“I think we made the voyage for nothing.” Ishtara pored over her screens, looking for signs of anything.
“Maybe what we seek is hidden for safety.”
“More likely it’s a trap.”
“Do you really think that?” She took her gaze from the planet to scan the space around them, keeping special watch on the orbiting moons that might hide enemies.
“Wouldn’t that be lovely?” Ishtara enthused at the prospect.
Zonians craved battle and confrontation. Thrived on chaos. Clarabelle didn’t mind, and yet it would be nice to not always have to hunt down her dinner or fight to keep her place. To return to a normal way of living like she used to enjoy.
“No smoke signs. No communications chatter.” Ish kept monitoring for any evidence of civilization.
“Could be they are underground?”
“Why would they live below the ground given the air is a perfect blend suitable for human lungs?”
Ish had already studied air quality and would probably test the foliage and local wildlife next. Clarabelle had a feeling it would be compatible as well.
“I didn’t say they did live underground, just mentioned it as a possibility.”
“I still don’t understand why. It doesn’t sound pleasant.”
Clarabelle’s nose wrinkled. “No, it doesn’t. I kind of hoped I’d live somewhere sunny.”
Looking upon the verdant world, she almost stated, “I’ve come home.” This planet was the closest she’d come to feeling as if she were back on Earth.
They landed in the strip of grass without fanfare. No one came to greet them, guns didn’t rise from the ground via hidden turrets to target, and sirens didn’t scream to noisy life.
Stepping out of the ship, she couldn’t help but notice the silence was broken only by the ticking of their cooling engine parts. There was a slight rustle of grass as a light breeze sluiced through it and the trill of an animal. Bird, rat, bear… Who cared? There was life here.
Fresh air. She breathed deep.
“Not a very appealing locale,” Ishtara grumbled, stomping past. “All that green and whoever heard of a blue sky?”
The reminder had Clarabelle tilting her head back and smiling at the sight of it. The sun wasn’t a yellow ball, but the white, fiery nature of it was close.
“I like it.” She really did. “Shall we split up to see if we can find a settlement?” Because that was the only thing that could make this planet even more perfect.
“How long shall we search before admitting defeat?” Ishtara asked, slinging a large harness with a sheathed sword around her torso.
“Could we at least try to be a little positive?”
“I don’t like to lie.”
Clarabelle loved and hated that about her friend. “Then how about you say nothing at all. Meet you back here by sunset.”
They set off in opposite directions, armed for danger, and each sporting a communication device. Not to call for help. Ishtara would bleed out before she’d admit she needed any.
Clarabelle was proud but did have a thing about living. If that made her a coward, then she would at least be kicking around to bask in the shame of it.
The field proved odd. The grass appeared trimmed, the area clear of any bushes or saplings, as if weeded. The question being, who maintained it?
It didn’t take long to cross the field and reach the tree line. The trees towered a good twenty feet overhead. She’d yet to see any signs of life or habitation. The ground remained free of trails.
But then again…when she looked back, she couldn’t even see where she’d traversed. Could it be the planet didn’t allow any permanent paths?
As she stepped into the shade of the forest, Clarabelle kept a tight grip on her knife. Under the boughs forming a dense canopy, the leaves filtered the sunlight, placing her in a pale shadow. She finally caught movement as insects flitted past, their wings a blur of color, the rapid rub of them humming.
She stepped carefully, knowing how to place her feet so that she didn’t make a sound. All her senses were tuned to the forest. And still, she only barely realized she wasn’t alone.
At the realization, she whirled and saw a figure standing not far off between two trees. She flung her dagger end over tip and gaped as it was caught by the hilt.
Midair.
Impressive.
“I believe this is yours.” The cloaked stranger held it out.
Rather than snatch it, she reacted to the familiar deep voice. “You! Why are you stalking me?” More importantly, why did her heart race?
“I would ask the same of you. This is my world. You are the one following it seems.”
“You live here?” she said slowly.
“Yes.” Thyos shoved back his hood and revealed his very handsome face cut with a square jaw. A hint of a smile curved his lips. Pity he had less-than-human eyes. Looking into them gave her shivers.
“I don’t believe you.”
“Why would I lie?”
She swept a hand to encompass the forest around them. “Because this isn’t the advanced planet of some alien race who can gallivant around space. It’s too virgin.”
“There is more to my world than you can see.”
“Says you.”
“Yes, says me. Would you like to see some of it?”
There had to be a trap in there somewhere.
Trap…
She jabbed a finger in his direction. “You made me come here.”
“How exactly did I force you? I did not abduct you, although I could have. Nor did I threaten you or your companion. On the contrary, I left and returned home. You,” he stressed, “are intruding on my space.”
“Ha. Intruding on what?” Again, she gestured to the forest around him. “You going to claim all this land?”
“Not this section, no. The area around the landing fields is neutral grounds accessed by several tribes.”
“So that grassy field is intentional. Do you use sheep to keep it mowed down?” she sassed.
“Sheep.” He mulled the word aloud. “That is an animal providing components for fabric building and food on your world.”
She blinked. “How do you know that?”
“I’ve been studying your kind.”
The knowledge startled. “Why?”
“Because I was curious.”
If he had to do research, then that could only mean one thing. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say there are no humans here.”
“There is one.”
Given he stared in her direction, she knew who he meant.
“Bloody hell. Ish is going to kill me.”
“I’m confident you would prevail in a fight, and if not, our medical units are quite adept at reattaching limbs, although we’ve had lesser success with heads.”
Startled by the statement, she eyed him then realized he took her literally again. Rather than correct him, she found herself asking, “Have you come to your senses regarding that fated mate thing?”
“Would I have gone through the effort of bringing you here otherwise?”
In that moment, realization slapped her. She eyed him suspiciously and said sourly, “That information given to me by the purple dude. Makl. You bribed him to lie, didn’t you?”