Helium Fall

by Darren Robison

  "What in the world were you three trying to do, get your chocolate fix?" Tayana stood quickly, lowered her head in shame, and plopped down in a chair at the table. The healers looked around the bar from opposite ends and stood at the same time to go sit with Tayana.

  "There needs to be some ground rules around here. There will be no sneaking chocolate while you are on this ship. There will be no middle of the night journeys to the galley to break into the synthesizer and appropriate chocolate goodies for your personal and private consumption. Are we clear on this matter?"

  The three looked like children being punished for taking a pie from a window. Tayana Said, "We are sorry for our greed and desire to obtain chocolate from the food machine without your knowledge."

  "We have never had anything like chocolate on our world." Salbola said, "It is brown edible heaven full of incredible goodness. It is like a drug to us and we need to be watched."

  "Oh, you're going to be watched, but for now let's have some real dinner and then maybe a small piece of chocolate afterwards." All agreed and Sam chose some different items for them to sample.

  "Let's go Italian tonight. Let's have lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and tiramisu. You will love the desert!" The food promptly came out on the conveyors and Sam once again served his guests. "In the future, you are allowed to retrieve your own food from the conveyors."

  "Where is the desert?" Emara was obviously in serious need of a chocolate fix. Sam thought after her romp on the field she might not need the chocolate.

  "Try the large chunk of meat, sauce, and pasta. It is called lasagna, it is an Italian dish, and it brings me great comfort.”

  They all tried it and agreed it wasn't the best thing they had had, but it was delicious all the same. The garlic bread was a hit as it reminded them of meals on their world, where bread was a staple at every meal. They liked the butter and garlic, also. The salad posed a surprise for them. They were used to eating it raw and fresh without any dressing, or additions.

  When Salbola tried it, his eyes lit up and he made an amazed face. He dug in and devoured his entire bowl, almost inhaling it. "Amazing, what do you call it?"

  "We call it Italian dressing, because, it's Italian dressing."

  "I have to have more of this at the next meal."

  "We will see what we can do for ya, Salbola."

  Sam smiled big at the joy he found in bringing smiles to their faces and seeing them enjoy their food like a child first experiencing sugar or the wind in their faces. They cleaned up after the meal and he directed them to where they would be staying for the night. It was a long day and Sam was tired. He knew Grant was safe and on the mend and Delack was knocked out with tranquilizers so he wouldn't be an issue and he would lock the doors of the other three so he could sleep in peace.

  "Uh, Sam, how do we relieve ourselves? You do not have the facilities we have on our world."

  "Well, I guess you're going to have to do it the old fashioned way. You'll have to sit on this and force the waste in your system out whatever hole it needs to come out. When you're done you'll need to use the other piece of equipment. This is how it works. He turned the handle and small jets of water erupted from the nozzles. It goes in the holes and cleans them out. It may take a little getting used to but it will get the job done. Then you dry yourself with these and throw them into the chute over there. He faced concerned looks, so he took the opportunity to explain his first adventure using their restrooms. Tayana and the healers chuckled and agreed the first experience could be rather traumatizing. "It's the thing that grabs you by your junk that shocked me the most. The probes terrified me to no end. I vowed to do my business in the woods from then on. I'd use leaves or grass, whatever was handy to clean the mess."

  "It is not an option!" Tayana shuddered at the thought of using grass on her private parts. "I will try your facilities, but I may not like them. Thank you for the explanation, now I need to relieve myself."

  Sam smiled, nodded gracefully, and went to his quarters. He would lock their doors later once they were asleep. The thoughts in his head needed to be put to paper so he sat down at his desk and began to write out what was on his mind. It wasn't really much but it kept nagging at him and he needed a list. A lot needed to be accomplished in a few days. He began listing the things he needed to do. Some of them were common sense, such as check on Grant, take the healers back to the village; take a dip in the pools with Kyera and Dyanta. His list was almost complete when there was a knock at his door. "Be right there." He answered the door and Emara and Salbola were standing there looking like guilty children, again. "How can I help you two?"

  "Um, we, um, didn't, well, um, we didn't get."

  "You didn't get dessert?"

  "Yes, we did not." Salbola was nervously rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Emara was gripping his arm like it was about to fall off and he needed her assistance to keep it on.

  "You two are junkies. Come with me." Sam escorted them to the galley and made them look away while he keyed in the order for one tiramisu. "You will have to share this. A whole one might take you past the point of no return!"

  "Can we eat it in our quarters?"

  "Oh for God sake, you horny goats, go, just go. Clean up when you're done." They hurried off to their quarters and Sam vowed to never use the room for anything, ever. The visions dancing in his thoughts were disturbing and he shook his head to clear them. "I have created two chocolate craving nymphos!"

  He shuddered and went back to his quarters. This time he locked their door and sighed with great relief. He sat at his desk and finished his list. His last item was to give a case of chocolate bars to the healers before leaving. He knew he would make friends for life if he remembered them. Next to Kyera and Dyanta, the healers were the horniest people he ever met. His thoughts drifted to his wives. His wives, something he never imagined himself thinking or saying. According to their customs he had two beautiful, horny wives waiting for him when he returned to the village. It wasn't a bad thing. They had chosen him and he could not think of two more beautiful women. He was the luckiest man alive. He smiled. Then the thought of staying on their world and integrating into their lives came to mind. Is this what I really want or do I want them to come with me back to Earth? Would it be too much for them to handle? Life on Earth is so fast paced and there is little, if any, open country or private places left for us to go and take leisurely naked dips in pools. The thought of them stripping and wanting sex in public, probably isn't going to happen on Earth. We would all end up in jail. The air was poor and the water has to be cleansed before we can drink it, let alone swim in it. My home has a pool, but it's nothing like the pure, clean, and fragrant water here. I like the water here, so crystal clear with the dark rock below making it look black as night.

  His thoughts were running rampant. He had to get some sleep. He decided to go to the med room and get a sleep aid, otherwise he would be up all night. When he entered the med room Grant and Delack were exactly where he knew they would be, asleep in their respective rooms being attended to by the healing apparatus. Grant had another day and half or so and Delack had three plus days left. Regenerating a limb took time.

  He gathered his much needed sleep aid and gulped it down with a cool glass of water. "No distractions now." He had about 10 minutes, possibly less, to get his things in order and be in bed or he'd be sleeping where he fell. He would be awake in exactly 6 hours, the time it took for the sleep aid to wear off, and wake him from a deep and restful sleep.

  He quickly returned to his quarters, used the facilities, hopped into bed, and pulled up the covers. In the remaining minute he prayed for tomorrow to be a smooth and easy day. He was out cold as the last word escaped his mouth. The rest of Sam's night was uneventful. He was in deep, restful sleep for six hours and nothing short of a miracle would wake him up.

  He and Tayana were the first ones up and met in the galley. "Good night's sleep?"

  "I was awake, thinking and hoping Grant was doing w
ell. I tried my door but it would not open and it frustrated me so I lay back down not happy and could not fall asleep for some time."

  "My apologies, Emara and Salbola came to my quarters and requested the dessert we missed at dinner. I obliged them, knowing they are chocolate addicts and I shudder to imagine what they did with that tiramisu. Not only does it have chocolate in it, it has cocoa powder, and coffee. They most likely got high on chocolate then humped all night because of the caffeine in the coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant on Earth."

  "Oh, then what you're saying is they probably had the night of their lives?"

  Sam laughed and said, "Well, since you put it that way, I guess they probably did. What would you like for breakfast? Never mind, I'll order a veggie omelet, hash browns, and some mixed fruit. For drinks we'll have orange juice and milk." He laughed to himself as he thought about the milk, chocolate milk. They would go insane if he introduced them to chocolate milk. "Not gonna happen!"

  Tayana tasted the omelet. "What is the yellow stuff around the vegetables?"

  "Those are eggs. Do you not have eggs on your world?"

  "What are eggs?"

  "This type of egg is the embryo of winged animals called chickens. Other birds and some reptiles lay eggs, too." He could tell by the look on her face she did not comprehend what he was saying. "Most animals give live birth, much like humans and I suppose you as well. The animals that give us eggs either fly or they crawl. These are from flyers."

  She seemed to understand and continued to eat. The hash browns posed a problem for her also. "Some are hard and crunchy, some are soft and squishy, is this on purpose?"

  "Yes, the crunchy part gives it texture and flavor, the squishy part has not cooked as long or in the same manner. They are the same thing, but cooked differently, some have been in oil and some have not."

  Without another word she continued to eat. She enjoyed the fruit and ate it all. She said the milk tasted like what they made from a plant growing near their village. The orange juice made her eyes water, but she loved the taste.

  They were finishing as Emara and Salbola sauntered into the galley. They looked like they partied all night. There was still tiramisu residue on their faces.

  "Rough night?" Sam couldn't resist giving them a hard time.

  "What is the dessert you gave us? It nearly killed us both. Emara is nearly raw from our escapades and I can no longer feel my junk, as you call it."

  Sam and Tayana laughed and clutched their sides while gasping for air. "I told you they'd been up humping all night."

  Tayana's words did not come out clearly due to the gasping and laughter. She managed to get out, "Best night ever," and continued to laugh.

  "It was amazing for the first two hours, and then it became painful. We could not stop and we cursed you for allowing us to consume the dessert right before we were to sleep." Salbola slumped in a chair, breathing deeply.

  Emara chimed in, "I think we will pass on the chocolate dessert for a while, Sam. Maybe something with lemon or cherries next time."

  It was all Sam could do not to say I told you so. He held his tongue and chuckled to himself as he prepared their breakfast. "We will be heading back to the planet in about two hours. You two need to eat and then clean up. You've still got tiramisu on your faces." They lowered their heads and wiped their faces with their napkins. "I'm going to get ready. I will meet you all back here in two hours, agreed?"

  They all agreed and Sam went to get ready. He showered and changed his clothing then checked his to do list. First up after he cleaned up, check on Grant. Then it was back to the village.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Grant was in the same state as before but this time his indications were so much better. The infection from the ruptured appendix was almost completely gone and the sepsis was nowhere to be found. "Another day or so buddy and you'll be good as new. I'm headed to the planet to drop off the healers and prepare them for what may be coming. I have no idea if the messages we sent made it to PSAD or not. I can only hope. Like you can hear me. Oh well, I'm off and I'll be back tonight to check on you and our other guest."

  Sam gathered Tayana and the healers and loaded them into the shuttle for the trip back to the village. The healers were slightly reluctant to go and kept looking back at the galley as if they might see something chocolate left on a table somewhere for them to sneak away.

  "Come on you two, the ride is over, time to go home!"

  "Can we at least get one chocolate bar, or even just a piece?"

  "You two are addicts, I will not fuel your addictions, and I will not oblige your habit. To the shuttle please!" Sam escorted them to the docking bay and made damn sure neither one of them snuck out while his back was turned. "Eliot, please keep a close eye on Emara and Salbola, I think they may be runners."

  "Runners? We are in space, there is nowhere for them to run."

  "They can slip off the shuttle without my knowledge and have full run of the galley in my absence. You know what, I'm going to go back and lock the key panel so they can't get in without my authorization. Keep an eye on them!"

  Sam hurried back to the galley and quickly locked the key panel. "No stealing chocolate from me boys and girls!" He headed back to the shuttle and much to his surprise all three of them were strapped in their seats and ready to go. "I'm not sure I trust the three of you right now. Do I need to search you for chocolate?"

  They laughed and Sam said, "You know what, why don't you come to the bridge and have a look around as we head back to the village." Their eyes lit up like he had offered them chocolate.

  Tayana said, "Yes please, I, I mean we, would be grateful. We have never seen our world from above and it would be a great honor to join you on the bridge."

  The healers nodded and followed Sam with Tayana close behind. "Tayana, you can sit in the co-captains chair, you are royalty after all, and you two can have seats beside her. Once we leave the Ebony Belle and on our way to the surface you can unbuckle, roam around the bridge and look out the viewing screen.

  "Eliot, we are ready to go, please detach from the Ebony Belle on my mark.”

  “You three ready?" They were giddy as children headed to the zoo for the first time; Tayana was uncharacteristically excited compared to her usual tough girl persona.

  "Release the clamps, Eliot. We're away. Take us slowly to the surface. You might want to take us on a sightseeing tour as well once we enter the atmosphere. The mountains might be a nice treat."

  "To the mountains."

  The shuttle leveled out and Sam gave them the go ahead to unbuckle and look out the view screen at the planet below. There was complete quiet for the first few minutes.

  "This does not look like our home, are you sure we have the right planet?"

  “Yes, Salbola, this is the right planet. You are looking at the far side of the planet from where you live. The planet spins like a top." He made a circular motion with his finger and they seemed to understand.

  "But why are we not going home?" Emara was still confused and Sam pulled up a schematic of how a planet operated and gave them a lesson in planetary travel.

  "We are currently here and the village is here. If we went straight to the village we would crash nose first into the planet due to our rate of speed. We have to come in at an angle to control how fast we descend to the surface. So we enter the atmosphere about here and by the time we slow down the planet will have rotated the necessary degrees and we can safely land near the village with no problems.”

  “Now the boomers are gone!"

  Sam faked looking offended at her comment and smiled.

  Tayana was proud of herself and giggled. It was fortunate the boomers were gone and they could travel safely, at least until Delack's crew arrived.

  “How will we see the village with everything moving so fast below us?"

  "We’ll slow down once we are in the atmosphere and you’ll be able to see many things you may have never seen before."

  The three of the
m glued their faces to the view screen in complete awe of how their planet looked form space. The deep lush green trees and plant life of the forested parts melted into the warm rusty oranges and browns of the plains and prairies. The clear cobalt, navy blues lakes and streams were brought to life in contrast to the brilliant white snow covered mountain tops. The colorful bands separating the zones were an artistic masterpiece created by a master artist, the planet itself. Even Sam got caught up in the beauty of the planet and lost track of what he was supposed to be doing.

  "Sir, we are approaching the atmosphere, please strap in until we are past the turbulent outer rings."

  "Strap in, quickly. We got caught up in the moment. We now have to hurry." With the last strap buckled the shuttle entered the turbulence of the outer rings. It was more than enough for Emara, who left what remained of her breakfast on the floor in front of her.

  "Bots, we need a cleaner." A small bot came from seemingly nowhere, briskly cleaned the mess, and quietly returned to its hiding place to dispose of it. "It's all right Emara, I have done it many times, and it’s not a big deal." The turbulence ended as rapidly as it began and Sam gave the go ahead to unbuckle again. This time he instructed them to hold onto the rails around the room for balance.

  "Eliot, bring us to cruising speed, then slow to observation speed. We need to get the healers to the village, but let's take a quick spin over to the mountains first."

  The mountains were large and tall; their snowcapped peaks were a great treat for them as they had never been to the tops of the mountains. They had never experienced the cold or the feeling of snow on their faces either.