The blood moons rose, Anyos and Phoebos riding together. Blood light tinted the lito crystals at the bottom of the crater.

Tenshi watched the round, silver shuttlecraft with the indecipherable markings settle on the scattered crystals. The whirring engines cut into the silence.

Humans. How dare they land on his planet without his permission.

He ducked behind a huge rock of gold quartz, one of a row at the side of the basin. A cold wind rushed over him and he shivered in the flimsy cotton death shroud. He wished for his warm padded robes, turned to call out to Hiro and realized he was alone and unprotected. His stasis gas jumbled mind searched for the reason, but found nothing. Tenshi flattened his cold face against the stone's warm smoothness and begged its kami to protect him and keep him unseen.

The shuttle sat like a beetle, hunched and waiting. A door hissed open. Two humans exited the ship and scanned the crater. One was a woman. The trade delegation had not included women and Tenshi had wondered how they reproduced. Apparently, human women existed.

The human voices echoed as they covered their vessel with a beige camouflage. The fertile moon-blood scent of the woman, so indescribably different, wafted over the gritty sand. Tenshi's hands shook. He hungered and desert thirst dried his mouth.

The wind brought his wife's tender fragrance. He stiffened. Where was Kokuei? What had they done to her? Did they keep her on the shuttle? He heard the faint clank of chains against wood and strained to see around the hill of crystals in the middle of the crater. Had they tied her up on the other side in this forsaken place? Who would hear her cries?

The male human sprinted off over the sand. Tenshi heard the harsh unknown language. More clanging of chains. What did he do to her? Tenshi crouched, ready to attack. The female human pulled out her laser. He stayed hidden and watched, a frustrated weaponless coward. The man came back into view, escorting Kokuei unharmed and unchained, her pregnancy swelling her blue velvet robe. The three of them walked to the ship, entered it and closed the door.

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