Tales of the Canterbury Nebula

Legends Made Real

With a bit of shy reluctance, Kyteen politely cleared her throat and tentatively rose her hand. “If no one objects, I will share my story next.”

Norida smiled. “No one objects, my dear. Please, share your tale with us.”

Kyteen nodded then turned to the others. “Well, we share our world of Purrearth with a canine like species. We call ourselves Purrs and they call themselves Earthians; Purr-earth.”

Era gasped, concerned. “Did the king of the Earthians order you be taken away from the palace?”

Kyteen shook her head. “Not by royal decree, no; the kidnappers were mercenaries under the orders of the Dingo Clan. They are a rival faction after to steal the throne.”

Norida nodded. “This faction was hoping that holding her hostage would start a conflict between the Pride and Lycan kingdoms.”

Kyteen sighed. “I had been bound and gagged but not well enough. By the time I was able to free myself, we were close to the jump gates inside the nebula. They were about to get away with me to parts unknown. I attacked my three abductors, knowing that I had only one chance to escape.”


Vada smiled. “Wicked… all of your self-defense training came into play that day.”

Gnosarac kindly hushed him quiet. “Let her tell her tale.”

Kyteen smiled, unbothered. “Well, somewhere in the flaying of limbs of the struggle, a random series of commands were entered into the navigation computer. Before we knew it, a jump gate in front of us opened. It was unlike any jump gate I had never seen before with strange markings. There was an unnatural energy to it that caused us all to pause. Only it was too late to avoid it and we were thrown across space…”

I was still struggling with my kidnappers upon reentering real space and saw that we were heading for Earth. I had heard many concerning stories about the planet; classified as a high level death world. I had also heard many frightening stories about its inhabitants, the humans. They were classified as an enigma; very hostile yet capable to incredible kindness. My only comfort at the time was that I briefly caught a glimpse of a Teranor away party shuttle. It was ascending to one of Teranor’s long range living ships. They had seen me.

I heard one over the communications module. “Be advised, Honor Guard; you have a shuttle from planet Purrearth entering your atmosphere. It appears to be out of control, moving in an erratic pattern.”

I had no idea what an Honor Guard was. The immediate reply was a gruff voice speaking in an odd dialect of Earth English. “Rodger that, Vada. Looks like we got ourselves another sore thumb…”

It was a very strange response. Only I was preoccupied with two of my abductors to care. That, and all communications were cut off when we entered the Earth’s heavy atmosphere. One of the kidnappers broke off and grabbed the controls. He was attempting to stabilize the ship. The other two continued to struggle in an effort to subdue me. Surprisingly, the two seemed to have been pulling their punches. I realized that that they needed me alive and in one piece for their plans to succeed. I used everything my instructors had taught me. I fought them with my fists, feet, claws and fangs. I was grateful then that I had paid attention. It paid off as I was obviously giving them a hard time.

One of them blurted out, “Get the sedative, Beta! This brat has gone crazy; she’s out of control!”

The second abductor replied, “We can’t use the sedatives, Omega! They are designed for our species; they could kill her and we need her alive!”

Then something surprising occurred. The communications came back on and a gruff human voice came through. “Unidentified aircraft, you are in restricted U.S. airspace. Cease intent and proceed west out of the area.”

Still struggling, I managed to open a channel on the coms to respond. “Help me! I have been kidnapped!”

One of the two I was struggling with pulled me back. “Shut up you insane little brat!”

The pilot quickly glanced back. “Keep that pest under control!”

The struggle continued and I was able to hold my own. I was even managing to give the pilot a hard time. Each time I got close, I kicked the pilot seat or the pilot himself. It was not much but it was enough to force the vessel to swerve on and off course. All my efforts to fight back against them were working only my strength was fading fast. My breaths were coming in short ragged breaths and my vision beginning to blur. Fortunately, Beta and Omega’s strength was waning just as well. Then, the gruff human voice came through once again. Only what was said sent a chill running down my spine.

“Unidentified aircraft, two fighter jets have been dispatched to intercept you. They will escort you to Marine Corps Air station. If you do not comply we will force you down.”

I gulped seeing two jet fighters of primitive design appear on either side of the vessel through the view ports. Clearly, both were heavily armed. There were rocket propelled missiles under their wings with unknown yield. There were what appeared to be rapid fire projectile cannons petruding from each wing. I had no doubt there were many other offensive weapons I could not see. The two fighters began tilting their wings in a strange manner. I could only guess it was some form of nonverbal command meant for the pilot. The unknown pilot angrily grunted and activated the ship’s defense systems before gripping the controls tighter. Sweat was beading on his head as he cursed under his breath. “Damn humans!”

Beta, Omega and I were suddenly thrown off balance as the pilot took evasive maneuvers. The two fighter jets immediately took pursuit, moving in ways that would have been difficult for even my world’s most experienced pilots. I heard shouts over the coms but it was too fast for my mind to translate. Then I screamed as a loud, terrifying sound broke the din. ‘BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!’ The vessel shook from the impact of hundreds of tiny explosive projectiles. The shields took all the damage at the cost of the ship’s power. Still, I knew they would not hold out against that pounding forever. As if fate had heard me, I a hiss reached my ears just before a deafening explosion rocked the right side of the vessel. The force nearly threw us completely out of control. The lights flickered as the screens went red with warnings and alarms blared. The humans had overloaded the ship’s shields and every major system with a single strike. I could not help but feel a grudging respect for the them as I thought, “Nice shot.”

The pilot cursed, fighting the sluggish controls of the damaged vessel as it roughly touched down on a long runway. The two jets touched down a few yards ahead. Through the view port, I spotted ground vehicles of many designs quickly approaching. I gulped as I noticed some were equipped with back mounted weapons. We were surrounded by the vehicles in the next breath. Dozens of humans, armed with primitive weapons at the ready immediately filled in the gaps. I feared they had every intention to raid the ship and kill us straight away but they did not. Still, I recognized the stance of readiness. I had no doubt they would attack us at the very first sign of any aggression. I began to see the rumors of these humans were slightly exaggerated. They were a very hostile species but they were disciplined. They were showing restraint.

Then the gruff voice came over the coms once more. His tone was far darker, more strict. “Unidentified pilot, power down your aircraft now.”

The pilot screamed, slamming his fists onto the control panel. He powered down the vessel then angrily stormed back to Beta and Omega who had managed to subdue me. He grabbed me by the back collar of my night clothes, pulling me up to look me in the eye. “I will ensure you are the first to die at the hands of these humans, princess! One way or another, there will be a war!”

I gulped at that, thinking, “These Earthians think I’m insane?!”

Again, the gruff voice came over the coms. “Unidentified pilot, disembark the aircraft or you will be killed.”

I turned to the one holding me off the floor by the back collar. “Your move, rot scent.”

The kidnapper growled at my insult then slammed his fist onto the exit ramp control. The hatch opened with a hiss and I was carried out in front of him with Beta and Omega soon following close behind. The humans let out a collective gasp of surprise but did not falter. They were a strange species, these humans. They were about six feet tall with four limp and a head on top. They walked on two of the limbs which looked to be made of stone rather than muscle. The other two limbs, higher up, ending with a five fingered hand which appeared to be used as manipulators. They had two forward facing predatory eyes and a tuft of hair on the top of their heads. The pilot scowled at them, distain clear on his face. “I am Fang of Purrearth! I lead this mercenary team under the command of the Dingo Clan! You humans are interfering with a political conflict!”

The humans did not move nor lower their weapons while one walked up to the front. He was massively muscular for a human with crew cut black hair. His piercing green eyes had a familiar glint to them that reminded me of our most formidable guards. This human was a no nonsense individual. He almost casually sized up Fang and his men without a hint of fear. I looked over to him and to the other humans, my eyes pleading. It was clear none of these humans were impressed with Fang’s bravado.

The man then stepped closer. “I am Base Commander Hank Stone of the United states Marine Corps. You will release your hostage unharmed and surrender yourselves to our custody now.”

Fang laughed; a deep, guttural sound. “Your primitive projectile weapons cannot possibly penetrate our personnel energy shields! That and I doubt you would dare risk harming our little princess captive here! We have the upper hand, human!”

A chill ran through me as I saw Hank give the slightest hint of a smirk. My eyes turned to the other humans; they had adjusted their stance slightly. Through the nearly endless drills, I had to endure, I knew they were ready and waiting for Hank’s command to strike. Realizing I had to do something, I swung my hind legs up, kicking away from Fang as hard as I could. My blouse ripped badly but I managed to break free. I quickly rolled out of the way and ran to a safe distance. I had no idea where I would run to so I watched and waited. Hank seized the opportunity and drew back his arm, making a fist. What happened next seemed to come in slow motion. Hank propelled his fist at astonishing speed and physically struck Fang square in the jaw. The sheer force of the blow not only shattered his personnel shield but literally threw him off his feet. He fell onto Omega and Beta, sending all three to the ground. Before they had a chance to react, Hank had drawn a heavy looking sidearm and was training it on them.

Without looking back, he ordered, “Secure the hostage!”

I let out a yelp of fear and began to run as fast as my body could carry me with three humans quickly giving chase. Because I was already bruised and weakened from my struggle with Fang and his two goons, I was not as fast or as agile as I needed to be. The humans caught up to me in seconds but I managed to scramble up into a tree out of their reach. The two men and one female stopped at the tree and looked up at me. Then to my surprise, no complete shock, I heard one of them talk to me in my head.

His voice was calm, measured and patient. “It’s alright, miss. You are safe now. My name is Sargent Tom Rivers. This is Sargent Matt Williams and Sargent Sarah Winters. We are soldiers of the United States Marine Corps.”

I looked down at the three humans, trembling. I was frightened and confused. Since when were humans a psychic race? I did not remember seeing it mentioned in the probe reports. Nor have I seen it in any of the reports from the council world explorers. None of it made any sense. I looked out at the landscape, trying to focus my thoughts and was surprised again. In the distance, I spotted tall, shimmering cities. They looked much like those on the council worlds. I began to wonder if humanity was actually an advanced civilization. If they simply did not wish outsiders to discover them. It seemed utterly impossible yet all the proof was right in front of me. Shocked and dismayed, I looked down at the three soldiers. I was not going to get any answers by stuck high up in a tree. I also knew these humans would not wait long before finding other ways to get me down. What worried me most was that I knew I was alone on this planet. I would have to try to be diplomatic with this enigma of a species.

With a shaky voice, replied to them. “I am Princess Kyteen; heir to the Feline throne of the Pride Kingdom on Purrearth. I do not intend any offense to your unique culture. However, I refuse to take orders from males.”

The two men looked at each other for a moment before looking back up with a bemused smile. Still, they slowly backed away a few steps, leaving only Sarah who smiled kindly at me. “Will you come down now?”

Before I could answer, there was a blinding flash and a muffled explosion coming from the crippled vessel. A low scream escaped my lips as I fell from the tree. Sarah moved in fast and caught me before I hit the ground. I looked up at her gratefully then hung on as best I could when she suddenly bolted. She ran back towards the vessel with Tom and Matt running close behind her. We got there in seconds where we found the three mercenaries on the ground, unconscious. Commander Hank was standing over them, his fists clenched and his chest heaving. Standing next to him was a tall muscular man in a more decorated military uniform.

Commander Hank nodded at him. “General Summers…”

The man, General Summers, nodded back. “Commander Hank.”

I pulled myself closer to Sarah, fearful of the two. Their faces softened, however, when they turned to Sarah and I. Hank gave a quick nod to Sarah, Mike and Matt before turning to the others under his command.

He spoke with a booming, commanding voice. “I want all of these werewolf wannabes collared and locked up in a high security brig and I mean now!” He then turned back to Sarah and more softly demanded, “Report.”

Sarah quickly saluted him. “This is Princess Kyteen, heir to the Feline throne of the Pride Kingdom on Purrearth. She told us she means no offense to our culture but she does not take orders from males.”

Hank grunted. “That’s a real mouthful.” He then turned to me, amusement in his tone. “Well, ‘princess’ I am afraid you are in for one hell of a culture shock. On this base, I am the one who gives the commands. It is my duty to see to the safety of all those on this base. That means you will follow my orders without hesitation or back talk. Am I clear?”

General Summers chuckled. “At ease. That includes you princess. I am is General Brad Summers of the United States Marine Corps. I am also the head of a covert government agency known as the Storm Chasers.”

Hank tilted his head. “The Storm Chasers, sir?”

Brad nodded. “The Storm Chasers is an agency that investigates all natural disasters that are suspected of being supernatural or extraterrestrial in nature. This includes encounters with a potentially hostile unidentified flying object.”

Sarah turned to me and then Brad. “With all respect, general, this is just a child.”

Brad sighed. “She is the daughter of the queen of half a planet. I have strict orders, directly from the president of the United States to ensure her safety.” She turned to me. “I would like to have a talk; get your side of what had happed up to arriving on our humble planet.”

I hesitated, feeling a sting to my royal pride. Then a thought came to me and I pointed to Sarah. “Perhaps a compromise? You command her, she will command me. Also, I will not talk to any male without another female present. I am certain you two have more important duties. Besides, you both kind of scare me.”

Sarah, Brad and Hank did well to hide a grin. I did not know if anything was said telepathically. Still, I was relieved when the two walked off. Sarah carried me somewhere deeper into the base. I wanted to demand that I be put down, to say that I was capable of walking on my own. Only my fear of the humans won over pride. I decided to instead spark a up conversation with her. “Why did commander Hank call the Earthians werewolf wannabees?”

Sarah giggled. “Werewolves are part of our planet’s mythology and those goons looked a lot like what legend depict.”

Still holding me, she pulled out a small data pad and showed me a picture. “This is an image of a werewolf.”

My jaw dropped. The image looked almost identical to the Wolf Class Lycan Royal Guards. “They lived on your planet?!”

Sarah shrugged. “No one knows. They are just one of our many legends.” She giggled. “Just like the Neko Cats.”

My tail puffed up when I saw an image of a Purr closely resembling myself.”

Sarah laughed, seeing my expression and put the tablet back in her pocket. “Like I said, they are just one of our legends.”

I could hardly believe it. Could our ancestors have started on a world like Earth? If we did, how and why did we migrate to a world half way across the galaxy? It seemed impossible and yet, our legends did say our ancestors ran from a people whose rage was unfathomable. “They may more real than you think.”

Sarah Shrugged. “Perhaps. But tell me, I thought those Earthians said they were from Purrearth.”

I grin touched the corners of my mouth. “Those from the Pride kingdom call ourselves Purrs. The Lycan kingdom call themselves Earthians; Purrearth. You see, legend has it that we were all banished from paradise and forced to share a planet to resolve our differences.”

Sarah paused. I had a feeling she was thinking along the same lines I was. A moment later, she smiled. “Interesting. Are the two kingdoms at peace?”

I sighed. “There is always one or another faction on either side fighting amongst themselves. However, the main kingdoms have a lasting peace. Those who had kidnapped me were hoping to start a conflict in an effort to steal the Lycan throne.”

Sarah frowned. “I will need to report this. Making it look like the Lycan kingdom kidnapped you could start a war.”

I shuddered at Sarah’s words and decided to change the subject. “Where are you taking me? What is going to happen to me?”

Sarah pointed to one of many low buildings. “I am taking you to the infirmary where we will tend to your wounds, get you some fresh clothes then get you something to eat. After that, we will talk about getting you home.”

I sniffed, feeling very uncertain. Nothing was making any sense. Humans were supposed to be primitive, hostile. Instead, I find them to be a highly advanced psychic race. Then I remembered the primitive fighter jets and the projectile weapons. Had something happened to the humans? Was a species within or outside of the Galactic Council ascending them? Either way, it was frightening. I was jolted from my thoughts as Sarah sat me down onto a soft cot inside the infirmary. Presently, another woman entered and greeted Sarah with a salute. This woman was petite and a head shorter but carried a confident stride.

She turned to me, bemused. “So this is the little princess who is all the talk around the base.”

I blushed at that as Sarah giggled. “This is princess Kyteen of Purrearth. She was kidnapped from her home world. We do not have all the details yet so, for now, we just need to look after her and keep her safe.”

The woman nodded then turned to me before making a dramatic bow. “My name is Amanda Rose, a humble physician. Would it please you if I check to see if you are in one piece, your highness?”

I do not know why but Amanda’s theatrical question brought on a genuine giggle. I tried to pout but failed miserably. Finally, I did smile. “Do what you must.”

The next two hours were composed of various medical devices being pointed at me from several angles, placed into my mouth and wrapped around my arms. Then they drew a small amount of my blood which made me want to scream, to pull away. It was only Amanda explaining every step that kept me calm. Once the tests were done, I was given some clothes to wear. It was a military uniform, modified to fit me. As I looked in the mirror, I was surprised how much I liked it.

I turned around and made an awkward salute. “Princess Kyteen, of the Pride Kingdom reporting for duty, ma’am!”

Sarah and Amanda laughed and applauded before Amanda addressed me regarding her diagnosis. “Nothing serious. Just a few bruises and rattled nerves.”

I could not contain my curiosity. “Physician Rose, how were you are able to so precisely determine my health without knowing of my species?”

Amanda smiled then softly called out, “Ginger, here kitty…”

Presently, a small, fury animal appeared. It made infantile sounds as it approached Amanda. She picked up the creature and presented it to me. I was surprised to see it was an unevolved member of my species! It purred then sniffed me before jumping into my arms. I held it as I would an infant, finding myself purring with the creature. Again, I was left with more questions than answers.

Sarah giggled, watching me. “I think she likes you.”

I turned to Sarah, completely confused. “I do not understand.”

Amanda motioned to the creature. “This is my pet cat; she is an adopted member of our family. We call her Ginger. Her body is similar to your own. Also, in a way, your body is similar to mine hence I was able to give you medical aid.”

Moments later, still confused, I was escorted from the infirmary to another low building near the center of the base. It had an odd name; mess hall. Inside, my senses were greeted with a wide variety of smells. Various food and drinks of unknown types and the boisterous yelling and conversing of soldiers. They were all sitting in rows, enjoying an evening meal. I was taken to a line of other soldiers where she gave me a tray and started filling it with a lot of foods I did not recognize. She then filled her own plate. At the end of the line, she gave a tall mug of an odd dark liquid. It had an appealing aroma.

I gave her a questioning look to which she replied, “We call it tea; a drink that has been perfected over thousands of years.”

Sargent Tom, hearing her, smiled. “So has beer.”

Other men in the room raised their glasses. “Hurrah!”

Sarah and I both shook our heads, muttering, “Men…”

We then shared a giggle and I followed her to an isolated table where General Brad was waiting for us. We both sat down to enjoy our meal. The food was different but not unpleasant. Their tea was surprisingly tasty considering it was made by soaking bits of leaves from a certain plant inside a small bag. The three of us fell into a casual conversation. It was basically an exchange of questions and answers. Talking about our worlds and people; nothing top secret as far as I was aware. I was curious and so was Sarah and Brad. The conversation was kept at a friendly tone so I saw nothing wrong with it.

I started off with my own curiosity. “I was raised to believe that Humans were very primitive compared to the council worlds. Did something happen?”

Sarah nodded, a touch of uncertainly in her eyes. “Our world, our people are rapidly changing, evolving. The craziest thing is, it was always here. We always had it but had forgotten.”

I tilted my head, confused. “You mean a worldwide amnesia?”

Sarah giggled. “No. I mean forgotten over thousands, if not millions of years.”

Brad cut in. “It started with a shapeshifting boy from a planet called Teranor. He found himself on Earth due to a game of hide and seek gone wrong. While here, a small child who happened to be a real telepath reached out to his mind. He replied in kind without thinking and inadvertently triggered a chain reaction that brought everyone’s psychic powers to the surface.”

My eyes widened in shock. As did Sarah’s. Apparently she did not know this either. This brought my next question. “Was that when you built all of your advanced cities?”

Sarah shook her head. “They rose from deep under the Earth all over the world. No one understands how or why.”

Brad cut in again. “They were summoned by a shy, sentient robot with a unique dormant ability to ‘talk’ to and control machines. Long story short, she found herself on Earth through a device found during a field trip on her world. That same device brought her ability to the surface and the cities responded by rising from their slumber. We have no idea what is in those cities; the people are just now starting to explore them.”

I decided to press a little further. “How is humanity dealing with these sudden changes?”

Sarah sighed. “Honestly, everyone is scrambling to make sense of it all. Nations keeping secrets from each other suddenly became more complicated, literally overnight. The confirmation that we are not alone in the cosmos was a major shock to say the least. It has brought every nation running to the negotiation table.”

Brad nodded. “Right now, there is an emergency meeting going on in the United Nations building. They are settling all of their differences and hammering out a necessary sustainable global peace accord. You see, these cities rose not only here on Earth but on Mars and Venus.”

Sarah turned to Brad, shocked. “How?!”

Brad shrugged. “I wish we knew. The two planets are changing rapidly in real time, terraforming themselves. I can only guess that ancient humanity was waiting for their descendants to be ready to discover them.”

Sarah was silent for a moment. “Why are you telling us this?”

Brad laughed. “Come now; we are all psychic. Everyone is going to know everything by the time the smoke clears.”

I could not believe what I was hearing. The humans were highly advanced ages ago but suddenly decided to start over? It did not make sense; there had to be something missing from the equation. I was not surprised Earth’s nations were working to unite after all that had transpired in just a few short weeks. Still, there were so many unanswered questions. Sighing, I decided it best to let the diplomats figure it all out. There were a lot of things I was curious about when it came to humans. Since I was stuck on Earth for the time being, I figured there was no harm in asking.

Sarah took her turn to ask a question. “When I was a child, I dreamed about being a real life little princess. Can you tell me what it is like?”

I giggled in spite of myself. “You are not missing much. You are always told what to wear, where to go, what to say.” I sighed. “I had always dreamed of helping people. Being the hero in their stories told around a campfire.”

Sarah smiled. “That is a noble dream.”

I sighed. “I know but mother tells me that it’s too dangerous to walk among the common people. How am I expected to be a help to the people if I do not know how they carry on their day to day? What struggles they have?”

Sarah was thoughtful for a moment then smiled at me. It was the type of smile that usually meant trouble later. “I have an idea; would you like to hear it?”

Out of morbid curiosity, I nodded. “What is your idea?”

Sarah smiled. “I can talk to Commander Stone and see if we can get a pass to go into town for the day tomorrow. If he agrees, I can show you how human citizens live their day to day.”

Brad smiled. “I’ll talk to the Commander. I’m sure I can arrange a full day pass to tour the nearest town.”

He quietly left mess hall, I guessed, to talk to commander Hank. I was not certain if this was a dream coming true or a nightmare about to begin. I did want to see for myself how the people of my world lived. However, I was not so certain about seeing how the humans lived. I was still not convinced they were no longer a hostile species. Also, I was not sure if civilian was the same as commoner. Something told me it was safer not to ask. Finally, I gave a quick nod. “I’m in.”

That night, I was given a small cot in a room with a number of female soldiers. As I settled in, I heard a short, sad melody being played on a horn. It brought tears to my eyes as I fell into a restless sleep. That sleep was violently disturbed by a loud song being played on a horn uncomfortably close to my ear. I yelped loudly, leaping off the cot. I ended up on the ceiling, on all fours, holding on by my retractable claws. All my fur was standing on end and my tail was bushed up in a panic. I quickly looked around for any threats to hear a ruckus of women laughing below me. Among them was Sarah who was the one holding the horn. I blushed profusely, highly annoyed with them all.

One woman laughed, “That was great! She reacted just like a cartoon cat! All puffed up with all claws gripping the ceiling!”

I dropped down, landing on my feet to face them only to have Sarah ruffle the fur on the top of my head. “Rise and shine, princess or you are going to miss chow.”

I huffed, moving quickly to smooth out my fur. “That was not at all amusing. You scared the spirit out of me.”

Sarah and the women giggled, amused by the way I was whining. “That was the point, Kyteen. It’s a military tradition; everyone here gets their turn to be awakened in a dramatic manner.”

The woman who referred me to a cartoon cat placed a light hand onto my shoulder. “Buck up, buttercup. I’m Lieutenant Trish Sands and I can tell you from experience, our first wakeup calls were far worse than that. Still, thanks for the laugh, kid.”

Trish was short but visibly muscular. I huffed at her but could not keep a smile from creeping up on my lips. Trish noticed and gave me a wink. “Welcome to the club, kid; you have officially been initiated.”

The others responded with a resounding, “Hurrah!”

I could only sigh and dress myself for the day. Walking out of the barracks, I caught the rueful smiles of the soldiers I past. It was then I realized Sarah was right, everyone got their turn. Morning meal was uneventful except for the occasional light joke at my expense. I expressed annoyance but inside, I was grateful. They were all including in their day to day lives. It was after chow when permission was given to allow Sarah and I to go into the nearby town for the day. Of course, we both had to wear our uniforms but I did not mind. I was eager to see how the human civilians lived.

Commander Stone smiled at us before we left. “You are getting what you want, princess; let’s hope you like what you get.”

Sarah grinned at that. “The price we pay for diplomacy, sir.”

Commander stone laughed at that and we were off to look around the nearest town which was called New Rising due to it being one of those that had recently risen. Our first stop brought us to a clothing store. There Sarah and I took part in another strange tradition called window shopping. We were not buying windows but looking at what was being offered for purchase. I found myself lost looking at the vast number of designs, styles and colors; it was staggering. The material that made up what they called a dress was so soft to the touch, it left me breathless. “What is this dress made of?”

Sarah looked at the tag on the dress. “It’s made of cotton.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Cot-ton… what is that?”

Sarah looked at me surprised. “Cotton comes from a planet we grow here on Earth. There is a bit of a process involved to turn it into clothing.”

I nodded, smiling. “I like it. Perhaps our diplomats can talk yours into exporting some to us.”

Sarah smiled. “I’m fairly certain that can be arranged.”

Our conversation was interrupted by a young woman. She was tall and professionally dressed. “Excuse me; miss, I am the owner and operator of this clothing store. Do you like that dress?”

Sarah and I turned to her, curious. I turned to Sarah who held a passive stance. “We are just window shopping, ma’am.”

The woman smiled. “Oh no, you misunderstand. I am hoping your extraterrestrial friend would agree to showing my clothing line to the people of her world. Ah, at a discount, of course.”

Sarah frowned. “Of course… How diplomatic.”

The sarcasm was not lost on me. I made a mental note to thank my instructors for teaching me the art of influential conversation. It was a subtle form of negotiation. The goal was to acquire the better part of an agreement without the other party catching on. I gave the woman a sweet, well-practiced smile. “Forgive me but I fear I cannot accept your generous offer. My mother, the queen of our world, is not easily impressed.”

The sale lady stiffened, obviously shocked. “The… The queen of your entire world?”

I hid a grin, I had caught her attention. “Yes; I am princess Kyteen, heir to the Feline throne of Purrearth. Now, I would not wish to give her majesty any impressions that you think of her as running a poor kingdom.”

The color ran from the woman’s face. “Of course not. Perhaps I can donate some of our finest items for the queen to inspect.”

I gave another sweet smile. “That would be satisfactory. I will give her majesty a good word on your behalf.”

I then handed her a single gold coin. I had a pouch of them in the pocket of my night clothes when I was kidnapped. Each coin was made up of ninety nine point nine percent gold. It was what my people used as luck charms. However, I saw the woman almost drooling as she inspected the coin. That was when I knew I had come on top of the agreement.

The woman smiled brightly, a stark contrast to the fake smile she had been holding earlier. “Thank you, your majesty; this way, please…”

Four hours and several shops later, we placed all the bags of donated wares into the back of the jeep. Sarah gave me a bemused look, shaking her head. “Those coins you were giving away are worth more than triple of what had been donated.”

I shrugged, not seeing the issue. “It is abundant on my world; practically useless. We make coins out of them as luck charms.”

Sarah gave me a curious look. “What do you use for trade?”

I smiled. “Credits; backed by planetary resources.”

Sarah nodded then we took me to the next stop. It was a large festival celebrating the historic peace talks around the world. It reminded me of the ceremonial parties for the four equinoxes of the year. There was music, dancing, games, food and drinks of all kinds. People were laughing, singing, and carrying on as if tomorrow would never come. I had wondered why she brought me to the festival. The answer came in as a young, elegantly dressed boy approached and politely bowed before me. “My I please have this dance, princess?”

I turned to Sarah who shrugged as a man approached her. He bowed as well and Sarah took his hand. I turned back to the boy who was waiting for an answer. He was rather handsome, for a human. A shy smile touched the corners of my mouth and I took his hand. He lead me to where others were dancing and we began to move in rhythm with the music. The boy was actually quite talented when it came to dancing. He seemed to know all the traditional dance steps from my world. It made sense as the humans were a psychic race but dances had to be physically learned as well as mentally which made me curious.
“Please, what is your name and how do you know traditional Pride kingdom dancing?”

The boy smiled then pushed back a lock of his longish blond hair revealing small wolf ears. “My name is Prince Cody; heir to the Canine throne of the Lycan kingdom of Purrearth.”

My eyes widened at that. “You are who?!”

Cody sighed. “Like you, I was kidnapped by mercenaries from the Dingo Clan. Our ship was right behind yours and we got pulled through that odd ancient jump gate as well. Only I killed my abductors. The problem is, I did not know how to pilot a ship. So, I ended up crashing in what the humans call New River.”

That made my kidnapping make more sense. The Dingo clan was hoping to make the two kingdoms blame each other for the two kidnappings, thus starting a war. Still, it raised a lot of other questions. “How was your ship not seen? Who took you in? What happened to the ship…”

Cody chuckled. “Easy, princess; I’m getting to that.”

I blushed, relieved that we were unheard by the surrounding crowd of others dancing. “Please, continue.”

Cody smiled. “The pilot of my ship had activated the cloaking field the second he realized we were approaching Earth. That was when I finally managed to escape my bonds and attack.”

I nodded, understanding. “Is the ship still in the river?”

Cody shook his head. “Some group calling themselves the Storm Chasers confiscated it. Only I was already out of the ship and running by then. I was taken in by the Summers family.”

I gasped. “Is the father General Brad summers?”

Cody tilted his head, confused. “Yes; how did you know?”

I shrugged. “Lucky guess. I’m being cared for at the Marine Corps Air station. You should come with us.”

Cody shook his head. “General Summers informed me that having the two of us in the same place would not be a good idea.”

This made me wonder. “Why was I not told of this?”

Cody smiled. “The same reason I did not know about you until General Summers informed me the day before you decided to tour this town.”

That made Brad’s comment when we left the base make more sense. I shook my head muttering, “Unbelievable…”

Cody again chuckled. “I was told that a vessel from the Lycan kingdom and Pride kingdom are already on their its way to Earth to retrieve us. So, in the meantime, let us enjoy the festival.”

What followed was an hour of dancing, singing, talking and all around just having a good time. I got the chance to talk to many of the civilians. They spoke of triumphs, failures and dreams. During a moment to rest, an elderly man sat next to Sarah and I. Cody excused himself then hurried off towards General Brad and his family. His wife was tall, well dressed and very attractive for a human. His daughter looked to be no older than ten was a near mirror image of her mother. They all politely waved at us then quietly walked away, vanishing into the crowded festival. Sarah greeted the old man with a warm hug then motioned to me. “Dad, this is princess Kyteen heir to the Female throne of the Pride Kingdom of the planet Purrearth.”

The man smiled. “Well, that is a mouthful. Do you mind if I simply call you Kyteen?”

I shook my head, agreeing that the title was a mouthful to say. “Kyteen is fine.”

The man chuckled. “Well, Kyteen; my daughter tells me that you want to help your people but are being held back by the demands of a princess.”

I nodded, tears forming. “I just don’t understand.”

The man smiled kindly. “Don’t be in a hurry to grow up, Kyteen. You only get to be a child once. After that, you must face the fact you are growing up and must face growing demands.”

He handed me a clean tissue, which I accepted. “What would you have me do?”

The man chuckled. “You are doing just fine helping your people; you just do not realize it.”

I tilted my head, confused. “Huh?”

The man motioned to the jeep. “You are introducing new fabrics and designs. You are bringing back new dances, songs, ideas for meals and drinks. Sometimes, all the people need is something to make their lives a little more bearable; a little less mundane. A new dance to try, a new song to sing, a new meal to cook…”

For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the old man in shock. His answer was so simple and yet so profound. It was true that I wanted to help my people, make their lives better. Only I was thinking of something grand. This man opened my eyes to the fact that it is the simplest things that reap the greatest benefits. The irony that this advice came from a man was not lost on me. That was when I made a decision. I would learn what I could from these humans until a rescue could come for me. I thanked the man before Sarah and I drove back to the base. We had returned just before lights out. The spoils of our day pass surprised everyone in the barracks.

I chose then to announce my decision. “I want learn your forms of self-defense. In return, I shall teach my worlds techniques. I will talk to Commander Stone in the morning and see if he can arrange it.”

Sarah smiled. “That’s brave of you, princess.”

Trish gave a knowing grin. “Do you think you can keep up with us Marines, buttercup?”

I smiled back. “I guess we will see.”

I was up, dressed and ready before revelry. I left the barracks with the silence I had learned from my instructors. When these techniques were being taught, I sore I would never need them. Fate had a funny way of proving one wrong every time. Only as I stepped outside, my senses alerted me of Earthians in the area. I immediately sneaked back into the barracks and woke Sarah with a quick shake. She looked at me startled but I hushed her quiet. I motioned to the window as four frightening shadows quietly walked passed. Words were unnecessary; Sarah knotted her jaws with determination then nodded. Within seconds, all the woman in the barracks were awake. Within minutes, we were geared up and filing out with our weapons ready. I was in the middle of the group, unarmed but ready to fight if I had to. I spotted a few guards sprawled out on the ground, unmoving.

Sarah checked their pulse and sighed. “They’re alive but they got hit hard. I doubt they knew what hit them.”

This angered me and I instinctively let out a low growl which the others copied. Sarah turned to her radio. “This is Sargent Sarah Winters; we have wolves in the roost!”

Instantly, the base came to life with sirens blaring and search lights combing every corner. Shouts echoed in the night as every Marine charged out with their weapons ready. I was impressed by their efficiency as the four Earthians were quickly confronted. These Earthian intruders were armed with energy weapons but they were still holstered. They were inspecting the building that housed the brig and the surrounding area. Upon noticing us, they stood and took a neutral position. I recognized their uniforms; they were of the royal Lycan guard. Only before I could process this, Commander Hank stepped out of the crowd. Again, his voice was booming and commanding as he introduced himself. “You four better start explaining your presence on my base! We humans do not appreciate being shook from a sound sleep!”

The leader of the four took a cautious step forward and saluted. “I am Commander of the Lycan royal guard. We are under orders of his highness King Lycian. We were to take three mercenaries into custody and bring them to justice. However, they have escaped prior to our arrival. A number of your men were neutralized in the process of their escape.”

Sarah stepped up and introduced herself. “The three men you are speaking of are guilty of serious crimes on our nation’s soil. They must be captured with all haste or risk creating an already delicate situation that may lead to an interplanetary incident.”

Bristle nodded. “We were hoping to secure the prisoners and be gone before you were aware of our presence.”

I then stepped forward. Seeing me, Bristle paused and raised a single eyebrow. I cleared my throat. “The three mercenaries were under orders of the Dingo Clan. Their mission was to use me and Prince Cody, the son of your king, in scheme to start a conflict between the kingdoms. We fought back and ended up on Earth.”

Bristle knelt down to my level. “Dear princess; on behalf of the Lycan kingdom, I apologize for the actions of the rival clan.”

I raised my hand, silencing him. “The peace between our kingdoms is intact. I and Price Cody are safe in two separate locations. However, we have more pressing matters to address. Those three mercenaries named Fang, Beta and Omega have sworn to start a conflict with the humans.”

I turned to Commander Hank who gravely nodded. “I am certain you have noticed our advancements as your vessel entered our system. We are changing, evolving in real time.”

I stepped closer to Bristle. “This is a delicate and chaotic crossroads for this species. The capture of these mercenaries must be swift and discrete. We do not want to give humanity the wrong impression that we are the hostile species.”

Bristle straightened and turned to Commander Hank. “We offer our resources to help capture the rogues of our world. They may be put to trial on your soil if you wish it.”

Commander shook his head. “With all respect, Commander Bristle, we would just rather them off our planet. We have enough issues of our own to sort out. However, we welcome your assistance.”

The two saluted each other then turned and saluted me. I saluted in turn before Commander Hank addressed his men. “Gear up, Alpha team; three alien mercenaries have escaped and are on the loose! The Lycan royal guard will be assisting us!”

I stepped up, anxious. “How may I assist, commander?”

Commander Hank gave Commander Bristle shared a hint of a grin. Hank then turned to me. “Princess Kyteen, you are to remain on base and coordinate with the troops. We may need a hand and the mercenaries may decide to double back.”

I straightened, pride filling my heart. I saluted him. “I shall not fail you, commander.”

Commander Hank saluted in return. “Carry on, Princess Kyteen.”

With that, the Marines and members of the Lycan royal guard took a number of jeeps and raced to New Rise. Once they were gone, I turned back to Sarah with a knowing smile. “The commander just ordered me to sit tight and stand by.”

Sarah smiled in return. “Your parents and the royal guard used that trick on you already, didn’t they?”

I shrugged then nodded. “At least he did not ruffle the fur on my head as the guards back home did.”

Then General Brad stepped out of the shadows with Prince Cody, causing everyone to become tense. “Princess Kyteen, Prince Cody, your presence is required at the flight tower.”

I pointed at myself, uncertain. “They need me?”

Cody looked up at Brad. “General?”
Brad smiled. “Commander Stone ordered you to coordinate with the troops as he may need a hand, did he not?”

I smiled at that, getting an idea of what Brad was hinting at. “Hurrah, general!”

Cody and the troops responded with a rowdy, “Hurrah!”

With that, Sarah, Trish and I were in a jeep racing towards the control tower. Somehow, Brad and Cody got there first and got us access inside. We were taken to a room under the flight tower. There, we were introduced to technology and equipment I recalled seeing in a museum display on my world. Only this all had been somehow rebuilt and improved upon. Holographic displays of New rise showed Commander Hank and Alpha team and the Royal Lycan guards. They were just now reaching the town of New Rise. I saw the residents huddled in their homes and remembered that they were psychic. The Dingo mercenaries were so intent on starting a conflict, it was practically shouting from their minds for all humans to hear. The three Dingoes had taken defensive positions behind three different buildings. From my training, I knew that they were planning an ambush.

Brad pointed to the holographic display. “On July 23, 2012, a space probe of unknown origin and design crashed in a desert on the other side of our nation. It had been hit by a strong solar storm that missed the Earth. We studied and reverse engineered the technology we found to suit our needs.”

Cody grinned. “Wicked…”

It was a marvel of human ingenuity but there were more pressing matters to attend to. “Sorry general but can the lesson wait until we catch the bad guys?”

Brad nodded then motioned to four headsets. “Sargent Winters, on satellite! Prince Cody, you will assist her! Lieutenant Sands, on coms! Princess Kyteen, you will assist her! I will be on the radio with the tower!”

We all replied immediately, “Yes sir!”

What followed was a highly organized operation. We each played a crucial role in leading a team of two worlds. Working as one, we were able to quickly captured three dangerous criminals without a single civilian being harmed. Sarah and Cody used the images taken from the satellite feed to keep track of the Dingo’s radio chatter and movements. Trish communicated real time reports on the enemy’s positions from their front. I called in what I saw from their rear. General Brad kept a channel open with the base tower, keeping watch for any reinforcements. I was fairly proud of myself when it was all done.

Trish patted us on the back, nearly knocking us over. “Not bad, Buttercup and Romeo. You two may yet have what it takes to be true Marines.”

Cody blushed. “Romeo?”

Trish laughed. “Tradition, kid. Everyone here gets a nickname.”

I smiled, proud. “Thanks. Coming from you, it means a lot.”

Trish grinned. “What do you say we learn some of those defense techniques you’ve been telling us about?”

Sarah laughed. “I have first shot at her.”

Trish shook her head. “Don’t make me pull rank, Sargent…”

I cleared my throat. “I am pulling rank, ladies. Sarah will be facing me first. I’m saving the biggest challenge for last.”

Cody blushed even more. “I already had my training with the guys, thank you.”

The women and I laughed at that though I could not blame him. Then, Brad’s voice came through. “The mercenaries are secure under the custody of the Royal Lycan Guard. Good job, everyone. Thank you for your assistance, Princess Kyteen and Prince Cody.”

Cody and I smiled and replied in unison, “Hurrah, Commander.”

The following morning, Fang, Beta and Omega were escorted onto Commander Bristle’s vessel under the watch of his Royal Guards. Bristle and Cody gave me a court bow. “It would be my honor to escort you back to Purrearth, fair princess.”

I raised my hand, smiling. “Your offer is greatly appreciated, noble guard. However, I have one last task to perform here on Earth before returning home.”

Bristle tilted his head, curious. “Pray tell what is this task?”

I smiled, motioning to the Marines. “I have agreed to a culture exchange with these humans. A vessel has already been dispatched to collect me. However, your people may wish to do the same.”

Bristle raise a single eyebrow. “Explain.”

I took a blanket from Trish who had been holding and presented it to Bristle. “This is made of cotton. I believe your king would very much approve of it and negotiate a trade deal.”

Curious, Bristle took the blanket and was immediately aware of how soft it was to the touch. “I am certain King Lycian would be honored by this gift from the humans.”

He and I shared a bow before Bristle and Cody boarded his ship, the two exchanging salutes with General Brad and Commander Hank. We watched as the vessel rose from the ground and took to the sky, rapidly vanishing from sight. Once they were gone, General Brad turned to Commander Hank. “I have another visitor to speak to; the base is yours, commander.

Hank nodded. “General…”

Brad then nodded at me and walked off. There was a bright flash and a dull boom then he was gone. I turned to Hank, surprised to which he shook his head. “I have learned from experience not to ask too many questions when it comes to him.”

I nodded at that, wondering if General Brad was also an alien. With everything I had learned, I decided it best not to ponder over it. Instead, I stepped up to Commander Hank, managing a proper salute. “I have a request, sir.”

Hank rose a single eyebrow. “What is your request, princess?”

I smiled. “I wish to learn from your fellow Marines and teach them some of the techniques we use on Purrearth.”

Hank smiled. “General Summers spoke to me about your request. Are you sure you can keep up, Private ‘Buttercup’ Kyteen Purr?”

I gave a rueful smile to that knowing I would never hear the end of it from the royal guard back home. “Yes, sir. I believe I can keep up and race ahead, sir.”

Hank shrugged. “Alright, princess. Let’s see what you got.”

I saluted. “Hurrah, sir!”

For the next two weeks, I trained under Commander Hank and the other members of the United States Marine Corps. It was grueling work, filled with miles of jogging, challenging obstacle courses and so much more. I was pushed to my very limits, something the instructors on my world would have never dared. I had learned to fight in ways that I could have never dreamed of. I also taught the Marines fighting and stealth techniques from my home world. Trish took to them like a fish to water. During our down time, I got the opportunity to share recipes with the chefs and learn the bugle calls. I graduated from the impromptu boot camp with flying colors. A small ceremony was held and I was presented with a plaque stating I had graduated.

I was given the plaque by Commander Hank. He seemed to be hiding some of his emotions as he saluted me. “We’re going to miss you around the base, Buttercup. Oh, I mean Fair Princess.”

I giggled then whispered, “Only you and my fellow Marines may call me Buttercup. And perhaps my mother…”

Hank stifled a laugh then began to present me with a number of awards including best marksmen. When the ceremony was completed, Sarah, Trish and my fellow Marines applauded me then rushed up to celebrate with me. It was an exhilarating, profound and proud moment for me. We held a more rowdy celebration in the mess hall where I got my first taste of their beer. Everyone expected me to spit it out and run for a tall glass of tea. Only, to my own surprise, I liked it.

I gave a wink to Trish then smiled at my fellow Marines. “Do you boys got anything stronger?”

The room erupted into laughter. Trish patted me on the shoulder. “We do, Buttercup but it’s forbidden on base.”

Then, commander Hank called for attention. “I just received word that a royal vessel from the Pride Kingdom has entered settled into orbit around our planet. They will send an away shuttle to retrieve princess Kyteen tomorrow morning.”

The celebration dulled slightly and we all said our goodbyes before cleaning up in time for lights out. I doubted any of us got much sleep that night but everyone was ready the next morning, in dress uniform to see me off. I chose to also wear my dress uniform in a show of solidarity. Only Sarah and Trish had gotten me a long red robe for me to wear over it. The robe was actually part of a Mrs. Clause costume, whoever that was, but I did not mind. A red carpet was rolled out for me and my fellow Marines stood on either side of it. They had their swords drawn and raised high in a show of respect as I walked proudly to the away shuttle. I was in for a surprise when the entry ramp opened revealing my mother, the queen!

She walked to me with all the grace I had known her for then she unceremoniously took me up into her arms and hugged me. “Oh, my most precious treasure. If I had lost you…”

I blushed profusely while my fellow Marines struggled to keep a straight face. “Mother… Please, not in front of the Marines.”

My mother then noticed my attire and luggage before she giggled and released me. “I see you have already taken it upon yourself to establish the beginnings of first contact, a culture exchange and shopping spree.”

I smiled at that, still blushing. “The price we all pay for a little diplomacy, your highness.”

My mother smiled in return. “I received reports from the Royal Lycan Guards. You and Prince Cody both did well. I am very proud of you, my daughter.”

Commander Hank saluted the queen. “It was an extreme honor and a pleasure to have Princess Kyteen among us, your majesty.”

My mother clumsily returned the salute. “I am honored you and your men considered my daughter as one of your own. It is a rare gesture on other worlds.” She then gently took me into her arms. “Let us go home. We have much to discuss.”

With that, she carried me into the shuttle while two guards took my luggage onboard. I saluted my fellow marines, who saluted in turn, and watched until we had rose out of Earth’s atmosphere into space…

Inside the vessel heading to Earth, Kyteen sighed, a tiny grin on her face. “A lot changed when my mother and I returned to the palace. She was very impressed with what Earth had to offer and very surprised by their sudden advancement. A royal alliance was forged between the Pride and Lycan kingdoms. As for myself, I was assigned to train our troops what we now call ‘The way of the Marine’.”

Gnosarac smiled. “What an incredible journey you had. I have no doubt the marines will celebrate your return as an ambassador.”

Norida beamed with pride. “My daughter has matured greatly with many thanks to the human Marines.”

Gnosarac nodded then turned to the others. “Who would like to tell their tale next?”