Dream
© 2024 by Walter Reimer

Thumbnail art by  thetiedtigress


Varan dreamed of rain.

Her home planet of Chadan had minimal weather control, mainly directed at preventing droughts on the agricultural world. Storms were to be expected.

In her dream, she was a vat again, not many years past her Naming, standing amid the rows of lush zh’rekk plants, looking to the north. Clouds had gathered, darkening and growing larger as the wind began to rise.

The air smelled of damp and ozone as lightning started to flash between the clouds and the ground. Her ears flicked at the sound of thunder, distant for now but growing closer.

And the rain came.

It started slowly at first, a swift patter of small drops that swiftly grew larger and fatter, making the leaves on the zh’rekk bounce and bob as the raindrops struck. Her fur absorbed the water, quickly growing sodden as the rain intensified.

Another peal of thunder and she took to her heels, running back to the house. Mud kicked up by the rainfall and her own feet spattered her legs up to her knees, and there was a bright flash and a crack of thunder as she gained the relative safety of the farmhouse porch.

She stood there, breathing hard, watching the rain fall . . .

Varan stirred awake, thinking of rain and Chadan. The thought nagged at her as she ate firstmeal, showered, and got into her uniform.

She met with the ship’s officers and was going over the morning’s reports when the images came to her again.

She put down her stylus. I know what’s needed, she thought, and called up details of her personnel file. Aka, there it was.

Next, she requested a meeting with Admiral k’Jan. A time after secondmeal was approved.

The admiral’s ears flicked. “Leave, Gartabin?” k’Jan asked.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Varan replied. “I have some time accrued, and all of my ship’s readiness reports are up to date.”

K’Jan gestured comprehension and agreement. “Everything appears in order. Request granted,” and she smiled up at the younger vir. “Have you heard anything from Frelen k’Daridh?”

Varan smiled. “Only that she chafes at being ‘imprisoned’ as she puts it.”

K’Jan laughed. “I’m not surprised. I recall having regen therapy for a broken leg when I was an adolescent. You will be going home for your leave then?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Varan’s tail swished. “The station is very well-appointed, but I feel the need to stand under a sky and dig my toes into soil.”

“Enjoy your leave, Captain.”