Storm World Ch. 05

On light feet the big dTel'Qohar stalked towards the darkness. His senses were alive for any sign of his missing crewmember. If she were injured or killed he needed to find her. And if the Human had caused her harm, Chep 'Urt vEss would kill him, no matter what Commander M'peth qHo wished.

"The Human should have been killed already," the gunner growled to himself.

As he approached the rear of the cave the darkness grew. The ceiling came into view, dropping by degrees as he progressed. The scent of Ima' Nef'Tn became stronger, but there was something unexpected about it. In spite of the seriousness of the situation Chep 'Urt vEss found himself becoming aroused. He felt the blood gathering in his loins, ready to push his member from its sheath. He was confused. He had expected fear scent, not this. And then the strength of the odor began to diminish. He paused and cast about, looking into every shadow. Nothing. The scent was much stronger here than it had been out in the main chamber, but it had distinctly weakened. Slowly he turned around and stalked back one step at a time, his nose seeking the source. The scent increased in volume and its effect grew stronger. He was having to force himself to use mental disciplines meant for combat to keep his focus, but the scent finally led him to a narrow gap in the wall, hardly noticeable until he was practically on top of it. Just as he arrived Ima' Nef'Tn's head came into view in the gap.

"Engineer!" he said with considerable relief. "I was looking for you. Are you well?"

Startled, Ima' Nef'Tn blinked. Her mouth dropped open and suddenly her scent changed dramatically. Fear and uncertainty emanated from her as strongly as desire had a moment ago.

"Yes, Gunner," she said and accepted his help in climbing out of the chimney of stone. "Thanks to Ben 'Jamin, I am unharmed. What of the others?"

"They are safe, though, we do not know where the commander and pilot are," he said. He noticed how Ima' Nef'Tn pulled her hand away from his and how she stepped back, her posture both deferential and coolly distant. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "What were you doing down there?"

"Keeping an eye on Ben 'Jamin," she said.

The gunner was about to ask more when suddenly the Human's head came into view.

"Damned long climb," grumbled Benjamin, but he was smiling. He didn't notice how Ima' Nef'Tn's ears folded back against her head or how Chep 'Urt vEss seemed to swell. "Everyone okay?"

"Japanese, Ben 'Jamin," Ima' Nef'Tn reminded him gently.

"Oh. Right," he said, pulling himself out of the chimney and stepping lightly onto the stone floor. "Where is the captain?"

"Ben 'Jamin, there is no captain," she said. Worried the Human might have another relapse or suffer another severe shock she took him by the arm and guided him away from the chimney. "Remember?"

Benjamin paused to regard her. Slowly his eyes closed and he took a deep breath, letting it out through his nose. He mumbled under his breath, some word that sounded like anglica or anjilba. Ima' Nef'Tn did not recognize it but she relaxed a bit. He was not thrown into a rage or a fit as he had been before his collapse.

"What does he say?" Chep 'Urt vEss asked stiffly. His scent was hostile, but not that of battle musk.

"I do not know," she said honestly. "He has been speaking of his dead officer since the quake. As if he could not remember the man were dead. I think he will be alright now."

Chep 'Urt vEss felt even more sure the Human should be killed, but he restrained himself. If the Human was not acting in a dangerous manner, he would continue to obey Commander M'peth qHo's orders. Given a reasonable excuse, though, the big dTel'Qohar would take great pleasure in dispatching this Human. Great pleasure, indeed. And if the quake had removed the commander as a factor... He let the thought trail off, though, it did not displease him.

"Come," he said, turning from the female and the Human. "We will return to the others, leave the Human in custody of Tem l'eth tong and search for the commander and the pilot."

*****

"It seems to me she should be awake by now," Tem l'eth tong said, observing TaH 'Kiy mTh while he examined their shipmate, Ty'em P'tral.

"I would have thought so," the Thahn 'Den engineer agreed almost absently. "The medical kit indicates otherwise, though. It is perhaps due to the severity of the break."

"Perhaps," she said, unconvinced. "I have seen broken arms and broken legs where the bone protruded from the flesh. Those people were attended to and awake within a matter of Taq'a Mowl****. She has been unconscious for nearly three hands Taq'a Mowl. It seems too long."

"Her shoulder was severely broken," he said with a dismissive flick of his tail. He went on in a thoughtful, superior tone, "Keeping her asleep also keeps her from moving it. Perhaps the medical kit has determined it is best if she remains immobile until the bone knits. I do not know. I am no physician."

"Perhaps," Tem l'eth tong murmured.

She regarded him with cynical eyes. She did not like his tone, and in spite of the dust in the air she could smell traces of fear scent. In her mind this male was worth not so much as he thought he was. Pretty, with his long mane and all, but lacking in scars and experience. What could he have learned? Knowledge from books was all well and good, but without experience and practice it was limited. Why did other females find this one so interesting? Because he flattered and gave the pleasure of the tongue? She could get that from any female she chose. A smirk crept onto her lips and her ears twitched in amusement. She could use some pleasure of the tongue after all she had endured recently. But she would not take it from this little fool. And she would not be taking it from the oaf of a gunner they had been saddled with. She admitted to herself, though, that Chep 'Urt vEss had the potential to grow into a good officer and a worthy male. He had much to learn, but he did not shrink from danger. He would learn. Eventually.

"We found a proper crutch," TaH 'Kiy mTh said, interrupting her ruminations. "Would you like me to fetch it for you?"

That was something useful he could do, she thought and gave him a nod. He frowned at that, but turned for the opening of the narrow tunnel. Before stepping into the main chamber he paused and looked up, then trotted across the chamber out of sight.

"Frightened of falling stones," she snorted, not amused. "Probably frightened of his own shadow. Thank the Forger and the Builder I am not stranded alone with him. What would I do? Probably spend my days making sure he did not die of fright."

It occurred to her she was being unfair to the male. She had herself been terrified of the quake. And TaH 'Kiy mTh had been ready enough with his pistol when the Human had reacted so queerly to the realization of how long he had been alone on this world. And TaH 'Kiy mTh had not backed down from Chep 'Urt vEss when the gunner had been throwing his weight around about killing the Human. But then, TaH 'Kiy mTh had had the backing of the females. It is always easier to stand with a group rather than stand alone. She doubted the Thahn 'Den could have lasted on this world alone as long as the Human evidently had, sane or not.

"The Human would be a worthy male," she murmured.

Her eyes narrowed and her tail lashed. Something about that thought bothered her. Benjamin was a fine specimen of the race: Tall, broad shouldered and broad chested with not one bit of fat on his leanly muscular frame. He was stronger than she would have guessed, too. Grinning she chuckled, "And his mane! What a mane."

She could not put her finger on what bothered her about such thoughts for a moment. Then she realized she had never had thoughts of that kind about an alien before. She had lived around many aliens on the Protectorate Worlds where she had been stationed, but always as an outsider. Her duties had kept her confined to cantonments and when she had leave she spent her time hunting with other jZav'Etch or in urban districts comprised of jZav'Etch residences, shops and gathering places. There had been alien servants, of course, but no one had paid any more attention to them than they would have to the furniture.

"But this Ben 'Jamin is not like them," she murmured and glanced into the main chamber to see what was taking TaH 'Kiy mTh so long. She did not see him and settled back against the wall to continue puzzling through her mind.

Why was Benjamin not like other aliens? Obviously because he was actively in their lives. He had saved them from whatever those creatures had been. He had succored them in their need. He now sheltered them. And he had not needed to do so. He could have let them die out there in the sea. What was more, he was Human and not a conquered race. Humans were wild and free, beyond the control and guidance of the Hegemony. A great empire from all she knew.

"Ben 'Jamin is not of the Conglomerated Planets," she mused aloud. That made him even more free to her way of thinking. She smiled at that. Benjamin might have become mad with his isolation, but he had lived free. He had lived as jZav'Etch live. In a way, he was even more the jZav'Etch ideal than most jZav'Etch she knew. A thrumming little purr rolled in her chest and she smiled with narrowed eyes. "He would make a worthy male, indeed."

Further ruminations were interrupted by voices in the main chamber.

*****

Commander M'peth qHo and Liat 'del Qha stepped from the tunnel into the living area. A glance showed them much damage had been done to the stone walled enclosures, but the chamber itself was not greatly changed. The walls and floor were intact, though quite a few large stones had fallen from above. The fire still burned and the shelves and table remained where they had been. Dust still hung in the air. The breeze from the entrance was clearing it rapidly, though.

The two officers looked at each other with some relief. In spite of the commander's professed confidence, they had begun to seriously worry when coming down the tunnel they had encountered a large block of stone impeding their progress. It had taken both of them to shift it enough to where they could climb over it. After that they had been only slightly delayed in their return by the need to stop at the pool and retrieve their uniforms. They now wore their undershirts and shorts, plastered to their wet fur. They had opted to not don their trousers. Wet underclothes would be uncomfortable enough without the added discomfort of the trousers.

"Hello?" called M'peth qHo loudly. "Where are you?

"Tem l'eth tong?" shouted Liat 'del Qha. "TaH 'Kiy mTh?"

"Gunner?" the commander added.

"I am here, Commander," called the gunner, striding from the shadows at the back of the cave. "Ima' Nef'Tn is with me."

"And Ben 'Jamin," added Ima' Nef'Tn.

"I am here, Commander," called TaH 'Kiy mTh. He emerged from the ruble of a collapsed enclosure carrying something long and white. "Tem l'eth tong and Ty'em P'tral are sheltered in that side tunnel."

The two officers looked to where the engineer pointed and saw the veteran dTel'Qohar lean out and wave to them. Everyone moved her way and gathered at the tunnel opening.

"Is everyone well?" asked the commander.

"No one was injured during the quake," Chep 'Urt vEss reported.

"Ben 'Jamin was," Ima' Nef'Tn interjected.

"How did that happen?" M'peth qHo asked, concern clouding her face. "Is it serious?"

"It is not serious. I have already attended his wounds, Commander," Ima' Nef'Tn told her and looked down to avoid her eyes.

"What are his injuries?" the commander pressed. She glanced at Benjamin who stood a few paces away looking at the detritus about the cavern.

A little reluctantly Ima' Nef'Tn explained, "He acted to protect me and I misunderstood. I struggled and... and I clawed him on the hip. He was also struck by a large rock. Bruised ribs and four deep cuts."

M'peth qHo examined the Human for a moment. She could see the blood and the rent in his shorts and the bandages. Judging by his posture and apparent unconcern he was in no great discomfort. She lashed her tail dismissively and returned her attention to her crew.

"We have news," she said, looking at each of them in turn. "The pilot and I discovered a structure on top of this hill. It contains a wind turbine generator and an array of sensors and transceivers. We did not have time to fully examine it. When the storm abates we will need to do so. However, the computer on the table over there may be tied into it. Tem l'eth tong, were you able to learn much?"

After sifting through the odd charts Tem l'eth tong had gone on to investigate as many of the files as she could before the quake had struck. She said, "It is somewhat different from CP systems I have examined before, Commander, but I did find several programs that look like they are for controlling satellites. Others seem meant for surveillance systems of some kind. Many I could not identify and my task is not complete."

"Since Ben 'Jamin is awake, perhaps he will go through the system with you," M'peth qHo said and looked at the Human. Benjamin was still looking around the chamber, now stroking his beard which appeared to have been cropped into something much neater than the ragged mess it had been. She called to him, "Ben 'Jamin?"

"What?" the Human said, spinning around as if startled. He blinked a few times and then stepped closer. "Yes?"

"I have many questions for you, but first I was wondering if you would assist Tem l'eth tong in learning the operation of your computer," she said.

"How the hell did you get so wet?" Ben 'Jamin demanded with a pinched look.

"We went outside," she told him. "Will you help my engineer learn your computer's system?"

"Yeah. Sure." He waved it away and frowned at her more deeply, putting his hands on his hips. "Why did you go outside? It's pretty dangerous out there. You know the captain and I are responsible for you. He could put you in charge and then you'd be restricted to quarters. You wouldn't like that, would you?"

"The captain?" M'peth qHo looked to Ima' Nef'Tn, confused. In jZav she asked, "Captain?"

"He has been referring to his officer and some of his crew since the quake," Ima' Nef'Tn said with a flick of her ears. "Before the quake he seemed to be more or less fine. We played a game similar to Temptresses and we spoke. He offered to roast something called bad-knot-fish. I believe it is like one of the animals we were attacked by. I began to groom him and he... he decided he needed to shower. We were in a chamber below this one when the quake happened."

"And since then he has reverted to a less sane state?" the commander asked.

"Yes," confirmed Ima' Nef'Tn.

"How did you communicate with him?" Liat 'del Qha asked.

"He speaks Japanese, a language I studied before changing my specialty."

"That is good news," M'peth qHo said approvingly. "Do your best to assist with the computer."

"Hey!" Benjamin snapped. "I'm right fucking here! Did you hear what I said?"

M'peth qHo shot an irritated, offended look at the Human. Chep 'Urt vEss turned and glared, his hackles bristling and his teeth bared.

"You cannot go outside alone, lady!" Benjamin continued, ignoring their hostility. "I'm responsible for keeping you alive."

"Ben 'Jamin, I will not be spoken to in this manner," M'peth qHo replied coldly. "I am quite capable of looking after myself. We all are."

"I get that from every green egghead that steps out onto a new planet," he scoffed. "You always think you know what you're doing. You go out and get your degree and that's supposed to make you some kind of expert on everything. Always think I'm some jug headed moron that knows fuck-all. You always forget that I got my own degree and six years of probationary training before I could certify. If you get killed or even injured and I ain't there to at least try to prevent it I can lose my license! Even if I am there I'll be suspended from operations until an investigation is completed and I can't earn a living while that's going on. Your actions affect me as much as they affect you. Do you understand?"

Chep 'Urt vEss lashed out with no warning. The edge of his hand struck at Benjamin's throat in a vicious blow that likely would have crushed the Human's larynx. But it didn't land. Benjamin dodged aside like lightning and sent a hard jab into the big dTel'Qohar's side below the floating ribs. Chep 'Urt vEss coughed out a grunt of surprise. He was about to round on the Human when he felt a solid kick to the back of his knee that dropped him to the stone floor. Before he could rise Benjamin hammered another hard fist into his temple. His vision swam with white dots and Chep 'Urt vEss had to put both hands down to keep from collapsing. A second strike to the back of his neck dropped the gunner unconscious.

"Goddamnit!" shouted Benjamin, shaking his hand and grimacing in pain. "I think I just broke my fucking fingers! Fuck!" He turned to look at the group of aliens and frowned in confusion. "What's with all the guns?"

*****

*Taq'a - A jZav'Etch minute equal to .9375 Earth Standard minutes

**Jiq'a - 1.6002 Earth Standard Meters

***Chisq' Kah' - The offer of a female jZav'Etch to have sex with a male without commitment. (casual sex).

**** Taq'a Mowl - (Singular and plural form) jZav'Etch hour. Roughly 2.25 Earth standard hours.