Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter thirty-eight of "Dark Desire." This chapter has lots of Tommy/Kim. Tommy's teaching Kim to live off the land resumes in the chapter after the next one. Stay tuned for chapter thirty-nine.
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Chapter 38: At the Starship
A margay lay on a tree branch overhanging Parker's starship. It was licking its paw. It finished that and proceeded to do the other one. A berry hit it in the back of its head, causing it to stop. It looked around, but it didn't see anything. It resumed licking its paw. Another berry hit it in the same spot. It hissed in irritation and looked toward a squirrel monkey pulling a berry off the branch of another tree.
The monkey threw the berry at the margay, striking it in the forehead. The margay hissed and stood up. It moved down the branch, reaching the trunk. It climbed down the tree headfirst. It got to the ground and ran around to the other side of the starship. It stopped at another tree and climbed up it. It came to a branch that overhung the starship. It went out, stopping close to the middle. It sat down, focusing its attention on the ladder.
Just then, a flash of green-and-yellow fire appeared close to the ladder. It faded away in which it revealed Tommy and Kim. They were facing away from the ladder. She released her hold on him. They turned around to face the ladder. She felt her jaw drop and her heart begin to beat faster. She scanned the entire starship. She looked at him, seeing him form a smile on his face. They didn't notice the margay standing up and going to the trunk. It climbed higher up the tree while letting out soft mews. It disappeared into a hole above the middle.
"This starship looks so much like Noa's from Ewoks: The Battle for Endor," she exclaimed.
"That is what I thought when I first got here," he admitted and cupped his chin in his hand. "I was so shocked to see it that I thought that I would pee my pants."
"You don't have to worry about peeing your pants now," Kim said with a laugh.
"Yes, but having urine trickle down your leg is embarrassing, no matter what kind of bottoms you wear," Tommy explained seriously.
"Yeah," Kim agreed. "At least we can go around mostly naked without anyone telling us not to."
"Mm-hmm," Tommy murmured and licked his lips. "Anyway, this starship was considered one of the best on Nava according to one of the Parker's journals."
"The big difference between Noa's starship and this one is the length and the wingspan. This starship isn't as long or as wide as his was," Kim pointed out.
"Unlike Noa, Parker had been here for only a few years before he died. The starship is still in good condition, despite it hasn't been operated since it crashed," Tommy commented.
"Noa managed to get off Endor with the crystal oscillator from the Towani's starship," Kim said, rubbing her nose. She did the same to her chin. "Before then, he had trouble getting it going. He finally succeeded after multiple tries. He used his starship's weapons to assist the Ewoks in defeating the Marauders. When King Terak threatened Cindel's life if he didn't hand over the oscillator, he agreed to barter with him. They fought over it. As Terak was about to kill Noa, Wicket used his slingshot to throw a rock at Charal's ring. It started glowing. Terak grabbed it, and he was burned to death. Noa and Cindel left for parts unknown."
"Noa appeared to be mean at first, but he was actually a kind old man. He took Wicket and Cindel in when they had no place to go," Tommy said, sighing softly. "If Cindel's family was alive and had merely been separated from them, it is likely he would've helped her to find them."
"Yep," Kim replied and looked at the ladder. "Now, let's stop yapping. I want to look at the interior of this starship."
"Remember. Don't try to fly away in it," Tommy teased and tickled her cheek. "I mean it."
Kim slapped her boyfriend on the shoulder. She went up the ladder, followed by him. They wandered inside at a slow yet steady pace. They stopped themselves and looked around. She was mesmerized by what she saw. They turned to each other.
"This looks so much like the interior of Noa's starship," Kim commented and breathed deeply.
"I thought that too," Tommy admitted.
"I bet you wanted to pretend to shoot at stuff the first time you were here," Kim said, giggling to herself.
"I actually didn't," Tommy said honestly. "All I wanted to do was read Parker's journal entries. It was here that I found out what this planet's name was."
"I see," Kim said, awe showing on her face. "I wouldn't be surprised if you found a journal entry where Parker expressed disappointment that he couldn't use the crystals to power his starship."
He chuckled. "I did find such an entry. When I found details about the crystals' ability to power electronics permanently, I got the idea to bring ours here."
"I am glad you did," Kim murmured in much gratefulness. "My music will keep me occupied for hours on end."
"It will never be boring here," Tommy said with much pride. He flicked her chin, followed by her nose. "We will always have something to do. It doesn't matter if it is fishing, hunting, gathering fruit, swimming, exploring the area, keeping our hut in tip-top shape, etc. We will always be able to occupy our time."
"Like indigenous tribes have been doing for thousands of years," Kim murmured, sighing in content.
"Exactly," Tommy responded and kissed her temple. "It wouldn't surprise me if the first Spanish explorers were amazed at how natives kept themselves from going crazy with boredom."
"When you are surrounded by a particular habitat, you find ways to occupy your time," Kim said. "No two tribes had the same lifestyle."
"Forest and coastal tribes didn't have to go far to find food. It was right there. Desert and plains tribes had to travel where their food went," Tommy explained.
She shrugged. "They had to do what they had to do to survive."
Tommy and Kim returned their attention to the interior. They approached the pilot and co-pilot seats respectively. They took their backpacks off their backs, setting them on the floor. They sat down and looked out the windows. They spotted a red-and-green macaw sitting on a branch not far from it.
"You could spend all day watching animals from one of these chairs," Kim whispered truthfully.
"No denying that," Tommy agreed. "I am sure Parker did this sometimes. Of course, he was usually more concerned about getting his starship fixed."
"I can't help but wonder if he fell asleep here and dreamed of being back on Nava," Kim said.
"Me too. It is likely I will find a journal entry where he did just that," Tommy pointed out and stroked his chin.
"I have always wanted to ride in a starship. I may not be flying in this one, but at least I am sitting in it," Kim murmured.
"You are so right," Tommy commented, nodding fast. "I have to say this seat is quite comfortable." He hit the arms of the chair before leaning back. "It leans back too."
Kim squealed when she leaned back. "So does this one."
"Don't lean back too far. You will fall into the abyss," Tommy teased.
"The same goes for you," Kim retorted playfully.
He growled in mock annoyance. "Yes, Mother."
The lovebirds brought their chairs forward. They stood up and went over to the table. Kim focused her attention on the tools laying on it. She picked up a wrench and ran her hand over it.
"Parker must have been working here the day he died," Kim suggested.
"Most likely," Tommy said, taking the wrench from her. "I feel so grateful to have found that note giving whoever found his hut permission to use it. He didn't want it going to waste."
"It may not be the biggest house I have ever been in, but at least it is comfortable," Kim whispered in relief.
"I believe it is only a matter of time before we deal with a tropical cyclone," Tommy commented and swallowed hard. "I hope it isn't really bad."
"I don't either, but we will never know until we start seeing signs one is coming," Kim said, suppressing a yawn. "One sign is increasing winds. Another is higher-than-normal waves, especially at high tide."
"Seafaring tribes were weather conscious. So were plains tribes. They knew when foul weather was getting ready to hit," Tommy said, putting the wrench down. "Just because a tropical cyclone only brushes the coast doesn't mean it can't do a lot of damage."
"Hurricane Emily brushed the North Carolina coast before it went out to sea back in August. It caused severe flooding along the Pamlico Sound. The floods left water marks behind as high as ten-and-a-half feet. It downed many trees and damaged five hundred fifty-three homes. Of these, one hundred sixty-eight were destroyed. This left one quarter of the Cape Hatteras population homeless," Kim whispered with a frown. "Three people were killed."
"It could have been a lot worse," Tommy said matter-of-factly and put his arm around her. "Hurricanes can be such bitches."
"I can't argue with that," Kim said, making a funny noise. "Some people think that tropical storms can't cause much damage. They can. As of now, no tropical storm name has been retired."
"It's not a matter of if it will happen. It is a matter of when," Tommy said, seriousness lining his voice.
"I honestly believe it will happen when people dismiss a tropical storm as no big deal," Kim grumbled with a roll of her eyes.
"It astounds me how people will refuse to take a tropical cyclone seriously until they realize it is heading right for them. Then they scramble to evacuate. Some ignore mandatory evacuation orders," Tommy said, snorting irritatingly.
"Some people aren't able to leave a hurricane-prone area because they can't afford to go far. Buses can help pick them up and transport them to shelters," Kim commented. "Even if buses offer to help, they may refuse to board them."
"It is their decision not to leave. It is no one else's," Tommy answered, giving her a small hug.
Kim heard her stomach growl. She looked down at it and rubbed it gingerly. She turned her attention back to her boyfriend. She took her hand off her stomach.
"I don't know about you, but I am getting hungry," she said.
"I am too," he admitted as his stomach growled. He touched it so lightly that it seemed he hadn't even done that. "What do you say we start collecting firewood and cook our eggs?"
"I say let's do it," Kim responded very eagerly.
"I bet I will collect more firewood than you will," Tommy teased while letting go of her.
Kim shook her head. "No way. I will."
"That's what you think," Tommy said, blowing a raspberry.
"I will collect more firewood. You will see," Kim insisted smugly.
"Don't get smug. It will bite you on the ass," Tommy warned in playfulness.
"Ha! That doesn't scare me," Kim said, standing tall and proud.
He ruffled her hair. "Okay. Let's go."
Tommy and Kim grabbed their backpacks, putting them over their shoulders. They headed for the ladder. They went down it carefully. They clapped three times after they reached the ground.
"It is going to be a hot time in the old forest tonight," Kim joked with a snicker.
"I think you mean town," Tommy responded, laughing softly.
"Whatever," Kim retorted in mock annoyance.
"You and your whatevers," Tommy said, giving her cheek two kisses. "Anyway, let's go get our firewood."
"Last one who finds a piece of wood is a rotten egg!" Kim yelled gleefully and pumped a fist.
"You're on!" Tommy growled in determination. "Here we go."
Tommy and Kim went in different directions while snapping their fingers. They proceeded to look for firewood. Neither of them noticed a jaguar walking behind them.