This God Forsaken Planet

Chapter 5

 Apparently agitation was not the approved reaction, because the next thing Shmutle knew he was hit with some kind of energy weapon. He woke up in a cell. He was in a bright orange jump suit, with a white garment underneath. The room was dark, and he was tied to a bed. It took Shmutle a second to realize he was restrained to the bed.

"Oh hey, you're awake," a voice hissed right behind Shmutle's ear, "So pretty, what's your name?"

"Shmutle..." Shmutle squeaked.

"Shmutle, eh?" the voice seemed to have licked the syllables as the apparent speaker maneuvered around the edge of the bed. If Shmutle was anywhere near a calm blue before, he was very yellow now. The speaker continued, "What were your intentions with Earth?"

"We came to observe who that the radio signals were put out by," Shmutle stuttered. He tried to pick his words carefully, but this person (human?) was unnerving to the point that Shmutle found himself suddenly remembering the human race's tendency to eat almost everything.

"English isn't your strong suit is it?" The speaker loomed over Shmutle. He didn't look human, nor Toef.

"I speak little English," Apologized Shmutle, he flashed lavender for a second before returning to a nervous yellow.

"May this wouldst suite you better?" The speaker said in old Toef.

"How do you know Toef?" Shmutle squeaked. He turned an even brighter yellow.

"Toef, I speak fluent Toog, the Toef language hath been extinct for thousands of years!"

"Toog? The Toogs are an old wives tale! Your speaking old Toef, quit pulling my leg!" Shmutle was slightly agitated now, but his main color was still yellow. The speaker turned an overhead light on. Both Shmutle and his interrogator gasped. The sharp features, the scaly, patterned skin which made him hard to read, and his long angular face, indeed Shmutle was staring up at a Toog.

"What is thy ships name?" The Toog demanded, his pattern changed only slightly.

"The Solar Vapor why?" Shmutle squealed.

"So that's how thou got here," the Toog said quietly, "Stay yellow thou squishy little lump or thy might find Thou self dead."

With that the Toog left Shmutle tied to the bed and tried to leave the cell.

"Where do you think you're going champ?" said a guard that was out of Shmutle line of sight.

"He is not of my species so I request a new cell, and I have a recording to translate," the Toog said calmly in English to the guard.

"Ogg, You know that translation is your sister's job, and you also know that once transferred you must live in your new cell for at least two weeks," The Guard said, "Unless that little guy attacks you, which I strongly doubt he will at this point, you are stuck there for another fourteen days."

"Fates damn it!" Shouted the Toog, who was apparently named Ogg, as stomped away from the cell door.

"Umm..." Said Shmutle, nervously.

"WHAT?" Growled Ogg, as he turned to face Shmutle.

"I was wondering if there were any news about my Professor." Shmutle asked quietly, "She was hurt really badly in the crash, and one of the Humans told me she was dead but then he said was joking so I really have no idea about what's going on."

Ogg's expression softened slightly, then hardened again. "She'll be fine. Now if thou ever want to see her again, I suggest thou shut the hell up and go to sleep."