Guardian Awakening

by C. Osborne Rapley

  The tension and anger subsided a little. She seemed mollified by his outward sign of submission. Tristan had an idea.

  “Are you hungry?” He thought clearly of eating and made gestures of eating with his hands.

  She said something and nodded.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  He motioned her to the door, stepping out of the room so she would have to walk down the landing in front of him.

  Aesia noticed her boots were at the side of the bed but decided not to put them on. She did not want to bend down for them, just in case the giddiness should return. She did not want to show weakness in front of this primitive, inconsequential thing.

  She sized him up. She had experienced his strength when he had blocked her punch and held her wrist. Even with her warrior training, she doubted she would be able to overcome him if he saw an attack coming and was ready for it. She cursed the empty holster at her hip. The creature had hidden her gun! She balled her hands into tight fists. A frown creased her brow. She noticed the creature visibly stiffen. Not wishing to fight when she was unsure of the result, she forced herself to relax and hold her anger in check. This… this thing, obviously did not realise its lowly position or the deference owed to her. She decided to be tolerant of it until she had taught it the correct manners and the way it should treat a superior being.

  Tristan pointed downstairs, careful not to make any sudden movements. Her suppressed anger, and the arrogance, mingled with his own thoughts as she walked down stairs. He shuddered unconsciously, rubbing his forehead. It was not like reading her mind, but rather just sensing her immediate thoughts, or maybe not even that. A sort of sixth sense, an impression of what she was thinking.

  At least this new ability gave him some warning if she tried anything against him, but it would take a while to get used to. It occurred to him that she could sense the same from him. He tried blocking off his thoughts by imagining a brick wall in his mind.

  She stopped and turned to him a frown on her face. Tristan sensed for a brief moment a flash of fear, but the arrogance quickly returned as strong as ever.

  They stepped into the hall, and he directed her across to the kitchen. He motioned to her to sit at his small kitchen table pulling a chair for her. She sat and looked at him. Her blue eyes bore into Tristan’s soul. Her eyes, rather than her long ears, made her look alien. They were eyes a human female would die for, beautiful but so strange. He took a plate, cup, and bowl from the cupboard and put them in front of her. She watched him as he moved around the kitchen. He sensed unease when he picked up a knife, then felt her relax a little as he used it to cut some fruit. He kept the knife on the work surface away from her and placed the fruit on a plate in front or her.

  He noted to himself that he should hide the sharp knives when he had finished. If her anger flared as it had done before, he was sure she would not hesitate to stick one or two in his ribs.

  She picked up a slice of apple in her slender fingers and tested it with her tongue. The apple must have been OK as she cautiously ate the slice. She tried the banana. This time she screwed up her face. It was the first time Tristan had seen any emotion in her other than a frown. He relaxed a little; perhaps she was not quite as alien as she appeared. While she ate the rest of the apple, he poured some water in the cup. He placed some bread and cheese in front of her and watched her tackle each in turn. She seemed to find them acceptable and proceeded to eat everything except the banana. She finally drank the water and sat back in her chair.

  Tristan needed a cup of tea. The stress of the last few hours was starting to make his headache a little. He put the kettle on and made a pot of tea.

  Aesia watched the creature work, making no move from her chair. The food had tasted strange to her, but was not unpleasant except for the flesh of the long yellow fruit; it had a texture she did not like.

  It poured two cups of hot brown liquid and placed one in front of her then sat on the chair opposite her and took a mouthful.

  Aesia tested the liquid, it was too hot for her, so she pushed the steaming cup aside. She wondered how this primitive alien animal appeared to have some basic mental ability. All the alien species her people enslaved had none.

  She decided to try to take advantage of the creature’s child like telepathic control and probe deeper into its mind. She pushed a little as it seemed to relax while drinking the hot liquid. It was as if an iron barrier had just dropped shut. She almost fell backward off the chair. She knew immediately that if this animal had been trained it would be formidable. It did not fit well into her unshakable belief in her species superiority.

  She must find out more about these creatures and their planet. But, first she had to ensure the creature learnt its place and to gain control over it.

  Tristan had felt her push against his mind just as he was starting to relax. He raised the wall again to shut her out and continued to relax. He did, however, sense the feeling of fear and doubt emanating from her. He wondered what he had done to cause that.

  He finished his tea without any further incident sighed and stood slowly.

  “Right, do you want to inspect your ship?” He gestured towards the front door. Had she understood him? He walked through to the hall and proceeded to put his boots on. He watched her as she regarded him with a slight frown. After a moment her face cleared she stood, turned, and walked back upstairs. She returned after a short while, wearing her boots.

  He opened the back door and waited for her to walk through. He then led her over to where her crashed ship lay under the tarpaulin. As they neared the ship he decided that since he had commanded the system computer to shutdown, he should get it to boot back up. So, he sent the ship a command. He found that it was easier than before. His mind must be getting used to this communication, and practice was making things easier.

  Aesia almost stumbled when she sensed the command to her ship’s computer. No one should be able to interface with it from this distance! She wondered if she had made a serious mistake in her brief assessment of this backward planet. Her mind raced. They may be a good resource for slaves, but if they all had this ability, perhaps they should be destroyed before they became more powerful. She put the thought to the back of her mind and continued walking to her ship.

  Tristan pulled back the cover for her and stood back as she made an inspection. She climbed into the cockpit and scanned the instruments then climbed out, went to the rear, and opened an inspection cover. A mounting unease and gloom permeated her emotions. He decided to leave her with her ship. If she ran off now he would do nothing to stop her. She was not a prisoner. Anyway, he hated the constant undercurrent of arrogance in her thoughts, especially since he had tried to help her.

  He turned and walked back to his cottage. He wanted to tidy up and see what old clothes Sarah had left when she had stormed out. If the alien needed time to repair her craft, if indeed she could, then she would have to fit in, especially if someone called or passed by.

  He rummaged around in the airing cupboard and found some jeans, blouses, and woollens Sarah obviously had no further use for, and he laid them out on the bed. He went back downstairs and tidied up. Normally, he would go for a walk at this time. Today, he just sat down on his sofa and waited. He sensed her return before she entered the door. She would never be able to sneak up on him while he was awake.

  She glanced at him as she walked in then turned and went upstairs. She must have guessed the clothes were for her. She returned shortly after, wearing the jeans, blouse, and jumper he had left for her. They were a little baggy since she was slimmer than Sarah, but it did make her look a little less alien. The ears and eyes were a giveaway. But with a woollen hat and some sunglasses, she could possibly pass as human.

  She looked around the room, then selecting the chair opposite him she sat. She said something he did not understand. Tristan noticed she had brought the small handheld computer from her pocket. She did something to it. Tristan was suddenly aware of its presence. It had
the same telepathic control system as the ship. He could access it the same way. It was a general purpose personal computer that could act as a translator. He kept quiet and waited; no point letting her know he had access to her computer.

  She looked at him and said with a heavy accent, “You will help me!” Even speaking an alien language didn’t hide the arrogance in her tone.

  Tristan frowned; emotion behind the words was plain. She regarded him as little better than a slave.

  “I am already helping you.” He waited while the computer translated for her.

  She nodded then paused for a moment. “I am hungry, fr… fru… fruit and bread not enough.”

  Tristan sighed. He had a couple of trout he had caught the day before. He had intended to cook them for himself and Sarah.

  “Can you eat fish?” He wondered how her computer would translate ‘fish’ for her.

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “OK”. Tristan stood and walked into the kitchen.

  Aesia sat quietly as he worked in the other room, preparing the fish. She had come to a decision. The alien had not made any threatening moves towards her, and he had laid out local clothes for her when she had returned. Despite his mental capability, he had not tried to use it on her. He had remained sitting comfortably and relaxed when she had come back from changing out of her uniform. He had smiled at her, and his actions seemed kindly. Maybe all it needed was the correct training. Maybe I won’t need to kill it after all.

  She wondered what sort of fish it would be and if would be edible. At least it smelt good. Her mouth watered. When it was prepared, he beckoned her over to the table. What he offered her looked like a fish. She tried it, and it tasted delicious, similar to the fish her father had caught in the river near her home.

  Once she had eaten her fill she yawned. The events of the last two days had been exhausting for her, especially since the blow on her head during the crash still hurt. She should have kept her helmet on! A stupid lapse that might well of killed her.

  She made signs to Tristan that she wanted to sleep, then without waiting for an acknowledgement she stood and went upstairs.

  Tristan picked up one of his books and started to read. He heard her clatter about in the bathroom, then a short while after the faint sensation of jumbled thoughts returned. She must have fallen asleep.

  While Tristan made up a bed on the sofa the extraordinary events of the last two days went round and round in his head. He also practised shutting out the chaos of the alien’s sleeping mind until he eventually fell asleep. He dreamt strange dreams again, but they did not trouble him this time.

  Chapter Three: Storm

  Tristan woke the next morning to the sound of clattering and banging from his kitchen. He sighed. “What is she doing now?” He pushed off the covers, stood, and walked through to the kitchen. Open tins and boxes, their contents scattered about, lay on the work surface. Some beans in tomato sauce dripped, forming a lumpy orange puddle on the floor. The Alien had finally settled on breakfast cereal and sat, quietly eating them from the box. Tristan groaned, but she just turned and smiled. He grimaced, shrugged, then with a sigh went upstairs to wash and shower.

  When he returned to the kitchen she had left. He made himself some toast and sat surveying the mess that had once been his tidy kitchen. Almost an hour later, his kitchen now returned to a semblance of normality, he put on his boots and walked up to the ridge overlooking the crash site. He found her busy working on her ship. She glanced up for a moment before returning to her work. He left her to it and went for a walk.

  When he got back, she was standing in the hall, hands on her hips and face flushed. She didn’t wait until he had shut the door. “I did not give you permission to leave!” She paused as the computer translated the next sentence for her. “You will take me to one of your cities now! I wish to find out all I can.” She jabbed a finger at his chest emphasizing each word.

  Tristan gasped at her arrogance. “Screw You! You can forget it with an attitude like that!” He stepped past her and walked into the lounge.

  She followed him. “You inferior being, you will treat me correctly!”

  Tristan spun round. “OK, keep talking that way and you can fuck off, you ungrateful bitch!”

  The computer translated, her face flushed red, mouth opened and shut, and she spluttered something in her own language then caught herself. “How…how dare you!”

  Tristan glanced out the window. It had started to rain; one of those miserable rains that lasts the rest of the day, with a cold wind. He took several paces towards her then stood balanced on the balls of his feet. “I dare, you - you bloody alien cow!”

  She backed away, clenching her fists. He sensed the vicious kick coming before she started to move. He dodged sideways, grabbed her foot at the top of her kick, and twisted. She landed flat on her back.

  “You will need to be faster than that to catch me, bitch!” This time Tristan emphasised the word ‘bitch’. She had given herself away by her strong emotion.

  She rolled and pushed herself up. She swung at him again, but it was a feint; lightning fast she continued the spin going for his neck with the side of her outstretched hand. Every movement flashed in her mind a split second before she executed it. He caught her hand and twisted using her forward momentum against her. Again, she found herself on the floor.

  With fast fluid motion she flipped herself up and round. then attacked with another sweeping kick, powerful enough to kill if it had landed. Again, she gave herself away, and Tristan sidestepped, caught her foot and, keeping her off balance, twisted her round and pushed her out the still open front door. She fell backwards down his steps into the mud of his rough drive. Tristan immediately slammed the door and locked it.

  “You can cool off in the rain!” he shouted. Clenching his fists he spun round to ensure all his windows was closed. With a sigh, he flung himself down in his lounge chair, smashing a fist down hard on the arm. “Fuck you!” he hissed between clenched teeth. He took a deep breath to still the pounding in his chest and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hands.

  He had never sworn at, or physically fought with a woman before. His father being old fashioned had brought his son up to be a gentleman. Still, she is… it is an alien it’s not the same is it? He shook his head; it still didn’t make it right. At that moment a gust of wind rattled rain against the lounge window. Tristan shivered then smiled. “Thank you English weather.” He busied himself lighting the fire.

  Aesia stood up. She tried to brush some of the brown wet mud from her clothes. The fabric was not waterproof, unlike her uniform. She shivered and cursed herself for being so stupid and taking it off.

  This alien had the better of her. All of her attacks had been blocked with relative ease, and it had ignored her superiority. She, like the rest of her people, took their superiority over other races for granted, but this creature had badly shaken her belief.

  She stood outside the front door with water running down her neck, and shivered. The wind blew straight through her wet clothes, so she wrapped her arms tight to her chest and shivered again. She would not demean herself by banging on the door. She spun round; of course, she could shelter from the storm in cockpit of her fighter. She ran to it, slipping on the wet mud, getting wetter and colder. She requested a system boot, but the ship did not respond. She shivered again as an icy blast hit her; the wet clothes offered no protection at all. Of course! She had locked it to prevent anyone from entering without her knowledge. She had left the electronic key with her uniform upstairs in the bedroom of the cottage. She stamped her foot. Things are getting better and better!

  She cursed her stupidity. Ever since she had been on this awful planet, nothing had gone right. She crawled under the wet tarpaulin. At least it supplied some respite from the wind and rain. The rain beat on the tarpaulin in random rhythms as the wind took it in waves. Lightning flashed across the sky followed by a loud crack. It was dry underneath, but the wet clothes and the cold we
re getting to be too much for her. Shivering constantly she thought of her home planet, a warmer and far more pleasant place than this hellhole. She squeezed her eyes tight shut, and clamped her teeth together to stop them chattering. Tears burned her cheeks; she shook her head, ashamed at her weakness.

  She had to get proper shelter and warmth soon. Her body was not equipped to cope with this. She was now in real danger of suffering from exposure. There was no option but to get into the building and get warm. She wriggled out from under the cover of the tarpaulin; the wind tugged at her wet clothes. Gritting her teeth her hands bunched into fists, nails digging into her palms, she walked back and up the steps to the front door. She hesitated, took a shuddering breath, then banged on the door and shouted to be let in.

  She had to wait a few moments before she heard a muffled reply. “Only if you ask nicely! If you try to attack me again, you will go back out until you learn.”

  She opened her mouth to put the creature in its place, but she had no choice. She had to get warm or die. The computer told her what to say. “Please let me in. I’m cold and wet, and I promise to be good.” She hoped she sounded contrite enough. “Please.” She leaned against the door and the tears returned. The humiliation was almost too much to bear, even more than the cold.

  Tristan opened the door to let her in. “You look like a drowned rat!”

  She was crying and shivering uncontrollably, close to collapse. A small puddle formed on the floor around her. His heart missed a beat; had he gone too far? “Wait there.” Tristan ran upstairs and got a warm bath towel out of his airing cupboard. When he returned, she had removed the wet clothes and stood before him completely naked and shivering. He stared at her for a moment before wrapping her in the warm towel. She was slim, toned and lean without an ounce of fat, her breasts small but firm, her body stunningly human like. He noticed a faint smile cross her face and for a moment her eyes seemed to shine. She knew the effect she had on him. His face flushed cheeks burning, he cursed his blunder.