Chapter 3: Gunner

A black ship revealed itself. No. Not a ship. A shuttlecraft.

Julie raised her head, so did the Barg.

The craft wasn't making a smooth landing, smoke poured from the craft. It looked to be on fire.

With the loudest bang, Julie had ever heard, the ship crushed the alien with a mighty boom that shook the ground.

A large white spark cracked from the engine of the mysterious ship as it impacted the dust-covered ground.

This ship wasn't spherical, the shape was triangular with smooth wings sticking out of each side. The nose of the craft was cemented to the ground, beneath it lay the green Barg who was now in hundred pieces.

The explosion of this craft sent Julie flying backward.

Her ears were ringing a bit from the massive blast of the chaotic landing.

Julie stood, aiming her gun at the ship with a loud cough. Her muscular sinewy arms tense. Her pants and shirt were covered in dirt.

The top of the craft opened.

"Come out slowly! I have a gun!" Yelled Julie as she fearlessly approached the fallen ship. To her, it looked broken beyond repair.

From the top of the jet, a green Barg revealed itself. The lizard-like body was instantly recognizable. It's very human-like as far as arms and legs go.

It wore a tight black jumpsuit. Its smooth, reptilian head was not covered by a helmet, it was clear as day, it looked like a seven ft. tall gecko. Its yellow eyes glowed.

It cocked its head from left to right.

The Barg hopped from the cockpit of the craft and landed on two feet. Its boots lit up with tiny lights.

Julie ran towards the creature, like a football player, she tackled it to the ground and began rapidly punching its face.

"Where is my son?!" She yelled into its face, gripping its throat with her hands which felt rough upon his scaly flesh.

"Who?!" The alien croaked between gasps.

"You! I-I can understand you! Why?" Her grip tightened. She was kneeling upon the athletic-looking creature. She could easily overpower him and kill him right now if she wanted to.

"Let go!" The lizard spat, revealing a pink mouth with rows of sharp teeth.

A creature. An alien. Most would want to study it, ask it the meaning of life. Ask it where it came from. What came first, the chicken or the egg? I was convinced it knew where my son had ended up.

She finally released the Barg, stood on her feet, and stepped back; her gun aimed directly at the space creature.

He rubbed his throat gently with one green, clawed hand.

"I'll ask you one last time, you son of a bitch. WHY do I understand you? Who are you?" She frowned; a tear escaped her eye.

Her hands shook, a trickle of sweat dripped down the side of her head.

"Stop yelling at me. I want you to understand me. I've studied earth. I've studied your language. What the hell are you going on about? Your son? Who I didn't take by the way." The lizard retorted.

The anthropomorphic, scaled creature stood; arms raised above his head. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw his crashed ship sticking out of the ground.

"You must know where David is, Barg scum." She cocked the gun, the barrel nearly touching its reptilian snout.

"Gunner." He snapped, then took a deep breath. "My name is Gunner. How did you know I was a Barg?"

"Shut up. You things have names?" Julie lowered her weapon slowly, keeping it at her side, gripping it so hard, veins started popping from her wrist.

She looked into the yellow eye of a cold-blooded creature.

Its eye. Like a snake. Yellow iris with a black sliver for a pupil. Mysterious, but deadly no doubt. Well, look into my eye, you alien bastard. I bet you see rage. Rage from a mother who wants her baby.

"Why the hell would you take earth over? Hm? Ruin billions of lives? Destroy our cities? Kidnap our children?" Julie walked around the creature, unblinking, her heart pounded. She stared at Gunner's muscles and his spandex-looking, black jumpsuit. She took notice of the texture, the elbow, and the knee pads. Around Gunner's waist, was a silver, leather utility belt. His grey boots flashed tiny lights.

"If it were up to me, my culture would've stayed out. My father, Taurus is the leader of the Barg. He's the one you should hate. He orchestrated this mess." Gunner looked to his boots.

She holstered her weapon after a deep breath and nodded to the creature.

***

Rummaging through the junkyard, Julie kept an eye on Gunner as he admired the blue sky and soft cotton-like clouds. He enjoyed the breeze on his skin. A sensation he had felt before on other planets, but not quite in such a pleasant manner. Earth did indeed seem one of the better planets to inhabit life. Seemed built for humans.

"So, do you identify as male?" Julie was now on her knees, looking through metal scrap. She found a few screws and some plastic water bottles.

"Yup. They're over a hundred different genders on my planet. So, fair question."

"How old are you?" Julie cocked her head.

"Nine glacks." He shrugged.

Julie looked at him like he was-well an alien.

"In human years?" She asked a bit more defensively than maybe was necessary.

The young star beast counted in his native tongue quietly. "Seventeen." Gunner looked much taller than Julie would've pictured for a teen. But maybe the adult Bargs were much bigger.

"Let's get to the important stuff. Why did you take over the earth?" She stood as she unzipped her backpack put some scrap inside and took a swig of water from her jug.

"I didn't take over earth!" Gunner sighed, followed by his yellow eyes rolling. His voice raised, then he sighed and looked to his feet. "I'll tell you, my story. If you'll listen and not smack me again."

"Okay. I'm sorry I punched you in the face."