Susan's Tale, Part 4a

I've got about three quarters of the way through writing this part, and rather than keep people waiting any longer I decided to split it at a close-to-halfway point. Hopefully the rest will follow on or before Monday.

Since it's been a while, here are links to the previous instalments: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Susan's Tale, Part 4

The thing that appeared through the wall was hideous, insectlike, with bits of earth and tunnel lining dripping from its mouth. It's strange what comes into your mind at such times. Although I was both startled and scared I found myself thinking of my comparative anatomy lessons, remembering that arthropoid mouth parts were made from a collection of small modified limbs. I stood staring at the face. My perception adjusted itself and I was no longer looking at a monster but a fascinating alien being, slightly furred, with huge eyes covering most of its head and intricate, waving feelers. I wished the light was better so that I could pick out more of the detail.

It took Grandfather anxiously calling my name to break the spell. By that time my initial panic had faded and I could take in more of what was going on. The creature wasn't quite as big as I'd thought - it had broken through high up, which gave the impression of height, but the head was not much more than a foot across. It was also waiting, not advancing further. I wondered why, when I heard a noise behind me and realised a second creature was coming through the other wall. I shrieked again - I was more easily startled in those days - and Grandfather and I backed down the tunnel as two groups of figures pushed their way out of the new openings and advanced on us. We turned to run - and found a third group waiting.

These were also arthropoid, but different from the tunnel diggers. They had hard outer casings, somewhat like Earth beetles, but only four limbs. Some of them were standing on the hind pair, holding finely-crafted spears; others were down on all fours. They had us surrounded.

One from the original hole called out to the third group. "Where are the rest of the invaders?" The voice as I heard it was female, commanding, slightly nasal; but I could also hear the series of clicks that was presumably their natural language.

"I don't know, matron." This was a male. "The vibrations were quite faint - maybe they were separated from the others of their hunting party?"

The matron shook a spear, angrily. "In which case our trap has failed. Their kin could be slaughtering our children in another part of the Nest right now!"

Grandfather stepped forward, drawing himself upright. "If I might set your mind at ease, madam, we are not-"

He paused. The creatures had all stepped back, surprised, and several weapons were pointed in his direction. The matron stepped right up to him. "How is it that you speak?"

Grandfather looked flustered. "Well, ah, I am a man of science, and I make it my business to understand all the peoples of the universe. Yes, to converse with each and every one of you! And to that end, I am a student of language, as I am of many things."

He bowed; I smiled. Grandfather often took it upon himself to bend the truth a little; sometimes it helped, sometimes it just got us into worse trouble.

The matron seemed uncertain, and the male she had spoken to before scurried up. "It could be a trap," he said.

"I don't know, K'tak. Look at their shells - they are soft and thin, not at all like the others'. We could kill these creatures with a single spear thrust."

"Then let us do so! We should end their noise and get back to tracking vibrations before the next real attack." I clutched Grandfather's arm, unsure whether to say anything or not. He made a gesture for me to wait.

K'tak started to speak again, but the matron clicked him to silence. Like Grandfather, She was taking time to things through carefully.

"Your suggestion is prudent, K'tak." I tensed, drawing in breath, but she hadn't finished speaking. "Nevertheless, I see here an opportunity for change. Every season, the unchanging ones come. They shake the ground, breaking the Nest. They hunt down our babies, slaughter them and carry off their carcases, leaving us barely enough to rebuild. We have grown better at fighting back, and we have managed to kill a few of them - but what good is that? Does it stop them coming? Does it bring our lost children back? No, this is the first time in many cycles that something new has happened. If it is a trick, we must learn why they have done it; and if not, maybe these can help us to understand their brethren."

Grandfather was listening, waiting for the right moment to interject. He was the negotiator, and normally I would have followed his lead; but he was also injured, tired, and - I had to admit it - getting old. My own self-confidence ebbed and flowed with the hormones running through my body; today I was feeling "bolshy", as Ian had occasionally said, and I felt the time had come. I let the emotions the matron's speech had stirred up come to the fore, and stepped forward.

"Of course we'll help you! It's horrible what's being done to your people!"

"Hush, child," said Grandfather, putting his hand on my shoulder; and the matron craned towards us, her nose coming within an inch of my own.

"'Child?' This one is a youngling? Then what is its purpose here?"

"I was trying to save Grandfather from falling, but I couldn't hold his weight and came down with him." It didn't sound too impressive.

"Remember that they are unchanging ones," put in K'tak. "They only differ in size as they grow, and see how much smaller it is than the white-topped one."

"Yes, but we haven't seen them with their young before. It seems they, too, have familial bonds."

"It is all lies! They are deceiving us, and must be killed!"

"Who is matron here, K'tak? I have borne four clutches for the Nest, and lost almost all. Only my youngest daughter remains." To my surprise, she reached up and gently stroked the face of the creature that had first broken through into the tunnel. Then she turned to us. "I will show you how we live here. If you truly wish to help us, you shall get your chance."

Next Time:
More of the same...