“We’re making excellent progress,” Winston said one evening as they pulled over for their rest period. “We should reach Pickle Lake Castle right on schedule, many somewhat ahead of schedule.”
“Yeah, well ...” Iridium said.
“You look worried, Iri,” Star said. “Why?”
“It’s just that things are going so smoothly,” Iridium said.
“What’s wrong with that?” Star said.
“Nothing,” Iridium said. “I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
Winston laughed.
“That’s an interesting expression for a quadruped to use,” he said.
Iridium gave Winston an irritated look, then moved off to join Fang and Ripper.
“I was only trying to cheer him up a bit,” Winston said. “He’s always so grim.”
Star pulled a brush out of her pack and ran it through her luxuriant dark hair. The movement nearly fried Winston’s circuits with its easy sensuality.
“I think Dr. Rackenfauz programmed Iri to always look at the down side,” she said.
“Sure, that must be it,” Winston replied. “Dr. Rackenfauz is a pretty downer type guy himself ... isn’t he ... I mean, he seems to think that a lot of good things have passed him by.”
His words were tumbling out fast and agitated. Star looked his way, enjoying his obvious distress. She made another long, lazy stroke through her hair.
“What about you, Winston?” She turned to present her breasts in their best perspective. “Do you think good things are passing you by?”
“Uh ... no,” Winston said. “I mean ...”
He tore his eyes from Star and gazed off into the darkening landscape. The futility of their mission mocked him from the shadows.
13. More Old Friends Appear
On the twelfth day, they came to a region of great rolling hills with dramatic snow-peaked mountains looming in the distance. They paused to admire the view.
“Oh, they’re so beautiful!” Star cried.
She nestled close to Winston. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders.
“Yes, those mountains are quite impressive,” he said.
“Remember the first time we were here, Winston?” Star said. “Wasn’t it romantic?”
“Uh ... yeah,” Winston said.
“We were standing on this very spot when we first caught sight of those mountains,” Star said. “Remember? We were beginning to think that we’d never find them.”
Winston could not suppress a shudder as traumatic images slithered up from his memory banks. He groped reflexively for his replacement left lower leg, felt its reassuring presence.
“It was wonderful until that scrapper gang showed up,” he said.
Star nestled closer and stroked the back of Winston’s cranium.
“Yes, they were horrible,” she said, “but Iri took care of them. Let’s try to remember only the good part, okay?”
“Okay, Star.”
With a powerful effort of will, Winston shut off the jumble of terrifying mental images – the battle with the scrappers, the destruction of his leg, the horror of watching Star being carried off by the gang. He pulled Star closer to himself, enjoying her soft presence. A cool breeze wafted across his temperature sensors.