AKLESH (Under Strange Skies)

by Samuel Jarius Pettit

Staring was not uncommon for the natives.

  All the subjects stared but would seldom make eye contact when engaged directly. Any time one of the scientist or mercenaries did stare back, the subject would look away or flinch. Of course, they probably had never seen people from other worlds. She tried to see it from the primitive’s perspective. All these strange beings and materials around them would be intriguing and frightening to the natives.

  Maybe fear limited their telepathic abilities.

  It was too soon in the research to tell. Inevitably they’d find the source, synthesize and mass produce it. Till then, the answer eluded them.

  The one thing they were certain of; it had to do with the gland on the center of their foreheads.

  All the creatures on the planet had one, or something like it, just like they would have eyes or mouths. But, the dissections were proving useless.

  This one’s stare was not like the others. He looked her directly in the eyes, as if studying her as well. He stared at all the people that had come in and out, as if assessing them all. He was proving much different from his predecessors. She made a note about this on her hand interface.

  Jenna ran her fingers through her dark, curly hair, cracked her neck and stretched. Then she studied the subject more intently, hoping to figure him out. She was intrigued by his different behavior.

  “What is it about you that makes you so unafraid?” she mused aloud, more to herself than to him. “Who are you?”

  “Kai,” the young captive said abruptly.

  His sudden speech startled her. The young native had leaned forward, still staring at her.

  “Kai,” he said again.

  She had heard the natives speak before but it had been only gibberish to her. All of the scientists and crew on the ship had the standard nano-language sequencing the Galactic Parliament injected all citizens with at birth. There had been none of the more exotic languages from the galactic protectorates in the programming since. That would be illegal, and no one on the crew had that kind of authority, even Rhoed.

  She wondered what the word ‘kai’ meant in his language. ‘Help’ maybe or ‘out’?

  No one had attempted to translate, probably because that would make the subjects too human. It was a shame she couldn’t understand. But they were probably better off not speaking the same language. Then the mercenaries on the crew would just torture the information they needed out of the subjects. If this had been an official science mission, the team could have pursued these answers in peaceful, non-intrusive ways as opposed to the barbaric methods they now found themselves forced to use.

  The native sighed. He pointed to himself this time and said “Kai.”

  Her jaw dropped. None of the subjects had ever tried to communicate this clearly before, mostly out of fear. This one was trying to tell her his name very specifically.

  She leaned forward as well, pointed at him and repeated what she had heard.

  “Kai?” she said catiously.

  “Yes,” he replied. “What is your name?” Jenna dropped her hand interface on the floor.

  ***

  Gar had gotten a few hours sleep and for once there hadn’t been any strange dreams. The fuzzy awareness of Kai’s emotion was not on his periphery and he wasn’t sure why, but for some reason it bothered him.

  Not long after waking up he walked up the many stairs to the top of the keep, stepped onto the balcony, stretched out his hands and tried to

  ‘Reach’ for Kai.

  Each time he would call up the basic framework in his mind of what Kai looked like; male, his height, younger, grey/blue skin and white hair. As instructed, he would attempt to stretch his mind to the horizon and hunt.

  Every time all he ever succeeded in feeling was useless.

  It was a couple of hours past midday and he had a big, fat nothing to show for it.

  Gar sat staring at the purple hills contemplating his failure. Although he was loath to admit it due to his current situation, he was grateful that Kai had found some way to save him when he had crashed the shuttle. It would be nice to return the favor, at least so he could not longer owe the young native anything. A person who held a debt had power.

  Everyone he had encountered in the tribe who knew what was going on with the Others seemed to think the situation was hopeless. There was a tangible sense of fear among the Aklesh in regards to the strangers from the sky.

  Gar heard a soft shuffling from behind him as he sat there on the balcony by the gathering place.

  The footsteps belonged to Seema. She sat down by Gar and offered some bread she had brought along with her.

  “Zaela told me you would be up here. Any luck?” she asked.

  “None,” he said dejectedly.

  She smiled and lowered her eyes, which was very becoming on her. It was quiet between them for a while. She spoke, “I never feel totally comfortable when Kai is away. I bet you didn’t know that.” She laughed a little at herself for some reason. Gar didn’t know why she was telling him this, but he was glad for the company anyway. He did not want to speak so was more than happy to let her. He’d been alone for a few hours and the only other person he had talked to was the Healer, who basically repeated her instructions then told him he’d figure it out soon. Also, it was nice to be around someone near his own age. The soft female presence reminded him of his sister and of home.

  “I’ve known Kai as long as I have known Tyro,” she said, continuing to talk. “From infancy, you might say.”

  “I’m sure everyone knows everyone’s business around here,” said Gar. “How can your help it?”

  “I guess that’s true to a point. I suppose to you it would seem that way,” she agreed. “That’s why its considered good to have friends outside your family circle. It is encouraged from when you are very little. That way, when you are older, you are more likely to be social. Although there are those that still choose to stick with their own.”

  “Tyro and Kai?” asked Gar. “Were they…social?”

  “Oh yes,” she replied. “They were incredibly close friends. They still are. While growing up Tyro was always sticking up for him among the other children, especially after Kai’s father…” She let that sentence trail off before continuing.

  Gar was getting the sense that there was something very tragic about the death of Kai’s father. She smiled again. “Kai has always been of a smaller build, like you.”

  Gar didn’t quite see himself as small, but compared to the fact that most of the men on this planet seemed to be built like Tyro, he could understand her perspective.

  “He had a pretty hard time because of that. It was only after the Healer had seen his hidden potential that Kai was more readily accepted by my people.

  Yet through that whole transition Tyro had stayed by Kai side. Sometimes, among us, joined ones will find each other at an early age. When you find the person you are supposed to be with, you sort of

  ‘know.’ Many people thought that since Kai and Tyro had such a tight bond, once they reached adulthood, they would elect to be joined.”

  “Wait. Wait. Wait,” Gar stopped her. “So, its not only men and women who are joined together?” Her expression was very strange after he said this, as if he had uttered the most ridiculous statement ever. “Of course not. Why would it be?” Gar shrugged his shoulders. He felt stupid.

  She went on. “Anyhow, I knew they wouldn’t be. Tyro and I…well, we didn’t know immediately, but it wasn’t very difficult for us to figure out. We loved each other very much.”

  “I suppose Kai was jealous?” said Gar.

  “At first. But Kai loves Tyro, as do I…and we only want his happiness. I came to understand that when I would be joined with Tyro, Kai would always be a part of our family. And he has been.

  He’s a joy to us and has been our brother and friend and uncle to Tilo. He couldn’t have been more of a family member even if he was related to us by blood. That’s why when he is gone I feel uneasy. When Tyro or my son are away
from me I can always ‘reach’ and sense them. They are only a thought away from me. But, when Kai is away, I cannot. It’s a mother’s need, you know, to always be close to her family. I guess in our way both Tyro and I still want to protect Kai.” Gar thought Seema was wonderful. Tyro was definitely a very lucky man to have her. She was warm, loving and understanding, qualities he knew were lacking in his own person. It was apparent that they would be devastated should Kai be lost to them.

  Having made a decision, he stood up.

  “What are you doing?” asked Seema.

  Gar cracked his knuckles, closed his eyes, and assumed the position the Healer had demonstrated with his palms facing out to the horizon.

  “I’m going to get Kai back.”

  In the darkness that filled his head he imagined he was stretching out in to the vast space ahead of him, feeling for the shell with his brain like the Healer had told him to. This family needed their friend home and if he was the only person to be able to find him, then so be it. This would be something he would do for them.

  Yet, nothing came to him. No shell.

  He unclenched his eyes and turned to Seema with defeat written all over his face.

  “No luck, huh?”

  He shook his head.

  “Is there a reason you held up your arms?” she asked.

  “That’s what you are supposed to do when you ‘Reach’. Isn’t it?”

  She chuckled sweetly and squeezed his shoulder. “Gar, you’re reaching out with your mind. Your hands have nothing to do with it.” It was turning into a whole day where Gar was feeling pretty much like the village idiot.

  Seema gave him an encouraging smile but the young prince could still see her sadness underneath. She began walking down the stairs, leaving him alone. He leaned on the wooden railing and watched her descend. He did not want to let her down. Now that he knew how much Kai mattered to her family.

  Gar looked out onto the horizon and the beautiful landscape. Kai meant a lot to the people who loved him. Sure, there were those among the Aklesh who had a problem with him, but even those people were searching and that meant something.

  He let his mind drift as he stared into the distance. It felt better than the forced concentration he’d been working at all day. A little rest, he promised himself, then he’d try again.

  Gar let Seema’s words sink in. It was difficult to think of Kai as someone with a powerful mind. But he could understand in an environment such as this why these people would value brawn so much. Kai would seem inferior in that regard.

  Yet the young tribesman was by no means unfit. Gar’s thoughts dwelled on this.

  Kai’s body was muscular and firm with round shoulders and an impressive chest. His arms were well defined and lean. While his hands were large, Gar had seen him be very gentle with them.

  Also, his face was handsome with a square jaw and high cheekbones. Kai’s eyes were deep and a soft, misty shade of grey. Had everything been different, had they met on Orestus, Gar knew he certainly would have…

  A sharp sensation hit Gar like a bolt of electricity.

  He shook himself and regained his focus.

  The feeling had drawn his attention to the landscape, but it had been centered on one spot.

  There were three hills on the horizon, past the blanket of forest below the keep, and he scrutinized them intensely, inexplicably pulled to them.

  And he knew, he just knew that on the left side of the hill on his right, the one that bordered the long, white plain, that was where Kai was!

  He knew this to be true as surely as he knew he was one of the best damn pilots in the Galaxy.

  It had been an accident, but Gar had

  ‘reached’ and had found the shell.

  CHAPTER 7

  Kai sat alone in the cell, tired and alone. He had wanted to sleep but was scared that if he closed his eyes, he might never open them again.

  The woman with the brown skin had gone away and there was only silence and the occasional buzzing or beeping of the machinery in the dark room around him. The objects in the lab were foreign to him but not entirely unfamiliar. He instinctively knew what some things were, while other baffled him. His partial knowledge was due to the connection to Gar, he was certain of this.

  The two of them were now starting to subconsciously share simple things, innocuous things from both of their cultures. This was common with joining.

  But, it appeared more had passed between them when Kai joined their minds. The prince had gifts of his own to give.

  It was subtle at first. When Kai was listening to the Others that were watching over him, he could not understand what they were saying. They spoke a nonsensical language from the Sky Tribes.

  But, as they continued to speak, the meanings in their words began to clarify. It was as if he’d been under water hearing them speak and his head was brought to the surface. Finally, when he was alone and the woman had spoken to him he fully understood her language.

  A phenomenon like that among the Aklesh had never occurred, even if those who were joined were from completely foreign tribes. There was something else at play. Another thing that astonished him was when he opened his mouth, he could speak their language as if he had always known it. To be able to use their own words was as much a surprise to Kai as it was to the woman he now knew to be named Jenna.

  A word he’d heard from Gar, but did not understand drifted through his memory; nanites.

  As he sat pondering these mysteries, a sharp, familiar sensation nabbed his attention, starting from his head and then coursing through his whole body. The last time he had felt something like it was when his father had been looking for him when he was younger.

  This time it was someone else.

  He felt many things in that moment, fleeting images and feelings, but the primary presence was of Gar. It was faint, but there all the same. Gar was

  ‘reaching.’ The young tribesman assumed Zaela must have shown him how. His people had not given up on him, and it was possible they might even know where he was. Having been surrounded by the cold and smooth alien environment, it was a relief to feel something from his world, even if it was from a stranger he hardly knew. And the sensation was not the same emotions he had been assaulted with while dealing with Gar in the previous two days, those of bitterness and resentment. This time it had been something else, more like…triumph.

  It gave Kai cause to hope.

  Mere seconds had passed from him receiving the signal and Jenna bursting into the room. She immediately went to Kai’s cell. Her manner was tense and she kept looking over her shoulder.

  “You’ve used your telepathy?” she stated more than asked.

  Kai nodded. Jenna looked nervously over her shoulder then back at him.

  “I told you not to. I told you what would happen.”

  “Someone contacted me,” said Kai.

  She had not been expecting this response and the idea unintentionally made her jump inside with excitement.

  “Your people?” she asked earnestly.

  “Yes. Sort of.”

  Kai had told her about the stranger from her world falling from the sky, but it had not held much interest for the doctor. A crashed pilot who could barely help himself had no baring on the situation she was currently trapped in.

  Jenna became serious, her voice an intense whisper. “Well, the communication registered on our equipment. Using your abilities is dangerous for you. Is there any way you can, I don’t know, damper your telepathy?”

  “I can try masking, but it will take a lot of concentration.”

  “Well, for your sake, I suggest you figure it out.” There was a noise in the corridor which startled them both. “Do what you can. My peers are coming. Remember what I told you; don’t let them know you can talk.”

  Soon the room was filled. Three more scientists in tan jumpsuits bustled in. Each individual had a silver hand pad and kept checking it, then looking at him. They were followed by a gruff man in his middle
40, who wore dark blue clothes and had a perpetually furrowed brow. Kai had seen him when he had first woken up, although he had not been able to understand him at the time.

  When the man had first spoken, it had sounded more like an animal barking. The man’s demeanor reminded Kai of Vol in many ways.

  “Report, Dr. Hines,” he snapped to Jenna.

  She flinched noticeably.

  Jenna was nervous, something she didn’t hide well. “Yes, well, the subject H24 has received a communication from the outside, but it was short, I think.”

  “What kind of communication? Has that been made clear?” asked an older scientist in his mid-to-late 60’s. He seemed to be in charge of those in the tan clothes, but not of the gruff man in blue.

  One of the scientists, a blond man, looked at his hand-held interface. “Yes, Professor Hess. It’s the species locator signal, same as with the other subjects. Nothing complex.”

  “Has it sent a reply back?” asked the terse man in blue. The rest of the people in the room kept futzing with buttons and pads while still staring at Kai, who was not enjoying being referred to as an ‘it.’ He instinctively did not like the man in blue who stared at him with distain.

  “Nothing,” said the blond man.

  “Maybe we should take this subject to examination earlier than scheduled,” Professor Hess mused to the man in blue. “It is younger than our previous captures, perhaps upon dissection…“

  “I’d rather keep him here for further study,” said Jenna, interrupting. Activity in the room stopped. All eyes were on her, which she didn’t like. Her palms were sweating so she clasped her hands behind her back and tried to sound official.

  “Genetic testing has shown that these two subjects H12 and H24 are related…”

  “Only distantly,” said the blond scientist dismissively.

  “Still, all the other species on this planet that we’ve examined have strong telepathic ties among family groups. Especially the mammals. These are our first humanoid subjects to be related in any way. I’d like to wait a little while longer and see if they attempt communication before anything more invasive is done.” She was improvising hard.