Like A Guiding Star

Chapter 3

P'Phayu carries Rain back into the tent and more or less dumps him on the straw mat that Rain has been using for a bed. "Don't move from that spot." He says giving Rain a thunderous look.

Rain makes a face at being ordered around like this, but doesn't dare move an inch. P"Phayu soon comes back with Sier Fah and three people Rain doesn't know.

P'Phayu sits with his arms crossed while Sier Fah says, "Rain this is P'Aek his brother Sier Tho, and P'Oat."

Rain quickly makes the polite gesture he learned while studying the culture of Kannika when he sees P'Phayu staring at him.

"What's this about?" Rain asks nervously.

"It's time for you to tell us where you are from and why you are here," P'Phayu says. "You are obviously not from Isaria. I have my doubts if you are even from Kannika."

Sier Fah stares at this, "P'Phayu you can't be serious, a star traveler? I thought they were myths made up by our ancestors. According to our legends our distant ancestors came from another planet thousands of years ago." He tells a confused Rain.

"Oh," Rain says non committedly, actually he already knew that Kannika had been a colony founded by a group of multinational refugees fleeing from Base Earth just over two thousand years ago according to Thurlian III's history books. They had been cut off from other planets and had slowly lost most of their technological advancements, becoming a primitive society.

Rain is torn, on one hand it is against the rules of his planet to interfere with other societies, especially developing ones. On the other he had come here seeking help and to do that he would need to confide in someone. His main reservation is that P'Phayu's camp is so small he isn't sure the alpha can help him. That was one of the main reasons he had left earlier but maybe P'Phayu's people have connections with other tribes that can be useful after all.

Besides, it doesn't seem like he has much choice. P'Phayu is still sitting with his arms crossed glaring at him and the others are looking at him in interest.

Rain decides the best thing to do is to just tell the truth. "I come from a planet called Thurlain III. We are a peaceful planet that knows almost nothing about war or fighting. Recently a warlord started attacking planets in our vicinity. When they attacked us my guard Sky and I fled but we were attacked and our transport was damaged causing us to be separated." Rain only decided to leave out the fact that he was a prince because it didn't seem that important at the moment.

"I have to find Sky," Rain says. "We need to get back to our planet with help."

"Will you be able to return through this transport?" P'Aek asks.
Rain shakes his head, "It's too dangerous we don't know how badly it was damaged and besides the invaders have probably taken over the capital by now." Rain can't help but to worry about his uncle and cousins with this thought. "We have an airship close by. If we contact Captain Ple and her crew, they can be here in a couple of weeks."

"Then what, you will just go back to your planet?" P'Phayu asks, there is an edge to his voice.

Rain shrugs, "I don't know. I am hoping that we can convince the people of this planet to help us. Ple has things to trade on her ship. If not, we'll have to try to find help from somewhere else."

Sier Saifah looks at P'Phayu at this, but the alpha just gives a shake of his head.

"We will do what we can to help you find this Sky," P'Phayu tells him, "as long as you don't try to run away again."

Part of Rain wants to ask if he is a prisoner here then, but with the way the alpha is looking he doesn't dare.

Two days later, Rain wakes to an unusual amount of activity in the camp. "What's going on?" he asks Sier Fah at breakfast. P'Phayu has been called away by P"Oat.