Chapter 10 – Rescued?
When Linka awoke the next morning she couldn't move but for some reason it didn't bother her, in fact she felt completely relaxed. By the time she was ready to open her eyes, the beautiful Russian had remembered the previous night and realised that Wheeler was still fast asleep and holding her firmly against him. Gently loosening her own grip on his hands, she tried to disentangle herself, only to find he was immovable.
Attempting once again to free herself, Linka gave up trying not to disturb her companion. "Wheeler, wake up!" There was no response, as he remained asleep, breathing heavily on her neck.
The blond planeteer sighed and then began tugging on his arms and wriggling in an attempt to either wake him or free herself. "Yankee, wake up, it is morning and we have work to do!"
Wheeler made a contented noise in his sleep and tightened his grip on his lovely team-mate, pulling her back against him and nuzzling his face into her neck. Linka succumbed to a fit of giggles. Bozhe'moy, I do not remember him sleeping so soundly before.
She was right. Wheeler didn't usually sleep so heavily, he was always on the alert for something; his Dad coming home drunk, polluters when they were on a mission, an emergency call from Gaia, or even Linka calling out when she had a nightmare. In fact he never slept that well, which was why he never went to bed early and often tried to catch up while they were on route somewhere. There was nothing to fear in this place though, and with Linka safely tucked up in his arms, the American had relaxed more completely than he had since he was a small child.
The Russians giggling penetrated Wheelers subconscious and he smiled as he fought his way back to the waking world to find her. "You're happy." He whispered, without opening his eyes.
"Da." Linka replied, turning over in his arms as he was now able to let her do so. "I could not wake you up, you were sleeping so deeply."
Wheeler rolled onto his back as she turned round and looked lovingly up at her as she hovered closely above him. Gently stroking her hair from her face he asked, "And that makes you happy?"
She shrugged and smiled down at him, "Being so comfortable with you makes me happy, Da."
"Good." He grinned and pulled her back down against him closing his eyes once more. "Let's stay like this then."
Linka chuckled "Nyet Yankee, we have work to do." She didn't try to get away however and after a moment added, "Can we keep doing this? Sharing a room I mean... just until the others come back for us."
Wheeler opened his eyes and looked at her in concern. "Are you still afraid Lin?"
She blushed and shook her head. "I just don't want to think about things… everything is alright while I am with you but I know that once we get home reality will set in."
"It doesn't have to change when we get home." The American said gently. "We'll still be together like we are here."
She shook her head and sat up, "We should get up, we have to clean up this world and get ready to take the rubbish back to ours."
The planeteers organised cleaning teams to clear the thugs village and transport the piles of trash back to the vicinity of the portal. "Let's just hope they open it in the same place." Wheeler had said.
There were things in the village that the gentle guardians of the Valde'cornu didn't recognise, including weapons, and the planeteers were concerned for their safety. "We will have to find some protective clothing." Linka told the Elder.
"Yeah," Wheeler agreed, "And keep the kids away, we don't want any accidents."
Fortunately, everything went smoothly and though it was hard work, the Elders people were always positive and cheerful. At one point they began to sing a tribal song that reminded the planeteers of a celtic chant. It was very upbeat however and caused Wheeler to lean close to his companion and comment, "It's like being in the middle of a Disney film."
Linka laughed happily and nodded, answering him quietly, "Da, I would not be at all surprised if the forest creatures came to help us."
"That's the beautiful maidens job." Wheeler pointed out, winking at her. "Care to try calling them?"
Again Linka laughed and shook her head, "If I had my synthesizer I could probably manage a few birds, but I doubt they would be of much help."
The day progressed and Wheeler had to admit that there was an advantage to just talking with Linka. Everything between them was more relaxed and despite the nature of their work, they were both happy.
When the workers returned to the valley that evening, Wheeler was immediately called upon by the children to join their game. He was tired but somehow he still had the energy to play tag, and now that he could see the young foals as well, he seemed to feel completely at home.
Linka watched the game but declined their offer to join in, preferring to watch her favourite Yankee amuse the children.
"You are pledged to each other?" A female voice startled Linka and she turned to see the young woman that had been treating Wheelers wounds the day before.
Trying to suppress the feelings of jealously that the woman engendered, Linka nodded, "Da."
If Linka expected the girl to be put out she was disappointed, "Oh that's wonderful! Then you can celebrate your union with the others before you leave us!"
Alarmed now that she realised what she'd said, Linka made haste to backtrack. "Nyet, it is not like that er…?"
"Trella." The girl supplied.
Linka nodded, "Trella… we are friends, good friends but it is different for us… where we are from things are not done like that."
"But you said you are pledged and you are sharing a hut with him." The young woman said in obvious confusion. "Things cannot be that different surely? Don't you want everyone to know you want to spend your lives together?"
Linka was very upset, not least of all because she appeared to be on the wrong side of the argument. "It is complicated… we are not pledged in the way that you mean, I misunderstood you… and we are only sharing a hut for company… because our home is so far away."
"Your words say one thing, but your eyes say another." The observant young girl commented.
"Something wrong Babe?" Wheeler asked making her jump since she hadn't seen him approach.
Linka smiled and shook her head, "Nyet everything is fine. I must go and get cleaned up. You should too, we do not want to keep our hosts waiting." She paused, not wanting to leave him alone with Trella.
"Yeah I wont be long." The fire planeteer answered, obviously intending to talk with the pretty girl.
"Fine." Linka said in a very measured tone, and headed away to get ready for dinner.
After the Russian had left, Wheeler turned to Trella, "So what were you girls talking about?"
"I do not understand your mating rituals." She replied taking him by surprise. "I asked Linka if the two of you were pledged and she said you were, but then she said it was not in the way we pledged to each other and that you would not celebrate your union at the festivities?"
Wheeler looked thoughtfully after his departed companion. "We're close friends and being a planeteer is like a calling you know? We will always be together… she just doesn't want to be with me the way you mean… the way I want to be with her."
"She cares for you that way." Trella stated with certainty. "I can see it in her eyes."
Wheeler shook his head, "I better go get ready for dinner." and he left before she could say any more.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************
Each day was the same, they would clean the thugs village all day, play with the children in the evening and cuddle together in their hut at night. The two planeteers talked about everything except their feelings for each other but their closeness grew and they had never been so relaxed or happy before.
The night before the wedding celebrations they lay quietly in their hut, not yet ready to sleep. "Lin?"
"Da?" she responded, snuggling into him.
Wheeler told her something that he'd been wanting to say for days. "I'm glad you're here." Then realising he might need to clarify it he added. "I mean, I'm not glad you're stuck here, but I'm glad that since we are stuck here, we're together."
"Me too." She replied
Grinning, "Really?"
Linka nodded against his shoulder. "Da, I would be worried about you if I were back home… I'd rather be with you, wherever we are. Besides it is nice here."
"Yeah," Wheeler agreed sleepily, "I'd be happy stay here with you forever."
"Da, I do not want this to end." She agreed, but he was already asleep.
"I don't know what we're gonna do about this water Babe." Wheeler said, looking down into the murky depths of the ruined pool.
"Oh I'm sure I can help with that." A familiar voice called out from behind them. The two planeteers turned around to see Gi, with a huge smile on her face and their other two friends on either side of her, grinning.
"What kept you?" Wheeler asked, moving forward to greet his friends and giving Gi hug.
Linka moved closer as well but hung back, not wanting to join in and feeling that she'd just awoken from a pleasant dream. It is over, everything will go back to normal now and he will move on. It is still better that way… we will still be friends, at least until he finds someone to spend his life with, then I… she couldn't complete the thought. Instead the beautiful Russian concentrated on keeping her feelings hidden, listening with half an ear to her friends story.
"We were careful to open it in exactly the same place." Kwame was explaining, "We didn't want to end up inside the mountain."
Gi took over, "Anyway, Doctor Derrick is keeping an eye on things and we have a team standing by to start removing the rubbish to recycle it. We didn't want them to come through in case it ended up causing more trouble."
The others agreed and they got to work. The prisoners were the first things to be taken back through the Portal into the waiting arms of the police. They had to bring some equipment through to help clean the polluted water, but it didn't take long and Kwame and Ma-Ti were soon helping the Guardians to plant a new forest where the village had been.
Some how Linka managed to keep away from the others, she was always busy and working hard, she just managed to be busy somewhere away from them.
Kwame was impressed at how much Wheeler and Linka had managed to organise in such a short time and told them so. Because of that, all the work was completed before the wedding celebrations were due to start that evening. Linka wanted to leave immediately but at the Elders urging, the others agreed to stay the night for the celebrations. They asked their helpers on the other side of the portal if they minded keeping guard, but as Doctor Derrick and her team were still studying Blights technology, they were only too happy to comply. The Russian mentioned staying with the science team but Gi made such a fuss she realised she wouldn't be able to stay without explaining why, so she gave in.
The celebration was colourful, with displays of dancing. Even the Valde'cornu joined in, carrying brightly coloured ribbons in synchronised displays in the valley. When the time came for the couples to make themselves known, the village gathered round a flower strewn archway and the Elder stepped forward.
"My friends, tonight we celebrate the union of those couples who have pledged their lives to each other. Those of you who have taken this path before them please join with them in the blessing."
The married couples took their partners hands, facing each other smiling.
"Those of you who have not yet found your partner take heart and see what is to come." Nivea continued.
Wheeler couldn't help it, he looked over at Linka… to find her regarding him also, though she quickly looked away and refused to meet his gaze for the rest of the night.
The Elder indicated the archway, "The newly pledged should take each others hands and approach."
The new couples did as they were bid -- there were six in total -- forming into an orderly procession. Each couple kissed beneath the archway and made way for the next. When all six couples had gone through, the whole village applauded and Elder Nivea indicated that they should go to the feast that had been prepared.
"It was so beautiful!" Gi told the villages leader as they sat down to eat.
Nivea smiled, "And you Wheeler? What did you think? You were reluctant to stay for it before I believe."
The American smiled and shook his head, "Not really, I just had other things on my mind. Actually I thought it was great, much better than our way of doing things." He explained, "I mean it's the promise that counts, if you can't keep a private promise to someone you love you're not going to worry about keeping it just because you said it all in front of a lot of people right?"
"Oh Wheeler!" Gi protested, "Our ceremonies are beautiful too, and why not make vows in front of everyone? It's romantic!"
"Girls like that stuff, the big expensive wedding and embarrassing speeches." He told her, "For guys it's just about making it official you know? We don't need all that."
Kwame explained some of their countries traditions to the Elder and her people, with the others joining in here and there. Only Linka remained silent. She had a lump in her throat and was frightened of betraying herself.
"Should they be doing that?" Ma-Ti asked suddenly pointing, making them all look round at the arch where pairs of children were running through it. "Isn't it disrespectful?"
Nivea laughed and shook her head, "The children use the arch to make pledges of friendship Ma-Ti. They don't make any promises, they aren't old enough to understand the more permanent meaning, but they recognise the symbolism, that they will go through their lives together."
As the evening progressed, Kwame made a point of asking why Wheeler could see the Valde'cornu now and the Elder explained to the others as she had done for Wheeler, brushing over the description of his life before the Planeteers and Linka's actual feelings for him.
"It was a good guess though Kwame." Wheeler added, not wanting Linka to think she was wrong and have to tell her again.
After the festivities had died down they all made their way back to their respective huts. Gi was chatting happily to a rather withdrawn Linka but she didn't seem to notice.
When Gi went to freshen up before bed, Linka slipped back to the now empty meeting ground. She didn't know why but she wanted to take a closer look at the arch.
"Great minds think alike." The Americans voice made her jump and she spun around to face him.
Walking past her, Wheeler stopped directly in front of the arch and held out his hand. When she hesitated, staring at his outstretched fingers, he said, "For friendship? Like the kids, no promises… you're always telling me what a big kid I am after all." He joked but he swallowed hard, not sure what he'd do if she rejected him again. Just friendship Lin he added silently, I need to know I've got some sort of future with you.
Slowly she took his hand and together they stepped into the archway. Linka would have carried on through but Wheeler stopped her by putting his other arm across and around her waist pulling her to him. He lowered his head and for once no one interrupted as he pressed his lips to hers.
Momentarily caught off-guard, Linka responded to him, pressing her body close to his in complete surrender. It lasted less than a minute but it felt like they'd stepped outside time… then realising what she was doing, Linka pulled away. She didn't release his hand until they were through the arch but when she did she said, "You should not have done that."
"I know." He replied quietly, "Don't worry, you didn't make any promises so it doesn't mean anything."
Her heart was hurting. It meant everything! she thought, but all she said was, "I know." Then the wind planeteer turned and left quickly, trying her best not to run.
Gi was in bed when Linka got back to their hut. "Where have you been?" she asked.
"I went for a walk." The Russian replied, quickly undressing and getting into her empty bed. Not wanting to talk she blew out her candle and said. "Good night Gi."
A little while later Gi heard what sounded like a muffled sob. "Linka? Are you okay?"
"Fine." The wind planeteer replied, her voice steady despite the tears flowing from her eyes. "It is late Gi, go to sleep."
The Asian hesitated a little worried, but Linka did sound fine so she shrugged it off. Maybe I imagined it.
Linka and Wheeler went through the next day in a daze. Neither had slept well and saying goodbye to their new friends, knowing they would never return to the place they'd been so happy together, just made everything worse.
They all thanked Elder Nivea for her help and hospitality and Linka took a tearful leave of Kri'an… then they were through the portal and it was closed for good.
Doctor Derrick and her team undertook to dismantle the device and see that it didn't fall into the wrong hands. The planeteers had no doubt she intended to experiment with it, but she promised that she wouldn't re-open a portal to the Valde'cornus world and risk causing more destruction.
When everything was settled, the planeteers entered the geo-cruiser and headed home.