She had experienced it on other worlds where their beliefs leaned more toward the mystical than the scientific. It was an odd energy because it was not exactly strong. It seemed to be woven into the very fabric of what he was.
I wonder if I can finally learn more about him.
“I apologize for the pain.”
He shook his head. “ There is no pain now. It’s just uncomfortable.”
A smile worked her lips up. “Wonderful. It works. I can hear you.”
“ Hear me? I’m not saying anything.”
She laughed. “No, silly.” She pointed toward her temple and then touched the translator she had implanted in his forehead. “This allows me to hear your thoughts while you’re in this form. I suspect that when you’re a man I won’t need to read your mind. On my planet, when we’re in our bestial forms, we can read one another’s thoughts. I thought the translator might help with this.”
Alika heard, or rather felt, multiple questions and images pass through her host’s mind. They went so quickly that she was not able to make sense of it all. She put her hands to her head and shook it, trying to sort out all of the visions. “Stop. Stop. One inquiry at a time. Your thoughts are moving a little more quickly than what I’m used to.”
“ Sorry.”
“It’s okay. We both have a lot of questions for one another. At least this way we can have some sort of discussion. Just take it slow. Fair?”
“ Yes.” Phillip rose from the ground. He walked over to the other side of the cave and slumped down to the first place she had seen him. Another sense of relief enveloped her because they could finally communicate.
Now she could make her intentions known about obtaining his help and flying off the rock she had landed on. Of course, there were so many other things she yearned to know too.
“I have much gratitude to you for taking me back to my ship, or what’s left of it.”
“You’re welcome. Did you get all of what you need?” he asked.
“No, I have to go back and gather a few more elements from the wreckage so I can construct a device to send a distress call back to Rovan so they can come and pick me up. There were devices in that building that I could use to help me, but I can’t do it alone. Will you help me?”
Phillip rolled his eyes and made a sound of frustration. “ I won’t see you get caught by the army. They had guns. They could hurt you. If they catch me, they’ll put me on a table and cut me open. I assume they’d do the same to you, considering you’re from another planet, and they will want to see what makes you tick. That seems to be the way of all the humans. Is it like that on other planets? On yours?”
Alika shook her head. “No, we don’t automatically dissect other species. We try to learn about them if they visit. We have a defense system in case there is some kind of attack planned, but normally we welcome other visitors. Earth is so primitive. Then again, there’s much about this planet that’s elementary…” She sighed, searching for the correct term. “That isn’t right. How do you say out in the middle of the universe with nothing around it? Where the inhabitants have little intelligence?”
“ Boondocks, maybe. So there isn’t life on Mars or Saturn?”
She giggled. “Oh no. Well…maybe a long time ago, but everything on Saturn is in ruins. I don’t think your people will be able to get there for another two or three centuries. Mars?”
“The red one.”
“Oh yes. No, nothing lives there either. There were some signs of visitors, but nothing permanent. Right now our people try to avoid Earth.”
“ Why are you here then?”
She played with a few strands of her hair before she met his gaze. It was nice to know that they could finally talk. As she focused more on Phillip’s thoughts, she could easily fall into the wavelengths of his brain. It was comforting to have another being sharing her thoughts. It had been a long time since she had allowed anyone to
I wonder if I can finally learn more about him.
“I apologize for the pain.”
He shook his head. “ There is no pain now. It’s just uncomfortable.”
A smile worked her lips up. “Wonderful. It works. I can hear you.”
“ Hear me? I’m not saying anything.”
She laughed. “No, silly.” She pointed toward her temple and then touched the translator she had implanted in his forehead. “This allows me to hear your thoughts while you’re in this form. I suspect that when you’re a man I won’t need to read your mind. On my planet, when we’re in our bestial forms, we can read one another’s thoughts. I thought the translator might help with this.”
Alika heard, or rather felt, multiple questions and images pass through her host’s mind. They went so quickly that she was not able to make sense of it all. She put her hands to her head and shook it, trying to sort out all of the visions. “Stop. Stop. One inquiry at a time. Your thoughts are moving a little more quickly than what I’m used to.”
“ Sorry.”
“It’s okay. We both have a lot of questions for one another. At least this way we can have some sort of discussion. Just take it slow. Fair?”
“ Yes.” Phillip rose from the ground. He walked over to the other side of the cave and slumped down to the first place she had seen him. Another sense of relief enveloped her because they could finally communicate.
Now she could make her intentions known about obtaining his help and flying off the rock she had landed on. Of course, there were so many other things she yearned to know too.
“I have much gratitude to you for taking me back to my ship, or what’s left of it.”
“You’re welcome. Did you get all of what you need?” he asked.
“No, I have to go back and gather a few more elements from the wreckage so I can construct a device to send a distress call back to Rovan so they can come and pick me up. There were devices in that building that I could use to help me, but I can’t do it alone. Will you help me?”
Phillip rolled his eyes and made a sound of frustration. “ I won’t see you get caught by the army. They had guns. They could hurt you. If they catch me, they’ll put me on a table and cut me open. I assume they’d do the same to you, considering you’re from another planet, and they will want to see what makes you tick. That seems to be the way of all the humans. Is it like that on other planets? On yours?”
Alika shook her head. “No, we don’t automatically dissect other species. We try to learn about them if they visit. We have a defense system in case there is some kind of attack planned, but normally we welcome other visitors. Earth is so primitive. Then again, there’s much about this planet that’s elementary…” She sighed, searching for the correct term. “That isn’t right. How do you say out in the middle of the universe with nothing around it? Where the inhabitants have little intelligence?”
“ Boondocks, maybe. So there isn’t life on Mars or Saturn?”
She giggled. “Oh no. Well…maybe a long time ago, but everything on Saturn is in ruins. I don’t think your people will be able to get there for another two or three centuries. Mars?”
“The red one.”
“Oh yes. No, nothing lives there either. There were some signs of visitors, but nothing permanent. Right now our people try to avoid Earth.”
“ Why are you here then?”
She played with a few strands of her hair before she met his gaze. It was nice to know that they could finally talk. As she focused more on Phillip’s thoughts, she could easily fall into the wavelengths of his brain. It was comforting to have another being sharing her thoughts. It had been a long time since she had allowed anyone to
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