“He’s alive, but barely,” came a soft voice at Vadir’s side.

  It spoke in a language that he couldn’t understand. He was thankful that they hadn’t saw fit to kill him, while he was still passed out, but he couldn’t afford to remain here either. Not while the Dauntless remained an ever-present threat to this world. His weary eyes glanced over to his left and he could see various clear bags and tubes being used to pump liquids into him. They wanted him docile and cooperative. They can’t keep me here! This whole world is in danger. He put more into his roll than he intended because it led to him spilling out onto the hard dirt. Dizziness washed over him as he lay there for longer than he meant to. This is the first time I’ve felt real grass and dirt. So many years spent on the Dauntless… and all my friends. The realisation hit him and his grey hand curled inward scraping up dirt. Does this mean I’m the only one to make it out alive?

  He slowly sat up while he adjusted to this new world. With his senses so dulled, he hadn’t seen them off to the side—humans. They watched him struggle in silence. The soft-spoken one from earlier had stepped ahead of those nearby and gestured to those armed to stand down.

  “WE. WILL. NOT HURT YOU,” she said.

  Vadir cocked his head and answered back in Kaskarian, “I don’t understand, what you’re saying.”

  “Doctor, trying to reason with him won’t work, he can’t understand you.”

  Vadir looked from the long-haired woman to their more grizzled companion. Lighter in skin, but looking far worse for wear. The years had not been kind to them. This was someone who had seen war. He knew that getting them on his side would be the best way to get out of this alive, but how do you convince someone who can’t understand a word you’re saying? While he argued within himself, he failed to notice the gap closing and her reaching down to where he sat. Her soft-grip wrapped around his wrist. On instinct, this triggered his latent psionic power, a trace that turned the veins of his skin a vibrant yellow as his mind and hers touched. The humans had also raised weapons once more.

  “DO. NOT. SHOOT!” she barked back at them.

  He understood her now, but the trace did not end there. In a matter of speaking, her life, up until now flashed by in his mind.

  The unmistakable scent of burning plasma followed her down the long, narrow aisle. It was accompanied by the shrill sound of crying and dying wounded. It had on many occasions almost made her want to turn her back on it all because everywhere she looked, she saw nothing but suffering. She more than ever wanted to just shut it all out, but she had to remain steadfast and strong not for her sake but theirs. She as a Nightingale nurse had a duty and so did they. That meant getting them back to the fight, no matter how much they begged her to put them out of their misery. Now and then, a single question weighed on her mind, what were they even fighting for anyway? Sure, the Japanese had a vested interest in securing the Pacific region but that was as much a reaction to China’s growing strength as it was a desperate power grab on the part of the United States to keep up with the other world powers. That was the paraded answer but there was probably more to it than just that. On the one hand, they wanted security and the resources that came with that. On the other hand, if the rumours were true. There were ‘alien sites’ like the ones first discovered in Europe also dotted across South East Asia. She knew this because she had been reassigned from Site 51. One of those alien sites. A treasure trove of ancient alien technology had accelerated the race for technological superiority in a world that was progressing ever more off a cliff and into the unknown. She dreaded how this would all end. But as long as she did her duties, and if things went as intended she might actually be able to return to her parents at the farm. Or perhaps they would just send her back to Site 51, where she would be forced to live the rest of her miserable days under the Earth.

  The vision blurred and shifted then to a sleek, silver corridor. Many on board the Dauntless had already resigned themselves to accepting that this vessel would be their tomb. There would be no salvation in this eternal dark forest. Vadir Kor could not allow their doubt or existential issues to enter his headspace. He had a duty of care to this ship, nothing else mattered. As always he had been informed of a power fault in this corridor and with his assortment of precision tools, he set to work on removing the grates and soon found the issue. A split wire. Fixing it took very little time and as he fixed the grate back into place he stood up and stretched. In doing so he turned to see where they were from the nearest viewport. A grey crater-ridden surface was below them and beyond them were a handful of large interconnected domes that stretched out in all directions. Another fledgling civilisation, one that had just begun reaching out into space. A new player to join this doomed game. Beyond the alien domes sat the the mother world. It looked like nothing he had ever seen before and was indescribable in its sheer beauty and majesty. He took a minute to absorb its finer details. From each continent to the wide blue oceans. He had longed to set foot on an alien world. Perhaps this would finally be the one and their journey could at last end.

  Little did he know what hell would soon follow.

  She threw herself from him and into the embrace of the grizzled man. He cupped her head as she cried into his chest.

  “Did he hurt -”

  “No, just – I think he can understand us now. And I, him?”

  Vadir got to his unsteady feet and looked at his shaking hand, the raw emotion of their connection had almost overwhelmed him too, it took all his will to suppress his turmoil. An alien’s touch. Another new experience. He knew their words. Understanding fully would come later. The two he planned to say next seemed to fit his current predicament.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Etu elfriq er gel venad (1),” the woman said letting go of the man and facing Vadir Kor.

  She just spoke my language. His eyes widened in disbelief. Her pronunciation left a lot to be desired, but the intent was there. “You di- did not do anything. That was me. I can do this thing called – reguv… trace. In your language. It helps when we need to clear up misunderstandings.”

  The grizzled man stepped forward, moving the woman aside. “Like attacking the city of Lazarus?”

  Vadir cocked his head. He had no idea what Lazarus was. Then it dawned on him. “Grenigh vorgundai (2).”

  “The Lunar city, yes,” said the woman. “Captain Miller, if I may say my piece.”

  “It hasn’t stopped you so far, Doctor.”

  “This alien is no soldier. He was one of their engineers. His job was to maintain the ship.”

  “And you know this how?”

  She sighed. “When we were linked. I saw him doing his work. It must have been moments before they attempted contact with Lazarus.”

  Vadir nodded slowly. “Yes – a team was sent to the grinigh surface.” He began pacing and those with him remained guarded. As well they should. When contact failed, we made the first move. And then… Vadir stopped and faced them again. “Primor! ug qala (3). Danger.”

  “The Mortalis stormed the ship,” the Doctor said.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “And human too. A three-way fight broke out. Chaos. I -” he looked at his scarred hands and struggled to keep his breathing under control. I selfishly left them all to die.

  “Captain Miller, would you mind giving me and my patient here some alone time?”

  “Your patient?”

  “He’s shellshocked, experiencing both trauma and a new world. We need him on our side to face what lies ahead. What happened to Lazarus was a tragedy. But the mistake can still be fixed before this incident gets worse for both his people and ours.”

  “You think you can get through to him.”

  “The trace kicked down the door. Now it’s my turn to make him feel at home.”

  The Captain looked concerned but said nothing, he gestured for his men to leave. “I will leave two men at the entrance. I may also send the Wagon’s medics to interview him in the meantime. He may yet be of use to us.”

  “I agree,” said the woman.

  The Captain left with the two soldiers following on his heel. Now it’s just the two of us. Vadir looked at the woman, he understood some of what was said, and that the Captain would send in two others to ask questions. That was fine, as long they didn’t kill him. He was just happy to still be alive.

  The woman folded her arms, “So our minds joined, anything else you want to tell me?”

  Before he could answer, he lurched forward and spun, hitting the ground. As he lay there, he heard her calling for help, but her voice soon faded and the darkness returned and with it an uncertain future.

  He awoke a little later and found himself still in the company of the Doctor he had traced. A chill ran through him. If he wanted to be of use to these people, he would need to be able to speak to them fluently. I wonder could another trace give me what I need. He looked over to the Doctor wearing white and waved her over. She smiled at him, stood up and approached his bed. She carried in one hand an electric lantern. Its illumination kept back much of the darkness and it allowed Vadir to take in the alien person’s features. He had been too caught up in his circumstances to appreciate them. The Kaskari had encountered many alien races across their travels through the vast void of space. Some alive. Many more were extinct, and some of those races had come close to looking like them but the humans were so similar he almost wondered if a group of Kaskari had got here first centuries ago. It would explain much of their technological feats unless something else was responsible for that.

  “How can I assist you? Are you feeling better?” she asked, placing the lantern on the side table. She had interrupted his train of thought and he didn’t know how to communicate his intention. He simply held his hand out. She understood. “You want to do another trace?”

  “Yes, to better understand you.”

  Her hand hovered above his grey palm and she looked visibly shaken, their first mental collision had left them both rattled. Not wanting to give her the chance to pull away he gripped her pale pink hand and engaged his trace once more. The veins on his skin turned a brighter yellow. If I can read her mind, I can better understand them. I can make this right.

  There were no visions this time, she was calm and composed. She had learned, either consciously or unconsciously to block his attempts to pierce her history. But her language, English. It unravelled before him. It had a lot in common with his own tongue but diverged in just as many places.

  “Better?” she asked.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  “Nobut tu (4)”

  “You’re the first alien to speak to me in my own tongue.”

  “Says the alien.”

  They laughed at that, and the tension lifted. He couldn’t fathom what the Captain planned for him but she at least seemed trustworthy. It would have to do.

  “I’m genuinely sorry for Lazarus. My people would have found a better way if -”

  “If they could have run a trace like we did.”

  “Yes, but it’s never that easy.”

  “I’ve merged with your head twice now and your name still escapes me.”

  “Vadir Kor and I could say the same of you.”

  “It’s Kate Underwood.”

  The silence following this was a long one, he didn’t quite know where to begin but there was one matter that concerned all life on this planet. “Your moon city had fallen when we found it.”

  “We suspected as much.”

  “We call them, Primor. You call them Mortan or Mortalis. I had hoped we left them behind.”

  “You’ve faced Mortans before?”

  “It would be centuries now since then. Most of those living now thought they were just stories, but they are real and bring ruin wherever they may be.”

  “How long have you been travelling for?” she asked raising an eyebrow.

  He shrugged. “I spent some of it asleep. I know one thing. I was born on that ship. It’s been my home for a very long time.”

  “I’m sorry that your people’s journey ended this way.”

  He wanted to say that more would come but he hesitated. He trusted her, but the soldier. What would he do with that information? I wonder.

  “I want to see how it looks from the Earth.”

  “See what?”

  “The Moon, as you would call it.”

  She closed her eyes and shook her head but appeared to understand his sentiment. “I saw the Earth from your perspective. She looks so -”

  “Inspiring.”

  “Yes but also inviting. It kind of gives me hope in a way.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, that we can join the stars.”

  “After meeting us, do you really want to?”

  “You think we made this far by getting along right off the bat? You might understand what we say. But you’ve got a long way to go till you understand us.”

  He didn’t object as she went about removing the tubes. She grabbed some nearby bandages from a storage unit and applied them on his body where openings had been cut. He sat up after she finished and swung his legs over the bed, planting them once more on the dirt. It sent a cold shock up through his ankles. He had forgotten he was barefoot. He used his toes to rub dirt between them once more. I could get used to this. This odd coolness proved soothing. It also hurt as his feet rolled over small stones. The Doctor soon helped him to stand. Dizziness overcame him again and it took a moment to steady both his nerves and himself. Kate thankfully helped him remain steady. She was just like the memory. She had a duty, and that was to send him back into the fray. “Careful, don’t do anything too sudden, you’ve been out of it for a while, remember.”

  “Thank you, Kate.”

  She met his red eyes and huffed. “No problem, Vadir. I’m sure the others will come round to you, once you get to talk to them.”

  “The Wagon medics?”

  “They can talk to you tomorrow. I wanted to make sure you would be ready for them first. Now let’s get this over with. Come with me.”

  She parted the flaps much to the surprise of the two guards. A simple request gave them the room they needed to exit. By now night had fully settled and the stars in the sky were fully visible. Vadir removed her hand from his shoulder and stumbled forward so that he stood alone. Behind him, Kate and the guards remained vigilant. The two men looked at each other unsure of what to do about this developing situation. In truth, he was more than a little lost too. There was so much to take in, from the chatter, banter, and laughter coming from the nearby tents to the ship he had come from, almost invisible due to its sleek silver metal design. Its final resting place would be here. He looked beyond it and saw her at rest. The Dauntless sat in an open grave. Above it, the moon shone down, its translucent light spreading across the barren landscape. On that celestial body, humans likely remained fighting against Mortan and Kaskari alike. Vadir’s legs could no longer remain standing and he crumpled to his knees. Kate hurried to his side and crouched down next to him. He drove his fist into the dirt and then opened it. The veins on his skin lit up blue this time as he traced. He felt her turning beneath his feet as they hurtled through space. He sensed a world teeming with life both large and small. And then he felt it, inviting him back once more, but there was something cold and foreboding about it. The derelict husk of the Dauntless held horrors inside of it. In this state he passed down the damaged halls, the biomass spreading and consuming all in its path. Then there was the Primor, waiting to emerge, and wanting to finish what they had started on the lunar city. In that chaos, his trace went deeper until it found something.

  

  He withdrew at their mere acknowledgement of him and leaned back, sweat running across his forehead. He felt her hand on top of his. Anger, fear and palpable dread gave way to calm and he met her green eyes for what felt like the first time.

  “Tell your Captain, I’m helping you. They took my home from me. It’s only right I repay them for this.”

  “I promise I’ll do that, but first Vadir. You need to rest. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.”

  She helped him back to his feet and he looked back over his shoulder. He thought he saw something looming on the ridge, like a humanoid shadow, but with his power the way it was, it could easily toy with his mind. That presence though, we have to destroy the ship, as much as it pains me to. Those things inside cannot be allowed to take root here… or it will be just like the stories they told me - of our fall.