In Situ

by Frazier, David Samuel

  “What will become of them, Pete? We noticed as we walked over that this section is definitely not part of the ARC.”

  “I think, Doctor, that it is better if I do not answer that question just yet,” Pete said in a way that begged her not to insist on an answer.

  Pete and Tom went to the gallery above the room Mot was in. The facility was almost identical to Ara’s compound and had been set up with a bed and a lavatory. Mot was lying face up on a large mattress that had been placed on the floor, his feet hanging conspicuously off the end. The two men watched as Alex entered the room and made her way carefully over to him. She sat beside the bed Arzat-style and placed her hand on the side of his head.

  “Mot son of Url, this is Alex daughter of Simon. I am here,” she said, tears suddenly streaming from her eyes. The sight of her giant Arzat lying there, helpless, was almost too much for her to bear. She repeated the message several times until she saw his eyelids flutter. Come on Alex, she admonished herself, pull it together.

  Mot first heard Alex as a dull echo in his head. He tried to awaken immediately, but the drugs slowed him. Gradually, he regained consciousness, and completely recognized her voice. His heart beat harder at hearing her, because he had thought she was dead. He vaguely remembered the sound of the human fire sticks, and Alex falling, but little else from the incident at the ranch.

  “Alex?” he asked hopefully, still only halfway to consciousness.

  “Yes, Mot. I am here,” she said gently as she watched him open his eyes.

  Mot slowly rolled upright on the bed, his head pounding, and faced Alex. “I am sorry, Alex. I failed to protect you,” he said, trying to shake the anesthesia, his eyes blinking to clear the fog.

  “We are safe now, Mot. Everything is OK.”

  Mot looked around the room, trying to get his bearings. He did not like what he saw or felt. He could sense the presence of many other humans. The room was shocking, white and barren. Then, he suddenly recognized the strong presence of another Arzat. He flicked his tongue and smelled the air deeply. It was unmistakably the scent of Ara.

  “She is here?” he asked, wide eyed, becoming fully awake and sitting upright.

  “Yes, Mot, she is alive and well, and she is here,” Alex said, wishing to calm him. “You will see her shortly.”

  Mot sat quietly trying to piece together all of the information, his head still swirling from the drugs. Before the news of Ara, he had felt there was little hope for him in this new world, but now, well, anything was possible. He could feel his heart beating faster as he thought of her. But there was something very different about Alex, something dark and hopeless, something very disturbing. Mot wanted to probe, knowing he could, but held himself back. Still…. Then a wave of jealousy that he could not explain overtook him. He looked into Alex’s eyes, and he could “see” another male there. “Someone is with you now. Is it your mate?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

  Alex tried to stay calm. There was no possibility of hiding anything from him. “Yes,” she answered slowly, “you remember the man I spoke of earlier? He is here.”

  It was not fair, Alex belonged to him, he thought, realizing the moment it crossed his mind that it was wrong-headed. She is a human, and of course she should have a mate. Despite his own reasoning, Mot still did not like the idea. “Oh,” or something close to that, was all he could say.

  “Would you like to see her?” she asked. Alex was dying to meet the female herself.

  “I’m sorry? Oh, yes. Yes, I would like to see Ara,” he paused, “but first I would like to meet your mate. What is his name?”

  “His name is Tom,” she responded awkwardly. Mot sat patiently. Oh yes, thought Alex, what is Tom’s father’s name for god’s sake? He is waiting for his full name. “Tom son of Richard,” she finally managed.

  Mot contemplated the name for some time. “Tom son of Richard,” he repeated. “Alex, may I please meet Tom son of Richard?”

  Tom and Pete had been watching Alex and Mot intently from the gallery. Tom was so astonished that he had not uttered a word to Pete. This was the first time he had actually seen Mot, although Alex had perfectly described him when she had told him about the giant Arzat earlier. Even so, the creature was astonishing in the flesh. He was huge and could have broken Alex in two with a flick of his wrist, but for some reason Tom was not worried.

  Pete, on the other hand, watched quietly as well, but he was worried the entire time about what might happen. He had a radio with him, and had quietly ordered marksmen with tranquilizers to station themselves outside the room just in case. We really know nothing about them, he thought, wishing more than anything that he might have had time to learn more.

  Alex looked up at the one way glass and gestured. “Tom, can you please come down? Mot wants to meet you,” they heard her say through a speaker in the wall.

  Tom looked at Pete, questioning.

  Pete shrugged. “You will have a headache like the worst migraine you have ever imagined, which will pass in about a minute. He will ask who your father is,” was all he could think to say.

  Tom made his way down a flight of stairs and reached the door of the enclosure. One of the assistants signaled him. “Are you ready?”

  Tom nodded doubtfully, took a deep breath, and reached for the door. The assistant pushed a button and the door swung open. He walked in slowly and approached Alex and the giant beast beside her. His was heart racing as he began to fully appreciate Mot’s size and obvious strength. The beast looked like the biggest linebacker he had ever seen, but clothed in alligator skin.

  Mot watched as the male creature entered the room. He was much smaller than Mot expected. Really, though, he was about the size of most of the other human males Mot had encountered. He beckoned Tom closer to where he and Alex were sitting. Although there was nothing directly threatening about this male named Tom, he could still feel the scales rising slightly on the back of his neck.

  “Please tell him that he is welcome to sit, Alex,” Mot said to her, trying to sound as friendly as possible.

  Alex simply patted the floor next to her. Tom took the hint and sat in the same style as Alex and Mot, which took some doing. He realized he was very sore from his little escapade with the airplane.

  Mot looked into Tom’s eyes directly for an uncomfortably long time, tilting his head slightly. “Alex, would you please ask Tom son of Richard, if he would like to communicate with me directly. It would not be polite to attempt to do so otherwise.”

  Alex had never felt so completely out of control with Mot before. She realized he had somehow taken total charge of their meeting. Is that a bad thing, she wondered. “Tom,” she asked, “Mot would like to try to speak to you directly. Are you up for that? Might hurt a bit at first,” she cautioned, willing him to say “yes.”

  Tom nodded towards Mot and looked him in the eyes. The creature’s pupils seemed to widen, and their color seemed to intensify. Tom felt his head begin to throb, worse than any headache he had ever experienced, then the pain lessened and gradually disappeared. Mot’s voice was like an echo at first, but soon became clearer and clearer.

  “I am Mot son of the great Hunter Url,” Mot had been repeating.

  Gradually, the fog around Mot’s unspoken words lifted, and Tom could completely understand him. “I am Tom son of Richard,” he finally said. “My father was a pilot,” Tom added, recalling Alex’s story about her own father.

  Mot slapped his own knees in delight, as if he had surprised himself with his success. “Very good, Tom son of the pilot Richard. It is a pleasure to formally meet you.” Mot wondered what a “pilot” could possibly be, but he held the question for later. Despite himself, he could already feel himself starting to like this little human.

  Alex sat, only aware of Tom’s comments, which he had spoken aloud. She was completely cut out of Mot’s end of the conversation for some reason, but she assumed from his reaction and what Tom had said that they had succeeded. Why is Mot blocking me out, she wond
ered.

  Mot leaned forward towards Tom. “Tom son of Richard, Alex cannot hear us so long as you do not speak aloud in your tongue. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” Tom answered without speaking, still in awe of Mot’s presence.

  “We do not have much time. I do not know why I know this, but I do. This fact has become clear to me after speaking with Alex, and now even clearer after meeting you. I am aware that the humans outside this room have a plan that does not include the Arzats, Mot and Ara.”

  Tom did not know what to say. Mot knew. He wondered what Alex had told him but he doubted that she would have mentioned anything directly. Alex had already cautioned Tom about trying to lie about anything—it was impossible and would be detected by Mot immediately if he tried. Perhaps he has already probed my mind, he thought, recalling Pete’s warning.

  “Tom son of Richard, I do not hold you or Alex responsible,” Mot continued reassuringly. “Something of importance is about to happen that is beyond our control and in the hands of the Creator. I must admit, I thought about trying to escape, but I have seen the fire sticks you humans possess and I realize that any attempt would be futile. We are not of your clan. It would probably be the same for you, if not worse, were you in the hands of my people.”

  Tom looked to Alex and realized she was completely unable to help him. For an adolescent, he was obviously wise beyond his years. “I do not know how to answer you,” he said to Mot, trying not to have any thought of what might really happen to the Arzats when they got to the end and locked down the ARC. He looked back at Alex.

  “There is no need. It was only a statement of fact. I wish only your commitment, Tom son of the pilot Richard,” Mot said.

  “I will do anything for you I can, Mot,” Tom replied, meaning it.

  “You will protect Alex daughter of Simon, with your life, no matter what happens. You will be good to her and make sure no harm comes to her that you can prevent. This is your duty as her mate, and can no longer be my responsibility.” Mot paused, and looked over at Alex, then back at Tom. “She has protected my life. She has fed me and taught me many valuable things. She has led me to Ara. She made me the pancakes, the best meal I ever had. She…,” Mot’s voice trailed off and disappeared.

  Tom wanted to laugh, and probably would have were the situation not so dire. He glanced at Alex. She had a confused look on her otherwise beautiful face. Tom realized again in that moment, more than ever, how much he loved her. He also realized that there was no way in hell she would ever allow Mot to be locked out of the ARC. Whatever happened, she would be going with Mot, and Tom knew that he would be going, as well. This revelation sent shivers up his spine but he no longer felt any fear about the future. He looked back at Mot. “We humans have a saying Mot, that ‘it’s not over till the fat lady sings.’ Anything might happen. But I will keep the commitment you have asked of me freely.”

  “Good,” Mot replied, “then I have done all I can do and said all that I can say, Tom son of Richard.” Mot extended his hand in the way he had seen the humans. “Let us ‘shake’ on the matter, as humans do.” Tom slowly placed his hand in Mot’s, watching it disappear behind the huge fingers. The creature shook Tom’s hand firmly, and Tom was quite relieved that he did not crush it.

  “Now,” Tom heard Mot say to Alex, “I wish to see Ara.”

  Chapter 32

  We Meet Again

  Mot’s heart was beating harder than it had when the Evil Ones had chased him and tried to have him for dinner. He was standing by the door that linked his enclosure with Ara’s. Alex had informed him that all he had to do was raise his hand and the humans would open the door.

  *

  Although they had grown up in the same clan and the same caves, Mot and Ara had had almost no interaction whatsoever in their entire lives. The young Arzat males and females were basically raised in separate areas, almost completely isolated from one another. Females were to learn the duties of females. Males were to learn the responsibilities of being the providers for the clan. Some, in the case of the females, would be taught different specialties, such as tanning or cooking or foraging for fruit and other forest edibles. Some, in the case of the males, would be taught the ways of medicine, to forge metal, carve stone—or, if they were talented and showed promise—they might have the opportunity to become Hunters. This, of course, was by far the most prestigious position a young Arzat male could aspire to.

  So, before his great ‘atrocity’ and the disgrace that had accompanied it, Mot would have been ‘a catch’ for any young Arzat female. Her privileges as the mate of a Hunter would be much greater in every respect. Now, Mot suddenly realized, he had nothing to offer her. What if she rejected him completely, he worried.

  *

  “What is he waiting for?” Tom asked Alex, as they watched from the gallery. Alex gave Tom a knowing look. “Just be patient.” She turned back, mesmerized by the female Arzat’s obvious strength and beauty. No wonder Mot’s nervous, she thought.

  Mot finally raised his hand halfway, and the door lifted. Ara was standing across the room. Pete had told her about Mot’s request to see her. Of course, she had readily agreed. She was just as nervous as Mot, but, unbeknownst to him, she didn’t care at all about his status. Ara had been attracted to Mot for what seemed forever and she had never cared about where he would land in the Zanta hierarchy. Not that any of that mattered now, anyway. It had always been her parent’s plan to offer her to Mot as a mate. But an offer did not necessarily mean acceptance in the Arzat culture. He could turn her down. The fact that she was probably the only female Arzat in existence somehow did nothing to dispel her anxiety.

  Mot crossed the threshold and stood by the door. They faced each other for several minutes. Finally, although it was not proper Arzat protocol in the slightest, it was left to Ara to break the silence.

  “I am Ara daughter of the great Hunter Zan,” she said proudly. “Who are you?”

  Mot felt his throat go dry. She was more beautiful than he remembered, the bright lights of the room glistening off of her golden skin, her eyes matching the highlights of her body. “I am Mot son of the great Hunter Url,” he croaked, formally replying as he should.

  “Come,” Ara beckoned, “sit with me Mot.” Ara moved to the center of the room and seated herself. Mot followed.

  “I understand that it has been many seasons since we last spoke though it seems like it was only a short time ago, Mot son of Url. Do you remember?” she asked, her eyes melting Mot’s.

  “I…. Yes, I…. I remember,” Mot answered, feeling embarrassed for reasons he could not explain.

  “It is good to see you are alive,” Ara said. “I have heard that it is not so with the others.”

  “This seems true. There appear to be no others.”

  “Then let us rejoice in the fact that you and I have been chosen by the Great Creator to survive, as our mother’s had asked, and the Astrologers had foretold.” Ara leaned forward, her wonderful scent almost overwhelming Mot. “Listen, Mot son of Url,” she said to him earnestly, “I have spoken to these humans and it seems that we have awakened at a bad time. Are you aware of this?”

  “I know something of it, but not all,” Mot said.

  “Well, I have committed a mata with one of the humans, Mot,” Ara hesitated, still ashamed of her indiscretion with Pete.

  Mot’s eyes narrowed. “A mata, Ara?”

  “Yes,” she said, worried she would lose face with Mot from her admission. “Their thoughts are very easy to read and I could not stop myself. I have probed the mind of one of the humans,” she said, fully confessing.

  Mot relaxed. “Continue, Ara.”

  “The humans believe another death star is approaching. Apparently their plan is to hide in these caves they have constructed just as our fathers and mothers would have done. I have examined every possible avenue of escape for us, and I cannot find one. It seems that the world outside is about to die again. It seems that our future is to be short. Th
is Pete, the human I…” Ara stopped herself, not wishing to repeat her admission of the “mata.” “This human, appears to have no ill intentions for us, but it is clear in his mind that he will also be able to do nothing to protect us. The will of his clan supersedes his own, as it should.”

  “I cannot believe that the Creator would have brought us all this way for an ending like this, Ara. Perhaps there is a way. The two humans I have been with seem to think there might be,” Mot said, trying to be hopeful.

  “Perhaps,” Ara said doubtfully. She took a deep breath. “But, if our time is really to be so short, Mot son of the great Hunter Url, I propose that you take me for your mate immediately.”

  Mot was lightheaded. Had she really said that? The offer was always from the side of the female, but Mot was still surprised at the suddenness of her words. He looked into her beautiful golden eyes, unable to reply immediately. “Then, you will be my mate,” Mot finally said, his heart beating hard in his chest.

  Ara reached out and touched his face. “In this, the Creator has fulfilled my greatest wish. Perhaps you are right, Mot son of the great Hunter Url. Perhaps there is a future for us that we cannot see,” she said.

  Mot was brimming with pride. Ara, daughter of the great Hunter Zan-as my mate! Yes, the Great Creator must be watching over me, he thought.

  “Now,” Ara said, “tell me everything that has happened and all that you know and I will do the same. Then, perhaps we can get these humans to provide us with a meal, and,” she said suggestively, “perhaps we can get them to give us some privacy.”

  Chapter 33

  Will There Be Anything Else?

  Batter hung up the phone for what seemed to him at least the millionth time. He had been busy checking on the status of the Kansas and Colorado ARCs and trying in vain to convince the President to take refuge. The President of the United States was probably one of the few men on the planet that Batter could not force to do anything.