Stranger King

by Nadia Hutton

  “Foolish ones,” Thegn stated, “But perhaps your own people are not so different. Could you tell me that the humans would not have done the same if our positions were reversed?”

  Lena did not reply, burying her head in her hands and releasing a quiet scream.

  “I did not mean to upset you,” Thegn said softly.

  Lena laughed, raising her head to show those same tears he had seen before. Her knees buckled and she sat down again, resting against the cold ground beneath them. Thegn resisted the urge to touch her arm. He would not touch her again unless she had given him permission, he decided; he did not want to risk hurting her further.

  “Every time I killed one of the bastards,” she said quietly, “I had myself convinced I was doing the right thing. That I was justified, that it was self-preservation. I know that’s still true. But then I see you in them. I hesitated today during that raid. For one second I thought that maybe that bastard would take bullets from my skin, too. So I didn’t shoot him, just for a second. Then he got one of us instead. Charlotte. She had been with us from the beginning and she died because for three seconds I had a conscience. It’s too dangerous for me to stop thinking they’re nothing but soulless monsters. That’s all that’s kept me together for the past two years. You have to understand that.”

  “When I first was given to the Elchai,” Thegn said quietly, “I was terrified of them. I thought they would kill me within the week. I saw the same murderers of my family, my friends, of our ways of life. But there was good there, too. I learned so much, more than many of my kin ever could. I’ve seen so much of the universe, met so many people. Good people. Good Elchai.”

  “Why are you telling me this?” Lena asked.

  “Because I don’t know how this war will end for you. Maybe you will drive us out. Maybe we will wipe your people from the planet. But know this and trust this: I came here to preserve what life I could. I can’t speak for anyone else but myself. I will not hurt you or any of your crew. Even if they strike first. I swear to you now. I am here for life, not death.”

  “Are you saying that I should just accept the bastards as some sort of new godly figure to rule over us like they did you?” Lena asked.

  “No,” Thegn replied. “I’m asking you to trust me.”

  “What makes you so different from them?”

  “Nothing,” Thegn admitted, “I am Mokai just as they are. But I have shown you twice now that I mean you no harm.”

  “Are you trying to tame me?”

  Thegn didn’t understand the verb and Lena explained, “Humans keep animals. They used to be wild, but eventually, they come to depend on humans as much as we depend on them. But we are always in power, in control.”

  “Then no, that is not what I want,” Thegn clarified. “You have control over my life, Lena. If you leave me here to die today, who would question your orders? I want you to trust that I will do what I can to protect you and your crew. There are things in this universe worth preserving. I believe your kind is one.”

  “We’re an endangered species,” Lena laughed darkly.

  She sat closer to him, “I don’t hate you.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” Thegn replied.

  “But I don’t know if I can trust you yet.”

  “That is reasonable.”

  *

  The shelter grew cooler as the night progressed. He saw Lena shivering beside him and he wished to draw closer to her to offer warmth. But he would not make a move unless asked. He felt that any transgression would damage this fragile peace between them.

  In her sleep, she rolled toward him, her hand outstretched to his. He hesitated before touching it lightly, closing that small space between them. She woke, her eyes fluttering open as he pulled back.

  Sleepily, she put her blanket over him as well. He sighed from the relief, letting himself fall back asleep, oddly aware of how close her body lay to his.

  He saw the shape of her body beneath the blankets, the soft curve of her hips and thighs. In this way, she looked almost Elchai from behind. He imagined her in the dark robes of the Septun before he stopped himself.

  There would be no human Septuns. There were not even Mokai Septuns. Still, his mind wandered as he fell asleep, half-ashamed, and half enjoying the temptations laid out before him in his mind.

  There were no singing Mokari that night.

  *

  The howling wind caused them both to stir from their sleep. Thegn rose to see Lena across the shelter from him, curled against the corner, watching through the gate that separated them from the hazardous outdoors.

  Winter, she had called it. Once a year, the world grew cold, so cold even the rain went solid and all the trees lost their leaves. So cold that the other animals would sleep and hide and wait for the sun to return.

  But what was she waiting for?

  Her eyes met his and he felt that he should look away. This moment was not for him, not about him. Yet when he saw her there, watching quietly as the moon crossed the darkened night sky, he felt something pass through him that he had not experienced in many years.

  I am a foolish, foolish man, he told himself, and completely delusional. He lay back down, turning his body from her as he tried to find some semblance of rest.

  He heard her call his name across the shelter, but he feigned sleep. She called once again and stopped, muttering something to herself under her breath as she laid her head back against the wall.

  Thegn cursed himself silently and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Thegn woke as Lena’s hand touched his arm. He reflexively moved back, watching her with bated breath as she apologized.

  “The shelter only has an hour left of air,” she said, “We need to get ready to move out.”

  He glanced up at her face, the burns blistering around her eyes.

  “How bad is it?” she asked, wincing.

  “I cannot tell, you seem to be still human, though,” Thegn joked, uncomfortably.

  To his surprise, she smiled and laughed a little.

  “Stick to the cloth, priest. I think you would make a poor comedian.”

  Something had changed, Thegn thought. She felt it too. But he dared not comment, he dared not grasp at what was still so newly growing.

  It was almost night again when they left the shelter. Thegn followed Lena as the wind picked up, the particles making it difficult for him to see. The chemicals were still in the air, the trees burnt to the ground. But it was safe enough for this trip back to the compound, back to her people.

  He glanced at her through the darkening light, watching her trek forward. Would this understanding be gone once they had returned to her kind? He had nearly lost Maria that way, but this was different. He did not have a word to explain it. But he feared his life would be over if this feeling was lost.

  *

  When they arrived at the shelter, they were separated. Thegn waited patiently as he was brought through a scanner, the device beeping occasionally as Kozol watched from the side.

  Janiya ran a vacuum over his skin, sucking up traces of his skin cells. He opened his mouth when he was told, coughing into a plastic bag, his throat scraped with a swab.

  Janiya looked over at Kozol and said, “He’s clean enough to enter. Can I give them the go-ahead?”

  Kozol watched Thegn for a tense minute, the two men looking at each other as Kozol glared. Janiya said quietly, “He helped protect our settlement and he poses no danger to us. Just let the bastard in. He’s not going to hurt us.”

  “So everyone keeps saying,” Kozol muttered, “but that doesn’t suddenly make it true. Lena couldn’t have watched him that entire time.”

  “And he could have gone out in that? You saw what it did to the forest. Anyone built as he is couldn’t have survived that. Just make a damn decis
ion, Kozol.”

  Kozol turned his glare to her and then back to Thegn.

  “Get in, bastard,” Kozol grumbled. “Don’t make me regret it.”

  “What do I need to do to prove myself to you?” Thegn asked quietly.

  “Can you stop being one of them?”

  “Can you stop being human?”

  Kozol walked out angrily.

  Janiya put her skin samples into a bag, “I need to study how this chemical works. I’ll compare the data from both of you. Thank you for your cooperation.”

  “Is she alright?” Thegn asked. “Is Lena safe?”

  Janiya nodded. “She’s fine. We’re going to keep her isolated for a day while she recuperates. You can see her then. Until then you should probably keep out of the way until Kozol calms down.”

  “I understand.”

  Janiya hesitated and said, “You’re growing quite fond of Lena, aren’t you?”

  “She is admirable,” Thegn said.

  He did not recognize the expression on her face as she allowed him out of the room.

  *

  Thegn arrived the next morning at Lena’s quarters. He hesitated outside the door until he was permitted inside. Maria waited nearby, patiently reading her book to give them a semblance of privacy.

  Her face had begun to heal, the blisters softening into a dark red. She sat on the side of her bed, drinking water slowly as she winced.

  “You asked to see me?” Thegn said.

  She indicated for him to sit on the floor. She had a cushion waiting for him. He did so, keeping his head low.

  “I had a lot of time to think over the last day or so. I want to apologize. No, I was not wrong for wanting to protect my people, my family here. But I have been unkind to you when I should have already seen you for what you are.”

  “And what am I?” Thegn asked curiously.

  “A man,” Lena said, “Just like any other. A good one, certainly. But a man. You have been better to us than we have been to you. You are a hostage, yet you want to view us as friends. Kozol told me he wanted you gone. He told me if there was a chance, I should kill you.”

  Thegn paled. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because you could have done the same. You could have killed me and run. But you didn’t. You could have let that thing kill all of us. I can’t do that to someone else… I have killed men before, but I am not a murderer. This invasion won’t turn me into one.”

  Thegn watched her face carefully as she continued, “I won’t kill you. I’m going to tell Kozol that today. If he won’t listen, I’ll let you go. I’ll have to blindfold you. I know you would not betray us, but it is easy to talk when motivated to do so. You will need to run. Get as far as you can. Get back to your Council and your Goddess and tell them we need this war over. I won’t let your people rule over mine.”

  “What will they do to you?” Thegn asked softly.

  “Kozol and I will fight, certainly, but we always do. That’s not something you should worry about.”

  “What if I want to stay?”

  Lena looked down at him, her eyebrows furrowing.

  “If you stay here,” Lena said, “we might kill you. If I have to pick between you and Kozol, I will pick him. If you fight back, I will stop you. I like you, I do. But my loyalty is to them.”

  “I promised you before. I will never strike one of your kind, even in protection of my own life,” Thegn reminded her.

  She sighed, running her hands through her hair. Thegn wished strongly to touch her hands, and he lifted his palm, holding himself back. She looked up, noticing the tattoos on his palms.

  “May I?” she asked, reaching out for his hand.

  He nodded as he stretched it forth, trembling slightly as she used both of her hands to cup his. She removed one, using her fingers to trace the lines of his skin, the markings of the three suns.

  “What does this mean?” she asked.

  “Of the Council races, there are three suns. The one of my system, the one of the Elchai, and the other two, they share a planet and a sun. The Goddess shines through all three. The life-giver, the bringer of light into darkness. Even before we knew of her, she was already there with us in our skies.”

  “I guess if my people are conquered, you may have to add a fourth sun.”

  Thegn smiled weakly. “I don’t know if they’ll succeed in converting your people. They barely succeeded in getting just a few of my own, and they have been trying for a standard century.”

  “That’s a strange compliment, but it does make me feel a bit better. I’d like to think we’d go out fighting, wherever we ended up. Tell me … my people on other planets now; are they happy? Are they safe?”

  Thegn thought, and replied, “I have met six humans in captivity. All of them were older than you, or so I would guess. Three female, three male. I think they were attempting a breeding program, but they were having difficulties. They spoke a little with me. It was another language and I had a translator. I was not allowed to ask much. But they were alive, they were healthy. They were allowed to wear clothing, to sleep in beds. They were … tame. That is the word you would use.”

  “You remembered.”

  “I learn quickly.”

  Lena smiled sadly. “I suppose there are worse fates than that. My father would have disagreed … oh, how he would have fought. He hated the Americans; I can’t imagine how he would have reacted to your kind. If he could see me right now, he would have slapped me and told me I was a fool. Maybe I am.”

  Thegn did not understand, so he remained quiet as she continued.

  “I imagine that he died alone. He should have been the one to survive. He knew how to fight, how to live. What did I ever learn? I should have listened to him more, I should have learned all I could have. But here we are.”

  “I’m sorry,” Thegn said quietly. “You have spoken of him much. He must mean a great deal to you.”

  Lena sighed, “This isn’t what I wanted you to come here for. I’m sorry. Go back to your room. Stay there and don’t let anyone in until I say it’s safe to come out. If I’m not back in an hour, run. Promise me you’ll run. Do whatever you need to do to get back to your people.”

  Thegn said nothing.

  As he rose to leave, she stopped him, placing her hand on his arm. He paled as he turned back to her and waited.

  “Why would you want to stay?” Lena asked quietly.

  Thegn replied, “I said before there are two species who live on the same planet. The Crisu and the J’Hai. Really, they are basically the same. Their world is almost entirely water, littered with islands around the equator. The Crisu are large sea creatures, a little like your seals, but fluid. Their bodies edge into the very particles of the water and bring minerals into themselves. They also eat plants and insects, like their kin the J’Hai. They are smaller, lighter, covered in red and purple scales. They don’t look much alike at first, but you can see it more and more when one is beside the other. Either species can mate with their own kind or the other. The space between water and land is sacred, covered in these beautiful spun … I don’t have the word for it. The eggs are kept there until they hatch. At the moment of birth, they are either suffocating or drowning, and go toward the air or water. That is how a creature knows if it is Crisu or J’Hai. There are no genders, no sexual differences, merely air or water. There is a story about a child who needed both air and water to survive and lived its life on its side in the sacred space, breathing in both, being neither of its birthrights.”

  When Thegn did not continue, Lena asked, “What happened to the child, in this story?”

  Thegn answered, “The Crisu say it suffocates, the J’Hai says it drowns. But for a time, the child manages to be equally of two worlds. That is not an unworthy goal.”

  She let go of his arm and he left without another word.<
br />
  *

  He heard her shout before Kozol’s hand reached the door. Thegn backed into the corner, waiting with bated breath until Kozol dragged him out into the hallway. He was pushed to the floor, his tail painfully compressed against his back.

  Kozol looked down at him, a cocked gun aimed directly between Thegn’s eyes. Thegn breathed faster, his ghele beating quickly under his skin.

  Kozol demanded, “Why did you come here?”

  Thegn replied fearfully, “I told you. I was sent to document and preserve human culture. I do not mean you or any of your people harm. If you feel you need to kill me to protect your kin, I understand and I forgive you.”

  The gun clicked in Kozol’s hand and Thegn closed his eyes, breathing quickly.

  “Kozol,” Janiya’s voice stated calmly, “If you fear him, then lock him up. We can keep him unconscious. But there is a wealth of knowledge in his blood. We cannot continue our research without that. If you have to do this––”

  “Why is everyone else so bloody calm?” Kozol shouted. “Did you not see the others die? Do you not see where we live now because of them? What respect do I owe him? Because suddenly one of them has a conscience? Because they feel like they should document us before they wipe us off the face of our own planet? No. No. He needs to die. Someone needs to pay for what has happened here. If I can’t kill the rest of them, let me kill him. You’ve had your pet for two weeks now; you’ve had your fun. The more he knows, the more danger we’ll be in if they ever recapture him. And they will come after him. I say we kill him and lay his body at that slavers’ hut. Give the bastards back the head of their beloved priest. They aren’t the only ones who can fight a goddamn war. Until now, we humans have been pretty goddamn good at it.”

  “This will kill us,” the man named Calvin said softly. “This is not the time. If you can’t have him here, let him go. You don’t have to do this, Kozol. You’re better than this.”

  “Don’t you dare tell me now what I can and can’t do. You have seen it as much as I have. Don’t you remember Hope? Don’t you remember what we had to do just to survive? Lena, oh Lena, you would have me let him go? You were there when Stiar died. If it weren’t for them, she would still be alive. You remember we nearly died there and then. You remember the bastards herding us like cattle. And you have the audacity to come to my room and beg for his life. Have you no sense of dignity?”