Gary Hewitt and Jonathan Ottke

Jonathan Ottke
“Two Stars have a conversation”
Inspiration piece

Orion’s Boote
By Gary Hewitt
Response

“I am the brightest.”

Alnilam raised a nebulous eye at the unwarranted disturbance. Who the hell invited this loudmouth to her party? She sipped from a fluted glass filled with neutron olives and shimmering mercury. She supposed her guest had a certain appeal but preferred partners strong but silent.

He leapt up on stage, and to her horror sang a selection of ancient songs from a million light years away. Did he not have his own material? He paused for atomic breath after the sixth song and Alnilam offered a tiny golf clap.

“Very good Arcturus, but your delivery needs to tone down an octave or two. I fancy they could hear you in Andromeda.”

“I should hope so too,” he roared. He readied himself for a new rendition. Alnilam took hold of his arm and spiralled him to a cosmic couch.

“Please, you have a strong voice, but I’ve had a long day intercepting a few unwanted comets. I’d rather settle down for light conversation if you don’t mind.”

Arcturus scratched his mighty beard. He loved action, excitement and tried to recall the last time anyone asked him for a polite chat. Alnilam glided to her own oasis and patted the cushion in invitation. Arcturus hurled his mass into the chair expecting a hint of fusion. Alnilam switched her gaze to the barman and ordered two specials.

“So, Arcturus, what brings you over to our constellation? You’re a long way from Bootes.”

“Lady, I need a change of scenery. Don’t get me wrong I love it in dear old Bootes and the crowd are great company but I need something different. I do pretty much anything I like out there and they love me for it, it’s time though for me to share the love if you catch my drift.”

Rigel stared at the odd couple. Alnilam waved him away when he asked if all was well.

“Forgive my brother, he’s a bit overbearing but his core is in the right place. Anyway, I do understand your wanderlust but should you not be looking after your family?”

“Oh, don’t worry about them,” he snorted, “They’ve got everything they need. When I left they were playing planetball, was a scream, I can tell you.”

Alnilam looked over the dull shoulder of the bright star admiring the delicate recital of poetry of Bellatrix. She doubted if Arcturus ever read a sonnet, let alone write one.

“Is that all you do all day, play games?”

“Oh goodness, no,” he said. “I love the ladies too, I’ve never had a complaint yet either, I understand the divine feminine after all.”

He rested his hand on Alnilam’s knee. His touch red hot and matching the flushing cheeks of his unexpected company.

“I suppose you do have a certain charm, yet we’re a bit more refined here in Orion you know,” she said returning his hand to his lap.

“Ah, you’re a babe into the arts and all that. It’s not really my thing but you’d love to listen to Nekkar. You’ll have to come over and listen to her Sestinas.”

Alnilam never paid much attention to the doggerel of Nekkar. She remembered a pamphlet of this so called poetry and it did make a most useful doorstop to uninvited quasars. She thought of making her departure and to her astonishment found herself warming to the braggadocio of this brash braggart.

“Arcturus, no-one has ever called me babe before I have to say. I’m not sure whether I ought to incinerate you or kiss you.”

She caught her thoughts after her words. Arcturus leaned in close, so close she almost tasted his primordial breath. To her horror and pleasure, their lips collided and she tasted the radiance of this bright star. He wrapped his strong arms around her and she melted into a helium flash of rapture. Again and again their lips and passion merged, both lost in total delirium.

She blinked to see her brothers and sisters staring agog. She looked to the spiral staircase and led her partner to her quarters, such a wonderful change from playing checkers with Saiph, she thought.

———————————————————-

Note: All of the art, writing, and music on this site belongs to the person who created it. Copying or republishing anything you see here without express and written permission from the author or artist is strictly prohibited.