insolently crossed her arms over her chest. "I care not what you do or do not believe. Ask your questions, Zelka, so we may leave this dreary place. But, be warned, if you attack my Lurga or me, you will pay dearly." Her strange blue eyes turned gray and began to glow.

  Lurga hissed and flashed his teeth at his fat and lazy sister.

  She jumped to her feet in anger, her gown flowing around her rounded belly.

  Ah, not obese, but carrying Kargan's seeds. So, she finally succumbed to his relentless demands for offspring. Lurga laughed harder at the trap she sprung on herself. She would always be Kargan's mate, now, no matter whether he was Leader or not – or dead.

  "You dare to speak to me this way? You dare to laugh at me?" she roared, pointing a red claw at her brother. "Guards, destroy them!"

  The guards fired their Seeder pistols before Lurga had time to draw his own weapons. He watched in horror as the silver grids raced toward him and his ward. He had failed in his duty.

  He might survive some of the blasts, but Karrin had yet to be tested against multiple weapons. Within seconds she could be sliced and diced to pieces. He braced himself, preparing to meet his ancestors, knowing they would be disappointed in his failure.

  A small mental voice ordered him not to move. His jaw dropped in stunned shock as sections of the blue, metal wall behind Karrin fall to the floor in perfect square shapes. Yet, she was unharmed.

  Sounds of falling plaster made him turn his head. A large white column became nothing more than square pieces. He quickly glanced down at his body and ran his hand over his broad chest. He should’ve been hit several times, but there weren't even burnt marks. When he looked at Karrin, she tipped her head and winked back.