off earth, 1992
It was pretty much the same as the previous months, except there wasn't much of anything on television anymore. He put on a little light music, instead.
[After the destruction of the Earth, the very last time. Hopefully.]
"C'mon, c'mon, hurry, get up here! We don't have long, we don't have time, let's move!"
Teek's voice was sure and strong, and he leaned off the edge of the entry hatch of the Fiamo, offering hands as the scragged party climbed up into the ship.
First was Stavro Mueller, carrying Random, who had scractches on her face.
Behind Stavro flew the Guide-bird, looking particularly nervous, as best a bird that used to be a raven could possibly look.
And behind them, Trillian Astra, tired, and almost sad.
"Go, Eri!" yelled Teek, before poking at the Guide-bird's nose.
It bit his fingertip.
Eri kicked the Fiamo into gear.
==========
Earth was gone.
Again.
Trillian sat against one of the windows, looking at the destruction, and watching the ugly, square ships of Prostetnic Jeltz eradicate what was left of her home.
Zarking Grebulons.
It was only nearly a half hour later that Trillian remembered Random had been hurt.
==========
"You sure you want to do this, girlie?" Teek handed Trillian a stick of fried lemons, grinning. "Comfort food, y'know."
"I'm sure." She took a bite of a lemon, gently, and shrugged. "I'm totally sure. And I can do it, really, Teek, whether you folk want to believe me or not."
"Her zarkin' bird bit the medic, girlie."
"Of course it did, it'll defend her to the edge. Too bad she won't train it properly."
"Won't? Anyway, feh, forget it. You're going to fix her forehead, y'said."
"I am. I can."
"Girlie ..."
Trillian seized Saidin.
Teek jumped.
Holy Zarquon, her hands are blue.
Yes, thought Trillian cheerily. Yes, my hands are blue, Teek.
Teek fainted.
==========
Random, no longer bleeding, turned her head to the side. "And you can do that," she repeated, "because a king of a planet I've never ever seen healed you."
"Yes," replied Trillian. "And I got his powers, after a very long time, and this was all because of Milliways."
"You said that."
"Yes."
"And Milliways is where the Teasdale came from."
"I got the book from Bar, yes."
Random rolled her eyes at her mother. Nutter.
Be nice, Random.
"Sorry." Another sigh. "And what'd you call your friends?"
"We learned what the others called tight groups, and we grew closer, and the word's ka-tet. I learned these powers from my ka-tet."
"Your whatty?" called Eri from the doorway.
"Nothing," said Trillian, "just a colloquialism."
==========
"Now, Tricia--"
"Trillian, Mr. Mueller."
"Stavro, Trillian."
"Right."
"-- Anyway, um. Where are we? What is this?"
Trillian sighed. And started all over again. "Well, you see, it started when the world blew up ..."
She'd had this conversation many, many times before.
Love and kisses, Zaphod.
[After the destruction of the Earth, the very last time. Hopefully.]
"C'mon, c'mon, hurry, get up here! We don't have long, we don't have time, let's move!"
Teek's voice was sure and strong, and he leaned off the edge of the entry hatch of the Fiamo, offering hands as the scragged party climbed up into the ship.
First was Stavro Mueller, carrying Random, who had scractches on her face.
Behind Stavro flew the Guide-bird, looking particularly nervous, as best a bird that used to be a raven could possibly look.
And behind them, Trillian Astra, tired, and almost sad.
"Go, Eri!" yelled Teek, before poking at the Guide-bird's nose.
It bit his fingertip.
Eri kicked the Fiamo into gear.
==========
Earth was gone.
Again.
Trillian sat against one of the windows, looking at the destruction, and watching the ugly, square ships of Prostetnic Jeltz eradicate what was left of her home.
Zarking Grebulons.
It was only nearly a half hour later that Trillian remembered Random had been hurt.
==========
"You sure you want to do this, girlie?" Teek handed Trillian a stick of fried lemons, grinning. "Comfort food, y'know."
"I'm sure." She took a bite of a lemon, gently, and shrugged. "I'm totally sure. And I can do it, really, Teek, whether you folk want to believe me or not."
"Her zarkin' bird bit the medic, girlie."
"Of course it did, it'll defend her to the edge. Too bad she won't train it properly."
"Won't? Anyway, feh, forget it. You're going to fix her forehead, y'said."
"I am. I can."
"Girlie ..."
Trillian seized Saidin.
Teek jumped.
Holy Zarquon, her hands are blue.
Yes, thought Trillian cheerily. Yes, my hands are blue, Teek.
Teek fainted.
==========
Random, no longer bleeding, turned her head to the side. "And you can do that," she repeated, "because a king of a planet I've never ever seen healed you."
"Yes," replied Trillian. "And I got his powers, after a very long time, and this was all because of Milliways."
"You said that."
"Yes."
"And Milliways is where the Teasdale came from."
"I got the book from Bar, yes."
Random rolled her eyes at her mother. Nutter.
Be nice, Random.
"Sorry." Another sigh. "And what'd you call your friends?"
"We learned what the others called tight groups, and we grew closer, and the word's ka-tet. I learned these powers from my ka-tet."
"Your whatty?" called Eri from the doorway.
"Nothing," said Trillian, "just a colloquialism."
==========
"Now, Tricia--"
"Trillian, Mr. Mueller."
"Stavro, Trillian."
"Right."
"-- Anyway, um. Where are we? What is this?"
Trillian sighed. And started all over again. "Well, you see, it started when the world blew up ..."
She'd had this conversation many, many times before.
Love and kisses, Zaphod.