Hannah paused at the break in the path.
Her doubts about her intentions, the wisdom of this choice, were washed away by the sight in the darkness before her. Sarah lay, on the grassy patch they had given her, curled up in a ball. Her black fur blended into the shadows, faintly outlined in the dim light that was midnight in the ship garden, but Hannah's eyes had adjusted well. The large furry tail twitched, as if bad dreams tormented the poor girl. It was doubtful she was asleep, though. Not tonight.
Hannah glanced around. She needed backup. Someone to help her, keep her from backing down. The garden was empty, though, the store dark and silent. She was on her own...
Movement caught her eye. Two shapes, slender, quietly slipped out of the bottle return door. They saw Hannah, paused, then slowly walked towards her. They were nude, Melinda's pale flesh in stark contrast to Rinda's blue fur. Hannah had to admire their confidence, having slipped on that day's dress before leaving the bedroom. Robes and nightgowns had not made her tailoring schedule yet. Not wanting to wake Sarah yet, she strode towards the girls.
"Out for a walk?" She kept her voice low, crossing her arms over her chest. Just looking at those two made it seem like she was the naked one. Melinda reached up and adjusted her glasses, looking over towards the sleeping Sarah.
"We just put the babies down to sleep. She doing OK?"
"No. And I don't think we've been doing OK by her."
"That's not our fault," Rinda muttered, voice betraying her true feelings. Her arms hugged herself, a slight shiver running through her. The night air wasn't quite as warm as they were used to.
"Forget the past, we worry about the now," Melinda said. Her eyes regarded Hannah thoughtfully. "You offering Anthony?"
Hannah almost took a step back at that. Damn, she was observant. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head.
"He wants her gone, when this is over. Probably because he notices the looks she gives him. I... I don't want to toss her out."
Melinda nodded.
"I told Chuck, when the whole thing started, I'd be willing to share him because pairing up was going to leave some out. Naturally," she chucked, "if you don't count our two furry companions it turns out we actually did pair up nicely."
"But the point still stands," Hannah said. "Goldie is going to need someone. And Sarah."
"I don't like sharing..." Rinda's voice was one on its final argument. Melinda reached out and touched her arm.
"Tammy."
Rinda seemed to deflate. Hannah nodded.
"Tammy. We helped Tammy, and the men stepped aside. We should do the same."
"IF the men are interested." Rinda seemed to perk up at her own realization. Melinda smiled, giving her arm a stroke.
"Come on. I don't want to leave Chuck and the babies for too long."
The three walked over to the grass. They made noise, wanting to find her awake, or at least waking. As they stepped onto the soft green blades, the dark form rolled over and sat up. Before she could stand, they lowered themselves to sit before her.
Sarah, too, was nude, although fur and darkness covered her more than adequately. She adjusted herself, legs folded under her body, hands in her lap. A position of respect, of submission.
"How can I help."
Not what do you want, or even hello. Hannah looked at the others. She didn't even know where to start.
"Do you still see it?" Sarah's eyes widened at Melinda's question, then closed, head dropping. Melinda nodded. "Me too. I've never seen... I've seen death, Daium's dad, but never people dying like that." Hannah lowered her own head. They could argue that they in fact didn't see what they all thought they saw, didn't see two people, an adult and a child, flung into the void as the Squirrel's machine failed. They could do that. That would not help them with what was to come, though. Not help them steel themselves for whatever was needed to stop these mad experiments. No. They had to use this. It was... confirmation.
"Anything you want," Sarah told them, eyes still closed, "I will do. Anything against the temple. Just..."
"We forgive you," Hannah told her, reaching out a hand to touch her knee. Her fur was cold to the touch, body trembling. "Forgive you even before you do anything. That's why we're here. We forgive you."
"And we want you to stay."
Rinda's voice was soft, with no hint of previous doubt. Sarah's eyes opened, surprise clearly showing.
"Stay?"
"Stay." Rinda added her own hand next to Hannah's, Melinda following suit. "Join us."
"But..."
"It will take time for you to really fit in, yes," Melinda said. "We three will start to include you more, work on the others. If you want to stay. If not, we'll give you money for passage anywhere, naturally. We'll owe you that, if this works. But," she looked at the others, "our little group is alone in the universe. Eventually, we'll be large, a race to be reckoned with, but for now we need friends." Her hand squeezed Sarah's knee. "Are you a friend?"
There was a pause, followed by both her hands covering theirs.
"I can be..."
****
Hannah slipped back into bed, pregnant body protesting having ever left it. She had thought she had heard sounds from the girl's room, late night giggling. The temptation to join them, or at least give them a playful scare, had been great. Her baby, though, was telling her she needed her beauty sleep.
Snuggling against Anthony's strong back, her sleepy mind considered. Three weeks. She had three weeks to try and work her magic on him...
****
"OK, everyone, we have real space in five minutes. I want a full status report, everyone at their stations!"
"Captain Anthony, should we give the reports before we go to our stations, or do you want us to go to them and then report?"
"Whichever your saucy blonde mind prefers, Alicia!"
Anthony grinned at the two extended middle fingers that showed themselves as Alicia launched herself towards the sensor station near the top of the bridge dome. They'd been too long onboard. Seven weeks, give or take. Seven weeks with no fresh air, nothing new to see or do. It had been their longest jump, and one he was going to do his damnedest not to repeat. Damn it, he wanted to see a new face, even if it was some slimy alien walking down the opposite side of the street.
He caught black fur out of the corner of his eye. He nodded.
"Sarah. Know what your job is?"
"Stay out of the way."
"Ha!" He looked down at her, eyebrow cocked. Damn it, that was the first joke he thought he had heard from the squirrel. Assuming it was a joke. You never knew with aliens. No, there was a twinkle in her eye. He glanced over at Hannah, who made a point of not looking back. It was her doing, naturally. As a male, he knew female manipulation when he experienced it. The key was to not let them know you knew, so they felt all superior and such.
Or maybe that's what she wanted. Who knew. His gaze returned to Sarah.
"Well, yes, always. We are the Lord Humans after all." Yes, damn it, there was a twitch of a smile at that. At this rate, he was almost going to have a moment's sadness when they kicked her off. "I meant what you'll be doing while you're out of my way."
"See if any Temple ships are here. But I don't think there will be. It's not near the home world, and we wouldn't come over here for supplies."
"But you said there's some kind of..."
"Small temple, yes, for travelers. And for collecting any tech She Who Saw needs."
He nodded. They needed information. This small temple would provide it.
Maybe.
"Thirty seconds!"
At Daium's yell he strapped himself in.
"Ready when you are, Captain Daium!"
****
It only seemed appropriate that they land on a planet named Sol in blizzard conditions. The crew, now numbering lucky thirteen, crowded the central walkway of the spherical bridge, gazing at the projected image of the snowstorm around them as the ship rested in its docking cradle. The wind whipped around, snow seeming to fall horizontally. Chuck laughed.
"Now there's a sight for sore eyes!"
"I want to make a snow Chuck," Melinda yelled, grabbing his arm and jumping up and down. Alicia glanced at her across the bridge.
"A 'snow Chuck'?"
"Only the best, most noble kind of snowman," Chuck told her. He turned to Anthony. "We still doing this?"
Anthony nodded.
"I still think it's best. If the 'wrong' people see humans, it'll just lead to complications." Behind him, the door to the ship interior opened. "All ready, Daium?"
"Ready."
She was dressed in winter gear, the same snowsuit she had worn that day a year ago when two cultures first met. Feet and hands were gloved, a pistol strapped to her waist. Rinda was similarly dressed, blue snowsuit thin, of military cut, wrinkled for having been in her pack for ages. Following behind, Sarah entered wearing an ill-fitting blue human winter coat, falling almost to her bare knees, and a knit Buffalo Bills hat. Unlike the other two, she had no weapon, or shoes.
Anthony walked up to Sarah, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"We're counting on you for this. We need information."
"You can trust me." There was a tremble in her voice. He squeezed her shoulder.
"I know." His eyes flicked to the two Orang. "Recon the port city, take her to the temple. If it goes well, you have the shopping lists. Feel free to add to it."
"It IS my dad's stolen money we're using, after all," Daium said. Rinda's glance told Anthony that argument, long settled, was still a point of minor friction. He just nodded.
"Good luck, be safe."
****
If there was one bright side, it was that the Habitants hated snow.
The three furred travelers sat on the subway car's bench, coats opened, relishing the heat. Sarah was tempted to take the damned thing off, never one for heavy clothing, but stopped short of that. She'd only have to put it on again when they got to the city center. She looked around. The car was almost deserted, only a couple of the reptilian locals sitting at the far end. They were bundled heavily, obviously not evolved for the weather now battering the city above. Unless coats could be considered an evolutionary trait? Hmm... Glancing down at her bare feet, she wished her kind had evolved shoes. Even the foot gloves Daium and Rinda wore would be nice.
Seeing her looking down, Daium shook her head.
"They're not that great, although they keep your feet dry. Human shoes and boots are much better in the snow."
"Too narrow," Rinda disagreed, frowning. "How can you force all five toes into one shape like that? Makes no sense."
"Makes human sense," Daium shrugged. Sarah scrunched her toes. Yeah, she could see how shoes COULD work, but Orang foot gloves did seem to have the comfort part right.
"Fast train," Rinda said. Sarah looked up, surprised, as she felt the car begin to slow. Lights on the wall map approached a large crisscrossing of streets. Rinda stood, grabbing a strap hanging from the ceiling. "Showtime. Ready?"
Sarah zipped up her coat. She was in no way ready.
"Ready."
****
The blizzard, it seemed, had shut the city down. Streets were empty, both of cars and people. A few storefronts were lit, large windows revealing bored shopkeepers alone with their wares. Most residents and workers had had the sense to stay home. Only the foolish would venture out of their own free will.
Sarah kept her head down, wind battering her hat like the prow of a ship. Human hats, she approved of. In her hand, she held the address of the local temple. It was on this street, she knew that. Thought she knew that. It HAD been here. Places like this, though, were transitory. Only the Temple was constant.
Or, at least, had been.
A hand grabbed her right arm through the thick coat. She was almost afraid to stop, as if any loss of forward momentum would forever doom them, wind casting them back towards the ship. Pausing, she turned her head a bit, eyes finding Daium's legs. Looking higher would just invite the wind to blind her.
"It was 87556, right?" Daium's voice cut through the wind. Sarah took a moment to translate the words, her mind not thinking clearly. Glancing down at the paper she was holding, it took another moment to compare it to Daium's words. She was so cold...
"Y-yes. 87556."
"It's here."
Daium pulled her arm to the edge of the sidewalk, and into an alcove. The wind vanished, as did the stinging on her bare legs. Her body straightened, shoulders slumping in relief. Daium and Rinda appeared to do the same, which pleased her to no end. She would hate to have been the only one suffering. The door before them was plain, naturally. Behind it was a small religious order, one trying to stay, if not secret, then under the radar. No fancy custom designed buildings.
Besides, the rooms were rented.
Sarah looked at the two Orang. They awaited her, patiently. It was all her from now on. They were there... to either help, or hinder, her. Depending on how they saw her actions. She turned back to the door. It was a simple metal panel. A keypad was imbedded in the frame. Thinking for a moment, she typed in the length in milli-cubits She Who Fucked had estimated the size of a human penis was. The door clicked. Steeling herself, she turned the handle and entered.
****
The room was simple, bare. As one would expect. One tapestry hung against the far wall, woven picture of a brown picnic table in a grassy field. Beneath it, a desk, bare apart from a computer monitor. Sitting at the desk, head coming up as eyes tried to blink away sleep...
"Hedva!"
The light brown furred woman blinked even more, head cocking as she regarded the newcomers. Recognition dawning, she jumped to her feet, brown striped white tail standing straight up.
"Sarah!"
The two old friends ran towards each other, meeting in one giant hug. Sarah was ecstatic. Of all the people to meet here! Her worries vanished in an instant.
"Hedva! Why are YOU here? I've missed you!"
"Me? Why are YOU here! You should be with Miriam at the new Temple! What's going on! Did you respond to the Temple recall?"
Sarah pulled back, eyes questioning.
"Temple recall?"
"Well, yeah. That's where everyone is. You didn't hear? Everyone was recalled, us acolytes left in their place as, you know, WE don't matter. Well, apart from you, serving Miriam and all." Sarah began to get a cold feeling deep in her heart. Hedva paused, seeing it in her eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Why the recall?"
"Why are you wearing that stupid hat and coat is the question! And who are those four eyed women? What..."
"Hedva! Why the recall?!"
Her brown furred friend released her, stepping back. Sarah was obviously confusing her.
"I'm an acolyte, how would I know?" Sarah's hard gaze caused her to backtrack. "OK, well, there's rumors. The new machine may be ready, or at least part of it. I think they're testing it..."
"WHEN?" Sarah saw her friend just stare at her. It broke her heart, to see her not understanding, but there was no time! "When, Hedva? When is the ceremony?"
"Ah... wait..." Her brows furrowed, eyes looking away from Sarah in concentration. "Three days from now? Maybe?"
****
Goldie lay on her back in the grass, looking up at the snowstorm. She had never seen one. Never seen snow, come to think of it. Real snow, not the stuff in the movies or in books. This, too, almost looked like a movie. Like a sea of white stars falling from the sky, falling onto and around the glass dome above them. It was so pretty!
"You said it's called a blizzard?"
Mary nodded, eyes up on the sky as well. She was lying on a park bench in front of Goldie, feet dangling off the end. Goldie saw her between the wooden slats of the bench, the weird angle and viewpoint amusing. They should switch places, let Mary look up at Goldie through the bench...
"Yeah. Blizzard. Looks worse than the one the night when I came here. They're beautiful if you're inside, looking out. Out there in them, though, they're no fun. The wind, the cold, the snow..."
"I hope we get to play in the snow. I want to make a snow Chuck."
"They're not called..."
Mary paused, quickly sitting up. Goldie, staying on the ground behind the bench, saw her quickly straighten out her dress and blouse. That was the problem with clothing, you had to keep moving it so it kept covering what you wanted covered. She felt someone coming towards them, up the path. They stopped just next to the bench.
"Hi Mary. Seen Goldie?"
Goldie almost laughed. All her brother had to do was look down here, and he'd see her. Did he pay that little attention to his surroundings? Duh!
"Haven't seen her."
Now it took all Goldie's willpower to stay silent. Good Mary! Let's tease her brother a bit! With a sigh, Danny sat down beside Mary. She scooted over a bit to leave more room between them, although not TOO far. Their hands, on the bench, were a mere inch apart.
"What do you need her for?"
"Oh, nothing. Just wanted to talk." He looked at her, eyes a bit confused. "I'm surprised she's not with you."
"Oh, you know," Mary said, casually. The hand farthest from his eye line stuck its fingers through the gap in the bench, wiggling at Goldie. Goldie stayed still, not wanting her movement to give them away.
"Actually, I probably should apologize to her."
"Why?" Yeah, why? He had done nothing wrong! Nothing serious and out of the ordinary, at least!
"Well, you're spending a lot of time down there with Chuck and me, and I know how much she likes being with you. I'm taking you away from her."
"It's not like we don't spend the rest of the day and night together," Mary said. Goldie heard something in her voice. Was it... embarrassment? "And I like spending time with- in the engine room." Her voice speeded up as she corrected herself. "It's fun."
"It's definitely more fun with you there."
Goldie caught her breath. She heard Mary above her do the same.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I like being around you."
They were doing it! They were talking! Goldie had been hearing from both sides for two months, and now they were talking about it! Next thing you knew they'd be kissing! Wow! She wondered if they'd let her watch!
"I... um..."
Mary went silent.
Looking up, Goldie saw... her brother's hand, covering Mary's. Time seemed to stand still.
****
The warning klaxon blared out twice, startling the two lovebirds to their feet. Goldie, too was up on all four legs, jumping out next to them. Her brother almost had a heart attack.
"Goldie!"
"EVERYONE TO THE BRIDGE!" Chucks voice echoed through the dome. Melinda, running with her stroller before her, burst out of the store. "EMERGENCY LIFTOFF AS SOON AS AWAY TEAM GETS BACK! DANNY, ENGINE ROOM!"
"Fuck!" He was off before his name had even stopped echoing through the dome. Mary and Goldie just stood there, stunned, watching him go. Melinda passed him, then screeched to a halt in front of the girls.
"What is it? What happened?"
Goldie looked at her, eyes wide with all the seriousness of youth.
"He held Mary's hand!"
****
"What's their ETA?" Anthony looked over at Alicia, frowning. The damned message had been partly garbled, the storm playing havoc with their modified iPhones. Apparently, the first ones hadn't even gotten through.
"They're off the subway! Just a few minutes!"
"OK, I want everyone buckled in. No idea what's going on, but as soon as that door closes we're getting out of here."
"At least Daium didn't request covering fire," Justin said, worry clear in his voice. "It can't be THAT serious."
"Here they come!"
Through the transparent seeming bridge walls, they could see four figures hurrying through the snow. The blue coated one, which had to be Sarah, was practically dragging another squirrel. Nothing could be seen following them. Anthony closed his eyes.
"Oh, this had better be good."
****
The bridge door opened, two Orang and two squirrels bursting in. Daium leapt to the pilot's chair, Anthony already vacating it. Rinda shed her snowsuit as she ran over to her station, leaving Sarah standing next to the already closed door with her friend. Anthony ignored them.
"Daium, what's going on?"
"We have to go! No time! No time! We may not even make it!" The ship shuddered, ground starting to fall away.
"Damn it, what is it?!"
"Three days."
All eyes fell on Sarah. Keeping her feet despite the rumble of takeoff, she let her wet coat fall to the ground, removing her hat.
"In three days, the new machine powers up."
"And," Daium said, fingers flying over the controls, "it's three days to the Temple planet."
Anthony closed his eyes. Fuck. Opening them, he saw the newcomer down on the metal walkway, arms stretched out towards him in worship.
Double fuck.