Jahgen - a Guzzi SF adventure (G13)

drwom (69)in #writing • 7 years ago (edited)

The topaz atmosphere of Jahgen hung like a jewel through the viewing windows in the crew lounge.

"So what can we expect down there?" Jazz asked as she buckled on her weapons belt, then shrugged and threw an extra laser pistol into her pack.

Guzzi nodded approvingly at her decision. It was nothing like the firepower he had found for himself, but it was a good sign. "Well, for a start, I'll be plugged back into Sapphire, so I might just be a little crazy I guess. Or a lot. Not looking forward to that."

"I'm staying," his sister said, before anyone else had a chance to speak.

"But, you've wanted to see this forever. You can't just not come?" Guzzi's voice was halfway between brotherly compassion and utter relief.

"Sure I can. I'll see everything through the Garship tech. And maybe one day this little baby will work out a way to make the buffer transportable. Then we could both truly enjoy this together." She reached out and took her brother's hand.

Jazz's mouth made a kind of tsk noise without her even noticing. "Not happening. We need you down there."

Sapphire rounded on her with a ferocity Guzzi had never seen. "You know what, Jazz? That's schez, and you know it. You just want to see me torture my brother for your fun.

"I'll tell you what ain't happening. That. For the first time ever, I've been able to be on the same planet as Diamond without hurting him.

"I'm here to tell you I like it. It's going to stay that way. If that means I'm marginally less useful to you, see if I care. And," she turned to Guzzi, the rage suddenly gone, "if that means I miss out on realising my childhood dreams, I care even less." She smiled softly, intently.

"All right'" grinded Schmeep Gar. "What can we expect down there?"

Guzzi wrenched his attention away from his sister. "Ah, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."

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The ship's boat, More like a mini Garship really, reflected Guzzi, deposited them on the windswept slopes of what could be any desolate, cold and forbidding pile of rocks right in the middle of galactic nowhere.

It just happens to be this one though, he thought as he scrambled down into the valley below. Unfortunately.

In the dull light it was easy to imagine the creatures he had named BooYars last time he was here lurking in every crevice. Too easy. Because they were.

He shone his light at one and pointed it out to Jazz and Schmeep. "There's one of the little shindungs. They don't look like much, but wait 'til you see their teeth." The pile of fur, the same colourless shade as the rocks on which it was feeding, shuffled along its crevice and Guzzi jumped. "On second thought, let's just avoid that bit."

He led them down, down until Schmeep was scraping loudly against the walls as he moved. Several times they back-tracked, and Jazz wasn't sure whether Guzzi had lost his way, or was just scared of disturbing the BooYars blocking the path ahead.

"Down here. Just a bit further..."

"How did you find this place? What in schez led you here?" Jazz asked, surveying the bleak landscape around her.

Guzzi scrambled a few metres down a near vertical slope and looked back up at her to answer. Her silhouette framed the ice nebula and her hair spilled beautifully across her shoulders.

And then he heard the sound he had feared since landing.

"G-Na. G-Na. G-Na."

He slowly turned his head towards his feet. A BooYar was curled up in the bottom of the crevice, its big blue eyes looking up at him through its fuzzy facial hair. And he was standing right on it.

"Just lucky I guess," he said.

"G-Na."

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