《Iruedim (Children of the Volanter)》Arc 3 - Chapter 14: Set the Field

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Meladee wrapped her arms around Benham’s waist. They cruised over the Lurrien landscape, patched with grass and moss. The quiet bike created an illusion of flying. The sun shone, and Meladee enjoyed the breeze. For Meladee, a former colonist of Tagtrum’s near polar regions, Lurren’s sixty-degree summer was perfect weather.

Benham steered the bike around rocks, and the sturdy wheels gripped the uneven ground as he leaned side to side. Benham aimed for one tall rock and drove up it, only to jump off the side and land with a jolt.

The bike kept going, but Meladee understood why he had forced her to wear a helmet. Meladee glanced at the landscape, remembering that they were supposed to be scouting.

But, that’s Benham’s job. I’m here dispel my enchantment and to provide company.

Benham slowed and stopped. The tires stirred the dirt, creating a cloud of dust. He remained on the bike but glanced back and forth, keeping his feet on the ground to balance.

“What are we stopping for?” Meladee asked.

“Having a look around.” Benham searched the horizon. “We’ve got some tentacles to the south, pretty far west though. Hey, do you think those are in the water?” Benham pointed to the south.

Meladee squinted. “Yup those are probably the water ones – at the secret beach.” Meladee shook her head. “Damn. You guys got here just in time.”

“Yeah.” Benham faced north. “Well, we have some tentacles up there too.”

Meladee looked as well and could just see the waving branches. “That’s far away.”

Benham shrugged. “Yeah, pretty far north, but I came to Iruedim to scout. So, let me do my job.”

“You came to Iruedim to escape the Finial.” Meladee rewrapped him in a hug.

Benham said, “That, and I came to Iruedim to be with you.”

Meladee felt her eyes narrow. “Are we getting serious again?”

“We would, but I’m going to get us moving. Hang on.” Benham put his feet back on the rests and twisted the handle.

This time, Meladee paid more attention to their surroundings. Ahead, she saw no tentacles and knew they were bound for Faustina. On either side, Meladee saw many tentacles, which they slowly left behind.

Ul’thetos had planted itself in the south sea, and that could be very bad for Iruedim. But, they were here to kill Ul’thetos, and they would do it too, just like they killed Alastronia. Meladee had faith.

The landscape started to change from thawed tundra to sandy seaside, and Benham slowed. Again, he stopped.

“Found some ruins.” He parked the bike and got off, nudging Meladee to let go of him and dismount as well.

“I wonder how all those robots we picked out are doing?” Meladee looked back.

“Call them. I’m going to pick through these materials.” Benham knelt by a pile of metal and wood. All of it looked jagged and rusty.

“Ew.” Meladee turned away. She picked up her com and called their trailing synthetics. “Hey, Ferrou?”

The com beeped, and Ferrou burbled.

Meladee rubbed her forehead. “Oh, that’s my fault. Listen, I can’t understand you at all. Hand it off to someone else.” Meladee listened to the bumps and static as Ferrou complied.

“Oh, Meladee, you finally called,” Wheelian purred. “I was worried that the man would call first. I don’t like to play with men.”

Benham must have heard because he turned incredulous eyes to Meladee. He smiled, so Meladee interpreted his look as amusement.

“You don’t know what you’re missing,” Meladee told Wheelian. “Hey, how far behind are you guys? Whereabouts are you?”

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“Ferrou says that we’re only an hour behind you. He pulls our trailer fast,” Wheelian reported.

“Wow, great, so…”

“Meladee!” Benham waved her over. He squatted and pointed at scrap. “We can use this to build. A lot of it is sturdy. I’m going to set a marker, and the synthetics can pick it up.”

Meladee, who still had her hand on the com button, pulled it to her mouth and asked, “Did you get that?”

“Yes. Ferrou says he’ll let you know when the marker is in contact.”

Benham pulled a small round device from his shirt pocket and placed it on the scrap. He hit a button, and a green light began to blink.

The com burbled.

“Great,” Meladee answered. “Glad you got it. Well, we’re going to getting going. See you soon.”

Benham stood up and waited by Meladee. She gestured for him to lead the way back to the bike, but instead, Benham wrapped his arms around Meladee and gave her a kiss.

A few moments later, Meladee found herself released. “Hey, we’ve got work.”

“I know. I’m just taking advantage of the company. Didn’t you say your job was to provide company?” Benham teased.

“Look, if we ride fast to Faustina, I can do a better job there. If we don’t, Wheelian might join us.” Meladee shrugged. “Nothing I can do about that either. Little bugger is cute.”

“More like strange.” Benham took Meladee’s hand and led her back to the bike. “Let’s ride fast.” Benham mounted the bike.

The com beeped.

Meladee thumbed the button. “Yeah?”

“It’s me! Wheeeeeeelian again.”

“Wheelian, we’re going to get moving, what is it?” Meladee started to climb on behind Benham.

Benham waited, patient and quiet, but placed his hands on the handlebars.

“It’s nothing.” Wheelian chortled. “I just wanted you to know that I oiled my mustache, and I can wiggle it again!”

Through the com, Meladee heard the wiggle-wiggle-squeak of Wheelian’s mustache, over and over.

“I… That’s great. Save it for later.”

“I will!” the little toy promised.

Meladee put the com away.

Benham sighed. “Lurrien toys are strange.”

“Yup.”

Camellia followed Cernunnos into the bunker hall. Adalhard trailed behind. A light, among many, flickered ahead. The bulb finally gave up after a century in use. As it winked out, Camellia felt she was the only one to notice. Cernunnos and Adalhard didn’t even flinch, and little robots scurried about, eager to assist the organics. Other lights provided them with what they needed, what was one lost source?

Cernunnos sighed and put his hands on his hips. “We can’t make any progress on our work, and I think the crew won’t appreciate our addition to their work.” He watched busy men and women hurry from room to exit and back again. “We might as well rest.”

“I agree.” Adalhard opened the door to an empty, darkened bunk and put one foot inside.

Cernunnos walked to the door, and Adalhard put a hand on his chest.

“There’s another bunk right next door.” Adalhard pointed to another quiet room.

“Really?” Cernunnos raised an eyebrow. “Tired of sharing a room with me? I guess I should use that one then.” Cernunnos walked to the second room and put his hand on the door. “Come on Camellia.”

“Or,” Adalhard said. “You can share with me.”

Cernunnos’ mouth dropped open. “That’s not Groazan custom,” he half-joked, half-warned.

“I’m a traveled man. I don’t always follow Groazan customs.” Adalhard looked at Camellia. “It’s your choice.”

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Camellia could go with Cernunnos and interrogate him about what he’d done. Or, she could go with Adalhard, accept his advance, and use Cernunnos’ meddling to its fullest. Meladee would go with Adalhard. Eva wouldn’t go with either, but that was Eva.

Camellia looked between Adalhard and Cernunnos. She took a step towards Adalhard. “If we’re just going to sleep, you won’t need the company,” she told Cernunnos.

“Oh, come on,” Cernunnos objected, light-heartedly. “Of course, she’s going to pick you.” Cernunnos gestured at Adalhard. “Have a nice time.” With an exaggerated sigh, Cernunnos entered his own room.

Camellia slipped inside Adalhard’s room, and he closed the door behind them.

“Dark in here. Can you see?” she asked.

The light from beneath the door gave her plenty to see by, but she was almost certain Adalhard couldn’t.

“It’s enough.” Adalhard approached Camellia and put his hands on her shoulders.

“Adalhard. Oh, I mean, Florian.” As she said his name, she smiled. If it all fell through, she was going to have bragging rights that she had had the AAH’s current chair. Who would she tell? No one. She’d let the other anthropologists generate the gossip, while she found a rock to crawl under.

Adalhard smiled too and ran his fingers through her hair. Suddenly, he frowned. “How long did you have that thing?”

Camellia knew he meant the mirror. “I don’t even remember. Almost fifteen years, but I’m not sure.”

“I would never have used it. Why did you?” Adalhard asked.

Camellia sighed. She thought Adalhard had planned a romantic tryst, not a painful discussion. She looked up, and though it was dark, she could see his questioning gaze perfectly. He had to get this out of the way first. Maybe, to make sure he wasn’t about to sleep with a crazy woman.

“I don’t know. I suppose I thought it was kind of fun, or at least, interesting. It’s so surreal. It breaks up the...” Camellia paused. She searched for the right word. “It breaks up the monotony of...” Camellia frowned. “…Not my life. My life isn’t monotonous.”

With her job, she was seldom bored. There was always travel or something new, even during a dig. She had patience for that kind of drudgery. Camellia would never describe her life as monotonous.

Camellia began again, “Sometimes, my feelings are quiet, a bit like a personal winter. The mirror wakes me up.”

“I thought you hadn’t touched it in years.” Adalhard’s eyes narrowed. “You’re talking about it in present tense.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to give that impression. It’s been almost uh… five years since I looked at it. My memories of the thing are just so vivid.” Camellia stared into the shadows.

“Why did you stop using it?”

Camellia sighed. “I had a bad time, just after I turned thirty-two. On the edge of Northern Ponk, I had to wait for others to arrive to a remote dig site. The wait would have been three days, and I used the mirror, just to pass the time. Usually, the dream lasts about five to twelve hours. When I woke up, it had been three days, and everyone arrived to find the camp unprepared. They all wondered what I had been doing. Of course, I couldn’t say.” Camellia bowed her head. “That shook me.”

Adalhard squeezed Camellia’s shoulders. “Thank god you stopped. That artifact must be fascinating. I can almost understand why you wanted to study it, but I don’t understand why you wanted to do it alone. A surreal dream? Followed by hallucinations and nightmares. How long do they last?”

“The first time, they lasted two months.”

Adalhard muttered under his breath.

“The second time was shorter, and each time after was shorter still. The last time I used the mirror, the hallucinations only lasted two days.”

“Hmmm.” Adalhard stroked his chin. “Well, someone should study it, but I’d rather just lock it up with the other dangerous artifacts and let it be.”

“You should. Sometimes, people don’t wake up from the dreams,” Camellia said.

Adalhard stared. “I know.”

Camellia met his eyes and held his gaze. “The Vetouin vampires used one of the mirrors on Sorin, a big one. He never came to.”

“So, that’s what happened to him.” Adalhard shook his head. “For someone to gift that mirror to Sorin…” Adalhard sighed. “He must have done something worth it.”

“Yes. He took their daystone.” Camellia touched her daystone, trapped in resin around her neck. “He mined it and stole it away at a time when they needed a new vein. Vetouin vampires don’t like to be without the sun. In their place, I would have hated him too.” Camellia half-laughed. “I did hate him…but for different reasons.”

Adalhard and Camellia stood a long time in silence.

Adalhard wrapped an arm around Camellia. He pulled her closer. With his other hand, he stroked through her hair. Its waves clung to him, but Adalhard didn’t try to free himself. He put his captured hand behind her head. He had deemed her not crazy.

Camellia remembered where she was: in a darkened room with Adalhard.

“What customs did you adopt in place of the forgotten Groazan ones?” Camellia tilted her head back to get a good view of his eyes.

“Don’t you like puzzles?” Adalhard bent his mouth to hers.

Camellia closed her eyes and opened her mouth. She stood on tiptoe to meet the taller man.

As Adalhard kissed her, he pulled her against him, and Camellia found her arms tight against his chest. She fingered his coat, until he loosened his grip. Then, she slid her arms up and around his neck.

The second kiss she initiated.

Camellia and Adalhard stood in the dark. Camellia lost count of how many times he kissed her, or she kissed him.

She let go of her worries: Cernunnos’ meddling and her lies. She had a learned a thing from Meladee – to enjoy the moment. And, she did.

When she ran out of breath, she lowered her face to catch it. Camellia kept her hands on his shoulders, and he kept his arms around her. From the movement of his head, Camellia knew he looked at the bunks, probably thinking of finding a place to lay.

Camellia closed her eyes. She didn’t know if it would last, but she was going to try. She waited for him to suggest the move to the bunk.

Boing boing boing. Sproing! The door to their room drifted open.

“What the..” Adalhard said.

Camellia opened her eyes and found the room much lighter. A little toy hopped through the crack, and Camellia watched as Spring Peeper rounded Adalhard’s heels and stopped at the hem of her skirt.

Still in Adalhard’s arms, Camellia looked down. “Spring Peeper?”

Boing! The little toy hopped friskily into the air.

“You know this one?” Adalhard also watched the spring.

“I do. I think he’s lonely.” Camellia withdrew.

With a sigh, Adalhard relinquished her. “Go ahead.”

Camellia knelt. She held her hands palm up, and Spring Peeper jumped atop.

Camellia smiled. “He’s very soft. Here, feel.” Slowly, Camellia stood and brought the spring to Adalhard’s height.

Adalhard obliged and, with care, rubbed the little spring’s coils. He smiled; Camellia thought somewhat slyly.

Adalhard let Spring Peeper go. He slipped his hand around Camellia’s upper back. With his other hand, he searched for Camellia’s soft parts. Camellia yelped.

“Adalhard,” She said. “Not in front of Spring Peeper.”

Adalhard looked at the toy, and it raised innocent eyes.

“Florian,” he corrected. “It doesn’t know the difference. Does it?”

“Florian, the door’s open,” Camellia nodded behind him.

“Right.” He let Camellia go and closed the door.

Camellia glanced at Spring Peeper. Noises banged up and down the hall, and Spring Peeper shuddered and shook.

“It’s alright. They came to save your home,” she whispered.

Spring Peeper scrunched low, and his eyelids drooped.

When Adalhard turned back, he narrowed his eyes. “What are you saying to him?”

“He’s afraid of the soldiers.” Camellia turned serious eyes to Adalhard. “I can’t kick him out.”

Adalhard’s nodded slow. “Then, I guess we don’t do this.”

Camellia flushed. “Well, not now anyway.” She sat down and pet Spring Peeper.

Spring Peeper curled in her lap.

Adalhard sat beside her. “Lurren is not my idea of the perfect setting anyway.” Adalhard crossed his arms.

She lay her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. “Perfect. What is perfect? Why does it matter?” From her place on his shoulder, Camellia could hear Adalhard’s heart and breath quicken.

“Are you falling asleep?”

Camellia felt sleep tug her eyelids down. “Aren’t you?”

“Yes.” Adalhard laid back on the bunk.

Camellia fell into position alongside him, and Spring Peeper slept somewhere between the place where their bodies met.

“We’ll get home, and it’ll be different.” Adalhard spoke low.

Camellia thought it would be different – at least, it could. Somehow her father found three women to love him, and god knew he didn’t deserve it. As soon as she got rid of that mirror. She stiffened but forced herself to relax. When it came to willpower, she considered herself free of the mirror. She could resist its call, even if she clung to its dreams. But, she wasn’t really free of the mirror in the sense that everyone thought. She still had it.

“When this is all done, I will give it to you,” Camellia promised.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m just mumbling.”

Camellia recalled how badly she wanted to keep the thing and wondered how much self-control she really had. This will be my last lie, she promised herself before sleep dragged her into innocuous dreams.

“Going to stand there forever?” Eva asked Leonidus.

Everything about Leonidus – his silver casing, his hard black ‘hair,’ his simple eyes – it all annoyed Eva.

Leonidus turned to her, and Eva glared at his lack of expression, not all surprised.

All of the androids walked the line of creature flesh, careful to keep their distance. They patrolled and examined the monster, intimidating Alim as he worked to cut his samples.

“Give him some space,” Eva ordered.

Alim glanced up in time to see the androids move off. Alim bent to his work and took advantage of the reprieve.

“He shouldn’t be cutting away at that,” Leonidus said.

Eva avoided Leonidus’ eyes, not because she was shy but because she was frustrated. She looked at the clear skies and half-smiled. “You could be useful. Staring at the monster isn’t going to change its location.”

Leonidus actually put some emotion into his tone. “Your actions caused this.”

“Yes, my actions caused this.” Eva gestured to the creature’s flesh, snaking the ground like ribbons.

She finally had some frame of reference for the creature’s entire appearance, and she could see that the tendrils extended from larger lumps, which would lead back to its head. Eva wondered why she never saw it before. For a moment, she worried that she was more similar to the other Lurrien synthetics than she realized. Yet, Eva wouldn’t entertain that notion for long.

Eva continued, “Perhaps, it would be more accurate to say – my actions caused this to happen sooner than we expected.”

“If you hadn’t acted, the creature would have died long before it reached here,” another synthetic accused.

Eva grit her teeth. “No, the creature lives longer than even we do. Stop fooling yourselves. This thing evolved to live for millennia.”

Eva looked among the familiar faces. She only knew the names of those who joined the bunker before a certain point. Somewhere during the apocalypse, she’d stopped caring. Now, she wished she knew all their names.

Every synthetic watched something behind Eva. She turned to see Sten approach. He held a toy, a little box with several spindly legs and angry eyes. Eva saw that one panel on the toy’s underside had been removed.

“I won’t let you get infected, little bot. Don’t worry.” Sten carefully held the toy upside down, so he could observe its interior.

Eva walked to meet Sten. “What are you doing? Why are you taking apart a toy? I gave you computers and equipment to dismantle.”

“I’m learning about Lurrien technology, specifically its AI. I can’t take apart a repair robot, and the androids are unhelpful. So...”

“And, you’re already done with the computers?” Eva set exasperated eyes on Sten and hoped he would read her expression.

Sten seemed amused, so he’d probably read her just fine. “Yes. I learn fast. It helps that I already know several Iruedian languages. I’ve learned as much as I could from the programs themselves, so I needed to open something up to observe the hardware.” Sten paused. He shot a wary glance at the flesh. His eyes flicked back to Eva. “I already examined a computer’s interior. Now, I am working on this toy, but I could use some insight.” Sten looked down and poked around inside the spidery device.

It squirmed and growled.

“Alright, but why are you taking apart a toy?” Eva growled too.

“I told you. I wanted to study Lurrien AI.”

Eva huffed, crossed her arms, and looked away. “Why?”

“Because, AI is an important part of Lurrien design. Who knows where else we might find it?” Sten poked the toy. “I need to know.”

The toy jabbed his hand with several of its legs.

“Enough.” Sten removed his instrument from its interior and rapped some of the legs. “If this toy were any better equipped, it would puncture my skin.”

“Why don’t you close it up?” Eva removed the toy’s missing panel from one of Sten’s pockets. “I don’t really understand how Lurrien AI works, so I can’t explain it.”

Sten’s expression fell. “If that’s the case, I guess it should wait. I hope I won’t need to know it.”

Eva felt bad. She probably did understand a toy’s AI well enough to explain it, but she’d told Sten she didn’t. Eva didn’t care if he thought her less competent. She only cared that she denied him an opportunity to learn. He seemed downtrodden, but the moment passed.

“She can be very difficult,” Leonidus commiserated.

Sten looked between Leonidus and Eva. He didn’t answer the android. Instead, he turned to Eva and said, “Come inside for a while.”

He motioned for two of Rooks’ men to watch the synthetics, and a Groazan soldier-mage joined them as well.

Eva followed Sten.

Sten led Eva away, but instead of heading inside, he stopped outside the bunker. In silence, Eva and Sten stood.

Nearby, the shuttles sat, locked tight, and several of Rooks’ force performed cleaning procedures. In the distance, Eva could see Inez and Eder test the first wormhole bomb. Rooks watched, stroking her chin, and Tagtrumian and Ponk soldier-mages waited on either side of the commander. Eder pulled the thread and ran back to the group. Everyone yelped, with the exception of Rooks, as the bomb created a small yet big enough wormhole to swallow an empty crate. The group backed up.

“We might have a look at that,” Sten said.

“Yes.” Eva made no move to join the group.

“You know. When I first arrived here, I thought you might be right. We might be different. The synthetics here seem...a bit simpler. But, I don’t think that means they’re soulless. And, the more time I spend around them, the more complexity, I will probably see.”

Sten looked at Eva, trying to meet her eyes, but she watched the far-off bomb tests.

“Eva, I also see that they are suffering. They don’t know how to react to this situation, and they have done the best they can. Please, Eva, be kind to them.”

Eva startled. “What? What did you say?” She looked at Sten.

Chrysanthos had asked the same thing of her, one hundred years ago.

“Be kind,” he said again.

“I..I’m trying.” Eva stepped away from Sten. Her limbs shook slightly. “We should join the bomb tests.” Eva hurried away.

They approached the testing site.

Rooks nodded to them. “The bombs make bigger wormholes than we anticipated. We haven’t run the test for either of the location specific bombs. Stay and see how that goes.”

“But, first…” Inez announced with some fanfare. “We’re going to test a decay bomb.”

Eder waited, solemn and quiet. He held one of the small decay bombs. When Rooks gave him a nod, Eder walked the bomb to the test zone, about fifty feet away. Alim met him, carrying a hunk of healthy, quivering flesh on a mesh blanket. The flesh dripped through the netted material, and Alim set it down at the test location. Alim said something to Eder, and then, both men trotted to Rooks’ observation area.

“This creature is fascinating,” Alim reported. “I can’t believe this opportunity we have. I only brought a small genetic code reader, but I’ve already learned a bit more about its life cycle.”

“Very good. Anything you’d like to share now?” Rooks asked.

“Nothing immediately useful to our cause, except that the creature isn’t old at all, just very sick, which makes it seem old.” Alim adjusted his dark glasses. He looked at Eva. “You can tell that to the other synthetics. Maybe, it will change their opinions of your actions.”

“They’d believe it more if you told them.” Eva turned her attention back to the bomb.

She watched as a fuse circle burst into small, elegant flames. The cloth ball burned from one layer to another.

“I think we’re over halfway on the fuses.” Eder shifted from foot to foot. “But, I’m not sure.”

Inez bounced on her heels. She stood partly behind the Commander. In an effort to see more, Inez grabbed Rooks’ shoulder and pulled herself to tip-toe.

Commander Rooks stumbled but kept her balance. “Careful, this is a weapons test.”

“Sorry.” Inez never looked at Rooks. She craned her neck to watch her handiwork.

The fuses ran out, and the decay circle activated. The flesh turned necrotic, and decay spread quickly. When the decay finished with the blackened flesh, it spread over the ground. The netting fell apart, and the grass browned and died. The decay spread further.

“Back up,” Rooks ordered.

The group scrambled back, especially Eder. Fortunately, the decay came nowhere near them, but its effects extended farther than the wormhole had.

Rooks looked at the ground and then at Eva’s face.

Eva didn’t frown or show anger. Eva tried to remain impassive. Inside, she panicked. The decay was not what she hoped for Lurren.

“I’m sorry Eva. That doesn’t look good, but this is why we’re targeting the head.” Rooks crossed her arms. “We’re going to take a short break and do one of the wormhole spells in a few minutes.”

Inez and Eder sighed but for different reasons. Inez seemed bored, and Eder relieved. They left the testing site. Alim returned to his samples. Rooks also wandered away to check on her crew.

Sten tried to put a hand on Eva’s shoulder, but Eva turned and left. She thought Rooks had read something in her expression, and she scolded herself for the display.

On a beachside cliff, Meladee and Benham sat and ate a couple of sandwiches. They could see over the cliffside to the beach below and just south of their position was a gentle slope. It sloped all the way to Faustina.

Meladee had waved at the small ship, happy to see it, with her lock spell intact. Benham admired the trim ship from a distance but insisted they eat before they make their way down the sandy hill.

Benham asked Meladee about Faustina, and she surprised herself by telling him the story of how she got the little ship, complete with the real Faustina.

“She probably hasn’t died of old age yet. Wonder what she’d think about what I’ve done?” Meladee dusted crumbs off her hands.

“Sorry,” Benham apologized in between bites.

Meladee scrunched her nose. “What are you apologizing for?”

“Oh, things just seem a little serious right now. Trapped on an isolated continent, with instructions to create a fallback base around your forgotten ship. And, here I am asking personal questions about heartfelt moments of your life. I know how uncomfortable serious conversations make you.” Benham stared into her eyes.

“You know what makes me uncomfortable? You staring into my eyes like we’re soulmates or something.” Meladee stood. “Sorry, didn’t mean for that to come out so harsh.”

“It’s alright.” Benham got up too. He brushed sand off his pants and waited for Meladee to do the same with her short skirt and leggings. “Well, I’m not riding down the hill. So, why don’t you go ahead.” Benham gestured for her to lead. He took his bike’s handlebars and started to roll it over the sand.

Meladee stayed beside him.

“I’m sorry,” Meladee apologized.

“You don’t have to apologize…”

“Yeah, I do.” Meladee shrugged. “If anyone is my soulmate, it’s you. We like the same things. We do similar jobs. You’re the most fun guy I’ve ever met, and you’re from a galaxy away.”

Benham smiled and looked at Meladee. “You know...I’ve thought the same. That we’re alike in a lot of ways. And, the ways that we’re not, I think we compliment each other.”

Meladee didn’t answer immediately. She reached the bottom of the hill and ran to Faustina.

Benham towed the bike along behind him.

“Faustina! She’s really surprised to see me again. Hey, she thought she was going to be out here alone. Forever.” Meladee stressed the last word.

Benham smiled. “My god. What a paint job.”

Faustina’s suspicious eyes pointed up toward the cockpit.

“What’s she thinking?” he asked.

Meladee grinned. “Keep in mind, I painted her right before we left for Lurren.” Then, Meladee impersonated her ship. “You fucks want to go where?”

Benham laughed. “Well, take care of your spell, so we can rest.” He raised his eyebrows at her. “I’m going to call the Commander and our tail.”

While Benham gave the report, Meladee dispelled Faustina’s protection, finishing it in an instant.

She climbed inside to check on the interior and their supplies. Dust had settled on Faustina’s interior surfaces, and a few of the supplies had spoiled. Meladee ran to her bedroom and found it nice and neat. She dropped her pack inside and climbed back to the deck. She heard Benham describing the land between Faustina and the bunker, so she ran into the cockpit and stroked the controls.

“Missed you,” she told the old ship. “I’ve got this new ship. Halfmoon is its name, but we can all get along. Got this man too, so it’ll be like old times for you.”

Meladee left the cockpit and listened as Benham wrapped up his conversation with Rooks. Then, he called Wheelian. That talk was short as Wheelian found Benham’s voice disconcerting.

Benham stowed his com and said, “Everyone has been informed of our whereabouts.”

“Great. Come aboard.” Meladee winked.

Meladee entertained Benham in every way she promised, and then, they slept.

Unbeknownst to the sleepers, reinforcements arrived, and a base grew up around Faustina.

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