Worshiper

© 2019 by Walter Reimer


Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom



When it came time to go, Fuji didn’t show up early as he normally did. Since This Far was her home planet Mikhal told Meredith to go and get him to the spaceport in enough time for their ship to leave on schedule. Luckily, Fuji still had his padd with him, so locating him was simple, and even more luckily he was only a few kilometers outside town.

Getting to him wasn’t quite as easy.

The palomino mare was more used to starship corridors, floors, paved roads and sidewalks. The uneven countryside was composed of grass and rocks and it all felt very odd under her hooves. The steep inclines made her knees ache and she almost stumbled several times walking downhill. The bottle of water she had was maybe a swallow above half-full. At one point in her journey she paused to catch her breath and resolved to start exercising more.

Just in case she needed to go after the monitor again.

Meredith brushed her mane out of her eyes and huffed a sigh. “Why didn’t I just rent a jumpcar?” she muttered aloud.

“Because you needed the walk?”

The voice caused her to nearly jump out of her clothes and she whirled to her left to see Fujiwara lying on his back on the rocks, surrounded by low bushes. He was quite naked and his hide was almost the same color as the rocks he was laying on. He was also downwind of her, which explained why she couldn’t catch his scent before he spoke up.

Meredith pressed a paw to her left breast. “Deus, you startled me! Fuji, what – “

“Shh.” He smiled up at her. “Can’t you feel it?”

The mare looked around, her ears swiveling. “Just the breeze.”

The Komodo monitor smiled and closed his eyes. “I feel Her breath . . . Her voice in the song of birds . . . the pulse and strength of Her life, all around us.” He took a deep breath, released it, and sat up. “What brings you out here, Meredith?”

“We have to get to the spaceport. The ship’s ready for flight, and we’re taking on cargo.”

Fuji nodded. “And we mustn’t be late.” He got to his feet, looked around, and walked down the slope toward a small rock cairn. He moved a few and extracted a small satchel, then took out the clothes he’d worn when she last saw him. He pulled up his trousers and glanced at her. “What?”

“You’ve been out here naked the whole time?”

“Sure.” He gestured at the spot where he’d been reclining. “The rocks get nice and warm in the sun.” He finished getting dressed and slung his satchel over one shoulder. “Let’s go.” He started up the trail and paused when she didn’t move other than to look around. “What?”

“What do you do out here, besides worship?” the mare asked.

The monitor’s tongue flicked before he said, “It’s a beautiful view, out there towards the mountains. The valley below was in bloom when I was here last, and,” and he held up his padd, “I can get caught up on things.”

“The news?”

Fuji snorted and he started up the trail again, Meredith following him. “I don’t just read the news all the time, Merry. I’m studying applied warp physics and Kashlanin.” He grinned at her. “Narchak, eshmaā Fujihwahrah. Kras aan’ mir eshma ‘i?”

“Aanā Meredidh,” the mare laughed. “Your accent’s Terran, just like mine, but a shlan will be able to understand you. What else do you do out here?”

His tail curled, the equivalent of a blush. “There’s a serial I’ve been watching.”

“Oh? Which one?”

“Monsoon Poultry Hospital.” He turned to concentrate on keeping to the trail.

“Is that still on?” the palomino mare asked, toiling up the slope behind him. “I remember watching that when I was a filly.”

“Oh, they revived it three years ago.”

“Did Nurse Dara finally get married?”

Fuji laughed. “Yes, she did, according the series. Her daughter is now there.” The two chuckled as they made their way back to town.

Meredith used her padd to summon an autojitney that got them to the spaceport with a few minutes to spare.

“About time,” Kwinton growled as they stepped aboard the Kiss Me in the Dark. The skunk looked irritated, even though the two were early. “Flight briefing in two hours, and you’ll be flying us out, d’Estcourt.”

“Sure thing, Boss,” and Meredith went to her quarters.


***


Dear Varan,

By the time this gets through the hypercommsat network, we’ll be on our way Coreward with a load of chemicals and ores for Sol System. Fortunately, we’ll be offloading at one of the asteroid stations. It’ll be the first time I’ll be that close to Terra since I left the Navy, but I don’t miss it at all.

Terra’s a dirty place, my love, and that’s the truth. The sky’s sort of a smudge gray, you need a filter mask most of the time, and there are spots where no one’s been allowed in a thousand years. I went there once, and that was enough.

I ran the last game module you sent me, and I think you’re on the right track. The villagers are starting to adjust to having us around, so we need to keep at it.

Miss you,
And love you,

Meredith