Chapter 8. A Hard Day's Night
Day 3 (cont.)
Planet Fred. 7 p.m.
After the morning quest, they'd returned to their camp with their prize: three different types of fruit, which included the aforementioned 'kipes', two kinds of comestible roots, one tuberous, similar to potatoes, but of the color of beet, and the other bulbous like an onion. They also found some kind of lettuce, with pulpy leafs of jagged edges and blue flowers with three clusters of oily seeds each, much like a three headed sunflower, which Diana called the 'Cerberus' flower. Clark was able to examine the wheat like plant he saw before the 'Claws' incident. Its grain was soft and rich in fiber, it could be eaten in a number of ways, including milling it to make a pink flour. He was sure he'd be able to crop it and make an orchard to grow their own food, putting all his experience as a farmer to a good use.
Argos was very fond of a brown fruit with a large violet seed. After a close inspection, Diana found it was very similar in fragrance and taste to earth's nutmeg.
"We found us the first spice," she told Clark with blatant joy. "Our food won't have to be insipid."
This was a blessing for both of them, since they were raised in two different traditions of flavor rich meals. The idea of tasteless salads every day was appalling.
"I'll have to do an excursion to find a sea or some salt lake to get us some precious salt," Diana thought out loud.
"And, when you make that wine of yours, let's see if we can turn some of it into vinegar. For the salad, you know." he added.
"Good idea. Can we get oil out of the 'Cerberus' flowers?" she asked.
"We most certainly will. I'll have to make a press to expressing oil from the seeds. Probably a mortar will do for starters. No problem," he assured.
"Gaea! Look at us. Thinking with our stomachs," the Amazon said laughing, amazed.
"Yeah. Well, hmm...I don't know for how long we'll have to stay here, Di, but one thing I'm sure of is that I want us to live, not only survive," Clark looked at her with confident determination.
Diana smiled at him. She was relieved to see him back to his strong self, at least for a while. An idea was forming in her warrior's head to get him out of his sense of lost. It would have to wait until the completion of the 'Fortress', though. "Well put, Kal," she said.
As they were making their way back to the camp, they crossed a herd of winged creatures, much like gryphons, with colors that varied from pale blue to deep indigo, that were eating the orange leafs from a group of trees fifty yards from where they were. Their size was that of polo ponies, not as big as race horses. They took flight when they heard the couple and their heavy friend passing by.
"They're beautiful," Said Diana. "They look like our winged horses, back in Themyscira. Oh great Pegasus, father of all winged steeds, might I see you again, my friend!" The Amazon wished.
"Even if it takes my last breath, Di, this I promise you: we will be back on Earth and our former lives, and you'll see your loved ones again." To which she took his hand and squeezed it warmly.
His loved ones, thought Clark, were no longer there. Pa and Ma Kent passed away some time ago. Lana moved on and got married with his youth best friend Pete Ross, and Lois and him were not on the best of terms. Jimmy was making a career as fashion photographer and his address was no longer Metropolis but all over the world. There was always Bruce, but he was too busy caring for that awful city of his, besides, he had the warmth of a winter day in Antarctica.
And, of course, there was Diana...
Yes, Diana was the only being he could completely relate to. She was more than his friend. If there was such a thing as a soul mate, he felt she was that to him. There was no need for words between them. They could understand each other the way nobody else could. Being with her felt like being at home, and..."Dammit, Kent! Are you really falling for this girl?" As they were riding Argos, he saw her two feet in front of him. That green linen tunic fitting her body magnificently..."Stop!" he slapped his face's right side, the still healing burnt side, causing himself a good deal of pain. "Damn," he let out.
Diana turned to face him. "Kal, are you alright?"
"Yes, sorry. Lost balance for just a second. I'm okay now," he lied. He moved a few inches back, though.
By the time they arrived at the camp, he'd decided to exhaust himself working to avoid having any other thoughts on the matter, and if he did, his body would be too numb to notice.
As they were preparing their lunch, Argos went back to the pond. During their meal they discussed the initiation of the works for the fortress to be built. Soon they'd distributed the tasks for the day: Diana would get the wood from a group of tall trees resembling eucalyptus as Clark made the holes to bury the columns, according to the layout, they'd have to be eight. Below the small table at the barracks room, an access hatch, measuring 80 x 70 cm, connected the room with engineering. There they found a vast number of tools. He assembled a modular shovel and got along with the task. This brought him back to the time before he gained complete use of his abilities, when Pa Kent was teaching him how to build a barb wired fence, starting with the holes for the posts. He couldn't help but smile at the memory. "Thanks, Pa," he mused.
Meanwhile, Diana, with the help of her xyphos sword Eunice, was chopping some trees. Thanks to its magic blade and her super strength, it took only one clean stroke to sever the 120 foot tall trees from their base roots.
"Timbeeer," she shouted every time one of them was falling. It was an overzealous precaution, but she didn't want to risk having Clark nearby unaware. She took down nine, which she put carefully ordered one beside the other and began to clean the trunk from branches and leafs. By the time she had them ready, Clark had already finished his sixth hole. After all, even without his powers he could do the task of five men. Still, the effort was exhausting.
The columns would be buried 3 and a half feet and 10 ft. above the ground. Diana started to cut the eight columns down to size as Clark finished the other two holes. When they both finished their respective occupations, they began with the placing of the columns. Diana inserted the posts into the holes as Clark filled them with dirt and stones, tamping them down with a rammer he made with a big stone and a pole from the wings structure, to secure them. When the eighth was finally erected, they looked at each other and made a Hi-five, laughing.
"That was a well done job, mister," the Princess congratulated him.
"It helps having a beautiful Amazon doing the heavy lifting, my Lady," he retorted, taking a bow. "I could kill for a beer right now, you know?"
"In that case, wait here. I have a little surprise." she said, desappearing inside the Javelin. After a moment she came back holding a six pack, minus one, with a sign saying 'Property of Guy Gardner, touch it and die.' "It was behind the guitar. I wanted to surprise you."
"And you did! You don't know how much I love you this very moment...eer...best friend!" 'Oh, my gosh!' "This is something I won't be able to repay you for. Here...let me take it to the pond to cool them down"
When he came back, and to change the subject, he said, "Isn't it amazing the things people forget when they are traveling? I wonder what have I left behind in other Javelins."
"With your eidetic memory and anal retentive personality? I don't think so," she snorted.
"Excuse me? I'm not anal. I'm thorough," he defended himself.
"Yes. Suuurely," she teased.
"You know? I'm not liking you a lot right now. In fact, I'm not liking you at all, Princess. If not for the beers, we would be having an argument," he said.
"Typical male!" she wasn't going to let the 'Princess' insult go unpunished "A few drinks and he's willing to forget and forgive!" she retorted.
"So what? The Amazon way is better? Carrying a grudge for three thousand years? Is that better?" he was regretting his words as they were coming out of his mouth.
Her eyes grew big as saucers "You bastard! How dare you!? You won't mock the suffering of my people!" she stood up ready to leave.
"Di! I didn't mean it! I was just trying to win the stupid argument! I wasn't thinking! I'm sor..." he tried to apologize.
"Not sorry enough. But you will be, rest assure!" she turn her back on him, getting into the Javelin.
Not sure how this all happened, he went back to the pond an retrieve the beer cans. Opening one he said "Cheers, you Jack-ass!"
Since he already was at the pond, he took a bath to cool his head off. All in all, this was for the better, he thought, so he won't get too smoochy with Diana. He would've prefer to keep it under more friendly terms, though.
What got him worried sick was imagining what her thoughts of him would be in that moment.
At the Javelin, Diana was trying to temper down her sulk. "That wasn't so serious. After all, you called him anal retentive first," she said to herself. "Did you or did you not have the same argument with your mother when she tried to prevent you to go to the outside world, telling her you had enough of their millennia old hatred of men? It was hearing it from Kal's lips that got you so mad, wasn't it? Yes, I never thought of Kal thinking that way." Why wouldn't he? The Amazons willing seclusion was a testament in itself. "And you know that ignoring the problem is not the way to make it go away." Then, her womanly part took over. "Besides, you have a million ways to make him pay for this." She smiled at the thought. She had a swimsuit somewhere. She started to look for it frantically till she found it: two white band-aid sized pieces that covered only the strictly necessary to keep it PG-13. it was a Colombian brand called "Besame," a present from Dinah. She put it on, grabbed her razor and shaving oil, a towel and went to the pond, where she knew he'd be. It was still one and a half hours until sundown. Diana sat at the rocks surrounding the water fall, some thirty five yards from where Clark was, and began spreading the fragrant oil over her long legs leisurely.
Clark gasped. He couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, carelessly grooming her incredible legs as the falling suns' light cast reflections on her bouncing in the water from the cascade. It was a vision from Paradise.
"So much for cooling my head," he thought. Clark knew he had to get out of there before the water around him started to boil, but he wasn't able to take his eyes out of her. When he felt something becoming active 'downtown', it was his cue to get the hell out of there. He got out the water bended at the waist, grab his clothes and went behind a tree to dress himself. After knocking his head on purpose against the tree to come out of his stupor, he made his way clumsily towards the camp. Diana watched the scene with a mischievous smile "That will serve him well," the Amazon mused.
After shaving her body, she took a bath as well. An hour later, as she was putting back the swimsuit on to return to the camp, Diana looked at herself in disbelief "Great Gaea! It's too small! Did I really show myself before Kal in this?" Once her irritation was over, the Princess realized how revealing the tiny suit was. She wrapped herself in the towel and walked hesitantly to their accommodations. The kryptonian saw her approaching with a tinge of disappointment. Somehow, he was hoping to see her in the swimsuit again.
"Di...I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean what I've said. It was just a stupid way to have the upper hand in the discussion. I have nothing but respect for your sisters, and you know I'll never, ever would offend you in anyway. Please, forgive me."
The Amazon was a little embarrassed still. She was trying not to look at him in the eyes "It's alright, Kal. I might have overreacted a bit. What you've said is what many people think about mine..."
"But I don't...," he began. Diana stopped him raising a hand.
"...including myself. I used it as a reason to come to the Patriarch's world five years ago. There's nothing to forgive. In any case, I should apologize to you for my reaction..." This time he cut her midsentence.
"Nonsense. Let's put an end to the subject, shall we? I have everything ready for dinner. Guess what? Yeah, salad without any condiments and fruits. Again! Yummy," he joked.
"Yaaay...At least, the fruits are delicious. I'll be right back." Inside the barracks room Diana decided that she had displayed enough skin for the day, so she opted for jeans and a big, loose T-shirt with the legend 'DO NOT Visit Themyscira'. It was a joke Hal Jordan had made for her.
"I'm here!" she said, helping Clark to take the food to the blanket they used as tablecloth. As usual, the topic of the conversation were the activities of the next day.
"Tomorrow we're starting with the roof structure," he began.
With half a mouthful she answered, "There are enough estranium pannels to cover 45 square yards, but the total area of the 'Fortress' is 60." She paused to swallow "Should we take a few more panels from the Javelin?"
"I believe that if we take those covering the main engines and the landing thrusters, it would not leave us unprotected," Clark replied. "An idea for later: we can use some of the pieces and metal from the engines to make more tools and utensils we may need."
"We'll have to find a way to forge them. I have some experience as blacksmith." The Amazon surprised him.
"You're kidding! How?" He couldn't believe his ears.
"As part of my education, my mother insisted I must have knowledge of every task my sisters performed, so, I had to spend three months working as apprentice in each of the most varied occupations along with my training as a warrior and my studies. It was very exhausting but very interesting times," Diana stated proudly.
"I swear you'll never cease to amaze me, Di. The title 'Wonder Woman' barely does you justice." Clark looked at her with admiration.
And so they went on with the task distribution for the next day, until they finished eating.
When they were picking up the remains of the dinner, Diana said, "I believe you owe me a guitar concert, Mr. Rock Star."
As he was going inside the Javelin to get the guitar, the kryptonian said "Well, 'concert' is too big a word. Let's call it a pop session."
When he came down, Diana had already prepared a small fire for them to sit around and two beers. "For a little ambience, so you feel more at home."
"It's perfect, Di. What do you want to hear," Clark asked. "I'm open to requests from the audience."
"Hmmm. This is an '80s classic: do you know Mike Oldfield's 'Moonlight Shadow,'" the Princess asked. " I find it to be lovely."
"I know it alright. Did you kow it was a loose reference to John Lennon's murder," Clark informed her.
"I didn't. So sad. I could really use a man like him to spread peace all over Patriarch's World. In fact, he would've taught me a thing or two. Such a terrible loss," she sincerely pointed out.
"Indeed it was. IS, because the world still needs people like him." After a pause, he said, "I forgot to tell you I'm a lousy lead singer. Second voices I do, but the singing is all yours," he warned.
"That's not fair! I came here as audience, not as part of the show! Boo! I want my money back!" Then she added with a hint of embarrassment, "Okay, I'll give it a try."
After the introduction she began singing with a beautiful, crystalline voice. Clark's face lit up and he smiled at her as he did the second voice on the 'Far away on the other side' verse. By the time he was playing the guitar solo, Diana clapped along with the rythm. When they reached the end, both were laughing and applauding themselves.
"Di, you sing like an angel! Why did you never do it at our reunions and parties? It's beautiful!" He seemed really touched.
"You think? I was never very confident about my voice. Glad you liked it," said the Amazon lowering her eyes.
"Like it? Screw the League! Let's gather a band and tour the world! 'Diana and the Wonders'" They both laughed at that.
Every muscle in Clark's body ached. The day had been exhausting and Diana and he worked their butts off. Luckily for the Amazon, her powers kept her fresh as a fragrant rose, though she admitted she could use a well deserved rest. Unfortunately, not the same for Clark. If he could die right now, it would be a welcomed turn. Still, their singing went on for two more hours. A warm sense of relaxed joy and happiness invaded them. Yes, sharing a laugh or two with each other was better than a 10 hours sleep.