A/N: Thanks to those of you that left reviews or PMs. Much appreciated.
And thanks to MarkeyDeSad for the beta, once again.
Chuck and S'ra are returning to their home in Sanklin city…
Exo
Chapter 10: Decisions
The flight back didn't seem as long as the flight out to Chuck. That wasn't surprising. On the way, he been so frantic wanting to rescue S'ra. Thinking they may be too late.
He tightened his hug around S'ra. Now he had her with him. This perfect woman who amazingly loved him as much he loved her.
S'ra correctly guessed his mood. She hugged him back. "You saved me. I don't think anyone else could do what you did."
"Any man would do everything he could to save the love of his life," he replied.
"Maybe, but not what you achieved."
He couldn't argue with that although that wasn't him, but the fact that he came from a different planet. He just pulled her around into a kiss which she happily returned.
Finally brought out of his musings, Chuck paid attention to the landscape they were passing over. Although much of the land was covered in the same moss he had walked across, there were the forests and rivers and, in the distance that they were heading toward, larger bodies of water. He'd not experienced rain since being here, but there must be at least showers. He looked up at the sky and saw no clouds.
That led to him receiving a lesson in seasons and how this planet's environment worked. Along the way, he learned new words for rainfall, clouds, wind and even seasons themselves.
"So, the weather is completely seasonal? Dependent on the distance from your sun?"
"Is it not like that on Urth?" S'ra asked.
"Yes, but it can rain at any time. And the winds exist all the time, not just in one season." He looked up seeking the moons. "Our moon drives some of that. Are you saying yours don't have any effect on the environment?"
"No. That must be very strange," she replied.
He chuckled. What he thought normal, wasn't here. "Just another difference between our planets, I guess."
They also discussed regional variations. There wasn't very much until fairly close to the poles, where ice dominated the region. He tried to describe desert and tropical environments, but S'ra just shuddered at the thought of them. When he described the environmental forces that sometimes affected several regions on Earth, she was horrified.
"So, you have the tidal waves, tornados, hurricanes and even eruptions from the ground destroying the land and the homes of people?"
He added earthquakes at that point.
She shook her head at these thoughts. "Sounds like your moon must be a destructive force. Earth sounds a terrible place."
That wasn't the impression he'd been trying to give. "It's not like that everywhere."
"Why do people stay in the places where it is?"
He wasn't really the best person to answer that, but described how people didn't move that often and large migrations always caused problems.
"You must have too many people," she concluded.
He didn't disagree with that. He was sure, however, that he hadn't represent the people of his world very well.
They stopped discussing this and watched the sea approach. Seeing all the boats on it, he asked about fishing. It seemed that it was very similar to that on Earth, but there wasn't the difference between rivers and lakes and the oceans on Earth. "You have two types of water?" S'ra was surprised. "The only difference here, is the size of the fish in the two. Those in rivers are smaller."
She explained the different fish they ate. The best fish were from the seas, much as on Earth, he thought, hence all the boats out there fishing for them.
"Some of the larger ones are too much for us, both to eat and to catch. There are often tales of boats being eaten whole by Krattaks. Although no one has seen one for many years."
He shuddered at the thought of something that large and frightening.
They eventually passed the seas and could see the city in the distance. From this direction, it looked as it had before.
"The horde will probably be mostly on the other side, so we can't see them from here," S'ra told him. She was getting tense as they approached.
However, as they got closer, they could see a purple mass near the edge of the city and some disturbance there.
"Are those the winged beasts, xynth, above the horde?" he asked.
"Yes, the Frakku can control them somehow. They provide aerial attack." He was shocked. She added, "The one that brought me down wasn't being controlled. It was too far from the horde. That was what caught me out as I wasn't expecting it to attack."
"We need to avoid them as we arrive, then," Chuck said,
"Yes." S'ra turned to Durban. "I assume you will sweep to the right to avoid them."
"That's right." Durban had already started doing that, she noticed.
As they got closer, more of the horde came around into view. Chuck borrowed Durban's spy glass and looked at them.
The creatures were humanoid, but their skin color ranged from a bright purple to a darker shade. He couldn't see their eyes as none faced his way, but most had slathering maws with what looked like very sharp teeth. Their claws looked terrifying too. Interestingly, most worn similar clothing to what S'ra had crated for Chuck on their journey, so in spite of their behavior there must be some intelligence here.
He also noticed some holding back and ordering the others. So, there was some sort of hierarchy in place, maybe with more intelligent ones in charge. To Chuck, this didn't seem like a horde mentality but an orderly military offense.
They had nearly reached the city when one of those leaders snapped his head around and stared up at them. Chuck had this creature in view when it did that. The malevolence was expected, but the intelligence was very clear. It was evaluating them.
It shouted out orders and Chuck had to pan back to see three other creatures of similar ilk focus on them as well. He noticed movement in the upper part of his vision and adjusted his viewing. He saw three xynth swing away from the city and start flying toward their flier. He shouted that out to S'ra and Durban.
Durban adjusted their flight path, but it was clear that he wouldn't be able to avoid the creatures.
S'ra reached for the spears they had with them, handing two to Chuck while keeping hold of two for herself. They both already had pistols in their belts, as had Durban. Chuck also had a blade strapped to his back, as had thought that may also be necessary.
As the first xynth approached, slightly ahead of the other two, Chuck hurled a spear at it. If someone from this planet had tried that, the throw would have fallen short or lacked power by the time it reached the creature. However, Chuck's throw was both true and powerful when it hit the beast's head.
The head was mostly protected by a thick carapace. Unless the jaw opened, only the narrow slits of its eyes were vulnerable. However, the power behind Chuck's throw caused it to cut through that carapace as if it wasn't there. The creature died instantly and plummeted to the ground.
He reached down to grab another of the spears and threw that at the one to the right of the pair that were flying parallel to each other. This spear did not hit the creature's head as the throw wasn't as accurate. Instead, it hit the left shoulder of the creature and into the chest behind. That took the creature's right wing out of action and it couldn't keep flying, and it plunged rapidly from the sky, plowing into the ground below.
He was reaching for his pistol, when he heard S'ra shoot at the last one, which was now much closer.
Her aim was true and the bullet hit its right eye and pieced its brain. The creature dropped just in front of their flier.
No other threats came their way as they flew over the city walls to relative safety.
As they landed at the airfield, some of the military approached. One of the men obviously recognized S'ra and asked her to join them and the commanders.
Durban stayed to secure the flier and to then report to his commander, so they bid farewell to him and followed the other men.
S'ra and Chuck were brought to the same location as before to see Commander Thrace. There were fewer of his general with him, but soldiers were rushing in and out with news and to seek guidance from the ones that were there.
Thrace looked up at them. "The governor told us that you were returning." He looked at Chuck with more respect than before. "Thank you for rescuing her."
Chuck was more confident in front of him now. "Thank you, but it was for purely selfish reasons."
That made Thrace smile. "So, I hear." He looked at both. "I also hear that you brought down three of those xynth in order to get here."
"Yes. Chuck hit two with spears and I managed to shoot one down, just."
"Impressive," the commander said. "I knew you were good, S'ra. It seems you chose the same in your partner."
She grinned at her boyfriend. "I did."
"The horde and the xynth are controlled by more intelligent Frakku," Chuck said.
"We hadn't realized that until recently," Thrace told them.
"If we take those out, this attack may just peter out," Chuck added. He used the English word 'peter' so, in case the meaning wasn't clear, he added, "Stop it."
"Indeed, are you suggesting you do that?"
.S'ra was going to argue, but Chuck replied. "With fliers we could do that. We would have to clear the xynth but with small fast fliers swooping in and accurate shooting, I think we could do it."
"We have been thinking the same," Thrace said. He looked at S'ra. "A flier like you with your partner would be of great help with this."
She didn't look happy but had to acknowledge that was correct.
"Go and visit your parents, who I understand were frantic when you were taken. Reassure them, get some rest, if you need it, then report for duty."
Chuck felt dismissed and that was the case.
S'ra was silent on the journey to her parents. Chuck knew she was unhappy with his suggestion but also knew it was the right thing to do, so he said nothing.
The reception they both got from her parents was enthusiastic, to say the least. Over a meal, they had to recount the events that had occurred.
Garron looked at Chuck at the end. "Thank you for saving our daughter. You are definitely the right man for her."
"Thank you, Garron," Chuck replied. "I would do anything for your daughter."
He had to stop at that point as S'mia had come around the table to give him a hug. S'ra watched happily. Her own hug had happened as soon as they entered the home.
"So, Gralik has been imprisoned?" Garron asked.
"Yes," S'ra answered.
"Too good for him," her father grumbled.
"It was hard on his parents, even though they ordered it," Chuck said.
The older couple nodded, imagining S'ra being locked up, never to be seen again.
"We are going to head back to my place and get some sleep," S'ra told her parents. She looked at her boyfriend. "Then, we are on duty.".
S'mia gasped. "You're not in the fight are you?"
S'ra shook her head. "No. We're on flight attack." She got Chuck to describe what they would be doing.
Both of her parents looked worried, but Chuck could see pride in Garron's eyes too. So, he said, "They needed the best involved and that's S'ra."
They left shortly after that.
"I'm sorry I pushed you into something you didn't want to do," Chuck said after they got to what he now regarded as home.
She sat them both down. "I'm not upset at me going out there. I expected that. It's my job. What I wasn't happy about was you going too." She held his gaze. "I'm terrified of losing you, Chuck, after what happened."
He held her hands and replied, "I am of you, but you're the best flier, I'm told, so I feel safe going up there. Besides, then I can make sure that the woman I love is safe. If I didn't go, I'd just be thinking I was going to lose you."
They embraced. Neither could really say anything else. However, she thought that he was right about them being together out there. Each would do everything they could for the other. She guessed that that was what love meant.
Shortly after that, they went to bed. They didn't sleep straight away, but made love first, and both clung to each other afterward.
The five fliers took off together. Two slightly larger ones had two armed men in addition to the flyer. The others, including the one S'ra was flying, just had one. Apparently, all the men were expert marksmen. Chuck had been supplied with a rifle in addition to a large set of spears. He also had a blade strapped to his back, like before.
They made short work of the xynth that attacked them. The first four came individually, so, were quite easy to dispatch. S'ra told Chuck to let the others take these and for him to try to spot the controller for each. He did each time and directed her where to go.
For the first one, Chuck found it quite frightening hurling down toward the mass of purple bodies. He was leaning forward, assessing when to hurl his spear, which he preferred to the rifle. The Frakku realized what was happening quite late and scrambled to escape. Chuck's spear hit it where S'ra told him the heart lay, but it wasn't really that important. As she swooped back up, they left a creature upright, but also pinned to the ground. The spear had passed almost vertically through its body. Chuck was reminded of the vicar's death scene in the first Omen movie.
The next two were also taken out by Chuck and S'ra, with one of the other teams shooting a fourth Frakku.
Chuck was mindful of the fact that each of the ones they had killed were probably less senior as they controlled the xynth. He wanted to take out one of the ones controlling them. He scanned the area below and saw a solitary Frakku observing them. He directed S'ra to fly that way.
This Frakku knew exactly what they planned and obviously ordered others to command xynth to attack while it escaped.
What followed was a series of xynth and Frakku attacks. Some Frakku threw spears but these were less effective as they had to throw them up into the sky and gravity was against them. However, Chuck saw one of the men in a three-person flier killed.
In addition to taking out flying and controlling beasts, Chuck was keeping an eye on that more senior Frakku and when he and S'ra got a respite, albeit brief, he told her where to fly.
The Frakku was desperately trying to avoid them and got others to hurl their spears up but S'ra weaved her way through them. Killing that Frakku was more satisfying that the others, somehow.
The less intelligent ones seemed to lose all focus at that point.
.They didn't spot another of these horde leaders after that, probably because they knew they were targets and hid well. However, the team killed dozens of xynth and their controllers.
After a couple of hours, S'ra was tiring and Chuck suspected the other teams were too so he gave the signal to return to the city.
As they landed, Chuck took stock of the rest of the team. They had lost two of the attackers and one of the fliers near the end, but his man could also fly so they hadn't lost the craft.
Chuck was obviously saddened at the loss of these men, but the result of what the team had done was impressive.
The eight remaining men and S'ra were taken to the commander and praised for what they had achieved. Thrace was obviously impressed with their achievements, particularly Chuck and S'ra taking out one of the leaders. "We need to identify those and target them," he said.
"I think that may be difficult now they know our ariel tactic," S'ra said.
"We should use firebombs," one of the generals said.
There were gasps around the room.
"Is that a problem?" Chuck asked.
"The moss is very flammable. The fire would be hard to control and may impact us," Thrace told him. "But it might come to that."
Do you have acid that can destroy what it hits?" Chuck asked. He had to explain what acid was before anyone could answer. One of the scientist present confirmed that they had.
"And could you house that in containers for us to take up in the fliers that would break open on hitting the ground?" The scientist confirmed that too.
Chuck turned to Thrace. "I think we have something to drop on them. If we see more densely packed groups of Frakku, they are probably hiding their leaders, so we target them."
Chuck's suggestion was approved and the scientist rushed away to secure the containers and the acid. That would be ready in sufficient number in two days' time.
The fliers and attack crew were given leave to rest until then.
Chuck and S'ra did sleep to recharge their batteries, as Chuck described it. However, their lovemaking filled a lot of the time. Exploring each other's bodies for most of the second day. They did eat. to fuel their bodies to continue their lovemaking.
When they discussed sex in their previous relationships, both admitted that they weren't very experienced, but they more than made up for it with their enthusiasm. And they were becoming more and more experienced. Both now knew what excited the other and what made the experience the best. Each strove to do exactly that for the others.
They also talked about their life together and how they wanted it to proceed.
"Currently, I just want to survive this attack. Maybe remove this Frakku threat for all," S'ra told him.
"I think that is possible now," Chuck replied.
"I do, too," she said. "Thanks to you."
"I think your scientists would have worked it out," he replied. He certainly didn't want to take all the credit for it.
"I disagree," she said, with a look of adoration playing in her soft smile. "I think my boyfriend is a hero."
He felt very uncomfortable with that. So, he decided to get off that topic. "What about after? What then?"
"I want to be with you," she replied, certain of that.
He decided he had to suggest things to do. "I'd like to explore your world with you."
This wasn't something she had thought about and she explained why. "Most of the planet has been mapped out, but other people do not go out, except to reach specific destinations."
"Why?" he asked, quite surprised.
She frowned. "Why would they? What would it achieve?"
He looked at her blankly not understanding this way of thinking. "For knowledge."
S'ra didn't understand his quest for knowledge. "We just learn what we need for our jobs," she explained. "The scientists do what you describe and I guess invent things, but the rest of us don't."
"Would you go with me? Exploring?" he asked with some trepidation.
"If that is what you wanted to do," she replied.
Chuck found her lack of interest saddening, but hoped that would change when they did actually go..
There was another topic that he desperately wanted to understand. Basically, he wanted to know how to propose marriage, or whatever they called it here. He could ask her in general terms about her parents, but decided not to do that. He would ask her mother or the governor's wife. He just had to find time away from S'ra to do it.
The following day, the team went to the military base once again. They were joined by some replacements for their dead comrades.
The scientist they had seen before had brought examples of their 'acid bomb' as it was being called.
Chuck was surprised at how small it was and mentioned that.
The scientist, a woman, whose name was Rak'sed, explained, "This will disperse on impact. The acid will burn anything within fifty feet. Nothing will survive."
Chuck was surprised. "So, this small device, that one of us could easily hold and throw, will kill all Frakku within fifty feet of where it lands?" Rak'sed nodded.
This brought home to Chuck what they were planning to do, basically carpet bombing, but aiming at specific targets rather than using unguided bombs. Was that obliteration bombing, he wondered. Whatever it was labeled, it felt like genocide. He turned to the commander. "Wiping them out completely seems terrible."
Thrace looked at him. "Do you know what they did to our outlying villages?"
Chuck shook his head.
Thrace described how the Frakku swept through the villages and farm land leaving nothing alive behind them. "We will just be doing what they plan to do to us if they get into the city."
Thrace turned back to the scientist. "How many of these bombs have you created?"
"A hundred so far, but we will continue production if that is insufficient," she replied.
Chuck calculated the area that would cover. "if we have some overlap, there should be more than enough."
Thrace looked at Rak'sed. "Make more in case we don't get them all. I want to eradicate all the Frakku that know about us."
Chuck frowned. "Wouldn't it be better to have some escape to warn others to avoid coming here?"
Thrace considered that. "Very well, but not many." Turning back to the scientist. "Make more."
She nodded.
"Send what you have to the airfield," Chuck suggested.
Rak'sed smiled. "It's already there. You just have to load them onto your flyers."
Ten other men walked in at that point. "More fliers seemed appropriate," Thrace said.
Chuck replied, "So if we take thirty of these acid-bombs each on our first flights out, we will have twenty more for a second sweep." He explained to the newcomers what they needed to do.
Within an hour, they were climbing into loaded fliers.
S'ra and Chuck were going to drop the first bomb, but all were ready to follow, working in a grid formation to ensure coverage.
The Frakku sent xynth out to intercept them, so these had to be killed first, then Chuck threw the first bomb into the center of a large mass of Frakku. They all watched it drop with their breath held. It must have hit one of the Frakku rather than the ground, but the result was the same.
In seconds, all life, Frakku or moss, had disappeared from the area described by the scientist. Knowing what it would do and seeing it in action were two quite different things. This was shocking.
It threw the Frakku into a panic. This was probably a combination of what had happened and the loss of one of the controlling leaders. They started to scatter away from the area. Chuck felt sickened at what they were doing but knew it was necessary. He signaled to start the drops.
In an hour, all that was left of the Frakku were the ones fleeing. The fliers were empty of bombs, so they returned and reloaded.
To Chuck, this still felt like geocide, but he had to remind himself of what the purple creatures would have done if they had gotten into the city.
They allowed about fifty Frakku who were scattered across the plain to escape. Chuck got S'ra to fly close enough to them. He wanted to check for intelligence, but the absolute fear displayed by the creatures would have masked that anyway.
When she landed back at the airfield, Chuck felt even more sick about what he had done, S'ra could see it and held him close.
They reported to the commander who was obviously delighted. The governor was there as well. Praid also congratulated them. "You have saved our city. Twenty men have done that."
"Twenty-three," Chuck was quick to correct. "We lost three men yesterday, but they were part of it, too."
Praid nodded. "There will be celebrations across the city today. but we will hold one at my residence in two days, to honor you all."
The exhausted twenty left to recover.
S'ra knew Chuck would struggle. In fact, after how he had been when he first arrived, she was surprised he had done as well as he had.
He didn't feel like attending any celebration, basically street parties, that day, so after visiting her parents, they went back to their home.
He didn't feel up to sex with the mood he was in and, she wasn't either. All that death and destruction they had dispensed, did not make her feel like the intimacy. She did insist on holding him when they went to sleep, though.
Unsurprisingly, he had nightmares and she woke and held him whenever that happened. She basically got very little sleep, but she didn't begrudge him at all. In her eyes, Chuck was the one who had saved the city. She and the others just followed his lead.
S'ra knew it would be a heavy burden for him as he had told her he had not been a soldier back on Urth. She vowed to herself to try and help him anyway she could. After all this was the man she wanted to marry and with whom she wanted to have children
The following morning, both were even more exhausted. S'ra needed to get them some provisions and Chuck didn't feel like shopping. She didn't want to leave him on his own, so she took him to her parents' home. He was comfortable with that. She thought she detected some eagerness, but decided that didn't match his mood, so dismissed it.
"I will be back in an hour," she told him.
He nodded. Her mother was fussing over him, so she knew he was safe.
Once S'ra had left Chuck tried to get himself in order.
S'mia noticed his different behavior. "Do you need anything, Chuck?"
He looked at her. "I need some information," he replied.
She frowned. "I may not know it. You girlfriend or her father would know more. He's out too. Can it not wait?"
He shook his head. "You will know this."
She sat with him and waited for him to ask this thing that he thought she would know. When he spoke, she was shocked initially, but then very happy.
"I don't know how people here become husband and wife. I want that with S'ra. Can you tell me how, so I don't break any customs."
She walked over to him and embraced him without saying anything for a minute. Then, she sat back and looked at him. He could see tears in her eyes.
"You have changed her life already, Chuck. I have never seen her as happy as she is with you." She took hold of his hands. "You propose to her." She described their customs. It was very similar to what he was used to on Earth, just without rings. The wedding service was similar too, but without any religion involved and, again, no rings.
Chuck wondered why there was no religion, but had to just accept it for now.
"I want to do this as soon as I can," he told her. "Do I need your or Garron's permission?"
She smiled at that quant Earth custom. "Not specifically, but telling us beforehand, is good. You've done that with me and I will tell Garron. When you marry, because of who you are, and we are for that matter, Praid will perform the service."
Chuck felt like his life was coming together that bit more. As long as S'ra agreed. He didn't think she would decline, knowing how she felt about him, but his old insecurities made him acknowledge that.
S'mia could see that in him struggling with his doubts. "There is no doubt in my mind. She will say yes."
He gave her a very relieved smile. "Thank you."
She thought about what they had done for the city. "There will probably be a festival when you two marry," she told him.
He was horrified by that thought. She smiled. "You need to get used to your new standing here, Chuck. You are the people's savior, after all."
He tried to argue that but she would have none of it.
They were having a drink when S'ra returned to collect him. S'mia had difficulty keeping silent as they left, S'ra wondered what Chuck had said to make her mother so happy.
Once they had unpacked the provisions she had bought and put it away, Chuck decided there was no point delaying things. He made them both drinks and took them into their living area, what he regarded as a living room.
Once S'ra had sat down, he knelt in front of her. She frowned wondering what he was doing.
"I am going to mix customs from my home with yours, S'ra." He took hold of her hands. "I can't imagine living without you. You are all that I want… on two planets. Will you make me even happier than I already am and become my wife?"
She knew how he felt about her, but hadn't expected this. However, it was an easy question to answer. "YES!" She declared. She knelt down with him. "I assume this kneeling is a custom from Urth, so I am doing it too."
He grinned. "I think it is because the man is asking permission that might not be granted. The woman doesn't have to kneel."
"Well, I am. What's next?"
"On Earth, I would have bought a ring to mark that we're betrothed, but I understand that is not the custom here."
She grinned. "I wouldn't object to jewelry from you, but you have no money yet."
He acknowledged that. "Then, we kiss."
She launched herself at him, after saying, "We do here as well, and follow it with sex."
He liked that custom, particularly with it continuing into the night as it did. He wasn't sure if that was the custom, or just S'ra's desire for him, but he wasn't going to question it as his desire for her was just as great. They slept in each other's arms, totally sated and relaxed that night.
A/N: So, Frakku defeated, well wiped out almost, and Chuck and S'ra are engaged to be married. Not a bad pair of results.
Please tell me what you think.
Glossary (pronunciation in brackets)
People:
B'rack (Bur-Rack)– S'ra's previous boyfriend (we never meet him)
Chaldir (Charl-Dere) – governor of the city state Grillain
Thrace (Thrase) – military commander of the city state Grillain
Durban – (Dur-Ban) Air Sargent helping Chuck
Flack (Flack) – one of the generals under Commander Thrace
Frakku (Frack-Ku) – purple-skinned savages
Garron (Gar-Ron) – S'ra's father
Gralik (Grar-Lick) – second son of Praid
Pal'na (Paal-Nar) – wife of Chaldir
Praid (Pray-Id) – governor of the city state Sanklin
R'lna (Rul-Nah) – wife of Praid
S'mia (Sur-Mere) – S'ra's mother
S'ra (Sur-Rah) – first person Chuck Bartowski meets on the new planet
Tald (TarlD) – first son of Prad
Verzian (Verr-iss-ien) – chief astronomer in Sanklin
.
Plants and animals:
Clarek (Clar-Rek) – plant that produces leaves that people use to clean themselves
Conith (Con-Eeth) – leaves of this plant produce fast-acting, healing liquids
Deak (Dee-Ack) – small plants that manage to grow in the crevasses of rocks in the mountain ranges
Gritch (Grit-Ch)– flesh of this plant used to clean teeth and breath
Ixtag (Eecs-Tag) – black-colored predator that live in forests
Krattak (Crat-tark) – terrifying, huge sea creature
Landic (Land-Ick) – deer-like herbivore
Pake (PayK) – plant, the flesh contains pain-killing properties and is used for that purpose
Vetia (Vet-Ia) – leaves of this plant very flexible and used by Chuck to cover himself. Sap burns people from the planet but didn't affect him
Xaxic (Zacks-Ick) – foul smelling leaves of this plant used to ward off predators
Xynth (Zinth)– flying predator
Zryth (Zreeth) – stone-colored cat-like predator. Related to the ixtag
.
Places:
Garverd –(Gar-Vert) mountain range
Grillain (Grill-Ain) – city state S'ra comes from
Niteth (Nee-Teth) – largest of three moons that circle the planet
Pallain (Pall-Lain) – neighboring city state
Retith (Ret-Teeth) – the planet Chuck was now on
Sanklin (Sank-Lin) – city state governed by Praid
.
Other:
Bract (Br-Act) – nutritious bars carried to eat when access to other food hard to achieve
Chendia (Chen-Dere) – powerful anesthetic, like chloroform
Flaxik (Flack-sic) – new drug created to induce ovulation
Merriclat (Merry-clat) - device for rebuilding and repairing lungs