The next morning, I woke to the harsh light glaring through the tiny window in my room.  It didn’t bathe the room in soft white light like my yellow sun.  Instead, it filled it with a harsh red, tinting everything to its color.  As cold as it was last night, this morning gave way to heat as sweat dripped from my brow.  “What the hell,” I murmured as I threw the covers off my legs and hopped out of bed.  I found the cloak and wrapped it around my body.  The last thing I wanted was to traipse around in my thin t-shirt and boy shorts.  What had they done with my space suit? 

I found Munic and Oddle sitting at the small dining room table.  “Good morning,” I said as I walked in and took a seat.  Not knowing the boundaries, I didn’t dare help myself.

“Good morning,” Oddle replied.  Munic only nodded and went back to his --- I almost grimaced ---bowl of yellow soup.  Is that all they had to eat?

Oddle set another bowl of yellow soup in front of me and I gave her a tight smile of thanks.  I took the spoon and swirled it around in the liquid, trying to figure out what was in it. 

Oddle must have read my mind, either that or she noticed my intense concentration.  “It’s a blend of protein, vitamins, and minerals our bodies require.  Munic came up with the concoction.  It doesn’t taste very good but it does sustain us.  It’s also cheap to make.”

“I wonder if its nutrition is enough to sustain me?”  I knew it was still better than the alternative.  At least I landed on a planet where someone gave me shelter and food.

“We have never encountered your species before so time will tell,” Munic chimed in.  “When you finish eating, we will work on the universal translation program.”

“Universal?”  My brow furrowed in question.

“A standard universal language spoken by the known galaxies.”  I nodded in understanding.  Of course, they would have to have a common language to communicate with each other, especially without the translator.

I ate my soup and then followed Munic into the small living room.  We worked on the program most of the day.  He would stop occasionally to work on a gadget for the neighbors.  That’s how he and Oddle made what little money they had. 

One day turned into two, then three.  After about five days, the program was complete, so I interfaced it with my ocular implant.  Information scrolled in front of me.  Letters…symbols… it felt like learning a foreign language, and in most ways, it was exactly like that.  It wasn’t a strange concept; I’d done it before with the different languages on Earth. 

Each day turned into the same routine.  I spent most of my time studying the information.  Munic was always around to answer any questions.  We spent meals talking about our homes.  They quickly became family to me, their forms forgotten.  I no longer saw them as blue blobs, but as Oddle and Munic.

Other species had come and gone from the house, but I always hid in the back room.  Munic thought it was best to remain unseen.  I did have a lot of information available on each species, so I would know who to avoid and who to somewhat trust.

I’d been here about a month, maybe two.  Who could tell anymore?  As I sat on the back step in the dead of night, I stared at the stars.  They didn’t look anything like home.  No Big or Little Dipper.  Nothing looked familiar.  I pulled the cloak flaps tighter together, enjoying the feel of being outside without a mask.  I hid from everyone, but every now and then, I’d sneak out here when the walls closed in on me.  Tonight was different.  I’d finished the translation program and now could understand and speak universally…mostly.  But I could read it, which was more important.  Time to put the next part of our plan into action.

“Cami, you need to eat before you go,” Oddle said as she sat the hot yellow soup down in front of me.”

“Thanks, Oddle, but I’m too nervous.”

“You still need to eat,” she chided.

“Oddle,” I gave her my best smile, “If this works, I will not miss your soup.  Not even a little tiny bit.”  My brows raised in teasing.

She laughed. “Neither will I.  Do you know how long we have had to eat this stuff?”

“One day is too long.”  I shot Oddle a smile and then started eating.

When I finished the soup, I stood and faced a solemn Munic.

He placed a hand on each of my shoulders and looked me square in the eyes.   “Are you ready?”

Lifting my hand to cover one of his, I let out a nervous chuckle.  “No.”

“You don’t have to do this.”  His worried voice warmed my heart.

One side of my lips tipped up as I said, “Yes, I do.” 

His eyes searched my face, looking for signs of apprehension or doubt.  He nodded slightly. “Alright.  Remember what I taught you.”

Swallowing hard, I promised, “I will.”

“If anything goes wrong, just get back here.  Don’t worry about the coins.”

I nodded.  “I understand.”

“Good.  Now tell me what you plan to do again.”

“Keep the cloak on so no one can see my face.  I head south until I reach the fight club.  Then I use the machines on the walls to make a bet and hope I win.”

“Good.  Don’t forget to go back to the same machine to collect your winnings.”

“Here,” Oddle handed me some cloth, “I made them for you.”

I unfolded the clothes and noticed the gloves she’d made with her own cloak.  Tears filled my eyes.  They didn’t have much, but they had given me everything they had.  I had to succeed.  “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.” 

Looking back at Munic, I asked, “So, I really don’t need to talk to anyone?”  Was everything truly automated?  That was the best scenario possible.  Anyone I spoke to would not understand right away.  According to Munic and Oddle, my language is unknown.

“No.  The more invisible you remain the better.”

“Okay.  What about the Humchins?” 

“That’s why you are going at night.  They never venture outside after dark.  Dusk, but not night time.  We need a lot of light so our eyes are not suited for it.”  Munic let out a small, regretful sound.  “The streets will be packed and so will the fight club.  I’ve been told that the night time is filled with…” He cleared his throat.  “If at any time you do not feel comfortable, just come back and we will find another way.”

I shot them my most reassuring smile.  “Okay.”  But it wasn’t okay.  The best thing for us was win enough money to buy passage from this planet.  If that didn’t work, then I would risk stealing a ship if that’s what it came down to.  One way or another, I was getting out of here and I was taking them with me!

Munic held out his hand, showing two silver coins. I hated taking them from him.  He’d worked all month fixing gadgets for others, and this was all he had to show for it. 

I clutched my hand tightly around the coins, treating them like gold.

“Be careful, Cami from Earth.”

I smiled at my friend.  He was so different, but also the same.  He and Oddle treated me like family and worried for my safety.  “I will.  Thank you for everything, Munic.”

He wrapped his short stick arms around me, giving me a big hug.  Even though he reminded me of Jell-O, I couldn’t help but hug him back.  Stepping back from him, I looked to both Oddle and Munic.  “Thank you for everything.”

“Don’t talk like that!”  Oddle reprimanded.  “We will see you in the morning.”

I laughed.  How could I not?  She sounded like a mother giving me an order.  “I will see you in the morning.”  One last look with a dose of courage, and I headed out.

A sliver of fear ran down my arms, my heart pounded.  I knew I had to do this, had to find a way off this planet.  I couldn’t fathom the three of us living forever in that tiny house; that wasn’t an option. I pressed on.   The streets lay abandoned…ominous… so I glanced at the sky and tried to shake the fear.  It wasn’t the stars I read about, seen pictures in books, they were in the wrong positions.  Oh, how I once dreamed about flying through space, finding new worlds.  And here I was, the only human alien unable to show my face for fear of what might happen. 

My heart raced, but I kept moving.  Munic explained it would take at least forty-five minutes to walk the distance.  I knew when I was getting closer to town, more people milled around.  I glanced up, and in the distance I spotted the building he had described.  A tall, round dome laced with windows stood grander than any other in sight.  I bit my lower lip between my teeth.  There lay our fate, our escape from this planet.

As I scurried the now crowded streets, I kept my head down, trying to skate by unnoticed.  A nobody, that’s the way I preferred it.  The crisp air chilled my bones, making me pull the ends of my thin, dark cloak closer together.  I needed a way to get off this Godforsaken planet.  The fight club wasn’t far away now, and with only two borrowed coins to my name, I reluctantly decided to bet it all.  If I could turn the two into four, or even six coins…well, every little bit helped. 

The closer to town I walked, the dirtier it became. With the cloak hood pulled over my head and the darkness to shadow my face, I would glance up every now and then only to spot strange looking aliens coming from and going into other buildings.  Some looked humanoid, others looked as though they belonged to the insect class, with their beady eyes.  Maybe they were related to the Humchins?

I found the building Munic told me about, and the heavy glass doors dissolved in front of me. I took in the scene on display.  I’d read about things like this but never experienced them firsthand.  Hard techno type music pumped through the room, making it impossible to hear myself speak. I could feel the beat of the music as it thumped in my chest.  Aliens---some with tentacles---some not, sat on a round couch smoking a foul-smelling object.  It reminded me of a cigarette, but thicker and much more foul smelling.  The aliens watched dancers and…Oh my God!  I stood in stunned silence, my mouth gaping slightly as I watched an alien with three breasts suckle the cock of another.  He may look different, but the location and actions were the same as he pumped in and out of her mouth.

Tearing my eyes away from the scene, I scanned the area.  On the other side a fight broke out.  One threw the other across a table with brutal force.  I veered the other direction and tried to avoid the commotion.

The machines Munic told me to use lined the far wall, but where was the fighting rink?  I slowly walked around the large domed room, trying not to touch anyone, or draw any kind of attention.  If they found an unknown species here… My eyes slid to another erotic scene in front of me as an unwanted shiver ran down my spine.  Two male aliens were openly having sex with a female as others watched.  Nobody seemed to care, not even the female on display.

Looking past them, a long thin rail near the center of the room snagged my attention.  Winding around the chairs that sat in the room like spots on a Dalmatian, I started to grab the rail but stopped at the last minute.   

My stomach dropped as I peered over the rail and looked down---it had to be at least a hundred feet drop to a massive fighting rink at the bottom and nothing else.  No seats to watch the show, no pathways to walk around the rink.  Not even a door to get in.  I puzzled about how the fighters would enter.  How would I decide who to bet on if I couldn’t see them first?  Not that it would matter, I knew some of the different species and their traits, but I’d focused more on reading the language.

When I spotted a betting machine in the corner, I waited while another made a bet and walked away.  This was it.  I hurried over and scanned the machine.  It appeared simple enough.  Insert my money, pick the winner, and then take the receipt. 

Glancing around the room making sure no one was watching or waiting, I took a chance and accessed my NI.  I wanted to shout with joy when it connected almost instantly.  The computer system, which included the betting machines, used the same technology as Munics’, it was just on a much larger scale.

I scrolled through the information and couldn’t believe how easy this would be.  The words were easily read and I couldn’t help the grin I sported while inserting the one coin.  I didn’t need to use the other one and would save it for another day. As soon as the machine registered one coin, I used the NI and changed it to twenty.  I never considered myself a thief, but right now I’d do anything to get back home.  Now to choose a winner. Hmm… Zorvak vs Kuna.  I wavered from one to the other until I finally just slammed my hand over Zorvak.  The machine spit out a credit card of sorts with numbers and symbols engraved on both sides.  It read: ‘Zorvak… twenty credits.’ 

Loud cheering drowned the music while everyone rushed to the rail.  Pulling the hood over my head a little more, letting it almost droop in front of my eyes, I headed over to watch the fight.

Aliens bumped into me from both sides, but I never looked up as I jolted one way and then the other.  My eyes focused on the rink below.  Just as someone announced the fighters, the floor of the rink slid apart and the two contenders rode separate platforms up, one on each side.

A yellow beast with two small horns on top of his head stood on two legs.  He grasped a wooden staff in his small hands while a long tail swung wildly back and forth.  He roared in anger as his voice bounced off the walls.  I gasped and took a small step backward.

Pulling my eyes away from the beast, my gaze slid to my opponent.  He stood stoic in the corner staring at the yellow beast.  With his chin slightly raised, he oozed confidence and authority even though he was shorter and smaller than his competition.  He stood clad in only a loincloth, showing off his corded muscles.  My breath hitched at the sight.  He looked almost human except for his dark red skin, black eyes, and black lips.  A short black mohawk ran across his head and slightly down his back.

I didn’t know which one was Zorvak, but I wanted this man to win.  I couldn’t look away as I watched him and he watched his opponent.  Then I felt a little dizzy as a warm fuzzy feeling spread throughout my body.  I took slow deep breaths in and out through my nose and tried to steady myself.  Just as I was feeling a little better, his head turned sharply and his eyes bore into mine.  I gasped.  I knew he couldn’t see me, but I still took a quick step back and looked down at the floor.

Something wasn’t right.  I didn’t feel right.  My thoughts clouded until I finally squeezed my eyes shut.  The announcer’s voice blared overhead.  “In this corner, we have our first contender, Kuna, undefeated champion of Ukan.”  I couldn’t watch, couldn’t think.  What was happening?  “In the other corner, we have a special guest from the planet Ulaya.  Zorvak La’qa!” 

Just as I was about to grab the rail, the dizziness cleared, the fog receded and I wondered what the hell just happened?