Chapter 31 - Polly

Trying to settle in with a whole new tribe has been good at keeping me distracted over the past few days.

Mostly.

The Trixikka males here are ten times more attentive than the ones back at Rynn's tribe, but I guess that's only because Aloryk stood between me and them when I was there. I can see the curiosity and hope in their eyes each time they interact with me, and more than once I've seen them glance down to check their own chests for heart-stars. Watching them do that leaves a sour feeling in my gut.

Has Delphi made his heart-stars appear yet?

I quickly shake the painful thought away and focus back on the here and now.

This Trixikka village is very similar to the other one, except that the central focus is on the large, hall-like hut, and that their temple is situated a lot closer, next to a nearby waterfall. Everyone gathers by the huge, smooth, flying-saucer-shaped ‘temple' now. The Trixikka are having some kind of religious ritual offering. Their chief, Zarriko, or ‘Big Zee' as Skye likes to keep calling him, is apparently too preoccupied with Sophia to attend… whatever this is , and his second-in-command, the scary looking guy who doesn't talk, is filling in for leading the proceedings. Well… as much as he can. All the other Trixikka have no problems interpreting the grunts, nods and jerks of his head, but then again, I suppose they've done this song and dance before, so they know what's expected of them.

"This is the crazy bit," Tessa, a friendly, mousy-haired woman leans in to whisper. Skye arches her eyebrow in a playful ‘I-told-you-so' kind of way. In the past few days since I arrived, I've spent most of my time with Skye because Sophia isn't quite recuperated enough to be out and about, Gwen spends most her time with Jaryk and Tessa is almost always right here, by the temple. Skye says Tessa's obsessed with the ‘Goddesses' that are meant to be inside, and spends a lot of time just trying to get them to ‘talk' to her. Whatever that means.

But, I've got to admit, when that little hatch opens up and a floating sphere of light pulses its way out of the strange building, this really is ‘ the crazy bit ', as Tessa describes it. And I really can't blame her at all for wanting to find out what the hell is up with this shit.

The same older Trixikka male who had accompanied Jaryk and Gwen to the other tribe steps forward, standing next to the much more formidable-looking ‘Second Spear'. I've come to realize that Jaryk allows this elderly male to speak for him, as he doesn't seem to be able to talk at all himself. The older Trixikka clears his throat and bows his head at the glowing ball of light. "Oh, generous Goddesses," he says, and all around us, the other Trixikka bow in reverence too. "We bring offerings this day, the bounty of which…" he glances at the small group of Trixikka standing to one side. They have bundles of feathers, a couple of kills and some of those weird-ass ‘seed-pots'. "Err…" his expression pales. "The bounty of which will be improved upon this next offering, I am sure."

Tessa grabs my wrist and ducks her head to whisper, "listen. Listen to that thing's voice."

My brow creases and I'm about to whisper back when the ball of spinning light begins to talk in a woman's voice. "We thank you for these gifts, but… so… the Goddesses demand…uh…"

"What the-"

" See !" Tessa whisper-hisses, pointing a finger at the talking sphere of light. "About a week or so ago whenever that thing came out to talk, it didn't sound like it used to. The cadence is all wrong, the uncertainty… it sounds like someone on their first day at a new job!"

"I mean," the disembodied woman's voice continues, "the bounty of the gift needs to be multiplied… or whatever."

"And just yesterday," Tessa says in a hushed but excited tone, her eyes never straying from that temple, "I was asking it questions, trying to get it to talk, and at first I swear it sounded like a male voice by mistake, then it morphed into a higher-pitched female one. I'm telling you, something weird is going on behind that temple!"

I stare at the huge structure. It struck me straight away when being shown the other one back at Aloryk's tribe that it just doesn't sit right in this kind of landscape. These people didn't build this. Nothing in these lands created this. It's not of this world. It's of a different one.

And I believe Tessa. Something weird is going on in there.

I think all the girls believe it, but she's the only one determined to get to the bottom of it. She comes to eat with us and to check on Sophia since she used to be some kind of nurse back home, but other than that, you'll find her here, watching that big ol' spaceship thing as if it will spill all its secrets if she stares it down long enough.

After the whole temple ceremony is over, everyone except Tessa and two Trixikka guards wander back to the village, content to go about the rest of their day. I decide to stay with her, and, judging by the smirk she gives me, she knows my interest is piqued about this whole temple mystery.

Tessa gives me a wink and walks over to where the edge of the forest cozies up to the foot of the mountain. There's a tree with low, wide purple limbs and draped over one of those limbs is a big, soft hide in the same purple-maroon shade of the tree bark. The hide is almost indistinguishable against the branch, except for a patch of white dappling that must have decorated the animal's back. After retrieving it, Tessa lays the hide out on top of the strange, white grass and seats herself cross-legged on the thing. Shielding her eyes with her hand, she looks up at me expectantly and pats the space beside her.

I glance at the two Trixikka standing at the edge of the forest, observing us. They wait there, spears in hand, quietly talking with one another, only breaking their murmurings when they see me looking. Suddenly, they stand taller, widen their wings and puff their chests, their skin-stars dancing all over the place.

I feel a tug on my PJ shirt. "Girl, don't give them any attention," Tessa smiles up at me, gesturing for me to sit again. "You'll only encourage them to come over here and this thing never talks to me if there's Trixikka around."

"It talks to you? What does it say?"

"Boring stuff, mainly," she says, shrugging. "But I'll catch them out one day. Did you see what's written on the back of this temple-thing?" I shake my head. "Royal Xaviann Conservation," she tells me, like that's supposed to mean anything.

I pull a face, turning the words over. "So… conservation is good, right? It means these lands are protected."

"Yeah, but protected by who? And to what end?"

"The ‘Royal Xavianns'?" I shrug. "Whoever they are."

Tessa's lips purse and she tilts her head while looking up at the huge, smooth, white egg-like building in front of us. "But… are they the good guys?"

Mirroring her stance, my mind can't help but think back to when I woke up in that horrible pod. I know I was drowsy and confused, but I knew right away that Aloryk was there to help me. "I don't think I'm very good at discerning who's a good guy, and who's not." I don't have to look at Tessa to feel her eyes on me now, and I'd rather not think about what I left behind. I thought this whole ‘discussing conspiracy theories about the space ship' was going to distract me from all that. "Besides, these guys give the Trixikka their babies… somehow."

When I turn my head, I see Tessa's eyes roaming my face. I don't want her pity about Aloryk. I'm not sure if Sophia or Skye told the others about why I volunteered to come to this tribe, but it sure feels like Tessa knows something right about now. Luckily for me, her curious gaze morphs into a grin before I have to purposely start talking about something else. "Hey, you wanna try and catch it out with me?" she says, leaping up to go and press her palm to the black panel on the surface of the temple.

I don't get any chance to refuse, not that I would. I think I would agree to just about anything right now if it means I don't have to think about him .

The little recess in the side of the temple opens up like it had during the ceremony. A flat chime sound meets my ears just as the spinning orb of light floats its way out, hovering in front of Tessa. "Hi," she says, waving, like the glowing ball can see her.

The sphere hovers gently up and down for a moment before starting to shine a little brighter as it makes a noise - a noise like a man clearing his throat. Tessa throws a look at me over her shoulder - a look that says ‘girl, did you hear that?!' But, when the flying orb starts to talk again, it's with a serene, feminine voice - one fit for whatever you might imagine a Goddess would sound like.

"Greetings, human female," the ball says, the light from within pulsing with each word and smaller sparks whizzing around the ball, like it was a tiny planet with excitable moons and stars in its orbit.

"Can you come over here to talk to me and my friend?" Tessa asks, but she doesn't hang around for an answer before she turns and heads back to me, seating herself on the purple hide she'd laid out for us. It makes me wonder if this is what she does all the time; talking to this thing to try and catch it out. It's not a bad way to spend time, I suppose, and Tessa strikes me as a real ‘dog with a bone' type of woman.

The ‘Goddess' orb bobs in mid-air for a moment, as if the thing is hesitating.

"Well, come on, now. We won't bite," Tessa says, patting her knee.

The ball makes a choked sort of noise, that again, definitely didn't sound female. Tessa and I exchange a look. Briefly, I glance over to our Trixikka guards, only to see that they're too preoccupied by practicing their spear-throwing skills to pay us any mind.

Still, the orb hesitates, floating up and down in one spot. "Come on!" Tessa coos at the thing like it's a little dog or something, slapping her thighs with both hands as she talks in a babyish voice. "Come on, little Goddess! Here, girl!"

I press my lips together to keep myself from snorting, but the thing really does seem to act like an unsure animal. I think I see it sway a little toward going back inside the temple, only to eventually answer Tessa's calls and bob its way over to us.

"So…" Tessa starts, dipping her head toward our guest. "How are you today?"

The sphere slowly weaves up and down in mid-air.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

Silence .

Tessa opens her mouth as if to say something further to try and coax out a response, but she doesn't have to.

"What is a ‘cat'? And what would it need with my tongue?" the disembodied female voice asks.

"It's a figure of speech," I tell the floating ball. "But… shouldn't you already know that, since you're a ‘Goddess' and all?"

Tessa smirks at me and I think I like this game of mystery she's set up for herself here.

Although, questioning the thing doesn't seem to go in my favor as the ball seems to have clammed up and keeps quiet.

After a long while of us just sitting here, watching the thing bob and spin, I get a little curious. My hand raises slowly toward the orb, only to halt in mid-air when I hear Tessa's sharp inhale beside me. "Does it hurt to touch it or something?" I ask. "Is it hot?"

She shakes her head and whispers, "I don't know. I've not been brave enough."

Focusing on the orb again, its brightness makes me squint, and, wetting my lips, I decide to just fucking go for it. My hand moves forward once more but then I'm interrupted again by a strange, but somehow familiar sound.

Beep-beep… beep-beep… beep-beep…

Is that a…?

It really sounds like a…

Like a phone ringing.

But not quite the same?

Kind of like it's a foreign tone… and coming from underwater or something.

Tessa and I exchange a look.

"Ah, sh-" the Goddess says and I can quite clearly hear the clicking of buttons like a keyboard. The ball of light starts to float away and before I can even think, I snatch the thing right out of the air with both hands, clutching it to my chest. My eyes are screwed shut, bracing for it to burn through my pajamas.

But nothing happens.

That odd ringtone is still chiming.

Cautiously, I peel open one eye, and then the other to look down and inspect the glowing ball of light in my hands. It's not hot like I'd expected. In fact, it feels kind of cold. And the spinning bits of light don't feel like anything at all as they continue to whirl around, sometimes disappearing into my chest to appear back around the other side like I'm not here at all.

I look up to Tessa to find her eyes wide and her lips parted in surprise. I was going to say something - I don't know what. What do you say when you grab ahold of an alien deity? ‘Finders-kee-

No.

Not that.

There's a subtle little whoosh sound and both Tessa and I look up to the temple just in time to see the little hollow this thing floated out of snap shut.

Then the ringtone ends.

"To what do I owe this honor, Your Highness?" an amused man's voice drawls.

That… that's definitely a male voice coming from the orb in my arms. Tessa and I gape at one another. Whoever that is, they think this communicator ball is safely back inside the temple.

I take a breath, about to whisper or mouth some variation of ‘ holy fuck! ' at Tessa, but she's faster as her hand clamps over my mouth and she throws a furtive glance over at our oblivious Trixikka guards.

Someone - a male alien - groans as the orb lights up with the noise. "Don't call me that, Zann. You know I hate when you call me that." I blink at Tessa, her hand still covering my mouth. "Can't I reach out via comms to find out how my little brother is doing without you being a giant geliklik? How's the placement going?"

The other guy snorts. "Placement? Punishment, you mean?"

"Yeah… well, if you hadn't fucked that senator's daughter, I wouldn't have had to send you anywhere. Besides, the sooner you finish up down there on the reserve, the sooner you can come home and enter your breeding contract, so it's not like I want you to be there. I really don't trust that Zyxiaan you put in place as your bride's guard."

Tessa's hand slowly slips from my mouth as we both stare at the ball in my hand, very aware that we're eavesdropping on something we don't understand and we're probably not meant to be hearing.

" Relax ," the first male says, sounding a little amused. "I owe him a favor. He's trying to go clean. He'll be on his best behavior with the human, I'm sure."

"Wh- What do you mean, ‘ he's trying to go clean '?" There's a pause in the conversation before I hear one of them inhale. "Zann, is he-" I can hear some movement and something that sounds like an exasperated sigh. "-Please tell me he's not involved with the Darkstars cartel."

"Alright," the first male says, and I can hear the smile in his disembodied voice as I stare at the spinning orb in my hands. "He's not involved with the Darkstars cartel… anymore ."

" Zann ! For fuck's sake ! I can't have a dangerous criminal living under the same roof as my Niska!"

Niska?!

All the blood in my body seems to rush to pulse in my ears.

Did I even hear that right?

The first male chuckles, totally unbothered by his brother's apparent panic about… about someone called Niska? It can't be… right? My best friend? No, that's stupid. She's still safe, back on Earth. " Your Niska is safe, I promise! Like I said, the Zyxiaan won't touch your precious human bride, or mine, or Az's…" he pauses and laughs again. "In fact, I think I'd pay to see him try it with Az's human - that female he picked is as feisty as the drak he rides."

I look up at Tessa as if she knows what the hell this alien is talking about, but she's just staring at the ball in my hands, her brows drawn in concentration.

"Niska?" I hear myself say when I look back down at the orb. My voice is hoarse and quiet, but I couldn't not say something. They can't possibly be talking about my friend, right? It just can't be. "Did you say you have a human girl called Niska?" I ask, my voice only a little bit stronger this time.

There's a pause before the second alien growls, " Zann … why is there a female on our private comm line ?"

" Shit ! They still have the comm sphere!"

We can hear some movement - some desperate tapping of buttons, and all of a sudden, I feel the ball try to tug away from my arms.

I hold tighter.

The thing gets brighter and makes a whirring sound as it tries to escape my grip.

" Female, release the sphere, for the love of pippicakes !"

" No !" I yell back. "Tell me where Niska is!"

The ball jerks harder - so hard it makes me fall over, almost dragging me back to the temple with it.

" Polly !" Tessa gasps, taking hold of the ball now too.

I can hear the male who's talking through the sphere growl at us. " Fuck ! Why are you humans always so much fucking trouble? Just let go !"

" No !" both Tessa and I shout together.

Unfortunately, that seems to get the attention of our guards, and in no time we're joined by two very concerned Trixikka.

"What are you doing, females?"

"They have the Goddess!"

"This-… you cannot touch the Goddess! Unhand that right now!"

I can feel strong hands on my arms, trying to pry us off of the sphere I'm keeping to my chest in a fierce bearhug. "It's not a Goddess! He knows where my friend is!"

"Let go!"

" No !"

There is a struggle, and I can tell the Trixikka are trying to be as gentle as they can be with both me and Tessa, but ultimately, they are much, much stronger than the both of us put together. They pry us apart, hoisting both of us up with a strong arm around our middles, our legs dangling down like we're misbehaving puppies or something.

"Release the Goddess," the one who has me demands, shaking me a little as if that will do the trick. "I do not want to hurt you, but you must let go. If the High Spear hears of this, he will have my feathers."

"I just want to talk to it a little longer, plea- oof !"

Suddenly, the guard careens sideways, taking me with him. He twists, taking the brunt of the unexpected fall. We tumble and end on our backs looking up at the bright, blue sky with its twin suns.

" If you do not release my mate immediately, you will die ."

The growled words meet my ears and a strange cocktail of warmth and dread seeps through all areas of my body.

I tilt my head up and see Aloryk holding a dagger to my guard's throat.