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I threw up that morning. I had never been so nervous in my life. I ate breakfast with my mother and her smiling face betrayed a look of worry. She was probably twice as nerve-racked as I was. There was an solemn silence exchanged as our silverware clinked against plates. I stared past my beak at hers. It curled slightly at the edges, but her glossy eyes said that she was on the verge of tears.

"Please, do be careful Franz." She said with a German accent.

"I will mama. I promise." I enunciated with every degree of sincerity.

"Your father would be so proud." Tears pooled at the bottom of her eyelids.

"I know mama." I said quietly.

We had emigrated some time ago. My parents knew that a regime change was coming and that it wasn't going to be good. Unfortunately we were poor and couldn't get out as fast as we would have liked. My father stayed behind so we could escape. We were a proud family of platypuses and I like to think he died with some honor. My mother always told me I looked like him, though I was on the shorter side. I had my mother's eyes, a shade of green that glistened in the light. I was about 5' 8" and 180 pounds. I was actually thinner, but the military doctors said I had to gain weight.

There was no way I could afford college on my own. I had good grades, but not full-ride scholarship good. A recruiter had gotten to me and said that Uncle Sam would pay for college in exchange for my service. I didn't see a better option so I took it. The war was over, so it seemed I had made the right decision. I started to second guess my decision when I began eight weeks of hell. I don't regret it though. It changed me, made me stronger. Then it gave me four years to better myself in college.

***

Peoples had always interested me. To see where people had come from and how that affected them in the present was fascinating. I get to see behind the curtain of culture and get to know where people came from. I majored in anthropology, not really knowing what I would do with the degree. I imagined I might get to travel the world, but when I graduated, the government sort of swept me off my feet.

In a military office deep within an Army base I sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair. It creaked as I shifted my weight from one side to the other. Intricately carved rods with a floral pattern blocked my rough tail and it stuck out from the side awkwardly. When I heard the knob turn I quickly stood up and faced the officer to salute him. He saluted back and said "At ease." firmly. I retook my seat in the creaky chair and he sat in his plush leather office chair.

"Do you know why you're here son?"

"No sir."

"You've been selected for a special assignment." The broad shouldered rottweiler said with a gruff tone.

"Why sir?"

"Under our watchful eye, various private sectors have been exploring space for possible threats. Unmanned probes have picked up what we think is a indication of life. We finally have a viable way to transport ourselves into space safely and effectively." He spoke confidently as if he had rehearsed this. "Obviously, we are putting a team together and you have been selected because of your skill set and the nature of your degree. Of course, we have to employ scientists and and academic persons to satiate the politicians. You will be substantially compensated for your effort."

I took a deep breath. "That's a lot to consider sir, but so far I like the sound of it."

"I'm glad," he smiled. "because this offer expires the second you walk out of that door."

"Then I'm in sir." I said with a bit of haste. I went from an enlisted platypus to a freaking astronaut in just a few short minutes. I signed some disclosure forms and medical release papers and I was on my way. I was so excited as I drove off the base I could barely contain it. My car was almost out of gas so I stopped at a gas station. I walked inside through the glass door and discovered not only the slight scent of gasoline, but also the mixture of the scented homemade candles on the shelves adjacent to the door. The whole store was filled with knick knacks but what really caught my eye was a rotating rack of sunglasses. I plucked a pair of golden wire frame aviators off of it and tried them on.

"Now these I have to get." I said to myself. Those and my pressed uniform looked really nice together. I felt like a badass. I wanted to tell my mother so badly, but I had been sworn to secrecy. I told her that I was receiving a promotion, which was sort of true. I had been supporting her as much as I could so she was overjoyed to hear it.

***

There's something unsettling about military hospitals. In civilian ones, nurses and doctors at least pretend to care about you as a person. In a military hospital there's no wasting any time or making small talk with the personnel. There were five of us lined up outside an examination room. It seemed we were in order by rank. Andy, a lab, was our captain. He smirked in his hospital gown with his arms pressed against his muscly chest.

"Don't forget to turn your heads when you cough." Andy chuckled."

"Oh, it's that again?" Charles, a leopard piped up.

"Hehe, yep. We get the whole nine yards." Andy said.

"At least we don't have to get all those vaccinations again." Bobby said. "I frickin' hate needles." Bobby was hands-down the biggest bovine I had ever seen. I wouldn't be surprised if he was vain to boot. Something about his size made me comfortable. I think it was knowing that he worked to get that size instead of shooting up.

"Well they are going to do some blood work, but just to make sure you're not carrying any communicable diseases." A tall Great Dane named Michael said.

"You the doctor?" Andy asked. Michael nodded. "And what are you?" Andy gestured to the bull.

"I'm the mechanic." Bobby said.

"No shit?" Charles said. "I thought you were just here to lift heavy objects."

Bobby gave him a dry laugh. "Yeah, and what is your part on this team?"

"It's probably the hardest job; which is keeping you fed big guy." We all laughed, including the beagle walking out of the exam room. Except he was laughing at something the doctor had said.

"You're up Andy." He said.

"Fantastic. Everyone, this is Gregory. He's my co-pilot" The lab said sarcastically.

"What did I miss?" The beagle asked as he leaned on the opposite wall.

"We were just getting acquainted." Michael said.

"Yeah, I caught some of that. What's y'all's jobs again?" We each restated our names and positions and Gregory firmly shook our hands. I got strange looks when I told them mine.

"I'm sorry, you're a what?" Charles asked.

"An Anthropologist. I study people, culture, language, et cetera. I'm going to catalog whatever it is that we're going to be seeing."

"Assuming that it's friendly." Bobby said. " 'Cause if it's not, then all it's going to be called is the enemy."

"Oh, don't be starting any of that." Michael said. "This is strictly for the advancement of our people. If they're sentient I'm sure they'll understand."

"I'm sure we've taken precautions in case they're not." I said.

"Of course." Bobby said. "We're not going anywhere without a full payload of weapons." Andy walked out to take his place next to Gregory and Charles stepped inside the room.

"Very true, my friend." Andy said. "I wouldn't want to go anywhere without it either."

"We'll just have to hope for the best I guess." I chuckled nervously. When my turn finally came around I was indeed poked, prodded and fondled by two doctors. It was especially uncomfortable since everything was done twice to ensure that we would be able to withstand the harsh environment that awaited us.

***

We were allotted one night with our families before the launch, which I spent with my mother. I told her they were sending me off to some godforsaken island to help convince the local people to release some prisoners of war and that I didn't know when I was coming back. I hated to lie to her, but I had to. On our front porch I kissed her cheek and gave her the tightest hug I could give without hurting her. I told her I loved her and I pulled my aviators from my breast pocket and put them on. She produced a monogrammed handkerchief and tucked it into the empty pocket.

"For good luck." She said. We exchanged our good byes and I left. As I drove off the tears that I had stifled lightly wet a small patch of brown fur under my eyes. I managed to compose myself just before driving onto the base.

I strolled into a large hangar originally meant for airships to find my team and all sorts of experimental looking devices, pods, and rocket engines. We greeted each other and gave the obligatory handshakes before the officer stepped in. We all instantly snapped together and saluted him. Once again, he saluted back and said "At ease." The briefing was short and ended with "Godspeed." He explained to us that living conditions were going to be cramped for a while. The rocket couldn't be too big or it would raise suspicion. What the public knew was that a satellite was being launched, not a team of space-fairing soldiers.

We were turfed off to men whose job was to ready us for flight. In our own cubicles we emptied our pockets and got dressed in our padded flight suits. They had pockets filled with a liquid that was supposed to constrict our limbs enough to keep the blood in our heads when we experience G-forces. The guy in charge of getting me ready said I was allowed to have the handkerchief, but I couldn't take my aviators, but when he wasn't looking I slipped them into one of my pockets.

We filed into an elevator and preceded to the top of the rocket where six bucket seats and an armada of buckles and straps awaited us. We had seats with special pockets in the back that our tails tucked into. They took their time strapping us in, making sure everything was tight and secure. We waited in silence as the door was locked and the cockpit became pressurized. We had to maintain radio silence to prevent the interception of invaluable reconnaissance. Instead a red digital clock on the control panel that was visible to everyone counted down. My hands shook as it reached one and horrifying roar of the engines bellowed and churned us inside the aluminum container. Then something amazing happened. We started to fly.

The dizzying sensation of rising into the air was replaced with the feeling of having your insides compacted. I struggled to breath normally, though I probably would have been hyperventilating if I could. I closed my eyes so tight I squeezed a tear out. Suddenly the elephant that had been sitting on my chest got up and I opened my eyes. The tear was floating in front of me. I looked at it with an unnatural calmness and awe.

"Is everyone still alive?" Andy said from the front. We all alerted him of our statuses in our various ways. While I though "I'm fine." would suffice Bobby, who was right next to me, went with the more subtle "Damn."

Various stages of the rocket broke off during our decent which I didn't notice thanks to the massive amount of turbulence. We were trapped in that tin can for eight days. The wonders of space can only distract you for so long before you start to lose it a little. Andy managed to sneak something on too, but it was a flask. It helped my nausea a little, but it didn't last long between us all. Michael seemed like a Godsend to me for bringing chocolate. No one else thought to bring anything except me, and that was my sunglasses.

Our arrival to the foreign planet was met in response of equal intensity to that which my body made upon our departure from our home. From the one window we had at the front of the shuttle I could see that the environment might be more forgiving than we hoped. Powder blue mountains were topped with a pure white, which I assumed was snow. There seemed to be plenty of vegetation, which meant we might not have to rely on our own rations. We entered the planet's orbit and searched for the best place to land. The higher the altitude the better since we didn't know how strong the gravity was. The closer we were to the atmosphere the less time it would take to get out of dodge when the time came.

For much of the flight the power had been reduced to conserve energy. Small bits of frost collected on the instruments and various objects. As we passed through the atmosphere the inside heated up and left the cockpit muggy and dripping. The landing gear whirred to life beneath us as we glided through the air and aimed the ship towards an icy plateau. We hit the surface a little too hard for comfort and skidded across the bumpy ground. We began to creep towards the edge and I gripped the arm rests in bracing for the eminent impact. Andy strained with the controls and audibly groaned as we slowly came to a stop. Safely, I might add. The powerful engines died and we unbuckled ourselves from what was potentially our grave for a moment.

***

The sun was going down pretty quickly so we holed ourselves up in the shuttle for the night, or at least most of it. One by one we awoke to find ourselves completely refreshed, but it was still dark out.

"The days are probably longer here." Gregory suggested.

"That's possible," Michael said. "but we haven't been very active for a while so it won't take as long for us to be fully rested."

When the sun finally did show itself we had already dressed in more comfortable attire and unloaded the equipment we needed to explore. We got an early start on the day and I liked that. We had to climb down to the base of the plateau. A metal stake with a loop on the top was hammered into the rock by our resident muscle man, Bobby. To that we attached a hook and rope which we each rappelled from. I vaguely remembered how from basic training and it was quite an ordeal for me. I practically crawled off the edge and braced myself against the icy rock, not wanting to jump or let go. After being prodded by my team who was waiting for me at the bottom, I finally pushed away gingerly and lowered myself. I reached the bottom where I received a firm pat on the back from some, but was scolded by Andy.

"Don't hold us up like that again. We have a job to do." He said.

"Yes sir." I said, still a little shaky from the climb. I tried my damnedest to keep up as we went from the snowy region to a forrest. It started out like a taiga, but as we progressed it got warmer and more damp. The tall trees had a stringy bark that extended vertically. They were surprisingly thing considering how tall they were. They smelled like pine trees, but differed a lot. There weren't any branches until the very top. They extended out and seemed to sag a bit. They naturally formed geometric shapes with the green needles. I almost ran into things staring up at them. Other than the trees, there wasn't much vegetation. It was eerily clear and you could see far ahead.

We drudged around the forrest all day humping gear and occasionally stopping to eat. The doctor was right; the days were a bit longer. Not too much, but noticeable. We were pretty exhausted, but luckily we get more night time to sleep. We set up small cots barely a few inches off the ground. We had tents, but there didn't seem to be any need for them. I looked up through a break in the canopy at the stars wondering which speck was home. It was an odd feeling to know that I was among the stars that people might glance at before they sleep. It was strange to be on the other side of the stars. I never could have dreamed that this is where I'd go. The next morning I was beginning to think that the nights were longer than the days since we woke before the sunrise yet again. We ate freeze dried eggs and enjoyed a bit of leisure time while the sun crept around to show its face. We reached an edge of the forrest before noon. It was lined with a tall and pale green grass.

"We're going to need water soon." Bobby said, who was carrying most of the supply.

"This grass is a good sign." Charles said.

"You sure?" Gregory said. "Because it looks a little light to me." Charles reached down and plucked a blade from the ground. The leopard wrapped it around his finger.

"It's nice and flexible. It doesn't seem like it's been without water at all."

"Alright, if you say so." Gregory agreed.

We trekked onward keeping an eye out for ponds and lakes. The landscape got increasingly rounder with more hills and valleys. Over one hill we came across a valley spotted with little pools of water about a meter wide each. Tall yellow flowers speckled the edges. I was tempted to smell them, but the fear that they might be harmful in some way kept be at bay. Bobby knelt beside on of the pools and took his pack off.

"Make sure you check the salinity before you fill anything." I said.

"Good call." Andy said. The lab gave me a pat on the shoulder and I felt accomplished. Bobby cupped his hands and tried a bit of the water.

"Tastes find to me." He said.

"Alright, fill up as much as you can." Andy said. "We don't know when we'll have the chance to again." Bobby nodded and did just that. As we each investigated a pool there was a screeching caw that tore through the air. It struck fear deep inside my heart. I hesitantly looked up and unslung the rifle off my back. Everyone quickly scanned the sky for the source but none was found.

"You might want to hurry up Bobby. We'll cover you." Andy said. Bobby quickly finished and strapped his pack back on. We rushed on and didn't see any sign of what could have made such a noise for the rest of the day. That night we actually set tents up to offer a little comfort from what might be lurking around. In the morning we ate and summited the hill we had camped next to. On the other side was a sea of red flowers that looked almost like poppies. It was like something out of a painting, except something was moving among them.

***

It was singing, or at least I thought it was. It was one creature, but it sounded like a few had chimed in. It was collecting flowers and putting them into a basket. It appeared to be some kind of rabbit, except its ears were split halfway giving it two tips on each ear instead of one. I heard the sound of a bolt action sliding into place. I turned and everyone was pointing their rifles towards it.

"Hey!" I said with a hushed voice. "How are we supposed to know if their peaceful if you're pointing guns at them right off the bat?" They each lowered their weapons. Took off my pack and took out some food. I slowly stepped down the hill and approached the creature. I made sure I was visible as I did this. It. I noticed what appeared to be small breasts underneath its robe. It spoke to me in its native language, but I didn't try to say anything back. As soon as I got close she held her hand up as if to say "Stop." I held the granola bar out with an open palm. She took the plastic wrapped bar from my hands and sniffed at it. For a moment I though I should have unwrapped it first but the wrapper quickly came off between her nimble fingers. He sniffed at the grain and chocolate and bit off an edge. She said something and nodded with approval.

"You like that?" I pointed to her hands and said "Granola."

She said something like "Granra." Close enough. I thought. She picked up her basket and took a flower out. It crunched underneath her hands and broke along the seams. She handed me a petal and motioned for me to eat it. I looked back at my team. They didn't say anything, but Michael did make a sort of shooing motion with both hands. I guess it was time to find out if those flowers were poisonous at all.

I placed the crisp petal on my tongue and and chewed the sweet tissue. My teeth crunched on little crystals that formed a sweet syrupy liquid. It was delicious and exotically fruity.

"This is good." I said to him. I motioned for the others to come over.

They trudged down the hill and and faced the rabbit creature. She said something, but nothing I could understand. Andy the fearless leader extended his paw to him to shake.

"What are you doing?" Bobby whispered. "It's not like she's going to know what you're doing."

"Just give him a chance." Gregory said. She stared at the empty hand for a moment and extended her own paw. Andy firmly shook it and let go. Surprisingly the rabbit went through all of us, giving each of us a pawshake.

"I think it gets it." Andy said. I felt funny. Specifically, I felt like laughing. A slight wave of euphoria washed over me and I chuckled softly.

"Franz? Franz are you alright?" I heard Charles say. My vision blurred slightly and I felt like the ground was moving underneath me.

"Yeah, I'm just..." and then I collapsed. I felt someone checking my vitals, most likely Michael. I heard talking, but it was muffled. I was picked up and carried away. I wasn't sure where though. I only knew that I had made it into a very comfortable bed in a dim room and I stayed there for a few hours.

***

Eventually I surfaced from my haze. It felt like I had been sleeping, but consciously. I think I had ingested some kind of opiate. My head throbbed with the beat of my heart. I sat up on the bed in the candle lit room. The female from the field was sitting on a pillow across from me on the opposite wall.

"Hey," I mumbled. "You're that girl?"

"Come." She said.

"Come?" I repeated.

"Come."

She had been watching me the whole time, making sure I didn't die. I stood up and stumbled a bit until I regained my equilibrium. The floor looked like marble and the walls appeared to be some kind of clay. I exited into a much brighter corridor and had to shield my eyes. I noticed something familiar in the air. There was music playing, but something I had heard back home. I followed it into a wide room with a tall dome for a ceiling. Tall swirling pillars outlined the dome and supported it. My team and a handful of rabbit people were gathered around a record player that was spilling out the rough notes of the record.

"Look who's up!" Bobby said.

"Hey guys. How long was I out?" I grumbled.

"A day." Michael said.

"A day?" I asked. "Like, a whole day?" Michael just nodded.

"It seems to be some kind of drug, and a potent one at that." Michael said. "To some degree it might be theraputic, but none of us have the tolerance to handle it at first."

One of the creatures chittered in it's native language but ended with "For special times." I was taken aback for a moment. I figured I must have still been high.

"Did he just speak English?" I asked. The rabbit female guided me to the ring and sat me down in the circle of pillows.

"These guys learn pretty fast." Gregory remarked. And he was right. In the short time they picked up a lot. It wasn't long before they were able to make coherent sentences. You could feel the connection they shared. You felt like you were left out of something big when enough of them were in the room.

We were quite welcome in their community. They were as fascinated with us as we were with them. They kept us talking which was good for both of us I suppose. The more we talked the smaller the language barrier got. When we brought up festivals and banquets, they elected to treat us to a big dinner in celebration of our miraculous visit.

Families with extra space invited us into their homes and gave us rooms. Michael and I stayed in the same home so he could keep an eye on me. Our military issue clothes were filthy and unfit for such an occasion. They gave us some of their native clothing. They wore surprisingly comfortable wraps that looked like robes. Each family had their own intricately woven pattern and very ornate ties. Everyone's garb was white to give the community a sense of unity. The only color people carried on them were brightly dyed lanyards that they tied around themselves to keep their clothes from unraveling. You can't be given these, so we were instructed how to make our own.

Everyone had their own way of doing things. When we split up with our hosts it was the longest we had been apart from each other the entire trip. I had to admit I was a bit nervous about wandering off without my team, but the man of the house put me at ease once we got to talking. I thought we had given rise to a new dialect of English. We probably weren't the best furs to learn from, but we could at least talk to each other.

"We are...going?" He said, looking to me for confirmation. I nodded. "We are going to search this nature for colors. Then we will weave bands."

"What colors should we use?" I asked.

"Your colors. Your family's colors." I nudged Michael and mouthed "What?" The great dane just shrugged and said to just go with it.

I chose red and purple. I didn't really know why, but it seemed like a good combination. The red came from a different variety of the poppies I had gotten high off of and the purple came from potato-like things. They appeared to be potatoes on the outside, but when you split them open you find a dark fleshy inside. We took these and placed them inside clay bowls. With a little water and what appeared to be ash we made dye. I rubbed the red into half the fibers and purple into the rest. This was done until it was an even shade. All the new lanyards were placed on a flat stone that had been marked by past users and they dried in the sun. After a little required assembly they actually came out looking quite nice.

Back at the house I sat on my bed, still in the clothes we brought. The girl came into my room with a white wrap neatly folded in her arms. She was the daughter of our host, but I hadn't had a chance to actually make her acquaintnace. I stood and took the clothes and placed them on the bed. When I offered my hand for a shake she smiled brightly and with excitement. She took it with both her hands and shook it three times.

"My name's Franz. What's yours?"

"I am Asterie. It's great to meet you." She said. To my ears it sounded flawless. It was quite curious how knowledge spread like wildfire here.

"It's nice to meet you too. I appreciate the clothes."

"It's my pleasure." She caught me off guard by hugging me tightly and kissing my cheek. She giggled as I stood there awkwardly blushing.

"Well that was odd." I said.

"Why?" She smiled.

"Where I come from people aren't so forthcoming with affection like that."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Well we usually get to know each other a little before doing things like that."

"You are friendly so you must be our friend, correct?" It sounded a little naïve to me, but I liked the simplicity of the point.

"I suppose so." I agreed.

"Good, now please try that on so I know it fits." I waited for her to leave, but she didn't.

"A-aren't you going to leave?"

"Do you want me to?" She asked as if it wasn't strange for her to stay.

"I would like a little privacy, yes."

"Well that's odd." She said mocking my tone, but with a smile. She waited outside the curtain (no doors here) while I changed and wrapped up.

"You can come in now." I said once I had tied the band I made.

"Ah yes, it's a good fit Very sexy." I snorted a little at her comment.

"Where did you learn that word?"

"Which word, sexy?" I nodded, still chuckling. "It's a good thing, no?"

"Well for my sake it is, thank you. I appreciate it."

***

We arrived at the gala just after sunset. It was held in the same building I woke up in after eating the strange poppies. It was the fellowship hall where the whole community came to eat, drink and enjoy each others' company. The halls were filled with the melodies of their instruments which seemed to either be string or percussion. The beats were infectious and everyone danced wildly. The buffet was comprised of fruits and seasoned vegetables. I stood by the table wondering what was safe to eat since the first thing I had tried on this planet landed me flat on my ass. Charles came up behind me and and bumped me with his elbow to get my attention.

"Don't sweat it. I, uh, sampled some of it earlier. It's good to eat."

"Ok, thanks man." I filled up a plate and sat on some tasseled pillows set close to the walls of the wide rectangular room. It was almost like a ballroom. I ate the surprisingly delicious food and watched a majority of the bunny creatures dance like no one was watching. They were quite tall and graceful. It occurred to me that I had to name them and whatnot for my report. I set my plate aside and pulled a small leather book about as thick as my hand from a fold in my robe. Attached by a small loop in the side was a pen. I began to watch them and write down characteristics they all shared.

I hadn't noticed this until then, but they all seemed to have icy blue eyes. Their feet were oddly shaped compared to ours. They stood on three bony digits per leg. Almost like three little hooves, but minus the keratin nail. The had a wiry frame that their clothing was wrapped tight around. It was quite easy to pick Bobby out of the crowd because of his enormous size. The others were scattered throughout the room, no doubt showing them all how to shake hands. I thought hard about a name. I decided on Angelus Sapientia. They struck me as angelic in nature, not perverted in the ways our society had become. They were untouched; pure.

I tried my best to mingle, but with some there was still quite a language barrier. Much of them knew a lot of words, but not how to put them in the right order. I was basically involved in a game of charades but with a few words of their language I had managed to pick up thrown in. It was a bit stuffy as more and more people showed up and I became thirsty. I searched and found pitchers. Some filled with water and some filled with something else. I wanted to go with water, but I was feeling rather daring that night. I poured an amber liquid into a cup and sniffed at it. It smelled like alcohol. For a moment I was baffled but it seems that every civilization finds a way to produce it, doesn't it?

It tasted like honey, but tingled my lips. I didn't take that as a good sign so I put it down and opted for water after a few sips. My comrades were a little less inhibitive with their drinking. For God's sakes, Bobby had his own pitcher. He was a big bull though. I figured he could handle it. I waded through the crowd and exchange smiles with everyone. I noticed Andy in the corner surrounded by women and I went to investigate. They sat in a semi-circle with a bowl of red petals in the center.

"Hey! Are you sure you want to do that?" I said.

"Relax, I'm only going to try a little. I can't let you have all the fun." The lab laughed and the ladies joined him.

"Just be careful." I said and walked off.

I started to get hot being surrounded by all that body heat so I stepped out into the cool night air. I hadn't seen a moon once on this planet and I was beginning to miss ours. I looked up at the stars again, still in awe of how far we had come. It was peaceful until I sensed someone behind me. I turned to find Asterie behind me.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, her long ears twitching as she spoke.

"I just came out for some air." I said.

"But there's plenty inside." I chuckled softly at her remark.

"It's an expression. I just wanted some space."

"Oh, I see. Can I stay with you?"

"I don't see why not."

Asterie was a little taller than me, but she insisted on looping her arm around mine. Their relationships were a bit queer. Earlier that day I needed to wash up so I was taken to their ornately decorated bath house. Pretty fancy place for such a species. They could make tools, but not weapons. They never had a need for such things. They made beautiful carvings in the walls and pillars that held the ceilings up and in the center was a crisp pool of water. It was like a swimming pool, but with a current. A small group of females and males had just arrived and were getting undressed. The females bared their breasts right in front of the males and they didn't seem the least bit interested. It was completely casual. I felt a surge of awkward tension as they walked towards me and I averted my eyes as a reflex.

"Is something wrong?" One of the males said to me."

"No, nothing wrong. I just, um, thought I would be alone." I tried my best not to stammer.

"It's ok. We don't mind to share." I don't think he understood what I meant, but that bath was especially short.

They didn't have many gender lines to speak of. What I found particularly fascinating was that they don't feel an attraction for each other until they imprint on someone. Once they do that, it's completely monogamous. They don't have a word for cheating in their language, or war for that matter. I was beginning to think that a utopia was possible. These thoughts distracted me from the silence that Asterie was experiencing. When I snapped out of my slight daze I felt a pit in my stomach, like Asterie was waiting for something. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I noticed something. Are her boobs getting bigger? I thought. I didn't want to look; I felt ashamed to, but they seemed noticeably different. I had to snap out of it again, then I looked up.

"Are...you wearing my sunglasses?" I asked the rabbit with the gold frames perched on her face.

"I found them in your room. They're styling for you." She smiled.

"Thank you, now please, lets take them back. I don't want them to get broken."

She handed them to me and we walked back to her house. She waited on the porch as I stepped through the rough stone doorway and passed down a short hall to the room they had given me. It was odd to me how they didn't have furniture with legs aside from tables. My bed consisted of a mattress type pillow and a blanket. My pack was situated at the end of it and I tucked my aviators in a side pocket hopefully out of the way of unexpected impacts. I heard an ear-splitting screeching noise from outside. I jumped and fumbled to get my rifle I had tucked under my bed. I cocked it and ran outside to find Asterie gripping a small column supporting the roof of the porch. She was shaking horribly and her clothes were torn, though I didn't see any blood on the spotless robe.

An enormous hawk like creature circled overhead and cawed. It struck fear into my heart even more now that I could see the beast that produced it. I shook in my sandals and sighted my rifle, gripping the wooden exterior. It swooped down rather gracefully and I unloaded the clip in its direction. It jerked as the shots impacted and it fell to the ground with an exceptional force. No doubt it gained the attention of the partiers in the fellowship hall. Asterie nearly tackled me as I continued to quake. I dropped the gun and we shook together. I collected myself and pulled Asterie away from me.

"Are you hurt? Did it injure you?" I asked. She passed her fingers through the sliced fabric and pulled them out dry.

"I'm fine, you saved me." She kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly. I returned the hug with an equal tightness and consoled her as she broke down a little and cried on my shoulder.

There should be a word for a moment like that: When a pivotal even takes place in someone's life. When the crew saw the size of the bird, I got a newfound sense of respect. The Roc, as they called it, had been folklore until now. Citizens had gone missing and I believe I killed the reason why. I was praised. I was a hero. The community tried to give me things like jewelry, pottery, and fancy clothing. I turned them all down. I would have done it for anyone because anyone deserved it. No one gave my father gifts for doing what he knew was right, so I politely declined in his honor. It was tough to explain, but I think I got through to them. There was one gift I didn't turn down though.

***

I didn't feel left out anymore. It was like a mental door had been opened. I had assimilated with their culture, which wasn't part of the plan. What a feeling to know how someone is feeling just by being in close proximity of them. That night with the Roc, I felt Asterie's fear. I felt her everything. She was in my head and there was no shutting her out. I felt an intimacy that I'd never felt before. There was a physical need for me to be near her. We went for long walks in the foreign wilderness and said nothing. We just smiled and held each other. I felt at peace around her, and she had become quite comfortable with me.

I was up at night. In my room was a peculiar emptiness. It was just hollow air between me and the walls. I heard the light shuffle of foot steps outside my room and Asterie poked her head in my room.

"Lonely?" She whispered. I sat up and nodded.

"A little." I whispered back.

"Come with me." She asked.

I got up and followed her into her room. It was twice the size of mine. A very wide open format led me to believe that I had felt what she was feeling. Her bed was much bigger, probably queen sized and much more adorned than others I had seen. She certainly came from a rich family. She was wearing a short gown that didn't reach her knees. An elastic material hugged her midsection. Soft to the touch and well decorated, it was pretty appealing to my male tastes.

"Do you remember that word, sexy?" I asked with a smile.

"Mmhmm." She said.

"That's what you are right now." She blushed and covered her face with a hand as she giggled softly.

I brushed her hand aside and I kissed her. I felt the wonder of the stars in that kiss. My tongue gently passed into her mouth and she gasped.

"What was that?" She asked.

"We call it a French kiss where I'm from."

"I think they were onto something." She said with a pleased look.

I continued to kiss her in the French fashion. Quite à la mode, if I do say so myself. Her whiskers moved with her lips up and down. She was quite good for not really having previous experience. Asterie was even daring enough to push my tongue back and let me feel hers explore me a little. Little moments of quiet breathing and the feeling our hearts syncing are what I'll remember most. Oh, and going down on a rabbit creature from another planet.

I silently groped her in the darkness while we kissed. Yep, these are definitely bigger. I confirmed with my hands. One found it's way into the gown sliding across her belly and cup her soft breast. I squeezed it in my palm gingerly. The gown eventually came off and I stood over her in almost complete darkness, naked. I wasn't "buff" by any means, but I did have a decent muscle tone.

I kneeled at the foot of the bed and leaned in between her legs. I lifted one over my shoulder and kissed the smooth fur of her thighs. I kissed all the way to the edge of the lips. It was a beautiful pink dash surrounded by white fur. I spread the labia apart with my thumbs exposing more of the juicy tissue. My tongue stroked the wet area and teased hushed moans from Asterie. She was almost as sweet as the flowers. When I pressed a digit into the smooth glistening crevice. I would have fingered harder, but I couldn't risk waking everyone in the house. I finished with a satisfyingly wet beak.

I moved up and placed my wet hand beside her. I licked my lips before kissing her and pressing just the tip past the moist lips. Asterie gasped and held me tight while we kissed and I entered the tight passage. Her tongue was a lot more fierce as I parted her sweet lips. We grew hot and the room became a little muggy as we humped away. Her gracious thighs squeezed my hips each time she orgasmed. Pleasure radiated from my tip as I came and my legs went numb for a moment. I sprayed her belly thoroughly with my seed. The white goo seeped from her now slightly reddish dash. I laid down beside her and she was muttering something in her native tongue. I smiled and stroked her cheek.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"Thank you." She said. "For everything." She smiled.

"It was my pleasure." I whispered. She kissed me and drifted off.

"Wow." I chuckled to myself. "It really must have taken a lot out of her." I paused for a moment and nuzzled her. I gave her a kiss good night and I whispered "I love you."

***

I honestly didn't think it was possible, though that didn't stop me from looking for the signs. I made it a point to hug her from behind so I could sneak a feel of her belly. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. We were closer than I ever imagined that two things could be. I was crushed when I was pulled away one cool afternoon.

It was much like fall on earth with the changing of the scenery and the leaves falling. The cool air brushed against my more thorough wrap for the cooler weather. Michael had been looking out for me a lot and it was only fitting that he tell me.

"We're leaving soon. We have to report back or they'll think we're dead. Hell, they might already think we're dead. We were supposed to leave sooner."

"I'm sorry for holding us up." I said, looking up and away. I knew in the back of my mind that his was coming, but I did a damn good job of putting it out.

"Don't sweat it." Andy said, with a tone of actual sincerity in his voice. We agreed to leave in the morning. We would have left sooner, but I insisted on one last night in town. I explained to Asterie the situation as best as I could. She cried in my arms all night. I hardly got any sleep because I didn't want to leave and I was softly shushing Asterie in a futile attempt to calm her at least a little.

I rose before the sun as usual and left my home away from home with a chunk of disdain. I wanted my girl to walk with me to our ship, but she couldn't.

"Why not?" I asked with a tinge of pain hidden in my throat.

"I'm carrying your child." She said. I had never been so happy and so torn in my entire life. I wanted more than anything to stay, but if I left my mother all alone I would hate myself. I kissed her goodbye like it was our last.

"If there's one last thing I do, it's going to be seeing my child."

"And I'll be waiting." She said with smile and tears in her eyes. I pulled something from my robe in a fold over my chest and handed her my gold wire frame aviators.

"I'll be back for these, so take care of them."

"I will." She said happily.

As we left the foreign atmosphere I blinked tears away from my eyes and the force of the thrusters directed them back just underneath the lines my sunglasses had left. I would return one day, even if I had to grow wings and fly there myself.