Alpha Centauri

Fourteen - Nathan

 I return to the hurriedly prepared campsite a while after the twins to find that it's being packed up again.

"Leaving so soon?" I ask.

"We have to find them before they find us," says Nizami, unleashing her diamond sword and giving it a few practice swings. I involuntarily back away.

"Why are you so eager to leave? I thought you were against getting our asses kicked," Jaden says from her perch in an oak tree above my head. I can tell she hasn't been helping pack up at all.

"I would like to get it over with." She spins around and does a reverse slash with her sword with acrobat-like agility.

"So...am I just going to stay here alone while you three frolic around hunting for killer aliens?"

"That's your plan," Julian says matter-of-factly.

I clearly didn't think this through. "But what if we need to communicate with each other?"

Nizami digs through her backpack and finds a small object. She tosses it to me, and I barely manage to snag it out of the air.

"Place that in your ear canal," she orders.

I star at the small, metallic device resting in the palm of my hand.

"Your ear canal," she repeats.

I know better than to ask for an explanation, so I shakily take the device and push it into my ear. When it's far enough in, an odd sensation comes over me. It's like the device is connecting to my brain, become a part of my nervous system and infra-structure. I'm not sure what it is or what to think about it.

"This is what I've been using to understand and speak English," Nizami explains. "But with more than one can be used to communicate. Just will the device to connect with mine. If you concentrate enough, you will be able to hear what I'm hearing, if I allow it."

I nod, feeling the aftershock of the connection.

"I would advise that you keep it on."

It's hard to say no to a girl holding a sword.

"So how do you plan to find them?" I ask, ignoring the faint hum in my ear. I'll have to get used to that.

"We're kind of counting on the fact that they'll probably find us again. And when that happens, we'll defeat them and use the last one standing to get information," Julian says.

There about fifty ways for that to go wrong, but I don't want to be a Nizami. "Alright then."

In a few moments, Nizami and the twins are ready to depart.

"Well," I say awkwardly. "Good luck guys. Try not to get your asses kicked too hard."

Jaden gives me a not helping look.

"I suppose I should wish you luck as well, Nathan," Nizami says, which is the first decent thing the alien girl has said to me. She meets my eyes, and for once, she doesn't seem so intimidating.

Julian extends his strong hand and grips my skinny one, giving it a good shake. "Thanks," he whispers, though I'm not sure what he's thanking me for.

Jaden gives me a stiff, awkward hug, but punches my arm, as if to make up for lost insensitivity.

It's ever so subtle, but I see Julian taking Nizami's hand. Without another word, the three alien kids turn and begin their trek into the perilous environment of human society.

-----

I don't mess around with repairing Nizami's ship. I board the dormant, dark vessel and search for any supplies I can use. I stop the sparking and combusting with Crenala's version of a fire extinguisher. I combine some of my own supplies with the ship's, and I'm glad to find out they work quite well.

I love repairing and improving the space pod, but the loneliness is hard to ignore. I've never been a quiet person, once you get to know me, and I've always wanted someone to talk to. The problem is that I just wasn't all that popular in school. But once I becomes the first human to leave the solar system, I won't have to cope with loneliness ever again.

I tune in with Nizami.

"Nizami, baby! Nathan here. Talk to me."

The impatience in her voice sounds through the system clear enough for her to be right next to me. "Do not call me baby."

"Well, hello to you, too. How goes it?"

"We left an hour ago, Nathan," she says irritably. "We still failed to locate the Everetts' pickup truck. Now we're on the highway, like we were when you called fifteen minutes ago."

"I know, and I'm sorry. But it's terribly lonely here, and I need someone to talk to."

I hear an exasperated sigh on the other end. "I would give this earpiece to Julian so you can bother him, but unfortunately I require it to speak and understand your language."

"Bummer. Oh, say hi to the J-man for me?"

"Their names are Julian and Jaden. And I will shut this off if you do not stop pestering me."

Nizami's threats aren't that threatening without contractions.

"Fine, fine. I'll leave you alone to make out or whatever."

"What?"

"Nothing! Gotta go. Breach just caught on fire. Bye now!"

I'm laughing to myself when I disconnects.

I work on replacing and re-situating the severed wires. It's tedious work, and soon I come across a problem.

One of the main, essential wires is badly damaged, and as far as I know, it's irreparable. And I'm pretty sure we're going to need if we want to make it back to Crenala.

"Houston, we have a problem," I say into the device.

"My name is Nizami," she reminds me. "What could you possibly need now?"

"The main wire is completely obliterated, and I don't have a replacement."

"I would advise you fix it."

"Ha, well, the thing about that is...I can't."

Nizami curses in Crenalan.

"What's wrong?" Julian's voice says faintly in the background.

"We have to return to the ship."

"We can't walk all that way back," Julian says.

"If we don't, we won't make it to Crenala at all."

I hear them start arguing again, and I'm even more convinced they're perfect for each other. Jaden butts in and tells them to stop arguing.

I eventually tune them out and starts contemplating on what will be needed to fix the wire.

Then I hear a voice that doesn't come from my earpiece. It swallows up the sounds of the twins and Nizami arguing. It comes from behind me, and I don't just hear it, I feel it.

"I can help you fix that."