My Friend is an Alien (niklas and friends)

by Niklas Edlund

  "I hope I didn't really hurt him." said Niklas.

  "Nah." said Jahv. "He'll wake up in about an hour with a headache. That's all." Jahv scanned for the Soluan ship. "Interesting. Two-man transport ship. At least those two in the bar are the only Soluans on the station. Picking up a life sign in one of the cargo holds. Locking on. Got him!" Jahv activated the console, and a humanoid form was coalescing on the transmat platform.

  He was, as expected, a boy, perhaps in Niklas' age range. His skin was a pale reddish-purple, and instead of hair he appeared to have a helmet of huge, black feathers fanning out from his head. His huge, oval, almost upswept eyes showed a distinct ferocity. He wore no shirt, but his trousers were indigo blue in color and highly ornate, with purple and gold swirls running through them.

  He'd also apparently felt what was happening to him and was in mid-sentence when he finally appeared. "-the spires of — and who in the cosmos are you?"

  Jahv provided some general introductions, including homeworlds. Arion frowned. "Earth. I have never heard of this world. I suppose it's not important. I am Prince Arion, regent-heir of the planetary monarchy of Korras. You have my gratitude."

  "Not too overbearing, is he?" whispered Keith.

  "Well, he is royalty of some sort, I guess." replied Niklas. "I guess he's entitled."

  Jahv had already started discussing options with Arion. "We're really in something of a hurry to get home," explained Jahv, "and this place does not have any Travelers' Assistance Station that I know of. And I don't think our shuttle would make the journey to Korras very effectively."

  Arion shook his head. "I could not return there just now anyway. I was the bargaining point in a disgusting truce between my people — my own father, the King — and the Soluans. I suspect it doesn't much matter what happens to me at this point, but if I were to return to my homeworld, the truce would be broken and war would result."

  "Jahv told us you people were warriors." remarked Morik. "Why would you make a truce with Soluans?"

  Arion turned angry only for a moment, then calmed. "An initial attack that destroyed the power supplies for our spacefighters, and a subsequent attack on two of our major cities. Do you want the casualty list, or do you get the idea?"

  Morik merely nodded.

  "That doesn't mean, however, that I'm going to let these Soluans get away from here anytime soon." said Arion. He turned to the transmat console. "Is this still set for the Soluan shuttle?" he asked Jahv.

  Jahv nodded, and Arion worked the controls. A transparent sphere with glowing circuitry in it materalized.

  "What's that?" asked Niklas.

  "Their power core." said Arion, grinning. "Is there a way to set this thing to dispersal?"

  Jahv studied the console. Niklas, Davy, and even Keith started to giggle. Even they could figure out what was happening here. "Yes," replied Jahv. "Coordinates set for space beyond the station, wide spread. Do it."

  The glowing sphere vanished. "They won't be going much of anywhere without that." said Arion.

  "And I don't think even the lowlifes on this station would help Soluans." added Jahv. "No one likes them."

  "Now that that's settled," said Keith, "can we please get the parts we need and go home?"

  "Karak's had enough time, I'm sure." said Jahv.

  "Hey, I just thought of something." offered Davy. "Could we use this to get back to the shuttle?"

  "What, the transmat?" asked Jahv.

  "Yeah, that'd be kind of cool. don't'cha think?" exclaimed Davy.

  "We'd still have to carry the food replicator back to Karak, since we couldn't use the transmat from a remote location like the shuttle." said Jahv. "And then carry the parts back. And I can only set us in the docking bay at the shuttle, not inside it. The security field…"

  "We get the idea." said Keith. "But even ONE less trip through that disgusting bar? I'm all in favor of that."

  "Okay." said Jahv, adjusting the controls. "Focusing on the docking area outside our shuttle. Everyone get on the platform, please." Everyone climbed up to the platform. "Ten second delay, and — activated!" Jahv scurried over to the platform and waited. A few seconds later, the six youngsters disappeared — and reappeared in the docking area right near their shuttle.

  "That was SO COOL!" yelped Davy. "WOW!" "It — tickled." said Niklas, amazed and grinning.

  "Says you." added Keith, who appeared to be counting his parts. "I itch."

  "Coolant residue from Morik's shuttle, probably." snickered Davy.

  "I think I feel a little dizzy." said Morik.

  "It can be disorienting at times." said Jahv. "Maybe you and Arion should wait here with the shuttle, while we conclude the parts deal.

  "I have no problem with that." said Arion. "The sooner we quit this station, the better."

  The group headed into the shuttle. Jahv quickly detached the food replicator and rounded up the programs he needed for it.

  They had to cut through the bar again, and noticed the distinct absence of Soluans. This worried Jahv. "If those two have headed back to their ship, they'll see Arion missing. That could sober them up real quick, and I'm going to need some installation time to repair the shuttle. They can't go anywhere in their ship, but that doesn't stop them from searching the station."

  "Lemme ask." said Keith. He walked up to the main bar, followed by Jahv. "Excuse me, what happened to the two Soluans that were in here earlier?"

  A gruff, orange-skinned alien that seemed to be made partly out of rocks and partly out of fur answered him. "Those two? Got so drunk they picked a fight with three Pundrians. They're in the brig. Actually, they're in the brig infirmary."

  Keith nodded thanks and walked away. "What are Pundrians?" he asked Jahv.

  "There's a saying in some of the rougher parts of the galaxy, Keith." said Jahv. "The best translation I can give you is — If you pick a fight with a Pundrian, make sure you know a good doctor first. And a funeral director."

  Karak was waiting for the group when they arrived. "Welcome back, young ones! Your parts are ready for you." he said. "You have food replicator?"

  Jahv presented Karak with the food replicator. The alien inspected the device, and smiled widely. "This is good machine! Well worth the trade. I haven't had decent meal in weeks. This will produce good meals for me. Thank you!" He started going through the program discs. "Hey, what's — pizza?"

  "You gave him MY program discs!?" yelled Keith.

  "We'll be back on Earth before you know it, Keith." said Jahv. "Besides, those are the backups. Karak, try it. As long as you're not allergic to cheese, you'll like it."

  "Sounds interesting. Is good deal whatever. Safe journey, little ones!"

  "Thank you, Karak." said Jahv. "You're an honorable man among thieves."

  Karak grinned widely and knowingly. "Somebody has to be, yes?"

  Jahv gathered up the stabilizer and the coil and the group headed back to the shuttle. He was able to complete the repairs in about an hour, and all diagnostics on the control console checked out completely. Before long, the shuttle was underway, with its new passenger.

  "Good-bye, Garboris." said Keith. "And good riddance. Gonna take me a week to get that smell out of my nose."

  "Oh, come on." said Davy. "It wasn't that bad. We did make a new friend, right?"

  "Two, including Karak, but I don't think he'd fit in with our group quite as well." offered Niklas.

  "I don't think he'd fit in Jahv's TENT all that well!" proclaimed Keith. "Cripes, what do you feed somebody that big, anyway?"

  "Whatever he wants?" suggested Morik, eliciting a few giggles as Jahv set the hyperwarp coordinates and the stars outside the ship began to elongate as the initial rush of faster-than-light speed took hold. It was a sight neither Niklas nor Davy, nor even Keith, grudgingly, would forget seeing.

  A few hours later, Earth was visible through the front cockpit windows. "Now, that's a cool sight!" proclaimed Keith.

  "Interesting looking world." said Arion. "Lot
of water."

  "It looks wonderful." said Morik.

  Davy and Niklas remained transfixed by the sight of the fast-approaching planet. "Astronauts gotta be the luckiest people on the planet." said Niklas.

  "Yeah, they get to see what things look like off-planet." affirmed Davy.

  Finally close enough to Earth to attempt contact, Jahv activated the commlink and said, "This is shuttle Alpha-Jahv to central control. Anyone there?"

  "Yep! You guys finally on the way back?" The voice was Jason's.

  "Jason!" said Jahv. "Is that you? Where are Martin and Keyro?"

  There was a slight laugh at the other end. "Where d'you think? They're out mudwrestling. I think they got bored waiting, so me, Sniv, and Fabian have been taking turns. It's my shift now."

  "Has anyone missed us?" asked Jahv, suddenly concerned.

  "Nah. Everybody thinks your hanging around the pond or Davy's treehouse." replied Jason. "So, you bringing anything back from the galaxy for us?"

  "How about two more aliens?" asked Jahv. There was a faint thud in the background.

  Niklas giggled. "I think he fainted."

  "Darn it, I knew we forgot something." said Davy. "Souvenirs!"

  "From that place!?" exclaimed Keith. "I'll take you to the city dump later. You can get something that looks better and doesn't smell as bad."

  Jahv activated the cloaking device for the shuttle once they were in Earth's atmosphere, and it coasted silently into the tent dome hangar. Jason, looking somewhat stunned, watched the group emerge. Davy and Niklas emerged first. Jahv was next, followed by Keith, and then Morik and Arion. Jason just shook his head, more stunned than ever. "I thought this was going to be a short trip out and back somewhere!"

  "So did we." muttered Keith.

  "Where are Martin and Keyro?" asked Jahv. "I would've thought you would've called them back.

  "I did. They're just outside." replied Jason. "I wasn't sure you'd want them loose in here."

  Jahv cut through the crowd, as did Keith and Niklas, while Davy tried to give the newcomers a tour around what would be their new home. Morik seemed pleased, but nervous, and Arion wanted to get outside, feeling rather confined.

  Standing just outside were two thoroughly mud-covered boys — which was also ALL that was covering them. Keith, Jahv, and Niklas started to giggle. "Sheesh, which one is which?" asked Niklas.

  "I think mine's the one with the two antennae." said Jahv.

  Arion emerged, much to the surprise of both Martin and Keyro, and much to everyone's surprise, shot into the air like he was wearing rockets.

  "Holy cow!" sputtered Niklas.

  "Ohhhh, wow." said Davy, who had come outside with Morik just as Arion had taken off. "That is so incredible."

  "Yeah, unless someone sees him!" said Keith.

  "Who'd believe it?" stated Niklas.

  Although so high into the sky that he barely looked like a speck, the boys could see Arion just well enough to see him performing stunts that would have put any flying thing on this planet — bird or aircraft — to utter shame. Finally he shot down into a dive that had Niklas and the others wondering how much ground he was going to plow up when he hit. But somehow, the young Prince managed to stop himself short and came to an impossibly gentle landing.

  "That was incredible!" proclaimed Davy. "Do you take passengers?" Arion raised an eyebrow. "I suppose I could — sometime." Then he noticed Martin and Keyro. "Provided it's not those two, unless those are not their natural states."

  "I hope you took your clothes off BEFORE going into the mud and didn't LOSE them out there, Martin." said Keith.

  "I think these guys deserve a big hug for getting back safely, don't you?" asked Keyro, looking at Martin.

  "Absolutely!" replied Martin, and the two boys surged forward.

  Arion shot into the sky again, almost panicked. Jahv, Niklas, Morik and Keith managed to keep the two from falling back into the nearby tent, but not from getting muddy themselves. Seconds later, after some standing wrestling, all five either dove or fell into the nearby pond, except Morik, who ran off inexplicably in another direction. The rest finally surfaced, and Arion gradually came back down, but maintained a cautious distance. "You lot have the strangest customs. Is this normal behavior for your kind?"

  Davy laughed. "Define normal."

  "Oh, I see." said Arion, looking somewhat concerned. "May I assume by the rather isolated location and the concealed appearance of this nearby structure, as well as the fact that I've never heard of this planet, that there aren't many offworlders here?"

  "Just you four, that we know of." said Niklas.

  "Which means watch where you fly." added Keith. "You don't want to attract attention."

  "I see." said Arion. "I trust, at least, that I haven't just traded one prison for another?"

  "Would the Soluans have treated you as a friend?" asked Davy.

  "Hardly." replied Arion. "The Soluans barely tolerate each other."

  "There's the difference." said Niklas. "To us, you're a friend. Sort of a secret friend."

  Arion pondered this remark. "I suspect I can live with that. Thank you."

  "Hey, where's the other one you brought back with you?" asked Martin. "The one with the camouflage skin?"

  "Did he go into the lake with the rest of us?" asked Davy, suddenly concerned. "We know he can swim!"

  "I saw him head off in that direction when I took off." indicated Arion, pointing down a short path, that a now thoroughly mud-covered Morik was now returning upon.

  "Morik, what the heck —?!" questioned Niklas.

  Morik shrugged. "Seeing what you look like, I wondered what I would look like if I were just one color instead of many."

  "This is a weird kid." said Keith. "You can take the kid out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the kid…"

  "Hold it." said Jahv, his antennae and nose suddenly twitching. "Does anyone smell something weird?"

  A comment like that would normally invite a lot of bad jokes, but everybody else picked up on the aroma, as well. Something like burning metal and ozone. "The shuttle!" screeched Jahv, dashing back into the dome-tent, with the others quickly behind.

  They entered the dome-tent, and Jason was frantic. "Something's really wrong back there, but I swear I didn't touch anything!" The group headed to the hangar. Sure enough, the shuttle's engines had experienced a major malfunction. They hadn't exploded or caught fire, but they were giving off weird bursts of energy spheres. Jahv was working a nearby control console. "Maximum containment field!" he commented. A shimmering half-dome appeared around the shuttle. Seconds later, the energy spheres built in intensity, and one last impossibly bright burst filled the entire containment dome. When it finally dissipated, the shuttle was gone.

  Jahv was instantly downcast, almost in tears. "All that work…"

  "What happened?" asked Niklas.

  Jahv shook his head. "I–I'm honestly not sure. Maybe something in the repairs. Maybe something even in the initial design, or something we missed when we built it."

  "Maybe you shouldn't build another one until you find out what did happen." suggested Keith, but without any hostility. Inwardly, he was too thankful that whatever had happened hadn't happened while they were still on it.

  "Jahv, don't beat yourself up about it." urged Davy. "Hey, you got to take three of us out there once, and a lot further than anyone from this planet has ever been. That's something we'll all remember!"

  "Definitely!" agreed Niklas, who then eyed Keith.

  Keith tried not to groan. "Okay, so it was — interesting. Still glad I'm back."

  "And you rescued both me and Arion." added Morik. "I'd still be alone without you."

  "And I would prefer to not even think about where I would be." said Arion. "So the ship is gone. Perhaps, in time, another can be built. But this one clearly served noble purposes."

  "Guess you're right." said Jahv.

  "Hey, guys," said Jason, looking at his watch, "it's g
etting kind of late. We should all be heading home."

  Quick farewells were said, and Niklas and the others headed on their way. Niklas turned back to see the tent-flap close. Only Morik remained outside, diving into the lake to wash off the mud he had smeared on himself.

  What an incredible adventure, thought Niklas, smiling. And what an incredible secret. But at the same time, he considered the friends he was now walking with. Davy, Martin, Keith, and Jason. Space was an adventure, the aliens were incredible, but this was home, and these were the people he truly knew the best of all.

  Part 8

  The remainder of the summer had gone quickly for Niklas and his friends, including their alien friends hiding out in the woods near Davy's.

  Of all four of them including the brothers Jahv and Keyro, Prince Arion of the planet Korras, and the camouflage-skinned Morik, it was Morik who had spent the most time with Niklas, Davy, and the others. Once he started associating with people again, he had turned out to be the friendliest. Jahv and Keyro tended to be content using their assorted equipment to scan the stars. Actually Keyro did most of this, whereas Jahv spent a lot of time building new contraptions, most of which — perhaps thankfully — didn't work very well, although he did build a small transmat unit that could «beam», much like Star Trek transporter systems, up to four people anywhere within a fifty-mile radius. Unfortunately, the device was a little pointless, since the foursome didn't dare show themselves in public, and they didn't know the terrain well enough to pick out hiding spots.

  Prince Arion was regretably just too pompous for the others at times. He never really meant to be rude, but growing up in a royal family of apparently considerable opulence had engendered in him certain mannerisms of superiority that the others found difficult to put up with. Arion himself didn't seem to object all that much to being left on his own, and reportedly spent a lot of time flying, as he was able to do, always shooting out of the hidden dome-tent so fast that no one could have possibly seen him, and then flying either so high or so erratically that no ground-based radar system was likely to pick up on him. It was also hoped that he was too small to be easily detected.