The thin orange rays of the setting sun danced across the sea ice and up the hill, painting the shadows of thin trees across the sides of the hut. The glow of the fire shining out through the windows matched the hue. A soft wind scattered a few flakes of snow, and the call of local birds carried on the wind, but otherwise the island was quiet. Secluded. Perfect.
It was exactly the sort of place Nevahl Bohkat needed to relax and center his mind before he began his new assignment with its new responsibilities. The human decor and architecture was strange, but not without its charm. All he needed was food, a bed, a strong wall against the wind, and the open sky.
*tock tock tock*
Bohkat started. Was that a knock at the door?
*tock tock tock*
No, it couldn’t be. It was too quiet, and low to the ground.
*tock tock tock*
But whatever it was, it was grating on his nerves. A glance out the window revealed nothing. Maybe it was a tree branch hitting the side of the hut?
*tock tock tock*
He grasped the door handle, and–hesitating only a second–pushed it open just far enough to poke his head outside into the biting cold.
GRAWK GRAWK!
Bohkat wrinkled his nose at the flurry of feathers from the startled bird. He was told that the humans called it a grouse, although the parent species back on Earth didn’t get quite so big. This creature was as high as his knees, and seemed keenly interested in the cabin’s door frame. Keeping his eyes on the beast, he reached a hand back inside for his wooden hiking staff and proceeded to wave it at the bird. “Go. Go! Back to your home!”
The startled bird leapt backwards and squawked at the offending stick before turning around and marching at a slow and casual pace, as if to show it wasn’t frightened in the least. Bohkat huffed, shut the door, and settled back down in front of the fire.
Not five minutes had passed when he heard a *tock tock tock* outside again. With a weary sigh, he rose, readied his staff, and flung the door open.
Captain Helena Dread was tired. She was also needing a break. There was movement across the flotilla and the recent change of task forces had suddenly shifted everyone’s assignments. Her Rhode Island-class starship had been given new orders post shore leave, and she needed a break from staring at the new directions along with the staff changes. Shore leave was supposed to be relaxing, or at least feature some down time. And yet, the piles of digital paperwork had not ceased piling. She’d nearly bitten off a few heads on Buran and beyond. Commodore Fontana had stepped in, ordering her to go touch some grass, or something else that wasn’t onboard her ship. He’d left little to chance for her to find a way out. The orders were detailed. Colludia V’s aurora oval. A small hut. It’d be cold, he’d warned.
After annoyed research, and a more annoyed discussions with the Buran’s quartermaster, she stood at the door, obliged to knock. Fontana had said nobody would here, and it’d be her chance to get some peace and quiet in her mind. Her annoyance meter was already nearing red. That hadn’t helped. She glanced up, startled as the furious looking face of a Rigelian stared back at her. In his hand, he gripped a staff aggressively.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she groaned, peeking behind him. “Tell me you’re the only other one.”
Bohkat stared in surprise, taking a moment to register the decidedly non-avian person in front of him. He lowered his staff by an inch or two as he peered around the new guest, looking for signs of any more intruders or aggressive wildlife.
Finally, he lowered his staff. “I was told I would be alone in this hut, though clearly that was a mistake. I assume you are here with intent.”
The cold was still cold, and Helena shivered. “Well, I’m here to do the thing that they all say is worth it.” She frowned. She’d forgotten her manners. “Helena Dread, captain of the Buran.” She clutched her arms around her body, wondering if he was going to let her in anytime soon.
“Lieutenant Commander Nevahl Bohkat.” He nodded in greeting. “I am… between assignments right now.”
He jerked as his own set of manners finally booted up, and stepped awkwardly aside, gesturing for Helena to enter. “This building ought to be sufficiently accommodating for two people.”
Dread wasn’t sure she believed him, but they figured it out.
Eventually.
