The Travelers - Chapter 14

*Sleeping Mat - like a sleeping bag, but waterproof.

 
*****

Chapter 14

Oz grinned at his husband.  Cayson couldn’t hold still for the life of him, but that was always how Cay had been when he was excited.  Anticipation gave him energy to burn, which as a kid meant that the hours before a birthday or leaving for a vacation would find him and Oz, and usually Amrynn, involved in lively games of tag or impromptu races that Cay tended to initiate.  Sleepovers before camping trips always found Oz and Cay with late night giggles because Cayson would insist on making tents with the covers and telling crazy stories that never made any sense, but always had the boys laughing.  Those nights were happy memories in Oz’s mind.

Right now, with their departure from the ship only hours away, Amrynn was doing some last-minute things in the purification wing, and Cay was with Oz in their stateroom.  Cayson had been in constant motion all morning as he triple checked that they were leaving nothing necessary behind, read medical journals while he paced, or simply bounced on his feet if there was nothing else to do.

He was bouncing right now and Oz moved up behind him, wrapped strong arms around Cay’s waist and lifted his husband off the ground.  Cayson squeaked in surprise and then laughed as Oz teasingly bounced the way Cay had been doing, only with Cay in his arms.

“Oz!” he laughed.  “I get it!  I get it!  I’m driving you nuts because I can’t keep still!  You can put me down!”

Oz bounced him another couple times before letting his husband find his feet and turning Cayson to face him, his arms still around him.

“You’re not driving me nuts,” he assured with a tender smile.  “But you’re going to use up all your energy before we even touch Nevean ground.”

“Not possible,” Cay argued as he draped his arms over Oz’s shoulders.  “I’ll still be ready to march ahead tonight when all the rest of you are collapsed in exhaustion on your sleeping mats.”

Oz slid a hand low enough to cup Cayson’s backside and his voice had the hint of a growl to it.  “You even think about marching ahead without the rest of us and I’ll make sure you can’t be still for a whole other reason.”

Cay didn’t doubt that promise, but instead of feeling threatened, he felt wanted.  “Ah, Ozzer, I wouldn’t go anywhere without you and Rynn,” he said softly but with feeling.

Oz’s head dipped and caught Cay’s lips in a mind-melting kiss even as his hand lifted and smacked the slightly smaller man’s bottom hard.  Cay yelped in reaction, but neither man broke the kiss for several more seconds. 

When they did pull apart, both sets of lips were red and pleasantly swollen, but Cayson’s lower one slipped out in an exaggerated pout.  “I didn’t march ahead, Mr. Overprotective.  You didn’t have to smack me.”

“That was for the ‘Ozzer’ comment and you know it,” Ozias said without apology.  “Now come put your excess energy to good use.”

As he spoke, Oz cupped Cay’s bottom and lifted, forcing the other man to wrap his legs around Oz’s waist as he was taken to the bed. 

*****

Corbin headed to the meeting room assigned to him and those departing in Group 6.  He was hard-pressed to decide whether he was excited beyond belief to be leaving the ship and finally heading out to explore Neveah, or still upset over being placed in the last group.  He knew he deserved the consequence Charge Seren had meted out, but that didn’t mean he had to like it.  Accept it, yes; like it, no. 

When the group allocations had been sent out, Corbin hadn’t bothered noticing who else would be in his troupe.  He’d merely confirmed he’d be among the last to leave, and then opened the attached assignment sheet to see what tasks he was to be fulfilling while on the first Nevean trek.

He was actually pleased with the projects he’d been allotted.  There was no agriculture involved; at least, not in the way it had been on the ship.  He was assigned to collect samplings of any Nevean plants that could be used in potential construction.  At the end of the trek, he was to study and report his findings to Charge Seren, as well as turn his report in to the science and agriculture teams to add to their studies of Neveah’s naturally growing plants.

Besides that, Seren had requested that since he had an aptitude for drawing, that he make sketches of the plants he collected samples from, as well as work on a map that covered the area the Travelers would be hiking.  Neither of those were typical things for Corbin to focus his drawing talents on, but he liked the challenge it provided, as well as the ability to use skills in which he felt confident.  He hoped that doing a good job on his assignments would help Charge Seren to look more favorably on him.

His thoughts occupied, Corbin had reached the meeting room and wasn’t paying much mind to the others who were gathering until a hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed with gentle strength.

“Hi, Corbin.”

Corbin knew the voice before he had turned completely around, and he couldn’t withhold a smile.  “Hi, Kel!  Are you in Group 6 too?”

The other man nodded.  “Yeah, and I’m glad because I’ll have someone to hang out with.”  As he said the words, he dropped a long arm over Corbin’s shoulders.  “I had fun with you the other night.  I’m hoping you’ll be my travel buddy on the trek.”

“Really?” Corbin asked with pleased surprise.  He’d had fun hanging out with Kel the other evening too.  It had been the night after his late night meal order, and they hadn’t done much more than talk and drink too much nectar, but it had been one of the least stressful times that Corbin had experienced on ship…and the least lonely.  But he’d seen that Kel appeared to have a lot of friends amongst the Travelers as the other man greeted by name almost everyone he saw, so Corbin didn’t grasp why Kel would want to buddy up with him.  “I thought you already would have others you’d want to be with.”

Kel shrugged.  “No one I think I’d like to be with more than you,” he said casually, and without knowing that Corbin had never had someone say something like that to him.  “So,” he continued easily as he led them to a couple chairs to sit at and wait for the announcement that their group would be leaving.  “What’s your job on the trek?  I’m cooking, in case you couldn’t figure that out.”

Corbin chuckled and proceeded to explain the tasks he’d been assigned as well as his hopes of doing a good job for Seren.

“Do you feel he’s holding your mistake against you?” Kel wondered.

Corbin shrugged.  “No, not exactly.  He was real pleased with my apology and even mentioned wanting to see some of my drawing work, but then I screwed things up again.”

“How?”

“My ship Charge came in…Charge Ozias.  You know him?”

Kel nodded.  “Uh-huh.  Quiet guy, but nice.  He’s part of the only trio we have.”

“Yeah, well, he and I didn’t get along too well on the trip.  I didn’t like the work in the Ag unit and I guess I showed it too strongly.  He reprimanded me a few times, and then he showed up at Charge Seren’s quarters when I was there to give the apology and I was rude,” Corbin admitted honestly.  “Charge Seren wasn’t happy about that.”

Kel ached over the sad face that showed on the other man’s features.  He felt like it clashed with the dark hair and emerald eyes that exuded a lot of naïveté, yet sweetness.

“Buck up, lad,” he encouraged.  “Charge Seren has given you assignments for Neveah that match your talents and your interests, so he hasn’t chosen to punish you for your slip-up with Charge Ozias by giving you tasks you would hate.  I’m sure it’s already in the past for him, so you should put it there too.”

“Do you really think so?” Corbin questioned, his insecurities still clinging to him.

“I do, now don’t argue with me or yourself over silly reasons to cling to unnecessary guilt.”  He grinned at Corbin.  “Or if you do, I’ll force you to clean up the mess I make when I’m cooking.  That should expunge your guilt as well as keep your hands nice and clean.”

Corbin laughed.  “Thanks, but no thanks, Kel.”

Any more banter was interrupted over the announcement that their team was ready to depart.  The two men grinned widely at each other, both of them more than ready to embark onto their new homeland.

*****

Earlier that day the Travelers had departed the ship in their groups, each moving in their individual units, close to the other sets of twenty, but separate enough so no one felt crowded or overwhelmed.  At night though, they reconvened as one assembly.  They were still on open ground, having not yet reached the woods or mountains that could be seen, and the area had been respectfully set up with their canvas shelters and small fires for those on culinary duty to feed the people.  Charge Seren had directed the Travelers to get as much rest as possible, as the next day would be filled with another long trek, and most had retired to their shelters shortly after eating.

Amrynn, Oz, and Cay had been within their shelter for more than an hour, but Am shifted restlessly on her sleeping mat.  She was pleasantly worn out from the day’s traveling, but her mind was on overdrive and she’d only been half-dozing since her thoughts were occupied with all she’d seen that day.   

Neveah was beautiful.  The colors of it were so rich that sometimes she had to blink just to make sure she was seeing things clearly: aqua green grass, water that was clear in her sample jars, but tinted with purple when it flowed free, flowering bushes of almost every color she could name, trees that were both similar and some completely different from any she’d seen before, and their group had been lucky enough to witness a handful of wildlife; just birds and insects mostly.  Anything bigger was keeping a wary distance, but Amrynn’s joy over the reality of life on this planet and the hope it gave her kept her from any type of disappointment at not seeing anything more exciting.

She shifted again, this time moving closer to Oz’s warmth and smiling a little as he gave a soft snore.  She glanced across him to see if Cay was resting comfortably, and instead saw empty space.  Her smile turned to a frown.  She dozed off and on but hadn’t heard him leave, which surprised her.  Her heart fluttered with concern.  While there had been no threat of anything during the day, she was well versed in the warnings Seren had given before their departure, as well as the real threats of danger that he’d included when sharing the details of his initial trip onto Neveah.  Not knowing where Cay was bothered her, and she didn’t want to wait until he returned on his own.

“Oz?  Oz?” she called, trying to wake him without startling him.

“Mm?” he murmured, still mostly asleep.

“Oz, wake up.  Cay isn’t with us.”

His eyes popped open and his head automatically turned to where Cayson had been lying.  “Wha…?  Where’d he go?” he asked while quickly sitting up and still sounding confused from sleep.

Amrynn sat up next to him.  “I don’t know.  I looked over and he was gone.”

“Maybe someone’s sick,” Oz suggested while rubbing sleep from his eyes.  “But he should have told us.”  He reached for his shirt and slipped it over his head.  “Get dressed.  We’ll find him.”

Amrynn had already been reaching for her own clothes.  It only took a minute for them to be ready and then they quietly left their canvas, trying not to wake others as they started to look for their missing partner.  They both saw him within moments.  Cay’s familiar silhouette was standing alone, just past the edge of camp, and looking up at the sky.

Am and Oz joined him quietly, but not silently as Am whispered scoldingly.  “Cayson, what are you doing?  Why’d you leave?”

With a partner on either side of him, Cay kept his gaze skyward but slipped an arm around the waist of each partner.  “Just thinking…soaking it all in,” he said in answer to her questions.  “Look at the sky,” he continued.  “We spent weeks up there, living in that space and facing its risks.  We let it take us over a million miles from home, but look…some of the same constellations that shone in Arlytian sky can be seen here too.  It makes me feel like home isn’t so far away…like it’s going to be ok to make a new home here too,” he finished softly.

Both Oz and Amrynn looked upward, taking in what Cay had said and seeing for themselves the familiar constellations and clear night sky. 

After several minutes Oz moved a hand to cup the back of Cay’s neck.  His thumb caressed the skin for a moment and tangled his fingers in the other man’s hair.  His head turned and he pressed a kiss to Cay’s temple. 

“It’s all beautiful, Cay, but it’s time to rest,” he encouraged.

Cayson nodded and turned with his husband and wife back toward the camp and their canvas.  He hadn’t gone more than a step before a sharp sting registered on his backside and he barely bit back a yelp.  He looked first at Oz and then at Am, his mouth open in surprise not just at the sudden sting, but at the fact that it was in two spots on his backside because both partners had swatted him at the same time. 

Amrynn’s eyes sparked, not with anger but with resolve.  “Don’t you disappear without telling us where you’re going again, Cayson Altair!” she ordered, her voice soft but utterly serious.

Cay nodded, knowing that when Amrynn spoke in that tone, the best thing to do was give silent acceptance.  On his other side, Oz gripped his hand and gave a familiar squeeze.

“He won’t, dearling,” Oz’s deep voice promised.  “He knows what he’s in for if he does.”

Amrynn nodded, but her resolve was still evident and she made eye contact with her two men.  “Not just him,” she determined.  “All of us.  I don’t want any of us not knowing where the other one is right now.  We let each other know.”

Both men nodded at her, accepting that rule and its consequence for all of them. 

With their agreement, Amrynn’s eyes softened and she leaned into Cay.  “Thank you,” she offered softly as they started to move once again.

A short distance away, Seren sat silently against a rock, nearly blending into its shadow as his watchful eyes followed the trio’s movement to their canvas until they disappeared inside.  They weren’t the only ones who had wandered a bit that night.  The place where he sat gave him a view of the Traveler’s camp and Seren had observed several others take the opportunity of the quiet night to gaze at the stars or find places just a little bit outside the shelters to kneel in prayer or just sit in contemplation. 

          Seren understood those desires.  He felt them as well, which was why he was sitting alone to guard his people.  Charge Carter and Backer Lux would be taking over guard duty in a few hours, but until then Seren also took advantage of the quiet night to let his feelings of awe in this new home be dwelt on.