contents.”
“How has SAMMI translated all of this information so quickly?”
“The data terminal contained many vid files with the corresponding information scrolling along the bottom of the screen. Apparently they speak Common, or close to it as Dr. Hightower indicated they did. SAMMI was able to translate their written language by watching some of the vid files.”
“Sort of like subtitles ? That was a lucky break for us.”
“I imagine so. No one in the settlement will even talk to us; they seem very frightened by outsiders. Maybe they are afraid because the outpost has seen battle recently.”
“Battle?” he broke in, suddenly very interested and all business. “How recent?” He asked, his military side taking over.
“Unknown; they use energy based firearms of a similar signature to ours, and it’s difficult to tell if the scorch marks are a week or a month old. There are also burns that appear to have been made by something significantly more powerful than small arms fire.” She replied. Jesse was troubled; perhaps their safe haven wasn’t as safe as he had hoped.
______
Six years earlier …..
Kimiko sobbed as she plunged the knife into Jesse’s back and then looked up in shocked disbelief as nothing happened. It didn’t pierce him; how was that possible? Her thought was interrupted by her body hitting the ground as he had dropped her after she stabbed him.
“Did you just try to stab me?” He asked his mind unable to process what had just happened. “Is this because I wouldn’t kiss you?” He asked, still not sure what was going on.
She took advantage of his confusion and launched into an attack swinging the blade towards his face. His training took over; he ducked the swing and swept her leg, sending her to the ground once again.
“Kimi , stop!” he yelled. “What’s going on?”
She rolled to her feet and back flipped to get some distance between her and her target. “I’m trying to kill you, Jesse. What does it look like?” she yelled angrily through the tears. She hated every second of this and she was beginning to hate him for prolonging her agony.
“Why?” He yelled as he turned sideways into a defensive position.
“Because I was sent to kill you. I have no choice.” She leapt at him, waiting until the last instant to tuck into a tight roll, slicing his thigh as she past him. Once again, she was confused. Why had her knife been able to pierce him this time, but not the first ?
“I don’t want to hurt you , Kimi, but I will if I have to.” He called. “Please, let’s just stop and try to talk this through.”
“I’m sorry ,” she yelled as she charged him again.
H e still had no idea why his friend was trying to kill him. As she charged again, he decided he needed to end this quickly so he could find out what was going on. She swung her knife at his throat as she came at him. He ducked the attack and caught her under her knife arm. In one motion he lifted her high into the air and slammed her through the coffee table. When she hit the ground, she felt at least two of her ribs crack and as the air left her body, she realized she was not going to win this fight. He needed only one punch to take consciousness from her.
She awoke bound on the floor, with Suzy’s angry face looking down at her.
“The assassin is awake.” Her venom was palpable. “I really wish you would call the police already , Jesse.”
Now it was Kimiko who was confused. Why was she still alive? What was going to happen now? As questions filled her mind, she didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
“I need to get information from her, and I might have to use means the police might not agree with. When I get what I need, then I’ll involve the police.”
His first question was obvious, and he was quite angry. She had never seen this side of him. Even Suzy looked worried and Kimiko was fairly certain she was the one person in the galaxy Suzy might break her physician’s
“How has SAMMI translated all of this information so quickly?”
“The data terminal contained many vid files with the corresponding information scrolling along the bottom of the screen. Apparently they speak Common, or close to it as Dr. Hightower indicated they did. SAMMI was able to translate their written language by watching some of the vid files.”
“Sort of like subtitles ? That was a lucky break for us.”
“I imagine so. No one in the settlement will even talk to us; they seem very frightened by outsiders. Maybe they are afraid because the outpost has seen battle recently.”
“Battle?” he broke in, suddenly very interested and all business. “How recent?” He asked, his military side taking over.
“Unknown; they use energy based firearms of a similar signature to ours, and it’s difficult to tell if the scorch marks are a week or a month old. There are also burns that appear to have been made by something significantly more powerful than small arms fire.” She replied. Jesse was troubled; perhaps their safe haven wasn’t as safe as he had hoped.
______
Six years earlier …..
Kimiko sobbed as she plunged the knife into Jesse’s back and then looked up in shocked disbelief as nothing happened. It didn’t pierce him; how was that possible? Her thought was interrupted by her body hitting the ground as he had dropped her after she stabbed him.
“Did you just try to stab me?” He asked his mind unable to process what had just happened. “Is this because I wouldn’t kiss you?” He asked, still not sure what was going on.
She took advantage of his confusion and launched into an attack swinging the blade towards his face. His training took over; he ducked the swing and swept her leg, sending her to the ground once again.
“Kimi , stop!” he yelled. “What’s going on?”
She rolled to her feet and back flipped to get some distance between her and her target. “I’m trying to kill you, Jesse. What does it look like?” she yelled angrily through the tears. She hated every second of this and she was beginning to hate him for prolonging her agony.
“Why?” He yelled as he turned sideways into a defensive position.
“Because I was sent to kill you. I have no choice.” She leapt at him, waiting until the last instant to tuck into a tight roll, slicing his thigh as she past him. Once again, she was confused. Why had her knife been able to pierce him this time, but not the first ?
“I don’t want to hurt you , Kimi, but I will if I have to.” He called. “Please, let’s just stop and try to talk this through.”
“I’m sorry ,” she yelled as she charged him again.
H e still had no idea why his friend was trying to kill him. As she charged again, he decided he needed to end this quickly so he could find out what was going on. She swung her knife at his throat as she came at him. He ducked the attack and caught her under her knife arm. In one motion he lifted her high into the air and slammed her through the coffee table. When she hit the ground, she felt at least two of her ribs crack and as the air left her body, she realized she was not going to win this fight. He needed only one punch to take consciousness from her.
She awoke bound on the floor, with Suzy’s angry face looking down at her.
“The assassin is awake.” Her venom was palpable. “I really wish you would call the police already , Jesse.”
Now it was Kimiko who was confused. Why was she still alive? What was going to happen now? As questions filled her mind, she didn’t have to wait long for the answer.
“I need to get information from her, and I might have to use means the police might not agree with. When I get what I need, then I’ll involve the police.”
His first question was obvious, and he was quite angry. She had never seen this side of him. Even Suzy looked worried and Kimiko was fairly certain she was the one person in the galaxy Suzy might break her physician’s
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