The Last Flight
Aug. 22nd, 2025 07:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
muchtooarrogantLJI Week 7: Bats
My intersection partner this week wasalycewilson, and you can read her excellent entry here. I think you can read our stories in any order.
A while back, I happened across a video on the BBC about a strange whirlpool effect that was spotted in the sky over Hawaii. Ever since then, I've wanted to write a story with the supposition, "What if the whirlpool wasn't caused by SpaceX like they theorized?"alycewilson was kind enough to indulge my flight of fancy, and I hope you enjoy both our entries this week.
Hanging up-side-down, claws locked into position, he was totally relaxed. Soon, very soon now, there would be an almost irresistible urge brought on by the day's gloaming. Ordinarily, the sleeping colony would be virtually silent, but there were millions of them here. rustling, an occasional squeak when one of them shifted position, a communal sense of rest and well-being in their group awareness of each other.
Among the multitude, there was one who was unique. Next to him, hanging from the railway tunnel's ceiling, she too was relaxed and waiting. And yet, there was more. Not just the shared consciousness of approaching twilight, or the urgent need to soar free with the others gathered here, but a course into darkness where he could not see, a pathway down which he could not follow. This would be their last flight together.
It was time. His wings were spread wide, his claws released the ceiling above, and he was falling. Faster. Faster. All around him the colony of bats was plunging downward, and she was there as well, mirroring his descent. Then, almost in unison, a single wing folded inward, the opposite wing flexed, and they were up-side-down no more. Both wings outstretched, the momentum of falling was transformed into flight.
The near silence from before was abandoned, the colony engaged in a joyous song of echo location. The tunnel mouth was around them for a moment and then gone, their song broadening outward to encompass the nighttime sky. The chorus was a living moving part of the colony's progress, a sound portrait of their surroundings.
On the ground below, he knew there would be people, feeling the combined wind of their passage, whereas before the evening air had been motionless. He stretched his awareness, reaching, searching for that special sense of their kind, refugees from a world he had long ago called home, fellow travelers mixed in with the ordinary humans. Was that … Yes, a female, and her own child in a carriage.
He was relieved. Occasionally before he had felt the barest tendril of sensation suggesting that others of their kind might be close by, but he hadn't been sure. He and Kira hadn't blended much with the sentient creatures of this world, instead spending the majority of their time among its various animal species. That had probably been a mistake, an error born out of his own isolationist tendencies, but after the death of his mate, a death which had brought Kira into this world, he had only wanted to focus on beautiful things. Humanity had been far too raucous, a clamoring insistence on being seen, combined with a dreadful hatred of anything alien. Now, everything would change, and it was good that Kira would have an opportunity of companionship with someone who had also raised a child on this planet.
Above, drawing steadily closer, there was a ship from beyond. Encapsulated within, members of their own race were spreading tales over interstellar communications of a great battle, an ancient enemy who had grown almost mythical in their shared tales, an enemy encountered again after so many years, an enemy they had conquered. They had been ridiculed as a prey species, always running, wandering from star to star, a species that had inexplicably turned predator. Now that they had tasted victory, would they indulge in bedlam like the humans on this world? And what of his daughter, his own beloved progeny, instilled with the value that had always been core to their kind? Love every living thing!
The bat colony around him was spreading now, flying through the night, searching out prey of their own. There wasn't much time left. The ship from above would arrive soon, but more than that, he was so incredibly tired. Thus far, they had only flown a few miles, a trivial distance to someone who had once migrated between worlds, but he could already feel the growing stiffness in the tendons powering his wings. The pink dome of rock. It was invisible to him in his current soundscape, but he instinctively new its direction. He was achingly reluctant to cut short his last flight with Kira, but he also couldn't risk landing in an unprotected location. There was a cave at the top of the rock, and they had hidden supplies down one of the passages. He turned towards their refuge, and like a shadow to his right, Kira followed.
Eliana had laughed when she learned she was pregnant. "At this age, I thought I would be caring for my own grandchildren, not raising a child of my own."
"Well, what about me?" he had taunted in response. "I'll have to take care of both of you now."
Although he never would've admitted it, beneath the teasing there had been a small amount of resentment. Back then, while he had loved Eliana as his chosen life partner, he had also valued his own solitude. He had meditated for hours in the immense pressure and blackness of the ocean depths; slithered through the heat and stark brightness of the desert landscape; and soared through the peaks and valleys of mountainous terrains. More often than not, she had been at his side, sharing the experiences they both loved, but he had treasured his alone time as well. He was so old and set in his ways, would he be able to manage the self-sacrifice required of a parent?
When Kira was born, his question was answered, but Eliana's absence had made it seem an almost trivial concern. This tiny person, created through a union of their love, was the only part of Eliana that remained. Where previously he had sought solitude for hours, he now spent hours simply watching her sleep or play. While she slept, her body would occasionally shift forms, partial representations of her dreams drawn across her skin. When she was upset, she would manifest additional limbs, and gesture at him furiously with every one of her appendages. When she was happy, a state in which she thankfully spent the majority of her time, she would gleefully mimic whatever form he currently inhabited in miniature. She had become his universe.
The granite dome the humans called Enchanted Rock was beneath them now. Spiraling downward, they glided around the rock until they could hear the cave's entrance and swept inside. Humans sometimes hiked inside the cave, but visitors were fairly rare, particularly in the remote areas they frequented. For now though, all they needed was an empty room.
Transitions from one form to another were becoming increasingly difficult for him. Eventually, he knew, they would cease altogether, trapping him in the last form he had manifested. For now, he could still manage to create a human body, with some pain. When it was done, he was left gasping on the floor in the room they had chosen, Kira kneeling at his side.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was full of ragged edges, pain he had put there because of his own weakness.
Grasping her hand, he pulled himself to a sitting position. "Just old age I'm afraid."
At the end of the transition process, he almost hadn't bothered manifesting clothes to cover his human form, but this close to the cave's entrance, someone might appear.
"But you didn't, it wasn't like this …"
With only two exceptions, he had hidden nothing from her. She knew about the ship of their kind, which had most likely landed by now. She knew about the battle with their enemy, its outcome, and the possible changes that one event had wrought on their species. She knew that his end was growing near, and that he had no intension of leaving this world. The only two secrets he had held close were the pain of his transitions, and his suspicion that how ever many days he had left, they likely numbered less than the fingers and toes of the body he now inhabited.
"You were … You were seriously going to have me leave when you were feeling like this?"
Alien body or not, he had absolutely no difficulty interpreting the rage behind her eyes. Briefly, he wondered whether she might grow an extra limb to hit him with?
"What the fuck are you smiling at?"
Laughing, he choked out, "I was wondering if you might sprout another arm to beat me with."
"You idiot!" She wrapped her arms around him, pulled him close, and laid her head against his chest. His shirt grew damp with her shed tears.
"Kira," he sighed, stroking her hair, "who knows when another ship will visit this planet again? For the past twenty years I've been greedy, keeping you all to myself, but you should have a chance to interact with members of your own kind."
"When you and mom came here, you didn't have any plan for rejoining our kind," she objected. "Why is it so important now?"
"We were wandering in desperation," he murmured, "at home nowhere, motivated by fear."
She straightened, wiped her eyes, and glared at him. "And what do you think those glorious conquerors will be motivated by now?"
"I don't know," he admitted, "but I think it's something you should find out." He reached for both her hands, and grasped them tightly. "Kira, you are the best parts of Eliana and me combined into one person. Meet your people, learn what you can, and if they'll listen in return, offer your counsel."
"And you?" she asked, her eyes moist again.
"I will be here," he answered immediately, "loving every living thing."
Author's Note
At the beginning of this story, Kira and her father are hanging from the roof of an old railway tunnel that is located in this state park in Texas. I've never been there, but it sounds like a cool place to visit.
I have visited the pink granite dome known as Enchanted Rock however. I climbed to the top, greatly assisted by my first Seeing Eye dog, Mac. After we reached the summit, I even spent a brief amount of time exploring the cave these characters end up in, but it was very tricky footing, and the blind man didn't venture very far inside.
Dan
My intersection partner this week was
alycewilson, and you can read her excellent entry here. I think you can read our stories in any order.A while back, I happened across a video on the BBC about a strange whirlpool effect that was spotted in the sky over Hawaii. Ever since then, I've wanted to write a story with the supposition, "What if the whirlpool wasn't caused by SpaceX like they theorized?"
alycewilson was kind enough to indulge my flight of fancy, and I hope you enjoy both our entries this week.Hanging up-side-down, claws locked into position, he was totally relaxed. Soon, very soon now, there would be an almost irresistible urge brought on by the day's gloaming. Ordinarily, the sleeping colony would be virtually silent, but there were millions of them here. rustling, an occasional squeak when one of them shifted position, a communal sense of rest and well-being in their group awareness of each other.
Among the multitude, there was one who was unique. Next to him, hanging from the railway tunnel's ceiling, she too was relaxed and waiting. And yet, there was more. Not just the shared consciousness of approaching twilight, or the urgent need to soar free with the others gathered here, but a course into darkness where he could not see, a pathway down which he could not follow. This would be their last flight together.
It was time. His wings were spread wide, his claws released the ceiling above, and he was falling. Faster. Faster. All around him the colony of bats was plunging downward, and she was there as well, mirroring his descent. Then, almost in unison, a single wing folded inward, the opposite wing flexed, and they were up-side-down no more. Both wings outstretched, the momentum of falling was transformed into flight.
The near silence from before was abandoned, the colony engaged in a joyous song of echo location. The tunnel mouth was around them for a moment and then gone, their song broadening outward to encompass the nighttime sky. The chorus was a living moving part of the colony's progress, a sound portrait of their surroundings.
On the ground below, he knew there would be people, feeling the combined wind of their passage, whereas before the evening air had been motionless. He stretched his awareness, reaching, searching for that special sense of their kind, refugees from a world he had long ago called home, fellow travelers mixed in with the ordinary humans. Was that … Yes, a female, and her own child in a carriage.
He was relieved. Occasionally before he had felt the barest tendril of sensation suggesting that others of their kind might be close by, but he hadn't been sure. He and Kira hadn't blended much with the sentient creatures of this world, instead spending the majority of their time among its various animal species. That had probably been a mistake, an error born out of his own isolationist tendencies, but after the death of his mate, a death which had brought Kira into this world, he had only wanted to focus on beautiful things. Humanity had been far too raucous, a clamoring insistence on being seen, combined with a dreadful hatred of anything alien. Now, everything would change, and it was good that Kira would have an opportunity of companionship with someone who had also raised a child on this planet.
Above, drawing steadily closer, there was a ship from beyond. Encapsulated within, members of their own race were spreading tales over interstellar communications of a great battle, an ancient enemy who had grown almost mythical in their shared tales, an enemy encountered again after so many years, an enemy they had conquered. They had been ridiculed as a prey species, always running, wandering from star to star, a species that had inexplicably turned predator. Now that they had tasted victory, would they indulge in bedlam like the humans on this world? And what of his daughter, his own beloved progeny, instilled with the value that had always been core to their kind? Love every living thing!
The bat colony around him was spreading now, flying through the night, searching out prey of their own. There wasn't much time left. The ship from above would arrive soon, but more than that, he was so incredibly tired. Thus far, they had only flown a few miles, a trivial distance to someone who had once migrated between worlds, but he could already feel the growing stiffness in the tendons powering his wings. The pink dome of rock. It was invisible to him in his current soundscape, but he instinctively new its direction. He was achingly reluctant to cut short his last flight with Kira, but he also couldn't risk landing in an unprotected location. There was a cave at the top of the rock, and they had hidden supplies down one of the passages. He turned towards their refuge, and like a shadow to his right, Kira followed.
Eliana had laughed when she learned she was pregnant. "At this age, I thought I would be caring for my own grandchildren, not raising a child of my own."
"Well, what about me?" he had taunted in response. "I'll have to take care of both of you now."
Although he never would've admitted it, beneath the teasing there had been a small amount of resentment. Back then, while he had loved Eliana as his chosen life partner, he had also valued his own solitude. He had meditated for hours in the immense pressure and blackness of the ocean depths; slithered through the heat and stark brightness of the desert landscape; and soared through the peaks and valleys of mountainous terrains. More often than not, she had been at his side, sharing the experiences they both loved, but he had treasured his alone time as well. He was so old and set in his ways, would he be able to manage the self-sacrifice required of a parent?
When Kira was born, his question was answered, but Eliana's absence had made it seem an almost trivial concern. This tiny person, created through a union of their love, was the only part of Eliana that remained. Where previously he had sought solitude for hours, he now spent hours simply watching her sleep or play. While she slept, her body would occasionally shift forms, partial representations of her dreams drawn across her skin. When she was upset, she would manifest additional limbs, and gesture at him furiously with every one of her appendages. When she was happy, a state in which she thankfully spent the majority of her time, she would gleefully mimic whatever form he currently inhabited in miniature. She had become his universe.
The granite dome the humans called Enchanted Rock was beneath them now. Spiraling downward, they glided around the rock until they could hear the cave's entrance and swept inside. Humans sometimes hiked inside the cave, but visitors were fairly rare, particularly in the remote areas they frequented. For now though, all they needed was an empty room.
Transitions from one form to another were becoming increasingly difficult for him. Eventually, he knew, they would cease altogether, trapping him in the last form he had manifested. For now, he could still manage to create a human body, with some pain. When it was done, he was left gasping on the floor in the room they had chosen, Kira kneeling at his side.
"What's wrong?" Her voice was full of ragged edges, pain he had put there because of his own weakness.
Grasping her hand, he pulled himself to a sitting position. "Just old age I'm afraid."
At the end of the transition process, he almost hadn't bothered manifesting clothes to cover his human form, but this close to the cave's entrance, someone might appear.
"But you didn't, it wasn't like this …"
With only two exceptions, he had hidden nothing from her. She knew about the ship of their kind, which had most likely landed by now. She knew about the battle with their enemy, its outcome, and the possible changes that one event had wrought on their species. She knew that his end was growing near, and that he had no intension of leaving this world. The only two secrets he had held close were the pain of his transitions, and his suspicion that how ever many days he had left, they likely numbered less than the fingers and toes of the body he now inhabited.
"You were … You were seriously going to have me leave when you were feeling like this?"
Alien body or not, he had absolutely no difficulty interpreting the rage behind her eyes. Briefly, he wondered whether she might grow an extra limb to hit him with?
"What the fuck are you smiling at?"
Laughing, he choked out, "I was wondering if you might sprout another arm to beat me with."
"You idiot!" She wrapped her arms around him, pulled him close, and laid her head against his chest. His shirt grew damp with her shed tears.
"Kira," he sighed, stroking her hair, "who knows when another ship will visit this planet again? For the past twenty years I've been greedy, keeping you all to myself, but you should have a chance to interact with members of your own kind."
"When you and mom came here, you didn't have any plan for rejoining our kind," she objected. "Why is it so important now?"
"We were wandering in desperation," he murmured, "at home nowhere, motivated by fear."
She straightened, wiped her eyes, and glared at him. "And what do you think those glorious conquerors will be motivated by now?"
"I don't know," he admitted, "but I think it's something you should find out." He reached for both her hands, and grasped them tightly. "Kira, you are the best parts of Eliana and me combined into one person. Meet your people, learn what you can, and if they'll listen in return, offer your counsel."
"And you?" she asked, her eyes moist again.
"I will be here," he answered immediately, "loving every living thing."
Author's Note
At the beginning of this story, Kira and her father are hanging from the roof of an old railway tunnel that is located in this state park in Texas. I've never been there, but it sounds like a cool place to visit.
I have visited the pink granite dome known as Enchanted Rock however. I climbed to the top, greatly assisted by my first Seeing Eye dog, Mac. After we reached the summit, I even spent a brief amount of time exploring the cave these characters end up in, but it was very tricky footing, and the blind man didn't venture very far inside.
Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-22 04:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-22 05:02 pm (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 06:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 04:36 am (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-29 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 04:51 am (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 03:48 pm (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 10:23 pm (UTC)"I will be here," he answered immediately, "loving every living thing."
That is my life's goal.
I also love how you described that as she slept, her dreams would appear on her skin. That's a very creative detail :)
no subject
Date: 2025-08-31 01:59 am (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 11:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-08-31 02:03 am (UTC)Dan
no subject
Date: 2025-08-31 09:56 pm (UTC)Your characters are also delightful.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-01 04:36 pm (UTC)Dan