40. New lease on life

Ah Kin absentmindedly observed fermented fruit mix bubbling over the open flames. As all the fruits in the gardens were picked, after drying and canning there was still a lot of it left.

To avoid wasting it, Geb and Dagda reluctantly gave it to him for this last moonshine brewing session. Last until after the move, that is. He had no idea how it will turn up, as it was first time he mixed different fruits together, so he actually looked forward to tasting it.

Carefully assembled distillery rattled more than usual, pulling him out of his thoughts. He turned off the flames and backed away from it, panicked for a brief moment thinking that he turned up the heat too high and that his boiler is gonna blow.

Then he realized that whole room was shaking. 'Is this it?'

He ran out and went to find Xul. If this whole station is going to blow, he wanted to be by his side when that happens.

Xul at that time was in the Royal Treasury, or to be frank, his junk storage. Fifty cycles of different interests and hobbies led to a gradual pileup of all sorts of items, gadgets, toys and whatever this is.. 'Plushie?'

Shaking got him alarmed as well, so he left his box of random things behind and went to find his Ah Kin. 'This could be it.'

Tzol was just pulling a sheet full of freshly baked cookies out of the oven when it all started to shake and his cookies ended up all over the floor. He looked at Hama by his side, and they both scrambled out of he kitchens to avoid being hurled at some hot surface in there.

In the hallway they ran into Geb, who was just on his way to collect his share. As everyone, he was also astonished by how fast Tzol learned to bake, and in equal measure, how generous he was with his baked goods. And you think you know the person..

While they were seeking shelter in the nearby lounge, where cushioned chairs provided some sort of amortization, Dagda was being pressed against a wall by Wuo.

They were just in the middle of another fight, not surprising since they were quarreling with each other for like two months now, when floor started to move under their feet. He just lost his footing, when he felt Wuo grabbing him, pressing him against a nearest wall, and then shielding him with his strong muscular body.

Dagda's face got hot. 'This damned brat.'

Yet, he did not struggle to get free. World was, after all, in the middle of breaking apart.

Olaf had all three of his boys with him when squealing sound came somewhere from the basement. As if shaking was not enough.

Sofa they were sitting on was bolted to the floor, so it did not move around but as whole place was bucking left and right, that did not help much. He held Utu tightly by his side, while Pwyll and Q'uq held each other on the opposite sofa.

Metal-heads and Bowser's just finished a round of games and were leaving Game Room when the shaking became so violent that it made them sit on the floor and look at each other with confusion.

"Does it feel like it's moving up, or it's just me?" Asked Veles looking at Soma.

"It's definitely moving up." Rudra said while holding his stomach, and Notos just laid down on the floor completely "I feel sick."

Kane and Ler looked at each other, and just grabbed their mattress. Staying in bed was the best decision they made that day. It really was flying! They felt it go up, and then rotate, then it started to move horizontally. Felt slow, but it was moving definitely.

"They did it!" Xul yelled as he finally found his Ah Kin and hugged him tight.

"They activated the protocol! In less than a half of a year!"

"Worthy of our son." Ah Kin said squeezing Xul with all his strength.

"Now you claim him." Xul chuckled and pressed his lips on Ah Kin's.

They were waiting for this to start happening with raising level of nervousness. Xul was aware that insecurity of situation negatively impacted everyone. But now, it was done and over. They were moving! They managed to steal a whole power plant and move it under the gods noses!

Yes, that. They both looked towards throne room. They should probably go and check.

Their home was flying through the sky at steady pace, so they slowly moved towards communication room located behind the throne room. Gods might be calling.

When they arrived and carefully opened the door, they were greeted with silence. No conference calls through crystal ball, err, holographic projection. They both felt relieved and went to sit at the table in the throne room.

Gradually, their teammates joined them, dropping in twos and threes. Those who were closer, like Tzol's group, came first, and by the time Ler and Kane decided to crawl out of safety of their bed and check in, everyone already gathered.

"Yax and them did it." Geb said, firmly holding armrests of his chair.

"Unbelievable." Rudra thought they would walk around a bit, then come back, hopefully undamaged and with all limbs still attached.

"Is there anything we should do now?" asked Kane, holding hands with Ler still, not letting him go.

"Right," Dagda perked up "after all that time outside, they might be starving."

Looking over at Geb and Hama he thought of celebratory feast for his dearest twins.

"Should we prepare some proper food for them to feed them once we land?"

By his side Wuo rolled his eyes with arms crossed over his chest, not wanting to get involved in homecoming preparations.

"Make it something soft so they don't hurt their empty stomach," Hama suggested while looking at Geb for confirmation.

"And something sweet!" Tzol was prepared to go back to the kitchen and make another batch of cookies, or some cream cake?

Xul listened them talk and let them do whatever they want.

It was a refreshing change that they discussed among themselves without looking at him for confirmation for every little detail as before. Not being titled a 'King' was a nice change after all.

Then he noticed them all looking at him, and sighed 'Some habits die harder than others.'

"Go and prepare whatever you think is appropriate to celebrate reunion with our heroes." Ah Kin told them, and snuggled next to Xul.

As everyone narrowed his eyes at him, he just waved his hand at them.

"I might not be a head priest any more, but now I am a royal mistress. Go peasants!"

Xul chuckled "You are my Queen." and then pulled his chin up to kiss him, effectively emptying the throne room as everyone went to find something to do, as far as possible from this pair of ruby anniversary honeymooners.

Hama looked at Tzol grumbling while preparing materials for Chantilly cake. He might be too young to understand what is he so disgruntled about, he actually found it to be quite sweet.

He was there as well, when Xul and Ah Kin came looking for Tzol in the kitchens about a month ago. They had a disagreement about whether they were married or not, and as Tzol was here the longest of all present crew members, they came to ask him.

And Tzol almost had a seizure. Hama smiled remembering his angry speech recalling each and every wedding ceremony they had during the years, as it seems similar argument broke between them every fifteen cycles or so. In the end he told them it was forty cycles since they got together and that they should really cut down on drama.

So Ah Kin concluded they will then renew their wows as part of 40th marriage anniversary, and Xul said they should do it every ten cycles from now on.

Happy as true newlyweds they were all sugary sweet to each other since. Just waiting for relocation to be done, so they could have a grand event with everyone present to witness it.

Hama kinda wished to have something like that. Sure, he occasionally joined into tournaments, yet he felt that a commitment as Xul and Ah Kin had was better in the long run. Just.. it was not like the market for monogamous long term relationships was even there.

He pressed the dough for his light pastries with his hands and pondered his options. Tournament regulars were out, as they were too into gaming to stop playing.

Olaf just recently started exclusive relationship with Utu, which was a bit of a shock, considering there is 25 cycles age gap between them.

Pwyll and Q'uq were 15 cycles younger than Hama, and he could not imagine being intimate with either of them.

Within 10 cycles up or down in age, there was only Cid that might attract his attention. But Cid was not into long term relationships.

Hama slapped his dough. Really, there were only Dagda, Geb and Tzol left. And they probably thought about him as being too young for them.

"Hey, is this turning right?" Tzol asked him and offered a bit of cream for taste test.

Hama looked at the finger stretched toward his face, then at all serious Tzol behind it.

He was the oldest of the three, yet more childish than Dagda and Geb combined. Ever since he moved up from middle level, Tzol camped in the kitchen and forced Hama to teach him how to bake. Learned quite fast though.

Hama leaned forward and chomped on the both, cream and finger that held it. He watched as Tzol's eyes widened in surprise then licked his finger. When Tzol looked up, he smiled and pulled back.

"Its just like it should be." he said while licking his lips.