Challa

by Linda Mooney

  “I thought you said you had defeated them before?” Compton reminded them. “Wouldn’t they be aware by now that you’ve become a force to be reckoned with?”

  Jebaral shook his head. “We destroyed the ships and all trace of their presence when we encountered them. The ones sent from the mothership never had a chance to report back. So it should be safe to assume the other Arra don’t realize we have the means and power to defeat them.”

  “I think you’re wrong there,” Compton argued. “I think the fact that they sent how many squadrons to this area? Two?”

  “Three, counting the two Arra who tried to take Roni and me,” DeGrassi said. “If they sent out others to pick up other Ruinos, we don’t know about them.”

  “They did,” Jebaral interrupted. “Simolif and I know of at least three other Ruinos who have been picked up and returned to the Arran mothership.”

  “Well, think about it,” Compton continued. “The other captures aside, if you sent three squads out and none of them came back, what would you think? The Arra aren’t stupid. They probably realize something’s happened to the others. They just don’t know what. My guess is these roadblocks are there to draw you out. To see if you’re really here like they suspect. If you show up, they may send for reinforcements.”

  “But if we don’t show up, what then? Do you suggest we remain hidden until they go away?” Tiron challenged him. “What if they don’t go away? They could set up a sentinel and go away physically, but still keep an eye out for us.”

  “But if you go in gung-ho and kill the Arra with this ship, what then?” Compton calmly replied. “Another ship sent, another ship that doesn’t report back. More Arra unaccounted for.”

  “What we’re hoping,” Jebaral stepped in, “is that they’ll attribute all the disappearances to the inhabitants of this planet. That they’ll finally determine that these humans are too intelligent or too hostile to risk confronting.”

  “Do you have a plan?” Compton asked.

  DeGrassi grinned sheepishly. “Yeah. I guess you could say that. They show up, we show up, and we best them.”

  Compton grunted and frowned.

  “It worked before,” Hannah argued.

  “Against how many?” Compton looked around, challenging them. Already he could see where they could be in bigger trouble than they expected, and he had to make them understand that their so-called ‘plan’ had more holes in it than chicken wire. “Jeb, you said the Arra confronted you here when you and Hannah mated. How many of them were there?”

  “Two.”

  “And how many of you fought against them?”

  “The three of us. Simolif and me, and Sheriff Klotsky was there providing backup in case we failed.”

  Compton turned to DeGrassi. “You and Tiron fought off the Arra?”

  “Yeah, but in Crescent City. There were two of them, and it was just Roni and I.”

  “Even odds,” Compton noted. “How about you, Simon?”

  “There were four of them. They kidnapped Jeb and Hannah, and managed to overcome me. If it weren’t for Sarah and Thom and Tiron coming to our aid—”

  “And the sheriff and his deputies,” Sarah reminded him.

  Simolif nodded.

  “It makes sense,” Compton told them. “The Arra sent two scouts to round up two of you, but they were expecting one Ruinos and a human mate. Instead, they met up with two grown Ruinos males, plus a couple of pissed-off humans. Thom? Was it just you and Roni against the two scouts?”

  “Yeah. Except I had my weapons with me.”

  “Guns?”

  “A pump action shotgun with double aught buckshot, along with my police issue.” He grinned and motioned to the rifle leaning against the wall.

  Compton’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Did the shotgun make a dent?”

  DeGrassi chuckled. “You better believe it. Turned them into lumps of soggy mayonnaise.”

  “Then it was definitely your firepower that tipped the scales. Who wants to tell me about the last time the Arra showed up here in Tumbril Harbor?”

  Sarah leaned forward in her chair. “Simon and I were at Jeb and Hannah’s. I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I heard something moving in the house. Simon came up behind me, and that’s when we realized the Arra were inside. They got Hannah and Jeb and were taking them away when Simon went ahead to confront them. I stayed behind to wait for Thom and Roni to arrive.”

  “How many were there?”

  “Four, from what we could tell.”

  “Tell me how you overcame them,” Compton asked.

  “Firepower and numbers,” DeGrassi said. “Sheriff Klotsky and his men backed us up when Sarah and I went to rescue the others from inside the ship.”

  “Exactly.” Taking a deep breath, Compton took a couple of seconds to get his thoughts in order. “From what you’re telling me, the Arra’s actions are much like typical human actions, even if they are an alien species. The first time they came to Tumbril Harbor, they sent two scouts to pick up Jeb and Hannah. The same way they sent two scouts after you and Roni in Crescent City. Two scouts to each location to pick up one mated couple. However, the next time they approached Tumbril Harbor, they sent a stronger force since a two-man team didn’t work the first time. For the third time, the team never reported back, much less return with the Ruinos they were sent to recover.” He pressed a finger to his lips, tapping the lower one. “I’m going out on a limb here and guessing that if the Arra picked up any other Ruinos, they didn’t have the kind of difficulty they encountered with you.”

  Jebaral nodded. “What we know of the other Ruinos who’ve been recaptured, as far as we know, they were taken by a two-scout team.”

  “So you’re saying the reason we have a bigger ship this time is because there are more Arra coming for us?” Tiron said.

  Compton grimaced. “They know there’s at least two Ruinos and their mates here. They know that they’ve already made two attempts to recover them, and failed.” He smiled. “Those chips you said you found in every Ruinos’s arm? The ones that sent out a beacon whenever they found a blood mate? You said you notified all the other Ruinos you could to tell them to get the chips removed, right?”

  Jebaral nodded. “Right.”

  “Then that’s your first ace. Because they aren’t getting any signals, the Arra are assuming the other Ruinos who landed here aren’t finding their mates. And because of your shape-shifting ability, you’re practically invisible to them. Well, maybe not invisible, but you blend in perfectly. Can the Arra track you when you’re human?”

  The two brothers looked at each other. “We don’t know,” Simolif finally admitted.

  “But you know they’re desperate to recover some of their lost cargo,” Compton continued. “Therefore they have no choice but to go after the Ruinos they know for certain have found their mates. You and Hannah, Roni and Thom, and Sarah and Simon.”

  “You said it was our first ace,” Hannah said. “Is there a second ace?”

  Compton laughed softly. “Of course there is. Challa and me.”

  “Uhh.” Sarah held up a finger for attention. “There’s four aces in a deck, in case you forgot.”

  “Yes, there is, and our third ace is the fact that we have the local sheriff and his men, not to mention some good old-fashioned firepower, to back us.” Compton smiled.

  Challa reached out to lay a hand on her mate’s knee. “And your ace number four is?”

  He gave her a loving smile. “Me, t’korra. A man versed in military procedure and tactics. I was a first lieutenant when I was discharged. If we play our cards right, we’ll not only defeat the Arra, but convince them it’s not worth their time or effort to ever come back here again.”

  Chapter 40

  Dark

  Compton was on guard duty when Jebaral came outside. The sun was beginning to go down. Every now and then Compton could spot a star sparkling between the leaves and branches of the trees.

  The Ruinos
male walked up without making any sound, but Compton sensed him approaching until the alien stopped just behind him. “I have a question for you, Jeb,” he asked.

  There was a chuckle. “How did you know it was me?”

  “A good guess.” Compton glanced over his shoulder, and discovered the man was totally nude. Not even shoes. He figured clothes might hamper them when they shifted. “Have the Arra ever come after you in the daylight?”

  “That we’re aware of?”

  “Yeah.”

  “No. Never.” Jebaral’s answer was immediate. He didn’t need to think about it. “Why do you ask?”

  “Just thinking. The Arra had to have created those roadblocks during the night because they weren’t discovered until this morning. The mill has been working all day to remove the blockage, and not once have the Arra shown up to stop them. That begs the question why not?”

  The cabin door opened, and Simolif emerged. Like his brother, he was naked. Compton’s eyes automatically took in both men’s flaccid penises, and a small amount of envy went through him. Even flaccid, their equipment was impressive. Were Ruinos men built that way naturally? Or was it part of their disguise?

  Dusk was quickly falling. Simolif stopped beside Jebaral and waited. Waited to change.

  “We’ve never known the Arra to avoid the daylight,” Jebaral said.

  Compton persisted. “Of all the times you’ve been attacked, was it always at night? Were any of the attacks during the day?”

  Jebaral glanced over at his older sibling. “They were at night,” he said, then directed his next question at his sibling. “Have you ever heard of or remember the Arra attacking during the day?”

  Simolif shook his head. “No. Why? Is it important?”

  “It could be. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and speculating. Let’s just assume…hear me out. Humor me. Let’s assume the Arra don’t want to move about in the daylight because they can’t. Maybe…I know this is going to sound crazy, but what if they’re restricted during the daylight hours like you are?”

  “How restricted? In what way?” Simolif asked. “Our only restriction is that we can’t shape-shift during the daylight hours. If we’re in human form when the sun hits us, we have no choice but to remain in that form until sunset. Same for if we don’t change and we’re Ruinos at sunrise. But whether or not we’re human or Ruinos, we retain our strength and abilities.” He started to say more when Jebaral lifted his chin. Both men went silent and closed their eyes.

  Compton watched in amazement as the males changed into what Challa called their “true” selves. To his surprise, it wasn’t so much a morphing as it was a “costume” change. Their body hair slid back into their skin. The skin darkened, becoming rough and scaly in spots. He saw nodules resembling armor plating rising and firming around their shoulders, arms, and legs. Not unexpectedly, their penises didn’t change size, although it appeared the genitals sprouted a third testicle.

  Overall, their body size and mass didn’t change. Neither did their height. It was as though they simply slid on a green-colored Halloween body suit.

  None of it was frightening until he saw the enormous claws expand and harden on their hands and feet. Numbly, Compton looked at a face that vaguely resembled human features, until he reached the eyes. Amusement twinkled within their flecked depths. Luminous flecks.

  “I’m glad I got to witness the transformation,” Compton admitted. “Otherwise, I might have had a heart attack if you had approached me in a dark alley.”

  Jebaral chuckled. “At least you get an idea of how strong our mates are, to accept us as we truly are, and to make love with us like this.”

  The two Ruinos suddenly swiveled around as the cabin door opened. Two Ruinos females walked out into the growing twilight and walked up to join them. Hannah and Sarah followed behind them, and DeGrassi brought up the rear. Like Compton, the other three humans toted their weapons.

  From the moment Challa stepped outside, Compton knew which one was her. Despite the fact that the two females looked almost identical in appearance, build, and height, he felt himself being emotionally pulled toward the one on the left.

  Like their male counterparts, the females were naked. Compton gave Tiron a single once-over, noting her luscious curves and full breasts, but it was more for curiosity’s sake. He felt absolutely nothing sexual for her. No hint of interest or desire, nothing. And from a man who, in the past, treasured his collection of nudie magazines because of the wood he could get from them, it was surprising.

  Looking at Challa, however, was an entirely different story. As his eyes roamed down her beautifully proportioned body, it felt like the hairs on his skin were rising from a charge of static electricity. His erection pressed uncomfortably hard against his jeans, forcing him to turn his back to them just long enough to reach down and tug on his crotch, hoping it would ease the pressure.

  “You said you might have a plan when it got dark,” Simolif said, looking at him.

  Compton nodded. When Jebaral had taken first shift at watching outside the cabin for sign of the Arra, the others had plied him with all the information he asked for regarding the enemy, while keeping notes in his head. He hadn’t had to do these mental exercises since his release from the military, but now he was finding himself easily getting back into the swing of the routine. In a way, it almost felt comforting, knowing his intellectual acuity was just as sharp as it had always been. When it been time for him to take watch, Compton had used the opportunity to formulate a plan of action. Or what he hoped was a viable plan.

  Turning to face them full-on, Compton realized everyone was patiently waiting. And listening. Not only had they all completely accepted him without reservation, but they were placing their trust in his expertise. Which meant they were also placing their lives in his hands.

  He looked up at DeGrassi. “Did you ever get hold of that sheriff you were telling me about?”

  “Yeah. Klotsky said they’d meet us at the roadblock.”

  “Is he bringing the light?”

  “He promised to.”

  “Good. All right.” Compton cleared his throat. “These are my observations and suggestions. If at any time you see a possible problem, jump in.”

  A couple nodded. They all remained silent.

  “I’m thinking the Arra don’t attack during daylight because it restricts them. I don’t know how, but I have a few ideas that I hope to test if we meet them at the roadblock tonight. That is, if they show up, but I’m willing to bet they will. And if I’m right, it’ll be a new weapon against them.” He glanced at his watch. “Let’s get to moving. I’ll fill you in with the rest of it on our way.”

  Jebaral stepped forward. It was easy to discern the two males because of their difference in height. “I’ll take the lead.” Glancing over at his wife who handled the deer rifle like an experienced hunter, he told her, “Remember to stay in the center with Sarah and Thom.”

  Hannah nodded. It had already been determined that the Ruinos would lead them, as well as watch their collective backs. DeGrassi and Compton would keep in the middle with the two human females.

  Each mated pair gave their spouses a warm kiss and a wish for success before taking their places. Challa met Compton in the middle before she went to take her place in the rear. He expected her kiss to be melting, and he wasn’t disappointed.

  “I love you,” she whispered against his lips.

  “I’m keeping my word, t’korra,” he returned. “After this is over, I’m marrying you. This is for keeps.”

  “Then you think we’ll succeed against the Arra?”

  “I don’t think,” he told her, lightly caressing her lips with his. “I know.”

  She giggled softly and went to take her place, but not before leaving him in a cloud of delicate honeysuckle scent.

  Chapter 41

  Reinforcements

  Tiron took the easiest trails she could find, but the route was still difficult to manage. The forest was thick w
ith wild vegetation, despite the fact that fall was approaching. When the foliage got a bit too dense to push aside, she would clear the way with swipes of her talons, which proved to be much more effective than a machete.

  Compton glanced overhead where Challa leaped from treetop to treetop, gliding effortlessly on the night breeze. Every so often he would shine his flashlight skyward to see her grinning down at him from the dense foliage. Her unique eyes, as well as the eyes of the other Ruinos, were like reflective orbs. The effect was both eerie and comforting.

  Once darkness had completely fallen, the human mates turned on their small flashlights, which they kept next to their weapons. The constant sway of the thin beams was enough to keep them focused, and to help them avoid any obstacles in their way.

  From the time they left the cabin, talking had ceased. Tiron kept them going at a steady rate, although Compton got the impression she did so to prevent the humans from tiring out. It was a good thing, as he was sometimes finding himself struggling and breathing heavier than normal, in spite of Challa’s attempts to keep him energized. Compton cursed himself silently, knowing that less than a year ago this kind of trek wouldn’t have had any effect on him. Then again, he reminded himself that he was traversing with an artificial leg, and the prosthetic wasn’t exactly built for this kind of terrain.

  They reached a small stream where Tiron called a short halt. “There’s a natural artesian spring here, so it’s safe to drink. Have some. You’ll be surprised how good it tastes.”

  Challa dropped to the ground to join Compton as they all took turns cupping the cold water in their hands and drinking. Compton was especially surprised by its distinctive taste. He was having a third handful when Jebaral approached him. Shaking the drops from his fingers, Compton got to his feet, already knowing what the man was wanting. “How far are we?” he began.

  Tiron stood beside her fellow Ruinos. She pointed off to her left. “Not far. A few hundred yards. We should start seeing their lights pretty soon.”

  Compton nodded. “Good. All right. Here’s what I’m proposing. Ever hear of the story of the Trojan horse?” As he suspected, the Ruinos hadn’t, but Sarah, Hannah, and DeGrassi had.