first of many (Thia)

I was the one who saw them first. But something was wrong. Buddy was flying faster than he should've been, like his life—or his master's—depended on it. Then I saw him fall, saw Jay fall. And I screamed, and pointed. That was when the others saw him.

Buddy went into the most spectacular dive. He caught Jay just before he hit the ground,

then pulled up in time to make a decent landing. But still something was wrong. Jay wasn't wearing the helmet or back-pack. He wasn't conscious either. The others ran to Buddy, who still had his master on his back.

"Please let him be o.k." I prayed. "Please let him make it."

The others and me tried to get Jay off Buddy, but Buddy didn't seem very keen to let his master go. Then Sam, who seemed the best with animals,

(especially one from outer space.) went up to him and stroked his beak and spoke soothingly. "It's all right, Bud. You saved your master's life."

Finally we got Jay off, but he looked very pale. Whatever tan there might have been in his skin was now completely gone.

"We've gotta get him to sick-bay." Zee said, holding his head up.

"Where's dad? I gotta get daddy." I said in a quiet, weak voice that no one could hear.

I ran into the base, but instead of following the others towards sick-bay I ran down the corridor where my dad works. He was still in the lab with Cat. When he saw me, he stopped.

"Thia. I wasn't expecting you here. Is there anything wrong?"

"Jay's got back, but he's hurt, they've taken him to sick-bay." I said, breathlessly. He didn't stop long. He hesitated only to share a brief glance with Cat, then he went with me to sick-bay.

When we got there, Jay looked even worse. They'd taken his top off and laid him on his front. On his back was a hideous burn that seemed to be spreading through his veins. Sam and Noaba were sitting at the head of his bed, Noaba gently stroking his short, jet-black hair, zee, crouching down at his side.

"My god!" I whispered, backing up towards my dad. "What's happened to him?"

"He's been shot." said someone I didn't recognise at that time.

"He'll be alright though, won't he?" asked Noaba.

"He's stable, for the time being." Said Zee, getting up. "and he's bound to get better sooner rather than later."

"But what if he gets worse before he gets better?"

To this, zee took her time to answer. In the end, she just shrugged. "You just have to—keep faith."

Then she left. But just after she went out of sick-bay, before she got out of sight, I saw her lean against a corridor with one hand, and raise the other to her mouth, as if she was trying to hide a sob.

Zee had known me and Jay before any of the others at the base. I knew that it would break her heart if anything happened to any of us.

I looked back at Jay, thinking. The colour did seem to be coming back into his face, slowly. Maybe he would just get better.

But then again, the burn on his back seemed to be spreading at the same rate as the colour was coming back to him.

"He will be alright, won't he daddy?"

He didn't answer.

"He should be fine by morning." Said the voice I didn't recognise. Looking round, I saw that it was the doctor. "If not, then I'm afraid there won't be much more we can do."

I looked back at Jay. He looked so small, so innocent.

"Maybe you should let him rest."

Sam and Noaba both got up to leave, but I stayed where I was.

"I'll stay with him." I said.

For a moment no one moved. Then I felt my dad hold me lightly by the arm.

"Thia. If the Tru-beeins have done this, then it must be a sign that there will be a war. This won't be the last time they do something like this. It'll probably be the first of many."

"I don't care. I won't leave him."

The other two left, but dad stayed and kept hold of me, though his grip never got tighter. After a while, he let go and went to sit by Jay's bed.

"Then I'm staying with you."

I smiled and ran to him, once more wrapping my arms around his waist.

After a while, I fell asleep in daddy's lap. When I woke up, Jay's eyes were just starting to flicker.

"Jay?" I asked, a little timidly.

He looked at me.

"Jay, you're alright, thank god!" I said, running up to him. He smiled raising his head, and rubbing the back of it.

"I'm fine, I think. What happened?" he asked. "The last thing I remember is—running away from the ship."

"We don't quite know. You were shot, but you didn't have — where did — the back-pack, the helmet?"

He gasped. "Oh damn, I remember now. I made a noise, they chased me, we flew away...

and I left the back-pack behind because... ugh, I'm such a fool."

"No! I'm just glad you're o.k." I said, throwing myself at him. I felt his hand on my back, and heard him do a sigh that sounded half like a laugh.

"We are kinda ganna need that back-pack back." I whispered in his ear.

"Well, Buddy can get it back. He knows where it is." He said, trying to get up.

I pushed him back down "were they going to invade?"

He didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes, I think so. But he couldn't get through." He said, looking at my dad. "There's some sort of force- field. Oh, but he's already destroyed one."

"He?"

"When I got there, he was talking about a planet — taking things from it then getting rid of it."

"What!" I said both astonished and horrified. "The whole planet? But who is he?"

He stopped and turned back to me. "I don't know who it was. I didn't see his face, only heard his voice."

"What did he sound like?" dad asked. We both looked at him.

"Deep, and, evil sounding, with a slight croak, or growl. I couldn't tell which."

"Does it mean anything dad?" I asked, for suddenly, dad looked troubled, like a sudden shadow had fallen over him.

"It could mean a great deal, or nothing at all." With that he left.

I looked back at Jay, who shrugged.

I smiled. "And I was just getting used to it here. I would've been starting at school next week."

Jay grinned. "A first day at a new school, always seems to cheer you up."

"The first of many, I hope."