Page 34 of Xefe
Slowly, Hermosa raised her hand and lifted the longest of her four fingers. The middle one.
“What is that gesture?” Xefe asked Nime.
“The stars if I know.”
Before he could warn them, the earthers shrieked in laughter and began runningagain. Xefe held his breath, willing them to run toward the equipment rather than try to escape.
Nime slammed his staff against the ground, and a plume of electricity surrounded the force field. It lit up like fire to warn the earthers back.
The women didn’t even notice. How irresponsible was that? Did they have no regard for their lives? At the last minute, they headed toward the rope ladders, not bothering with instructions on how to ascend to the top.
Robbed of his prey, thebrutooslunk off behind the mountain range beyond the force field. Xefe could breathe again.
“Brothers.” Loxo joined them.
Nime greeted his Second and turned to Xefe and said, “First, I must have a new assignment.”
“Why?”
“They earthers areimpossible. They destroyed my kitchen, sowing unrest with my workers. Look at them. They never stop complaining and fighting. Look at how they treat each other.”
The warriors watched as the women raced across the beam. At every turn, they elbowed and slammed fists into each other. At one point, Hermosa had her hand wrapped in the hair of another, while the third earther jumped on Hermosa’s back in retaliation. Luckily, nets were stationed below the equipment as they shoved each other off the ledge.
Eventually, Hermosa made it to the Floating Stones, but the other two quickly caught up. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t reach the last one. It was too far away—their short legs incapable of making the last jump. They wouldnever qualify for the Great Race if they did not stop fighting each other and come up with a solution.
“They are miniscule yet destructive. They have no concern for each other. Other species I observework togetherto fight, to learn. They feel no loyalty to those of their own kind. These, these… strange aliens, I do not understand them,” Nime said.
“Perhaps theGlrtsstllllorogggaddled their brains,” Loxo added.
“It killed many of the humans, some that received far less than Hermosa.” Xefe pointed at her as she tossed one of her teammatesawayfrom the Floating Stones instead of toward them. “They were competitors on their planet. Pitted against each other to survive.” Reluctant to share any more of Hermosa’s secrets than necessary, Xefe kept the rest to himself.
Nime grumbled. “I spent my whole day observing these three. They are the laziest, most conniving specimens I have ever dealt with. Constantly sitting down, needing a ‘smoke break,’ and then screeching like flyinggreeeooowwllls.”
“It is laughing. I like it.” Loxo tapped both sets of thumbs together.
“You would. You do it all the time yourself.”
Xefe would have been concerned if anyone but Nime made that observation. They were the first three warriors and were aware of each other’s flaws. They never exposed the glitches in their training. All warriors were to be emotionless and focused. Loxo over-emoted, and Nime felt nothing at all.
“I have many workers to attend to, and that one is the most difficult. She feigns ignorance when I give her a command, yet she speaks the language of every alien she encounters. She translates secretly and bares her teeth at me when I confront her. I don’t like it.”
“It is a smile, meant to convey friendship, I’m told.” Xefe gripped his staff when one of the earther’s body slammed into the other.
“She wants to be my friend?” Nime reared back.
“No, she is not stupid. She wants to curry favor.”
“Then she asks the wrong warrior. Perhaps you should stop by to receive her smiles,” he huffed at Loxo.
The warrior rubbed his hands together. “I would be happy to receive anything from the—”
“Stay away from her.” Xefe slammed his hand into Loxo’s chest and knocked him to the ground.
“First, no! He has already lost control once today.” Nime blocked Xefe with his body.
“In front of the earthers?” Xefe roared at Loxo, balling his fists. “Did you hurt them?”
“Hurt?” Nime scoffed. “He protected them. It took ten men to stop him, and he only settled when I threatened to keep the dead-eyed one away from him.”
