The world could have imploded and they wouldn't have noticed. They spent the days fishing and swimming together, hiking across the island, and making love in the hut or at the water fall, most of it in comfortable silence. Neri showed him places he had never been before and over time, Jason became way better at fishing with her spear. She cried with laughter at him the first few times he failed miserably, losing his balance on the slippery rocks or fell into the water in his enthusiasm. She taught him how to climb the palm for dates or coconuts – or at least tried. Neri was experienced in finding the smallest grooves in the bark to hold on to. The muscles in her fingers with the callows on her hands and feet was an advantage, Jason could only gain over years of practice. Instead of climbing, he settled for simply positioning below her to catch whatever she dropped.
It was at night when they watched the stars or the flames of the fire dance when their minds started to wander to more unpleasant directions. Some things just couldn't be shut out forever.
"You look troubled," Jason said quietly in the fourth or fifth night. He was naked but covered by a blanket to his hips on the makeshift bed they had created on the floor. He lay on his side, his head supported by his left arm. Neri sat next to him, her gaze at the camp fire. She was also naked but she didn't bother much with covering herself. She sat cross-legged, giving him view to the light-haired triangle between her legs. Not long ago, he had run his tongue across that spot, had drank her until she had shivered and sighed his name. She always recovered way faster than him from the lazy, post-orgasm drowsiness.
"I'm afraid of what is waiting for us when we leave the island," Neri responded. "Things move slow but they move forward. Darwin was just the beginning." There was a strange determination in her voice. Jason frowned and sat up, putting his arms around his knees.
"You sound angry."
"I am angry," she replied, her eyes meeting his gaze. "I should be sad about the victims but I am mostly angry. Angry that they almost killed you and angry that they almost broke me. It's gonna get worse and they nearly broke me. I should have been stronger." She broke the eye contact. "And I am afraid what this anger does to me. You've seen how it changed my people."
Jason opened his knees to sit cross-legged and reached for her hands. "It won't do anything to you," he reassured her. "Malakat fed it and it directed it to his advantage. But on the Oceanplanet, we also saw a lot of confusion. They might feel just as you are now. But anger and kindness are not mutually exclusive. It can be a powerful driver. We haven't lost yet. We haven't lost your people yet."
"Darwin was a declaration of war, Jason," Neri said after a short pause, "not just a terrorist attack. I can feel it – the fear, the violence, the rage. It's on both planets."
"A declaration of war?" Jason's first thought was to disagree. The attack had been atrocious but probably planned by parties who stood against helping a species they held responsible for their misery. Humans and ocean people had died all the the same. Scientists, politicians, leaders and civilians – important people in the decision-making process. Did someone wanted to keep an alliance from happening? What could possibly be gained from it? The question remained. "Against who or what?" he murmured more to himself.
Neri didn't respond but Jason had not expected an answer anyway. Lost in her thoughts, Neri watched the fire while Jason looked the other way, trying to find answers as he watched waves rushing to the shore in the distance.
The alarm of his new watch startled them both.
"Sorry to interrupt your honeymoon," Brett started unceremoniously, "but the separatist council finally reported back and they are surprisingly still game. Also, De Souza has new information about the attack."
"What kind of information?"
Brett shrugged. "They didn't tell but it seems it the kind of news they don't want to share across human communication channels. You should be back at O.R.C.A. by morning."
"Got it. Thanks." Jason ended the call and grimaced at Neri. "Well, vacation is over."
Hey guys, I hope you're all safe. Thanks for staying with me until now. At this point, I would really have to read some of your theories. What do you think will happen? How will it all turn out? I'd love to hear some of your ideas. :)