Chapter 8
Buck followed Cicada through the magnificent castle to the kitchen. As soon as he stepped into the large room, he saw Wilma sitting at the table talking to the old man who had greeted him the day before in the hangar. Wilma broke into laughter as the old man smiled and winked.
"And that was just the beginning!"
Wilma saw motion out of the corner of her eye. When she turned and saw Buck, her face brightened and she immediately stood. "BUCK!" She took one step toward him with the intentions of giving him a hug, but hesitated when she saw Cicada beside him.
Buck noticed, so he held out his arms and quickly moved toward her. she smiled and closed the distance.
"Wilma, are you a sight for sore eyes! It feels like a month since I've seen you!"
"Oh, it hasn't even been a week," she said. "You're just saying that!"
Buck shook his head. "No, for me it's been almost a month."
"Twenty-three days," Theo corrected.
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: close enough."
Wilma stepped back and gave Theo a confused look. "What? No, it's only been six days. I think your clock is off."
Buck tapped her on the shoulder and grinned. "I'll explain later." He glanced at Cicada. "Where's this bacon you told me about?"
After Buck ate about two pounds of bacon and half a dozen eggs, he finally admitted that he was full. Cicada smiled at him.
"It's been a long time since I've cooked for someone who can eat that much. My Arik used to eat like that. It must be a Terran man thing."
"What happened to him?" Wilma asked.
"Oh, he died of old age about a hundred years ago," the mystic said matter of factly.
Wilma couldn't hold her surprise. "What?"
"Cicada is 340 years old," Buck said with a grin.
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: 344," Twiki corrected.
"I rounded."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: but still hot to trot!"
Cicada giggled. "Thank you, Twiki. I try to keep myself fit!"
"Oh I get it," Wilma said. "This planet is closer to your star so your years are much shorter."
"Actually," Theo started before Cicada could even open her mouth. "This planet's revolutionary period is 416 days and the rotational period is 29 hours and 37 minutes, compared to Earth. If you converted 344 years to Earth time, she would be 403 years old on Earth."
"Wow," Cicada muttered. "Way to make a girl feel old."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: now you did it, blowhard."
"Yeah, you don't want to make her mad," Buck interrupted. "She might feed you some nearfish."
"Nearfish?" Wilma questioned while Cicada snickered behind her.
Buck shrugged one shoulder. "I'll explain later… once I've figured out what's happened here," he added almost to himself.
Wilma shook her head. "Let's get back to the age thing. How is it possible you're 400 years old?"
"It's in our DNA," Cicada explained. "It's not unheard of to reach 450 or even 500 years old. We've just always enjoyed a longer lifespan than other planets."
"I see."
Cicada rested a hand on Buck's shoulder and frowned. "I'd love to have you all stick around for a few days, but I know you have places to go, people to see, and things to do, so I don't want to delay you anymore than I already have. Allow me to walk you to the landing bay."
"I can do that, milady," the old man offered.
She shook her head. "That's alright, Cain. I'll take them. It's your turn to do the dishes."
"Of course," he replied with a smirk. "You never did like washing the dishes."
She simply smiled as she led Buck, Wilma and Twiki toward the door. They took the elevator to the basement, then walked toward the two ships sitting dead center in the spacious hangar. Cicada took Wilma's hands and smiled up at the taller woman.
"Have a safe trip home, Colonel."
"Thank you."
She turned to rest a hand on Twiki's head. "Before you say anything, Doctor Theopolis, I understand your desire to open trade agreements with us, but I must decline at this time. We are not ready to join the political intrigue of the galactic empires. We had our time in the sun; we simply wish to remain in anonymity. However, you are free to visit us if you like, as long as you let us know ahead of time!" she said with a grin. "Otherwise you may not be able to find us!"
"Yeah, how do you make yourself invisible?" Wilma asked. "That's a great defense mechanism!"
"As my Arik used to say," she started with a smirk. She held both hands out in front of her. "It's magic!"
"Beep-be-de-de-beep."
Cicada giggled. "You can say that again."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Beep-be-de-de-beep."
She tapped him on the hand. "Save that for the young girls!" She smiled and bowed her head. "May I impose upon you to have a final word with Buck in private?"
"Of course, Empress Solara," Theo replied. "Let's go, Twiki. I have a lot of files to process."
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: process this."
Buck chuckled as Twiki turned and headed up the ramp of the shuttle. Cicada took his hand and led him about thirty feet from the shuttle before stopping and turning into him.
"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked in a genuinely concerned voice.
Buck nodded and grinned. "Yeah; I haven't felt this good in a long time. Whatever you did to me, it seems to have worked."
"What I did?"
"Don't you play innocent with me! I know you did something."
She simply grinned and nonchalantly waved her hand. "Okay, I suppose I can allow you to think I did something! It'll add to my charm and allure!"
Buck's eyes widened. "Hey, I just realized something! I know you did something to me! When I was telling you about the temple this morning, I never said it was a pyramid! You-"
She immediately tapped him on the forehead with just a finger and her eyes opened wide to stare deeply into Buck's soul. Her face grew stoic and serious while his went completely blank and expressionless.
"You will remember everything that's happened to you here, but you will remember me only as a charming host. I neither want nor desire the notoriety or the reputation of a healer, spiritual or otherwise. You will never return here and you will never see me again, although I will allow you to think of me fondly once in a while! And before you leave, I will grant you one final departing gift, because I know you won't do this otherwise." She paused for a brief sigh. "Two hundred years ago, I cried to the Cosmos for my knight to arrive... and my Arik came to me. When your empress cries out for you, you will answer her call and you will go to her." She grinned ever so slightly. "There is no need to thank me!"
She tapped him once more, lowered her hands to her side, then blinked twice in rapid succession. Buck's eyes returned to life, but his head cocked to the side.
"What was I saying?"
Cicada smiled. "You were thanking me for my hospitality. Actually I think you were just happy I had some real bacon!"
"Ahh! Yes! Thank you for everything."
"Are you sure you're okay to fly?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I'll be okay. Actually the ship almost flies itself." He took a deep breath and held it for a ten count. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?"
She frowned and shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I truly have enjoyed my time with you, and Twiki," she added with a smirk. "When you think of me, remember me fondly."
"I will."
She placed her hands on either side of his head, then tip-toed so she could plant a wet kiss on both cheeks. "Fare thee well, Captain Rogers," she said so softly he questioned if he'd actually heard her with his ears or within his mind. "Allow the souls of the dead haunt you no more."
"They won't."
She smiled, stepped back and waved as Buck turned and headed for the shuttle. When he sat down in the pilot's seat, he took another deep breath and slowly released it.
"Beep-be-de-de-beep: let's go home, Buck."
"Yeah," he mumbled as he took one long, last, lingering look at the beautiful mystic still waving at him. "Let's go home."
THE END
