The Frozen Spark

Chapter Eight; Discovery

          ...absolutely nothing. The Douklax gave another drowning gurgle laugh and continued, “Why would I tell you what I have? You is stupid. There is no reason why I tell you what I has.”

          “Oh.” Bailif displayed disappointment by looked downwards downcast.

          “You are a clever creature.” Troareth tried to continue the conversation.

          “Huh?” it asked.

          “You are smart.”

          “Oh.” the Douklax responded doubtfully.

          Bailif looked at Troareth in disgust about thinking how the Douklax could be smart at all then he went back to staring around the space ferry. The uncomfortable silence returned and it was very weird between the three of them.

          “AHFE VNIE AICVE HAFIE!” the first red shouted.

          The translator turned back to the first and howled, “HWU GWU QTE!”

          The earlier Douklax did some strange motions that are too bizarre and ghastly that it would be too hard—and terrible—to tell and screeched, “AHFE GEH MURG TYRAEW!”

          The translating Douklax turned around, even more angrily than it seemed, and bellowed, “GEY TQWU NYW MIK BEC LOP!”

          “What are you two talking about?” Bailif asked the second Douklax, hoping to stop the first from continuing.

          The interpreting Douklax turned back to the captives and started to speak when yowls came from the other Douklax. The one closest to them ignored the other, “He wants me to kill you now.”

          “Whoa...ummm...” Bailif stuttered.

          “Why is this?” Troareth questioned reasonably.

          “He thinks you annoying.”

          “That makes sense.”

          Bailif was just about to butt in, but then Troareth continued with his sentence first, “Why don’t you kill us now?”

          Bailif nearly attempted to kill Troareth. The look on his face showed obvious anger and madness, with a hint of confusion.

          “We need you. For now.” is all the Douklax said.

          “Perfect sense.” Troareth killed the conversation.

          Bailif was just sitting there in shock, and then he gave up on the other two. Looking around the vehicle he realized that there was nothing he could do. His wrists were starting to hurt a lot from the things holding them up. Manipulating his body, he attempted to at least relax his wrists. Attracting the eyes of the second Douklax and recognizing the fact that his attempts were useless, he gave up.

          “So that is the only reason why you haven’t killed us?” Bailif pushed his luck. “Just because you need us?”

          The Douklax did some bizarre motion that Bailif took as a nod so Bailif continued, “Don’t you want to kill us?”

          Now it was Troareth’s turn to stare at Bailif in unlimited horror.

          “Yes. But when we take mission, we follow through. We follow through no matter the consequences during the mission.”

          “Why though?” Bailif comforted compassionately.

          “If we don’t finish the mission we get killed. None of us want to die. We have seen many. Most people think we brutes. We care about clans. Killing not fun. We want to get out of it.”

          Troareth and Bailif both stared at the soft-hearted brute in surprise. “Why can’t you just get out of it?” Troareth squeezed in right before Bailif could say anything.

          The Douklax just looked at them with a blank expression. Finally it responded slowly. “It is in blood. It is trench and we can’t get out. We try. But we just get killed.”

          For what seemed like countless ekas, the creatures of the different planets just stared and stared at each other, compassionately; and the Maroidanians also had sympathy written all over their faces.

          Then out of the blue—er out of the grey to be exact—came a wailing shout that was much deeper and louder than either Douklax. “HYEW DQE FWD YUT BEH! GFE WED BIM PYU!”

          Before anyone had a chance to speak, the Douklax got up. “That is mate. She is happy. I have to go see her. Bye.” and just walked out the door.

          Troareth turned over to Bailif and whispered, “I did not expect those creatures to have feelings. Especially that one. They seem more cold hearted and thick skinned than a woolly Iden mixed with a Yampi.”

          “Now say what again?” Bailif questioned.

          “Those are more things that aren’t real but yet they seem real. It is all very strange, my mind.”

          Bailif pretty much ignored that conversation and returned to their earlier one, “I can’t believe that he has a mate and she sounds like that.”

          “Creatures have and are more than they seem.”

          “Well I know that now, especially from you.”

          “Do you trust him?” Bailif whispered a few moments later, pointing to the remaining Douklax.

          “We have to. Plus, if he kills us he dies.” Is all Troareth said about the matter.

          They then just sat in silence for the longest time, not for the first time. It was somewhat becoming a routine for them.