Chapter 16: A Forced Plan (Part 2)

As several of them sifted through the pile, Hinelin discussed locations with Vessa.

Spread my stats out evenly again, Giddeon silently instructed Johnny. I want to be prepared for anything as we travel.

“Can do, partner,” Johnny replied.

Uzari took the lead in passing out the women’s clothing, handing sets to Oomah and Vessa before taking one herself. All three disappeared inside the cave, exiting a few minutes later looking nearly unrecognizable. Gone were the Vibane company suits, replaced with attire akin to something seen at a Renaissance Faire.

All three outfits shared a similar foundation—a delicate chemise, a structured skirt with tights, and dramatic, thigh-high laced boots—yet each maintained a distinct personality.

Oomah modeled a rich, earthy look, pairing a dark green top with a chestnut skirt, finished off with sharp black boots. In contrast, Vessa embraced a soft, whimsical look, blending white and peach in a bashful, muted combination. Uzari commanded the most attention with a daring scarlet corset over a jet-black chemise that perfectly matched her raven hair. Her crisscrossed skirt fell just above her knees, highlighting striking red boots outlined in sharp black piping.

Woven through their tresses were colorful ribbons—which they’d found tucked inside the tops—a finishing touch that perfectly complemented each of their attire.

“If we meet any locals, I sure hope we fool them,” Oomah said with a rosy-cheeked smile, making light of their sudden transformation.

“You actually look like women now,” Orion said dryly.

“As compared to before?” Vessa asked, pressing her hands firmly against her hips as she looked down her nose at him. “I do believe I was always a woman.”

“Pfff,” Oomah dismissed her brother with a flippant wave. “He’s dense. Just ignore him.” She turned to the other men, grabbing the hem of her skirt and pulling it outward with a coy curtsy. “How do we look?”

“Very, very spectacular,” Eddington mumbled as he stared at her.

“Not the word I was expecting, but I accept,” she replied, giving him a warm smile.

As the group dispersed to grab what few belongings they had left, Uzari glided over to Giddeon.

“What do you think?” she asked, striking a playful twirl in front of him. Her dark hair bounced with the movement, her hips swaying gracefully as her vibrant smile completely scattered his thoughts to the four winds.

“By what accumulated data could you possibly conclude she has the prettiest smile in the whole world?” Johnny piped up. “You’ve only met one resident of Enivia, and she wasn’t exactly smiling.”

Because she does, Giddeon shot back. Now stop reading my mind.

“I don’t find her smile any different than the other women’s, just saying,” Johnny rambled on. “Sure, they’re symmetrical and correctly shaped, but her lips seem kind of small to me. How big are they?”

Giddeon’s eyebrows furrowed. “How big are they?” he repeated aloud, caught off guard by the odd question.

“Yeah, I like my companions with big, puffy lips,” Johnny continued casually. “We all have our preferences.”

What, like a fish?

“Ohhh, now you’re talking,” Johnny replied in a low, lazy rasp.

Are you salivating?

“No can do,” his AI answered matter-of-factly.

Keep your private thoughts to yourself from now on.

“I just thought I’d share since I can’t help but overhear your overly loud thoughts. I figure we’re pals first, partners second. It’s like bonding stuff. I tell you what features I like about other biological organisms, you think your deepest, darkest desires that you wouldn’t dare reveal to even your most intimate friend, and I read them. You know, an exchange.”

Ok, first, that’s not voluntary. Second—

Giddeon paused mid-thought as he realized Uzari was staring at him. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her face flushed red as a beet.

“Y-you want to, to know how b-big they are?” she stuttered shyly. “But I already…I already told you how—”

“No!” Giddeon shouted, waving his hands in front of her.

Realizing he’d just yelled, he froze, his eyes darting around. The rest of the crew was staring at them in dead silence.

“No,” he repeated, dropping his voice to an urgent, mortified whisper. “I didn’t mean it that way. He was asking.”

Uzari’s blush faded, replaced instantly by suspicion. Her arms unfolded, her hands planting firmly on her hips. “You’re sharing these things with Johnny?”

“You know, I rather like her,” Johnny chimed in, sounding quite pleased. “She calls me Johnny. Not AI, like someone else here. I have feelings, you know.”

“Yes—I mean, no!” Giddeon hissed softly, entirely overwhelmed by the cross-chatter demanding his attention. “We were talking about your lips. Well, he was talking about fish, and I was just replying.”

“Oh. So you were both commenting about other body parts, not just my chest?” She touched her fingers to her lips. “And fish? Really?”

Giddeon stood pinned in place, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly as he tried to construct a logical defense. His mind went blank.

“Well, you two enjoy yourselves. This piece of sushi’s going elsewhere.” Lifting her chin, Uzari spun on her heel and huffed away.

“Hmm, do you see how firm her buttocks are?” Johnny’s voice resonated in his head. “They almost seem to snap out as she walks. It’s quite interesting, whereas the other two women—”

Johnny?

“Yes, partner.”

Shut up before I tear you out of my head.

“While we both know that would kill you—understood.”

They began traveling east at Vessa’s behest. According to her, the return site was northwest of the Crater. The most direct route there would take them straight through Base Camp Six, something they all agreed wasn’t an option. Instead, Hinelin suggested they travel east, then north, swinging wide around the lake before heading west again. The vote was unanimous; there was really no other sane choice available.

The eastern march proved grueling. Massive root systems tore at their boots, forcing them to heave themselves over rotting, moss-slick trunks that were much larger than any native species they were used to. High above, the dense canopy choked out the sun, turning the jungle floor into a humid, claustrophobic maze that echoed with distant, unnatural predatory growls and clicks.

Yet their journey was punctuated by quiet wonders. A six-winged butterfly, pulsing with an emerald, inner glow, drifted among the flora while cascading cobalt dust in its wake. A troop of four-armed monkeys—no bigger than a domesticated cat—followed along on prehensile tails as they swung through the trees, observing them with curious eyes before losing interest and fading back into the canopy.

After a weary day of walking, the dense treeline finally split to reveal the solid stone banks of a wide, southward-rushing river.

Hinelin halted, setting the butt of his rifle against the smooth stone as he surveyed the riverbank. “The terrain’s solid, the trees are thin, and it looks easy enough to defend,” he said, kicking a loose pebble into the water. “Let’s set up camp here for the night.”

“Thank goodness,” Eddington groaned, collapsing onto a flat boulder. “I think my legs are going to fall off.”

Everyone pitched in. Wood was gathered, a firepit cleared, and the river scouted for hidden dangers. No nagas or predators rippled the surface, and night fell quickly.

Exhausted, they crowded around the blazing bonfire to devour another round of sandwich wraps and to share the endless flask. The tension of the day’s long trek was just beginning to dissolve into quiet chatter when Oomah suddenly stood up.

She scratched her forearms and stomach. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m dying for a shower.” Her gaze wandered toward the river. “A cold bath will have to do. Would any of you fine ladies care to join me?”

Uzari instantly stood, followed by Vessa.

“Kilner might give up his bonus pay for a drink,” Vessa said with a rare, bright smile, “but I’d pay triple for a hot shower. I’m in!”

“Stick to the shallow parts,” Giddeon cautioned, looking up from the fire. “We’ve no clue what might be lurking in the deeper waters. Don’t forget the naga.”

“True,” Uzari replied. A mischievous twinkle lit up her eyes as she stared at him. “In that case, we’ll need a lookout. I trust you’ll keep our modesty guarded?”

Giddeon blinked. “Am I being volunteered?”

“What do you think, ladies?” Uzari asked.

Vessa and Oomah flanked her, forming a seamless, intimidating wall of elven silk and corsets. All three looked down at him with identical, feline smiles. Giddeon shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling very much like a prized cut of meat.

“It’s either him or Hinelin,” Vessa mused, tapping her chin. “He works.”

“Him or Hinelin?” Orion sneered from across the fire, looking her up and down before snorting. “Aren’t you forgetting somebody?”

“Yes,” Uzari shot back, her tone as cold as the coming night. “Eddington and Kilner.”

She linked arms with the other two women, turning on her heel to strut south along the stone bank. “At least they don’t run from fights,” her voice drifted back through the dark.

Orion’s jaw clenched so hard his face whitened. Their echoing giggles floated on the wind, hitting him like a physical blow and flushing his ears a dark, furious red. “I didn’t run!” he barked after them. “I was the only one smart enough to get away! I can’t help it you all wanted to play hero!”

“Take it as a lesson,” Giddeon advised, calmly shifting his rifle strap across his shoulders as he stood. “Women hold grudges. The good news is, the planet’s deadly. You’ll have plenty of chances to redeem yourself.”

Without another word, he followed the women a couple hundred feet downriver to a small bend where the bank curved sharply. An impenetrable thicket of bushes sprang up from the stone here, completely hiding them from the campsite. The water in this section was only three to four feet deep at most, its surface crystal clear all the way down to the riverbed. It was the perfect spot.

As the three women kicked off their boots and tested the river with toes, Giddeon surveyed the tree line. “I’ll keep watch in this direction,” he said, sweeping his arm north, west, and south. “Obviously, you’ll have to keep an eye on the opposite bank, but it’s pretty open over there.”

Oomah grinned slyly. “And what if we want you to watch the other side, too?”

“Then you’ll have issues keeping your modesty guarded, as it were.”

“Perhaps some of us want our modesty left unguarded,” she suggested, arching an eyebrow. She suddenly spun and playfully shoved Uzari toward him, laughing.

“Hey!” Uzari exclaimed, stumbling backward into Oomah as she instantly reversed course, almost losing her footing on the wet stone.

“Oh!” Oomah gasped, cupping her mouth. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push you so—”

“Whoever said I wanted my modesty guarded?” Uzari demanded, hands on hips as she looked down her nose at them.

Vessa and Oomah stared wide-eyed, then all three broke down into raucous giggles.

Giddeon ignored them as best he could, determined to take his duty seriously. With his eyes locked on the dark woods, his hands rested ready on his rifle. Behind him, fabric rustled, followed by the light splash of water and appreciative murmurs about how surprisingly warm the river was. As the women bathed, they chatted like old friends, their laughter echoing softly through the cooling air. Eventually, the splashing stopped, replaced by the soft scraping of cloth against skin as they dried off.

Once dressed, Oomah was the first to walk past Giddeon, followed closely by Vessa. Both flashed him mischievous smiles before disappearing around the bend toward camp.

“You stink.”

Giddeon jumped, his grip tightening on the rifle as Uzari’s voice whispered directly against his ear. Whipping around, his breath caught in his throat. She stood before him in nothing but her undergarments. The pale light from the moons washed over her skin, accentuating every curve with agonizing clarity. Uzari shifted her weight, looking down at the stone as a sudden flush crept up her neck, all her usual bravado melting away.

“Black with…with white hearts,” Giddeon barely breathed, his eyes tracing the pattern on her bra and underwear before he could stop himself.

“You seem strangely focused on the fact she has printed images on her underclothes,” Johnny suddenly popped in. “Is that a normal human fixation?”

The AI’s sterile voice snapped him out of his stupor, and he spun around, hiding his burning face from Uzari. “I-I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you weren’t dressed yet,” he called over his shoulder, his throat suddenly dry.

“Did you…” Uzari asked, her voice dropping to a quiet, breathless whisper. “…like what you saw?”

“Of course I did!” he blurted out before his brain could filter the question. “I mean…you’re a stunning woman. Even an idiot could see how beautiful you are.”

His heart pounded like a drum against his ribs as he stood there, burning with embarrassment. Suddenly, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, pressing herself flush against his back as she rested her head between his shoulder blades. Her breath was warm against his neck, shooting sharp shivers down his spine as her own frantic pulse mirrored his.

“Good,” she whispered, her lips brushing against his skin. “Come on. It’s time you bathed.”

Grabbing his wrist, she pulled him toward the river’s edge and turned. Releasing him, her eyes openly roved up and down his body. “Take them off,” she commanded.

Giddeon, never one to be bashful or tongue-tied, could only mumble, “I’ll just keep them on.”

Uzari tilted her head, her voice dropping into a tone usually reserved for stubborn children. “You can’t bathe with your clothes on. You’ll get them soaked. I certainly won’t take responsibility when you catch a cold tonight.”

Giddeon stood frozen, his mind fogged to the point he could barely recall his own name.

Uzari tsk’d several times, stepping right up to him. Gripping the hem of his shirt, she yanked it up over his head in one smooth motion, tossing it carelessly to the side. As Giddeon stood bare-chested before her, his muscles catching the silver moonlight, her eyes flicked downward.

“Your shoes, silly,” she instructed. “It’ll be hard to get your pants off if you’re still wearing them.”

“My what?”

“Shoes,” she repeated patiently. “It’ll be hard—”

“Yes, it will,” he hastily cut her off, his brain short-circuiting as he realized what he’d just implied. As Uzari’s eyes widened, words tumbled out of his mouth unbidden. “I mean—I meant, getting my shoes off will be hard! No—my pants! Getting my pants off will be hard if…if my shoes are still on,” he finished lamely.

Uzari laughed, a clear, beautiful sound, then reached out and grabbed his belt snugly. “You were shy in Asteria, too, but I don’t ever remember you being this awkward. Except maybe on our wedding day.” She chuckled. “Remember how you kept fumbling with everything? I counted no less than twenty times you dropped something—and that was on a character maxed out on dexterity.”

“Well,” Giddeon muttered, looking away. “Asteria was a game.”

Uzari’s hands froze on his belt buckle, the playful, teasing warmth draining from her face, leaving her pale under the harsh light of the dual moons. The babbling river behind them faded into a vacuum of absolute silence. Slowly, her head tilted back, her hazel eyes reflecting a raw, deep-seated vulnerability. In them rested her heart—soft and frail—laid bare for him to cherish or break.

“Was I just a game?” she asked softly.

Giddeon’s eyes never wavered as he surrendered his heart back to her. “You were never a game to me. You were everything.”

Uzari melted at his words, her knees momentarily buckling. Giddeon caught her as she stumbled, sliding one hand to the small of her back while the other steadied her arm.

“I-I’m sorry,” she whispered, a faint smile breaking through as a tear rolled down her cheek. She sniffled, looking away.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he said gently, lifting her back upright. Reaching out, he cupped her chin, guiding her gaze back to his. “I was the one who left without saying anything. There were reasons for what I did, but I realize now the reasons were never good enough. I was never good enough for you, Uzari. I’m sorry.”

Uzari surged forward, rising on her tiptoes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down. The moment their lips met, a sudden jolt raced through his veins, sending his heart hammering in his chest.

Giddeon’s thoughts scattered. His body reacted on pure instinct, his hands grabbing her waist tight as he kissed her back, pouring every ounce of his love into that single moment.

After what felt like an eternity, Uzari pulled away a fraction. “I thought you’d never come to your senses, GidSeres, Night Warrior.”

Giddeon smiled crookedly. “I’m a man, what can I say?”

“Don’t say anything.” She slipped his hands off her hips, then danced backward into the shallows. “Just take off your pants and get in the water. I wasn’t joking when I said you stink, and I fully intend on scrubbing you down until you’re thoroughly clean.”

Giddeon sniffed at his shoulder, wrinkling his nose. “You’re right. I stink.”

“I’m always right,” she giggled, then stepped deeper into the river. Wading out a few feet, she turned back. Softly biting her lower lip, she slowly curled one finger inward, enticing him to come inside.

“Are you intending on getting into the water with her?” Johnny chimed in, nearly ruining the moment.

Put half my points into Speed and the other half into Endurance. I’m in a hurry. Oh, and compartmentalize yourself. I don’t want your innocence ruined by what’s about to happen.

“Well, that answers that. I’ve some flicks I need to catch up on anyway. Check in with you later, partner!”

The next fifteen minutes vanished in a blur of warmth and quiet laughter. When they finally stepped back onto the bank, washed and clean, their hearts were much lightened. The deadly world of Enivia felt a little less hostile—and a whole lot brighter.