nearby,” Brank’ox reminds me. “They don’t care much whether it’s day or night.”
“What if we go just a couple of levels down? The beams will act like a strong net above us. The irox can’t possibly get through. It’s too dense.”
Brank’ox looks away. “I am commanded to bring you home today, or I will not be welcomed back to the tribe.”
I reach out and touch his upper arm. “I also promised the girls to be home by dark. That’s too late now. When we get back, I will tell everyone that I delayed us. If Brax’tan tries to blame you, I will remind him that being safe is more important than being home on time.”
“A warrior must trust his own judgment,” Brank’ox thoughtfully agrees. “And I would not be happy about escorting you through the woods at night.”
I smile. I actually wouldn’t mind spending a night in the company of this man. “Exactly. It’s the only right thing to do.”
He nods, very seriously. “After all, some Bigs can see well at night.”
“They really can. And the Smalls!”
“Indeed! We might not see an angry Small before it was upon us. And then...”
“Oh, it doesn’t bear thinking about. Also, we might walk straight off a cliff in the dark.”
“Disaster! Or there might be dragons. I hear they prefer hunting at night.”
“They totally do. Also, the raider tribes are very active now, they say.”
Brank’ox frowns. “They are? Oh, I see. Yes, very active at this time of year. We wouldn’t be able to spot an ambush before we were in the middle of it.”
“See? Walking through the jungle now would be the same as slitting our own wrists. Pretty much.”
He puts his hands on his hips. “It would be the height of irresponsibility.”
“And while we are many things,” I add, “we’re not irresponsible.”
Brank’ox snorts. “Indeed not!”
I point to my backpack. “I packed a lot of food. There’s no more tequila, but there is meat and fruits.”
“Of course you packed a lot, just in case the mission turned out longer than expected. That’s very far-sighted of you. One might even say responsible.”
“We actually expected this trip to run long. We just didn’t tell anyone.”
“Ah yes. We secretly agreed. I remember it clearly. Very well, we will reluctantly stay here until tomorrow morning, being safe and responsible.”
We exchange conspiratorial smiles.
I’m filled with a weird happiness. I was never one for breaking agreements, but this actually feels pretty good. “Okay. First I have to… um. I’ll just go outside for a minute.”
Brank’ox stiffens and stares over at the crack we came in through. “That was how I lost the two others.”
“I know. You will not lose me. Come outside with me and just turn your back when I… you know. Okay?”
He brightens. “Okay.”
I walk over to the crack. “Very good pronunciation. Another week and you’ll pass for a Floridian.”
He follows me. “My life-long dream come true at last.”
I finish my errand while Brank’ox guards me, staring into the jungle with his sword drawn as if daring the planet to attack me. It wisely doesn’t.
Back inside the remains of the alien spaceship, we climb two levels down until we’re protected from above by a network of exotic girders and beams. We sit down on the deck and finish the food I brought. It’s not a lot, but it sates me fine.
“We now know that this lower part of Old Bune is empty,” I sum up, “except for those engines. But they are useless on their own. There is no additional smaller ship in here. There is something producing power, but it only powers a small light that is impossible to get to. The materials are too weird to use. In fact, we can’t use anything here. Well, a negative result is also a result.”
“As I always say.” Brank’ox curls up an empty food leaf and throws it fifty yards away, over the edge of the ship ruins and into the jungle.
“Actually, I never heard you say that.”
“Perhaps not. But I will say it a lot from now on.”
I glance up at his face, powerful jaws working as he chews the last of the meat. If things work out the way I want them to, and I go home to Earth soon, then I might never have a moment like this again. On an alien planet, in a crashed spaceship, in the middle of a dangerous jungle, and still feeling fully safe with this man.
Never again? I suddenly find that thought completely unbearable. But that’s what I might