Rok stared with full realization of the pain inside Kyle's heart.
Standing silent beside Kyle, Jaric bowed his head with sadness.
“But you can, Rok. You could go back to your world, to your people—anytime. You have a home.” Kyle blinked his eyes rapidly, fighting his tears. “And that's what I want. And that's why I search so hard. And why I never give up.” Kyle became silent, staring off into the distance while Rok studied his face.
“You are right, my Brethren. I did not fully understand."
Kyle turned his head slowly to face Rok.
Rok nodded at him. “You have shared your heart. And I thank you.” Once again Rok took Kyle by each shoulder and held him firmly in his grip. He looked deeply into the human's eyes.
“But you are wrong on one point. You do have a home, and a family to return home to whenever you wish. And a mother."
Kyle looked deep in Rok's eyes as he weighed the Kraaqi's words. A faint sigh escaped him.
“It's a dysfunctional family at best."
“But it is a family—your family. And it is as good a family as I have ever known.” Rok tightened his grip and then released him with a shake of his head.
“Come on, Big K. Rok is right,” Jaric said, surprise in his voice. “We might not be the ideal family, but we are family!"
Kyle looked away, avoiding Jaric's pleading gaze.
“Come one, Big K,” Jaric repeated. “Lighten up.” Jaric looked from the stern face of Rok back to the angry countenance of Kyle. “Let's forget this serious stuff and get back to having a good time!"
Kyle and Rok eyed each other warily.
Kyle turned to start walking again when Rok spoke.
“I would like you to remember this one thing before we finish."
Kyle hesitated.
“Go on,” Kyle said with a questioning look.
“I hope one day you will realize what you really have—how precious it is. Far too often we only realize this fact after it is gone. And once it is gone, no matter how badly we wish it back, it is gone."
Kyle stared at him evenly, but he did not speak.
“Reflect on what you have today, young human. It may be of more value than your greatest dream.” Rok carefully studied Kyle's face. “The Kraaqi have a saying, one of my favorite—It is the simple things that bring the greatest joy."
Kyle's eyes narrowed as his mind carefully digested Rok's words.
The tense silence softened.
“Whew!” Jaric whistled in a second attempt to lighten the mood. “That was deep, Rok. Maybe you should find a mountain and make a home on top of it. That way everyone can go seek out your fabulous wisdom!"
Jaric laughed, thumping first Rok and then Kyle on the arm to try and get a chuckle out of either of them.
Kyle smiled. And with a confident air made his way forward again.
“I still feel good about this,” Kyle said a little too enthusiastically. “Let's go on and see what we'll find around the next corner!"
“Yeah! There's more refugees here than we've ever run into or even heard about in one place before. This city is like a clearinghouse for refugees. It makes sense other human survivors might find their way here,” Jaric added.
“That's right,” Kyle agreed quickly. “It all makes sense."
“Let's get a move on!” Jaric broke into a trot, closely followed by Kyle.
“I hope that your dreams come true this day,” Rok whispered to himself. “I really do."
Rok kept pace with their eager steps. “Keep your hearts prepared,” he said to their unhearing ears. “Once we have met the Ialliaz, then you can open them wide."
But Jaric and Kyle couldn't keep their rising excitement in check any longer. All the talk of refugees and all their personal years of searching for human survivors burned inside their hearts.
They had to find others. They just had to.
As they rounded the final corner, both of them picked up their pace until they were almost running.
Rok broke into a slow run behind them.
“Look!” Kyle pointed excitedly.
Two human-like figures stood directly ahead of them. From the back, they looked exactly like humans—their arms, legs and body type matched exactly.
“Hello!” Kyle and Jaric shouted together.
The two aliens turned.
And in that moment Kyle and Jaric's hearts sank.
The Ialliaz were the most human-like aliens they had run into yet.
But they weren't humans.
The most obvious physical differences were the vertical pupils of their eyes, their mouths centered on their necks, and the huge, ridged nose that dominated their faces almost like the beak of a bird. Otherwise, they were very close to humans in appearance, especially the almond shade of their skin and the hair that covered their heads.
Rok could sense the deep disappointment in his friend's faces and their words as they talked with the Ialliaz.
It was true; the T'kaan had destroyed their worlds just as they had destroyed those of humanity. But it had been the T'kaan First Fleet, although it did occur during the same T'kaan cycle when the T'kaan Third Fleet fought the human race to the edge of extinction.
The sadness etched on the faces of the Ialliaz refugees became etched on Jaric and Kyle's faces as well. As they talked with the Ialliaz survivors, they once again relived the tragic end of the human race.
One more time.
* * * *
AN HOUR LATER, they found themselves at the central community kitchen that provided food for the refugees. They decided to join the communal noonday meal that the Mrad provided for all refugees.
After all, they were refugees too.
Their spirits slowly revived. The energy and never-ending hope of youth grew again inside their scarred hearts. And the Kraaqi warrior continued to encourage them with his words of wisdom until they were able to reflect with humor on their latest disappointment.
It was almost funny, in a sad kind of way.
And they decided it was better to laugh about their dashed hopes than to cry out in pain.
And in the face of defeat, they laughed one more time.
They stood in a long queue with about two hundred other refugees, each with a plate in their hands as they waited for the aliens up ahead to serve them their daily allotment of food. Jaric stood in front with Kyle and Rok behind. Jaric leaned far out to one side and looked back at the others in the rear of the queue. As he turned back around he discovered the back of the huge alien in front of him blocking his view forward. He stepped to the side in order to see how many aliens were still ahead of them.
The gargantuan alien turned and glared down at Jaric.
Jaric smiled back at him and quickly stepped back in line.
“I still can't believe it,” Jaric said, disappointment mixed with a touch humor.
“What, that we're standing in a soup line?” Kyle said with mock humor.
“No, bozo. I still can't believe the Ialliaz weren't humans, that's all."
Kyle chuckled. “But it was close."
Rok's eyes narrowed in thought. “You know, if you two survived the T'kaan, and now a small group of Ialliaz survived the T'kaan's attack upon them, well...” Rok spread his arms apart. “Perhaps there is real hope we will find other human survivors—somewhere."
“Yes,” Jaric said, his voice empty of emotion. “Maybe we will, one day."
“There is always hope, my friend.” Rok thumped Jaric on the shoulder, causing him to bump the alien in front.
The huge alien turned and gazed down at Jaric.
Jaric smiled sheepishly.
A huge, curved horn rose from the alien's short snout. Two red eyes stared unflinchingly as the large nostrils flared.
“Have you got a problem or something?” The huge alien snarled, revealing a dangerous set of teeth.
“No, no. I just tripped.” Jaric laughed.
“Don't trip again,” he warned with a rumbling growl.
“Friendly kind of alien, eh?” Kyle whispered to Jaric.
Jaric hurriedly placed his hands over Kyle's mouth in protest.
“Shut up, man!” Jaric whispered, jerking his thumb at the alien's back. “This guy's built like a tank."
Kyle laughed louder, which caused the horned alien to turn back toward them.
Jaric smiled innocently up at the massive alien. “Private joke."
Kyle's laughter continued a moment, but it slowly faded away as the huge alien glared at him. Kyle shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in disbelief at the big alien's lack of humor.
Rok matched the big alien's steady, angry gaze.
“Nice horn.” Rok twisted his head slightly, showing off his own set of horns.
“And I know how to use it.” The alien growled defiantly.
The air grew tense between them.
“As do I.” Rok's eyes narrowed dangerously.
“Hmmph.” The alien turned back around, obviously unimpressed.
“What's the matter with this guy?” Kyle whispered over his shoulder to Rok.
Jaric grabbed Kyle and Rok both by the shoulder. “Let's leave this alone, all right? I just want to get some lunch and then get back to Mother. In one piece, if you know what I mean."
Kyle and Rok looked from Jaric up to the broad shoulders and back of the alien. Kyle shook his head. “All right, I'm hungry too. I just wish this line would move faster."
The line finally moved forward, but progress soon halted again as the new group were served food. Jaric stepped to the side again to see how much closer they were. The huge, muscular alien breathed deeply as he too surveyed the line ahead.
“I hate aliens,” the huge alien said—the words uttered to no one in particular.
“What do you mean?” Jaric asked incredulously.
The horned face turned and looked down at him with an angry glint in his red eyes. The big alien grunted and shrugged its massive shoulders.
“But you're an alien too!” Jaric pointed his finger up at him. “We're all aliens. So, how can you hate aliens?"
“I am not an alien. I am a Hammatt."
“Well, I'm a human. But we're both aliens, if you get right down to it. Everyone in the universe is an alien."
“I hate aliens,” he repeated with conviction. He bent his head closer to Jaric's face, the curved edge of his horn almost brushing the end of Jaric's nose. “And I especially hate little aliens who talk too much.” The Hammatt sniffed noisily as a puzzled expression flashed across its leathery face.
“And I especially hate aliens that smell bad!"
Kyle stepped confidently beside Jaric. “Why don't you tell us how you really feel, bozo-boy?” Kyle's tone was half-challenge, half-mocking. He eyed the Hammatt carefully.
The Hammatt drew himself to his full height as the muscles in his towering body tightened. He glared down at the two humans for a moment. A massive growl erupted from his throat—a growl so powerful that every head in the room turned in shocked surprise.
The room went deathly silent.
Rok stepped forward and placed himself between the boys and the gargantuan Hammatt.
The huge alien growled again, causing the flatware on his plate to rattle. He stood three meters tall and probably weighed as much as Rok, Jaric and Kyle combined.
“And I hate aliens...” he began.
A Mrad security officer suddenly appeared from between two other aliens.
“Too bad it's not Officer Veeio,” Jaric whispered quickly to Kyle as the stern looking Mrad walked up to them.
“Have we got a problem here, fellas?” he said to all of them.
A tense silence answered.
“Well, let me be real clear—I don't want any trouble here today.” He looked from the Hammatt to Jaric, Kyle and Rok. “And if we do have any trouble, I've got a warm jail cell just right for all of you. It sleeps four just fine—even oversized aliens.” He stared unflinching up at the big Hammatt.
The Mrad suddenly looked farther down the line. “And that goes for you Harg as well. I've got my eye on you."
Kyle and Jaric followed the Mrad's gaze to where four short, burly aliens with thick necks stood. They glared sullenly back at him.
“Didn't I see them somewhere before?” Kyle asked.
“I dunno,” Jaric replied. “Maybe."
But a low, rumbling growl brought his attention back around.
Rok glared angrily up at the Hammatt who growled once again as he stared back down at him. Kyle reached out and pulled Rok back towards him and Jaric.
The Hammatt, seemingly satisfied the standoff was over, turned back around.
The Mrad officer stayed close by until they finally reached the food servers several minutes later. Satisfied that the confrontation was over, he walked slowly away.
Jaric looked expectantly at the food being offered—three vegetable selections and one meat.
Jaric, Kyle and Rok watched as their plates were filled with the exotic vegetables—first with curly tubers mixed with small beans of various colors and shapes, followed by blue rice and last with a tiny black vegetable covered with spikes that seemed as if it would be too dangerous to eat.
Jaric stared in wonder at his plate. But his empty stomach eagerly anticipated the late afternoon meal.
He hoped.
However, he looked questioningly at the meat selection. It looked too rare for his taste—anything still alive and crawling across the platter was way too rare for him.
“Don't you need to cook these a little more?” Jaric asked as he stared at the small, slithering forms that filled the large spoon poised over his plate. “I mean, they're still moving!"
“Taste better that way,” the server replied. “You don't want to ruin the flavor."
“Come on, it's just like sushi,” Kyle said with a twinkle in his eye to Jaric.
“Hey, man, this stuff is way beyond just raw!” Jaric moved on. “I'll skip meat today."
Kyle looked closely at the pile of small, slithering forms offered to him as well, but refused it with a grimace.
“Just veggies today for me,” he said with a wave of his hands.
Only Rok took a wriggling portion and allowed it to be placed onto his plate, an eager smile on his face.
Jaric and Kyle looked away, each coughing in disbelief, as they continued to the drink counter.
The trio walked slowly around the rows of crowded tables looking for three chairs so they could sit together. Finally, they found three together near the back wall and sat down to eat, oblivious to everything around them.
The huge Hammatt passed them as they put their plates down on their table and sat down. Unknown to them all, he sat down in a chair directly behind them.
The noise level from the myriad of aliens was unbelievable—it seemed these meals were the social highlight of the day for the refugees. Raucous laughter and hearty shouts punctuated the constant chatter of a hundred simultaneous conversations—it was easy to discern that their everyday concerns were now pushed aside in order to enjoy a friendly meal.
Kyle picked up one of the spiky vegetables between his finger and thumb. He looked at it cautiously, turning it over repeatedly.
“Is this edible?” he finally asked.
Rok boldly took a handful and threw them into his mouth. He chewed slowly, then he nodded with appreciation.
“Not bad. Actually, quite tasty."
Kyle looked questioningly at it again, and then popped it into his mouth. The spikes stabbed momentarily, causing a pricking sensation against his tongue and the roof of his mouth. Suddenly, the sensation melted away. He bit down, feeling something squirt inside his mouth. He chewed appreciatively,
“Yeah, not bad at all."
Right across from them, the four burly Harg from the food line approached their table. Ominously, they stood over four tiny aliens eating quietly and minding thei
r own business. As soon as the seated aliens realized who stood behind them, they quickly rose, spilling some of their food in their haste, and left.
The Harg smiled savagely, laughing as the aliens beat a hasty retreat.
Rok eyed them carefully, his face hard and expressionless. He continued to eat, although he kept a watchful eye on the newcomers.
Kyle eyed the Harg as well.
As the Harg began eating and joking with each other, an alarm seemed to go off inside Kyle's head. His eyes narrowed as they caught him watching them.
Two of the Harg laughed as they went back to eating their food.
“I don't like aliens who bully other aliens,” Rok said loud enough so everyone, including the Harg, could hear.
The four Harg stopped talking and eyed Rok and the two humans carefully.
Kyle, Rok and Jaric stared defiantly back at them.
One of the stout Harg whispered something to the other three that drew a round of laughter. The four aliens returned to their food and their private conversation.
“I don't like those particular aliens,” Jaric whispered to his two friends.
“We'll keep an eye on them,” Rok said evenly, returning to his own plate of food.
Kyle didn't like it either—he didn't like aliens bullying others, especially small, defenseless aliens. And somehow he felt he'd seen these Harg before, or others of their kind somewhere. Try as he might, he couldn't shake that nagging feeling.
Jaric suddenly looked up with a jerk of his head as if he had just remembered something. Jaric carefully searched the alien faces, looking slowly all around the great room—every direction except directly behind. With a quick glance, he looked to his right and left, and then he began his careful survey a second time.
Kyle and Rok stopped eating as they watched Jaric continue his slow survey. Jaric paused briefly on the Harg again, but he was obviously searching for something else.
The four Harg continued whispering among themselves, their black, beady eyes darting at the two humans and the Kraaqi as they spoke.
Two tables away, two reptilian aliens sat down with their own plates of food. But they did not eat. Instead, they peered steadily over at the Harg. The larger of the two whispered to the other, who nodded while the others seated at their table stopped their conversations and began to concentrate silently on their food—as if trying to ignore the newcomers.
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