Never Can Say Goodbye
Posted on Sun Jan 31st, 2021 @ 10:13am by Alden Loxley & Kindra Graham
Mission:
Fortune & Glory
Location: Pelorum, Bai Rih Mohn Beach Resort
Timeline: 2514 - Summer, after 'No More Yielding But A Dream'
The Cicada dropped into Pelorum's atmosphere, and the captain's voice over coms gave permission to disengage the shuttle. As the Cicada continued to the spaceport, Kindra piloted the shuttle west to the Bai Rih Mohn (daydream) beach resort where she was contracted to perform at a wedding anniversary celebration with her guitar accompanist.
Kindra guided the shuttle over the picturesque coral cove complete with pristine sandy beach, palm trees, and crystal-clear ocean. From the air, the resort layout was an assortment of private bungalows arranged in a circle around a large courtyard in the center, with support buildings on the inland side connected to a narrow road and a landing field. Three buses were lined up in a row to one side of the field, likely transport from the city for the cooks, waiters, janitors and other staff. Kindra set the shuttle down near the busses, sneaking a glance at Alden after her less-than-perfect landing. Another shuttle, likely transporting guests, landed on the other side of the field.
Powering down the shuttle, Kindra knew she would never again manipulate a vehicle's controls without thinking of Alden. She firmly pushed that thought aside. She'd decided to live in the moment, fully enjoy this last day with Alden, and not dwell on their upcoming separation. Kindra turned to her lover with a playful smile. "How'd I do? Would you like to give me any pointers?"
Wow. Sure was pretty, Alden thought to himself, as he gazed out at the gorgeous and extremely high value landscape below them. Expensive kinda pretty real estate whereabout folk like him were usually attending some back entrance delivery point or warehouse hidden from public view. Drop off and get the hell out, Order of the Management.
Not today. Today he was strolling in on the fine arm of a beautifully exquisite young lady. A pang of guilt was yet again shoved deep down inside as Alden's left thumb sought the back of his ring finger on the same hand. Nothing there, that gesture reminded him. And then Kindra spoke and his expression immediately reanimated from melancholy-impressed to happy-carefree.
"Very smooth," Alden noted with a quirky smile as he refused to pull any verbal punches. "But you screwed the landing. We'll need to practise going up and down later," he said, gazing out the cockpit window to see their escort approaching on foot. With a lingering glance back to Kindra, he added. "Repeatedly."
She slid out of the pilot's chair to embrace him with wandering and playfully groping hands. "Mmm… Alden Loxley, you do have a way with words." Kindra pulled him into a deep, wet kiss. If it weren't for the approach of their escort, she'd be all too happy to linger in the shuttle, but she had a contract to fulfill. She pulled back reluctantly. "Hold that thought for later?"
Momentarily and happily speechless, Alden grinned like a teenager and nodded. Thought. Holding. He stood there for the longest of moments until Kindra stepped away, readjusted himself with one hand, stared out of the window and smiled. This felt like a vacation already, and he couldn't remember ever having had an actual vacation before.
Kindra gathered up her relatively small overnight bag and picked up her harp, then opened the shuttle's door and hesitated, turning to look at Alden and tuck this feeling into her memory. For the last few days, she and Alden had spent every possible moment together alone in this shuttle. She thought of a quote from a favorite book by an Earth-that-was author, Erin Morgenstern. To have the whole world in one room. One person. The universe condensed and intensified and burning, bright and alive and electric.
Grabbing his duffle bag, guitar already slung over his shoulder, Alden didn't bother to cast a look about the shuttle, he just looked to Kindra. Yep, he had everything he needed. Quietly lyrics escaped his lips, whispered words as he strode purposefully across the space. "And it's a rush like a river that burns through me, I get caught in your tide like I can't believe..."
From outside a voice said, "Ms. Graham?"
Kindra stepped out of the shuttle to meet a woman with her hair pulled into a severe bun and wearing a yellow, tailored resort uniform. Her nametag read Hathor 12. "Yes. I'm Kindra Graham, and this is my accompanist, Alden Loxley."
The woman nodded. "Please follow me."
Accompanist! Alden's brain chimed, but he said nothing out loud, merely fell into step beside Kindra and followed the nice lady with the serious hair. His gaze was lazy, slowing to keep pace with the two women, but Alden's gaze was busy, soaking up the details of this new place.
The woman led them toward an archway that appeared to be the main resort entrance - for guests. They were passed by an electric cart driven by a man in a uniform similar to their escort's, with two party guests – an older man and woman whom Kindra assumed arrived in the other shuttle – and their considerable luggage.
Once through the archway, the courtyard was busy with the organized chaos of event preparation. Overhead Kindra could see the subtle shimmer of a polarized screen over the entire courtyard, letting sunlight in but keeping ultraviolet rays, birds, and the occasional pesky drone out. Resort staff in pale green uniforms were rearranging and setting tables, moving potted plants, and four cocktail bars were being assembled at each of the corners. A raised platform almost like a stage had been built on one side, but with a formal table – not where Kindra and Alden would be performing. Their escort directed them to a slightly raised dais about two meters in diameter on the beach side of the courtyard.
He clocked the high level screening too, whistled in minor awe of such and cast his gaze everywhere, checking for people, exits and anything of importance. No food yet, Alden noted, but FOUR cocktail bars. Real fancy. It didn't dent his own confidence any, but the pilot did wonder if Kindra's audience were gonna appreciate some good old country guitar playing. Sure she'd brought him up to speed some, but still... He couldn't help thinking they'd see through him.
"Feeling a might underdressed for this shindig," Alden whispered close to Kindra's ear so as not to advertise the fact.
Kindra was considering the venue's acoustics, but she set her harp case on the dais, leaned closer to Alden and snaked her free hand casually around his waist, and whispered reassurance. "Don't worry. The event is choreographed casual, which means-"
"Ms. Graham." They were interrupted by a tall older man with white hair, dressed in a yellow suit similar to their escort's except he managed to look stylish in his. The name tag on his lapel read Hathor One, and from their escort's deferential bow, he was in charge of the event. The man crossed his arms and stroked his goatee, staring up and down at Kindra and Alden critically for a full minute, then his face lit up in a broad practiced smile. "My dear, I must admit I had my doubts when I got your wave. But this aesthetic," his gesture took in the two of them and their instruments, "is perfectly splendid for this celebration, an echo of the host and hostess. Remaining in character even before the event, that is a nice touch, do keep it up."
The man, Kindra was already thinking of him as One, handed her a sheet of paper. "This is the schedule, incorporating your set list. Please note that I took the liberty of rearranging the order of your music to compliment the schedule. If you need anything or have questions or your assigned attire does not fit, you may ask Twelve or any of my staff for help." He frowned distractedly, attention likely on his next task, and hurried away.
It had been a while since anyone had sized him up quite so overtly, but Alden endured the attention with a slight frown and a direct, unflinching gaze. There was warmth in those dark blue eyes and an easy confidence in the pilot's stance, his guitar a comfort blanket surpassed only by the pleasant weight of Kindra's arm at his back.
"Thanks mysterious organiser dude," Alden said, to One's retreating person, and a grin flooded his features then as he wrapped both arms about Kindra and lifted her up off the ground in a celebratory hug. "We got this," he decided, oozing enthusiasm for the event ahead.
Kindra laughed, unable to return his hug properly with her hands full, and yet she made an exuberant attempt. "Yes. Yes, we've got this," she agreed as he set her down. "That mysterious dude – he hired us."
Twelve was watching them, curiously. "I'll show you to your bungalow."
Kindra glanced at the slightly crumpled sheet of paper before folding and tucking it into a pocket, then picked up her harp case. The schedule represented both the time they had left together and the clock ticking down to their separation. Her conversation with the Cicada's captain came to mind.
He stared at her for long minutes from across his desk. Flickering behind the captain's usual scowl was incredulity, followed by pity, then back to hard-ass businessman. "No."
For a moment, Kindra thought she'd heard him wrong. He wouldn't let Alden remain on the Cicada as a paid passenger? "Why not?" The question dropped from her mouth, a sharp exhale after a one-syllable kick in the gut. "He can bunk in the shuttle with me."
The captain shook his head. "Respectability, Ms. Graham. That's what I was expectin' to get when I leased my shuttle to you. Paid off. I'll be pickin' up a high class group on Pelorum, wealthy passengers expectin' to travel in the refined company of a registered companion." He typed something on his cortex console and brought up a list of passenger names. "Now don' get me wrong, your rent's paid and usually I'd not care what you got up to in private. Truth be told, I admire Loxley's stamina. But my expensive-fare-paying passengers will see your, well, activities a bit differently I'm thinkin', and that'd be a risk to my reputation and bottom line I ain't about to take."
Kindra leaned in to see the names. Two were familiar from society news streams. But there was one person she knew all too well. Murtis Lupanar, her mother's nemesis who took the role of Kindra's personal critic while she was at Madrassa. Murtis was still a Madrassa instructor. Jiàn tā de guǐ (Damnit). Her shoulders sagged under the weight of the 'verse's cruelty. "You're right captain. Thank you anyway."
As Twelve led them out of the courtyard along a path lined with flowering shrubs toward the beach, Kindra put all thought of the immediate future firmly out of her mind. She gave her lover a teasing smile. "According to the schedule we have a couple hours before we're on. Whatever shall we do?"
That smile, and the promise in those dark brown eyes were everything right now. The wealthy splendour of their surroundings faded in comparison to the sheer deliciousness of the young woman beside him. Alden's face hadn't faded far from that 'child on Christmas morning' look since they'd landed, but now he faked a deeper seriousness even as he softly crushed Kindra's hand.
"Finger exercises," he said, the light frown catching his brow. "On strings," Alden added for Twelve's benefit, then there was an inhale followed by silence as he caught his first glimpse of the ocean. "Wow," the word followed his exhalation of breath and a big dumb grin unashamedly lit up his features.
Kindra followed the tilt of Alden's head past the resort's turf border to the pristine beach and sparkling blue of ocean waves crashing gently against sand. Seeing it through his eyes, bright in the sunlight, brought an unexpected added pleasure to the moment. She squeezed his hand. "Wow indeed."
Twelve had gotten ahead of them, and now stood a short distance away at the door of their quarters for the night, gesturing for them to join her. Kindra followed her into the bungalow and set down her harp case and overnight bag. There was a bed, a door she guessed led to the bathroom, and a small open closet containing two sets of coordinating outfits in a pretty azure blue with a lighter blue floral pattern. A picture window looked out at the ocean. On the table was a basket of fruit, a wine bottle with two glasses, and two flower leis made of fresh white and purple orchids.
Alden wandered over to try the closed door - yup, bathroom - and satisfied by that normality, he dropped his duffle bag onto the floor at the end of the bed, rested his guitar carefully on top of it and took an apple from the fruit basket.
"You have your schedule?" confirmed Twelve.
Kindra took the sheet of paper from her pocket, smoothed it flat on the table, and rested her finger on the first line. "Sound check. Do you need us before then?"
"No, Ms. Graham. Please be on time, both of you wearing your event attire and lei. Do not hesitate to ask any member of the Hathor team if you have questions or need anything." Twelve bowed to the two of them, then withdrew.
The second Twelve left the bungalow, Alden pulled his shirt off over his head, kicked off his boots and dragged his trousers after them.
"Race you to the ocean?" He query-demanded, expression bright as the sun waiting for them both outside and a pure happiness radiating from his very being. One might think he'd never seen tidal water before.
"Hey! Wait for me." Grinning back at him, Kindra slipped off her shoes and pulled her dress over her head, tossing it on a chair - down to just her panties. With the briefest of thoughts toward professional appearance and contract aesthetics, she took Alden's hand. Kindra soaked in his deep happiness, reflecting her own with an intensity that filled her to bursting. Then with a lighthearted laugh she pushed past him to the door. "First one to the water gets to be top!"
He might have let her win that one, or Alden might simply have been utterly captivated by the purity of that mocha skinned angel's mostly naked form. Either way he lost the race, fair and mostly square, and as leapt into the deeper, crystal clear waters of definitely the finest beach holiday he'd ever be likely to experience, he felt as if he'd wandered into a dream by mistake.
"This a normal day for you?" He asked when his head finally rose back up from those pristine depths to regard Kindra with a quirk of a smile.
Kindra's hair floated around her shoulders in the water like a dark cloud, the rhythmic swell of the ocean just lifting her feet from the floor below. The salt water was colder than she'd expected, drawing her to the heat of Alden's body. "No, this isn't normal for me."
One hand on his shoulder, she stroked his jaw and pressed her lips tenderly to his, savoring the moment. That sweetly innocent question reminded Kindra of how short her time with Alden had been. They'd shared little about their past lives and experiences. She knew almost nothing of his family, his past loves, or his dreams and aspirations for the future. And he in turn, barely knew her. So many huge and tiny, important, intimate details that came with shared history, details she would never get the chance to learn. The thought filled her with regret, and Kindra shivered, pushing it firmly away. "I've never experienced anything like this before."
Perfection wasn't something Alden was accustomed to, but he didn't waste time in overthinking this situation, or each moment that the Verse threw at him so kindly and with such delicious warmth. Cool water around them, hot blood within and time that currently seemed to stretch out endlessly before him. Perfect.
He lingered in that sense of vacation, mind happily diverted while every sense and nuance of self soaked up the now. He wasted no more time on the why he'd gotten so lucky or the when this would shift back to business as normal. Alden leapt with all he had, returning Kindra's embrace, her touch, with his body wrapped close about hers.
"Let's experience everything, then," he said, face close to hers, and his words lazily demanding in between indulgent kissing and a wandering right hand. "All of it. Everywhere."
"Yes. Everything," gasped Kindra between kisses. She wasted no more thought to what could have been or what might be, and fully immersed herself in the heat of Alden's touch, the feel of his skin beneath her hands, the immediacy of their shared here and now. "I want all of it."
---
