Page 4 of Not So Stranded
“Here,” Hiaka said, “let me do that, so you can get all nerdy about us.”
Kit handed over the test kit, and couldn’t resist asking, “How do you know about water test kits?”
Hiaka huffed a laugh. “Get ready to have your mind blown.” They looked Kit right in the eyes and smirked as they said, “One of my parents is human.”
Kit gasped. “Human? You’rehalf-human? Oh, my god…”
As Kit’s mind whirled with questions, Hiaka just chuckled and set about testing the lagoon’s water. All the mud from Hiaka and Zenori and the debris from the blockage had already washed down the creek, so the water was clear again. Hiaka didn’t even seem to need the instructions from the kit as they set it up.
Kit looked to Zenori, who shook their head. “I am pure cecaelia.”
“Fascinating,” Kit whispered. “I mean, it’s happened before, but not for thousands of years, you know?”
“What’s happened before?” Hiaka asked.
“Homo sapiens breeding with other hominids. It’s not my area, but I know there have been records of Homo sapiens with Neanderthals and, um…” he waved a hand, his memory failing him. “There’s another one that starts with a D, but anyway, relationships and breeding between the peoples is not unheard of. I’m just so amazed that we haven’t heard of cecaelia.”
“Well, haven’t all the others died out? You’re talking about what’s been learned from bones and whatever. Besides, I don’t think we’ve been here that long.”
“Haven’t been here?” Kit had to ask. “What do you mean?”
Hiaka held up the test and declared, “The water’s totally drinkable.”
Kit went over and filled his jug, suddenly desperately thirsty. “Thank goodness. All of my water was on the boat.” He held the jug in one hand and gulped down the crisp, cool water.
“I mean,” Hiaka said, “that cecaelia aren’t native to Earth. We’re aliens.”
Kit didn’t mean to, but he absolutely spit out his mouthful of water as Hiaka’s words registered. Thankfully, neither Hiaka or Zenori were close enough to get splashed.
Aliens!He was standing there talking to not some new species of hominid but to actual real aliens from another planet.
“Oops, I think I broke him.”
“Humans are so delicate.”
Kit held up a hand. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine.” Sitting down again seemed like a good idea, though. “I mean, I came here to studyturtles,” he said on a laugh.
“You cannot study us,” Zenori said with a deep frown. “No one can know about us.”
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean I would studyyounow. I’d love to know more about you, of course, but I realize I can’t share anything with anyone else. No, I… I couldn’t do that.”
As amazing as all of this was, Kit sobered immediately at the very idea of what would happen if the world in general let alone the scientific community were to find out about Cecaelia. There were a lot of scientists who might be trusted to take a hands-off approach, but nothing would stop those who heard the word “alien” and went hunting for “the truth.” With no guarantee of safety for these two people and however many others there might be, Kit had to keep this secret to himself regardless of how exciting it was. Lives could depend on his silence.
“Yeah, I won’t say a word about you to anyone.”
Hiakatsked at him and exited the lagoon to stand in front of Kit. They set down the packed-up test kit and placed their hands on his shoulders. “Don’t get all mopey on me. You get to know everything you want to know. You’re special.”
Kit found himself pulled into a hug and had to smile as he wrapped his arms around Hiaka’s bare torso. Their skin was sort of rubbery like a dolphin’s but also soft like a human’s, too. Kit looked to Zenori, wondering if their skin would feel different, only to have Zenori squint at him. Chuckling, Kit wondered if that was Zenori saying he wasn’t going to get hugs any time soon.
“And hey,” Hiaka said as they pulled away and got back into the water, “I’m really impressed that you haven’t asked me about sex between cecaelia and humans.”
Kit laughed as he felt a blush burn his face. “Well, if we’re going to talk aboutanything…”
“We’re both hermaphroditic,” Hiaka said, “but being half-human gives me an advantage because I can host the fertilized eggs. Zenori can’t host because their body temperature is too low. There’s been speculation that a caste of cecaelia were left behind and presumed to die out because they couldn’t host their own eggs.”
“How did they survive?” Kit asked, feeling like a kid hearing a fantastical story.
“We found other hosts.” Hiaka grimaced before dunking briefly underwater. “I have memories of my ancestors using various animals to host their eggs.”
