Crystal Guardian

1

'Are you sure you want to do this?' said the scarred, grey-skinned Etchagon in his native language.

The woman tilted her head to the side where a container of purple blood gurgled like molten lava. Machinery whirred, building up energy but the Etchagon's hand hovered inches above the switch.

'Do it,' she said.

'And you promise to-'

'I gave you my word.'

A click. The woman's eyes snapped shut as a thousand pinpricks of light rained upon her face. She took in a large gulp of otherworldly air.

'The word of a stranger is hard to trust,' said the Etchagon, skimming his slender hands over the medical instruments.

'Are you going to do it or not?'

'If you tell me what you plan on doing with the Jagophites?'

'Does it matter?' Her voice reverberated across the room. The Etchagon stared at his tense patient and watched as her features melted into a facade of calm.

'No-one else will help you,' she reminded him. His eyebrows narrowed. On clicking the switch, needles plunged into the woman's veins but she didn't flinch.

'I'll take the beasts to LendoZiya,' she said. 'Their weaponry is far superior to any of the other worlds. I'm sure we will find the technology there to wipe out your little problems.'

'That's murder. It is not the way of our society. I cannot-'

'They killed your family. What would your wife have wanted you to do? Your children?'

'Don't you dare bring them into this,' he snarled. 'Atarikkan filth! You're not worthy enough to mention them.'

'Are they your true feelings? Surely we are all children of Earth?'

'A fairytale,' he scoffed and turned his back. 'If those stories were true, what would it matter? You believe millions of years ago we shared one world? Those are a lot of years we speak of.'

The woman sat up, knocking equipment.

'Do you want my help?'

The Etchagon spun round as if it had been a mistake to let his gaze drift from her for one second.

'Of course.'

He inspected the apparatus a final time.

'Then do it,' said the woman, gripping the sides of the operating table. New blood would soon be surging through her body.