I eased her onto her back and tossed my old jacket over her. I turned to leave, and she took my hand. They were so cold, even for us. A shiver ran down my spine. If I left now, would she still be alive upon my return?
I turned around and cupped her face. “I will be right back. Understand?” I placed her head onto my chest. She better not leave me. God, she better not.
The unicorn shoved my back with his snout. I will not repeat myself.
Zupho didn’t say anything else as I followed him to what I assumed was some sort of council chamber. Nearby geysers vibrated the walls, and the cave brightened as we neared the surface. I wished Amy had been with me. She would’ve gone on one of her typical rants attempting to explain what caused the moon’s eruptions and quakes.
She was the smart one. She wanted to be a leading scientist, while I would’ve been fine working the mines or drilling like everyone else. Too bad for the unis, I turned out to be a better shot instead.
The creature led me deeper into the uncharted caves on the moon; no one I knew had ventured this far behind enemy lines. We came upon an opening where the ground had smoothed. My eyes adjusted accordingly, given Europa had the brightest surface of any celestial body in the solar system besides the sun. The area where I stood looked like a stage. Jupiter was probably peeking over the mountains outside. I hadn’t seen it since being captured, so the kid in me wanted to ask the tour guide if we could take a quick glimpse, though I knew better.
We’re here, Zupho said as we stopped at the center of the stage.
Twenty-four unicorns appeared from the shadows around me. They stood silently in formation, their front left legs bent ever so slightly. It gave me chills.
A uni larger than Zupho trotted up to me, sniffing as it rested its red-stained horn on my shoulder. There was no telling how many soldiers it had killed. I kept my hands to my side, though my trigger finger twitched.
Five agonized minutes of silence passed as the two dozen animals studied me. Something needed to happen; I was wasting too much time. Amy needed me. Maybe this was a test, or I was supposed to speak first. Only one way to find out.
“I was told the Alpha wanted to speak with me. Is he here?”
Three of the unis leapt onto the stage. They dragged their horns across the ground as they approached me.
I dropped to my knees and eyed the floor. “I had to leave my sister for this. She’s dying.” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “She doesn’t deserve that. I am the soldier. Not her. I don’t know how capable your people are, but she needs medical attention.” I lifted my gaze to the nearest uni. “She’s only twelve years old. I hope you can at least understand the concept of innocence.”
We do appreciate such notions, human. The questions is, can you?
I spun around, and froze. Before me stood a creature far larger than any of the other unis, being the size of what was once called a Clydesdale. How had something so enormous sneaked up on me?
The unicorn looked down on me, eyes the color of pearls. The protrusion from its head faded to ebony at the tip. The hue of its skin was that of a flower Amy had shown me in one of her old notes; I think it was called a rose. The color on this creature seemed unnatural, however. It was too—dare I say it—beautiful.
It circled me, its hooves not making a sound. So large, yet so elegant. No one had laid eyes on an Alpha before, or if they had, they never had the chance to tell anyone about it.
The red unicorn sniffed the top of my head. Your scent is fresh. You speak well for one so young, human. Which are you? Male or female?
“Um, male … ma’am.” Now that the shock had worn off, I sensed a feminine tone from the Alpha.
A boy, you say. Shame. And the tiny one that stays with you … She snorted. Its scent is similar to your own. A female, hmm? A “sister,” I believe you call it. The Alpha sniffed again. Strong, though I doubt she realizes it yet.
The unicorn shimmied back, shaking her head wildly. You also have the blood of my brethren on you, boy. For that alone, you should be left to rot in the cell with the rest of your comrades. But fortune has fallen upon you. My herd faces a dilemma, and you will help us resolve it.
The unicorns needed my help? With what? Why me? Weren’t there other prisoners with better credentials, other soldiers older and stronger?
“What do you need me to do?” I asked warily.
Your people kidnapped my son, and you are going to retrieve him.
I assumed my ears weren’t working too well until I remembered the unicorn wasn’t speaking to me at all. “When was the colt taken?”
He was abducted two days ago, based on your silly calendar. The Alpha approached me. I know your scientists will examine him to the point of death. To study a rare crimson alpha, of course they would seize the opportunity without hesitation.
That last part was certainly true, but humans venturing this deep into the lower layers didn’t make sense. Then again, a dispatched recon unit might slip behind lines if given enough reason. Maybe they had a lead on the location of our prison and a group had been ordered to scout and confirm.
And what if the said recon team was in the middle of the operation when they lucked out and found a baby red unicorn more than likely grazing on some fresh hexagon crystals? How could they pass up learning additional information about what made the enemy tick, especially if the foal had the potential of leading forces when it grew up?
We kill them out of curiosity. They kill us out of anger. What a stupid cycle.
“Where was your colt last seen?”
He is not allowed to travel beyond the northern layers. He would have stayed near my den, as he always does. The other prisoners either lack your ability to track us, or are far too weak to undertake a journey beyond these borders and survive. I have no further options.
Either I was delirious, or I sensed a crack in the Alpha’s voice. She might have been the leader of this herd of unicorns, but today, she seemed to be a mother who just wanted her kidnapped child returned to her. Anyone could empathize with that … I guess, including me.
I straightened. “What do I get in return?”
The Alpha stared me down. You get to live.
My life wasn’t the one on the brink of ending.
“For years, our races have suffered because of our differences, but I think there’s one thing we both seem to appreciate.”
Really.
“It’s family. My parents have been without knowledge of their children’s well-being for what would be three months to an Earthy. That’s hundreds of cycles here. Surely you can appreciate such a loss now, even with your case being a mere two days. Maybe we can come to an equal exchange on that note?”
Zupho snorted as he reared. Enough, human. You dare make bargains with the Alpha?
Silence, Zupho, the Alpha ordered. She swung her head side to side and fluttered her long lashes. I could see the perplexity in her eyes as she pondered. Moments later, she pointed her horn at my chest. State your proposal.
“Release my sister.”
Alpha—, Zupho objected.
She charged the tip of her horn and aimed it at the silver unicorn.
Zupho lowered his head and backed away.
The Alpha returned her attention to me. Just her?
Including the remaining prisoners into the bargain wasn’t possible. It had to be a fair trade, as much as I hated it. “Just her. An innocent for an innocent.”
Very well. Take your leave, then. The longer you remain here, the longer your sister will be without your care.
I paused. “Can I explain the situation to her?”
The red unicorn trotted away, not saying another word. Zupho and the other three on stage placed themselves between us.
“Let me at least tell her good-bye. I told her I’d come right back.”
Then you best not make the same mistake in breaking your promises with me as you have with her, the Alpha answered back as she left. Otherwise, your people will be the ones to face th
e consequences of your failure, starting with her.
Five unicorns would bring a good fight, and twenty-six would bring a massacre. I couldn’t let that happen. The unis on post broke their formation once the Alpha was out of sight and disappeared into the shadows.
Zupho and the others faded as their camo enveloped them.
You best hurry, human. It seems time is not on either of our sides.
O O O
Four days on the surface, and I understood why the unis had been unable to track down the recon unit. We had not only learned about the unicorn’s camo capabilities, but like any good human, we had improved it for ourselves. Given infrared was obsolete, the local unis didn’t know what signs a soldier like me would look for. Subtle dips in the iced sheets indicating where a human-sized body had taken a nap. Parts of walls covered with an extra layer of ice to hide evidence of a colt scraping its hooves against the ridges as it struggled to break free. The subtle hints were there.
The moon’s defining feature, a series of crevices and thin ridges a few meters high, might have slowed someone else down on this journey, but I leaped over them with minimal effort. They said our ancestors could jump higher, given how much stronger they were than us. I at least remembered a teacher telling me Earth’s Luna was about the same size as Europa, making gravity a close equivalent.
To live on a planet that had such a strong gravitational pull? Earthies had no idea how amazing they were, until it was too late. Even so, I figured we had our benefits too. Nana and Grampi were first-generation, genetically altered people to be naturally born. No suits. No space bubbles. No living underneath the ice to avoid Jupiter’s radiation. No need for terraforming. We were too good to be true. All we had to do was learn how the locals managed to do it, via a couple of dissections here and there. Look where that got us. Look where that got my sister. I’d never forgive the unicorns, or us, if I lost her.
I stopped and slid against an iced wall as I covered my face. Amy had been half-dead when I left her days ago, and now she didn’t have anyone to care for her. She had to be gone by now. I didn’t even get to see Amy during her last moments. My heartbeat raced as the truth came upon me. It was too late. I had failed her.
I opened my eyes, and what I saw stopped my thoughts from spiraling into deeper despair. Four pairs of human footprints adjoined by four tiny hooves were in front of me. The Special Ops team was getting sloppy, and so was I. No, the Alpha was right. Amy was strong. She was a fighter. She was still hanging in there. God, she had to be. I scrambled to my feet and picked up the pace.
The recon team was still a decent ways out by the looks of the prints, and there was no telling how close they were to reaching a forward operating base or drop zone. Explaining to four soldiers why a unicorn needed to be returned to its herd would be tough enough. Having to tell that to a CO and a room filled with scientists and military advisors would be near impossible.
Reaching the team and reasoning with them before a worse situation came up was my only option. Anything less would result in the red unicorn and her herd seeking vengeance for the lost colt. And if Amy wasn’t already dead by then, she and whatever remaining captives wouldn’t have to wait very long.
An echoing, high-pitched neigh pumped my adrenaline. I was gaining on them, but as I gazed across a vast plain of ice, all I saw were smooth ridges. So, why didn’t I see the team?
Wait. Oh, no.
“Don’t move.”
I froze. Stupid me. Of course the team had realized someone was tailing them and left bread crumbs. Two scouts appeared in front of me, disengaging their camo and lowering their blasters. One of them tapped my shoulder.
“Looks like we got an escapee, Sarge,” the young woman said as she examined my top, puzzled. “Army. Rank?”
“Private Timothy Miles of the 532nd infantry unit,” I recited. “I was on leave when my home was raided by a uni squad. My parents are Renae—”
“Did you say the 532nd?” the other soldier said. “We thought we lost all of you guys!”
Before I could say anything else, I was bombarded by pats on the back and handshakes. The sergeant phased into sight as he approached me. He held a halter tied to a pink unicorn trembling behind him. The foal didn’t even have the hint of a horn yet. Give him another Earth year or two and his skin would be as radiant as his mother’s.
The sergeant handed the rope to the third soldier then faced me. “Good to have you back with us, Private Miles. We weren’t sure what was following us, otherwise we would’ve stopped sooner. You have perfect timing. We’re a day out from the FOB, but we’ve got plenty to spare. Hungry? I bet you have a story to tell over dinner.”
I eyed the tiny unicorn, his big black eyes darting left to right. I wondered if he was even old enough to speak telepathically. I honestly felt sorry for him—just another victim caught in the middle a war, like Amy.
He snuffled suddenly, startling the soldiers so much that they drew their weapons on him. That was a bit random of the uni … Or was it?
“Can I touch him, sir?” I asked the sergeant.
“Go ahead. You probably won’t get another chance once the brainiacs are done with it.”
I approached the frightened unicorn and extended my palm to his nose. He sniffed again. The foal’s breath was warm. His ears pricked forward as he rubbed my palm with the tiny hairs on his snout. Just as I thought. He probably smelled his mother. I leaned over to his ear as I rubbed his forehead. The one soldier still within my eyesight watched me carefully.
“Can you understand me?” I whispered to the foal. “If so, we’re going to help each other. I hope.”
O O O
The sergeant’s last name was Yukimura. The guy who first spotted me was Khalaf, their lead scout. The rifle on his back could drop something from two klicks away, easy. The woman who had asked for my rank was the main gunner, Pashkov, and Mellis was the team’s technician.
I explained the situation the instant they completed the pleasantries. I needed to hurry. The FOB would wonder why the team hadn’t radioed in and send people to investigate.
Sarge took off his helmet and rubbed his buzzed head after I finished. “You want me to return this thing”—Yukimura thumped the colt’s ear—“and in return, we get your sister back but lose you in the process?” He shook his head. “Now that we know the enemy’s position, we can launch a full op and get your sister out—plus anyone else who might still be in the caves. Don’t you want to see your folks again, Miles?”
“I was out of options, sir.”
“And you still are, I’m afraid. With this red uni, we can save more lives beyond those in the cave. This doesn’t seem like a tough decision.”
I got up, and Khalaf stood too.
“What I’m offering might end further bloodshed even sooner,” I insisted. “Way sooner.”
“Yes, it might,” Khalaf pointed out. “This uni is a guarantee, though.”
“It’s a guarantee to a quick burial. They’re ready to respond if anything happens to the colt.”
Yukimura tugged the uni closer to him and rubbed his mane. “We’ll just have to respond before they realize anything’s happened, then.” He stood up and rested his hands on my shoulders. “You obviously made some sort of connection with these creatures while you were with them, but we don’t have that luxury. The answer is no. I’m sorry.”
I couldn’t blame them. Their arguments made sense. From where they stood, I was looking through a tiny visor, where only Amy was in sight. Not only were they good soldiers, but they were good people.
Attempting to reason with unicorns sounded insane, even to me. Still, the look in the Alpha’s eyes had to account for something. I hated having to admit it, but maybe they weren’t the monsters I thought them to be.
I groaned, realizing I wanted to save the unicorns almost as much as I wanted to save Amy.
“Are you okay, son?” Yukimura asked.
I glanced at Mellis’ sidearm too hard, evaluating if I could
force them to hand over the foal. Yeah, right. Four highly trained Special Ops personnel against me.
“You don’t want to do that,” Mellis told me, shaking his head. “Just relax, okay? We’re on the same side, remember?”
I sat down, my foot tapping the ground. “We’re making a mistake.”
The colt started to buck as he tried to shake the muzzle off his mouth. Something had excited him. Every soldier stood, weapons drawn.
“They’re close,” Sarge said. “Check for ripples.”
“There!” Pashkov cried as she raised her rifle and fired. Blue plasma spat out of the barrel.
Mellis and Khalaf forced me down and shielded me with their own bodies while they fired. I hollered for them to stop, but the rounds were too loud.
Blue unibeams zipped from every direction. Despite their tech, Special Ops could only do so much when ambushed and fully exposed.
I rolled onto my back and covered my ears. As I did, I noticed the visual displacement behind Yukimura’s back.
“Sarge,” I cried. “On your six!”
A horn erupted through his left shoulder before he could move. His yell made the others turn around as the unicorn pinned him to the ground. The unicorn lifted his camo, withdrew his horn, and looked at me. It was Zupho. He placed a hoof on top of the sergeant’s neck, keeping him down.
Everyone, including the unis, stopped firing.
“What the hell are you doing?” I asked as I stood up.
What you cannot. The Alpha may have placed her faith in you, but not I. Her colt will be returned to us, one way or another.
Pashkov had her sights on Zupho, while Mellis and Khalaf kept their weapons drawn on the other four unicorns. A standoff. Great.
The gunner edged her crosshairs between Zupho’s eyes. “I guess we have something in common, Miles. You.”
The unicorns had used me the same way the team had used the colt. I had led them straight to us.
I placed myself between Pashkov’s barrel and Zupho. “Let’s all calm down. We can sort this out!”
“It looks a little late for that,” Mellis said over his shoulder.
Yukimura groaned, still on the ground.
A Game of Horns: A Red Unicorn Anthology Page 22