2199 Extinction

A thick layer of silvery fog covers the ground, several stories below. From where I sit, I can crawl to the edge and look down. Which I did, after we ducked back here. I was searching for another way to leave the rooftop. Massive trees, with brightly covered leaves in varying colors, appear to stand guard in the distance. The air is still so humid that in a matter of seconds we are soaked with sweat. A variety of strange animal sounds fill the air, and over those unfamiliar sounds, I hear a familiar one, the sound of a Loftin’s growl. Princess. My mother’s favorite companion.

Apparently, she is somewhere, down below, and she doesn’t seem so happy. She could be problematic, at this point in time, Princess doesn’t

even know me. Mostly because I don’t exist, well I do, but I’m only supposed to be a baby. That’s the problem with time travel, things can get so confusing and dangerous. For example, if I were to get eaten by a Loftin here, the future will remain the same.

My mother will still be murdered by that...that... disgusting, murderous, sorry excuse for a Talfarian, Malum. And then another growling noise floats up to me, also familiar. I crawl to the edge of the building and look down. It’s Alpha. Of course, it’s Alpha, come to check up on me.

Making sure I complete our agreement, as promised. He must think this is a good time to take care of Malum.

I am sitting down on the roof of what I assume to be an old observatory, with my back to a short wall used to, separate, the lounging area from the small kitchen. In front of me are tables and chairs, that appear to have been attacked by some hungry creature and discarded when found disgusting. I took note of all the sights and sounds after ducking behind the wall. I must not be seen, until the proper time presents itself.

It’s hard to hear over all the noises, but I swear I hear Malum asking my mother to marry him. I look around the side of the small dividing wall. My mother is answering him but all I can make out is a resounding no. Malum steps closer to her and appears to be whispering in her ear. A light shade of red creeps up over her face. Whatever was said, appears to have embarrassed her.

“You will marry me, princess.” his voice carries over all the strange noises.

“No! I will not marry you! I am in love with someone else!” mother says loudly.

Malum’s laughter carries easily. “Love has nothing do with it. You will marry me and give me children because I am not above threats. You will do as I ask, or I will kill Henric and Addy. I promise you it will not be a fast death. It will be slow and painful; they will be well aware of the life draining from their bodies.”

Not sure who Henric and Addy are, but they must be important if Malum is threatening their lives.

“Do we go now? Is this the time to kill him?” Amancia whispers from beside me. She is crouching low and peeking over the top of the wall.

Luckily, they are too engrossed in their conversation to notice either one of us.

“No. I’ve been thinking about it. According to Vos, the other Vos, the older one; if we can prevent Henric from being murdered by Malum, she should be safe. If we go too soon, we could blow everything and Henric could still die.” I whisper back.

“Where is Henric?” Amancia whispers.

“That’s the problem. I don’t know. I don’t even know what he looks like.”

I watch as mother hangs her head in defeat. “Fine. I will marry you but don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

“Don’t touch her, Malum!” shouts another voice. A Talfarian with deep brown hair and bright green eyes appears in the entrance to the roof.

“Henric!” mother shouts. “Well, now we know what he looks like.” Amancia whispers, starting to get up.

“Let’s go kick some butt.”

“Not yet.” I whisper, grabbing her arm to prevent her from going anywhere. “If there’s one thing, I’ve learned from this whole time traveling experience, it’s wait for the perfect timing.”

“Fine then, I’ll kill her.” Malum says. “If I can’t have her, no one can.”

Wait. What? He’s supposed to kill Henric, not mother! I let go of Amancia’s arm and turn in time to see Malum swinging a Raptor. Henric pushes mother out of the way, and the blade cuts diagonally, down his chest.

Mother lets out a loud ear-piercing shriek at the same time I shout, “Now!”

Henric is laying on the ground, blood flowing from the large chest wound. Malum grabs mother, holding her back, so that she is unable to do anything but to watch Henric die. Amancia runs to Henric and opens the pouch on the side of her jacket. She tears into the packet of Instaclot, with her teeth, and pours it all along the deep gash.

At the same time, I run to her side, draw my own Raptor, and face Malum. We have successfully moved fast enough, that we have caught him off guard.

“How’s he looking, down there?” I ask, not daring to take my eyes off Malum.

“I’m pretty sure he will survive.” Amancia announces, pulling out a Lifecheck and laying it, gently on Henric’s chest.

Mother brings her head back with enough force that she busts Malum’s nose and blood begins to pour down his face. He lets out a long stream of obscenities, in the Talfarian tongue, and lets go of her.

She rushes to Henric’s side and starts whispering to him while stroking his face.

“What are you Copaie doing here? Why would you get involved in a Talfarian matter? What concern is it of yours if one, insignificant, Talfarian dies?” Malum demands.

“I care because I know how you operate. I know who you are. I know that if you were to gain the throne, you would eliminate my entire race. You are a disgusting murderer.

Besides, there is an old saying on the Copaie home world, ‘Make friends with your enemy by eliminating their enemy.’ If I protect her, when the day comes, she will be willing to return the favor.” I say, my Raptor pointed towards Malum.

“I owe you my life, and that of Henric’s.” my mother says.

I momentarily shift my eyes onto my mother. And in that quick moment, I sense movement from Malum. My training kicks in and I duck and move to the left, but not before the tip of his Raptor cuts across my left eye.

“Aaaahhh!” I scream in pain. I lash out with my Raptor and open a deep gash in his upper right arm.

I knew better than to take my eyes off him. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I’m pretty sure he missed my eyeball. So, I rip a large section off the bottom of my shirt and hold it to my left eye. There’s no way I can fight him and hold the cloth to my eye. When I move the cloth, blood pours into my eye, blinding me. I’ve foolishly let myself get injured, and now I am unable to fight him. I’m in a mess, at his mercy, and he knows it. He moves toward me, and I hold my Raptor up, with the intent of fighting him off, even though I can’t see very well.

But Amancia jumps up, pulls her own Raptor, and swings at Malum. Her Raptor clangs as it makes contact with his. They each pull back their raptors and continue to circle each other, the blades clanging together as they make contact. This time when she makes contact with his, she pushes him away with her foot. She rushes in and rams the raptor into his chest, and for a moment, everything is still.

Amancia let’s go of her raptor, and then falls backwards.

I don’t understand, why is she falling? “Amancia?”

When she hits the ground, I am able to make sense of what I’m seeing. As she was ramming her raptor into his chest, he was doing the same to her. Malum falls to the ground and doesn’t move. I drop my Raptor, run to her side, and fall to my knees. No! No! No!

This was not supposed to happen! I put pressure on her wound, trying to stop the bleeding, but the wound is so deep, and the blood keeps flowing. I tear another piece of cloth from my shirt and use it to tie the bandage I’ve been holding to my head. Now that my other hand is free, I use it to apply pressure to Amancia’s wound.

“Get some Instaclot from the bag!” I order, my mother. I hear the contents of the bag being dumped on the ground.

“There is no more!” she shouts.

“It’s Okay. I know who you are.” Amancia whispers.

She’s not making any sense. “No! It is not okay. You are not supposed to die!” I shout, tears streaming down my face, from my good eye.

“Listen.” she says, grabbing my arm. “Don’t go back for me. Don’t try and save me. I know you are my daughter. I did a.....test.”

“You already told me about the test. Just save your energy.”

That’s why you are…” she says struggling to talk. “The baby. I brought the baby. I know it was stupid, but she is back on the ship. You are back on the ship. Give the baby. Give the baby to whoever is supposed to raise you. It already happened. This is supposed to happen. Just don’t forget me. I. I.” Her hand releases its grip as she takes one final breath and then it falls to her side.

She’s right. If I really am the baby, then I must put the baby somewhere my mother will find her\me. But with Henric injured, all her focus will be on him.

A noise in front of me, snaps me out of my thoughts. I look up and see Malum starting to get up. Amancia’s weapon seems to have done some damage, but not enough to kill him. I jump to my feet, reach down for my Raptor, and walk to Malum.

“Are you going to finish me off?” he whispers, one hand pressed against his gaping wound.

“Yes, I am. You showed no mercy to my people when you signed our death warrant. You even put a price on my head. What was it you said? We were a danger to your precious baby? Thankfully, that hasn’t happened yet, and I intend to make sure that it never does.” I say, angrily.

I drive my Raptor slightly to the right of where Amancia stabbed him. Malum falls to his knees, I let go of my blade, and then he falls on his stomach. I wait a while, then lean down and check for a heartbeat, but find none. The deed is done. He is dead, my mother and Henric are safe. The Copaie will not be exterminated.

So why don’t I want to celebrate? Why do I feel numb? Empty? Hallow? Is this the price you pay for killing someone? I don’t like it. I will never take another life, that isn’t food.

I leave my Raptor inside Malum and reach down to pick up Amancia’s. It’s covered in Malum’s blood, so I wipe it clean on the back of his shirt. Her Raptor is beautiful, and probably extremely expensive. Same long thin blade as mine, but a slight hook on the tip. The beauty lies in the hilt. It seems to be made from the tusk of some giant creature and has a large A engraved in it, and a small shiny green stone on the very end of it. I’m sure she would want me to have it. Especially since she is my birth mother.

Alpha is waiting below for some sign of Malum’s death. I grab Malum, under his arms, and drag him to the edge of the roof. I heave him over the side before hollering down, “It’s done. Our deal is complete.”

I look down, quickly, and see Alpha walk over to the body and then drag it away. I don’t know what he plans on doing to it and I don’t really care. I walk past mother and Henric and head for the door of the roof. I walk past it as well and push the call button for the elevator. The doors are just sliding shut when I see two more Talfarians burst through the roof access door. It’s only a quick glimpse but I swear one of them is holding a baby. That’s it! That’s what I have to do. I must get to the baby and jump back, again. I need to leave her/me where mother can find us.