by John Foster
“We want to help your friend. What can we do?” asked West pointing to the other Soshi.
The great blue eyes followed West’s gesture and closed a bit as the Soshi tried to move towards its partner. West restrained it gently and repeated, “What can we do to help?” West signaled Cesar to help him move the alien next to the second one. They grabbed it under the arms and moved it slowly towards the second one. Its eyes closed while it was moved and they could feel it shudder when they touched it. When they had gotten next to the second one, the first one opened its eyes and looked at the dying companion. West and Cesar helped the wounded survivor to kneel in front of its companion. Its hand reached down and stroked the face of the other gently, caressing it, and then touched the eyes of the other and then the first Soshi’s hand fell suddenly as a paroxysm of pain crossed its body and it fell forward and Cesar caught it as it fell.
“This isn’t working. We’ve got to do something to save their lives, but what?” said West his eyes focused on the surviving Soshi and his lips pinched.
“We don’t have the faintest clue about their physiology or anything that could be helpful,” said Madison.
“Madison, take your medical scanner and run it over the tube in the other Soshi’s mouth. That might give a clue about what’s happening and possibly what might work on them,” said West.
“Okay, Cesar, run back to the quad and get me my med bag,” said Madison.
“Right,” said Cesar and he raced back to the quad, the nearby fire now sputtering and slowly going out with lack of fuel.
“You’re going to use our medicine on the Soshi?” asked West.
“I have a scanner that I’ve developed based on my research for my husband for finding alien life on other planets. It was close to being completed when I left his laboratory. It should be able to give us a DNA summary of the Soshi and whether our medicine can help.”
She took the med pouch from Cesar as he rejoined them and opened it. She went through the pouches and pulled the DNA scanner out and ran it over the wounded alien. She looked at the readout, her face frowning, and then ran it again.
She looked to West, her mouth agape, and said, “Her DNA is about 98 percent similar to ours?”
“Isn’t that good news?” asked West his face puzzled over her surprise.
“Yes, excellent news, except it leads to the obvious question of why is it so similar? It’s almost like we’re related.”
“But she’s so different looking, her skin, her colored patches, and even her body structure looks different,” said West, his eyes reflecting his puzzlement.
“That’s nothing, that’s cosmetic, and has little to do with how the body is organized and structured. It is quite remarkable in any event.”
Madison then took out some anti-bleeding pads and was about to place them when Cesar bent down to look into the pouch.
“Use the brown stuff. It will fix her up,” said Cesar excitedly pointing at the little plastic bag in the pouch. “Yeah, it will fix her right up, it did me in less than five minutes. “Kal gave you that, didn’t she?” asked Cesar.
Madison was confused by what Cesar was saying but impressed at the enthusiasm in which he was saying it. Cesar had never been so animated by anything and never volunteered unless he was asked to. Madison looked down into her bag and she saw the brown stuff in a clear bag that Kal had put in her pouch. She felt confused as to what it was, then remembered Kal’s story about it stopping bleeding on Cesar.
“Cesar? Did that ... brown stuff really stop your bleeding?” asked Madison.
West looked from one to the other, not understanding what she was asking.
“Yeah, it worked great, you should try it on the alien. It worked on me and if you’re right about the DNA, it should work on her,” answered Cesar.
“Yes, Kal, gave it to me earlier but I hadn’t a chance to look it over.”
“It worked great on me,” reiterated Cesar.
West watched the exchange and then somewhat exasperated asked, “What’s going on? What ‘Stuff’ are we talking about?”
Madison pulled the pouch out and started to open it as she explained what Kal had told her and what Cesar was now confirming.
“Heck, let’s give it a shot, it can’t be worse than anything we have,” said West as he bent over the duo and watched.
Madison applied the stuff to the alien’s scorched arm and the creature relaxed and the head started to loll from side to side.
“It looks like it’s working on the creature,” said Cesar as he watched the alien’s arm change to a less dull grey.
The Soshi shifted and identifying the person speaking, looked up at Cesar defiantly, and said, “I’m not a creature, I’m Amal.”
The voice of the alien was decidedly female which surprised all of them.
Amal pulled off the bottom part of her helmet and let it roll across the ground and stared at the humans standing around her. Her arm had stopped hurting and her breathing was returning to normal. She saw the brown material pressed to her arm and knew instinctively that it was responsible for her healing. She wanted to remove it as soon as possible but couldn’t quite bring herself to do it. A human female was crouched in front of her and talking excitedly to the others and then started to verbalize to Amal. Amal heard the animal gutturals that the human was making and made an involuntary face which made the humans stop talking as they stared at her. Amal moved her hand to her face slowly so she wouldn’t frighten the humans and was able to activate the translation device built into her suit collar.
Amal started to speak, “You will surrender to me or die.”
Madison stood suddenly and Volkum and Curt turned outward as if they felt they were being surrounded. West also looked outward but not seeing anything turned back to Amal.
“We’re not your enemies,” said West smiling.
The human showed its teeth in some type of feral grimace and Amal almost started to laugh at this attempt to intimidate her. Amal was a soldier and not only a soldier but a high-ranking officer of the Soshi Naval Fleet. She could easily take these humans out without a weapon. The human who showed his puny little fangs at her was addressing her and then pointing to behind her. She followed his gesture and saw Terek lying among some boulders. The memory of the crash came back with frightening fury and she immediately started to crawl over to Terek, but quickly realized she was dead. She moved slowly, afraid the humans would jump on her, and hinder her. None of them moved as she neared the body. She swept her head covering off, revealing long coils of silvery strands of hair like skin. The freedom of the strands invigorated her and she bent over Terek and stroked her head revealing her strands as well.
Amal’s big blue eyes softened and turned a deep blue as she grieved for her friend. She turned to the humans who just stood watching her. She stood slowly and two of them aimed their weapons at her as she did so.
“I repeat, you will surrender to me,” said Amal.
The grinning one spoke, “I’m afraid we’re not your prisoner but your rescuers.”
“Your race is the dregs of the galaxy and we will wipe out the disease you call a civilization,” said Amal with vehemence.
West turned to Madison, and said, “This is going to take longer than I thought.”
“We didn’t shoot you down, that was the Sovar. We didn’t harm you,” said Madison looking with concern at Amal and then at Terek.
“We’re here on a peaceful mission and saw you get shot down. We heard the distress beacon and decided to attempt a rescue,” said Madison.
“You lie, how could humans detect our distress beacon, it’s not on a frequency your race even knows about.”
Madison and West looked at each other, “We didn’t use our technology, but the ones of the ancient ones, the Kaa, who lived here before,” said West looking at her his mouth now a thin line.
Amal considered this but her large blue eyes reflecting distrust.
“Think of this, our ship was shot down by th
e Sovar just as yours was. We have that in common at the very least,” said West. Amal raised her wounded arm in a dismissive gesture, winced at the sudden pain caused by moving it, and turned her head away.
West stood with his arms crossed and considered what to do next.
“We offer what limited protection we have and will aid you in returning to your people. If you do not wish our help we’ll provide you with a weapon for personal defense and some communication gear that might help you contact your people. I can’t promise you will be rescued but it’s better than nothing. At the very least you can contact us and we’ll return and try to assist you should you need it. All we ask in return is your promise to not fight us,” said West.
The sound of a loud blast next to the tree line interrupted West and they all turned in time to see their vehicle being blown into the air aflame and smoking. A Soshi fighter roared overhead followed by two others.
“Run for cover everyone,” yelled West as the rest of the team scurried into the boulders surrounding the small clearing they were in.
Amal stood, crossed her arms on her chest, and smiled as the ships flew overhead.
“Perhaps I can rescue you earth people,” said Amal in what only looked like a very human like gesture of smugness.
A blast from a second fighter destroyed a small boulder behind her and she was covered with the hot splinters of rock chips. Her look of complacency gone, she ran after West and Madison who had ducked into the rock shelter that Terek had been in. The Soshi ships continued to dart about, firing, seeking targets. West, using his HDA, checked to make sure everyone was okay. “Stay in cover and don’t show yourselves.”
“Why are they shooting at me,” said Amal crouching down by West and Madison, “Why? I have a personal transponder, they should be able to see me.”
Madison raised her head and looked over at Amal and then her eyes caught on Amal’s shattered helmet lying in the dirt.
“Is the transponder in your helmet?” asked Madison.
“You don’t need to know where it is,” said Amal who was reaching up to where her helmet should have been and then suddenly remembering that she wasn’t wearing it.
It was evident to West and Madison that the transponder was indeed in Amal’s helmet. West ran out from cover and retrieved the helmet and brought it back. Amal grabbed it from him and looked at the side of helmet and saw that the right side was scorched and partially melted. She looked at West and Madison and nodded her head.
“Yes, it was in the helmet. They’ll read your,” she paused and then re-said, “our heat signatures and believe that we’re humans hunting for survivors. We’re not safe here. I have an emergency communicator.” Amal raised her arm that West had damaged with his weapon and Amal looked at it with disbelief as she realized it had been fused, but pressed one area and after several tries, part of her armor opened up revealing a small microphone, and bending her arm to her mouth, she said, “This is Amal, I am with a Terran human named West, and,” the device sparked and then smoked.
West and Amal looked at each other and Amal, said, “It’s dead, and I’m not sure they heard me.”
“We’ll just have to chance it,” said West.
The ships passed over again, firing at the cluster of boulders showering them all with fiery shards of semi-molten rock. They ducked and swatted at the flying pieces of rock as they landed on them. West raised his HDA and spoke on an open channel, “We’re going to run along the edge of the river using the vegetation as cover, keep low, and keep moving but stay under cover.”
He got confirmations from the rest and the three of them moved away from the boulders and headed to the river. West could see a large opening in the canopy of the trees between them and the rock outcrops. They would have to run through that meadow before they could hide among the foliage of the trees along the water’s edge.
“We’re gonna have to run for it, and run hard too,” said West standing and helping Madison to her feet. West looked to Amal and said, “You’re free to come with us or stay here and possibly be rescued.”
Amal stood and slowly shook her head indicating her refusal to go with them.
West nodded and turned to Madison, “You ready?”
Madison, her head down, nodded and then turned toward Amal, “You sure you want to stay here? You’re welcome to come with us.”
Amal again shook her head and stayed still.
West nodded and said, “Let’s go,” and ran with Madison, their heads down, across the clearing towards the slowly moving river. They jigged and turned as they ran, but the movement had caught the eye of one of the attack aircraft which slowed, and pushed its nose down in a strafing run on the fleeing couple. Twin lightning bolts in quick succession blasted the small plants and rocks around West and Madison as they ran for their lives from the pursuing aircraft. Madison fell as the fighter zoomed in low and over their heads. West stopped, helped her up and holding her, threw her arm around his neck and started to zig zag across the meadow. “Not much more, and we’re out of this clearing, just a bit more,” said West, his breathing coming in ragged gasps.
Just then a blast from behind blew up the ground below them and sent them tumbling through the air and sprawling on the open ground. West, his breath knocked out of him staggered to his knees and then feet and drunkenly moved towards Madison who wasn’t moving, blood flowing down her hair line and across her cheeks. West let out a gasp and ran to her, not quite steady as his nerves adjusted. He reached Madison, knelt down by her side and gently touched her. He looked up to see another of the fighters coming in for a final run with the nose pointed down and at them. He shielded Madison’s body with his own as he waited for the inevitable blast but instead found they were enveloped in a thick blue smoke.
Amal appeared through the smoke laden air and hurried to them as she spied them. “Quick. I threw a rescue grenade and that distracted them but they’ll see it as a hoax and come after us with a vengeance,” said Amal breathing heavily.
West couldn’t speak but nodded and then checking Madison picked her up who groaned softly. West nodded at this small sound and, grim faced, started to move off for the river bank with Amal following behind.
Another fighter swooped in low looking for them but not yet firing. “We don’t have much time,” yelled Amal.
West redoubled his efforts and then Amal picked up Madison’s legs and the two of them made better time running now for the river edge and the relative safety of the tree line. Cesar and Curt darted out of the trees and ran toward the small party and helped them to cover in a dense thicket of brush at the edge of the trees. West and Amal were both breathing hard and sat back on their haunches trying to regain their breath. West gasped out, “Everybody, okay?”
“We’re okay but haven’t seen Volkum,” said Curt and continued, “I haven’t seen him since the first strafing run by her friends. He was near the Soshi ship looking for some type of stretcher at the time.” Curt glared at Amal as he said this, but she sat silent.
West pulled the brown stuff from Madison’s med pouch and applied a piece to Madison’s head and she immediately started to revive.
“This is amazing stuff,” holding it up, he said to Cesar and Curt who both nodded.
“Yeah, you don’t have to make a believer out of me,” said Cesar.
Madison started to rouse and turned on her side and then looked up at West. “Are they gone yet?” said Madison her face caked in dirt and congealing blood.
West smiled and looked down at her and said, “No, but we’re at the river and under cover.”
At that moment, the shrill roar of one of the fighters flew overhead and quite low. They all looked up and hunched down more. West looked at the rest of them and using his HDA called out to Volkum, “Volkum? Can you read me?” West repeated but there was no response.
Looking at Curt and Cesar, West said, “Help Madison down the river a couple of hundred yards until you find better cover, and I’m going to find Volkum.”
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br /> Cesar and Curt nodded and gently helped Madison up. “Don’t get hurt,” said Madison, as she stood unsteadily.
Madison stopped for a moment and took some of the brown stuff out of her pouch and put it in West’s med pouch, “Just in case,” said Madison who smiled briefly.
West nodded and turned to look out over the meadow clearing he would have to recross to find Volkum.
West started to run into the clearing.
West, ran for all his worth, knowing that the fighters would see him and start strafing. He dodged about trying to make an unpredictable pattern as he raced across. He had 100 yards to cross and could see a tiny silver dot growing in the distant sky and recognized it as one of the attacking craft. He veered right and ran several yards and then left hoping to avoid the inevitable fusillade of fire. The tiny dot, larger now, was making minor course corrections as it zoomed in closer. He ran harder, his heart pounding, and body tensed as he sprinted. The attacking craft, started to fire in a lazy line of short bursts that were inching their way towards him and spaced no more than a few feet apart. West realized there was no way he was going to dodge this attack but was determined to keep fighting and put on a burst of speed to his right hoping to distract the pilot with his radical change in direction. The pilot anticipated this change and the line of bursts hit the ground in an increasingly rapid line of ear splitting blasts into the ground in front of him. West fell, tripped up by a low-lying root sticking up from the surface, which sent him sprawling face down. In a sudden awful moment of clarity West realized that he couldn’t avoid being hit and he looked up he could see the pilot’s head suddenly jerk right and down and then the nose of the craft turned up and away. He turned at the sound of running feet and looked up to see Amal running towards him waving her arms in the air.