Part 19 (1/2)
That's when she noticed that Arok, who was taking his turn practicing with the bow, had s.h.i.+fted his aim to the left of the target they had set against the wall. Before she could stop her oldest son, the already nocked and drawn arrow left the bow.
An apparition dropped from the air and Gee flinched, unconsciously stepping backward and away from the ghostly sight. But just as quickly, he recognized the apparition for what it really was-a Telgoran. And not just any Telgoran. Somehow, Patahbay had found his way to where Gee was being held.
The recognition was followed a moment later by another. Grant was now dropping into the courtyard beside his gray-skinned friend.
That recognition was followed immediately by yet another. Arok had trained his weapon on the duo and had fired his arrow.
”Oh, no...”
Patahbay landed on both feet and raised his agsel staff in a defensive posture, ready for anything. He noticed the human, Gee, and a larger Minith standing off to the right, twenty meters away. The alien appeared to be unarmed.
Two smaller aliens were ten meters away and he turned his focus to them, his mind automatically calculating potential threats and defenses. He immediately a.s.sessed them as being younger Minith, not yet adults, but recognized that each held weapons. Though still young, they were the threat, not the older one standing with Gee.
One of the younger Minith held a crude staff that seemed to be formed from some type of organic matter. It was no match for the agsel staff that came to life within his own grip, the ore suddenly aware, anxious for immediate use.
The second young alien-the larger, and likely older of the pair-held some form of stringed weapon. Patahbay had not time to wonder how it worked before he saw exactly how it operated. The string held a straight shaft, and when the young Minith released is hold upon it, the tension in the string launched the shaft toward Patahbay.
He saw immediately that the aim was true, and the shaft flashed quickly toward his body.
Seemingly of its own volition, the agsel staff reacted to the threat and- * * *
-swatted the wooden missile, redirecting its flight away and to the right. The arrow landed dead center in the target they had set up for the boys.
”Amazing,” Gee whispered. What had seemed to be a certain strike had been casually swatted away like an irritating moth.
”Arok, stop!”
The boy heard her command and immediately stopped nocking his second arrow.
”Drop the bow.” Again, he did as his mother ordered. The bow, and the second arrow he had been readying, fell to the hard-packed surface of the courtyard.
The first arrow had been sent toward the alien instinctively, she knew. That one might be overlooked by the Telgoran or the human-humans, she corrected, as two more quickly dropped over the wall and joined the first. A second arrow would no doubt result in one or more of the growing group of interlopers firing their hand-held weapons at her oldest child.
Fortunately, no one fired, and she was both grateful and relieved.
Grant was within a hair's width of completing the trigger pull when the boy did as the other, obviously older Minith demanded and dropped his bow. Although it seemed like Patahbay had deflected the first arrow easily enough, he did not know how much of the move-which was very impressive-was luck versus skill. Regardless, there was no way he was going to allow the big-eared alien to take another try.
He was satisfied to cover the group arrayed before him as the rest of the team crossed the wall. t.i.tan landed hard a few meters away, but everyone else made it without any issues.
”Any Minith see us cross?” he asked Patahbay, the designated spokesman for his crew.
”Not that we could determine, General.”
”Excellent. Let's hope you're right.” Grant lowered his weapon and finally stood. ”Gee, old buddy. How're you doing?”
”I'm doing better now that I know I'm not the only human on Waa. But I still think we're in a very bad situation.”
Grant had to laugh. They were indeed.
”What, eight humans against a planet full of Minith? I think we've got 'em right where we want 'em, don't you?
”Not likely,” the engineer replied, obviously not in the mood for Grant's weak attempt at lightening the situation. ”t.i.tan, are you okay?”
The big man was still on the ground, tenderly probing his right ankle.
”Just a sprain, I think,” he answered with a grimace. ”It's not every day I get tossed into the air like a child's toy. It's good to see you, though.”
”General, can we stop the chitchat and get on with the matter at hand?” As usual, Conway was the voice of seriousness-if not maturity. It's one of the things Grant liked most about her. She grounded those around her.
”No problem, Sergeant Conway,” Grant agreed. ”Gee, we came to save your a.s.s from the Minith, but it looks like you're doing okay. What exactly is going on here?”
The adult Minith standing beside the engineer apparently wanted to know the same thing.
”Gee, what do these aliens want?” she asked Gee in Minith.
”Who are you calling an alien?” Grant asked, his Minith every bit as good as hers. He was rewarded with a twitch of ear, which he knew indicated surprise. She had apparently not expected him to speak the local language.
”Rala, this is Grant. Grant, Rala.” Gee answered them both with an introduction. He nodded his head knowingly at Grant, who looked at the female first, then at the two younger Minith. She had called the larger one Arok.
”Treel's Rala?”
”Amazing, isn't it?”
CHAPTER 31.
”So, you're proposing an alliance?”
”I wouldn't call it an alliance, Grant. 'Alliance' infers a certain sense of... equality. You and your small team are hardly in a position of strength here on Waa. I am offering you my protection against harm from any Minith that might wish you ill once they learn of your presence here.”
”I'm listening,” he stated without committing to any agreement or course of action.
Grant had listened carefully as Treel's wife-mate-explained her plans for taking over the governor's role. She seemed anxious to finally share her plans with someone else, even if that someone else was a human. Grant was not surprised that she would plan to overthrow her governor-the need for dominating their environment was a Minith trait. What was surprising was her seemingly unquestioned reliance on the guidance and direction she received from another race. Although Rala described her relations.h.i.+p with the Zrthns as a partners.h.i.+p, it felt an awful lot like influence peddling to Grant. He couldn't help but wonder if she was being manipulated for the benefit of her ”partners.”
He wasn't sure why she had opened up to him. Maybe it was true what the Waa said about Minith being slightly lower on the ”intelligence scale.” Perhaps it was because she knew he, as a human, was in no position to share her secrets with anyone. Or perhaps it was because they shared a bond.
Treel.
Whatever the reason, he listened and learned. He also tweaked his plans accordingly.
Once Grant learned who was holding Gee, he asked to meet with Rala and her sons privately. She was hesitant, obviously protective of her offspring. He informed her that if they had wanted to harm her or her sons, they could have already done so. He made a point of handing his weapon to t.i.tan, and she reluctantly agreed.