Su’Zi managed to find P’Ko and helped guide him through the congratulatory crowd to the Doctors station. P’Ko had not yet been patched up and was limping more than before, though he claimed not to feel any pain. By the time they got there, the repairs on the last of the runners were just finishing. P’Ko was once again the last of the runners.
This gave P’Ko and Su’Zi a few moments before the Doctor got to work on him. Su’Zi was drawn to P’Ko’s Crystal tear frost burn. P’Ko couldn’t see his own, but now appreciated their significance and took notice of the finely etched six-sided Stellar Dendrite on Su’Zi’s cheek near her eye. It shimmered faintly and seemed to change colors in the light.
P’Ko never actually paid Su’Zi’s crystal tear much attention, he had thought it only an elaborate Mi’Nr’s tattoo, a decoration. Now he appreciated it and looked at it like never before. A sudden realization came over him, and he glanced around, noticing that, he had assumed they were all the same. But now on closer examination the six-sided crystals varied, some were Stellar Dendrites like Su’Zi’s, but others were Sectored Plates or stellar plates, still others were Stars or triangular Crystals, they all were unique, like real snowflakes.
He mentioned it to Su’Zi, while she still intently studied P’Ko’s own Crystal Tear, she confirmed all Crystal Tears were different, just like natural snowflakes.
“I can’t remember ever seeing one,” Su’Zi said softly to herself. About that time Mi’Ka appeared making like she was pushing through the crowd, though the crowd gave way readily, showing their deference. She mumbled something about people needing to pay respect to their elders, as she put on her best good-humored crotchety show.
Su’Zi turned to Mi’Ka, “Mi’Ka, P’Ko’s Crystal Tear is twelve sided not six sided, have you ever heard of such a thing? A twelve-sided Stellar Dendrite?” Mi’Ka came over and pulled P’Ko down for a closer examination and ran her fingers lightly over P’Ko’s cheek, then pulled very close as if she could see something through her blind eyes if it were close enough.
“Hum,” Mi’Ka went on, “I’ve heard of them before, they’re rare, but not unheard of, it might be due to his made over U’Te skin, but nothing about this one is ordinary. Did you see him jump over the Se’Ro’Bs? He should be half digested by now. Then he had to torment the poor thing by groveling away from it at the end, only leaving it a taste.”
Then, changing the subject, Mi’Ka continued, “enough of that, I just wanted to congratulate our P’Ko Lele’Kolo on completing the run.” Then directed towards P’Ko, “stop by my shop later, it doesn’t have to be today, I have something for you, and she winked a blind eye at P’Ko.” “Now go get patched up.” The doctor’s station was now available, “and get some clothes on, show off!” and she walked away.
P’Ko, suddenly self-conscious, realizing that he was now the only one in all the crowd wearing nothing but threadbare and tattered body paint, all the rest of the runners had donned finishers jumpsuits upon completion of their repairs at the doctor’s station. P’Ko walked over and hopped on the exam table, gladly accepting the sheet that was offered to him, and sat back letting the Doctor and his Med Teck do their work.
P’Ko’s exothermic paint had nearly completely burnt off, leaving him mostly bare, with a few thin patches and tatters hanging. The carbon reinforced patches were gone and blood seeped through abraded and cracked skin, saturating the bandage and compression slipper socks and gloves P’Ko and the other runners, that needed them, received immediately after the run.
The Med Tech, an attractive U’Te started to work removing the left over exothermic paint and residue from P’Ko’s. She was soon assisted by Su’Zi.
The doctor allowed the Med Tech, with Su’Zi close by to work on P’Ko’s frost burns using special applicator to apply a high strength nanobot lotion. The body painter had done a good job. The one recommended by Su’Zi that P’Ko used had over a century of practice and knew just where and how thick to apply the multiple layers of exothermic paint and where to add carbon fiber reinforcement patches.
The doctor applied a topical anesthetic to the abrasions and cracks and a local anesthetic near the gash on his leg. Then began cleaning the wounds using a powerful smelling solution that washed away the damaged flesh. He then laid new skin over it and using a strange looking tool, the doctor sort’a welded it in place around the edges. Then covered the area with a shaded lamp which he turned on and let sit for a minute or two as if to bake, while he worked on the next area. Moving from one blood soaked area to the next.
The gash in his leg took a bit longer, and the doctor did most of the work under a drape that covered the gash and obscured what the doctor did inside the wound.
While the Doctor worked, P’Ko was saddened as he realized and that his Nu’Tn friends weren’t here to participate in the festivities. Only yesterday life seemed simpler but now, as he contemplated the future that lay ahead, he realized that when he chose this profession that he’d to begin to lead a sort of double life. He had won acceptance here among the Mi’Nr’s, but all of his U’Te friends would feel out of place here. Just as all these new friends would feel out of place up in Nu’Tn.
He knew that if he tried to use what little influence he had with his new Mi’Nr friends to force acceptance of his U’Te friends it wouldn’t work, at least not now. Maybe someday.
The Doctor completed his repairs, and they were on their way.
P’Ko for the moment was something of a celebrity. Su’Zi pulled P’Ko to the side, and giving him a hug and kiss, whispered teasingly that there would be girls showing up all over the place, after him, worse even than the Se’Ro’Bs. But not to worry, she would help him through the gauntlet.
She was right, P’Ko noticed girls, attractive girls, looking amorously at him, a few in spite of his being with Su’Zi sent him psychic invites. P’Ko didn’t rebuff the psychic overtures, doing his best to stay aloof and focused on Su’Zi. Who he knew was proud to be with him.
Su’Zi didn’t mind the looks and signals they got, let them have their dreams. She sensed P’Ko was flattered by the unexpected attention, but she knew he was proud to be with her. She soaked in the attention she got from the guys and the girls, envious of her, as she strutted proudly snuggling next to P’Ko.
P’Ko and Su’Zi wandered around the run celebration turned street party, sampling food, drinking lightly, mostly celebratory toasts. P’Ko met lots of new people, and Su’Zi introduced him to many of her friends. He got lots of compliments from people that had bet he would escape the Se’Ro’Bs, and good humored gibes from those that bet he wouldn’t.
There were lots of food vendors, drinking, music, and dancing on impromptu dance floors. They milled about the street party into the early evening then retired to an Ol’Tn town rental apartment Mi’Ka had helped Su’Zi secure for the occasion. P’Ko and Su’Zi spent hours talking; lounging together, sitting on a love seat, feet up before a bay window overlooking the main street of Ol’Tn.
The one-way glass showed the crowds still jostling about, the street below. The many display screens are showing various run highlights with commentary. They shared their experiences and feelings about Running with the Se’Ro’Bs and discussed the details of each other’s race.
Su’Zi told of her first race and chided, P’Ko that she finished fastest among the Ti’Ro’s. They talked philosophically and wondered why they couldn’t sense the Se’Ro’Bs and whether Se’Ro’Bs even lived.
They talked about life, what the meaning of life is or might be and what they wanted out of life and how they were lucky to have found each other. The whole time, they shared and exchanged unspoken feelings psychically.
They talked about how they first met and how P’Ko was so attracted to Su’Zi and how beautiful she was. Su’Zi spoke of how she was first attracted to P’Ko on a psychic level, even in her dream. Then she confessed that since laying eyes on him after his bio-mods, a passion had started to kindle in her and was magnified a thousand times
when she saw him in nothing but body paint. Then topped by watching the slow motion replays of some of the most energetic portions of the run, especially his great leap.
Su’Zi had longed for this night. The visceral attraction she felt for P’Ko piled on top of the psychic and emotional feelings was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She felt her inhibitions drain away.
As they spoke, laying in each other’s arms the passion that each felt for the other grew, and they began to caress. Losing themselves in time and space, existing in the here and now they made love.
It was passionate and intense. Neither one of them could hold back, and they quickly and simultaneously reset, and fell into a little death so intense it was minutes before their hearts started again. Then made love again, and again, each time softer and slower, seeking to prolong the experience as long as possible.
The next morning, they both had the day off, P’Ko going negative to get the time off, but feeling it was well worth the debt.
They woke wrapped in each other’s arms, cheek to cheek, feeling as if they were one body, refreshed and satisfied. Slowly, as their senses returned, with sadness, they recognized their bodies as their own. The sadness was offset by the realization that this wasn’t the last and out of the separation grew a greater appreciation of what they had shared. They knew without speaking, that nothing in each other’s experience could match what they just had.
Slowly, taking several playful false attempts to separate, they untangled from each other. Su’Zi got up first and stood for a moment, each admiring the other’s naked body. Then Su’Zi walked over and started brewing tea.
As the tea brewed P’Ko went to the bathroom and returned with a warm, damp cloth and they laid back down and P’Ko gave Su’Zi a sponge bath. Afterward Su’Zi did the same for P’Ko, finishing up with a light coating of scented lotion for both.
They slipped on robes that Su’Zi had prepped in advance, and sat once again before the bay window watching the street vendors below and drank freshly brewed tea and ate breakfast wafers, given to Su’Zi by Mi’Ka for this particular occasion.
They talked about how good it was the night before, and how happy they were to be with each other, how they couldn’t imagine it being any better.
The unspoken implication being the question of if they had crossed the rarely discussed line between sex; the recreational stress reliever, the psychic reset, exercise and fulfillment of gender identity, and love; the deep pair bonding prequel to procreation, the joining that usually begins to occur between mated couples twice their age.
P’Ko’s next thought, he couldn’t tell if he spoke or just thought “are we in love?” Su’Zi responded in kind, P’Ko still not sure if he heard it with his ears “of course we are. I have loved you since the moment I first saw you.” Then Su’Zi, speaking, aloud, “I believe we’ve been somehow connected since long before we met, that there exist soul mates that are timeless, that we are meant to be together.”
Then, after a pause, “What is love?” answering herself “Love is the sense of belonging, the sharing of yourself, sharing of your self-control, your knowledge, your very awareness, sharing that part of you that makes, you, “you.” When two people love each other, they lose themselves, give up thinking about themselves as individuals, unconditionally accepting each other for who they are and begin to think of themselves as a couple, as connected with the person they love.”
“People who love each other create a new, multiself, a virtual person that is a combination of the two individuals; the individuals disappear, and the couple remains. Separation or anything that threatens separation hurts as much a physical cut or injury, even more so because it’s painful to the heart, to the soul. People in love are never the same as before, everything they do has the touch or imprint of their loved one. Lacking the knowledge of the other, like we were before we found each other, creates a longing for the seed of true love, the want to belong to another.”
“When I first saw you in my dream, I didn’t see a To’Ta, I felt something deeper, I saw something deeper like there was an aura around you. Then when I saw you again in Vr’Chm the aura was missing, but it was like tunnel vision, I could see through the virtual interface, see you directly, like looking through a portal. I sensed it was you and longed to be with you, to be part of your life. It was love at first sight, but I could tell that at first you didn’t feel the same way, and it hurt and terrified me.”
P’Ko replied, “I was terrified too. I knew that I was attracted to you, but I couldn’t tell it if it was physical attraction or true love. I had to get to know you on a deeper, more personal level to decern if it was a physical longing, or more, a longing for the real you, underneath that beautiful body. I had to get to know the deeper you, your personality, your wants, your goals, your values and desires, the more profound you, before I knew if I actually loved you.”
“I didn’t know then what real love was. Now, and it’s not just because of last night. I know that you have forever changed my life and whether together or apart “we” will always influence my life, my decisions, I can’t think of myself without including you. “I do love you.” And they touched psychically and embraced.
After more tea and wafers, Su’Zi produced P’Ko’s utility overalls that he had worn to report into the run, freshly laundered, he had forgotten them completely; Su’Zi had thought of everything and P’Ko lavished the attention.
They spent the rest of the day together exploring Ol’Tn and even paid a visit to Mi’Ka, who gave P’Ko a neck charm of sorts, a tiny, sturdy little bottle containing a clear liquid appearing to have sparkling snowflakes drifting through it. She said that it was a powerful first aid kit and to be only used in dire emergencies, and in the meantime, it was nice to look at, and it was; P’Ko found himself momentarily transfixed watching the sparkling snowflakes drift on the tiny currents in the bottle. He broke himself away and thanked Mi’Ka profusely; he had never seen or heard of anything like it before.
P’Ko and Su’Zi became a couple, unusual for people so young, but not unheard of. They settled into something of a routine, seeing each other as often as their schedule permits, sometimes P’Ko visits Su’Zi more often Su’Zi visiting P’Ko, due to her access to a vehicle and her more advanced driving skills. P’Ko didn’t mind because they would often go for rides and Su’Zi would teach P’Ko how to drive like a pro.
P’Ko’s apprenticeship was slow and methodical. He needed to complete his apprenticeship and get a permanent job assignment before they could try to get into the same camp. Between learning his job and spending time with Su’Zi, P’Ko’s life was happy and contented, He had all but forgot about the reader neatly stowed in the sack safe fused to the bottom of his locker. He stayed friends with his U’Te classmates mostly on social media and online, but over time grew more and more distant. Until an old friend asked a favor.
Chapter 40, A Favor for Tn’
As P’Ko rode the supply shuttle up to Ol’Tn, he reflected on the message from Tn’, it felt and sounded urgent. P’Ko knew that Tn’ was getting ready to graduate and thought that Tn’ might be wanting P’Ko’s advice on Job selection and bio-mods, but why the sense of urgency? P’Ko thought back to Tn’s question so long ago up in the stadium overlooking Nu’Tn. They had been asking each other about their likes and dislikes. When Tn’ asked P’Ko if he liked “boys or girls.” Tn’ was back then and might now still be undecided about gender and wanting advice.
Everyone stresses over bio-mod and job selection as they near graduation. But back then Tn’ seemed even more undecided than most. Could Tn’ be debating over gender identity? P’Ko suddenly wished Su’Zi were here, she would be able to give a female’s point of view.
If Tn’ is undecided, perhaps it would be best to stay U’Ne ne wouldn’t have been the first and it’s the right choice for some. P’Ko was frightened of suggesting any particular gender identity to Tn’ because it’s such an important decision, one that will impact you f
or the rest of your life. While gender reassignment is technically possible if a mistake is made, the cost of sex reassignment, an unfunded elective mod according to the CA, could cost twenty-five to fifty years of savings. P’Ko didn’t want to be responsible in any way for such an important decision.
P’Ko had always known and felt comfortable with Tn’ as a U’Ne. Tn’ was three years younger than P’Ko and they were best friends growing up and maybe not best friends now, still good friends. Knowing Tn’ as well as he did, P’Ko’s choice for Tn’ would be between U’Ne and male, probably U’Ne.
P’Ko made it to Ym’Cha’s and found Tn’ already there waiting. After a warm welcome, they bought tea, sat at a table talking superficially about P’Ko’s job, transitioning to the core topic of school, graduation, job selection and bio-mods.
P’Ko was flabbergasted when Tn’ finally told him that ne decided that ne was going to be female; Tn’ was going to become Tn’Ya.
Tn’s disclosure knocked P’Ko off balance, and it took a while for him to come back to his senses and sort out what he just heard. He reflected back on what he knew of Tn’. Tn’ had been a little effeminate growing up, but that wasn’t unusual for a To’Ta. But then P’Ko recalled getting subtle hints that Tn’ desired to be physically intimate with P’Ko. Remembering occasional comments, touches and edging inside the standard male/male comfort zone of interpersonal space and more often than necessary choosing to come close to whisper something when it didn’t warrant secrecy. It didn’t threaten P’Ko; he just didn’t pay it any attention.
P’Ko knew Tn’ was still grateful to P’Ko and indebted to P’Ko for that time long ago when P’Ko rescued Tn’ from Dan’Zu and his gang. Tn’ couldn’t seem to let go of it, in spite of P’Ko’s attempts to minimize it. P’Ko felt more than repaid by Tn’ staying a trusted and loyal friend, pleasant and fun to be around.
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