Ibn Sharjar: Hangovers and Beetles
Posted on 03 Jan 2023 @ 2:18pm by Atif ibn Sharjar - Merchant of the Al Ashar
Edited on on 15 Jun 2023 @ 6:10pm
Mission:
Ongoing Mission - Planet Obsidian
Location: The Oasis of the Nine Stones
Timeline: M3 D07 0820Hrs
3379 words - 6.8 OF Standard Post Measure
Ibn Sharjar awoke to a persistent bonging noise. He was groggy, the noise was loud and annoying, extremely annoying. He wondered for a moment what it was, before realizing it was his alarm. Why did is sound so loud?
“Computer! Cancel alarm!” he called out, but his voice was a croak, something unpleasant had crawled into his mouth overnight and died there.
The alarm continued, getting louder.
“Computer! Cancel the alarm!” he tried again, louder this time, sitting up. Thankfully the annoying noise stopped, but his head ached, there was a sharp pain behind his eyes and he felt sick, he slumped back down with a groan.
He lay in his bed, rubbed his hand over his face, the stubble on his chin rough and smacked his lips, what was that horrible taste in his mouth?
He tried to recall the previous night’s events, they had been sitting out on Gebran’s veranda, talking and drinking the old man’s Halawani brandy, made from local spices steeped in Mignar fruit wine. They had stayed late into the night and it had been the early hours when he had stumbled back to the ship.
He tried sitting up again, slower this time, his head still swam but at least now he did not feel like he was going to throw up. It seemed the brandy was deceiving potent; he had a hangover he realized. The last time he felt like this was as a teenager, when he and a cousin had decided to secretly sample their grandfather’s supply of Arak, an Arabic liqueur flavored with star anise. They had over indulged and suffered for a several days, much to amusement of their respective parents and grandfather who had used the incident to teach the pair a valuable lesson in respecting alcohol.
Ibn Sharjar clambered unsteadily to his feet, nearly tripping over his clothes, which were in an untidy heap on the floor by the bed and padded naked over to the replicator. “Water, Half Liter, Cold” he croaked and gulped down the beverage when it materialized. Followed by one and half more. His thirst was slaked so he went off to the bathroom to clean up, rummaging through the cabinet to find a stimulant tablet, he took three and stumbled into the shower.
Thirty minutes later, cleaned up, shaved, teeth cleaned, dressed, he felt somewhat better, he drank another half-liter of water and briefly considered some breakfast but the thought of food made him feel queasy again, so he passed on that. He left his cabin, the bright sunlight coming in the corridor portholes hurt his eyes as he went forward.
The glare coming in the mass of cockpit windows was even worse, “Computer! Dim cockpit windows, Seventy-percent” he called out and slumped into his chair, with a sigh.
After a moment he recovered and did a quick review of the .Al Ashar’s status. Everything was nominal as expected and he forced himself to focus on the day’s tasks. Unloading would be the priority, the cargo Jelik and his family had brought from Kalara.
There was a beeping from his console, a screen showed the view from the camera above the main hatch, Jelik and his sons were approaching the ship. Ibn Sharjar clambered to his feet, found some sunglasses in a drawer, slipped those on and went back to the hatch.
He opened it and the early morning heat swamped him, adjusting his sunglasses he stepped down and moved into the shadow of the starboard wing. It was just as hot, but at least out of the sun.
“Good morning Atif” Jelik greeted him cheerfully, the man looked irritatingly unaffected by last night’s drinking and Ibn Sharjar was sure he had drunk less than the tribesman.
“Mother sent you breakfast!” Young Sasil held up a small basket.
“Very kind” Atif nodded, accepting the basket, although he still did not feel like eating.
Jelik looked him over and grinned “My Grandfather’s brandy has a kick like a Chuchaki Bull does it not?”
Atif nodded ruefully “A herd of them”
“There is jam, dried dates and warm bread in there” Jelik nodded at the basket “And fresh Chuchaki buttermilk. Kniva started on some cheese this morning, this is from her first batch. Try some it will make you feel better”
“Maybe later” Atif demurred
“The milk at least” Jelik insisted. “It is full of cream, it will settle your stomach”
The thought was not pleasant to Atif, but Sasil dipped into the basket and brought out a small earthenware jug, holding it up for Ibn Sharjar.
Atif took it, the jug was cool at least and he reluctantly tried a sip. The liquid was thick, rich and sweet, he worried at first that he might gag, but it went down better than expected and he found it actually quite pleasant. He tried some more and noticed fair quickly that it really did seem to make his stomach feel better.
He found a seat on the landing skid, put the basket down and drank some more of the buttermilk. Pretty soon he decided he was hungry and tried some of the unladen bread and few dried olives, shading the meal with Sasil and Gabrul while he and Jelik talked.
Jelik had arranged for some of the villagers to help unload, then he would take Atif on a tour of the oasis. Atif finished off the buttermilk and some more bread and jam. Fifteen minutes later he really did start to feel better and when half a dozen tribesmen arrived with a couple of carts he was really to go to work. Within half an hour the various cases and bundles were unloaded from the holds and Jelik led the carts away, promising to return shortly.
Atif went back aboard, found himself a shemag, an outer robe and donned his Qatarak skin boots. When he reemerged a little later Jelik and his sons were back, what they had brought with them was unexpected. They were mounted on Eralsu.
Jelik was on a large war-mount, big, brawny and with a thick carapace. The shell was burnished and polished to a gleam, it brightly reflected the sun’s rays. The creature turned its head towards Ibn Sharjar; its antenna flicked and waved as it took in his scent and peered at him with its compound eyes. It was one of the biggest Eralsu he had seen. The massive mandibles, chomped together slowly as it pondered if Atif was a threat to its rider. The jaws were big enough to encircle him bodily and Atif was well aware the creature processed the power to easily bite him in half if it wanted. Jelik chuckled, spoke softly to it and gave it rub on the back of the neck, in the joint between the armored head and body. The beetle settled down and gave a soft snort.
The boys together were on a smaller, younger beast, Gabrul in the saddle with Sasil riding behind. It too gave Atif a thorough inspection, then followed the lead of the big bull and deiced it was not going to stomp all over him just yet.
Jelik was leading another adult beetle, not as big as his charger, much older and a female. The carapace was not as shiny and one of its eyes was dull, perhaps blind.
“This is my father’s prize dam, she is over sixty years old and has bred us many fine war mounts,” he patted his own beetle's head “Kashta here is one of her great grandchildren” Kashta Atif knew, meant thunder or thunderclap in Obsidian. It was a fitting name for the great beast.
“She was also my late mothers mount,” Jelik continued, climbing down from his saddle, he led the beetle around to Atif “She is called “Fifta-Durshwa Sweet-Tooth”
The beetle waved her antenna at ibn Sharjar and looked him over with her one good eye. Not as big as Kashta she was still more than powerful enough to kill him in seconds.
“I cannot ride” Atif confessed “Well, only a camel or a horse. Besides, she was bonded to your mother, she will not accept another”
Jelik waved his hand dismissively “Fifta is old and mellow and like her name, she is sweet natured. Sasil and his cousins learn to ride on her, until they are old enough to choose their own mounts. She will accept you as long as you show her you are strong and in command and let her know you have some of these!” he pulled a satchel off his shoulder and tossed it over.
Atif caught it and looked inside, the bag contained round grassy looking clumps, each about the size of a tennis ball. They were a mix of plant matter and some kind of dark paste and gave off a sweet smell.
“Overripe date paste, some herbs and water grass from the oasis, Eralsu love them and Heta is especially fond” Jelik explained
On cue the beetle took a step forward and began snuffling in the direction of the bag, her antenna twitched back and forth and her mandibles opened and closed, a drool of saliva dripped to the sand. She stepped closer, head coming up as she focused in on the bag of treats.
Atif became acutely aware that he had just become the main focus of a massive two-ton armored insect that could literally squish him like a bug in the blink of its many compound eyes.
He also noticed several passing villagers stopping to watch and wondered if this was what passed for entertainment out here, lets watch the off-worlder get chased around by a beetle for a bit of fun.
Fifta had caught the scent now and before he knew it her head came up, mandibles opening to snatch the bag from him, along with his arm if he was not careful. He took a quick step back, Fifta followed him, giving a warning rumble. Mandibles clashing together.
"Don’t show her you’re scared Atif!” Jelik urged “Punch her! On the snout!”
“What!?” Ibn Sharjar snapped, backing up again “Are you mad? She’ll have my hand off!”
“Not if you’re quick!” Jelik replied “You must be in command Atif, punch her! Here!” he pointed to Kashta’s head, below the thick armored forehead, between the eyes and just above the mouth were series of small, segmented plates around several nostrils.
“Jab her there, she must learn you are the strong one!”
Atif gave the tribesman a doubtful look, it was a small target and if he missed, his hand would be in the beast’s jaws.
“Punch her Atif” Sasil and Gabrul called from their own mount “We both did it!”
He was about to argue further but Fifta made the choice for him. She lumbered forward and made another snap at the bag. If he did not do something she would have him over and be trampling on him. Ibn Sharjar pulled the bag away and jabbed his right fist out. He narrowly missed the upper mandible and managed to connect with the segmented plates. He thought he might break his hand on her carapace, but the plates were surprisingly soft.
Fifta bellowed and snorted, jerking back, her jaws slashed the air and her antenna drew back on her head, a pre-attack indicator.
“Good! Again!” Jelik urged ‘Quickly! Or she will charge you!”
Atif did as he was told, realizing he was committed now and punched again, hitting the mark a second time. Fifta snorted and stomped, snapped her jaws but backed off. Her one good eye focused on him, her antenna flicked forward and back and her mandibles opened and closed in clear annoyance.
“Good, good. Now show her you are to be her rider, tell her you are in command” Jelik instructed ‘She will understand your tone if you mean it!”
“I …er…. “ Atif verbally stumbled “I… will be your rider!”
“Louder!” Sasil cried
“I will be your rider!” Atif shouted at the beetle. Fifta turned her head from side to side, clearly confused by this strange Humanoid, who was different than those of the tribe she was used too.
"Yes!" jelik laughed "More!"
“I am a master of camels!” Atif warmed to the part now, he stepped towards the Eraulsu “I was conceived in the saddle of a camel! I was born in the saddle of a camel! I grew up on the back of a camel! The camel is the king of the desert! A camel can out run you! A camel can spit further than you can and go for a week without water! I will ride you beetle! “
Jelik hooted and slapped his hands on his thighs, his sons cheered, other onlookers laughed and applauded.
“Good Atif!” Jelik called “Now take her hold of her antenna! Hold it firmly but be careful they are sensitive”
Atif stepped up to the beetle, despite his bravado his heart was pounding in his chest and sweat dripped down from under his shemag.
He reached out and grasped one of Fifta’s antenna, it was like holding the branch of a conifer tree, thick and firm but with softer bristles. He felt the beetle tremor and try to pull her head back, her mandibles chomped and her six feet stomped up and down in the dust.
“Hold on and take the other one!” Jelik called
Ibn Sharjar did so, reaching out over the head and taking hold of the other antenna, having the strange feeling that he was somehow metaphorically grabbing a tiger by the tail
Almost instantly Fifta calmed down, she stopped moving, her jaws closed and she dipped her head.
“Good, now let her get to know you” Jelik came and stood next to Ibn Sharjar, “Stroke her antenna and let her get your scent”
Atif ran his hands up and down the beetle’s antenna, the fronds trailing through his fingers. The beetle trembled a little and he heard her sniffing in deeply through her multiple nostrils.
This went on for a couple of minutes, Fifta steadily became calmer and less agitated. At one point she nudged him gently with her head.
"They like a scratch at the base of the antenna" Gabrul called over. Atif gave the beetle a scratch, it shivered in pleasure and emitted a low rumbling sound, almost like a purr. He grinned, the transformation was surprising.
"Let go of one of her antenna and feed her one of the treats" Jelik instructed.
Atif did, so with his left hand he picked a sticky ball from the bag.
"Hold it flat in your hand, be careful of your fingers" Jelik said
Atif held the ball on his palm, keeping his fingers together and moved it towards the beetle. She sniffed, her mandibles moved and drool dripping to the sand. Atif moved his hand closer, keeping it flat and the beetle's huge jaw lifted the ball from his palm. It quickly disappeared from sight into her mouth and she chomped nosily on it.
He fed her a couple more, each time thinking a silent prayer to the Prophets that she not take his arm with it.
Jelik nodded. "Very good, that is enough for now, let us get you into her saddle. But first you will need these"
He held out a pair of spurs, but unlike traditional spurs these were more like ice climbing crampons and were strapped under the foot. Jelik showed him how.
Atif bent down to put them on, there was a spike at the heel and another one at the side of the big toe. They protruded from a flat piece of metal than ran along the sole of his boot and had three straps that went up over the foot to hold the spur in place. He buckled the spurs on.
Jelik checked the fit and then gestured to the saddle on Fifta's back. "Climb up!"
The saddle was fitted on the beetle's short neck between the head and body, almost like a Mahut rode an elephant, it was really the only place to sit as the body was much too wide. It was held in place by two straps, under the neck and braced against the body shell. The saddle had a high pommel at the front and cantle at the rear, like an ancient cavalry saddle, they would help hold the rider in place. The seat was leather over a wooden frame and covered with a woven blanket. A strap from the cantle can around the rider's waist to hold them in. Stirrups hung from each side.
Jelik tapped Fifta's middle leg and she moved it forward, bending it at the knee so Ibn Sharjar could clamber up and reach the saddle.
He got up, swung his leg over and settled himself in place, Jelik showed him how to fasten the waist strap and put his foot in the stirrups.
The bottom of his feet were some six feet off the ground now, it was indeed as high as riding a camel, if not more so.
Jelik handed him up a woven cord, about six feet long, there were two buckled loops of leather attached to it in the middle.
"These go over her antenna" Jelik instructed and showed Atif how to put them on, sliding the loops down to the base and fastening the buckles.
"Tight enough to stay in place but not too tight. Then you take the cord in your hands, these are your reins and are most important." he grinned "It is how you stop!"
Jelik stepped back and looked Atif over. He nodded "Not bad, how does it compare to this Cam-all creature you spoke of?"
"A little similar" Atif replied "Though they are four legged mammals not insects and can be bad tempered if they choose. They can bite and spit and have uncanny accuracy" He smiled "Do not turn your back on a grumpy one!"
"Ahhh" Jelik grinned and clambered up on his own mount "Khasta too can be moody, if he does not get his exercise" He gave his mount a playful thump.
He held up his own reins, "To stop, one pulls back on the reins, gently but firmly. To go forward, use the heel spur, so"
He pointed down to his foot and used the back spur to prod into the gap between the plates of his beetle's neck and body. Khasta began to move forward.
"To go faster, prod the spur in several times" Khasta sped up and skuttled forward.
"To turn, use the toe spur, push in but the opposite way you wish to turn" Jelik pushed in with his right toe and Khasta began to circle left then Jelik switched to his left toe and the beetle swung right.
He guided Khasta back alongside Atif and brought him to a stop. "To go backwards, use both toe spurs" Khasta began reversing. Then Jelik brough him back alongside. "Try it Atif"
Ibn Sharjar dug his spurs in and Fifta began moving obediently forward. The movement was unusual, she swayed and rolled as she walked, the six legs cycling through their motion. He bounced around in the saddle a bit, thankful for the high pommel and waist strap. Although in a moment or two his nausea from earlier returned, he was starting to feel almost sea-sick.
"Good, now go faster!" Jelik called
Ibn Sharjar gritted his teeth and prodded his heel spurs in. Fifta instantly sped up, thankfully the motion actually began to even out, there was less sway and roll as the beetle increased speed, the legs getting into a smoother rhythm, and he felt much more comfortable in the saddle.
"Try turning" Sasil called
Ibn Sharjer pushed in with his right toe and the beetle swung left, circling back to the others. He eased the pressure up and Fifta straightened out. Then slowed and stopped as he pulled on the reins.
Jelik smiled. "Very good Atif, now we are ready to go!"
