Page 12 of Saving the Alien Chieftain

Suddenly, a warning siren screeches, causing me to grimace and cover my ears. “OH MY GOD, MAKE IT STOP!” I shout

“Intruder detected… Medium contamination potential… Class Large Pest… Deploying counter measures…” a robotic voice declares.

What in this world is happening?My eyes dart around frantically, trying to find the source of the robotic voice. Suddenly, a dozen small black colored oval drones emerge from hidden compartments from the ceiling. They hover towards me as I back away from them, terrified that they resemble smaller versions of the drones that attacked Krogoth’s ship.

“Shoo,” the robotic voice from before commands. In my haste to retreat into the bedroom, the drones react swiftly, releasing powerful jets of cold, clear liquid in my direction.Ah, it’s bloodyfreezing!The icy onslaught strikes with an unwelcome intensity, a biting reminder of the bone-chilling showers I endured aboard the ship.

“Shoo, Begone,” the robotic voice continues. Panic courses through me, propelling me forward in a frenzied sprint toward what I can only hope is the front door of the house, trying desperately to escape the ice-cold jets of what I hope is just water, and not some weird Klendathian bug killer!

My soaked hands struggle against the wood, but with a final push, the massive doors swing open, and I tumble out onto the dirt ground. Gasping for breath, now free from the relentless onslaught of the hovering water pistol drones, relief washes over me.

Turning my attention back to the house, I see the awful drones still hovering, their mechanical eyes fixed on me. “Large pest ejected,” the robotic voice coldly declares from inside the house, and in unison, one drone emits a yellow beam that closes the door shut.

Well, this is great. I’ve just got here, and I’ve already been evicted.I pat down my fur robe, but it clings to me stubbornly, drenched from the encounter. Looking at Krogoth’s house in the purple light of the day reveals it’s more of a mansion than a house. Everything about it is oversized, the walls, the windows, even the height of the doors. Standing before it casts my mind back to when I used to go trick-or-treating in my childhood neighborhood, especially the old Morrison mansion where I grew up.

Yet what truly captures my attention is the astonishing fact that this mansion is nestled within a colossal tree, a fusion of ornate wood architecture and nature. I can’t tell if it grew from the heart of the ancient giant naturally or master craftsmen have constructed it.Krogoth lives in a giant tree. Why am I not surprised?

“Why are you standing outside?” Krogoth’s voice startles me, and I’m relieved to see him. “Did you just get out of the shower?” he asks before using his massive, clawed cloak to help dry me off.

“No, your house just attacked me!” I reply, frustrated. “Little shithead drones soaked me and some robot voice called me a ‘large pest.’”

Krogoth looks down. “Gods, I’m sorry Pebbles, I should have updated the AHI,” he says, rubbing me down like he’s trying to fluff up the universe’s biggest pillow.

“I’m dry now, thank you.” A burst of laughter escapes me. “I feel like a sock caught in a max spin cycle.” I wriggle free from Krogoth’s giant black fur cloak, gaining some distance. “What does AHI stand for? Assault Harmless… um, invitees,” I struggle to think of the last word.

Krogoth chuckles for a moment before striding confidently into his mansion. “It stands for Artificial House Intelligence.” He beckons me to come join him inside. “AHI, upgrade my companion to class owner, full rights.” I gingerly step inside the doorway, unsure if I’m going to need to escape the drones again.

An involuntary gasp escapes me at his crazy kind gesture. “Krogoth, you don’t need to do that!” I protest, raising my hands in disbelief.

Leaning down, Krogoth playfully nudges his nose against mine. “This is your home now, Pebbles. Just try not to rearrange all the furniture,” he says with a grin.

Unable to contain my gratitude, I wrap my arms around him. “Well, I can’t make any promises,” I admit with a soft laugh. “But thank you, Krogoth. This is so sweet of you.”

Krogoth directs his gaze to the ceiling. “AHI, begin biometrics,” he commands.

“Acknowledged, upgrading from class large pest to class owner. Biometric reading in process,” the suspect robotic voice states. A dozen drones reappear from their concealedcompartments in the hallway ceiling, drifting towards me. Instinctively, I reach out and grip onto Krogoth’s back, my heart pounding in fear, memories of the terrible drones attacking Krogoth’s ship come flooding back.

“Class Large Pest, please remain still for biometric reading,” the voice demands as the drones buzz around us in circles.

Krogoth’s massive frame shields me from the circling drones as I squirm nervously. “Your AHI hates me. It keeps calling me a large pest,” I protest, my voice tinged with frustration.

“If you stop wriggling, the scan will be done in moments,” Krogoth explains, his voice amused.

I relent, still wary. “Okay. I’ll try, but they remind me of those bigger drones, and they’ve already soaked me,” I state, glancing nervously at the circling orbs.

“Class Large Pest, please remain still for biometric reading,” the robotic voice repeats.

Finally, I stand still with my arms raised. “Stop calling me that, trigger-happy AHI,” I accuse in frustration. The drones whirl around me, emitting a yellow beam at various parts of my body.

“Scanning… Scanning…” the voice intones. The drones continue their meticulous examination.

“Upgrade complete. Welcome, class owner number two,” the voice announces triumphantly as the drones retreat into the ceiling.

‘Number two?’ Why do I feel like it’s always insulting me?

“Good. You now have the same access as me.” Krogoth smiles, placing his arm around my waist and leading us towards a room connected to the hallway. “It’s not just security, they also clean, wash dishes and even prepare food.” His finger traces along the polished surface of a grand wooden dining table. “See.” He holds up his huge finger for inspection. “Spotless, even though it’s been years since I was last here,” he remarks, a touch of amazement in his tone.

It’s been years since he’s been here?The thought stirs a twinge of sadness within me. That he never gets to enjoy his massive, comfortable home, probably fighting for his life constantly. I nod to myself in silent promise to help ease his burdens.

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