It had always been hard for her to scold Xander about anything. Especially since he’d been so well-behaved as a child. As a young adult he was still highly cooperative. Noam and Ezra’s only cause for concern was Xander’s taste in women.
Xander seemed to be attracted to women with the three B’s – beauty, brains, and boldness. That wasn’t a bad combination by any means. It’s just that sometimes that mixture came in arrogant packages. The latest arrogant package was a sultry Katanian female by the name of Roni.
“I must admit my experiments do consume me at times.” Xander grinned as he stood to his feet. If he wasn’t conducting space experiments, it was those of the medical nature since both fascinated him these days. “But from what I have been told, such things are in my lineage. Speaking of my lineage, how many more Earth languages can there be left to learn?” Xander continued as he stepped into the hallway where his mother was.
Over the last seven years the technologically advanced Katanians had studied Earth from afar via satellite uplinks and discovered even more languages upon the planet. Noam had learned all of them, as well, and taught them to many others before her retirement. However, even she didn’t know the newly discovered ones from the deep regions of Africa, a large land mass on Earth that was brimming with many different dialects.
“There are two more based on our most recent studies. And since we do not know which ones you will absolutely need when you make your long journey to Earth, you must learn them all,” Noam replied, looking up, up, up at her son.
She was still amazed by how tall Earthlings became. For a while Noam thought Xander would never stop growing. At 6’4 in Earth measurements, he towered over all of the Katanians and even some of the aliens that dwelt among them.
“Though I am curious about my people and look forward to seeing others like me, I am very irritated by their need for so many languages. On Katan, the only people who speak different languages are the ones from another planet,” Xander said. Inwardly, he wished he was as quick to assimilate languages as his best friend. Nasiir’s people, the Hekimans, need only be exposed to a language for a month in order to understand and speak it fluently.
Noam shook her head thoughtfully. “Such is a strange thing. Especially since their whole planet used to be of one language and of one speech.[i] Perhaps their holy book will reunite them again.”
“Perhaps, Ma-Ma.” Xander bent down to plant a kiss upon his mother’s nearly wrinkle-free forehead. Then he proceeded down the hallway towards the front exit.
“Take a fruit with you!” a smiling Noam shouted after her son. She didn’t want him to go too long without breaking the fast from last night’s slumber.
Warmed by her concern, Xander paused by a pillar near the front door. “Yes, Ma-Ma!” he shouted in reply as he obediently grabbed a blue fruit from the figure-eight-shaped bowl atop of the marble column.
Although Noam was only his adopted mother, she was always looking out for his best interest and Xander loved her for it. Not once in all of his years had she ever made him feel as if he was an outcast. Not even when she was finally able to birth children of her own – his three younger siblings.
As a whole the Katanians were welcoming people, which was why so many alien species chose to dwell among them. The Katanians were also very discerning people and could easily pick up on the mental and spiritual processes of those around them. Yet despite their heightened sense of discernment, they could not see the deceased. At least not in the regular sense. Yes, they could see the colors of a dead person’s essence, but they could not see any distinguishable features once that person transferred over to the spirit realm.
The Katanians also could not communicate with the dead. Though they could sense the emotions of souls waiting to be picked up, no words could be heard. However, the Katanians could clearly see angelic beings. In fact, they enjoyed seeing them, especially when the angels descended to a standing position and gracefully let down their wings.[ii]
Sadly, there was another side to that coin. The Katanians could also see non-angelic beings. Beings of a darker, menacing persuasion. Beings who came without fail to retrieve the souls of the wicked at their appointed times of death.
From a child, Xander was taught to be just as discerning as the Katanians. Though it took him a while since he was not born with heightened awareness of the unseen like the people around him, he nevertheless mastered the art of discernment as much as any Earthling could.
How?
By daily exercising his senses to discern both good and evil.[iii]
Xander would rely on that ability and so much more when he made a most important trip to Earth next year. His best friend Nasiir would also take that journey with him as SSS - strategic security specialist.
In the role of SSS, Nasiir would be responsible for many things. Some of those things would include him planning all of Xander’s outings ahead of time in order to minimize personal risks, conducting location searches, and protecting Xander against any threat, veiled or otherwise. A worthier helper could not have been picked since Nasiir was known for his courage on two planets.
Another addition on this Earth trip would be the original holy book that belonged to the Mannings. Not only did this manuscript make Xander’s ability to discern that much easier due to his careful study of it, the few Katanians that knew about the holy book deemed its return to Earth critical. If it were them, they would not want to be without such a treasure for one day, much less nearly twenty years.
Noam, in particular, hoped and prayed that Earth wouldn’t fall completely apart without it. Studies from afar have shown that the planet was currently in dire straits. She naturally assumed that it was because their holy book had been missing for so many years.
Speaking of Noam, although she did not look forward to her eldest child or his holy book leaving Katan, she was comforted by two things. First of all, Xander would have a new and improved Katanian transporter with him. This way, he could return to Katan with just the press of a button from any location within the two galaxies that contained Earth and Katan.
However, the molecular transporter could still only transport things of the organic nature. This meant that if Xander was going to bring any metal or synthetic items with him, he’d have to use the specially designed spacecraft that was currently still in production.
The second reason Noam could find comfort in her son leaving was the fact that she now had a copy of his holy book for herself. In fact, she’d carefully and meticulously hand-copied it page by page in order to have the Creator’s words as a continual presence in her life.
Noam could have simply scanned the book into their home’s mainframe computer like she did other reading materials. Yet since she hadn’t been sure if that was sacrilegious or not, she didn’t embark upon such a task.
These days, Noam was working on making even more handwritten copies of Xander’s holy book. This was necessary as more spiritual leaders were becoming aware of its existence. Before she had peace about transcribing the glorious manuscript, leaders from sectors all over their world used to make appointments to come view the holy book at her home. Until Noam found other conscientious people to help her transcribe more, she would continue her labor of love alone.
~~~ >< ~~~
Seeing Xander, Nasiir trotted over to his best friend during noon break at the academy they both attended. In order to gain a level of privacy from the other students walking to and fro nearby, he spoke in a language that few lay Katanians knew – the tongue of the Hekimans.
“I am glad to see that you have finally gotten over Roni. You have not even grimaced once, even though she is openly flirting with nearly every male here in order to make you jealous,” Nasiir said as he and Xander proceeded to walk towards the upper level of the courtyard.
Xander shook his head. “On the contrary, my friend. Roni is flirting with nearly every male here because she knows that I still care for her, even after five months of separation.”
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Now at a wide bench carved from stone, Xander sat down while Nasiir went down on all fours beside him. Both males turned to look at the flirtatious female with the light burgundy skin and long flowing pink hair on the lower courtyard.
Roni was built in many ways like a human. She had two arms, two legs, and the same reproductive organs. Her curves were naturally voluptuous, which was a trademark of all Katanian women. Likewise, their men were naturally muscular.
However, there were some very clear differences between humans and Katanians. Katanians were all short in stature, had twelve toes, and their hair (which could be any color of the rainbow like their eyes) was thick-stranded like thin rope. Katanian skin tones ranged from light violet to deep maroon. Newborn Katanians were all pink after going full term in the womb a total of six months.
Roni, like most Katanians and their foreign friends, wore colorful lightweight clothing since the temperature was always so warm and dry here. She also wore sandals on her feet for the same reason. Though she was not of either of their species, Xander and Nasiir could clearly see that she was one of the beauties among her people. Unfortunately, Roni knew that, as well, and thus was very prideful at times.
Xander dragged his eyes away from his college crush - a term he borrowed from one of his birth mother’s journals to describe a person one fell in love with during the higher learning years. He couldn’t bear to watch her flirt any longer. Especially with a male that she could mate with.
“How much do you still care for her after all this time?” Nasiir asked, also looking away now.
“Enough for my essence to be vivid red with passion and anger now. Sour green with envy,” Xander replied, revealing the colors that Roni was no doubt seeing upon him now. “But Roni and I both know that nothing could ever become of our feelings. She is of Katanian blood and everyone knows that Katanians cannot cross-breed with other species.”
Even now Xander remembered how he and Roni both hoped against hope that Earthlings would be the exception to that cross-breeding rule. However, after they were tested, it was revealed that the mixing of their body chemistries would abort any child they tried to have and cause immune system breakdown for Roni over time.
Xander could not allow such a thing to happen to her. Thus, he’d broken things off before the relationship got even more serious.
Nasiir nodded at Xander’s words. He understood his friend’s romantic frustration. He had a few similar frustrations of his own. The major one concerned his beloved Pendo (PEHN-doh).
On the last visit to his home planet, Nasiir discovered that Pendo had been slated to mate with another. Her father had made the arrangements against her will for fear that Nasiir would ask his daughter to leave Hekima one day. After all, the rambunctious young buck hadn’t even been raised on their home planet. He’d only been a thrice-a-week visitor from the day he was born until now.
Nasiir had thought to engage Pendo’s father and her intended mate in a battle of the horns. Yet he refrained for two reasons. First of all, Xander had accompanied him on that visit and had physically restrained him. Secondly, Nasiir’s wise mother mentally restrained him by revealing that Pendo would indeed be his one day. But only after Nasiir accomplished a very important mission with his best friend in destiny. A mission that would completely transform one planet and positively affect several more.
Pushing thoughts of home aside, Nasiir concentrated on Xander’s dilemma instead. “You are well versed in medicine. Perhaps you can concoct something that will enable Earthlings to cross-breed with Katanians after all.”
“I have thought of that countless times, but the research alone would take many years to even compile. I could be an old man by then and Roni would have surely grown weary of waiting for me.” Xander shook his head again. “No, I have decided that the best thing for me to do is to just find my future mate on Earth while we are there.”
“So has that also become a part of our mission?” Nasiir asked. So far he only knew of two objectives for their journey to Earth. The first was to deliver the Mannings’ last research and their holy book to the proper authorities. The second was to inform those same authorities where more habitable land could be found in case there was still a dire land shortage on Earth. However, Nasiir’s primary function as SSS was to keep Xander safe.
“Finding me a mate is not a part of our official mission, but it has become a part of my personal mission,” Xander replied, unaware that the color of his essence had just changed from red and green to a peaceful blue now that the marriage issue was finally settled in his heart.
Unfortunately for Roni, she saw the changing of Xander’s essence and knew exactly what it meant. His heart is finally prepared to move on; she lamented silently as she turned around and quickly went back inside the academy doors. She wanted to get out of sight before anyone picked up on her current emotions.
Perhaps it is best that he does go away, Roni thought as the automatic doors descended closed behind her. Her pride alone could not bear not being loved by Xander in some small way.
________________________________________
[i] Genesis 11:1
[ii] Ezekiel 1:24-25
[iii] Hebrews 5:14
Chapter 9
2188 – May
“No. That will not do at all. Try again.” Xander shook his head at the latest shape that Nasiir changed into.
Though they had landed safely in an Earth swamp without being detected last night, they could not leave the spacecraft until Nasiir was ready. Ready, as in bearing the right Earth form.
“This is the tenth shape since we landed, Xander. What exactly are you looking for?” Nasiir asked, growing irritated with the rejections he’d received thus far.
Thanks to the new Katanian technology that he helped Ezra and a team of other scientists create, Nasiir could shape-shift from one animal to another. Five of the ten shapes he’d tried so far included a lion, elephant, bear, hippo, and a crocodile. Yet Xander had disapproved of them all.
“Think, Nasiir. According to our studies, Earthlings do not walk around on the streets with those kinds of animals. If they did, you could have stayed in your original form,” Xander explained from his blue, circular-back kicce (kis-say: chair).
“But I liked those big Earth animals,” Nasiir complained, stomping his crocodile foot upon the marble floor of the ship’s control center. He ran his tongue over the transformation device implanted in his rear tooth, which enabled him to change back to his natural buck form at will. “Besides, all you had to change into were organic replicas of Earth garments. I had to change my entire body. And did I mention how much I really liked those big Earth animals?” Nasiir concluded.
Xander chuckled. “Yes, you did. But we have to think smaller, my friend. More domesticated.” He rose from his seat, went over to the eastern section of the ship’s cylinder-shaped mainframe and scanned his hand over the research program.
Nasiir followed.
“Let us see,” Xander continued, searching the data with light touches of his fingertips. Soon pictures of several domesticated Earth animals came up on the large monitor above. “Pick one.” He turned to his friend.
Nasiir frowned. All of those animals were small. Too small for his tastes. There were groups of fish, birds, cats, rabbits, and various types of mice on the monitor. The only ones with any kind of mass or weight were of the canine family.
“I guess I will be a canine for the duration of our mission,” Nasiir decided. His eyes honed in on the one that fit his character the most. Then with a swipe of the tongue across his rear teeth, he was a brown and gray Doberman Pinscher.
Xander nodded his approval. “Very good, but why did you choose that one out of all the others?”
“For one, it is large enough for my ego’s sake. Secondly, the Doberman’s character traits suit mine almost to perfection. He is elegant in appearance, energetic, watchful, determined, alert, fearless, and loyal. I am all of those things, as well,??
? Nasiir said as he walked, or rather strutted, to and fro in his new shape, testing it out. He even stopped to strike a few poses.
Xander laughed from his belly at some of the vain poses. “Do not forget, proud and arrogant.” He went to pat his friend on the back.
“Both are traits that Pendo loves about me,” Nasiir replied. His laughter sounded like a canine bark when he joined in the mirth.
“Touché,” Xander said, speaking a bit of French in his response. He, too, had loved someone with those traits.
Roni had been confident to the point of arrogance and her extraordinary beauty often provoked her to be very prideful. Because of love, Xander had overlooked those negative traits. Never again. He wanted his next woman to be of a humble heart.
“Now come, Nasiir. Let us be off to experience the world of my birth parents,” Xander continued, pressing a button on his wristwatch-looking transporter before typing in a set of coordinates. “And remember, Earth animals reportedly do not talk.”
In reply, Nasiir barked like the dog that he currently was.
~~~ >< ~~~
From the moment they materialized on a lone dusty road at the edge of the nearest city, Xander and Nasiir each knew that they would have to take an injection. The atmosphere on Earth was considerably less pure and more humid than Katan’s. As a result, the newcomers would need daily injections for at least a month in order to help their lungs adjust to this new environment.
To make matters worse, Earth’s air stank like mildew and old cabbages. What happened here? Why hadn’t these people taken better care of their planet? Didn’t they know that taking care of one’s environment was the same as taking care of one’s self?
“Oh our poor lungs!” Xander exclaimed, quickly administering the necessary injections to his companion first and then to himself. Within five seconds, they were able to breathe normally again. Unfortunately, there was no injection for the smell. It was something they would just have to get used to.
With his lungs able to breathe deeply again, the next words out of Xander’s mouth were, “I see why my birth parents were looking for new land.”