Justin Nesbit, soldier turned prospector, crash lands on a planet in a star system that doesn't exist on any map. He's taken prisoner by the natives, and finds himself thrust into a strange new culture, a strange new language ... and strange new feelings. From the start, Sajah, the alien leading the natives, is intensely interested in him.<br><br>Sajah is a big and strange alien, unlike anyone Justin has ever encountered in his life. Fumbling through cultural and language barriers, they become friends. But one crucial moment of misunderstanding changes Justin's entire situation and leads him down a path to a choice he never imagined in his wildest dreams.

Captive

Justin looked at the open doorway, unsurprised to see Sajah, the silver-eyed alien that had bound him at his ship’s wreckage, entering his tiny hovel.


Two weeks ago, when they’d marched Justin through the circular cluster of the village, bound as a prisoner, he wouldn’t have anticipated befriending any of them, let alone one of their leaders. Captive as he was, however, Justin didn’t begrudge the natives their wariness.


His hut was small, sparsely furnished, and the food left much to be desired, namely meat, but he hadn’t been mistreated. Besides, there was a window at least, and Justin found some amusement at watching the natives at his most bored points of the day. Watching the warriors train in the clearing, just visible between the two adjacent huts to his own, Justin had been able to glean a small amount of information about his keeper, Sajah. The alien had to be very high in the command chain, if the diffidence the warriors paid him was any indication.


Chapter 4