Part Four

GT July | Stellar Allies | Part Four

Words: Sweet Tooth, Honey, Gamble

Plunged into darkness once again and aching from head to toe, Ol'oih stayed crouched in the corner of the box with his addon curled around him. His one shot had failed and now all of that energy had been lost. It was a miracle that his addon hadn't broken, fractured, or, worst case, amputated instantly.

That boy had grabbed him so fast. He was so powerless. There was nothing he could do to try and defend himself. The experience was a jarring one, and he had no idea whether his plea for open communication would be answered.

Ol'oih curled in closer and continued heaving in breath after breath. He was starting to get drowsy. The heat was starting to have an affect on him and the lack of sustenance was making him weaker by the moment.

How could I be so stupid! I waisted my one chance. I shouldn't have rushed. I should've just stayed calm. Just that one touch was probably enough. I could've tried harder to demonstrate what I was about to do. I rushed and now they're probably going to end me.

Ol'oih flinched as he heard the sounds of stomping pass by.

They're probably going to experiment on me. There's no doubt. I caused harm, so they have every right to do the same. Oh Ove! Juthez! This is bad! This is so bad for me!

Ol'oih leaned over and laid down on the makeshift cot the humans provided which he thankfully had pulled over to the corner where he was huddled. As he laid there, he cleaned off the bits of skin from the end of his addon.

If this is the end, I'm not going out as a monster with blood on my hands or my addon.

Slowly, his eyelids were starting to get heavier and heavier. Ol'oih didn't even bother illuminating his surroundings. It would take too much energy to do so, and he couldn't spare it. All he could do there was stay prone and hope that his end would be quick and merciful.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed. What he did know was the sound of footsteps approaching disrupted his rest. The sound of muffled voices nearby told him that those same two boys were nearby and possibly alone, keeping him in a precarious situation. If there was someone new, he could maybe prove himself to that new person. Those two boys, however, had probably already made a determination about Ol'oih's demeanor and would proceed from there.

Once again, the light flooded into the box and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust as he looked up into the faces of those same two boys. His entire body thrummed, making him nauseous, but the one thing he clung to from his observation was the fact the boys didn't look malicious. If anything, they looked determined and calm.

Moments earlier, Jax and Cliff had approached his room and had one last verification of the plan.

"So, give him the food and water, talk, and then hopefully not get poisoned or controlled by the alien leading to the domination of our species. Super simple," muttered Jax.

"Yeah, super simple," echoed Cliff. He sighed and started to remove it when Jax got his attention with a nervous cough.

"You know… it's not too late. I'm not trying to chicken out or anything, but this feels like something that is way over our heads. I just… are you sure you want to try this again?" asked Jax.

Cliff sighed and stared at his bandaged, throbbing hand, part of it coming loose from him tugging at it. "Yeah, I think so. The other option is calling the government or some other authority. I'm not ready to do that, so I'll take my chances."

"Okay, but just to make sure he knows, maybe make it clear that we're not messing around?" proposed Jax.

"You want to threaten the six inch tall alien?" asked Cliff.

"I mean, yes and no? Dude, I just don't want to see you get hurt again," said Jax. Cliff closed his fist and bumped his friend on the side of his leg.

"I don't think it'll happen, but thanks man. Now, let's stop being chickens and let's get excited. This is for science! Commence Operation: First Contact. Well, Operation: Second Contact. At the very least, I might go down in history as the first person to be kill murdered by an alien in our day and age." Cliff's attempt at a joke was ill received as Jax's face fell. As Cliff led the way into the room, he heard his friend behind him.

"Not funny," Jax grumbled as he led the way into Cliff's room. Together, they entered the room and crouched once more by the sealed plastic box to attempt communicating once more.

Ol'oih, now once again face-to-face with the human boys, leaned his back against the hard edge of the container behind him. He didn't have the energy to fight anyway. His body thrummed nervously and, sadly, his emotions were easy to read. He noticed his ciferi shifting from color to color with every emotional whim his mind and body experienced.

The one boy who had grabbed him turned his eyes away for just a moment, looking at something Ol'oih couldn't hope to see, and turned his attention back to him. There was something in his hand and, instinctually, Ol'oih curled in tighter to himself, shying away from the arm extending down into the box a few inches from him.

What's he grabbing? What's he grabbing! He didn't seem malicious. Neither of them did. Juthez! Was I wrong?

His fears, however, shifted cautiously to curiosity and relief as he saw that what the boy had in his hands was some kind of cup with a clear liquid inside of it.

Water!

The glass came up to Ol'oih's waist and was more than enough to drink for the next few days. The boy quickly removed his hand, leaving the cup behind. Ol'oih scrambled up to his feet and approached the glass, gazing at the life saving liquid, when he stopped short.

These boys… what if they've poisoned the water? What if they tampered with it? I can't take the risk. Not without testing it first.

Jax and Cliff watched, entranced and fascinated, as the alien paused for a moment as he eagerly gazed at the water before stopping himself. Then, from one of the pockets in the flight suit he was wearing, he pulled out a rectangular box and dipped it into the water, careful not to get any of the liquid onto his skin. He reached into a different pocket and pulled out some other small item which he poured into the water.

Then, he sat and rocked the box back and forth, swirling whatever he poured into the box with the water.

"Are you… testing the water?" asked Jax suddenly, making the alien jump a little.

Yes, not that you can hear me. It's a basic test. I don't mean offence by it, but I need to know you're not trying to kill me. Wow… devolving into talking to myself. I guess it does happen faster than you think. I shouldn't have besmirched all those stories they made us read in basic.

After a minute of swirling the solution around, Ol'oih examined the water and saw no change in color.

It's pure, and it's not been tampered with. Thank Ove!

With that, both Jax and Cliff watched in surprise as the alien grabbed onto either side of the cup and plunged his head directly into the substance.

"Wait… hang on! Cliff, he's not drowning himself, right?" asked Jax as he went to reach into the container to pull the alien out of the water. Just as he did, however, Cliff reached forward and grabbed Jax's extended hand.

"Wait! I don't think so. Look. The water level is going down. I… think he's just drinking," stated Cliff. Jax scrutinized the water levels further and saw his best friend was right. The water levels were merely going down and, after a few more seconds, the alien pulled his head out of the cup.

Water dripped down his shoulders and over his body. He reached up and slicked back his liv, looking completely relieved, before turning his attention back to the two teens. Already, he felt rejuvenated. With water, he was sure to last twice as long compared to the few meager days he might've had without rations.

I can't even thank them, thought Ol'oih, feeling a bit disappointed.

"Good?" asked Jax. He looked into the alien's face and noticed how the coloration of his scaled skin had slowed dramatically and was hovering between the blues, grays, and blacks now. "Well, we hope you like these then. Sorry in advanced. We… had to guess. We didn't know what you'd like, or what you could have." Jax reached over to the tray once more and grabbed the five little dishes he and Cliff had prepared.

Unsure of what this or any alien would eat, they had a healthy debate in the kitchen and settled on five different items: tiny slices of ham and turkey, cream of wheat, honey, Greek yogurt, kale. It covered most of the main food groups and offered variety. Also, at the very least, the two teens thought that it would show they were trying to be considerate.

And Ol'ioh was beginning to get that impression.

They don't know what I eat, so they brought a few things. At least they were up front about their intentions, and he even apologized for not knowing; not that they would. What… is this? Did they tamper with this? They didn't tamper with the water, but perhaps that's meant as a false sense of security?

Better safe than sorry.

Ol'oih pulled out a different testing container from his side pocket and approached the cream of wheat. Though the substance was foreign to him, it did look sustenance he and his crewmates had eaten for years in basic training. From consistency to scent, it was something he was most likely to trust.

Once again, he scooped a little into one of the containers and poured a mixture of solutions over it, swirling it around for thirty seconds until he was satisfied that it wasn't contaminated. He crouched by the dish and, as he'd done all his life, scooped up a portion into his hand and smeared it onto his head.

Both Jax and Cliff's jaws dropped as they watched the little alien take a handful of cream of wheat and smeared it into his hair.

"Wait! Ah, man. Does he think it's meant for cleaning?" muttered Jax, which interrupted the alien briefly.

Is this… not how humans eat? Ol'oih wondered. Then what's that stuff on their head? Are they not receptors for nutrients?

"I… no. Woah! Look," Jax said as he pointed to the side of the alien's head. "Cliff, I think that's how he eats. See? It's being absorbed. It's drying out and vanishing. That stuff that we thought was hair has got to be something else."

"I guess that gives the whole saying 'brain food' a whole new meaning," grinned Cliff. "So, are they more like villi then? But more intense?"

"Then what's his mouth for?" Jax wondered aloud.

Great… a couple of funny guys. I know enough about your language to know you're poking fun at me. At least you're making a joke about how I'm eating. And what is a "mouth"? That thing you keep using to disrupt the air waves around you? Ol'oih remarked quietly to himself. Though he thought the two boys gawking at him replenishing himself, he wasn't about to complain outwardly. They'd found sufficient nutrients for him, which was more than he could've hoped for given their first interaction.

He was starting to get a better sense of these boys and honestly starting to believe that their first interaction was simply a misunderstanding. The nausea was finally starting to subside, much to Ol'oih's relief, but there was a scent that he was detecting that was beyond pleasant to his senses.

Leaning forward, he extended his senses and inhaled deeply, realizing it was coming from the golden liquid in the center of the nearby dish. He approached and inhaled again as a sense of nostalgia hit him.

Ucos! Dear Ove! How did they get a hold of this? We haven't had this for years back home. Ol'oih gazed at the golden, viscous substance longingly. They guessed right for this. Amazing. Even between our worlds, there are still similarities.

I wonder if it's the same. The scent is the same, but what about taste? Ol'oih reached back and snagged his testing equipment once more. The edge of the tube was almost touching the surface when he paused. A thought occurred to him, and it was a risky one.

If I test everything, they will think I don't trust them, which I don't. At least, not entirely. I need to show them I'm willing to trust. It will do so much for opening a dialogue between us. Actions speak louder than words, and consuming something without testing it will show they've done something good. If this ends me… well… so be it.

Cliff felt his heart skipping in his chest like a stone across water. He watched the alien reach for that little kit that was in one of his flight suit pockets, nearly use it, and then deliberately put it to the side before leaning over the dish filled with honey and, like before, taking a handful of it and smearing it into his "hair."

The sticky substance slowly vanished after a few moments of being on the alien's head, and suddenly he looked like he was feeling better. When they first reopened the container to give the alien food, the little guy looked a little unwell. Maybe the food was doing that, and maybe it was because he wasn't supposed to be in complete darkness for extended periods of time.

Whatever the case, the little alien looked like he was feeling better.

Whad'ya know. This little guy has a sweet tooth Cliff thought.

Now was the moment of truth. Their plan of giving food and then attempting to communicate again was onto the second part. Cliff prayed silently the whole third part about world domination and possession wasn't even a possibility. Putting his trust in his instincts and in his scientific logic, he broke the silence that had settled over them.

"Feeling better?" asked Cliff. He watched the blues that dominated the alien's scales shift subtly to the grays and blacks again, fragments of yellow flaring from time to time. His guess was that the alien could understand. Cliff hoped so anyway. He was going off of everything he'd witnessed so far and was relying on his intuitive leaps to guide their interactions. Now Cliff was stepping out on a limb with his conclusions, putting his own body on the line, and was eager to know if he was right.

When there was no response from the six inch tall alien, Cliff decided to continue, knowing his nerves would get the better of him if he were to stop now.

"I hope so, and I hope you're not hurt or anything. I'm… well… we're really sorry about our first interaction. We didn't mean to hurt you and grab you. We were just a bit startled… and scared. We didn't know what to expect, so we're sorry about that," apologized Cliff.

Sorry? What does… Ah! Apologies! It must mean apologies. They're remorseful about everything that happened. Ol'oih thought, feeling cautiously optimistic as he looked between the two boys. He watched the one moving his head up and down, which he could only assume was a physical confirmation or agreement with what the speaking boy was saying.

"Honestly, I'd like it if we could start over. You know? We got off on the wrong foot and we want to apologize for our actions. We didn't mean to hurt you and I'm sure this all has to be pretty scary all things considering," stated Cliff. "And, if you want, we'd like to try and talk to you again. So…"

Cliff inhaled shakily as he pulled the bandage free from his left hand. The little plug where the alien's tail hadn't quite stopped seeping yet. If he was lucky, it would be a cool scar for years to come. If he was unlucky… well… he didn't want to think about that.

Looking back at the little alien and then to his hand, he once again splayed his fingers and lowered his hand into the base of the plastic container as he said, "Hello, my name is Clifford Neilson, and this is my friend Jaxon Warner. It's nice to meet you." Cliff's heart was pounding harder with every passing second. His eyes were fixated on the figure, whose breathing had seemingly increased, just like his. Cliff suspected he was nervous, and Ol'oih had every right to be.

The last time he'd approached the boys and attempted communication, he'd ended up flung in the corner of the box he was in and could have lost his addon. A great many things could've gone wrong, and yet they didn't.

They could've ended me before, and yet I'm still here. They apologized, which makes me a little less nervous. It could be a trick. The food and water could've been something to lead me into a false sense of security.

At the same time, they obviously have the power and strength to not care. The food and water is a gesture of good faith, and they're trying intentionally this time to communicate. They know how it happens this time, and they're willing to try it again. Ol'oih glanced between the two boys and, try and he might, didn't sense anything malicious from them. They were being genuine.

I'm here as a liaison. My specialization is communication. I studied their language for years for a moment like this.

Just as before, Ol'oih raised his hands in an almost surrendering motion. He kept his eyes specifically on the one whose hands were out of the container, considering it was that one who had grabbed him. His body thrummed with increasingly intensifying emotions as he approached the human boy's hand. 

If he was right, the human was just as nervous as he was because of the jittering Ol'oih noticed in his fingertips. A surge of guilt came over him as he stared at the puncture wound he had left of the boy's hand from before and saw the considerable plug that his addon had taken when he was forcibly removed. 

It gave this moment all the more significance. 

I'm getting a second chance. I have to be patient and slow. I can't rush this. At least they know a bit more about what's going on this time and what I intend to do. Juthez! This is bad if I mess this up twice. I'll definitely be an experiment if that happens. I have to take the gamble though. I have things I need to find out and questions that need answering, and they are probably my best chance at the moment.

Ol'oih was once again inches from the boy's fingertips. Just like before, Ol'oih's addon curled around and in front of him. He continued to make eye-contact with the human boy as he pressed the tip of his addon against his flesh. This time, he paused and looked to his addon and then back to the boy for confirmation, which he received with that same up and down shaking motion of his head.

Here it goes. 

Ol'oih stepped forward and placed his hand on the base of his addon before pressing it further into the fleshy part of the boy's hand, twisting to follow the ridges on the end. The boy audibly winced, making Ol'oih second guess his decision, but felt like the connection was secure. He saw the place where his addon had torn a hole out of the boy and guilt compressed his chest. Sadly, he couldn't think about that now.

Now that he was here, he finally had his words sorted. That was what mattered. 

He was ready to talk. 

Cliff, in the meantime, winced again as he felt the pencil lead like tail tip push its way into his hand, but this time he was absolutely determined and kept his hand still as he watched the little alien secure his tail and then step away, hands once again raised in surrender. A weird sensation tickled the back of his mind before, after a moment, that sensation developed into that same voice he'd heard before. 

"I, too, would like to apologize for my actions." 

Cliff's eyes widened and every hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Jax glanced at him anxiously, but Cliff gave him a subtle thumbs up with his free hand which he hoped the alien couldn't see. 

"So, it was you who I heard," said Cliff, speaking aloud. "Do… do I just think back to you? Or do I have to speak out loud?" Cliff started thinking really hard about saying "if you can hear me raise your right hand," but nothing came of it. Instead, the male alien voice returned in the back of his mind in a direct, clear tone. 

"I do not know. I think you may not have the ability to path back to me, so speaking aloud is your only option, as pathing is the only option for me to communicate to you," Cliff heard the alien say in the back of his mind. 

"Woah," he grinned, already feeling his scientifically geared mind coming up with question after question. 

"What? What did he say?" asked Jax. 

"He said he thinks that me talking out-loud is the only option to communicate with him, just like this, what did you call it? Path? Well, this 'path' method is the way he can talk to us." Cliff felt weird being a translator, but his excitement was overriding the awkwardness of the situation. He couldn't stop smiling from ear to ear at this fascinating experience.

"That is correct term. Path. That is what we call it. But I digress. I want to apologize for injuring you. It was not my intention. My eagerness to communicate and overrode my reasoning and I acted irrationally. For that, I am sorry," Ol'oih pathed. "I should have better communicated my actions so you were not alarmed."

"What did he say?" asked Jax. 

"He's saying he was sorry for hurting my hand. He was just eager to try and talk to us and jumped the gun," said Cliff as he directed his attention back to the alien. "I don't think you said your name. We… kind of interrupted you before. You said something about Ensign?"

"Yes! Right. Apologies. I should have started with that," Ol'oih pathed as he gave a customary dip of his head before snapping to attention as he'd done so many times before during his basic training. "My name is Ensign Ol'oih Namniels. I am a linguistic specialist, specifically analysis and translation, and am here on an informational expedition on our ship, the Rielkoh. I also did not thank you properly for finding me and my escape pod."

"Ol'oih?" echoed Cliff as he thought about how the name perfectly reflected the little alien.

"Wait, how do you say that?" asked Jax under his breath. "Phonetically I mean."

"I think it's pronounced 'all-o-ee,' right?" asked Cliff as he glanced over at his friend and then back to Ol'oih, who nodded in agreement as he attempted to copy the human boys' movements to better adapt to their communication style.

"The pronunciation in your language is a bit different than our home world, but translated to your tongue you said it perfectly," pathed Ol'oih.

"Thanks." Cliff felt a swelling of pride in himself as he glanced to his friend and then back to Ol'oih, whose sleek black eyes continued gazing up at the two boys. Cliff's mind was whirring with dozens of possibilities now that they had reliable communication with Ol'oih, but the alien beat him to the punch as his voice once again emanated from the back of his mind.

"I… do not mean to sound ungrateful and am more than willing to answer your questions, if you have any, but could I ask you some direct questions? I… need to know a few things," pathed Ol'oih. He hoped the boys would be compliant and helpful. They had opened a dialogue after all.

"Yeah, sure. We'll try and answer them if we can," replied Cliff.

"He has questions? For us?" asked Jax. "We're not even going to do the 'you ask one then I ask one' scenario?"

"Seems only fair that he gets to go first," shrugged Cliff. "Olive branch and all that." Jax huffed a bit, but relented. Cliff knew immediately that his friend was feeling left out of the conversation, but it couldn't be helped. Ol'oih only had one tail to use for communication and it wasn't like they had a splitter they could use.

Jax will get a turn, Cliff thought. I'll make sure of it.

"Okay, what are your questions?" asked Cliff. Ol'oih, for a moment, almost looked like he was bracing himself for what he was about to ask. Body thrumming all over, Ol'oih had one primary question that he was terrified to know the answer to but knew it took priority over all others.

Nervously, he looked to the ground to stabilize himself before looking back up and asking, "Do you know what happened to the rest of the crew?"