very
least, in critical condition, in the company of strangers, and was
separated from another companion. She had generally been thrown in
over her head and hadn't shown one visible human emotion, or even
an elfish one for that matter. She'd kept a couple of emotions
hidden, but that was not the same.
The trees continued to stream past the
window. Farmhouses were stars in the darkness of space. Towns were
galaxies.
"Why do you think they're here, Mel?"
"Who?"
Kim sighed. "Who do you think?"
"I do not know. I do not believe that 'why'
is important. It does not change what is."
"'Why?' is very important. They travelled a
gazillion or so kilometers to attack Earth. All the space between
here and there means they have a very good reason for doing it."
She remembered the alien that had spared the witch and her
granddaughter at Sherwood Forest. It had seen them, aimed, then
changed its mind. "We need to talk to them, Mel," she said. "We
need to find out what the hell is going on, because they aren't
monsters. I know they aren't."
"Perhaps not, but I still do not see how
that changes what is."
"Of course you don't. But maybe we can sort
all this out peacefully. Maybe we don't have to kill them."
"Why should we not kill them? They come and
attack our worlds, and you wish to make friends with them?"
"Of course I do. I left the army,
remember?"
"People are dying. People are dead. I do not
feel the need to make friends with the killers."
"Well, then maybe everyone will end up
dead."
"No. You humans on Earth will survive."
Kim turned to look at the Meledrin, to see
if she was at all bitter. But as usual, the elf showed nothing.
"Just because the aliens aren't having any success at the moment,
doesn't mean they won't in the future."
"They are obviously no match for your flying
warriors. Their bombs are pitiful, they damage hardly anything, and
the damage is quickly controlled."
Kim didn't agree with the elf's definition
of 'hardly anything', but she let that slide. "You're talking about
something you know absolutely nothing about. All the aliens need to
do is find one half-decent sized rock to throw at us."
"A rock? You are worried that they might
start throwing stones?"
"A big rock, the size of a office block,
thrown from space."
It was obvious Meledrin still didn't
understand but Kim didn't care. She turned to look out the window.
The English countryside continued to flash by. London couldn't
arrive soon enough.
* * *
"Is the other side of the river really so
important that all these bridges are truly required?" Meledrin
asked.
Such questions convinced Kim that Meledrin
was for real. No human, even acting as some weird alien, would ever
think of asking the point of television soap operas. They may ask
what they were, but never why. They'd never ask about the spiritual
importance of pop music, especially English pop music, with a
straight face. And they'd never ask if the other side of the river
was really that important.
"Yes, it's important," Kim replied. "For
humans, the other side of the river is about the most important
thing there is." She wasn't sure if the elf was aware of symbolism
or metaphor, but she wasn't about to explain them in the back of a
cab travelling to Parliament House.
"Where is this place to which we go?"
"Not far. So what, exactly, do we do when we
get there?" Kim asked, leaning across to close Meledrin's window
against the heavy rain.
"What is it that you mean? We go and tell
them what is happening on my world, of course."
"They already know what's happening, Mel.
Their army is fighting a war on Sherindel."
"There must be understanding between our
peoples. We must forge an alliance against these attackers."
"Well, we won't get close enough to anyone
to say a damn thing. We won't even get in the door."
Meledrin began to say something, but Kim
continued, cutting her off.
"I wasn't guarding the tree. I was just
standing there. Nobody was guarding the tree."
Meledrin looked out
least, in critical condition, in the company of strangers, and was
separated from another companion. She had generally been thrown in
over her head and hadn't shown one visible human emotion, or even
an elfish one for that matter. She'd kept a couple of emotions
hidden, but that was not the same.
The trees continued to stream past the
window. Farmhouses were stars in the darkness of space. Towns were
galaxies.
"Why do you think they're here, Mel?"
"Who?"
Kim sighed. "Who do you think?"
"I do not know. I do not believe that 'why'
is important. It does not change what is."
"'Why?' is very important. They travelled a
gazillion or so kilometers to attack Earth. All the space between
here and there means they have a very good reason for doing it."
She remembered the alien that had spared the witch and her
granddaughter at Sherwood Forest. It had seen them, aimed, then
changed its mind. "We need to talk to them, Mel," she said. "We
need to find out what the hell is going on, because they aren't
monsters. I know they aren't."
"Perhaps not, but I still do not see how
that changes what is."
"Of course you don't. But maybe we can sort
all this out peacefully. Maybe we don't have to kill them."
"Why should we not kill them? They come and
attack our worlds, and you wish to make friends with them?"
"Of course I do. I left the army,
remember?"
"People are dying. People are dead. I do not
feel the need to make friends with the killers."
"Well, then maybe everyone will end up
dead."
"No. You humans on Earth will survive."
Kim turned to look at the Meledrin, to see
if she was at all bitter. But as usual, the elf showed nothing.
"Just because the aliens aren't having any success at the moment,
doesn't mean they won't in the future."
"They are obviously no match for your flying
warriors. Their bombs are pitiful, they damage hardly anything, and
the damage is quickly controlled."
Kim didn't agree with the elf's definition
of 'hardly anything', but she let that slide. "You're talking about
something you know absolutely nothing about. All the aliens need to
do is find one half-decent sized rock to throw at us."
"A rock? You are worried that they might
start throwing stones?"
"A big rock, the size of a office block,
thrown from space."
It was obvious Meledrin still didn't
understand but Kim didn't care. She turned to look out the window.
The English countryside continued to flash by. London couldn't
arrive soon enough.
* * *
"Is the other side of the river really so
important that all these bridges are truly required?" Meledrin
asked.
Such questions convinced Kim that Meledrin
was for real. No human, even acting as some weird alien, would ever
think of asking the point of television soap operas. They may ask
what they were, but never why. They'd never ask about the spiritual
importance of pop music, especially English pop music, with a
straight face. And they'd never ask if the other side of the river
was really that important.
"Yes, it's important," Kim replied. "For
humans, the other side of the river is about the most important
thing there is." She wasn't sure if the elf was aware of symbolism
or metaphor, but she wasn't about to explain them in the back of a
cab travelling to Parliament House.
"Where is this place to which we go?"
"Not far. So what, exactly, do we do when we
get there?" Kim asked, leaning across to close Meledrin's window
against the heavy rain.
"What is it that you mean? We go and tell
them what is happening on my world, of course."
"They already know what's happening, Mel.
Their army is fighting a war on Sherindel."
"There must be understanding between our
peoples. We must forge an alliance against these attackers."
"Well, we won't get close enough to anyone
to say a damn thing. We won't even get in the door."
Meledrin began to say something, but Kim
continued, cutting her off.
"I wasn't guarding the tree. I was just
standing there. Nobody was guarding the tree."
Meledrin looked out
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