Marcus

I would like to thank Candidofranco for faithfully editing my story.

*****

My name is Marcus. I am alive, but not human. I am a Valcan. I come from a land beyond your stars. Interstellar travel is common among my people, but I have traveled further than any have ever gone before.

I was in Cryo sleep on auto pilot. My pod was struck by a meteor shower and thrown well off course. I woke here, my pod no longer capable of flight. I gathered what would be of use to me and set my pod to auto-destruct mode. I walked away hoping this was a hospitable planet.

My first impression of this land was not favorable. Dry, arid. Sand as far as any eye could discern, and my kind's site is telescopic. We also see as clear and far in the night as we do during the day.

I could smell water. I headed for the source trotting without rest for three days. This tireless pace did not bother me. I had just come from Cryo and would not require rest for several cycles.

I came across my first human the next day. His fright causing him to fall, stumble and scramble away. It did not take me long to understand why. In my Valcan form I am fierce to behold. I went after the human and dragged him into a copse of trees. I needed to bite him in order to activate my shape shifting ability. I needed DNA to construct a human form.

Unlike many other species, mine does not require taking the actual shape of its mark. We merely need the organic road map to create a shape that functions as it should. This was fortunate as my mark had an undesirable form even for a human. After shifting I regrettably had to terminate my mark to ensure that I would not be discovered.

My new form was quite pleasing. I required a great height in order to remain comfortable in my human form. My Valcan height exceeded 7 feet so my frame would not rest well in a body that stood less than 6'5 for an extended period of time and I was stuck here.

I kept many of my own features during my shift. My long black hair, large forehead, large square jaw. These rugged features transferred well to a human male face and made holding the shape memory easier. The silver of my native eyes blended well with the stormy gray color some humans possess. My muscular body would serve me well too. My kind are 'inhumanly' strong and fast and this body would allow me to keep and utilize many of my natural attributes.

I looked down as I felt a pulling sensation between my legs. Valcan reproductive systems are large, but tucked away in folds that act as protection for the males organs, only protruding to copulate. This form obviously 'fit' my true shape well. My shaft was hard from the physical stimulation of the change. It looked to be 9 inches. This pleased me as it meant I had not lost much to my shift. It did leave me with one problem though. Human males were quite inept at protecting their life source. I would need garments.

I traveled around a lot learning many languages and cultures. Years passed as I explored what I now knew to be earth. Many of the females of this species wished to procreate with me. I found this to be very disagreeable as Valcans are a highly spiritual and educated race. Procreation of our kind only occurred after the mating ceremony and Valcans mate for life.

We live much longer than humans and if a mate dies, we seldom find another. Preferring instead to pursue academic, scientific or security advancements rather than another emotional life connection. There are few among us that ever have a second life mate.

It was during my travels that I met Jon. He was an Amish man. He gave me my first earth home. He was young at the time and exploring like me. It was his Rumspringa. A time when Amish youth are encouraged to explore the modern world before agreeing to be baptized and joining the community as an adult. This is about the time when courtship begins, although most of their females would wisely not consider the suit of one who had not received his baptism.

Jon Lapp and I became deeply bonded to one another. He is what I would have called a brother if I had been human. I cared for him deeply and understood many of his ways being deeply spiritual myself. When Jon decided to return to his home, he took me with him. I found acceptance among his people and Jon and I were baptized together.

There was already a female that Jon intended to court. He was married to Sarah for two summers with a child due before I met my Hannah.

Hannah was the most beautiful human woman I had ever seen and I felt a strong desire to mate with her. Hannah had a large build and suited my human frame perfectly. However, I soon discovered that even she could not take all of me and I was forced to be slow and careful in our bed. This is not natural for my kind as our women are built to take us fully and procreation is often vigorous and satisfying for us.

None the less, Hannah and I were very happy together but it was sharply scored by the loss of babe after babe. I began to believe that humans and Valcans could not have life together. Many times Hannah wept as our children never came to be.

We lived domestically for 30 human years and in that time many changes occurred. I keenly felt the loss of several of the men in our community. Jon was among them.

Sarah wanted to take her babes back across the state to her family. She loved Jon's family but, they were few and aging. She needed help and support to raise her young ones.

Hannah wanted to go too. She felt that it would help her to be in a community that was a stranger to her loss of children. It would offer her a new start. Since we were going I offered to take Sarah to her family.

In our new home there was a lot to get used to. Many families no longer farmed, but rather worked out in the neighboring towns and cities. Some ran independent businesses, Bed and Breakfasts, markets, and stores. This was a much more progressive community than the one we were from, where farming was strictly adhered to for a livelihood and Hannah was delighted.

The year Hannah was to turn 50 we had an unexpected arrival. Our daughter was carried full term and we brought our sweet Katie home.

I had not changed much in the years we were together because of the slower aging of my kind. Hannah however, had aged a lot, though, my love and desire for her had not diminished at all.

Hannah struggled to recover her strength after the birth of our daughter. This would not have been the case had Hannah been Valcan. Families on my planet share an empathy connection and the mother and child share a unique relationship that is very symbiotic in nature. Birthing actually restores the mother.

I feared that Hannah's age and her frail human nature would keep her from returning to her previous state of health. She never did fully recoup. Her health continued to fail and at Katie's 3rd winter Hannah fell ill. As the season passed Hannah's life passed with it.

I did not expect to feel the loss of my mate so keenly. An acute pain took up residence in my chest and never waned. I was not alone in this. Little Katie, who had such life in her, abruptly stopped speaking. She would not receive comfort from anyone, including me. She would pass through her days routine, but without any life. It was as if her small spirit had followed her mother.

I decided to return home where our daughter would not be reminded of her mother at every turn. This would not be the case for me.

Hannah and I had decided not to sell our home when we left, but instead rented the land and homestead, sometimes separately, to have a base income should our new life not be as profitable as the one we were leaving. This enabled us not only to return to our old life if needed, without having to find a new home, but to have an income as well.

Before leaving, we severed two acres of land and sold it so that we would have a large cash investment with which to start our new life. I did not know who owned the land or what had become of it. I was about to find out.

The first thing I noticed about our home was how much some things had changed. The massive white barn was now a dull, dingy gray. The paint gone in most areas. The house, while once fresh and new, also looked slightly dilapidated and tired. The grass, no longer thick, green and lush was now seedy and yellow. Over long in places and patchy in others.

This was in direct contrast to the smart little house next door. It had a very cottage flavor to it. Fresh soft white paint covered the main body and periwinkle blue framed it. The doors and intricate wooden framework all in the same blue.

Stones in varying sizes and shades of white and gray carved a whimsical path from the wide double front step to the equally quaint miniature birdhouse mailbox by the road.

Cool, thick, emerald green grass waved in the breeze. The wrap around porch had ferns hanging at intervals all around the deck. This was dispersed with huge planters overflowing with massive sprays of dark purple, lavender and white flowers. The same planters hung from thick rope on the gigantic oak that separated the two homesteads.

From my position I could see that an attempt had been made to blend the properties. Rather than an abrupt end to the stunning flower beds where they met the property line, the person responsible for this home had ended the bed shy of the line and staggered the same types of shrubs that I had planted to seamlessly blend the bed. And to good effect too. Or would have been had my tenants seen fit to maintain the land. I felt anger rise in me. I would be speaking to Joshua * about the condition of my home.

Movement drew my eye back to the other house. I noted that the beds were thick with a variety of flowering plants. Primarily purple and white in color, but hints of varying shades of blue and at times pink graced the meandering bed. It overflowed into the perimeter of the property.

A beautiful fountain bubbled away merrily in the corner. My sharp hearing picking up the pleasant sound clearly. The beds continued past this showpiece and frolicked along the back fence, flirting with the two structures nestled there.

One was quite small. More of a gardener's shed. The other was actually a quite large two story shed. It was built to resemble a barn and both buildings were painted to match the house. Matching planters hung from silver chain on the corners of each. They even each had little manicured flower beds surrounding them with small stone paths that met at a circular fire pit. A gleaming steel fire cage sat in the centre. It was surrounded by black wooden stumps, probably for sitting on.

As my carriage came fully around the bend of my lane to stop at the doors to the barn, I could see that the same blending effect had finished the beds in the back. I could also see the thick dark plush leaves of grapevines rambling along the smart white fence. A plant at each fence post marched from the back, to the roadside post at the front. A small path cut between the vines and the crops growing in the fields beyond. This was a well maintained and much loved house.

It was highly probable that a human female lived there.

Katie's aunt Marta waited just inside the door of my home to receive her little niece from my arms. She tried not to show her hurt when Katie refused her and instead chose to hide behind one of my legs. I had hoped that the presence of a female relative would help Katie adjust to her mother's passing but it would take time.

Marta was meeting my Katie for the first time having never been able to travel and visit. Though younger than Hannah, Marta looked a lot like her. I hoped this would prove beneficial and since Marta had no husband or children, she was free to help me raise little Katie.

After putting my distraught and overtired offspring to bed, I sat with Marta catching up on local gossip. Saul Yodder, an old friend, dropped by with his wife, Elsbeth, to bring suppers and condolences. They wanted to know how long to encourage our friends to wait before dropping by with their regrets. It was from Saul that I learned about my tenants misfortune.

I had not guessed the extent to which hard times had ravaged our community. Many families had been forced to sell land that had been in their families for generations. Others held on but there was little money for paint and repairs. Little enough for food and clothes. Some of my anger toward Joshua dissipated. It was amazing that he managed the rent.

When my friends left I carried in the crates I had brought back with me. I spent my night putting away my tools and laying up the horses and carriage. I left the house stuff to Marta. She could put it all away in the morning.

I woke to the most tantalizing smells. Foods I had not enjoyed in a long time teased my senses. My acute sense of smell picking up individual foods and flavors, all of which had me salivating in eager anticipation.

I jumped out of bed and began to dress. I smelled banana breakfast loaf, cinnamon roll, bacon! Coffee! Things I had not tasted since my Hannah's passing. That thought nudged the ever present pain in my chest. Sadness engulfed me again. I wrested it away and went in search of food. Oh but Marta could cook!

When I arrived in the kitchen my confusion showed clearly on my face. Where was the food? The table was empty and Marta was only now putting on her apron. Little Katie had yet to appear. "Marta. Where is the food?" We soon realized that all those delicious smells, all my mouth watering food... Was next door.

Marta set about preparing oat mush to break our fast. She apologized profusely and said that she was a good cook but basic as her ma still did a lot of the baking, cooking and canning in the home. Marta's role had been sewing, darning and other such needle craft. Although she knew how to perform basic kitchen arts she lacked practice. My heart forgave her, my stomach did not.

I was still in a black mood as I arrived back home with my cart piled high. I had purchased many of the things needed to restore the property to its proper condition. Paint, lumber, nails.

Money wasn't an issue as I had made good money working for Sarah's father and as such had been able to put a lot of it away. I had been fortunate enough to add the rent money from our property and most of our cash from the sale before leaving to my savings. It had accumulated to quite a sum.

I decided to continue to lease the land surrounding both houses as well. It was getting a fair price and the English farmer leasing it was eager to continue. He had offered an increased price to ensure another five year lease. It alone was enough to live on. Marta, Katie and I had all we needed and few wants besides.

No. I would use the time and some money to restore the property before I figured out some kind of work.

Besides, Katie had yet to recover and this worried me. Valcan children, while deeply emotionally and mentally attached to their parents, and in particular their mothers, were not usually so shattered by the loss of a parent. They simply transferred their connection to the other surviving parent and continued on. They grieved the loss, but the impact was lessened by being empathically shared with the remaining members of the family unit.

This was not the case with Katie. It was as if, when her mother died, she severed her connection to me also. Without my support Katie continued to flounder, unable to navigate her way out of her grief. This was unheard of among my people and without experience or family to aid me, I wasn't sure what to do. But, I was sure that my little one needed me still.

Over the next few days and weeks I worked at rejuvenating my land. I painted the barn. This took a number of days. From my vantage point on the ladder I was able to note several things that piqued my interest about my neighbor, the most interesting of which was that, of all the innumerable bodies that traversed 'her' path daily, I was sure that none of them were her! Then I repaired the roof of the barn. Again I noted the almost constant stream of people but peculiarly no neighbor.

I too began to have many visitors. Many of my old friends came to offer their condolences and to be with me. They had not had the chance while we were away to do so and wanted to ensure we were surrounded by love now.

While the women folk kept busy in the house cooking, sewing and chasing children, the men lent a hand with the chores and the repairs. Before long all the buildings were looking as they should and I could turn my attention to the yard.

It was sometime before things settled down and went back to normal. I had managed to cast glances toward my mystery neighbor through out and noticed that she too had not received guests in a few days.

Taking advantage of the quiet and the warm weather I enlisted Katie's help in the yard. While Marta pulled up weeds and grubbed in the almost non- existent vegetable garden, Katie and I planted the flowers I had bought the day before.

At first she was disinterested but as the happy bright yellow, white and deep purple flowers began to appear from the barn Katie began to creep closer. She never spoke but soon she was digging the small holes with her spade. Eventually I sat back and watched Katie plant and water each flower, caught in the therapeutic effects of the work.

As twilight began to filter in, we abandoned our work for our supper. Scrubbing up I noticed that no enticing aromas had wafted over to me in some time. That no ascertainable movement had come from the house in days. Was she even there? That would explain the lack of visitors, aromas and movement. I decided that my enigmatic neighbor was away on vacation. I was disappointed.

The following afternoon Katie seemed happy to continue planting. The yard, while a long way off from fixed, was looking much better. Grass seed and thick, rich, black earth had been scattered about. The vegetable patch had been wrestled back and now sat neatly trimmed and fenced. Little colorful tags denoting what each row was growing. Very pretty flowers and shrubs now loosely mimicked the beds yonder. All the bushes were clipped too, leaving everything looking refreshed.

I was watering some rose bushes while Katie planted a few flowers in an old wheelbarrow with old broken legs. In a few minutes when I looked her way again, she was gone!

I dropped my hose and looked around. No Katie. I walked to the corner of the yard and called for her. Having received no answer I walked quickly to the other side. Marta was coming out of the house, drying her hands on her apron.

"What is it Marcus?" her face wrinkled up with concern. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head. "It's nothing Marta. Katie's just run off. Probably after a kitten. I'll check the barn."

Marta wasn't convinced. "She has never done that before Marcus. She must be found. Hang on while I turn things off. I will help look."

I nodded. "Thank you Marta."

Marta followed the small dirt track that led to the field while I searched the barn. Our search proved unfruitful. Marta decided to walk the cut path around the property between the fields and the house yards. I searched out back. As I approached my neighbor's porch, I saw her.

The woman was beautiful. She had very dark curly hair that caressed the tops of her thighs. Her eyes were coal black and her long lashes and brows were black too. Red lips, full and plump in a perfect flawless face. I knew. I knew without being told that was her. This woman was my elusive neighbor! And in her arms... was Katie.

I could hear gentle voices whispering back and forth, weaving a quiet, restful spell, as the rocking chair they shared quietly swayed back and forth. Katie was talking to this woman and from the sounds of it, she had a lot to say.

A moment later Marta barged around the hedges. I held my hand out to silence her. She started to speak.