A Private Pain Chapter 3

III

But Behold!

As I lay down to die

Hunters from space I did spy

They entered my cave

Trying to be brave

I tried to fight,

But my strength was light.

With all strength spent

Humbly along I went

To their hideous city

Where they showed no pity.

They put me in a secluded room

Where I waited my doom

They cursed me with warmth and food

Until my health was normal and good

I wondered and my thoughts did pause

On those who killed us without just cause

Should bring me back to life

When I did not wish to live without my wife.

# # # # #

Planet Able was over twice the size of Terra Prime. Doing an in-depth survey of the four continents wouldn’t be easy. One thing the ministry of reclamation hoped for was a spot or spots that hid and supported life.

 Scanners were sent out to search out any tiny spot where vegetation still existed. North Able, South Able, East Able and West Able were thoroughly plotted and scanned. Possible sites were pinpointed, and search parties dispatched.

On West Able halfway up the planet’s highest mountain a valley was discovered showing greenery. Commander Maury led the expedition. He wanted to see for himself if life still existed and could be used to resuscitate the planet.

The shuttle craft was buffeted by 120 mile per hour winds and thick sand. Nearly half the planet’s surface was in the air swirling in the high winds. Maury felt despair. Writing in his log: How can we even attempt to make this planet habitable again under such conditions?

A thousand feet below the valley the winds died down. The dust and sand abated. The valley was ten miles in length and five miles at its greatest width. A pin prick on the planet

 Landing in a lush meadow with a flowing stream the area was missing farmers. Crops were near harvest, trees were plentiful, flowers bloomed. The air smelled fresh and sweet. Small animals, insects, fish and other life forms were present, but none of the sentient inhabitants or farmers.

The scientists started taking samples of all the life forms, hoping that they would discover the needed nutrients to revitalize the planet. Some fanned out to photograph and catalogue what was left of life on this planet. Others started exploring the mountain above the valley and below it. There were thousands of caves.

A month later reports came in that there appeared to be indigenous life forms inhabiting the caves in four different directions. “They appear to be hiding from us. As we get closer, they flee.” First Sergeant, Shanika Aziri, one of the explorers told the commander,” She rushed up and blurted it out not respecting protocol.

Three months later came bad news. Captain Mahmoud Jabbar reported, “We discovered the remains of six farmers. Their tails were intact. From indications they died around two weeks ago from dehydration.”

Maury looked at the body bags, they can be cloned as are the other species presently growing in artificial wombs, but they needed live ones to explain their special needs and educate the children.

Openly weeping, “I don’t blame them,” Maury spoke to the assembled group. “They were hunted down to extinction like the Spikers on Orion Prime, the Uberkise on Taurus Prime and other species all over this galaxy. We in the Prime Command thought this problem was under control, but somehow it still plagues us.”

Jabbar spoke, “Sir, give us a few more days, we might still find some alive.”

“Are all the other teams finished with their assignments?” Maury asked.

Raj Digingi, the second in command nodded, “Yes, commander.”

“Major, he addressed Raj, “Pack up and send the shuttle back with all your specimens.” He looked at Jabbar, “Captain you have one week to find one of them alive,” he paused, “If you can’t find one by then it’s too late anyway.”

Thermal scanners penetrated cave after cave. Some were little more than a hole in the limestone while others went thousands of feet into granite. The explorers were two days from recall and leaving the area forever.

“I found an image,” Shanika radioed base camp. She fired a flare marking the spot and entered the cave. Crawling on her stomach for ten feet through a narrow spot she emerged into a large chamber. Lying to her right was a dead farmer, but recently deceased as decomp hadn’t started. Another one was holding arms around the dead one and shaking.

She moved towards what appeared to be a female as there were enlarged breasts. The farmer quickly swung its six-foot ivory tail lashing it out at her. Shanika backed away feeling air whizzing by her as it narrowly missed.

The farmer fell, sides heaving and looked like it spent its last reserves of energy with the attack.

Speaking into the com, “Have found one farmer still alive, need emergency response team ASAP.”

She took out her water bottle and slowly moved closer to the farmer. There wasn’t a mouth. A head with eyes, breathing holes, but no mouth or ears. She stopped perplexed. Small hands rose to the bottle and snatched it from hers. The lid was already open, and the liquid spilled onto the farmer’s body. It was immediately absorbed into its fur. She could see the farmer take a bigger breath.

Lifting the bottle higher is poured half of it onto its fur, then moved to the dead one emptying the bottle on it. There was no reaction.

The farmer threw the empty bottle at her and started to swing the tail again. Its hands were flailing about and the eyes were staring daggers at her.

Backing away she could hear the rescue squad trying to crawl through the bottleneck. She went back where the opening enlarged, “Don’t try to crawl through,” she said. “It’s only ten feet long and limestone, bring in laser cutters and enlarge it.” Pausing for a second, “Slide me four or five water bottles.”

The bottles came through and she took off the lid of one and extended it to the farmer. Their hands touched. It was like being struck by an ion storm. She felt the anger and hate expressed by eyes. It burned into her arms and legs settling into her stomach making her retch. Breaking contact she went back to the opening to catch her breath.

Feeling the heat of the laser cutters she went to a neutral spot of the cave. She saw the farmer try to hydrate the dead one to no avail. Again, it shook and focused all its hate on her. She slid the other bottles towards it. The farmer twisted the top off of the next bottle and poured it onto its fur. She could see it gain strength.

“Hurry up guys, this thing is starting to recover and it’s looking at me like I’m lunch. I guess I’m lucky it doesn’t have a mouth and teeth, at least that I can see so far.”

With a crack huge chunks of Limestone melted and dropped on the cave floor. A ten-foot tunnel was now open. The farmer shrank back to its dead mate and quivered.

“Be wary of the tail,” Shanika told them. Even nearly dead it is quick and powerful.”

Surprisingly the farmer didn’t put up a fight. It left the other one and walked toward them. It reached out and touched Shanika.

I know you mean me no harm.  

She stood absorbing the thoughts of this man. Turning to the group, “They communicate by touch. I can understand his thoughts.” Shaking her head. “His name is Niqmiepu, he may have tits, but this one is male, He is called “the nurturer.” The other one is Ishme. She’s the mother.” Pointing at the closest member of the rescue squad, “Treat her with respect when you bring her down.”

Niqmiepu went with them, but Shanika needed to touch him again to convince him it was safe to enter the flyer that would take them back to camp.

The female was bound in a sack and placed in back of the flyer. Niqmiepu sat next to Shanika. They held hands and he told her of the years they hid in the meadow. They were content until the flying boxes started flying overhead and forced them into the caves. The boxes flew day and night not allowing them to return to the meadow for food or water.

The farmer was transported to HQ on Able Moon Alpha. He cried upon seeing the desolation of the entire planet. Shanika comforted him as much as she could by holding hand and letting him know that the Federation would, with his help, turn his world back to what it was. She imagined in her mind that Ishme and the others would return and many more, not only farmers, but merchants and hunters as well.

Niqmiepu’s mind went blank. He wouldn’t believe her lies. He was the last of his kind.

At HQ other scientists looked him over, touched him and tried to communicate. He was shut down. Water revived him, but none of the food they placed by him would he eat. They brought some of the plants and animals that were in the meadow, but he refused them.

“From what information we can gather,” Shanika told Governor Maury. “The farmers mature in a year and have a life expectancy of ten. We’re cloning the seven that were with him in the meadow.”

“That won’t do us much good if Niqmiepu dies,” Maury said. “There will be no one to teach them how to farm.”

“We’ve put him in stasis. When the others come out of incubation, we’ll revive him and upon seeing those he’s familiar with, especially his wife, he should be willing to teach them. From there we can expand the program.”