As wide as his hips, a branch running perfectly parallel to the ground momentarily slowed the carnivore’s charge. It gave him time enough to duck beneath it. Under no further illusions as to his chances for survival, ancient instinct nevertheless compelled him to press on.
A shadow appeared in front of him. Though it was much smaller than the monstrosity on the verge of chewing into the flesh and bone of his back, its appearance did nothing to raise his hopes. It was not Myssari. The smaller offspring of his pursuer, perhaps, hovering expectantly as it awaited its share of the kill. Or perhaps an unknown species of scavenger appraising an incipient meal.
The shadow raised a limb. At the end of the limb was something small and shiny. There was a sharp, metallic, almost musical intonation. Light flared from the shining and passed close enough to scorch the floundering human’s left ear. He yelped more in surprise than pain.
Such was not the case with the predator that was almost upon him. It let out the loudest cough so far, one that broke and descended into an intermittent gargle. Turning, Ruslan saw flames rising from the creature’s right shoulder. He could hear clearly the sputter of burning hair and smell carbonized flesh. A second shot flared from behind him to strike where the monster’s neck would have been had its head not emerged directly from between its shoulders. The result was more flames and a burst of insane gargle-coughing. Whirling, the monster dropped to all fours and fled back along the path it had made through the brush. The smashing of additional flora as it took flight faded into the distance along with the flickering light cast by its flaming flesh and fur.
Sucking air as if he had spent the previous several minutes being smothered beneath a heavy blanket, Ruslan rose and turned to thank his savior. As soon as the individual took a step toward him, Ruslan saw that there were going to be difficulties in extending his gratitude.
His initial impression had been quite correct. The weapon wielder was not Myssari. In the shadowy wood he could just make out a vertical shape. Taller than the average Myssari, it was also slimmer. From the bottom of a pair of linked fleshy ovoids, two limbs extended downward. He thought they were pseudopods until his eyes adjusted enough for him to see that they were bony legs similar to his own. The difference lay in the number of joints. Where a human leg had three, this being boasted a dozen or more. It was the same with the two thin but highly flexible arms. The head was a hairless horizontal bar that sat atop a short but wide neck. At the right and left termini of the skull, bright eyes swiveled sideways and forward. There was a long slit of a mouth and no immediately obvious nose. Atop the long skull fluttered a row of small brown appendages like the petals of a flower. Whether these were sexual attractants, merely decorative, or organs of unknown function he could not say.
The creature was garbed in tight-fitting material that changed color and pattern as it moved. Camouflage gear, Ruslan decided. As his breathing slowed he essayed a few words of thanks in subdued Myssarian.
The muzzle of the weapon rose until it was aimed directly at his forehead.
Spreading his arms wide, he spoke again, this time more quickly. “Did you save me just to kill me? I don’t know your kind, but based on what I’ve seen and see now, you don’t strike me as inherently counterproductive.”
“I did not fire, ssish, to save you. The barunkad would have killed you first and then come for me. Eaten one first before carrying off the other.”
Having initially been slowed by the predator’s disappearance, Ruslan’s heart was now pounding anew. “Practical rather than altruistic. I can accept that. But why kill me now?”
The muzzle of the weapon did not shift away from the human’s head. “You have seen me. It will be better if you do not tell your…” As the battle with the local carnivore receded from its thoughts, the alien’s thinking shifted gears. “You are not Myssari. What are you?”
Looking past the alien, Ruslan gestured at the eroding metropolis beyond. “I am a human. A member of the species that settled this world and raised this city.”
The strange bean-shaped head dipped to the left. “You define yourself as a member of a species of liars. There are no more humans. None have been seen for…” He named a figure in his own language that did not translate into Myssarian.
“Until now.” Ruslan spoke as calmly as he could. Liars grew nervous as lies unfolded. If he was going to survive this encounter, it was vital for him to appear as self-assured as possible. “If you know of humans, then perhaps you have seen visual representations. Or within this city, statues. If I am not human, then what am I? Why would I claim to be a representative of an extinct race when I could as easily claim to be a member of an existing one?”
While the alien hesitated, the multiplicity of joints in its remarkable legs twisted and popped as it shifted on its feet. The latter extended backward from the ankle as far as they did forward.
“You claim to be a surviving human yet you speak perfect Myssarian. Far better than I. How do you explain that?”
“They found me on another empty human world and have cared for me since.”
“Then you are a pet.” The alien’s exceptionally wide mouth gaped to reveal dozens of small peg-like teeth.
If it was trying to provoke Ruslan, it failed. He had long ago come to terms with his status. The alien’s comment was interesting in and of itself. The Myssari did not keep pets. It suggested that this being’s species did.
“I am alive. If I were a pet, would I be out and about, exploring this place at night? Unless our respective kinds differ extensively on the definition of a pet, you know that if that was my status I would not be permitted to go out on my own.” For obvious reasons, he did not add that had they known about it the Myssari would surely have prevented his late afternoon excursion.
The alien appeared (or at least to Ruslan’s mind appeared) confused. He pressed his advantage.
“Why is it awkward for me to have seen you?”
“Because I should not be here,” the alien murmured.
Ruslan shrugged. “According to you, I should not be here, either. So we have something in common.”
Again the alien paused before the wide mouth parted once more. “I am thinking, ssish, that you are attempting irony. If so, that would be two things we have in common. They are not enough to keep me from killing you. But your existence, if you are truly a human, is. Most valuable information to take back with me that will become worthless if I kill you.”
Though the alien’s Myssarian was far from perfect, Ruslan felt sure enough of its meaning to comment. “Now who’s being ironic?”
The sounds of breaking branches interrupted the alien’s intended reply. With another long, appraising stare, the strange biped took the measure of the self-proclaimed human standing helplessly before it. The muzzle of the hand weapon held steady. So did Ruslan’s return gaze and respiration. Then the alien pivoted on its remarkably flexible legs to vanish in a thrashing of underbrush and camouflage. Ruslan exhaled heavily.
San’dwil was first at his side. The anxious base commander was followed seconds later by Kel’les and a clutch of concerned Myssari. All except Ruslan’s friend and minder were armed. While the others spread out to search the surrounding vegetation for threats, San’dwil and Kel’les confronted the human.
“What happened?” Kel’les’s small round mouth was flexing so fast it appeared that it was actually vibrating. “You were missed. When you could not be found, there was confusion, then some panic. Destructive energy was detected in this sector and confusion was multiplied.”
“I wanted to go for a walk.” A relieved Ruslan was by now far calmer than the still-apprehensive Myssari. “Without supervision. Without handlers.” At the look on Kel’les’s face, he added quickly, “Nothing personal. My kind needs occasional privacy, and I’ve had very little of it since we left Myssar.”