Page 70 of Stranded with the Alien

“Break it up, you two.” Kara chucked a stick and Rocky bounded off, the joys of ‘fetch’ never getting old. She smiled. Amazing how something so scary-looking could be so sweet.

They finally reached what they judged to be the peak as dusk fell. The path had plateaued for a few kilometers and in the distance they could see the beginning of its descent.

“I think this is as high as we’re going to get,” said Kara. She pushed her soaking hair out of her eyes. “Not unless we go down into the valley and up the next hill.”

They looked across to the next peak in the range. Vahn estimated it was at least another couple of days’ hike away.

“I think this will suffice,” he concluded. “Let us position the beacon.”

“Okay. We ought to find someplace the wind won’t blow it over.”

“We can put stones around it to anchor it in place.”

They found a spot they both agreed on and set up the transmitter, partially burying it in the sodden ground and wedging stones against it to keep it in place.

As they worked, doubt gnawed at Kara.

Once they switched the beacon on, the distress signal would – if it worked – call the SDF to her rescue. It might take days or weeks, but they would come. They never left a man behind, even those whoweren’trelated to the President.

But they would also find Vahn. And the more she thought about it, the more she worried about his safety.

Not because humans were bad but because… well, because they were human. Killing Vraxians was second-nature.

Let’s be honest. Before you got to know Vahn, you’d have happily shot him through the head. The rescue party won’t be any different.

“I think it is ready.” Vahn interrupted her thoughts. “I shall activate the crystal and then…”

“Wait.” Impulsively, she touched his hand. “I think… um, I think if anyone comes, you should hide.”

His eyebrows shot up.

“Hide?”

“Yes. I don’t think you should be a POW. I’ll tell them I’m here by myself.”

“So you want to leave me behind to die on this cursed planet?”

“No, dummy. Once we’re back at base, I’ll get a signal out to Vraxos. A coded message giving your location.”

“How?”

Kara shrugged.

“I’m the President’s daughter, remember? There’ll be a way. Even if I have to break into her private communications center.”

Vahn regarded her steadily.

“And why would you do that?”

She looked down at her feet unhappily.

“Because if you’re taken prisoner I don’t know if I can keep you safe. This way, we’ll both get to go home.”

There was a long silence. The rain fell around them in a steady drumbeat. When Kara dared to peek up, she found his expression unfathomable.

“What are you thinking?” she ventured.

“That I am rarely surprised. Yet you have surprised me, human. It took a lot to admit your people aren’t as moral as you would like.”

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