by Thomas Stone
Kretin nodded to his little brother and, unknown to the three men on the forest floor, the two natives silently crossed the branches until they reached the tree.
*
Parker turned to Fagen. Gasping, he said, "I don't think I can go much farther."
"We've got to," Fagen replied. "Either that or die here."
"Maybe we can disable the thing." Harry suggested.
Fagen shook his head. "I hit it square in the body three times. The shots bounced off. No effect at all."
"Well, what are we going to do?" Parker's eyes were wide with fright.
Fagen looked around the trunk and quickly pulled back. "Can't run. It's headed this way. Get ready." Fagen checked his firearm.
"I can't believe this is happening," said the doctor. "There's got to be something we can do!"
"Don't shoot the trees," Harry mumbled.
"Shut up!" snapped Parker.
The three men huddled and waited for the attack. They didn't have to wait long. There was a change in the air, a static buildup, then a high-pitched whine of airjets filled their ears. Fagen was the first to stand and fire. As he did so, a beam of white-hot light sliced the air over his head, missing him by inches.
Harry rolled away and into a position where he could get a shot. It was much closer than expected. It hovered above the ground with its legs drawn up underneath like an insect in flight. Harry sighted the high-powered rifle to a place just over where he imagined the face to be. He squeezed the trigger and the projectile flew from the barrel impacting and exploding right on target.
The creature wobbled in the air and floated backward, rolling with the blow. "It felt that!" Fagen shouted as he fired a burst from his own weapon.
The alien avoided Fagen's shot by floating behind the tree.
Fagen shot Parker a glance. "It's coming around to your side!"
The doctor cowered against the tree trunk, cradling the shotgun in his arms. "No," he said, "I can't... it isn't right..."
A look of astonishment and disgust passed over Fagen's face.
Harry turned his rifle sights to cover the area behind Parker while Fagen watched the other side. To their surprise, instead of coming around, the alien chose to attack from above, appearing at a giant crook in the tree trunk, some fifteen feet over their heads. The beam again shot down and cut a path between Parker and Fagen. The ground sizzled and burned wherever the beam touched.
Harry rolled onto his back and got off a shot. It ineffectively glanced off the rounded metallic surface resulting in the creature orienting itself in Harry's direction. Harry tried to shoot again but his gun jammed. He dropped it and rolled away just in time to avoid the path of the laser beam.
Backing against a fallen log, he watched as the beam swept toward him. Time slowed. Harry smelled the burning pine needles and saw the beam steadily advance.
Without warning, the laser shot off in another, cock-eyed direction, into the trees. Harry looked up at the alien.
Its spindly legs and robotic arms struggled within the constraints of a woven net. An attached rope went taut. Pulling at the end was an odd apelike creature. Fascinated, Harry watched.
The rope closed the loop and the alien became fully enclosed. It continued to fire its ray in an effort to burn its way free. To some extent, it worked, but not before the simian succeeded in destabilizing the thing's gyros. The alien finally turned over in mid-air and toppled to the ground, hitting and bouncing off a large branch in the process.
Upon impact, one arm snapped off. The sound of compressed air came from the hole. Parker jumped aside to avoid being crushed, but wasn’t fast enough. His foot was pierced through by one of the creature's three legs. The monster, still tangled in the net, rolled against the base of the tree. The one remaining arm flailed at the air.
Dropping from above, the aborigine jumped atop the alien and thrust a wooden spear into the open arm socket. With the shaft deep inside, the apelike creature twisted it with sinewy hands, withdrew it, and thrust again. A shriek pierced the air and the alien grew still.
Kretin withdrew the shaft and smelled the tip as he eyed the three men. No one said anything. Kretin broke the silence by beating on his chest and giving a shout of victory.
Parker rolled on the ground, gripping his injured foot. Fagen looked after him while Harry stood and faced the aborigine. As before, Harry showed Kretin he held no weapons. Kretin responded by shrugging and whipping his tail. He jumped back to his branch and looked for the second alien. Harry looked as well.
The second creature had stopped fifty yards away and was in rapid retreat.
Harry turned his attention back to the unmoving alien. A blue fluid seeped from the vacant arm socket and a small crack ran across the front where Harry's rifle shot had found its mark. Harry moved closer and inspected the creature's underside. Except for a rectangular panel and openings for the airjets, its surface was smooth and shiny. An indentation large enough for a fingertip was located next to the panel. It looked much like the button design aboard the alien ship. Harry pushed on it with a forefinger and the panel slid away.
"It's open," Harry said.
As Parker grimaced in pain, Fagen pulled off Parker’s boot and sock and began wrapping a bandage around his foot.
"Be careful." Fagen said to Harry. "Is it dead?"
Harry peered into the opening. "Looks like it. I can see something inside. There're a lot of controls. Man, it smells bad in there."
"Don't breathe it. Could be poisonous." Fagen took an plasti-syringe from the med-kit and delivered a dose of pain killer into Parker’s neck.
Harry held his breath and took another look inside. "Something's in there, all right. Looks like... a little old man, sort of. It's the same thing I saw on the alien ship."
Fagen finished tying off Parker's dressing and stood. "Keep an eye out while I take a look."
Harry looked in the direction of the clearing. The second creature had disappeared. Fagen asked Parker to make a recording and Parker fumbled with the control panel attached to his forearm, eventually finding the right key combination to start his minicam.
"How's the wound?" Harry asked.
"It missed the arteries." Fagen looked up into the branches. "Where did our little friends go?"
Harry followed Fagen's gaze and shrugged. "I don't know."
"We'll talk about it later. First, let's get back to the shuttle. The sun's going down soon. I don't want to have to find my way after dark."
"Edward?" Parker asked.
"Yes?"
"Uh, I don't think I can walk."
Fagen looked blankly at the man. "Can't walk, eh?"
Parker shook his head. "I don't think so."
Fagen sighed and removed his helmet. "Well," he said, "in this gravity, I can't carry you. I doubt if both Harry and I together could carry you very far. You can't walk and we can't stay here. So, Doctor," Fagen leaned toward the injured man, "what do you suggest?"
"I don't know..." Parker stuttered. "You're not going to leave me here, are you? You can't do that!"
Fagen ran a dirty hand over his face. Sweat ran down the commander's face. "Calm down, Dr. Parker. See if you can stand up."
Parker got to his feet and tested the bad foot. "It's swelling up."
"Can you walk?"
"You never let up, do you?"
"You can walk. Just take it easy. Harry?"
"What?"
"Lead the way. Don't get too far ahead. The doctor and I will follow." Fagen took a look around. "The light's going, we won't make it back before dark."
Harry hoisted the rifle and started the hike to the shuttle. Overhead, the branches rustled. He glimpsed a fleeting form and knew the aborigines were still with them. He hadn't been able to watch the primitives long enough to make any conclusions, but whatever they were, they were certainly fearless.
Using the shotgun as a cane, Parker hobbled along behind.
Fortunately, there was no sign of the other alien. They traveled w
ithout stopping until it was almost too dark to see. Beneath a great conifer, Fagen told Harry to stop. Harry dropped to the ground and Parker followed suit. Fagen squatted. All three men were exhausted.
Fagen looked at his watch. "It's a little over an hour's walk to the shuttle."
Parker examined the dressing on his foot. Harry wanted to go to sleep.
"Okay," Fagen said. "We'll stay here awhile." He removed a blue plastic tube from one of the assorted pockets on his dungarees and pinched one end. The tube glowed, emitting enough light to illuminate the three men.
The doctor lay back and propped up his leg. Harry didn't move. Fagen passed around a canteen and, in turn, they quenched their thirst. The branches rustled overhead and not just one, but two aborigines, boldly walked atop a large branch and stopped above the heads of the men.
One of them, the larger one, pointed down and said something. As tired as he was, Harry listened intently and hoped they weren't challenging the earthlings to a fight.
Nobody knew what to say, but it was Harry's territory. He stood and held up his hands for a moment, then slowly lowered them.
"Hello."
The aborigine rattled off the same phrase, this time pointing to the ground and then pointing to the branches overhead.
"What does he want, Harry?"
"I have no idea. But he's trying to tell us something, that's for sure."
*
Kretin urged the men to climb up into the tree but they didn't understand. It was annoying. They had moved painfully slow for the last hour and now they didn't even know enough to get into the trees after dark. Maybe he should leave them.
He felt good. He had taken revenge for his father against a terrible foe. Of course, he had been helped by the strangers. First the she-thing, now these things. Grandfather would be happy and proud. The tribe had recovered its honor.
The new things had helped him. He couldn't leave them to be picked off by the night creatures. But he couldn't make them understand. One of them was trying to talk, but it said nothing. It only made sounds.
"Maybe they're stupid," suggested Arai.
"Maybe you're stupid." Kretin suddenly looked behind. "Smell something?"
"No," said the boy, "you're jumpy." To be sure, he sniffed the air and detected nothing.
Kretin again told them to climb into the tree. They stared at him, uncomprehending.
"Wait," said Arai, lifting his snout to the air. "There is something." He sniffed again. So did Kretin. The boy's lip curled. "Stinking night creature!"
Kretin renewed his efforts to get the men into the tree.
*
"They want us to climb up there."
"Up there?" Parker said. "Where? Into the tree? That's ridiculous."
"Nope," Harry said, "that's what he's saying."
"He may be saying it, but I'm fine right here."
"I don't know, he seems pretty excited about something."
Fagen stood and looked out into the darkened forest. "Are you sure, Harry? Are you sure that's what he's saying?"
"Yeah."
"For crying out loud," Parker interrupted, "how could you possibly know this creature is telling us to climb into this tree? And so what if it is? Why should I?"
"Maybe it knows something you don't," said Fagen.
"Like what?"
"I don't know, but I don't feel good about this." He looked around once more. "Let's get into the tree."
"What?" said Parker.
"Into the tree."
Grasping the ridges of the tree bark, Harry began to climb. The smaller native reached down with its tail and gripped Harry by the wrist. With ease, it pulled him up. Harry marveled at its strength.
"Come on," urged Fagen to Parker. The doctor hadn't moved. "Go on," Parker said, "I'll catch up."
"All right," said Fagen. He turned away and followed Harry up into the tree.
"Ridiculous," Parker remarked. As the others climbed higher, the doctor's mood took a change for the worse. Something rustled along on the forest floor. He sat upright and glanced up. His companions were out of sight.
A cough came out of the shadows. Parker peered over the glowing tube of light and squinted into the darkness. Twenty or thirty meters away, he could clearly see a set of eyes reflected in the light. Without another word, he stood up, hung the gun over his shoulder, and with Harry’s help, quickly climbed up the tree.
Chapter 27
Harry clung to a branch and peered through his faceplate. The helmet enabled him to see in the dark, although he wasn't sure what it was he saw. A beast that was almost human, almost in the mutant sense. It had two legs and two arms and a head, but that was where the resemblance stopped. Its skin was yellow-scaled and had suppurating sores. It was additionally, quite out of its mind. Stopping beneath the tree, it beat on the trunk and gazed upward. Its moans pierced the air and it gnawed on the bark at the base. Harry had little doubt it knew they were there.
The thing was in pain, that much could be discerned from its cries. It used to be a man, or something very similar. Over the intercom, Parker reported he was getting high rads from the monster.
"That's what those scars are about, radiation burns. It's a wonder the thing is still alive."
"What is it?"
"Definitely humanoid. Perhaps the same as the natives only this one had a little accident."
"It doesn't have a tail."
"Radiation burned it off. Definite signs of radiation sickness."
Fagen watched from his perch and said nothing. Kretin and Arai were higher in the tree and out of sight of the men. They didn't share the men's clinical interest in the creature. Night creatures had been around for as long as anybody could remember. Everyone knew even a touch could kill. Kretin had once heard a story told by his father that said they were Bedorans who had somehow angered the gods. As punishment, they were burned by the fire no one can see. To seek relief, they buried themselves in mud during the day and roamed for food at night. The legends claimed they were terrible to see.
Kretin didn't aim to find out. Like his younger brother, he sat in a shadowed crook and held the end of his tail over his eyes.
After a while, the creature gave up and moved away. For some time afterward, its moans could be heard echoing through the forest.
When the creature could no longer be seen, Fagen and the others removed their helmets. Together they shared a silent moment of relaxation.
Harry felt inside a pocket and withdrew a packet containing dried fruit and nuts. Wordlessly, he shared it with Fagen.
"This is a strange place." Harry was so tired he said it aloud without realizing it.
"Yes, it is." Fagen murmured, half asleep. "It always was."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh," Fagen said, waking, "nothing."
Harry wasn't going to let it go. "No, you meant something. What is it?"
Fagen looked at Harry through bleary eyes. He looked as though he struggled with something he wanted to say. He opened his mouth to speak, but at the same time, Arai dropped down onto the branch and stared at Harry's food.
His waiting paid off and finally Harry offered him some. The boy allowed Harry to pour a handful into his cupped hand. Arai sniffed at it. Experimentally, he selected a single peanut and licked it. Harry took one and popped it into his mouth crunching and chewing as he showed the native the food was safe to eat.
While the boy ate, Harry pointed at the package. "Food."
To Harry's amazement, the boy parroted the sound. Then he gave Harry the Bedoran equivalent. Kretin moved down to a branch just above and held out his hand. Harry poured some dried fruit into the furry palm.
Harry motioned toward his mouth and said, "eat."
Both Kretin and Arai put pieces of fruit into their mouths and chewed. When the two talked to one another, Harry listened intently. The language was not particularly difficult and not unlike primitive languages on Earth. As he distributed the trail mix to the two primitives, he continued to as
k questions and learn words. Arai would try to explain the meanings. Kretin watched in amusement.
His amusement passed into wonder as Harry began speaking simple sentences. "I am here," Harry said in the primitive language.
Kretin looked at Arai and laughed. "He speaks with a lisp."
"That's because he doesn't have a tail."
The brothers laughed at the joke. Harry watched and grinned. He didn't understand, but their amusement was obvious. He noticed that before they looked him in the eyes, they always did the same thing. That is, they looked down and twitched their tails, then they ‘spoke.’ It was as if they first asked permission.
As far as communicating with the aborigines, the tail presented quite a problem. Harry didn't have one. He quickly observed that in addition to their verbalizations they signed with their tails as well. The tail signs helped him to understand what they said, but it hindered him in speaking.
When the Bedorans grew weary of the strangers, they taught Harry how to say good night, then climbed higher into their chosen sleeping spots.
Harry stretched out on the mammoth tree limb.
Fagen remarked, "That was impressive, Harry. Your language skills are remarkable."
"Thanks. I'm catching on. Their language is similar to some of our own primitive languages."
Fagen nodded and fell silent.
But Harry pressed on. "What did you mean earlier? When you said it always was strange?"
Fagen stretched his legs. "What are you talking about?"
"Earlier. I said this was a strange place and you said it always was."
"Did I say that?"
"Yes, you did."
"Well, forget it."
Harry looked at the man for a second and wondered what it was that drove him. It wasn't just the stars and the nose for adventure; that was part of it, true enough, but there was something else. Fagen seemed relaxed all the time, as if he knew what to expect. He had even brought non-standard issue weapons and armor suits with helmets. It was as if he had expected to find trouble even before the trip started. Now he'd inadvertently said something that indicated he'd been on Mia Culpa before.