Nathan Hystad - New Threat

“I told you! We just want to leave Earth. We need somewhere to go. Somewhere off the grid. This is it, a safe haven,” he said, spittle hitting my face.

Maybe they were telling the truth. Probably not, since history had told me all hybrids were full of shit.

“Leave him,” Kareem said calmly, and I looked back to see the two guards holding guns pointed at me. I wasn’t going to give them the honor. I let Terrance go, and he straightened his shirt. The anger was still there, but muted. I shoved it down, along with all the fear and suspicion. Bottle it up. That’s what a man was supposed to do, yet I felt worse for it, like I needed that anger to keep going.

“Come. We have much to discuss,” Kareem said, motioning for the guards to lower their weapons. They did so, and I felt slightly better off.

“We don’t have time for chit-chat. We need to go after her,” Mary said.

“It won’t take long, and I think you’re going to want to hear what I have to say.” Kareem turned and walked toward the home’s front doors. We had no choice but to follow along, and soon were inside the large open foyer. He took his shoes off, implying that we do the same. Embarrassed, I remembered I was covered in mud and stank something fierce. Kareem didn’t seem to even notice as he called to someone to bring langols , which my translator said was some sort of beverage.

Beside what looked to be a kitchen of sorts was a large wooden table. Some things crossed species well. There were a dozen chairs around it, and we sat, the three of us on one side, Kareem and the two hybrids on the other.

“First things first, tell me what brings you here.” His voice was calm, soothing, and I found myself comfortable around him.

Terrance told him the story of the Kraski, and Kareem twinged at the name but pulled it together quickly. This guy had a hell of a poker face. Terrance told him of the plan to remove all humans from the world, sacrificing their own hybrids in the process. Terrance was passionate as he talked about being created for nothing but sacrifice and death, and how he wanted to lead the remaining survivors away to be safe and live their lives out in peace.

Kareem sat stone-faced as Mary and I told him of our journey, and the backstabbing of the Deltra. I didn’t speak of them all dying, but he seemed to get the gist of it. He leaned forward as we told him about the final rescue, and how some hybrids came too, helping us stop the ships from exploding into the sun.

Leslie spoke of the year since, the internment camp they were at, and how for the most part humans had been nice to them. Kareem’s face softened at this, and we drank our langols , which was much like a hot flowery tea.

“We really just wanted to stop these two, whom we thought were murderers and terrorists, from getting to the Bhlat and…” I was cut off by Kareem instantly after saying their name.

“The Bhlat! Don’t speak that name here!” he yelled, getting to his feet. “If you thought the Kraski were bad news, you haven’t seen anything.” Just like that, the energy seemed to drain from him, and he sat back down, slumping forward. “I’m here because of them. My grandfather created the ‘Shield,’ as you called it.”

“That means you would have to be…” Mary started.

“I’m over two hundred by your calendar years. Yes, my grandfather was the one to create the device that would save our race from the Kraski. Only hundreds of years under their oppression seem to have turned my people from a loving, nurturing race, to a blood-lusting race, just as bad as their tormentors.” Kareem stopped, silence filling the room. The night’s adventures and the retelling of our harrowing story had sucked the life out of me. I looked him in the eyes, and he stared right back as if seeking something deep within me. “Dean, can I trust you three?”

The question hung in the air a moment. “You can,” I answered, wondering if I could trust him in return.

“Can I trust the rest of humanity?” he then asked.

That was a much more difficult question to answer. Humans had been through a lot, and most of my life I wasn’t sure I fit in. I hated our internal strife, our abuse of each other, warring for things like salt or oil or just plain power. But my views had changed after hearing the stories of the vessel ships. We had so many heroes, ones that deserved the title more than I did, and for the first time in my life, I did think that as a species we could be trusted. Past Dean would have struggled to get the answer out, but I felt confident and powerful in my reply. “You can. I trust them. You can trust them too.”

He looked me in the eyes, his pale thin lips pursing as he did so. His black eyes buried deep into mine, and eventually he sat back, grabbing his cup. “I believe you. I have a way for you to stop the Bhlat.”

Just like that, I found myself wishing I was back home in another time.

Our ship lowered in the spot where the silver ship had been sitting over an hour ago. The ramp dropped to the ground, Nick and Clare walking down to greet us. Nick’s eyes went wide as he saw the alien beings around. The insectoids and the Deltra were quite the sight for someone who’d never seen them in person. Hell, I was still trying hard to not stare at them.

“I’m so glad you guys are okay,” Clare said, looking toward the two hybrids we’d followed there.

“We have a lot to tell you about, but for now, let’s get out of here,” I said. Slate held his gun tightly in his large hands, and I knew he was still feeling like we could be attacked. The man hadn’t relaxed since we’d landed on the planet. I didn’t blame him.

“Come on, Slate,” Mary said, and the big man walked aboard the ship.

“Kareem, we appreciate your help and advice. We’ll do our best to keep your location secret,” I said, and the tall Deltran man nodded to me in thanks. “Leslie and Terrance, I’ll talk to Dalhousie and make her see the value in letting you all leave Earth. I promise this.” I only hoped I’d be alive to keep the promise.

“I can see why people follow you, Dean. I’m glad we were able to find out we were on the same side of the fence,” Terrance said, extending his hand. I shook it, but the nagging thought that I couldn’t trust a hybrid took over my mind. It wouldn’t matter, though. They could leave Earth, and that was enough for me. Everyone deserved a chance to be happy and free.

“Remember what I said, Mr. Parker. And never turn your back on a Bhlat. They won’t lie to get on your side. They’ll just shoot you from behind.” Kareem turned, his cloak flowing behind him.

We walked up the ramp, the ominous words of the Deltra leader sinking in. The system’s star was rising over the horizon as we rose up, shining into our viewscreen on the bridge.

With our small crew, Mae’s absence was obvious; her betrayal still coursed through her blood inside me. Her ship’s blinking icon flashed on the map, and as Clare keyed in the coordinates Kareem had given me, we saw her trajectory matched ours.

“Is it a coincidence she’s heading the same direction as we are?” Nick asked.

“She knows,” Slate said, his face a square block of intensity. “She knows where we’re going somehow.”

“Shit!” I cursed. Of course. She’d heard the whole conversation. “Everyone, change your frequency.” I keyed in a new one and showed the rest of them. “She heard us talking with Kareem. How could I be so stupid?”

“None of us thought of it. We didn’t have our earpieces on the frequency with each other, just the ship. She was smart enough to know that,” Mary said as we zoomed through the atmosphere and toward the intense star in-system. The viewscreen dimmed as it grew, ever so slightly each minute.