Page 23 of Alien Barbarian's Little Human

“It’s bullets that blow up. Um, think of tiny arrowheads, shot at unimaginably fast velocities. When they strike, they go inside and then explode like a volcano.”

Ral’s hand flies over his mouth. I shake my head in disgust.

“Monstrous. Who would create such a sadistic thing?”

She sighs.

“My people, among others. I’m not saying that’s what caused these wounds, but they look quite similar.”

“Perhaps, someone from your ship did this?”

Micah frowns and shakes her head.

“No. We had some weapons for self defense, but only simple blasters. No one from the Precursor could have done this.”

“Perhaps something followed you when you crashed? Something that attacked your vessel?”

Micah shivers.

“I really hope not.”

I regard the injured warrior and sigh.

“Something did this to him. They will take him to the Tree in hopes he can be saved.”

The medicine men work on Dalra well into the night. In the end, he loses one of his arms and both of his legs, but they pronounce him stable enough to tell his tale.

Micah and I are invited to attend the Elder meeting, because of her specialized knowledge. The aura is grim indeed as we seat ourselves. Dalra sits on a wheeled chair, his body more covered with bandages than not.

“If you are unable to talk to us, Dalra,” Chief Ral says. “No one will fault you for it.”

“No, my chief,” Dalra says, his voice tinged with pain but also determination. “I must tell you what I saw, that we might prepare the village.”

“I admire your bravery, Dalra. Very well, please tell us what happened.”

Dalra’s eyes grow haunted and distant, and his voice drops an octave when he speaks.

“We were tracking a herd many leagues away from here. The hunting party leader, Tava, believed that they were more than three hundred strong.”

“A mighty herd, indeed,” Chief Ral says. “Please continue.”

“We cornered the herd near a cliff by the Sura River. That’s when things began to get strange.”

“How do you mean, strange?” Ral asks softly.

“A light rain had been falling all day, aiding in our pursuit of the herd. The rain began to fall upward, rather than down. A small gash I’d suffered in my thumb healed instantly, closing up before my eyes. Meanwhile, Tava’s side split wide open, right where he’d been wounded in the Skuyr attack a year ago. It was as if his wound had never healed.

Dalra coughs and sputters, spraying crimson onto his white bandages. A medicine man quickly moves up to attend to him. He gives Dalra a broth to drink which seems to alleviate the coughing.

“Perhaps we should adjourn until later,” Chief Ral says.

“No,” rasps Dalra. “I must tell you what I witnessed. Something appeared in the center of the clearing by the cliff. I looked much like the fallen star that Micah rode down to earth, only sinister, somehow. When it appeared, the strange phenomenon ceased.”

Dalra’s voice begins to shake, and I do not think it is from pain or his injuries.

“We approached the sphere, forgetting about the herd. Tala touched it with his spear. It suddenly opened, cracking like an egg and falling in twain.”

His words grow more shrill as he recounts the tale. Micah shifts in her seat, looking more frightened than ever.

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