I address the leader in my language. “Pilot Alisha doesn’t speak Honey. She is human and lacks kam, so please address her vocally and I will translate.”
I repeat my words in English for Alisha, because as planned, I need to act as translator as at the moment we don’t want the other tribe to know we can communicate by touch. It is several heartbeats before the leader of the other tribe responds.
“What is human?” She finally asks.
“Another type of being from the other continent.” I speak to the leader and then murmur to Alisha.
“The other continent doesn’t exist. It is a myth.” The leader sounds confident, but there is a line between her eyebrows as if she is reconsidering everything she knows about stories of the other continent. There is no point in adding the detail about the humans flying through the stars, and I’m not sure they would be believed anyway.
“It exists,” I confirm.
“And who is Pilot Alisha? Is she the leader of her people?”
“Can you please address Pilot Alicia? I am only her mate.” I incline my head.
“I can see that. You’re markings are glowing, so you are barely her mate,” the leader sneers.
They have not noticed the markings that indicate I’m banished. I’m already dreading that conversation.
“It is customary to return to the mainland for mating,” Alisha says. “That is why we are here. You interrupted my mating and celebration by taking my people and killing one of my men.” She matches the leader's haughty tone.
“Where are my warriors, the ones examining the…” The leader stares at the ship. I know it is a ship, but I am accustomed to human technology.
“It’s a ship, one that flies.” I offer. “It is made of metal, and the human tribe has many.”
Alisha gives my hand a squeeze.Don’t talk us up too much. I don’t want to be the reason we are invaded.
I was hoping to sound threatening.
“You invaded my land. It is my warriors’ right to capture women. Where are my warriors?” the leader demands.
I wait for Alisha to respond and then tell the leader. “They are alive and in the ship.”
“Show me,” she orders.
“Show me my people,” Alisha counters.
We are outnumbered. If they attack, we will have no choice but to close the ship and return to the colony. If the colony wishes to rescue the humans, the humans will return in greater numbers.
The leader lifts her chin. “My warriors collected three of your women. They are far more valuable than two warriors.”
Alisha laughs when I translate. “Warriors are more valuable to my tribe as we have more women than men.” She pauses to let me translate. “Part of my mating games are to bring other women to seek their mates. We then take them home and show them our tribe. Our mating happens here to give the warriors a final choice between the Honey and human tribes. All have chosen to stay with my people.”
The way she says it makes it sound as if it’s been happening for generations. I almost believe her story.
The leader’s frown deepens. Perhaps she is not so easily convinced. “No, I would have heard of flying ships and missing warriors.”
Alisha lifts an eyebrow. “Would you? You banish so many and kill those you find. How would they tell you anything?” There is a sharpness to Alisha’s words that I do not need to translate.
And I note the impact of my words on the leader’s face as she realizes that Alisha is correct. No banished warrior has the chance to tell a tribe anything. They’re killed on sight. And if they started rambling about flying ships, no one would believe them.
I did not believe that Edilk’s falling star was a ship. He did not imagine it to be a ship. To him, it was a sign that we should follow. That the banished warriors that came before us were watching out for us. And maybe they were, even if the stars aren’t their distant campfires, and only the suns of other worlds.
Maybe their spirits gather around those suns to watch over all who are without a home and seeking a place to go along. Which means they also watch over the humans, and saw that the humans need us for survival, as much as we need them for a tribe, for mates, for life.
I share my thoughts with Alisha, and she smiles at me as if I am the sun that she needs.I like that thought.
Offer to show her the map of the world. She will want to know more.
