The Tale of the Blood Diamond

by Laveen, Tiana

  “Goddamn it…my phone is in the house!” Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and tried to calm her thumping heartbeat. She slid her back against the cold, brick wall of the structure, briefly closed her eyes then turned on a dime, her weapon pointed towards the unlocked door she’d just exited.

  Come on now, Jayme, you can do this… Just treat it like any other call…

  Slowly, she swung the front door open. She immediately looked to her right and left, her feet wide, her steps slow and the gun held up high. Swallowing deeply, she went from room to room, refusing to be a victim, especially in her own damned house.

  After she’d checked the last area, out poured a sigh of relief as she slumped down into a chair, her fingers still on the damn trigger. Taking a couple deep breaths, she picked up her phone and dialed.

  “Xzion? Baby?” she said breathlessly.

  All she heard was static.

  “Fuck! He must be still in route.”

  She dialed a different number, hoping and praying she’d get an answer.

  “Jayme?”

  “Yes, it’s me, Cxeza…” She paused, still trying to catch her breath, her chest heaving from the adrenaline rush. “A Morphitian was in my house. He or she, whatever the fuck it is, is now dead…blown to pieces all over my bed. I need this damn thing out of my house. Can you handle that?”

  Jayme was in a terrible mental state, but she could have sworn she heard her snarky sister-in-law laughing. She listened closer, and sure as her husband had a biological laser in his eye, the bitch was indeed chuckling.

  “What is so funny?! I don’t see anything humorous about this, Cxeza!”

  “Oh, Jayme.” The woman continued to laugh. “I’m so proud of you. Hey, did you use the acid gun or the prize, the grenade?”

  “Well…I tried to use the acid gun because I could have been less precise and didn’t have to get right up on it to use it. But, it got the gun away from me and I ended up having to use the grenade. Xzion said that was the only way to get rid of them, but he also told me the acid gun would slow them down enough so I could get away if nothing else worked for me. Anyway, none of this matters right now! Just help me, please.”

  “I will, I will.” She laughed again, her nonchalance evident in the casual timbre of the laughter. “We’ve been known to knock them out with a piece of ice right between their eyes. That’s a lot more difficult though, virtually impossible. You have to get it in there a certain way. It basically shuts them completely down, they become paralyzed and then die soon after. They are temperature sensitive there, but only there. The gun and grenade are much more fun though. You’re awesome!” She continued to laugh, seemingly much more concerned about the nature of the demise versus the harrowing ordeal Jayme had just endured. And what was it with the light-hearted compliments?

  This bitch has lost her damned mind…

  “Well, I’m glad you’re amused, but if you don’t mind, I need—”

  “I don’t think a Morphitian has ever been killed by a human. Kudos!”

  “Whu…what?”

  “Yeah, but anyway, I and some of the guys will come and get rid of the body and help clean up your place. We just set it on fire and it turns to small particle dust. They really stink, don’t they?” She continued to chuckle. “Hey everybody, Jayme killed a Morphitian! Woo Hoo!!!” The woman laughed lazily, continuing to spread Jayme’s flames of anger around with her increased giddiness.

  In the background, she heard Zarkstormians hollering and clapping at the announcement. She couldn’t believe her ears! They were acting as if she’d won a swim meet, or got an ‘A’ on her term paper. This shit was serious! A dead, funky ass alien that pretended to be her beloved grandmother tried to trick and kill her and if it wasn’t for those damn pearls it wore, she was afraid she may have believed the little hoax.

  “What the…?! Just get down here and get rid of it, please, and if you hear from your brother before I do, you tell him his ass is mine for leaving that little detail out!”

  Jayme jammed her finger angrily into the phone, pressing the ‘END CALL’ button with brute determination, as if that would somehow make her sister-in-law understand just how taken aback and shocked she was to be told such a thing.

  “Damn you, Xzion!” She popped up from her seat and marched back to the bedroom to glance at her bed. There the grotesque body remained, torn to shreds. The room was now filled with the musty, burnt flesh odor with a ting of spoiled fish added to the nasally brew.

  Cloaking her nose with her hand, she stood in the doorway, refusing to take her eyes off the exploded son of a bitch. After a while, she heard knocks on the door at the back of the house.

  “’Bout time they arrived…taking all damn day.” It had only been a few minutes, but she was still sulking.

  She looked out the side window to see two Zarkstormians, along with Cxeza who stood there in her tight leather-type outfit, her tanned breasts about to pop the hell out and a smack her in her smug face. Jayme hated that there was something she liked about the little instigating minx. She couldn’t figure out what, but it was there nevertheless.

  “For all I know, you three could be Morphitians, too!” she barked, causing Cxeza to giggle as she stepped inside the place, her boots thumping against the floor. On a dime, her sister-in-law turned serious and navigated her way down the hall to Jayme’s bedroom, her weapon drawn, along with the two soldiers right behind her. Jayme remained by the doorway. The cool breeze blew past but did nothing to ease her ever-growing anger. She realized in that moment, she wasn’t mad at Cxeza, and she wasn’t really mad at Xzion, either. After all, he’d tried to warn her to stay out of this, but she’d made her choice, so he made his as well. In retrospect, what good would it have done for him to let her know the Morphitians’ batting average against humans was a grand slam? None. She’d still have been faced with the same situation, at the same damn time. No, none of that really mattered and she understood the truth of the dilemma now. She was mad at herself. Regardless of the dead and putrid alien she managed to score, she still felt a bit helpless. How was she going to protect and serve when she was no longer sure who the bad guys were anymore?

  Right and wrong was no longer clear in her mind; the line had blurred and it was stinking of old blood and tinged with the worse emotion of all: fear. And in that, she found herself drowning in confusion, and hoping to soon gain some clarity before it was too late and she reached the point of no return.

  Xzion, I’m doing the best I can, but I’m at a disadvantage here! I need this to end; I need my son, my family! I’ve had enough!

  ****

  Sajut?… Kitzaratlet? (What is this? Where am I?)

  Slowly opening his eyes, he blinked, looking from one far corner of the enclosure to the other. It was cold and dark, but the strangest dream had jarred him awake. The voice of a small boy had been close by and a gust of air continued to swarm past a clear enclosure above his face. He parted his lips, but no sound escaped. He felt trapped in his own six foot, eight inch tall, stiff and cold body. He strained to rise, but it was no use. Tightly bound straps kept his legs buckled and he had no energy at all. He gasped, choking on the dryness of his throat as the continued to hear the faint noises of beeps, light footsteps and soft talking coming and going.

  Suddenly, a new set of footsteps approached, then abruptly stopped. He strained to speak, to yell out for help, to awaken someone to understand, to know, that the dream he’d been having was interrupted and he could barely breathe…but panic struck, and all he could do was wait.

  “Ayut tyaotiw zope niyice!” (The tomb is open and the oxygen chamber is down!) someone yelled in a rather deep, feminine voice. A few other voices joined in, then the ambush of footsteps came faster and before long, a siren rang, blaring loudly, making him scream inside of his head. Two faces crowded over his, then more and more.

  “Satiyu, Wazifit Uiju Zahar!” (Revered, Holy Warrior Zahar…you are alive and lucid!)

  ****

 
Xzion swirled his tongue around in his mouth, tasting the bitterness of the iron-rich blood he’d drank from a kito (a horse-like creature). Breakfast was over, but his appetite was far from satiated. His son sat on one knee, and his large, black gun on the other. Leaning back in his seat, he glared at his parents and word had spread there had been some sort of breach of security at the morgue. He had to see his son, his people, before he went about his way.

  “So,” Aton broke the silence. “That is where we are, at this point.”

  “You mustn’t keep trying to save Earth, son,” his mother warned, her tone stiff.

  Xzion couldn’t believe his ears. First Cxeza, then this! He fought becoming angry once again; besides, it wouldn’t change the tides. She was only admitting what so many Zarkstormians were now feeling. They wanted to help, they felt in debt, but some still considered humans inferior. They thought Jayme an anomaly or, worse yet, completely ordinary but for whatever reason, Xzion had taken a liking to the little pet. Sure, they were grateful for Zachary, but they were content with him staying on Zarkstorm, and wanted Xzion back, too. Problem solved.

  “Mother, you do not understand.” Xzion took a deep breath, placed his gun on the table before him and looked at his parents at the other end of the long, banquet display. “Even if I wanted to stop this war, I can’t now. If the Yuledrakes conquered Earth, they would feel braver to go and try the same with other planets. Not to mention, they have been working on ways to penetrate our protective force field for decades. You are not a Warrior, only a Warrior carrier. You do not understand.”

  His mother looked away from him, not offering another word, though her disapproval was quite evident.

  “Your sister contacted me. She stated that —”

  “Yes, I am fully aware of what happened, Father. A Morphitian entered my dwelling upon my absence and my mate had to eradicate him.” Xzion shrugged his shoulders. “I was notified soon after the incident. Jayme and Cxeza are fine.”

  “So, you are going through with this? Do you understand how dangerous, dare I say, foolhardy this is?” his father warned.

  “Everything I do is dangerous. This has been our problem as a people, Father. It was also dangerous for me to be on Earth, murdering the drug dealers, but I heard no objection from you then, now did I?! We are selfish. If an issue didn’t directly affect us, we stayed out of it. Our ancestors were not this way — yet we’ve adopted this way of life, and it is shameful. You were all in agreement to help the humans until you realized the Yuledrakes had pulled others into the fight, and Fyiat had been killed.” Xzion paused. Fyiat was a warrior Zarkstormian who had commanded a lot of respect and clout. When his body was located, he’d been decapitated. No doubt, the Yuledrakes took it to study his skull, his computerized brain and eye…keeping it like a prize. Fyiat had been in the academy, the military institute, at the same time Xzion had attended. They were competitive friends, and he hadn’t had any time to grieve, but deep inside, it only nurtured the hatred he had for Jatorn, as if it could grow any larger.

  “I applaud what Xzion is trying to do,” Aton said, coming to his pupil’s defense.

  Everyone, minus the quiet Zachary who was perched happily on his father’s lap, looked astonished.

  “When he told me his plan, I too, was concerned; however, this is what he was trained to do. It is honorable.”

  Xzion’s father slowly nodded, as if new understanding was coming through. Xzion understood his parents revered Aton, practically worshipped the man. Nothing he said would change their mind, but Aton could. Regardless of their opinions on the matter, his mind was made up. He kissed the top of Zachary’s head and hugged him tightly.

  “He is…a nice boy,” his mother offered without the hint of a smile, but he could tell the cold-hearted woman was sincere.

  Xzion nodded. “Yes, he is. He is also loving and caring…and intelligent as well.”

  There was a long pause.

  “Did you enjoy your morning with your grandparents?” Aton asked, a smile on his face as he gleamed at the youngster.

  Zachary nodded, smiling back a bit shyly.

  “Great great grandpa, too.”

  Aton’s complexion grew impossibly paler as his lips drew downward.

  Xzion looked at Zachary in confusion, then back at Aton.

  “What is going on here?” he questioned Aton, unable to remove the worry from his tone.

  “Oh, you see, Xzion. I can explain. Well, you see…” he stumbled over his words, which was totally unlike Aton. “It began with a game of hide and seek, and then —”

  Just then, the security alarm to Xzion’s parents’ home went off. Xzion seized his gun, jumped from his seat and deposited his child into Aton’s arms before storming past everyone to the front of the house.

  “Everyone stay put!” he yelled out as he made his way past the open, vast rooms, his eye checking out each nook and cranny in record seconds as he passed. He sighed in relief when he saw two Zarkstormian security officers standing inside the vast, shiny, black foyer.

  “Why didn’t you knock or ring the bell? Why have you broken into my parents’ home?”

  “We didn’t,” one of them huffed, out of breath. They moved away from one another, like doors opening, revealing a sight that almost stopped his heart. The man sat in a wheel chair, but it was definitelyhim. “He did.” They pointed to the man. “He shot the door down with his eye…”

  Xzion fell to his knees and bowed his head before him. Placing his gun on the ground, he kissed the floor in front of the man. He kept his eyes closed as he heard the wheels of the chair coming forward. They stopped short of his fingertips. Suddenly, an icy cold, heavy palm covered the top of his head.

  “Get up. We have work to do…” he said in their native language.

  The deep voice rumbled through his body, all the way to the core, shaking the damn foundation of the house. Xzion slowly rose, but before he fully stood, he heard footsteps racing behind him. Soon, Aton was falling to his knees, and his parents followed suit. He looked around and took note of Zachary standing to his far left.

  “Great Great Grandpa…”

  “Is this your son?” Zahar questioned, causing the entire room to shake once again.

  “Yes, it is. His name is Zachary.”

  Without saying another word, the Ancient Warrior kicked the sides of the chair away, and stood. Everyone looked at the man in awe as he took slow steps until he’d reached the tiny child.

  He picked him up and sniffed him. Zachary shook in his grasp.

  “No fear,” the man uttered as he studied the lad. “No need to be afraid.”

  Zachary relaxed a bit in his grip. Xzion watched closely, his fists closing and opening at his sides in rapid speed.

  “You woke me. You pushed something…you should not have.”

  “I’m…I’m sorry…” A tear ran down the boy’s face.

  Zahar gently took his large thumb and wiped the tear away.

  “Everything happens for a reason.” He shot Xzion a glare. “Where is this boy’s mother? I want to see her,” he demanded, still holding on to his great, great grandson with a new possessiveness.

  “Great Grandfather, she is an Earthling. That is where she resides.”

  Initially, the Warrior looked confused, then possibly angry, but just after that, a grin creased his face.

  “This boy is half human…” He looked at Zachary with wonder in his pitch-black, illustrious eyes. “That explains his actions.” He looked at him again and smiled.

  Xzion smirked. He was surprised Zahar had such a dry sense of humor. He placed the child gently back down to the ground.

  “In my dream, I heard this man,” he pointed to Aton, who was now standing and seemingly shocked silent, “speaking of a war with Yuledrakes. I wish to go back to sleep, but before I do, I am going to end this.”

  “Honorable Zahar, I’m afraid it isn’t that simple,” Aton interrupted, rushing towards the man. “You see —”

  “
I will not argue!” His voice boomed. “You!” He pointed to Xzion. “Brief me on the situation…let me see your eye…” Suddenly, the room glowed red as the old warrior booted his own laser, causing everyone to place their arms over their face to block the glow. It was like nothing Xzion had ever seen. “Come here!” he demanded.

  Xzion moved towards him, stood still and waited as the warrior grasped his eye and removed the camera with a gentle yank. It wasn’t just the lens, as Aton had done, but the whole damned thing. This was typically a surgical procedure that took great precision, but now, it was done and all Xzion could do was fall to his knees in debilitating pain. It was repairable, so he didn’t worry, but he kept his screams of agony internal.

  Aton approached the giant, took the camera and turned it on. Everyone remained quiet and still like statues as Zahar watched the war footage. After a while, Xzion was picked up from the floor. His great grandfather grabbed him with strength he’d never felt before and slammed him against the wall, causing it to fracture. Carefully, and with gentle hands, he placed his great grandson’s eye back into the socket, twisting and turning it into position. Surprisingly, it worked and would need only minor repairs to the main system stem, which had been torn from the motherboard.

  “You and I are going to Drakenard tonight. I must eat and pray, and then, we will leave.” He turned away and slowly made his way back to his wheelchair. “In the meantime, have your eye repaired and rest.”

  “But —”

  “No more talking. Be ready, or else…”

  The warrior took his leave, his back turned as he exited the door he’d sawed off with his eye.

  Xzion turned towards everyone, then picked his gun off from the ground.

  “There appears to have been a change in plans…”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  Jayme snatched Cxeza’s arm, yanking the woman closer as she looked around the precinct. At least five male officers were gawking at the woman, sizing her up and down with eyes drowning in pools of lust.