If the aliens have electricity, they are far more advanced than I thought at first glance. "We will be able to learn so much from their society and how to live in this world."
What crops they farm and how they farm? Which animals have they domesticated?
It's a boost that could guarantee our survival, though why would the aliens help us when we invaded their planet?
His grip tightens, and his fingers press into the muscle painfully. "You are to find out what kind of threat their society poses to us, not whether we can become best friends."
I clench my teeth together, refusing to cry out in pain as my brain scrambles for something to say. "Of course, the first thing I'll do is check for diseases. Anyone who has come in contact with him should be quarantined, as we don't want some alien cold killing people in the colony."
A flicker of fear passes over his face. Typical soldier, only thinking of weapons and violence when it's much easier to kill someone with germs. "Quarantine? What makes you think he'll be carrying anything different to what's in the soil or plants?"
He's old enough that he was born on Earth, though how much he remembers of it, I don't know. "Different animals and different plants have different diseases." I shrug. "Ten days of quarantine should be enough. That's how long we've given everything else."
There have been a few sicknesses, caused by the different viruses and bacteria, but a lot of the biology here is similar to what is on Earth, as if there are only so many ways to put together carbon-based organisms. The bacteria respond well to antibiotics, and the viruses we need to learn to fight off.
"Of course, if you've already been mixing with the colony since you grabbed him, it's probably too late. How long has he been here?"
"Two days."
I watch him run the numbers of how many men he had with him, and how many people they might have interacted with since returning to the colony. Too many is the short answer.
"The quarantine horse has bolted, so I best go do some work?" I pull my arm away and he releases me. "Anything else I should know about our guest?"
"He's a prisoner."
"Only because you captured him and made him one." As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize that wasn't a smart thing to say.
"He is the enemy. It's because of him your sister is missing. That three other women are missing, and several other colonists are dead." The soldier leans in close. His breath is hot on my cheek. "Don't forget that."
I won't forget that the colony made these alien people our enemy before we even met. I'm glad it was a scientific expedition that ran into these aliens, because they will ask questions before drawing weapons. I don't think my sister is dead.
And since the man behind bars was there, he has the answers.
They aren't the questions I should be asking, but the leaders must know that I will. They will expect me to act on the information if I am a dissenter, and if I'm not, then I will do nothing.
Damn, the leaders will get their answers and test me at the same time. I hate them just a little bit more, and I really didn't think that was possible.
5
CHLOE
When I step back inside the lab, and close the door behind me, the alien man is still seated on the bed as though waiting to be told what to do. Given that he can understand what we're saying, I wonder if he has anything to say about the situation.
He watches me with large orange eyes. They are far bigger than human eyes, and no human has orange irises. I can't decide if his large eyes make him more appealing or unsettling, as though he can see too much.
Perhaps he thinks my small eyes are equally odd.
On top of his head, fanning upright above his ears and peeking out from his hair, are what appear to be two bony crests. But aside from those two differences, the rest of him appears very similar to a human. Two arms, two legs, four fingers and one thumb. My gaze drops to the bulge in his pants. From what I've seen of the other animals on this world, their method of reproduction is not that different either.
How much like a human man is he?
"What questions do you want me to answer?" While the translation in my ear has a metallic twang. His voice is deep. Iwant to hear him speak more, even though I don't understand his words.
I'm a scientist and I'm getting to talk to an alien. I should have a list of questions prepared. If I'd been given some warning, maybe I would have. As it is, there are too many and they all want to rush out my mouth at once so all I manage is a half-strangled sound.
I swallow and try to organize my thoughts. There is only one question I need answered. "Have you seen my sister Sabine? She has the same color hair as me."
While we were both deemed a good fit for the science team, that is where the similarities end. She's tall and lanky, and while I'm the eldest, I am a good bit shorter. I'd like to blame it on the space travel or something, but apparently my grandmother was also short, so it runs in the family.
