Parting Ways at Sunrise
Posted on Mon Aug 19th, 2019 @ 11:30am by Bomoor Thort & Thane & Amare
2,066 words; about a 10 minute read
Chapter:
Chapter V: Unbound
Location: Elenca Settlement, Üssina, Öetrago
Timeline: Morning after "SmartSoil™"
OLD
“Well then,” Bruta beamed with his eyes, which were like large glowing saucers in the moonlight, “I’d say that’s mission success team. Let’s get on back to the herd and see what we’ve found. I’m sure I can find a way to leak anything incriminating out to the right sources.”
With a swelling of pride and only mild concern at having just trespassed on private property, Bruta led his own mini-herd back along the valley to Senob’s boat. As the cool night air soothed him, he looked up at the stars and thought of Bomoor. He only wished his son could be part of this herd with him.
NEW
“He’s in terrible trouble, Bruta” Mumin’s soft tones were tinged with a warble of concern as she relayed her experience walking through the celestial maze to find Bomoor, “Trapped in some terrible prison, with only the grace of the Mother to cling to. I do not know whether it is a real prison or one of the mind, but he was not well.”
Her soft eyes drifted downwards, “Those Jedi have not kept him safe…”
Bruta felt his throats constricting as though all four were tied into a knot together; Mumin was too kind to lay blame, but he knew she regretted allowing his suggestion for Bomoor to be taken in by the Reborn Jedi Order. Right now, he agreed with her. Something was not right when it was Damask Hul showing more concern for his son than an entire order of peace-keeping spiritualists.
Strengthening up his form, Bruta brought Mumin’s head up again to face his while laying his other hand gently upon her feminine double hump, “Listen to me,” his gaze summoning as much power ads he could muster, “Our son is not lost to us. You reached him once and you can reach him again; you have amazing power that I don’t understand, that one such as me could never have. Bomoor has that power too and he will never truly be lost because of it.”
Bruta took one hand back and placed it on his chest, “I may not have such mystical power, but I will go back to Coruscant. I will speak to Hul again and every other contact that might help in order to seek out where Bomoor has gone. We will bring him back!”
After a long pause, gazing into each other’s eyes and understanding each other in spite of all their differences once again, Mumin nodded and grasped Bruta’s hand with her own, “Okay,” she said simply.
The rest of the group were waiting outside in the Elenca settlement central grove, which was bathed in a faint morning mist that made the little lights in the trees sparkle with greater brilliance as they began to be overtaken by the light of the rising sun. The assembled were just starting to feel how tired they all were, after the adrenaline of the previous night’s adventures wore off.
Bruta marched up to meet them all and they sluggishly drifted together again, “Well, it seems conformed that Bomoor is in some danger and I am going to devote my time to finding him,” he announced, with some concern before pushing it to once side, “But that should not diminish the success we achieved here today.”
He held up the datapad, which he had been showing to Mumin, “The information on the this pad Jiljoo and Llim found should not be distributed outside of Mother’s Aid institutions, even to those in partnership with them. It seems that SharTrad was using its partnership to infiltrate the organisation and steal this data.”
“Just as we thought,” Jiljoo exclaimed, her energy probably still the highest out of everyone, “And ze’ droid head contains all their shipping manifests. Zere’ will for sure be something zat’ will show zey’ are also stealing resources. Zey’ must be!”
Llim wasn't sure what to say for his part. He wasn't particularly interested in the damning evidence, but he was captivated by Jiljoo. After what they went through together while infiltrating that lab, it was invigorating...exciting even. He felt alive for perhaps the first time in his life, and he had trouble taking his smiling eyes off the Twi'lek woman. He pondered working up the nerve to ask her out on a date. No, that's ridiculous, he thought. We're so different. She never would accept...would she? He thought he would have to up the ante first and bring her a nice gift before making any forward suggestions.
Almost sensing his gaze, Jiljoo looked over to Llim and smiled warmly before looking back to Bruta.
"Yes," the Ithorian diplomat nodded, "I will get that properly cracked so we can download the entire system so we know exactly what goes in and out through SmartSoil and StarTrad that may have been misappropriated from M's Aid."
Looking to his odd new Ongree 'friend', Bruta brightened up, "You should have both seen how we got hold of that droid's head. I've never seen anyone get a crowd going quite like Yllib did to that old spacer tune!"
"Oh, Mister Bruta, please!" Protested the Ongree, and his face seemed to flush a deeper shade of orange, almost hitting the bronze end of his embarrassed complexion spectrum. As was obviously his habit, he tipped his undersized tricorn from his head for a nervous scratch of his upturned, a display that was made all the more comedic when he spotted Jiljoo turning her smile from Llim to him. "I was jus' doing what any upstanding citizen would do - even Doctor Buhggs, perhaps!"
The simply sailor then paused, considering his own comment. "Well, maybe not Doctor Buhggs, actually. Still, at least I can tell 'im of our exciting time together, of the adventure he missed out on. After this, I don't think he'll be so quick to pick away at me, not when I tell him of my good friend, the diplomatic liaison!"
It seemed strange to mention the seemingly uptight Doctor Buhggs at this time but even he had had his small influence on their progress to this point. Back when Bruta had been concerned at his reception from Moomin and the Elenca herd. How foolish he was to feel estranged from this place and its people when he saw everyone now around him.
"So, umm, what now, eh?" Yllib-Senob then asked, fumbling with the cuff of his jacket as he spoke the words. He cast his eyestalks down, kicking at some dirt unnecessarily. "I mean, with all that data you've picked up there, I'm guessin' you'll be pulling some strings up above? Off-world, I mean. Away."
Straightening up, Bruta felt the obvious dismay in the Ongree’s voice, “For a time, yes,” he answered, “But I will return as soon as I can, Mother willing, with Bomoor. In the meantime, I need all of you to do your part to prevent further infiltration of our beautiful Öetrago by greedy off-worlders.”
He tilted his umber-brown head towards Senob, “When we get back to Polbuu, perhaps you can get in touch with our favourite Doctor Buhggs and get him looking into the leak from M’s Aid as well. I am sure he will not want his research being stolen.”
Yllib's eyes widened at the thought. Not the concern about Doctor Buhggs' research being stolen, that is, but the concern at the unpleasant H'nemthe's predictable reaction. Another tip of the tricorn and another nervous scratch of the head-chin. "Uh, yes. Yes, Mister Bruta; if you wan' me to convey that to the good doctor, then you can trust in me!"
“What about me?” Jiljoo clenched two fists in front of her as if preparing for a fist fight, “I want to help Bo too!”
Bruta inspected her enthusiasm quizzically, wondering if a woman the same age as his son should still act in such a way. Perhaps it was a by-product of living in a city that made him think that way; perhaps there were many in the galaxy that maintained such a free spirit as her. He carefully answered, “You must keep dear Mother Mozo in good spirits until I bring Bomoor back to her. That is, of course, unless you wanted to come with us?”
Her dark Twi‘lek eyes lit up at the prospect but she swallowed her enthusiasm and frowned slightly as she considered, “No, perhaps anozer’ time. You are right; Mother Mozo will need one of us here to help her. She iz’ a great woman but she is always frying the power converters in her humidity controls and someone needs to replace zem’!”
Oh, bother..., Llim thought, tilting his head down dejectedly. Someone is going to remember I worked nights as an electrician before my dissertation. Might as well volunteer before they conscript me. He sighed in stereo as he held up a hand. "I can do it," he said in a very depressed and unenthusiastic voice.
Jiljoo’s head span around towards Llim sharply, lekku whipping past her before settling, “Llim? You wish to stay here with me… with us?”
Bruta added, with a controlled concern in his voice, “Are you sure that is wise, Llim? You have always lived in Mooko City. It would be a big change living here with the herd. They may not always stay in one place; it is not the life for everyone.”
Bruta wondered if he was being unfair. He had lived in many different ways: on a small farm, in the big city and wandering the plains. There was no reason he should stop someone from experiencing this way of life. On the other hand, this was Llim. One act of heroism did not necessarily mean he was a changed Ithorian.
He continued, with a more positive tone, “If it is truly what you want, though, I suppose I could allow you to take some leave. After all, I plan to be offworld for some time and you could always resume work when I return.”
Yllib-Senob made a snorting noise of jubilation at Llim, and smacked the younger Ithorian's hump heartily. "Good man, Master Llim!" He beamed, smacking the man's hump once more, clearly thinking the pair to be on such good terms. "No need to go without or to use up no leave, though; I've been looking to get me a first mate on my boat. The wages ain't much, you'll be scrubbing the occasional deck and conducting the odd tour, oh, and you have to put up with mean ol' Buhggs from time to time... but the Cultural Committee's a good bunch of herdfolk. We'll make an Öetragan of you yet!"
"Well, that is quite an offer!" Bruta erupted with the type of hearty chuckle he had not experienced in quite some time, "Who would have thought that your resume would get you all the way to 'first mate'!"
He settled down, realising he was gaining far more amusement from the situation than everyone else, "Well, you do not have to decide now," the diplomat nodded, "Have your leave and we can talk when I return. For now, enjoy what the Öetragan wilds can offer."
Llim nodded with a bit of a glum look in his eyes realizing it was much too late to take back what he offered. "Thank you. I must be getting used to the fresh air. It's not so bad being here...I think."
"So then," Bruta pointed a hand in the air, "I must take my leave with Mr Senob for now but I will keep in contact with you all. Llim has a communicator, even if nobody else here has one so I can reach you on that. But I will carry this adventure with me wherever I go. Watch the news reports; I doubt you will see SharTrad trading on Öetrago again for quite some time!"
He felt inspired to grab the Ongree captain's shoulder and begin pulling him away as he continued his speech, "Farewell my friends and may the Mother Jungle guide you. If you are ever lost, ask Mumin: the Mother is a friend of hers!"
END (Bruta's story to be continued in the next chapter)
RSS Feed