Dadr'Ba (28 page)

Many Mi’Nr’s have worked their entire lives knowing that they will never see O’M themselves. They sacrificed their lives so that their children or their children’s children might one day look out over the vast open expanse of O’M and see the horizon, walk upright, light of step and breath warm clean pure air where liquid water flows freely.

The life on O’M will have a retirement without passing, and we’ll be able to meet, in person, our grandchildren and perhaps even our great-grandchildren, we work for that goal” a loud and prolonged applause followed.

“Now, bring forth the Crystal Tear Stylus,” a long, slender rod, tapered to a fine point on one end and blunt at the end was brought forward. With a striker, the speaker struck the blunt end of the stylus, and it erupted in flame.

“This represents the extremes of our environment; the flame represents the fusion fire of the engine we mine the fuel for. The flame draws the heat from the opposite end of this stylus, making it as cold if not colder than the temperatures of Zone four, at the edge of space.”

“It’s time to recognize the Ti’Ro’s, who with their escorts have retraced many of the tunnels that our parents and their parents have carved through Dadr’Ba. They’ve experienced the full spectrum of G’s, from a comfortable walk to an onerous crawl. They’ve run from an environment where ammonia and methane are gaseous, past where these gasses turn to liquid, then solid. Where oxygen and nitrogen become liquid and further still to where they turn solid. They’ve sought out and faced the feared Se’Ro’Bs and have learned that survival depends on teamwork and looking out for each other as one looks out for one’s self.”

“Now the Ti’Ro’s receive their Crystal Tear, marking them as members of the Mi’Nr community, that symbolizes the bond between Mi’Nr’s, representing the pain and sacrifice that Mi’Nr’s have shared and endured together.”

With that, he walked up to the first Ti’Ro and raising the stylus up high blew lightly on the sharp end, the flame flared at the other. He walked up to the first Ti’Ro, an attractive young woman P’Ko recognized as being the trailing runner from pack number one. The pack, his pack, first intercepted, saving them from behind rather than the norm of cutting in between them and the Se’Ro’Bs.

The race official slowly lowered the stylus to her cheek and as it touched, the flame on the far end of the stylus became blindingly bright “Welcome, Sa’Di, this name means Lucky”. He did the same for each of the other Ti’Ro’s, giving each of them a new name, a Mi’Nr’s name, a nickname or handle of sorts, used within the Mi’Nr community.

Finally, he came to P’Ko, who was awestruck by all that was going on. P’Ko had noticed the snowflake design on the cheeks of just about every Mi’Nr he had come in contact with and thought they were tattooed. He had meant to ask Su’Zi about them but had never gotten around to it. P’Ko thought Su’Zi had a particularly nice looking one and even complimented her on it, but she never elaborated on it, and P’Ko never pursued the subject.

P’Ko now wanted to know more about Su’Zi’s Run with the Se’Ro’Bs and what her “handle” is.

The stylus was raised above P’Ko’s head and slowly came down to touch his cheek. The instant it touched. P’Ko was blinded by the brightness of the light, even though he had instinctively closed his eyes tight against the glare. The light seemed to come from inside his head as well as outside; he heard the sound too; it didn’t appear to come from his ears, but from inside his head.

“Welcome, Lele’Kolo this name means Leap-Crawl.” He had some trouble maintaining his balance and struggled to stay on his feet. As his senses returned, he was back on the stage with the race official and the rest of the Ti’Ro’s receiving a loud applause. After the applause had subsided, they filed off the stage to be mauled by the crowd with congratulations, handshakes, and pats on the back.

Su’Zi managed to find P’Ko and helped guide him through the congratulatory crowd to the Doctors station. P’Ko had not yet been patched up and was limping more than before, though he claimed not to feel any pain. By the time they got there, the repairs on the last of the runners were just finishing. P’Ko was once again the last of the runners.

This gave P’Ko and Su’Zi a few moments before the Doctor got to work on him. Su’Zi was drawn to P’Ko’s Crystal tear frost burn. P’Ko couldn’t see his own, but now appreciated their significance and took notice of the finely etched six-sided Stellar Dendrite on Su’Zi’s cheek near her eye. It shimmered faintly and seemed to change colors in the light.

P’Ko never actually paid Su’Zi’s crystal tear much attention, he had thought it only an elaborate Mi’Nr’s tattoo, a decoration. Now he appreciated it and looked at it like never before. A sudden realization came over him, and he glanced around, noticing that, he had assumed they were all the same. But now on closer examination the six-sided crystals varied, some were Stellar Dendrites like Su’Zi’s, but others were Sectored Plates or stellar plates, still others were Stars or triangular Crystals, they all were unique, like real snowflakes.

He mentioned it to Su’Zi, while she still intently studied P’Ko’s own Crystal Tear, she confirmed all Crystal Tears were different, just like natural snowflakes.

“I can’t remember ever seeing one,” Su’Zi said softly to herself. About that time Mi’Ka appeared making like she was pushing through the crowd, though the crowd gave way readily, showing their deference. She mumbled something about people needing to pay respect to their elders, as she put on her best good-humored crotchety show.

Su’Zi turned to Mi’Ka, “Mi’Ka, P’Ko’s Crystal Tear is twelve sided not six sided, have you ever heard of such a thing? A twelve-sided Stellar Dendrite?” Mi’Ka came over and pulled P’Ko down for a closer examination and ran her fingers lightly over P’Ko’s cheek, then pulled very close as if she could see something through her blind eyes if it were close enough.

“Hum,” Mi’Ka went on, “I’ve heard of them before, they’re rare, but not unheard of, it might be due to his made over U’Te skin, but nothing about this one is ordinary. Did you see him jump over the Se’Ro’Bs? He should be half digested by now. Then he had to torment the poor thing by groveling away from it at the end, only leaving it a taste.”

Then, changing the subject, Mi’Ka continued, “enough of that, I just wanted to congratulate our P’Ko Lele’Kolo on completing the run.” Then directed towards P’Ko, “stop by my shop later, it doesn’t have to be today, I have something for you, and she winked a blind eye at P’Ko.” “Now go get patched up.” The doctor’s station was now available, “and get some clothes on, show off!” and she walked away.

P’Ko, suddenly self-conscious, realizing that he was now the only one in all the crowd wearing nothing but threadbare and tattered body paint, all the rest of the runners had donned finishers jumpsuits upon completion of their repairs at the doctor’s station. P’Ko walked over and hopped on the exam table, gladly accepting the sheet that was offered to him, and sat back letting the Doctor and his Med Teck do their work.

P’Ko’s exothermic paint had nearly completely burnt off, leaving him mostly bare, with a few thin patches and tatters hanging. The carbon reinforced patches were gone and blood seeped through abraded and cracked skin, saturating the bandage and compression slipper socks and gloves P’Ko and the other runners, that needed them, received immediately after the run.

The Med Tech, an attractive U’Te started to work removing the left over exothermic paint and residue from P’Ko’s. She was soon assisted by Su’Zi.

The doctor allowed the Med Tech, with Su’Zi close by to work on P’Ko’s frost burns using special applicator to apply a high strength nanobot lotion. The body painter had done a good job. The one recommended by Su’Zi that P’Ko used had over a century of practice and knew just where and how thick to apply the multiple layers of exothermic paint and where to add carbon fiber reinforcement patches.

The doctor applied a topical anesthetic to the abrasions and cracks and a local anesthetic near the gash on his leg. Then began cleaning the wounds using a powerful smelling solution that washed away the damaged flesh. He then laid new skin over it and using a strange looking tool, the doctor sort’a welded it in place around the edges. Then covered the area with a shaded lamp which he turned on and let sit for a minute or two as if to bake, while he worked on the next area. Moving from one blood soaked area to the next.

The gash in his leg took a bit longer, and the doctor did most of the work under a drape that covered the gash and obscured what the doctor did inside the wound.

While the Doctor worked, P’Ko was saddened as he realized and that his Nu’Tn friends weren’t here to participate in the festivities. Only yesterday life seemed simpler but now, as he contemplated the future that lay ahead, he realized that when he chose this profession that he’d to begin to lead a sort of double life. He had won acceptance here among the Mi’Nr’s, but all of his U’Te friends would feel out of place here. Just as all these new friends would feel out of place up in Nu’Tn.

He knew that if he tried to use what little influence he had with his new Mi’Nr friends to force acceptance of his U’Te friends it wouldn’t work, at least not now. Maybe someday.

The Doctor completed his repairs, and they were on their way.

P’Ko for the moment was something of a celebrity. Su’Zi pulled P’Ko to the side, and giving him a hug and kiss, whispered teasingly that there would be girls showing up all over the place, after him, worse even than the Se’Ro’Bs. But not to worry, she would help him through the gauntlet.

She was right, P’Ko noticed girls, attractive girls, looking amorously at him, a few in spite of his being with Su’Zi sent him psychic invites. P’Ko didn’t rebuff the psychic overtures, doing his best to stay aloof and focused on Su’Zi. Who he knew was proud to be with him.

Su’Zi didn’t mind the looks and signals they got, let them have their dreams. She sensed P’Ko was flattered by the unexpected attention, but she knew he was proud to be with her. She soaked in the attention she got from the guys and the girls, envious of her, as she strutted proudly snuggling next to P’Ko.

P’Ko and Su’Zi wandered around the run celebration turned street party, sampling food, drinking lightly, mostly celebratory toasts. P’Ko met lots of new people, and Su’Zi introduced him to many of her friends. He got lots of compliments from people that had bet he would escape the Se’Ro’Bs, and good humored gibes from those that bet he wouldn’t.

There were lots of food vendors, drinking, music, and dancing on impromptu dance floors. They milled about the street party into the early evening then retired to an Ol’Tn town rental apartment Mi’Ka had helped Su’Zi secure for the occasion. P’Ko and Su’Zi spent hours talking; lounging together, sitting on a love seat, feet up before a bay window overlooking the main street of Ol’Tn.

The one-way glass showed the crowds still jostling about, the street below. The many display screens are showing various run highlights with commentary. They shared their experiences and feelings about Running with the Se’Ro’Bs and discussed the details of each other’s race.

Su’Zi told of her first race and chided, P’Ko that she finished fastest among the Ti’Ro’s. They talked philosophically and wondered why they couldn’t sense the Se’Ro’Bs and whether Se’Ro’Bs even lived.

They talked about life, what the meaning of life is or might be and what they wanted out of life and how they were lucky to have found each other. The whole time, they shared and exchanged unspoken feelings psychically.

They talked about how they first met and how P’Ko was so attracted to Su’Zi and how beautiful she was. Su’Zi spoke of how she was first attracted to P’Ko on a psychic level, even in her dream. Then she confessed that since laying eyes on him after his bio-mods, a passion had started to kindle in her and was magnified a thousand times when she saw him in nothing but body paint. Then topped by watching the slow motion replays of some of the most energetic portions of the run, especially his great leap.

Su’Zi had longed for this night. The visceral attraction she felt for P’Ko piled on top of the psychic and emotional feelings was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She felt her inhibitions drain away.   

As they spoke, laying in each other’s arms the passion that each felt for the other grew, and they began to caress. Losing themselves in time and space, existing in the here and now they made love.

It was passionate and intense. Neither one of them could hold back, and they quickly and simultaneously reset, and fell into a little death so intense it was minutes before their hearts started again. Then made love again, and again, each time softer and slower, seeking to prolong the experience as long as possible.

The next morning, they both had the day off, P’Ko going negative to get the time off, but feeling it was well worth the debt.

They woke wrapped in each other’s arms, cheek to cheek, feeling as if they were one body, refreshed and satisfied. Slowly, as their senses returned, with sadness, they recognized their bodies as their own. The sadness was offset by the realization that this wasn’t the last and out of the separation grew a greater appreciation of what they had shared. They knew without speaking, that nothing in each other’s experience could match what they just had.

Slowly, taking several playful false attempts to separate, they untangled from each other. Su’Zi got up first and stood for a moment, each admiring the other’s naked body. Then Su’Zi walked over and started brewing tea.

As the tea brewed P’Ko went to the bathroom and returned with a warm, damp cloth and they laid back down and P’Ko gave Su’Zi a sponge bath. Afterward Su’Zi did the same for P’Ko, finishing up with a light coating of scented lotion for both.