“I will know you to the marrow of your bones.” Murdrian Malmogat.

Ben looked around his enclosure. Cramped, crowded with three crates and a tarp, the floor was covered with sand. Looking behind the crates, Ben found the desiccated remains of a mouse. It would have been great if there had been a tunnel leading outside. Ben looked up; the ceiling was narrow above the crates and wider above his blocked exit. Beginning near the exit and running toward the pinched end, there was a small ridge. Hmm!

Suddenly, Belebele called out. “Gunlah too quiet. No time for sleep. Compose to meet Malmogat.” The armored spider skittered to the barrier and looked inside. “What villainous human up to?”

Ben stood calmly on his side of the barrier, crossed his arms over his bare chest, and a smile spread on his face. “Oh,” said he, “just planning my escape.”

“Hah!” said Belebele. “Human play the comedian. Joke to face of magnanimous M'd'ian. Belebele want to see.”

Ben answered, “If you can call it a face.”

Jikza called unseen. “Consume no pique on lowly detainee. Jikza's legs entangled with antenna cable. Come quick and help untwine companion.”

Belebele turned to face Jikza. “Let fall. Stand still. Wait.” He turned back to Ben. “Now, you hit low. Make no jokes. Give mind to final meditations. Belebele be so glad when gunlah off diffals. Meat such pain in climsa!”

Belebele turned and skittered away. Ben smiled to himself. He called after Belebele, “Promise you won't forget me.”

Belebele went to his comrade, who was indeed tangled in the long cable. He bent to the task, holding the cable down. “Step over,” he said.

Ben finished fleshing out his plan. He removed the smaller crates from the larger and pulled it away from the back wall. He placed the tarp on top of the large crate and spread it so that it went down the side visible from the barrier. On the cave floor, Ben arranged the tarp so that it appeared to trail behind the large crate. Just a little something for the eye to follow.

He stacked the medium crate on top of the larger, then, the small crate atop the medium. Ben climbed in exaggerated silence to the top. Placing his hands against the back wall, Ben was able to get a foot on the small ledge. When he had both feet on the ledge, Ben moved carefully to a position just over the exit. He took a breath and called out.

“Hey,” said Ben in a loud voice. “I bet you guys didn't know there was a tunnel behind the crates. I wonder where it leads.”

The two aliens skittered to the barrier. “Oh no! Oh no!” said Belebele. “Switch off!” he commanded Jikza.

Weapons drawn, Jikza said, “Not possible. You said cave locked.”

Belebele answered. “Told you to check!”

Jikza sounded as nervous as Belebele. “Quick!” he said. “Must not allow human to escape.”

The aliens entered the small enclosure side by side. They skittered nervously in place, their small round weapons gripped tightly. Belebele said to Jikza, “Look behind box.”

Ben dropped from the ceiling. He landed on top of alien backs. Belebele and Jikza fell beneath Ben's weight; they gasped and lay silent. With a smile, Ben reached down and took their weapons.

Ben ran through the trees, he ran easily, feeling stronger and faster than he ever had. Weaving through trees, leaping over rocks, avoiding shrubs; it almost seemed as if he flew. Ben felt an overwhelming sense of elation, an almost spiritual experience where he imagined himself bodiless; he was a set of eyes sailing swiftly through a forest.

Heaven returned from a search, clutching Ben's coat and picking bits of leaf from the collar. She sat beside Sam and draped the coat over her knees; looking between the coat and Sam, feeling small and lost. Ben was missing and the clock was ticking. On the other hand, Sam was hurt, and he sat right beside her.

“Any better?” she asked.

Sam answered. “It'll be more than a tree that takes this old pirate down.”

A voice spoke from Sam's wrist comm. “Sir, we're sending a transport to your position.”

Sam answered the call. “Understood.” He turned to Heaven and said, “Don't worry. We're still going to search for Ben. Here. Help me up.” Sam extended a hand for help.

Standing, Heaven pulled Sam to his feet. He felt heavy and sluggish. Almost at once, Sam placed a hand atop his head and reached around to brace himself against the tree, blinking his eyes repeatedly.

“Take your time,” said Heaven with evident concern in her voice. “maybe you should just head back. I can search alone.”

“No. No,” said Sam. “I want to help.”

Ben left the forest and raced through the tall grass. Sam looked at Heaven and spotted Ben running across the western end of the clearing. He nodded in that direction. After a second nod, Heaven turned to follow his line of sight. There ran Ben, shirtless in the cold. Heaven gasped.

Heaven called with a loud voice, “Ben! Ben!” She waved a hand above her head for attention.

Ben raised his arm and turned toward Heaven, racing like the wind. He slowed as he neared, a broad smile on his face. Heaven dropped the coat, ran to Ben, and threw her arms around him. Leaning against the tree, Sam shook his head. Heaven looked happy, Ben smiled like a Quokka, but Sam felt a niggling sadness.

Heaven pulled away and punched Ben in the shoulder. “Look at you!” she said in a scolding tone. Then, she stooped to retrieve the coat from where it fell. “Running around in the cold. Put this on.”

Ben smiled and shook his head. “No. I'm fine,” he said. “Really. It's nice out here.”

Ben walked past Heaven to Sam. He held out the two strange orbs he had taken from Belebele and Jikza. “What's this?” asked Sam, curious. He took the orbs into his hands and cocked an eyebrow.

“Bug guns,” said Ben. He smiled back at Heaven. With a frown on her face, she held out Ben's coat, but he shook his head. “I woke up in a cave with a lump on my head. Two foot soldiers were trying to sell me to some guy named Malmogat.” He turned back to Sam and said, “I escaped.”

Sam looked from the orbs. “You did well,” he said to Ben. “Seems we were worried for nothing.” Sam looked up and spotted a transport descending through the sky.

Ben turned back to Heaven; she held out the coat for him. He took the coat and held it by his side. “Can we go back?” he asked Heaven. “I'm kind of hungry.”

Ben turned to watch the transport land in the clearing not far away. Heaven turned to follow his gaze, and Sam stepped away from the tree.

Heaven stood to Ben's right and Sam stood to his left as the three of them watched the hatch on the side of the transport slide up and the ramp extend.

Sam said to Ben, “Son, nobody wants to see that scrawny adolescent chest of yours. I don't care if you're not cold. Put your coat on.”

Ben looked down at his chest. There was nothing wrong with his chest; in fact, it was well-defined, thanks to the Jjarans. “Scrawny? He asked.

“Please,” said Sam. “Just do us the courtesy.”

Ben looked into Sam's eyes, somewhat defiantly, and replied, “I think, with a little effort, I'll have a chest as big as yours.”

“Ha!” Sam's short laugh was a derisive snort. “If you want to sport a man's chest, you need to flex the pecs.”

Sam made his pecs dance. First the left, then the right, then together, Sam's chest muscles sprang up and down. Sam glowered at Ben in an unspoken challenge, as the pecs danced the Samba, then danced the Rumba. Both Heaven and Ben stared wide-eyed.

Ben said, “I can do that.”

Ben did a perfect imitation of Sam's chest dance. Sam put on the special moves and Ben followed with ease.

A young man in a smart uniform stopped halfway down the ramp, turned, and called into the Transport. “Flex off!”

Ben said to Sam, “See. I can sport a man's chest.” He turned with a broad smile and made his chest dance for Heaven.

Heaven held out a warding hand and said, “Stop!”

Ben turned back to Sam with the same happy face, flexing as if a child with a new toy. Ben flexed, then Sam flexed. The game was on as both men settled into their own determination. Who could out-flex the other? Heaven turned away and covered her eyes with her hands.

The young man in the smart uniform and two others approached smiling. Two stood in the open hatch of the transport, one wore a pilot's uniform. The young man called out, “Who's winning?”

Sam replied, still flexing, “Me, of course. He's game but it's nothing more than a boy's imitation of a man.”

Ben turned and flexed in the direction of the young man, then stopped and turned back to Sam. “What?” asked Ben in surprise.

Heaven turned and walked toward the ship. She said to the young man in passing, “It was a tie.”

Sam stopped and said to Heaven, “You wound me.”

Heaven replied, “Take me home.”

The young man, listening to his earpiece, said to his King, “Sir, we're tracking another alien vessel, cloaked and coming in from the northwest.”

Sam sighed as he turned to the young Lieutenant. “Have the Co'Hwaul take it out. Let's ride.”

Heaven led the way as the Lieutenant, his comrades, and Sam followed. Ben looked between his coat and his chest. He ran to catch up with Sam and match his stride. He looked into the big man's face and Sam glanced back.

“That was fun,” said Ben.

The Lieutenant spoke into his wrist comm as they approached the transport. Sam looked ahead as Heaven walked up the ramp. He confided to Ben, “Heaven never really liked the chest thing.”

Seating in the Co'Hwaul general lounge never changed. Heaven sat on the sofa, her coat beside her, drumming her fingers on her knees. She waited for Ben's return. She and Ben had been through much, yet, here they were back at square one. They would need a new place to hide. She had asked to go back to the farm but Sam refused. Sam explained that the aliens now knew that location; she grudgingly gave him points for that.

Heaven felt anxious. She did not like waiting. When did she let her patience slip? Balling her fists, Heaven rose to her feet to pace, then paused. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly; she needed to relax. She looked around the lounge, her eyes settling on the back-to-back seats closest to the shower. She remembered sitting there. It was after the old man had slept with Driscoll. Heaven felt betrayed and angry.

“Heaven,” said Besh. “I’m truly sorry if I’ve caused you any pain. Sam set me straight. I really hate being such a big disappointment.”

“Stop,” said Heaven. Besh fell silent. “You’re fine. You did nothing wrong. I pulled Driscoll’s ear, and she pulled mine, but we settled the matter.”

Besh said, “I felt really guilty.”

Heaven returned to the sofa with a shake of her head, a shake meant not for the old man but for herself. Then, she thought of Ben, the new Besh, a young man who occupied her waking thoughts. Heaven looked toward the lounge exit and recalled.

When Heaven entered the lounge, she saw Ben and Shi'nese sitting way too close. She saw Ben smiling way too much. Shi'nese cut the steak and handed the fork to Ben as if feeding a child. Heaven walked to the table and pulled Shi'nese to her feet, turned her, and took her place beside Ben.

“Off limits,” she stated. “You may leave.”

Heaven heard the lift open. She stood and faced the exit in anticipation. Ben walked in with a smile. He examined the tactical T he wore, seeming more than pleased. As Ben approached, Sam and Shi'nese entered the lounge. Sam wore his King's face while Shi'nese looked her usual cocky self.

Ben said to Heaven, “Look what Sam gave me.”

“Very nice,” said Heaven. “Come sit with me.”

Heaven drew Ben to the sofa beside her as she watched Sam sit in the seat beyond the table. Sam looked across at Heaven with an expression difficult to read. Shi'nese stood behind the King with a proud smirk. Much against the norm, Shi'nese wore a dress uniform.

Sam took a breath, sat back, and relaxed. Cocking his head to one side, the King said, “You keep pushing me away, but that just makes me want to help more.”

“And I appreciate your help,” Heaven replied, “but the task is mine alone.”

“Fine,” said Sam. He rubbed his eyes as a man wearied in service. “You still need a place to stay.”

“We'll find something,” said Heaven, calm but adamant. “I'd rather be on the ground.”

Sam stood and said, “I'll look around. In the meantime, I would like to borrow Ben for a friendly chat.” Then he turned to Shi'nese with a smile. “My new personal assistant will bring you a change of clothing. Shower and dress. We'll eat before I set you down.”

Sam led Ben into his private room. As the door closed without a sound, a muscular mottled dog with a mane came to investigate. As he walked uncertainly to the central chairs, hands raised above the dog's reach, Ben's attention was divided between the animal and the opulence of the King's room.

“I didn't know you had a dog,” said Ben.

“He used to be your dog,” said Sam. “His name is Warrior.” In passing, Sam pointed to one of two facing chairs and said, “Sit.”

With one eye on Sam and one eye on the large animal, Ben eased into the padded chair, sitting straight and quiet. Warrior sat before him looking expectantly into Ben's eyes. Sam walked to his liquor cabinet and returned with a bottle and two glasses. He pressed one into Ben's hand and poured a drink of dark amber.

“Alcohol?” asked Ben.

“You sat in that chair before and shared my whiskey,” said Sam taking his drink in a single gulp. “Taste it.”

Ben wet a finger and touched his tongue. “It's really strong,” said Ben, then he asked, “Does Warrior bite?”

Sam poured himself a second drink and downed it. He answered, “Only when I tell him to. Listen to me, Besh. Ben. I'm only going to say this once. Heaven likes you. God alone knows why, but she's into you. You and I are friends, but don't ever let me hear that you've hurt her.” Sam's eyes bored into Ben's without mercy. Intimidated and wide-eyed, Ben held up a hand in pledge.

Heaven sat in the double chair facing the lounge exit after a hot shower. She wore a sleeveless top and light loose shorts. With a wet towel across her lap, Heaven ran a large comb through cascading hair. The lift opened and closed. Ben walked into the lounge on unsteady legs.

“You alright?” asked Heaven.

Ben sank to the carpet between Heaven's legs. He rolled back his head and looked up into Heaven's face. “I drank whiskey,” he said.

Heaven laid her comb aside and pulled Ben's hair back between her fingers. She said, “I think we should get you a haircut.”

Ben relaxed his neck and let his head rest in Heaven's lap. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, releasing the breath slowly. He inhaled a second time as Heaven tried to keep his hair from tumbling back over his forehead.

“You smell so good,” said Ben.

Heaven replied with a smile, “Soap and shampoo.”

Ben took a breath and pulled his head from Heaven's kneading. He said, “Sam told me you never liked the chest thing. I'm sorry, Heaven. I'll never do it again. Well, maybe when I'm alone in the shower.”

Heaven laughed and tossed her hair. “We're good,” she said. “Here, lay your head back.”

Ben dropped his head back and sighed. “So sleepy.”