ROLECThe giant alien had left at sunrise but not before shaking me awake and pressing the pouch of fruit into my hands. He'd said something low and dark, stroked my cheek, and then was gone.

  Naturally, I had followed behind him not long after. Or as far as I was able to, rather. I peeked out past the vines, saw the sheer drop to the jungle some forty feet below, and immediately retreated toward the bed of fur. It wasn't a complete shock; I'd known we'd climbed a tree. But what I hadn't realized was just how high up we'd gone. It had been dark when we arrived, and I'd kept my eyes closed through most of it. More than once, my stomach had threatened to turn, made sick by all the leaping, and jumping, and flipping.

  Whether or not my would-be friend had done actual somersaults between the trees, I didn't know, but it had sure as hell felt that way.

  Thankfully, my stomach had settled long ago, and I was able to appreciate the fruit a little more than I had the previous night. I pced one in my mouth, trying to discern the fvor. It had a hint of sweetness, but there was a sour tang at the center. I didn't hate it, but it was something I'd need time to grow used to. Much like the gravity and temperature changes. Although, st night had been the best I'd had since crashing on this pnet; Vexarok had kept me unbelievably warm.

  Besides eating, I was at a loss for what to do.

  I had no idea where Vex had gotten off to, or when he'd be back. Without him, I was trapped in the cave. It wasn't as if I had the coordination or bance needed to climb down on my own. How the alien managed to waltz across such shaky branches was beyond me. It didn't seem possible that they should even support his weight; he was huge. Not nearly as rge as the saber-tooths but far rger than a human. I was taller than the average for my species, but next to Vexarok, I felt microscopic.

  Thinking on it, Vex resembled the saber-tooths in a way. He had simirly pointed ears and a tail, although his had tufts on the end, as well as elongated fangs. His teeth weren't anywhere the size of the saber-tooths, but they were sharp enough that I drew the comparison anyway. It made me wonder if perhaps the sabers and Vex were distantly reted as species. Humans and neanderthals had shared a common ancestor, so why not the burly space-elves?

  With little else to occupy my mind, it ran wild with such thoughts. After all, I was trapped in a hole, four stories up a cliff, with nothing to do but stuff my face with sour fruit.

  The feeling it evoked was all too familiar and entirely unwelcome. It wasn't so different from my time trapped on the shuttle. The only difference now was that rather than a computer, I had living, breathing company. Whenever Vex decided it was worthwhile to return, that is.

  Absently, I rubbed a hand at the back of my skull, feeling for the impnt hidden just beneath the skin. How long would it take the damn thing to render an actual transtion? Too long, I figured. But if I had to look for a silver lining, at least Vexarok was talkative. That helped.

  I rolled over on the bed, using the bnket as a means of modesty rather than warmth. I'd pulled off my damp pants once I was alone, ying them out to dry alongside my socks and boots. Vex had also left behind his shirt. I assumed it was intended for me to wear, but it remained damp like everything else in the jungle.

  Reaching out, I ate another piece of fruit.

  Maybe when Vex got back, I'd try asking him what the little morsels were actually called; that might be one way to speed up the transtor. If I could fill my head, and by extension the impnt, with definite transtions, we might be able to communicate sooner rather than ter.

  It went against everything the Federation would actually want me to do, but at this point, what did it even matter? The damage had already been done, and first contact had been made. Not just with one species, but two. The sabers had been tracking me down long before Vex ever whisked me off to his little hidey-hole. So, I might as well try to make an alien friend.

  No, my mind helpfully supplied, I'm the alien here.

  This was Vex's world, his home. I was the outsider.

  There was a rustle beyond the vines, and I leapt to my feet. Which was itself a mistake. My head grew light, and I reached for the wall, stabilizing myself as my vision slowly returned.

  Vex stepped inside, carrying something slung over his shoulder. As the vines fell back into pce behind him, he shot a look my way. A smile split his face, and he stood tall, puffing out his chest as his tail swung low and long. He seemed pleased with himself, and I realized why in the next moment. Vex proudly held a skinned, gutted, and cooked... thing.

  I had no clue what it was, but I was more than a little curious. It was the first piece of real food I'd seen in weeks. Not little pieces of dried fruit, nor nutritional pouches crafted by a synthesizer. Already, I could feel my stomach gearing up to voice its approval. I accepted the offered thing-on-a-stick and eyed it. I thought it might be a lizard-type creature, but couldn't be sure. It had six legs instead of the four I was familiar with. Maybe after eating, I'd try to ask Vex about it too.

  Speaking of whom, the man had dropped to the floor. He sat with his legs crossed, watching me expectantly. Or so it seemed. Behind him, his tail flicked and twitched at the end, and his ears were raised.

  I realized then that I was standing stark naked, the bnket having fallen away when I stood. Carefully, I dropped back to the fur and covered myself. Then I took a tentative bite, chewing on the mouthful slowly. I tried to savor the fvor while also trying to keep from making myself sick. Not because it tasted awful, but because I'd gone so many days without food. I didn't want to gorge and then make myself sick.

  Vexarok was still watching me, so I took another meaningful bite, offering him a tight-lipped smile so I wouldn't fsh him a wad of half-chewed food. Only after swallowing did I speak. "It's good. Thanks."

  He seemed pleased, but then scooted closer and raised my hands, meat and all, toward my face again. I took another small nibble and then a second. That was as much as I was willing to eat, however. So I lifted my hands even farther, offering Vex the next bite.

  He quickly pushed back. It was obvious he wanted me to eat more. I shook my head.

  "No." I let a moment of silence pass, allowing the single word to stand on its own. Then I added "I'm full now. You should eat the rest. I bet you need it more than I do anyway."

  My refusal was met with a furrowed stare, caught somewhere between concern and confusion. At the very least, Vex seemed to understand that I didn't want to eat anymore. Although there was no way for him to comprehend why.

  I reached behind myself in the furs, pulling forward the little bag of fruit. I had only eaten a small handful during the time he was gone. Over half the pouch still remained. All the same...

  "See?" I held it up so he could view the contents. "I already ate some of these."

  Vex looked between me, the pouch, and the lizard. He frowned faintly, his pointed ears twitching as if he were trying to drive off a bug. Assuming this pnet even had flies. Somehow, I'd avoided swarms of biting insects.

  That thought died when Vexarok freed my hands of their burden.

  Now that it was daylight, and I could see him more clearly, I studied Vex while he polished off the remainder of the meal.

  I'd met plenty of aliens during my life. Between growing up in the Federation's central orbital station and traveling the gaxy alone, I'd gotten my fair share of exposure. I'd gotten even more when I reached the outer sectors. Many species were markedly like animals. Humans were no exception, considering we were ourselves primates. But others could be harder to fathom; there were some creatures born of energy rather than matter.

  Even so, nothing about Vex was particurly uncanny. I could easily wrap my mind around him. He had a handsome face by human standards. His ears were in a simir position, though noticeably pointy and much more articuted. And plenty of animals had tails. The fact Vex had one of his own didn't faze me. Nor did his cws.

  The only thing that really struck me was his overall size. It was no wonder he'd carried me around like a sack of feathers. I must have weighed nothing to him.

  I hummed in thought.

  Did the greater gravitation of the pnet make everyone super strong? The sabers had certainly looked it. They'd been even bigger than Vex. Maybe rather than being short and stout, as Arx was, the evolutionary solution of this pnet had been big and prone to muscur development.

  Vexarok had finished eating, so I refocused. Making a fist, I pced it against my chest, just as we'd done the night before. The audience of one watched.

  "Rolec," I said, reiterating what he already knew.

  "Rolec." He nodded sagely, then thumped his own meaty fist to his chest. "Vexarok."

  "Yes, Vexarok." With that reestablished, I picked up one of the fruits. Pinched between two fingers, I pointed at it with my opposite hand. "What's this?"

  His dazzling eyes flitted between the fruit and my face, then back again. He caught on after a moment and answered. "Oolma."

  "Oolma," I said, repeating the word as best as I could. I had no way to know if oolma was the name of this particur fruit, or if it just meant fruit in general, but it didn't matter. The more connections I could make, the faster I'd be speaking with him. I pointed at the meat he still held. "What's that?"

  Vex looked a little unsure. The fuzzy elf gnced at what remained of the lizard-on-a-stick, turning it over. "Ekta."

  "Ekta, alright."

  Gncing around the cave, I looked for something else but, already, we were running low on objects. I pointed at what remained; the drying shirt, the pants he wore, the furs and bnket I had wrapped around myself. Thankfully, rather than being annoyed, Vex seemed to enjoy our little game of point-and-say. Maybe he was happy I was taking an interest in his home? Or perhaps it was even simpler; in a way, we were having a conversation.

  I stole another quick look around, but there was nothing left to point out. Not unless I started asking Vex for anatomy lessons.

  "Well, that was fun while it sted." I pulled my legs up to my chest, crossing my arms over my knees. "So, what now?"

  Vexarok set down his eaten lizard, slowly lurching forward so he could slide closer to me.

  The cave was cramped, but not so cramped that we needed to be shoulder to elbow. I got the sense that he just liked the physical contact. Or perhaps he worried that I was still cold, and was offering his body heat. Thankfully, the temperature was tolerable for now; it was early enough in the day that the heat hadn't grown unbearable, but the cold had been driven away.

  Next to me, Vex spoke. He hunched over just enough that his warm breath fell over the top of my head, rustling my hair as it had the night before. An involuntary shiver ran down my spine.

  A sigh passed my lips. "Wish I knew what you were saying."

  He was smiling, his tail twitching again before he curled it around and draped it over my bnket-heavy feet. The fuzzy end brushed against my arms, though I wasn't sure how much of that was intentional or just involuntary movements.

  Well, anatomy lesson it is.

  I caught his tail in my hands, holding up the fuzzy end. "What's this?"

  Unexpectedly, Vex went stiff beside me, looking suddenly off-color.

  Oh...

  I immediately released it. "Ah, sorry... I probably shouldn't have grabbed you like that."

  Of course I shouldn't have. The tail was just an extension of his spine. I wouldn't want people tugging on mine either. And while I hadn't thought I was being rough, what the hell did I know? His tail might be extra —

  He moved against me, one of his hands slipping around my back and down to my ass. It was my turn to freeze.

  His hand stilled, a single finger the only thing to move as he felt the base of my tailbone.

  Rather than feeling me up, was he trying to puzzle out my ck of a tail? I had brought attention to it, after all. Vexarok's hand remained there, while his other swept across my cheek and then to one of my ears. He rolled the shell gently between his thick fingers.

  Okay, he was decidedly not groping me. Not intentionally, anyway. Vex was exploring the differences between us in the most direct way imaginable. This after I'd touched his tail. Maybe he'd taken it as the go-ahead to do the same?

  I could see how he might draw that conclusion.

  Giving a shaky ugh at the absurdity, I spoke. "You know, for a second there, I thought you were trying to make a pass at me."

  No sooner than the words had left my mouth, Vex pulled me into his chest, where his arms pinned me. Above, the elf said something, his voice hard, nearly a growl. I tensed again, but then Vex nuzzled and snuffed my hair with his nose. All the while, he continued to speak, as if he were trying to soothe me.

  Not entirely sure what was going through his head, I let Vex do his thing; hold me, nuzzle me, growl deeply in my ear.

  When he loosened his hold by an inch, I was able to slip an arm free. I quickly patted his side.

  "It's fine," I told him, although I didn't even know what I meant by that. "We're just feeling each other out right now. Right?"

  fallenbeelzebub