Few hours passed since the being from another world had successfully acquired the being that probably was the last survivor of its kind. The horned creature was looking at the strange survivor, trying to know if it could even be awakened. The unfreezing process was complete and the being was now floating in an antigravity chamber with advanced technology keeping its vitals on check. The horned creature was tired and got up to walk onboard of the big ship. They reached a part of the back of the cockpit with a wall that opened diagonally downwards. They walked out and it closed behind them. The creature made their way in a white hallway soon passing by some lines that have been shaping squares, one red, one blue and one green. The blue one was the closest, the creature touched it and their expression went to sorrow, this was the room of the one with the staff…soon he reached the red one, for the bigger creature…The horned creature felt sad and cursed before advancing to their green square…it opened like the previous door and they went in. Nothing here seemed to be, it was an empty white room, with no window of any sort. The horned creature slid their hand on their wrist and an ovoid shaped form emerged from the floor. Its properties changed and it outlined a separation on the top half that softened. The horned creature sat on it and their weight made it sink a bit. The creature was tired and slid their hand in the air and a square opened on the wall, creating a window screen that showed outer space. The being frowned and closed their green eyes before sliding again their hand in the air, the screen switched to the view of a planet, it was a beautiful lavender colored planet with pink clouds and lands a dark shade of purple. In the distance, they could see a system of two suns. One was smaller than the other, and red, that was the one the planet was orbiting around. The being looked at it and felt nostalgia, they had left their home for so long…and lost so much…the being crashed on the bed of some sort and closed their eyes again. Soon the white light of the room dimmed and the screen view of the planet was painting the room with a tender lavender hue.
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Lights going from red to none then red again in a cycle that only emphasized the gravity of the situation. The world was ending…the soldier fought as hard as they could, trying to contain the Fallen. They spread their infections too fast, their bodies didn't seem to be stopped by bullets…soon, humanity was crumbling under the weight of the mistakes of their leaders … a nuclear war that could have been avoided had created such a carnage on the face of the Earth, life as it was, ceased…and then the Fallen rose, turning others until all humans died. All over the world, facilities had been made to preserve what was so little of humanity, and for decades it had been working…until the Omicron emerged…Fallen that had been the first to be infected and that rose to monstruous sizes and shapes and able to control the other fallen. They targeted all facilities, seemingly gaining a sort of hive mind allowing them to share the memories of those who had contributed in the past to build the facilities underground. All facilities were destroyed and with them, all the rest of humanity…or so was presumed. One of the facility had started emitting a signal into space…desperate to reach anything that could help them…and they selected few people to be preserved in spheres that made them invisible and untargetable to the fallen. Unfortunately, the spheres had malfunctioned and the people preserved inside died…but one somehow survived.
Screams of fear and despair muffled by anxiety…sight blurring as the heart raced…the last image of scientists wounded and dying with soldiers turned to fallen attacking them, then the sphere closed and then…silence and darkness and cold…made me sleep. Soon, I could feel my body again, I was sore…my eyes barely able to blink open…I was floating…my eyes opened to a place I didn't know…tubes and cables going through my lungs made me nauseous but I was barely able to recollect what happened. I could hear a beeping noise somewhere…but everything hurt and I could barely focus…Soon I saw a figure rush on the other side of this weird room I was floating in…I could barely see it, but I was sure it was looking at me…I could see the green eyes then…blackout again.
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The horned creature stabilized the room and allowed the being to lie down on an ovoid bed. They had seen the being awakening…it was alive. They gasped and started consulting their board for the being's vitals…albeit the huge difference from their kind, they did share few common things, like heartbeats and brain activity…the leader had accessed the very primal database of the kind of this being and could see what seemed to be references for their kind in terms of vitals…the leader couldn't understand the language but with logical thinking they started to assess the situation to make estimations of what could be the meaning of the symbols composing the writing, it was very similar to an old proto language they had back on their planet centuries ago. The leader had used a neural device that helped them to read the links in the being's brain, to access memory, knowledge including speech and thus started to work on a translation device. If the being were to wake up, they had to talk…no one wants to wake up somewhere they don't know with another being from another world whereas they were sure to be alone in space…they presumed. While working on the device, they could see the memory was harder to recollect, the brainwaves of their kind was abnormal to them…the creature decided to focus only on the translation device.
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I could feel myself waking from a dreamless sleep…my eyes meeting a white ceiling…I try moving but my body was not responding…I moved my eyes that I fortunately could…I looked to my left and could see someone…typing on a screen that floated before them…I was so dulled by whatever I went through that I was not even realizing what was happening…I noticed the suit of the person…it wasn't like anything I had seen before and from little I could see from this position…the person was very tall…like a basketball player…no, taller…I tried focusing on their suit designs…it looked like metal or something alike and it was framing a heavy musculature. I looked up to see their neck and head was not in the suit…that's when thing went crazy…their skin was a sort of clay grey, but a dimmer hue….they had two horns curving upwards…and their hair was probably the only thing that seemed normal…it was just black and trimmed in a faded fashion on the edges…my attention drifted to their ears…it looked like those of a bovine but fluffier? My numbness transformed to panic as I was not understanding what was going on nor where I was nor what was that being…it wasn't a fallen…they look more human in strange close feeling way…well, yesterday I was told they looked a lot different…and I remember seeing those atrocities…then…I had forgotten my panic and was drifting to other thoughts all rushing at the same time. Another beeping noise made the being turn to look down at me with shock…I returned the stunned expression. The face of that creature…reminded me of those strange creatures in old 90s movies…Their facial structure a bit close to humans, albeit the bridge of the nose being thicker and ending in a slightly blue under the skin…its eyes looked normal…at least human-like with a vibrant green to them and eyebrows that had a scar going through them…the grey of their skin darkened on their nose bridge in faded way and their lips also had the same slightly grey black complexion…they had a trimmed beard…if it weren't for the skin color, they could fool me to be human, well a very Greek god-like human…but this was clearly not….my heart drummed against my chest and the being seemed alerted by that and slid their finger that were each three times thicker than mine…to say the least…they did seem to have 5 fingers as well…their overall appearance not that far from a very strong man…but then again, I could only panic right now and my brain was confused at what I was going through…nothing made sense then I felt more relaxed…I was feeling something going through me…did the creature just tranquilized me? No, it slowed my anxiety…but how? I looked at them and they seemed a bit less stress then lifted their hands showing me I guess what I could assume was a no harm sign…but my logic was thrown of the window at this point…the being spoke but I wasn't sure those were words…I doubt it was even something I heard…just a deep set of sounds that made no sense. The creature understood my confusion and sat down then grabbed a small piece of metal I supposed…they pointed at me, to my head and only then did I noticed something around my ear…it was cold as metal yet wasn't bothering…I looked at them still confused as they pointed at themselves then at the board beside them. I couldn't understand what they meant…then they frowned a bit and turned to the board while typing on the screen. I looked at them for several minutes until they turned back then looked at me with a slight smile of achievement. It was so weird to see something that wasn't human smile…They pressed their fingers on the metal piece they had in hands and a ring line shone a bit as they clipped it to their ear like an earing of some sort. They got closer and I panicked, they looked me in the eyes and simply nodded slowly before their giant hand reached for my head hesitantly…looking for approval…I wasn't sure of what to do…since I couldn't move and they were clearly able to kill me if they wanted that and since they didn't yet…perhaps I had nothing else to lose…I nodded and I wasn't sure they could understand or if it meant the same thing to them…but they smiled and pressed on the metallic piece around my ear and then retracted to stand straight before opening their mouth again.
?: "Are you…able…to…understand?"
The creature's voice was feeling so close to my ear that I almost jolt in surprise…I could see their lips move…but none of that made sense with the English voice i was hearing…they seem a bit concerned seeing I wasn't responding and were about to look at their board then…I opened my mouth…it felt so heavy to speak and weird as if I hadn't spoken in days…
??: "I…do"
The creature looked back at me and smiled then bumped a fist up as if proud of themselves…I think I would be too if I had managed to create something that makes me understand another specie…the very thought of that creature being from another world made me shiver and my thoughts went wild…where was I? Was this heaven? Or hell? Considering they had horns…but no, they weren't even trying to kill me…right? The creature looked down and spoke again, slowly as if trying not to make it weird to hear.
?: "I am Halfor from the planet Ta'rhuan. We received your help signal but it had been quite a time since it was sent. My ship was the closest and sent to your location…my comrades…(*shoulders tensing as he gazed down with his eyebrows furrowing slightly before looking up through them, a lock of his black hair gently arching down above his forehead*) perished, in your world, but we managed to save you. I'm afraid your world is doomed, considering the threat level, a pulsar beam will be aimed at it once reach my planet, it needs to be destroyed"
I widened my eyes, an alien…I was speaking to an alien. I was not even sure if I was thrilled, surprised or terrified right now…this alien…dude, did he just said Earth needed to be destroyed, what about the others? I thought of my family and remembered they died…but what about all the other refugees? I rose my voice and felt it stings in my throat.
?: "N-no…you can't do that! There are innocent li-"
Halfor: "Your kind is extinct; your life pulse was the only one from a sentient being on your planet…all your kind has been destroyed by a sort of disease…according to the records from your breathing device"
?: "my what?"
I thought for a second then assumed you talked about my sphere. I slowed down and looked away, trying to rise in a sitting position. The alien went closer but I lifted my hands saying I could do it on my own…I was still wearing my clothes…I sighed as I sat a bit less in pain. I looked at the alien and spoke.
?: "My name is…Bard…I don't understand…"
Halfor: "It is understandable, I see your world had reached a certain level of technology but you used it to destroy yourself…"
Bard: "I…yesterday, I know we were attacked…but…there were other spheres, so they must be alive, right?"
Halfor: "Your container was the only one with a pulse"
Bard: "That's…"
Halfor's eyes went from one of Bard's eyes to the other then away before looking back at him with a small exhale more in frustration from not being able to do more than empathize. He pulled his chair closer to the bed.
Halfor: "I am sorry for what happened to your folks, also there's one thing you must know…the signal we received was sent from your planet in what your folks know as centuries, three to be exact. I see our kins do share some basic understanding of maths and physics."
Bard looked shocked.
Bard: "three centuries? No…I fell asleep yesterday…it can't be"
Halfor: "Your world was dead by the moment the signal had reached us…we rushed as fast we could but…it was already too late"
Bard felt his chest getting heavy, his eyes darting from one corner of the room to the alien sitting close to him shaking and he gripped his legs.
Bard: "I…I"
Halfor slid his hands on both sides, making the tubes still linked to the human's veins to detach. He then went closer and patted the human's shoulder.
Halfor: "breathe slowly…in…(*inhaling then exhaling*) and out…"
Bard looked, still panicking then did the exercise…after a few times, he was breathing normally and his heart slowed. Halfor offered a comforting smile before straightening in his seat.
Halfor: "I think, we need to make a better understanding of you first…if we reach my planet…they will turn you into an attraction, no one believed there were other civilization…we had reached space travel, yet we never found life. So, when the signal we received meant there were others…we rushed. But now that I found you, I realize that in your current state…you will never live normally on my planet, if you are lucky you will be under extreme analysis…"
Bard gulped and didn't wish to become anything like a guinea pig…
Bard: "so…what now?"
Halfor thought for a second.
Halfor: "two options…either we go back to your very unwelcoming world…or we go to my planet…we can't survive in this ship for too long, especially since I used a lot of energy to defend the ship from your…weird creatures"
Bard thought and looked down then mumbled.
Bard: "basically, there's no other choice than go to your planet"
Halfor: "I can have us undercover for a time…until I find a better ship so that we can move to another planet from my world…it is a planet for rogues and deserters…the laws from Ta'rhuan don't apply there…we can hide you there"
Bard: "So basically I will still be an outcast…just with potentially dangerous criminals…"
Halfor: "Look…I am trying to find a solution, so unless you want to go back to your world…I suggest we go now"
Bard tightened his grip on the soft shits of the bed then sighed in defeat, there was no way he would survive alone on Earth and based on their conversations, there were more people on this ship that died there…so Earth was way too dangerous…but what about being the only human on an alien planet filled with potential bad ones…if they were all like this alien, physically speaking, then they were clearly going to kill him easily…and considering their technology, they could probably do so without lifting a finger…but he wouldn't be alone…there would be this alien right?
Bard: "Will you be with me on that rogue world?"
Halfor seemed confused then thought and looked at Bard up and down before frowning.
Halfor: "You are doubting your safety…hm, so do I…but it is better than being on the main planet. If I go with you on the rogue planet, I would bring even more trouble…I am what your folks can think of a law agent…"
Bard: "there's no way I survive alone on an alien planet, can I even breathe there?"
Halfor: "Apparently, we breathe a set of same chemical components, your world just is richer with the dose…you will be fine on that planet…you will just be tired quicker which means you will have to eat a lot more."
Bard: "And how do you think I am supposed to do if I am alone"
Halfor: "Your species do know hunting?"
Bard: "Do I look like I can hunt anything?"
Halfor: "hm…I need to think about this, staying with you on that planet will bring attention…unless we go on the harsh lands"
Bard: "The what?"
Halfor: "That planet has a synchronic orbit, you do know what it means, right?"
Bard: "One cold surface and one hot surface facing the sun…I ain't surviving this"
Halfor: "Your skin can't handle cold?"
Bard laughed ironiacally.
Bard: "Of course not!"
Halfor: "Your world temperature is far colder than this room and yet those beings moved…"
Bard: "Those were dead…and alive…zombies…and besides, I can't survive that much cold, can you?"
Halfor: "Hm…okay, and what about heat?"
Bard: "That's worse…I will burn to a crisp"
Halfor: "You are being difficult…we will go to the cold side; it is dark and my kind usually avoids colder region…the ship will help us stay out of the cold…but I will need to be flying it every once in a while, to the sunlight"
Bard: "hm…okay"
Halfor: "Good. Now, you must be hungry, I would be if I slept 300 years…well, equivalent to my scale it would be 354 years pretty much"
Halfor laughed before tilting his head while speaking.
Halfor: "Your kind…doesn't know jokes?"
Bard: "We do…this one is just terrible"
Halfor: "My bad, so, can you stand?"
Bard: "I think"
Bard swayed his legs off the bed as he turned to prepare to get down. He breathed in and out before trying to put his feet down, it was cold…but he soon lifted his body to stand…he had issues maintaining his balance and he almost stumbled…Halfor quickly caught him and spoke. His larger hand holding the small chest of Bard while his other held his shoulder.
Halfor: "Easy there…you haven't walk for a long time…you need to take it easy..."
Bard: "Thank you…"
Bard tried readjusting before making small steps and smiled as he managed to walk a bit, Halfor seemed surprised but encouraged him. It was going to be a long journey of discovery and understanding on another level, sentient beings from different worlds…