Finding the onkdehns

The moment Sarah reached the top of the ridge, she knew she was in the right place. Not from the view. The croecten trees were far too tall and far too thick, their fan-like orange leaves nodding in the breeze, for anyone to see beneath. No, it was the smell rolling over the hill that told her what lay underneath.

If someone could capture the scent of dried fish, mix it with the scent of roses and lavender, then steep it in the scent of old tea before distilling it into a solid mass that you could use like an anvil in the old Road Runner cartoons, it would still have less of an effect on her senses than this smell. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to go here, and at least another ten minutes to walk before she would reach her destination. She took a deep breath, regretting it instantly, and continued towards the marketplace. Why did marketplaces always have to have such terrible smells? It was the same back on Earth, although nowhere near as strong. The worst smells had always been near the seafood section. At least there you knew what you were smelling. The tourist-trap section had had its own odour, the result of many feet and bodies tramping through the same section, as well as the interesting exotic food and flowers from different origins, but somehow always seemed to carry a residue of beer and urine. That was a long time ago.

Now, she was trudging towards a new marketplace, one that hopefully carried the items that would take her home. Sarah had to wonder if it was worth it. The long trip from Earth, the discovery of alien civilizations and the subsequent crash of their spaceship. The alien sickness that had ripped through the rest of the crew. Somehow, Sarah had appeared to have some sort of natural immunity, leaving her the sole survivor of this illness. Even if she was able to find the parts she needed, home was a long way away. She would be an old woman before she got there. The long trip on her own, the likely deaths of most, if not all, of those she knew and loved before she returned. Would the ship even make it back? Maybe going back home was a pipe dream.

On the other hand, could she make a life here? So much was different here. Finding a way to survive here in the short term was manageable but living here permanently was a whole different ball game. Getting this part, for example. Without funds, her plan was simply to ensure the part was there, then come back later and steal it. The goal of getting home was surely worth the risk of theft. What would the consequences of being caught here be? Alien jail? Death? Cutting off of body parts? Sarah shuddered. Finding out might have to be part of the process of obtaining the necessary parts.

She tried covering her nose and mouth with her hood before taking another deep breath. The marketplace stench was reduced somewhat, but now mingled with the smell of dust and her own body odour. Not much better, but a little. She kept walking, trying to build her determination by squaring her shoulders and walking a little taller. Projecting confidence in this challenge was going to be half the battle. It had taken months to get to this point. There was no way she would mess this up by chickening out.

Mingling with others on the road, Sarah kept an ear out for anyone who might be looking for the same kind of stall she was trying to find. She had picked up enough of the Regifhersd language to hold a basic conversation and know if someone was looking for what she needed, but the less she had to talk, the better.

As she reached the entrance to the marketplace, she finally heard the magic word. The six-foot-tall Regifhersder to her left mentioned onkdehns, their word for fuses. Ronald had managed to get hold of one before he died, and he had assured her that if she could find more, they would be compatible enough to get her home.

Slowing down slightly, Sarah slipped in behind the creature. Hopefully it would not spend too much time wandering before going to the stall with the fuses. Although, an unexpected benefit of now being downwind of the Regifhersder was that this particular one was wearing their version of perfume or cologne. It reminded Sarah of orange-flavoured chocolate and made her hungry at the same time as it mitigated the smell of the market.

The Regifhersder entered the marketplace and turned down the first aisle. It appeared to be in as much of a hurry as Sarah. Attempting to follow discreetly, she was torn between the risk of being discovered by following too closely, and the risk of losing the Regifhersder and having to potentially search the marketplace on her own for hours.

Despite the stench, and the fear of not getting the fuses, it was fascinating walking past the different stalls. Sarah had to constantly remind herself to keep an eye on the Regifhersder as they hustled past a vast array of textures and colours, strange objects, and peculiar, yet spectacular clothing. Drawn towards one particular item, Sarah reached out a hand before looking up and realizing with a shock that she could no longer see the Regifhersder. Squeezing past several bodies in a panic, she looked around a corner stall and caught a scent of orange chocolate. Stepping inside the booth, the Regifhersder was there, conversing with the stall owner.

Sarah wandered through the small booth, examining the mechanical items the booth owner held. It was fascinating to see how similar these objects were to engine parts from Earth. Obviously, when something worked, it worked everywhere. It was amazing to see how technology could develop independently and still be so much the same. After all, on Earth the patent for the telephone apparently went to Bell over his rival by a matter of minutes. Sarah picked up an item that looked just like a lawn mower part, turning it over as she heard the magic word – onkdehns. Sarah adjusted her hood to cover her face better before turning to see the stall owner taking three of the necessary parts from a box and handing them to the Regifhersder. The creature reached into a fold of their clothing and put the currency on the counter, then left with a swirl of orange chocolate scent stirring the air.

“Sheo alkt sutio?” The owner greeted Sarah. This was the dangerous part, the part that required actual interaction. Looking at it properly for the first time, Sarah realized that this creature was shorter that the average Regifhersder, at only a few inches taller than her own five foot five. Its face looked strange as well, for a Regifhersder. The eyes were the wrong colour, blue rather than red, and the skin tone and shape of the face was just… off somehow. Never mind. Sarah just had to see that it still had the parts she needed and figure out how to obtain them.

“Skrow tioa onkdehns.” Sarah croaked in her best Regifhersd. Step one was to see that there was enough of the fuses for her needs.

The owner pulled out the box again and placed it on the counter. “That hood makes you look like you’re trying to dress like a Star Wars character for Halloween you know. Pretty sure you’re not fooling anyone. Besides, your Regifhersd accent is terrible.”

Sarah stared at the owner in shock. This was the first time she’d heard English since Rose had succumbed to the illness. Looking around to make sure no-one else was in the stall, she removed her hood.

Picking up the box she needed so desperately and gesturing for her to follow, the stall owner slipped behind a curtain, holding it open for her. Sarah hesitated, uncertain. This English-speaking creature, referencing Star Wars, now wanting her to go out of sight? What did it want? She needed the parts, but could she find it at some safer location, once she’d worked out how not to be caught out? It had taken months to find this one stall.

Gathering her courage, Sarah put on her fiercest face and walked behind the curtain. Trying to project herself as a threat when you are terrified isn’t easy, but she had to try. The stall owner seemed to be ignoring her now, pouring water into a basin and using a cloth to wash its face. Lumps of some clay-like substance and swirls of colour mingled with the water as the face began to look more and more human. Drying his face with another towel, the man looked at Sarah, laughing at the stunned look on her face. “I’d imagine this is quite a shock. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen another human, too.”