Wishing Stars Ch. 12

Thalia tossed and turned throughout the night. She was exhausted, but her limbs thrummed with energy. She had done it. She has escaped Xieol and was alive to tell about it. That did not happen frequently.

There was also the mystery that was Captain Alders and his sudden appearance in an area he had no business in. Why fly so close to the citadel if it was so dangerous? There must have been a reason why, yet he wasn't inclined to tell her.

Hours past as she pondered and when she looked up, daylight was beginning to flood into the cabin. She slid across the cot and leaned into the wall so that her nose pressed against the glass of the tiny window.

The blackness of space had given way to the hazy atmosphere of a planet. They rapidly descended through huge purple cloud banks until the surface of the planet came into view. Unlike Xieol's home world, which had been green and lush, this world was dominated by grey. The ground was as black as ash, and mountains jutted up towards the sky in every direction. Purple clouds rose up from the mountains into an otherwise clear sky. Two bright suns shone in the distance, once twice the size of the other.

The ship banked as they neared the surface and skimmed so close to one of the mountains that Thalia could almost have reached out and touched it. They zipped around and through the mountain range at breakneck pace before climbing once more. The ship crested the peak of a large mountain, then dipped down below the clouds on the other side. They touched down in an ash covered valley. A cloud of soot flew up at their landing, obscuring Thalia's view.

"Welcome home," Alders said from behind her. Thalia whirled around to find him leaning in the doorway.

"Where?"

"Nilall," He said, "A tiny little volcanic planet. Uninhabited, officially. Unofficially, the only colony of humans left in the universe. Other races too of course. Here."

He tossed a small grey mask onto the cot. She raised an eyebrow.

"Volcanic planet means lots of ash." He said, "Everyone wears a mask on the surface. Otherwise, the atmosphere is safe. You can take it off once we get inside."

"Inside where?" She asked. The mask had small loops on either side. She slipped her ears into them and pulled the fabric across her mouth and nose. Outside, the planet seemed just as desolate as it had before. No sign of life anywhere as far as she could see.

"You can bring the gun if it makes you feel safer." He said. "But you won't need it where we're going. No one would risk upsetting them that way."

"Who?" She asked as she rose off the bed. She tugged at the hem of the shirt she wore, making sure all of her was covered. She glanced around the floor, but her beautiful, savior of a gown had vanished.

"You'll see." With a smirk, he stood back from the door and gestured to the hall beyond.

With another tug at the shirt, she walked out into the hall. They wound their way through the empty halls until they reached the docking bay. Here people of all races were gathering up crates and unloading them onto the surface. Most of the men moving the large boxes down the ramp looked like Alders, human. A few of them had pink skin, however, and one had an enormous set of tusks. She made sure to steer clear of him.

"Racist?" He asked, noting how she skirted away from a green man with four arms. "I wouldn't have expected that."

"My last experience with aliens didn't end well." Her cheeks burned. "I feel better around humans."

"A misplaced trust," Alders said, "Humans are so rare now that we're jumpy. A human's more likely to slit your throat than trust you. Most aliens will at least ask a few questions first."

They left the crew behind to unpack and trudged off towards a bleak mountain top that looked like all the rest. The incline was steep. Thalia's breath came in puffs behind her mask, then in gasps.

"Out of shape?" The captain barked a laugh.

"Maybe." She puffed and braced an arm on her hip. "You are making me walk up a mountain."

He only smiled and reached out to steady her on a particularly steep part of the incline. She recoiled so severely she almost lost her footing entirely. The laughter died in Alders' eyes.

"Thalia," He said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't—"

"No," She said, "It's okay."

Now her face was red from more than just the exercise. She took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. Alders had been nothing but kind to her. She was better than this. Better than a mouse that shrunk at shadows. She gave her head a shake, pushed her hair out of her eyes and forced herself to take a step closer to the captain.

He took a cautious step away and she sighed.

"So where are we going anyway?" Thalia asked, more to dispel the lingering awkwardness than for any other reason.

"Like I said: home."

A few steps later, they crested a ridge. The purple mist cleared just enough to reveal a deep crater where the top of the mountain should have been. It spread out miles in either direction in a lush, green valley. A large lake sparkled in the center.

"It's beautiful." She whispered

"It's safe," He said quietly, "You will be safe here, Thalia, I promise you."

She met his dark brown eyes for a moment. A strange hope rose in her gut. It felt like forever since she had felt safe, and if she had ever had a home, she couldn't remember it. With a deep steadying breath, Thalia reached out her hand towards Alders. The tiniest hint of a smile touched his lips as he wrapped his fingers around hers and they began their descent. Together they climbed down the incline into the crater.

The lower they went, the more signs of life emerged. First it was the way the branches were trimmed back, then a path emerged and, finally, the soot-covered roofs of a village appeared. Their mossy path winded through the trees until it brought them almost to the doorstep of the first small house. It was a crude structure, the walls made of mud and the thatched roof covered in soot. Thalia wouldn't have traded the sight for the world.

Alders gave her a reassuring smile and led her deeper into the village. Finally, he stopped at a large hut in the center of the village near the lake. After a reassuring squeeze, he let go of her hand to knock on the door. Thalia felt a keen loss at that, but she wasn't sure what to do with the emotion.

Almost as soon as he knocked, the door flew open. Silence fell over the crowded mass within the hut. For a spilt second, over a dozen pairs of eyes stared questioningly at Thalia. Shorter members of the group stood up on their tip-toes to see her. There was a collective inhale, and suddenly the group surged towards the door. A tidal wave of exclamations and questions enveloped Thalia, so that she felt she might be washed away by them.

Alders raised a hand before him, and the crowd paused. His other hand gave a gentle push on Thalia's back, so that she stepped fully into the room. He pulled the door closed behind them and pulled down his mask so that it hung about his throat. Numbly, Thalia did the same

"Where is Tadak?" Alders asked, his voice large and commanding in the crowded hut.

For a moment, all was quiet. Then, a small girl near the front of the group spoke up.

"In the caves."

Alders knelt down so he was at the girl's level and smiled warmly. "Would you mind getting her, please?" He asked.

With a smile and a shake of her blonde head, the girl was off. Thalia barely had time to step out of the doorway before the girl hurdled through it. She ran off into the trees.

"Now," Alders addressed the room at large, "All civilians can clear out."

There was an instant uproar. Alders threw his hands in the air, but did not raise his voice.

"Out." He repeated frostily. He wrapped a careful arm around Thalia and led her into the room. With a few gripes and grumbles, the room slowly cleared. Besides more than a few curious glances, no one bothered Thalia as they left.

"Captain," Thalia began, when they were finally alone. "Who is Tadak?"

She slowly eased herself out from under his arm. The name had a familiar harshness to it. It did not sound quite human. A stone dropped in her stomach. Why bring her all this way just to hand her back to the Arkithrax? It did not make sense, but she did not know him particularly well. She was also very aware that she was completely at his mercy.

He saw her eyes shudder against him and took a small step backwards as he cleared his throat.

"Tadak," He said, "Is our most respected village elder. She's also the leader of the Zithrax. I'm asking you to trust me here, Thalia. How she looks—It might startle you a bit."

Before she could ask why, a large form appeared in the doorway. A large, white form with black beady eyes. Three tentacles ducked to avoid the doorway.

A shriek escaped Thalia before she could think. Alders' strong arms wrapped about her waist and she kicked at him. Not again. She would not be a prisoner again. She would not be beaten again.

"Let me go!" She begged. Hot tears streamed down her face, "Please, Captain!"

He kept his strong arms locked around Thalia, but moved them further into the room so that the Arktzirax could enter. The large creature ducked into the room and remained quietly near the door, its dark eyes taking in everything.

"Please," She choked out as the fight left her and she sagged against him, "Please, not again."

"Thalia," Alders started, his voice very soft, "I need you to trust me here," The arm around her back relaxed and began soothing strokes, "Just take a deep breath."

Thalia forced her panic to subside and took a deep breath—before ramming her heel into his groin as hard as she could. Alders grunted and released her, his face a mask of shock and pain.

"I trusted you." Her words were venom as she backed away from him. She kept her eyes on the creature in the doorway. "But you're just one of them."

"Thalia, you can trust us, I swear it."

"Easy, children," The large white creature's voice broke the tension. It was a soft purr that caressed the edges of Thalia's mind, tempted her to give in. "I do not mean you any harm."

"Captain Alders," Thalia did not take her eyes of the creature for a second. "Give me your gun."

"What?" He said. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" The creature asked softly. It gave a shrug of its large shoulders. "Let Thalia have your weapon, Captain. I ask only this, child: allow me a moment to explain before you decide on violence." With that, the creature took a seat near the door and nodded towards Alders.

Thalia thrust her hand in his direction without taking her eyes from the creature. Alders looked to the heavens and exhaled through his nose. Without another word, he unclipped his gun and pressed it into Thalia's hand. She held it uncertainly, keeping it between her and the creature, but not necessarily pointing it at anyone.

"So, talk," She said.

"Look at me, child,"

"I have been looking!" Thalia returned. The gun shook in her grasp and she brought up her other hand to help steady it. "Where else would I be looking?"

"No," The elder chuckled, "Calm yourself and truly look." The creature spread open its arms to allow a better view.

Thalia took a deep breath in through her nose and attempted to relax. Panicking had never done her any good. With as much calm as she could muster, she laid eyes on the creature again.

Still large, white, with jet black eyes. Yet, not quite as large as she had thought at first. Not nearly as large as Xieol. A white cloth was tied about the creature's waist, and another tied around its chest. The creature's black lips were thinner than Xieol's had been, its eyes smaller and rounder. Its arms were well toned, but not bulging with muscle the way most of the Arktzirax had been. The creature sat with long white legs crossed over each other, almost in a dainty fashion.

Thalia lowered the gun.

A gentle smile graced the creature's lips. It nodded to Alders, and the captain gently took his gun from Thalia's numb hands.

"It isn't possible." She whispered.

"Thalia," Alders said cautiously, "Meet Tadak, the leader of the Zithrax."

"A female Arktzirax?" Thalia said. "How is this possible?"

"A long, bloody story, my child," There was a great weight on those broad white shoulders. A profound sadness lingered in her black eyes.

"Are you the only one?" Thalia asked, but the woman shook her head.

"I lead a small group of Arktzirax women, called the Zithrax." Tadak said. "We have lived in peace on this planet, in secrecy, for generations. The Arktzirax have long given up the search for us. We are the only remaining colony of females."

"But—the females have been gone for generations." Thalia said. "How could you have hidden for that long? Why didn't you die out?"

"Ah," Tadak placed her hands on her knees and took a deep breath. "We employ a similar technique that the Arktzirax do. We mate with humans—"

Thalia took a step back.

"Consensually," Tadak amended. "We live here, amongst the humans and other species. Beings meet, they develop feelings and become pair-bonded. With human males and the Zithrax, new life is created. Zithrax genetics being dominant, the offspring appear as I do. My father was as human as you."

"And the new Arktzirax males? What do you do with them?"

Tadak's eyes shuddered. "There has never been a male child born to a Zithrax and a human. The genetics are complicated. In this way, we fail to become our own separate race. We fail ourselves."

"A small group of Zithrax escaped during the great dying," Tadak continued, "We hid ourselves away, until the Arktzirak thought us long extinct. Now we live a simple life, safe with our mates and children."

The room was silent for a moment as Thalia took in all this in. Tadak reclined against the wall, apparently prepared to wait as long as Thalia needed. Behind her, Alders had returned his gun to his belt. He shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"And what about the humans?" Thalia said finally.

"They live in peace with—"

"No." Thalia cut the Elder off. "What about the breeding barges, what about the quarantine ships? What about those humans?"

"Thalia—" Alders started, but Tadak raised a hand.

"The women of the Arktzirak race were dying." Tadak said gently. "To this day we are not certain why. I believe it was our sensitivity to our environment. The Arktzirak were always pushing forward with expansion, with industry. It became a burden on our environment. The Zithrax began dying out as the trees fell and the sky clouded over. In their arrogance, the male leaders did not hear our pleas. We were left with no other choice but to flee or perish."

"The Arktzirak world was green," Thalia returned. She crossed her arms across her chest. "The skies were blue and clear. If you can survive here, in a volcanic crater, you would have been fine there."

"The original Arkzirak world has long been left to ruin," Tadak's eyes grew hazy, "The Arktzirak began spreading across the galaxy like a virus, infecting planet after planet in their hunt for us. They drain each world of every resource, hollow it out to the core, and leave it behind. This is not the Zithrax way."

Thalia look a deep breath. She wanted to like this woman. She wanted to understand and, in a way, she did. How could she expect someone to live under Arkzirak rule if they did not have to? But the cost of the Zithrax's freedom was the enslavement of her own race.

"The humans never deserved this," Thalia said, "The Arkzirak would give anything to have you back. Xieol would give anything to have one of you. You could negotiate—"

"There is no negotiating with the Arkzirak." Alders pushed himself off the wall and raised an arm to Thalia. "Come on, let's let get you settled in. Tadak can answer more questions later."

"Why do you trust me?" Thalia stepped away from his arm. Her gaze bounced between the two. "How do you know I won't trade your safety for my own?"

"You are safe, Thalia." Alders said.

"No," She turned to face him, "I'm not safe. I will never be safe as long as Xieol breathes. Unless—" She turned her gaze to Tadak, "Unless I gave him you. If he had you, even one of you, he wouldn't need me, or my people, anymore. Then, and only then, would I be safe from him."

"Then," Tadak said, "You would be of no use to him. You would quickly find yourself and your people dead."

"Better dead than slaves," She said. Her heart was a dead weight in her chest. Her hands clenched into fists. "You really think I wouldn't turn you in? To save my entire race? To save myself?"

"No," Tadak said, and her eyes grew sad. "I know that you would, child. Anyone would."

"Then why tell me?"

"Because Nilall is safe," Alders cut in, "Especially from traitors."

"Captain." Tadak cautioned, but Thalia had already whirled on him.

"And what does that mean?" She asked through clenched teeth. "Am I your prisoner now? Is it your turn to lock me up? Just try it, Captain."

Alders stood up straight, one hand hovering near his belt. His brown eyes darkened dangerously.

"Now, now," Tadak cut in when Alders would have spoken. "No one is anyone's prisoner. This is a safe haven. Nilall is not a prison, but a refuge. We simply take precautions to keep the planet safe."

"Meaning?" Thalia spat. She kept her eyes suspiciously on Alders.

"Meaning," The elder took a deep breath, "There is a waiting period, and a council vote, required before anyone is allowed off planet. No one travels from Niall unless it is deemed absolutely necessary. A further safety measure limits the number of communication devices on planet. Only I, and each of my captains, possess such a device. They are reserved for the strictest emergencies."

"Meaning, I'm stuck here." Thalia let out a breath. Her anger suddenly dissipated and left behind only a hollowness in her chest. "I went from one prison for another."

"No one asked you to land on my ship." Alders said frostily, his eyes burned in contrast, "I didn't have to bring you here. You don't think there was a reward on your head? You don't think—"

"That is quite enough, Captain." Tadak's eyes hardened. "You have checks to perform on your ship, and a crew to debrief, do you not?"

"Yes, Elder," He returned, "But Thalia—"

"Will do just fine here with me." Tadak finished. "Now, it seems your business here has found its end, yes?"

"Yes, Elder," With a sharp nod, and a final glance at Thalia, Alders exited the hut. They waited in silence as his steps faded away.

"Niall is a sanctuary," Tadak said, finally, her voice earnest, "Let it be that for you, my child. Let it be your home, as it is mine."

"But, my people," Thalia's voice was quiet.

"Your people are beyond your help," Tadak said softly, her eyes full of sympathy, "As were mine once upon a time. For now, you rest. You recover your strength. Save bigger worries for another day."

At a loss, Thalia nodded. She was exhausted, psychically and emotionally. She stood quietly near the wall as Tadak rose and opened the door. The Elder ushered in a small group of human girls, each around Thalia's age, and quickly introduced them. They all smiled, and nodded their headed in deference to her, but Thalia could not bring herself to return their smiles. When they led her out of the hut, she went silently with them.