40
A month. Could Orion stick around for a month? Yes, he thought
so. The jungle was big and dense
enough, and considering what Blackmoor knew about Orion, he would think
he'd run as fast and as far as he could. he had changed a lot.
He was nervous, just because that kind of fear is not easily gotten
over, even for years. But still, he
moved around here and there in the jungle, after having craved a seemingly
natural mark in a tree near where
he was to meet Hyder. Only he would know. And he memorized
the spot, how far it was from the suburbs, in
what direction... He was certain he would know where to go once
the month was up.
For the next two weeks, he and Falcon lived in the jungles near hakint,
and lived peacefully enough. No
one bothered them, as most people didn't go into the jungles, and they
ate well, for the area was rich in wildlife.
Halfway into the month period that had been set, Hyder sought out Orion
once more. It was more difficult
this time, as Orion had been moving around a lot, but he did finally
catch up to him. He knew how Orion
thought. he popped up from behind a tree, scaring the wits out
of Orion. Poor Orion nearly jumped up the
nearest tree, hyperventilating. He dropped down to the ground
and chewed Hyder out, who was trying hard not
to laugh. "What the hell's the matter with you??" Orion
cried, his heart pounding mercilessly in his chest. "You
scared the kkrekk out of me! I thought you were some miserable
guard, or something!"
"I;m sorry, Orion," Hyder said, not looking sorry at all. He was still trying not to laugh. "Really. I am."
"Yeah right!" Orion glared at Hyder for a moment more and then
laughed. He called Hyder a jatiirk,
and slugged him lightly in the arm. "So what's going on?"
"Just wanted to see how you're faring," Hyder said with a grin as they sat down.
"I;m glad to see you!"
"Yeah me too! I'm glad to see me all the time." Hyder laughed
as Orion glared. Hyder was in one of
his moods. "Nah, just kidding. I've found the ship I was
thinking of. They moved it so I wasn't sure at first
where it was. They move things all the time, that's why I gave
it so long. I've gotten it flyable, and once we get
it out of the hangar, we can get some parts and fix it further.
hell, I think you could do it yourself, if you've
remembered everything Phiron taught us. it only needs a few minor
things, just to make it run a little better, be
a little safer in space. now it's only a little ship."
Hyder winced, looking at Orion as he said it. "It's not gonna
be easy for you to stay inside it."
Orion only looked grimly at Hyder. "I can stand it," he said. "If it'll get me to Thundera."
Hyder smiled. "I kinda figured. Do you know how to read
a star map?" Orion shook his head. "Well
that's all right, there's auto pilot, I can teach you how to use it.
It's got no fuel, so I have to fill it before I even
get it out of the hangar. Again, no problem."
Orion looked down and sighed. "Hyder...are you sure you won't
come with me? i mean...rememebr
when we talked about it when we were in...you know, when we were kids?"
The phrase sounded so strange.
'When we were kids'.
Hyder looked at Orion for a moment, and closed his eyes. "Orion...Orion,
I can't. We talked about this...
I'm a Plundaarian pilot! you think they'd accept me on Thundera?
No...they wouldn't. And I have responsibilities. I told you
that." Hyder's voice wasn't exasperated, only gentle.
"But...but Hyder...we were always together as kids..."
Now, Hyder did get a little frustrated. "We were kids, Orion!
I mean...things were different. We always
thought we'd be together when we escaped. It just didn't happen
that way. When I couldn't find you...I had to
get on with my own life, and so did you! It...it didn't happen
the way we'd wanted."
"It could be..." Orion felt bad for putting Hyder in this post,
but now that he'd found him, his one and
only friend throughout his whole childhood... he never thought
about Tamarin, because it was too painful. phiron was kind to him,
but he was an authority figure. Hyder...Hyder had been in eh same
boat as him.
"I can't!" Hyder said, with such force that Orion actually drew back
a little bit. "I;m in the military! I
leave now, I;m no traitor. We're in a war, in case you haven't
noticed!"
Orion gaped at Hyder. Had he, Orion, become so Plundaarian that
Hyder didn't realize? Had he become
so much like a Plundaarian that he was thought of that way? "A-against
my people, Hyder..." he whispered.
The look on Hyder's face told Orion that had been correct. It
was as if Hyder had suddenly realized
just what being on Plundaar meant for a Thunderian. "O-Orion,
I..."
"I remember you said you'd never fight the Thunderians...now you'd shoot them down?"
Hyder growled angrily. "No! Orion, we haven't actively fought
the Thunderians for five years, longer
than I've BEEN in the military!"
"You're still at war!"
"And we trying to change that! Didn't you hear a thing I said?"
The two friends glared at each other for a long minute, then Hyder
sighed. "Orion, I;m sorry."
Orion bit his lip and looked down. "No...I'm sorry...I wasn't trying to...I mean it's just..."
Hyder grabbed Orion's arm and pulled him into an embrace, while Falcon
watched worriedly. "I
know..." he sounded as close to tears as Orion actually was.
Orion closed his eyes. "I;m gonna lose you again."
The hyena pulled Orion away form him and looked him in the eye.
"Look," he said, wiping his own
eyes. Orion didn't bother. "When i have finished out my
term in the military...maybe by then there will be a
real voice of those that want things changed around here. If
that happens...I'll look you up. i will look for you,
all right? That I swear. To visit, or to stay...I don't
know. But It'll seek you out."
Orion smiled a little bit, and nodded. "Okay," he whispered."
"But for now...I have all day." Hyder grinned at Orion. "How about a game of hide and seek?"
Orion blinked, and then laughed. "You;re kidding." he hadn't
played a game in years...not with anyone
else.
"Nope!" They had done it all the time...it would be nice to play
hide and seek again with Orion. "I'll be
'it'...go hide!"
With a grin, Orion took off running.
Hyder left later that night, but they had made up their quarrel.
Hyder told Orion everything else that he
could think of before setting out to get back to the base, where he
stayed. "See you in two weeks," Hyder said
with a grin.
"In two weeks,' Orion agreed. With that, Hyder took leave.
The only odd thing that happened between then and the appointed day,
was that Orion was wakened once
more by Falcon's warning yelp, and the feeling that someone was watching
him. he remembered Hyder looking
puzzled and saying it wasn't him when Orion mentioned this, and stood
up, his dagger in his hand. "Who's there, damn it! i know you're
there!"
There was no answer, only a muffled clicking sound that made Orion panic.
Were they armed? he
began to back away, and grabbed Falcon and ran. he heard rustling
behind him, but it sounded like they were
retreating, and Orion stopped, panting, behind a large tree to peer
into the darkness.
He could see no one.
After that, Orion moved camp, watchful, and the next morning decided
that they needed to keep on the
move a little more. Maybe go farther from the city...just so
he could make it back in time. he was sure that he
could.
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