Helium Fall

by Darren Robison

"You're lucky it let you keep your clothing!" Sam said it with a smile. Delack had a surprised look on his face, "I did not know I had n option."

  Grant was stripped of his clothing and now lay under covers. The healing had begun. Sam grabbed the tablet and read what was wrong with Grant. "The poison in his system caused his appendix to rupture. He is septic and the toxins are what caused him to faint. The healing apparatus will remove the poison and the toxins. It will take several days for him to be well again, but he will be well again, Tayana."

  She looked at him and knew he knew.

  “Now, let's check in on our other guest.” Sam grabbed the tablet from Delack's healing apparatus and cocked his head sideways as if he was looking at a crooked picture. He turned his head back and then looked at Delack out of the side of his eyes.

  "What, what did it say of me? Will I survive or will I perish?”

  “Delack, if you allow the healing device to do its job you will be whole again. It means the hole and your insides will be repaired, and your limb will be regenerated."

  "I can have my limb back? I am delighted this device will do such a wonderful thing for me."

  "The sticking, the blood, and the tissue samples were to determine what the healing device need's to make you whole again. There is only one question and it is a very important question. Delack, do you want your clothing removed? It will facilitate faster healing and allow the healing to be complete."

  "Remove them, but please, look away. Please turn your eyes away."

  "Delack, we will leave the room and shade the windows. I will begin the healing from the main console."

  "Thank you Sam, you are a kind man."

  With a smile Sam and the others left the room and all of them began to giggle. "A big tough looking alien afraid someone will see his parts!" Tayana covered her parts and the laughing continued. Sam instructed the healing to begin on Delack. The procedure would knock him out, rendering him harmless.

  Sam turned his attention to Tayana and the healers. "Are you hungry?"

  Starving was the consensus. "Let's go to the galley. You can sample the foods we eat. I will whip up some of my favorites, and something similar to what you have fed me."

  Sam went to the synthesizer and keyed in his selections. Within minutes the food came out on conveyors as Sam placed the plates, bowls, and utensils they needed on the table. "First, the dish I believe is similar to Chotuk, we call it steak, and we have a baked potato, it grows in the ground, and so does the next item, carrots. Carrots are nutritious and help with our eyesight." All three took tiny bites of the steak followed by larger bites.

  "This is very close to being Chotuk." Salbola took a sampling of the potato. The look on his face was not a pleasant one. "It tastes like dirt to me."

  "Oh, you can season your food with these items." Sam passed butter, sour cream, shredded cheese, and some bacon bits. "Taste them first, and then combine them as you please." Sam watched with delight as all three sampled the accoutrements. "I remember the first time I ate your food, it was a joyous event." All were having a great time and enjoyed the food. "Don't fill up yet, there is more to sample." Sam keyed in grilled cheese, tomato basil soup, and chocolate cream pie.

  When he delivered it to the table Tayana breathed in deeply. "The aromas of the cooked cheese and soup are exciting my nose. What is this? I am in love with the aroma. I hope the taste is equally as delightful."

  "The square thing, no that, is a grilled cheese sandwich, a delicacy on Earth and most often paired with the tomato soup, that's in the bowl."

  Each tasted a sandwich and Sam thought Tayana was going to orgasm by the way she was savoring each bite.

  Emara was fascinated with the chocolate cream pie and asked, "How do you eat something so beautiful?"

  Sam cut the pie into pieces while his guests looked on with wonder. They were in awe when he placed the first slice on Tayana's plate. He gave the others a piece, and himself one too. He took his fork and cut off the end, placed it in his mouth, and the others followed suit. Tayana quickly took three more bites, Salbola began eating the whipped topping off the top, and Emara grabbed the pie with her hands and shoved it in her face.

  Sam was beside himself. What the hell was happening? He grabbed pieces of pie and slung them into the refuse container. Sam’s guests looked at him like he’d thrown a baby into the trash. "It's just pie!" They were licking their fingers and Salbola was licking pie off Emara's face. Tayana joined in and helped clean her up. It was the wildest thing Sam had ever seen. "Eliot, did you record what happened here?"

  "Yes, I record everything happening on the ship, the shuttle, and wherever the two of you go."

  "I've got to show this to Grant when he wakes up. He's going to love it." He noted they seemed high and then remembered the chocolate bars they left out for them. He felt like a drug dealer and knew he could not feed them any more chocolate products. After the meal, and after his guests came down from their high, he resumed their tour. He led them to the theatre and put a movie in for them to watch. The lion roaring at the beginning of the movie had them cowering in their seats, Sam turned down the volume some. He guessed their ears were more sensitive than his.

  "It is a real beast on Earth, but this is a movie, not real. No one nor nothing can come from the screen and attack you, you are safe in here." His pep talk had little effect on them. They cringed and cowered at every car scene involving a crash. Every gunshot was reason for them to hit the floor. A woman screaming particularly caught their attention and Salbola cried out, "Where is she? She sounds to be in desperation, and in need of help."

  Sam laughed and told them again it wasn't real, it was make believe, it was entertainment. Emara sat so low in her seat she practically disappeared into the cushions. This was the entertainment Sam needed to take his mind off Grant and everything else going on. Not to mention what may transpire in the next few days. He was grateful Eliot went above and beyond to get the part made so they could get off the planet. If he had not, Grant and Delack would not be here getting healed. They would be dead or close to it. Sam silently thanked God, then returned his attention to his guests and the movie.

  Ninety minutes of panic and laughter later, the three of them vowed to never watch a movie again. Sam showed them there were all kinds of movies and not all of them involved scenes of mass destruction or death, and again, told them it was make believe. “The movies are not real. Yes they are real people, but they are pretending to be someone else and acting out a part in the movie."

  None of them bought what he was selling. Emara asked if she could go back to the pool and take a swim.

  "Sure you can, be careful; there is no lifeguard on duty. It's a joke, sorry. I will get you a suit and a towel."

  Emara cocked her head this time and asked, "What are a suit and a towel?"

  "Oh never mind, go take a swim." "If you get lost or into trouble just speak to the air and ask for me. The coms will connect us and we can talk."

  Emara and Salbola nodded. They went their merry way to the pool leaving Sam alone with Tayana.

  "Sam, I want to apologize for earlier."

  "No need, I know you were concerned about Grant."

  "It gave me no reason to strike your face. I was angry; I thought you had abandoned Grant in his time of need."

  "Why would you think that?"

  "Your shuttle was not there when I came to tell you his condition was getting worse and we needed do to something soon or he may die."

  "I was retrieving the bots and trusted he was in good hands with Salbola and Emara. I had a feeling when I returned something was not right and I went straight to the med pod. They let me know his condition and we loaded him into the shuttle right before you arrived. Where did you go after you found the shuttle gone?"

  "I went to the digger's compound and searched their bunker for medical supplies or something to help Grant heal. I found some stuff but it wasn't what I needed. That's when I found Delack. He was out gathering food when Grant ble
w up the bunker. The blast tore off his limb and punctured him. He waited for us to leave and fell unconscious. He came to and went back to the bunker and arrived as I was leaving. His sudden appearance startled me and I thought he was going to attack me. I drew my sword and defended myself. He reached out to grab me and I finally pierced the armor under his arm. He howled in pain and I ran and hid. Had it not been for the biologics in his ear giving us the ability to communicate I would have pierced his brain with an arrow. He is a scientist like you and Grant and on a similar mission."

  "You mean to tell me Delack is a scientist on a mission of discovery like we are? Wow! Blows my mind. He is my equivalent in all of space and time, and of all places to meet him it is here on your world doing what I'm doing. What are the odds?" Sam was now curious to talk with Delack and pick his brain for whatever intergalactic information he could get from him.

  "He is not dangerous Sam; he is like us, trying to get by and live life a day at a time."

  "Everyone is dangerous in their own way Tayana. You can enter someone's mind, I have proof. You entered mine in the beginning. It can be a very dangerous thing. Grant and I have weapons training and know how to fight in hand to hand combat, making us dangerous and our minds are the most dangerous of all, Delack included. He could give us false information or lead us into a trap. My trust has not been the same since you entered my mind, I feel vulnerable and unprotected."

  "Sam, I am so sorry for all I have done to make you question your trust in me. I was hurt and angry you did not let me know you were leaving to go get the bots. I thought you left because you were saving your own skin. I should have had more faith in you. I apologize for being weak and untrusting."

  "I'll forgive you Tayana, if you will forgive me."

  "Agreed, can we go back to how it was, so we can both have trust again?"

  "Yes, I think we can."

  "I want to see more of the Ebony Belle, can you take me on another tour?"

  "Sure can. It will be several days before Grant and Delack are ready to get out of the med rooms and be active again. Tomorrow we need to go back to your people and prepare them for what may be coming our way. They do know you're here, right?"

  "I assume they know I boarded the shuttle with you and the healers."

  "I don't need anyone else slapping me when we go back. Just sayin'!" Sam gave her the deluxe tour. He took her to the engine room, Grant's quarters, the bridge, and pretty much the entire ship, with the exception of his quarters as they were a mess and he was embarrassed for her to know how he really lived. They headed back to the pool to see how the healers were doing and were shocked to find them in a naked embrace in the middle of the football field.

  "They are together, like you, Dyanta and Kyera. You are life mates."

  Sam's eyes got wider than they had ever been and he was at a loss for words.

  "Sam, did you not know entering a woman of our kind binds you to them for life?"

  "I had no idea." Sam felt a huge knot form in his stomach and he thought he might wretch. His head was spinning and he was dumbfounded. Why had they not told him about this, why did they lure him into the pool and seduce him?

  "Sam, they love you and will be forever faithful to you until death. Are they not to your liking?"

  "I mean, I think they are the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, I think I love them, too. But I feel so deceived and tricked. That was such a man thing to do. Now I know how I've made several women feel in my life. I’m ashamed of myself." Sam sat with his head hanging low, pondering the situation for a while, and then said, "Is that why I'm no longer allowed to sit at the head table and have to sit with them and their family?"

  "Yes, it is why. You have a family now and families are together at meals. Kyera and Dyanta are sad you have been away from them. They will want to give you many reasons to stay with them when you return." She smiled at him knowing what they would do and the pleasure they would bring him. He would never want to leave again.

  Sam's attention was divided between the conversation with Tayana and the healers doing the nasty in the grass. "I feel like we have been staring at them and they keep right on going. Doesn't it make you uncomfortable?"

  "Not in the slightest. We are open to intimacy and there is nothing wrong with the act or watching it happen. It is accepted and common. We do not stress about such small things and no one ever says a thing if they are watched or watching. It's like being in public and carrying on a conversation that is private, but you don't care who hears."

  " I'm going to have to get used to it I guess. So, seeing other people naked is not a bad thing in your culture?"

  "Not as long as you do not take action with someone who is together with another. The penalty for that is death for both parties. It has not happened in my lifetime."

  “Thank God, I would never cheat on the Kyera or Dyanta. They are such beauties and such willing participants to bring me pleasure. I'm not sure how this interplanetary relationship is going to work, but I will do my best."

  "Sam, you will either be here or there. They will go where you go. It is being together in our world. Being gone a day or two is one thing. Leaving the world for another is very different and requires them to travel with you. You will take them with you, if and when you leave."

  "Yes ma'am!" Tayana was not giving him a choice, but he really didn't want any choices. Kyera was perfect in every way imaginable and Dyanta was the perfect wife and lover, too. He would be a fool to not take them with him. He would be a fool not to stay here with them. Am I truly entertaining the idea of staying here with them, for the rest of my life? "I need to walk for a while, alone. No offense, there is a lot on my mind and I need to do some sorting out."

  Tayana knew what was on his mind; she was listening to his thoughts. She heard his dilemma and his revelation. "Go, a walk will do you good. I am going to check in on Grant for a minute."

  "Please do not touch him or anything else. It will stop the healing process and we will need to start it again."

  "I will be careful and not touch a thing."

  Sam went one way and Tayana the other. He decided to walk around the field. He took his boots and socks off, enjoying the feel of the cool grass between his toes and the soft give of the soil beneath his steps as he walked the perimeter of the field. He couldn't help but notice Emara and Salbola looked many years younger than they appeared fully dressed. Emara's body was fit and lithe. She was the typical height for a woman on her world. She was toned and firm. Her grey hair was the only thing giving her any age at all. Her skin was tanned and taut, with no discernible wrinkles anywhere. He blushed, realizing he was staring at her and Salbola.

  Salbola was fit and muscular with long grey hair. His body was like a twenty-five year old and so was his stamina. "There must be something in the water around here, damn!" He stopped staring and kept walking.

  He thought of Grant and considered what he was going to say to him. His earlier thoughts, and the recent development of his being together with an alien life form, or two. He had to tell him the truth and what his intentions were. But how was he going to breach the subject with the imminent threat of a galactic war looming in the near future. Hi Grant! I'm married and staying with them so we can raise our kids together. Sorry, you'll have to fly back to Earth alone and be the lone hero. It would not be the correct way to tackle this situation. He kept on walking and could not come to a conclusion. He hoped one would present itself when the time was right. He walked for several hours. He noticed the healers had moved to the pool. Salbola floated Emara to the steps and hauled her out onto the grass again. She was limp and Sam knew what it meant, it was good, very good for her.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sam made his way back to the med rooms to check on Grant and Delack and found Tayana sleeping in a chair in the conference room. He quietly checked the progress of Grant's recovery. It looked like he would be completely healed in a day, maybe two. The poison and toxins were nearly a lethal combination. It
was taking some time to extract them without damaging Grant's internal organs.

  He moved to Delack's room to check his progress as well. The healing apparatus was doing an amazing job rebuilding his limb and the punctures were being mended, too. The Ebony Belle was living up to her hype. She was the most advanced PSAD ship ever launched into space, well, from space. She was built in orbit around the Earth due to her size. Nearly half a mile long and a quarter mile wide, she was a large, well equipped beauty by space standards. Sam was honored to be the co-captain of such a marvelous vessel. With Tayana sleeping and the healers doing their thing, he decided to head to the bridge and call the PSAD. It would take days for a response and he thought it would be good for them to hear a voice on the other end. With Grant incapacitated they needed to know the situation.

  The bridge seemed different without Grant sitting in his chair, drinking his coffee, and reading the celestial news.

  "Eliot, open a channel to the PSAD, please."

  "The channel is open."

  "Acting Captain Sam Northland calling PSAD command. A distress message was previously sent and assistance is still needed. Grant Goodwine is temporarily incapacitated. There is intelligent life on this world and it needs to be preserved at all costs. All haste is appreciated. We are alive and surviving. Grant is undergoing healing for a ruptured appendix. Poison and toxins in his systems have nearly taken his life. We have discovered four alien life forms, three are aboard the Ebony Belle, all are allies, and assisting with our mission. We will communicate further when help is close. Northland out.”

  “Eliot, be listening for a reply, and their hail when they are within range to communicate openly."

  "Always."

  Sam was hungry again and headed to the galley for a quick bite. He was pleased and quite amused to find Tayana and the healers attempting to key chocolate cream pie into the synthesizer. In a loud booming voice he bellowed, "Hello ya junkies!"

  The sudden burst of noise startled them. Tayana looked like a thief caught red handed. Her hands were shaking and she gulped for air. She would surely hyperventilate if she continued. She slid down the wall out of sight and the healers dodged back and forth trying to find a place to hide. They slammed into one another and fell to the floor, then crawled under the bar shaking with fear. Sam laughed with all his might, almost popping a vein in his neck, and nearly passed out from laughing so hard. His stomach ached and he was gasping for air with tears flowing down his face. His amusement level was clearly at a ten.