Therese awoke when they landed on Haremar, she smelled the grass and felt the light enter the ship as the hatch opened. She stirred still intoxicated but less. “Where am I?” asked Therese.
“Your home.” came a rabbit voice from behind Therese. She turned and saw Captain Lionhead who was about her size, but much stronger. Lionhead picked up Therese and kicked her out of the spaceship into a pile of grass, Therese bounced unharmed, but the rabbit’s kick woke her up. Therese lifted herself up and sat on the grass, looking around confused, and saw Erin and Digs flying away.
“Why am I here?” asked Therese.
“Nowhere else seemed to be working out for you.” said Lionhead, the rabbit walked over and kept digging a hole in the soil. The rabbit did not look up at Therese, he focused on his digging.
“Do you want a hand?” Asked Therese.
“You’d better use a shovel, your nails aren’t as strong as mine, there is one over by the house, I use it when my back hurts and I need to dig.” The rabbit said, clawing at the earth and throwing it to the side.
Therese walked over and took the shovel and began digging in the earth, she had nothing else to do. The two dug for hours, the only breaks coming when Lionhead went and brought them jugs of water to drink. The sun went from overhead to setting, and the hole was large and deep. “I can stop now.” said Lionhead, leaning against the wall of the head and watching the sunset over the grassland.
“What are you building?” Therese asked Lionhead.
“A hole.” said Lionhead.
“But what for?” asked Therese.
“To dig a hole. That’s the wild part of being a Hare, we’ve flown in space for over a thousand years, I’ve visited countless worlds, and yet I can’t seem to overcome the urge to dig a hole.” Lionhead said, taking a swig out of a flask and offering it to Therese.
“I’ve already dug one hole today.” Therese said, pushing the flask away.
“Wildest planet I ever went to was inhabited by sentient dogs. If you think digging holes is a wild urge, you should see a group of them chasing their tails.” said Lionhead taking another sip.
“You’re messing with me.” said Therese.
“Nope, honest truth. One of my guys decided to throw a ball, it was a good laugh as they all chased it. I’ll hope you’ll forgive me, while you seem to have acknowledged your crutch, I’m still indulging mine.” said Lionhead, taking another sip from his flask.
“Do you have kids?” asked Therese, she missed Ana and hoped she didn’t blow her chances with Peter.
“None. When I watched Vax eat my brothers, I decided to never bring another into this world until they are all dead. You are my only daughter.” said Lionhead.
“You guys take that serious.” said Therese, humbled.
“You don’t take it serious enough. Let’s order delivery for dinner.” said Lionhead, changing the subject.
“What do you want. I can pay you back.” said Therese, unsure how she could buy her own dinner.
“Enough with the insults. Let’s order some Northern Hare cuisine. I know this place, and they deliver.” said Lionhead, punching his order into his communication tablet. Lionhead relaxed and watched the setting sun. Therese leaned back in the dirt and relaxed with him.
“The dirt, even at home, I have this garden, and it makes me happy. The rabbits there don’t talk, but they listen.” said Therese, rolling the soil between her fingers. She looked over and saw Lionhead had fallen asleep and was taking a nap. Therese smiled and thought about Peter and how cute he looked when he was napping.
Half an hour later, a loan light came speeding from the distance, it was a rabbit on a hoverbike, he flew down the roads and up to the house, then looked around, saw the hole and Therese’s eyes glow in his headlights, and flew over there, parking his bike.
Therese stood up and the rabbit froze in horror and then began kicking dirt all over Lionhead, who jumped up startled and yelled “What in the hell?”
“You tell me why you paid when you knew she was here, what, do you expect my family to live in shame like moles never raising our heads in the sun?” The rabbit who was half the size and clearly disadvantaged to Lionhead was angry.
“Relax, please, you guys don’t deliver unless the customer pre-pays, don’t blame me for your rules.” said Lionhead, trying to calm the driver.
The delivery rabbit activated his commlink and began speaking rapidly with his boss. The rabbit was clearly angry and it sounded his boss was just as angry, Lionhead stood tapping his foot impenitently. “My boss wants to speak to you.” The delivery rabbit said handing the commlink to Therese, who held it to her head like a cellphone just the way the driver did.
“No, honest, it was an accident,
no, your driver didn’t know,
Of course, I should have called the order in,
oh no, oh my, I am sorry about your parents,
I am sorry about your siblings,
I am sorry about your neighbors,
no, no, please, don’t hide below the dirt,
a refund is fine, I promise,
I am sure this is your best,
no, please don’t send anything else,
If it want’ the best, Lionhead wouldn’t have ordered it,
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Ok, I’ll tell him,
Thank you very much for dinner,
It is my honor,
thank you.” Therese said, ending the call. Therese said on the phone, and then handed the comm device back to the delivery rabbit.
“Thank you, and please forgive us, it was an accident.” said Therese.
“Thank you for allowing me to bring you dinner.” said the delivery rabbit, before scowling at Lionhead and riding away on his hoverbike. Therese watched as he flew away quicker than he arrived.
“I told you, you don’t take it serious enough.” Lionhead said, sitting back down and eating his dinner.
“I’m sorry, this is all new to me, I’m proud of my other parents for driving the Vax and Gophers from Haremar, but I never knew any of it.” Therese said, opening her dinner, and smelling it. The food looked amazing, and Therese picked at it with her hands as Lionhead did.
“I might sleep under the stars tonight, the summer is warm, are you up for camping out?” Lionhead asked Therese.
“Yah, I’d love to see what the stars look like here tonight.” Therese said, relaxing and eating the rabbit food. The sun had fully set and the stars were growing bright. Lionhead finished his meal and rolled over into the soil and fell asleep. Therese stayed up late, wondering if it was night on earth and if Peter was looking at any of the same stars, but then too fell asleep tired from the digging.
Therese awoke in the morning, her clothes and hair were covered in dirt. Lionhead was up and she saw smoke rising from the chimney of his little house, so Therese walked there. The door was open, so she went in and saw Lionhead cooking breakfast.
“Bathroom is down the hall, there are some clean towels and a robe in there for you, breakfast will be ready when you are done.” Lionhead, said, watching his cooking and not looking up. Therese went down the hall, and found the bathroom as he described. Therese turned on the shower and was glad the water was warm. Therese watched the dirt run down the drain, she was worried but decided rabbit drains must be ready for all the dirt.
Therese smelled the soap and shampoo; it smelled fresh and refreshing. Therese scrubbed and scrubbed until she was clean and then turned the water off. Therese stepped out, grabbed the towel, it was so soft, and she pressed it against her face, after being in all that dirt she felt so clean. Therese put on the robe, and smiled, it was so soft and probably the only thing of Lionhead’s that would fit her. Therese remembered she was hungry and walked out with her clothes and towels.
“Washing machine is over there, it is simple, put the clothes in it and press the green button.” Lionhead said, pulling biscuits out of the oven. Therese took her laundry over and did as instructed, the machine gurgled and she heard water running. Therese smiled, the galaxy could be so different and so the same.
“Breakfast is ready, eat big, we’re going to your family home today.” said Lionhead.
“I don’t need to go there, I don’t remember it.” said Therese, sitting at the table. Lionhead put plates of fresh berries, cooked vegetables and biscuits in front of her.
“Of course you don’t remember it, but you need to go.” Lionhead said, sitting down, and taking a bite of his breakfast.
“I’m not some great mentor who can teach you a philosophy in life. I can’t do that.” said Lionhead eating his breakfast. Therese ate hers, the food was fresh and delicious.
“Thank you for having me here, and for breakfast too.” said Therese.
“Maybe one day you can repay the favor.” said Lionhead.
“I will totally love that.” said Therese. She liked the house, it was dug into the side of a hill, and was very Spartan in decor. Weapons hung on walls and portraits of Lionhead’s family filled another wall. His unit’s flag hung in the center.
After breakfast, Lionhead stood up from the table. “I must have a smoke, don’t even ask to pick that habit. (the washing machine buzzed) your clothes are washed and dried, I’ll be outside with my cigar, find me when you are ready.” said Lionhead, walking out of the house and sat on a bench out front. The rabbit lit his cigar and savored the smoke as he stared out and looked at the grasslands.
Therese came out in about 20 minutes. “I cleaned the dishes.”
“Good call, I needed to enjoy my bad habit a bit longer.” said Lionhead, taking his cigar and putting it out in the ashtray. “Let’s ride.” said the rabbit, walking to the side of his house and jumping on his bike. The rabbit took a helmet, slid his ears through it and strapped it to his head. “You’ll need your own.” he added.
Therese activated her Space-Girl ring and her armor including her helmet flew out in the purple light and formed the brilliant white armor of a Space-Girl, with her red stripe of rank. Therese jumped on the back of the hoverbike and grabbed around Lionhead who accelerated rapidly.
Therese hung on as the fast hoverbike fought against the wind resistance. Lionhead did not let up on the throttle until they neared the township, then he slowed to a safer speed. “It’s up ahead.” Lionhead yelled back, as he maneuvered over the town and dropped into a park. “We’re here.” He announced, landing the hoverbike.
Therese followed him through the park, to a group of statues. She realized they looked just like the parents she knew, Rodger and Mary, who was holding a baby. Two small children stood around their parents, and an older couple who Therese correctly assumed were her grandparents stood behind them.
“I never knew of them.” Therese told Lionhead.
“Nor should you of, imagine how much it would have bothered you more and for no reason.” said Lionhead.
“Then why are we here?” asked Therese.
“You’re in the family business now. You need to accept that saving the galaxy isn’t easy, and you’re going to lose people you care about. If you don’t like that, lose the galaxy.” Lionhead told Therese.
“They lost themselves and all but me.” said Therese.
“Look around, they saved all this.” Lionhead said, moving his hand across the planet.
A group of rabbit children ran over. They were laughing and running. “It’s her.” said a little girl rabbit. Therese took a knee by the children and removed her helmet. “It is, I told you it is her.” said the little girl rabbit proud of herself.
“Are you my daughter?” asked the little girl, reaching up to hug the Space-Girl.
“I’m Therese.” said Therese, taking the hug. “Maybe I’m just your sister.” said Therese, loving the feel of the soft fur on the girl’s head. Therese looked at the small rabbits, and understood that all the pain in the world was worth it for them, for Ana, and for everyone.
“My name is Therese too.” said the little girl.
“It’s a very popular name.” said Lionhead.
“I want to be a Space-Girl when I grow up.” said the little rabbit.
“You’re not strong enough.” said one of the boys.
“Are you kind?” asked Therese.
“I’m the nicest girl in my class.” said the little rabbit girl.
“Kindness is true strength.” said Therese.
“Your armor is funny, why is it changing color?” asked another boy. Therese carefully set down the little girl and looked down, she stuck her gauntlets in front of her, her armor was becoming a beautiful shade of purple.
“That is so pretty.” said the little girl rabbit.
“She’s pretty.” said the little boy rabbit looking up at Therese.
“Just remember, kind people are always beautiful, go be kind. Go play.” Said Therese. The rabbit children ran and hopped off, talking excitedly about meeting Space-Girl Therese.
“You’ve met your pain and looked it in the eye.” Lionhead said to Therese. The guilt of surviving was leaving her.
“Is that why my armor is purple?” Therese asked. She loved purple, she always loved purple, but Therese could not understand what was happening.
“Your armor was always purple, but it was tarnished.” Lionhead told her.
“I still hurt.” Therese said. Her mind hurt, the voices hurt, the loss of Buck hurt and the capture by the Gophers hurt.
And you always will, and that’s okay.” said Lionhead.
“Let’s go dig a hole.” said Therese.
“Serious?” asked Lionhead.
“No, I’m screwing with you, but I’d kill for coffee.” said Therese. She really did want a cup of coffee. Therese still wanted another kind of drink to numb the pain, but she understood now it just comes back anyways.
“Now you’re talking. Hang out here for a minute, I’m going to go have a smoke by my bike.” said Lionhead. Therese walked over to the statures of her family, rubbing her hands over their faces, wishing she could remember them.
Therese shook as she remembered a brief glimpse of her grandmother looking down at her, and seeing her grandparents and siblings destroyed by the gophers around her. Therese screamed briefly, realizing it was just a flashback from the moment she first wore that ring when she was a few months old. That brief time had been etched in her forever. As she recovered, she realized that even though she had never remembered it before, she had held it against herself all those years. “Therese, we’ll wait for you in heaven.” said her grandmother softly. Therese looked around, the moment was over. It still hurt.