Ship Among The Stars

Kalis was scared, scared of the future. She wasn't scared about a punishment for losing the battle. She wasn't scared of what would happen about losing the ship. She was scared of living the rest of her life with the constant torment of guilt, she carried responsibility for all the deaths that occurred during her brief but disastrous command of the 'Swift Defense'.

In the 4 days since making contact with the 'Huntsman's Arrow' She had wondered and worried about what was to come after the abysmal defeat. Her life had quickly become a web of stress and guilt punctuated occasionally by small moments of light. The night they made contact with their rescuers Colton had asked her to teach him the galactic common language, which she might add he was a quick study of. However even with his newfound grasp of the language he was still extremely evasive whenever Kalis asked him about his past or who he was.

The reason he gave for wanting to learn was "If I'm to die I want to be able to look my executioner in the eye and tell him exactly where he can shove it and how deep."

Another brief victory occurred when they found a clean stream that cascaded into a small water fall perfect for bathing downstream and collecting clean drinking water upstream. It being the final day before the appointed day of rescue Kalis decided to make her way to the stream which was only about a mile or so from the cave. She hummed a tune to herself as she made her way down the path.

'I wonder where the pirate is today. He had better not try to escape.'

Over the last few days he had proven himself invaluable where it came to hunting as the rations aboard the escape craft had burned up after the crash, but Kalis couldn't bring herself to completely trust him, but he did impress her if only a little with his vast knowledge of seemingly ridiculously crude methods of hunting and trapping game.

'He's also pretty good at cooking it, Honsetly if he chose to run I'm sure he could survive on this planet by himself. That begs the question however; why doesn't he try to escape?'

Kalis still couldn't figure the man out at all, he didn't seem to have any intention on making good his escape and in all honesty he seemed to be happy to just wait and take things as they come.

Kalis finally arrived at the stream, However she saw that Colton was already there in the water up to his waist. Blushing she ducked into the bushes but couldnt help but peak at the tanned man washing himself while he sang a song in his native language. Kalis couldn't understand the song but she was entranced by the tune and spaced out as she obsereved Colton, she took note of the scars on the right side of his body as well as a multi colored splotch on his left shoulder. She squinted to see what it was and could just make out a blue rectangle with a gold 5 pointed star in the middle.

'Is that a birthmark? How bizarre.'

The man before her was well built, not buff but his muscles were well defined for sure like steel wires under his skin. Realizing she was staring she turned her head and started to leave until she saw Coltons clothes hung from a tree nearby and the weapon he used to kill the razehound sitting on a rock underneath. She had been agonizing over the object for days, she knew she'd have to get ahold of it somehow before they were rescued, after all a prisoner can't be the one with the weapon right? After confirming he wasn't looking her way Kalis slipped over to the clothes.

'I've always wondered about this material.'

She felt of his denim jeans and was amazed that anyone would wear anything this coarse. Her curiosity satisfied, she bent to pick up the weapon only to have a hand dart out and grab her at the wrist.

"It's not wise to touch a texans gun."

Kalis turned to find a pair of hard green eyes staring hard into her own hazel eyes. She instinctivly lashed out with her right leg attempting to sweep the opponents legs from under him, however Colton just released her arm took a step back avoiding the leg sweep. The avoidance only served to stoke Kalis' anger as she took up a fighting stance.

She recalled the many self defense lessons she undertook at the Naval academy, not mandatory classes of course, Heaven forbid the officers learn a skill to fight the enemy hand to hand. One of the lessons that her instructor, CPO Polis, often impressed upon her was that as a woman it was necessary to strike first and strike viscously. So thats exactly what Kalis did as she sent a round house kick at Coltons n.a.k.e.d knee. He once again evaded by stepping backwards, but Kalis pressed the attack throwing a left hook rocketing towards the mans jaw. Coltons eyes widened a little but he stepped inside the blow and raised his right arm, placing it in the crook of Kalis' elbow blocking the blow before throwing his left arm across her neck, capitalizing on the momentum he gained from stepping in he kicked his left leg up and behind Kalis' legs and brought it back sweeping her legs out from behind. With a pivot of his h.i.p.s Colton threw Kalis to the ground without actually causing her any pain. Kalis, now on the ground was outraged, she lashed out with her heel catching Colton in the gut doubling him over retching and in pain. She took this oppertunity to scramble to her feet and grabbing the hair on the back of his head launch a knee into Coltons face sending him tumbling backwards into the water with blood streaming from his nose. Victorious she bent down and picked the Weapon up off the rock and pointed it at Colton who was now standing up waist deep in the water holding his bloodied nose.

'I'm pretty sure i saw how he got it to activate just have to point it and pull this trigger right?'

"Alright Mr. Colton your going to answer some questions now. First who and what are you really?"

"My names Captain Colton Greeter formerly of the U.S. Airforce."

"Captain? Like 2 ranks above me?"

Colton shook his head.

"No. I would have been 1 grade below you."

"Ok and whats the U.S.? And whats the Airforce?

"The U.S. is the is the United States of America, the nation I swore an oath to defend, and the Airforce a branch of that nations military."

"So your not a pirate?"

"No."

"I'll beleive you but it may not mean anything in a few days."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me just keep answering. If you don't I'll kill you."

"I will."

"Next question whats that blue blotch on your left arm?"

"A tattoo. It's of a very important flag to me."

"Is it the U.S. flag?"

"No."

"Whats a tattoo?"

"Its a picture made of ink that's engraved into your skin."

"Why would you do that? It sounds painful."

"It is. alchohol helps. I have another one on the back of my shoulder."

Colton turned and showed Kalis a group of letters that looked familiar to her but made no sense spelled out FIGHTING FALCON, but she had no clue what any of that spelled.

"How did you learn my language so quickly?"

Colton shrugged.

"I have no idea."

"How did you get those scars and lose your finger?"

Colton Grimaced before his expression turned cold. He pushed himself up on the bank of and stood up.

"Answer the question or I WILL SHOOT YOU!"

Colton didn't reply instead he approached Kalis without anything on his face hinting he felt any fear. N.a.k.e.d as the day is long.

'Damn he's got equipment.'

"STOP!"

Colton ignored her and instead darted his left hand out grabbing the barrel of the gun and torquing it away while pushing Kalis' wrist the other direction with his right hand, disarming her and nearly breaking her finger.

"Don't ever point a weapon at me again with or without the safety engaged. Enjoy your bath."

On that note Colton picked up his clothes and left down the path back to the cave.

Later that night

Darkness had fallen outside the cave and Kalis and Colton sat in silence around the fire as an animal resembling a small pig roasted on a spit.

"Is it ready?" Kalis asked.

"If its anything like pork it should be" Colton replied.

"so you killed it with those sticks you showed me? What did you call them?"

"Punji spikes."

Colton sighed and looked across the fire at Kalis stuffing her face.

"I'm sorry for earlier, about the fight and your finger. If I live to see next week I'll tell you the story, but for now suffice it to say I got injured doing something really stupid that resulted in the loss of not only my best friends life but also the lives of countless innocent civilians."

Kalis swallowed the succulant meat before looking back across the fire at Colton.

"You dont have to tell me but I promise you that whatever tomorrow brings I'll make sure you get out of this alive."

"I trust you Kalis."

"Kali."

"What?"

"Call me Kali."

"I will."

The next day

The following morning the 'Huntsmans Arrow' made contact with them giving them the location of where the planetary skiff would pick them up, only about a mile from their cave. As they left the cave both Kalis and Colton turned to look back at what had been their home for a week.

"Back to the real world I guess."

"Whatever the real world is."

"Your not from this time are you?"

"No. What gave it away?"

"You just seem too much like your out of place."

"Rude."

"I know. Where or rather when are you from?"

"2018."

"It's 5398."

"Damn 3380 years?"

"Are you sad? everyone you knew and loved is dead."

"No. I was and I'm sure I will be again but in this moment I'm content."

"How?"

"Jesus."

"Whats Jesus?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll explain one day. Here take my gun, don't lose it."

The pair turned and started down the trail towards the LZ. Not long after they heard a low primal growl from the bushes just off the trail.

"Commander?"

"Yeah I hear him."

"Run or fight?"

"I say r..."

Kalis was cut off by a rush from the bushes as the Razehound lept out of the bushes and pounced on Colt, hooking one of its terrifying Velociraptor like claws deep into his shoulder.

"THE GUN KALI SHOOT IT."

Kalis fumbled with the gun before finally getting a hold on it and pointing it at the beast, however upon trying to pull the trigger it wouldn't do anything.

"THE SAFETY HIT THE SAFETY!!"

"WHERE'S THE SAFETY?!?!?"

Colton groped around with his free arm looking desprately for anything to save himself from the gnashing teeth. Finding a stick he shoved it sideways wise to the back of the of the animals jaws.

SNAP

The Razehound bit the stick in half, Colton floundered for one end of the jagged stick, Finding it he jammed it into the attacking monsters right eye. The wounded beast was in pain huge amounts of pain and as it flailed about its claw broke off in Coltons shoulder causing him to yell in pain.

Kalis capitalized on the beasts panicked state to kick the stick jammed in its eye driving it into the poor creatures brain killing it instantly.

"Agh my f.u.c.k.i.n.g shoulder!"

Kalis helped Colton to his feet as they heard more rustling in the bushes around them, prompting them to look at each other before taking off at a dead sprint towards the pick up point.

"I really hope their there already."

"They will be if I know my little sister."

Colton felt a little like a fox hearing the Razehounds baying and howling at their heels as they ran. Eventually they broke out of the jungle and into a natural clearing occupied by a large sleek ship and a half dozen grey clad and armed men pulling security.

"HELP I'M KALIS SAVOR, SHOOT THEM, OPEN FIRE!!"

The men all turned and taking various firing positions opened fire on the approaching enemies with blocky looking rifle like weapons that shot short orange bursts of what Colton assumed was lasers. Against the encroaching razehounds the laser rifles dismembered and generally turned them to mush, Efficently putting a stop to the issue.

"Wow those are some guns."

"You haven't seen anything yet."

One of the men approached the exhausted duo.

"Ma'am, are you LT. Commander Kalis Savor?"

"Yes."

"And this man is the prisoner?"

"Yes. But he isn't a pirate like I thought."

"Your doubt is noted ma'am."

The man nodded to one of his comrades who rapidly approached Colton and jammed a needle in his neck. Everything went black.