“What the hell are you doing?” James said. “Take it easy, boss.”
Rogers turned his head. “Shut up and get it off. Cut it at the elbow.”
“No… take it easy. Let me try first. I can get it off. ” James scrambled, grabbing at the thing’s fingertips. The alien, frightened yet complying, straightened them just enough so that James could slowly roll the glove off of the creature’s hands. All the while, the thing struggled and kicked against Rogers’ boot.
“I got it,” James said, pulling back at the strips of heavy tape before taking the metallic glove tight in his hand.
Rogers stepped away and the alien pulled back, crashing against the wall and bringing its hands up to shield its now tear-covered face.
“Well, look at that… the space lady has feelings,” Rogers said, unaffected.
Jesse stepped closer, pointing at the alien’s face. “Don’t let it fool you, Sarge; it’s a killer. I saw them firsthand.”
“You are the killers,” she gasped.
Ignoring her comment, James laughed as he stretched the glove out and examined it. “Relax guys, we got it off,” he said.
He turned the glove over; in the palm was a diamond-shaped pendant. All the fingers were coated in a type of silicone with embedded circuitry clearly visible. James stretched the glove out and laid it flat on his palm, the entire piece far smaller than his own hand.
“What does it do?”
“It’s of no use to you,” she said.
James grinned and let out a short laugh. “That’s not what I asked. So this is what you used to knock me on my ass; how is it powered?”
“I don’t understand.”
Jacob scooched closer; he reached out for the glove and James obliged by handing it over. He felt the wires and squeezed the pendant between his fingers. “The energy source; what activates the crystal?”
“It is part of my being; the same as how the rifles are part of the Ursus warriors. We all have a role.”
James took the glove back. “Ursus? You mean the big bastards with the red sleeves?”
“I understand your word bastard, and this is not correct. The Ursus are brave warriors, bred for war; they come from strong family units.”
James smiled and glanced at the pant legs of his uniform, where he’d wiped his hands earlier. “Well, they bleed like pigs.” James looked her in the eye and saw he got no response from his comment. “How many Ursus will they send for you?” he asked.
She eyed up at him. “I’m not important enough for them to look for me.”
“Who are you?”
“I am Karina, a guide for my people.”
“What were you doing out here?”
“I am a guide; I was searching for survivors so that they could be safely returned to the community.”
“You mean prisoners.” Jacob leaned in. “What have you done with them?”
She shot him a puzzled glance. “We have cared for them, given them food and shelter; they are part of the communal now.”
“You have my family; I want them back.”
“Then you should join them. All are welcome in the communal.”
Answering for Jacob, James scoffed. “My people got a saying, lady… better dead than red!”
She pursed her lips. “I don’t understand this red.”
Rogers laughed and said, “Different time, but the same principle applies. We’ll get our people back.”
James nodded and winked at her. “We need a vehicle to get into that camp,” he said before he turned to Rogers still standing over his shoulder. “How many claymore mines do we have left?”
Rogers smiled, knowing the bearded scout’s intentions. “We can spare a couple.”
She glared up at him. “Why would you need mines?”
“I figured we could see if you’re right—that they wouldn’t bother looking for you. I’ll stack the dead out there and this glove right down the throat of a mine.”
Her eyes shifted from the glove and back to the door. “There is no more cause for this violence; if you lay down your weapons it could all stop.”
“Nope. That’s not our way,” Rogers said. “Thought we explained that.”
“You must understand… the war is over. You have lost.”
James shook his head. “I think you’re the one who is not understanding. You all just got here; we weren’t even trying earlier.”
“Your big cities have already fallen, and your armies destroyed or surrendered. Only small pockets of resistance remain, and they will be squashed with the exodus.” Her tone changed from weakness to one of strength.
Rogers stepped over her and looked down. “Bullshit. What is the exodus?”
She smiled, showing perfectly shaped white teeth. “Our people will arrive. What you have seen is only an advanced party meaning to pull out and detect your remaining forces. The exodus will force you to submit and join us, or cease to exist.”
“Why the hell would you tell us this, anyway?” James said arrogantly.
“It is our law. You have captured me rightfully in combat or by submission; I now belong to you,” she said. “Same as your people now in the communal belong to us.”
“Unless we take them back,” Jacob retorted.
She nodded in agreement. “Yes, of course. Or if you surrender and become a part of us.”
“You’d be surprised what it takes for us to surrender,” James spat back.
Karina openly smiled at his statement. “Surprisingly little; your governments have already petitioned for peace. Your people have been approaching our communities of their own free will offering surrender, and once others hear the peace signal, we expect your remaining forces to join the communal.”
Jacob reached out and put a hand on Rogers’ shoulder. “The people at the orb… the civilians… the ones being escorted by The Darkness—”
“Escorted for their protection,” Karina interrupted. “Tribes and those like you have become a danger to everyone. If you had not fired on our landers…”
Rogers put up a hand between Jacob and the alien. “You said peace signal?”
She nodded, taking her eyes from Jacob’s hateful stare. “Yes, it is being broadcast now, over clear channels, on what you call FM.”
Rogers scrambled
