Page 14 of Hainn

Jezari had huge butterflies in her gut on the morning of the surfing trip. Equipped with a backpack of essentials, wearing her blaster she reported to the landing field well before dawn as ordered. Hainn broke away from the circle of men standing beside the designated flyer as if he’d been watching for her, which warmed her heart.

“Are you excited?” he asked, taking her backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

“Scared to death I think,” she said with a laugh. “What have I gotten myself into here?”

“As much fun as it’s possible to have under the wartime conditions.” His response was cheerful as he took her elbow and steered her to the group.

She was surprised to see a human woman there and her heart sank. The woman was probably one of Hainn’s special friends.

“This is Vindy, our pilot,” he said the next minute. “She’s a hotshot like Gabe and Flo and she’ll get us there and back safely.”

“Pleased to meet you,” the woman said extending her hand. “I’m ex-military so yeah, what Hainn says about my flying is true. Push it to the limit and then some.”

Jezari shook hands with a nod and then Hainn introduced her to everyone else waiting. Counting her there were eleven Badari. The other men were all from the South Seas pack and when she commented on the fact, Hainn said, “These northern brothers aren’t enthusiastic about the ocean but we get a few to come with us now and then. Not this time. Skoron here is our spotter and board retriever this trip. He’ll be watching over us as we surf.”

“You’re going all this way and don’t get to surf yourself?” Jezari asked the other pack brother as she boarded the flyer. “How is that fair?”

“Oh, I’ll get in a wave or two and a bit of fishing,” he said. “I had my rotation to surf two months ago and another guy did these tasks. It all works out over time. Getting out of the valley is treat enough, don’t you think?”

She most emphatically did.

“Sit with me?” Hainn invited.

“I’m your guest after all,” she said, pleased by his request.

“Hey, you’re here as a Badari entitled to try out the waves,” was his answer. “Just like the rest of us. Equal footing.”

As she sank into her seat Jezari heard the engines revving up to full power and a moment later the flyer took off at a steep angle, pushing her into the cushions. “You weren’t kidding about her style of flying.”

“She’s good all right. We rescued her from a lab about six months ago and once Gabe heard her background he drafted her to join his team of pilots.” Hainn leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Skoron is kinda sweet on her which is another reason he volunteers for the trips where she’s the pilot. She’s acts pretty reserved though usually so I don’t know if he has much hope.”

Relieved of her fear Hainn might be interested in the human pilot, Jezari relaxed. He’d warned her the flight to the surfing spot was long, especially with the indirect route Vindy had to take to avoid Khagrish detection. They talked easily for a long time, comparing his experiences as a cub in the South Seas lab with her time growing up at the mountain complex. Jezari tried to keep to her best memories and avoid the dark ones revolving around Khagrish experiments and mistreatment. She guessed Hainn was doing the same but the conversation was free wheeling and enjoyable.

Skoron announced a light in-flight meal about halfway through the expected flight time and Hainn went to gather his survival rations and hers. “Once we get to the surfing camp the food improves,” he said as he handed her a selection of the bars and sat. “Sandara sends a ton of food in stasis keepers, which was loaded before you arrived at the landing field. Her being the mate of our pack’s senior enforcer ensures we get the best selection every time. We also fish while we’re there and have cookouts.”

“This excursion is quite a mini vacation,” Jezari said, surprised at the extent of the arrangements.

“Pack leadership tries to make it one, yes. I wish more of the brothers from the other packs would try it out but you have Jamokan stating his wolves don’t surf and of course the Tzibir are desert dwelling. Mostly if we’re going to get other Badari to go they’re from Aydarr’s pack.”

“Jamokan’s wolves seemed to thrive on their long hunting expedition up north,” Jezari said. “I think each Alpha knows what their men require.”

“What does Keshara recommend for you then? She sure wasn’t supportive of you going surfing.”

Compelled to defend her sister, Jezari said, “The idea took her by surprise is all. But I don’t think we Daughters haveany environment we prefer. Snow perhaps. I did love the times when we were allowed to go outside at the complex and experience the snow.”

“You’ll have to take me to a winter environment someday then,” he said with a grin. “I don’t promise to love it though—I’m strictly a sunshine and balmy weather guy.”

She was enjoying herself immensely and after the meal the other brothers invited her and Hainn to come play cards with them. Rolling her eyes because this Badari obsession with cards was practically an addiction for the northern brothers, she agreed to participate for a while. She didn’t find it as engaging as the others did and eventually sought her seat to take a nap, having gotten up so early and not slept well the night before.

Hainn returningto his seat and gently tapping her shoulder pulled her from a silly dream where she was romping in fluffy snowdrifts in her alien predator form and she woke with a start.

“We’re about to circle over the sea mount,” he said as she blinked sleep from her eyes. “You don’t want to miss this.”

Taking her by the hand, he led her to the stern of the flyer where the other Badari were clustered and helped her fasten a simple safety harness. “We can’t see this ocean on the vids?” she asked in astonishment when she understood the pilot was going to open the rear ramp.

“It’s tradition to watch the waves for a bit when we first arrive,” said Skoron. “Vids and holos don’t do them justice.”

She wasn’t convinced she wanted to stand precariously in the rear of the flyer and be buffeted by the wind but once the ramp opened and Vindy was hovering over the sea mount, Jezari was mesmerized. The ocean was vast and the giant waves seemed to heave themselves up on a whim, but she remembered what she’d been told about the special geography here, with thesea mount. The sight left her speechless and filled with a desire to leap from the flyer and try her strength against the raging water. Riding the top of such a wave so high in the sky must be like flying.Freedom, it’s freedom.

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