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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Tantalus - 13. Friends

Chapter 13. Friends

 

The first thing I noticed was that I could breathe.

I opened my eyes, remembering everything instantly. I had been trapped in a nightmare water-filled tube. I hadn't been able to move, or speak. And my body…

I sat up as if jolted by a live wire, heart hammering in my chest. I caught fleeting glimpses of a Furball-covered floor, of tall walls around me and of Jim lying nearby, naked like I was, but I blocked everything out.

Gingerly, trembling, I brought my hands up to my chest.

It was solid. I took a long, deep breath, ignored the gentle greetings of the Furballs around me, and looked down.

The skin was there, normal, just like usual. I pressed down gently and felt the firm suppleness of my pectoral muscles underneath my fingertips. I touched my sides and felt my rib cage, counted each rib even. It was normal. I ran my hands along my back as far as I could reach and I could feel no difference.

I would have thought it had all just been a bad dream, but there was one thing that had changed.

Right in the middle of my chest, in the gentle cleft between my pecs where before a faint fuzzy patch of hair had grown, there was now a slender, gently-raised line of hard material shaped like a very elongated arrowhead. I took a deep breath as I watched it, and I saw it pulse gently with the same yellow radiance that permeated the walls of the room.

A Furball came up to me, hesitant, scared of what I might do.

Kyle? it asked. It was Tag.

"Hey," I answered. My voice sounded a little strange, like it had done that time I had been out in the atmosphere of Tantalus. A lifetime ago.

I drew in air sharply, making Tag jump away in alarm.

I looked around. There were Furballs everywhere, breathing the very same air I was breathing.

I took a long, deep breath. It filled my artificial lungs with nourishing fullness and I realized what had really happened to me in that pod.

We help Kyle? Tag asked shyly.

I was speechless. I couldn't even think of an answer. I was breathing an alien atmosphere. I was alive.

Jim stirred next to me. Despite everything that was happening, my mind still spared a moment to take in how magnificent he looked, naked like he was. He looked like a statue of strength come to life as he opened his eyes, turning his head to look at me with a confused glance.

"Kyle?" he said quietly, voice hoarse. Then he cleared his throat and tried again. "Kyle, are you all right?"

I nodded slowly. "I am."

He tried to sit up but lost his balance. I reached out, steadying him. He was heavy, but not as heavy as he should have been.

"Take it easy," I said.

"What happened?"

I swallowed. My throat felt dry. "What's the last thing you remember, Jim?"

He frowned, remembering. "The bunker. Furballs pouring in through the ceiling. Were you able to fix the breach? How late is it? Are we out of air?"

I pointed at the slender, glowing marker on my chest, reaching then across to touch the one on Jim's, nestled among the soft hair covering his pecs.

"We've changed, Jim."

"What do you mean?"

"Look around you."

He did, and I followed his glance. We took in the tall, curving walls that stretched far up above our heads, making me feel as if we were inside a cathedral. Ornate, fractal shapes covered the walls, pulsing gently with energy and giving off a warm yellow glow. With a little start, I realized that I could feel the energy moving, even trace it back to its fiercely-glowing source deep underground. I was not doing it through my link to the Furballs, although I was aware of them and they of me. I could sense energy in a way I never had before. I could feel it inside me, disseminated among the gathered Furballs watching us intently, and also in Jim.

He looked back at me with wide-open eyes full of shock and disbelief.

"We're breathing the planet's air," he said in a whisper.

I nodded. "Yes."

"How?"

I made a sweeping gesture with one hand. "They saved us. Our friends."

Friends.

It was a nearly-forgotten concept for the furry aliens. I felt them take it, share it, and expand on it until they finally understood it. When they did, it was like an explosion of joy. For a very long time they had been one Mind. Now, at long last, they had friends.

Friends! they all said to us.

Jim gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I… I can hear them," he said, his voice full of wonder like that of a small child.

I reached out to hold Jim's hand and our connection strengthened beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I was aware of his mind, of his being, and I knew he was aware of me in the same way. It was a communion unlike anything I could have ever thought existed. I could see Jim in his entirety, with all his flaws, yes, but also with all his strengths. I could see his strong, kind heart, his loneliness, and… his love. For me.

I knew, in that instant when I was aware of his love, that he could see how much I loved him in return. He had been my only company during the time I had thought were the last days of my life, and he and I had bonded in a way I had never been bonded to anyone else.

"You…?" I began, but I realized it wasn't even necessary to finish the question.

Jim nodded. "I guess I do."

He bent forward to kiss me. Our lips met and joy surged through our mental link.

The Furballs around us began to sing.

Their voices were purrs and soft growls and whistles, but overlaid over the sound was the true beauty of their mental song. They sang about happiness, about soft moss and cool water, but also about friendship, and about this new thing that Jim and I were calling love. As they sang, the energy within the ancient Temple surged in response, flooding the chamber of healing, and the jewels on my chest and on Jim's began to glow with an echoing light. Those who had built it were no longer here, but I knew then that if they had been, they would have been glad.

I smiled, my lips still touching Jim's. "Looks like we've made them happy."

He caressed my cheek gently, drawing back to look at me fully. "Not as much as you make me."

We stood up carefully then, the Furball song still in our minds, and the furry aliens parted to let us through. An ancient mechanized storage unit opened when we approached, displaying garments that had been cut to fit us. They were a dull gray when I picked mine up, but the fabric shimmered and appeared to change color as soon as I rested it on my skin.

There was water waiting for us, and even some kind of native fruit with a rich pink color and a vivid yellow shell.

I was content. I was at peace.

Jim and I were just about done eating when the gentle song of the Furballs was suddenly interrupted.

A deep tremor shook the very foundations of the Temple and light showers of dirt rained down from the ceiling. Then it happened again. And again.

The silence in the room where before there had been song was almost deafening, but even worse was the sudden wrenching groan that heralded the violent collapse of the ceiling on top of us.

"Look out!" Jim shouted, pulling me under him to shield me with his body.

He wasn't the only one who had thought of that. All the Furballs zoomed towards our position, crowding on top of us, keening, hoping to protect us.

Against giant blocks of rock, however, there is no protection.

I felt black knives of sorrow slice my heart open when the first rock crushed the lives of a dozen Furballs. There was another tremor and more rocks rained down.

More aliens died. I cried out, clinging to Jim with all my strength.

Then sudden, blasting sunlight.

Behind it, the culprit. A towering shape, hunkering down on four mechanical legs.

"Planetary Government," Jim growled beside me. I saw how his eyes were practically blazing with fury. "They've come to finish the job."

 

span>Thanks a lot for reading, and thank you for every like to this story! Please follow it if you would like to be notified when the next chapter comes out. :D


A special thanks goes out to my awesome beta reader Caz - thanks for all the feedback!

*From now on, I will publish story updates on Mondays and Fridays. Stay tuned!*

2015 by Albert Nothlit
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Chapter Comments

  • Site Administrator

A short chapter, but you packed so much into it! The feelings that Kyle and Jim experienced for each other...the continued revelations of the furballs...the horribleness at the end with the Planetary Gov't wreaking even more destruction. The furballs are such amazing creatures. The joy they shared with their new friends was so touching, as was their sacrifice. I hope that Jim and Kyle are able to exact some revenge and avenge the furballs that have fallen. I eagerly await more...

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There we all were happy and hunky-dory and this Planetary Government

thing comes along to ruin it all, leaving us worried again and saddled

with another cliffhanger. No time to enjoy love, friendship, and a snack,

-Godzilla's here! I'm beginning to really hate these government people.

  • Angry 1
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On 04/11/2015 02:55 AM, Valkyrie said:
A short chapter, but you packed so much into it! The feelings that Kyle and Jim experienced for each other...the continued revelations of the furballs...the horribleness at the end with the Planetary Gov't wreaking even more destruction. The furballs are such amazing creatures. The joy they shared with their new friends was so touching, as was their sacrifice. I hope that Jim and Kyle are able to exact some revenge and avenge the furballs that have fallen. I eagerly await more...
Thanks! I decided against padding the chapter unnecessarily with extra stuff, although it did come out a bit short. There's more in store, though, that much I can promise!
  • Like 1
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On 04/11/2015 02:57 AM, Stephen said:
There we all were happy and hunky-dory and this Planetary Government

thing comes along to ruin it all, leaving us worried again and saddled

with another cliffhanger. No time to enjoy love, friendship, and a snack,

-Godzilla's here! I'm beginning to really hate these government people.

Lol I know, such is the life of story protagonists.
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The furballs rescued the guys. Now it's time to repay the favour. Kyle or at least Jim might know how to handle one of those machines of destruction. Aux armes, citoyens!

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On 04/11/2015 03:16 AM, Puppilull said:
The furballs rescued the guys. Now it's time to repay the favour. Kyle or at least Jim might know how to handle one of those machines of destruction. Aux armes, citoyens!
Ouais! :)
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Man, they don't even really get a chance to settle into the new relationship of the Furballs, or their newly discovered love before BAM! The government arrives. I really hope Jim knows enough about the Planetary Government and that he can use that knowledge to protect Kyle and the Furballs.

  • Fingers Crossed 1
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Awesome, now I feel that the fun is about to begin. The "Furballs" I am guessing are about to find their strength and collective power and the Government forces hopefully will get an unpleasant surprise. This just get more and more exciting thank you so very much for sharing this tale with us. Very well done.

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Talk about a brief amount of joy. Now what can they do? Can the furballs lead them to the weapons they have? Don't they have something to fight back with? Man, it will suck if their sacred temple that heals them is destroyed. Stupid gov't doesn't realize it's ruining the place that could make it possible for humans to live there. though I think the pod that changed them might need the aliens to work. They should be keeping Tag with them b/c he's important in their communicating with the furballs. Jim must be in his glory, well if he had time to enjoy it. As a scientist, to be able to interact and communicate with the aliens would be amazing. Not to mention being able to go out into the environment. The guys better be careful. i'm sure the gov't would like to know how they can now breathe the air.

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The happiness was short-lived. Hopefully they can come up with a plan quickly before more Furballs get hurt. It's intriguing that Jim was given psionic abilities - but it will come in useful.

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Not sure if was by design, but to me the conciseness of the chapter resonated with my expectation that communication via telepathy would move at such a much faster pace than spoken communication. The concert from the Furballs and the certainty that the original Friends would have approved was a spectacular homage to their love!

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From happy to sad in the blink of an eye. The Furballs will do anything, even give up their own lives, to protect their friends. Such loyal creatures. Hopefully there is something in the temple they can use to fight the Planetary government.

  • Like 1
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On 04/12/2015 02:19 AM, LitLover said:
From happy to sad in the blink of an eye. The Furballs will do anything, even give up their own lives, to protect their friends. Such loyal creatures. Hopefully there is something in the temple they can use to fight the Planetary government.
The next chapter will hopefully give a better idea of their fighting capability!
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On 04/11/2015 11:22 PM, hillj69 said:
Not sure if was by design, but to me the conciseness of the chapter resonated with my expectation that communication via telepathy would move at such a much faster pace than spoken communication. The concert from the Furballs and the certainty that the original Friends would have approved was a spectacular homage to their love!
Thanks, I think the chapter came out that way on its own.
  • Like 1
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On 04/11/2015 12:54 PM, EagleIsaac said:
The happiness was short-lived. Hopefully they can come up with a plan quickly before more Furballs get hurt. It's intriguing that Jim was given psionic abilities - but it will come in useful.
We'll get to see just how he uses his new abilities in the near future!
  • Like 1
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On 04/11/2015 11:59 AM, Cannd said:
Talk about a brief amount of joy. Now what can they do? Can the furballs lead them to the weapons they have? Don't they have something to fight back with? Man, it will suck if their sacred temple that heals them is destroyed. Stupid gov't doesn't realize it's ruining the place that could make it possible for humans to live there. though I think the pod that changed them might need the aliens to work. They should be keeping Tag with them b/c he's important in their communicating with the furballs. Jim must be in his glory, well if he had time to enjoy it. As a scientist, to be able to interact and communicate with the aliens would be amazing. Not to mention being able to go out into the environment. The guys better be careful. i'm sure the gov't would like to know how they can now breathe the air.
I would love to be able to explore an alien planet. I guess it kind of shows, huh?
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On 04/11/2015 10:40 AM, Dathi said:
Awesome, now I feel that the fun is about to begin. The "Furballs" I am guessing are about to find their strength and collective power and the Government forces hopefully will get an unpleasant surprise. This just get more and more exciting thank you so very much for sharing this tale with us. Very well done.
some action-packed chapters are definitely coming!
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On 04/11/2015 06:06 AM, Defiance19 said:
Man, they don't even really get a chance to settle into the new relationship of the Furballs, or their newly discovered love before BAM! The government arrives. I really hope Jim knows enough about the Planetary Government and that he can use that knowledge to protect Kyle and the Furballs.
Yeah, a lot is riding on Jim's shoulders right now!
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