#an endless summer

[lalage]

(rhodes) island in the sun

[antoinemaillard]

[cyanophore-fiction]

Armistice

When it regained consciousness, its radioisotope-powered clock showed that one thousand, two hundred and fifty-four years had passed since deployment. 

An immense weight of sediment was being removed from its body, triggering threat evaluation protocols. When its systems booted and it regained its vision, the sunlight was so intense that it could see nothing until its sensors applied filters. Out of the yellow light, a cluster of beaked faces emerged, all staring down at it with their eyes wide. Their multicolored feathers ruffled in the salty wind, and their clothes were made of light synthetic fiber. 

Remaining motionless, it emitted a sensor pulse and detected its rifle at a distance of one hundred and seventy four meters. 

A taloned hand holding a jug reached down and began to pour cold water onto its chest, flushing sand out of its components. In response, it attempted to grab the holder’s arm and tear it out of its socket, but its elbow joint seized up with a shriek of corroded metal and refused to move. 

They hopped back with a chorus of chirps and beak clacks. One came back to its side before the others, stooping to examine its elbow. He scraped the corroded plates with one claw, rubbing some of the rust on his turquoise feathers, and looked back to its eye sensor. Then, he raised a finger and moved it back and forth in front of its face. Its sensor swiveled to track the motion. 

He emitted a series of excited syllables, and the others edged closer, but never within arm’s reach. 

Hours passed, and all of the visitors departed except for the one with the turquoise feathers. Alone, he lifted it by the arms and dragged it backwards over sand, and it found itself at rest upright against a palm tree. The distance to its rifle had increased by several meters. 

Folding his legs neatly, he sat across from it, with the sand trailing down to the ocean behind him. On the horizon, the sun was beginning to set, and gentle waves lapped at the shore. He spoke to it, but it had no translation files. When the sun disappeared and darkness began to close in, he stepped forward and laid a hand on its shoulder before setting off down the beach.

It tracked him as he passed out of its field of view, and applied to him the provisional designation #40e0d0. 

In the morning, #40e0d0 returned with paper, ink, and tools. He attached a metal implement to his claw, dipped it in ink, and began scratching symbols onto the paper. When he finished, he showed the paper to it, pointed to a symbol at the top of the page, and spoke.

“Khé,” he said.

It activated its damaged voice synth. Piercing static rolled down the beach, and a flock of seabirds flew off in panic. #40e0d0 flinched back, then leaned forward in anticipation as the sound cut off.  

“Khé,” it replied.

---

Within a week, it had command of a few basic phrases. Others came with #40e0d0, bringing portable tables and food. It detected no weapons in the area except its rifle, still at a fixed distance and out of view. The newcomers watched as #40e0d0 made simple conversation.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“I am Varra.”

“You are Varra.”

“Where do you come from?”

“No.”

“Who are you?”

“No.”

“What is the weather today?”

“Clear.”

#40e0d0 shrugged and looked back as the others began chattering among one another. It understood some of what they said. There was suspicion and interest, but nothing to indicate that they posed a threat. Repeated often were the words nikop and ankruk—ancient trash.

---

Days passed, and the crowds grew as steadily as its vocabulary. As more and more came, the younger ones began behaving in threatening ways. They would throw plastic rings at it, trying to land them on the communications antennae extending from its backpack. Each time they did so, it attempted to block the incoming projectile. Its limbs were beginning to break the corroded surface layer by sheer force, but it could still only move a few centimeters. Loud whoops and dancing came up as it struggled to move. 

One came close to pull a ring off its antenna. Almost within reach. 

“Halt,” it said, raising the volume to maximum. A cry of shock went up among the gathered people. #40e0d0 emerged from the crowd and waved the little one away.

“Is something wrong?”

“Surrender.”

There was silence. Its tactical software projected confrontation and elevated their threat potential. Detecting no way to retaliate, its systems began preparing to overload its reactor, withdrawing safeties and coolant circulation.

“Can you repeat that?”

“Issue your unconditional surrender.”

There was murmuring, and people began leaving quickly and quietly.

“Don’t talk like that, you’re scaring people.”

“Issue your surrender.” Its reactor temperature rose until the tree trunk began to blacken and smoke behind it. Plasma welled up in its chest, threatening to breach containment. “Requesting aid.”

“Okay, sure,” he said, narrowing his eyes. “I surrender.”

The plastic ring on its antenna melted, pouring down along its side. Jets of blinding light shot from emergency cooling ducts. #40e0d0 stepped back as the last of the crowd broke into a sprint. “The others.”

“Fine, we surrender!”

Immediately, its tactical imperatives shut down, and it was able to voluntarily reclassify every person in the vicinity as an ally. Fuel supply to the reactor was cut off, and superheated coolant poured through its body. 

Radiator fins snapped out from its shoulders and back. Varra covered his eyes, stumbling back as the heat hit him. Molten sand pooled around its legs, and the remains of the tree crumbled to a blackened stump behind it as the radiator fins faded from white hot down to a dull red. 

“Surrender accepted. Indefinite ceasefire enacted.”

Varra pushed himself up, shielding his face from the heat, and started to run. 

“Thank you. Please don’t leave me.”

He stopped and turned. Along his shoulders and neck, his mantle of feathers stood on end.

--------------

Flash fiction for @flashfictionfridayofficial‘s prompt, “An Endless Summer.” Thanks for the prompt! 

No firm lore or anything for this one. A young alien helps the last prisoner of a long-forgotten conflict to find some peace. 

[nicnight9]

Updated Masterlist!

last updated in: 03/09/24

An Endless Summer ☀️

character profiles

updates

blurbs and drabbles

[hellenhighwater]

Whereabouts do you live, roughly speaking, and what drew you to that place in particular?

I'm in Michigan, and that's as specifically as I will answer that question! We have really lethal lakes.

[callmehaneul]

[counterspelling]

Endless X-Men 97

[tellmeamiley]

[tropicvlwaves]

@tropicvlwaves ☀️

[surfer-roo01]

Great White Shark

Welcome to Australia maaate 🇦🇺

[rustyharveysbox]

Pov: it is 2016 and you are pressing the play button on what you thought was a 'fun summer holiday book' not knowing that this will change the entire trajectory of your mind, body and soul as you know it: 😄👉📱

[pastart]

Peter Mairhofer by Alexander Courtman (2023)

[antoinemaillard]

[sapphicspaceart]

the twelve catalysts

[koostattoos]

~ Pairing: jock!Jungkook x nerd!reader

~ Genre: academic rivals to lovers, fluff, angst, smut, college au, slowburn

~ Summary: Summer vacation was right around the corner. Being in a program that required you at the beach every day was a big pro. After seeing Jeon Jungkook at the same beach as you everything was ruined. Jungkook was the school’s heartthrob. Girls throwing themselves at him left and right, going to parties every other day, and coming in and out of those parties with different girls. Not to mention he’s the biggest dick you’ve ever met. Avoiding him was all you could think about. His being there threw avoiding him out the window. What’s the worst that could happen?

~ teaser wc: 667

full fic here!

~

For the past thirty minutes you sat staring at your suitcase still trying to figure out what the hell to pack. The program that you joined had asked everyone if they wanted to go on a trip for extra credit to work for the beach down by Busan for junior year. Not that you needed it, you had zero plans made for this summer.

Niki’s out of town visiting her family for the summer and Sohee’s out doing what Sohee does, probably out exploring abandoned places or getting high somewhere. Who knows? You decided to get up and start packing. You walked over to your closet to skim over your outfits and carefully picked out a few outfits for the next few months. After two hours of packing, your phone dings with a notification from Niki

Niki: omg can’t believe it’s summer already! have fun on your little trip down to Busan. If anything happens call or text me right away! Luv ya!

You smile down at your phone. You and Niki have been friends for years, you first met in your freshman year of high school. She taught you everything, from how to do your make-up and style your clothes and all that fun stuff. Funny how you both got into the same college and ended up sharing the same dorm. She’s gone around the campus having different guys in and out. You would say you guys are complete opposites. You would rather stay in and watch a movie or something instead of going out and partying with drunk college students and grinding my body against sweaty skin.

After finishing up the last of your packing you respond.

Me: hey girl, omg I know! The school year went by so fast, say hi to your mom n dad for me and give Nani kisses for me! And of course, you’ll always be the first to know everything! Luv u too! Enjoy your summer 💞

Putting your phone down you go to check when you were supposed to leave and meet everyone at the train station. The ticket said 8:00 am. You set your alarm for tomorrow and get ready for bed. Checking your phone for the last time you turn the lights off and drift off to dream land.

~

Waking up to your alarm clock blaring in your ear. It’s near 6:00 am, you get up and start getting ready. Walking into the bathroom you bring out your skin care routine. After finishing up and brushing your teeth, you go back to where your vanity is and start with your makeup.

Choosing what to wear was easy, you chose a simple outfit. An oversized black hoodie, black parachute cargos, and white gamma forces. You come out of your room to the living room and take your bag off the counter and get the rest of the bags for the trip. The drive to the train station took longer than expected. Traffic was horrible. The ride was said to be only about 30 minutes, you ended up getting there about an hour later.

After blasting music on the way there you had finally arrived, you see a few of your classmates from previous classes and walk up to say hi. “Yunjin!” You shouted her name, catching her attention. She waves at you and starts making her way over. “Oh my god hey girl!” She goes in for a hug and starts talking about the next two months. “This is so exciting! I’ve been waiting for this trip for so long, I hope we get free time because I’m too exhausted from all those tests.” She says with low shoulders. Out of nowhere she gasps and turns to you “You’ll never fucking guess who I just saw” You look at her with a curious face “Who?” she leans in closer “Jeon Jungkook”. Your face had gone red. Hearing Jungkook’s name coming out of her mouth left you shocked. Not forgetting the history, you and the boy had.

[030587]

ENDLESS SUMMER 2024 DAY 2 - ICONIC MOMENT "First Kiss"