Who Was He?

Doston spread its wings again and took to the sky. It called down to its new friends, "I'll see you again, soon."

The four humans watched Doston soar high into the clear sky and then veer toward the left. It was soon out of sight. They stood silently in the garden for a while and then Cassie began to shiver. "Perhaps we should go back inside," said Sten.

They sat in the cozy space that Cassie had designed especially as a conversation area for friends to gather in. But it was an awkward silence. Cassie edged closer to tears, "Who was he? Why would he attack me?"

Frau asked Cassie to describe her attacker.

"He grabbed me from behind. He was more than a head taller than me, so perhaps a little over six feet tall. His hands were calloused and rough. When he threw me to the ground, I got a better look at him. He had a scar across his forehead that was curving up into his hairline near his right temple. His hair was light, but I don’t think he was truly blond."

She shuddered at the thought of the man. "He was not ugly, really rather nice looking – except for the scar. I can't tell you what color his eyes are since the light wasn't that good. Hiro, did you get a good look at him when you entered the clearing?"

"I saw pretty much what you saw, but I know who he is. I've seen him before. His Boss wrote mystery thrillers. He is a serial rapist-murderer who was on the run, then his Boss couldn't finish the story," Hiro's voice dropped off and he looked over at Cassie. She now had to know how close to death she had been.

Cassie gasped. She looked around the comfortable room eyes wide as the terror returned. "I hadn't thought of the characters who would be here. The people I met in the bar were a little rowdy, but not evil. But of course, there must be 'bad guys' here as well as the nice people, like all of you."

"There are people from every walk of life. There are detectives, police, special agents. There are criminals of every sort, as well. It is populated with the same wide range of personalities as is the real world, where the Bosses create us." Frau was aware of all the manifestations of people here. He was a negotiator on his home planet and had already been used to mediate some less pleasant encounters.

"How do I manage to go outside and be safe?" asked Cassie.

"How would you manage to go outside and be safe in your own world?" replied Sten. "It is no different here. You must always be alert to your surroundings. Perhaps Hiro could show you some ways to defend yourself should you be attacked again." Sten looked hopefully at Hiro.

"I do know a few tricks that might help you. I also have some friends who know the silent killing ways. Ninja are specially trained in ways that Samurai are not."

"I couldn't kill anyone," Cassie shuddered visibly.

"Of course not, but you could learn to defend yourself."

Frau looked at Sten and then said to Hiro, "Perhaps you could give us group lessons?"