*WE BEES YOU NO SWARM*
After Izzian made sure Thilillian had successfully snuck out of the lab, his thoughts quickly returned to Eliza down on earth. He immediately peered into the scope. Eliza Allready was still there, as if she knew Izzian would return.
Even from so far away, he felt as if he and Eliza were old friends; a completely different sentiment than he shared with Thilillian. Each encounter with Thil felt new and somewhat aloof. But with Eliza, they could be light years apart using an imaginary language and both still have the ability to understand one another, even though they had never met face to face.
Eliza used her hands and signed the same statement continually until Izzian had a general idea of what she was saying.
"Why are you watching me?" Eliza asked in her clumsy version of sign language.
Of course, there was no way for Izzian to answer her back. It was a good question, and obviously the earth girl was trying to see if he had a way to answer her.
When he didn't answer, she moved on to other questions, occasionally peering over her shoulder as if she were afraid someone might catch her speaking to the empty night sky or an invisible friend.
He imagined Eliza may have been questioning her own sanity at that point, but it didn't stop her. She had a hunch that she was being watched and she needed answers.
Eliza was rusty and inaccurate with sign language and Izzian was even worse at interpreting sign language, so he translated rather random, odd statements such as, "Is the donkey flinging nuts?" and "Do bees like to swarm?"
What? Izzian didn't understand, but the earth girl kept asking, "Do bees like to swarm?"
Eliza also asked him if he were a member of the Starship Federation. He wasn't sure what that meant but he assumed it had something to do with her next question which was, "Do you use anal probes?"
Izzian was disgusted and hoped that he misunderstood the question and that humans didn't practice anal probing either. Thankfully, his research had not mentioned it so far.
Eliza also asked, "Are you pimply again?"
Aloud, but to himself, he answered, "No, Eliza. We are not pimply. We do not even have skin pores."
He didn't think he had interpreted her question correctly and wondered why the girl would ask if his people were covered in zits. She had a greater concern than zits, it seemed. Suddenly he understood her true question which was, "Are you simply a friend?" Because the next statement was, "Please don't kill us."
The next plea was the same, and the next and the next.
Izzian wanted to answer her. He wanted to tell her that violence was the last thing Klesians wanted. How could Izzian possibly tell her about his mission to become CCU? Compassionate Citizens of the Universe was difficult enough to say in his own language, but he for sure couldn't sign it in English.
Even if he could, Eliza could neither see nor hear him. Izzian didn't want Eliza to hate him and all of Klesia or be afraid that her planet was in danger, so he spoke the words aloud and willed Eliza to understand.
He looked directly at the girl and said in a sincere, meaningful way, "We mean you no harm, Eliza."
Then it dawned on him and he understood.
"We bees you no swarm, Eliza. We bees you no swarm."
***