Bend Around the Wind by Scyllaya

Chapter 16: Red and Gold [1]

Chapter Sixteen

Red and Gold Part I

Andromeda Galaxy

Huz'deyr System

Planet Ki'eend

'I told you to bring a gun,' Stark wheezed out.

'Yes, you were right. Is that what you want to hear? Stay quiet!' Loki hissed out.

'I think they can follow the scent of blood anyway.'

'They will be following a trail of your limbs if you don't shut up!'

'I can't go this fast... we... we need to slow down...'

'Yes you can, and no we won't!' Loki told him firmly and gripped Stark's waist a bit tighter to urge him on.

x-x-x

Two days earlier...

'You should bring a gun too,' Stark remarked offhandedly.

'I don't need one,' Loki told him. 'I am well capable of protecting myself without one.'

'It couldn't hurt though,' the human insisted. 'You have a better aim than I do.'

'No.'

'Fine, whatever.'

Stark grabbed his bag and headed towards the Drake. Loki disliked guns, the energy pulsing in them never failed to make him feel strange. It felt like it was interfering with his magic. Maybe it was a harmless interference, but he still disliked the tingling feeling in his hands whenever he held one of the energy guns. Maybe after he managed to control the cosmic energies around them it will not be so, but for now his blade was enough. After this trip they could finally start forging. Loki planned to start working on some knives, maybe even a sword, and let Stark work on armours. Their so-called "workshop" was still chaotic, but at least semi-functional. Well, functional for what Loki needed it for. Stark was still not even halfway done with the equipment he needed for his armour and other matters he wanted to use the workshop for. Midgardian science was truly bothersome with the amount of tools and equipment that was needed for it.

When Loki got inside their shuttle Stark was already ready for take-off. So he closed the door and went to sit down next to him.

'Do you wanna bet whether we get in trouble or not?' the human asked cheerfully.

'You are not taking this seriously,' Loki told him.

'I hate taking things seriously. Ready to go?'

'I've been ready for an hour now. You were the one wasting time packing.'

'I just like to be prepared.'

'Oh, just let us go already.'

Stark chuckled, but didn't argue and soon they were out in space over Planet Ki'eend. The second Stark saw it he insisted on landing. It was a green-blue planet, similar to Midgard. Stark said most of the planet's climate was hot and damp and covered with vegetation. Loki did not look forward to it. It also seemed like the gravitation was higher than on their ship, but Stark said it would not be too hindering for him. The atmosphere was also suitable, which was the main reason they chose the Planet in the first place. But still, hot and damp? It sounded like the worst combination. Stark called it "tropical", but it sounded more disgusting than anything. All kinds of vermin loved to populate such areas and he was none too keen to deal with them.

This time around they entered the planet's atmosphere even without less trouble than before. Stark was getting good at flying. The landscape before them was indeed green. White clouds over endless forests and lake or two scattered among the trees.