Chapter Ten
Sophie . . .? Sophie? Sophie's head popped out of the entrance to the Serrek den, her face covered in blood and gore. She could feel the confusion, pain and fear in her mate's mind. Sophie, where are you? Reinhardt is coming, and Valentine is with him. Sophie? I'm scared. Sophie took off like a bullet out of a gun.
I'm coming, my love! Don't be scared. Reinhardt and Valentine are dead. You're safe. We're safe. We're home, my love, Sophie soothed as she rocketed back to the Talon. She could feel the confusion from Kyle's delirious mind.
Home? She felt the relief in his mind as he faded back into unconsciousness. She reached out to him, gently stroking his mind with her own.
Yes, my love. Don't be afraid. I'll be right there, I just have to wash.
Sophie gave a grunt as she wiped her head with her tail. If there was one thing she hated about those awful, nasty, vile beasts more than anything, it was their stench. That nasty, musky, oily reek that disgusted her. Being in their den had not been good for her olfactory organs. She felt dirty and nasty, the scent of those things clinging to her the whole way.
Sophie stopped first at the hotspring to wash off that nasty smell. She grabbed some of the local plants that smelled nice and tore them into small pieces, even pounding them on rocks, before rubbing herself all over. She gladly washed in the hot water, relieved when the plants dissolved the nasty oils of the Serrex. Coupled with her natural mucus, she was able to wash the smell off without too much trouble, a fact she was very thankful for. Once she was cleaned, she hurried back to their ship, and her poor wounded mate.
XXX
The door of the Talon hissed open as Sophie dashed inside. Kyle was laying on the Autodoc, his eyes barely open. The automated medical machine had stripped Kyle of his clothes, cleaned the wound, disinfected it and covered him with a clean, soft, sterile sheet. She purred as she stood next to Kyle and stroked his hair. She was disturbed by how feverish he was. I'm here my love. Sophie's here. He smiled thinly, squeezing her hand.
Lemon blossoms, said Kyle weakly, smelling the scent of the plants Sophie had used to clean herself with. Sophie moaned sadly as she looked at Kyle's leg.
His leg was swelling, her acute olfactory organs sensing the beginnings of infection. Her worry grew quickly. She fought to keep from panicking. Her instincts kicked in, telling her just what to do.
She extended her tongue, held out her hand and dripped a blob of a white substance onto her hand. It was about the consistency of a thick yogurt, almost like a gel. She purred softly as she stroked Kyle's hair.
Here, Kyle. Eat this, she said as she gently placed a small blob on his tongue with her finger. Kyle swallowed the gel without difficulty. It tasted sweet, with a tiny hint of saltiness to it. It was pleasant, and seemed to soothe his burning throat. Sophie purred as she fed Kyle more of the gel. All the while, she was fighting her own fear.
Kyle was all she had. He wasn't just her mate, he was her Bonded One, her Life-Partner and her best friend. He was her family, her Hive. Without him . . . she would be alone. She shoved the thought away with all her mental strength. She kissed his burning forehead tenderly. She looked at his leg and gave a soft hiss. The Autodoc had left the wound open to drain and covered it with a temporary bandage, but she could still smell the infection starting. She moaned sadly as she looked at her stricken mate. Kyle, she said softly. I'm here. I will take care of you. Don't be afraid. Sophie knew she had to do something about this wound, it smelled bad even though the Autodoc had stripped and bathed him, Sophie could still the stench of infection coming from the wound. She dripped more of the gel onto her fingers and gently applied it to Kyle's open wounds.
The wounds were deep, they just barely missed the bone. Her lip quivered as she gave a soft, shuddering moan. She was very thankful that the morphine the machine had given him was still working, keeping him from feeling pain, but she could feel the burning in his leg. As she applied the gel, she could feel the discomfort and the burning begin to abate. Kyle gave a soft, relieved sigh. Sophie moved to gently stroke Kyle's hair and hold his hand. He turned his head and opened his eyes.
Thank you, Sophie. She purred as she stroked his face.
I'm here my darling. She looked at the holographic readout of the Autodoc. His leg was highlighted, warning indicators pointing at his wounds. Kyle squeezed her hand.
I'm hungry. Sophie smiled and purred. She gave Kyle a quick kiss on the cheek before running off to the kitchen to get him something. She chose some warm chicken soup, as Kyle would need the protein to repair his damaged muscles. Sophie sat next to the Autodoc and fed Kyle from the bowl of soup.
What happened? What about those things? Sophie gave a soft grunt as she fed Kyle the soup.
I killed them, she replied, not about to lie. Kyle sighed softly.
All of them? Sophie gave a soft growl.
No, but enough we won't have to worry for a while. Kyle was relieved. Sophie quickly showed him what she had seen, and pieced everything together.
So, that's why the island was so cheap. It's also why we saw so few animals. Sophie gave a soft nod and positive as she fed Kyle another spoonful of soup.
They're nasty, vile, awful beasts. They kill and eat everything in sight, even each other, and they smell absolutely foul. Kyle winced a bit as he looked at the pilot's chair.
Sophie, can you bring me the PDA? I wanna look these things up. Sophie set the soup aside and fetched the tablet. Kyle used it to access the Ethernet and look up their enemy. Sophie gave a soft growl as they read the data.
The Serrex came from the planet Serrekos, and were, quite surprisingly, at almost the very bottom of the food chain. Because Serrekos was such a cold, arctic world, the Serrek had a type of oil in its flesh that helped to prevent it from freezing. They lived mainly in the ice forests, but there were some that lived in the tundra. They ate almost anything, being both hunters, and scavengers. They were preyed on by many of Serrekos' larger predators.
Sophie growled when she read about how badly-infected their bites and wounds became. Thankfully, she was able to smell the infection in Kyle's leg beginning to heal. She also was pleased to learn just how much Serrex hated heat. Since they came from such a cold world, and had that oil in them, they couldn't sweat. Sophie gave a surprised growl as she looked at Kyle.
That explains why they never came near the hotspring. When we reopened it, they didn't like the smell and the heat. Kyle gave a soft smile. He looked at the holo-screen of the Autodoc and gave a weary sigh. He deactivated the machine.
I don't want to stay in here, said Kyle. Sophie gave a positive as she gently and tenderly slid her arms under him and lifted him up. He snuggled closer against her as she carried him to their bed. By the time she reached the bed, Kyle was already asleep. She gave him a soft, tender kiss on the cheek as she carefully slid him under the sheets. She propped his leg up on some pillows before checking his wound again. As she lifted up the dressing, she was relieved that the smell of infection was much less, almost gone. As she stroked Kyle's hair, she could feel his fever was dropping. She purred with relief. Sophie brought up the holo-screen and looked up about the Serrex in the Zeraven mainframe.
She was shocked how much damage they had done. They had wiped out whole ecosystems. She was saddened to see a picture of a pretty, grassy island where the funny Tropocos birds used to nest in large numbers. Now, it was almost empty, a few feathers and bones here and there, but nothing else. The more she read, the more she hated those nasty things. They ate everything they could get their filthy little claws on. Birds, animals, fish, plants, nuts, fruits.
Sightings of Serrex required the notification of the Port Authorities and the Rangers. Sophie gave a soft growl. They would cross that bridge when they came to it. Right now, all that mattered was making sure Kyle was safe and warm and those nasty beasts stayed away. Sophie absently looked down at her arm where those nasty things had bitten her in the den. Even their young were dangerous. She had been bitten a lot by those nasty Serrek pups. They had quickly regretted the action, but it made her see just how dangerous they were. As she read, she was horrified how fast they bred. In a good year, a single pair of Serrex could have up to three-hundred offspring. She gave a growl as she saw more of the devastation they had wrought.
She smiled when she saw a picture of a bunch of the Celtic Tribesmen shooting at Serrex, doing their best to wipe them out. The Celts were some of the most adept at hunting the foul beasts. There was even a bounty for Serrex: ยข80 for a male, and an amazing forty Doubloons for a female. Sophie gave a grim grin as she remembered just how many Serrex she had killed. The females were even larger, and a lot more ferocious, Sophie could attest to that.
Because of the Serrex, the Tropocos, a silly, flightless bird that reminded people a lot of the Dodo, was in danger of extinction in the northern hemisphere of Zerichs II. Sophie gave a soft growl as she looked at the picture of the goofy birds. She gave a soft hiss as she remembered seeing birds like that at the lagoon. She closed the screen, made sure Kyle was tucked in and warm, and left to take a look.
XXX
Sophie gave a soft, mellow purr as she looked at their lagoon. The small waterfall of warm water from the hotspring flowed down the wall and onto the stones below and into the lagoon. Sure enough, there were not less than six pairs of Tropocos in small niches in the rocks, a little off from the ground. She looked into the water, and could see clams and a few other creatures in the water. There were even a few Albarr. Sophie gave a relieved hiss, knowing it was safe from those vile creatures. Sophie took the time to explore around the sea, and saw that, except for creatures like the Balwar, that nested in the cliffs, or things living in their lagoon, everything had been eaten by the Serrex. She could see where the nasty beasts had been eating shellfish where the creek flowed out to sea, shells littering the rocks and claw marks all over the rocks.
Sophie looked up and gave a soft growl as she saw a boat off in the distance. In the mists, a human would barely have seen it, but Sophie saw it quite clearly. It was sailing off towards the east somewhere. She was fairly sure they were just passing by. This boat, though, was different. Granted, it was far away, but it seemed much more simple. It didn't look like it was made of metal, or even wood. If she didn't know better, she thought it was made of leather. She gave a grunt as she returned to their ship, filing it away to think on later. There were much more pressing matters at hand.
For the next two days, Sophie divided her time between caring for Kyle, and taking steps to prevent the Serrex coming back to their side of the island.
She found the flow-gates for the hotspring, and pulled them out, increasing the flow of water. She also marked her scent on every tree, bush and vine she could find, telling them where her territory was, and if they wanted to keep their skins, they would stay out.
Speaking of skins, in researching the Serrex, in order to better understand her enemy, she had discovered that they had been first brought in order to be raised for their furs, which, once properly cleaned and the oils removed, were warm and soft. Sophie had grinned in a wide, toothy, feral grin as she read how skinning and tanning was done. Now, the Serrex had a new reason to be afraid.
XXX
It had been three days since Kyle had been attacked, but he was feeling a lot better. Sophie had been feeding him that gel, what she called Life-Jelly, on a daily basis. She also had used it on his leg and, to his surprise, had made a special bandage of silk. Kyle hadn't known Sophie could do that. Sophie had Kyle stay in bed and be comfortable whiled he healed, her helping him out to the bathroom when he needed.
Sophie was out cleaning the Serrek furs when the communicator of the ship began to beep. Kyle looked up from where he was reading in bed, surprised. It would take Sophie a while to get back, so he struggled out of bed and hobbled over to answer it. Sophie probably wouldn't be pleased. He sighed as he sat down in the pilot's chair and brought up the interface.
"Hello?" Kyle was surprised when a familiar face appeared on the screen.
"Kyle! Thank goodness you're safe," said Granny Rose, sounding relieved. Kyle couldn't help a smile seeing her and hearing her voice.
"We're okay, Granny."
"Where's Sophie? Is she all right?" Kyle smiled and nodded. She almost seemed to wilt with relief. "I'm glad you two are safe. When I heard which island you bought, I think I lost a few years." Kyle sighed softly as he rubbed his leg.
"We're safe at the moment, but we found out this island wasn't uninhabited," Kyle replied. Granny Rose looked even more worried.
"What happened?" Kyle told Granny Rose about the Serrex, and what Sophie had found in the deeper part of the forest. Granny Rose was aghast. "I'm just glad you two are safe. Kyle, the Brethren said they found some Serrex in the water near their island. Some were still alive." Kyle blinked in some confusion.
"'Brethren'?" Granny Rose nodded.
"The monks of Monks' Mountain Island. They're just to the east of you." She sighed as she looked at him through the comm-link. "Kyle, I have to tell the Port Authorities and the Rangers about this. Serrex have caused a lot of damage here, and we're trying to get rid of them." Kyle nodded his understanding. Granny Rose smiled softly. "I'll let the monks know, and some of them will be over as quick as they can. The Port Authorities are a little busy at the moment. Tell Sophie, so you two can be ready." Kyle smiled at her instructions.
"I will. Thanks, Granny." She smiled that warm, Grandmotherly smile at him.
"You two stay safe, dearies,"
XXX
The boat was not very big, but it was fast, hydroplaning on the water as it approached Eramore Island. Several figures were gathered on the deck of the small boat, one looking at the cliffs of the island with binoculars. The figure was robed in gray robes, a deep hood covering their head. All of the occupants of the boat wore the same robe.
"There!" said another man at the helm of the boat. The lagoon was visible in the side of the island. The robed figure adjusted the binoculars, zooming in in the lagoon. He could see the small waterfall, feeding into the lagoon.
They were surprised as they slid in to the lagoon. The water was warm, they could see all kinds of fish swimming in the water. The monks looked up, and almost couldn't believe what they were seeing. There were several nesting pairs of Tropocos just next to the lagoon. The monks muttered approvingly, with increasing excitement as they disembarked from the boat.
They all carried rifles and other weapons, as it was suicide to go unarmed into Serrek territory. One of the monks stooped and took a handful of the hot water that was flowing down into the lagoon.
"Water from a hotspring," the monk observed. There were delighted grins at this. They were surprised at the steps carved into the rock and Coralyte, leading them up, further into the cliffs. They emerged into a huge space, a Coralyte spire. The lead monk looked around with a flashlight, his rifle ready, should it be needed.
"There. There's their ship," said one of the monks. They looked through the vines into the small meadow beyond. A small ship was sitting in the grass.
As they moved across the meadow, they saw several wooden frames, fixed to rough wooden poles. Upon closer inspection, they found they were skins. Serrek skins and furs, drying. There also were several Serrek skulls up on poles as well.
They exchanged glances before moving up the ramp of the ship. The lead monk carefully knocked on the door.
"Sir Stone? We are monks of the Sacred Isle of Elesia. We have come to help you," the monk called out in a deep voice. The door hissed open.
"Hello, please come in," greeted the soft voice.
Kyle was sitting in a chair next to the bed, his leg propped up on a small stool. Behind him, they could see a figure sitting in the bed. The lighting was dim, and the figure was seated among pillows, so it was hard to make out the form. The monks recognized the Shamolese burnoose at once. A hand, covered by the burnoose, gently touched Kyle's arm. He smiled at the monks, who bowed politely, a gesture of respect and honor when in someone's home.
"Sir Stone, can you tell us what happened?" Kyle sighed and pulled up the right leg of his sweat pants, revealing the huge bandage with a tiny stain of blood on it.
"I found out this place had some pretty nasty surprises," Kyle said flatly. The monks muttered in angry tones at the harm that had been done. They glanced up at Kyle and the figure behind him. It was hard to tell what they were, but as long as they didn't intend harm, it didn't matter what they were. Kyle gave the lead monk a small disk. On it was all the video he took of the island on his visit, the man with the shuttle, "Jack" he had called himself, and the conversation with Bud, the land merchant. The monk gave a frown as he watched, his lower face visible under the hood.
The monk looked up from the screen of his PDA at Kyle.
"I'm terribly sorry about all of this. This man broke numerous laws, not to mention he endangered your lives," said the monk, clearly angry, but calm. The other monks looked grave and irritated as well. Kyle sighed softly as he frowned deeper.
"There's more," said Kyle, getting their attention.
They were angry when they first saw about the merchant and what he did, they were livid when they heard about the tree house in the forest. This was even more trouble, since this effectively turned it into a criminal, even a murder case. It also meant they had to call in the Zerichs II Rangers and the Constabulary back in Zeraven. They sent the data of the disk to the Constabulary in Zeraven, who immediately put out an APB and wanted notice for Bud and Jack, who were both in about as much trouble as they could possibly get into. The monks asked Kyle and his friend to stay in the ship and stay safe, which they were glad to do.
XXX
About an hour later, the monks returned
The lead monk sighed as he returned, looking even more troubled.
"We didn't see any more Serrex, but we did see Salamillion Blood Vines growing out by a small lake, which is just as troubling. They're no more native than the Serrex are," said the monk as he typed on his PDA, making a report. "We'll have to call in a Ranger burn team to get rid of them." Kyle smiled weakly, a bit dismayed.
"Ah, you mean those meat-eating plants?" The monk nodded.
"Yes. They're very dangerous, and have to be gotten rid of. You didn't see any more of them, did you?" Kyle shook his head. One of the monks chuckled darkly.
"There were a few Serrex caught in them. It looked like they were running from something," said the monk. The being behind Kyle gave a soft rumble, a deep purr, seeming amused.
They were surprised when the lead monk's PDA beeped. He tapped the screen, the glow of the small device revealing more of his features under his hood. He gave a soft gasp as he read. He looked up at Kyle and his companion, his face gone tight, his eyes worried.
"I deeply apologize, but there's an emergency; food and water are needed. Another incident. We would humbly request to harvest fish from the waters around your island? The Creble will be running soon in the Eramore Current," asked the lead monk. Kyle blinked, startled and somewhat confused. His robed companion stroked his hair and gave a deep purr that was almost inaudible.
"Uh, yes. Yes, of course. Just be careful. I haven't seen any more Serrex, but there's still some skulking around, somewhere." The lead monk nodded before pulling back his hood.
His head was shaved, with the exception of a long lock of braided, pale-blonde hair on the left side of his head. He was old enough to have some wrinkles on his face, but not as much that he looked as old as Granny Rose.
"Thank you. Your kindness will help many. My name is Shaun. If ever you should need any help, you have only to ask." With that, Shaun and the other monks left.
Sophie moaned as she stroked Kyle's hair.
"Incident"? I wonder what happened, Sophie mused. Kyle lightly shook his head as he stroked Sophie's hand under her burnoose.
I don't know. And I wonder what these "Creble" are, Kyle wondered. Sophie grasped the PDA and handed it to him. A quick search showed them.
Creble were something between a crab and a jellyfish. They migrated every year, often in huge numbers. As luck would have it, they migrated in the currents that flowed right alongside Eramore island. Sophie gave a soft trill, fascinated.
They look tasty, Sophie mused. Kyle smiled softly as he reached into her hood and stroked her face lovingly.
Good thing you got rid of the Serrex near the river. If they got down there and ate enough of these Creble things, they'd start breeding. Sophie growled, remembering reading about the Serrex, and how their breeding cycle was tied to how much food they ate.
XXX
It was almost sundown when the monks returned to Kyle and Sophie's ship. Brother Shaun showed them a picture of the boat, loaded with many barrels of fresh water and crates filled with Creble.
"We thank you for your kindness and generosity, and apologize for intruding into your home." Kyle smiled softly and held up his hand.
"No, you're not intruding at all," replied Kyle. Sophie crooned her agreement. Kyle looked up at her and smiled. "She agrees. You're welcome here." Brother Shaun smiled and bowed, as did the other monks.
"Effrandarlan. We thank you, from the depths of our souls. We will return with the Rangers as soon as we can, and do what we can to rid your island of these vicious pests." With that, the monks left. Sophie moaned softly as she stroked Kyle's hair.
They're nice people, said Sophie, carefully gauging the smells and intentions of the monks. Kyle agreed as they watched from the ramp of their ship as the monks left. Sophie glanced up as the sun was setting. Let's go in, said Sophie as she gently wrapped her arm around Kyle's waist, helping him stand and keep weight off his tender right leg. As soon as they closed the door, Sophie scooped Kyle into her arms and carried him over to the bed, gently setting him in with extreme care and tenderness.
"Thank you, Sophie," he said softly. Sophie purred as she carefully slid Kyle's leg under the covers.
You're welcome, Kyle. She removed her burnoose and set it aside before climbing into bed, snuggling against him, almost curling around him, her tail gently sliding under his leg to support it as she draped her arms over him protectively. He smiled as he kissed her on the cheek. She thrummed as she stroked his hair.
"I'd be lost without you." She crooned as she nuzzled him.
I'm always here, Kyle. Sophie's always here. He smiled as he settled down, held tenderly against her, knowing there was no safer place than Sophie's warm, tender embrace. Sophie thrummed softly and gently, a sweet lullaby as her beloved mate drifted off to sleep. She stroked his hair, kissing his cheek softly as she pulled the blankets around them.
No matter what, Sophie would always be there for him, always protect him. She gently stroked his hair with her long, obsidian-black fingers, her silvery claws brushing his hair with supreme gentleness and care. The roles might be different among humans, but no human male was as strong as she was. That was just the way it was. Even so, it in no way made Kyle any less of a male, or her less of a female. Any beings in an inter-species relationship would have to understand and accept that the norms of their society might not apply. The book, To Love Man, had said as much. She smiled tenderly as she felt Kyle's soft breath against her neck and felt his sleepy mind. She kissed his forehead gently as she laced the fingers of her mind with his, letting him pull her into sleep with him.
XXX
It was three days before the monks contacted them again. Kyle was able to limp over and answer the call without Sophie's help, and with relatively little pain. Kyle couldn't help a smile when he saw the face of Brother Shaun.
"Mr. Stone, I have brought the Rangers, as I promised. We will land in the field where your ship is," said Brother Shaun as Sophie entered the ship and pulled her burnoose on.
"Thank you for telling me. You're welcome to land," Kyle replied. Sophie gave a soft purr as she touched Kyle's shoulder as he closed the comm-link.
The ship that touched down was a little bigger than Kyle and Sophie's ship was. It was painted several shades of gray, and had the symbol of the Zerichs Rangers emblazoned on the side: a gold, five-pointed star with a rifle in the center and a leaf on top of the rifle. The ship hissed as it landed, but it didn't power down. The ramp dropped down and Brother Shaun appeared with several monks and a man in green clothes and a broad-brimmed hat, which Kyle assumed to be a Ranger. They were surprised when two Shamolenes came down the ramp, also wearing the same green hat. It was actually a little funny to see Shamolenes wearing a hat, with holes cut for their feelers. Both the Shamolenes carried weapons. Kyle recognized one as a flamethrower, the other was a Shamolene heavy-rifle. The Ranger approached and offered his hand.
"I'm Hernon, Zerichs Rangers," said Hernon as he shook Kyle's hand. He even shook Sophie's hand, although she kept it covered by the sleeves of her burnoose.
"Nice to meet you," Kyle replied. He told Hernon the long and short of what happened and what they found. Hernon grew more and more troubled as he listened. He adjusted his hat, scratching his hair as he frowned.
"This is a real mess. I'm sorry you got put through this. We have to take a look and assess. Can you tell me where this tree house was?" Kyle was able to point on Hernon's PDA to where Sophie had found the house, and the clearing where they had been attacked. The Shamolenes approached, their feelers twitching as they twittered and chirped in their own language. Kyle was startled to see one of them was a female.
Whoa. Those Serrex are in for a world of hurt, Kyle mentally mused, seeing the flamethrower the female Shamolene held. Sophie gave a soft, amused purr.
Another female hunter of my enemy is always welcome. The female Shamolene looked at Sophie and softly nodded, as if feeling her intent. Kyle noticed that Brother Shaun and the other monks were preparing various unknown objects.
"You're going with them?" Kyle asked. Brother Shaun frowned from where he was stirring something that smelled like some sort of incense in a small copper pot.
"There are remains in those woods. People who died. We will give them a proper burial, and see to it their kin are notified," said Brother Shaun as he finished mixing. The other monks nodded. Kyle's eyes were downcast.
"Yeah. Poor folks," said Kyle softly. Sophie moaned as she put her hand on his shoulder. He was surprised when the female Shamolene gently placed her hand on his head, her crest twitching. They might not have understood her language, but Sophie understood her pheromones, and her intent.
She's saying not to blame yourself, said Sophie. Kyle looked at the Shamolene Ranger and smiled. She chirped in response before turning and heading back to the ship with the rest.
"We shall return to inform you what we found," said Brother Shaun before boarding the Ranger ship. They watched as the ship took off and headed for the western side of the island.
XXX
It was about three hours later when Hernon contacted Kyle and Sophie.
"Hernon here. It was worse than we thought. Just a guess, but it looks like this happened twenty years ago, maybe more." Kyle sighed softly as Sophie stood next to him in her burnoose, stroking his hair reassuringly, her mind comforting him as much as she could.
"She said she found children," said Kyle. Hernon sighed heavily.
"Worse," Kyle stared at the screen. He was shocked when a tear streamed down the Ranger's cheek. "There were Milurians."
XXX
Kyle felt like someone had hit him in the stomach as he and Sophie walked down the ramp of their ship. Hernon had landed the ship in the meadow after returning from their investigation.
Brother Shaun was standing over several covered bundles, swinging a censer of incense back and forth, chanting in a language Kyle had never heard. The other monks were slowly walking in a circle around him, chanting, their heads bowed. Hernon stood near his ship, typing on his PDA, but unable to hide his anguish. The Shamolenes were making a sound like a rising and falling trill, that almost sounded like singing. Kyle and Sophie approached.
"How many?" Kyle asked. Hernon sighed heavily.
"Seven," replied the Ranger. The Shamolenes chirped sadly. Hernon put his PDA away and looked at Kyle and Sophie. "This 'Bud' and his friend are in deep trouble." Hernon glanced to Brother Shaun and the monks, performing their rites. "They may not have had anything to do with the deaths of these people directly, but they are responsible, nevertheless." He looked at Kyle and Sophie. "They also are responsible for your injury, as well as endangering both of your lives." Hernon crossed his arms as the Shamolenes hissed softly. "At the very least, they're guilty of fraudulent business practices, for selling an island they knew was inhabited with dangerous creatures." Hernon gave the tiniest of smiles. "I'm pretty sure the Constabulary can get your money back." At this, Sophie hissed. Hernon blinked in surprise as Kyle glanced up at Sophie.
"Thank you, but we're not leaving," Kyle stated firmly. Even the Shamolenes looked surprised.
"I came from Berren Prime, where nothing green grew at all. This is my first home. Our home. Serrex or no, I love this place." Hernon stared at Kyle for a long moment, before giving a soft chuckle as the Shamolenes chirped and twittered.
"I don't think that will be too much of a problem. But you still are owed your money, by law. 'Let the buyer beware' doesn't fly around here," said Hernon. Sophie gave a soft purr at this. Hernon typed on his PDA for a few moments. Kyle gently stroked Sophie's hand as she rested it on his shoulder.
"As long as we can keep our lovely home, I don't care," Kyle replied, earning a grin from Hernon and chirps from the Shamolenes. They looked up as Brother Shaun approached.
"It is clearly evident these poor souls died a good many years ago. A tragedy, borne of greed," said Brother Shaun. He looked at Kyle and smiled softly. "We shall do everything we can to make sure their kin are found and notified, and they will be given a proper burial and rites on our island." Sophie purred gently at the monk's words. Hernon smiled gently at this as the monks carefully placed the remains on travois of carved wood and carried them into Hernon's ship. Hernon watched the monks for a moment before turning to Kyle and Sophie.
"Well, that covers it for now. I have to go and make my report in Zeraven and drop the monks off. We'll contact you when we send out a team to deal with the vines and what's left of the Serrex. Until then, stay on this side of the island, and don't go anywhere alone, either of you," he said as he looked at them. Kyle smiled and Sophie gave a growling purr.
As Hernon turned to go into his ship, Sophie gave a sudden growl.
"Wait a minute," said Kyle. They stopped as Sophie ran back to the Talon. "We have something we want to give you, as thanks." Sophie returned in short order, carrying a stack of furs. Hernon stared as Sophie offered several with a trill. As the surprised Ranger took the furs, he inhaled deeply.
"Oh my god. Is that . . .Ebelon blossoms?" Kyle blinked and scratched his head as the surprised monks approached.
"Uh, if you mean the plants that smell like lemon, then yeah." Hernon almost fell over at that.
"I can't believe it! Ebelon is very rare! We thought it was extinct!" Kyle grinned at this.
"You could've fooled us. We've got close to an acre of it growing by the hotspring!" Everyone stared at them as Sophie purred. Hernon shook his head, looking close to tears.
"Ebelon is used to make medicines, including for Scabulous Disease," said Brother Shaun, looking surprised, and amused. They were surprised when Sophie took off into the woods as fast as she could in her burnoose. She returned a few short minutes later with an Ebelon root that was a good three feet long. The monks muttered in awe and the Shamolenes chirped and twittered, their feelers waving back and forth in happiness. Sophie handed the root to the female Shamolene. Hernon looked like he was about to die from shock.
"I . . . can't believe it. It's so big. My god. This could make so much medicine," Hernon breathed as he gazed at the large, fragrant root. He looked at Kyle as Sophie put her hands on his shoulders, purring deeply. "We can't take this. Under the law, we have to have permission and-"
"Which you have. From me, and her," Kyle swiftly replied, Sophie nodding her hooded head. The monks talked among themselves for a moment. Brother Shaun looked at Hernon.
"He's right. People need medicine and this single root would provide it easily for thousands," said Brother Shaun. Kyle nodded as he gave Brother Shaun a stack of Serrek furs.
"For your help," said Kyle as Sophie purred her agreement. Brother Shaun smiled as he ran his hand appreciatively across the silky fur and buttery-soft leather.
"Serrek fur is warm and resists water and snow. These would make fine coats for people who need warm clothing." He looked at Kyle and Sophie, the gratitude clear in his eyes. Brother Shaun bowed, as did the other monks. "We thank you, from the depths of our souls." Hernon gave a shuddering breath at it all.
"Boy, I'm going to have one hell of a report to write," he mused as the Shamolenes stored the furs and Ebelon root in the ship. Sophie purred as she wrapped her arms around Kyle lovingly.
"You also have our permission to come and gather more of them, if you need. Just let us know, first," said Kyle. Hernon gave a wry chuckle.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. First, I have to call in a team to take care of those blood vines and the rest of the Serrex. After that, I wouldn't be surprised if Eramore is labeled a Preserve." With that, Hernon, the Shamolenes and the monks boarded the craft and took off. Sophie hugged Kyle and purred.
I hope some good comes from all this, Kyle mused. Sophie stroked his hair as she picked him up and carried him back to the Talon.
It will. Right now, let's just focus on being comfortable and you healing, said Sophie as she closed the door behind her. Sophie hissed softly as she thought. Perhaps, when you are a bit better, my love, you and I could make your seafood stew? Her mind began to fill with images of the delicious pale-pumpkin colored dish she so loved. In her mind, the chunks of Albarr, prawns, shrimp, tomatoes, minced herbs, floating in the spicy seafood bisque as Kyle named it. She could hardly wait, her senses twitching, thinking of the spicy fragrance of pepper sauce.
Kyle's laughter echoed in Sophie's mind: We have all the necessary ingredients, if you go swimming this afternoon? The reply was a strong, but gentle hug as she purred happily, knowing she had the best mate in the whole cosmos.
Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to all of my fans who have been kind enough to donate, and help me keep my home and support my disabled mother.
Thank you all.
-CelfwrDderwydd