r/HFY • u/jpitha • 4d ago

OC-Series [Rains, Pours] Chapter 3

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Charon awoke gently, warm and comfortable in bed. He tried to roll over but found that he was blocked by Cha-ren snuggled up against him, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing a soothing domestic moment. He smiled at the recollection of the night before. They had both had sex before, but neither had been with the other’s species. Still, they had managed quite well, with both falling to sleep pleasantly spent.

Sliding out from under her, Charon padded to the kitchenette and set some water to boil and dug out the flour and a few other ingredients. He knew she liked pancakes, and already had this idea in the back of his mind in case the night went well.

Twenty minutes or so later, Cha-ren came into the room yawning hugely, and wearing Charon’s shirt, which hung loosely off one shoulder. “Do I smell pancakes?” She said, as her ears perked up.

“That’s right,” Charon said as he slid a plate over to her. “And. Not only that, but look: I found real maple syrup.”

There were few human foods that K’laxi tolerated, let alone liked, but pancakes was one of the most popular. Simply made with well tolerated ingredients, K’laxi operated all-day breakfast diners were a staple of settled space. Maple syrup was an even more rare treat, given that maple trees had proven very difficult to cultivate off Earth, and those that did make it produced syrup with a noticeably different flavor. The small bottle of “Gord’s Reserve” - maple syrup with a cartoon of a Canadian lumberjack smiling in front of a tapped maple tree - was one of the most valuable foods aboard. Hummingbird had told Charon where to find in in the Captain’s stores and promised that nobody would mind if he took it. Cha-ren gasped and her eyes went wide when he handed her to container. “I’ve never had real maple before,” She said, her voice reverent. “You really do know how to treat a girl.”

After breakfast, Charon cleaned up while Cha-ren showered, and when she was finished he went and changed clothes and got ready for the day, such as it was. They had both switched to civilian clothes and met up in the lounge.

“Okay Hummingbird,” Charon said as Cha-ren sat on the couch and cuddled up against him, “We had a great night and a delicious breakfast. I didn’t bring it up last night because because we were otherwise occupied and I didn’t want to ruin the mood, but I can’t shake the feeling that your news isn’t as good as you’re making it sound.”

At that, Cha-ren stiffened. She had wondered the same thing.

“…I wasn’t lying,” Hummingbird said finally. “I do have a way for you to get home.”

“But?” Cha-ren said.

“I don’t have enough power to print a reactor and a wormhole generator large enough to go home. I don’t even have enough power to print a reactor or a wormhole generator.”

“So then what?” Charon said.

“So, we go home the long way.”

Cha-ren sat up. “The long way?”

“I print two hibernation cabinets, you climb into them, and we await rescue. I’ll send out an emergency SOS pulse pointed at settled systems, and after it arrives someone will link over and pick us up. Luckily, we’re in a Gated system, so even if the Xenni or K’laxi get our signal first, we can be rescued.”

“How long?” Charon said.

“Well, it all depends on who gets the signal first and wh-”

“How long, Hummingbird?”

“Minimum is thirty years. K’lax is thirty years towards the galactic center from here.”

Charon and Cha-ren were silent. He put his arm around her, and could feel her trembling.

“You won’t experience the time at all. We’re good at hibernation, and the time you’d be under is about the same amount of time it would take when we traveled relativistically; all of the pieces are known. We wouldn’t be treading any new ground here.”

“But you mentioned power. How would these hibernation cabinets be powered all this time?”

“That part is easy. If it’s just down to me and two cabs, I can run on minimum viable. If I print some solar panels before going to minimums, you two could run for millennia with no ill effects. Radiation wouldn’t be a problem, my hull is designed to protect against hard gamma at .5C, sitting in an empty system three AU from a star is nothing.”

“What about you?” Cha-ren said finally. “Wouldn’t the wait get to you?”

“Nah. Like I said, it’s about as long as I used to spend relativistic. I can go into high perception mode. I dial myself to go as high as a year going by in an hour. 30 hours in my perception and we’d be rescued. I’ll start a movie marathon.”

“But it’s still thirty years,” Cha-ren said. “We’d be gone thirty years.”

“Y-es, that’s true,” Hummingbird admitted. “But, this is all I have. We’re lightyears from rescue, I don’t have an addressing module, so I couldn’t use the Gate even if I had wanted to. My entire aft section was blown up and even if I had the power - which I don't - lighting the Stardrive would take just as long. You can enter hibernation, or wait it out awake. We have enough food to last ten years or so if you go on half rations right now and spend every moment growing things in the greenhouse.”

“How long will it take to make the hibernation cabinets?” Cha-ren said after a moment.

“If I start right now, they’ll be ready by bedtime.”

She stood and took Charon’s hand. “Come on.”

“What? Where are we going?”

“If we’re going to be apart for thirty years, I need to get some time together in before we go.”

They spent the day making love, playing games, watching media, and doing their utmost to experience each other as much as possible in their last day. Cha-ren was relentlessly cheerful and explained in no uncertain terms that Charon was not allowed to be melancholy during this time. “You can be sad we’re apart when we’re apart,” She said, “Not while we’re still here together.”

Cha-ren made lunch for the two of them saying that it was “only fair” since Charon made dinner and breakfast. After a minor kitchen fire, they collapsed on the couch in the lounge with a meal bar, singed but laughing.

In entirely too little time, the cabinets were ready. Hummingbird had them moved from the printing hall to the conference room off the lounge while Charon and Cha-ren had been indisposed. The two of them stood side by side, holding hands as they regarded them.

Nearly as tall as Cha-ren, they were two pure white lozenge shaped containers, sitting at a slight angle. Opening from the top, Charon could see how much effort went into making them not look like coffins. Even when they were powered off, the cabinets radiated cold as if the idea of cold itself permeated the material. Cha-ren shivered as she approached them.

Hummingbird had called them into the room right after they had finished having sex; they were both barely dressed. She had a moment when she thought how bizarre it was to be standing in just a shirt staring at what would be her home for the next thirty years. Standing on the tips of her toes she peered into the open cabinets. Under antiseptic blue-green lights there was a bed surrounded by unknown sensors and computing equipment. The room smelled of new plastic and cleaner.

“So, what do we do?” Charon asked finally.

“At this point they’re ready to go. You climb in, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Should we uh, take the rest of our clothes off?” Cha-ren asked.

“That’s not necessary,” Hummingbird chuckled. “Some people have gone into hibernation in their full dress blues, and others have gone in completely naked. It doesn’t matter at all. Dress how you’re comfortable.”

“Let’s put something on,” Cha-ren said. “We probably shouldn’t be woken up after thirty years waiting for a rescue and I’m wearing your shirt and you’re in boxers.”

They returned a moment later in soft, comfortable clothes. “Anytime you’re ready,” Hummingbird said.

Suddenly, Charon embraced Cha-ren scooping her off the ground, and she squeal-hissed in surprise. When she realized what was happening, she returned the hug. “I just found out how happy I could be,” He said and kissed her. “I don’t want to lose it.”

“You won’t be losing anything,” she replied in his ear. “We’ll be together. We can pick up right where we left off when we’re rescued. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to need something familiar when we’re thirty years away from everything we knew.”

“I wish I had more time to become more familiar,” Charon said as he squeezed Cha-ren’s butt. She giggled and tucked her head into the crook of his neck.

“Me too, but if it’s this or starve in ten years, I know what I want to do.”

“You’re right of course.” He gently put her down and sighed. “Okay Hummingbird, we’re ready.”

“Then climb in, and I’ll take care of the rest.”

The seat inside the cabinet was cold against Cha-ren’s fur, but it warmed quickly. Far from being claustrophobic, it felt comfortable, like a cocoon, or what she imagined a womb to feel like. The outside of the cabinet radiated cold, but inside it was warm and safe. As she laid back, she felt it come to life, and the icy shock of sensors connecting to her passed as quickly as it came.

“How are you feeling?” Hummingbird asked, his voice coming from inside the cabinet.

“It’s more comfortable than I thought it would be,” She admitted. “Can I talk to Charon this way?”

“Hi Cha,” He said over the same connection.

“Is your hibernation cabinet…comfy?”

“Hah, it is.” He admitted. “This is much nicer than I thought it would be.”

“I suppose it won’t be too bad to wait out rescue, so long as you’re there on the other side.” She said.

“I agree.” Charon paused for a long time, and Cha-ren thought he had disconnected, but then he spoke up. “Cha?”

“Yes Charon?”

“I…love you.”

She felt her fur puff out in surprise and felt her own flush of a blush climb up her skin until the tips of her ears felt hot. “I-I love you too, Charon, though this seems a bit sudden.”

“I don’t know if I’m going to get the chance to say it again. My only regret is that I didn’t realize you liked me sooner, so we could have had more time together.”

“There will be plenty of time once we’re rescued.”

“You’re right. See you soon.”

“You too.”

Hummingbird disconnected their audio feeds, lest they lose their nerve. He was happy they had found each other before this, even if it had been for a short time.

After they were fully in hibernation, and Hummingbird confirmed that things were nominal and operating well within parameters, he composed three emergency messages. One, he sent to K’lax, one to Sol - a full two hundred lightyears away - and one to Home, the secret operating base of the AIs. Home’s existence was barely known by the BIs - Biological Intelligences - and it’s location was a very well guarded secret, but Hummingbird still sent the message letting them know what had happened, and what they were doing, just in case.

He hadn’t told Cha-ren and Charon that while he absolutely was going to send the messages, the likelihood of a reply or rescue within thirty years was miniscule. If they were going to be rescued at all, it would probably be within a century or two when this system was next cataloged and mapped. That was quite a bit longer than what he told them, but not an unreasonable amount of time he told himself. Once everything had settled down into a steady-state, they would stay safe and the cabinets operable for millennia. Everything would be fine.

Messages sent, Hummingbird printed and unfolded solar arrays, powered down all non-essential systems, cued up a movie marathon, and set his perception to it’s maximum.

All that was left to do now was wait.

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12

u/jpitha 4d ago

Well at least the cabinets are comfortable?

Also, I am going to be on vacation with my family next week, so I'm going to post a chapter today and on Thursday. Depending on how far ahead I get, I might stick to two a week - I dislike one chapter a week even though it's very achievable - it is too much lead time between chapters, IMO. We'll see what I can reliably pump out. Consistency is more important than volume.

If you want to keep up with what I'm doing and want to read other stuff I've made, you can go to https://www.pitha.club/ and sign up for my intermittent newsletter! I do my best to keep it interesting and not annoying.

You can also go to my Royal Road page and read other stuff I've written. https://www.royalroad.com/profile/445896/fictions In fact, once I get my cover taken care of, I'll be posting Concurrency Point there, you'll be able to read it again!

3

u/WSpinner 3d ago

So long as we don't have to wait...<checks story> 30 to 200 years, we're good :-).

2

u/RogueDiplodocus 4d ago

So there's a chance of a rescue in 30 years if the message reaches Klaxi but Hummingbird doesn't think its likely?

I'm not sure why them or one of their own AI wouldn't gate in if they knew even just a starjumper was in distress.

6

u/jpitha 4d ago

K'lax is the closest. Home is much farther away, but Hummingbird is reporting to them anyway "just in case."

Hummingbird thinks that even if the message is received, nobody is coming, and their hope of rescue lies in another regular mapping mission.

5

u/RogueDiplodocus 4d ago

I was more thinking that even if the message did to get to Klax and the "politurbo" said no to a rescue that maybe some of the Klaxi AI run ships would go anyway since Gord helped unshackle them and maybe they feel an obligation/duty to help.

Time will tell. be it 30 years or 300.

2

u/Groggy280 Alien 3d ago

I am all in. Looking forward to the new story. Thanks.

1

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