by Vivian Venus
Kaylee’s eyes were tuned for the pod, and then she saw it just up ahead. Its white metal body gleamed in the daylight and was a stark contrast against the backdrop of the surrounding jungle. She found herself walking faster, wanting to confirm if what she feared had happened was true. She broke into a run now, separating from Tor and Toovah, her vision narrowed in on the pod, her last chance at rescue…
The hatch door was torn open.
The remains of the pod’s emergency supplies law scattered around on the ground, all torn into, eaten and otherwise destroyed. “Oh no,” Kaylee said as she ran up and moved to look inside. She shouted in surprise as a trio of rodent looking creatures darted out, frightened by sudden entrance into their new den. The inside of the pod was a disheartening sight. The cushions of the single seat had been ripped to the shreds, the paneling on the wall torn out and scavenged clean, all the food, emergency water, and even medicine was scavenged clean.
Tor stuck his head into hatch and looked around, uncertain of what it was he was looking at. “Vizers did this,” he said. “Looking for food.”
“I’m surprised they didn’t rip the whole thing apart,” she said, sitting down in the seat. The supplies weren’t important. With Tor here she could learn to survive in the jungle…but the computer was another thing. If the pod’s computer system didn’t work, there would be no way for her to be found. She eased herself down into the chair, looking around unhappily at the damage done to the entire pod interior.
“This is a star?” Toovah said curiously, peeking inside.
“Okay…how do I get this thing turned on…” she mumbled, searching around. She found a button on the panel beneath the holo-display and pushed it, praying for life. Something hummed from inside the panel, and the display came to life. Kaylee’s heart leapt, and she waited for the readout to come up on the screen, but it held on a flat glow, like the holographic element had activated but there was nothing to project. She frowned and waved her hand over it and then tapped the button again. For a moment, nothing happened. Then she heard a low buzz and sharp crack, and blue smoke poured out from beneath the panel.
“What…” The display blinked off, and the smell of ozone filled the pod. “Shit,” she coughed, waving her hand, and then she saw that the computer had caught fire, small flames licking out from inside it. She got up, and before throwing herself out of the hatch she noticed a small sealed box right above the hatch door that she hadn’t seen the day before labeled FLARE GUN. She quickly pulled the box free and jumped outside as dark smoke began to pour out from under the dash panel.
Tor and Toovah were standing a few feet away, staring with blank amazement, completely at a loss for what Kaylee was doing. “We should go,” she said, hurrying up to them. “I don’t know what’s going to happen to it.”
“Was the ritual a success?” Tor asked.
“What? No,” she said, urging them away. “It might be dangerous, come on.” It didn’t seem like the fire was growing any bigger, but Kaylee did know one thing for sure – the computer was dead.
She had no way of communicating with any rescue crew.
She wasn’t going anywhere.
SIX
Tor saw the smoke pour out from Kaylee’s star and thought that maybe she had been successful in finding a way back to wherever it was that she had come from. Of course he wanted to help her get home. Tor had begun to believe that keeping her safe and helping her get home was a task given to him from the Great Ones, the one that would mean he had completed his rite of passage.
But he had also taken to his idea that it was his purpose to teach her the ways of the Ulduuk and the ways of the jungle just like the first hunter did. Tor wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, Kaylee had been sent to him to save the Ulduuk people not just because he didn’t want to see it all end with him and Toovah, but because he had grown fond of her. Incredibly fond of her. There had been attraction from the moment he had set his eyes on her, but Tor had really felt it when he watched her conquer the vine crossing that morning. That ecstatic look on her face, a face so vibrant with beauty that it must’ve been like gazing upon the Great Ones themselves, her fearless spirit determined to cross…
Kaylee looked dejected now, the brightness on her face had gone dark. When he had asked what had happened, Kaylee couldn’t answer and he knew that whatever she had hoped to find at her star was not there, though she did carry a small object out with her. “This is a flare gun,” she said, and she opened up the box – which Tor had regarded in amazement for being so perfectly smooth and symmetrical – and then retrieved out a small device that fit in the palm of her hand. It was black and shone in the light like the blade of the obsidian knife he had made for her, except the shine was completely even. “Star stone,” Tor named it. The star stone had a black sheath that Kaylee strapped to her waist on the opposite side of where her knife hung.
As they left the wreck of Kaylee’s star, Tor thought that the smoke pouring out made it look more like the hut of a Uldduk that had been put to fire after they passed away. They walked back up the scorched path of earth the way they had come, and even little Toovah could see that there was something wrong and that Kaylee was unhappy. He took her hand and walked along next to her, his ears drooped and tail swishing back and forth, and Kaylee only stared listlessly ahead, her mind somewhere else. Tor stayed silent. Kaylee would speak about what she had discovered when she was ready, and he would wait. He had made a promise that he intended to keep, and would do everything he could to help her return back to her people.
“Tor,” Kaylee said after they had walked in silence for a while. He looked to her, waiting for her to continue. “You know, that bath sounds really good right about now.”
He smiled.
The hot springs gushed up from black rocks into several levels of bubbling, milky white pools that gathered on the opposite side of the ridge from the Ulduuk village and offered a stunning view of the jungle below. The topmost pool was the largest and had been used by the chief, his family, the lead hunters, and the other important Ulduuk, while the smaller lower pools were used by everyone else. Tor showed Kaylee to the top bath. There were no more chiefs or lead hunters now, but having been sent from the heavens, Kaylee was more than deserving of the honor.
“This view is incredible,” she remarked as they stood by the bubbling pool, looking out over the jungle that stretched far out below them. The journey back had taken up the rest of the day, and now the sun was plunging down towards the horizon, covering everything in a radiant burst of orange. The Great Eye was dropping from view now, just barely peeking itself over the horizon, and in another day it would be gone entirely for another thirty cycles of the sun.
“I’ll be in the pools below,” he told her. “If you need me.”
He left her and walked down the black stones which had been arranged to make stairs to the smaller, lower pools, his spear still in hand. When he reached them he placed the spear against a pile of rocks, then removed his hide loincloth and slowly lowered himself into the water. Toovah had refused a bath and so Tor instructed him to prepare a fire and to gather what greens and insects he could find for their dinner. The water was piping hot and felt incredible on his skin. He dunked his head under and washed his ears, and then reached behind and took his tail and picked burs that had caught in its fur. A flock of fhelrek flew off in the distance, hooting a haunting call that echoed across the vastness, passing in front of the golden sun.
Yes, he thought, I’ll do everything I can to help Kaylee. It must be my task. He splashed the water over his face and moved to the edge of the pool, crossing his arms over the rough, porous rock, and Tor then realized just how badly he wanted her to be his mate.
With the heat of the bath, Kaylee felt some of her worry wash away. The pool was large and luxurious, and a small waterfall chuckled soothingly out of the black rocks overhead. She waded over and stood underneath it, sighing as the hot water poured down over her shoulders. Things could be worse, she
told herself. Yes, things could’ve been way worse. She could’ve been hurt in the crash. She could’ve landed somewhere far away where she never would’ve encountered Tor and probably would’ve been gobbled up quick by some monster in the jungle.
If only those creatures…the vizers, hadn’t wrecked the pod. A chill shook through her despite the warmth of the bath as she thought of those disturbing monsters. Were they safe up here? Tor didn’t see to worry about them or anything else getting them once they reached the village limits.
Her clothes lay draped on a rock by the side of the pool, the obsidian knife laying on top of the pile and the holstered flare gun next to it. If she did see a rescue ship come, she at least had the flare gun. Kaylee figured there probably was at least some chance that one would come to this planet searching for survivors. She didn’t know how many planets there were in the quadrant the accident had happened in, but she couldn’t imagine there were many within pod reach. It would make sense for one to come, she just hoped they knew where to look. She had no idea how huge this planet was, after all. They could end up on the opposite side and she would have no way of knowing.
For now, Kaylee decided that she would settle in here. There was no point in getting upset about it. It was what it was. She had her health, and what’s more, she had Toovah and Tor.
Tor.
His image washed through her mind, and she felt herself grow hot. Or was it just the heat from the bath?
He was a primitive alien hunter and didn’t know the first thing about space ships or cities, but Kaylee felt like she was developing something more than a little crush on the dog-eared alien. She felt so safe with him, and his calm, collected and protective nature only further kindled the flame that burned within her. With this new change in situation, she had the thought that the whole idea of becoming his “mate” didn’t sound half bad…
“Oh God, Kaylee,” she said to herself in shock. “No! No way.”
Isn’t that what you wanted, though? A man that could respect you, support you and encourage you to be your best self? He obviously would make a great father, and he’s responsible. Hell, he’s got the fate of his entire species riding on his back and he’s cool as a cucumber.
She tried to push the thoughts away, but couldn’t. Not to mention he was sexy as hell…
“I’ve got Stockholm syndrome,” she said, without much conviction. “That’s what it is.”
She sloshed her way over to the edge of the pool, the breeze cool on her bare skin, and took in the view. It really was a beautiful place. In the day that she had been here she had felt different, more clear headed than she ever had felt back on Earth.
She heard the sound of water down below and glanced over the edge, and saw one of the pools below, water rippling inside it. And then she saw Tor’s naked form wading through it. He settled down by the edge of his pool and stared off into the distance, and Kaylee gasped and threw herself backwards, sinking down in the water up to her nose. Her heart was pounding hard. Curiosity overcame her, and she inched back up to the edge and nosed over the side to take another peek.
He was still there, unaware that she had full view of his full naked back and firm buttocks all glistening in the light of the setting sun. His tail absently swished at the water like it was playing with it. She sighed and sank back down away from the ledge, all sorts of inappropriate thoughts running through her mind.
“He’s an alien, Kaylee,” she muttered, bubbling the water with her mouth.
After Tor got out he took the long way back up to the village so no to disturb Kaylee if she hadn’t finished. Toovah had the fire in the cooking pit going, and he danced around it, stomping his feet and whirling his tail. “Got the greens. No arglodans,” he called to Tor. “They’re all sleeping now.”
“Well done, Toovah,” he said. “I’ll go hunting for some fresh meat. Take care of Kaylee while I’m gone.”
Toovah nodded enthusiastically, going back to his dance, and Tor slung his spear over his shoulder.
“Hold it!” Kaylee’s voice called out. Tor stopped and turned around. She was running up the path, her hair tied up in a bun. She looks lively again, Tor thought. Looks like the bath helped.
“I’ll be back shortly,” he said. “I’m going to catch us dinner.”
“Let me come with you,” she said. Tor hadn’t expected this, not in the slightest.
“A hunt can be dangerous,” he warned, already knowing that she wasn’t going to be convinced otherwise. He could see it in her expression.
“I know. But I figured I should see how it's done. Maybe begin to learn myself. After all…it seems like I won't be going anywhere for a while.”
Tor looked at her and sensed conflict regarding her fate, but dedication to her desire to learn. He nodded. “Then I will teach you.”
Toovah was left to tend to the fire. When they reached the vine crossing, Tor was pleased when Kaylee didn’t hesitate a moment to cross, jumping fearlessly out and swinging from vine to vine until she was at the other side. Tor led the way, and when they passed the waterfall and reached the mouth of the jungle he diverted from the main path and onto a smaller game trail, crouching low and moving silently. Behind him, Kaylee crashed noisily through the brush, cursing to herself.
“We’ll catch nothing if you continue moving that way,” he said to her. “Step deliberately. Watch how I step.”
“Sorry,” she said. Her steps were slower now but no less disruptive, and Tor winced every time her foot smashed down on a branch or scraped loudly over a rock. Even Toovah knew how to move silently. Tor turned around and looked at her again and Kaylee shrugged with a guilty smile.
“Those huge things you wear on your feet,” he said, gesturing to her shoes. “They’re making you clumsy. How can you move silently if you can’t even feel the ground with your toes?”
“My shoes? I won't be able to walk without them…”
Tor wondered how Kaylee had survived all these years. The place where she had come from must’ve been very different.
“And we won’t be able to find anything if you keep them on,” he said. “Remove them, and I’ll make you a new pair.” Tor’s feet were clad in a thin material stripped from a certain plant. The fiber was thin enough so that he had perfect contact with the ground, giving him full dexterity, but durable enough that they protected him from any poisonous vines or thistles that lay on the jungle floor.
She frowned and looked down at her feet, and after a few moments deliberation she crouched and tugged off her shoes. After a minute’s search, Tor found the plant he needed and ripped off several sheets of fiber from its husk, then he took out his knife and cut at the material, stripping some away into thin cords. “Allow me to hold your feet?” He put his hand out.
He noticed a flush of embarrassment as Kaylee sat on a log and put her tiny foot into his hand. It was smooth and soft like a baby’s, unchallenged by the rigors of hard activity. He couldn’t help but rub it with his thumb, amazed at its tenderness. Her home really must’ve been a very different place.
“Done yet?” Kaylee asked. Her face was a shade of pink.
“Sorry,” Tor said. He held the sheet of fiber up to her foot, taking its measurement, and then quickly cut it out with his knife. He punctured several holes for the cord laces, then after a quick search found a plant which had spines that could be used as needles. He threaded and stitched up the fiber pattern so that it was now a moccasin, and did the same for the other foot.
“Here,” he said, handing her the pair. She took them in her hand and looked at them with some amazement like he had just done magic, and then slowly pulled them onto her feet. Standing up she walked around the area with them on, testing them.
“They feel good,” she said.
They moved on, leaving Kaylee’s old pair of shoes sitting on a stone.
Her footsteps still were unsure and noisy, but far less than they had been before. They at least weren’t going to let everything in the jungle know they were t
here. Tor knew that Kaylee would soon learn how to move as quietly as he could, and that eventually she might even wield her own spear. He didn’t know why, but he had a strong feeling that this would come to pass, and that this was indeed his final task.
He showed Kaylee how to read the animal tracks in the ground and to the see the signs they left that gave away their movements and presence. She picked it up surprisingly quickly, and was able to identify the tracks of several animals, though she didn’t know what they belonged to.
“What about the vizers?” she asked. “Don’t we have to worry about them?”
“They don’t come here,” he said. “They learned to avoid the Ulduuk village and the area around it, though soon it may change.” With only him and Toovah left, the Ulduuk were no longer a threat, though Tor believed that they would still be unable to make the vine crossing that acted as the final barrier between the wild jungle and village.
Tor found a set of tracks that was just fresh, and they quietly followed them until they came upon a family of krug, the creature they had eaten the night before, sniffing around the jungle floor and grazing for mushrooms. He looked over at Kaylee, who had kept completely silent. He held his hand up flat to her. Wait, watch.
She nodded.
He crept forward, picked his target, held his spear back…and then loosed it. His aim was true and the krug squealed and went down, the rest of them squealing and snorting and darting away into the jungle. Tor leapt onto the animal and quickly plunged his knife home, silencing it as he whispered a silent prayer to its spirit released back to the Great Ones. Kaylee ran up to join him.
“You must follow up quickly to end its suffering and send its spirit to the Great Ones. The words must be spoken true and without malice,” he explained.
Kaylee nodded, though she looked shocked at what had just happened, a look he recognized as common for those on their first hunt. She will become tougher, he thought. Though her spirit is already strong.