Bellator: An Anthology of Warriors of Space & Magic Read online

  “You have to change. Rone has sent me to summon you. He wishes that you see what our world is all about.”

  “Why would I care?”

  “We all understand your belief that we are a species that you despise. You would have all of us disposed of, if given the choice. But what you don’t understand is this. We have watched your world for over five thousand years and given humans the chance on numerous occasion to find a way to correct the wrongdoing of your people and commit yourself to living in a world of peace. It’s not that hard to consider. We have lived in peace for all of our existence. Now your people will too.”

  “Listen to you. You sound like a pageant wannabe. ‘I really want world peace.’ Do you know what I really want? I want to go home and for my people to be safe and free to live our own lives.”

  “That is not possible. Now dress.” She turns, walking out the door.

  “What I really want is a damn shower.” I curse.

  Rolling my eyes again, irritated by the fact that I am actually expected to listen to them, I turn over in the bed and close my eyes. I have no desire to eat, to drink, or even to live. I want to stay in this room until the end of my time.

  * * *

  “When you are summoned, you will do as you’re asked.” Rone wakes me and it’s quite obvious that he is just as irritated as I am. I don’t care. He is in his alien form, but his voice is like none other I have heard. It’s one that isn’t forgettable.

  “Now dress,” he warns.

  “No.” I don’t want to go with him. I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to stay here and fall into a pit of depression so deep that I never wake again.

  He growls, and before I know it, he has turned into the human form of Rone and is coming at me. He tears my clothing from me and although I should be frightened, I’m not. No one has ever viewed my naked body, but then, he isn’t exactly human.

  He grabs the robe, jerking my arms into the sleeves, and then like magic, the robe begins to change. The color is white, but I am now wearing something like a jumper. It has morphed into a tight, one-piece that covers my entire body.

  Amazing. I look up and realize that he is naked once again. His lips twitch and he shifts back to his alien form.

  “Follow me.”

  I don’t want to go, but now I am so curious as to what else there is that I find myself moving.

  Following him, I take in my surroundings. There are either humans here or aliens that have made themselves appear as humans.

  “How do I know the difference?” I ask.

  “Easy. We will not shift into human form while we are out. I only shift for you to feel more comfortable around me.”

  Wait! What? “So all of these people are human?”

  “Yes. They have been offered a ride back to your planet, to their home, but they have chosen to remain with us.”

  “Why would they do that?”

  “Quit asking so many questions and look around you.”

  “So this is like showing me what you have to offer us, right? I agree to keep an open mind for one week, if you will agree to come into my world and live in my shoes for one week.” Maybe that is the answer. Maybe they need to see why our independence is still needed. What they have done when they took humans rights away. Maybe.

  “I do not bargain. It’s that simple. Period.”

  “Then show me back to my room and let me be.”

  “Humans.” He says it as if I am a nothing. Nothing more than a simple molecule taking up too much space.

  I turn my attention back to those around me. The ones that are happy. The people are actually smiling. What do they have to smile about? They are prisoners in a world that they do not belong to. How can they even stomach being here?

  I hear Rone growl. “Quit thinking so much. You’re giving me a blasted headache.”

  I smile. Anything I can do to cause him some of the anguish that I am feeling right now. He growls again. A giggle slips past my lips. Yes, a giggle.

  He leads me to a group of people. There is a little girl with them. Blonde hair, blue eyes. I am captivated by her beauty. She can’t be more than four and she looks as if she is completely full of peace. I don’t see any struggles behind her little eyes.

  I saw so many with the children at home. It was saddening and heart-wrenching at times.

  “Kegan. This is Kia. Please show her around. I warn you, her mouth and mind never shut up.”

  I can see Rone walking away in my peripheral as I stay gazing at the little girl.

  “That’s Jessica.”

  Holy shit! That voice. I slowly turn, looking up, and up still to the darkest and sexiest eyes I have ever seen.

  “Well, come on,” he says, giving me a quick look up and down. I wonder why I was ordered to dress differently from him. He wears black jeans and a white t-shirt. Why can’t I wear that?

  “So, I am assuming you are looking at me like I am absolutely crazy for living here, and that is fine. There are so many things here that you don’t have to worry about. My family was killed in an accident and after that, I chose to come here. There was nothing left for me there. I didn’t like the changes taking place and wanted the opportunity of a lifetime. So here I am. They aren’t as bad as you think. They really aren’t that different than us.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  He chuckles. “Not many do. Here there is no illness. Pain doesn’t exist because they make sure we don’t feel it. Each of them mentors us. They connect with us. When our brains trigger pain, they are able to intercept it before we even feel it. They take the pain for us. Then we are transported to the medical wing in which we are treated for symptoms we don’t feel yet.”

  “Why would they do that for us?”

  “Because they care about every species. There are so many more beings in this world than you could imagine. They help them all, except one. I don’t know what they call them, but I can tell you this. They aren’t to be messed with. They are so diabolical that if they were ever to attack us, Rone and his gang would wipe them out and not think twice about it. They say this species is not savable.”

  “I still don’t understand why they would help all of us.”

  “Because they love. They know nothing else as a way of life. They love everyone and everything. You can’t even kill a bug or a snake without them stopping you. The only way they are agreeable with murder is if it is life or death. Obviously if you have tried to escape a rattler and the rattler chooses not to let you, then yes, you may do what you have to. But if you are able to back away, and the rattler stays, then you do nothing.”

  “That doesn’t make sense. If we don’t kill the rattler, it can bite someone and kill them. Humans before snakes.”

  “That’s not the way they see it. It won’t be the way you see it if you stay with us longer.”

  “I don’t have a choice. They chipped me. I can never go back.”

  “They do that to all of us. It’s also a tracking device. It’s like this, if something happens to us, it happens to the one that is connected with us as well.”

  “So, when we die, they die.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Why would they do that? We are all going to die some time.”

  “Not here. We mature to adult age and then our aging process stops completely. There is no growing old for those that were brought here in time. Those that are already there will never grow a second older. I have been here for over fifty years. Do I look like I am seventy two years old?”

  Wow! He doesn’t look that. If he has been here that long, that would make him twenty one or twenty two when he came. He still looks that. I am in complete awe.

  “There’s more.” He begins leading me to this room. There is nothing more than a single white leather-like chair.

  “Sit. It will show you their history. Each of us has to go through this. It doesn’t hurt, I promise, and even if it did, you wouldn’t feel it.”

  With a deep breath, I sit.

 
“Put your hands there.” He tugs them where he wants them. “See ya in a few.” He steps outside the door and is looking through the glass. I keep eye contact with him. Then everything is gone and it is as if I am floating. Floating through a world that I don’t belong to. It’s their world.

  They are fighting another species. One that I hope I never encounter. Their people and the other species are falling like flies. There is one that I recognize. Rone. He is flying through the air with what looks like some medieval sword in his hand. It appears that he has jumped and is landing on top of the biggest of the other species. With a jab and a twist through the head, the alien falls.

  The crowd goes completely still.

  The scene changes in front of me. Again, I see Rone’s world. Only this time, they are bringing humans on board. They are taking care of them. One of the humans is very sick. An older man. His loved one is begging them to help him. He slides into this machine. He’s there for seconds and then comes back out and looks like a new man. His skin is now tan instead of pale. His eyes are blue instead of glazed over. His body no longer shakes. He is healthy.

  The scene changes again. This time, everything is happening so fast. I can only see blurring images and then I feel it. I feel what they feel. Love. They mean none of us harm. They mean no species harm. Image after image, I see nothing but a helping and loving species. And then as if I have been asleep, I am now staring at Kegan, who is smiling back at me.

  I look at him in awe as he opens the door, helps me from the chair and then leads me to another door.

  “This is why I stay.” He opens the door and the sight in front of me is nothing like I could have ever imagined. The sun shines bright, the fields are green. Deer stand at the far end staring back at me as if I am nothing but their friend.

  Butterflies and birds of different shapes and colors fly overhead. Children and families run in the field. It’s absolutely…beautiful.

  I am in complete awe of the world that they have established here. It is the world that existed before crime took over my home world. It is the world that I only heard stories of. This is what I want for my family. This is want I want for myself. For everyone. Peace.

  “You remember that old saying, don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” Kegan says.

  “I recant everything that I have ever said about this place, the aliens, all of it.” It’s that simple. Tears pour down my cheeks. I am more emotional than I have ever been. I don’t even remember the last time that I cried. Well, other than being here. On my home world, I don’t ever remember crying. It’s as if all of the hatred and anger that I have been carrying with me for my entire life is magically gone. Taking a breath of fresh air, it’s easier to breathe. My shoulders no longer feel heavy. My heart no longer feels as if it is struggling to beat. I am at peace with the world.

  “You know, you could bring your family here. If you wanted to. Rone would allow it.”

  I look at him. I am completely dumbfounded. He smiles. “Thought you might like that.”

  2490

  “Please, I’m begging you. Come with us. Share the life that I have been shown.”

  “No! I warned you. Leave us. You are putting all of us in danger. They could have followed you here.” Jona is livid with me. I knew he would be.

  “Enough!” Rone yells, and all at once his human form begins to morph back into his natural form. “She has begged me and begged me to bring her back, and for what? I don’t understand it at all. She has been chipped and because of that you automatically are throwing her out. Thank god I found her. As a gift from us to you.” He waves his fingers, and it’s amazing. A projector appears. “Enjoy, since it’s all you care about.”

  “Come on, babe,” Kegan whispers in my ear.

  “No!” I look at Kegan and silently pray for him to hear me, or know what I want. I cannot make them go with me, but I will fight to take Bree. She is clinging to my leg and has been since I arrived. He smiles and nods, and I know that he has heard me.

  “The girl goes with us,” Rone says. I should have known he would hear my thoughts. It’s crazy how he can just tune in to someone that he has connected with and then shut them off the next minute.

  “Over my dead body.” Jona reaches for Bree and she screams.

  “Don’t you see? I am the closest thing to a mother that she has ever known. Don’t make me leave her. I will do whatever it means to take her with me.” I see the look of horror appear in his eyes. “I came here hoping that you all would come with me. I came here because you are the closest thing to a father I have and I wanted to introduce you to my husband. Obviously that was all a mistake. The only thing I need to be doing right now is leaving,” I say, reaching down to pick up Bree. She wraps her still little arms around my neck and holds on tight. I can feel how scared she is that Jona will try to take her from me, but I know with Rone and Kegan by my side, she is going with me.

  “Why?” Jona asks.

  “Because it is a world where hunger does not exist. A world where anyone can walk anywhere and the only thing you have to worry about is finding your way back to your lodging. It is a world of peace. I know how you feel. Seeing is believing and I am standing here telling you that you can see it. You can choose it. It can be yours. All of yours.” I wave at the crowd of people.

  “I’ll go.” We all gasp as Mrs. Johnson steps forward.

  “Don’t look at me like I am crazy, Jona. Those two girls are my life. I won’t lose them,” she says, taking my side.

  Mrs. Johnson has paved the way. Slowly, one by one, people begin stepping forward until the only one left is Jona.

  I hand Bree to Kegan, who happily takes her. There is a light in his eye. I love this with my entire life. Getting caught on that ship was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I wouldn’t change anything.

  “So be it,” Jona says, stepping toward me. Tears cloud my eyes as I wrap my arms around him.

  “You won’t be sorry, I swear.”

  “I better not be.” He smiles, but I know he is scared. He should be. It’s completely understandable. I was scared. We have fought off the aliens for our entire life, and now I am asking them to trust them.

  The look on their faces when we arrive is priceless. They have all been chipped and just like when I was chipped, they have no memory of it. Bree in our new home is now my child, by their law. When a parent or both biological parents are no longer alive or wanting of said child, the person who proves their love for the child legally becomes the adoptive parent. Thankfully for me, that was me.

  “What was that?” Jona asks.

  “What was what?” I say, watching Bree run and play with the others.

  “I felt a…shimmy.”

  “I have never felt a shimmy.” Just then I feel the floor beneath me shake.

  The lights begin to blink and for the first time, I am worried. It has been so long since I have felt that emotion, it takes me a split second to realize what it is.

  “Tell me you felt that,” Jona asks.

  “Yes. Bree!” I scream for her and she comes running. I wrap my arms around her, running back towards the door.

  Kegan is standing there, waving for us to hurry.

  “What’s going on?” I ask as Kegan about rips Bree from my arms.

  “I don’t know. Rone has ordered everyone back in.”

  The ship shakes terribly again, this time almost costing me and everyone else our balance.

  I follow Kegan as he leads the way to the main room. It is in the center of the ship. Everyone on ship is gathering there, except for the aliens who we have now come to understand aren’t really them. It’s us.

  “Phase one!” comes across the speakers.

  For those of us who know, we gasp. There are three phases. Phase one means the ship is compromised and that means someone uninvited is on board.

  It’s then that we see them. Slowly coming towards the group of us. There are over three hundred humans here, and we are alone and defenseless.


  I can feel my entire body stiffening, trembling, and all I can think about is Bree. I can hear the whimpers of the scared children in the room. They have reason.

  These aliens are not like our hosts. These are not friendly and I can easily tell. Their eyes are yellow and have a black oval shape in the center. They are snake-like in appearance. Cat-eyed. Their skin, for lack of knowing what it really is, appears to be black and leathery. They have very prominent looking vein-like systems bulging from their skin. Their hands are not hands at all, they are claws. Sharp, pointed claws and instead of five, there are twelve. Their bodies are long and their legs are longer. They are massive.

  I know which one is the leader. The largest one, in the center, directly in front of me.

  I look at Bree and see that although tears are falling, she has a look of complete bravery. Her look, as if her eyes are quietly saying, ‘don’t even try it.’ For the briefest of moments, I am truly proud of her. But then now is not the time.

  He begins muttering something arcane to his followers. To me it is nothing more than a bunch of hissing. Like snakes. That is what it sounds like. But those with this alien, they are responding and beginning to move closer…toward us.

  I hear a roar and instantly the big one freezes.

  Terrifying goosebumps erupt from my skin and it’s then I hear him. Rone.

  “Stay quiet. Don’t say anything. I need you to step forward. It has to be you. You are the only one that can do what I need you to do. You are brave and apparently unreadable to them. That is why they are concentrating on you. Take a step forward.”

  I can feel my breathing increasing. I have never been able to hear Rone like this before. Why now? What does he expect me to do?

  With a shaky breath, I step forward.

  “Good. Raise both hands in front of you as if you are giving up.”

  I look back at Kegan, who is eyeing me suspiciously. I smile at him, trying to communicate with him in some way, but I really don’t know how.

  “Don’t say it. He will do whatever is necessary to protect her, even give you up. Now take another step. Repeat after me.”