A day after Lon'thul left for the village, S'haar and Em'brel sat waiting for news as Angela finished her last set of Jack's scans. To begin her explanations, she zoomed in on an image of his leg. "Well, your bones have knitted together nicely. Your musculature has also properly reattached, though you could probably use some more physical therapy to restore your normal levels of strength...again... The nerves...are more or less shot, which will mess with your coordination, and you'll occasionally feel pain ranging from mild to severe without warning. You'll definitely want a walking cane of some kind."

The digital image of Jack's body zoomed out, and different parts were highlighted as Angela continued. "The minor fractures have all healed as well as they likely will, though you'll probably experience more aches and pains than you remember. Your pacemaker seems to be working correctly, and if you're within my range, I can even track it, or if necessary, adjust it. Finally, no matter how hard I scan, I can detect no physical evidence of brain damage."

Angela flew in close as if looking his skull over personally, with a look of deep concern. "Though obviously there must be some damage. I'm fairly certain you never used to drool like that..."

Jack resisted the urge to fall for her obvious trap by checking and instead flung his hand through his sister's avatar. Or he would have if she hadn't dived out of the way, cackling at her little joke.

Em'brel ran forward and hugged Jack, pinning him awkwardly in place with one arm stretched out over her shoulder in a way it just hung there uselessly until she backed up. "That's great! You'll be out enjoying the warming weather in no time!"

Jack grinned at her. "Yeah, I'll need to stretch my legs out wandering around the camp, but I'm not sure I'll be much good for heavy lifting again any time soon."

Angela was leisurely floating on her back just behind Em'brel when she cut in with a self-satisfied grin. "I hate to break it to you, little bro, but you've never been much for heavy lifting on this planet. Even Em'brel can outperform you in that regard."

Jack was just about to launch back his retort when S'haar approached to speak her own mind, an odd look in her eyes. "So you're saying he's as healed as he's likely to get at this point?"

Angela nodded. "Yeah, he's back to being..."

She was cut off when S'haar reached out and grabbed Jack, pulling him into a short but intense kiss before letting him fall back into the chair. "After you left, you almost died not once, but twice. From now on, where you go, I go. This is not a debate!"

Jack was somewhat out of breath as he sat in place, blinking for a minute as he processed everything unspoken behind the kiss and words. Eventually, he nodded. "Yeah, I suppose that's fair."

He grinned stupidly and slapped his bad leg, only flinching a little in the process. "Besides, I doubt I could outrun you anymore these days!"

S'haar's expression seemed to soften slightly, but the gleam in her eye only grew odder. "Good enough, I suppose. Now then, I think we need to rush you right into your physical therapy."

Angela looked a little confused. "Well, there's not really any rush, though, I suppose..."

Once more, the AI was cut off by S'haar's unexpected movement as she reached down, grabbed Jack, and threw him over her shoulder like a sack of flour.

She then looked over at the youngest woman in the room, her voice sounding oddly maternal. "Em'brel, darling, you might want to go outside and get started on your martial practice with Ger'ron. Jack and I are going to be busy for a little while."

The look on Em'brels face said she wasn't fooled for a moment but was willing to play along for the sake of avoiding an awkward conversation. She nodded emphatically. "Uh, yea...yes...um, yes... That...that sounds like a great idea! I think he was planning on a long training session today, so I'll be gone a while. So...uh....yeah...bye!"

With that, the girl fled out of the room, grabbing the confused old soldier from the living room and practically shoving him out of the ship.

S'haar also spared a glance for Angela, whose digital face was now thoroughly red, though she was sporting an odd grin as though this was all some weird joke only the AI could appreciate. "You may want to turn down your sensors, or stop listening, or do whatever you need to do."

The warrior women didn't wait for a response. She exited the med-bay and carried Jack into his room, which at some point had apparently become "their" room. Jack's face clearly expressed that although his participation may no longer be optional, he wasn't particularly unwilling either.

-

Em'brel was exhausted. First, the old sadist had made her do the same maneuver with a sword one hundred times, saying something about building muscle memory. It had seemed so easy at first, but long before she finished, her arms and back had been screaming in pain.

Next, he'd had her run laps around the camp. He said something about how in an equal fight, the person with better stamina would usually be the one to walk away. After a few laps, she'd collapsed on the ground, panting for breath.

The old guard hobbled over to her with his crutches. He stood over her, grinning as she struggled to catch her breath. "You're doing well. Much better than the first day! Now that you've got the warm-ups out of the way let's get started on some real training!"

Em'brel debated the merits of simply dying right then and there. Ultimately she sighed and dragged herself to her feet before launching into the next series of exercises the vicious older man laid out for her.

-

Jack was looking at his new eyepatch. Angela had insisted on using a bit of fabrication to print out her own design.

It was made from a nice synthetic black leather that was resistant to damage by moisture or exposure. Turning it over, Jack could see the inside of the band had a cloth layer to help it rest more comfortably on the skin. On the patch itself, Angela had emblazoned the symbol of the camp in gold.

Angela was floating over his shoulder, practically giddy in anticipation of Jack's reaction. Unable to wait, she blurted out in excitement. "It's even machine washable!"

Jack couldn't help but laugh as he shook his head. Unwilling to wait any longer, he tried it on. Turning to S'haar, he smiled. "Well, what do you think?"

For her part, S'haar tilted her head as if thinking before nodding in appreciation. "You look good. It suits you."

Jack's grin widened. Em'brel approached with her hands held behind her back. Once she was close enough, she brought out the object she'd been hiding with a bit of a flustered flourish.

In her hands was a cane. It was black and gold to match Jack's eyepatch, though he suspected the gold was either thinly gilded or was some kind of fool's gold. However, the part that stood out the most was the handle. It seemed to be made out of a bone of some sort.

As Jack inspected it closer, Em'brel explained nervously. "I… it's made out of the horn of the kovaack that almost killed you. I thought… I thought…"

Jack smiled and set the cane aside to hug the younger woman. "Thank you very much. I think it's great! Every time I use it, I'll think of the time you fought desperately to save my life."

Em'brel let out a breath she'd apparently been holding. "Oh, thank goodness, I was afraid it would bring back painful memories. Angela insisted you'd like it, but I was still worried!"

Jack smiled. As he held her at arm's length to meet Em'brel's eyes. "Not all my memories from that time are pleasant, but I try and focus on the good while learning from the bad. That's all we can do in life!"

Angela floated right between them, causing Jack to take a step back even though he knew she was insubstantial. She Gave Jack an appraising look, like some kind of librarian with glasses and her hair in a bun, and her chin resting on one raised hand.

After a moment, she turned back to Em'brel. "Don't feel too sorry for him. I know my own brother well enough to know he happens to think he looks quite dashing with his new eyepatch and cane. I'm willing to bet he'll even want some kind of matching cloak or cape to go with them…"

Jack looked like he wanted to protest for a moment, then he shrugged instead. "Well, you did say I'd have more aches and pains than before. I figure, keeping myself nice and warm might help with that."

Angela laughed uproariously as she pointed at Jack. "I KNEW IT! I called it! You are such a nerd!"

Jack smiled at the good-natured ribbing. "Hey, it's not nerdy on this planet yet. If I have to live on a world that seems so determined to kill me day in and day out, the least I should be able to do is indulge in a few archaic fashion trends. Doubly so if they're practical as well!"

S'haar walked up behind Jack, wrapping him in one of those over the shoulder hugs he was starting to get used to. "Well, I'm not sure if the world is to blame with all the chances you've been giving it lately. You can only tempt fate so many times before it takes you up on your offer."

Jack briefly tried to fight the woman off, but she held on effortlessly as she continued. "However, regarding the way you look, I think I agree. You look cute with your eyepatch and cane!"

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

With a sudden surge of strength, Jack finally escaped from S'haar's captivity, though the look on S'haars face argued she'd allowed him to get away. Jack pointed an accusatory finger at her as he protested. "Of all the many adjectives you can use to describe me, cute is not one! I'll accept daring, dashing, roguish, mysterious, or any other of a plethora of descriptors other than 'cute'!"

S'haar reached out and grabbed his hand and forced it lower while also dragging Jack into a brief kiss before responding. "You're cute when you're flustered!"

Angela laughed uproariously, pretending to roll around on the "ground" at eye level as she did so. Em'brel had to hide her face behind her hands as she laughed. Even Ger'ron, sitting unobtrusively in his chair across the room, shared a chuckle at Jack's expense. The grin on S'haars face said she knew she'd won that exchange more clearly than any words could have.

Jack slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I can't get any respect, even in my own house!"

S'haar chuckled in response. "Oh hush now. You know you've earned plenty of respect from all of us...and before long, everyone else within several day's walking distance, if I'm not mistaken. Besides, I promise I'll make it up to you later…"

Em'brel and Angela looked at each other, their faces scrunched in exaggerated disgust. Angela was the first to respond. "I think I speak for both of us when I say… 'Ew, gross!'"

After a bit of laughter, Em'brel suddenly sniffed the air. "Oh, the stew!" Just like that, she was off to repair whatever damage had been done to the unattended pot while everyone else settled in for their meal.

-

After a filling dinner complimented by with plenty of laughter and jokes at one another's expense, Angela addressed the table, her voice uncharacteristically solemn. First, she turned to their most recent guest. "Ger'ron, I apologize, but there's a matter I need to speak with just these three about…could I ask you…"

The older guard waved away her concern. "Say no more, Lady Angela. After a filling meal like that, I think I'll retire for the night. Em'brel, thank you for the food. As always, the meal was excellent. Now, if you all will excuse me, I'll leave the cleanup in each of your hands this evening."

With that, the old guard hobbled off to his improvised bedroom while the rest waited in confusion for Angela to continue.

Once the door to Ger'ron's room had closed, the AI began her explanation. "So as you all were escaping to make your way back here, my mobile transceiver got left behind."

Angela held up a hand to forestall any comments before they were made. "I know it wasn't a priority at the time, and I agree with you. It also put me in a position where I was free to overhear some of the confrontations between the town's guards and the raider camp's remnants. There are a few moments I've earmarked for your attention later, but while cleaning up and sorting through the various soundbites I've acquired, I came across one bit in particular that I think you all need to listen to because, quite frankly, I have no idea what to do with this information."

She then sat back and began to playback what sounded like a skirmish of some kind. The audio wasn't as clear as she'd like since this hadn't happened as close to the transceiver as Angela would have hoped, but the sounds of a life and death struggle were evident to anyone listening.

Jack's eyes grew wide, and he stared off into the distance as though seeing another time or place. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his chair. Angela considered shutting off the recording, but S'haar placed her hand over his, and after a moment, Jack closed his eyes and let out a breath he'd been holding before nodding and reponing his eyes again. This time his look was less panicked.

Eventually, the sounds of struggle ended, and after a moment of heavy breathing, a voice could be heard. It was B'arthon's. "Filthy raider, how dare you trespass into our lands! A quick death is better than you deserve!"

Another more panicked and pained voice responded, evidently the raider B'arthon was speaking to. "We did not trespass, young lord, I swear! We came by invitation! Your own father sent for us and paid us well!"

B'arthon's voice shouted out, drowning out any further comment the raider might have made. "LIAR! HOW DARE YOU BRING MY FATHER INTO THIS SIMPLY TO BUY YOUR WORTHLESS LIFE A FEW MEASLY SECONDS!"

That was followed by the soft sounds of impact, a surprised gasp, and finally, the sounds of a death gurgle. A sound Em'brel had heard before. She shuddered at the memory.

Everyone shared a look of surprise as Dek'thul's voice joined the conversation. "Lord B'arthon, you should know better than to listen to the lies of a raider. You know as well as I that your father puts the welfare of the village above all else. He would never invite raiders into our lands. Please, put any thought of this out of your mind."

With that, the recording ended, and Angela looked around expectantly, waiting to see everyone's reactions.

Em'brel looked frightened, S'haar angry, and Jack contemplative. S'haar was the first to react, standing and slamming her fist onto the table and making both Jack and Em'brel jump in startlement. "He can't get away with this! We must take this recording to the village and have the other village leaders listen to it! If enough of them agree, we can have the traitor exiled!"

It was Jack's turn to put a calming hand on S'haar's fist. "I'd agree with you, but there are a few issues with that. First, the raider could have been lying. We don't know. Second, why should your village leaders believe us? If we can make voices appear out of thin air, who's to say we couldn't fabricate what they say. Third, having heard it for himself, Dek'thul seems to be either fooled or complicit, without knowing which, we risk a lot by taking direct action."

S'haar looked frustrated. "Then what would you recommend? We sit idly by while the person who orchestrated this mess gets away with it?"

Jack held up his hands in a placating gesture as he spoke. "Now hear me out and decide for yourself. This actually doesn't change anything in our immediate future. Assuming Lord A'ngles is behind everything, which we still don't know, he can't move against us directly, or he already would have."

S'haar's eyes narrowed, but she waited with her arms crossed as Jack continued. "I think he's already pushed the limits of what he can do at this time. To avoid attracting attention, he'll have to play nice for a while until everything has calmed down. What's more, we'll still need the support of the village to ensure our own survival."

S'haar looked like she wanted to argue but was forcing herself to figuratively, or perhaps literally, bite her tongue as Jack finished his explanation. "To that end, we play along, for now. We'll do exactly what we had planned to do before. That is to say, building up this outpost to be its own independent entity. We can start by accepting whatever help we can get due to the goodwill we've earned by saving many villagers from the cold and then fending off a major raiding party. With that, we grow this place into something more."

Jack waved toward the door and the camp beyond. "Up until now, we've just focused on iron and a few technologies needed to ensure the safety and quality of life of the many workers who would be present, but Angela and I can offer so much more. We can teach you medicines, textiles, irrigation, plumbing, farming, animal husbandry, and more. Pretty soon, this outpost would become the place of learning in the land. Multiple villages could send their workers to learn of the dragon's wisdom. We'd become essential and, in many ways, untouchable."

S'haar looked dubious, but at least she didn't look ready to charge out and declare war on her own while she considered Jack's proposal.

Em'brel nodded, and her eyes became distant as she took in the entirety of Jack's vision. "We still need the help of the village for this place to function, but if we invite more and more villages to gather and learn here, we wouldn't be for long. With workers and guards from enough villages present, no one village leader would have power over us. Additionally, they wouldn't be able to withdraw support for fear of falling behind the others."

Em'brel frowned as she continued her line of reasoning. "The challenges will be doing this in such a way that everything's already in place before Lord A'ngles realizes he's lost control of the situation, then dealing with the fallout once he does."

As both Jack and Em'brel looked at S'haar expectantly, she finally nodded and sat down. "Alright, I still don't like it, but I see the wisdom of your words. We'll do it your way, for now. But as soon as we can, I want to have our own guards replacing the ones from the village. Also, neither of you are to leave this ship without some kind of escort once the workers arrive."

The glare she directed toward Jack and Em'brel killed any protest they might have made while it was still in their throats. Both nodded their agreement. S'haar then directed her attention to Angela. "And I expect you to keep an ear out for anything suspicious. Forget the rest. You don't need to keep a recording of the day to day lives of the workers who take up residence, but listen with those clever ears of yours for anyone who might be plotting to cause us trouble."

Angela saluted S'haar surprisingly smartly before grinning devilishly. "I would have done that even if you hadn't asked, but I'm glad we're on the same page!"

S'haar looked back and forth between everyone before lowering her head and rubbing it in such a way that spoke of stress and exhaustion. "This is all a bit much to take in all at once. It's starting to give me a headache."

The warrior woman then looked at Jack. “Are you sure you don’t want to take back command of the outpost?”

Jack simply flashed the toothy grin he’d developed after all this time with argu’n. “Not on your life! Well, ok, maybe on your life, but not for any lesser reason. I’ve had enough of leading and heroics. I’m looking forward to the relaxing lifestyle of a cowardly advisor!”

Jack deflected the pillow S’haar threw at him as everyone else enjoyed a good laugh at their antics.

-

Jack woke in the middle of the night gasping for air. His adrenalin was pumping, and he was looking around, expecting to see...faces.

When he looked down, his hands were shaking. After rubbing his face to chase away the last vestiges of whatever dream he'd woken from, his hands came away wet.

He sat there, trying to catch his breath for a moment, when an unexpected hand came out of nowhere and grabbed him. He reacted instinctively, slamming his elbow back into whoever had ahold of him, only to be caught by another hand and pulled into an embrace.

In an instant, Jack realized it was S'haar holding him and tried to turn to apologize, but she just held him all the more firmly. Realizing the futility of his struggles, Jack gave up and found himself wracked with silent sobs as tears streamed down his face. He felt ashamed of his weakness, crying over a dream he couldn't even remember. Through it all, S'haar held him silently and waited.

After a nebulous period that could have lasted anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, he felt his emotions drain, leaving him feeling oddly empty and exhausted. Remembering how this had all started, he spoke up, his voice still somewhat ragged. "Sorry...about attacking you..."

S'haar didn't seem upset as she responded, though admittedly, Jack couldn't see her face at the moment. "It's alright, no harm done. Well, except for the fact that I'm pretty sure you bruised your elbow."

Judging by the dull ache radiating from his elbow, he was sure she was correct. Jack shook his head and sighed. "Yeah, maybe. Regardless, I'm sorry."

S'haar squeezed Jack a little tighter for just a moment before releasing him enough that he could finally turn around and see her as she replied. "All is forgiven. Back when I lived in the guard's barracks, you'd see something similar from time to time. It was most common after an unusually brutal raid. There is always a bit of a risk waking someone up from something like that early." She paused, tilting her head as if remembering something. "They punched a lot harder than you." She grinned softly to soften any potential blow to Jack's masculinity.

Jack just grinned and chuckled, then grew quiet. S'haar's expression sobered, and she gave him a questioning look. "Want to talk about it?"

Jack thought a moment before shaking his head and lying back down. "No...not yet anyway."

S'haar grabbed him and pulled him into another embrace. It was weird always being the one brought into the hugs, but S'haar seemed to enjoy having as much body contact as possible. Jack wasn't sure if it was out of a desire for intimacy or body heat, but he supposed it didn't matter. He was quickly growing fond of their new dynamic. She squeezed him again and spoke with a voice growing heavy with sleep once more. "That's alright. If you ever feel like talking, I'll be right here, by your side."

Jack felt his eyes threaten to overflow again, and he fought down the annoying lump that had just developed in his throat before muttering, "I know. Thank you."

Then the time for speaking was over, and Jack found himself slipping back to sleep. Despite all the threats and challenges still laid out before them, in S'haar's arms, he felt like he genuinely belonged where he was for the first time since landing on this planet.