Miina

Miina

Chapter One

Contact

“This is one step for man,” Meryl said as she stepped out of her space craft. “One giant leap for mankind.”
“Not especially original, Meryl. Besides, wouldn’t it be ‘transhuman’ kind, at least in our case? Also, I’d say that what we just did was far more complex then merely reaching the moon,” Hawk said as he disembarked. “We just arrived on another planet, after all. If landing on the moon was a leap then what is this? A marathon flight around the world?”
“You don’t let me have any fun,” Meryl complained before reading a few figures on her mini laptop. “I was right. It looks like the atmosphere is comparable to Earth and there don’t appear to be any especially harmful microbes so let’s get out of these suits.”
There was a loud hiss all around the area as the seals keeping the suits together where disengaged and they fell off to show who was in the party. Both Meryl and Hawk were transhumans, life forms created to survive on the polluted surface of the Earth and work to make the planet habitable again. Specifically, Meryl was a chameleon while Hawk was a wolf. Also with them was Helen, a cow transhumanist, and a few human guards who took out some handguns and other small weapons.
Originally, the group intended to come down with large rifles and other high powered armaments but changed their equipment when Meryl objected. They had seen no traces of civilization but all their scans for intelligent life were from space meaning it didn’t necessarily mean that none were down here. “If I saw a group of people coming down with big guns and wearing armor, I’d think they came to exterminate all of us. Especially if we weren’t that advanced” she thanked the guards for their concern but she was rather adamant about scaling down their inventory, saying that the smaller firearms were probably more then adequate of handling any danger.
“Gravity is lower then Earth’s but not by a significant degree,” Hawk noted as he walked. “Vegetation present but no significant animal life signs registering. It’s possible that we have these instruments set up wrong or we simply landed in a location devoid of any such beings.”
“Maybe, let’s just keep searching,” Meryl said when her computer beeped. “I think I’ve detected something. Actually, two things and it seems that one is following the other one. If they continue moving like they are now, then they should arrive around here in about twenty seconds” she read it and looked around before pointing at a ravine. “Let’s try to see whatever is coming first.”
“If you say so,” Hawk said and signaled the guards to go down first to make sure nothing was down there and then heads into the ravine too. “You said the bigger one was chasing the smaller one? Think it might be a predator?”
“Well, it’s just a guess. The smaller one is zigzagging and the larger one is following so I would assume so. Anyway, let’s wait and see. Unless they make a sudden turn, they should arrive soon.”
Meryl was right in her prediction and about five seconds after she spoke a small mouse-like creature appeared followed by what appeared to be a human girl. Although closer inspection revealed her white tail and ears along with slitted blue eyes. “Nyaa!” it cried and pounced on the other creature and held it over its open mouth before sniffing the air.
“It looks like we’ve been detected,” Hawk observed quietly. “What do you think we should do?”
“Well, it hasn’t run or shown any signs of aggression. Well, to our presence anyway. I’ll go try and make contact. Everyone else, just watch me,” Meryl said and got up and walked forward slowly in the direction of the other two.
The feline humanoid looked at the trapped creature and then at Meryl before apparently seeing the chameleon as more interesting and therefore more worthy of its attention. It put down the other animal before also walking at Meryl and then quietly walked around her and sniffed at her a few more times.
Meryl used this time to inspect the other one closely. She didn’t really know how this planet orbited the sun of this world or how these creatures aged although it looked about sixteen and seemed female. She wore no clothing although there was more white fur over her chest and the lower part of her body.
“Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnaaaa” a female voice called in English. “Honestly, I leave you alone for a few minutes and you’re already off. Perhaps, I should put a leash on you. Now where did you go?”
The cat like girl looked over at where the voice came from and let out a loud meow before running off In Earth terms, the woman looked like an elf with red hair, red shirt, blue pants, and blue eyes. Strapped to her back was a large staff with three metal rings near the top of it. “I wonder if she’s her pet.” Hawk mused quietly.
Miina made gagging sounds and put her hand around her neck when she neared the speaker. “You’re exaggerating. Okay, I admit it, I did pull tight once but I honestly thought that your neck was larger, it was a trick of the light” she continued to talk with the feline before looking at Meryl. “It seems that you’re right. She’s another traveler. How interesting.”
Meryl was too distracted at finding two extraterrestrials, both of who seemed friendly and at least one appearing sentient, to really notice much else. She snapped out of her temporary daze upon hearing the elfin woman refer to her. “Oh, hello,” she said and bowed respectfully. “I’m Meryl Warson of the planetary exploration craft Kurogon and leader of the landing forces. May I ask who I’m addressing?”
“Well, a traveler and one that actually bothers with manners,” she smiled. “I’m Muurya Stasonim of the Morkis. It’s an honor to meet you as well” she bowed as well before blinking. “You seem to be staring at my mouth. Is there anything wrong with it?”
“Oh, I am, sorry,” Meryl poked her fingers together in embarrassment at the realization of that fact. “It’s just that you’re talking English. I just always assumed that people from other worlds would speak some foreign language.”
“Ein-gl-ish?” Muurya blinked when a look of realization came onto her face. “Oh, no, I’m speaking Morian now. I’m using a translator right now. Just a sec while I get it” she slowly put Miina down and dug through her pocket before taking out what looks to be a hearing aid. “I’m glad I decided to bring this with me” she said and grabbed Miina and pushed her head down before putting it into her ear. “Now say hello, Miina.”
Miina winced a little as the device inside. “Hello there,” she smiled. “Oh yeah, please call out all your friends. It’s rather rude.”
“Oh, sorry,” Meryl said and signaled the others to holster their weapons and step out.
“That’s alright,” Muurya said as she watched the unusual group come out. “An abundance of caution is natural when coming to a foreign setting” she frowned and looked over at Miina who started hissing. “And speaking of which. What do you smell, Miina?”
“I don’t know. I smell some berserkers and I think a few ogres with them.”
“It looks like two large life signs and about four smaller ones,” Meryl confirmed.
“So two orgres and four berserkers,” Muurya said as she grabbed her staff. “Nothing we can’t handle.”
“You two going to need any help?” Meryl offered as she indicated Miina. “Seems she’s a little concerned.”
“We can win although I’m not sure whether that win will come easy,” Myuura said as she spun her staff while she waited. “Any aid will be appreciated though.”
“Alright,” Meryl whispered to Hawk and Helen. “Well, they clearly know the area better then we do. Let’s try and stay on their good side.”
“Bad fake,” Helen smirked as they walked beside the two aliens.
“Yeah but give her credit for trying,” Hawk said. “She’s at least trying to sound like a commander or how she thinks a commander should sound. Besides, are you really going to leave these two to fight alone?”
“Point taken,” Helen said in her slow manner of speech as she prepared for the coming beings.
The first to come into view were four gaunt green skinned, red eyed humanoids that Meryl guessed were the berserkers. They spread out into a line as two huge blue skinned, red eyed humanoids lumbered behind them. The berserkers were armed with crude swords while the ogres each carried clubs. “Helen, you help Myuura. We’ll help Miina and Meryl.”
“Alright then,” Miina said as she crouched down and dashed at one of the berserkers and leans back when she nears her target and smashes her foot against its chin before sending up higher with the beginning of a bicycle kick and she sends it smashing down as she finished rotating and sent it smashing down.
“Good work,” Meryl stood still as she let one come at her before drawing one of her swords quickly and pivots suddenly to block the incoming strike and throw her attacker off balance before she continues the spin and smashes it into ribs of the berserker. Hawk and his human companions were far less spectacular although no less effective as they each took their weapons and gunned down the other two.
Miirya’s staff glowed as the rings at the top started to float and she swung it down in a large arc, sending out a bolt of lightning out that rips through one before she jumps at the ogre and stabs it with her weapon before sending the current right into it and causing its heart to stop. The other ogre had noticed its companion under attack and rushed over to attack only to find itself grappled by Helen who pulled it closer and kicked it in the head before forcing it down and stomps its throat.
“Well, that was fast,” Miirya said as she withdrew her staff and turned it on high to melt the gore off it. “Thank you, very much for your help.”
“You’re welcome,” Hawk said as he holstered his gun. “So, what were those things, anyway?”
“Diseased Fel-“ Myuura started to explain when Meryl let out a scream in surprise. “It seems that the disease hasn’t reach phase four yet.” She noted as she looked at the trembling Meryl and then at the bodies of the berserkers who were right now fading as their green skin melted off to show Felgonian corpses. “It’s a type of virus that attacks they’re recessive animal genes and mutates them. Those are some of the results.”
“I see, and the melting?”
“At phases two and three; the infection is spreading throughout the body and the mutations aren’t permanent. Meaning that they revert back to their original forms when unconscious or dead” she explained before a growling sound was heard. “Scavengers, must’ve already got a whiff of the bodies. Well, I think that you have some more questions so why don’t you come with us?”
“Thanks,” Hawk smiled as he picked up the sleeping Meryl and turns to follow the two extraterrestrials. As he walked along, the transhumanist couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed. He had hoped that first contact would be a lot more interesting then this. “Well, perhaps its better this way.”