Stranger King

by Nadia Hutton

  Thegn left her in his room and made his way down the hallway and into the captain’s quarters. The captain was with two others, sharing datapads.

  “Good, ghelu,” the captain greeted, “I was hoping you would arrive. We have been given some new information on a tribe of wild Toolas. I thought you would be interested in observing their capture.”

  “Their capture? Are they on our land?” Thegn asked.

  “They are just a nuisance. They have been attacking my soldiers in the field. Nothing serious, but it is enough to grow concerned. The Toolas here will think they are winning and then they will fuss. It will be good for them to have fresh blood in their ranks.”

  “The Toolas have a need for something called ‘vestments’,” Thegn suffered through the unfamiliar word. “They dress to hide their genitals and glands. I believe they might be more sensitive than the rest of the body. Perhaps it would be a kindness for them if these things were made available. It may also aid in your research.”

  The Captain let out a laugh. “To pain, yes, but not to heat or cold. Perhaps the males, but not enough to impair them severely. But it will encourage loyalty. I will allow it. Have your servant describe to the herun what is needed. Translate where you can, but the barbarous tongue is hard to explain. We will not have our pets go cold. Now. We will move out to capture this Toola tribe in a few days. Ready whatever you need to document them.”

  *

  When Thegn presented the vestments to Maria, she embraced him, laying what she called a “bisous” on his cheek. It was a tender action, pressing the lips against another’s skin. He felt his skin pale as it occurred, but it was not unpleasant. He had seen the Toolas perform similar actions upon each other, their lips against other lips. It had seemed then an act of … passion? Affection? He had not quite understood. It felt like simply a way of spreading germs and viruses across mucosal tissues.

  He accepted the gesture, attempting to do the same to her cheek. She giggled, he at least understood the meaning of that, trying to explain that his skin felt strange to hers. He did not have lips in the same way, only the slit for his mouth, mostly covered with hardened skin. Yet the gesture had an emotional satisfaction. She seemed to appreciate it and he was grateful.

  *

  Maria ventured outside with him that evening. She attempted to teach him words for some of the plants and creatures in the nearby area, but it was too much too quickly. He remembered “oiseau”, for she had flapped her arms, mimicking a creature in flight. He had found the gesture oddly charming.

  He could admit to himself that the effect of the vestments had on her character. She seemed more willing to cooperate with him. Her body as well seemed more natural, less awkward around him. Perhaps there was societal meaning that he had not grasped earlier. His kind had been wearing adornments from its earliest histories, but only those groups living at the furthest south wore any sort of protective coverings from the cold, and they were mostly to protect against moisture loss.

  She picked a plant from the ground, a fragile thing with white petals and a yellow center. She offered it to him, her palms open as he reached down, trying not to scratch her skin with his nails. He crumpled it slightly, and swore at himself to be gentler. It was a pretty plant. He sniffed it and it seemed to not be poisonous to his kind. He ate it thoughtfully, chewing slowly so she knew he appreciated the gift.

  She laughed and shook her head. She tried to explain the best she could. It was a present. Toolas gave “fleurs” to others as a gift. They were merely decorative plants and they typically did not eat them. They kept them and adorned themselves and their living spaces.

  Thegn was surprised. He asked why one would give plants and watch as they died, isolated from all they needed, wilting slowly. Maria did not reply, but he could sense her ire.

  As she made her way back to the compound, he had realized she was angry with him. He cursed himself for losing progress with her, but he did not know how to apologize to a Toola.

  *

  Thegn was woken the next morning by an object thumping loudly beside his head. He looked up, seeing Maria leave the room, sliding the door closed behind her. He stirred and took the object, a slim datapad with characters he did not recognize. It occurred to him that this was what French looked like written down. There were more files, enough for him to begin to decipher it.

  He wanted to thank her for the object, but he still did not know how to apologize. He was not entirely sure what he had done to hurt her.

  *

  He had begun interviewing the other Toolas, aided by a reluctant Maria, and writing down their stories of what life had been like pre-Mokai. He met much resistance, a few expelling saliva at him, which Maria explained was a sign of disdain. He was frustrated. Thegn had not been part of the landing party. He wasn’t even technically Mokai anymore. Yet when they saw his face, they had no interest in sharing with him, no matter what vestments he had given them.

  When he asked Maria, she said that when her people began to settle outside of their home world, they had come into contact with new and deadly weapons, weapons long since banned on their world. She said it with disdain and Thegn wrote it down as best he could: uranium. After a battle destroyed a great deal of the environment and resources in the north of the continent that they were on, her nation had been first aided by the one beneath them, but then annexed. Her people had been subjugated for a hundred years before they had found freedom again. But not all were freed. She was one of the many given as appeasement.

  She stared at him then, not speaking. Thegn had an urge to touch her hand, as he had seen Toolas do in a sign of comfort, as she had when they first met. As he did so, he saw his large fingers, slightly webbed, triple-jointed, and so unlike hers. She stood still as he made the gesture, but as he pulled away, he too felt it as a violation.

  As she turned from him and left, he cursed himself for still not knowing the right words. He would ask next time if he could touch her, for he seemed to not know what she thought unless he specifically asked. Even then, it was rare for her to tell him.

  *

  Thegn asked the captain if Maria would be allowed with them on the expedition. He had protested at first, but then agreed if she were given a tracker. A freed Toola might tell others of their location, of military secrets that could aid these free groups. Thegn agreed.

  He regretted it almost immediately as he watched her grabbed and handled, pulled down the hallway as she cried out for him to protect her, his name on her tongue ringing out in the halls.

  He found himself transfixed, watching and wondering how he had been so foolish. He should have talked to her about it, prepared her at least, if not asked her.

  He was not any better than the rest of them, he thought to himself.

  *

  As their ship left the ground, Maria refused to look at him. She threw a string of words he had not been taught and a guard hit her, causing her to fall to the ground. Thegn bent to help her up, but she expelled saliva at him and brought herself to her feet, wearing the growing bruise on her eye with pride.

  She disdained him now.

  Thegn tried to explain, but her eyes grew cold to him, the life seeming to fade behind them. He worried he had lost her.

  As he stood straight, the others watching him in amusement, it occurred to him that this was the loneliest he had ever been in his life. He kept his head low, avoiding their eyes as the ship flew them to the mountains.

  Chapter Sixteen

  They landed on the ground again less than a standard hour later. The army disembarked first, leaving the ghelu and his pet to depart after them. It was dark now, the sole moon rising in the sky. Maria looked at him once more and he tried again to speak to her.

  “I’m sorry,” he said in Mokai. “I’m so sorry.”

  She seemed to listen, even though he felt she did not understand. He had been learning Frenc
h faster than she was learning Mokai, but it seemed something as simple as an apology was beyond his comprehension.

  As his feet dug into the ground, he was surprised by the chill that went through his body. Looking up, he realized the precipitation had grown cold, cold enough to become solid underneath his feet. He was told that it was like this on the Homeworld, cold enough to be covered in ice. But he did not realize other planets could grow so cold, not so far from the poles. He had certainly seen it in visuals, but he had never experienced it against his own skin before.

  Maria shivered slightly as they walked, her feet red against the white ground.

  It occurred to him that she also needed coverings for her feet. He promised her that he would procure these for her when they returned home. She still did not speak to him.

  The army ahead of them stopped, weapons brought up into the air as they scanned around. Thegn moved closer to Maria and saw the red light in her arm, beeping quietly under her skin. Every few minutes, the light flickered and she shuddered. He had done this to her, he thought again and again, and he felt ashamed.

  He wanted to touch her arm again, but stopped himself as she stared boldly at him. He did not have permission and he let his hand drop.

  As he did so, he heard the sound of archaic weapons, what his people had called bullets. He knew still that they could kill and he tossed Maria down into the ground, covering her with his body as the shots were fired.

  He raised his head to look. He saw five Toolas, covered in thick vestments and gear, weapons in hand as they shot down from the top of the mountain. The army scattered out, attempting to bring them into captivity.

  As Thegn rose from the ground, Maria pushed herself back up and ran. For a moment, Thegn thought he should let her run, return her to her people. But as he saw the red light pulse and she fell to the ground, he knew she needed his help.

  Thegn ran to her side, scooping her in his arms. Her skin looked almost blue. He registered that this was not normal in her species and brought her back to the ship, warming her as the fighting continued on outside.

  He heard a click as he laid her down. He turned, seeing a Toola male standing before him, weapon drawn on him. His ghele raced.

  Maria turned to him and said in French, “Thegn, put your arms above your head right now and keep them there.”

  Thegn did as she said as the Toola went to Maria’s side. He tried to speak with her, but she did not understand what he was saying. It was another language, although similar to hers in many sounds. He tried again in French, and although Thegn did not understand, she responded, speaking quickly.

  Maria turned to him again and said, “You’re going to be taken with us. He’s keeping the weapon out, but he will not hurt you if you keep walking.”

  Thegn stepped forth, his legs heavy as the Toola pressed the weapon into his back. He felt panicked and looked over at Maria for any sign of safety.

  The Toola asked her something then and Maria shook her head. Thegn did not recognize the gesture and nearly froze still in fear. The Toola pushed him forward and Thegn followed Maria into the Toola wilderness.

  He did not know what the Toola had asked, but he knew that Maria had just saved his life.

  *

  Thegn did not resist as he was bound and chained in a small room deep beneath the ground. He looked up blearily as a light shone in his eyes, his double irises quickly dilating to protect his pupil, his second lid slipping down protectively.

  He did not understand the Toola who examined him, injecting him with a substance that made him feel drowsy.

  He cried out for Maria and noticed the rise of the Toola’s eyebrow. It was the last thing he saw as his eyes unwillingly closed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  As he came to, he understood a little of the conversation just outside the door. He recognized Maria’s voice, arguing with two other Toolas. He recognized a few French words, but it was still mainly in another language that he did not understand.

  He shifted against his bindings, looking for any injuries. He saw a few places where he had been injected. He did not know if things had been added to or subtracted from his body, but it ached regardless.

  The door opened and Maria came through, touching his face with an odd affection. He looked up at her and tried to smile, though his mouth was not as mobile as a Toola’s. He had failed to learn the meaning of the gesture, but it seemed to comfort her.

  Maria tried to translate the best she could. “These two are Ntses, scientists. They’re worried that you have the disease.”

  Thegn was confused. What disease?

  Maria frowned, and pretended to cough and shudder. Thegn realized he had seen that before among the Toolas in captivity. He had thought it an isolated case or two. He did not realize…

  “Did this sickness come with my people?” Thegn asked, pointing at himself.

  She nodded.

  Thegn tried to give her permission, nodding in exaggeration, “Do whatever is needed.”

  As she translated this to the two scientists, they both seemed relieved. Thegn was not drugged further as they did their tests. He sat the best he could, quietly, listening in on the language he did not understand. He would look over at the door, hoping to see Maria waiting for him on the other side. For the many hours he was there, he did not see her again.

  *

  When the tests seemed to be complete, Thegn was unbound. The one scientist seemed apprehensive, but the other patted her on the arm. They seemed to trust Maria and for some reason, that held value, regardless that she was strange to them.

  The ceiling of the bunker was slightly too low for Thegn and he lowered his head as he was led out into the rest of the complex. He could not see all of it, but he saw it was just as large as the Mokai compound, if not bigger. He was led into an interior garden where he was allowed to sit on the artificially grown grass. He sighed in relief, relaxing in a more natural habitat.

  Maria sat beside him and explained, “They want to ask you questions. I will not let them hurt you.”

  Thegn asked, “What did you tell it?”

  She shook her head to indicate confusion.

  “The Toola who took us. What did you tell it?”

  “I told him you did not touch me,” she replied.

  There was a nuance he could sense, but he could not quite understand what she was implying. The two scientists moved to the side as two other Toolas entered the room, one male and one female.

  The female asked Maria a question, which she slowly responded to.

  Thegn asked, “What language do they speak?”

  Maria responded awkwardly, “English. My country used to speak both of them, though my language was less common.”

  Non-standardized language even within geographic regions. Thegn was intrigued. He had heard of there being many languages on Toola, but he had assumed each government would pick one. How odd. Yet as he watched, realizing that the female at least understood French, he knew why they had switched languages. The fact that he did not understand gave them a power over him. He would have to learn this English quickly.

  Maria asked, “They wish to know what to call you.”

  Thegn paused. Among his people, only one’s title was important to know. A personal name was to be shared among friends, as a sign of affection. But these people would not understand that and he was not superstitious enough to believe they would use his name to curse him like some Elchai might.

  “I am Thegn. I am ghelu.”

  He heard discussion back and forth until the male laughed. He heard the word he used again and again: “priest.” He did not understand it and he did not know if it was meant as a slur.

  Thegn asked Maria and she frowned, using her hand in a gesture that his kind used to express embarrassment, but here was meant to convince him to stop talking.

  Maria said,
“They want to know if you are what we would call a chaplain. Do you serve the spiritual needs of an army?”

  Thegn replied, “I am a researcher. I want to document the Toolas for the Council. We wish to preserve your kind’s history.”

  The female Toola laughed darkly, the male Toola growing aggressive in return. They argued for a few moments. Maria did not translate the interactions. When the two Toolas seemed to come to a consensus, Maria signaled Thegn to stand.

  As he did so Maria said, “You are to be kept here as hostage. They will learn from you what they can. But you are in danger the longer you stay here. Be careful.”

  At these last words, the female Toola gave Maria a bitter look and the two females glared at each other. Thegn followed them out of the room and back into the place he had been kept. The door locked behind him.

  *

  A standard hour later, a male Toola entered the room, closing the door behind him. He brought with him a selection of food, some Thegn had not seen before.

  The male explained in French, “I did not know what your kind eats. From the little we knew, you are not meat eaters, yes? None of the bodies have had canine teeth. So there are vegetables and fruits and some cheese. See what you can eat. I will eat what you cannot.”

  The male sat down on the bed, Thegn sitting on the floor beside him. Thegn sniffed through the plate, picking out the things he knew were edible to him. He gave the rest of the plate to the Toola.

  “I hear you and I have something in common,” the Toola continued, peeling the skin off the fruit he was to eat, “we are what my people call men of the cloth.”

  Thegn said the English word the best he could, “Priest?”

  The Toola nodded. “I’m sure it’s not quite the same among your people, but I have always found that our kind understand the best what it means to serve. My name is Elias. I do not mean you harm. I want to understand what it is needed to accommodate you here. Can you explain what a ghelu is?”