OOC: Here is the poll: page=poll/p=155446

As it slept in the prison cell, thoughts thousands of years old started to coalesce in its mind. The last journey it had undertaken was little more than a blur. Whether the creature had itself shut out the memories of pain and fear, or whether they had been shattered in one of the many injuries it had sustained in its plummet to Earth, was not clear. It had been unconscious and limp as the prison cell had hit the cold Atlantic waters, and it stayed that way as the currents flung it around, eventually bringing it to a stop just inside an airtight cave a few miles from the surface. At it slumbered, its numerous wounds, both man-made and as a result of the crash had healed, some better than others.
Its alien lungs had filled with air as it rested, but surviving normally in nought but an enclosed box, was not possible. Its body entered a hibernation of sorts and here the mind began to piece back the memories of those last moments, herding them into a cohesive mass, and arranging them haphazardly, like a child’s first attempt at a jigsaw puzzle.

It came to remember once more the voices from the life it had led. It remembered the sounds and smells that came with a happy childhood. It lingered only briefly on these half-recalled times, searching for something much more pressing. Eventually, the events of other, more trying days made themselves known.

As it lay, it heard the shackles closing once more around itself. In other circumstances, the cool feeling would remind it of a bath in one of the refreshing springs outside its village, but alongside the quiet click, it knew that those small pleasures had finally come to an end.
The stench of the intragalactic ship was perhaps one of the most stubborn sensations it could easily dredge up. That ship had been tasked with transporting it and the other prisoners to a prison on a planet far away from its own. It understood again that the symbol of the sun, painted on so many fragments of memory was the symbol of the empire that had ruled the lives of nearly all life in the galaxy. It felt fear at that symbol.
Towards the end of it’s sleep, when its body could not sustain itself for much longer, it remembered looking out the prison cell, seeing the pirates descended from the blackness of the space between stars. It touched the thick glass, peering out at the intruders with a hope it had long thought extinct.

And then it was tumbling, hurtling, careening through space, unable to process that the prisoner transport ship had let all prison cells go, and it, along with every other prisoner was now on a collision course for Earth. Somewhere along the way, it had lost consciousness. Now, after all this time, it was beginning to regain that consciousness, and as it woke, its tentacles brushed the walls of the cell with ever more familiar strokes. “Kethru” it murmured, remembering its name at last.

OOC: Here is the poll: region=lazarus#poll

With the recollection of its own name, a flood of memories came back and, in jerky motions, Kethru willed its disused body into alertness and sent it lurching forward. With the now thousand-year-old shackles still restricting its movement, Kethru started to inspect the cell walls. It saw that one side was particularly damaged, probably the side that struck the Earth and with a few brutal blows, the wall was cracked. Immediately, water seeped in, followed by the faint twinkle of sunlight. Kethru’s blows got more desperate as the water rose higher, and chunks of the wall snapped off, propelled into the water almost gently away, where they sank out of view. Kethru took a deep breath and followed them soon after, careful not to cut itself on the jagged edges of the hole.

Pushing upwards as much as it could in the shackles, Kethru broke the surface of the water. The coast of some rocky land lay just a short way away, lumps of sharp rock scattered across the dirty-looking sand. Cliffs towered above, and long grass swayed beneath the grey sky like warriors, watching Kethru, and waiting to see if it would approach. Kethru saw no signs of intelligent life but couldn’t be sure whether that was good or bad. Kethru switched from treading water to swimming towards the shore. With its arm movement to limited to swim well, it relied on the restricted movement of its legs and tentacles to power itself on its back towards the shore. As Kethru was staring into the sky, making its way towards land, a seagull wheeled above. Kethru had of course, never seen this type of flying creature, but it realised that the seagull was not like some of the birds back home, and it did not attempt to attack its exposed stomach.

As Kethru eased itself onto the sand and twisted onto its feet. Kethru stood, looking around properly for the first time.
“Hey,” a voice called out in an accent it had not heard in a long time. Kethru wheeled around and saw a figure standing to one side. It was a Donri, a species of alien Kethru had had only seen on the trade ships that would come to it home planet. This Donri was a more muscular than most of his kind, and stood a great deal taller than Kethru, with an impressive set of horns emerging from its head, and bony armour plates covering its skin.

“You know my language?” Kethru replied.

The Donri walked up to Kethru. “I do. I’m Morel. You remember me from the prison ship?”

“Kethru,” Kethru’s tentacles twitched nervously. “I do remember you.” That wasn’t true, but letting Morel know that its memories were only just coming back might be a mistake.

“We knew you would escape around this time.” Morel said. “Calculated the time that your species could stay in there and knew roughly when to come here. I regained consciousness a while ago. Around 50 rotations around this planets sun. There is another one of us. Another prisoner. She escaped even before me. We’ve made a little hideout. Want to come?”

Kethru had little choice. It knew nothing about the natives, and the Donri was offering sanctuary. Wariness ran through Kethru’s veins but striking out alone was not an option.

As they walked along the beach, Morel told him a little more about the place they now inhabited.

“You’re on an island. Its not very big, but the dominant creatures here don’t come onto this side very often. They have vessel that can travel across the water and they have ways of fishing to. We haven’t been able to observe them too much, but they don’t seem to hostile…towards each other at least.”

As they rounded a cliff side, Kethru saw a small wooden built. It didn’t know it, but it was a disused boathouse. Kethru was led inside. Morel sat down and motioned for him to take a seat.

“Looks like Yvin is out hunting or something. She’ll be back later.”

Kethru nodded. “Okay, and what of the other prisoners? Why is there only us three?”

Morel looked at him and took a deep breath. “One more has yet to escape from their cell. Many didn’t survive and we’ve found their bodies in the ocean. Some got to shore but couldn’t make it.” Morel paused. “We aren’t the only group of prisoners on this island though. You might remember that a number of Rephansi were being transported with us.”

Kethru nodded, again not remembering that. It did know about Rephansi though. They were big, brutal aliens, and before being subdued by the empire, they were an expansionist species who were a nightmare for local planets.

“They,” Morel went on, “have formed their own little gang. They’ve also been picking up other species as they wash ashore. We think they outnumber us significantly, and they don’t like sharing this beach.”

OOC: Here is the poll: page=poll/p=155965

Knowing a hostile Rephansi band was present nearby, Kethru stood up and walked outside again, scanning the beach as it wandered away on either side and was covered by small island brush behind the hut. Kethru turned towards Morel inside the old boathouse, "I'm going to see how the food is here. Thanks for telling me about the island, I'll be back."

Kethru moved higher on the beach where shrubs began to grow and, lowering itself to the ground, rolled across the sandy soil until its body was caked with salty grains and scent. It then allowed its thinning tentacles to navigate into the ground, its skin absorbing small amounts of decomposing matter and nutrients. The covering of gritty dirt felt comforting to Kethru. It would mask its scent and camouflage it to an extent, giving Kethru time to think. However, just as it was entering this relaxing state of mind, heavy vibrations ran through the ground, growing louder as something approached the area from the direction Kethru and Morel had come. It sounded like Rephansi footsteps; just one of them if Kethru was feeling correctly, but that was still quite threatening. Hoping the Rephansi would pass by without noticing the other creatures present, Kethru sunk even deeper into the ground, trying to flatten itself to the level of the ground.

The pounding continued to grow, and then the noise lessened as the territorial species passed by the hut without pausing. Kethru felt relief wash over its mind, but a shrill gasp from the other side of the hut cut the feeling short. The Rephansi’s stomping stopped, replaced by closer leaping vibrations. What was happening out there? Had Morel wandered outside and been sighted? Kethru slowly raised itself from the sandy impression it had made and crawled around the hut. A huge Rephansi was jumping with her springy hind legs at a small Donri on the beach, no doubt Yvin whom Morel had mentioned. Knowing she wouldn't be able to escape the stabbing tongue of her opponent for long, Kethru quickly flung itself forward, whipping its tentacles in the air. All the sand that had collected on its skin flew through the air, some landing on the Raphansi's face. She grunted fiercely and brushed her face on the ground while spitting out words in the coarse Reph speech.

OOC: Here is the poll: region=lazarus#poll

A stream of mutterings and hacking words flowed from the Rephansi's mouth. Her great hulking body wheeled and shook, sending the sand on her angular face flying. With a glare and crouch, she turned towards Kethru in front of the hut and flung herself out at it, long sharp tongue extended. As she nearly reached it, Kethru desperately pushed itself forward as fast and as low as it could go, right under the Rephansi's muscled hind legs. A satisfying crash resounded behind Kethru as it skidded forward on the sand. The Rephansi had hit the front deck of the old boathouse and a wooden rail spiked through her front shoulder in a nasty looking injury.

At that moment Morel emerged from the boathouse and took in the scene right in front of him. "What happened? Are you all okay? Yvin?"

"Yeah we are I think," Kethru replied. "The Rephansi attacked Yvin. What should we do about her now that she's stuck?"

Morel looked at the feebly struggling Rephansi in front of him and grimaced, "Oh no, we need to help her. I can heal this wound but we'll need to get her off the rail and calmed down somehow."

"Help her?" Kethru asked confused. "She just tried to spike us on her tongue!"

"That doesn't mean we should leave her to suffer," said Morel as he leaned down close to the Rephansi and made some muttering snorts in her ear, to which the creature responded in kind. "She says the other Rephansi are near the inlet today. We need to take her there so they can help clean her wound before I bind it up. This is our best chance at peace."

Kethru looked at Yvin disbelievingly, but all she did was roll her eyes and walk forward.

OOC: Here is the poll: page=poll/p=156397

As Kethru and the others made their way to the other side of the beach, the wounded Rephansi moaning on a stretcher beside them, there was very little conversation. Morel and Yvin were no doubt thinking about the danger they were waking to, but as the pair of them were carrying the stretcher, Kethru was free to walk beside them unhindered. It watched the motions of the waves on the sand, it felt the grains shift beneath its tread. The sun cast a gentle glow across the beach, and for a moment, Kethru forgot the danger the group was walking to. Kethru tuned out the moans of the Rephansi, losing itself in the serenity of the scene. Kethru’s thoughts wandered to the waters of its own home planet, to the air that had seemed so clear and free from strife when Kethru was only a child. A twinkling laughter tread lightly in its mind, and Kethru stopped for a moment, reaching out with its tentacles at the half-remembered fragment of another world.

A shout jolted Kethru from the memory. At the far end of the beach, five Rephansi were standing. Kethru’s companions had lowered the stretcher, and Morel stood in front. “We haven’t come to hurt you,” He said.

Yvin growled. “Even after she…”

“Shhh!” Morel snapped. “That’s irrelevant now.” He whispered.

The Rephansi approached as one. “How bad hurt?” one of them called out.

“Her shoulder. We can’t tell how bad, but it’s not good.”

The Rephansi quickened their pace after a brief exchange with one another. Two picked up the stretcher, while the other three stood guard, glaring at the other aliens. The one that caught Kethru’s eye was a particularly muscular male, scars crisscrossing his body.

“Look,” Kethru said, spreading its arms and tentacles wide. “We don’t want to fight. We don’t need to fight.” It paused, and sighed. “Do you want to see the stars from your own planet? Do you want to walk along familiar beaches, laugh amongst familiar crowds? Of course you do. I’ve spent a little time on your planet. I’ve sat around the fire with Rephansi just like you, swapping stories of heroes and conquest. All of us here have things we long for, things that were taken from us by imperial forces, yet this moment…this is our moment.”

Kethru looked to the sky, and then around at the beach and shore. “If we were still being pursued, an imperial ship would have picked up our prison cells long ago. If we were not free to act without fear of enemy soldiers, these beaches would have been swarmed already. I look around and only see sky, water and sand.”

The Rephansi’s faces showed no emotion, but Kethru continued. “We have been left alone, and that loneliness is liberating. Whether we get off this foreign rock or choose to stay here, none of us knows what is beyond the horizon of this world. We simply cannot afford to fight. We would like to suggest collaboration in whatever it is we do next.”

It was an hour later when seven Rephansi sat down to an uneasy meal with the other aliens.

“You know of the natives on the other side?” A Rephansi asked after a few moments of silence.

“We do,” Yvin said. “They haven’t noticed us.”

The Rephansi grunted. “Nor us…yet.”

OOC: Here is the Poll: page=poll/p=156802

In the beginning, cooperation was hard, but over time the aliens banded together and moved into the old boathouse, taking scraps of metal wood and plastic from other abandoned buildings on the beach. When they weren’t working, they discussed the future, and despite the growing trust between the Rephansi and others, the Rephansi always seemed to agree with one another. It became clear that going home was their long-term goal. Kethru also longed to see its home planet again, but a curiosity for this new world had settled within. To this end, an expedition was planned to the other side of the island. From what they knew, the island was fairly barren, and getting off the planet would require more than rocks. A tied together host of rubbish functioned as a platform to fish from, but if the island proved useless to the group, relying on it to leave wasn’t an option.

The work had been going well but as Kethru was making another scouting trip for materials, a high-pitched cry came from the cliff. Kethru looked up and shuffled back in horror at the sight of a small child pointing at it.

One of the Rephansi was nearby and he turned around just as the mother came into view. She made a noise that Kethru couldn’t make out. The Rephansi sprang towards Kethru, yanking on a fistful of tentacles and dragging the pair of them back to the boathouse. Kethru soon threw him off and ran under its own steam, bellowing at the members of the group who were sitting outside and crashing through the door.

“We’ve been spotted!” Kethru yelled. “Natives spotted us.”

The Rephansi didn’t know enough of Kethru’s language to understand, but they got the tone and reached for sharpened sticks.

“How many?” Morel said, reaching for his own weapon.

“One child, one adult.”

Morel nodded. “More’ll be coming.

“We need to get off the island.” Yvin said, coming through the door.

The Rephansi spoke to one another and shoved past the three other aliens in the boathouse. Kethru followed with its own weapon, a rusty metal bar found on the beach. The group moved along the beach.

“There,” Yvin said, pointing ahead at a group of five humans including the child and mother who were walking their way having just come into view. The aliens flattened themselves into the rugged shapes that made up the cliff and watched as the humans came closer.

“They’ll see us eventually,” Kethru whispered to Morel.

“Yeah, and the Rephansi want a fight.”

Kethru looked to the Rephansi, tentacles waving nervously. “You’re probably right.

The humans, looking out towards the sea took a while to spot the aliens, a window of time shortened by the charge of three of the Rephansi. Kethru watched with horror as they came screaming from their positions, one wielding a spear, another a plank of wood, and another a large rock.

The cries of the humans didn’t last long as all five were tackled to the ground. Throughout Kethru’s time on his home planet, one thing was made clear to it. Dead bodies were bad for business and if they natives found five of their own slain, Kethru knew not even the fighting prowess of the Rephansi would be enough to hold back a horde.

Kethru’ tentacles sprayed outward, wrapping around the Rephansi and hauling them back, moving forward and wrapping more tentacles around the humans, pinning them to the ground and gagging them.

A moment later, kethru had administered sleeper holds. Behind him, a Rephansi growled, spitting out a torrent of words Kethru could not understand. A second later, the Rephansi was struck in the face by another tentacle.

Kethru stared at the five unconscious humans. “We’ve attacked them.”

Morel came closer, trying to comfort Kethru, but the it just waved a tentacle up towards the cliff. “The natives will come looking. We need a plan.”

OOC: Here is the poll: region=lazarus#poll

After a moment of silence, a Rephansi spoke up.

“What’s she saying?” Kethru said.

“We need to strike,” Morel translated. “Can’t wait for them to come to us.”

Kethru frowned. “And what do you think?”

Morel took a breath. “We don’t know the situation with the natives. They could be unaware about this,” he gestured towards the unconscious humans, “or they could be gearing up, and ready to charge us at any moment.”

“So we send a scout?”

“That’s one option,” Morel said.

Yvin chuckled dryly from behind Morel. “The only if you’re not a braindead sack of meat and muscle. Launching a frontal attack on a native settlement that we have no knowledge about is suicidal. I’ll go.”

Morel translated most of that to the Rephansi and after a moment of intense Rephansi speech, they seemed to acquiesce. With that, the rest of the group returned to the boathouse. No one talked, and after a few minutes, a couple of Rephansi moved outside to spar.

“Do you think we can win?” Morel said?

Kethru shrugged. “We know nothing about the natives. If there are ten thousand of them, no, if there are fifteen, sure.”

Morel considered this before reaching over to comfort Kethru. “Kethru, If things don’t go our way, you need to get away. None of us can swim like you.” Kethru tried to respond but Morel cut it off. “No Kethru. You don’t need to be a hero. Fighting natives on a beach in the middle of nowhere isn’t heroic anyway. I know what your species can do in the water. I’ve watched more than enough swimming competitions to know. You have a chance to get out of here, to pursue whatever you want to pursue.”

“But Morel…”

Morel ignored Kethru. “Do you want to leave the planet?”

“Probably. I don’t think the natives would welcome me.”

Morel nodded and opened his mouth, only to be cut off by a harsh Rephansi scream. Morel bolted from his chair and ran outside. The two Rephansi that had gone to spar were pointing in the direction of the cliff, weapons in hand.

Atop the cliff, Yvin was surrounded by a group of humans. From this distance, Kethru couldn’t tell what they had done, but the humans had clearly captured her and had come for the rest of them. Kethru grabbed the rusty metal bar and flicked its tentacles in anger. The Rephansi let out a war cry and charged off. The humans moved away from the cliff, no doubt making their way down towards the beach. Morel sprang after the Rephansi and Kethru followed. It wasn’t long before the group saw the humans emerge onto the beach. The humans spread themselves out and from this distance, Kethru made out around fifty or so. A ratio of five to one was never good, but the Rephansi didn’t seem to care, their charge forming the centre of the alien charge, with Kethru and Morel on one side.

As it turns out, life on a remote island like this means that owning a gun is a bit pointless. The humans, armed with bladed weapons instead, maintained their line but as the aliens grew close, fear started to break out among them and into their cracking resolve, the feral cries of the Rephansi poured. Kethru was a little less gung-ho, circling close to the melee, using its tentacles to attack the humans on the periphery. Despite their best efforts however, the aliens were far too outnumbered to win the fight, and they started retreating towards the sea.

As Kethru scanned the crowd, frantically hurling humans away from the battle with its tentacles.

“Go!” Morel yelled, turning to face Kethru as he did. A human raised a club above Morel’s beaten form, but a tentacle slammed into his gut and knocked him down. It wasn’t enough. The Rephansi lay on the ground, Morel was injured badly and most of the humans were now focusing on Kethru, forcing it back to the water. Suddenly, a foreign tentacle wrapped itself around Kethru’s midriff and yanked him back into the water.

It took a moment for Kethru to realise what had happened, but when it turned, floating in the water next to him was another alien of his species.

“What was all that?” It said. Kethru looked at it, mouth agape. “I just escaped from a prison cell and I find that mess.”

“You…” Kethru began.

“Come on,” it said. “We need to get out of here.”

OOC: Here is the poll: region=lazarus#poll

In the darkness of the sea, Kethru watched as the humans dragged his companions away. The humans talked to one another, pointing out to into the waves, but none of them came after Kethru.

“How long did you know them?”

“Kethru turned to the alien next to it. “Not very long. I didn’t know them that well to be honest, but…being in this situation, alone and on an unfamiliar world…”

“You had to make friends where you could.” The alien replied. “I understand. I’m Hoptu.”

“Kethru nodded. “Kethru.” Kethru thought for a moment, watching the now empty beach. “I have to go back.”

“Are you crazy?” Hoptu said. “You saw how many there are. Even if you get past all of them, you have no way of knowing what condition your friends will be in.”

“I know.” Kethru swam towards the beach again. “I need to try at least.”

Hoptu floated in the water, not moving. It looked at Kethru’s retreating form. “I can’t come with you.”

Kethru turned back around and nodded. “I wouldn’t expect you to. Thanks for your help back there by the way.” With that, Kethru dragged itself back onto the beach, taking in scene of the battle, makeshift weapons left where they fell, disturbed sand telling a confusing tale of the fight. Slowly, assuredly, Kethru made its way along the beach, taking the same path as humans.

Kethru reached the clifftop soon enough. No humans were in sight, but it could now see their dwellings. Roughly built shacks painted blues, yellows and greens. Kethru turned for a moment, catching sight of Hoptu, circling around the island. Kethru turned away.

The human settlement showed little life but as Kethru watched a child emerge from a house, it flattened itself against a house wall. To Kethru’s horror, the child came skipping around the corner. Kethru shot out a tentacle, muffling the scream as the child was dragged towards Kethru. The child was put in a sleeper hold and was placed behind a bush. Kethru then moved forward. As it did so, the full scale of the place came into view. There were far too many houses to be realistically searched and as this dawned, a wrenching disappointment overtook the alien. Just as Kethru turned to go, a whimper sounded from behind him. A small child stood, frozen to the spot, staring up at the tall figure of the alien.

“There’s another one!” another voice shouted. Kethru couldn’t understand the words, but tone was all it needed. A woman had emerged from a nearby house and was aiming a finger at Kethru. With the woman in front and the child behind, Kethru took a step back, seizing the child in its tentacles. As men and women poured out of their houses, Kethru held the child in its tentacles. The natives seemed to get the message and most stopped short of attacking. One of them, however, did not. He yelled something, drew a knife and charged.

Kethru readied its tentacles to disarm the threat but a huge tentacle rammed into view, flinging the man behind the houses and out of sight. Kethru turned and dropped the child in shock. Towering over creatures and houses alike, Hoptu stood, about five times the size of Kethru, its tentacles waved menacingly.

“Kethru, get to the sea.” Hoptu shouted before letting out a mighty roar. Its tentacles ploughed into the humans, picking them up and flinging them away. As more humans came out of their houses, Hoptu dealt with them too but upon seeing Kethru’s unmoving form, Hoptu wrapped a tentacle around Kethru’s body and flung Kethru towards the sea with impossible force. An impact with the sea at this velocity didn’t present much of an issue, but as Kethru made contact with the water again, it shook with shock as more memories came back.

After a moment, Kethru saw Hoptu standing at the water’s edge. Hoptu swam towards Kethru and the two aliens faced each other.

“There’s no way you could have done that.” Kethru began.” You must be…”

Hoptu smiled. “Yes, child. High Lord Hoptu at your service. It’s pleasure to meet you.”

OOC: Here is the poll: page=poll/p=157627

In the stillness of foreign waters, just off the coast of a foreign island, Kethru stared at the other member of its species.
“You have gone through much,” Hoptu said drawing close. “I understand your pain. In fact, I watched it and had been watching it several days before the fight on the beach.” Hoptu’s tentacles waved languidly in the water. “You don’t need to fear anything now.”

“What do you mean?” Kethru replied. “The others are still trapped with the natives.

“I dropped them off at the boathouse. They were, and I suspect still are, not in a good way.” Hoptu looked towards the beach. “They are fine. You need not worry, but I don’t want to talk about them. I sense a longing to escape within you, Kethru. I too have that longing. When I escaped my prison cell, I called a ship to this location. The Prison guards weren’t properly trained in searching through tentacles. Hoptu showed Kethru the communicator used to contact the ship. “The ship might not be expecting extra company, but I’m sure you and your friends can be accommodated.”

Kethru blinked, speechless. Hoptu nodded. “Being a lord has its benefits.” Hoptu smiled.

“Hoptu,” Kethru said, struggling with its words. “Thank you.”

Hoptu waved Kethru away. “You have potential. A young creature with such…” Hoptu smacked one of Kethru’s tentacles. “Talent.” Hoptu laughed. “I watched as you tried to build a community with the other aliens. I saw you fight with them, just as hard as the Rephansi themselves. My imprisonment has meant that I know little about the state of the galaxy, just like you, but I am sure you, Kethru, will not find it hard to do well. I’m from a small farming village in Western Gollrut."

Kethru had heard of Gollrut before. Throughout the days on the island, its memory had recovered enough for that. “I grew up in Judbe.” Judbe was the capital city of one of the major states on Kethru’s home planet.

Hoptu laughed. “Ah yes. I always wanted to go there.”

For a moment longer, Kethru and Hoptu talked, exchanging stories of their lives. Then, with the sun going down, Kethru went to the boathouse. Inside, the group were sprawled out on the ground, wrapped in blankets. All were sleeping apart from Yvin. She tried to raise her head as Kethru entered, but groaned, letting it sink back down.

“Hey.” Her voice was weak, the frailty made even stronger by it being one of the only sounds in the boathouse.

Kethru knelt by her. “Did they treat you too badly?”

“It was nothing I couldn’t handle.” Yvin said with a smile.

There were a few brief moments of silence before Kethru spoke.

“Yvin, the last prisoner from the prison cell is out.” Kethru proceeded to tell Yvin about Hoptu. “This is our way out. The ship will undoubtedly have medics on board. You will be safe. You can go home.”

In the dim light of the boathouse Kethru couldn’t see Yvin’s tears, but it could hear her voice. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. You, Morel, everyone here. We’re going home.”

Yvin reached out, her cold hand clasping Kethru’s. “Thank you. Thank you Kethru.”

The wait past uneventfully. Kethru and Hoptu tended to the wounded as best they could, which wasn’t very well at all. Nevertheless, they managed to keep any of them from dying. When Kethru was soothing Morel, the boathouse door creaked, and, the morning sun made its way around Hoptu’s figure to spill into the building.

“We can go now. The ship has just arrived.”

Kethru walked out onto the sand, its many tentacles supporting a few of the injured as they hobbled alongside him. The rest could still not walk but their plight dropped from Kethru’s mind as it gazed at a suddenly familiar sight. A spaceship was parked a few metres away.

Kethru turned to Hoptu. Hoptu spread its tentacles wide. “What are you waiting for?”

Standing on the cliff, a frail line of humans had gathered. Kethru looked up towards them, but they did not move.

“They can’t harm any of us now.” Hoptu said, nudging Kethru towards the spaceship with a tentacle. “It’s time to go home, is it not?”

Kethru nodded. “Yes. Yes, Hoptu, it is.”

Together, the battered group of aliens made their way towards the ship. The crew guided them abroad, supporting them up the boarding ramp and into the medical bay. Kethru, unharmed, opted to go to the bridge. The crew allowed it to do so, initiating the launch.

There was very little conversation as the ship’s engine whirred. The sand of the beach was blown aside as powerful thrusters took the ship into the air. The figures of the humans shrank and out of one window, Kethru saw a surprised bird wheel away from the approaching craft.

“You should sleep.” Hoptu said, patting Kethru with a tentacle. “We’ll be in space soon. I’ll let you know when we are.”

As Kethru lay on the mattress, its mind was awash with the images of the past few weeks. It stared at the light coming through the space underneath the door and moved to a sitting position. Moving to the window, Kethru saw the pinpricks of light that were planets. The blue waters of Earth shrank from sight and Kethru placed a tentacle on the cold glass.

A few turbulent hours later and Kethru emerged from a fitful sleep. After a moment of staring around the alien room, tentacles spilled from the sheets and onto the floor. Kethru wandered to the door, pushing it open and trudging to the bridge. When he entered, a few of the crew turned to look.

“Lord Hoptu has gone to rest.”

Kethru nodded. “It has been a while since I’ve been home.”

One of the crew nodded. “Lord Hoptu has said. You must want to know how things are.”

“Yes, if you please.”

The crew brought out a chair and when Kethru was seated, proceeded to fill him in. Shortly after his capture, a group of disgruntled aliens banded together to fight to empire ruling over them. Calling themselves The Interplanetary Coalition, they launched a campaign that would, in a few hundred years, whittle the empire to a shell of what it had been. When the final soldiers were vanquished, the coalition struggled to continue, and as species began to break away, Kethru’s species, under a newly elected monarch, did the same.

Ever since then, Kethru’s species had been working together to improve life on their planet. When Kethru probed the crew for more information on the state of the galaxy, it learnt that for those seeking another life, there were many opportunities. One could join a religious order, a group of mercenaries, or the foreign office, which promised exciting postings on a great variety of planets.

Kethru listened, but there was only one desire. To see, touch, smell its home planet once more was all that Kethru wanted. The crew kept regaling Kethru with tales of how the galaxy had changed, until the watery surface Kethru had longed for appeared on the horizon. The spaceship broke through the atmosphere and landed gently on one of the landing pods.

Together, with the rest of the aliens, Kethru stepped out into the sun. A small crowd had gathered around them and Kethru’s tentacles shook with emotion.

“So,” Morel said. “This is your home.”

“Yes, this is my home.” Kethru moved forward, into the crowd, when suddenly, the crowd began to part. A tall member of Kethru’s species, made its way through, coming to stand before Kethru. It wore unmistakable royal regalia, Kethru, stunned by the sight of the new king, forgot to move its tentacles into the appropriate greeting. With a nudge from Hoptu, Kethru did to.

“Your highness. It is an honour.”

“Welcome.” The King’s voice was soft and calming. “Lord Hoptu, I welcome you back. You have brought friends?”

“I have, your majesty.” Hoptu. “They have braved much to be here.”

The king nodded. “You will have to tell me everything.” It turned to Kethru. “Your name is Kethru?”

“Yes, your majesty.” Kethru said.

“Hoptu told me about you, Kethru. Do not worry. You are here now. We will talk later about your future, but you are safe. Your friends…may do what they please. I am sure all will work out in the end.”

Later that day, Kethru did talk to the king. Kethru, expressing its wish to make a new life on the planet, was left to its own devices so that it could seek its own job. Hoptu grew to know Kethru better as time passed, and the two became friends. Morel and Yvin were transported to their respective planets but would regularly visit Kethru and Hoptu. The Rephansi also left for their planet, but occasionally. Kethru didn’t see them again, but it was happy knowing that they were probably happy boasting about how they beat those strange natives on that distant, even stranger planet.