The Nur'zian Male

In the morning Mrs Black brought a companion with her. \"This is Tpit from Eraia, a village to the west of here, he is going to act as translator.\" The Nur\'zian nodded to Chris. \"I don\'t believe I\'ve ever organised a kidnapping before!\" She grinned at Chris.

They set off and took the air car as near the village as they dared. Chris walked with Tpit around the edge of the houses until they came to Etaps. Vpit was stood outside as soon as she noticed Chris she ran to him. \"Chris, Lput gone!\" Tpit spoke with Vpit for sometime and then turned to Chris. \"Vpit has told me that Mtan the Ka-ri has taken your friend Lput against his will and then acted with violence against his parent when Etap tried to stop him. It seem Mtan intends to remove Lput from this life.\" Chris swore.
\"Damn \'remove\' you mean kill him!\"
\"Yes, this is an unusual act for one of our people, the Nuu-an must know of these events. If Mtan is brought before them will you speak?\" Tpit looked oddly impassive.
\"Yes, as long as Lput is safe.\"
\"Vpit said that he has been taken to the beach where he met you, she will take you there.\" Vpit nodded and they ran into the trees.

The memory came to haunt him as he ran, he remembered running that day too. The wet streets had echoed his feet hitting the floor as the rain poured. When he reached his building he had walked up the stairs shaking the excess water from his body like a dog. The apartment door had been ajar, walking in he had seen the blood first. His neighbour had called the police when he heard the screams. The next thing he remembered was the policeman sitting him in the hall and beginning to tell him what had happened. \"I\'m sorry sir but it appears that your partner seems to have disturbed a Burglary in progress. I\'m afraid he\'s dead sir.\" Those five words had ruined his life until now and even that looked precarious.

They arrived at the beach, looking through the branches Chris could see Mtan stood over the prone figure of Lput. Mtan kicked him several times and then spoke, Vpit listened intently her eyes widening. \"He say you no have baby outlander.\" Chris was surprised it was the longest sentence he had heard from Vpit. \"Go back to Etap, I will send word if I can.\" She nodded and darted away. Chris walked onto the beach.

Mtan stared at him. \"Come for your pet, human?\" Chris was surprised he had thought that Mtan barely spoke a word of his language. \"You speak my language?\"
\"Yes but I wish I didn\'t.\" A bitter look passed over Mtan\'s face.
\"I have come to take Lput, if he wishes to come.\"
\"Chris?\" The word was almost a moan.
\"Yes Lput, my love, I\'m here.\" Chris wanted to run to his lover side but he suspected that Mtan wouldn\'t let him. \"Damn you and your kind Chris, I shall not let you have him!\"
\"Why do you hate me so Mtan? I have done nothing to provoke you.\"

Mtan slumped to the sand like he had been hit. \"I was like Lput once, trusting, loving and above all innocent. A man came to see my father and offered to take me away for him to teach me your language and the ways of your culture. My father offered me a choice and I accepted the man\'s offer. I was taken away to one of the human compounds, given a room and for a time I was happy but then I learned the darkness in human hearts.\" Mtan turned his face away.
\"Mtan, th-they are not all bad.\" Lput raised his head slightly and then slumped back down.
\"What do you know! Your innocence has protected you. I spent nights in the human place shaking with fear waiting for the footsteps that told me [I]he[/I] was coming. I lost everything in that place, do you know how it is to lose everything?\"
\"Yes Mtan, I do.\" Chris answered in a low tone. \"My first love died, murdered by a man who\'s name I shall never know and who I thought had taken my life too. Now I have Lput who I love more then I thought possible to love anyone again.\" The pain of old loss flitted over Chris\'s face.
\"Yes, you know pain Chris but I know worse. The man took my innocence with pain and force, then did it again every night until I was given back. I became a submissive slave for his whims and he didn\'t care that I suffered.\" Mtan\'s head dropped to his knees. \"My father would not face what had been done to me at the human\'s house. I was left with my guilt and anger, Nrun helped me to recover to a degree.\" Tpit walked onto the beach with two others.
\"Come Mtan, the Nuu-an wish you to attend.\" Mtan stood slowly and walked with the others from the beach. Tpit turned to Chris. \"Chris, you will attend the judgement tomorrow and speak?\"
\"I will.\" Chris replied, Tpit turned and left them.