Chapter Four
“You must eat something.”
It had been three days since Cali had been taken aboard Altair’s vessel. During that time she sat quietly on a pad Altair brought. The smug scientist stopped being smug when he realized he had thought of clothes, bedding, and water, but not food. He foolishly assumed his type of sustenance would suffice. Cali couldn’t stomach the fluffy substance. He stood before her holding a handful of the cotton candy cobweb material.
Cali groaned and curled onto her side away from him. Deimos and Blazar would know how to calm her raging belly. But they had abandoned her to misery. Altair was at a loss and Cali had no thought to offer any suggestion. There was no way in hell she wanted the bastard to cocoon her.
“If you would just try a small bite,” Altair continued to coax her. “Our scientists developed this over thousands of years. It has every nutrient and vitamin. It digests perfectly.”
“Get bent,” Cali muttered.
“You are just being stubborn. The council will be displeased if you perish.”
“Gee, I’m all broken up over it.”
“How did Deimos and Blazar keep you healthy?” Altair demanded. His hand gripped her arm.
Cali turned to glare at him. “Go away, you creep.” She then yelped when his hand heated to such an intensity her arm began to blister.
Altair released her immediately. He looked appalled as she howled in agony and scooted away from him. She cradled her agonized arm to her chest and leveled an accusing gaze.
“I’m sorry, human. I was angry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Altair raced off and returned with water. He doused her blisters which did little to soothe her.
Cali gasped. “A healing bed. Deimos and Blazar put me on a healing bed.” Her eyes filled with tears she refused to allow fall. The pain was intense; she would take any aid offered right now.
“I have no such device on my vessel,” Altair said. “I’m a scientist, not a hunter. A hunter may have need of the bed, some are prone to violence. I would never harm…. You are so much more fragile than expected.”
Ripping off a strip of her clothes, Cali soaked the fabric in water and wound it around her aching flesh. She again turned from Altair and lay with her face pressed into the mat. Abandoned and now injured she wanted to sleep to escape. She heard Altair stand. He again apologized before moving away.
Altair hadn’t gone a few steps, his large feet scuffling across the silver polished floor when the ship was rocked sideways. Cali screamed as she went flying. Altair yelled and Cali fled as far from him as fast as possible, he had transformed into a bright light. They were under attack.
Cali managed to make her way into another room to escape Altair’s intense heat. The floor beneath her began to warm with the temperature increasing every second. The walls started to glow. A terrifying thought entered her mind. These beings were light; would the ship become a big ball of fire and incinerate her? Would Altair kill her to save his life? She was about to find out.
The floor beneath her feet had her dancing from foot to foot in agony. She could see her flesh steaming making her scream louder. The walls turned red baking her. She was in an oven the heat rising ever higher. A loud boom and Cali toppled over. Her face and body were coated in sweat which sizzled across her skin. She was flung once more to the other side of the room where she blacked out.
****
Cali was drowning. Water poured down her throat, she was soaked and floating. Strong hands held her face up and out of the water before letting her slip back under. She struggled and coughed, fighting her way to the surface again where she gasped for air.
“Hold still, I’ve got you, human. The Gar hate the water. We’re safe as long as we stay put and out of sight.”
It was Altair’s voice. He sounded scared to death. Cali opened her eyes. Fleeting images of huge trees and lush foliage dotted the sides of the river they were floating down. The river moved at a fast pace. The waves lapped over her, slapping at her face. For now, the cold water aided with her burns.
“You burned me,” Cali cried out.
“We were being attacked. I had to weigh the pros and cons of being captured. To get to this planet first, I had to risk the faster pace. It was either that or hightail it home and kill you altogether. This way you are injured but alive—for now. We haven’t much of a head start on the Gar.”
“You said anyone could hunt Gars.” Her tone was accusing.
“I may have been a bit boastful.”
“You dirty fuck.”
A huge log came into view. Cali made a grasp for it. The log was slick and her handhold tenacious as the rapids crashed over her shoulders. She slipped as she struggled. With Altair’s help and a shove to her ass, they were sitting on the riverbank. Cali yanked her way higher using the tall grass at the river’s edge. Once safe, Cali scowled at him. Her flesh was red, sore. But the burns weren’t as bad as what she had surmised. She did look like she had gotten the ultimate suntan gone wrong.
“Oh God, I look like a tomato.”
“You’ll be fine, human.”
“I have a name, you dick.” Cali sat back and studied him. “What the hell happened to your clothes?” Altair was naked.
“They were incinerated the moment I ignited.”
“Oh, for the love of God. Here.” Cali ripped off a length of her clothing for him to wrap around his hips. Parts were singed, some areas had small holes, but it was salvageable. “I’m not going to have to stare at your dumb ass.”
“Quiet, human.”
Cali stiffened as Altair gripped her shoulder. Across the river was a huge beast. It moved in a weaving fashion, its soulless yellow gaze centered on them. It was the largest bird Cali had ever seen in her life standing at least twelve feet in height. White as snow feathers covered most of its body. A massive black beak opened to expose razor sharp teeth all in a neat row. Huge light brown wings fluffed, lifting it off its feet for mere seconds before returning it to the ground. Foliage swooshed up under the bird creature, giving indication of its great mass. It hissed at them in frustration, and Cali realized it couldn’t fly. She bet it could run like the devil on its two three-toed feet.
“The Gar. They found us already and have taken a new form,” Altair whispered.
“Why don’t you just burn it? Roast the bastard and maybe I can finally eat something. Those drumsticks would be mighty tasty right now.”
“You don’t understand, that creature is the Gar or Gars. We should be fine. It won’t cross the water.”
No, Cali didn’t understand. “For heaven’s sake. Why don’t you kill it? Deimos would.”
“Have you seen the size of Deimos?”
The question made her blink. “Um, yeah.”
“Then you know how powerful he is.”
Cali turned to study him. For a second, she swore Altair was in awe of Deimos. Blazar was built bigger, so was Altair. What was she missing?
“You have to be at least seven inches taller than Deimos and a good twenty pounds heavier.”
“Exactly.” He was staring at her as though she must comprehend what he meant.
“But, but,” she spluttered. “He’s smaller than you. Granted he’s strong.”
“He has twice my strength. Surely you must see that? He is smaller, therefore much stronger.”
Cali was stumped. It was obvious she was missing something. A thought occurred. It was Deimos who had fought Crone, not Blazar. Deimos was the physical one. Perhaps size in their culture meant something.
“So, are you saying because Deimos is smaller, he is stronger than both you and Blazar?”
“Of course. A smaller intense light burns hotter, because it takes only seconds to light. A larger fire, or greater light, takes more time. Time is of the essence to a hunter. Deimos begins to conquer his foe immediately while brighter lights need more time to gain their exact potential. Deimos shines with his potential the second he ignites.”
“I suppose bigger lights don’t always burn brighter.”
The bird creature snorted and screeched. Cali stood up and began moving away. Altair jumped to his feet and caught her hand. His skirt-loin cloth slipped low on his hips. His chest was broad and his long legs were as white as snow. Cali resisted the urge to giggle at him; he looked ridiculous.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“To find shelter. Looks like it will be dark out soon.”
“We mustn’t stray far. I was able to send a distress call.”
“I’m not going to sit around like a damsel in distress waiting to be saved. I can save myself.”
Cali turned on her heels and began walking. This might not be Earth, but it had a primitive, familiar smell. A shadow formed overhead, causing her to glance skyward. Thousands of birds looped and dove in a wild dance across the sky. They were beautiful. Abundant foliage made Cali wonder at the season, perhaps mid-spring. That would be a bonus.
They walked for not more than a half hour. Cali ripped small strips of material off her clothing to make certain she could find her way back to the river. They came to a cave. She peeked inside. It wasn’t too deep, but it would keep them sheltered until help came. Then, she surmised, she would be kidnapped again and stuck on a strange planet being accidently burned for the rest of her life. Cali determined that wouldn’t happen. If she couldn’t go back to Earth, she would remain here. Freedom in nowhere was better than no freedom at all; she was tired of being a captive, of being dragged off, and taken.
Digging deep into the memory of her limited Girl Scouting experience, it didn’t take Cali long to gather sticks and larger pieces of wood. Altair followed her like a puppy, refusing to help. He was a scientist after all; menial work was beneath him. Striking two different types of rocks together onto some fluff from a nest she found high in a tree, Cali made a fire. She carefully stuck the three eggs she had discovered in the nest into the hot coals as the fire burnt down at the sides. With a sharp rock she found, Cali had been able to somewhat remove the very tops of the shells. She didn’t need eggs exploding all over her. Next, she gathered ferns and branches thick with soft needles. She lumped them in a corner near the back wall close to the fire. As darkness fell, Cali took a stick and pulled out an egg. The shell was hot as she danced it between her fingers. She settled back onto her bed and peeled the egg. It was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.
“Well, where do I sleep?” Altair asked.
“Who the hell cares?”
“Well, what about the food. Give me some; I’ll attempt to eat your meager offerings, human.”
Cali finished her second egg and fished out the third. She remembered what Blazar had said about not needing to eat food as long as they regenerated. Altair hadn’t regenerated during her stay with him so he could examine her every move. Cali peeled the egg and when Altair stuck out his hand she shoved the entire thing into her mouth. She chewed with exaggerated movements enjoying the look on his face. Altair was wide-eyed.
“That was mine,” he said obviously flustered.
“Um, no, it was mine. I found it, I cooked it, so I ate it. Get your own.”
“I provided you with clothing, sustenance, and warmth,” he spluttered.
“I have provided you with warmth and clothing. As for sustenance, you gave me shit. You stole me away without regard to how I felt. I’m not going anywhere with you again. When and if you leave here, I’m not going with you. I’m staying.”
“The council will give you to me when I state my case.”
“I don’t belong to the council. I belong to me. The council can go screw itself.”
Cali curled up onto her bed. What was left of her wrap had dried out, making her flesh feel hot but at least her tummy was finally full. Altair huffed for a moment before settling a few short feet from Cali. Both of them closed their eyes.
****
In the morning, Cali woke with Altair sound asleep right beside her. Sometime in the night, he had scooted closer. She struggled to free herself from his grasp. He woke groggily. Cali had never seen either Deimos or Blazar groggy or disoriented; she had never seen any of the aliens sleep before. Altair’s hair was disheveled. He groaned as his hand went to his belly.
“This hurts,” he moaned.
“You’re hungry.”
“Is this what you felt aboard my vessel? It’s loathsome.”
“Will you suck it up? You ate less than twenty-four hours ago. I saw you chow down on that cobweb crap. Try three days with nothing but water in your stomach and then complain.”
“I’m dying. I needed the substance because I refrained from regenerating. Because of you.”
“My God, you’re a drama queen. Go out of the cave and change into your fire form and find something suitable…preferably far away from me.”
“I can’t change,” Altair whined. “I can’t regenerate until I reach my planet.”
Cali dropped before him. “Are you saying you’re stuck in human form?”
“Yes. I told you, I didn’t regenerate before we were attacked so I could stay close to you.”
“Then what do we do about the Gar?”
“We wait for the universe hunters.”
Grumbling, Cali marched out of the cave. Altair followed closely, so closely when she stopped to gaze around, he barreled into her, upsetting them both to the ground.
“Get off, fat ass,” Cali shouted. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“How would you like to suddenly be stuck in a different form?”
Cali took a good shove at him and jumped to her feet. She stopped when he howled in terror. Horrified he stared at his hand.
“I’m leaking,” Altair yelled.
“For the love of God. You’re bleeding, and it’s only a tiny bit.”
“Make it stop.”
Rolling her eyes, Cali grabbed his other hand and dragged him to the river; thankfully there was no sight of the bird-creature. She dunked his hand into the cold water and washed the cut thoroughly. By the time he cradled his hand to his chest, the bleeding had stopped. Altair screeched and yanked her in front of him. She landed on her ass while Altair crouched, peeking over her shoulder.
“What now?” she demanded.
“Look,” he whispered.
“I don’t see anything.”
“What is that hideous thing? Is it deadly?”
Cali gazed to where his dumbstruck look was settled. She sighed. “It’s a frog.”
When she looked behind her, nose inches from his, and gazed into his face all she could do was shake her head. Altair was six-two and at least two hundred and twenty pounds. Somehow she had become his babysitter.
This creep is supposed to take care of me for the next millennium? I don’t think so. “You do realize if you try and drag me back to your planet, everyone is going to get an earful of the great and powerful scientist as a scared child.”
Altair looked appalled. “You wouldn’t.”
“Try me,” she drawled.
“I will be happy to see the last of you.”
“That makes two of us.”
Cali disengaged from Altair and stood up; she went further upstream and helped herself to the freshest water she had ever tasted. It appeared Altair wasn’t ready to see the last of her just yet; he trailed close, ever watchful. Cali took stock of what they had and what they needed as she made her way back to the cave. They had shelter and knew where to find water—two major problems solved. Although, they did need food. Cali could easily start another fire. She wondered if she should start a fire and leave Altair the mouse to tend it while she, the lioness, went hunting. The idea made her chuckle.
“I’ll start a fire, and we can gather some kindling so you can keep it going while I hunt,” Cali said.
“You’re leaving me alone? Out here? By myself?”
“That was the general idea,” she said. If he starts crying I’ll whack him. “I can’t hunt with you trying to crawl all over me.”
“I’ll stay out of your way, I promise.”
Altair continued to plead his case as Cali restarted the fire and left the cave to gather wood. She piled Altair’s arms full, then gathered more until she was loaded down. Altair dropped everything and screamed. Cali heard a startled scream in reply. It would have been comical, she supposed. Altair was cowering behind her while a female Neanderthal cowered behind her male.
The two short stocky humanoids were beautiful in a way. Each had dark black hair and deep dark eyes. The male was holding a spear; the female had dropped a basket. The male’s hips were covered in a fur pelt, as was the female’s; her breasts were bare. They looked so young and yet so wise. Cali was certain she gazed into her past.
“Altair,” she whispered. “Is this Earth?”
“No,” he whispered back.
It sounded like a woodpecker was making a racket behind them, searching for food, pounding into a tree. Until Cali determined the noise was actually Altair’s knees knocking. The male holding the spear shook it at Cali. Determined to show no fear, Cali did not humble herself. She nodded at the male and demanded Altair pick up the wood he had dropped. With Altair busy, the young male Neanderthal ordered his female to retrieve her basket. Altair fumbled with each piece of wood until Cali herded him along back into the cave.
Once inside, Cali dumped her burden onto the ground while Altair dropped his directly on the fire, insisting they build it up to keep any weird creatures away. Cali sat for a second ignoring Altair.
“This planet must just be starting,” she mused. “Thousands or hundreds of thousands of years prehistoric to Earth, no not prehistoric really, in its infant stages of humanoid development. The Neanderthal would be thirty-five thousand years old, if not older in Earth’s time period as of now. If I stay, that would make me the next beginning to the era. This is amazing, it’s impossible. Cro-Magnon. Would that make my children Cro-Magnon? Wait, when did children get involved?”
“Well, don’t look so surprised,” Altair said. “Earth was young once. A good place to study at one time, before you all turned into lunatics.”
“Said the man afraid of frogs,” she replied. “And I thought you knew nothing of Earth.”
“Universe hunters know nothing of Earth. I’m a scientist. You know those humanoids are too curious to stay away from us. They will be back, and there will be more.”
Cali knew that. She wondered if they would try to communicate with her and Altair or kill them. The male was small, but like Deimos he was solidly built. The male could probably throw her as far as his spear. Thinking of Deimos hurt too much to ponder. He and Blazar had abandoned her. It was best to think about her own needs. They still had to find food. Altair would never let her leave without him; he would follow her regardless. For a second, only a second, she felt a little sorry for him. Altair looked as bewildered and as lost as Cali had been when he had taken her. Then she reminded herself it was Altair’s fault she was in this mess.
“Come on,” Cali said. She rose to her feet and with determination strode from the cave.
Their surroundings were that much more impressive to Cali and she took closer note. Foliage was in abundance. She marveled at the massive bulk of high trees, trees that reached the heavens, or seemed to. An earthy scent hovered in the air, primitive and pure. Strange lush plants quivered in a slight breeze while a few giant bugs caught her eye. Terrain beneath her bare feet was cool and damp in places, dry and springy with renewed growth in others. Trails they followed she determined were animal made in some parts. She had no weapons and snapped off a few long sticks thinking she might remember how to make a bow and arrows, spears—thicker branches would make clubs. If she were to make this home, she would need to be prepared. Cali needed skins for clothes, bedding. Her mind raced with ideas.
Each newly scavenged item was handed over into Altair’s care; Cali needed her hands free. A sharp squawk had her looking skyward. A large bird stared at them from a huge nest.
“Give me the club,” Cali whispered to Altair.
“What club?” he whispered back.
Cali turned to look at him; his arms were empty. “Where the hell is all that stuff I gave you,” she demanded.
“I was supposed to keep it?”
“Damn you, Altair. You’re useless.”
“It was a bunch of sticks.”
“For a scientist, you have to be the most stupid person I’ve met.”
“Are all humans as disagreeable as you?”
Growling, Cali glanced around wondering if the bird would take flight. If it was defending a nest of eggs, it might stay and fight. Thoughts of roasting that plump chicken-like bird made her saliva flow. The bird squawked again and ruffled its feathers. Cali grabbed a large stick off the ground and began to scale the tree.
“C’mere little drumstick,” she crooned. “Come to mama, dinner. It wouldn’t be lunch without you, tasty morsel.”
“Must you do that?” Altair grouched. “The noises in my guts seem to be increasing.”
The bird cocked its head sideways when Cali got close enough. She grinned and raised her stick. Using all of her strength, she struck down toward the bird’s head. At the last moment, the bird caught the stick in its beak and dragged Cali closer. The eyes on the bird turned a soulless black. Cali gasped and Altair screamed.
“A Gar.” Altair turned and fled.
Cali dropped the stick and leapt to the ground. The bird made a horrible noise, and as Cali staggered to her feet a tremendous commotion came through the foliage at her. It was the massive bird from the river. The nesting bird flew gracefully toward the larger bird and settled into a wing. Cali noted what she hadn’t before, what Altair must have been trying to explain. The bird wasn’t one giant fowl; it was at least a hundred smaller birds creating one. She should have remembered the attack on the bear. In her defense, she had been traumatized and in shock.
Spinning on her heels, Cali took off. “Holy Kentucky fucking fried,” she yelled.
The bird was gaining on her. A beak snapped at her ass and she yelped. The loud clomping of its three-toed claws made the earth beneath her feet shudder. Cali fell. The bird was on her, a huge foot pinned her chest. The large beak stabbed at her face, missing by inches. Cali thrashed and screamed. A spear landed on the side of the bird and one dropped to the ground to squeal in agony.
To Cali’s left stood six Neanderthal men and six more to her right until they surrounded the beast. Spears were thrown from all angles but managed to hit only one bird at a time. Using its large claw, the bird-beast pinned Cali harder, pressing her into the dirt until she couldn’t breathe. Using its beak, it grabbed one of the men by his arm and threw him, arms flailing wildly, into a bush. The man howled in pain. Cali was slowly slipping into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen. The Neanderthals must have been hunting this creature. They would lose and civilization on this planet in its infancy would cease. Cali felt her heart would break at this conclusion.
Out of nowhere came a bundle of fury. Cali saw Deimos in his human form attack the bird. If he were in his light form, he would have been forced to burn Cali with her close proximity. Another thought hit her; Deimos was wearing clothes. Even half-unconscious, she couldn’t help admire her hero’s ass in black jeans. The look on his face would have scared a rabid grizzly.
Feathers were flying everywhere. For the life of her, Cali thought she was in some crazy pillow fight. The Gars had no choice but to release her. Cali rolled away and found herself in Blazar’s embrace.
“Do something,” she yelled. The air and ground were a mass of feathers and ripped wings. Bird heads were tossed like snowballs. Innards were now outwards.
“Why?” Blazar asked, he was smiling.
The birds which made up the long gangly legs were ripped apart. The creature’s chest exploded as it hit the ground, scattering a multitude of smaller birds. The Neanderthals joined the fray, dispatching single entities. Deimos had one bird left. Cali gagged as he took both hands and ripped open the creature’s chest. When he turned to look at Cali, Deimos was covered in blood. His blazing eyes next settled his vicious stare onto Altair who had stepped out from behind the tree where he’d been hiding.
“This is how you take care of her?” Deimos gave a snarling growl. Altair’s gums flapped, but he was too scared to speak. When Deimos took a threatening step toward the scientist, the man whimpered.
“Stay calm, Deimos,” Blazar said.
Fists balled, Deimos looked as though he could slaughter anything that moved. The tension hanging in the quiet air made Cali think of the proverbial pin. Deimos cast a glance around, noting the terrified looks in his direction. The others who had come to Cali’s defense tried to appear unconcerned; they were no doubt the most powerful warriors of their tribe. Deimos took a calming breath and unclenched his fists. Everyone present took a collective sigh of relief.
One of the tribe’s men grunted and nodded to his fellow hunters. The Neanderthal-looking people began gathering the dead birds. Cali’s tummy rumbled thinking they had a good idea. Cali searched for the gutted bird Deimos had ripped apart—its innards lay on the forest floor, then snapped it up off the ground and headed back to her cave. Deimos raced to her side.
“Cali, we never should have let Altair take you. Our society puts our scientists first because they keep our people alive. I was deemed a hunter at creation. As was Blazar. I have always trusted my instincts, except when it came to you. After you were gone, and I took my light form, I felt so lost without you. I learned the true meaning of feeling desolate. As did Blazar.”
Cali didn’t want to listen but felt she had no choice. Deimos, Blazar, and Altair followed her into the cave. Ignoring him as best she could, she began plucking the dead bird. She concentrated hard on not vomiting as the feathers landed on the ground. She wasn’t certain if it was fowl or Gar she would be eating, but at this point she didn’t care.
“What are we doing following this human? We need to get off this planet,” Altair said, finally finding his voice. “I must regenerate. You must take me home. This human form is unpleasant.”
“Shut up,” Deimos bellowed. The scientist went pale and pressed his lips together.
“Just go,” Cali said to Deimos.
“We won’t leave you here.”
Cali could see Deimos and Blazar were in earnest. “You forget I’m dead on Earth. I won’t, can’t, go to your planet. I’ll die there.”
“You are needed on our planet as universe hunters,” Altair said, his words somewhat subdued. “I realize how arrogant I am. But Deimos is right about one thing, scientists are important to our species’ survival. So too are our hunters to keep the balance of the cosmos in-line. Deimos I can see what you are thinking, you wish to stay with the human—with Cali. Your own people need you.”
“My people use me to hunt.” There was anger in Deimos’ tone. “I live to hunt. Now I have found something else I’d live for.”
Altair sighed. “Give me your ship. I will return to the council and discuss your predicament. But you must give me something to barter with.”
“Tell them to give us a ship,” Blazar said. “Tell them we will hunt, but only when necessary.”
“If you stay, you will alter the lives on this planet,” Altair said. “I’ll go and give them your terms, but the choice is the council’s.”
“The choice is ours,” Deimos said.
Altair looked none too happy with Deimos’ threat. Deimos stood with his eyes blazing yellow in their intensity. Cali wondered what was up. There was something more to all of this, she was positive.