Chapter 6 - Gimme shelter
Day 2 (cont.)
Planet Fred
Diana was looking inside the locker at the back of the barracks room when she stumbled upon a small guitar.
"What's this, a ukulele," she asked, showing it to Clark.
"Oh, no. It has six strings, you see? A ukulele has only four and it's smaller. That is John's guitar. It's his student guitar, from when he was a kid. He must be looking for it everywhere."
"Okaaay...and what is it doing on board of a javelin?" She frowned.
"As a Green Lantern, John is used to traveling the universe literally at the speed of will, so you can imagine these looong Javelin trips are an endless torture for him, so he brings this guitar with him to pass time easily. He's an accomplished musician. He plays the piano, as well, and has a beautiful singing voice," Clark explained.
"I've heard him singing. It's true, he sings as he was touched by Euterpe herself. A great baritone voice. Why did he bring this with him? Why not make a construct of a guitar with his ring," Diana asked.
"You know? I asked him the same question once, and he told me there are things a Power Ring can't do, like the subtlety of the wood grain vibrational properties, or the combination of various strings sounding in accordance," he said. "I wonder how could he have forgotten her here."
"He was probably too eager to get under Mari's panties," joked the Princess.
"Di! I'm shocked to hear you say that," he pretended to chastise her.
"Sorry. I think it's all the gossip going around the Watchtower that's rubbed off on me," she excused herself.
"Yeah. I understand you. Even though you want to stay apart, it pulls you in." He added, "Have you ever heard all they say about you and me?"
"Oh, Hera! Give me a break! Imagine what would they say if they see us in our current situation," she responded.
Clark rapidly said, "They don`t understand!"
"No. They don't..."
Her words were followed by a prolonged silence. Clark finally broke it by saying, "Let me see that." He pointed at the guitar.
Clark took the instrument and began caressing the strings "She has a beautiful sound, but she's slightly out of tune." He began turning the pins as he stroked the chords.
Diana was looking at this amazed. "You play the guitar? I had no idea."
"I'm a man of many talents. How do you think I charmed the ladies back in high school, or in the evenings around a bonfire by Finney creek?"
"I bet you were a "super suave" ladies man, back then, huh," she teased him.
"There," he said, satisfied with the sound. "Not quite, but it did go well with Lana. I told you about her, didn't I?"
"Yes. Your High school sweetheart." He began to play the introduction of 'Hotel California' by the Eagles "Kal, that's lovely! You do it so well!"
"I'm a little rusty. It's been a while and my hands are too big for the size of her fretboard." He stopped playing. "We have work to do" he looked at her disappointed face. Trying an Elvis impersonation, he said, "Don't worry, pretty lady, I'll work my mesmerizing magic on you tonight, after dinner. And I'll be signing autographs too."
"Yay! It feels so good to be reduced to a groupie by your own best friend," said the Amazon. "Thanks, Kal"
Clark laid the guitar amorously on one of the top bunks.
After finishing with the inventory, they sat at the table and began planning.
"First: shelter" Clark said.
"Agreed. We'll have to gather materials. About two miles back, at the beginning of the woods, we lost the wings of the Javelin. I think those estranium panels would be great to build the roof. I'll go and get them when we finish," proposed Diana.
"Good! We'll have to chop some trees to set the structure and walls. I think we must not cannibalize too much of the Javelin materials, because it's a solid, strongly built, estranium structure..." began Clark.
"...That we could use to fortify ourselves in case of an outside attack. I totally agree," She said, finishing his sentence. Clark responded with a smile. "What," Diana asked.
"Nothing. Let's go on," dismissed the Last Son of Krypton.
They went on for hours, stopping only to grab a bite. Clark began to draw a floor plan of the structure on the tablet, to which Diana made the modifications and suggestions she deemed important. When both of them were absolutely satisfied, the young woman stood up and solemnly said, "As Princess of the Amazon Nation and heir to the Throne of Themyscira, I baptize this project 'The Fortress of Solely Two.'"
Clark looked at her, incredulous and wide eyed. After two seconds, he exploded "Bwah-hahahaha!" at what Diana willingly followed. When he could stop laughing, he said, with tears in his eyes, "Supreme! Perfect! The name stays! I don't think Bruce would disagree. Unfortunately, our 'Batsicle' friend won't be able to set foot in the Fortress."
"'Batsicle'? Kal! That's so horribly mean! Poor Bruce!" And they both broke into laughter again.
After a while, Diana went to retrieve the wings and began straightening the twisted panels. Meanwhile, Clark was taking measurements and marking the terrain where the foundations would be. It was hot, so he removed his T-shirt, involuntarily provoking many distractions to her.
"Kal, I don't think it's wise to be bare chested under the sun," she warned him. "You may burn your skin."
"It's okay, Di. I believe I'll be able to absorb more sunlight radiation this way. Besides it's too damn hot out here. I've never sweat like this before." He smelled his arm pits "Oh, hell! I smell like a football stadium's locker room!"
"You do? Then you better go take a bath down the pond afterwards. Don't you dare get into the room smelling like that, or I'll toss you down the access ramp," the Princess threatened him.
"Yes, mom!" He rolled his eyes.
When he finished marking the ground of what would be the 'Fortress' floor, he asked the Amazon, "Can you lend me that sword of yours? I have no tool to clear the terrain of all the weeds."
"Her name is Eunice. It wasn't forged with that in mind, but I'm sure Hephaestus would understand. Here!" She presented him with the handgrip ."careful, though, it's very sharp. VERY."
"I'll be careful. Hello, Eunice." And he began cutting the tall grass from a sixty square yards area. "Hey, this is extraordinary. I'm not exerting any effort at all. The weed practically cuts itself. I'm changing my mind about magic."
After finishing, he collected all the severed weeds and piled them at a side. It was already half past four.
He got into the Javelin to pick up a soap and a towel.
"I'm going for a bath," he told her, making his way to the pond.
"Enjoy," she responded.
The water was exquisite and he really was enjoying it, so the bath he took was a long one.
Diana was trying to put her mind in something else. For her keen eyes, a hundred yards -the distance to the pond- was nothing, so she forced herself to look elsewhere.
"No, Diana, NO!. Think of something else. On Earth such a relationship would be, at least, problematic. Here and with the loss of his abilities -which he refuses to acknowledge properly- it would be a disaster." She remembered Steve and how he tried to overcompensate for the lack of superpowers. That ended badly. Ultimately, he was physically and emotionally hurt."No. I won't ever let that happen with Kal. He is too important to me. I have to be his friend and help him cope with being a normal person, even if I have to punch it inside his head, until we can return home, which we will. Wise Aphrodite, grant me strength."
"I'm done, Di. The pond is all yours." He was going back to the Javelin for a fresh set of clothes.
"A-alright. Thank you." She was so taken by her thoughts, she didn't hear him coming. When she finally put all the panels in a ordered pile, she slowly moved to the pond. "Oh, yes. Cold water will do me a lot of good."
As Clark was putting on clean jeans, he could hear a murmur. It sounded like shouting. "It's Di's voice!" He wondered if she was calling him. When he heard a deep roaring, everything accelerated. He picked a Plaser pistol from the locker and ran towards the pond. "Di! I'm coming," he shouted in desperation.
Diana was near the shore, with the water to her thighs, and behind her a huge purple monster. Without thinking, Clark took a shot at the beast. Diana's sharp senses perceive it and jumped between the two, deflecting the Plaser blast with her bracelets crossed.
"Kal, wait!" She was floating in front of Argos, agitating her open arms, trying to protect the beast. Completely naked. "He's my friend!"
Clark froze at the vision of her. The plaser pistol fell out of his hand.
For about ten seconds everything froze and they kept still, looking at each other, then, at the same exact moment, Diana took cover behind Argos and Clark turned his back to her, looking at the other side.
"I'm sorry, Di. I heard a roar and thought you were in danger. I wasn't thinking," he apologized. "Who's Barney?"
"I didn't mean to alarm you, Kal. I call him Argos, I forgot to tell you about him. We've met here at the pond this morning. I think he likes me," Diana answered smiling.
'What's not to like,' he thought.
"It's okay." He picked up the gun. "I'll let you both enjoy your bath." The image of the Amazon in all her naked glory burnt in his brain deeper than the the wounds on his face, and he knew this one wouldn't ever heal. But something else was eating him. "You're so stupid, Kent. Di is perfectly capable of take care of herself. What makes you think you can protect her without your abilities? Stupid imbecile."
An hour and a half later, the Princess returned from her bath. She wanted to get out of her uniform, so she took a dress from her drawer. It was a simple tunic, green in color, without sleeves and tied at the waist. Everyday garment, as she called it. She noticed a change in Clark's mood, less chatty. They sat on the grass outside to have the last remains of the food they've brought with them. They talked about next day activities. She would take Argos to show her which plants were edible, and she and Clark would have to see the ones they could use among them.
After dinner, Clark excused himself from the guitar concert he'd promised.
"Are you feeling okay?" she said, checking his temperature.
"Yes, mom. I'm just tired. It's been a long day, and I haven't felt quite myself lately. I'll give you a rain check for the guitar concert, okay," he said.
"Okay." She watched him walk to his bunk with a hunched back.