Chapter 1: First Fight

It was a hot spring day, I was checking fence with my best friend Daryl Brenson. The clap of thunder caused us both to look skyward. The flash of lightning did not look right to me. The second clap of thunder drew are attention to the craft descending at a high rate of speed. There was more lightning and it struck the craft. That is when I realized that there were actually two crafts one chasing the other.

The lead craft took another hit of lightning and began to smoke and shake changing its decent from a shallow angle to an almost straight dive toward the ground. The second craft continued to chase the first and that is when Daryl and I both saw the lightning was coming from the trailing craft. It was only because the bolt missed the first craft and struck the ground near both of us.

We both got up from the ground and made a run for the truck. The first craft took another hit from a lightning bolt and broke up in midair. The trailing craft began to climb when it was struck by a strange beam of light. It was not a lightning bolt but a weird purplish gray beam about ten feet in diameter. The craft seemed to shake and it looked like acid had been poured on it. It was smoking and the metal hull was bubbling and melting. Suddenly the craft just began to spiral down toward the ground and it was going to hit way too close to where we were.

The truck would not start, it seemed like the battery was beyond dead. Nothing in fact the engine did not crank or the starter grind. Daryl yelled for us to make for the dyke wall. It was less than ten yards away and there was a large section that had fallen over making a small cave like area. The dyke wall was mostly granite and was between twelve and fourteen inches thick. We dove into the make shift cave just moments before the craft hit the ground. Dirt and debris was kick up and only after it cleared did we look out to see what was there.

The dust cloud cleared enough for us to see the truck was on its side but looked like it was still in working order. Most of the trees for a good hundred yards in all directions were snapped off at ground level. Daryl and I slowly moved out from the cave and looked toward the crater made by the impact of the craft. It was at least fifteen feet high and about seventy feet around. The craft was still smoking and there were two holes about 3 feet in diameter that I could see.

As Daryl and I walked up to the craft a door like opening became visible as it opened. I am not sure which of us was faster on the draw but we both had our handguns out and aimed at the opening. It suddenly became hard to keep my pistol pointed at the opening. Daryl shook his head and lowered his pistol as he dropped to a knee. I fired two shots into the opening and just as quick the feeling stopped. I heard the voice but I was not sure if it was with my ears. It pleaded with me not to hurt it as it came out of the craft. Daryl asked me what the hell was going on and that was all I needed to confirm that I was hearing the voice with my head not my ears.

There was a rush of air and Daryl and I both looked up to see the other craft landing about 100 meters away. Almost before it was completely on the ground openings on both sides spun in a circle as they grew wider. These openings allow strange looking creatures to jump out. It was something out of the D&D game I use to play as a teenager or maybe something out of a really bad movie.

They looked like an insect except they were close to 6 feet high and almost the size of a horse. Walking on four legs and holding something I was guessing to be a weapon in both of the arms. The things looked like they were made of crystal.

The lightning bolt from the first craft came out the open door and bounced off the creature it hit knocking the creature to the ground and backward about 4 feet. The remaining three all looked to be aiming at the open door as Daryl and I both fired controlled pairs. The trailing creature seemed to be stunned that the two Daryl and I shot had gapping holes in their heads where are 40 caliber rounds hit. As it pointed its weapon at us Daryl fired a controlled pair blowing its head apart as I shot the one that had been knocked to the ground.

We both turned and aimed at the first crafts open door as a human like figure crawled out. The figure looked crystal like as well except that it had the body shape of a female. A very beautifully shaped female standing about 5 feet tall with a skin tight uniform that seemed to be a whitish grayish color. The helmet or head covering was oval and round in shape. It seemed to be the same color except for the dark blue area over the face. She had something that looked like a pistol with a very long barrel in her hand but was pointing it at the ground away from us.

She slowly placed the weapon on the ground and held her hands out open toward us. I felt the voice again asking me not to hurt her. Daryl and I looked at each other and holstered our pistol; they were still chambered if we needed them. She slowly moved her right hand up to her helmet and her left hand to a small object on her left hip. She was suddenly wearing a transparent body suit and no longer looked crystal like. When she removed her helmet we could see her white hair almost matched her ivory white skin and her steel grey eyes looked like you would fall in to them if you looked at her too long. Her ears were long slender and almost pointed {not like Star Trek} more like folklore Elves.

I asked her if she had a name. She tilted her head slightly as she looked at me and had an expression of confusion. I put my hand on my chest and said, "Pete" then pointed at Daryl and said his name. I repeated it once more than pointed at her and waited. She finally spoke saying, "Do you have a name? Pete Daryl Is this correct speech for your language?" Daryl and I both laughed and said at the same time "you're a fast learner" she smiled and said, "My name is RAI-JAN-TRILNUMKEK" I was not even going to try and repeat what she said so I asked her if we could call her RJ. She smiled again and said that would be acceptable. Something moved inside her craft and without thinking Daryl and I both drew our pistols. RJ quickly called out for us not to shoot. A centaur for lack of any better way of describing the creature that came out looked like. It was about 6 feet tall the body looked like a four legged animal wearing boots and the body of a human male with the head that looked like a rottweiler he also had the transparent body suit on which covered all of him except for his hands feet and head. He appeared to be injured and was not holding any weapon nor did he seem to have any on his body.

RJ introduced B'TREA of the KRONREE. He said greetings and reported to RJ that the ship was in repair mode shields were up at 45% and everything else is in standby mode. RJ asked how his injuries were and he replied that the medical injections were already repairing the damage and the pain was barely noticeable. She laughed and said that KRONREE can walk with a leg cut off and talk to you like nothing is wrong. She asked again how the pain was. B'TREA smiled and said barely noticeable.

I asked what was going on. RJ smiled and said our planet had been targeted by the "click whistle click clack hiccup sputter click whistle whistle" Daryl and I both shook our heads as she pronounced the name of the alien race. I asked if we could just call them clicks. RJ smiled and said that might be easier. B'TREA suddenly laid down. RJ began to speak in a language I could not understand but I seemed to know what she was saying. I moved as quickly as she did to B'TREA and tried to determine the seriousness of his injuries.

I felt RJ speak toward the ship and call for a medical drone. Quickly a small football shaped object came out of the ship and moved next to B'TREA a small flexible arm came out and a light shined on him. The small object moved around him slowly and stopped occasionally just long enough for another flexible arm to appear do something to B'TREA then retract back inside before it moved on.