Page 22 of Alien's Eternal Mate

“I just got lucky.”

I punched a sequence on the keys, soon discerning a pattern.

No matter the species, there is nearly always one key for finalizing the code input, and one button to delete entries. And they are usually a different size or shape than the rest…

I fiddled with it for a while. This was the heart of Xeno technology. Finding out the function with little to no context. I fell into a kind of trance as I played with the door.

I didn’t have any sort of notepad or compad, but I did have a soft mineral rock and a large wall. I wrote my notes down, using it as a virtual blackboard in an old style schoolhouse.

At last, I figured out the pattern and how to circumvent the code. I pushed the depression again, and this time the door recessed and slid open.

Lo stirred, having fallen asleep in the corner. He stood bolt upright when he saw the open door.

“How did you do that? And don’t say you got lucky. I can see your scribblings on the wall.”

“It’s not magic or a trick, Lo. It’s just a simple matter of trial and error, and building context upon your failures as much as your successes.”

Lo stared at me for a long time.

“You know, I think the Backlash may have stolen your memories, but it made you a lot smarter in the process.”

“What is Backlash, Lo? Everyone keeps talking about it.”

Lo shook his head.

“You can’t even remember that? It’s when you try to imbue too much power into a weapon or a shield and it explodes. Most everyone thought you were going to die for sure.”

“Why did I do that? Put too much power into something, I mean.”

“You were fighting Grhoma Jark’s Mouth, Daervish. You were losing, and got desperate. I saw the whole thing.”

“Who is Grhoma Jark…never mind.”

It didn’t matter. I would find a way to return myself to my own body inside of the ancient vessel. I did not need to know the ins and outs of Masari people.

Lo either didn’t hear me or didn’t listen if he did.

“Grhoma Jark is the Chieftain of the Overtaken tribe. He’s been gobbling up City States like a starving beast. His Mouth came to us in an attempt to convince the Starlost to join his growing empire.”

Lo chuckled.

“But you said Starlost bows to no one, and neither do I, and you challenged the Mouth to single combat. You lost, bad, and then the Mouth butchered the rest of your hunting party just to send a message.”

I stiffened up in alarm.

“Wait, this happened recently?”

“A matter of days ago.”

No wonder the hospital was full of badly injured men.

“Wait, what is this Jark going to do now?”

“Now? Most likely, his Mouth is going to return, with an army at his back, and we’re going to join the Overtaken or we’re going to perish. I kind of don’t care either way. Not like my life will get better or worse, you know?”

I cared a lot. It would no doubt take time for me to investigate the ancient ship, let alone discern the purpose of the technology I would find inside. And then it might take months, or even years, to figure out how to get myself back into my own body.

If this Jark invaded, it would disrupt my research. Or more likely, I would be killed along with the other warriors who dared defy him.

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