Zuza rubbed his chin. “How old are you?”
“We told you,” it snapped out. “Time doesn’t mean much to us. We are as old as we need to be,” it huffed. “We searched. There were no two-footers on the planet. When we found books, we learned how to read. When we found reels, we learned how to watch the screens. The two-footers fought. After years of peace, they fought … no one survived.”
Betsy, who somehow had a pad of paper, looked up from what she was writing. “How did you go from being bugs dying on a planet to attacking people on my planet?”
“We studied. The two-footers were studying intergalactic travel. We adapted and mastered what they’d started. We found this shape worked better for the ships. It takes what you call magic to maintain, but it’s required for respect and using the technology. We felt weaker and weaker; we had to leave the planet. We would die.” There was a pause. Then the krottel sighed. “We found another planet and at first we felt good. But then we all felt weak again. We had to try over again.”
Before they could continue, before Betsy or Zuza could ask another question, before Viera could completely wrap her head around everything she’d heard, Flower Prancer swished his tail in annoyance. “You idiots. Did it never occur to you that maintaining that form would use more magic? Do you even know where magic comes from?”
The krottel’s body tensed more, if that was possible. “From planets, of course.”
“You’re dumber than I thought. If it came from planets, you wouldn’t have to leave that first one you left, now would you? Why am I always surrounded by morons?” He snuffled in frustration. “Magic comes from the living. Every time you ran off the living inhabitants of a planet, you destroyed not only the source of the magic, what you’d been seeking, you killed the planet itself. Earth is so rich in magic because there are so many people and so few magic users.”
Everyone at the table sat stunned. Viera turned to Betsy. “Did you know any of that?”
She shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about it.”
The yonat continued. “You’ve been bungling across the galaxy instead of asking the Elders for help. You’ve been around for long enough to know how the different creatures work. Why wouldn’t you just ask? You are such an arrogant ass of a creature.”
Viera could feel the shock and frustration in the room shift to amusement at Flower Prancer’s words.
Chapter 29 - Enemies to … Maybe Not Enemies
Thorn
The krottel sat there silent. Anger burned through Thorn. All these years her people had been displaced by these bugs, literally for no reason beyond their ignorance.
She decided to be angry at the obnoxious Elder. “Did you know that this was what was killing the planets? If they gave up this stupid bipedal form, could they live on a planet with the current inhabitants? Is this information you could’ve given earlier?” She forced herself not to yell.
As if moving in slow motion, the glowing violet eyes of the yonat turned to her. “The source of magic on planets isn’t considered top secret, Commander Firoza. It never occurred to me that you or any of the others hadn’t considered that in your dealings with the krottel. If you remember, it was only recently that we even learned the true form of the species.”
His words hit her like ice water, and she immediately slumped in her seat. “You’re correct, Elder, and I’m sorry for my outburst. This whole situation, both on my planet and Earth, has just put me in a very scattered position.”
“I suggest regrouping, and fast, Commander Firoza. You are a leader, and as such, you don’t have room for these kinds of mistakes.”
Chastised, she just gave a single nod.
The krottel finally spoke up. “Where does that leave us?”
Mr. Mard tilted his head at the strange alien. “Do you like taking the bipedal form you’re currently in?”
There was another pause as if the krottel had to communicate with its community before giving its consensus. “No, Earthling, we do not. We prefer our natural form. It has been a long time since we’ve felt safe that way. First we needed this form to master the two-footed reading and technology. Then, once we took over planets, we needed it to maintain dominance. In our ideal situation, we’d go back to the dark and build a community there.”
Thorn leaned forward. “You seem awfully quick to agree to giving up your latest intergalactic pursuits. You’re willing to throw in the towel, so to speak, and live the simple life?”
The krottel made a strange noise. “Why would we take time to decide to do what we’ve wanted all these years?”
Viera cleared her throat. “I can feel they want to be separate and away from space. They’ve had that goal for years. They are such simple beings.”
Mr. Mard nodded slowly. “And are you like the Earthlings and chanzii where you want to all be together? Are you one colony?”
Again they waited. Thorn wasn’t sure if it was a language barrier or a conceptual one. Maybe Viera with her odd connection to the krottel could get the concept across easier, but Thorn didn’t want to strengthen that link.
Finally, the krottel’s head bobbed. “We have five queens, as you’d call them. We all get along well and could cohabitate on the same world. We could also split up and live on different worlds. Our beings, as you call them, are long-lived. I remember Bhachana when the zukacic were still there. Not all of our beings do, but several are of an age with me.”
Thorn wasn’t sure of the timeline, but she thought that may be older than dirt.
Flower Prancer nodded. “I believe we could take one line of your krottel to our planet. I will speak with the dwarves. They are often willing to take on refugees. Like us, probably only one, maybe two of the smaller clans. That still leaves two or three of the groups.”
Horax chuckled. “The qynad have lots of land. It’s rocky and mountainous. I can speak with the governing body about sharing a bit with the krottel. We don’t have a history with your antics, so that will help.”
Thorn shivered, not understanding everyone’s willingness to just let these bugs onto their planet. They’d done too much damage in her opinion. “What do you do underground? Are you harmful to the planet?”
The krottel, who’d been silent, turned to Thorn. “No. We heal. We love the planet and try to make things grow. Destruction is anathema to who we are. The planets we’ve destroyed will forever be a dark spot in our history we will mourn.”
Viera’s head perked up. “Oh, that’s sadness. I’ve been unsure how to translate your … well, you.”
“Yes, Earthling. You are confusing to us, as well.”
Thorn worked to not react at the idea the bugs were reading Viera. It wasn’t malicious. She nodded at the krottel leader. “Me or Flower Prancer can bring your request to Torville Station Number Six. I’m sure we can find other planets who will be willing to take you in, maybe even several in the same system. The number who took my people in during our time of need was overwhelmingly heartwarming. I’m sure planets can be found for you.”
Just stay far away from Abritos and Earth. I don’t want to see you or hear about you ever again.
“And,” Mr. Mard added, “I’m assuming once you’re all safely situated on your new planets, you won’t be flying off anymore? Can we get it in writing that you’ll be land-bound? Or planet-bound?”
The krottel took a moment before finally turning to him. “Are you saying you want us imprisoned wherever we end up?”
He shrugged. “You’ve killed and destroyed planets. You displaced the chanzii for years. And now, God above, do you have any idea what you’ve done to my planet? They didn’t know about aliens or magic, and in a couple of hours you’ve caused havoc and mayhem on a global scale. We’re all up here dealing with you, but in reality the work down there is just beginning. It’s going to be a nightmare, all because of your arrogance and ignorance.”
