Citun’s Storm (6 page)

“I think the force of the water keeps the cubbies in motion,” Storm said. “Within the huge hills there is water that feeds springs and the small ponds. The planet is beautiful. All it needs are a few unicorns.”

She was still holding his hand and was watching him. On the ground, Citun saw glowworms nibbling the ebony grass. Their backs’ little solar panels absorbed the sun’s rays during the day, the darkness of the grass drawing the rays to the ground. Storm was careful to avoid the little creatures, not wanting to crush them. Citun did the same. The reasoning was sound; if too many were killed there would be no light in the cubbies when needed. She didn’t need to know he planned on her never needing a cubby again, but the creatures were cute and harmless. Citun didn’t like to destroy anything helpless.

It took little effort to climb from the valley. Their ascent was a little less than vertical. The multicolored rocks gave them strong handholds. Storm was right; she was physically fit. Too small in his eyes, but healthy with amazing curves. He hung slightly back to watch her leather skirt sway at her hips, giving him a stunning view of her ass even if it was covered. She was tanned, her legs long and firm. The grip on his hand was steady and not sweaty, guiding him up as she showed him where to place his feet. She was confidant. The idea was a little disturbing; if she were comfortable in her surroundings, she might not want to leave with him. The planet was stunning when it wasn’t trying to kill her with poison nuts, water cubbies and Cono. Which brought his mind back to wondering what the creatures were like.

Storm’s description of a man-horse with many eyes and a shaggy body was a story he would love to be able to tell his other warriors on cold winter nights. North Zargonnii would have snow eight feet high. Because of the weather, his people created catacombs long before his birth, perhaps thousands upon thousands of years prior. Intricate hallways led to homes and the main gathering areas. The get-togethers gave his men a way to ease the burden of loneliness.

Many nights in the main hall, warriors with sons would gather. The laughter of children was lovely. Citun hoped his own child’s laughter would resound within the walls one day. His grip tightened onto Storm before he realized what he was doing, and he loosened the pressure. He didn’t want to scare her off.

“Stop,” she whispered.

They reached the top. Citun looked beyond her, startled from his thoughts. An insect of about six inches was watching them. The two-headed creature was red with three separate parts to its body. When upright it resembled in miniature a snowman humans loved to make, except one head too many. Each rounded body part had multiple legs. Four antennae twitched. Citun was certain he detected noise, the antennae were clicking. Storm backed up into him, turned and pushed on his chest toward an open field.

“What’s wrong? It’s a bug,” Citun said.

“The bug resembles a red ant on my planet, but it’s ten times more vicious. And it has friends, lots and lots of friends. Oh—crap.”

Citun saw five more bugs appear. He swatted one that ran up his boots and over his pants sending it back to the ground. The little bug rose and shook itself off, then all charged them. Storm yelped and pulled on him. Soon there were hundreds of the creatures.

“Follow me,” Storm yelled.

Citun’s first instinct was to pick her up but she seemed to know where she was headed. The insects were gaining on them. Citun felt a tiny prick on his ass and whacked his backside, a bug fell to the ground.

“For the love of God stop trying to kill them; you’re pissing them off,” she bellowed.

“It bit my ass.”

“If they catch us they’ll eat your backside. We can outdistance them if we hurry.”

When Citun glanced back, his eyes widened; a sea of insects were on their tails. If they so much as tripped they were in trouble. Storm was pumping her legs faster; up ahead was a small creek. When Storm reached it, she let go of his hand and jumped for all she was worth and sailed over it collapsing onto the ground, laughing.

Citun was a step behind. He landed on his feet and pulled her into his arms, ready to run again. The army of insects were making a terrible racket, but none followed. Storm chuckled.

“It’s all right, you’re safe; they can’t swim. This creek goes on for miles in both directions and ends at an ocean.”

Citun was relieved but annoyed she was so concerned for his wellbeing. If the bugs had gotten a hold of them, it would have been Storm in trouble. He lowered her to the ground. She went to the creek and slurped handfuls of water. Citun did the same. The water was sweet and clear, cold and fresh.

“Come on, let’s get you some breakfast,” she said.

As she walked off, Citun saw the insects fighting each other, rolling over the ground. Some of the bugs were purple, some yellow, some green. A moving rainbow over a sea of ebony grass. The red ones simply watched as Storm headed to a small bush. Citun noted the red bugs trailed up the side of the bank following her. Concerned, he trotted over to her. Storm picked a large handful of oversized black berries bigger than the insects. She rifled a number of them across the water.

“Why would you feed something that tried to eat you?” Citun asked.

“Well, if they’re full they won’t try and find a way to cross the creek.”

Citun noted the sudden tightening of her spine. She wasn’t being truthful. The little bugs were on their hind legs begging for more fruit. A nagging suspicion in his guts told him they were never in danger. He frowned as he popped a few berries into his mouth. Storm knew this planet; she should have known the bugs were at the top of the hill. She knew the cubby would turn. She knew what those nuts would do.

Little monkey.

Each time something happened she comforted him, thinking him afraid. For some reason, she was trying to make him feel less of a warrior. For a moment, he was annoyed then enlightened. She had no intention of returning to his planet. She wanted him to see she could take care of herself. Citun had no doubt she could, but that wasn’t the point. What
was
the point exactly?

Citun went to sit on a large log. “You can stop now,” he said. Thoughtfully, he chewed the sweet berry.

“Stop what?”

“Stop showing me you can take care of yourself. Stop trying to make me feel I can’t take care of me let alone you out here.”

Storm sighed and went to sit beside him. “This is my home.”

“I know. You want to stay.”

“I have friends here. I like the Cono; well, when they aren’t trying to kill me. They only try when other aliens are around. The ants over there, they love the fruit on this bush. One day, I just started tossing some to them. They follow me around sometimes. They do bite, but not me.”

“You could have friends on my planet. Pets. My warriors are noble and honorable.”

“I know
this
planet. I know what to expect and when. I don’t want to spend years learning how to fit in again. What might kill me and what will. It’s tiresome. There may not be humans here, but the other females and I get along. We laugh when we can. If only other aliens would stay away.”

“The other aliens won’t stay away. A Zargonnii won’t hurt you. My warriors would never harm a defenseless female.”

“I live wherever I want here, do whatever I want. I’m transient and love it. I never got a chance to explore Earth, my own planet; here, I have an adventure every day. No one tells me there are rules to follow. There are no customs, no political correctness. No money exchanges hands. No devices I’m connected at the hip to and have a fit about when the power goes off—there is no power. I eat when I want and sleep where I want.

“There is an abundance of food. If I want meat, I don’t really need to hunt. As long as Oct isn’t trying to kill me, he will share a small portion if he’s successful. And Cono don’t need the hides for clothes like I do. I’m not cut out to be a warrior’s mate or anybody’s. I show respect to the creatures on this planet because they deserve it. I’m a guest, after all.”

Storm rose and tossed more fruit to the insects. Citun grabbed a handful and did the same. This caused a stir of excitement and the tiny creatures twittered to him.

“I doubt they’ll bite you again,” Storm said.

“I need to find my warriors. From the looks of it, my ship is the only remaining vessel. You should be safe.”

“A Gorgano can’t hurt me.”

“Maybe
a
Gorgano can’t, but dozens of them can and will. They and a few evil Tonan have made it their mission to kill females. They know you’re here. Their ships are deadly, their weapons forces of mass destruction. They will come again and they won’t care what they destroy to get to you. Your little ant friends will be crushed, the Cono, males, females and babies—annihilated. No more playing in the water for them, no more whale watching for you. Everything will be blown up.

“This planet will be taken apart piece by bloody piece, and it will get bloody. One single human female means death when they give life. If you think I’m lying, remember what Earth looked like as you fled. All that you love here will be gone in less than a day.”

Citun knew he wasn’t being fair, but he was being truthful. As long as she remained, the creatures she claimed to care for were in danger. It was his turn to walk away. She tossed the remainder of her fruit across the water and joined him.

“This isn’t right,” she said, she sounded annoyed and sad. “Aliens destroyed my planet. Aliens killed my people. More aliens destroyed more of my people and now they want to take my home from me again. Why was the word peace ever invented when it’s the most elusive in my language?”

“I saw Earth. Most of it is under water. I’ve never killed a human. I’ve saved as many as possible. You have placed me in a dilemma. I won’t force you to leave. I don’t want anyone on my planet to suffer because you’re angry.”

“I’d never hurt anyone,” Storm raged.

“I also won’t leave you alone to face the Gorgano and evil Tonan. My ship has come far. I doubt we even register in our galaxy; we lost contact some time ago. That means a search party will come and risk more of my warriors. I need to get back and tell our allies where the renegades can be found, so we can eradicate them.”

“You see, all you think about is fighting. I’m so tired of the bloodshed. It’s quiet here when we’re left alone.”

“The quiet is over. The Gorgano might think we have human females onboard. I’m certain it’s why they left. But they know you’re here. They know there are human females who can mind-battle. I need you on my ship to keep my warriors safe.”

“I won’t go, and you said you wouldn’t force me.”

Citun stopped and faced her. He was angry and gripped her chin in his palm forcing her defiant gaze to meet his.

“We came out here to save humans. I’m sorry you have no desire to be saved. I almost died yesterday, for humans. My people have gone out of their way to keep your kind from becoming extinct. It’s time a human did something for the Zargonnii. Get me and my men back to safety, and I will put you in a shuttle and program it to bring you back here. Otherwise, you’re going to have to kill me. If you kill me, honorable warriors will die. The war’s balance may be tipped in an evil way. I am a leader, and right now the universe needs its leaders. The universe would suffer. Decide, and do it fast.”

Storm balled her fists and yelled, sending Citun flying backward on his ass. Rolling to a stop, he lay splayed eagle for a second before a smile lifted the corners of his lips. Storm had done no damage, and he was alive. He rose to his elbows and cocked his head.

“Is that a yes?”

“That shuttle better be fast, you Zar—
gooney
.” Storm’s fists were still clenched as she bellowed at the top of her lungs, her back ramrod straight. “It better have a replicator. It better make chocolate, and caramel.” Storm was still listing her demands as she stomped away from him. “It better play decent music. Stuffed animals, I want stuffies. Books, reading material. Pictures of hot men. A shower. A toilet. You better make room for a pony, too…”

Storm watched appalled as seven massive Zargonnii warriors taunted a Cono who half lay and half sat in the mud. The beast’s head was tipped in defeat, his gasping groans reached her ears. The warriors were heartless and laughing. They moved in and waited for the Cono to swing at them, which they deflected, each swing was growing smaller with less power. The warriors were huge, but none as large as Citun, and she knew she could toss him on his ass. Furious, Storm concentrated on the closest warrior who went sailing head first into a pile of Cono shit. Another soon followed. She spun and glared at Citun.

“Is this what you call noble,
honorable
warriors?”

Another thought and another warrior went flying. The beast on the ground made a forlorn sound, gazing straight at her. Storm knew the Cono, he was one of the males to overlook her presence. He didn’t have the heart to hurt the tiny female. If it weren’t for the pressure of protecting his family, Storm knew the beast would have kept her close. Oct wasn’t the only Cono who seemed at a loss as to what to do when aliens appeared.

“How vile are Zargonnii warriors?” Storm raged.

“So much for their intense search for me,” Citun mumbled and she heard his annoyance.

She went to the beast struggling in the mud. To her right, she saw three adult female Cono and two little ones. The tears on the faces of all were unmistakable. She ignored Citun as he aided her in helping the beast from its stuck position. The Cono was massive. The shaggy fur was soaked in muck, it took a swipe at Citun’s chest with its claw, but there was no power behind the motion. Citun’s massive chest deflected any injury. The beast was exhausted. Yelling at his men, Citun ordered three of his disgruntled warriors to aid them.

Storm wanted to yell at them to leave the poor beast alone, but it took them all to heave the giant beast to its shaky feet. This was a creature surpassing an elephant’s weight. Storm had Citun help get the Cono to water. She took pains to remove all muck bogging it down. Cono were vain beasts, its head hung in shame. Storm wanted to cry for him. Instead, she crooned how amazing his prowess was. She made certain the females and little ones could hear her.