The dawn surprised them still going at it, they hadn't slept at all and had taken just a few breaks every now and then.
Jordi had some bruises on his back, Honey’s tail would whip hard when she got excited.
He was covered in sweat when the light started coming through the window, something that turned Honey even more due to his body emanating heat. Still, they both had somewhere to be in a couple hours and Jordi would need to go to his room before continuing the karkle training, he wasn’t going to risk being outside during the day without the suit and he had come to her room with only a towel..
A night full of activity and without sleep was one thing, he had enough stamina for that and with some caffeine pills he would stay awake, but attempting to be under the scorching sun with 50-60 degrees Celsius and high humidity without the suit was a sure way of dying for a human.
He made sure to have enough time for a quick shower and breakfast before meeting Rash, something that Honey had to agree to since she also had a job to do.
Still, the bags under his eyes betrayed him and got a chuckle from Rash as a good morning. That and his walking, he had tried unsuccessfully to conceal a limp.
“I am not even going to ask why you didn’t sleep, I’m just hoping the caffeine pills I can smell on your breath keep you awake enough. And don’t think we’ll take it easy today, we have a schedule to follow and you are already on your fourth day!” - Rash said without being able to keep the humor from his voice.
Jordi mounted on Shaana and they started to move towards the mountains, their pace between trotting and galloping.
The caffeine pills were working and Jordi’s brain was alert and awake but, as the sun rose and the day was getting hotter, he found himself fighting with drowsiness.
Still, they moved and climbed some mountains. First forty degrees slope, then fifty. Rash was taking him to more difficult terrain so he could gradually get used to it.
“Remember. The trick is the long back on the saddle and the particular stirrups, it is all about stretching the legs properly and don’t forget to use your knees when going down” - Rash explained while they started an almost eighty degree slope.
The karkles looked like they didn’t even care if they were on a difficult slope or plain terrain, their movements didn’t change at all. At one point on that last climb Rash even stopped and told him to look around and appreciate the scenery.
Jordi was focusing his strength on the legs, pushing his body towards the back of the saddle. He had asked once they weren’t wearing belts and the answer had been “then everyone would think they could do this and no one would train for it, too many accidents can happen when you don’t fear or respect something difficult”.
Now he understood, if he had been wearing a belt he would not be pressing his body towards the saddle. He probably would’ve ended up hanging from the belt. This way was more difficult but also more enjoyable.
They arrived at the peak after a few minutes and Jordi checked the altitude, almost two thousand meters above sea level.
A cloud covered the sun and a gentle breeze blew through them. The view, although a bit barren, was incredibly beautiful.
The peak was a small plain and Rash got off his mount, opened his backpack and threw a bottle towards Jordi.
“Have a drink, let’s rest for a while and enjoy the view”
Shaana understood because she lowered her body which made getting down easier for Jordi.
He sat, resting his back on the karkle’s body and took a sip from the bottle.
He felt his muscles relax and the pain disappear, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
“Ah, thank you! That is really good.” - Jordi said with his eyes still closed.
Rash made a guttural sound as a response, the equivalent of a chuckle as Jordi had learned these past days.
“Don’t worry. I have to admit I’m having almost as much fun as you. You humans are really something” - he said with a smile.
After a few minutes the cloud stopped covering the sun and the terrain went back to emit that terrible heat.
“Shall we go? We’re going down vertically now, remember your training and it’ll be ok. And don’t worry if you fall off, that’s why I have wings” - Rash said, still smiling.
“Yeah let’s go, that’s the reason I came here!” - said Jordi mounting on Shaana’s back.
Once he was properly seated and with his feet secured on the stirrups they started to move.
The moment he saw the way down, a complete vertical drop, his blood ran cold. It was not rare for anyone to feel fear after seeing that.
He browsed his memories looking for the perfect mantra for a moment like this one and started to recite it with a whisper.
“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
The way down was slower and more difficult than he had predicted.
The bruises on his back were hurting but he couldn’t mention it without being made fun of so he just focused on his breathing, letting both fear and pain go through him.
Even though they were going down a vertical slope he could tell Shaana was choosing the easiest path, as if she could feel his muscles tensing or relaxing.
After almost an hour they arrived at the ground and without resting started moving back to the ranch.
Jordi saw the direction they were moving and a quick look at the sky told him they were going back.
“Hey girl, what do you think about racing them to the ranch?” - he whispered Shaana.
She started galloping as a response and a laugh and some hard sounds behind him told him that Rash had accepted the challenge.
His sides still hurt a bit but Shaana’s body movements were telling him she was having fun, as was he, so he just clenched his teeth and tried to relax his body so it would attune to Shaana’s twisting.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Come on boy! You can do better than this!” - said Rash, way behind them. Which only made Shaana sprint much faster.
The ranch was now visible and coming closer by the minute, they were going probably at 80 or 90 km/h.
Jordi was starting to feel a piercing pain on his lower back but he thought it would be better to arrive as soon as possible rather than slowing down and suffer more time.
“Come on girl, we’re almost there!” - he rushed her.
She whipped her tail as a response, increasing her speed a bit more.
There were some people at the entrance and Jordi took a quick look behind, Rash was about five hundred meters behind them, so he told Shaana to start slowing down.
They crossed the entrance almost trotting and with a good distance between them and Rash and his mount. Shaana walked a few circles slowing down to a full stop, breathing heavily.
“Good girl, that was awesome!” - said Jordi caressing her neck.
Rash crossed the entrance also trotting, his karkle looking really tired.
“Don’t worry Rosch, she’s faster and I’m heavier than he is. You had no chance” - Rash said, caressing his karkle’s neck.
The karkle made a roaring sound as a response, looking sideways towards Shaana as if to say “next time I’ll beat you!”. Shaana made a purring sound, and a long tongue licked Jordi’s face.
Both Jordi and Rash started laughing and took their mounts to the stable.
“I think I’m going to need a massage though” - said Jordi after getting off.
“Oh I bet you do. Racing like that after the night and day you had? You must be sore all over. I wouldn’t be surprised if you broke a rib or something” - Rash answered, grabbing him as if he was a piece of paper.
“I can walk, you know?” - Jordi protested.
“Probably, but this way is quicker” - said Rash, then opened his wings and took him to the massage zone quicker than if they had walked.
To their surprise they found Honey there, dressed with a white coat and cleaning her hands.
“Well, it is my lucky day!” - she said with a smile. - “Leave him here, I’ll be the one taking care of him today”
“Sure, but let him rest tonight. Tomorrow is our last day and I want to make it special” - said Rash, laying Jordi down in a massage bed in front of her.
Honey’s shoulders turned reddish and she slapped Rash's head with a towel.
“Quiet you!” - she half whispered.
“What! Do you think no one heard you yesterday?” - said Rash laughing.
Jordi started to blush and decided to turn face down. There were some parts of his body waking up from the memories of last night's adventure.
Honey removed expertly the upper part of the suit and started massaging Jordi’s back.
“Did I.. do that?” - she whispered, passing a finger through the bruises.
“Those? Probably. The kidneys and lower back it was all Shaana, my karkle” - Jordi answered.
She softly touched his back, pressing slightly over his ribs and lower back.
“I don’t feel anything broken but you do need some rest.” - she said, and then she started applying that magic oil that Jordi was so fond of.
She massaged him for more than forty minutes and Jordi had to fight to stay awake, the touch was delicate and caring, and the fact that she was humming a nice melody didn’t help at all; her hands expertly switching between hard and soft pressure, releasing some knots in his muscles he didn’t even know were there.
Those movements mixed with the therapeutic oil were enough to make him make pleasure sounds that he did the best to quiet with no luck, which Honey took as proof of her good work and inspired her.
Once those forty minutes of massage had passed she helped him stand up and asked him to try some movements to check how his body and muscles felt, and he felt like ready for another night of passion but didn’t say anything because he still had one more day and he wanted to see what Rash had prepared for him.
What he did was ask Honey to share a couple drinks before going to sleep which she accepted with a shadow of red on her shoulders, they did enjoy each other's company after all.
—
The next morning went as usual, he would go to the mess hall and have a good breakfast enjoying the faces around him and imagining what they were they on, something that was becoming easier to deduce now that he was on his last one.
He was on his way to his room to change when he found Rash waiting for him near his bedroom.
“I see you’re not wearing your wrist-pad. I’m afraid we won’t be able to enjoy this last day.” - Rash said - “Check your coms and I’ll take you to a private landing zone we have near the ranch”
Jordi, surprised, went into his room and saw his wrist-pad on the nightstand with a red led flashing intermittently. He clicked on it and a message came out.
“This is an emergency message to all Kirkugger class ships.” - it surprised him to recognize Xe’nia’s voice - “The Empire has need of your ship's specific design and abilities. All your previous assignments have been canceled and you need to jump to the attached coordinates as soon as possible. More information will be following this message”
Jordi felt a bit sad, he really wanted to see what Rash had prepared for his last day, but he also felt excitement because they were being called. There was something unknown and they needed ALL the Kirkugger ships.
He left his room not five minutes after with his backpack prepared and everything ready, Rash was waiting for him and looked understandably gloomy.
“Don’t worry Rash, I’ll come back some day. I’ve read that your species and mine have similar lifespans so we will meet again for sure. And you owe that last day!” - Jordi said, trying to cheer him up.
“You humans… How can you be so joyful when you are going to face the uncertain? An emergency so important that hundreds of ships are being called!” - Rash responded.
“I for one believe that if the Empire is calling us it is because they believe we can help, not to throw us like sacrificial lambs” - said Jordi with a smile.
“Humans, explorers. Bunch of cuckoos altogether” - Rash said, looking at the ground and shaking his head.
Once they left the building they found Honey waiting for them, her posture was filled with sadness as well.
“So, you heard” - said Jordi, stopping in front of her.
“Yes, everyone has. It’s not everyday that we receive an emergency transmission that alters our plans” - Honey said, looking at his eyes.
“I’m sorry we won’t be able to see each other for a while, I have really enjoyed your company and our chats” - he said smiling at her
She suddenly hugged him with her wings open, completely covering him, he disappeared under her.
“I’m going to miss you, you crazy bastard” - she whispered, and he realized her shoulders had an orange tone.
She released him from his hug and, before any of them could say something, a roaring sound announced two ships flying over them.
Two silver needles flying close to each other and slowing down.
“So one of those is your metal cage” - said Honey looking at the ships pass by.
Another krlner approached, followed by a tall drewell.
“So, I’m guessing this is the other explorer. Hi, I’m Cackle” - the krlner said.
The drewell looked at Jordi and put his closed hand with index and middle finger extended on his heart, the explorer salute.
Jordi looked at him and did the same gesture, both stayed like this for a couple seconds.
“Shall we go?” - said Rash, and after everyone gestured affirmatively they started to walk towards the parking space.
—
The journey was short and silent. Both Jordi and the drewell - who hadn’t said one word - were looking at their respective wrist-pads and reading the small batch of information they had received.
They were going to a system with a blue star, quite far away but their ships had received an update on the jump procedures and a 3 day travel in jump space was now 18 hours only.
Turns out the modifications dr. Jennifer Jeong had made, had inspired a bunch of theories and more modifications, by humans and all other species.
When they arrived at the landing zone they saw both Kirkugger ships landed beautifully one along the other, they were almost identical but Jordi recognized the Espurna and his heart skipped a beat at the sight of his ship.
The drewell jumped from the vehicle, turned to look at them and bowed to his krlner trainer. Then looked at Jordi and said with a grave voice “I’ll go first if you don’t mind” and started walking to his ship without waiting for an answer.
Jordi just shrugged his shoulders and looked at Rash.
“It really has been a pleasure and I really hope I can come back soon” - Jordi said and extended his hand.
“You better, we are not finished yet you and me” - Rash said, shaking it.
Jordi bowed his head to the other krlner and walked towards his ship, once he entered he heard the other Kirkugger taking off.
“Friday, I’m home!” - he said, smiling.
“And we’re happy to have you, but that other ship is really rude and I would very much like to have her eat dust” - said Friday, definitely not amused.
“Rude or not they are colleagues and they can go first if they want, wherever we are going I’m pretty sure we will find something to show them who’s the best.” - Jordi answered walking towards the bridge.
Ryoshi was waiting for him in front of the leisure room and he picked her up.
“Not yet girl, first we jump and then we can go and rest a bit” - he said, caressing the joyous and purring cat.
“The idiots have left the space and we can lift now” - said Friday.
“Then, let’s go!” - he said, partly amused by Friday behavior and partly excited for the new mission. An emergency that required all Kirkugger ships.