Orphaned Moons

A park ranger becomes the first to greet alien neighbors.

The sky opened, and the moons came down with the orphans of another world.
Urban Park Ranger Minji Lin Yun was leading a Natural Classroom with 30 students and two teachers. She was going over the ecosystem highlights, discussing how the plants, animals, and humans are connected.

“Just like neighbors,” Minji said.

A little girl watched as a bird put a straw wrapper in its nest. “I don’t think we’re very good neighbors…”

Minji’s smile didn’t change but she sighed internally. Nature mixing with litter was not on the lesson plan today but it was an example of interaction between species after all.

This was the high point of the job. Usually she was giving the same violators the same citations that they would ignore just like her.
Minji loved watching the look of kids raised in the City experiencing the closest thing to a wilderness. Kids still treated her like she mattered.

She felt it before she saw them. A staccato of booms from way above their heads that vibrated her bones. Everything seemed to go silent as she and everyone else in New York City looked up to see dozens of matte white spheres descending like they were going down a set of invisible stairs. They weren’t just falling like cannon balls but intelligently controlling their descent from high in the atmosphere. They were right on top of her and the kids, their view completely inhibited.

As the craft grew closer, they looked like moons the size of brownstones. They were pockmarked, dented, and cratered. The objects stopped descending and the park erupted into screams.
She wanted to scream too, “I need an adult,” she thought “Crap! I am an adult! I need a more adult, adult!”

Two of the objects broke formation and descended. Minji’s pulse pounded in her ears as she watched.

Her radio came to life, “Everyone clear the area! Get as far away from those things as you can! Evacuate! Now! Get outta there! Move ya butts!” The accent was as thick as the air.

Minji felt resolve flowing through her as she reached and turned down the volume. Taking a deep breath, she put on her aviator sunglasses to give herself some greater sense of authority.

“Hey! Eyes on me! Eyes on me! Move to the tree line CALMLY ok?!” The kids and teachers believed even if she didn’t believe herself. “You guys are doing great! Proud of you!”

Everything flashed in her mind “are we under an attack? No, they would have already done something. These ‘moons’ look like they were fired on and didn’t fire back. Probably couldn’t fire back.”
It reminded her of pictures her grandmother had that were passed down from Korea, from the war. It reminded her of images on TV, of concrete pelted with craters from bullets, of far flung corners of the world that she would never see. Other people scrambled but whether because she was brave or foolish, Minji stood firm. These weren’t battleships, these were escape pods.

The grass rippled as the two ships came down. There were helicopters flying around now, people were recording the moment. As the ‘moons’ shaded her from the sun, the Minji took off her sunglasses and hung them from her shirt pocket.

CLICK-CLUNK

The two craft touched down and heard two mechanical notes like the door chime of an old bodega she went to with her grandmother. As a breeze wafted in her direction, Minji could smell fire and ozone. Doors were opening on one craft. There was light inside and figures.
Children screamed.

A tall figure began to exit the moon. Minji tried not to shake. The figure was tall and broad. They were obviously a warrior to anyone who could see; dented and stained body armor on top of a dirty suit. One hand rested on the pommel of a sword on their waist, a long curved blade like a scimitar. Their other hand was on their chest, cradling a bundle of fabric. They wore a helmet that looked like a lynx or a puma’s head. She marveled how the armor looked ancient and modern all at once and how intricate the design of the golden helmet was, like it was actually covered in fur. Then the ears of the helmet twitched. The eyes blinked.

“That’s a face, oh my god that’s its face…” she put on a smile to keep from panicking. The bundle in the other arm twitched and the big hand on the sword left the weapon and began to caress the tiny furry face of another creature, a baby.

“Aww…” the sound left Minji’s mouth and the eyes of the warrior shot in her direction, then slowly blinked. It was the same look an exhausted parent would give on the subway. It was an acknowledgement of being acknowledged. The feline nodded exhaled slowly and turned their attention back to the infant in their arms.

CLICK-CLUNK

The doors to the other craft opened. Minji looked over her shoulder at the children and then put on her most convincing grin. To her left she watched as a robed figure emerge from the ‘moon.’ She could see little figures behind them. This one looked like an emaciated lion mixed with a jaguar. Their tan and khaki robes looked dirty and worn. She looked into their greenish yellow eyes and watched them blink slowly like a house cat asking for trust. Their lips were curled into the same fake grin as hers.
She instinctively raised a hand in a greeting as they walked towards each other and the thin feline did the same.

“Hey there!” Minji said Then came the shrieks from inside the ‘moon.’ Something squeezed at her heart but it wasn’t fear. She had heard the same sounds coming from the 30 young souls behind her.

Then came shushing sounds, just like she made to calm the children.
“There’s kids in there…” she said aloud, “scared kids…” she could feel her legs moving as she approached and then she heard something else, something that sounded like purring and chittering.

Other furry faces, little ones, peered out the door. Their tattered tunics were dirty but the children themselves were not. She understood immediately that this was a fellow teacher or caretaker. Someone who was looking after children. She looked to her right at the massive warrior with the baby.

“If we’re being invaded,” she thought, “they’re doing a really bad job if they’re sending kids first.”

The robed figure in front of her wore a red-violet scarf. They raised their hand to their eyes to shield them from the bright sun. Minji saw as they noticed her sunglasses and then pointed at them. Minji nodded and took the blue tinted aviators in her hand and held them out just as the feline in front of her held out a furry hand. She could see the dust in their fur and the tears being held back. They both looked over the shoulders after making the exchange and looked at their respective groups of children as to say “see? They aren’t bad, they aren’t scary aliens.”

“Hello, my name is Ranger Minji Yun; what’s yours?” she spoke slowly and clearly, trying to continue remaining calm while her blood pressure went through the roof.
The figure made a murmuring noise and stared at her in a mild panic, then looked over their shoulder as another figure was trying to make their way past the young cubs. This one looked gangly and like their ears were too large.

The skinny jaguar-lion said something that was mostly vowels, purring, and clicks that had the vibe of ‘hurry up! Don’t embarrass me! C’mon!”

“Taví! Hé! Maa! Brú Tav, pffírr má! Maa!”

The figure hurried over; their robes flying up just enough to catch their “backwards” digitigrade legs. Their feet were covered in small shoes; one brown, one black, both barely holding together. The first figure looked a little impatient but not unkind as the smaller one hurried over.

Taking a deep breath, they spoke, “Salve-er… Good morrow! We are Felivar. Are we… understood?”

“Fella-far? Um good morning,” she was breathing deep and slow and so was the being in front of her.

“Fell-lee-var,” the feline person repeated as they looked into the brown eyes of the short human. They said it like it was going to be forgotten. This being was cleaner than the other ones but they seemed nervous. They nodded while looking into Minji’s eyes, “yes, Felivar,” they spoke slowly with many purring R’s, “We have. Have traveled from-er… from a great-spá… great distance and-er in. In order to take refuge. Here. Ūrthu. Er-sorry. Sorry, Earth.”

They were shaking like a leaf, blinking rapidly. Their shoulders were hunched as they seemed so self conscious. Every word was a strain and they hoped they were being understood.

“This… I am called Tavy Hulu-Hrâa.” Said the very nervous Felivar then repeated their name slowly, “Ta-vi H’rooloo-H’ra. I have studied. Many languages. Though fear that, I… They are no longer in use.”

The cadence was off but the effort was earnest.
“You’re doing just fine Tavy,” she said with a nod and a soft smile meant to comfort while her mind was screaming “what’s going on?!” But what she said was “I am Ranger Minji Yun.”

She kept her tight smile but stared at the sight in front of her of two humanoid cats and the warrior cat clutching a baby. Another voice rang out, it was worn with age and was reminiscent of her grandmother.
“Hey low n-neighborrr!” Minji looked at a stooped, frail figure buried in robes of gold and beige with huge splotches of mud. Like a priest who had been gardening or digging.
This one reminded her of a very old white cat her aunt used to have, with the telltale signs of cataracts forming and thin fur. The younger two took respectful small step back as the old one approached, hands up like an excited grandparent seeing a child.
“Hey-low! Halo!” The cat was trying its best to use English as they walked behind the warrior.
The thin young one said something that sounded like a chirp to the elder and then, “hello, Gá-Hrúáru.”
The elder patted the young one’s shoulder gently as to say, ‘they knew what I said,” and pressed their cheek to the young one. Other individuals with similar robes walked filed out of the craft, an entourage for the ‘pope.’
She watched as the aged feline prepared the gesture with the other young one. The elder then looked at her and shuffled forward before they took both of her hands, their palms and fingers were callused and the back of their hands were covered in soft white fur with faint gray tiger stripes like the rest of them.
“You arrr leaderrr?” They looked hopeful, the sweet and smokey scent of incense drifted off their dirty vestments.

“No, just of this class. Just today.”

The elder still smiled warmly. The ranger tried not to look into their blue eyes, they looked so sorrowful despite their friendly demeanor. They gave her hands a little squeeze before releasing them and taking a step back. The warrior cautiously approached now with their baby in their arm.

“Yūun?” Asked the elder excitedly. Minji nodded and the elder looked thrilled. “Rá Yúun-Ón-sh; Yūun!” they said as they patted Tavy’s shoulder more firmly as if saying “see? I told you so.”

Tavy nodded at the elder and then gestured to the warrior with the baby.
“This is Protector Ōrow Ana-nek’d”

“Oorow Anna…Naked?” She made a small smirk and Tavy frowned.
Tavy thought for a moment and then made a choice that would change how all of their people would be named.

“Ranger Minji Yūun, Meet Protector Oorow Bobtail.”

The warrior parent gave a slight bow and then continued to dote on their baby.
The title and surname was translated so they wouldn’t lose meaning and the given name left nearly original to be recognizable.

Tavy then gestured to the elder in dirty gold and tan robes. “This is High Priest Niikri Soft-paw.”

The High Priest slowly wiggled their ears and titled their head in a bow at the young woman, “Shær Minji Yúun, rá Yúun-Ón-sh…” they looked like an amused grandparent.

Tavy took a deep breath and gestured to the other young one, “and this is… Advisor to Education…” Tavy shook their head and then took a breath; a correction, “forgive me, Chancellor Ekoko Tornclaw.”

Tornclaw was wearing Minji’s aviator sunglasses and grinning. They gave a sassy little wave and seemed to ask something of Tavy that sounded like a staccato meow, “Rá Yúun-Ón-sh?” Ekoko purred as Tavy’s ears twitched and nodded, “our first…”

Minji extended her hand confidently, “welcome to Earth.”
She shook hands with all the present Felivar. Other humans were closer now, filming the moment. Tavy nodded and grasped her hand like someone being pulled from the depths, “Linguist Tavy Blackwhisker.”

“Nice to meet ya.”