“Hey big guy, is it just me or is it getting a bit windy? Does it rain in here?”
He looks so mischievous when he looks down at me, I can practically feel his glee at whatever is coming.
“Yes, it does, but that’s not what’s happening now,” he says, but doesn’t explain any further. I desperately want to ask more questions, my curiosity trying to ruin the surprise as always, but the wind whips my voice and Khur picks up his pace so that I am speed walking behind him.
“Don’t wanna miss it, just a bit further,” he says as we crest a particularly steep hill.
As I come over the rise, I have to pause at the top of the hill to catch my breath and stare. The hill dips back down by several yards before flattening out into a long meadow. At the far end, dozens of Silfans flit around machines that vaguely remind me of hang gliders with flat metal platforms beneath multicolored, pastel wings. There was somecomplicated machinery in front of the platform with long handlebars. Even if I was right next to one, I’d never understand the mechanics involved.
The grass is short here, lacking the colorful flowers that decorate the meadows we’ve walked through to get here. It looks like they cut all the flowers from this section and attached them to those gliders somehow. Long, colorful trains of blooms trail behind each one, making me think of maypoles and spring weddings. Closer to us, just at the bottom of the hill, a crowd of onlookers has gathered. I wonder if I will ever get used to the sight of a group of aliens hanging out in matching jumpsuits when I spot a bright blue male who has cut his pant legs to shorts, showing off his long, muscular (did I mention bright blue?) digitigrade legs. Cut offs aren't terrible idea… shorts would feel amazing in these meadows.
“Let’s go closer!” I don’t give Khur time to respond, squeezing his hand and pulling him along towards the spectators.
If he doesn’t want to lead, I am happy to take over. Usually men say I’m too bossy, that I need to fall back and follow their lead. Khur just grins monstrously, all fang and tooth and furrowed brows, and I want to kiss him again. He’s so handsome and genuinely sweet. Maybe not in public, though. At least until I talk to Furga some more.
“What are they going to do with those machines? Fly them?” I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me once again.
“I’m not telling! You are terrible at surprises,” he replies, sounding amused.
As we approach the crowd, a Winged-One spots us and waves. He looks a bit like Shemo from the supplies station the other day, but maybe they all look kind of similar? Is that speciest? I’m stuckwondering what to say and what not to say, when the Winged-One comes right up to Khur and raises his wing-tips in Dhugaren greeting. Then he turns to me and extends a clawed tip as if to shake my hand. He properly shakes my hand with his three-clawed hand. I bow forward at the waist, arm extended as if they were wings, the traditional Winged-One greeting. I am so glad I did more research on the data pad at the supplies station. I feel like I actually fit in here, and the male in front of me looks pleased to see his greeting returned.
“Khur, you did not tell me your human was so beautiful.”
Beautiful? Me? Are there a shortage of women here or something? Also… he called me Khur’s human. Should I correct him? Or is it truer than I want to admit? Pondering these important questions, I smile weakly.
“I’m Destiny.”
“Meshi’s my name. Nice to meet you, Destiny. I already know your name, I’ve heard all about you. Khur here is quite obsessed. I admit, I didn’t get the hype at first, but I'm starting to see the appeal.”
He doesn’t sound lascivious, just like he is pointing out a fact, but I still hear a sound I am pretty sure is a growl coming from the Dhugaren beside me.
“Don’t you worry, though, my friend. I will not steal your humans affections. I have one of my own.”
He gestures towards the Silfans and their machines and sure enough, there is a human down there among them. She looks vaguely familiar for some reason. She’s short, barely taller than the tallest Silfan, but her hair gives her a few more inches. It’s a riot of unruly black curls that she doesn't bother brushing away from her face. As she helps check readings and prepare for whatever it is we’re about towitness, she doesn’t stop smiling. I can feel the joy radiating off her from here.
“Is she going to fly one of those things?”
“Yes, I believe so,” Meshi chuckles.
“Oh my god, I have to do this. Where do I sign up? Can you introduce us? Give me an in, Meshi! I need to do this. The experience would be…so cool,” I finish a bit lamely, but hopefully he sees the excitement I can’t contain.
“I would love to introduce you. Just as soon as I introduce myself,” he tells me, with a faraway look in his eyes.
“What do you mean, introduce yourself? I thought she was your human?”
“Well, she is. She just doesn’t know that yet. I’m waiting for the perfect time.”
“That’s not like you, Meshi,” Khur speaks up for the first time, turning to me, “Meshi fills a position at the maintenance office with me. We’ve known each other for several years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Meshi hesitate when he could rush in like a fool.”
The male scoffs. “It has to be perfect when we meet. It has to be perfect. I was informed humans care greatly about first impressions.”
“Well, that’s true, but…” I flounder for an end to that sentence. But what? Introduce yourself anyway?
“Good thing I saved your life the first time I met you,” Khur chuckles beside me, the deep sound of his voice vibrating through me.
I can only laugh, but that quickly morphs into, “Oh shit, look! I think they’re starting.”
The pilots are lining their machines up at the end of the valley, perhaps a hundred yards away. One by one, they climb onto theirrespective vehicles, laying on their bellies and grabbing their handlebars. Above them, the multicolored sails billow in the breeze.
