Page 24 of Warrior Rescued

Elena looked expectantly up at him.

“I am very pleased you assimilated the implant so quickly. The Osivoire technology is rather impressive.”

“Yay.” Elena happily clapped her hands. “Are they some sort of tech geniuses or what?”

“The Osivoire are very advanced. It’s where I imagine our people might have been if we hadn’t been mired in war for so long,” he mused.

“Our people have that in common.” She nodded.

“We should probably get walking, if you feel all right.”

“I do.” Elena nodded. “Need a drink before we get going?” She passed him the pouch of water.

“Thank you.” He took a swig. “And thank you for your help.”

He took her bag, now full of vegetation, and dropped the canteen into it before hanging it on his shoulder, along with the pack of salvaged supplies from the cruiser.

“Thanks, but I didn’t do much. Nothing compared to this.” Elena gestured to her ear as they started across the muddy swamp.

“Guide, cook, medic, supplier of ingenious ideas…no, you’ve done nothing,” he teased.

“Watch it with the flattery. I’ll get a big head.” She grinned at him.

“And it would still be as gorgeous.” He smiled back at her.

“Stop,” Elena mumbled, ducking her head, but he could still see her grin.

Her shy reaction reminded him he needed to tread carefully with the innocent creature, but he hadn’t been lying. Elena was amazing, brave, resourceful and stunning even covered in mud. He gripped the edge of his vestment just to have something to do with his hands, when he found himself again reaching for her.

“If it’s hard for you, you don’t have to tell me, but how have you managed on this world?” he asked, hoping her tale would distract him from the illicit thoughts brewing in his mind, and he was truly curious.

“It was hard at first, really hard. Still is, I guess.” She looked toward the canyon in the distance.

He frowned at her mournful expression. “Apologies. I shouldn’t have asked.” Payim shook his head, silently cursing himself.

“No. Don’t apologize. Surviving has been hard, but accepting what has happened, that’s been the real challenge. One minute I’m at this big family reunion and the next I’m in Hell, our version of the bad afterlife,” she explained, though he’d gathered as much. “And there’s an alien, a real alien, waking me up begging for help.”

“That is…” he paused and grimaced. “Well, I don’t have words to express how horrible that must have been.”

“The Miran Sona ship cracked open like an egg when it hit the canyon, spilling out our stasis capsules as it cartwheeled. At least that’s the way Sidi described it. I was so angry at him for ripping me from my life and family,” she growled then sighed. “But his people forced him and his wife on this mission, and he lost Taka that day, so it was real hard staying mad at him.”

“And then Sidi was killed,” Payim added, recalling her tale from earlier.

“Yes.” Elena nodded morosely. “We were here for about six months when the reptiles arrived. Several of their ships crashed, too. We hurried toward the canyon, hoping to God we didn’t miss them. Sidi was so excited. This planet was hard on him.”

“They are a delicate race.” He nodded.

“I thought he’d break one of his gangly legs as he rushed down the canyon ridge. I was eager, too, but I didn’t want to snap my neck, and then I saw those reptiles. I was still getting used to one alien and they were so…”

“Vile,” he provided.

She nodded. “The bastards didn’t even wait to see what Sidi wanted. They just killed him. Opened fire with their freaky guns and I hid behind a rock.” Her expression contorted in pain and she stared at the ground.

Quietly he stood beside her, willing to wait.

“I’d foolishly thought things couldn’t get worse and then I lost my only friend. If it wasn’t for those people in stasis, I probably would’ve given up.” She smiled wistfully at him.

“I’m sorry. I know how that place in life feels.” He smiled flatly at her.

---