Strange Bedfellows

Strange Bedfellows: Part IV - A Sad Homecoming


Chapter Notes: Gene and Rei finally get it together in this chapter! Who's been waiting on it? I know Gene and Rei have! ^_~


Rei looked at the large, sleek ship Gene had procured. There was enough room for the three of them and their supplies, plus a little extra room just in case, Jim had said. The very appearance of the ship commanded respect, the alien thought.

Jim began going over the supply list with a very bored looking Gene. "Okay...we have enough fuel to last a while, rations, water, and limited weaponry. Looks like it's all here...oh wait did you remember toilet paper and toothbrushes?"

Gene yawned and pointed at the huge stacks of each.

Jim goggled a bit at all the toiletries. "Good God Gene, we're not opening a beauty parlor!"

Gene shrugged, "I got a great deal...and what's wrong with having spares?"

Jim growled and turned around. "Space, you ninny!"

Gene winced at the word and leaned forward. "Look...if you want to know
the truth I just wanted stuff to block the windows, it may as well be with
supplies."

Jim sighed... "Thank God I know how to pilot this thing. You can be so
useless outside of battle." Gene stuck out his tongue in reply.

Rei listened to the familiar banter with half an ear, not only due to the fact that he'd grown accustomed to it, but that his mind was elsewhere. His mind wouldn't stop pulling up the memories of his time at Fong's. He'd been frightened out of his wits. But now...he sorely wished that they hadn't been interrupted....

Jim put away his checklist as the last of the supplies were loaded, double-checked to make certain he still had his treasured laptop and nodded.
"All right...all aboard!"

Gene felt his stomach give a violent lurch and fought back the bile rising in his throat. Eventually the urge to vomit faded, but he felt incredibly weak suddenly. Come on Gene...you have to do this! You aren't safe here, Reikiki isn't safe here. The redhead forced himself to stand up and walk up the gangplank. He hummed a silly old tune to try and distract himself for their imminent departure.

The winged boy followed Gene, intensely aware of the redhead's discomforted state. Rei reached out and slowly ran his fingers over the side of Gene's face, not touching, but letting the mental touch attempt to soothe him. The alien smiled a bit, then the smile froze and he blanched when he realized what he'd done. Rei ran ahead, finding a suitable hiding place inside the ship and staying perfectly still within it. He knows now, Reikiki! He knows! You imbecile! You should have simply let him deal with it himself. ...But...it is...so difficult to see him uncomfortable....

Gene still stood on the gangplank trying to make sense of what he'd just felt. He'd almost felt those slim fingers on his skin despite the fact they'd hovered a few inches away. That was nothing however, compared to what he'd felt in his mind. It wasn't words so much as a rush of emotion, but it clearly was meant to comfort. "Rei?"

Jim didn't notice any of this, only that Gene was still lagging behind. He lifted his head from a last minute systems check. "Come on Gene!! You're going to attract attention just standing there with your mouth open. If it's that bad go lay down in one of the rooms. This ship has a great computer, so it can serve as co-pilot."

One of the little ship droids zipped up to him. "Follow me please.... I will lead you to the captain's quarters."

Gene sighed and fell into step behind the little robot, with its odd mechanical female voice. Yeah...maybe I should lie down. I need to think about whatever it was that I just felt.


* * *

Rei sat high above the floor, in the rafters of a large room. He wasn't
sure where exactly in the ship he was, but he did know that Gene wouldn't
expect him to be in the rafters. He lay down on his stomach on the rafter,
thinking about Gene. Why...? Why did I reveal my gift to him? That
was the very thing those others wanted me for, was it not...? He was
about to continue, when he heard the door to the room open. He cursed in his
native language and sat up, pulling his legs up so that his feet rested on
the rafter and he was crouched, motionless, looking down.

Gene sighed as he followed the droid into his room. It was rather nice...and the bed was inviting. He began to remove his cloak and clothes so he could be more comfortable. Rei saw the little metal...person?...escort Gene into the room and blinked in shock. His shock was soon forgotten as the redhead began to remove his clothing. The winged boy watched Gene undress, his body reacting fiercely to the sight. In his present position, however, it was extremely uncomfortable.

Gene plopped onto the bed once he got his black tank top off and bent to
remove his shoes. Once that was done it left only his pants and the underwear beneath. Debating a moment, he decided to leave them on. With a sigh the redhead closed his eyes and flopped backwards into the soft mattress. Just think of something else...something pleasant. The first thing that came to mwas was his all too brief moment with Rei in Fong's. It was too bad Fred had sold the place. It would have been worth a glomp or two to have gotten a chance to finish that.

Rei watched Gene as he lay down rather ungracefully, smiling. He sighed inwardly and remained silent, not wanting to give away his place. If he didn't give his location away, he would be able to watch Gene as long as he liked. Or rather, as long as Gene didn't look up. The winged boy found himself wishing that he could do more than watch....

Gene kept his eyes closed as he called out to the droid. "Hey...hit the lights, would you? It's too bright in here." The little droid obediently headed up into the rafter to hit the fluorescent lighting fixtures. Rei let out a surprised yelp and flew to a non-lit rafter as the little droid came up to hit the light fixture.

Gene's eyes flew open and he just caught sight of Rei settling onto one of the rafters. Then the droid literally hit the light sending the entire room into darkness. Goddamn hunk'a' junk! Gene thought to himself, even as the image of those glittering wings fluttering like leaves in the breeze played in front of his eyes like an afterimage. "Rei?" he called hesitantly.

"...Yes...?" the alien returned with the same hesitant note in his voice.

Gene let out a sigh of relief, he'd been afraid the alien might bolt under the cover of darkness. "I think we need to talk Rei."

The winged boy sighed. "I suppose we do. What is it?" he asked.

Gene squinted in the darkness, wishing he could see Rei's face. "Outside...on the gangplank. I felt something Rei...something I've never felt bef... ... Are you a magic-user of some sort?"

"That was not magic," Rei explained. "You see, my race, the Coleptians, have the ability to 'see' into another's mind and can tell what others are feeling. Have you noticed that I rarely show emotion outwardly?"

Gene took a moment to answer, still stuck on the fact Rei had said he could tell what he was feeling. "Er...yeah. I just thought you were shy."

"Well, there is that, as well...." Rei admitted. "However, that is simply myself. All of my people are restrained where showing their emotions is concerned, for the reason that it is never necessary. You see?"

Gene thought it over a moment, it did make sense, but sometimes showing your emotions could be fun. It didn't sound like a very good trade to him. "Yeah.... I guess I do," he replied with a sigh. "So I guess that means you know I was thinking about you just now?"

Rei blinked. He must not have explained it enough. "Er...actually, no, I was not aware of that.... I cannot tell what one is thinking, only how one feels about what one thinks about-only the emotions involved."

Gene blushed, and thanked the darkness for once. "Oh..." Smooth Gene...real smooth...you just gave yourself away. Now he knows you keep thinking about him and how much you wanted that scene at Fong's to continue. The redhead sighed. Oh well...I guess not having to say embarrassing things is a definite advantage.

Nice work, Rei.... Why did you not simply tell him that you knew? The alien could feel Gene's chagrin and felt horrible about it. He flew down from the rafter, knowing that Gene couldn't see him, but would probably be able to hear him.

Gene heard a soft buzzing fill the air a few moments before something settled on the floor near the bed. He tilted his head toward the sound. Oh no! He's leaving! "I haven't offended you have I?"

"No, you have not offended me," Rei replied. His voice now came from directly beside Gene. He reached out with his hand and touched the bed, feeling around for Gene's face. The first thing his hand touched was the redhead's arm, and then he slid his fingers up to Gene's face, repeating what he'd done on the gangplank.

Gene sighed and covered Rei's hand with his own. "Thanks Rei...."

"Of course, " Rei replied softly, a smile on his face.

Gene let his other hand reach up to cup Rei's cheek in the same manner as the alien was holding his own. "Why did you run Rei? If you can sense how I feel you should know I wouldn't hurt you."

Rei smiled. "Fear is a strange thing, I suppose, " he replied. "It makes people think, say, and do odd things.... "

Gene grinned even if Rei couldn't see it, the expression was clear in his voice. "That's not an answer...but I get the idea. I'll leave it be."

He rubbed his thumb over Rei's chin, marveling at the baby soft skin. He
let his hand slide forward until he cupped the back of the alien's head, his
fingers tangled in the silky auburn hair. The outlaw slowly pulled his captive down towards his lips, using his soft breath as a guide. He paused when his was a whisper away. "I never got to ask how you feel Rei...did you want what I wanted back then?"

"Back...when...? " Rei asked in a whisper. He had an idea, but he wanted to know....

Gene smiled, and pinched Rei's hip. "Don't be coy... back at Fong's. Were you as disappointed as me when we were interrupted?"

Rei yelped as Gene pinched him. The alien's hand automatically went to the injured place and rubbed it. "Actually, yes.... I was disappointed...."

Gene chuckled. "Good," he said simply before dragging Rei down for a
very hot, very hungry kiss. Rei responded almost automatically, melting
against the redhead. Gene let his hands wander, sliding them over smooth
supple skin. His fingers gently explored the sleek planes and valleys of
Rei's body through the new clothes, trying to fi out out fastenings. The
redhead let out a small curse. "Damn it...I can't see good enough to get
these damned things off of you!"

Rei chuckled. "Will you require assistance for this task?"

Gene frowned, but conceded. He was scared to contemplate what would happen if he told the overly literal droid to cut on the lights. It would probably zip off after a knife. "Yeah.... I guess I will. Wouldn't want to ruin your new things by ripping them off..." A soft chuckle shook the redhead's frame. "No matter how appealing the thought is." He reached down and gave Rei's right buttock a firm squeeze before tucking both hands under his head where they couldn't cause any trouble.

As before, Gene's action caused Rei to jump, bringing their hips in contact with each other, and the alien shivered at the contact. He nodded and began undoing the garments. All Gene could hear was the rustling of the cloth.

Gene bit his lip as the sound of cloth and the creak of leather filled the darkness. He'd hated the ugly fluorescent lights in Fong's at the time, but now he longed for them. He wanted to see Rei's body in all its glory. Don't be picky, Gene Starwind, be glad for what you can get. His fingers began to twitch with the effort of his self-restraint. "Umm, could you speed it up a bit Reikiki?"

Rei grinned, glorying in his ability to test the redhead's restraint. "Oh, am I annoying you?" he asked in a mock-innocent tone of voice.

Gene frowned and bucked his hips up, causing his very obvious arousal to
brush against Rei's own. "You really do want me to rip those things off of
you don't you Rei?"

Rei shuddered at the move and pressed his hips against Gene tightly, letting a soft moan pass his slightly parted lips. "What would make you say that...?" he asked, beginning to undulate his hips against Gene's.

Gene growled, and whipped his hands from behind his head, grabbing hold
of the alien's hips. He almost rolled Rei onto his back before he remembered
the wings. Damn...they're pretty but they sure can get in the way of a
good ravishing! He settled for landing Rei on his side with a small
bounce and began to fumble with the pants. "I'm a man with many talents
Rei...but patience is not one of them!"

Rei blushed a bit at Gene's sudden move and blinked in shock. "Er.... So
I see.... "

Gene tugged at the soft cotton, managing by some miracle to pull it off without any rips or tears. His hands immediately began to slide over Rei's body, exploring the silken skin. The callused hands rasped against the smooth complexion, and he hoped he wasn't leaving bruises in their wake. He finally found what he'd been searching for and blinked a bit at he let his fingers explore the hard length. He wasn't exactly an expert on such manners, but he thought the alien to be rather well endowed.

Rei arched his back as he felt Gene's hands on him. When he felt the redhead's touch against his most sensitive flesh, the winged boy's ragged breaths gave way to another moan, a bit louder than the first had been. Rei reached out and stroked his fingers over Gene's nipples, remembering what he'd been told in Fong's.

Gene let out a soft sound of pleasure, then whispered. "That's good....Just a little harder." He let his lips trail over Rei's throat as he grabbed hold of the alien's hip to increase the friction of their erection's meeting through the thin cloth of his own pants. He heard a seam give way as he hastily yanked at the material, but he didn't really care. Unlike Rei, he had some spare clothes.

Rei obliged the redhead, brushing his thumbs over the hardened nubs. "Gene..." he commented as he leaned forward, "I believe I heard something tear...." The winged boy leaned down and hesitantly let his cat-like tongue pass over the skin his fingers had been teasing.

If Gene had been able to think straight he would have made a comment about stating the obvious. Instead he moaned harshly and literally tore the offending garment off. His hands immediately split directions after the pants were tossed aside. One buried itself in the alien's silken hair to encourage more of the delicious sensations. The other began to trace small intricate patterns across the skin on Rei's back.

A similar moan from Rei answered the redhead's moan. Gene....Oh, my
Gods.... I never thought.... The winged boy continued to trace his tongue over Gene's nipple for a moment, then placed his lips around it and sucked delicately.

Gene's breath grew slightly ragged as the sweet sensations began to play hell with his system. He reluctantly dragged Rei away from his chest so he could at at the alien's tight bottom. He let one finger slide between the cleft and gently pressed against Rei's entrance. Then he realized he was missing something. "Shit.... I think I just threw away my condoms."

Condoms...? Rei blinked. He'd never heard that word before, but it was obviously something Gene required. "Where are they?"

"They were in the back pocket of my pants." Gene replied with exasperation.

"Shall I get them for you?" Rei offered. He could see better in the dark than Gene could, seeing as his eyes were catlike.

Gene nodded, "Okay, I'll just stay put. We don't need to go stumbling over each other in the dark."

The winged boy fought a chuckle, then Gene heard the buzz of wings as Rei lifted himself off the bed, over Gene, and landed on the floor, closing his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness of the room. When he opened them again, he could see almost as well as if it had been broad daylight in the room. He picked up the discarded scrap of cloth that had been the redhead's pants before Gene had ripped them off, and turned back to the bed. He was a bit afraid that Gene would be frightened, as his eyes produced their own light to see by, and the color of the light corresponded with the colors of his eyes--one light was orange, the other was purple.

Gene blinked at the lights he suddenly saw floating in the inky darkness and wondered if some sort of panel had popped on. Then he saw them flicker a
split second and begin moving toward him. "Are those your eyes glowing
Rei?"

"My eyes produce their own light in the darkness when needed," Rei explained. "I apologize if I startled you." He fumbled around with the pants a moment. "You say they were in your back pocket?"

Gene let out a small breath he hadn't even been aware he'd been holding. "Yeah two little square foil packets. That should be enough for now."

The winged boy retrieved the requested items and walked back to the bed. He found Gene's hand and placed the two packets in the redhead's hand. "Is that what you were looking for?"

Gene nodded, "Yeah... that's them. Now let's see if I can get the damned thing on without lights.... Remind me to tell Jim to take a look at that droid."

Gene heard the droid pipe up. "Remind Jim...take a look at droid. Yes sir!" The door opened and closed with a hiss before Gene could tell it that hadn't been an order. Oh well....

The alien snickered. "That...droid was what startled me earlier."

Gene sat up, draping his legs over the side of the bed, and chuckled as well. "I guess they would be a bit shocking if you've never seen one before." He reached out until he found Rei's hip and pulled him forward. "So tell me, how far have you gotten, Rei? I don't want to scare you."

The winged boy blushed, thankful for the darkness that hid it, as he replied, "I...er.... Not all that much farther than we managed in Fong's, I am afraid...."

Gene sighed. "Okay...I'm going to try something. If I do anything you don't like, tell me right away. Not everyone enjoys this sort of thing."

Rei replied, "I will."

The redhead smiled and let his hand slide around to grip Rei's length once more. Leaning forward Gene let his tongue trail over the hard flesh, exploring it with the pink tip, until he reached the velvety head. With a soft moan Gene wrapped his lips around it and suckled the salty-sweet fluid that had gathered in the slit. The auburn-haired boy let his head fall back and a moan passed his lips as the sensation shot through him dizzyingly. "Gene...." The name came out on a pleasured sigh.

Encouraged, the outlaw smiled and began to slide forward, stopping about
halfway down to flutter his tongue against the vein on the underside of Rei's erection. After a few long moments he pulled back just as slowly to lap up the new drops of fluid. "You like that Rei?"

"Yes..." the alien whispered. The word was more a breathless pant than actual speech, but it was understandable.

Gene's smile was positively devilish as he replied. "Good." He immediately plunged down again, but continued past the point he had before, not stopping until the full length was buried in his mouth and throat. Rei drew in a deep breath, which left his throat as a moan and his legs began to tremble. The alien shyly reached down and placed his hands on Gene's shoulders, letting his hands drift down the redhead's back, caressing the very center of Gene's back. It was exactly where Rei's own wings were on his back, Gene noticed.

Gene shivered slightly, and moaned. He pulled back again to take a deep breath then looked up into those glowing eyes. "I think you'd better sit, your legs are shaking."

The alien replied, "I believe I should sit down...before I fall down." He did just this, then turned back to Gene. "What of yourself?" Rei reached out and repeated his earlier gesture, this time delicately scraping his nails down the center of the redhead's back. "What of that?"

Gene gritted his teeth. "Tease..." His own eyes had gotten adjusted enough to make out vague outlines. So he leaned down and tossed one of Rei's legs over his shoulder moving in close to the flesh he'd been suckling earlier. He gave it a slow deliberate lick from base to tip. "I should torment you for that." Rei moaned again at the feel of the redhead's tongue against his arousal, his eyes fluttering closed. His nails scraped back up the center of Gene's back.

Gene growled and plunged down again, moaning loudly to vibrate the sweet
hardness, before moving up again with the barest scrape of teeth. He blew
gently against the moist length before giving it a supremely light nip at the tip. The alien tossed his head back. "Ahh!" One hand quickly reached out to grip Gene's shoulder and his hips bucked up a bit. Rei leaned back a bit, supporting his slight weight on one elbow.

Gene chuckled. "Want more do you?" He let his own nails drag over the skin of Rei's thigh. "I suppose I could forgive you if you promise to behave."

"Behave?" Rei asked coyly. "What did I do?"

Gene lne hne hand slide over a slim hip and up the alien's bacShalShall I demonstrate?" He asked using the other hand to push his upper body off the mattress to allow him to caress the same spot Rei had teased on his own body. A loud moan greeted the gesture. Gene's fingers were mere inches away from the auburn-haired boy's wings. One was still a bit sore from the dart he'd taken in it, but the redhead was being careful. Rei's back arched and his eyes squeezed shut tightly.

Gene shifted his position so he could kneel, reached down, and began to stroke Rei's length as he continued to gently rub the skin at the base of the delicate wings. Rei's head went back, and he moaned again, moving his hips in time with Gene's hand. "Gene.... Mmm...." Gene dropped his head so he could suckle the skin of Rei's throat. He placed a light nip to the juncture of neck and shoulder as he increased the pace of his hand sliding over the spire of flesh jutting from the alien's hips. Rei drew in a deep breath, keeping his hips in rhythm with the motions of the redhead's hand. "Gods...that...feels wonderful...."

Gene rolled his eyes. Tough one eh? Let's see how you handle this! He let his nails scrape the skin of Rei's back before ghosting his fingertips along the uninjured wing. The winged boy's back arched again, unable to handle the assault of sensation. Within a few minutes of Gene's treatment, Rei tossed his head back, moaning as his release shook him.

Gene smiled and slowly let up on his torment. He cupped his hand to catch the hot fluid pouring from Rei's body. They weren't done yet. Carefully retaining his reward, Gene leaned down to lap up the stray drops. He savored the unique flavor before giving the alien a grin. "Still okay Rei?" Rei nodded. At that point, he wasn't sure he was capable of speech.

Gene felt the nod more than he saw it, but it was clear enough. "Good sti still have things to show you." He used his free hand to spread Rei's thighs. "Now...this part might sting a bit at first, but think of it like cleaning a wound. It's much better for you in the long run." The outlaw let his other hand drop down and dribble the captured seed against the alien's tight entrance. Gene smeared it around a little and gently pushed a finger through. He simply left it there at first, waiting for Rei's reaction. The alien drew in a deep breath, but didn't make a sound at the intrusion. He trusted Gene; hs sus sure the redhead knew what he was doing.

The outlaw tried to take the silence as sign he hadn't hurt Rei and began to slowly move the finger in and out, pausing when it was as deep as it could go to circle the digit within the tight tunnel. When it began to relax around him he slid in a second finger and continued the gentle stretching. Rei let a low moan at the feel of Gene's ministrations and began to move his hips against the invading fingers.

Gene smiled. "That's good, let yourself enjoy it." He slipped in the third and final finger and began to go even deeper. Wonder if Perdaetans have a prostate? Gene's fingers brushed against a bump. He would have missed it entirely if Rei hadn't arched up with a rather loud cry. Gene blinked and pressed the tiny protrusion again; when it got a similar reaction he grinned wickedly and began to tease it fiercely. He alternated between fleeting caresses and firm pressure, all while he continued stroking his fingers in and out of the slowly loosening tunnel.

Rei moaned again, arching his hips upward. "Please...." The one word spoke volumes. Gene withdrew his fingers and fumbled for a condom. He was almost on theverge of panic when his fingers finally closed around one. He tore the packet open with his teeth and got the latex sheath on in record time. Positioning himself at the entrance proved a bit more difficult than he'd anticipated and a steady stream of curses were muttered under his breath as he let his hands drop down again to try and find it by touch.

Rei snickered a bit at Gene's sudden impatience. "Do you require my aid?" he asked a trifle jokingly.

Gene managed to snag the alien's wrist. "Yeah cat-eyes...get me in position. You can see better than me." He led Rei's hand to his manhood. The winged boy smiled and gently guided Gene to his waiting entrance.

"Thanks," Gene said as he took a couple seconds to calm himself before pushing forward ever so slowly. He hissed as the alien's entrance reluctantly gave way to his intrusion, enveloping him in incredible heat and tightness. "Oh God Rei...you feel so good." Rei hissed in a breath between his teeth at the penetration. It hurt, but he knew that was to be expected. He panted a bitttintting his body adjust to being filled. Gene fought theurge to thrust, letting his hands stroke Rei's body in an attempt to soothe. "I'll make it feel good soon...I promise."

"I trust you, Gene...." Rei replied in a whisper. He concentrated on letting his body relax. When it did, he pushed his hips towards the redhead, encouraging him to continue.

Gene shivered at the delicious friction, his hands scraping at the alien's skin. "Fast learner..." He grunted as he closed his eyes and pulled out slightly. Driving home again caused the redhead to inhale sharply. So good.... Gene set up a slow steady rhythm, watching Rei's face for the right moment to increase the pace. In a moment, the winged boy's head fell back and a moan escaped as he began lifting his hips to meet Gene's thrusts.

Groaning, the outlaw began speeding up, using his hands to help pull the young alien up against his own pistoning hips. The dark red hair grew damp with sweat that dripped from the soaked strands onto the body below. Low sounds of pleasure fell in a steady stream from his lips as the ecstasy of the act began to chip away at his control. Rei pushed his body completely against Gene's, his head thrown back, whispering encouragements in his native language.

The redhead had no clue what Rei what saying, but some things didn't need translation. He let himself fall into the realm of pure instinct, almost slamming himself into the blissful heat of Rei's body. Unable to get a hand between their bodies he settled for pushing against the small of the alien's back to ensure maximum friction against the organ trapped between their bellies.

The winged boy arched his back and tightened his grip around Gene's shoulders, biting his lip to prevent his cries from escaping. He could feel his body tightening, and welcomed the sensation. All of a sudden, his body arched again and he cried out, unable to stifle it, as he tightened deliciously around Gene.

"Oh God REI!!" Gene yanked the alien against his hips, shouting his release to anyone who cared to hear. He flopped forward, barely catching himself with his arms so he wouldn't crush the slight body beneath him. Rolling slowly to his side, praying he wasn't landing on a wing, Gene let out a low groan and tossed aside the used condom before pulling Rei against him. "Mmm....that was good." Rei's breath came in short gasps. Unable to speak for the moment, he simply nodded his agreement. "So...do you think you'd like to go again? I've still got one condom left."

"I hardly think I would be able to do that again for a short while," Rei replied sheepishly.

Gene chuckled and pressed a kiss to closest piece of available skin. "Heh, I guess I can wait."

The door open suddenly and the air was filled with the hum of a droid returning. Gene could tell by the sound it was heading towards the ceiling. A second later the lights popped on again and he cursed fluently as the sudden illumination burned his eyes. The droid ignored it for the most part. "I'm sorry, but the co-pilot has an urgent message. Please follow me back to the cockpit."

Gene slowly peeked out from under the pillow he'd tossed over his eyes. "Can I get dressed first?"

The droid tapped her little arms. "He said as soon as possible...please hurry."

Rei inquired, "Is there a place on board where we may bathe quickly?

The droid blinked and spun its eyes around to gaze at the alien. "Yes...follow me."

Gene snatched up what he could before the robot could take off, tossing Rei his garments and what remained of his own. "We have to hussle...Jim wouldn't drag me up there unless it was important." Rei nodded and followed the droid.

Gene stepped into the tiny stall and pulled Rei in after him, glad the showerhead was centered overhead. He handed the alien a washcloth and squirted some gel onto it. "Let's hurry, or I may end up making him wait while I find out what it's like to take you in the bathroom." Rei blinked, but began the task of cleaning himself.

A few moments later the clean, if damp, pair appeared on the bridge. Jim
glanced over his shoulder, and pretty much guessed what they had been up to. God Gene... yon't n't waste any time. He turned his eyes back to the
screen and the planpreapread out across it. "This place isn't on any of the
navigational charts, and believe me I checked. Is it Perdaeta, Rei?"

Rei looked at the screen, seeing the familiar star system. Three suns...two moons...odd orbit.... It must be.... His voice was a mere whisper, "I...believe it is...."

Gene, who'd been looking a little ill thanks to all the stars, felt even sicker suddenly. It's too soon.... I'm not ready.... He sighed heavily. Rei belonged here, among his own kind. He'd drop him off and say his good-byes, best to get it over with quickly. "Okay...we found it. I assume we can breathe the air since Rei hasn't keeled over yet. Let's go pay them a visit!"

The ship landed on an alien planet, even alien to Rei, who left thip fip first. When he saw his planet, he gasped. The sky was a sickly green, as though the very air had stagnated. The larger sun was a dark, crimson red; the middle was blue; the smallest was almost black. There were no signs of vegetation. Rei fell heavily to his knees on the now-bare ground.

Gene frowned at Rei's reaction. "I take it it's not supposed to look like this."

Jim gave his partner a none-too-gentle kick to the shin. "You're an insensitive brute, Gene Starwind!"

For once Gene didn't retaliate. He simply rubbed his abused ankle then the leaned down behind Rei letting his hands rest on the dejected shoulders. "Rei?"

Rei shook his head, then buried his head in his hands. "Great Oguusti.... What in Olua's name has happened here...?"

Gene's eyes grew a little wide at the unfamiliar names, but he got the idea. He began to gently massage Rei's shoulders as he looked back at Jim. "Do a scan.... See if you can find any sign of life." Jim nodded solemnly and jogged back up the gangplank. "Don't give up yet Rei.... It might not be like this everywhere." The outlaw fell silent as the satellite disks under the ship's hull clanked to life and began spinning with a soft hum. Several moments ticked by before Jim called Gene over their comlink. "Gene?"
The redhead reached for his headset, before remembering they'd upgraded to the new Codec (tm) style comlink. He simply spoke aloud. "Yeah Jim? Speak to me...tell me something good."

More silence...then, "I'm sorry Gene...poor Rei. I'm not picking up any lifeforms like Rei's. A few small mammals and some dying vegetation is all I could find."

Gene sighed and squeezed his companion's should "I' "I'm sorry Rei...."

"There...is nothing here...is there?" Rei asked, looking up at Gene, fighting his tears.

Gene shook his head. "No.... Only a few animals...I don't know if we could even save them."

The winged boy's head bowed again and he got to his feet. "There is somewhere I must go before we leave from here...." Without waiting for Gene's answer, Rei took to the air, the buzzing of his wings gradually fading in the distance.

Gene was so shocked by actually seeing Reikiki in flight the alien was out of sight before he could respond. Well, hell!! He sighed and called out, "Hey Jim?"

"I'm already on it Gene...those wings sure carry him fast don't they?" The gunslinger could clearly picture his partner shaking his blonde head. "We can catch up to him easy if he gets in trouble. So just stay put so he can find us when he's ready." Gene sighed and took Jim's advice. He sat down on the gangplank and looked towards the horizon where Rei had disappeared to await his return.


* * *


Rei flew to a strange obelisk. "Once brilliant and shining...now covered
with moss..." he whispered in Perdaetan. "Nevertheless...." He knelt in front of it, folding his hands oddly, in prayer. "Oguusti...tell me what has happened here...." He fell silent, searching around him with his mind.

He could see it clearly now. A meteor fell from the heavens, and what it didn't destroy, it covered in a cloud of dust that smothered the life. Only recently had it dissipated. Rei realized that he'd been trapped within that pod for nearly 500 standard years.

"Everyone...is gone.... Everyone and everything I ever loved...all gone..." he whispered. He buried his head in his hands again, this time letting the tears fall.