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The sound that emerges from them is a high-pitched shriek of rage and angst, a frightening sound for being so much like speech, and yet so very far from it. These are women, just like I am, but they are wild, and I can see in their narrowed pupils, fierce gazes, and long nails that they intend to hurt me.
I run for the cockpit, hoping I can grab something to fight them with, but even though I don’t have to go nearly as far as they do, they are faster than I am. Much faster. Extended space travel has left my muscles weakened and made me slow.
I turn and I run screaming. They give chase, their screeching cries ringing in my ears. I can feel the impacts of their feet pounding on the earth behind me, a thudding thundering that is echoed in the drumming of my heart.
Just as I reach the cockpit, something comes tearing over the top of it. A fierce roar erupts over my head, and several hundred pounds of pure muscle flies over me. I cower against the cockpit, my arms over my head in a defensive position. But that does not save me. The animal above me imposes its will on the rushing pack and I am safe.
I dare look up to see a male gesticulating over my head, protecting me with the tall bulk of his body. He is massive and incredible. His eyes are the color of the sky. His hair is jet black and long, down to his shoulders, thick and lustrous. His chest is broad and his arms are like two great sinewy snakes with big meat hammers at the ends for hands. His upper body is bare. His lower body is obscured from waist to powerful knees by a skirt of animal skins, spotted pelts covering his manhood.
It seems that a conflict must be inevitable, but he doesn’t hurt a single one of the females. He doesn’t even lay a finger on them. He doesn’t have to. They retreat from his roar, chattering noisily, but moving away from me nonetheless. There is no doubt he just saved my life.
Cowering at his feet, I hope for the best, but fear the worst. I don’t know if I have truly been rescued, or if this beast of a humanoid is simply going to devour me himself. There is a hunger in his eyes as they sweep down at me, running over my body with a naked curiosity.
He beckons me up with a quick motion of his hand. I am too frightened to stand, not knowing what he wants from me, but he removes the element of choice by taking hold not of my hand, but a thick handful of hair at the back of my head. With that firm grasp, he eases me to my feet and inspects me even more thoroughly. Drawn up to my tiptoes, I can do nothing but breathe and try to hold still enough not to anger him.
He is a descendant of my ancestors. He and I share much in the way of precious genetic code, but held in his grasp I feel caught by an animal. His jaw is so big, his eyes so narrowed and squinting, but bright with what I know I must be imagining is intellect.
The females are still standing nearby, chattering. They are watching this discovery unfold with as much curiosity as the male.
My hand goes to my side. Suddenly, I realize that I am not as helpless as I thought. The belt on my suit does contain a few emergency items, and one of them is a handheld device capable of delivering several thousand volts at very low current. It’s designed to be used in event of being boarded while in transit. I forgot all about it because I’ve never used it before.
My fear spikes as his hands close around my arms. They are massive. He is massive. Everything about him is super-scale and overwhelming.
“Let me go!”
He growls. His teeth are large and bright white. The canines are exaggerated, longer than mine, pointed and perhaps even sharp like a predator.
The women chatter.
I panic.
I pull the zap from my belt, shove it against his midsection, and press the trigger.
The result is instantaneous. He roars and convulses. Some of the current hits me too, but the bulk of it is isolated from me by the rubber texture of the suit. The beast drops to the ground with a heavy thud. The women’s eyes widen and then they flee, shrieking what sound like threats to my addled brain.
I have never in my life done anything so aggressive. I am trained to observe, not to engage. I had to protect myself, but seeing him lying there in the dirt, I am overwhelmed with guilt. I shouldn’t be down here on this planet, hurting the wildlife. I really hope I haven’t killed him. He is lying very still.
