The Voyages of the Penelope and the Yydryl

Dag and Adam had spent each other. Their breathing had returned to normal, however, and Adam sighed loudly in an attempt to cover the sound of his 'wind breaking'. There was nothing he could do, though, to cover the horrific odor. Dag grimaced in disgust and glared at him.

"Well, the 'Stupid stupid' just took on a whole new meaning," she said, and rose from the bed. Dressing, she wondered if Adam had a problem with flatulence (which could well mean a problem for them -- her sense of smell was very intense).

"'Scuse me," said Adam. Dag smiled patronizingly.

"You coming?" she asked.

"Probably not for a few more hours," he said. This time she rolled her lovely eyes.

"I meant off the Sprint. I need a drink."

"Oh," said Adam. "Yeah, sure, why not. It's been a rough day."

As they walked through the docking bay he took her hand, and suddenly the entire droid team burst into applause. Dag blushed mildly, but Adam stopped to take a bow. Dag clicked her tongue against her front teeth with a "Tst," and pulled on his hand.

"What!?" said Adam.

"Don't encourage them. The last thing we need is a fan club."

"What's the first thing we need?"

Now, one would hope that Dag's response would be "to make sure the Yydryl is centered above the Tower at midnight." But, alas, it was not so. Instead, she said, "A drink."

And when they arrived at the Swamp, the atmosphere shooed away any thoughts of the dreadful thing being planned by the players of the Game.

CLICK PLAY NOW:


Dag saw Silo standing on the bar, swaying and mugging into a microphone and Chumley in the comfy chair, nodding and conducting as she sang karaoke. Dag grabbed Adam's hand and pulled him to the center of the dance floor as the song swelled.

Chumley's and Silo's eyes both filled with tears as they each longed for the Culs they had dreamed of holding forever, but Dag and Adam could not have been happier. So Silo, without missing a beat, choked down the lump threatening to ruin her performance and focused on the huge screen with its lovely images of sunset.

She would cry later. Chumley, though, was beside himself, and laid his head onto a tentacle resting on the bar, and sobbed. It felt good, too.

None of them were aware that the Swamp's PA system had been on, and before the song ended, many of the Yydryl's staff had wandered up to watch.
*****************

Back at the Tower, Q and Y'Lrang walked hand in hand through the now-peaceful corridors.

Y'Lwren couldn't take her eyes off of Neno.

And BIAD could have wept. If he had eyes.

*******************
Silo's heartfelt performance finished, Dag and Adam let go of one another and opened their eyes, and whistles and hoots and droid-applause filled the room.

"Gwark," muttered Dag. "See? I told you!"

And in Cargo Bay XXI, Muckles and the Splitter were face to face again.

"...Aye and Ah' wuz promised a love... someone who would take me has Ah' am" Muckles
explained to the crate-sitting Splitter and spat at the floor. "The bitch knew all along that
The Dark Lord was merely a patsy... Ah' bet she even set him up with that damned Doorway"
The Witch's voice hitched, but she fought to keep the sobs in her throat.

The lighting was low in Cargo Bay XXI, Ship systematically turned down the power around
The Yydryl when certain areas were not being used, most of the Droids didn't mind.
"So, you sought me after the Flute had been taken and now, you have found me" The Splitter
said and leaned forward to gently touch the Crone's arm, her brooding eyes watched the
action and flinched at his touch.

"What is it that you think I should know?" he said and revealed a kind smile.
Mucklebones licked her dry-cracked lips and thought about her next words, The Splitter
had told her that The Dark Lord was dead and The Tower was back in the hands of the Culs.
Nenothtu and his compatriots were safe and the old King was unharmed, it seemed all was
normal again.

"Yer' say The Glass Flute is ready to be tossed into the void, heh?" she asked softly and
The Splitter nodded an affirmative and watched with amusement at the old Gray's eyes
moving back and forth, 'she's a schemer -this one...' he thought to himself '... she'll work it
out'

A Maintenance-Droid trundled by and both beings watched it's passing, the rotating warning
light flicked orange stains on their faces and then left them in the shadows again.

"If this split is mended and this..." Muckles looked at the silver eyes of The Splitter for help,
"Time-Weave" he offered, "Yeah... Time-Weave" The Witch went on "If this Weave is still
not fixed, then any history that's been made will not be wiped clean... it'll just be the same"
the Crone hissed in a high voice and held her arms wide to show the revelation.

"Then what good is Pandora's Flute?" the Crone asked and scratched her balding pate, the
whole plot didn't make any sense.

The dark-grey being with the tousled hair climbed down from the crate and looked up
and down the walkway-area of Bay XXI, the only sounds was the humming of the air-
conditioning. "The Flute will react with the Time-Weave and the Rip will become active
again" The Splitter said in a light conversational tone "... but this time, the ones who will
step through will not be Ophi Buzzards"

The naked Gray folded her arms of her sagging breasts and showed wide-eyes at the news.
"Who then?" she prompted with a cracking voice and leaned against the large-black cables
that ran the length of the Bay.

The Time-Mechanic glanced again left-and-right and then showed his glittering eyes to the
Hag in the dark. "Pandora and her cohorts wish to become real in this reality" he said in ushed
tones.

"Midnight will bring religeon back into the Universe in such away, that all races will be
dragged back into the Dark Times" The Splitter said and spat in the vicinty that Muckles had
earlier.
"The Gods will rule like nothing you could ever imagine" he sighed and hooked a 'come-
hither' finger at the eye-bulging Witch "... but you and me are going to thwart their plans"

The skinny Crone and the small Splitter set off towards the nearby Sprint, "can you smell
farts?" Muckles asked her companion as they neared the craft's door.
"No... er, no" The Splitter said and showed a puzzled gaze at the bare-assed Witch.

The Sprint Flyer moved from the Bay on auto-pilot and The Splitter admitted to himself
that he would never get used to seeing The Yydryl's gigantic shape in the night sky.

The hull seemed to swallow up the whole of the Sprint's front-window and the dark-grey
small being that sat in the Pilot's chair leaned forward to look up at Ships's upper curves.
"She's a fine craft, yes?" The Splitter said under his breath to the thin Gray Alien in the
seat beside him, Mucklebones sat with a sneer on her lined face as she eyed the many
dials and switches before her.

"Damned gizmos... it'll be the death of us yet" the Crone spat and glanced nervously
out of the side-window. The Tower's spire seemed only an arm-stretch away as The Flyer
turned slowly to prepare it's descent and Muckles decided to think somemore on what
The Splitter had said.

After accepting The Splitter's advice, Mucklebones had accompanied the Time-Traveller
back to Silo's bedroom. After rummaging around and hitting her new-found friend on the
head with a pillow, she found her Green poncho and slipped the welcoming garment
back on.

"The buggers wanted to come over, then?" she said and focused on the grinning Splitter
in the too-big chair, the unused safety-harness clicked and clattered on the seat's armrest.

The marvelling Splitter splayed his long fingers on the cockpit glass and kept his silver-dollar
eyes on The hovering Yydryl, "Yes. But this CindyMars character had no idea of it..." the small
voice explained "...Pandora knew of her hatred for Revandah and manipulated Shar..."
The Splitter shot a glance at Mucklebones and showed his kind shiny eyes at the Witch.

"The reasons are unimportant, but I believe our blue-skinned friend wished for her beloved red planet
to be back in play... and so she introduced the Time-Weave" he said and pretended to press a
button that flashed a Mars-like colour.

Muckles shook her head and felt the last of her scarlet hair fall onto her mottled neck "We should
be careful what we wish for" she growled and felt for her bone-bag.
The Sprint lowered it's landing gear and blew it's thrusters into the corn-stubbled field,
the Tower sparkled above them with many lit-windows.

"We go to save your friends and Lover... are you ready" said The Splitter as he dropped from
the Pilot's seat.
Mucklebones recalled something Tibbs had said -awhile back and through a determined
mouth, she hissed "Ah' wuz born ready"

Ship's voice interrupted the ovation in which Silo, Dag, and Adam were revelling. "All hands on deck, please. ALL HANDS on deck. And claws, grabby-pincers, torquing-wrenchers, fuel-line maneuverers as well. ALL ... proprietors of prehensile limbs, ON DECK!"

Dag and Adam glanced at one another, the reverie broken entirely.

"Ship? Mam?" asked Dag. "What is the time, please?"

"TWENTY-THREE FIFTY FIVE, Short-Listed-Candidate-for-A.T.S.-Understudy-Dag," announced Ship with a trace -- but ony a trace -- of reprimand.

"Oh Grawk," muttered Dag, low enough that only Adam could hear. "Midnight. The pumpkin thing." Adam nodded to her supportively.

Silo13 looked inquisitively at Dag, not sure why it was being implied she needed an understudy. Dag cleared her throat.

"Crewmen, droids, U-Mans, uh..." she glanced around, then continued, "Regalians, and ... and.. everyone else!! Now hear this!" This commanding, and bold, call to attention was delivered in a startlingly official projection of her voice. Even she was slightly taken aback by it, but she maintained her poise and held her chin high. Adam smiled behind her, proud of his woman.

"It is imPERative that this vessel, The Yydryl, be in place PRECISELY above the late Dark Lord's Tower, wherein now the restored Sovereign of Carbiox, the once-exiled Cul King, is housed, at the Stroke of Midnight." She paused, then added. "Local time! We have five minutes. This is NOT a DRILL!" she shouted. "Repeat, NOT a DRILL!!!!"

She looked at Silo, whose jaw was slightly slack in bewilderment -- she had known nothing of this directive....had she?? She shot a glare at Chumley as if it was his fault she was tipsy and distracted. Chumley's face blushed to a strange aqua color as he briefly moved his tentacles in a subtle I've-No-Idea gesture.

The droids, not programmed to dawdle or question, fled from the scene, and once they had gone Dag drew in her breath and looked at Adam. "Do you think I did okay?" she asked, wringing her pretty hands.

He shrugged. "You tell me, Darling. Is five minutes long enough to position this bus?"

Dag looked at Silo, who now stood on the bar with her arms crossed in a very authoritarian manner.

Silo nodded (not about to let it be known that she felt upstaged and dissed). "Well done, Short-List-Whatever-Understudy. Well done indeed."

Four minutes later, the Yydryl's gigantic shadow cast a deathly black over the Tower and a huge radius around it that obliterated the twinkling of stars in the sky.

The Culs all looked up in fear and awe from Tall Town, their insecurity and doubt for their own safety still all too recent to dismiss.

Inside the Tower, Neno, BIAD, and Tibbs exchanged knowing glances (not because they knew exactly what the plan was, but to reassure durchudders that it would be okay).

Neno stifled an urge to clear his throat, and BIAD just smiled and waved at the Royalculs looking to them for assurance. Tibbs said a silent prayer thanking whatever Powers-That-Were for the return of his beloved.

And then it struck midnight.

Y'Lrang smiled at the sound of the Night Watchman calling that the Witching Hour was
near. The Culs who were still sober enough or wished to see the celebration were now
either standing around the base of the Tower -with flaming torch-in-hand, crammed into
The Foyer with faded decorative clothes or even lucky enough to stand waiting in
The Throne Room.

Jepp the Bogel had located his friend -Trimm and now waited near the ones that
the Culs had come to thank, they stood to attention and showed serious faces.

The newly-transformed Y'Wren stood to the left of the Throne and Y'Lrang stood to
the right, the King Of The Culs was between them and though he struggled to stifle
coughing, the old man still had the ability and grace to hold sway over his people.

Queen Y'Quorra stood behind the high-back seat and peered out across the crowd,
without a word, she raised a hand and the buzz of conversation stopped
"Hear me-Culs, hear your King..." the spittled-lips called and every Cul bowed their
head once and then looked to their ruler.
Nenothtu, Tibbs and Boy In A Dress stood quietly near the scorched 'Rip'-Doorway and
looked on with reverence.

"We have travelled far together and our trail is littered with those who sought to keep
our race alive... Many here -know of a loved-one that fell for our cause" The king's eyes
seemed to glow from beneath his sweating lined-brow and his audience nodded in the
wake of his passing gaze.

"I -as King believed that the one they called The Dark Lord would help us to find our
home and I also believed he would make us strong again" he said and coughed into
a clutched rag. Y'Lrang kept his features stone-like as he glanced down and saw blood
on the cloth, The King lifted his head and went on.

"But I was wrong..." the crowd murmered their disapproval and the King raised a bony
fish-white hand to stay his people "Hear me, hear your King" the old man reiterated
and twisted his stubbled face -as he swallowed the lung-blood.
The audience stood quiet and waited.

"I was wrong and I was unwise, our kind were nearly wiped out of existence like a pinched
flame of a candle... we were tricked and we were imprisoned like animals, we stared at
the brink of annihilation... but then someone came"

The King turned his folded-body and showed a kindly face to the three beings standing
alone, the crowd also looked.
"The books of our history will speak of it and every Cul who stands today -will tell their
future-born of the deeds that these outlanders performed"

BIAD smiled breathed in deeply raised himself on his tip-toes, Neno peered out from
beneath his wide-rimmed hat without any sign of emotion and Tibbs kept glancing at the
Throne Room door -as if expecting somebody, a strange trio -Y'Lrang thought affectionately
and smiled along with everyone else.

"But let us not forget the ones who aided our heroes, the ones that we have shunned for
centuries" The King said in a stronger tone, the piercing eyes slid across to the two Bogels
that had been reacting like the rest. Their eyes widened as they saw they were suddenly the
focus of the many people in the Throne Room.

"The Bogels... the beings of the Forest, they live as-one with Carbiox's wilds and never
bore us ill-will, yet -we ignored them" The King's voice was soft and apologetic.

"And yet, in our time of need..." The wise-old man placed out a quivering hand and beckoned
Trimm and Jepp to come forward, with hesitant steps, they did.
"... these two were there to strike down the Flayers and release my people" the King said
and looked on as the two Bogels kneeled before him.

"Let it be known that from this day forth, ALL Bogels will be welcome in our homes and
will never want again" the old King said with pride and glanced at his son to condone the
decree, Y'Lrang nodded once with a huge grin on his lips.

"And now as Midnight calls... we turn to honour the three Outremers that answered our
calls" Y'Quorra leaned to assist the King in sitting back, 'he's tiring' -she thought and touched
his shoulder to stop him from standing up.

The crowd in the Foyer were mumbling and moving about, the commotion could be heard
in the Throne Room and Y'Lrang stepped forward to see what the disturbance was.
To the relief of the Vithian, Mucklebones and The Splitter strode into the room and scanned
their eyes around the crowded room.

(Continued From Above)

"We apologise for the intrusion -yer' Majesty, we bear no ill-will" the Witch said and bowed
low, The Splitter remained erect and focused on the 'Rip' Doorway.

"There is skulduggery afoot, Sire... there is chicanery still within these walls" Muckles hissed
and stepped towards Nenothtu and the others.

The pistol beeped and two pieces moved along it's chamber as the GunMan drew his
weapon, but the Crone of The Canyon raised her hands in surrender, "Ah've no truck with yer'
Gunslinger... what ah' say is true" she said and smiled at Tibbs, the small man beamed back.

The dull-grey skinned being stepped forward and ignoring the King and his family, he turned
to face the audience.
"The Glass Flute was created to silence the small tear in your dimension, the one you know
as the Dark Lord was a dupe..." The Splitter glanced at the taller Mucklebones and winked.
"... a Pasty -if you will and believed he would bring forth the Ophi Buzzards to devour the
worlds that he hated" With silver-sparkling eyes, The Splitter held all before him rapture...
the Time-Being went on.

"That is true and would have come to pass -if not for the ones you see before you" he said
and pointed with long coal-grey fingers. "But there were others... ones that craved a reality
that they could only dream of...ones that wanted to rule your Universe and bring all to their
knees"

Y'Lrang looked to Nenothtu with a puzzled expression and the tall GunMan merely shrugged
his shoulders and turned back to the strange little man in the centre of the Hall.
"I am The Splitter.." he said and glanced at the 'O'-mouthed Tibbs "... I monitor Time and
when appropriate, repair damaged timelines. But that is not why I am here" he said in a low
tone.

The WatchMan called the hour and without another word, Tibbs ran to the Quazi-Caller
and switched it on, a smell of sulpher and dangerous-sounding hum became apparant to
all in the room.

"We must throw the Flute in now" Tibbs hissed and flicking a switch, he turned to Nenothtu.
The Vandal in the newly-acquired dark-denim shirt, jeans and grey neckerchief, showed tight
lips and growled to newly-revealed Splitter " so who's behind all this?"

The Doorway became alive and a green-film seemed to ripple across it's entrance, the frame
sang with sparks and coils of smoke.

The Splitter stared into Nenothtu's eyes and the GunMan stared back... something was being
passed -BIAD thought and reached for the crouching Tibbs, "Be QUIET!" the Man/Girl
snapped.

The Witching Hour clicked along as the U-man in the Western-style hat stepped down from
his place and plucking the Crystal instrument from his gunbelt, he handed it to The Splitter.

Mucklebones stepped over to the squirming Vithian in Boy In A Dress' grasp and knelt to look
him in the face. "I want to be with you always" the ancient Gray said tenderly and picked the
small being up in her arms.
Jamming her dried lips on his, Mucklebones held the struggling Vithian in a loving embrace
and mumbled something that she had never uttered in a thousand years. "I love you"

"What I do now... is for all, never forget that" The Splitter said and giving a nod of thanks to
the rangy Nenothtu, he stepped up to the Doorway -whispered the words "Chocolate Cake!"
and leaped into the green veneer.

If you were one of the merry Culs that had enjoyed the more-gentler of The Fairground rides
and decided to stand outside The Tower to cheer your freedom or if you had been delayed
with gathering in wandering cattle and raced across the cornfields to hear your King proclaim
this day a holiday -then you would have seen the The Yydryl blink out of the sky.

Maybe you would have put on your best dress, the one that had been stored so long ago in
the chest under your moth-eaten bed -and pushed your way into The Throne Room to marvel
at the three saviors that waited there.
If you had, you would have seen them disappear one-by-one...

Silo13 ... For Pandora... Boy In A Dress... For Death.... Tibbs (plus Mucklebones)... For
Kharon and Nenothtu For Carbiox's revered God -Jenovah. A Trade Of Time.

The Weave flattened and the glowing green Time-lines vibrated like strummed guitar
strings, The Splitter smiled and saw all was well again.

But... but what about Neno and the others? -I hear you ask... well, it's getting late and
Midnight is just around the corner.

Let's wait to see where they end up tomorrow, heh?

"Ernie...?" the faint voice asked and the man floating in the mist tried to swivel his
body around to see who had called his name. All around, small eldritch-green sparks lit up
the place he was in and yet the damned-fog told him nothing of his location.

"What sorta dream is this?" Ernie muttered and flapped his arms to attempt locomotion.
"I can feel you... but, I can't see you" the voice came again and grimacing in his struggles,
the Janitor-come-Warrior squinted at the faraway shape across the void.

The Xang Cat kicked her hind-legs from habit but knew the action was useless, she could see
the small U-man that went by the name of Ernie and he seemed to be as immobilised as Sslar
was.

Carpet wasn't faring much better, he was weakening now and his recent gift of being remote
of the Core had diminished... 'Death's deeds must be temporary' he thought as he flipped
and flopped through the roiling mist.

"Do you like Chocolate Cake, Ernie?" the voice cooed again and the once-woodsman screwed
his eyes in thought at the question, he wished he had the shotgun with him.
Then the tug of gravity could be felt and the three beings looked -to what they considered
'down' and saw The Yydryl below.

"Well damn... me' trainride is cumin' to an end" Ernie barked and flinched as Carpet hurtled
passed him, the mili-being was screaming all the way down. Sslar followed behind the colour
-flashing Carpet and Ernie saw the chance to save himself from being left behind.
Grabbing the thick-furred tail that lashed back and forth, Ernie began to move from his inertia
towards the stationary craft below him.

"A Tiger by the tail" he said betwen gritted teeth and smiled at the growling Sslar looking up
at him, the strange pair moved faster.

"Don't forget, Ernie.... Ben is an important slice of the whole!" the voice shouted with mirth
and the wall-eyed little man with the scruffy clothes frowned at the information.

The Yydryl hurtled closer.

Adam and Dag stood in the Swamp alone now.

"Do you think they're all coming back? I didn't notice Silo and Chumley leave, but there was a lot of commotion.. What do you suppose the Splitter meant about things not being as they seem?" Dag took Adam's hand and they looked around the room.

Adam frowned and shook his head. "I honestly haven't any idea."

In unison, they both sighed. "What do we do now?" Dag asked.

Adam answered her in a tone that did little to calm her obvious misgivings. "I think we should stay put."

The Draydon V Courier - 44899921A-M

NOT-SUB-EDITED TEXT (Unready for Compositor Droids)
Note: Any alteration to text below, please contact 33491 TallTown.

TallTown moved on, the Queen known as Y'Quorra eventually married the old
King's son -Y'Lrang and together, they ruled with kindness and respect for their
subjects.

Nice ending, huh? Most of it is true, when the ailing King finally passed away, it
was deemed that after a appropriate time of mourning, the Queen and the Prince
could get hitched.

When I first arrived on Carbiox and believe me, I wasn't keen on being sent out to
report on the Royal Wedding, but after a discussion with my Editor and several attempts
to convince my fellow-Journalists that it would be a great story -I was 'picked' to travel
to the back-and-beyond planet.

So I touched-down on the day before and resigned myself to giving 'The Draydon V
Courier' -the best coverage possible.
Here we go:

The sun broke on the glorious day of the Wedding and sending it's warm shafts of light
across the swaying fields of corn and TallTown's freshly-painted Fairground, one could
just make out the still-creased pennants flapping around the Tower's spire.
The bunting that adorned the roadway to the town's impressive Tower, also rippled in
the early morning breeze.

The Laser-show that will display 3D-images of the newly-wed King and Queen across the
walls of the Palace -this evening, was already being set up and the odd-smoking chimney
stack told this writer that the recently-freed citizens were rousing themselves for a great day.

The newly-formed Government had allowed some dignitaries from nearby planets to come
and pay their respects, Carbiox being rich in the mineral Tantazine -will be a force to be
reckoned with within trading circles.
It was rumoured that a noted celebrity from the gambling planet -Chyme will be attending,
but at this time, no official would comment.

The Prince's sister 'Y'Wren will also attend the marriage-ceremony and the town's Tailor has
been inundated with requests to reveal the beautiful Princess' gown details.

The mystery surrounding the story of how the Culs were freed from an invading race of
off-worlders, still holds many researchers' attention.
The Cul people -themselves, are reluctant to discuss the subject, but Mayor Jepp -a Bogel
noted for his diligence in bringing the Cul planet to a more-interacting role with surrounding
planets, said during a recent interview with KCL-4:

"If the folk who assisted us in our hour-of-need taught us anything, it's that no force cannot
be overcome... I was privilaged to know these people who were passing through and I hold
them as dear friends"
Mayor Jepp and his assistant - a Bogel known as Trimm, brought out to the attending
Reporters two large books that these so-called 'Travelling Beings' left them to help in their
future.

"The Vantine Del Pudria and The Cuspar True are tomes handed down through the ages from
great Sages and Philosophers, we are honoured that the Travellers saw it fitting to leave
such rare and valuable wisdom in our hands" said Commissioner Trimm.

Both the Mayor and Commissioner added 'that the Royal Wedding would be a celebration
that will send out a message to other worlds that Carbiox has come-of-age'

Leaving the interview, this Reporter noted a curious comment from Mayor Jepp as he moved
on to the Wedding preparations. When pressed by a Journalist on more information on the
'strangers from the stars' -Mayor Jepp said "Nuff said" and left.

........................................................................~~..........................................................
The Courier will bring an update on the Royal Wedding in it's evening text on Channel Nine
at 00231.

Nenothtu awoke with a splitting headache. The surface beneath him was hard - rock hard - and there was a gravel or something lodged beneath his right shoulder blade, causing all manner of discomfort. His first thought was "Ye gods! That little gray silver-eyed time urchin has done gone and blown up Tibbs' Ripper thingamabob, and I've been blown out of the tower to the ground below!"

Tentatively, with caution, he opened one eye without stirring. No trees greeted his overhead view, just blue sky, and lots of it. He sent mental feelers out along every limb, checking for injuries. There apparently weren't any. Closing his eyes, he listened to his surroundings, trying to detect what was there before betraying that he was conscious to any potential observers. All he heard was birds, and lots of them, chirping over an underlying hum that bespoke millions of insects going about their daily chores.

Slowly, neno opened his eyes and cranked his head to the right. This is the view that greeted him:



Nenothtu blinked. He wasn't on Carbiox any more. The scene was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. Rolling his head to the right, this is what he saw:



That jolted him upright, a motion that was fluidly translated into a fully standing stance with a jump. Turning in place in a full circle, the view was this:



Nenothtu's jaw dropped at the view. His gaze followed downward, looking at the massive rock under his feet, a giant gray-blue dolomite stone perched on top of the ridge of a mountain, and at the treetops over the edge of it which, although fully grown, didn't reach quite as high as the top of the rock on which he stood.

"Pan's pizzle!" he exclaimed to the world. "that explosion blew me clear across the star scape!" He stood on top of Eagle Nest Rock, composed of a dolomite not dissimilar to the same stones that composed the sarsen circle at Stonehenge. That rock itself sat at the top of a ridge, as if thrown there by titans. The ridge it sat on was in... Vandalia. On Earth, Which he had watched being destroyed not so terribly long ago.

Nenothtu had been thrown home.

He knew, however, the capricious whims and the odd sense of humor that the universe seemed to possess. Placing his hands on his hips and staring into the sky, he screamed at everything and nothing "Ya BASTARDS! I know WHERE you've tossed me to, but I know not WHEN you've tossed me to! Did the Rip repair work, or have you thrown me down yet another disused timeline to be eaten by dinosaurs or something?"

The Universe just sat there and grinned right back at him. It wasn't one to give up it's secrets easily. "BIAD! Siloooo! Tibbs!" He screamed into his surroundings, listening for a response. After several minutes of no answering calls and looking around from the top of The Rock, he decided he was alone. Just him, and the surrounding miles upon miles of everythingness. That didn't matter so much at the moment, though. Neno figured that he must have earned a vacation, a couple of weeks at home to rest and recharge, He could find all the details of "when" he was later. Tomorrow, since it looked like there might BE a tomorrow.

Neno sank down and sat cross-legged on the rock, having forgotten all about how bad his head was hurting, oblivious to discomfort and hunger, and faced west towards the end of the valley on his left, between the long ridge there and the long ridge on which he perched. He was still sitting in just that position hours later as the sun sank below the horizon at the far end of the valley, and even longer, as the stars started blinking on one by one until the sky was filled with a riot of diamonds. He sat there and drank in the view.

He sat there far into the night, ignoring discomfort, even ignoring the chill in the air that accompanied the altitude and the winds coming up from the valleys and blowing across the ridges. Thankfully, this time he'd gotten to keep his clothes, and even more, all the equipment he'd had on him when whatever happened had happened.

As a youngster growing up here, he had spent many a night staring at those stars, the same plethora of luminescent pinpoints he now beheld, wondering what was "out there". Back then, he didn't have an inkling that one day he would have walked amongst so many of them, up close and in person... He identified one after another, stars he had known in his youth, worlds he had walked as a man. With a start, nenothtu realized that if any great lapse of time had occurred, those star would be occupying different seats, different positions, different patterns than the ones he had know in his youth.

They weren't changed at all from the ones he had become so familiar with back then. He was back in the "now". It appeared that the Big Rip had been repaired, and Earth at least had been saved. For the first time in a long time, neno allowed himself the luxury of a great, wide, dopey grin.

Earth still stood, where scant hours before, it had not.

Going over to the scraggly brush that clung to the top of the rock just to the west of where he sat, neno found a pile of windblown leaves, raised from the forest below by the winds of time and deposited at the base of the brush, not quite able to make it all the way over The Rock. He poked, prodded, fluffed, and shifted the leaves around until he had worn out a bed in them under the scraggly wind-blown bushes and the starry sky, and lay down to sleep, raking more leaves over himself for insulation. He slept like a baby under the starry sky, night birds his only companionship.

The crickets sang him to sleep with their peculiar lullaby. Tomorrow was another day, and he'd had a hand in making that happen.

~*~ Lost ~*~

‘Oh Jenovah I’m hot...’ Silo sat deep in the meager shade of a spiny looking tree watching a large rat wearing Regalian armor amble past. She must be imagining things. The sun overhead was baking her brain into dust. Silo wondered if Chumley had somehow messed up the Yydryl's temperature gage.

‘CHUMLEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!’ She cried again and tried to spit but she had none. Would be just like that big green turd to take her on a joy ride and forget and leave her out here. He’d been forgetting so much lately. Tearing the sleeves off her arms she bound her hair with one piece and made a sweat band tying it snuggly above her eyes.

‘We must’a gone for a ride in a Harry. Must be in the Center...Deep Center.’ Silo whispered to herself squinting against the pain in her head. Gig, but they’d gotten toasted, she remembered dancing, singing in the bar before Ship called then to the bridge. From there they’d all gone back to the Tower. Her memory got fuzzier than her tongue after that.

Another blunt nosed rat wearing a thick hard shell came close, maybe looking to use the shade. This one stopped near the tip of her toes it’s beady eyed glare unnerving her before it to scuttled down a trail she couldn’t see.

‘Oh hell...’ Her head swam. ’If I sit here any longer I’m gonna die... Oh hell...’ Silo repeated again. Crawling to her feet and shading her eyes she darted first in one direction then the other the her feet burning painfully on the hot sand. It was no use. Silo returned to the sorry bit of shade and crumbled to the ground.

‘Dagggggggg!’ Her scream ended in a fit of choking before she closed her eyes. Dag will find me, she promised herself. Dag and Adam must know she and Chumley went for a ride...went too far...too deep into the Center.

~*~ Someone to watch over me ~*~

‘Toby, stay here boy.’ The man scratched his day old beard and motioned the dog to sit. ‘Watch the horse.’ He gave the command with a jut of his chin and a wink. The dog, a sheep header without a flock didn’t mind using Horse as a stand in. Horse wasn’t so pleased. ‘Now Red, don't you go wandering off and you listen to ol‘Toby there. I think that little girl needs help.’ He let his voice wander. The female he’d been watching for the last handful a minutes was small but definitely not a ‘girl’. Too many sweet curves for a girl he thought before giving himself a mental slap.

The ‘girl’ screamed, the trio jumped. Didn’t she know any better than to go hollering like that! Man and beasts exchanged astonished looks.

‘Ok Toby, that’s it, I’m going.’ Young, strong, but alone and with only his long rifle he hadn’t run right up to the girl like a greenhorn. These days females were precious as gold. If he got caught even talkin’ to one - dying a heat or no - and she belonged to another? He’d get shot quicker than a horse thief ridding in the wrong direction. But there a no one around, not in this God forsaken country. And he had been watching her long enough for the buzzards to start circling.

Darting from cactus to rock mound he made his way checking over his shoulder. Toby and Red hadn’t moved. Nothing else about but a stray armadillo making tracks under the heat.

Reaching the girl he stood momentarily dumbstruck. He’d never seen that color hair before. And her clothes? Well, he’d never seen a girls under drawers before either, or their naked feet, but he didn’t imagine a girl from these parts worse undergarments like hers - and no boots! She was something different that’s for sure he marveled reaching out to touch her shoulder. When she didn’t respond he put his canteen to her mouth dribbling water between her dry cracked lips.

‘Dag?’ She whispered her eyes closed. ‘Chumley?’ She coughed and greedily tried to take more water.

‘You can’t have no more Miss. You might get sick.’ Holding the back of her head, the fine lavender hair catching on his work torn hands her savior poured a precious few drops of water over the piece a rag she’d tied around her head.

‘Thank you Dag. I knew you’d find me...’ She mumbled before going limp in his arms.

‘Now she’d gone and done it.’ Frightened by her swoon he lifted her easily off the sand and strode straight back to his horse his boots kicking up dust as he went. Toby let out a soft whine and tried to lick the girls burnt toes, Red whickered softly reaching out his soft muzzle to sniff at her hair.

‘Come on boys, let’s get her home.’ Mounting easily with his arms full - he‘d done it all his life with lambs and calves - the man used his knees to turn his horse back towards the cabin and into an easy lope. They had a few hours ride and they’d be going home without meat but the girl needed water and shelter fast. Fresh meat could wait ‘til later.

The Vithian in the dark-brown robes moaned in his sleep and feeling Mucklebones'
tough-leathery arm across his chest, the old Time-Traveller seemed to purr with
contentedness. Tibbs' small spectacles lay on a small outcrop of stone beside his
heavily-lined face has if someone had placed them there on-purpose and it was this
sight that Tibbs opened his eyes to.

The taller-Mucklebones snored on and her large head lay on Tibbs' chest, the whispy
red-hairs mingled with her lover's grey bearded-ones.
Slowly reaching for his spectacles, Tibbs focused on his surroundings and as the blurred
woodland became clearer -due to the lenses, he looked on over-hanging trees and a cold-
blue sky.

"Honey...? we're here" he mumbled to the mottled-head that moved up-and-down with
his breathing, Tibbs felt a small gasp as Mucklebones came awake.
They clambered upright with groans and sniffs, Tibbs eyed the Gray tugging on her poncho
and after the Muckles' rear-view he'd just been privvy to -Tibbs announced "We're going to
have to seek out some underwear for you!"

The cool breeze brought a nod of approval from the Witch and pulling down the back of the
dark-green garment, she agreed with "Aye... there's a wind gettin' where it shouldn't"
The other view, the one that showed the dark-watered lake and faraway mountains, gave
the old couple a few moments of quiet contemplation and only the faint bird-songs invaded
the peace.

"BIAD! SILOOO! TIBBS!" came the coarse voice and glancing at the puzzled expression of
Mucklebones, Tibbs cupped his hands to his mouth and was about to answer the call, when
a long skinny-fingered hand knocked his hands away "What the hell yer' playin' at...?"
the Crone snapped "... we're marooned on a planet that we know nuthin' about and yer'
hootin' out fer' all to hear!"

Tibbs sighed in agreement of the logic and sought his handset, holding it out towards
-where the voice came from, the Vithian grinned at the recognised life-symbol.
"It's Nenothtu" Tibbs said and stuffing the device in his pocket and grabbing Mucklebones'
hand, he set off dragging the hesitant Crone with him.

The Yydryl hung in the stratosphere and scanned the planet below, Ship pondered the
recent change in her position and found no logical reason how her vast body could be
hovering over TallTown on Carbiox and then in an instant, find an unknown world on her
starboard. The results of the scans were still being analysed, but Ship had already realised
that the orbiting grey rock -could well be Earth's Moon.
Chumley busied himself with restocking The Sprint Flyer, his hangover waited in a corner
of his head to annouce itself on stage, 'Silo will be worse' he thought as he clicked the
oxygen-tanks to 'Fill'

"Brrrrr!" Boy In A Dress stuttered and checking that nobody was near, he stepped out of the
dark-watered lake and shook himself. The recently-scrubbed red dress hung from a budding
Willow and his high-heeled shoes were parked neatly near the unlit fire.

BIAD shivered violently to shake off the last of the water droplets and remembered the
tiring-flapping fish that his hair had caught, he reeled it in and made for his campsite.
The Man/Girl thought about his arrival here as he rolled the smoldering stick against the
one between his bare-feet, he was alone on a strange planet... again.
The naked hermaphrodite blew softly on the kindling and small flames lapped into the air.

Ernie and Sslar ambled along the deer-trail and the strange-looking man in bib 'n' braces
reckoned they would be feasting on venison before the evening came.

Sslar sniffed the air and picked up a familar scent, the alien and the small man were close
-she thought and wondered if the wall-eyed human with the sharp-pointed staff should be
informed. Ernie stopped and gazed around the shadows in the heavy foliage and whispered
"Ah' can smell someone" and the Xang Cat wondered if he was part-animal.
They trudged on and watched for hoof-prints.

Dag and Adam woke together, the daylight could be seen leaking into the cave entrance and
after clambering over the huge boulders that blocked the pathway and after Adam was
slapped twice in assisting the lithe white-haired girl by grabbing her rear, they squinted in
the sunlight and the surrounding beauty.

"Are we the Adam and... Eve around here?" Dag said gazing at the large lake and tall conifers,
the Doctor smiled and whispered "I hope so" The cave was in a hillside and the ground
seemed to be littered with small caverns and cave-ins.

Dag took out the compass from her Pilot-Suit belt and checked for bearings "hmmm..." she
muttered "... the needle keeps swinging around?"
Adam scratched his elbow and pondered whether to make for the lake, it was better to be
near water -he guessed.
"We'll make for the lake, huh" Dag said and stuffed the useless compass into it's belt-pocket
the time seemed around midday, but she had no idea how long a day was here.

The two lovers carefully made their way down the hillside.

Dag walked in front, and Adam enjoyed the grace of her supple limbs as she counterbalanced her way down the steep slope. They weren't far from the lakeshore when they both stopped and exchanged glances. Fire. Simultaneously they raised eyebrows and puckered their mouths in a "huh! what do you think?" gesture.

Adam, being a tad higher up the slope, craned his neck to try to see through the brush. Dag didn't need to do that; she closed the infrared lens-lid over her huge eyes and scanned left, right. Nothing. Well, a couple of small things running up and down the trees, but nothing that could relate to a fire.

Then she saw it. It was a small fire, a campfire. She could also see what looked like a bullet-shaped item hovering above it. Someone was cooking.

She turned to Adam and whispered. "About 60 more paces, that way, someone's built a small fire, but I don't see them."

Adam nodded and was both thankful for her visual actuity, and envious of it. There was something to be said for these bio-droids. At the same time, he was glad there was only ONE of her. And she was his.

They crept on, moving stealthily through the trees, undergrowth and rocks, keeping low and to the shadows until finally Dag stood upright. She turned a smiled.

She tapped four fingers on the inside of her other arm.
"Four words," he said. She nodded but held a finger to her lips. She didn't want him to guess. She wanted him to watch. He was puzzled, but went along with it.

Next she held up one finger. Then made a gesture that was unmistakable, indicating the male gender, and then pointed at Adam. Next she motioned around her shapely hips as though swirling fabrc and then tugged at an invisible hem and rose up onto her tiptoes, grabbed a few locks of her hair and twirled them in the air...like antenae? Someone swimming?

Adam realized what she meant. "Boy in a Dress?" he mouthed. And she winked, her eyes glittering. She motioned for him to stay there, and he emphatically shook his head no. He wasn't about to let her go by herself through an unknown forest. She raised one eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips. He shrank back a bit.
He knew he couldn't stop her. So he crossed his arms with a huff and glanced sharply away, and she slipped into the forest alone.

**********

At his campsite, BIAD came out from the thicket of laurel with a nice pile of small branches and laid them on the fire. He needed to devise a shelter of some kind before nightfall. Well, he didn't need to so much as wanted to. He'd always wanted to try his hand at the castaway thing. It was so quiet here, he thought.

But he had got scratched up a bit in the brush, so he decided to put his clothes back on before doing any more.
He went to where his dress and high-hee-----------they were gone.

So he was NOT alone. That, or there were some pretty kinky bears around here. He thought he heard a snicker then, and covered his covery-bits withs a couple of leaf-clustered oak sticks. And then, out from behind a tree stepped his dress. "Dag!" he cried.

His hair waved about enthusiastically and his smile covered his whole face. She looked fabulous. Absolutely fabulous in that dress!! She tossed him her space-suit. "Put this on," she said, and turned her back graciously.

As soon as she heard the zipper's rasp she turned toward the trees again. "Adam!!" she shouted. "C'mon down here!" And Adam stepped out from behind the nearest shrub. Had she really expected he wouldn't trail her??

BIAD and Adam exchanged the kind of handshake-come-half-hug that bonded men exchange when they're truly glad to see one another.

"Do you two know where the hell we are?"

"Well, I know where we're NOT," said Adam. "And I know where we WERE. But, um, if we're not in The Center..." He and Dag looked skyward and saw the Yydryl, hovering about a mile above the tree line. "....I mean, we're not in The Center, and from all indications so far, I'd say there's a good chance that we're on Earth."

(continued)

Dag sucked in a little happy gasp, and clapped her hands, and (as was her wont) she jumped up and dow---
her ankle twisted; she had no experience with high-heeled shoes, and this pair was too big for her dainty feet.

"Gwark!" she yelped as she fell over.

BIAD began to laugh. Dag tried to compose herself, adjusted a strap, and pulled at the hem before she looked up at him. She took the wobbly shoe off and threw it at him, he caught it in midair, still smiling. Off came the other, which she flung at his head: a lock of black permo-wig grabbed it.

"Not as easy as it looks, is it?" he said, and reached to help her up. "C'mon, let's change back."

"Please," she said. "This is the stupidest outfit ever. How do you walk in those things? How utterly impractical."

He just grinned at her. "It's a trade secret, my sweet little friend. Now turn you back, I'll turn mine, Adam, you scurry back into the shrubbery there, and we'll all be back in uniform in no time."

Adam clapped his hands over his eyes, hard!, as BIAD began unzipping. As enticing as Dag had looked in that dress, it really was the most inappropriate get-up a person could have chosen for the circumstances. He had no idea why BIAD was so enamored of the look, but...
there were many, many things about BIAD which none of his friends quite understood. They just knew somehow, they loved him. He was a bizarre creature. But he was their bizarre creature.

And truth be told, not a one of 'em would have wanted to be without him. As Adam listened to them shuffling about, he said (hand still firmly clamped over his eyes). "Do you suppose the others are here?"

His voice was louder than normal, and unnecessarily so for the atmosphere.

"Adam, no need to shout," said Dag. "We can hear you whether you can see us or not. You can uncover your eyes, now, we're done." And Adam heard the zipper pulled to once again.

He was relieved to see his love in her usual mode, but made a small mental note to himself that if the opportunity arose, he would buy her a red strappy number and some shoes that fit. And have her "practice" with it in the privacy of their bower someday.

For now, they both looked at BIAD for an answer. He was busily fluffing and tugging distractedly.

"BIAD," Adam repeated. The Boy in a Dress Again glanced up.

"Huh?" he said. "Oh, right. Well, I suppose they might be. I say we stay here for a bit and see if anyone else finds us. You two had enough sense to come to the water. I know the others will too."

~*~ Peaches ~*~

‘Boy’? The man hollered from behind her on the saddle causing white hot pain to explode behind her eyes. Struggling against the rocking motion of the horse and the pain in her head Silo wriggled from the man’s grip, hung her head over the side of the saddle and left a line of vomit streaming alongside the trail.

A firm warm hand pushed a colored handkerchief against her mouth. At first Silo though he was trying to gag her until his gentle touch proved he was offering to wipe her mouth. Mercifully he didn’t say a thing about her humiliating loss of bodily control.

Once more he yelled. This time lightening didn’t burst her brain but thunder still rolled in her belly.

‘Boy! Boy-oooo Where are you?’ Coming to a smother stop than she would have though possible on a four-footed creature the man swung down from the beast with Silo still cradled in his arms.

‘Pa!’ Gravel slipping under boots grinding to a halt announced ‘Boys’ arrival. Silo kept her eyes tightly shut.

‘What you got there?’ ‘Boy’s’ voice squeaked. If Silo’s eyes hadn’t been glued shut she’d of seen a toe-headed child missing his two front teeth staring up at her wide eyed. Freckles splashed across the bridge of his pert nose gave him an impish look two bright blue eyes and ears that stuck out from his head only accentuated.

‘A lady. She’s sun sick. Get me some fresh water from the spring house and take care a Red.’
‘Pa’ kicked his way into the small cabin it’s four poster bed only a few strides from the door. Laying her down gently the man removed the make shift headband and rag that tied her hair in a rough ponytail stuffing the cloth under the bed. He was already hiding her Silo thought feeling a the feather light touch of his thumb cross her jaw line.

Sloshing a fresh bucket of water across the hard packed floor Silo was aware ‘Boy’ had returned. Her thirst was so great she could smell the water he toted above the musk and spice scent of animal furs and man sweat surrounding her in the bed.

A wooden dipper pressed against her lips Silo drank deeply but once again the water went away too soon. Unable to stop herself she opened her eyes and asked for ’More’.

‘You can’t have more. Pa says it’ll make ya lurch!’ ‘Pa‘ had stepped away from the bed leaving the small boy grinning from ear to ear playing his tongue through the hole where his front teeth should have been. Pushing his face right into Silo’s he took a breath to continue before a plate sized hand closed over his shoulder.

‘You take care a Red like I asked you?’ The man had returned but all she could see without looking up was a pair of molded hips and legs encased in a leather type pants with thin tassels of the same hide running down the outside seam.

‘Yeah Pa.’ The boy leaned over to place his elbows on the covers of the bed ready to climb up like a young pup. ‘Pa. What happened to her hair?’ he squealed again. ’And where’d ya find her. Does she belong to us now? Pa, you got any deer for me to skin?’ The boy didn’t breath much less stop for ‘Pa’ to answer his questions. ‘I got a new knife seeee!’ Boy pulled his knife waving it in her face before once again the large hand intervened closing over the knife handle and small sturdy fingers of the one holding it. The side of the bed dipped as he sat down.

‘You go check the traps and take Toby with you. You can skin a rabbit for dinner if you’re lucky.’ His voice grew warm and rich with pride his hand reaching out to tousle the child's hair.

‘Rabbit? Again? Awwwww Paaa.’ Boy’s pug nose turned up while his eyes traced the marks he’d scuffed into the floor.

‘Go!’ Pa growled.

‘But Pa! What happened to the ladies hair?’ He asked shuffling his feet towards the door.

‘Blueberries son. She must’a ate too many wild blueberries. You remember what they do to your teeth.’ He lied smoothly his smile matching the boy’s for charm a chip in his front tooth adding not subtracting from his handsome weathered face.

‘Ok Pa. But since we got comp-ny can we open up a jar a them peaches later? And will you make biscuits?’ His eyes alight with a shine only the promise of sweets could bring he waited half way in and out the door.

‘GO!’

Giggling Boy ran to do his chores leaving the door open behind him. ‘You hear that Toby! We’re gonna have peaches and biscuits!’

The sun sent shafts of light through the Spring-like foliage of the overhanging
trees as Dag, Adam and Boy In A Dress smoked the four fishes over the campfire.
Guessing his companions would be hungry, the Man/Girl's hair had gone a-fishing
again.

"I think that we've been 'clean-slated..." BIAD said as he stood with his back to the
lake, Adam shuffled sideways to avoid sun-glare from the surface of the water and
looked at the strange being in red. "...I think that Splitter-fellow dropped us back on
Earth" he finished and felt the fish's belly touch his dozing hair.

The strands hurled the fish shorewards, Dag caught the Lake-Trout with both hands
and winked at the clapping hermaphrodite as Adam pressed for some more information.
"The problem I have with all this is why...?" he said and tossed another cedar branch
into the flames.

The eyeless creature with the confusing body merely shrugged and produced his idiot
-smile. "Maybe it's a reward for helping him with that Rip-thing" Adam suggested and looked
to Dag for any imput, copying their Fisherman, she shrugged her small shoulders too.

BIAD nodded, turned away and focused on letting his stretched tresses sink below the
surface of the twinkling lake. "I'm not saying we're back on Earth at a time we'd appreciate...
the way my luck has been going, I'm just jazzed to make it at all!" BIAD said and crouched
down to help in submerging his black 'fish-catchers'

"BIAD...? please?" Adam said kindly and the Man/Girl suddenly realised that he was
presenting a view that may assist in putting his friends off their fish-dinner, pulling his
hem down and standing erect, BIAD softly said "sorry" and blushed.

The birds sang on and the breeze played in the high branches of the trees as the fourth
Trout was landed and both men set about cleaning the catch.

Dag donated a knife from her belt and moved off to see what else may be nearby.
.................................................................~~...................................................................
"Yer' see 'em Cat?" Ernie whispered over his shoulder and Sslar rolled her eyes at the obvious
answer. She'd spotted the three U-man's at the moment they'd cleared the overhanging
spruces and now, they both hunkered down behind a smooth glacier-dropped boulder.
"Ah' reckon we're gonna have to trade-up the venison fur' fish..." Ernie said again and the
Xang Cat licked her lips subconsciously.

The crazy-looking man and the large dark-green feline ghosted back into the woods and set
out to make their way to the otherside of the lake.
.................................................................~~...................................................................
"Oh now Dear, there's no need to go on-so" Tibbs said amiably and kept his eyes on the thin
plume of woodsmoke, Mucklebones finished her call-of-nature and stood up from behind
the lilac bush.

"Ah'm just sayin'... it could be cannibals, it could even be those damned zombies that were
tossed thru' that Rip" the Crone explained and wiping her hands on her poncho, she placed a
gentle one on the small Vithian's shoulder and crouched down to look Tibbs in the eyes.

"This is the one thing ah' always wanted and ah' don't wanna lose it" Muckles whispered
and glanced over at the lakeside smoke.
"We've a chance to settle down together... we've been given an opportunity to be a
together... like a family" Muckles said softly and looked for any reaction from her bearded
-beau.

Tibbs showed-thinking eyes over the top of his spectacles and breathing in deep, he sighed
"I suppose you're right" and offered a weak smile.

The Witch Of The Canyons stood and beamed down at the heavily-robed Time-Traveller,
"That's my man!" she said and taking the chubby digits of her lover in her long ones, they
set off towards the high-ridge on the mountain -above them.

~*~ Sweet little lies ~*~

Silo moaned and thrashed weakly on the bed trying to evade the cloth bathing her skin. One moment her teeth chattered wracked with cold, the next she burned alive with fever.

It wasn’t just exposure, but sun, wind and a scorpions sting threatening her life. Too late Gep had found the evil black puncture surrounded by a ring of mottled swelling on the back of her calf. The devil’s own creature must have stung her just before he’d found her. Foolish man, he chided himself for the hundredth time. He should have checked every inch of her before swinging her up on Red. And he would have if she hadn’t been a female! But for all the bother he’d taken the stranger could already be stone dead from a snake bite, he thought shuddering. Just like Mercy. Gep would of thrashed himself if it was possible. An honest man he refused to coddle himself when he knew he’d done wrong.

‘Pa... Is she gonna be ok?’ Pip asked worried by the frown creasing his fathers face. From his trundle at the end of the big bed Gep heard the sob about to break in his sons voice and grit his teeth. Would the boy never grow out of loosing his mother!
‘I don’t know son.’ He bit off roughly angered at himself, not the boy. Ashamed by showing his spleen Gep threw the cloth adding to the growing pile on the floor and ran his fingers through his hair. He wanted give his son hope and answer she’d be fine. Just fine. Fact was he didn’t know if she’d make it or not and he’d already lied once to the boy over the sickened stranger. He didn’t want it to become a habit.

‘Pip. Come here son.’ Gep opened his arms and nearly toppled backwards off his stool when the boy threw himself gratefully into his embrace. After holding him close the reassuring trip of his son’s heart renewing Gep’s courage he motioned Pip onto the bed.
‘Go ahead and climb up next to her. She might feel lots better knowing she aint so alone.’ He’d heard the strange names she’d called out in her delirium, so had the boy. Someone named Dag, and someone bad, named Neno.
Gep went back to bathing her limbs sticking out from the nightdress he’d pulled over her head before blindly removing her clothes from under the voluminous folds of the white gown. What she wore now had belonged to his wife Mercy. It didn’t bother him as much as he thought seeing another woman in her clothes. It seemed his heart was mending faster than his son‘s.

‘How long you have’ta keep coolin’ her Pa?’ Pip snuggled under the covers blissfully. The night had gone chilly and even with the fire he liked the feeling of laying high on the thick mattress closer to his father and the girl instead of tucked into his trundle.
‘Until her fever breaks.’ Gep grimaced at his son. ‘I should'a known it was a critter bite right off.’ The need to confess was overwhelming.
‘Stinger Pa. You mean stinger. That’s what ‘scorpiuns’ got.’ Pip’s eyes shined bright with the love of knowing.
‘Stinger. Yer right.’ Gep chuckled. Since the boy had started book learning there was nothing he liked more than correcting his father.

Book learning! Gep groaned low jumping to his feet. How could he have forgotten. Trouble was waiting at cocks crow. The Macalister chit would be banging on the door at sunrise for Pip’s book-learning. By noon the whole area would know the Olis farm had a stranger, and worse, a woman sleeping under the same roof as the widow and orphan.

Hands on his slim hips, tired and beleaguered Gep dropped his chin to his chest watching the rag in his hand drip water onto the toe of his boot. He watched the droplets bead into gems shining in the firelight before breaking into tiny streams and running over the old leather and onto the floor. Hands in his hair again Gep opened his mouth wide, lifted his eyebrows and rolled his eyes trying to right his thoughts.

What could he do? It was too late to get word to Macalister’s wasn’t it? His heart thumped hard before the little voice of his conscience answered. Gep chuckled a wry grin lifting the corner of his mouth. Now he was lying to himself. The problem wasn‘t the hour. The problem was if he could go to the ‘Lazy B’ to put the girl off for tomorrows lessons he could just as well bring Jeni or one of the other ranchers daughters back to tend to the sick girl as was proper.
Turning to the lilac haired girl Gep swore under his breath. No. He wouldn’t. She as his. He’d known from the moment he’d wiped the sick from her mouth with his own handkerchief he wouldn’t give up caring for the girl himself.

So the double-dealing would begin in earnest tomorrow he thought. And if there was Gep hated more than sneaky little critters like ‘scorpiuns’ it was lies. Well. There was nothing to be done for it. Throwing open the cabin door cold night air bit at his exposed skin. No. He wouldn‘t go out on a night like this leaving his son and the girl. Wolves howling from the wood line sealed their fate. To his likening. Gep flung tepid water over the porch rail before refilling the bowl from the rain barrel. Securing the door behind him for the night he went back to tending the girl with new resolve. The water was so cold it stung his hands.

‘Pa...‘ Pip looked up from the featherbed the eye to the fireside reflecting golden flame his other eye sparkling blue like the dawn. ‘Don’t you worry Pa. No one’ll find out about the lady. Not tomorrow. Miss Macalister aint comin‘. She aint commin’.’ He repeated over a yawn. Pip’s eyes closed and with the ease only children knew the boy slid instantly into sleep. But it wouldn’t have mattered. Gep knew better than to ask anyway.

Dag listened to the crackling and popping of the fire, walking into the forest only as far as she could and still hear it behind her. She smiled to herself, thinking how lucky (well, relatively lucky) she and Adam were to have found the Boy in-- no, 'The Boy NOT in A Dress' ..
she chuckled out loud at that thought. Dag really enjoyed her sense of humor, even when she was her only audience.

She imagined their friend clapping when she caught the fish; his "hair" doing for him what her hands alone could do. "Well, we won't starve, at least," she muttered. "And he knows how to build a fire from nothing. So we won't freeze."

It suddenly occurred to her that she knew nothing about Adam's survival skills. Had he any? She reviewed their history. He was a doctor, but not the kind that could help Silo when she was sick. He had admitted that.

He was handsome, oh yes, and her former non-specific gender had transformed very securely into a femals, due to his male magnetism. But at times he seemed lost; neno, Boy in a Dress, Tibbs, Chumley -- they all had very obvious skillsets that were invaluable to ther entire posse. So. He was a good lay (she guessed, not having had any other experience). He was nice eye candy. He had a sexy voice.

What else?

Suddenly Dag's brow furrowed with worry. She stopped walking and seated herself on a fallen tree trunk. "Oh dear," she said to herself. "What is happening? Why do I feel differently about him now?"

She remembered when they first arrived at Ship, when Carpet had kept him alive. The joking with the helium. Yes..he was funny.

That once.
That one time.

She thought back further.
Well, he had that ability to see the thoughts of others, that was good. .... OR WAS IT? If she didn't feel the same spark, the same irresisitible lust for him, he would KNOW! Her lower lip curled to one side in a grimace of worry.
"Well," she said, "I'll just have to avoid eye contact with him until I get this sorted."

Just then she heard a footfall behind her; and NOT from the direction of their camp. She whirled round where she was seated, and the next moment, everything went black.

*******************

Adam and the Boy in a Dress sat quietly near the fire, but it was not the companionable kind of silence that close mates can withstand comfortably. BIAD cleared his throat and aimed his face at the fire. Adam sat watching it as well, and then glanced over at the eyeless anomaly. Eyeless.

Adam could never know what was in BIAD's heart, in his deepest thoughts and hopes and fantasies. It was only the eyes that could reveal that. And he seemed so stable, so cheerful. Nothing much rattled him, from what Adam could tell.

"You know," said Adam. "I don't think we've ever been just the two of us before."

BIAD's lips pursed in thought for a moment. "Correct!" he chirped and aimed a long fingernail at Adam. He smiled.

"Thanks for the fish," said Adam.

"Oh, you're welcome! My pleasure. I don't like this -- whatever it is that sprouts from my brain's fertile substance to go unused. It gets bored easily." He started laughing and the permowig bounced up and down. "Anyway, Dag caught two of them. She's quite something, that one. I wouldn't doubt she could do anything!"

Adam frowned and looked into the fire again. Suddenly he was painfully aware of how little he had done to actually help in any of the misadventures the group had stumbled into. He cared deeply for Dag; but what good was he to her? He had nearly died; he had stunk to paradise when he was rotting. She had got him safely to the Bay. She had fought off Bransom. She had done so much...!!

Adam looked round toward the treeline. Where was she, anyway? He stood to go look for her. BIAD's face turned up to him and nodded, and without responding Adam walked away. Something felt wrong. Something felt very wrong.

The pile of droid-junk on the repair table rattled once and then after seeking out
what had caused the small noise, Ship noted that Skinny's Auto-Tracker was active again.
Different coloured lasers scanned the wreckage on the table and a Repair-Droid trundled
over to lend an expert-eye.

"Read-outs indicated repairs are viable" the tall-thin Drake announced and placed a probe
into the space where Skinny's Microcontrollers should be.

Skinny turned his battered head and chirped "good call" from the dented grill of his mouth
-piece. Drake the Repair-Droid moved back on his two wheels and switched on his
'Emergency Light' he mused on whether to activate his alarm, but thought better of it.
"Really...?" Ship asked sarcastically and the rotating off-red bulb went dull on Drake's
narrow head.

"If you can give me a minute..." Skinny said in a warbling voice, he had already identified
his servo-motors for his limbs and the movement of his pincers -told him he was not in
too-bad-a-shape.
Drake scootered off with a look of 'he's just wasting my time' and continued his work on
the broken Refuse-Hold Droid, the memory chips had fried -for some reason.

The Yydryl looked over the planet's scan-results again as the little Droid ran his diagnostics
and the idea that the blue-green sphere below could be Earth, puzzled Ship and caused her
to be hesitant in announcing it to the crew.
Granted, the recent visitors were no longer aboard -along with Silo and Dag, but Chumley
and Carpet should be informed and urgent discussions should occur to look for the two
females.

Skinny stood up on his rattling-quivering wheels and twisted caterpillar tracks, he twisted
his head in a 360-degree spin and beeped twice.
"Online and on duty" he reported and ignoring the disapproving looks from Drake, he rolled
out of The Armory and headed for Cargo-Bay Three.

Ship relayed some upgrade-information to Skinny as he made his way to see his friend
-Squibs and went back to analysing the data.


It wasn't going too well, the wobbly wheel that Squibs had endured was now really loose
and twice he had veered into a pile of Food crates, the small Droid sighed and wondered if
his existence could get any worse.

"Ain't you had that wheel looked at yet?" the familar voice said and the loneliest Droid on
The Yydryl looked up from his melancholy-musings and saw Skinny standing with his hands
on his hips.

Squealing his motors and switching his Alarm-Light on, Squibs sped towards his old friend
with a feeling that warmed his mother-board. "SKIINNNNYYYY!" Squibs screamed and hurtled
towards the dented -but active Maintenance-Robot.

Then swerved off into Aisle-Twelve.

Skinny shook his tin-pot head slowly and went to retrieve his friend.