Chapter 4

Jack left me alone to think while he finished the preparations for our departure. The more I absorbed what he’d told me, the more questions accumulated in my mind. I needed to know more about where we were. L’oana told me something far different and believable about our location. I’d been a student of metaphysics for some time now, so I knew full well that there were dimensions on earth; which was why L’oana’s explanation was so easy to accept. I also knew and understood that earth wasn’t the only planet with humanoid life on it. Humanoid, not lizard-like! It’s just that I didn’t expect to be told I was one of those humanoid alien species and I’d teleported back to my planet that was apparently overrun with the lizard-like Dragos.

When he returned, I let loose with a slew of questions. He was surprisingly patient with me and answered them as best he could. He didn’t deny the various dimension on earth, just L’oana’s story. He explained that L’oana read in my thought pattern my belief about dimensions and created a story around them. He also said she could take on whatever shape or persona she chose, but her favorite was the woman with the odd ears and feet. It amused her. He warned me to be very cautious whenever she was around. She was a trickster and I could only find misery in her company. When I asked him how he came to be so sure of this, he turned away and changed the subject. If my instincts served me correctly, I’d have to say he was talking from experience.

Having exhausted the topic of L’oana, I switched to myself and where I came from. He told me as much as he could. Interestingly, as he shared what he knew, I managed to fill in the gaps with inherent memories. If I’d doubted his claim to my origin before, there was no denying it now.

Aunt Jenny’s home was outside a small New York village near the Canadian border. With a population of less than one-thousand and no cable television, it was easy to keep me sheltered from the main world. I’d never really minded it. Aunt Jenny made life an interesting adventure whenever possible; taking us on camping trips, foraging excursions for wild herbs, mushrooms, and edible plants, and hunting with bow and arrow. To say I was a tomboy was an understatement, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was what Mark and I had most in common.

A neighbor of ours and the son of my Aunt’s closest friend, Mark accompanied us more often than not. Looking at our relationship more closely, we were really more like brother and sister than a couple in love. Perhaps that was why Aunt Jenny had such a mild response to our engagement. She’d either expected it right along or knew in her heart of hearts it wouldn’t take. Whatever the reason, my generally animated aunt was surprisingly reserved with her congratulations.

I mentioned her cool response to my engagement to Jack and he told me Jenny had been laboring over how to tell me who I was. She knew that one day I would be expected to return to my native planet and assume the role of leader. She’d done her best to train me in various survival methods while camouflaging them as hunting, camping, and foraging excursions. I’d proven an adept student and she had no doubt in her mind that I’d be able to survive, should the need arise. If she’d reacted with less than expected delight it was probably because she knew there was no room in my future for Mark and she had no idea how to break it to us.

How do you tell someone she’s an alien princess who would soon have to go back home? Well, if you’re Jack you just blurt it out and hope for the best. I thought with amusement.

I think Aunt Jenny would have found humor in his choice of action.

I’d seen minimal of my surroundings and was eager to find out more about them. This is where Jack fell short. He’d learned a little by my father –who I now knew wasn’t my father- and did a bit of exploring while waiting for me to recover and regenerate my health, but he was fairly limited with his information.

He told me Kurr was one-hundred-fifty light years from earth. Its surface was similar to that of earth. In fact, it mirrored earth in many ways; which was why Aunt Jenny took such pains in teaching me as much as she could in the ways of survival. It was also why I didn’t realize I wasn’t on earth whenever I stepped outside the cave. The terrain looked familiar and the air was clean and crisp like what I was accustomed to in the wilds of Upstate New York. Although the plant life and terrain was very close to that of earth, the animal life had a more distinct variation.

He was just getting into describing a few of the unfamiliar animals that we might encounter when a tall figure filled the doorway. I craned my neck to take in the full height of the man standing with a presence that overpowered the cave. His chin jutted forward with an air that reeked of arrogance, yet there was something about him that I found familiar and likable. He was appealing to look at in his own sort of way. Oh, he certainly couldn’t compare with the god-like features Jack possessed, but he could be deemed handsome in his own right. His frame was large, yet he had minimal meat on his bones. Had I been as large as him in stature, I could have possibly been described as the same. His dark eyes were centered on his square face just below brows that grew thick and burley. His mouth fit perfectly below his nose. When he smiled, it was a smile of friendship that encompassed his entire face. I liked him immediately.

“Your highness,” he said with a slight bow in my direction, “Sergeant Org at your service.”

I was clearly confused as I looked at Jack.

“I don’t know how to get us out of here. Org will be our guide,” Jack explained.

“How did you get here?” I asked with surprise.

Jack nodded his head in Org’s direction.

“He’s been in contact with me since I took over watching you,” he explained. “When you were abducted, he brought me here to find you. I can’t teleport on my own.”

“It’s true, your grace. I learned of your abduction and immediately fetched Jack. It was a close call,” Org added eagerly.

“Yes, it was. In fact, if I’d had any meat on my bones I wouldn’t be here right now,” I said nervously.

It was the first time I’d spoken that fact out loud and I found it unsettling.

“Your lack of meat had nothing to do with it, your grace. We have allies in all nations that are eager to have you take the throne and bring Kurr back to a state of excellence. It was one of ours that had you tossed off the line,” Org assured me.

“You’re in co-hoots with lizard men?” I said, stunned.

“We work with who we have to in order to accomplish our mission. Fortunately, we had someone on the inside to get you tossed off that line,” Org explained.

“Where I waited to retrieve you,” Jack added.

“You never told me this,” I hissed at Jack. “It would have been nice to have known the truth.”

“There’s a time and place for all things. It was not the time,” Jack stated with a shrug. He stood and extended his hand to me, “Now it’s time to leave.”

I stood to join him and stopped in midstream when Org cleared his throat as loud as he could. Had I done something wrong? Was something amiss? People just didn’t clear their throat in that manner for no reason.

When he was sure he had Jack’s attention he whispered, “She’s waiting outside.”

“Damn!” Jack barked.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t convince her to stay behind. She promised not to be a bother,” Org said apologetically.

“It’ll be a cold day in hell when L’oana is anything but a bother,” Jack hissed.

“Do people still believe hell is a burning furnace?” L’oana chuckled as she rested her chin on Org’s shoulder. “I find that truly amazing. You don’t think that, do you princess?”

It was clear by the way she emphasized the word princess that she was resentful of the fact.

“You’re not welcome here,” Jack hissed.

“You should have told me who she was, Jack,” she said flatly. “Tell me Sergeant, what do you think of Jack as your future king? When he marries the princess that’s what he’ll be.”

Org’s eye flew open with surprise and he studied me carefully.

“Is this true, your grace? Are you planning to marry Lord Jack?” he asked.

“Is this how they think here?” I asked.

I was not only desperate to change the subject, but I was really curious about Org’s ability to believe such nonsense so easily.

“Yes,” Jack said flatly. He grabbed me by the elbow and pushed his way passed Org and L’oana. “No one’s marrying anyone. If you’re coming with us,” he said as we moved past my false friend, “you will behave. No trickery! Do I make myself clear?”

“Completely,” she cooed, “but if you don’t plan on marrying her, why all the coddling?”

I’d had little exposure to L’oana and her antics, but I somehow doubted she’d refrain from pulling something now and then on our journey home; however long or short it may be.

“Why is she coming?” I whispered to Jack. “She’s evil. What good will having her with us be?”

“Retract your claws,” he said to L’oana before turning to me, “She’s a trickster, but she also wants to see Kurr returned to its rightful state. She can prove useful if we run into any Dragos or Mannadors.”

“Mannadors?” I asked.

“They make the Dragos look like pet lizards,” Org growled.

“The Mannadors are from a dying planet. They are the reason you were exiled from here. They killed your parents and replaced the monarchy with their own,” L’oana explained. “They were not aware of your existence; which is why Captain Berger was able to get you to safety. I didn’t realize he’d taken you to earth and I especially didn’t realize I’d been hob knobbing with your guardian all this time.”

“I don’t hob knob,” Jack said.

“Whatever you want to call it, honey,” she drawled.

With his hand still on my elbow, I could feel the vibration of Jack’s body as it shuddered with revulsion. He’d obviously done something with L’oana that he seriously regretted and didn’t want reminding of. I decided not to ask him. Some things were better left unsaid. Plus, every man deserves some privacy.

“Don’t start,” Org snapped to L’oana. “Everyone, follow me. I have no desire to get caught on the way to the teleportation launch.”

“Is it far?” I asked.

“That depends,” L’oana replied.

“On what?” I asked, ignoring her jealous glares.

“On whether we run into anyone or anything along the way,” she said before darting off ahead of us.

“I don’t trust her,” Jack said softly.

Sergeant Org and I said nothing.