Arrival: Chapter 1.7 (Danalar)

Danalar walked through the crowd, gauging people and their reactions to seeing a Tzari, four years ago his kind had invaded earth, and now he, along with several hundred thousand others, had been left behind when the fleet retreated. 

At just an inch under seven feet of height he did not exactly blend in, even if he wore clothes in the style of humans. On his shoulder was a long high-tech polearm with a crystal AI core, currently dormant. 

Thankfully nobody seemed to pay him mind, a few looked but it was curiosity and not anger he saw in their eyes. He boarded the bus, having to bend his neck so as not to hit the ceiling of the vehicle, and looked around, someone drew his attention immediately; She looked like a Ver, a type of alien not known on earth! Short and fuzzy gray fur, with long orange hair growing down her back. Her top pair of eyes, the day ones, were open wide and looking around, their pink color fairly typical for a Ver. Her aitae, the antenna-like structures hanging from her head, were pierced with simple gold hoops. She still wore Ver typical clothing, long, billowy pants and a poncho in muted colors.

Danalar had never seen one like them in person, only in reports of the Tzari fleet about a distant alien race they had encountered exploring. 

“You are not of this world,” Danalar said, “I did not expect to find one such as you in this place.”

The alien stared at him, for a second before awkwardly extending a hand “Sis one is Son’ma. Son’ma is Ver.” she spoke with a strong speech impediment, or was this what a Ver accent sounded like, unable to make ‘th’ and ‘f’  sounds, instead them coming out like an s.

“I am Danalar, son of Neetarin,” He said, giving a formal bow in the Tzari-style before taking her hand. “I did not know Ver had reached this world.”

“Not sis universe. Srom anoser one. Ver take over Ears,”  She spoke slowly, pausing often to find their words. 

Danalar’s ears perked up listening to her. “I see, it would explain your presence, I admit I have not met one like you outside of intelligence reports, you are  lovelier in the flesh.”

Son’ma squinted a little, evidently confused by Danalar’s big words. “Son’ma bad at human language what is “intelligence report” and what is “slesh””

“An intelligence report is a message that spies or scouts write to people to tell them what they have seen?” Danalar attempted to explain. “In the Flesh means face to face.” Only a few years ago he had been in Son’ma place, having to learn a strange new language. 

Son’ma nodded slowly, leaving Danalar unsure if she had understood. “Sit?” Son’ma said, pointing at the seat, their tone phrasing that single word as a question,

Danalar sat down. “You may call me Nalar, it is customary for my people.”

“Nalar.” She repeated, twice, trying to get it right.

“That is it,” He says, “How long have you been on this world?”

“8 monss”

“That is quite short, but your English is good. The human language is… clumsy.” Danalar said, with a flick of an ear. The Tzari language was regular and tightly constructed, English had all of these exceptions, such as Goose and Geese but not Mouse and Mice, it could all be so confusing. 

“No Ver. Has to learn quick.” 

“I am afraid I do not speak your language, but I am quite certain it would be delightful upon my ears.”

Son’ma spoke a few words in a guttural language, spoken deep in the throat, and the sounds ‘bounced’, varying in pitch a lot. 

Danalar answered back in Imperial Tzari; “And I am pleased to meet you,” it wasn’t quite as guttural, but it was a harsh sounding language with strong consonants. He smirked, exposing more of his tusks.

Son’ma smiled, exposing the teeth of a predator, all sharp canines dominating her mouth. They might not have understood a word of one another, but they had connected on a level nonetheless.

“It is an honor to meet you,” Danalar saods, “I understand the confusion of this world, shall you need assistance please seek me out.”

Son’ma’s head tilted slightly as she decoded the words. “Sank you.”

“If I may be so bold, you are quite a wonderful creature,” Danalar said, 

Son’ma cocked her head quite strongly this time, almost completely sideways.

“Beautiful?” Danalar clarified.

“Son’ma is?”

“Yes,” Danalar said, “Pardon me if it is untoward.”

Son’ma blinked with both sets of eyes. 

Danalar took a breath. “I am sorry if what I said was too forward?”

“Sorward?” A hint of understanding in her eyes.

Danalar’s cheeks flushed, “I did not mean to possibly make you uncomfortable saying you were beautiful?”

“Not uncomsortable.”

“Ah, color me relieved then.”

“Son’ma’s teashers did not speak like sis…” Son’ma said with a deep frown.

“Excuse me, it is difficult to break form,” Danalar said, trying to change to a more casual tone. “Among my people it is considered rude to speak so directly to a stranger.” 

Son’ma nodded after a moment.

“I’m sorry if it causes confusion,”

Is there a missing line or does Nalar just say two things in a row?

“Well, let me welcome you to this Earth,” he smirked.

Son’ma smiled back, “Sank you.”

“It is no problem.”

It was then that the Polearm Danalar carried sparked to life, the orb going from a dull, almost black, red to a bright and vibrant color, with little fireworks glowing within.

“Reboot complete, Sir, I am glad to report I am up to full capacity.” Bardiche the AI spoke, Danalar had programmed ‘him’ to speak in the way of an English gentleman, finding the voice quite soothing.

“Ah Bardiche, it is good to hear you say.” Danalar answered. 

Son’ma’s eyes widened and she leaned forward, “Weapon speaks?”

“It does, Son’ma this is Bardiche, Bardiche this is Son’ma.” Danalar said, “I created him,”

“Greetings Sir.” Bardiche answered. 

“Hello Bardiche. Nice to meet you.” Son’ma words were clearly rehearsed many times.

“A pleasure to meet you, sir.” Bardiche answered as programmed.

“He is still young and learning,” Danalar explained. Bardiche was a complex AGI, with time he would learn and evolve, but at the time he was only a few months old.

“So is Son’ma.”

“My database analysis suggest that Son’ma is a Ver, perhaps this unit requires an update as the likelihood of a Ver being on Earth is extremely improbable.” Bardiche said.

Son’ma squinted at Bardiche, likely confused at his excessive use of words.

“Bardiche is confused as to why a Ver is here,” Danalar explained. “It is not an error Bardiche, extraordinary circumstances.”

“Noted, Sir.”

“Bardiche smart. Strong also?” Son’ma reached and poked the polearm with a claw.

“This unit is equiped with protonic ax functionality, pulsed particle projection and—” Bardiche began but Danalar cut him off.

“Son’ma will not understand you, Bardiche.” He turned back to Son’ma. “Yes, he is a strong weapon, I could show you later.”

Danalar watched as Son’ma wrapped one of her strange dangling appendages that came out from under her poncho around Bardiche’s pole and AI core. Danalar allowed her, watching with a deep curiosity. 

“Interesting.” Son’ma said.

“What were you doing?” 

“Learning what Bardiche is made.”

“You can do that with these appendages?” Danalar asked.

Son’ma nodded, “Tae knows many things”

“A tae?” Danalar pondered for a moment, “May I touch it?”

“Delicate.” She said. rather than let him touch it, Son’ma loosely wrapped the ‘tae’ around his wrist. 

“Oh course, quite a beautiful thing it is.”

“Sank you.”

Danalar smiled and she unwrapped her tae. “Are you hungry? I have brought some food along.”

“What sood?”

Danalar opened his bag, revealing a bunty of human snacks he had come to enjoy; Doritos chips, pretzels, chocolate, but also jerky and pepperoni sticks. “What does your kind eat?”

“Meat”

Danalar offered them a hot and spicy pepperoni stick, opening it for her in case she did not know to. “Try this?”

Son’ma put the pepperoni to her tae, and then took a bite. “Taste good but hurts tongue. Why?” She gave the stick a concerned look.

“It is spice,” Danalar explained, “Some like such a feeling.”

Son’ma gauged his answer and took a second careful bite. “Son’ma likes spice.” She declared and then proceeded to devour the rest of the stick with great abandon. 

Danalar laughed a little, “I am glad you do.”

The two of them kept talking, about their worlds, about Earth, and how they had gotten there in the first place. It was refreshing for Son’ma to meet another alien, someone who understood her position.

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