Lumis

A couple days later the family squeezed into the cockpit of the Perentie. Veya had not slept last night; She was so excited to find out where she came from. She had tried to dig up information on Lumis with the ship's computer, but she did not find much more than a short description. Lumis is an Earth-like planet orbiting a yellow dwarf star inhabited primarily by humans. A list of details about the atmosphere, gravity, and other statistics followed. She tried to imagine what her family was like. Did they have red hair like her? Or maybe they had her eyes? And then there were the darker thoughts. Perhaps her family did not want her.

And as they dropped from hyperspace, her worst thoughts came true. Veya’s shoulders slumped at the sight of it. The planet was dead. Nothing but a ball of black dust. As the ship dropped into the atmosphere, a red warning light lit up on the dashboard controls.

Borris frowned. “Radiation. We will have to make this quick.”

Strand gripped Veya’s shoulders as they touched down on the surface. Kriel sealed himself into a biohazard suit and, using the precise coordinates given on the deltohedron, he ventured out into the wastes to find out what was there. After confirming nothing was contaminated, Kriel returned to the ship and passed Veya a jet black crystal that matched her own in shape and size. Taking a deep breath Veya placed the obsidian into a slot on the device.

A burst of static made her flinch, the reptilians covering their sensitive ear holes. Veya twisted the diamond shape in her hand and realized that each side was numbered. She pulled out the obsidian crystal and placed it in the slot with the number two above it. Sitting on the floor and placing the silver object next to her, she watched as an image of a framed photograph of a very young girl with red hair came into focus. The view shifted suddenly to the side until a red-haired man was positioned in the center. He looked very sad.

“If you are watching this, then you already know that your mother and I are dead but that means that you are still out there somewhere. I hope you are safe, wherever you may be.”

The man paused to wipe his pale blue eyes and Veya began to cry too. The video continued, panning right to show a case filled with different colored crystals. “Each of these psych crystals contains a small piece of our family history. Your history. Veya, you must have realized by now you have a power within you. You must be careful, for wherever you are there will always be dangers, but with each stone, you collect you will learn new skills to keep you safe.”

The view zoomed in until her father’s face filled the projection. “I love you. Follow the training guides recorded on these crystals and when the time comes, you will know how to destroy the darkness.”

Veya retreated to her room. She watched the recording repeatedly, pausing it to stare at her father. She looked into his eyes; it was uncanny, like looking into a mirror. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks as she mourned for the mother and father that she could not remember. She tried listening to the training guides, but her thoughts continued to wander. What were her real parents like? What did her father mean about destroying darkness? How had her homeworld become a black husk? And then the more important questions, why couldn’t she remember anything except her name and how had she ended up in that alley where Strand had found her?

With more questions than answers and in need of a break, she went to the kitchen, finding all three of her uncles sitting at the table. Grabbing a glass of water, Veya climbed onto the remaining stool bolted to the floor. A heavy silence fell as she propped herself up on her elbows.

“Little flame,” Borris started, “First, let me say that we can never replace your birth family, but we are part of your family now and we think it is time you learn about the family business.”

“Stealing, fighting, and bartering?” Veya smirked. Kriel exploded into hissing laughter, slapping at the table with a scaled hand.

“We prefer the words commandeering, defending and engaging in negotiations,” Strand said lightly once his older brother regained his composure.

Borris fixed his almost black eyes on her, “Today will be different. This is a low-risk courier job. You may come, but you will stay by my side at all times. We can’t have you getting hurt.”

“I thought you said it is low risk?” Veya said with a raise of her brow.

“Indeed,” Borris replied.

A beep indicating they had arrived at Tartus came over the intercoms. Borris went the cockpit, Veya in tow. She liked watching him pilot the ship and seeing how different a planet looked from space compared to on the ground. Before them, Tartus hung like a gleaming jewel. It was covered entirely in shades of blue and green with puffs of white cloud.

When they landed on the surface, Veya followed Borris onto the landing pad, craning her neck to look up at the scenery around them. The landing pad clung to the edge of a cliff covered with delicate greenery. The melodic calls of birds came from all around them with Kriel pushing the large crate on an antigravity skid, and Strand following close behind. Ahead of them a towering set of doors made of white marble slowly swung open. A young anthropomorphous red spotted deer came to greet them. She wore a white dress, her shining coat visible through the fabric. Her hoofs echoed on the tile as they entered a large foyer. Everything was made of white marble.

“I trust your trip went smoothly,” the deer humanoid said in a low voice. Her small antlers were smooth and polished.

Borris nodded, unfazed by the surroundings. He had a good poker face, Veya remembered. The ungulate gestured to a pair of wolfmen who moved forward and pried open the crate. They inspected it, sniffing and snarling, throwing balls of packing foam onto the floor. Seemingly satisfied, they pushed the crate into a room, closing the doors behind them while the deer lady led the group to a brightly lit atrium. A white-haired man sat at a small table of wrought iron sipping from a cup of tea. His long eyebrows raised at the sight of them. “How are my favourite reptilian brothers? And who is this young beauty? A little apprentice? Allow me to introduce myself.”

He carefully set his teacup down and performed a polite bow, his gold threaded tunic billowing. “I am the Collector. Purveyor of all things unique in this world. Perhaps you would like a tour of the menagerie, young lady?”

The Collector stared at her expectantly, almost looking through her. His hair was swept up into a cone shape, like a beehive. Veya thought it looked funny but she felt the hairs on her arms raise with goosebumps. Borris pushed her back, his speckled tail keeping her from losing her balance, “Excuse us sir, but we must be moving on. The package is satisfactory?”

The red spotted deer presented the old man with a tablet. He gave it a cursory glance and waved her away, “Oh yes, quite. However, I must insist you hand over that crystal as well. I will happily double your payment.”

Veya clutched at her necklace. It was the hematite containing the map. Her uncles hissed in unison, “No.”

The man took a sip of his tea and shrugged, “Very well then. Your payment has been transferred.”

Strand took Veya by the hand and all of them turned to leave. The Collector continued, “You may have trouble spending it, however, being dead and all. Or perhaps you could join my menagerie. The small lizard does have particularly beautiful skin.”

The doors they had come through slammed shut. A pack of wolf humanoids stood before it with guns drawn. Seated at the table the Collector laughed. “I do hope you will reconsider. No? Fenris! Take them away.”

A large silver haired werewolf with a scarred muzzle stepped forward, pointing with his gun. Keeping close together, the reptilians followed the path through the gardens and into a courtyard filled with various cages. The aliens in the cages shouted at them. They passed by a large deer, snow white with a full set of antlers followed by a smoky black jaguar that hissed and spat. Without warning, Borris and Kriel whirled around, Kriel leaping on top of Fenris, while Borris grabbed the next nearest wolfman. A hail of gunfire cut through the air. Strand pulled Veya past the jaguar cage and ducked behind a bush. Breathing hard, he clutched at Veya, “Are you alright?”

“Yes, but Strand! You’re bleeding!”

He had a hole in his brown leather jacket. The cyan t-shirt he was wearing turned a dark purple as blood seeped through it. Strand panted, “It is okay. We will be okay.”

The bushes shook as Borris, a gun in each hand, appeared, followed by Kriel clutching at a bloody stump where his hand should have been. He paused to make a tourniquet with his belt then took up a rifle with his good hand. Borris gave Strand a rifle, and Veya a pistol. He looked her in the eyes, “If ever we needed your powers, now would be the time. Kriel killed Fenris, and some of the wolfmen ran off, but the only way out is to get to the ship.”

Borris pulled her to her feet and the four of them ran out of the courtyard and into the white marble building. A tray of food went flying as they dashed through a kitchen. The cook, a broad-mouthed alligator, yelled after them. A chorus of howls could be heard as they made their way through the mansions’ white hallways, down white stairs, passing rooms decorated with diamond chandeliers and gold leaf. Strand pushed Veya forward just as a blur of fur caught up with them. One of the wolfmen leaped into the air and grabbed Strand, his teeth sinking deep. Veya screamed. The wolfman shook a limp Strand in his jaws and then Strand’s body dropped to the floor with a wet thud, blood spreading across the marble tile. The wolfman turned, lowering his gaze on Veya, but suddenly fell to the ground, a pool of blood spreading from his chest. Borris had shot him.

Kriel scooped the still screaming Veya into his arms and ran as quick as he could, out the large doors and along the bridge to the ship. Borris, shooting off occasional gunfire to cover their backs, followed in behind.

Kriel dumped Veya on the ground and started up the ship as Borris staggered inside. He had been hit a few times but thankfully, they were just grazes. The ship shook as Kriel revved the engines too hard and sent the ship barreling into space. Veya was curled into a ball on the floor of the ship, covered in blood, shaking. She could not stop seeing Strand’s lifeless body. His orange eyes wide open. Borris cradled her in his arms, cooing softly as she sobbed.

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Written by Kelsey Reich on June 4/2021 in Ontario, Canada.