9 whatever

It was well into the night that I had finally managed to nod. I awoke the next morning to a stiff neck and the remains of nightmares about having to watch the earth blown to bits, not a fun combination Tober was of course already up. I wondered if he ever slept. He nodded as a way of greeting and handed me the skewer stick with the same creature as before. For a moment I thought that I was still in the tree and dreaming. Tober was being friendly and bringing me breakfast? Maybe I should save him from things that wanted to eat him more often.

“Can I get something to drink before we start.” I asked with a jerk of my head behind me. There was a gully not far back we had crossed over yesterday that had a creek running through it. I wanted to get water when and where I could since we had no way of taking it with us. He nodded again and I took off at a jog, so he would not complain at me wasting time when I got back as I doubted things had changed that much. I had taken the skewer stick with me. It had proved useful.

Yet when I arrived I just could not resist taking the time to rinse off. I was hot sweaty and smelled like B.O. I needed a shower, and this was as close as I was going to get. I couldn't take off my suit easily nor did I wish to in the middle of an alien jungle with all manner of flying things that bit and stung, so I did the best I could with rinsing off what I could get to. Thankfully the suit seemed water risteent. I had taken another mouthful of water and was about to crawl up the sides of the gully when I heard voices, familiar voices. They where the lizard creatures I had seen from before and Tober was right, they where on our tail.

I held my breath and pressed myself against the wall of the gully as they drew closer.

“Frag this.” One complained. I believed the same one that had been bitching before.

“Chasing him through this fragging planet was not what I signed up for.” He grumbled as the footsteps grew closer. They sounded like they where only a few feet above me.

“Stuff it Muamamama” Someone else grunted and despite the seriousness of the situation I had to stifle back a giggle. I didn't know if I could take someone seriously with a name like that.

“If you had made sure he was dead when e in the first place then we would not be here.”

There was a long hiss and then suddenly a thud as one of the lizard aliens jumped the six foot drop to the gully below. He was less than fifteen feet away. He had not yet looked my way, but he could at any second. As quietly as possible I kept to the wall of the gully and began to make my way along it. There where more thuds as the others jumped down as I turned a corner. Thankfully they saw no benefits to exploring and almost as soon as they had arrived they left. I let out the breath of air I had been holding. They had not seen me!

To be on the safe side I counted to ten in Mississippi before I made me way up the gully wall. I made it to the top and slowly peered over, breath held yet again. They where out of sight! Another release of air. I stood up fully know, trying to get a plan in my mind.

I needed to get to Tober before they did. They had a head start, but they did not knew where he was. I did. One up for me. I just needed to get to him without being spotted. I took off at a slow jog, trying to stay behind trees. I did not know what direction they had gone in, but a group that big would have a hard time hiding. I would be able to see them before they saw me. Hopefully.

My theory proved true. I did see them before they saw me. Unfortunately they had already gotten to Tober. All six of them where standing around him in a loose circle They had put something over his head so that it covered. It looked to be made of some metal. I wondered what the purpose was for. They obviously knew him and he knew them so they could not have been trying to hide their identity.

I swore under my breath and dropped to my knees and then my belly, crawling forward. I couldn't help but recall back to the days where I had done just this except it had been for pretend with pretend enemies. I slithered behind a bush not far from where the group, trying to ignore the things both seen and unseen that crawled and slithered with me.

“So Tober, do you miss your family?” How bout this kids of yours? How old where they five, maybe six cycles? One of them taunted cruelly. I saw Tober lunge, only to be shoved back down. My own hands where balled into tight fists. I didn't not like Tober, but I could never see myself saying anything like that. I didn't know who could. I guess these guys here. The ones who had knocked him out of the sky.

“Don't worry, you'll join them soon enough.” Another promised. So they had come to kill him. What should I do? Listen for now and try to gain as much attention as possible. Then what? I had no clue. I could not take six of them on. There was no way to call anyone for help. Shut up, I told my mind. Listen now, worry later.

“The boss wants to see you before that though” Boss, what boss?

“Remember him? The one you left permanently crippled?” It as obvious from their tone that they did except him to remember.

“He attacked me. I was defend...” Tober's voice was surprisingly calm and even. There was thud followed by a grunt before he could finish however I could not see exactly what had happened but I was guessing Tober had been kicked.

“Shut it!” Snapped mama the complainer.

“He's waiting for you. Just have to take you to him.”

“We rest for two clicks and then get going.” I watched for a few minutes more. One of the lizard men slumped against a tree. Another took off deeper in the jungle. Two turned to talked to each other and the other two watched Tober

I know that there was no way I could get to Tober without being noticed and caught as well. What could I do though? I could always follow them and try to stay out of sight. What purpose would that be though? I doubt they would be stupid enough to ever leave him alone and I had no way of defending myself if caught.

Then it hit me! Medi! He had give me that egg thingee. I had almost completely forgotten about it! He had said to use it when I needed it and I certianly needed it now. I still had no clue what it did, but I doubt he would haven given it to me if it could not have done something useful. What it be useful enough to get me the help I needed however? I didn't see how it could, but it was the only idea that I had.

Where was it though? I realized that after the ship had crash landed it had not been on me or else I would have known. That meant it had to still be back on the ship. I would need to make my way back through the jungle alone if I wanted to get to it though.. That was not something I looked forward to, but I did not know what else to do. I needed to leave now if that was the case though, and keep up a good pace. It was two roundabouts back to the ship.

After catching one last glance back at Tober I turned and keeping low, crept away. I stayed longer until after I had past the stream. Unnecessary as we had long since passed out of sight, but I was paranoid and not taking any chances.

I finally stood up fully and stretched I had my arms above my head when a voice to my left commented

“I didn't think Tober was alone.” I jumped and whirled around to see a lizard man not five feet from me. I frowned at him and cocked my head, doing my best at looking confused. Maybe f I played stupid he would leave me alone. Think I was a native of the planet. He had never seen my species from before.

“What the frag are you anyhow?” He asked as he looked me up and down. Still, I said nothing. I kept my tongue.

“You're a prisoner, aren't you?” He asked with a grin. My heart sped up. How did he know that. The grin grew even wider.

“Your outfit gives it away.” I looked down at myself involuntary. He took a step toward me and I gripped hold of the stick and pointed it in his direction. He chuckled and took out the silver device I had seen him with before. He pressed a button and it expanded to three times it size.

“Mine's better.” He pointed it at my chest. I had no idea what it did. For all I knew it could be a bluff, or it could blow a whole in my chest the size of a Frisbee. I could just not take that risk. It was also obvious playing stupid was not gong to work.

“What do you want with him?” I asked and it only took me three tries before I could get the words out. Woohoo! The only I could keep him talking the better.

“To finish the job of killing him.” That much I had heard.

“Why?” I asked. It had taken only two attempts try that time. Getting better. My heart still pounded away like a ADHD drummer on a sugar high though. You win some, you lose some.

“Because of what he did to us.” I needed to keep him talking. More talking meant less shooting or whatever it is that weapon did.

“What did he do?” I asked and this time got it out on the first try. The questions where simple, but all I could manage. I was not a smooth talker and never could have been one of those people that talked jumpers from jumping or others from committing whatever crime they plane don committing. The questions worked though and that was all that mattered.

He scowled at the question and his grip on the weapon tightened.

“He ruined us, that's what!” Without waiting for a prompt he continued.

“We should have gone back and made sure he was dead afterward “ He seemed to be muttering to himself more than to me. His gun had slipped from my chest. I wondered if it was enough to try and get away I took a step back however and his eyes narrowed and the gun moved back up.

It was then that the realization of just who they where hit me.

“You where the ones that killed his family, wheren't you?” I asked.

He actually grinned for a moment and it was cruel predatory grin

“We had a good time with them.” His pink tongue flicked out of his mouth in a suggestive leer. The grip on my stick tightened even more as a wave of revulsion washed over me. I don't care how much I hated someone or what they had done to me. I would never go after their family.

There was no more I wanted to say. What I wanted was to get away from him, as far as away as I could How could I when he had that weapon. Attacking him was out of the question. I needed a plan and quick.

I pointed behind him and let out the most convincing and horrifying scream I could muter. It worked and he glanced behind him. It was then I took off as fast as I could. The growth was dense here. And I hoped to lose him. I had to lose him. I did not dare look behind me as I ran, but I could hear him crashing after me.

A ball of white light hit the tree in front of me and the top half it exploded. Literaly exploded and I had to put a hand over my face to proceed it from its and pieces of bark. I guess I knew what the weapon did now. I veered off course . There where more balls of light, but they missed me and I kept running. Something was happening through. The shots where getting fewer in between It was only after a full minute had lapsed between shots and I heard nothing else that I allowed myself to slow down and risked a glance behind me.

I had lost him. Who knew for how long though. I crouched down to make myself even less of a target and moved to behind a tree. I strained and listen for any signs that he was approaching. The seconds turned to minutes and the minutes stretched on until I debated rather or not I should get up.

The debate ended when I heard a twig snap. I sucked in a breath and slowly and cautiously peered around the trunk of a tree. There he was! He was still a good distance away however. I watched as he looked from tree to tree and around bushes and plants as he continued his ears. Dammit, he was thorough. My hiding place was be discovered easily.

I had taken a step back in an effort to try and make it from another tree when a large piercing wail suddenly sounded from under my feet. It was just like the tornado siren I had heard before, only ten times louder. I jerked away and my hands flew to my ears. The wailing continued and when I looked I small a small green slug like creature. It took me a moment to realized that it was the one making that god awful sound.

Of course he was alerted to the sound. Everything in the whole damn jungle had probably been alerted to it. He grinned down at me, gun in hand and I knew I didn't have long before he would do to me like he had done to the trees I lunged at his legs, ramming into them with my head down and all my force.

He toppled over on his back, although he did not lose the grin on his weapon. I picked up my own from the ground and raised it above him. Yet I hesitated. This was not like the gator before. Sure he deserved to have it rammed into him, but I just couldn't do it, not with him lying prone like that. I left my hands drop back down

'Pathetic.” He laughed as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

“To bad I will not hesitate when it comes to you.” He finished and once more the gun was leveled at my chest. I may not have been able to kill him then, but I could cat in self defense. My hands groped behind me for something anything and came away with a small soil and a jagged piece of something so sharp it cut the palm of my hand. I brought my hand back and flung the mess at him as hard as I could. He screamed and his hands went to his eyes.

He had dropped the weapon in the process! I lunged forward it and was surprised at how easily I got to it and was surprised even more at how light it was. I could easily hold it in one hand. I stood and pointed it down at him, praying I had the right end in the right direction. He still had his hands to his eyes and I could see an almost black substance flow between his fingers. When he finally took his hands away I fought back nausua and I had to look away. Something was sticking out from his eye right. It was small and jagged and only about an inch long and an inch across. It was what had cut me.

“You fragging Dert!” He roared, his voice a mix of rage and pain.

“You've blinded me!” I took a step away from him and he lunged after me. I fumbled with the weapon and must have hit the right button because a white bolt of light hit the ground just to the right of him, leaving a three foot by three foot wide hole.

“I'll kill you.” He promised although he did not move from where he was.

“You will pay.” His hands drew into fists and a a look of pure loathing and hatred had settled over his features. I said nothing, just backed away and continued pointing the gun at him. Finally I turned and for the second time that day, I ran. I ran until my lungs felt like they would give out until I finally collapsed to me knees. As soon as pictured the wound I had inflicted I felt the nausea return and this time I did not try and stop it. I threw up until I was dry heaved.

I felt a little better when I had finished. Not great, or even good, but better. I was not proud of what I had done, yet I did not regret it at the same time. He had left me with no choice. It had been either to defend myself or to let myself be killed. It would be a long while however before I could ever get that image out of my mind. Maybe never. I allowed myself to sit for a while longer before forcing myself to my feet. I needed to get a move on if I wanted to get back to the ship.

Which way was back though? I had no clue. I turned a complete circle, looking for what I don't know. A floating neon green size with an arrow that said “This way to ship.” The ditch! I thought. If I followed the ditch it would lead me to the river. Then from there find the makeshift bride and from there.. Well, I would see when I arrived. I was not ken about crossing the river and facing the river monster again, but what choice did I have?

Unfortunately after two hours of walking I could not even find the ditch. In fact I found myself back in the exact same area I had just been in. I knew that bemuse I passed where I threw up. All that time wasted and I was right back to where I had started from.

'Frag!” I yelled and kicked at the ground. I was about to chuck the gun at a tree and realized how stupid that was. Instead I forced myself to breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. Eventually I got tired of that and I close my eyes trying to think back to when I had left the ditch. I had not really been thinking about which way I was going when I was trying to get away from the lizard man. Still, I racked my brain in an effort to try and come up with something unusual I had passed.

There! Up head! I remembered dodging around that weird white bush with blue thorns. I made my way to it and looked around again. Over to the left about twenty feet! There was a tree that looked like the top half of it had been chopped off! I managed to find several other trees with the same marks and under half an hour I had found my way back to the creek.

It took longer than I expected to find my way back to river even with me going at a full jog and it seemed to be growing darker with each step. I just hope I could find my way across the river before night fell and it got to dark to see. Which way now though? Upriver or down? I had first found the log by going up the river but I was not sure where the creek was in correlation.

I finally chose upriver after enime meanie minie moeing. Surely there where be another way to cross over if I could not find the first log. I needed to find that log however if I had any hope of trying to return to the ship. I had not been walking long when I saw something large up ahead. Something large and white and low to the ground. The river monster! I froze mid step wondering if it had seen me and cursing my luck. I debated either turning around or taking a wide berth around it when I became aware that something had brought it out of the river. A figure laying prone on the ground ahead. I could not tell what it was from here and moved up a couple of more steps.

At first I thought it was a human child for it was about the same shape and size. Couldn't be, I told myself, but I could not help but draw even closer. I had been right. Although it was the size of a child and even had the same psychical features of a human child there where a lot of differences. For one the skin was the color of and stone and there where black marks on his face, like lines drawn in paint in various patterns.

It was in trouble, whatever it was. A gash had been torn from its leg and it lay on its side, clutching a long staff like stick in a feeble effort to fend of the river monster. It thrust the stick at it as it drew closer but the monster simply bit the stick in two and lunged forward.

Do something! My brain screamed. Then I remembered the big honking weapon in my hand. What kind of idiot was I to forget something like that? A big one that was for sure The thing was just about to take another bite out of the kid by the tune I had finally gotten the gun up and pushed the trigger. Unlike before this time I found my mark and the back half of the gator monster was literally torn to shreds. All that was left was the front half and a gaping and messy wound where the rest of it should be. Ugh, disgusting!

“Are you OK?” I asked when I made my way back over to where the other alien was. He had not moved and was staring at the dead monster wide eyed.

When he saw me however he scuttled backwards half of a stick still clutched in his hand. I looked behind me wondering if there was another monster.. Nothing. I turned back to the kid and he shrunk even further away. Could he actually be frightened of me? That was a first. I put down the weapon realizing it was a little off putting and held up my hands palm up, in what I hope was I come in peace sign.

“I am not going to hurt you.” I said awkwardly. He only frowned and moved even further away. Could he understand me? Was he the native aliens species that lived here? I was calling him a he was that was what he looked like a male, but a young one. His features seemed youthful and childlike. Up close I could see the black marks where only two lines on either side of his face that ran in various loops and swirls. He had no ears or ones that I could see nor could I see any hair on him anywhere. He was bare foot and I could see he was three toed and had four fingers. The hands and feet seemed disproportion to the rest of the body, bigger. His eyes where owl like and Grey with black pupils and he had no lips.

“Your leg.” I said. It was bleeding heavily and the wound looked bad. Like the time that that burrower had gotten hold of me. I shuddered at the thought. He cocked his head to one side.

I patted my leg and then pointed at his hurt one.

“Leeeeg.” I overemphasized. He frowned but looked down and put a hand on his thigh. I nodded. We where getting someone at least.

“I am going to come and take a closer look.” I knew he had no idea what I was saying, but I felt better anyhow. I made my way closer and although he flinched he did not move away from me. His owlish eyes watched me unblinking. It looked just as bad close up as it did from afar. I realized I had no idea what to do to step the bleeding. I had nothing on me to wrap the wound with. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration and his mouth opened slightly as if he wanted to say something but nothing came out. Instead he pointed to his pouch on his side and when I did nothing pointed again his lip less mouth pressed together.

“You want something in your pouch?” I asked and he said nothing just kept pointing. I moved to the patch and pulled out a coil of twine. I held it up and her jerked his hand away. Did that mean yes or no. It did not look useful however, so put it down. He pointed again and I grabbed a flat round stone the size of a half dollar. Again the jerky motion of the hand and again I put it down. The next thing I pulled out was a small pouch constructed from what looked like some sort of brown string or twin. He made a grabbing motion and I handed it to him.

He fumbled with it and opened it. With some effort I saw him pull himself up and then dump the contents of the pouch over his wound. It was a dark powder like substance. It gummed in the wound but stopped the blow flow. He pointed to behind me and I looked but saw nothing. He pointed again and again I looked but could see nothing of importance, only trees and shrubs.

“What is it?” I tried asking, knowing he did not understand. Instead he tried to get up but only made it half way up before he fell back again with a soundless grimace.

“Stay down.” I said and thrust my hand palm sided down in his direction. He stayed where he was, but kept pointing in the same direction. ..I wondered.

I walked over to small bush with small round leaves that where yellow and squatted besides it. He did his hand jerk and I moved to another one. A tree with a smooth black trunk. The hand jerk again. For more attempts and four more mistakes, I could see than he was getting annoyed as was I. Communitarian was easy to take for granted. Finally I moved to a plant that had long and thin bright green leaves that where rolled up like a coil and this he gave a motion back in his direction. Finally! I picked a few leaves and made my way back over.

He pointed from his wound to the leaves and back again. It did not take me long to decode what he meant. I unwrapped the leaf, but hesitated before I tried to apply it to the wound. I had never even put a bandage on anyone but myself before. Still, it was not rocket science. I bent down and slowly began to apply the leaf around the wound. It had sticky tar like substance and easily hung onto to the leg. I looked over at him when I finished and he jutted his chin up and craned his neck back as far as it would go. I blinked unsure what it meant, if anything.

He made an effort to get up and I cold see how hard it was for him. I tried to help but he shoved me away, only to fall back down a second later and I shook my head. I never understood the stubborn of some. I watched his time as he tried yet again and although it took some time, he managed to get to a standing position. He staggered backwards however and likely would have fallen over had I not grabbed his arm. This time he did not pull away.

We stood for a moment, neither of us making an effort to go anywhere. I had no idea where to go now. I needed top get back to the ship but I could not just leave him here and he was to hurt have me dragging him along for hours on end as I searched for it. What I needed was to get him to a safe place where he could rest, but where? If he was native of the planet than there where likely more of his kind around but I had no idea where they might be. It seemed funny that in the two days we had been here, we had not seen any sign of them.

He tugged my arm and nodded upriver. When I failed do anything he tugged harder and gave another jerk of his head. I guess he wanted me to go that way. I just hoped he knew where he was going. Before starting of I bent down to pick up the weapon, wishing I knew how to make it smaller. I was a bit weary of pressing random buttons however and it was light enough.

We walked for half an hour up the river in silence. I wondered if he was deaf, mute or else both. He had not made any sound whatsoever. I wondered if he even could. I had not seen any ears when I had looked at him, but they did not mean they where not there, just not where I was expecting them to be.

Finally I came to the first sign that there was some kind of civilization here when I saw a crude wooden bridge ahead constructed from two logs that went across the bridge, followed by smaller pieces of wood lashed across.. He tugged and pointed at the bridge I didn't need to be told twice, I made my way up and across the bridge.

Once we got across I could see a worn path under foot that went deeper into the jungle. He nodded and pointed and we followed along it. Again and again I thought I saw movements out of the corner of my eye but when I would look I would see nothing. We rounded a corner and I suddenly stopped in my treks. Up ahead was clearing that had about two dozen wooden houses hugging the perimeter. They looked primitive, like something I would have seen hundreds of years ago back home. The houses stood on stilts they where at least twenty feet of of the ground and the roofs looked to be constructed from leaves. They where small housed, looking no bigger than the garden shed I had at home. They each had an open deck with a wooden railing

That was not the most interesting sigh however, far from it. In the clearing in front of the houses was an open area that was filled with aliens just like the little guy I was with. Some looked even younger than he id and a few even carried small infants. When they saw us they froze however, and I felt all eyes on me. I stood where I was looking awkward again. Should I leave? Where they friendly?Did they have taste for flesh? The boy broke free of me and stumbled forward and two of the more braver individuals hurried forward and took an arm on either side of him.

A minute went by and then another and still the staring continued. I noticed something quite odd however, not one had said a single word, even to each other. Instead I saw gestures going on between that reminded me of a sign language. Could any of them talk? Could they even hear? Some of the braver children came up within several feet and pointed. I resisted the urge to leap at them and go Boo. Partly due to the fact that some of them carried sharpened spears. Mainly the moire well built figures. Men, I supposed. The women where wearing sleeveless dress like garmets which covered their chest and went down to just above their knees while the men had on a kilt like garmet of the same gray matieral

There was something else that I noticed. The women it seemed had no black marks and neither did the smaller of the children. I wondered if it was like with some animals that we had at home, how male animals usually looked the more colorful of the species, usually to draw out the mate. Yet some men seemed to have more marks than the others and not just on their face but down their arms and legs as well. I made me wonder if they where something they did to themselves, but why? They also wore a necklace of a black twine like material around their neck with what looked like teeth that came from something similar to the gator creature. I noticed some men had more teeth than others and those seemed the men with the most tattoos.

Two of the spear carriers suddenly approached me. One with marks on both his arms kept their weapon pointed at me while the other brought a fist to his chest and then let it drop to his side. His chin jutted up. I had no idea what to do so I repeated the gesture. This turned out a bad decision for the other thrust the spear at me and I fell backwards. He thrust the spear sat me again so that the point was against my neck. I felt a trickle of blood flow down. Uh, oh. I was to frightened to do anything but stare wide eyed while doing my best not to move a muscle The gun had slipped out of hand but I made no effort to pick it back up.

The boy suddenly walked up with a wooden pole that looked to be dubbing as a crutch and began gesturing vigorously at other man. Along with the gestures there where other movements, the narrowing of eyes, the puffing out of the chest. It was fascinating, although I would have perfred to not what was being said. The silent conversation seemed to stretch on until finally the man he was talking with cast me another look. He flicked his head to the side and the one whose spear was still trained on me stood and taking his weapon with him. He walked away and the man who had the boy beside him pressed his fingers together and wriggled them up and down.

I lay there unsure what to do and he repeated the gesture. Was he saying that I could get up? I decided to test my theory and slowly rose to my feet, since I did not have a spear pointed at me again I figured I had done the right thing. The man then turned and began to make his way back toward the village and when he saw I did not follow he turned back and jerked his head. The boy approached me me again and this time it was he that took my hand and he who led me. I realized I had left the gun back on the ground, but I was to nervous to go back and pick it up.

Everyone continued staring as I approached, some drawing away as I walked by, while others stayed where they where. This was the first time in my life that anyone had ever been weary of me. When we arrived at a hut he pointed up the wooden ladder. This I could understand. I made my way up the ladder and he followed me up. I stood on the deck and looked over the small village. The people had dispersed and where finally walking around now. I turned to look at the open doorway whch did not seem to have a door. Above it was mouted the head from, one of the exact same sort of river monster that had been after Tober and the boy and that I had killed.

He finally arrived up with me and jerked his head through the open door I went in and saw a spacious room. There was a large stone pot in the corner of the room. And three legged in the table made from wood and some squared stools around the table. On the walls where woven patterns that looked to be constructed from different types of plants and leaves. A large sphere rested in another corner.

He jerked his head to a small room in the back with no door. It looked more like a closet than anything and a mat made from some sort of black fiber took up nearly the entire room. He pointed a bare foot at it and then jerked his head downwards. I guess this was where he wanted me to stay here. So I plopped own on the mat. He looked at me gave a nod and then turned and left.

It was softer than I thought it would be and comfortable and I ended up laying down on it. I guess running for your life could really take it out of you, for it was not long before I was asleep