by C. A. Farlow
“Good enough for me. I will enjoy being clean again.”
Moving back into the main cave, Lauren and Alex gathered clothing and dressing materials. Lauren pulled a couple of microfiber towels from her bag, too. “Ready?”
“I am more than ready.” They headed back to the hot springs, arms loaded with supplies.
Lauren gently removed Alex’s tunic and the pressure dressing, covering the shoulder with a large piece of plastic. Alex released the closure on her trousers, and they fell open. They slowly slid down her long, muscular legs to pool at her knees, catching on the top of her boots. “Should have taken the boots off first.”
Alex sat on the ground and raised a boot to Lauren. “I cannot pull these off with only one functioning arm. A tug, please.”
Grasping the heel of the boot in one hand and the top of Alex’s foot in the other, Lauren pulled. But the wet boot didn’t budge. Pulling harder and leaning backward, Lauren tried again. “Alex, these have shrunk in place. We may have to cut them off.”
“Absolutely not! These are a gift from Merilyn. I will not have them ruined.”
“Merilyn, really…who’s she? One of your ladies-in-waiting?” Though Lauren was half joking, she couldn’t keep a hint of jealousy out of her voice. Just how many Merilyns does she have back home?
A guffaw of laughter burst from Alex.
“Are you laughing at me?” Lauren dropped Alex’s foot and put her hands on her hips.
“Never, I am laughing at how my Seneschal would react to being called a lady-in-waiting. She is a formidable woman who has served my family for many years. She runs my Keep.” Alex paused and tilted her head. “And me if I stop and think about it, I would characterize her as the power behind the throne. And although I know she does not want to be the power on the throne, I would never cross her or ignore her.”
“Sounds like she’s a wonderful mentor.”
“Without a doubt, I was immensely lucky that she was able to reach us when the bioweapon was released on the Homeworld. And that we were able to retreat together as we escaped the solar system.” Sadness darkened Alex’s features. “I have known her all my life and would not be able to rule Fuar Ćala without her, let alone find my boots. Speaking of which, we still need to get these off.” Alex held up her leg, waggling a leather-clad foot at Lauren.
“Okay then, let’s give it another go.” Lauren grabbed the boot and pulled hard. The boot came loose suddenly, and Lauren tumbled over backward into the pool. Water splashed across the cavern’s floor from the overfilled pool.
Bursting from the hot water, Lauren spluttered and threw the boot onto the floor. “That’s great. I was going to wash my clothes, but now I don’t have to.” Lauren climbed from the pool and peeled her wet clothing off.
The second boot proved less problematic. Soon both women were naked and immersed in the warm waters. Lauren floated in the deepest portion of the pool, while Alex rested in the shallows, the water lapping at the top of her breasts. Moving to the edge of the pool, Lauren found one of the niches and settled. She tipped her head back. “Oh, I could so get used to this.”
“It is very enjoyable.”
“Enjoyable. That’s all you can say? This is absolute heaven. I couldn’t ask for better.” Lauren looked over at Alex. Her eyes were closed, a small smile gracing her face. She is so striking. A small voice niggled in the back of her mind. Be careful, Lauren. Remember, she probably does have any number of ladies waiting at home for her. I’m already lost. Her libido was nonexistent, given all the stress, Alex’s injuries, the uncertainties of her location, and their arduous journey. Lauren was exhausted but not so tired that she couldn’t appreciate a beautiful woman.
“I feel you looking, Lauren.” Alex’s thought was a gentle caress brushing across her mind.
Lauren dipped below the surface of the pool, embarrassed. The heat seared her skin, but was not as hot as the blush creeping up her cheeks. Acting like a love-struck teenager, again.
“You are beautiful when you blush, Dearheart, and you are hardly a youngster.”
“I’m so sorry, Alex. That was incredibly rude.”
“It was not rude. I, too, have been enjoying the view.”
Lauren surfaced and shook water from her hair. “You are a beautiful woman. I can’t help myself. I just thought I was being a bit more discreet.”
“Well, while we are both being discreet, why don’t you tell me something about yourself or your home?”
“Okay, but there isn’t much to tell really. Seems all I’ve done with my life is school and work.” Lauren sat back on the small shelf and gathered her thoughts. “I’m a field researcher for a company called Geodynamics. We study environmental pollution.” Realizing that she probably needed to explain more, she continued, “We measure the presence and distribution of various contaminants in water and soil that may be harmful to the environment. So I spend most of my time in field locations and away from home.”
“Where is your home?” Alex sat up a little straighter. She appeared to be listening intently.
“Denver. It’s a large city east of where I found you. Well, toward the rising sun, not sure what direction that would be for you. I’m hardly ever there though, my job has me traveling all over the globe.” Lauren continued to soak.
“How does a researcher of fields learn so much about medical care?”
“No, not a researcher of fields.” Lauren chuckled, running a hand through her wet hair. “I’m a field researcher. Someone who goes to an area where the contamination is thought to occur. But I also have a degree in medicine, in addition to the one in environmental chemistry. I did my residency in pediatric oncology, before changing to trauma surgery.”
“What is this oncology?”
“It’s a subset of medicine that deals with cancer and tumor identification, and treatment. I studied cancer in children.” Lauren sat up, the relaxing effects of the warm water forgotten as memories of her residency surfaced.
“Cancer?” Alex matched Lauren’s tension.
“Cancer is one of the primary killers on my world. It's a disease that can attack any organ of the body.”
“I do not know that I have heard of this illness. Killers of my people are traumatic injuries. Usually those that occur in space or from accidents. Until the Comin released the bioweapon on my world, illnesses were very rare.”
“Tell me about this disease that the Comin released. Are only the children affected? What are the symptoms? How do the effects of the weapon manifest?” Lauren moved across the pool to sit beside Alex as they delved deeper into this mystery together.
“The first symptoms seem to be weakness, fever, and a general lethargy. These gradually become worse, and then other things happen, like strange red spots and bumps that appear on the chest and back. The lungs fill with fluid, and breathing is compromised. Sores form in the mouth and on the lips. The person loses weight and cannot gain it back. They waste away. The worst is near the end, when the weapon attacks the brain. When this happens, the person no longer recognizes anyone and slowly goes mad.” Tears filled Alex’s eyes as she spoke, and Lauren reached out to hold her, pulling her into a warm hug. “That is why I risked crossing the nexus into the Comin world. We must find a cure.”
Alex started to pull away from Lauren. “Easy there. You don’t have to be strong around me. It’s amazing that any of you survived, and for as long and as well as you have.”
Alex continued to silently cry into Lauren’s shoulder. Her warm tears mixed with the hot water in the spring pool. Finally, she sat up and swiped at the tears that continued to trail down her cheeks. “I am sorry.”
“You’ve nothing to be sorry about. We’ll get you back to Fuar Ćala and get your doctors all the information you brought back. I’m sure that will help them find a cure. Let’s just take it one day at a time.”
Alex smiled a half-smile at Lauren and hugged her back. “Thank you. Thank you for everything you have done for us.”
�
��Well, that goes both ways. Had I not had someone able to explain what happened to me, I would’ve gone round the bend.” Lauren pulled back and caught the last of Alex’s tears on her fingertips and smiled. “Remember, you owe me the rest of that explanation about nexi and quantum membranes.”
“Once a technician always a technician.” Alex laughed. “I hope your relentless search for explanations does not mean you have forgotten to look around you and just enjoy the day or a sunset or sunrise. Life is too short to miss out on nature’s beautiful moments.”
“Wow, a warrior and a philosopher. That’s a potent combination.”
“I have seen too much pain and death in my life to not appreciate the quiet moments we are blessed with in nature.”
“I agree. I know I’ve spent too much time in my life looking down at the ground and not up at the scenery around me.” Lauren pulled herself from the pool and began drying off with one of her small towels. “What is that you are using?”
Looking at the cloth in her hands, Lauren laughed. “This is one of the best inventions ever. It’s made of a fabric that is highly absorbent and dries quickly. It doesn’t mold when it’s wet for long periods. I couldn’t have survived in the jungles without it.” She handed one to Alex to try. Realizing that she was standing naked in front of this beautiful woman, she turned away. Not embarrassed, really, just not wanting her body to be found lacking.
“Let’s get you into some clothes and redress that shoulder. And then, I think we both need to head to bed.”
The main cave was quiet. Ffrwyn slept curled on a mound of straw. Snow was in her usual furry ball with her tail across her nose, sleeping contently on top of Lauren’s sleeping bag and thermo-pad. Ice was nowhere to be seen.
“Where am I supposed to sleep?” Lauren frowned. The warm water had relaxed her and eased some of her aches. Now all she wanted to do was sleep.
Alex shifted over on her blankets. She whispered, “You can share my area. We have spare blankets in the storage cases. I do not snore.”
Snoring isn’t what worried Lauren. But if she could survive being naked in a hot spring with the woman, sleeping next to her shouldn’t be too bad. She pulled some blankets from an open container and moved back across the cave to drop them in a pile next to Alex. “I think I’ll check on the storm. Do you need anything for pain?”
“No, I feel remarkably well. The warm water helped. Do not stay up too long. You are tired, too.”
“Sleep well.” Heading to the cave entrance Lauren tugged her fleece jacket over her head, and pulled on some gloves. The tunnel into the cave had three bends in it. These effectively blocked the wind and weather from entering the main portion of the cavern.
Stepping around the third corner, Lauren was nearly blown off her feet by the force of the wind. Squinting into the storm, she couldn’t see anything but a wall of white. Ice sat by the entrance, her fur ruffling in the wind.
“It will be many days before we can travel. The snow will be deep and dangerous. But it also means that the Comin will be delayed, and they do not have the benefit of our caches to protect them. I would not want to be in a tent during this.”
Lauren knelt beside Ice. Placing her arm around the wolf’s shoulders, Lauren leaned into the warm fur. “Ice, thank you for standing guard, but don’t you want to get some sleep? Or have another dip in the pool?”
“No, I am dry and warm. The storm calms me.” Ice turned to Lauren.
“I know what you mean about wind being calming. I lived through a typhoon once on a small island. We were underground in these relic bunkers, and I felt so claustrophobic. So I sat by the door and watched the wind sweep the island clean. But even with all the destruction, I felt an incredible calm.”
Ice turned back to the storm. “The storm does speak sometimes. I was hoping I would hear something. But I cannot hear anything tonight. It is too strong.”
With nothing else to say, Lauren leaned into the strong body and watched the storm rage.
“You should get some rest,” Ice stated.
“I’m tired, but I don’t think I can sleep. And I don’t want to disturb Alex if I toss and turn. She needs her rest more than any of us.”
“She is remarkably strong. Her recovery is assured now. In a few more days, she will be healed.”
“I appreciate your optimism, but her shoulder will need reconstruction.”
“I am not saying she will be able to lift her sword single-handedly with her injured arm. But she will be much improved and able to function as we complete our journey. The technicians will fix her shoulder once we return home.”
“If I didn’t know you better, I‘d say that is a pretty optimistic statement coming from someone who always thinks the glass is half empty.”
“I do not know about a half empty glass, but I do know Alex. She is very strong.”
“She has to be to have survived. Her injuries were very severe. But I still worry about her blood loss. She seems so very thin and tires easily. Maybe while we’re here, you and I can get her to eat more?”
“We can try, but she is very good at seeing ulterior motives. Perhaps, if you ate with her?”
Lauren pulled back and looked skeptically at Ice. “Are you saying I’m too thin?”
“You have lost weight since we began.”
“Right, so you want to fatten me up? What am I, your next meal?”
“Lauren, I may not like you, but I do not want to eat you.”
“What, I’m not tasty enough for you?”
“No, I think you would be quite tasty, but too tough to chew.”
“Oh, I’ll give you tough, you dog.” Lauren pushed Ice over on her side, jumping on top of her. Pulling and pushing, the two tumbled out of the cave and into a building drift. Soon they were both covered in snow. But that didn’t stop them from trying to get the upper hand, or paw as it was.
“I’ve got you now, dog.” Lauren had Ice in a strangle hold.
“Enough, both of you!” Alex stood in the entrance, a hand on one hip. Two snow-covered heads popped out of the drift.
“Oh, Alex, I’m sorry. Did we wake you?” Lauren blinked snow out of her eyes, and she could see Alex’s blue eyes spark.
“Not just me, but everyone else too. Now get in here and dry off. Then let us all get some rest. Morning will come soon enough.” Alex spun on her heel and marched back down the entrance tunnel.
“Oh, boy, I think she’s mad.”
“Yes, I would agree. She is very irritated with us.”
Lauren and Ice clawed their way out of the drift and headed into the cave. Once inside the snow quickly melted and left them soaking wet. Ice handled this by vigorously shaking herself, but Lauren had to change clothes again. At this rate I’ll be out of clothes by tomorrow.
“Now that we are all here and awake,” Alex said as she frowned at Ice and Lauren, “this storm is not going to abate any time soon. We are safe and warm, and have more than enough supplies for a long stay. All we need to worry about is snow closing off the entrance.”
“And the Comin finding us,” Ice added helpfully.
“Yes, Ice. And the Comin. But they will not be able to travel in this weather and this cache is shielded.”
“The wind looks like it’s keeping the entrance blown clear, but there’s a large drift forming about two meters out.” Lauren agreed. She didn’t know what to make of a threat from the Comin, so she ignored Ice.
“I suggest we set up a watch schedule to monitor wind direction and watch for avalanches. We might be able to dig out of a drift that has closed the entrance, but we could never get through an avalanche. Two should watch at the same time just to be safe. The Comin are another matter.”
“We have only seen signs of others twice. They seem to be traveling on a parallel course, but not headed directly toward the Keep or us.” Ice was all business now.
“Then, let us be vigilant for them as well.”
With this edict, Snow and Ice took the first watch. They woul
d wake Lauren and Alex when it was their turn. Ffrwyn would continue to rest her leg, exempt from guard duty for now.
Chapter Thirteen
SNOW WOKE LAUREN THE next morning and after a good breakfast, she and Alex made their way out of the tunnel. The winds had increased. Lauren’s wrist chronograph showed that the barometric pressure was continuing to fall. “This really is a monster storm.”
“These storms are common place in the winter.” The two stood shoulder to shoulder just inside the edge of the shield, keeping watch on the raging storm. Lauren understood why Alex was worried about the wind direction. If it shifted by as little as ninety degrees, the drift that was building would move and fill the cavern’s entrance.
Around noon, they headed back in for some lunch. “I think we can set up a schedule to check the entrance every hour. That way no one is standing in the cold for long periods,” Alex said.
Lauren was shoulder deep in a storage container. “Sounds good, but I’m going set my chronometer to monitor the barometric pressure on an hourly basis. I’ll set an alarm for low pressure and one for rising pressure.” Lauren stood, pulling several large food containers with her. “Bet the wind will shift once the pressure starts to rise.” She moved over to the table they’d built from stacked containers and placed the food down. “What sounds good for lunch?” Lauren sorted through the items. “Looks like we can make another stew or a soup. This grain looks like rice and we have some crackers.”
After eating, the five companions spent the afternoon relaxing. Alex reclined against Ffrwyn while she slept. Ice and Snow curled up on Lauren’s down bag and thermo-pad. Lauren eyed them. I’m never getting my bed back. Oh well, Alex really doesn’t snore, and the blankets were warm. Thinking about waking in the early hours of the morning and finding they had rolled towards each other, Lauren smiled. Of course, the shared body heat didn’t hurt either.
Lauren pulled her personal gear out and began sorting items that needed repair or cleaning. Unfortunately, she was wearing her last clean clothes, so doing laundry was required sooner rather than later. I hate doing laundry. From her waterproof electronics box, she sorted her laptop, mobile and satellite phones, GPS unit, eReader, mass storage drive, and tablet with their various transformers and cords. She knew she would need to charge them soon.
