Borne On Wings of Steel (32 page)

What really amazed the onlookers were those riders who screamed along just over the wave tops in a normal wind surfer crouch until they reached a spot far out over the bay. Suddenly they would bend their knees as deep as they would go while leaning back until their entire body weight was on their back leg.

They soared straight up into the sky—muscles tensed, arms stretched out wide to each side and screaming out in pure joy as their boards pushed the upper limits of performance.

"Looks like you can ride the wind even better than the waves,” Kyle said with amazement.

"How do they do that?” Jaric stared in awe as another rider threw himself into a loop. “They should fall off once they're completely upside down!"

"Centrifugal force mostly,” Inaha explained. “You've got to keep your speed max'ed out all the way through, or else you could wind up falling.
Not
a good thing."

"But, there are weak gravity pads on their feet to help,” Rok added.

"Super cool,” Kyle murmured enthusiastically under his breath.

"Yeah, they're great fun,” Inaha said with an appreciative glance as two more riders sailed past them.

"How hard are they to learn?” Jaric asked, his eyes stilled locked in wonder on the riders in the sky.

"If you have good balance and a fair amount of dexterity, they're not hard to ride."

"And, you're manly enough,” Rok grunted, comically indicating doubt that either Jaric or Kyle had that quality.

Jaric and Kyle glanced at each other with Rok's challenge.

"Let's go!"

The two lads jumped up as one and began racing down the beach.

Rok chuckled to himself as he watched them run through the crowded beach. “Our lightning boards are very similar. And quite popular. But we ride them mostly over land and up into the lower part of the sky. We even invented a sport called sky-ball. And there are professional teams."

"Do you ride?” Inaha shaded his eyes with his big hand as he looked at the Kraaqi.

"Of course."

Inaha smiled widely. “Well, let's go show the boys how it's done then, eh?"

They caught up with Jaric and Kyle as they were making final arrangements at a booth that rented the boards.

The palm grass-covered booth was located at the far end of the beach, away from the crowds. This was mainly for safety reasons, the Mejadic on duty explained, so the riders could start their flight and not worry about bumping into anyone walking around nearby. The Mejadic also informed them that riding a Fiarri among pedestrians was a misdemeanor offense, especially when done on a crowded beach, punishable by up to a night in jail.

However, you could fly above them—at least six meters above them.

In addition, extreme or reckless flying which endangered the rider or other riders was strictly prohibited.

"Well, not
too
extreme,” the Mejadic added, with a knowing smile.

"All right, let's do it!” Kyle said with a gleam in his eyes.

"Have you ever ridden one before?” the colorful Mejadic asked as he finished his obligatory safety speech.

"Uh, no,” Kyle admitted grudgingly.

The red and blue Mejadic picked up one of the one-and-a-half-meter boards from off the shelf behind him and tossed it toward the sand in front of Kyle. It fell normally at first but suddenly stopped a few inches above the sand, hovering right side up and ready for Kyle to step on it.

Which Kyle promptly did.

"Place one foot in front of the other,” the Mejadic began. “If you lean your body to the right or left, you'll naturally place extra pressure on the side of your feet in which you are leaning. That pressure steers the board in the direction you want to go—press the side of both your feet toward the right—and you go right. The pressure must be held a moment, and the more firmly you press, the tighter the turn."

"Cool,” Kyle replied as he stood on the board with both arms straight out as he balanced himself with jerky motions of his body.

"Yes, it's hard to balance yourself in a still position,” the Mejadic laughed.

"How do I go forward?” Kyle asked.

"You lean forward for speed. The front part of your feet press into the grooves on the board and you gain speed..."

The Mejadic stopped speaking as his eyes opened wide.

Kyle leaned forward with the Mejadic's last instruction.

He leaned
way forward
.

In a flash, the board shot out from under his feet and disappeared into the nearby brush.

Kyle's body floated horizontal a meter in the air right before their eyes—his legs splayed straight out, his arms stretched out wide to each side as if he were resting on thin air.

In the next instant, Kyle fell flat on his back onto the sand with a loud
whoosh
of air.

Jaric, Inaha and Rok roared with laughter.

The Mejadic covered his mouth with both hands, fighting his own urge to laugh at the hilarious spectacle.

"Actually,” he said, a red and blue hand still hovering over his smiling lips, “that happens a lot to
first time
riders."

Jaric and the others laughed even louder.

"What if we fall off from a hundred meters in the air? What then?” Kyle asked, a scowl on his face.

The Mejadic held up a thin white belt in his webbed hands. “Safety belt. It too has an anti-gravity unit, but only powerful enough to slow your fall. You still hit the water with a big splash. And we have belts for use over land that will stop your fall completely about three meters from the ground and then allow you to fall gently the rest of the way."

"Hand me one of those for use over land. I expect to fall off a few more times before I get the hang of this.” Kyle rose slowly, brushing the sand out of his hair as he stared with a hurt look at the others.

Jaric hooted with laughter again.

"I'd like to see you try it,” he said to Jaric. “I bet you fall off twice as much as I do!"

Jaric nodded his head at the Mejadic. “Give me a board. And the same type of safety belt."

In the next moment, a second board was tossed from the shelf and floated just above the ground. Jaric grabbed the belt tossed to him and quickly fastened it around his waist.

"I would warn you, press your feet ever so slightly the first few times,” the Mejadic advised, still smiling. “It's a finesse thing. A little bit of pressure goes a long way."

"And how do you stop? Or slow down?” Jaric asked as he stepped up on his board.

"The pressure by the heels signals the board to slow or come to a complete stop—a consistent pressure. Again, you'll need to get the
feel
of your board. Practice slow stops and slow turns. And especially...” The Mejadic's eyes twinkled with humor as he glanced at Kyle. “Especially
slow
starts."

Jaric moved his upper body forward a fraction and the board gently moved forward.

"That's it!” the Mejadic shouted. “Take it easy until you get used to controlling the board. And fly it over water your first few rides. Don't try it over land to begin with."

"Water is a lot softer to fall on.” Inaha chuckled with a glance over at Kyle.

"No kidding!” Kyle shot back.

"Once you get the hang of it, then you can try to set some speed records,” the Mejadic said as he tossed two more boards and safety belts for Rok and Inaha.

"Go find your board and let's go fly some waves!” Jaric yelled back at Kyle as he zoomed over the treetops.

Kyle's eyes lit up with excitement. He ran for the bushes where his board disappeared. “I'm right behind you!"

"To the water!” Jaric shouted, turning for the sea.

"Not bad,” Inaha said as he stepped onto his own board and flew after him.

"Watch a pro.” Rok laughed and flashed past both Jaric and Inaha as he sailed out over the waves.

Kyle and Jaric loved it from the first moment they sailed into the air.

It was like nothing they'd ever experienced before.

The wind caressed their skin, tousling their hair and giving them a sensation that they were really sailing on the breeze where in fact their boards were their source of flight. Higher and higher in ever widening circles, they urged their boards into the clear sky until the beach was a distant crescent below them.

Next, they soared down toward the waves until they were skimming the waters just like the others.

It was great.

The next hour was full of shouts and cheers as the four raced through the sky and out over the ocean waves. At first, Inaha and Rok raced way ahead of the boys as they turned into hard circles and put on bursts of speed whenever Jaric and Kyle caught up to them. Laughter laced the air as the four chased each other around the sky.

But Kyle and Jaric were fast learners.

Soon they were keeping up with Rok and Inaha's maneuvers, the four of them in tight formation. And even when Rok and Inaha urged their boards into sudden bursts of speed, Kyle and Jaric were now right behind them—shouting with sheer joy as they rode the wild wind.

They now rode their boards just over the tops of the waves like the best of them, their boards skimming the top of a wave and then down into the trough—up and down, wave after wave, again and again.

Kyle even tried his hand at catching a wave and trying to ride just under the crest of breaking water.

He came up coughing water and laughing but was soon back on his board and sailing with the others back across the cloudless sky.

They returned their boards when the rental period expired and walked back to their spot on the beach just in time to collapse with utter and complete fatigue.

"We've got to get Elise on a board soon.” Kyle yawned as he returned his sunglasses over his eyes.

"Yeah, maybe in a few days. When she's better,” Jaric agreed.

"We've got to ride those boards every chance we get while we're here.” Kyle smiled with appreciation. “They're just too much fun."

"Every day we're here on beautiful Meramee.” Jaric closed his eyes as the sun warmed his skin.

Before long, a new urge began to gnaw at their stomachs.

Rok raised his sunglasses and squinted at the cloudless, lavender sky where the red sun had now climbed past its zenith. He sniffed appreciatively.

Riding the eternal ocean breeze, the tempting aromas from the food booths finally reached them.

"What a wonderful aroma,” Rok grunted as he replaced his dark sunglasses, making sure the looped ends were around the base of each horn to hold them in place.

"Yes! We should eat soon!” Inaha shouted. “Let's wait until the sun has grown hot. The booths are among the shade of the big palms."

Jaric and Kyle sat up and stretched. They looked around at the crowded beach. When they first arrived the beach had been practically empty, but now aliens of all kinds and shapes covered it while hundreds more swam or snorkeled in the green waters beyond the surf.

Several pretty females suddenly strolled past in bright swimsuits. Jaric and Kyle both lifted up their sunglasses for a better look.

"My, my,” Kyle commented with a smile.

"Sweet, young aliens,” Jaric said appreciatively. “Nothing like ‘em in the universe."

The six attractive female aliens giggled as they glanced over at Jaric.

"Wait until the Festival of the Triple Moons!” Inaha crooned, his eyes still locked on a particularly pretty one. “There'll be
babes
everywhere. Ours for the choosing and probably two for every one of us!"

"That's only three days away.” Jaric smiled.

"Sweet,” Kyle crooned. Then a serious expression crossed his face. “Hey, we'll have to take Elise, Krinia and the others too. We need to make sure everyone has fun!"

"Yeah, we'll show them what fun really is! That's what friends are for!” Jaric agreed.

They soaked up the sun for a while, quietly observing the beach scene behind dark sunglasses. Aliens in bathing suits romped in and out of the green sea as the minutes breezed by.

"Let's get something to eat, I'm famished.” In a flash, Jaric and the others were back in their shorts and tropical shirts. They quickly made their way toward the beckoning shade of palm trees and the source of the tempting aromas.

They had walked among the frond-covered path for only a short distance when they came to a great clearing that was sparsely dotted with super-tall palm trees. Cloth-walled booths with palm-covered roofs filled the shaded area. Delicious smells wafted toward them. The gentle breeze was laden with pungent spices that seemed to beckon to the four from all directions. But as they walked amid the crowded throngs eating and drinking with expressions of appreciation, one especially tempting smell came to their notice.

"Smells like something hot and spicy here!” Rok's mouth watered with anticipation.

"Let's try it,” Inaha quickly agreed.

It was a booth from the planet Thalyrand, a world renowned for its rice and curry dishes. The appetizer consisted of a fresh roll of perfect prawns wrapped in noodle and clear rice wrap. Next came the main course. The four uttered groans of gastronomic admiration as they chewed the tasty meat and their mouths resonated with the rich, spicy curry.

"Now, I need a good ale!” Inaha licked his fingers.

"Ale?” Jaric and Kyle asked together.

"Now don't tell me you've never drunk good ale before!” Inaha said with an extra loud tone of disbelief.

"A good ale makes the heart glad.” Rok nodded. “Ancient Kraaqi proverb."

"And a good beer never hurt no one either!” Inaha laughed loudly. “Proverb by me!"

Jaric and Kyle looked at each other.

"We've never drunk either,” Jaric confessed with a shrug.

"Great colliding galaxies!” Inaha said with shock. And then he laughed louder.

"This is my fault!” Rok exclaimed. “I have a good stock of Kraaqi ale on board the
Aurora
even now. I am a terrible host! I have overlooked one of the great pleasures of life and failed my friends completely by my oversight!"

"Well, we've spent most of the journey on board Mother,” Kyle said. “And the
Aurora
was off by herself the last few weeks running down that last lead that turned out to be another dead end. We've just been too busy."