Understanding the Stars

by Xela Culletto

  Suddenly everything seemed to go absolutely silent. Even the crickets stopped chirping. Ever so slightly I turned my head to the right.

  A bright orange glow appeared in the goggles. It was the silhouette of a Kema’dor. But though it had a similar outline, it was different. The ones I’d seen were shorter and more squat. This one was huge—easily eight feet high, and didn’t slouch over. Its long legs moved gracefully and athletically, and its head swiveled on a long neck restlessly from side to side. Its appendages (definitely not arms since they didn’t seem to have any bones) were carrying something that was clearly a weapon. This was an alien from a horror movie.

  My heart began pounding.

  “Stay here,” Ronan whispered, and stepped noiselessly away from the car and towards the village, carrying a weapon of his own.

  The back of my mind wondered idly what sort of side effects all this alien weaponry might have on the humble beings of earth.

  Another orange outline stepped out from behind one of the huts and my hand ran over the weapon Ronan had left me. I wondered how they’d arrived so silently—I hadn’t heard or seen anything.

  Just then two more moved past the jeep—one on either side, and it was all I could do to stop myself from crying out. The one on the left’s head swiveled and seemed to peer into the darkly tinted windows of the Rover. I held my breath, but it never broke pace. They were all moving toward Bongani’s hut. But there were many—too many. I’d already seen four directly, and had caught glimpses of several more between the huts.

  Surely they would have reached Bongani by now. What would happen if Ronan wasn’t able to set off his sound device in time? What if it had been taken from him before he could use it?

  My hand went again to the device Ronan had left me and I picked it up, feeling for the trigger.

  But then a sort of wave—a sound wave, I guess—flew through the entire scene. If I hadn’t been wearing the goggles I would never have seen it. I didn’t hear a thing, but abruptly the last remaining orange shape within my sight froze midstride. It was as if time had suddenly stopped. Then, almost comically, the alien tipped sideways and fell over.

  Feeling scared but hopeful, I exited the Ranger, holding tight to the weapon I’d been given.

  I made my way toward Bongani’s hut as quietly as I could. The village seemed to sleep soundly. No one appeared as I tiptoed my way through the fallen aliens.

  “Ronan?” I whispered. “Are you there?”

  “Here.” I heard the reply as he appeared from behind a well.

  “I guess it worked,” I said a little lamely, gesturing at the alien bodies that littered the ground.

  “Good thing, too,” he said. “Those weapons they’re carrying—nasty things. They can turn a person inside out with one shot. Fatal, obviously, but also makes it easy for them to get their hands on the watcher.”

  “So what’s next?”

  “Let’s go have another chat with Bongani.”

  Bongani wasn’t difficult to rouse, but he wasn’t happy to see us. A few moments later, though, he agreed to come see our “evidence”, though it was clear he only agreed in order to get rid of us.

  But his demeanor changed completely once he stepped out and saw the first Kema’dor—only a few feet from his door.

  He walked around, examining it from all angles. Then he touched it, then poked it, then lifted its head and dropped it again.

  “Guck,” he said.

  “It’s the aliens we told you about. If we hadn’t been here, they would have killed you by now. You have to come with us.”

  Still staring at the Kema’dor, he finally agreed.

  “Good. Grab whatever it is you need and let’s go.”

  The African seemed in a state of shock. But he nodded and went inside his home. A few moments later he came out bearing a small bundle in his arms. It didn’t seem like much, but we were out of time.

  Soon we were all in the Rover, our backs to the small African village Bongani called home. He still seemed in a state of shock—he hadn’t said a word. Or perhaps that was his usual nature. Seeing as this whole venture was my doing, I felt responsible for him in a way.

  “This really is for the best,” I told him. “It’s the only way to be safe.”

  He didn’t even blink in acknowledgment. Just stared out the window at the black night rolling by.

  Ronan reached over and squeezed my hand. I smiled a little at him. It may not have gone according to plan, but we had done what we came for. We’d saved a person’s life.

  Just then the Rover let out a loud bang and came to a jerking stop. The seatbelt hugged me tight as the tires skid on the dirt road.

  “Ronan, what--?”

  But I wasn’t able to finish my question. A pack of Kema’dor were suddenly on top of us—literally. The vehicle’s doors were noisily ripped off the vehicle and then the aliens stuck their long necks inside. I didn’t even have a chance to scream before they tore through the seatbelt webbing and yanked me roughly by my waist out the door.

  I saw Ronan reaching for the bag he’d set on the dashboard, but it was kicked away by another alien before he could get to it.

  The Kema’dor’s loud croaking noises were all around, filling the empty night. Their repulsive stench seeped into my lungs and my stomach heaved.

  I was being tossed around so jerkily that I couldn’t even tell which way was up. I caught a glimpse of Bongani being wrenched from the car and shoved into the ground.

  I was swung like a rag doll to the side and then I saw the whole scene play out: the Kema’dor warriors swiftly hogtied him while he yelled in protest. But of course he didn’t stand a chance. Then one of them lifted his weapon, took aim, and shot at the elderly man. Starting from the place he’d been shot, his skin began peeling back as his innards erupted from his body.

  I clamped my eyes closed and turned my head away, but the putrid smell of raw meat filled the air.

  My head was pushed back and I looked up reflexively. A Kema’dor was jeering at me, inches away from my face. My body braced reflexively, awaiting the inevitable pain.

  But he didn’t raise his weapon like I expected him to. Instead he just grabbed a handful of my hair and with inhuman strength, used his grip to throw me into a steel box that was sitting nearby.

  As soon as I landed inside the lid closed and latched. I didn’t even have a second to orient myself before my cage was being dragged and lifted roughly. I bounced around inside like a ping pong ball, earning more than a few bruises and cuts.

  Where was Ronan? But I knew it was hopeless. Whatever Ronan had planned for, it hadn’t been enough. He was just as helpless as me.

  Chapter 19

  The Kema’dor are killing and abducting earth’s natives. Permission request to act.

  Permission authorized.

  Abruptly, the box that encaged me was dropped unceremoniously. I landed with a thud on the ground, knocking my knee into my jaw. The sounds from my captors had steadily become more subdued as they began transporting me god-knows-where, but the gurgling noises began again, followed by swift and steady footsteps through the tall grass.

  Then, a loud laser-like sound, succeeded by a loud, angry gurgle. More running, and suddenly, cracks that splintered the air. After that it was impossible to decipher the sounds, as it all became one deafening cacophony. All I could do was crouch helpless in my box and think about how stupid I was.

  All of a sudden, the top of my steel cage was torn off, startling me so much I screamed. A creature I’d never seen before peered in at me—or at least I assumed that was what it was doing, since it seemed to be entirely covered some sort of black mesh.

  An appendage was extended down toward me. I thought it must’ve wanted to help me out, but I was frozen in place, crouched in the corner.

  “Grab hold.”

  Huh. English. I still didn’t move, and the black-covered thing lost patience. The appendage curled around my waist and hoisted me up and out of my pen. I was su
ddenly face to—well, covering—with a large multi-tentacled creature.

  “We are METUS. We’ve come to assist planetary natives. Will you be willing to give statement about what transpired here tonight in the pursuit that justice be done?”

  METUS? I vaguely remembered Ronan mentioning that name, but in my terrified state couldn’t recall the specifics. Were they good or bad?

  “Um…. My friend. Ronan. Where is he?”

  “Several suspects have fled the scene. They took the hostage with them.”

  The tentacles wouldn’t stop writhing and twisting. It was incredibly distracting. “They have him? We have to go—we have to save him!”

  “Negative.”

  “Negative?”

  “Their hostage had dealings with the Solamure. He is in violation of interplanetary law XY-772.”

  “What? No! He’s a victim—just like me—you have to help him!”

  “When one lives a life of crime, one often finds it leads down a path with unpleasant fate. But take comfort that your friend is getting what he deserves. Justice will be done.”

  Take comfort? The more aliens I met, the more I wondered if humans were the only beings with morals. Or sanity.

  “You’re really just going to leave him?” I asked desperately. “I owe him my life.”

  “After supplying us with your statement, you will be returned to your dwelling. Justice will reign and innocent natives will have no suffering. METUS prevails again.”

  “You’re taking me home?”

  “Unharmed. Be sure to offer your gratitude in your statement. It is only proper.”

  Abruptly a large black device, cylindrical in shape, was dropped over my head. I cried out reflexively, but a smooth female voice suddenly filled my ears.

  “Please remain still while we collect your statement. Thank you.”

  My hands jerked upward in an attempt to free my head, but something was holding them tight at my waist.

  The device began emitting a clicking sound—slowly and steadily at first, gradually getting faster and higher in pitch. After only a few seconds it stopped.

  “Thank you for your cooperation,” the female voice said.

  And just as suddenly as it had appeared, the device was abruptly gone, and I was looking at the black-covered, tentacled creature that had pulled from my cage.

  “You will now be returned to your native habitat.”

  “You can’t just take me home and leave Ronan,” I pleaded. “Don’t you need to, like, arrest the aliens that took him?”

  All those wiggly tentacles on my companion suddenly stopped their random movements. The stillness was somehow more unnerving than the writhing. I swallowed.

  “You have audacity to think you can imagine what justice is. Pathetic being. Perhaps if your species can master light travel, we might begin to begin a conversation. Until such time, you will go back to your insignificant dwelling on your paltry planet and live out your meaningless life. You might try to tell other trivial earthlings about your encounters, but rest assured that these things are beyond their ability to grasp, and that will only leave you with questionable sanity.”

  And with that pep talk, I was scooped up and deposited into what I could only assume was an aircraft that had been waiting behind me.

  Between being abducted, being rescued, and having my brain scanned, I hadn’t had a chance to really take in my surroundings. But almost as soon as I had been dropped into the aircraft, it took flight and I was given a good look at the land below. It was covered with boxy equipment and large black creatures that seemed as though they were swimming through the grass.

  I jumped when a voice called to me.

  “I am Glit. Where on this planet is your native environment, earthling?”

  There was another METUS thing just in front of me, a dozen or so of his tentacles smoothly working the hundreds of controls and buttons around the cabin.

  “Oh, um, Colorado. In the U.S.”

  “I have heard of your United States. Justice and liberty for all? Would you claim that as being a correct sentiment?”

  “I, um, really don’t know,”

  “A worthy pursuit, but given the limited scope of your minds, it’s sure to always elude you.”

  Apparently arrogance is a prequalification to visiting another planet. I turned my mind to more concerning topics. How was I going to rescue Ronan? Would the Kema’dor kill him? I wasn’t sure. My insides began to twist.

  “Prepare for acceleration,” Glit instructed.

  “Where do I—“ I began, but my companion seemed totally engrossed on the controls in front of him. I looked around the small cabin and found some thick black rope that was entwined with the sides of the ship. There were far too many buckles, but I managed to figure out a way to make myself fairly secure.

  Just in time, too. A moment after I was cinched in, we suddenly shot off and I was jerked violently to the left. The straps mostly held me, but my legs and arms went flailing. A sudden headache hit me like a train.

  I wondered if there would be reports of an unidentified object in the sky on the news tonight. At this speed, we’d be making it back to Colorado in no time. Won’t Mom be pleased?

  But I couldn’t stand the thought of going back to everything without Ronan. Knowing what he’d done for me. What I’d done to him.

  There had to be a way for me to do something.

  My churning insides and pounding head made it difficult to think. Ronan is gone. The Kema’dor want him to get access to Solamure tech, or just the Solamure themselves. There’s at least one Solamure here—Gamafor? Would he help me? I didn’t even know how to contact him.

  The METUS chased the Kema’dor off. Off where?

  If the Kema’dor wanted Solamure tech, there was one obvious place they’d take Ronan—back to his house.

  And, I thought with a jolt of hope, they’re probably keeping him alive to gain access to all the computer stuff.

  I had to get to Ronan’s house—I had to at least check.

  But before I could formulate a plan, the soft rumbling that comes from flying lulled me into an unwilling sleep.

  Chapter 20

  If the hostage does not cooperate in every way, execute him.

  “Earthling. Earthling! I’ve brought you safely to your destination. It’s time to debark.”

  I raised my head off from my shoulder and blinked sleepily.

  “Hm?”

  “Debark, and don’t forget to express your gratitude.”

  I peered out the aircraft’s window. We appeared to be on the ground. My eyes focused on a brown sign: “Welcome to Colorful Colorado”.

  “You can’t leave me here. My house is miles away!”

  “You said Colorado. Here is Colorado.”

  “Yeah, but Colorado’s huge!”

  “I’ve brought you to your destination.” I didn’t know much about alien emotions, but the guy was clearly sulking.

  “Look around you—do you think you can just leave me here in the middle of nowhere?”

  Glit shifted a little. “Your species is very weak. Perhaps you do need a more colonized drop-off point.”

  “Yes,” I said, “Thank you. I live in Aspen.”

  Then suddenly the memory of an address on a pizza box flashed in my mind. I told him the destination, and we rose up into the sky again.

  The ground below whipped by so quickly I shouldn’t have been surprised by how little time passed before things started to look familiar. Before I knew it, we were hovering over Ronan’s stately mansion.

  “Aren’t you going to land?” I asked after a few moments.

  His tentacles were wriggling all around the cabin.

  “There seems to be a problem. Why is there an alien in your dwelling?”

  My stomach leaped. The Kema’dor!

  “Um, I’m not sure. Thank you for the ride, though.” I said as if we were friends carpooling to school together.

  “My orders were to deliver you safely. Drop
ping you now would not be adhering to instruction.”

  “We-ell then, what are you going to do?” I asked. I wasn’t sure how he’d react if he knew I’d lied to him.

  “I must accompany you.”

  We slowly descended onto the large lawn that was sprawled in front of the estate, and exited the ship.

  I tried to act nonchalant as we went to the door, Glit following with his lower tentacles moving in waves like those of a centipede.

  I tried the door. Locked.

  “I don’t think I have my key,” I said lamely.

  That didn’t phase Glit. Several of his tentacles were wound around a variety of objects. He pressed one against the door, the lock clicked, and together we entered Ronan’s house.

  We weren’t inside but for a moment before a—something—a presence appeared before us. It was the strangest, most beautiful thing I’d ever seen—only a few feet away. It was alive—that was obvious. But it had no eyes, or any facial features that I could see. Actually, it didn’t really even have a face. It was almost round, about the size of really big dog. And it glowed, pulsating white, yellow, and pale green. It floated like a cloud at eye-level, and I suddenly had the sense that I should bow.

  Alexandra. What are you doing here?

  It spoke inside my head.

  Who are you? I thought automatically.

  You may call me Gamafor.

  I’m looking for Ronan.

  “Solamure,” Glit suddenly said loudly. “You are under arrest for being in violation of Interplanetary Code 13072.” He raised four of his tentacles that held metallic barrel-like objects and pointed them all at Gamafor. “Surrender peacefully and you may find METUS will be lenient.”

  The gentle lights coming from the Solamure abruptly began flashing more brightly, until Glit’s tentacles all retracted inward and I had to cover my eyes.

  The METUS should have learned by now that it is unwise it is to threaten the Solamure. Now take your weapons and leave, or you will be stripped of your biosuit and this planet’s atmosphere will have you.