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Chapter 8

Dinin’ and Where We’re Drivin’

“Ran you over?” Foxx tilted his head.

“Apparently couldn’t see the glowin’ red guy flying through space,” Free said.

“You should have looked both ways,” Frost said.

“How—Both ways of what?”

“Cosmic winds. One must look both ways before crossing where they intersect, spaceships do not easily slow while traveling them.”

“The same thing applies to you then!”

“Hmm, perhaps.”

“Yeah, ‘perhaps,’” Free angrily took a bite out of his breakfast platter. “Anyhow, after gettin’ ran over, Frost patched me up—with the help of my guidance, since they don’t know a lick about mechanics. Don’t know how Frost and the poor Camper survived for as long as they did.”

“We managed.”

“I wouldn’t call tapin’ and forgettin’ managin’, but sure.”

“Ahem. Let us discuss the matters at hand, our route to Hornnhealm and Foxx’s predicament.”

“Crud, nearly forgot,” Free wiped his hands with a napkin then pulled out an old notepad and pencil.

Free’s notepad was covered in dark-green, sunset-orange, ocean-green-blue, and sky-blue doodles, and four sets of letters colored in the same order: Myr, Hol, Kit, and Prim. Only one doodle was dark green, it looked like Free, but didn’t have his horns.

“We know Foxx’s species isn’t native to this Cluster… and that’s all we got,” Free said. “Foxx, any memories come back? No pressure, but any detail helps a ton.”

Over the course of their meal, Foxx had drawn on the dusty window besides him, connecting the stars outside by clearing dust with a napkin. All the constellations he made were incompressible, incomplete, except for one, a circle.

“I remembered sitting, a kind person was across me,” Foxx said.

“What did they look like?” Free asked.

“I only saw their smile, sorry.”

“There is nothing to be sorry for,” Frost said. “What do you mean by kind?”

“I don’t know… Warm.”

“Hmm.”

““That does narrow it down a good portion,” Free said. “Not everyone has a mouth, I didn’t have one for a few years myself. I’ll keep note of any details Foxx remembers, if his guardian can’t find us, then we can at least find them with enough info.”

“Do keep in mind the possibility that was not Foxx’s guardian,” Frost said.

“Still, even if they’re not, it’s someone connected to him.”

“Agreed,” Frost nodded. “Onto the subject of Hornnhealm. While we still need to acquire a star chart, I know it is the farthest Cluster from us. Likely, we do not have enough fuel to make the voyage.”

“Ebb-Burrows has three Clusters though, right? There’s one between Calmede and Hornnhealm we can make a pitstop at.”

“I do not know of its name nor exact location, but I believe so.”

“That and…” Free put his hand on his chin. “We could try to send out a signal pulse while we’re there, I think that’s our best bet when it comes to getting in contact with Foxx’s guardian.”

“Singal pulse?” Foxx asked.

“How to put it… It’s like a self-propelled wave of information—once fully charged. Takes a lot of power and carries a small amount of data, maybe three megabytes total? Should be enough though to put a message in about where we are, where we’re going, and attach an image of you and a landmark.”

“That is a dangerous course of action, we may attract unwanted attention. Notably, pirates,” Frost said.

“What would some rando space pirates want to do with us?”

“Pirates who haunt this quadrant are either looking for items of renown or easy targets, no matter the value.”

“And we fall into the ladder… It’s risky, but it’s our only other option besides getting’ the Thing-Mi-Find and usin’ it to find Foxx’s home.”

“…In consideration of delivering Foxx home as swiftly and safely as possible, I agree with the signal pulse plan, regardless of what it may bring onto us.”

Free sighed, “Now we just need to figure out what’s this pitstop’s called, then find a good source of power.”

“Terarin,” Foxx said.

“Huh? Did more memories pop up? Is that a place you’ve been before? You’re home?”

Foxx shook his head, “I heard it mentioned among the others.”

“Oh. Wait, the others?”

“The patrons. Terarin is the middle planet’s name.”

“That solves one thing! Hey, what else can you hear?”

Foxx rotated his ears like radio dishes, pointing them at a booth behind Frost and Free, “Nothing of note.”

“How do you know that? Anything could be useful, and I mean anything.”

“Ok. One says, ‘This sundae is…’ not good.”

“Never mind,” Free laid back. “So, the plan is, we’ll head to Terarin, find a power source, charge up and send out the signal pulse, and maybe wait a day or two. And if no one shows up for Foxx, we’ll head for Hornnhealm.”

“I advise we stay longer,” Frost said.

“Look, the way I’m thinkin’ is, how long till that ‘silver helm’ lead goes cold?”

“Hmm.”

“We’ve been lookin’ for over year now and this is the first lead we’ve gotten. I’m not takin’ the chance.”

Frost took a deep breath, “While I will not ignore the potential perils, I do recognize that there is a possibility the Thing-Mi-Find becomes our last and only option to find Foxx’s home.”

“That a yes?”

“Indeed.”

Finished with their meals, Frost signaled for Formosa.

“Y’all enjoyed your food?” Formosa did not wait for an answer and extended her hand, “That’ll be twenty-six total.””

Frost gave her sixteen coin-sized pieces of iron, and Free gave her a piece of silver.

“Let me check ‘em,” Formosa took out a small, flat device from her pocket and placed the metals pieces onto it. It hummed and blinked with blue light.

“By chance, do you know of a planet named Terarin?” Frost asked.

“That’s where you’re headed?”

“And Hornnhealm.”

“…And Hornnhealm? Well, Terarin’s in the Medwhet Cluster, not far from here. Been there plenty o’ times, nice place for the most part, good food, amazing sights. Still got its own set of problems of course, like anywhere.” Formosa changed to a worried tone, “As for Hornnhealm over in Wyrmwhet, you’re sure you gotta go there?”

“Our situation necessitates it.”

“…Alrighty. Went there once thirty-five years ago, right after me and my partner first came to Ebb-Burrows. Never went back after that.”

The device in Formosa’s hand beeped and she put it away along with the metal pieces. She then etched directions to Terarin and Hornnhealm down onto a page in her notepad.

“Here,” Formosa ripped off the page and gave it to Frost. “Thanks for the patronage, if there’s anything else I can do to help, just ask and I’ll see what I can do,” she smiled.

“Thank you,” Frost said.

Foxx hopped down and bowed, “Thank you.”

“Dawww,” Formosa’s skin melted a bit. “Happy trails, Foxx, hope you get home quick!” Formosa waved goodbye as she left.

Frost and Free scooted out the booth.

“Foxx, Free, you two may go back to the Camper, I wish to gather more information,” Frost said.

“Gotcha,” Free exited the dinner with Foxx following behind.

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