When they got down to the town, they were immediately swept up into the mass of people. Sharin had been among micronians, but as a commander, a zentraedi, with all the respect (and even fear) that led too. Here, there wasn't any at all, and the crowd was disorienting. She saw humans, and even micronized zentraedi playing strange games, ranging from throwing a ball at a pile of cans, to trying to hit a brightly colored paper object while blindfolded. Boris looked over at her.
"I'll put 'el Burro' in the stable and let them know where he's supposed to go." Sharin nodded, very happy never to see the beast again, and than quickly slipped to the side as it looked like El Burro was considering lining up for a parting shot. Boris looked over across the street and saw the inn.
"Meet me there in… about ten minutes."
"Yes." She said, and watched as he left. Sharin looked around and walked along the street, watching the micronians at play. The things they were doing were…well odd. Sharin was nearly run over by a horde of micronian children, her mind shying away from how you get micronian children, and then desperately withdrew from an ally where "Stage Fright" was playing, giving her the same feeling that a cat gets when it's tossed into an icy lake. Some one bumped her at that point.
Excuse me! The voice said…in zentraedi! Sharin turned around and saw a Zentraedi male looking at her.
Hello… She said back to him. He looked at her in surprise.
Zentraedi too, I see. He smiled, New here?
I'm just…passing through, She said, tomorrow I leave. The zentraedi, his closed cropped brown hair over a pair of blue eyes, smiled at that.
well, you've come at a good time, comrade-- enjoy yourself here-- and come to the dance later tonight! He said as a female zentraedi came walking up and slipped her arm around him possessively.
Virik, whose this? She asked.
Ah…
Sharin, Sharin supplied.
Sharin, he said, I'm Virik and this is my wife, Mela The female nodded, while Sharin's mind tried to wrap itself around the concept of Zentraedi and "wife".
You live around here? The woman said,
No-- me and my companion have to catch a flight..and this is the only…
Only airstrip that is not under RDF control in the area. The male supplied. They can get a little sticky about civilians using their facilities.
Civilians? Sharin said, in surprise.
Oh yes, Mela said, I hope you're not one of those 'the zentran shall rise again?' types. Virik laughed at that.
No… the commander of an entire zentraedi city said. but what do you do?
Work on a farm. Virik said. We both crashlanded after the battle and decided not to continue fighting…so we were micronized and traded some material we'd found for land and lessons on how to use it.
What's it like?
Hard, Mela said, But good…it's ours…and will be our children's. Virik put his arm around his wife's waist, where she leaned into him. Sharin gulped at the images presented. The return of Boris saved her.
"Hello," He said, cautiously. Sharin looked up at him.
"Boris…this is Virik and Mela…I just met them." She said. Boris reached out and shook their hand, while Sharin continued, "Virik has suggested that we should come to a…'dance'?" She said. Boris blinked then smiled.
"I think that's a good idea…will we see you there?" He asked the two.
"Oh certainly… do you have a dress?" Mela asked Sharin.
"Ah what?" Sharin said intelligently. She had a feeling she wasn't doing a good job pretending to be a long micronized zentraedi.
"A dress." Mela repeated. Boris saved her.
"There was one in the packs-- I put them at the inn, and we'll get them."
"Good!" Virik said, "You can eat at the inn-- the food's good, and we'll see you later tonight!" With a wave, he and his wife left down the crowded road. Sharin looked after them.
"Those were…zentraedi."
"Yes they were. Remember what I said about being close?…and finding other things to do with your life?" Sharin didn't say a thing about that.. but her face was a study in concentration as they walked to the inn. Once inside their room, she noticed that it only had one bed.
"Sorry, only room left-- I'll sleep on the floor." Boris said. Sharin blinked at that.
"Unless you're saying that you couldn't restrain yourself around me, I think we could share the bed." She said. Boris laughed.
"I'll try…nice people you met."
"Yes…." Sharin said. "Now… what about this dress?" She'd seen dresses before, of course, but largely had never worried about them. Boris pulled it out, and put it on the bed, and than left, promising to knock after she'd showered and changed.
The shower was delightful-- never mind the old pipes groaned, but Sharin could feel the grime leaving her. The dress… took twice as long as the shower, but finally, she had it on…correctly, she hoped. A white blouse with pale red trim and a dark brown skirt, it looked…odd on her. Finally, there was a white cloth that she had no idea what to do with. When she opened the door, Boris looked up. He blinked and than his eyes widened.
"Wow-ah, very good, Sharin." He grinned, as she waved the cloth at him in frustration.
"What do I do with this?" She asked.
"It's a head scarf. Here…" He tied it on her so it was covering her hair. "See?"
"It seems fairly useless." She said.
"Useful isn't the point of a dress, Sharin. It's supposed to make you look pretty."
"Does it?" He stepped back and looked at her, a broad smile on his face.
"Oh yes."
Down in the restaurant, Boris had already bought a meal that was brought to their table. Nobody noticed them much-- just another pair enjoying the opportunity to have fun during the festival.
"What is the festival for?" Sharin asked.
"The town's celebrating its birthday since the rain of death." Boris said. Sharin nodded, then looked at her food.
"I've never had anything like this…" She said. "I see why you didn't like the ration bars."
"It's good." Boris said. "But like a lot of things, micronian food is supposed to be good." Sharin smiled, doubtfully.
"You're bugged by Virik and Mela?"
"Bugged?"
"Troubled."
"A little." She said. "They seem to enjoy themselves, but are they zentraedi anymore?"
"What's zentraedi?" Boris asked. "If it's warring on everyone, probably not."
"But… that's the problem, is there any other way than complete surrender…." She sighed.
"Hey, lets not bring things down." Boris said. "There'll be time enough for that when you're talking to the council."
"That's the problem-- I don't know what I'm going to say to them any more." She looked at her food.
"You'll think of something."
"I hope so." She said.
"Let's head out." Boris said, looking at the crowd migrating toward the end of town. He looked back at her. "Oh, by the way, there's a guy with a biplane willing to fly us to RDF … By this time tomorrow, you'll be at your destination, safe and sound." Sharin smiled at that…with an odd feeling of reluctance.
***
The dance was held in a large open-air amphitheatre. Sharin noticed that it had the look of being created by zentraedi, maybe with the aid of some powered armor. Boris immediately jumped into it, while Sharin sat on the sidelines, watching as the people, including Mela and Virik swirled around in a chaotic and happy mass. She felt tremendously out of place.
"I should go back to the inn." She said to herself. Boris could enjoy himself better if he- A hand suddenly reached down and grabbed her.
"Eep!" She squeaked as Boris literally lifted her off her feet.
"No hard thoughts right now-- this is a celebration!" He said and whirled her into the mass of dancing people.
"Boris!" Sharin gasped as suddenly Virik grabbed her and spun her around, before spinning her off to another man who was dancing with Virik's wife. Sharin couldn't get her breath back, but the beat and sound of the music started to entrance her, as she found her moves complying with the energetic sound and infectious attitudes of the other happy dancers.
Suddenly she found herself spun back to Boris, who took her in his arms, her head barely coming up to his shoulder. The kenetic beat slowed down, the music morphing into something slower, gentler. Boris grinned.
"And now we get to catch our breaths." Boris said quietly, beginning to sway gently to the tune of the music. Sharin found that her hands were in the same position as the hug they'd had earlier, and Boris's hands were on her hips, holding her close. Sharin saw Mela and Virik dancing in the same way, only their expression was considerably different from hers, like they were talking mind to mind. Boris gently swung her around, evidently having danced this dance before. Sharin let him lead her across the floor, moving in and out of the others, each couple focused on each other.
Sharin felt her heart beginning to hammer, for no other reason than she was close to Boris. What was happening to her? Boris had saved her life…but so had others… The idea of the trip ending, and he going back to his unit, and her to her city, caused her to shiver in dismay. What…
"Boris…" Sharin said.
"Mm?"
"Do you have a…female friend?"
"Oh lots…but if you mean girlfriend, no." Boris shifted, looking down into her eyes. "Why?"
"Um… I was simply curious." Boris grinned at that.
"I bet…" He said, and than before Sharin could say anything else, bent down and gave her a quick kiss. Sharin almost jerked back, but stopped as Boris lifted his head up again. It had been just a brushing of lips, but her face felt like it was glowing, and she was shivering with cold at the same time she was blazing with heat. Sherin sagged in his arms, just as the music ended. Boris grinned and led/supported Sherin to the seats, as a man came to the center with a guitar.
"No…Minmei?" Sharin asked, unable to come up with something more intelligent.
"No Minmei… music here is more traditional." Virik supplied from his seat.
The man started up his guitar, and the band behind him fell into a vaguely military rhythm, but one that was slower, more gentle than anything Sharin had heard before. Boris quietly said:
"This is an old, old song… from a place called Ireland…a minstrel is a singer, kinda like Minmei..
The
minstrel boy to the war is gone
In the ranks of death you will find him
His father's sword he hath girded on
And his wild harp slung behind him
Sharin leaned forward, listening to it… A song about war? That didn't seem in keeping with the celebration, nor did the expressions on the faces of those around her. Serious…sad….and determined. The music welled up.
"Land
of Song!" said
the warrior bard
"Though all the world betrays thee
One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!"
"Though all the world betrays thee…" Sharin said softly. That had happened to the Zentraedi. Betrayed from creation, hated by all. Boris turned and looked at her, as she leaned forward, straining, thinking. One sword at least… Sharin closed her eyes, feeling the music. She would bear that sword…to protect her people.
What if you fail? The voice spoke into her, and the fear of betraying her people to death rose up…but the song had an answer to that as well.
The Minstrel fell! But the
foeman's chain
Could not bring that proud soul under
The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again
For he tore its chords asunder
And said "No chains shall sully thee
Thou soul of love and bravery!
Thy songs were made for the pure and free
They shall never sound in slavery!"
I may not succeed. She thought about the feel of Boris, how he'd saved her. The way that Virik and Mela no longer needed to think of war…no longer needed the masters or commanders to tell them when to fight, or how to live. But I will not stop trying. We cannot be Zentraedi for ever…but we can be free. The song came to an end, and the band moved into another song, but Sharin sat, thinking about what she'd learned, until Boris touched her on the shoulder.
"We have an early day, Sharin." He said. "We'd better go…" Sharin looked at him, and nodded reluctantly. On the way back to the hotel, he told her about the flight he had obtained.
"It's a broken down biplane, but it'll get us to where we need to be…and when we need to be there." Sharin looked at him in surprise. Boris grinned.
"That veritech bugged me-- so I'm going to fly up when I know Carl is scheduled to be on patrol-- it has a radio and we can talk to him."
"Do you trust him?"
"With my life…and yours." Boris said, seriously, "He's saved my life a dozen times over the last few years…and I the same."
"Who's flying the plane?" Sharin asked.
"I am-- I bought it."
"Bought it?" Boris grinned .
"I gave the owner a bank draft for my life savings-- enough to buy three planes like this one… hopefully the RDF will reimburse me for it."
"Can you fly a…biplane?"
"We'll find out…" He said, as they entered their room. Boris flopped down on the small couch. Sharin looked at him in annoyance.
"Boris."
"Yes?"
"Bed. Now."
"But you're…"
"As I said…I think we can restrain your micronian impulses… and If I'm going to trust my life to your piloting skills, I'd prefer that you be rested…" Boris surrendered with good grace, and soon was in his shorts and T-shirt. Sharin dug through the pack and found that the women had provided her with a shirt that came to just above her knees. She went into the bathroom and changed, coming out.
Tzarna would have a fit. She thought as she slipped into bed next to Boris. If she had any fears of not being able to sleep, they were ended five minutes after the lights were turned off, as she fell into a deep..and nightmare free sleep.
The next morning, just as the sun was turning the horizon gray, Boris woke up. Some time during the night, Sharin had rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his arm. The shirt had also ridden up, revealing part of her thigh, curled up against him. He tried to disengage himself, but the minute he moved, her eyes opened. Sharin looked down, realized what she had been holding onto and released him, saying nothing, although her face turned scarlet.
"Ready?" Boris said, once she'd showered and dressed, without saying a word.
"Yes." She said, looking at him and turning red again. She didn't say anything until they got to the strip…than she said a lot.
"You have got to be insane!" She said, looking at the biplane. Sharin had had an image of an old style veritech…or maybe a shuttle…but this… it's hull was made out of clothes fabric! "If I wanted to die, I could have stayed in the transport!"
"Oh, its not that bad…" Boris said. "These are slow planes, and they're rugged as hell…and you don't see them on radar. This one also has an up to date radio…which will allow us to hail Carl without others listening in…" He looked at her, and then pointed North. "Or I could get El Burro and we could spend several weeks walking…"
Certain death or weeks with that animal…
"Very well," Sharin said, resignedly, scrambling up into the cockpit.
"Ah, Sharin?"
"Yes?" Her voice was long suffering.
"I need you out here."
"For what?"
"Well… the biplane doesn't have an automatic starter-- you have to spin the rotor to start it up…"
"I have got to be insane." She said, getting out and walking to the front. A short time later, the sputtering biplane engine was running and they were taxiing to the end of the field.
Sharin had fought more battles then this pilot had seen…but this sorry excuse for a plane had her eyes firmly closed as they took off. No automated controls, no armor, no life support-- no enclosed cabin… it was horrifyingly simple, as if the micronians had held a contest to see what was the least they could get into the air with-- and then proceeded to make it.
Still, as the flight continued and they didn't die, Sharin found herself enjoying the feeling of the wind on her face. Boris raised one gloved hand and started fiddling with the radio (a newer model then the aircraft, and the reason he'd bought it outright).
"Come in… come in flight 234" He said, and was rewarded after a moment.
"Unidentified craft, this is a restricted channel."
"Even to me, Gidarah, your old friend Badanov?"
"Boris?! For God's sake, where have you been man? I was getting ready to write a letter!"
"Can't talk on the air, Carl… I'm going to land by Sanderson lake-- you know the place."
"I…understand. Carl out."
Carl and Boris had spent time fishing by Sanderson lake, a crater lake that had escaped the contamination that so many other lakes had fallen prey to. With lush forests around it, it was isolated…but there was also a landing strip, carved out by Boris and Carl when they'd decided to try and get it assigned as a base-- that'd failed, yet the strip remained, and had provided and excellent location for out of the way romantic rendeavous that worked even better when Carl would tell their lady friends that he and Boris had carved it out of the forest just to impress them. The Biplane was there last, but seeing Carl's fighter on the ground in Gerwalk mode, he landed his biplane with only a few bumps, taxing up to Carl's plane. Once the engine was killed, Boris and Sharin got out.
Carl's face was a study in surprise. Boris and Sharin were wearing local clothes-- that flattered the zentraedi a great deal, but there was tension in their faces…and a difference in the way they were walking. Boris was hovering over the zentraedi in a… protective manner? Carl grinned and walked forward.
"What the hell is going on, Boris? We found the transport, a killed fighterpod, and your fighter-- we figured you'd bought it along with the transport crew-- half the base thinks that the zentraedi set up the whole mission just to bag a veritech."
"Not at all-- because someone had a veritech." Boris said, and launched into an explanation.
"That's not good…not good at all." Carl said. "They must have also had some support-- guess what about the scout ship."
"Never there?"
"Got it in one." Carl paused. "So what do you need?"
"A two seater Veritech…with no official flight plan."
"difficult… but on the other hand…" He looked at the biplane.
"Stay here…and than I'll fly back with a trainer-- you take it, I take the biplane…and you get me out of the brig once you hit Macross."
"Thanks!" Carl and Boris walked back toward the fighter.
"Boris…what's with the zentraedi…she's acting different."
"Long story."
"Check."
When Carl took off, Boris and Sharin were left alone. It was mid afternoon, and the scudding clouds were once again putting a chill into the air. There was no place to make a fire that could be shielded, so Boris and Sharin sat together, sharing a blanket as they looked at the placid lake. For a time, they didn't say anything, as the air got cooler and Boris put his arm around Sharin, drawing her close. Then.
"Boris?"
"Yes."
"Why did you kiss me?" Boris turned pink.
"Well…..it seemed like the moment to do that." Sharin looked at him, tilting her head and said nothing for a moment.
"Was it pleasant for you?" She asked.
"Un-yes!" He said. "Sharin you're really…pre-- no, beautiful."
"Oh…" She waited. "Do you wish to kiss me again?"
"Well…yeah!"
"Very well…" Sharin said, and stood up, as did Boris. She tilted her face towards him, and he leaned down, feeling her tremble…
And with a tremendous blast of air and dust, the trainer veritech zipped over the lake and touched down. Coughing, the two broke apart. Over the sound of the engines, Sharin said.
"Maybe another time…"
"Yeah, sure."
"Here it is, Kiddo's," Carl said, then blinked at Boris' glare. "Boris my compadre…what's wrong?"
"Bad timing…tremendously, horribly, bad timing, Carl." Boris said as he stalked pass, carrying the luggage which was placed in the veritechs storage compartment. Sharin had already hopped into the rear seat, noting that this one didn't suffer from over simplicity, like the biplane. Carl leaned down to Boris and spoke quietly.
"Boris-- there's no plane out here with a black paint job…"
"I figured as much…"
"But the news about the scout ship came from CentCom out of Macross city… just wanted to warn you, you might be walking into a minefield."
"Yeah…but they ordered us to escort her to Macross, and that's what they're going to get… although I'm going to be stashing Sharin with the folks until I can talk to Gloval…"
"Good luck."
"Thanks… watch yourself."
"I'm not the one with the target on my back." Carl said, gesturing with his thumb towards Sharin.
End Part III