Chapter 3: Three is a Lucky Number?

Walking was a rather boring exercise, but since Barney seemed to be not listening to anyone - not even perky Precis or benevolent Bowman - they decided to walk before they wasted more time. They'd passed Lacour not too long ago, and Claude had wondered if they should stop for supplies, but Rena assured him that they had enough. Also, for food, Hilton had a nice food shack in the form of "Munchies." So onward they trekked, an odd batch of six heading for Hilton to hop a boat to Herlie (what was it about port cities and beginning with "h" anyway? At least the ones still standing...) and go to Mars.

Mars. Claude found that name almost laughable, considering he knew it as the name of a planet near Earth. Wisely, he hadn't mentioned this fact to his companions. They'd just be confused anyway. He found Expel to be a refreshing change from Earth, and exploring, but he still keenly felt out of place here, and longed to be back with his father. Yet, something inside him didn't want to go back and be within the shadow of his father's history and be judged for his heritage, rather than his ability. Sure, he'd recklessly gone too near something against the words of his superiors, but perhaps this was for the better in some ways.

What still bothered him was that his mother and father both had no clue where he was, or what had happened to him. He couldn't just leave his parents, especially his mother. Yet here, he felt like he had a purpose. More than just some ensign in the Earth Federation on the Calnus. Here he had friends, here he was helping people. But wasn't he doing that only to find a way home?

He was so confused. And it showed. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the slightly taller Ashton hovering nearby with a concerned look on his face. Even Gyoro and Urunrun seemed a tad worried about him.

"Are you ok, Claude?" Ashton's green eyes searched Claude's face for any sign of what could be plaguing him.

"Oh, I was just thinking about my parents," Claude said, telling the somewhat truth. "I was just worried about them."

"Oh. You really seemed troubled. Was something wrong with them last time you saw them?"

Claude paused a moment to think about that question, and how to answer that without confusing Ashton. Being on a world which didn't know for the most part about inter-galactic travel and worlds beyond their own - he wasn't abut to assume EVEYONE didn't know since he hadn't met everyone yet - was a bit hard when trying to talk about some things. "Well, besides the fact they've been apart for some time because of their jobs, not really. Its just that they really don't know how I am right now."

Ashton was about to say something, and decided not to. He knew Claude wasn't from this place, and wondering if they would see Claude's parents to let them know how he was certainly was a bit out of the question. He decided to try something else to improve Claude's spirits. "Well, I'm glad you're parents would be concerned about your well-being at least. I mean, you shouldn't worry too much about them. Everything will turn out right."

"Well, you're probably right, Ashton," Claude said, preferring to leave that subject anyway. "But first I need to right what happened to you, and that means we need to go to Mars."

"Right!"

Elsewhere, further back in the group, Precis was pondering what she could do to improve Bobot more. As they went along though, she noticed that Celine and Bowman were exchanging glances, though never seeing the other looking at them. She knew Bowman was married, and next-to-nothing about the Heraldic wizard Celine and her engagements. Precis sensed something was up, but kept quiet even though her curiosity was running wild.

"There it is!" Rena exclaimed, pointing ahead to the silhouette of Hilton just ahead. The sun was taking its bow, heading for the horizon, and they'd be a bit pressed to get there before sundown if they didn't hurry, so they picked up the pace and made the gates of the city before sundown.

"I think I'm going to go get us a room," Rena said. Precis yawned and nodded, following behind. Celine pondered a bit, and decided to go look around a bit before retiring, as she wanted to make a new set of earrings or some other jewelry. Bowman, Claude, and Ashton were left there. The three looked among each other.

"Where to?" Ashton asked, not caring who he went with or where he went about then. He wasn't quite tired and felt like doing something.

They were heading slowly to the Inn when Bowman spotted the tavern. "Well, boys, how about we stop in here for awhile?"

Ashton kept quiet, not wanting to mention he'd recently turned twenty and wasn't that much of a boy - after all, he did have a small reputation as a swordsman with skill, at least until the Salva Drift incident. He looked at Claude who just shrugged. "Sure, why not," Claude said.

The three walked in, and were greeted by an odd sight. Sitting at the bar opposite a guy was a attractive woman with wavy golden-blonde hair in a black dress and odd jacket, an almost drained tankard in her hand. What caught their attention was the fact she had [i]three[/i] hazel eyes! Ashton and Bowman were both perplexed, while Claude seemed surprised and curious.

"Well, come on, I won the contest, now tell me, have you seen a man with three eyes and blonde hair?" she asked the obviously drunk guy next to her.

"Iyeh toldja lahedy, I hain't sheen one..." The guy's head seemed to roll back and he slid off the chair, landing with a thud on the floor.

"Oh dear," she said, standing. She collected the large item next to her, something which confused everyone there but Claude. "I don't think I'll ever find him..." She noticed the three newcomers standing there in the doorway. "Oh! Have you seen a guy with three eyes and blonde hair?" Her expression was earnest.

"Err..." Bowman looked at Ashton and Claude. Ashton looked at Claude without a word.

"Well, actually, I did," he confided.

"Really? Where?"

"It was back in Cross some time ago."

"Cross you say?" She started out the door. "Thanks!"

Ashton whirled on his heels suddenly. "Wait!"

She stopped in mid-step, half-way out the door. Bowman and Claude looked at Ashton oddly. "What?" she asked.

'Think quick Ashton...' "Well, you see, one its late, you shouldn't be traveling this late. No one's going to sail for Herlie til tomorrow. And, um, well, we're going to be heading that way. Why don't you travel with us?"

"Ashton?" Claude asked, looking between her and him. He couldn't figure out the sudden words of the swordsman, but he did have a valid point. But why offer her a chance to travel with them? Claude certainly [i]was[/i] curious to talk to her since he knew she wasn't Expellian, and did want to know what she knew about their location, but Ashton's sudden invitation was quite odd. Claude was certain Ashton was smitten with Precis, and now some blonde he didn't know that had three eyes?

"... you are right. No one's going to be leaving tonight," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "Hmm... travel with you three?"

"Well, we're traveling with three other ladies," Claude said, "But I'm sure they'd welcome another traveler in since we're all going the same way."

She locked her gaze on Claude. "Oh really?" She thought about this, never taking her eyes off him, which caused him to shift a bit as he became conscious of her staring. "I'll take you up on the offer then, since we're all heading the same way, and its kind of lonesome to travel alone. Why don't we go to the Inn then since its late? My name is Opera. Opera Vectra."

As they headed over there, Claude made the introductions. "I'm Claude Kenni, and this is Ashton Anchors and Bowman Jean."

They walked in the inn to find Celine, Rena, and Precis waiting in the lobby. Celine arched an eyebrow upon seeing Opera, and Rena seemed mildly irked. Precis was eying the item Opera was carrying curiously. Claude swallowed, conscious of everyone now staring at him. Ashton stepped forward to save Claude form the onslaught of questions which seemed to burn in the eyes of the ladies. "Hey girls," he said, trying to act nonchalantly, "this is Opera Vectra. She's heading for Cross, looking for someone that Claude saw there earlier. Since we were going that way too, I asked if she would like to come with us since we're all going in the same direction. It'd be awfully cold of me not to offer her some company. Opera, this is Rena Lanford, Celine Jules, and Precis Newmann."

"Pleasure to meet you," Rena said, looking between Opera, Claude and Ashton.

"Charmed," Celine said, wondering about that third eye.

Precis seemed a touch annoyed at Ashton, but grinned at Opera. "Nice to meet ya," she said, scooting over more to look at the item better. Curiosity was keeping her temper down.

"The pleasure is mine," she replied, looking over the group. "We ought to get some sleep so we can wake early enough in the morning."

Ashton stretched and yawned. "You're right. I'm gonna go hit the hay now." The three girls headed off towards their room and opera was about to follow when Claude tapped her on the shoulder.

"Umm, could I talk to you?" he asked as Bowman followed after Ashton, muttering something about having wanted to get a drink before bed.

"Sure, what is it Claude?"

He shifted a little as she turned her gaze on him again, but continued. "Well, I know you're not form Expel."

She seemed a bit shocked, and looked at him curiously. "Oh really? Besides the eye, how would you know?"

"Because I'm not form Expel either. I'm from Earth." He hoped she would know about Earth. He wasn't sure where she was from, but he did want to know. Perhaps some new info might help calm his father down whenever he got back.

"Oh? Earth? What are you doing here, then?" she asked. "I assumed Expel had no outsiders other than myself and Ernest." At Claude's confused look she added, "Ernest is the guy I'm looking for."

"Ah," Claude said, nodding. "Well, my being here was total accident. I and others from the ship Calnus were on an exploration of a dome on Milocinia when I got a bit too close to something and got transferred somehow to the Shingo Forest."

"Shingo Forest?? My ship was crashed in a place that some of the Expellians called that!" She thought a bit. "Well, I don't know what to say Claude. If I can find Ernest, and he can fix my ship, perhaps I can get you back to the Calnus or Earth."

"..." Claude wasn't sure if he really wanted to go back like that, but certainly it might get him his own reputation out from under the shadow of his father. "Well, I thank you for the offer," he said. "I suppose we'd better get to bed before someone gets the wrong idea."

Opera laughed, a light, silvery laugh that warmed Claude's spirit. "Ok, then, Claude, I'll see you tomorrow." They went in opposite directions to their rooms, Claude heading in the direction Ashton and Bowman had headed and Opera heading for the room the other ladies had gone to.