Alien, Awakening

by Sandra Harris

  “Are you both able?”

  Shaharna blinked.

  “All good,” Kat said. “Which way?”

  T’Hargen pointed his scanner to the left-hand tunnel. “That one.”

  “I am no longer in wireless communication with Labringal Masterframe,” TL oopled. “And we left the perimeter of the molecular transmitter cloud a short while ago.”

  “Noted,” T’Hargen said and strode forwards.

  Kat stared into the black mouth of the tunnel.

  “Um, T’Hargen?”

  He halted and turned, attention sharp on her as though ready to fulfil any request she might make. Warmth filled her heart.

  “Yes, Kathryn?”

  She squinched her face into a half-scared, half-dismayed grimace. “Do you think we can expect any wildlife? Bats, spiders, that sort of thing?”

  They don’t make big girl panties big enough to deal with that shit.

  “I see no indication of such.” He offered her a reassuring smile. “You need not worry. I won’t let anything surprise you.”

  “Okay then, lead on.”

  Burnt umber and charcoal-coloured cobblestones lined the entire passage. An intermittent spark of gold glinted here and there in T’Hargen’s torchlight. She fell in behind him, TL at her shoulder. Shaharna moved to her side and leaned in.

  “What does Ssileela mean?” she whispered.

  Kat glanced down at the woman then at T’Hargen’s broad back.

  “It’s part of the Angrigan language and in general terms it means ‘honoured female’.”

  Shaharna’s head jerked back. “Us? He called me and Andvara ‘honoured female’?” A frown wrinkled her nose. “There is no such term in our language.” She stood a little straighter. “Can I be known as Ssileela Shaharna now?”

  “Of course. The Alliance respects their females. They’re very civilised.”

  A smothered snort drifted back to her.

  “It wasn’t always so,” T’Hargen said over his shoulder. “In the case of the Angrigans, many generations ago our females taught us the way.”

  “Oh? How so?”

  He shot her a cheeky grin. Warmth sparkled through her chest and sucked the strength from her knees. Damn that man could turn her molecules to jelly.

  “They may not be as large as the males, but they’re almost as strong and they’re fast.”

  “They beat the crap out of you, didn’t they?”

  The curve of his lips sharpened. “When it was deserved. Fortunately our ancestors were not slow in learning and eventually realised it was not only in their best interest to respect every member of our society and not be caught by gender-bias, but also that it was simply the right thing to do.”

  They marched on through the quiet gloom for a long while, their footsteps a soft audio shadow. The cobblestones beneath Kat’s feet and those near the base of the walls evened out then disappeared.

  The utter smoothness of the now slightly dished, rock floor pricked her curiosity. It almost looked as though TL had polished it with a laser. T’Hargen’s light delved into a large, dark hole on their right. She slid her gaze to him. He frowned at his scanner.

  “Something wrong?”

  “Masterframe’s map does not contain this passage.”

  She peered into the pitch-black channel.

  “Anything in there?”

  “Not that the scanner can read.”

  He sent a curious, almost warning glare at the tunnel as though threatening anything untoward to emerge from it then proceeded on their set course. A minute vibration rippled through the cool air. Dust motes danced and fell through the light. A trickle of alarm heightened her focus.

  “What was that?”

  T’Hargen swung his scanner this way and that. His frown deepened. “I don’t know.”

  “Not a seismic tremor?”

  “Not one that is registering.”

  “Lifeform?”

  “Possibly. There is so much scattered biological data from the Falni that it is difficult to distinguish.”

  Heat pulsed against the crown of her head. She looked up, scanning the seemingly innocent cobblestones. A pebble pinged off her forehead. Dry, hot air blasted against her face. A harsh, acrid smell seared her nostrils. Gaze glued to the ceiling, she pushed a hand against Shaharna’s stomach and backed them both away towards T’Hargen. Rock popped. Cracks forked across the tunnel roof. A purple-green glow leaked downwards.

  “Kathryn!”

  She grabbed Shaharna and dove towards T’Hargen. His strong arm circled her waist and dumped her behind him. They stumbled backwards. Shimmering light hazed the air. Something large and bright dropped from the ceiling and glooped to the floor in front of T’Hargen. The heat and radiance dissipated.

  She peered around T’Hargen’s broad form. Something bulbous and—she swallowed—viscousy lay on the rock floor. It faded from burgundy to lavender to dull mauve. Here and there sporadic pulses expanded and deflated its, um, skin. She stared at the . . . creature?

  “Well I wasn’t expecting that,” she murmured.

  T’Hargen spread his arms at an angle and ushered her and Shaharna slowly back. She gripped the back of his shirt.

  “I thought you said you wouldn’t let anything surprise me.”

  He shot her a swift glance over his shoulder. “It’s not a bat.”

  Ha!

  They backed away a few more feet.

  “Drone, you’ll be able to scan for more of such creatures?”

  “I can and am,” TL affirmed.

  Kat turned and continued briskly further into the tunnel.

  “What was that?” Shaharna asked from her side.

  “Buggered if I know.”

  “The creature appeared to excrete a substance that caused a chemical reaction with the rock and melted it,” T’Hargen said.

  “Well I’m glad it didn’t drop in front of us. I wouldn’t fancy me or Shaharna trying to jump over the thing.”

  “I’m sure between Drone and myself we would have managed.”

  She half-turned, reached back, then curled her fingers around T’Hargen’s solid bicep. The density of his muscles never ceased to amaze to her.

  “I know I can count on you.”

  Intense assurance blazed in his eyes.

  “Always.” His chest lifted to a deep breath. “Kathryn, when we return we have things to discuss.”

  Profound sincerity coloured his tone and an apologetic light his eyes. Delight that he was so obviously willing to meet her at the table to work on their relationship glitches blazed through her like a fireworks rocket. He was so going to be forgiven for scoffing her. “Oh, yeah?”

  “Yes.”

  An image of him offering to give up his hazardous life and her trying to dissuade him popped into her head. She almost laughed at the irony.

  “Then let’s get this job done.” She sent a reassuring glance at TL. “And I know I can always count on you, too.”

  “And me,” Shaharna whispered.

  Kat wrapped an arm around the small woman’s slim shoulders and hugged her tight.

  “And you can always depend on us.” She arched an eyebrow at T’Hargen. “Right?”

  “Right.”

  T’Hargen ran a gentle caress down her arm then moved by her and led them on.

  “The exit to the white woods should not be far,” he said. “Roughly another forty meters. We merely have to—”

  A breath of subtle warmth brushed her skin. Faint, purple and green radiance like a miniature, indoor Aurora Australis layered the gloom before them.

  “That colour looks awfully familiar.”

  “It does. Drone, what are you reading?”

&n
bsp; “I’m not sure,” TL fluted. “Either my scans of something large are being fractured or there are multiple rock creatures ahead.”

  “Well we’d better find out,” she said, “and what we need to do to get around them. We’re on the clock here and time’s a-wasting.”

  She strode after T’Hargen and TL, Shaharna by her side, through the purple haze—Hopefully not indicating the end of time, thank you, Jimi H.—and around a bluff of rock. A small chamber, dotted with short stalagmites, shimmered with diaphanous ribbons of green and purple. Scattered across the smooth floor, a multitude of miniature tors about twenty centimetres high glowed like liquid, silken burgundy in upturned, roughly cut, clear crystal vases. Heat radiated from the luminous spikes, brushed her face and hands.

  Oh. My. God. It’s LV-426. She cleared her throat and swallowed. “Nursery?”

  “Possibly,” T’Hargen murmured, “I hazard it would be best not to fracture the quartz ampules.”

  “Gotcha. So, it appears that we merely have to tiptoe through the not-tulips. Preferably before mama or papa returns.”

  “Indeed.” T’Hargen stood close by her side, his warmth competing with that of the nursery.

  “This cake you mentioned earlier, Kathryn, of what is it constructed?”

  “Apparently in this case, something to test our stamina, our dexterity and our balance.”

  “I do not like this cake.”

  “Can’t say I’m particularly fond of it myself at this stage. What do you say, Shaharna?”

  The silver stars in her eyes sparkled.

  “I think it’s wonderful!”

  Kat quirked up a corner of her mouth.

  Good for you.

  T’Hargen stepped forwards and she followed, judiciously negotiating a careful passage through the chamber.

  ~ ~ ~

  Kat rubbed and flexed her right shoulder while she peered at the green and white beauty of the woods before her. She’d practically had to perform five basic poses of chakras yoga to get through the convoluted passage of rocky debris that almost blocked the tunnel exit. No doubt thanks to those seismic events Masterframe had mentioned. How T’Hargen had made it was beyond her.

  Shaharna had scampered through like nobody’s business. Nimble little minx that she was.

  A scent like fresh-cut grass seasoned with gardenia floated to her on a soft, cool breeze. Dappled shade caressed masses of white, five-petalled flowers bedecking moss-like ground cover. Branches thick with snowy blossoms set adrift pendant-like, single white petals to gently twirl away like miniature, one-bladed helicopters glistening of mother-of-pearl. Muted clicks and chirrups echoed mellifluously through the serene air.

  “This is so pretty,” Shaharna whispered, a thread of awe vibrating her voice.

  “It is quite lovely,” Kat agreed. “And just think, if we’re successful and the Alliance helps keep Labringal for descendants, you can come here whenever you want.”

  Anticipation and high delight shone in Shaharna’s chocolate-puddle eyes.

  “I could bring the others?”

  Kat raised her eyebrows at her. “You could bring whomever you wanted, whenever you wanted.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely really.”

  TL ooed assuring confirmation, then advised he had re-established communication with Masterframe.

  “This way.” T’Hargen’s purposeful stride took him through the glade without disturbing a bloom. Kat picked her way after him, Shaharna in her footsteps.

  For five minutes or so they pressed on through the charming wood, vibrant white a clean contrast to rich green. T’Hargen came to an abrupt halt then held up one hand. She stopped mid-stride, one foot in the air, then slowly lowered her boot to the ground. Her heart picked up pace. She turned to Shaharna to indicate silence, but the young woman had her mouth firmly closed, her eyes locked on T’Hargen.

  She trusts him already. She really is an amazing woman.

  Fierce protectiveness burned through Kat, adding another layer of strength to her determination to see the Blufem safely through this.

  “Drone, you’ve initiated a bio-dampening field?” T’Hargen murmured.

  “I have,” TL fluted low.

  T’Hargen gave her a level stare. “I’ve received a communiqué from Masterframe. We have a problem.”

  He lifted his scanner and held it towards her. She studied the schematic. Numerous Bluthen stood between them and the teleporter tower. Some were stationed within the short hedges of the labyrinth, the remainder lined the outer perimeter. All, according to T’Hargen’s scanner, with weapons charged.

  Yep, that definitely qualifies as a problem.

  “How many?”

  “We do not have enough firepower to fight our way to the teleporter. Not without a distraction,” T’Hargen said. His scanner bipped and he consulted it. “Masterframe urges us to return. Something has caused a disturbance in the Bluthen. There is much activity everywhere she can monitor. She believes she can hide us in the gullies and catacombs until it is safe to return to G’areen via the minor pillar.”

  “That would mean giving up our chance at securing this world and helping Labringal Masterframe,” she argued.

  “And there is no guarantee we could remain hidden from the Bluthen until it was safe to flee.”

  “Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place,” she muttered.

  What the hell are we going to do now?

  An image filled with the tiny stars of aquamarine glow worms came to mind. Wicked satisfaction sprang through her. “I’ve got an idea.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Kat peeked between lush foliage across a hundred and fifty feet of short turf and studied the formation of the Bluthen lining the low, emerald-hedged perimeter of the green labyrinth. At its centre, the elegant, frosted-white, twisted spiral of the teleporter tower soared. They’d only get one shot at this, and in all probability they were guilty of extreme gung-hoery, but the stakes were high enough to make the risk. She slid a sideways glance at T’Hargen. He still looked unconvinced, but options were limited. This strategy was what they had with the resources they had.

  T’Hargen leaned towards her. His dark vision visors rested across the swollen and hardened bulges of his barbed cranial ridges. Looked like her big, thorny devil was ready to wreak havoc. He wrapped a hand around her nape, half-covering the back of her head, and dragged her towards him.

  “Do not, I repeat, not, emerge from cover until I give the word. Understood?”

  She grinned at him. “Yes, dear.”

  He planted a quick, hard kiss on her lips then turned to TL.

  “You are primed to go?”

  “I am.”

  “You’ve adjusted your visors to compensate for the light effect?” she asked T’Hargen.

  That cocky grin of his that never failed to ignite sparks of decadent glee in her stretched his lips. “Yes, dear, I have.”

  She shot an evil smile at her guys and raised her eyebrows. “Then go ’strobe ’em, boys.”

  TL cloaked, the soft hum of his drive system dopplered into silence. T’Hargen flipped his visor down, then withdrew the stun grenades and held them ready, thumbs on detonation switches.

  “Turn your head, Kathryn. You, too, Ssileela Shaharna.”

  Kat shuffled around and faced the woods, focused her hearing behind. Shaharna stepped close. T’Hargen’s clothing rustled. A Bluthen shout of alarm rang with surprise. More followed.

  Light show initiated.

  The zipping twoyng of TL’s lasers slashed through the agitated fracas.

  Stage two: cut down the enemy while they’re disorientated.

  Yells of pain and command mingled. T’Hargen leaped from her side. A moment later, two quick explosi
ons accompanied a mild ripple of energy through her muscles.

  Stage three: stun grenades deployed.

  Violent noise and aggression vibrated the air. The need to turn and watch T’Hargen, to keep a visual guard over him, burned through her. She resisted. She wouldn’t be any good to him blinded and disoriented by TL’s psychedelic offensive. Small fingers brushed her palm. She curled a comforting grip around Shaharna’s hand and waited and listened. The serene beauty of the woods before her stood in stark counterpoint to the vehement fracas at her back. She scanned the trees, searched for more Bluthen arriving or any escaping the assault. TL’s lasers modulated to a deep buzz. The sounds of skirmish lessened.

  Then silence.

  “They’re dead, aren’t they?” Shaharna’s flat whisper wobbled marginally.

  Kat cast a quick glance behind and peered through the concealing leaves. T’Hargen strode towards her. Burn marks scored his chest and one arm, he didn’t seem to notice. Relief flooded her on a hot wave. She wrapped an arm around Shaharna’s shoulders and drew her close.

  “The Bluthen?”

  “Yes.”

  T’Hargen gestured them forwards.

  Stage four: job done.

  “Yes, they are.”

  A little huff of breath left her friend. Shaharna stepped back and Kat met her gaze. Acceptance and resignation dulled the sparkle that usually lit her friend’s merry eyes.

  Shaharna’s head tilted a little to her shoulder. “That’s the way it had to be.”

  Kat regarded her in sombre contemplation. “Unfortunately. Sometimes the only way is for the last act to be bloody. Are you ready? T’Hargen’s given us the all clear.”

  Shaharna gave her rapid affirmative blink. Kat turned and jogged from the woods straight towards her man. T’Hargen reached for her, cupped the back of her head in both hands and stared intently into her eyes. Bits of—I’m going to go with Bluthen—hung from the thorns spiking his cranial ridges.