Chapter 10: Dancing Lesson

The incident occurred during feeding the other day. One of the feeders suffered an injury and lost most of his hand. I told those minimum wage oafs to be careful. Now the idiot’s threatening with a lawsuit. I wonder if I might have some of my government contacts shut him up.

When the ship finally finished its launch, breaking through the planet’s atmosphere, Ryan felt like throwing up for at least a week straight. His eyes were popped open, and his head was slammed back in his seat. He gripped the armrests with vice-like hands, wondering if he would ever let go of his chair again. Ryan had never really enjoyed flying that much, especially when it entailed space travel. He didn’t even enjoy it when they boarded that space cruiser, and the gravitational dampeners made that a much gentler ride compared to the rollercoaster that Éclair had treated him to. He probably should have considered his reluctance in flying when he became an Elemental as they would be required to travel quite a bit. Finally, the artificial gravity kicked in, and Ryan’s sense of vertigo finally stabilized.

Éclair sighed satisfactorily, absolutely bubbling at Ryan’s dismay. “Well, that was certainly riveting. How did you fare, Ryan?” The question was meant to be ironic as Éclair could clearly see the abject horror on Ryan’s queasy face, and it brought a smile to her lips.

Damn woman! Can’t you take a joke? You know I’m crazy about you, but you don’t have to rub it in all the freakin’ time!

Though Ryan didn’t voice his complaints as he said, “I think I can taste my spleen.”

“Wonderful,” said Éclair with a grin, clearly enjoying Ryan’s pain. “Plot us a course out of the system, North. Take us to the nearest Gateway that leads back to Tarrus.”

Plotting course, echoed the dispassionate drawl of North’s computer voice. At current speed, estimated time to nearest Gateway: one standard month.

“A month!” repeated Ryan, nearly shouting as his shock helped him recover sooner.

“You don’t have to say it so loud. I am sitting right here,” said Éclair with an annoyed grimace as she rubbed her ear.

“We have some ships that can span one end of the universe to the other in a matter of weeks, and yet it’s going to take this bucket of bolts and ... snowflakes ... one whole month to get us outta this Parasite infested dung heap?” Ryan felt a sudden sting on his rump and yelped out in surprise. It took him a second to realize that the ship had sent a small electrical discharge coursing through his pants. “Éclair! Your ship just electrocuted me!”

“Well, stop insulting her then,” said Éclair smugly. “And for the record, North Star could get us out of this galaxy in less than a week, but it would attract unwanted attention as I already explained to you. North can only maintain stealth flight while traveling at slow speeds. For all we know, every planet in this system is populated by Parasites. The Parasites can track prey through the depths of space if need be. With their numbers, they could easily overwhelm us, even with North’s sophisticated defense systems.”

“So, not only do Parasites have the ability to detect other vessels, but they can actually travel through space. I thought only Dragons could do that. Well, them and those bat things we saw earlier.”

“That’s the other problem, Ryan. Those bat-like creatures could still be at large. If they came for us specifically, they might still be looking for us.”

“How would they even find us out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Probably the same way they found us in the first place. That mission with the Insectoids was supposed to be covert, and yet they attacked our convoy without fear of reprisal. Clearly, there is more to our sojourn to Black Star than meets the eye. Perhaps even more than what my godfather was able to share with us. At any rate, it is crucial that we heed his instructions to the letter. We get out of this galaxy as safely and as quietly as possible. After we’re clear of the systems within range of Black Star’s reach, we plot a course back to Tarrus and warn the Ministry of the threat that the Parasites pose.”

Ryan groaned and slumped back in his seat, slightly sliding out. “Oh, well. Nothing for it I suppose. It’s just going to be a little cramped in here, and I don’t like enclosed spaces.”

Ryan got a shock to his butt yet again, causing to him jump out of his seat in a cry of pain. “WHAT?! It’s just a fact! You’re a small ship! It’s nothing to be ashamed of! At least no one can call you fat!”

Éclair started patting the white, crystal console of the vessel as if it were a dog. “It’s alright, girl. The dumb boy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Just ignore him.”

“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”

“Save for one. Though North Star is a small ship, she is by no means ... cramped. See for yourself.”

Ryan was about to scoff until he noticed a strange clicking noise behind him, like thousands of people snapping their fingers all at once. Turning to the direction of the sound, Ryan’s mouth hung open. Like a million puzzle pieces, the interior of the ship started rearranging its shape all around where Ryan and Éclair sat. As he looked closer, he could see that the walls were dissolving into tiny cubes of white crystal which refitted with one another until the very outline and even the size of the room began shifting, expanding outwards in all directions. The room was slowly getting bigger. Soon the cockpit had rearranged itself into an identical but larger version of itself, giving Ryan plenty of room to move around.

“Son of a biscuit,” gasped Ryan breathlessly.

“North Star is not so much a single vessel as she is a multitude of small cubes, acting together in a uniform design. As such, North Star can take on many different shapes and forms, even stretching herself out to expand in size. She must take on a more compact form in order to leave a planet’s atmosphere. But when we are taking a more leisurely flight in the void of space like this, she can change her form to suit our accommodations.”

Ryan whistled. “Alright. I’ll admit it. You’re a pretty freakin awesome ship, North.”

Ryan heard several beeps and whistles followed by a loud guttural sound that was almost similar to a burp, or the ribbit of a frog.

Éclair giggled. “She says ‘thank you.’ And something else that gets lost in translation.”

“What does that mean?”

“Oh, nothing really,” replied Éclair with a slight smirk that was almost embarrassed. “Nothing that you could understand.”

“Come on. Give me your best translation.”

Éclair laughed a little as her hands glazed over the holographic control console while she checked the systems. “She was comparing you to a ship. She said if you were one, she might admire the make of your hull.”

Ryan processed that for a few minutes before coming to a semi-logical conclusion. “Okay. Does that mean your ship is flirting with me?”

Ryan then heard a dog whistle as if to confirm his theory.

Éclair smacked the control console as if she were swatting a naughty dog that was reaching for her sandwich. “North, stop it! You’re being silly,” she said, obviously embarrassed, but still smiling nonetheless.

“Hmm, I have seen many things. Fought monsters and demons. Had a boxing match with a dinosaur man with a heart of gold, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a ship hit on me before.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, it’ll probably be the last time anyone flirts with you anytime soon,” said Éclair with the sweetest of smiles.

“Ouch, my ego!”

“Will probably remain intact for many years to come,” she replied as she finished up whatever diagnostics she’d been running on the mythical vessel. “Now that we have a little breathing room, there’s something I’ve been dying to do for a very long time now. I simply must get you out of those clothes.” Éclair got up and walked around the room, not fully grasping what she had just said.

“Uh, Éclair,” said Ryan slowly. “Though this will be a missed opportunity on my part, you might want to rephrase that.”

“I only mean that we need to update your wardrobe. And mine for that matter now that we have the resources to do so.”

When Éclair reached the opposite end of the spherical room, she pushed a few panels on the wall which glowed blue from her touch. The wall then dissolved to reveal a whole new room that was almost as large as the first one. Within the new room that had just appeared, Ryan saw rows upon rows of dresses and outfits of every color and design. There was military attire befitting of the Ministry of Fire, but there were also dress suits, casual clothes, and gowns that looked made for balls and formal affairs.

“Oh, thank God,” said Éclair with a sigh of relief. “Papa updated my wardrobe. I almost thought that my gowns from when I was a little girl would still be in here, but that man thinks of everything. We even have some outfits appropriate for you. Which is fortunate, because I don’t think I could stand a whole month of you looking like a cancer patient.”

“A cancer patient, maybe, but a sexy one,” said Ryan, looking down at his plain gray clothes and only now realizing how much he had become accustomed to them.

Éclair then pushed more holographic buttons that appeared at her side, and the clothes split into two groups. One for boys, the other for girls. The amount of girl clothes was significantly larger than the boy clothes.

“I’ll have North Star create two separate dressing rooms for us. With a little luck, I’ll finally have you looking like a proper gentleman for once.”

“Never,” cried out Ryan in a joking manner. “This beast will not be contained.”

“Please, Ryan,” said Éclair with slightly pouting lips, clearly knowing how to use her looks to her advantage. “Do it for me.”

“I just don’t see what the big deal is.”

“You don’t honestly intend to wear that for the whole trip, do you?”

Maaaaaybeeeee,” said Ryan, lengthening out the word much longer than necessary.

Éclair said nothing and just stared down at Ryan with her arms crossed. Ryan returned her gaze, but soon found his will dissolved by her cold eyes.

Finally, Ryan raised up his hands in defeat and said, “Fine!”

Éclair beamed at him, clapping briefly in triumph. “Just knock when you’re ready.”

Ryan was about to ask about what he could knock on, but then a wall of crystal morphed in between him and Éclair, blocking her from view.

“By the way,” called out Éclair’s voice from behind the crystal wall. “North Star has internal sensors monitoring our every movement. So she’ll know if you’re trying to peek.”

“Of the two of us, who has the worst track record when it comes to that sort of thing?” asked Ryan, but Éclair did not respond.

Turning away, Ryan leaned forward and whispered to the wall. “Hey, North. You’d understand, right? Just one little peek. She saw me in my underwear. So, don’t you think it would be fair ... so that we can be ... even ... you know, for her sake?”

A red holographic hand appeared in front of Ryan and wagged its finger at him derisively.

“Okay, you’re right,” whispered Ryan with a nod. “It was still worth a shot.”

At the very least, I can wear something cool and totally charm the crap out of Éclair. She may be dating Leon, but they aren’t married yet. And when she sees the Uruks swagger in full gear, they never will be.

Ryan went to his corner of clothes and gave himself a few moments to decide what he should wear. As he debated whether to wear a formal, military, or casual suit, something strange started happening. The clothes seemed to be fading in and out of his vision. When Ryan reached out to touch one to see what was going on, he could still feel the fabrics even as they vanished and reappeared within his hands. Even stranger was when he thought he could see inside his own hand ... see the bones and the muscles as if his eyes had become an x-ray.

Ryan turned back to Éclair in alarm to ask her about it, but soon found himself unable to speak due to what happened next. He could see Éclair in her underwear. There she was in her full glory, gorgeous white linen lingerie fitted perfectly on Éclair’s smooth, alabaster skin. Her bra was not loose, and only barely managed to contain the majesty of Éclair’s firm breasts which were proportioned magnificently – not too large as to be cumbersome, but by no means small, giving her something in between a D-cup and an E-cup, maybe even an F-cup. Éclair’s panties were white like her bra and left few things to the imagination as Ryan observed the perfect curvature of her hips and pert butt cheeks in exquisite detail. Her arms were lean and well-muscled. Her athletic legs were long, putting her at about five foot eight. And her belly was flat and toned, giving her a slim, wiry, but also curvy build. It didn’t seem possible for a girl to have a waist that thin, hips that wide, and boobs that huge. She was genetic perfection. Not even the models in the holomagazines he used to pinch from the mall even came close to this. Ryan found his jaw dropping at the sheer beauty that was Éclair Hamashe. He had always thought of Éclair as the most gorgeous creature that ever lived, but now seeing her nearly naked form didn’t quite do his earlier opinions justice. Aside from a few swimming suit ads that Ryan would sometimes guiltily peruse on the holoweb, it was the first time he had ever seen a woman like this, and it aroused feelings within him that he didn’t quite understand.

Spike in heat detected, said North Star in her robotic voice. She kept repeating it over and over again.

“What’s that, North?” said Éclair offhandedly, still looking through her outfits, her arms outstretched to give Ryan a perfect view as she continued searching, oblivious of his newfound x-ray vision.

Ryan blinked as his eyes returned to normal, and Éclair vanished behind the white crystal wall that stood between them. He tried to make the image of Éclair’s nearly naked form leave his mind as panic started to overwhelm all other senses, even those of attraction.

“Oh, North is just helping me pick an outfit!” lied Ryan, trying to keep his voice even without revealing his unease.

“Keep this between us, okay?” pleaded Ryan to North quietly, his hands folded like a prayer.

A large, green holographic hand appeared in front of Ryan, rubbing its fingers together like the way one would rub coins together. It took a moment for Ryan to realize that the ship was asking him what was in it for her.

“I don’t know,” he said, keeping his voice low. “An oil change? Fuel? What kind of things do ships like anyway?”

Holographic images of Éclair in her underwear floated before Ryan’s face. He then understood that the ship must have taken the images from his mind through telepathy. Slowly, those images began floating to where Éclair stood changing. The threat became clear.

“I’ll ... I’ll get you a date with a starfighter. A T-7 ... the newest model,” whispered Ryan urgently.

The image of Éclair in her underwear suddenly stopped, and Ryan realized that he might have found a hook.

“What are you mumbling about in there?” asked Éclair from behind her dressing room wall.

“Oh, nothing! You know ... uh ... just talking to myself like a crazy person! You know I do that sometimes!” called out Ryan, hoping beyond hope that Éclair would not detect the lie.

Éclair laughed a little, sending a burst of joy resonating throughout Ryan despite the circumstances. “You are so weird.”

The images of Éclair vanished, and the holographic hand appeared in front of Ryan, pointing at him accusingly. Even though no words accompanied it, Ryan understood immediately that the ship was asking him, ‘Do you promise?’

“I promise,” answered Ryan. “I promise so freakin’ hard.”

The hand then held its fingers together in an ‘okay’ sign. Ryan sighed in relief, wiping beads of sweat from his brow.

“Okay, I’m ready,” called out Éclair. “Are you done as well?”

“Yes,” answered Ryan without thinking before glancing down at himself and seeing that he was still in his underwear and that recent affairs had left him with a troublesome development in the nether regions. “I MEAN NO!!!”

Ryan covered his bulging privates as the wall began to come apart, heralding Éclair’s exit and her untimely discovery of his arousal. The wall stopped dissolving halfway and reformed itself at Ryan’s objection.

“Well, are you ready, or aren’t you?” asked Éclair in bewilderment.

Frantically, Ryan began rummaging through his wardrobe, willing to put anything on at this point. “Just give me a minute, unless you’re that determined to see me naked again!”

Éclair scoffed. “You are the worst, Ryan Uruks.”

“Or the best!” called out Ryan, doing his best to keep her distracted as he dressed himself haphazardly with mismatching clothes. “Still haven’t quite figured it out myself yet!”

“Are you done yet?” asked Éclair, sounding somewhat impatient as he heard her tap her foot. Though whether she was impatient to see what he looked like or to show herself off, Ryan couldn’t tell.