Alien Barbarian’s Little Human

3. Gog

CHAPTER 3

GOG

T his strange female is bordering on hysteria. My attempts to calm her have failed, utterly. I consider what to do next. She continues to speak in a nearly constant stream.

“What was I thinking? The IHC’s newest ship, equipped with an experimental, ultra powerful superluminal drive? Sure, sign me up! What could possibly go wrong? Other than crash landing on a murder world where things either want to eat you or shove crystals into your brain. Well, this is a fine end to my career. I never even got anything published beyond that pamphlet on Count Vasper my junior year.”

I shake my head in confusion.

“I’m very sorry. I sincerely want to help, but I don’t understand much of what you say. What is the IHC?”

“Interstellar Human Confederation. I know, it’s a clunky mouthful. I didn’t come up with it.”

I try a different tactic.

“That orb which fell from the sky…did you ride down in it?”

It seemed to make sense. The seat was sized to her body, after all, and such a thing was certainly beyond the acumen of the Skuyr to create.

“My escape pod? Yeah, but ride is kind of a loose term. More like crashed.”

She starts, and looks up at the sky.

“I wonder if anyone else made it off the Precursor? Maybe the ship made it to the ground intact enough that someone could have survived…”

“Ship?”

I think of ships as vehicles which travel over the water. Yet I do not think that’s what she means.

“Oh crap. I can’t disrupt the development of this primitive culture,” she says, looking scared. “Look, forget I said anything.”

“You have ships that can fly through the sky like a bird?”

“Oh fuck. Well, the cat’s out of the bag.”

I look around.

“It is? Do you want my help catching it?”

She stops and looks at me with those deep, ice blue eyes. This creature is lovely beyond compare, even if she is a little strange.

Yet, I find I like the strangeness. I think I like her.

“Um, it’s just an expression, a metaphor if you will.”

“Ah, I understand metaphor. Please continue.”

She licks her lips before she speaks.

“Um, look, do you mind if we find somewhere safer, maybe more comfortable to talk? Somewhere with water, preferably?”

That’s not a bad idea, considering we are in Skuyr territory.

“Yes, I think I know of a place. Are you thirsty?”

She nods, and I hand her my leather canteen. The woman takes the cork out and starts to drink, then looks at me with suspicion.

“Had I intended you harm, I could have done so easily many times before now,” I say. “If you wish, I will drink from it first.”

She shakes her head.

“No, that’s not necessary.”

As she slakes her thirst, I speak.

“What is your name?”

She finishes her drink, and hands me the canteen back.

“Micah. What’s yours?”

“Gog.”

“Nice to meet you, Gog. Want to get the Hell out of here?”

I chuckle and nod.

“Please, come this way.”

I lead her back out of the canyon. Her eyes stare hard at the dead Skuyr I left behind, but she does not say anything. I passed another, smaller oasis while tracking her here. That will be our destination.

The oasis sits on the lee side of a craggy peak, which keeps it largely hidden from the Skuyr. When we arrive, our presence startles a Sandjumper. If I’d had my bow strung, I might have brought it down. It would be nice to have meat for dinner.

She watches the creature bound away.

“Fascinating. It’s like a cross between an Earth Ibex and an Alzhonion borquine, only with six legs.”

“Again, I do not understand, but I wish to.”

The oasis features a short waterfall which feeds the pond. Near the waterfall, some travelers in the past left leather coverings over the rounded rocks, forming a comfortable seating area.

“Here, sit down,” I say. She seems on the verge of collapse. I remember that she did run across the desert in the full heat of the sun. “Would you like more water?”

“Yes, please,” she says.

I give her my canteen again, and slake my own thirst from one of the ones I liberated from the dead Skuyr. She finishes the canteen, and then looks at the empty leather.

“Sorry. The least I can do is refill it for you.”

She seems a lot calmer now. Micah dips the leather skin into the water and swirls it around until it swells up full.

“Keep it,” I say, holding my hand up. “You will need it in the coming days. Please, tell me of your journeys, and your people. How did you come to be here?”

MIcah purses her lips, eyes growing distant.

“You saved my life, thank you. I suppose it’s too late to avoid polluting your culture anyway. I’m part of a group of…I guess you could call us explorers, flying from star system to star system, looking for viable worlds.”

“Worlds. So there is more than one?”

“Oh yes, there are a great, great, great many. More than you can count. Every star you see in the night sky is a sun, and many of those suns have worlds that feature sapient life.”

“All the stars…are suns?”

“Sorry. Did I just blow your mind?”

I put my hand to my head.

“No, my mind is still intact in my skull. I am confused, though.”

“That’s what I…never mind.” She shakes her head and looks at me with fascination. The feeling is mutual. “Do you think you can help me find other survivors from my ship?”

I stare into her lovely eyes. It’s like staring into a long forgotten dream, and an exceedingly pleasant one at that. I find I stare a bit too long.

“Um, hello? I asked you a question.”

“Sorry. I will do my best to help, but in order to do so I’ll have to take you back to my village of Redcliffe.”

“You have a village? That has to be better than a thin blanket over a rock. How far is it?”

“It will take several days of walking to reach it. I think we would be better served remaining here at the oasis until nightfall. It’s dangerous to travel over the desert during the day.”

She doesn’t look too happy about remaining at the oasis.

“I don’t suppose you have a tent rolled up in that loincloth anywhere, do you?”

“Ah, no. But this spring comes from deep underground, where it’s quite cold. It will be more pleasant to spend the day here than you think.”

I cross my leg and sit on the stone, enjoying the pleasant cool of the oasis. Micah does her best to get comfortable. Her frequent sighs and groans indicate she’s not finding success.

“What’s the matter?”

She gives me a narrow eyed look.

“Other than being trapped on an uncontacted planet with no way of contacting anyone or getting home? Not much, except that I’m used to chairs that have backs. I don’t know how you’re able to just sit there so easily.”

I shrug.

“I suppose I’ve had a lot of practice. Would you like to brace your back against me?”

“Would I like to what, now?”

“Here.” I pat my shoulder. If you sit facing that way, then you’ll be able to use me to recline against.”

“‘That won’t, um, bother you?”

“Not at all.”

She scoots over and rests her back against me. Micah’s soft, silken mane tickles against my skin. Her scent fills my senses. Having her so close affects me on a deeper level than expected. It feels right to have her so near.

“What’s your village like?” she asks, her voice sounding drowsy to my ears.

“Redcliffe? I suppose it is much like any other Drokan village.”

“Yeah, great, except I’ve never seen one of those, so can you be a little less vague?”

She stiffens, and then slides around on her seat until she can look me in the eyes.

“You don't like talking about it, do you?”

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t have to.” she stares intently at my face. “It’s in your eyes every time I bring it up. Did something happen?”

“Yes.” I drop my gaze to the stream. “But I’d rather not discuss it right now, if you don’t mind.”

“All right, we don’t have to talk about it.” she turns around again, bracing her back against me. “You’re a kind man, Gog. I don’t know what happened at your village, but whatever it was, it can’t have been your fault.”

That is where she is wrong. It was very much my fault.

She slowly drifts off to sleep. Micah slouches as she reaches deeper slumber, and I gently lower her head onto my lap. I can’t resist stroking my fingers through her hair. This woman is most intriguing. Despite her many complaints and fears, she does not give up. Even now I sense she’s more worried about her companions than herself.

I don’t want to sleep in Skuyr territory, so I Drokan-nap instead. It’s something between meditation and true sleep, but you remain aware of your surroundings and can come out of it in an instant, without the usual lethargic freeze to your limbs.

I don’t know what the future might hold, but right now, I enjoy being with Micah in the cool shade of the oasis. If I should die tomorrow, at least I will have had this moment of bliss.