Page 71 of Stranded with the Alien

“I think there’s probably room for improvement on both sides,” she said quietly.

“I cannot argue with that.” He sighed. “Very well. If your people come, I will hide.”

He held out his right hand, palm facing upwards with fingers spread. Kara looked at, confused. Did he want her to slap it?

Gently he took her right hand and laid it on his, palm to palm. His thumb and little finger slid between her thumb and little finger, and his fingers pressed against her wrist.

“This is how Vraxians seal an agreement,” he explained.

Kara looked at their hands entwined in the rain. Hers was almost completely engulfed by the Vraxian grip. She curled her fingers against his.

“Then it’s agreed,” she said. And her heart became thirty times lighter.

Together they activated the distress call. As before there was no sound from the beacon. But when the crystal flared into life, Rocky gave a little yelp and shook his head, giving them hope thatsomething, perhaps, was being broadcast.

“How long will the crystal last?” asked Kara.

“Indefinitely. It converts light waves from all parts of the spectrum so it will power up even in the rain.”

“That’s pretty impressive,” she admitted. “And these things are all over Vraxos?”

“They used to be mined. But then we discovered how to manufacture their crystalline structure using the energy they themselves provide. One crystal can be used to produce a dozen more.”

“Exponential yield. That’s the same as our fusion reactions. We get more energy out than we put in.”

Vahn shrugged.

“Perhaps. But we end up with stackable, transportable crystals. You have to fit reactors to everything you need to power.”

He wasn’t wrong. In her mind’s eye, Kara saw the bulky fusion generator fitted onto every Merlin, every troop carrier, every gunship. The power of a tiny sun in each one.

Most of her father’s work with the prototype space-jets had been in making them maneuverable whilst also carrying reactors.

How much faster and nimbler would they be with a mere crystal to power them?

“Anyway.” She got up and brushed as much wet dirt off her trousers as she could. “What now?”

“Now, we rest. We get dry. And we eat.” He indicated the prey Rocky had left them that morning, still hanging from his belt. “At least your infernal hound is not entirely worthless.”

Later, warmed by a fire and with his belly full of food, Vahn watched the beast curl up next to Kara. He was surprised to feel a jolt of jealousy as it lay its head in her lap.

Vannla’s Sword.His emotions were getting out of control. Jealous of an animal? It was humiliating. And concerning.

Coldly, he realized what he had to do. He had to put some distance between them. That was the only thing that would break thekalehshbond.

His heart ripped a little at the thought of leaving her. But she had the beast to protect her now, as well as her pulse blaster.

Tomorrow he would go.

Thirty Two

She wasn’t outside the tent when he emerged. She had insisted he sleep inside because she wanted to stay with Rocky. He had reluctantly agreed – the damned cur barked and whined whenever she was out of sight for more than a nanosecond.

When he eventually found her, she was standing on a ridge some hundred yards further along gazing over the sheer drop. His pulse quickened.

“Kara,” he said softly, not wanting to startle her. “You are too close to the edge.”

“Come and look.”

---