Welcoming the Rivals

Month 9 Day 3

(Shore Leave Day 4)

0031 Hours

Bugalu

Capac was sitting across the small table, his head propped up by his arm. He might be dozing, it’s hard to tell in the dim light. Maybe I should have let him go back to his room. Tall Bear would wake him up – probably – when he gets there after the race, but I wouldn’t have to -  Well, I probably would hear about it, back on the ship, and who knows how long Capac would spend on it? I’m not-

The front door suddenly opened as a local ‘horse’ chuckled. A wizened old man propped one side of the double door open, then the other side. “Lights!” he requested as he stepped inside and raced to the drink dispenser.

Capac snorted and lowered his head to the table. Bugalu’s eyes burned at the sudden brilliance, but he noticed the man sitting at a corner table, formerly hidden by darkness. What’s he doing here? Looks shocked by the cowpoke’s arrival and the sudden light. Who would have thought a dude ranch to be so popular among the crew of a space ship?

The local cowboy got 4 glasses of clear liquid from the dispenser and brought them to a table in the middle of the room, then stood watching the open doors. Outside, an orange-red qwilla shook its head, humped its back - which brought its middle legs off the ground - and snorted. “You just wait half a minute, Rusty! Take a lesson from Rose!” Further out, another qwilla – this one bright red – planted all 6 feet firmly and shook its entire body in slow motion.

Then 3 human figures appeared from the darkness, all jogging resolutely for the open doors. Bugalu wasn’t sure which one was ahead of the others, but as they passed the rust-colored qwilla, the one in the middle seemed to stumble or mis-step and reached out to grab the arms of the other 2. Between their speed pulling her forward, and her drag pulling them back, all 3 entered the building at the same time.

They came to a shaky halt at the table. The cowboy picked up one of the glasses, and Bear and Dog did also. The middle one removed a glove from the survival suit she wore and picked up the last glass. “I didn’t think none of you would make it,” the cowboy admitted. “Not in just 1 day! Guess you showed me something! Drink up! You sure have something to celebrate!”

The hood of the survival suit opened and Mac asked, “What is it?”

“Water,” the cowboy returned, sounding surprised. “Figured you could use it.”

Grunting their agreement, they all drank, and emptied their glasses.

“Are you okay, short stuff?” Tall Bear asked

“I’m fine,” Mac answered, removing her other glove. “I just didn’t want anybody to win. I want your rivalry to continue to be friendly.”

Tall Bear turned his attention to Yellow Dog. “Did you put her up to that?”

Yellow Dog gave him a look that implied she suspected the reverse. Mac began unfastening her suit.

Bugalu stood up to approach them. “I might have. Not intentionally. But I think I said it would be a shame if you 2 ever let your rivalry get in the way of your friendship.”

The 2 AmerInds considered each other. “That would be a shame,” Bear agreed. Yellow Dog nodded.

The orange animal snorted again and stuck its head through the doorway.

“Rusty! You get back outside!” the cowboy yelped at the beast. “Excuse me, folks, I need to take care of my hosses.” He hurried for the door.

Dog grabbed Mac’s arm as the short woman struggled to remove her survival suit.

“Take the boots off first,” Bugalu suggested, and tried to help her tug the suit down. “You’re soaking wet!”

“The suite was to protect me from the sun,” Mac told him. “It lets air pass through, but it isn’t air conditioned. Air conditioning wouldn’t have been fair to Bear and Dog.”

“Yeah, I don’t suppose your hat would have done you much good,” he answered.

Tall Bear shuffled over and placed a heavy hand on Capac’s shoulder. “Can you wake up long enough to get to the room?”

“What? Oh, you guys are back? Did you win?”

“It was a tie. I’m going to bed.” Bear moved toward the hallway, with a half-awake Capac following.

“Did good,” Dog told Mac.

“Thank you, TD. Those are the nicest 2 words you’ve said to me today. Wait.” The redhead frowned. “Those are the only 2 words you’ve said to me today.”

Dog grinned and moved toward the hallway, pausing to refill her glass as she passed the dispenser.

Bugalu helped Mac finish removing the survival suit, and brought her another glass of cold water. “You look exhausted,” he told her softly.

“Yeah,” she admitted in a whisper. “But don’t tell them. Just leave the suit here. The employees will take care of it.”

She must be exhausted! “That doesn’t sound like you.”

“I know, but that’s what they kept telling me: ‘When you get back, don’t worry about the suit. We’ll take care of it.’ So let them.”

“Okay.” She’d still fold it neatly atop the table. But not this time. He took a step for the hallway and looked back. She hadn’t moved, still stood clutching the tiny table. “You coming?”

“I hope so.” She took a deep breath and took a tiny, sliding step toward him, pulled the other foot to join the first. “One.” She still clutched at the table and the closest chair.

Going back, Bugalu slipped an arm around her to offer his support, ignoring the wetness that soaked into his clothes. She seemed unable to raise her feet off the floor, and paused after each step for a deep breath. They moved so slowly, he managed to get another glass of water for her as they passed the dispenser.

“Thanks.” It was barely a whisper, and she moved even slower now, pausing every couple of steps to drink.

Eventually, they reached the edge of the darkened hallway. Bugalu glanced back, noted the angry glare in Smitty’s eyes. “Lights off,” he told the building, and he could no longer see the man, nor his glare. He concentrated on getting his exhausted sister to the room so she could rest.