Inaugural

Dazed and confused with vision from both eye clusters distorted, Odzok stumbles through the wrecked interior of his not-stolen stolen vessel. Where he is headed he cannot say for nothing looks familiar to him. It isn’t surprising seeing as he claimed this ship, whatever it might be called if it did indeed have a name, mere minutes prior to departing Xinde V. Yet, in the short time the ship had been his he’d made sure to familiarise himself with its layout. After all, interstellar travel is not instantaneous. If only, Odzok says to himself while awkwardly clambering over a rough pile of detritus which must’ve once been important but in what way he cannot imagine.

The structure around him creaks which sends fear pulses up the rear of his neck-head after having emanated from the tip of his salamander like tail-body that has only two limbs protruding from it. Both serve as arms and allow Odzok to manipulate objects, but more importantly gesticulate as is the way when speaking Intrui, the language of Odzok’s…

He stops short. He cannot say people any longer for he may well be the last, the only. A deep sigh-whistle escapes from his vertical mouth, and if he had shoulders, in the conventional sense, they would drop.

Creaking and groaning from the decimated starship wrenches him back to the here and now. Remembering he could very well be in danger, Odzok forces himself back into a forward push, regardless of the fact that he is clueless as to where this ‘forward,’ as he is calling it, might be leading him. It could very well be death, more likely injury. Injury leads to death if left untreated!

Tripping on something unseen the Jaltot goes head over tail, crashes into something curved that is sat at an angle Odzok is sure it shouldn’t be, bounces, ricochets off something sharp which mercifully does not impale him before finally he hits a wall.

Puffing air from his mouth in a gesture meant to convey a mixture of exhaustion and astonishment, Odzok uneasily lifts his body and waits for his eyes to semi-focus. Once they have he recognises the outline of a command panel. This one is covered with flickering multi-coloured lights. The lights shouldn’t be flickering. Though, the fact that it has power at all he finds to be a small miracle.

Believing fortune has found him Odzok jabs at the panel, rather than celebrating which he would be inclined to do if circumstances were different and not so potentially dire, with his short trio of stubs. His shorter still grip appendage meanwhile hangs uselessly. The sight of it just being there with no currently useful purpose leaves him wondering why Jaltot are not inclined to use such a digit to do more.

Such a thought never progresses past this initial phase for Odzok is jettisoned out of a hatch he wasn’t aware existed and is sent tumbling, screeching loudly, down a tube toward an unknown fate. Fear grips him hard as his body rolls and spins in every direction regardless of what efforts he makes to prevent it.

Throughout his ‘fall’ he cannot consider what he might be crashing through. To his knowledge there had been no tubular section within the vessel as far as he had seen, so perhaps this is the result of the crash, damage having forced compartments into… That isn’t possible!

Before he can ask why he is spat out of the tube and unceremoniously left to roll across a hard surface, dizzy beyond belief, until finally his bodies’ momentum is no more and he is left staring up at a sea of black littered with tiny white twinkles. The sight reminds him of Xinde V, so he lies there allowing comfort to replace the fear of death he had been so fixated upon such a brief time ago.

Noises reach the auditory caverns in his snake-like head. He freezes realising he isn’t on Xinde V or any other Jaltot world. He feels abundantly foolish.

Before he can withdraw however, flee whatever might be the owner of those sounds; three shapes appear in his vision.

Terrified to near the point of brain death, Odzok recoils and manages to skitter away. Sadly in doing so his fear only blossoms for he catches full sight of the figures and realises, they are bipeds!

Fleeing as fast as his lower tail-body section will permit in reverse, Odzok in his desperation does not realise he has retreated into a dead-end. And when he realises his fatal mistake it is already too late for the figures have closed on him, hemming him in, cutting off his only route of escape.

“Dissan heeza eeza doo.” Are the words, if they can be called such, which reach the children’s ears as they stand, transfixed at the sight of the alien before them.

“Wow! We found an alien, a real life alien. This is awesome!” The second oldest of the trio exclaims with delight plastered across his face, no signs of fear or hesitation present.

“Come on Benjy, we don’t know that.” The only girl of the group attempts to reason, not wanting to believe that this snake with arms is an alien. After all, she pictured something far more exotic. Maybe a metal skinned, six armed behemoth with tentacle legs inside which houses the real extraterrestrial lifeform.

In comparison to that Linara feels that the being before her, while clearly very different from her, is mildly disappointing. That is until she works out that the things mouth is vertical, at which point she recoils with a mild look of disgust on her face.

“What is it? Does it smell?” The youngest of the group asks before taking deep whiffs of the air in hopes of learning whatever it is that has made Linara react the way that she has. Unfortunately, the boy gets nothing from the air except the smell of freshly churned dirt. His shoulders sink. “There’s nothing, is there?”

“The mouth, it’s vertical.”

“Oh wow, you’re right, that’s so cool!” Both boys cry loudly.

“Shush!”

“Why?”

“Cause…”

“That’s not an answer.”

“Boys.” Is accompanied by an over exaggerated roll of her blue eyes.

“What does that even mean?” Benjy protests forgetting, momentarily, the presence of the alien who baffled by these exchanges and the lack of violence unleashed upon him thinks it best he try to slither away before they remember that he is…

“Hey, don’t run off.” Ewan exclaims sounding hurt, as if he and alien are somehow long time friends.

“Stop arguing you guys, you’re scaring him.” He adds right after in a way that is quite uncharacteristic.

“How do you know?” The dark long haired Benjy questions with his trademark lack of tact, which again evokes a roll of Linara’s eyes. This one he doesn’t catch, which gives the girl the chance to quickly move on by asking, “What do you think we should do, Ewan?”

“I…” Benjy begins only to get a glare from Linara which silences him as though control of his voice is hers and not his own.

Odzok wonders if this taller biped is the commander and yet they are not speaking in a tongue he is familiar with. Maybe it is a dialect, an off-shoot of what the Nazarine traditionally speak.

Truthfully, Odzok has never seen one of his species ancient enemies in the flesh but if this is what they look like then they are nowhere near as imposing as he had been led to believe. He imagined, from details provided, them to be seven or eight times his height, not a half to twice.

They don’t look dangerous either, he has to concede. Honestly, they look kind of weak, tender. He wonders if he could take them. It might be worth a try. He’ll have to bide his time though. Wait until they are not expecting it. Something about the looks in their small eyes suggests they are currently suspicious of him; otherwise he would’ve made efforts already.

“We introduce ourselves. It’s only right. He is a visitor and the first thing we’ve done is corner and frighten him.” The blonde haired boy who is getting sick of how his hair is starting to get in his eyes says.

He’s only allowed his hair to get this long because he wanted to be like Benjy, but he doesn’t think he can do it. Cope with the irritation his hair at this length causes him. His friend might be disappointed in his inability to cope with the nuisance but he doesn’t care. It’s not worth the hassle.

“You’re right.”

“No he’s not.” The other boy declares loudly with a massive dose of attitude.

A glare from Linara puts pay to Benjy feeling inclined to push his luck any further. Chiefly because the last time he saw that look it was when Linara made Chuck, the bully of bullies at Denbridge High, eat his own fist. It must’ve hurt too because Chuck had started tearing up right after. No way does Benjy want to risk a similar fate. He doubts he could take it anywhere near as well as Chuck did. Still, it doesn’t change how he feels incredibly annoyed.

“Hello, I’m Linara Burke; sorry we scared you, welcome to Earth. This is…”

“Hi, I’m Ewan Rolles.” The blonde haired boy exclaims with an excited frantic wave of his left hand.

“And the sour puss is…”

“I can introduce myself Lin. I’m Benjy.”

“You do have a last name you know.” The girls tone dripping with sarcasm.

“No way, could be hostile and anyway my name my choice.” His reasoning makes little sense seeing as not long ago he was just as excited as Ewan about finding an alien. It means something is wrong. Linara isn’t overly bothered what it might be. He’ll get over it, probably.

With that a third roll of blue eyes from Linara is issued. This time Benjy’s explodes in anger; his fists clench, his face darkens…

“Stop! Please. We’re meant to be friends and we have a guest.”

Realising Ewan is right both Benjy and Linara allow tensions to cool, turn back toward the snake-like being from the stars still cornered, unsure of what he is witnessing. Though, Odzok does think he can mimic their speech. It’s primitive, borderline archaic, lacking any accompanying gestures which he finds wholly confusing by itself.

“Odzok, me. Gree tings.” The cadence of his speech is off but understandable for the three human children who are stood in the cool evening air on the third rock from the sun.

“You are bipeds?” The alien continues.

“We’re what?” Is the reply from Benjy who is confused by the query.

“We’re humans, but yes we are bipedal.” Informs Ewan not quite managing to pronounce bipedal as effortlessly as he thought he would be capable of. Still, it must be understandable enough for Odzok soon asks, “What is difference?”

“Human is our species. We come from Earth. That’s where you are.” Linara explains gesturing to the world around them, which draws a happy chatter from Odzok who with his vertical mouth could not smile even if he knew what the gesture was, which he doesn’t.

“That’s where we’re stood if you hadn’t guessed.” Benjy adds unnecessarily proving he is still in a sour mood.

“Think he knew that.” Linara mutters out the side of her face.

“How do we know? Need to make it clear.”

“He’s travelled across the stars; think he’ll be smarter than that doofus.”

“Pfft, you’re not.” Benjy mutters under his breath too quiet for Linara to catch while Ewan continues, “We’re peaceful. Mean you no harm.”

As the words leave his lips Ewan reaches out. Convinced his end is upon him Odzok recoils, manages to slip past the trio of bipeds, who he is sure are lying to confuse and deceive him, then slithers away as fast as his tail-body can carry him.

Unhindered he soon rounds a mound of wreckage, but still he does not slow. Though, he does conclude he is not as fast moving as he is used too being. Suddenly, it hits him the gravity on this world is greater than he is familiar with. It must be cause for his pace issues, but that alone should not be enough to… He looks down, why he does he cannot say other than it felt instinctual, necessary. Immediately, the snake with arms like alien spies a small piece of debris wedged into one of his locomotion sections. Alarmed and with an urgent need to extract the debris before it becomes too deeply embedded, Odzok scans around with his eyes clusters until he spots a small collection of exposed rocks. From the dirt caking them he can only assume they were been exposed as a result of his crash.

If he were alone he could assess the full extent of damages suffered.

For what purpose? He provides no answer to his internal question, instead focusing on the outcropping. In no time he reaches it and without interruption. Then quickly he presses himself into a narrow slit between two of the newly exposed rocks and makes efforts to reach for the splinter shard.

The Jaltot just about manages to lay a hand on the shrapnel when voices reach his auditory head caverns. His body goes stiff against his wishes for it sounds distinctly like the three bipeds who introduced themselves as though they are friends, a clear deceit, but it could be others. There is no telling how many could be on this planet known as Earf.

Pronouncing the name is something Odzok finds to be surprisingly difficult for it does not flow from his mouth as easily as he expected it would. Especially, since it seemed so effortless for the three bipeds. This difficulty reminds him of when he’d been a young Jaltot, first learning to speak consistently, and he’d tried to mimic Nazarine speech, as he had heard a recording of it.  To say his efforts had been abysmal would’ve been an understatement.

“I think he went this way!” Is the exclamation from a young sounding voice that is much closer than Odzok would like.

It’s because of the potentially worrying proximity that the alien redoubles his efforts, breaks from his paralysis, reaches for the shard, grabs it and…

“Found you.”

Startled, wide eyed and panicked Odzok freezes. It’s a defensive evolutionary tactic of the Jaltot, one that is wholly unhelpful, in this moment especially, but entirely unavoidable.

“Aww, he’s hurt.” Ewan states when once he realises and is the reason as to why he drops into a squat. His hope is that by getting lower he’ll be capable of gaining a better angle that allows him to survey the wound the alien has sustained. After all, he’s been taught its best to tend to wounds as swiftly as is possible to do so to avoid the risk of infection setting in.

“Serves him right for rushing off like he did; the dumb alien.” Is the utterance from Benjy who is completely ignored by Ewan and Linara, who offers, “Mom taught me to treat wounds, maybe I can take a look.”

“Any moron can apply a bandage.”

“What is your problem Benjy?” The girl demands to know, no longer wanting to partake in this snide game he seems to want to play.

“You!” Is the succinct reply given.

“I’ve done nothing.”

“Yes you have. You’re taking over. Like I knew you would.” Is the exclamation from the dark haired boy whose face carries deep lines filled with disdain, all of it aimed at the girl stood before him.

Benjy’s arms folded across his chests as he glares at Linara who reveals genuine surprise at being told this. After all, she is only trying to fit in. It isn’t easy for her. Doubtful Benjy realises that but it’s true. And yet she hadn’t a clue that the elder of the pair of boys had an issue with her. Not really. Benjy always seemed a tad moody. Sometimes Ewan would bear the brunt of it and since joining them Linara too. But it had been sparing, infrequent.

“Stop this!” Ewan spits in an outburst that is in no way the norm for the quiet shy blonde haired boy.

And they do both instantly stop. This fracas, division between the trio, gives Odzok the chance he needs. He pulls the shrapnel from his tail-body, wincing, only to quickly rush off hoping his rash tactics will catch the bipeds unawares and permit him the good fortune of escaping.

“He’s getting away, after him!” Benjy exclaims breaking into a run that neither Linara nor Ewan partake in.

“I’m sorry Ewan. It’s my fault.” The brown haired girl admits filled with remorse.

“No. It’s not. It’s mine.”

Shocked Linara asks, “How can it be yours? This is between me and Benjy.”

“I-I’m the one who got Benjy to invite you to join us.” The nine year old admits head hanging low as if the weight of the world is bearing down on him.

“You looked lonely, sad. I thought you could use some friends being new. Didn’t think you’d say yes though ‘cause no one ever has.” Is the admittance which soon follows.

“Is it a problem that I did?”

A strong shake of the head is all the answer the young Ewan feels inclined to give until finally he finds his voice again and admits, “I like that you joined us but Benjy…”

“Yeah, I can see. I didn’t know he felt that way.”

“I know you didn’t. I did but I like having you around. You’re like the big sister I don’t have. Benjy doesn’t get that cause he’s the youngest and hates it. Forever wishes he was an only child.”

Dropping to a knelt position so that they are face-to-face, Linara smiles and hugs Ewan. “It’s going to be ok. I’ll fix this.” She whispers to him during the hug.

“How?”

“Don’t want to give away all my secrets, just trust that I will.” Is the promise made.

Nodding, Ewan accepts his friends’ assurances, a sight that while attempting to flee Odzok catches while simultaneously evading his singular pursuer, Benjy.

From his observations there is clearly a rift within the group that not everyone was aware of. How that could be, for he could sense it, he cannot determine. And that was without these bipeds using gestures!

Before long, while still making efforts to evade the biped chasing him, Odzok concludes this trio are not his enemy. So against his better judgement, his instincts, he ends making efforts to flee.

Benjy shoots past him as a result, only to circle back and exclaim, “Now I’ve got you. You’re going to talk. Tell us the reason you’re here, or else.”

With the threat issued Odzok is suddenly fearful he’s made a grave mistake, likely what is to be his last. That is why in the face of them he does the only thing he can think to, plead.

“Please, no. Mewcy. Hawm I no mean. I innocent.” His body shakes feverishly as the words tumble from his vertical mouth unable to pronounce r’s in the form they are meant to be.

Closing in on the pair with Linara at his side, Ewan exclaims, “Benjy, I think he’s telling the truth.”

“You can’t know that.” Is the swift denial that is spat in reply.

Shrinking physically the younger boy feels he’s destroyed his friendship Benjy, the thought of that brings him great pain.

“Benjy, Ewan is your friend…” Linara says trying to reason without wanting to make matters worse, tensions rise, tempers fray.

“So…”

Wanting to huff and roll her eyes but forcing herself not to, she queries, “Can you not listen to him?”

“I could…”

Feeling she’ll have to do the work here and coax it out of Benjy she pushes the forward, “But…”

There is a pause, long and awkward before the long haired boy relents, “Fine. We do it your way Ewan.”

Begrudgingly stepping back, Benjy gives Ewan the chance to step forward and speak with the alien, Odzok.

“We’re not here to hurt you.” The blonde boy promises only to then ask, “How is your… tail?”

He can think of no better way to describe the body of the alien for he is unaware of the extraterrestrials anatomy.

“Huwt, painful.” Is the reply offered as eye clusters study nervously the trio.

“Lin could take a look at it if you’ll let her. Will you?” The boy then says attempting to reason with the alien as his heart pounds in his chest. The rapid thumps of his heart not from all the running about done previously but rather the excitement of having discovered an alien lifeform. After all, what could be cooler than that? In Ewan’s mind the answer is nothing.

Wary, Odzok eyes the one who introduced herself as Linawa. He hates that he cannot properly replicate all the sounds these bipeds make but agrees to aid with a bow.

“Think that’s a yes. You’re up Lin.” Benjy mutters, his tone having softened even if his body language continues to refuse to.

Nodding in agreement but offering no reply, for one could potentially antagonise, Linara steps forward until she is looming over Odzok. The alien begins to quake, that is until the girl drops into a squat and begins examining the wound to his tail-body. It is at that point his fear gives way to curiosity. Because surely these bipeds would do nothing while one is so close, would they?

Suddenly a burst of pain from the wound draws a harsh intake of breath in the wake of Linara’s too close touch. The sound is accompanied by a sharp recoiling action.

“Sorry, I slipped.” Is the apologetic assurance from the eleven year old girl, who makes sure to hold her hands up in a gesture familiar to Jaltot.

The alien accepts her words as truth, more because of the gesture than the words delivered, and indicates this with a fresh bowing of his neck-head.

Returning to a study of the wound eventually sees Linara soon advise, as you would expect, “It needs wrapping. I take it you don’t have bandages?” The girl looks up at Odzok who cocks his head to one side.

The girl takes that as a no rather than he doesn’t understand. “Thought not. Um. Think Lin. What else can I… I got it.” Linara grabs a hold of the base of her vest shirt ready to rip at least a single shred from it to use as a bandage.

“What are you doing?” Benjy and Ewan both exclaim.

Confused by their exclamation Linara informs, “Making a bandage.”

“Nah, use this instead.” Come the words from Benjy who offers up his tartan over shirt.

“You sure?” The brown haired girl asks having not expected such an offer.

“Yeah, call it a peace offering.” The eldest boy assures with an awkward shrug.

Impressed by the maturity, as well as the offer, the girl smiles, accepts and then proceeds to tear a section from the bottom of the buttoned shirt before handing the remainder of it back to Benjy. He  smiles back with a nod of thanks for he hadn’t expected to get anything back. Still, he dons the remainder of the button shirt again.

It is barely noticeable, with a strip having been torn free, that it’s been altered in any meaningful way as it was already several sizes too long for him. The item a hand me down from his oldest brother, Roderick, a now thirty seven year old up and coming tech guru in the cellular phone world. A burgeoning market now that mobile phones are no longer the size of a persons’ head with a massive antenna on top of the bulky handsets from the decade prior.

Wasting no time and quickly tying the makeshift bandage around the wound, with the response to her efforts being several additional odd whistle noises that Linara takes as moans of pain, as well as a few added twitches that verge of swift withdrawals of permission, the wound is properly dressed.

“All done.” The girl declares stepping back to give Odzok some space to examine her handiwork.

And he does exactly that, concluding that she has done an exemplary job.

His fears abated the alien feels inclined to converse with these humans in what will be an inaugural meeting of species. A proud moment, or would be if it were not for the tragedy that brought Odzok here. He resists the urge to release a sigh of pain soaked regret.

“Thank you.” Is what Odzok manages instead.

“You’re welcome.”

“You’re not going to run off again, are you?” Ewan feels it necessary to query.

“No.”

Curious Benjy blurts, “Why did you in the first place?”

“You wemind me of those who hunt Jaltot, my people.”

“Hunt you?” Ewan exclaims evidently disgusted by the idea.

“Yes. For eons the Nazawine hunt Jaltot. Each time leave us few.”

For reasons she can’t give Linara blurts, “But this time was different?”

“Yes. This time. Nazawine came to expunge Jaltot. I fled.” The alien admits while gazing off into the middle distance.

“That’s horrible.”

“Can’t you fight them?” Benjy suggests.

“No. Bipeds too strong.  We no match.”

“Do you not have weapons?”

“We do not. Jaltot peaceful.”

“How many others are on this ship?”

“None. Only I. Fled alone.”

“Oh.”

The three children hang their heads, a sign of respectful remorse.

“I need help. Can you?” Odzok pleads breaking the painful silence.

Linara, Ewan and Benjy exchange looks before anyone dares speak. When they do it is Benjy who answers, “Yeah, we’ll help you. What do you need?”

“Escape from Nazawine.” There is little Odzok hates more than saying the name of his enemy so frequently, except maybe having to do so in this human tongue. It feels wrong and sounds wholly stupid to his auditory caverns.

“We can’t do that….”

Odzok’s mood sinks, the humans have lied; they are not willing. He has been deceived. He should’ve expected such. Instinct told he would be shown to be the fool for trusting them, now that is precisely how he feels.

“Humans can’t leave Earth. We don’t have the technology.” The blonde boy explains.

Surprised, the snake-like Jaltot shifts his eye clusters from one human to the next searching for deception, sign of this being a lie.

“Otherwise we would love to help. Best we can do is hide you.”

“Yeah, Lin’s right that is the best we can do, especially as we’re only children.”

Sure the trio are speaking truth, but taken aback nonetheless the alien exclaims, “Infants? Young? Not matuwe?”

“Not by a long shot. I’m nine, Benjy is ten and Lin is eleven.”

Realisation slaps Odzok across the jaw rim hard. He should’ve known. It’s obvious. How did he not see or realise it. But he didn’t; a failing on his part. Now he is aware however he urges, “Take me to adult humans.”

“Not a good idea.” Benjy assures with a quick side to side shake of his head meant to illustrate, conscious or not, his point.

“You said you help Odzok. This what I need.”

“You don’t understand; adults, will not listen. They never listen.”

“Why not?” Asks the alien with a freshly cocked head that looks pretty unnatural, as though its neck is broken due to the severity of the angle and kink it manages.

“They don’t understand much.”

“Youth know mowe?” Confusion weighs heavy on Odzok for he is unable to grasp how children can be more knowledgeable than their elders. With Jaltot nothing could be further from the truth. Which is why Jaltot learn from elders, listen to them, hold them in high regard. For humans to be different is quite… perplexing.

“No, we just…” Benjy isn’t sure how to explain it.

“Adults judge too quick, act rashly, or flat out refuse to listen.” Is the answer delivered by Linara who is thinking about her mom, how they barely talk anymore because things with work are more important than her own daughter. That includes repeatedly moving here, there and everywhere at pretty much the drop of a hat.

Thinking on the matter, unsure the young humans fully understand their elders as much as they believe, Odzok finally accepts he has little options besides these three and so informs, “I accept help. Show me way.”

“Um where’re we going to stash him though?” The long haired Benjy queries uncertain of how much help the three of them can really be seeing as they are kids, regardless of however cool being the first people to meet alien life is in their eyes.

“Don’t know. Think we should get moving though. If anyone else heard what we did they’ll likely be here real soon.” Linara reasons changing subject not because she wants to but because they really do need to get moving. Plus, it’ll buy her time, she hopes, to come up with some potential options, maybe.

No one objects and soon the quartet are underway, heading roughly towards town without an exact destination in mind.

Thankfully, they have, thus far, seen no one else. Nor any signs of anyone else. It’s not a great surprise but it had been a concern. Truthfully, it continues to be, greatly reduced but there all the same.

“He could stay with me.” Is the out of left field exclamation from Ewan who feels it necessary to just put the idea out there.

“Not a good idea, your mom is forever cleaning your room, and the rest of the house. She’d spot him in half a day.”

Unhappy at the reply but knowing it to be true the blonde boy admits deflated, “You’re right.”

Thought of an alien living with him having bypassed any sense he’d had because it would be the coolest thing ever, in his mind. Though it is true, his mom would easily discover Odzok and if that happened; she… would… flip.

“Odzok, what does your name mean?” Linara wonders aloud, feeling it potentially prudent to change subject so they can let their brains work on the problem in the background, instead of bashing away fruitlessly any longer than they have so far. After all, it’s not like they’ve made any progress.

“Nothing. It a name.”

“Sounds a bit like odd sock to me.”

“Ha. Yeah it does, hadn’t noticed.” Ewan says launching into uncontrollable laughter.

“What is an odd sock?”

It is strange series of words to say, mildly enjoyable the Jaltot has to admit. But any hopes of getting an answer he quickly learns are fruitless as both Linara and Benjy have also burst into laughter, leaving the alien the only one unaware of whatever the joke must be. That is until he feels compelled to join in on the joy because of its contagious, infectious in a good way, nature.

His ‘laugh’ however is most unlike the three human children’s, something which only helps to further fuel the continuous chuckles until all of them can laugh no more and have to stop because their sides and mouths are aching.

It is a dull pain, more an irritation than a concern, but something wholly new to Odzok who finally realises that his name sounds like the human words, odd sock. They are right, it is funny. What those words mean however he hasn’t a clue. Yet, he feels it matters little.

It isn’t long after the episode of infectious laughter that the group returns to more general discussions. All of them about random things, and all in hopes of giving their brains time to ponder on the problem of where to hide the alien who crashed to Earth.

That is until suddenly an uneasy feeling ripples from tail tip to neck-head. It encourages, no compels, Odzok to look up. When he does he stops, paralysed. Several steps later the children notice and stop too.

“What is it Odzok?”

He says nothing, only points, up at the sky.

The children follow the gesture. Their jaws drop for the second time today.

“What is that?”

“Nazawine.” Is all the Jaltot can manage.

“What?”

“How is that possible?”

Voice peaking and trembling, Odzok manages, “I no know. But they found me. They come. We must hide.”

The massive diamond shape blotting out a significant section of the night sky and its stars suddenly unleashes thousands upon thousands of tiny fragments. These specs do not rain down, rather they readjust, angle and then slowly descend, controlled, piloted, toward the surface of Earth in Hallbrook County. Meanwhile Odzok quakes fearful of what devastation he might have brought to this unsuspecting human world.