He Comes in Peace

Skye ended up sleeping under that very tree.

When she awoke in the morning, she felt as if a rabid cat had attacked her.

She was sore everywhere, the tears had dried on her face, making her skin feel odd; her hair was disheiveled and dirty. She combed her fingers through her brown locks and tied it back from her face.

She sniffed and rubbed her nose. Her fingers were numb, and both her feet had fallen asleep.

"Ah!" Skye stumbled and felt her legs buckle. She undid her shoelaces and slipped her foot out, trying to wiggle her toes; no use. They were frozen. The millions of tiny little tingles made her want to scratch her skin off.

"This sucks. This really, really sucks," she grumbled, slipping her foot back inside her shoe.

Skye's stomach rumbled. She was surprised that she had not woken up in a cage, and shipped back to the ECI's laboratory.

She rubbed her stomach and blinked her eyes, wiping her dirt covered fingers on her jeans before clearing her eyes of sleep.

The minute the fog in her mind and dispersed, she sighed and thought of Tay.

She wasn't mad; not really, at least. But why would he leave her like that? Was he too caught up in proving that he wasn't going to let a bad leg slow him down?

"Where did he head off to, anyway?"

Skye looked around the forest. She had no idea where Stanley Park led off to, so there wasn't much hope of finding her way home.

"I could walk back...Retrace my steps and go back to the fair or something," Skye mumbled to herself. She stepped out from the brush and looked up the slope they had traveled down.

"Oh, screw. I have no sense of direction whatsoever."

Skye squinted and looked up at the sky. It was a pearly grey-blue colour. She crossed her fingers and hoped that it would not start pouring.

As the thought came into her head, she felt a drop of water hit her nose.

"God damnit!" she shrieked, throwing her hands into the air and startling a bird.

Maybe she could climb up a tree and steal the eggs like Kartayon had done.

She walked over to the tree where the bird was perched, hoping it wouldn't peck her to death when she started climbing.

It let out a huge caw and flapped its wings. Skye reached up and hooked her arm onto the nearest branch that looked like it would somewhat support her weight. Her sneakers barely gripped onto the rough bark of the tree trunk, and when she tried pulling herself up from that one branch, it cracked. Skye dropped herself down onto the ground, dusting off her fingers.

The bird cawed some more.

"Okay little birdie, you don't have to keep shouting insults at me. I can't even climb to save my life." Skye was dimly aware that 'save my life' was actually a true statement now.

"I'm hungry, I'm lost, it's going to rain, I have no shelter and no company, and a flipping bird that won't stop cawing!" she shouted, waving her arms.

There was a rustle in the bushes. Skye whipped around, her heart picking up speed.

"Tay?" she said quietly, holding her breath until the rustling continued. "Tay?"

Her chest hurt and she had trouble catching her breath.

Was it the ECI? Was it Tay?

Skye inched closer to the noise, eyes wide. She was careful not to step on any branches or dried leaves, anything that would give her position away.

When she was two feet from the source of the noise, something leaped out of the bush.

Skye screamed, flailing her arms and covering her face, shouting, "Don't eat me!"

When the expected bone-crushing jaws failed to come, she peeked between her arms. Half of herself expected it to be another bird, the other half was afraid that a flesh eating zombie would come lumbering towards her.

It was neither.

It was a squirrel, holding an acorn.

Skye felt a sinking disappointment. She realized that a tiny sliver of her mind had blatantly hoped that it was Tay, coming back for her.

"Hey little guy. Gathering nuts for winter storage, eh? Care to give me a few?" she mumbled, crouching down and extending her hand.

"I would not do that if I were you. Squirrels can be dangerous."

Skye jumped at the noise. It belonged to a female.

"Who said that?" she shouted, turning her head and rising slowly to her feet.

"I did." A woman stepped out from the bush where the squirrel had just been. It was the woman that had created the diversion needed for Kartayon and Skye to escape.

"You!"

"Yes, me." The woman smiled gently, and wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes. She looked to be in her mid-thirties, but like Kartayon, looks could be deceiving.

"Where did he go?" the woman asked, looking around. "I would have thought Kartayon would stay with you."

"He did. But when I stopped last night, he kept walking. Who are you?"

"I am the woman that rescued you and Kartayon."

"I know that, but where did you come from? Well, I'm guessing you're from Quetz, but...Are you related to Kartayon? Are you his mother?"

The woman laughed a musical laugh. "Far from it, dear child. I am not his mother. We share the same mother, though."

Skye ogled at the woman. She either had powers to make herself look older (why would anyone want to do that?) or Kartayon had powers to make himself look younger.

"I know it seems ridiculous. Our Quettalian history will be explained soon. But at the moment, we need to find Kartayon." The woman advanced towards Skye and extended her hand. "You seem to be in need of a washroom."

Skye blushed and lowered her head. "Yeah, I do."

"Come; on my way here, I located a...What do you call it? An out-house?"

"Oh, yes. Could you um, take me there?"

"Of course. Let us be going."

The woman set off at a brisk pace, one that Skye was unable to keep up with, at the moment, at least. Her feet were still asleep, and every time she took a step, the unpleasant, tingling, itchy sensation would spread up her leg.

"How did you get to Earth? I mean, I saw the ship, I was there with Kartayon when it landed, but I didn't see anybody get off."

"Simple. There were many of our kind on board the ship, and I was one of the few that had previously made a trip to Earth before. They chose me to go after you and Kartayon. The ship ejected my seat, and launched me out."

"Oh. What are you going to do when you find Kartayon? Are you...Are you taking him back to Quetz?"

The woman didn't answer, and they were silent for a few moments.

"Are you well?" she asked, turning around slightly as she walked to look at Skye.

"I'm...I've been better. My foot's just asleep, that's all."

"Your foot is asleep? But the rest of you is clearly awake," the woman said in a puzzled way, slowing down.

Skye could tell that this woman was from Quettle; the way she spoke reminded her so much of Kartayon.

"Oh, um…My foot is asleep because I was sleeping under the tree, and I guess the position I was in cut off the circulation to my legs. I don't know; that's how everyone says it."

"Oh, I see. English is a curious language."

"I guess so. But I think that your language is um, curious, as well."

"That applies for all languages spoke, such as English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Bulgarian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese...The list goes on."

Skye harrumphed slightly. "I know what languages there are on Earth. It's my planet, you know," she mumbled.

The woman turned around with a slight smile on her face.

"Kartayon was right to protect you."

"What?" Skye tripped over a log, and the woman shot out a hand and steadied her. "You spoke to him?" she asked, alarmed.

"I spoke to him back in the building. We exchanged a few words."

"Oh, that! Can I ask what you said?"

"Kartayon sensed that I was curious on why he was going through great lengths to keep you safe, and why he had not gotten on board the ship. He explained, and I told him that I would distract the Extraterrestrial Control Incorporation while he escaped with you."

"Oh. What was his explanation?"

The woman stopped entirely and turned around with a soft smile on her face. "That, I cannot tell you, Skye Cedona."

"What? Why not? If it's about me, shouldn't I get to know? Shouldn't I—Whoa!" Skye slipped on a muddy patch of grass and crashed right into the woman.

The Quettle righted Skye with an even wider smile. "You and I are going to get along very well, Skye. Very well."