long have let you Archsussa do all the hard work. I mean, to be freed of so much work, so many worries? I’ll bet if Richard and I had grown up in a world like that, we would’ve been together a long time ago.”
“Yeah, well, after the Second Apocalypse, you two might alo be dead.”
“But wouldn’t it be glorious to die together?”
Melissa was about to respond, as Daria’s tone worried her, when Vincent came and plopped himself down next to Melissa. She suddenly stopped caring about Daria, and started brushing back her hair and sitting up a little straighter for Vincent.
“You talking ‘bout Richard again?” he asked, obviously irritated.
“No -- don’t be jealous!” squealed Daria. “What’s it to you, anyway?”
“I dunno. You sure you won’t try some glleli when we get back?”
Daria wrinkled up her nose. “You know I don’t go for that sort of stuff.”
“What’s glleli?” asked Melissa.
“You can’t have not tried it?” asked Vincent arrogantly, affecting airs. “I mean, you have schools up there in those levitating cities, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“And what do you do when you just want to get away, but you can’t go anywhere? When you just want to forget?”
Melissa was confused for a moment, then ventured; “we have sussa. It can give comfort, for times like that.”
Vincent sneered. “Well, we only have science . Snow and science! And there are sometimes you just want to feel warm and safe, sometimes when you don’t have a friend and you just want to feel like you belong. When we get back, and if they let you out, look me up, and I’ll let you try some.”
“She doesn’t want any of that stuff!” yelled Daria, pushing him.
“She just lost everything she knew, and is stuck with us, out here, looking at the wrong ends of a lot of guns.” Vincent laid a soft hand on Melissa’s knee. “If you ever want to feel like you’re back at home, safe, then try what I’ve got.”
“Come on, everyone!” yelled Richard. “Time to get going again -- we’ve got a long way to go.”
Vincent got to his feet, and extended a hand to Melissa. “Well, come on my Archsussa, can’t let our lord and master be kept waiting too long.”
It took a full hour to harness the charaks back into the sleds, but Melissa enjoyed the hard work. Though strong, with vicious teeth and intimidating eyes, the charaks were actually docile creatures who liked to have their lone ear massaged and scratched. Daria showed her how, and Melissa quickly got the hang of it, making one of them coo with delight. As she worked with the charak, Melissa noticed Richard’s eyes kept straying to her.
“I think he notices you,” said Daria.
“I think he worries I’ll get free. I see how he speaks to you -- he always lowers his voice, and it’s always softer and less harsh.”
“Maybe,” shrugged Daria, as they got back into the sled. “Maybe it isn’t too late for us after all.”
“What about Vincent; what’s his deal?”
Daria shook his head. “He’s the younger brother, and lives in Richard’s shadow. I think all the attention focused on Richard has made Vincent bitter. He was never into glleli when we were younger.”
“Is he . . . is he seeing anyone?”
Daria grinned from ear to ear, and Melissa blushed. “You like him, don’t you! Well get in line -- he’s got a lot of girls hunting for him. It’s just none of them ever caught him.”
They rode on, pressing the charaks hard, crossing over dozens of dunes. More than once Daria commented on how long it was, and was amazed Melissa covered all that distance on her own in such a short span of time.
Melissa herself was amazed at how long it took, but instead of reveling in her strength, she was impressed by the dedication of Richard and his scientists. No matter how cold or tired they get, they still press on . And they do it not for more power or wealth, but simply to learn more, to understand more. I can see why they prefer to
“Yeah, well, after the Second Apocalypse, you two might alo be dead.”
“But wouldn’t it be glorious to die together?”
Melissa was about to respond, as Daria’s tone worried her, when Vincent came and plopped himself down next to Melissa. She suddenly stopped caring about Daria, and started brushing back her hair and sitting up a little straighter for Vincent.
“You talking ‘bout Richard again?” he asked, obviously irritated.
“No -- don’t be jealous!” squealed Daria. “What’s it to you, anyway?”
“I dunno. You sure you won’t try some glleli when we get back?”
Daria wrinkled up her nose. “You know I don’t go for that sort of stuff.”
“What’s glleli?” asked Melissa.
“You can’t have not tried it?” asked Vincent arrogantly, affecting airs. “I mean, you have schools up there in those levitating cities, don’t you?”
“Yeah.”
“And what do you do when you just want to get away, but you can’t go anywhere? When you just want to forget?”
Melissa was confused for a moment, then ventured; “we have sussa. It can give comfort, for times like that.”
Vincent sneered. “Well, we only have science . Snow and science! And there are sometimes you just want to feel warm and safe, sometimes when you don’t have a friend and you just want to feel like you belong. When we get back, and if they let you out, look me up, and I’ll let you try some.”
“She doesn’t want any of that stuff!” yelled Daria, pushing him.
“She just lost everything she knew, and is stuck with us, out here, looking at the wrong ends of a lot of guns.” Vincent laid a soft hand on Melissa’s knee. “If you ever want to feel like you’re back at home, safe, then try what I’ve got.”
“Come on, everyone!” yelled Richard. “Time to get going again -- we’ve got a long way to go.”
Vincent got to his feet, and extended a hand to Melissa. “Well, come on my Archsussa, can’t let our lord and master be kept waiting too long.”
It took a full hour to harness the charaks back into the sleds, but Melissa enjoyed the hard work. Though strong, with vicious teeth and intimidating eyes, the charaks were actually docile creatures who liked to have their lone ear massaged and scratched. Daria showed her how, and Melissa quickly got the hang of it, making one of them coo with delight. As she worked with the charak, Melissa noticed Richard’s eyes kept straying to her.
“I think he notices you,” said Daria.
“I think he worries I’ll get free. I see how he speaks to you -- he always lowers his voice, and it’s always softer and less harsh.”
“Maybe,” shrugged Daria, as they got back into the sled. “Maybe it isn’t too late for us after all.”
“What about Vincent; what’s his deal?”
Daria shook his head. “He’s the younger brother, and lives in Richard’s shadow. I think all the attention focused on Richard has made Vincent bitter. He was never into glleli when we were younger.”
“Is he . . . is he seeing anyone?”
Daria grinned from ear to ear, and Melissa blushed. “You like him, don’t you! Well get in line -- he’s got a lot of girls hunting for him. It’s just none of them ever caught him.”
They rode on, pressing the charaks hard, crossing over dozens of dunes. More than once Daria commented on how long it was, and was amazed Melissa covered all that distance on her own in such a short span of time.
Melissa herself was amazed at how long it took, but instead of reveling in her strength, she was impressed by the dedication of Richard and his scientists. No matter how cold or tired they get, they still press on . And they do it not for more power or wealth, but simply to learn more, to understand more. I can see why they prefer to
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