Samira

SAMIRA

T he distant boom echoed through the jungle, followed by the distinctive whine of energy weapons.

I froze, my heart rate spiking. Those weren’t the sounds of local wildlife or even the occasional skirmish between the guards and intruders. This was serious firepower.

Shit.

They were either coming for me or fighting amongst themselves as to who would be the one capturing me.

Part of me screamed to retreat to the relative safety of my cave hideout. But another part, the scientist in me that had survived a Krelaxian labor camp and clawed its way to academic recognition, burned with curiosity.

“Stupid ,” I muttered to myself. “You should have never tried to access that comm system”

I knew that it might give away my location, but I had to take the risk. Besides, there was always the possibility that people wouldn’t believe I was on this planet of all the planets in the galaxy.

Who was fighting out there? And more importantly, what did it mean for my precarious position on this remote world?

My heart was beating at a thousand beats per minute.

I chewed my lower lip, weighing the risks. Information could be the difference between life and death out here. And if there was a new player on Kervant-9, I needed to know about it.

Decision made, I carefully picked my way through the underbrush, moving as silently as I could manage. The sounds of combat grew louder, punctuated by shouts and the crack of breaking vegetation.

I paused at the edge of a small clearing, concealing myself behind the gnarled trunk of a massive tree. My eyes widened as I took it all in.

The clearing looked like a war zone. Scorched earth and splintered trees surrounded me, the acrid smell of ozone from energy weapons hanging heavy in the air. Smoke curled from smoldering vegetation, and debris littered the ground.

My gaze landed on a lone figure sprawled amidst the devastation. Gray skin. Black markings down his cheek. Small horns protruding from the temples. Even unconscious, the man radiated danger.

Vinduthi.

I took a hesitant step forward, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of danger. That’s when I saw it - the barest twitch of his fingers against the charred soil.

Despite my better judgment, I crept closer. The Vinduthi male was clearly wounded, dark fluid seeping from multiple lacerations across his muscular form.

As I neared, my scientific mind kicked into overdrive. The pattern of those wounds... I’d seen something similar before.

My fingers hovered above a particularly nasty gash on his arm. The edges of the wound were discolored, with thin tendrils of angry red spreading outward.

“Toxicodendron kervantii,” I muttered, recognizing the telltale signs of the local carnivorous vine’s neurotoxin. “But how did you manage to...”

My voice trailed off as the Vinduthi’s eyes snapped open, burning red and locked directly on me.

The Vinduthi’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed once more. The rational part of my brain screamed at me to run, to get as far away from this dangerous man as possible. But another voice, one that sounded suspiciously like my old mentor Dr. Zhen’la, whispered that I couldn’t leave a sentient being to die.

I bit my lip, weighing my options. The Vinduthi were feared across the galaxy for good reason. If I helped him and he turned on me... But if I left him, could I live with that choice?

“Damn it,” I muttered, making my decision.

Still, wherever he might be, at least Dr. Zhen’la would be proud that I was living up to his ideals. He had taken me in when I was looking for a way out of the camps and had recognized something inside me. He’s the one that had given me the chance to get educated.

He was probably the reason I was everything I was. I was grateful to him. The least I could do was live the ideals he wanted to impart to me.

I scanned the surrounding jungle, my mind racing through the catalog of native flora. The Megalophyllum giganteus should work - its massive leaves were sturdy enough to support the Vinduthi’s weight.

Sweat trickled down my back as I hacked through the dense undergrowth. The humid air clung to my skin, making every movement a struggle. Finally, I spotted the telltale purple-veined foliage towering above the canopy.

With trembling hands, I severed several of the enormous leaves from their stems. Each one was easily twice my size, their waxy surface cool against my palms. I dragged them back to the clearing, my muscles protesting every step of the way.

The Vinduthi lay motionless, his chest barely rising with shallow breaths. Up close, the extent of his injuries became even more apparent. Angry red welts criss-crossed his gray skin, and a nasty gash on his temple oozed dark fluid.

I positioned the leaves beside him, creating a makeshift stretcher. Now came the hard part.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself and began to roll him onto the leaves. His body was impossibly heavy, dense muscle making the task nearly impossible. I grunted with effort, my arms shaking as I strained against his weight.

“Come on,” I muttered through gritted teeth. “Just... a little... more...”

With one final heave, I managed to get him fully onto the stretcher. I collapsed beside him, gasping for air. My heart was thudding in my ears, and I wondered if I’d made a terrible mistake.

But there was no turning back now.

I grabbed the edges of the leaves and began to pull. The Vinduthi’s unconscious form slid across the jungle floor with agonizing slowness. Every few feet, I had to stop and catch my breath, my muscles screaming in protest.

At last, the dark mouth of the small cave I’d discovered weeks ago came into view. With the last of my strength, I dragged the Vinduthi inside, collapsing against the cool stone wall.

Once I caught my breath, I set to work. I rummaged through my pack, pulling out various plant samples I’d collected. With practiced hands, I began crushing leaves and mixing them into improvised poultices.

“Acanthostaphylus kervantii for the inflammation,” I murmured, applying a greenish paste to the worst of his wounds. “And a touch of Helianthemum nocturnum to counteract the neurotoxin.”

As I worked, I studied the Vinduthi up close. His gray skin was surprisingly smooth, marred only by the swirling black markings that decorated one side of his body. The row of small horns along his temples gleamed dully in the filtered sunlight.

I shook my head, forcing myself back to reality. This was no time to get distracted by alien physiology, no matter how fascinating.

Hours passed as I tended to his injuries. The Vinduthi stirred occasionally, and each time I tensed, ready to bolt if he woke up violently. But he remained unconscious, his breathing growing steadier as my treatments took effect.

Just as I was applying the last of my improvised medicine, the Vinduthi’s eyes snapped open. In an instant, he had me pinned against the cave wall, his hand at my throat. I struggled to breathe, terror coursing through me.

“Who are you?” he growled, his face inches from mine. “Why were you treating my wounds?”

My throat tightened, and I swallowed against the sudden dryness, trying to keep my voice from shaking. “I found you unconscious and injured. I couldn’t just leave you to die.”

His grip loosened slightly, but he didn’t release me. His red eyes bored into mine, searching for any hint of deception, before taking in my stained lab coat and utterly unsuitable shirt and pants I wore beneath. His expression shifted, a flicker of curiosity crossing his features. “Why would a human help a Vinduthi?”

“Because it was the right thing to do,” I said, lifting my chin defiantly. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it if you stopped choking me.”

To my surprise, he let go and stepped back. I rubbed my throat, eyeing him warily.

“You’re either very brave or very foolish, little human,” he said, his tone unreadable.

“I’ve been called worse,” I replied dryly. “How are you feeling? The toxin should be mostly neutralized by now.”

He flexed his arm, examining the wound, then staggered. “Better than I should, given the circumstances. Your skills are... impressive.”

“Thank you,” I said, relaxing slightly. “I don’t suppose you’d care to explain what a Vinduthi is doing on Kervant-9? This isn’t exactly a popular tourist destination. At least tell me your name.”

He remained silent for a long moment, clearly debating how much to reveal. Finally, he spoke. “Call me Arkon. I’m... looking for someone. A human scientist.”

“Who?”

“Dr. Radu,” he said, his intense gaze fixed on me. “But I have a feeling I’ve already found her.”