HOME | DD

Description
By: Tesla51

2093

The air conditioner hummed loudly as the hover bus moved silently over the almost barren grasslands of Planet 587X. Out over the sea of grass, a few canvas yurts of native Feris dwellings and white metal square buildings of human settlements dotted the landscape. The AC was the only thing other than Isaac’s planet radio that Flint could hear over the din of conversation by the other riders.
“Turn that thing off. There is nothing good on this planet in terms of music,” Flint said, turning to his younger brother.
“I’m just trying to catch a few tunes before we get to Uncle Mark’s,” he said, pulling his headphones off. “After all, he does live in a radio black hole where nothing comes in from the city besides stuff transmitted over the fiber optics.”
“It was not my idea of a great summer vacation you know.”
It had taken a long airplane flight, an equally long rocket flight, and two hyperspace leaps to get them here. Of course Flint knew neither of them was enjoying this trip and it was for two completely different reasons. While Flint loved space travel, Planet 587X wasn’t his idea of a vacation spot. The almost Earth-like planet was too much like home and not alien or strange enough to be exciting for the twelve year old. Isaac was the opposite in his reasons not to want to come. It seemed to Flint that he never wanted to leave dusty old Arizona and explore the rest of the planet beyond places he’d gone to before.
“I know Flint. Mom and Dad thought it would be a good idea.”
“I’d rather be with Aunt Jenny. She’s studying on the ice caps of Mars. Now that’s a vacation,” Flint said, imagining the adventures that could have been.
Isaac didn’t respond as he was lost again in his music. More crappy 1920’s swing music. How the eleven year old could stand it Flint honestly didn’t know.
‘No wonder people were willing to break the law to drink alcohol. With the music they had to listen too, it doesn’t surprise me,’ Flint thought as he turned his head back to the window.

Planet 587X was the one of the three hundred Earth-like planets discovered by the Fleet and the ninety-third successful human colony. Located 2232 billion lightyears from Earth, it was discovered in 2059. The planet was similar to Earth in shape, size, atmosphere and flora, the fauna however varied greatly.
The dominant species were the Feris, a race of feline-like humanoids with short fur and two antennas that protruded above their eyebrows. They were highly intelligent, taking only a few years to understand and learn human language. While they did teach Ferisese to humans, Fleet officials preferred English over any language. While highly intelligent, most of the Feris remained in small town groups or nomads that occasionally traded with one another. Without a single leader to speak for the whole planet, this left the Fleet at a question of allowing them into the Fleet. Some Feris did live in the human dwelling city Vulcan Deus, named after the space craft that discovered 587X. Those living there hoped to gain a place in the Fleet and visit other planets. But with the Fleet’s rules about only humans and a few other highly advanced races being allowed in, that might not happen for a long time.
The Feris traveled either by foot or by Aviorn, a large ostrich sized bird that resembled a road runner. Other races of intelligent life and wild life on the planet were hinted by the Feris. But the Fleet’s interest was minimal since with several planets being explored new life forms were being discovered all the time. And with so many discoveries being made, there were often few experts left to go around to study them. Exploration of new life discovered on human colony planets was often cursory and few in depth investigations were done.

As the bus came to a stop, Flint looked out to see if he could spot the form of Uncle Mark. The man was hard to miss.
The way the fifty-two year old dressed looked like he belonged on a strange science fiction film. The lanky man with his light brown tan wore a T-shirt and what appeared to be a space suit for overalls. The arms were removed and the head hole had been enlarged to be comfortably taken off. Uncle Mark said it was his old suit from when he was in the Fleet; the Earth’s biggest exploratory space agency that worked alongside NASA. Of course, Flint and his brother never really believed Uncle Mark could have ever been in the Fleet. Especially not with his “stay-on-the-planet” mentality.
“Hello Uncle Mark,” Isaac said when the two stepped off the hover bus.
“Isaac, Flint, my two favorite nephews! Come here, let me get a good look at you,” Uncle Mark said, stepping up smiling broadly “You two get taller every time I see you.”
“Well yeah, I bet we have grown a lot since fifth grade,” Flint muttered. That had been their most recent trip to Planet 587X, three years ago.
“You two are growing like weeds, you’ll be taller than your father and I soon enough. Must be the cosmic radiation from hyperspace travel,” he said joking.
“Or it’s in our genes,” Flint said in a flat tone.
“Well, come on. Get your stuff off the bus and lets head on out.”
The two turned and began to get their baggage from the luggage compartment. Despite the smooth ride, some bags had fallen over so they had to excavate their luggage from the others.
“You could humor him a little,” Isaac whispered.
“We’re not five years old, we know better than to believe silly stuff like that,” Flint replied with scoff.
“Still, we don’t see him much, and Mom told us to be nice.”
Flint rolled his eyes and yanked his duffle bag free.

The truck’s electric motor had begun as a soft hum when the truck left the bus stop down the photovoltaic highway. But now on the dirt road leading to Uncle Mark’s place, the hum was drowned out by loud banging, rattling and squeaking. It sounded like the whole truck was going to catastrophically explode in a shower of parts at any second. Flint figured this must be what returning to Earth in the Aurora 7 more than a century ago.
“Uncle Mark, why does no one pave your road? It feels like it’s going to shake us to pieces,” he asked from the backseat.
“Ah, this old truck always makes lots of noise,” Uncle Mark said.
Flint just rolled his eyes.
“How much longer till we get to your house?” Isaac asked.
“Not long now. See?” Uncle Mark replied as he pointed to a sign by the road. “That means we’re almost there.”
The sign Uncle Mark pointed out was old and rusty. The once white paint was now a tinted yellowish white with chipped black letters. The sign read “Test Site 031.”
Uncle Mark’s house lay on what the established government had once called ‘Test Site 031.’ The test site where a 200 pound, Mega-Violet 232 bomb had been tested thirty years ago. Mega-Violet 232 was a mineral discovered on the planet Apollo 8C, the first planet the Fleet explored. The rock was found to produce ultraviolet radiation in mass quantities. Even more than all the suns in the Fleet’s planetary guide combined. It produced little waste as it depleted into ash so it was a perfect alternate to uranium.
The test itself was funded by the military sector of the Fleet for possible use in clearing large areas for base camps or war against hostile planet dwellers. The test was a tremendous flop, accomplishing nothing more than killing the surrounding grasses and giving many settlers and natives a bad sunburn. Mega-Violet was now reserved only to power stations and batteries where it did way more good than harm. The above ground bunker used to study the effects of the Mega-Violet blast was now what Uncle Mark called home.
The bunker was a rather unsightly creation to see. Concrete replaced the glass and metal in traditional settler dwellings and the metal that was exposed on the structure was streaked with rust and peeling paint. If one looked hard enough on one of the concrete walls, the bunker’s identifying numbers might be seen, long ago stripped away by time and nature. The bunker sat on the edge of what looked like the largest overgrown lawn in history, showing the clear definition between regular growth and the results of the testing.
The truck finally came to a stop and Flint leaped out, stretching his cramped body.
“Whew, at least we are here now,” Flint said.
“I think that shook my fillings loose,” Isaac said as he climbed out.
“I think it shook my teeth loose.”
“Ah, come on, wasn’t that bad,” Uncle Mark said, chuckling.
Flint rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag from the back seat. The hot wind blew across the grassy landscape, making the sound of a gentle rain as the long grasses danced against one another. A small dust devil formed from the road and trailed off behind the bunker.
Uncle Mark led them inside, and disappeared into the kitchen while Flint and Isaac sat their bags down in the door. Flint wondered where they would be sleeping for this trip. Last time they had visited the two had to share the lumpy old futon. Worst night of sleep they ever had.
“Are we going to have the futon again?” Flint asked, groaning as memories returned to him.
“You two boys will be sleeping in the old instruments room. I’ve cleaned it out so I can turn it into a study. But you will find it comfortable to have your own private place to sleep,” Uncle Mark said from the kitchen.
The instruments room was a mostly clean room that had once held detectors to see if any residual ultraviolet radiation was being emitted anywhere in the testing grounds. A few wires were still exposed, and the tables had a few tools sitting out. A skylight window in the ceiling and window opposite the door allowed light into the dark room. In the middle of the floor two inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags were laid out.
“At least it’s… roomy,” Isaac said, looking for a good quality in the small room.
“This is going to be a really fun trip,” Flint said, tossing his bag on the table. “I get one table, you get the other.”
“Hey, why do you get the one by the window?” Isaac whined.
“Cause I’m older,” Flint said with a smirk.
“No fair!”
“Is too!”
“Is not!”
“Alright, boys settle down in there,” Uncle Mark called to them. The two boys went quiet and began to claim their sleeping area.

“No, I’m not giving up my spot!” Isaac said defiantly.
“Come on, the sun shined right in my face this morning. Move your mattress over,” Flint said, trying to push his brother’s mattress over.
“No, I’m not moving over! Switch sides of the mattress where you lay your head if you don’t like the sun shining in your eyes!”
“Tried it and it didn’t work, so move!”
“Go sleep on the futon if you don’t like it here!”
After a partly restless night of sleep, the two brothers had been arguing about where to put their air mattresses since breakfast. Their clothes lay spread out on the tables each had claimed for his own, with disk files spread about in the mess as each had done some reading through Uncle Mark’s library after dinner.
Some movement outside the window caught Flint’s eye and he stopped trying to muscle his mattress into place. Outside, something was running up to the bunker. It was a Feris riding atop his Aviron. Uncle Mark was outside by his garden and he noticed the figure coming. It came to a stop nearby and the Feris rider jumped down from his steed. He took the reins and began walking the bird alongside him. Uncle Mark wiped the sweat from his forehead and waved to the rider.
“What is it?” Isaac asked.
He shoved his way to see through the window with Flint. His eyes widened in amazement when he saw the sight of the Aviron. Living in Arizona he’d seen his fair share of road runner, but never one as big as the one the Feris guided behind him.
“Ah, Xeno. A good morning to you,” Uncle Mark said, greeting the Feris.
“Hello Mr. Kelley. Is it okay if I water my steed from your rain barrel?” he asked, gesturing to the rain barrel around the corner from the instrument room.
“Sure, he’s welcome to it.”
As the large bird drank from the barrel, Flint tried to keep his position in the window as Isaac was pushing against him trying to see.
“Move over! I can’t see!”
“Quit pushing! Get another window,” Flint said, trying to push his brother back. They stopped when they both saw the Feris looking up at their window.
For a moment, the three stared at each other, not saying a word. Then the Feris, Xeno gave a smile.
“Greetings young ones. I imagine you’ve never seen a creature like Fletter before,” he said, petting the feathery crest of his Aviron.
“Uh… no, we haven’t,” Flint said.
“At least not up close,” Isaac chimed in.
“Why don’t you two come on out and say hello to him? Not to worry he won’t hurt you as long as you don’t startle him.”
The two boys quickly came outside and slowly approached the massive bird. It stared at them curiously, raising and lowering its crest to express its curiosity. Isaac approached just behind Flint who reached up slowly and touched the soft feathers. It was impressive how soft they were. The Aviron gave a soft chirp and closed its eyes in content. Xeno smiled as he watched the two boys experience their first up close encounter with an Aviron. Now that he was closer, Flint could see the Xeno was pretty old. About as old as Uncle Mark at least. Some of the fur around his face had grey tips, making his normal light brown fur look even lighter. Even the light blue markings on his fur looked lighter with the grey tips.
“Soft, isn’t it?” Xeno said smiling.
Flint nodded. Uncle Mark walked up smiling.
“Well, Xeno, I’d like you to meet my two nephews, Flint and Isaac,” he said, indicating the nephews in turn. “Flint and Isaac, my closest neighbor and local medicine man, Xeno Heris.”
“A pleasure to meet you both, young Isaac and Flint. Well, I must be heading of back to my place. Thanks for the water, Mark,” Xeno said as he climbed back into the saddle.
“Don’t mention it, Xeno,” Uncle Mark replied. And with that, the older Feris rode off into the distance.
“Ah, that old cat’s got an active life style. A bit older than me but he still works like a fellow half his age,” Uncle Mark mused with a chuckle.
“How come we’ve never met him when we came here last time?” Isaac asked.
Uncle Mark just shrugged.
“Fellow came by one day a couple years ago out of nowhere to water his thirsty bird. We got to talking and we discovered he’d been living on the other side of that mountain for years. We’ve been friends ever since,” he said, indicating the small mountain that overshadowed the bunker.
“How could you not know he was there? Surly you’ve explored around since you’ve lived here?” Flint asked in surprise.
“Nope. Never seen what was on the other side of that mountain. Not to say I haven’t hiked up it whenever I could spare a moment,” Uncle Mark said with another shrug. He then stood up and began to return to the garden.
Flint stared at the impressive hill. It would certainly be a nice hike and give them something to do other than help around the garden and read the current updates to the planet’s files.
“Uncle Mark, do you mind if me and Isaac go hiking?”
“Hiking?” asked Isaac, curiously.
“Yes, hiking. Up the mountain.”
Isaac looked up at the foreboding size of the hill looming over them
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, you wanna sit around and be bored?”
“I think that would be okay. Just be sure to take the radio with you so you can call me if anything goes wrong,” Uncle Mark said. “Besides, there are no hungry beasts around here that I can remember seeing. Few venomous snakes too.”
“Okay, why not?” Isaac sighed, giving in to the idea.

Flint stomped down the hill ahead of Isaac. The eleven year old was trying his best to keep himself upright, but the soft soil on the slope made getting a foot hold difficult. After reaching halfway up they had decided to walk along the mountain to a shorter ridge and now they were on their way down it.
“Come on, Isaac. Dig in and keep up,” Flint called back.
“Why don’t you slow down? I’m just trying not to fall on my butt and come tumbling down after you,” Isaac said, panting.
“Keep it up; we’re almost to the bottom.”
Once they got to the bottom, they stopped to rest for a while. Flint looked back at the mountain they had just walked.
“That was a nice hike.”
“Speak for yourself. I almost fell several times,” Isaac scoffed.
Flint just rolled his eyes and looked around them The mountain still loomed overhead and the bunker was nowhere to be seen. A few small white yurts on the other side of the mountain were noticeable from the hill. Probably neighbors to Xeno. Flint’s eyes then landed on a hole in the ground. He walked over and saw it was in fact a cave.
“Hey, Isaac, check this out,” he said, calling his brother over.
Isaac walked over and peered into the dark with Flint.
“I don’t like to think what lives in there,” he said, a hint of worry in his voice.
“I bet it’s nothing. Besides, you read the updates for the fauna same as me and there was no mention of dangerous creatures. Certainly none that live in caves. Unless you count the feral Avirons.”
Flint walked toward the cave, and Isaac grabbed his shirt stopping him in his tracks.
“What are you doing? You don’t know what’s in there.”
“Oh, is little brother afraid of the dark?” Flint said, smirking.
“I am not! I’m just afraid of the thing in there.”
“Oh come on, there is nothing in here to worry about. If you want to stay outside, fine. Be all alone while I have the fun.”
Flint pulled away and wandered inside the cave. Isaac stood where he was for a while before coming in after him. Flint knew Isaac would come along. Inside the cave it was dark and cold. A wind howled softly past the rocks and crevices.
“See?” Flint said, holding his arms apart as he stared up at the ceiling. “Nothing to worry about.”
Isaac said nothing as he looked deep into the darkness. The shadows were so dark they seemed to be pools of ink.
“Now tell me, isn’t this more exciting than trudging through the grass lands?”
“I don’t know. Let’s see if we make it back without being eaten first.”
“You worry too much, you know,” Flint said before pausing when his foot hit something big and light. It tumbled off a distance into the cave.
“What was that?” he asked as he bent down to find the object he’d kicked.
He reaching into the shadows and picked up the object. He dropped it when he saw it. It was part of an Aviron’s skull.
“Oh crap,” he swore.
“You aren’t supposed to say-,” Isaac began to scold when something moved. Something big and heavy.
From the shadows, a massive black mass moved. Flint stared on in horror about what it could be, he knew Isaac saw it and was more terrified than he was. His younger brother squeezed his arm tightly, slowly tugging him as pleasing to run away even though his own legs remained stationary. The dark shape turned, and in the light two piercing green eyes were seen, followed by a ferocious growl.
“Run!” Flint shouted.
The two boys took off, running/dragging each other away as fast as they could as the creature behind them let off an ear splitting roar. The ground seemed to shake with its bellow, or maybe that was the cause of its own footsteps. At the second, Flint didn’t care. They had to get out of there.
Their footsteps raced up toward the sunlight of the cave, the creature coming up quickly from behind, claws scratching on the stone floor. Flint heard the roars and breathing of the creature coming right for him. He ducked down and felt the creature come down on him, feeling the rear claws scratch along his back and rip through his shirt.
The creatures’ weight drove him down to ground, and for a moment Flint worried about those massive jaws coming down on his head. He looked up and saw this large creature tumbling off away from him. It must have tried to grab on to his whole back like a lion attacking a zebra, but his split second choice to duck down at the last minute had spared him from that. Instead of catching him in a flying leap, the creature had flown almost over Flint, hitting its middle on the back of his head. The beast began to recover and Flint saw Isaac beginning to stop and look back at him.
“Flint! Get up!”
“Just go! Run! Get Uncle Mark!” Flint called back.
Isaac stood there, some tears running down his cheek. He looked to the open cave entrance, then back at Flint. The creature got up, and began to stalk toward Flint.
“But- It’ll-!” he stammered.
“Run! Quickly!”
Isaac turned and took off, tears in his eyes. Flint backed up and behind a boulder as the creature came closer. In the light from the cave entrance, he could see this beast clearer. It was like a dark blue mountain lion with splotched markings like a leopard. Unlike any cat he’d seen, it was completely furless. Long black spines lined its spines and large boney protrusions jutted out of its shoulders. Two spines at the end of its swaying tail formed into rough diamond shape.
The creature stalked up closer before leaping again. Flint ducked down as the creature soared over the boulder. He quickly stood, his feet scrapping some gravel on the floor as he struggled to force himself into a standing position. Flint took off running toward the cave exit, heart pounding in his ears. The lion creature followed behind.
Flint broke out into the sunlight the second something tripped him up. Something heavy and sharp grabbed his left leg, sending him soaring and spinning. Flint landed in the dirt and grass on his back with a heavy thud. He looked at his leg and saw blood running through five cuts in his jeans. The beast had managed to catch him with one paw of sharp claws.
Flint sat up and looked around quickly to see the beast. He could hear it, its growl still loud as ever. The creature came out into the sun light, the sun shining off its dark blue skin. It looked around, squinting its glowing green eyes to see. It seemed almost blinded and out of place in the midday sun.
Flint backed up as the beast lurched its way over to him. Still images of his life flashed before his eyes as death stumbled its way closer still.
“EY! Get away from him, vile beast!” came a cry.
Flint looked over to see a Feris ridding up on his Aviron. The Feris threw a spear toward the lion creature. It stuck right in the ground in front of it. It roared angrily at the new attacker, backing up slowly as it saw the large bird running right toward it. Then, in a flash, it turned and ran back into the cave. The Feris came to a stop by Flint. Now that he could see the rider more clearly, Flint saw his rescuer was Xeno, the Feris from earlier that day.
“Young Flint, are you okay? Has that beast hurt you badly?” the aged Feris asked as he climbed down.
“It got me on the leg. And my back. I- I think that’s all it did,” Flint whimpered. He was now clutching his wounded leg with blood dropping through his fingers.
“Oh dear, we better get that looked at. Come on, my yurt is not far away. Hold on,” Xeno said, and before Flint could speak, the old Feris picked him up off the ground.
“Whoa, aren’t I too heavy for you?” The aged Feris shook his head.
“Nonsense. Feris are strong even in their later years.”
“What about that… thing?” Flint asked in fear, staring back at the cave.
“Don’t worry, young Flint. It never comes out in the day, it would be blinded and get sun burned. Did the Fleet not mention that in their files?”
Flint sniffed, shaking his head.
“Hmm, another detail they can’t be bothered to mention,” Xeno murmured.

Inside the yurt it was cool and dark. A younger Feris, a young adult Flint guessed, watched as Xeno brought him in and sat him down on the table.
“Sit still and don’t move your leg too much, we can’t have you making your injury worse,” Xeno said, speaking in a soothing tone.
Flint sniffled and nodded. He was still hurt and shaking, but the Feris’ words put him at ease. The younger Feris continued to watch from the door, while Xeno went to a chest with a typical red cross.
“What… what was that thing?” Flint asked stuttering.
“That young Kelley was a lenox. You were lucky to escape that beast. It’s something our people have long been wary of for generations,” Xeno said while he dug around inside the chest.
“But I- I’ve never heard of such a thing. It’s not in any of the files on Earth or in Uncle Mark’s library.”
“You humans,” the younger Feris scoffed. “Force us to learn your language and don’t care to hear anything we have to say about the ‘willed laff.’”
“Berit, shut up. And it’s pronounced ‘wild life,’” Xeno scolded. Possibly this Berit was his son or a family friend.
“Stupid language. They should learn to speak Feris,” Berit muttered.
“Berit, just make yourself useful and go to Mark’ place. Tell him is nephew is here. I imagine young Flint’s brother is already halfway there.”
Berit said something in Ferisese and left the door.
“Never mind Berit. He’s a good kid, just not too happy for your inhabitation of our planet,” Xeno said with a sigh as he returned with a bowl of water. “Remove your hands slowly and wash them off. Don’t want to hold possible infections inside the wound.”
“Not his fault. I’d be angry if the reverse was true on Earth,” Flint said.
As Xeno returned to the chest, Flint carefully removed his hands from his bloody torn pants and began to wash his hands in the water provided. When he reached for a towel nearby to dry his hands, his injured leg moved a bit, sending a bolt of pain racing up his leg.
“Ahh!” Flint hissed.
“Try not to move it so much,” Xeno scolded with concern. “You’ll open it up again. Feris and Humans are not so distant I suppose. Our blood is remarkably similar.”
“Yeah, it’s red,” Flint said, rolling his eyes.
“Red disks and platelets, all very similar with the only main difference is Feris blood cells are like rings,” Xeno corrected. Flint looked up, surprised to hear such knowledge from an alien.
“Wait, you are medicine man. How do you know that about humans when your race isn’t allowed into the Fleet medical staff?” Xeno returned to the table, bandages and other patching implements in hand.
“We may be nomads, child. But don’t mistake us for dumb. We remember what your Fleet medical staff said about us when they arrived and poked us about to see what was under the fur,” Xeno said as he picked up a small bottle full of what looked like green slime in it.
“What is that stuff?” Flint asked, staring at the bottle.
“Just an antiseptic sedative for the wound. Works well on Feris, but even better on humans. Safe too. Unless,” Xeno said, pausing, “you would rather go without?”
Another bolt of pain ran up through the cut. That sealed the deal for Flint right there; no matter how unpleasant it looked, no pain was better than the alternative.

As Xeno began to wrap bandages over the wound, Flint noticed some of the markings on the aging Feris’ fur. Some looked like actual tattoos, but how the fur itself was dyed it didn’t seem real. One tattoo caught his eye the most.
It was shaped like a reverse “S”, drawn in an artistic way. Two small comets drifted around the curves at the top and bottom. On the left, one comet headed toward a small circle with three diagonal lines. On the right, the other comet faced a four sided star. The whole tattoo was light almost electric blue that shined like it was just another marking on the Feris’ fur.
“What…Ah!...what kind of tattoo is that?”
“This one?” Xeno asked, indicated the tattoo Flint stared at.
Flint responded with a nod.
“Ah, well, this is a symbol of the Feris that mean, ‘well traveled.’ I’ve been everywhere that my paws can carry me, or where our Avirons can go. Wish your people knew of these animals, but the Fleet is slow to respond. Sooner or later, someone is going to get seriously hurt or worse because they are not informed of the animals that live here.”
Flint began to think. How much was out there on this planet that the Fleet didn’t publish or explore? What would happen if someone else was to stumble upon a creature like the Lenox, or something even worse? He then realized he was like the Fleet. Just giving a passing glance to the new planet without even giving it a second thought. Someday, someone would have to do more than scratch the surface of the planet’s biodiversity. And it would have to be soon.
“There. All finished,” Xeno said, finishing dressing Flint’s bandage. “How does it feel?”
“A little sore and it’s throbbing. But I’m okay now,” Flint said, a smile coming to his face again. Xeno sighed deeply, smiling widely.
“Good. That is a relief to hear. Now, let me check your back injuries.”

2107
A gentle snow fell on the grassy hills around the cavern. The inside looked as black as deep space itself. A group of four men came up to the entrance. One ordered the three to stop before kneeling down and looking at the snowy ground. A faint paw print was still clear on the light snow fall.
“It’s still here. It returned here early morning. And all these other paw prints suggest there are lots more inside,” the leader said.
He turned to the three men behind him. The three checked and secured their rifles.
“Remember, we are here to capture or kill only one of these animals. Just one. But don’t let that stop you from defending yourself if one gets too close.”
“Are you sure the old Feris speaks the truth? That these creatures can be caught off guard, despite their ferocity?” one of them asked.
“I trust the man with my life. He saved it from the very creature inside,” the leader said.
As he cracked his knuckles, his left hand felt the back of his right. His fingers moved around as the traced the outline on his skin. Dark blue lines looking like a artistically drawn reverse “S” with small comets flowing with the curves. He pulled his own rifle from his back and held it at the ready, flashlight attached to the barrel.
“Okay men, lets head in. But keep your eyes peeled, weapons ready if we encounter the big one. I know from experience how fast he can be.”

Description
By: Tesla51

2093

The air conditioner hummed loudly as the hover bus moved silently over the almost barren grasslands of Planet 587X. Out over the sea of grass, a few canvas yurts of native Feris dwellings and white metal square buildings of human settlements dotted the landscape. The AC was the only thing other than Isaac’s planet radio that Flint could hear over the din of conversation by the other riders.
“Turn that thing off. There is nothing good on this planet in terms of music,” Flint said, turning to his younger brother.
“I’m just trying to catch a few tunes before we get to Uncle Mark’s,” he said, pulling his headphones off. “After all, he does live in a radio black hole where nothing comes in from the city besides stuff transmitted over the fiber optics.”
“It was not my idea of a great summer vacation you know.”
It had taken a long airplane flight, an equally long rocket flight, and two hyperspace leaps to get them here. Of course Flint knew neither of them was enjoying this trip and it was for two completely different reasons. While Flint loved space travel, Planet 587X wasn’t his idea of a vacation spot. The almost Earth-like planet was too much like home and not alien or strange enough to be exciting for the twelve year old. Isaac was the opposite in his reasons not to want to come. It seemed to Flint that he never wanted to leave dusty old Arizona and explore the rest of the planet beyond places he’d gone to before.
“I know Flint. Mom and Dad thought it would be a good idea.”
“I’d rather be with Aunt Jenny. She’s studying on the ice caps of Mars. Now that’s a vacation,” Flint said, imagining the adventures that could have been.
Isaac didn’t respond as he was lost again in his music. More crappy 1920’s swing music. How the eleven year old could stand it Flint honestly didn’t know.
‘No wonder people were willing to break the law to drink alcohol. With the music they had to listen too, it doesn’t surprise me,’ Flint thought as he turned his head back to the window.

Planet 587X was the one of the three hundred Earth-like planets discovered by the Fleet and the ninety-third successful human colony. Located 2232 billion lightyears from Earth, it was discovered in 2059. The planet was similar to Earth in shape, size, atmosphere and flora, the fauna however varied greatly.
The dominant species were the Feris, a race of feline-like humanoids with short fur and two antennas that protruded above their eyebrows. They were highly intelligent, taking only a few years to understand and learn human language. While they did teach Ferisese to humans, Fleet officials preferred English over any language. While highly intelligent, most of the Feris remained in small town groups or nomads that occasionally traded with one another. Without a single leader to speak for the whole planet, this left the Fleet at a question of allowing them into the Fleet. Some Feris did live in the human dwelling city Vulcan Deus, named after the space craft that discovered 587X. Those living there hoped to gain a place in the Fleet and visit other planets. But with the Fleet’s rules about only humans and a few other highly advanced races being allowed in, that might not happen for a long time.
The Feris traveled either by foot or by Aviorn, a large ostrich sized bird that resembled a road runner. Other races of intelligent life and wild life on the planet were hinted by the Feris. But the Fleet’s interest was minimal since with several planets being explored new life forms were being discovered all the time. And with so many discoveries being made, there were often few experts left to go around to study them. Exploration of new life discovered on human colony planets was often cursory and few in depth investigations were done.

As the bus came to a stop, Flint looked out to see if he could spot the form of Uncle Mark. The man was hard to miss.
The way the fifty-two year old dressed looked like he belonged on a strange science fiction film. The lanky man with his light brown tan wore a T-shirt and what appeared to be a space suit for overalls. The arms were removed and the head hole had been enlarged to be comfortably taken off. Uncle Mark said it was his old suit from when he was in the Fleet; the Earth’s biggest exploratory space agency that worked alongside NASA. Of course, Flint and his brother never really believed Uncle Mark could have ever been in the Fleet. Especially not with his “stay-on-the-planet” mentality.
“Hello Uncle Mark,” Isaac said when the two stepped off the hover bus.
“Isaac, Flint, my two favorite nephews! Come here, let me get a good look at you,” Uncle Mark said, stepping up smiling broadly “You two get taller every time I see you.”
“Well yeah, I bet we have grown a lot since fifth grade,” Flint muttered. That had been their most recent trip to Planet 587X, three years ago.
“You two are growing like weeds, you’ll be taller than your father and I soon enough. Must be the cosmic radiation from hyperspace travel,” he said joking.
“Or it’s in our genes,” Flint said in a flat tone.
“Well, come on. Get your stuff off the bus and lets head on out.”
The two turned and began to get their baggage from the luggage compartment. Despite the smooth ride, some bags had fallen over so they had to excavate their luggage from the others.
“You could humor him a little,” Isaac whispered.
“We’re not five years old, we know better than to believe silly stuff like that,” Flint replied with scoff.
“Still, we don’t see him much, and Mom told us to be nice.”
Flint rolled his eyes and yanked his duffle bag free.

The truck’s electric motor had begun as a soft hum when the truck left the bus stop down the photovoltaic highway. But now on the dirt road leading to Uncle Mark’s place, the hum was drowned out by loud banging, rattling and squeaking. It sounded like the whole truck was going to catastrophically explode in a shower of parts at any second. Flint figured this must be what returning to Earth in the Aurora 7 more than a century ago.
“Uncle Mark, why does no one pave your road? It feels like it’s going to shake us to pieces,” he asked from the backseat.
“Ah, this old truck always makes lots of noise,” Uncle Mark said.
Flint just rolled his eyes.
“How much longer till we get to your house?” Isaac asked.
“Not long now. See?” Uncle Mark replied as he pointed to a sign by the road. “That means we’re almost there.”
The sign Uncle Mark pointed out was old and rusty. The once white paint was now a tinted yellowish white with chipped black letters. The sign read “Test Site 031.”
Uncle Mark’s house lay on what the established government had once called ‘Test Site 031.’ The test site where a 200 pound, Mega-Violet 232 bomb had been tested thirty years ago. Mega-Violet 232 was a mineral discovered on the planet Apollo 8C, the first planet the Fleet explored. The rock was found to produce ultraviolet radiation in mass quantities. Even more than all the suns in the Fleet’s planetary guide combined. It produced little waste as it depleted into ash so it was a perfect alternate to uranium.
The test itself was funded by the military sector of the Fleet for possible use in clearing large areas for base camps or war against hostile planet dwellers. The test was a tremendous flop, accomplishing nothing more than killing the surrounding grasses and giving many settlers and natives a bad sunburn. Mega-Violet was now reserved only to power stations and batteries where it did way more good than harm. The above ground bunker used to study the effects of the Mega-Violet blast was now what Uncle Mark called home.
The bunker was a rather unsightly creation to see. Concrete replaced the glass and metal in traditional settler dwellings and the metal that was exposed on the structure was streaked with rust and peeling paint. If one looked hard enough on one of the concrete walls, the bunker’s identifying numbers might be seen, long ago stripped away by time and nature. The bunker sat on the edge of what looked like the largest overgrown lawn in history, showing the clear definition between regular growth and the results of the testing.
The truck finally came to a stop and Flint leaped out, stretching his cramped body.
“Whew, at least we are here now,” Flint said.
“I think that shook my fillings loose,” Isaac said as he climbed out.
“I think it shook my teeth loose.”
“Ah, come on, wasn’t that bad,” Uncle Mark said, chuckling.
Flint rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag from the back seat. The hot wind blew across the grassy landscape, making the sound of a gentle rain as the long grasses danced against one another. A small dust devil formed from the road and trailed off behind the bunker.
Uncle Mark led them inside, and disappeared into the kitchen while Flint and Isaac sat their bags down in the door. Flint wondered where they would be sleeping for this trip. Last time they had visited the two had to share the lumpy old futon. Worst night of sleep they ever had.
“Are we going to have the futon again?” Flint asked, groaning as memories returned to him.
“You two boys will be sleeping in the old instruments room. I’ve cleaned it out so I can turn it into a study. But you will find it comfortable to have your own private place to sleep,” Uncle Mark said from the kitchen.
The instruments room was a mostly clean room that had once held detectors to see if any residual ultraviolet radiation was being emitted anywhere in the testing grounds. A few wires were still exposed, and the tables had a few tools sitting out. A skylight window in the ceiling and window opposite the door allowed light into the dark room. In the middle of the floor two inflatable mattresses and sleeping bags were laid out.
“At least it’s… roomy,” Isaac said, looking for a good quality in the small room.
“This is going to be a really fun trip,” Flint said, tossing his bag on the table. “I get one table, you get the other.”
“Hey, why do you get the one by the window?” Isaac whined.
“Cause I’m older,” Flint said with a smirk.
“No fair!”
“Is too!”
“Is not!”
“Alright, boys settle down in there,” Uncle Mark called to them. The two boys went quiet and began to claim their sleeping area.

“No, I’m not giving up my spot!” Isaac said defiantly.
“Come on, the sun shined right in my face this morning. Move your mattress over,” Flint said, trying to push his brother’s mattress over.
“No, I’m not moving over! Switch sides of the mattress where you lay your head if you don’t like the sun shining in your eyes!”
“Tried it and it didn’t work, so move!”
“Go sleep on the futon if you don’t like it here!”
After a partly restless night of sleep, the two brothers had been arguing about where to put their air mattresses since breakfast. Their clothes lay spread out on the tables each had claimed for his own, with disk files spread about in the mess as each had done some reading through Uncle Mark’s library after dinner.
Some movement outside the window caught Flint’s eye and he stopped trying to muscle his mattress into place. Outside, something was running up to the bunker. It was a Feris riding atop his Aviron. Uncle Mark was outside by his garden and he noticed the figure coming. It came to a stop nearby and the Feris rider jumped down from his steed. He took the reins and began walking the bird alongside him. Uncle Mark wiped the sweat from his forehead and waved to the rider.
“What is it?” Isaac asked.
He shoved his way to see through the window with Flint. His eyes widened in amazement when he saw the sight of the Aviron. Living in Arizona he’d seen his fair share of road runner, but never one as big as the one the Feris guided behind him.
“Ah, Xeno. A good morning to you,” Uncle Mark said, greeting the Feris.
“Hello Mr. Kelley. Is it okay if I water my steed from your rain barrel?” he asked, gesturing to the rain barrel around the corner from the instrument room.
“Sure, he’s welcome to it.”
As the large bird drank from the barrel, Flint tried to keep his position in the window as Isaac was pushing against him trying to see.
“Move over! I can’t see!”
“Quit pushing! Get another window,” Flint said, trying to push his brother back. They stopped when they both saw the Feris looking up at their window.
For a moment, the three stared at each other, not saying a word. Then the Feris, Xeno gave a smile.
“Greetings young ones. I imagine you’ve never seen a creature like Fletter before,” he said, petting the feathery crest of his Aviron.
“Uh… no, we haven’t,” Flint said.
“At least not up close,” Isaac chimed in.
“Why don’t you two come on out and say hello to him? Not to worry he won’t hurt you as long as you don’t startle him.”
The two boys quickly came outside and slowly approached the massive bird. It stared at them curiously, raising and lowering its crest to express its curiosity. Isaac approached just behind Flint who reached up slowly and touched the soft feathers. It was impressive how soft they were. The Aviron gave a soft chirp and closed its eyes in content. Xeno smiled as he watched the two boys experience their first up close encounter with an Aviron. Now that he was closer, Flint could see the Xeno was pretty old. About as old as Uncle Mark at least. Some of the fur around his face had grey tips, making his normal light brown fur look even lighter. Even the light blue markings on his fur looked lighter with the grey tips.
“Soft, isn’t it?” Xeno said smiling.
Flint nodded. Uncle Mark walked up smiling.
“Well, Xeno, I’d like you to meet my two nephews, Flint and Isaac,” he said, indicating the nephews in turn. “Flint and Isaac, my closest neighbor and local medicine man, Xeno Heris.”
“A pleasure to meet you both, young Isaac and Flint. Well, I must be heading of back to my place. Thanks for the water, Mark,” Xeno said as he climbed back into the saddle.
“Don’t mention it, Xeno,” Uncle Mark replied. And with that, the older Feris rode off into the distance.
“Ah, that old cat’s got an active life style. A bit older than me but he still works like a fellow half his age,” Uncle Mark mused with a chuckle.
“How come we’ve never met him when we came here last time?” Isaac asked.
Uncle Mark just shrugged.
“Fellow came by one day a couple years ago out of nowhere to water his thirsty bird. We got to talking and we discovered he’d been living on the other side of that mountain for years. We’ve been friends ever since,” he said, indicating the small mountain that overshadowed the bunker.
“How could you not know he was there? Surly you’ve explored around since you’ve lived here?” Flint asked in surprise.
“Nope. Never seen what was on the other side of that mountain. Not to say I haven’t hiked up it whenever I could spare a moment,” Uncle Mark said with another shrug. He then stood up and began to return to the garden.
Flint stared at the impressive hill. It would certainly be a nice hike and give them something to do other than help around the garden and read the current updates to the planet’s files.
“Uncle Mark, do you mind if me and Isaac go hiking?”
“Hiking?” asked Isaac, curiously.
“Yes, hiking. Up the mountain.”
Isaac looked up at the foreboding size of the hill looming over them
“I don’t know…”
“Come on, you wanna sit around and be bored?”
“I think that would be okay. Just be sure to take the radio with you so you can call me if anything goes wrong,” Uncle Mark said. “Besides, there are no hungry beasts around here that I can remember seeing. Few venomous snakes too.”
“Okay, why not?” Isaac sighed, giving in to the idea.

Flint stomped down the hill ahead of Isaac. The eleven year old was trying his best to keep himself upright, but the soft soil on the slope made getting a foot hold difficult. After reaching halfway up they had decided to walk along the mountain to a shorter ridge and now they were on their way down it.
“Come on, Isaac. Dig in and keep up,” Flint called back.
“Why don’t you slow down? I’m just trying not to fall on my butt and come tumbling down after you,” Isaac said, panting.
“Keep it up; we’re almost to the bottom.”
Once they got to the bottom, they stopped to rest for a while. Flint looked back at the mountain they had just walked.
“That was a nice hike.”
“Speak for yourself. I almost fell several times,” Isaac scoffed.
Flint just rolled his eyes and looked around them The mountain still loomed overhead and the bunker was nowhere to be seen. A few small white yurts on the other side of the mountain were noticeable from the hill. Probably neighbors to Xeno. Flint’s eyes then landed on a hole in the ground. He walked over and saw it was in fact a cave.
“Hey, Isaac, check this out,” he said, calling his brother over.
Isaac walked over and peered into the dark with Flint.
“I don’t like to think what lives in there,” he said, a hint of worry in his voice.
“I bet it’s nothing. Besides, you read the updates for the fauna same as me and there was no mention of dangerous creatures. Certainly none that live in caves. Unless you count the feral Avirons.”
Flint walked toward the cave, and Isaac grabbed his shirt stopping him in his tracks.
“What are you doing? You don’t know what’s in there.”
“Oh, is little brother afraid of the dark?” Flint said, smirking.
“I am not! I’m just afraid of the thing in there.”
“Oh come on, there is nothing in here to worry about. If you want to stay outside, fine. Be all alone while I have the fun.”
Flint pulled away and wandered inside the cave. Isaac stood where he was for a while before coming in after him. Flint knew Isaac would come along. Inside the cave it was dark and cold. A wind howled softly past the rocks and crevices.
“See?” Flint said, holding his arms apart as he stared up at the ceiling. “Nothing to worry about.”
Isaac said nothing as he looked deep into the darkness. The shadows were so dark they seemed to be pools of ink.
“Now tell me, isn’t this more exciting than trudging through the grass lands?”
“I don’t know. Let’s see if we make it back without being eaten first.”
“You worry too much, you know,” Flint said before pausing when his foot hit something big and light. It tumbled off a distance into the cave.
“What was that?” he asked as he bent down to find the object he’d kicked.
He reaching into the shadows and picked up the object. He dropped it when he saw it. It was part of an Aviron’s skull.
“Oh crap,” he swore.
“You aren’t supposed to say-,” Isaac began to scold when something moved. Something big and heavy.
From the shadows, a massive black mass moved. Flint stared on in horror about what it could be, he knew Isaac saw it and was more terrified than he was. His younger brother squeezed his arm tightly, slowly tugging him as pleasing to run away even though his own legs remained stationary. The dark shape turned, and in the light two piercing green eyes were seen, followed by a ferocious growl.
“Run!” Flint shouted.
The two boys took off, running/dragging each other away as fast as they could as the creature behind them let off an ear splitting roar. The ground seemed to shake with its bellow, or maybe that was the cause of its own footsteps. At the second, Flint didn’t care. They had to get out of there.
Their footsteps raced up toward the sunlight of the cave, the creature coming up quickly from behind, claws scratching on the stone floor. Flint heard the roars and breathing of the creature coming right for him. He ducked down and felt the creature come down on him, feeling the rear claws scratch along his back and rip through his shirt.
The creatures’ weight drove him down to ground, and for a moment Flint worried about those massive jaws coming down on his head. He looked up and saw this large creature tumbling off away from him. It must have tried to grab on to his whole back like a lion attacking a zebra, but his split second choice to duck down at the last minute had spared him from that. Instead of catching him in a flying leap, the creature had flown almost over Flint, hitting its middle on the back of his head. The beast began to recover and Flint saw Isaac beginning to stop and look back at him.
“Flint! Get up!”
“Just go! Run! Get Uncle Mark!” Flint called back.
Isaac stood there, some tears running down his cheek. He looked to the open cave entrance, then back at Flint. The creature got up, and began to stalk toward Flint.
“But- It’ll-!” he stammered.
“Run! Quickly!”
Isaac turned and took off, tears in his eyes. Flint backed up and behind a boulder as the creature came closer. In the light from the cave entrance, he could see this beast clearer. It was like a dark blue mountain lion with splotched markings like a leopard. Unlike any cat he’d seen, it was completely furless. Long black spines lined its spines and large boney protrusions jutted out of its shoulders. Two spines at the end of its swaying tail formed into rough diamond shape.
The creature stalked up closer before leaping again. Flint ducked down as the creature soared over the boulder. He quickly stood, his feet scrapping some gravel on the floor as he struggled to force himself into a standing position. Flint took off running toward the cave exit, heart pounding in his ears. The lion creature followed behind.
Flint broke out into the sunlight the second something tripped him up. Something heavy and sharp grabbed his left leg, sending him soaring and spinning. Flint landed in the dirt and grass on his back with a heavy thud. He looked at his leg and saw blood running through five cuts in his jeans. The beast had managed to catch him with one paw of sharp claws.
Flint sat up and looked around quickly to see the beast. He could hear it, its growl still loud as ever. The creature came out into the sun light, the sun shining off its dark blue skin. It looked around, squinting its glowing green eyes to see. It seemed almost blinded and out of place in the midday sun.
Flint backed up as the beast lurched its way over to him. Still images of his life flashed before his eyes as death stumbled its way closer still.
“EY! Get away from him, vile beast!” came a cry.
Flint looked over to see a Feris ridding up on his Aviron. The Feris threw a spear toward the lion creature. It stuck right in the ground in front of it. It roared angrily at the new attacker, backing up slowly as it saw the large bird running right toward it. Then, in a flash, it turned and ran back into the cave. The Feris came to a stop by Flint. Now that he could see the rider more clearly, Flint saw his rescuer was Xeno, the Feris from earlier that day.
“Young Flint, are you okay? Has that beast hurt you badly?” the aged Feris asked as he climbed down.
“It got me on the leg. And my back. I- I think that’s all it did,” Flint whimpered. He was now clutching his wounded leg with blood dropping through his fingers.
“Oh dear, we better get that looked at. Come on, my yurt is not far away. Hold on,” Xeno said, and before Flint could speak, the old Feris picked him up off the ground.
“Whoa, aren’t I too heavy for you?” The aged Feris shook his head.
“Nonsense. Feris are strong even in their later years.”
“What about that… thing?” Flint asked in fear, staring back at the cave.
“Don’t worry, young Flint. It never comes out in the day, it would be blinded and get sun burned. Did the Fleet not mention that in their files?”
Flint sniffed, shaking his head.
“Hmm, another detail they can’t be bothered to mention,” Xeno murmured.

Inside the yurt it was cool and dark. A younger Feris, a young adult Flint guessed, watched as Xeno brought him in and sat him down on the table.
“Sit still and don’t move your leg too much, we can’t have you making your injury worse,” Xeno said, speaking in a soothing tone.
Flint sniffled and nodded. He was still hurt and shaking, but the Feris’ words put him at ease. The younger Feris continued to watch from the door, while Xeno went to a chest with a typical red cross.
“What… what was that thing?” Flint asked stuttering.
“That young Kelley was a lenox. You were lucky to escape that beast. It’s something our people have long been wary of for generations,” Xeno said while he dug around inside the chest.
“But I- I’ve never heard of such a thing. It’s not in any of the files on Earth or in Uncle Mark’s library.”
“You humans,” the younger Feris scoffed. “Force us to learn your language and don’t care to hear anything we have to say about the ‘willed laff.’”
“Berit, shut up. And it’s pronounced ‘wild life,’” Xeno scolded. Possibly this Berit was his son or a family friend.
“Stupid language. They should learn to speak Feris,” Berit muttered.
“Berit, just make yourself useful and go to Mark’ place. Tell him is nephew is here. I imagine young Flint’s brother is already halfway there.”
Berit said something in Ferisese and left the door.
“Never mind Berit. He’s a good kid, just not too happy for your inhabitation of our planet,” Xeno said with a sigh as he returned with a bowl of water. “Remove your hands slowly and wash them off. Don’t want to hold possible infections inside the wound.”
“Not his fault. I’d be angry if the reverse was true on Earth,” Flint said.
As Xeno returned to the chest, Flint carefully removed his hands from his bloody torn pants and began to wash his hands in the water provided. When he reached for a towel nearby to dry his hands, his injured leg moved a bit, sending a bolt of pain racing up his leg.
“Ahh!” Flint hissed.
“Try not to move it so much,” Xeno scolded with concern. “You’ll open it up again. Feris and Humans are not so distant I suppose. Our blood is remarkably similar.”
“Yeah, it’s red,” Flint said, rolling his eyes.
“Red disks and platelets, all very similar with the only main difference is Feris blood cells are like rings,” Xeno corrected. Flint looked up, surprised to hear such knowledge from an alien.
“Wait, you are medicine man. How do you know that about humans when your race isn’t allowed into the Fleet medical staff?” Xeno returned to the table, bandages and other patching implements in hand.
“We may be nomads, child. But don’t mistake us for dumb. We remember what your Fleet medical staff said about us when they arrived and poked us about to see what was under the fur,” Xeno said as he picked up a small bottle full of what looked like green slime in it.
“What is that stuff?” Flint asked, staring at the bottle.
“Just an antiseptic sedative for the wound. Works well on Feris, but even better on humans. Safe too. Unless,” Xeno said, pausing, “you would rather go without?”
Another bolt of pain ran up through the cut. That sealed the deal for Flint right there; no matter how unpleasant it looked, no pain was better than the alternative.

As Xeno began to wrap bandages over the wound, Flint noticed some of the markings on the aging Feris’ fur. Some looked like actual tattoos, but how the fur itself was dyed it didn’t seem real. One tattoo caught his eye the most.
It was shaped like a reverse “S”, drawn in an artistic way. Two small comets drifted around the curves at the top and bottom. On the left, one comet headed toward a small circle with three diagonal lines. On the right, the other comet faced a four sided star. The whole tattoo was light almost electric blue that shined like it was just another marking on the Feris’ fur.
“What…Ah!...what kind of tattoo is that?”
“This one?” Xeno asked, indicated the tattoo Flint stared at.
Flint responded with a nod.
“Ah, well, this is a symbol of the Feris that mean, ‘well traveled.’ I’ve been everywhere that my paws can carry me, or where our Avirons can go. Wish your people knew of these animals, but the Fleet is slow to respond. Sooner or later, someone is going to get seriously hurt or worse because they are not informed of the animals that live here.”
Flint began to think. How much was out there on this planet that the Fleet didn’t publish or explore? What would happen if someone else was to stumble upon a creature like the Lenox, or something even worse? He then realized he was like the Fleet. Just giving a passing glance to the new planet without even giving it a second thought. Someday, someone would have to do more than scratch the surface of the planet’s biodiversity. And it would have to be soon.
“There. All finished,” Xeno said, finishing dressing Flint’s bandage. “How does it feel?”
“A little sore and it’s throbbing. But I’m okay now,” Flint said, a smile coming to his face again. Xeno sighed deeply, smiling widely.
“Good. That is a relief to hear. Now, let me check your back injuries.”

2107
A gentle snow fell on the grassy hills around the cavern. The inside looked as black as deep space itself. A group of four men came up to the entrance. One ordered the three to stop before kneeling down and looking at the snowy ground. A faint paw print was still clear on the light snow fall.
“It’s still here. It returned here early morning. And all these other paw prints suggest there are lots more inside,” the leader said.
He turned to the three men behind him. The three checked and secured their rifles.
“Remember, we are here to capture or kill only one of these animals. Just one. But don’t let that stop you from defending yourself if one gets too close.”
“Are you sure the old Feris speaks the truth? That these creatures can be caught off guard, despite their ferocity?” one of them asked.
“I trust the man with my life. He saved it from the very creature inside,” the leader said.
As he cracked his knuckles, his left hand felt the back of his right. His fingers moved around as the traced the outline on his skin. Dark blue lines looking like a artistically drawn reverse “S” with small comets flowing with the curves. He pulled his own rifle from his back and held it at the ready, flashlight attached to the barrel.
“Okay men, lets head in. But keep your eyes peeled, weapons ready if we encounter the big one. I know from experience how fast he can be.”