Author's Note: Thanks to Katy Mason for the lyrics "On Horseback." Lyrics are by M. Oldfield and W. Murray.

Vin Tanner squeezed the sides of the ersatz Peso's girth with his thighs, his hair streaming behind him as he and his horse dashed across the open, grassy valley. He was feeling good. It was a clean, fresh spring-like day and he was one with his beast. A flick of bright blue eyes up toward the brightly shining double suns brought a grin to his face even as he squinted. Not nearly time to get back to the enclosure and Nettie's scolding. With a short whistle and a new pressure through his knees, he brought his mount to a skidding halt and quick spin to charge up a low slope toward the shallow valley's rim.

Silhouetted against the backdrop of shining, tall mountains of ice, fingering the sky in the distance, the Earther and his animal were a single shape. Both eased back, the horse now dropping its head to graze, pulling with blunt teeth at the rough, greenish-blue grasses on the ridge. Vin, shapeless in buckskins and a soft, wide-brimmed hat, twisted in his saddle to pull open one of the two saddlebags. Nettie had told him to check them when he was ready for some lunch. Their galley chef who mothered him so kindly had packed two bottles of beer and some bread and cheese. Vin's teeth flashed against his tanned, rough shaven face. He brushed his long brown hair back with one hand and pulled a beer free, opening it.

Damn. He shook the overflowing bottle at a distance from himself, then kicked a leg over the saddle horn and slid off Peso's side. The horse simply snorted and stepped forward slightly, teeth and jaws still working on the tender grasses it was nosing out of the rougher older growth. "You gonna get a belly full of that and I won't be giving you any grain tonight."

His horse ignored him. Vin slapped a flank with affection, dragging his saddlebags free and folding himself cross-legged in the tall grasses. He patiently waited for the foam of the disturbed beer bottle to froth out of its neck, and then put the still-chilled glass to his lips and took a satisfying swallow. Biting into the cheese and bread slabs, he chewed contentedly as he looked out across this small bit of Wander's Lust, a tiny planet on the edge of the Horse Nebula's twin-star system, Dui Equi.

The team from Earth's stellar explorer unit was here for survey and eval. Didn't seem likely that they'd ever found a better prospect for colonization than this little planet. The soil was fertile, the flora and fauna were carbon-based and compatible with earth life forms. Hell, his real horse could even have eaten the damn grass. The tests all confirmed that. He took another sip of the beer and stared up at the ice face of the prism-like mountain glaciers that lined up behind him.

JD would love to try skiing down one of those, as if Buck would ever let him, Vin thought with amusement. The battery commander was very protective of their new young gunner. Nathan'd likely be checking the atmospherics to see if it's too cold for us. The medic was always alert to keep the team healthy, sometimes annoyingly alert.

That made Vin think of their alien studies anthropologist, Josiah Sanchez. The man was always working in his calm and easy-going way to make sure that everyone on the team was balanced and spiritually secure. He was the one that had uncovered the feelings between Vin and Ezra and encouraged them to explore those feelings together. If it weren't for Josiah...Vin shuddered to think of the rocky road that could have been for him and Ez if it weren't for the outreach of their sometimes-director of 'morale and welfare.'

Just the thought of racing from the green valley onto that powdery field of snow fronting the range was sending shivers through his thin, muscular frame. Hell, like to charge through there with the team, that'd be fun. His smile widened at the thought of all seven of them mounted on their favorite rides, going at it, seven abreast, kicking snow wakes up behind them as they faced off with nature's wildest elements.

Maybe, after this survey was over, he could persuade the team, and, of course, Chris, their captain, to take some time off. They needed a break. Head for home and the team's ranch in Wyoming, at Hervis Bridge, back on good old Earth. He could ride Peso then for real. Ez would be able to spoil his Chaucer, too, and they'd race the boys across the rolling high plains. With a sigh, Vin stuffed the empty bottle into one of the saddlebags and pulled out the other one, this time more cautiously popping the cap. The synthetic foam seethed over his hand and dripped into the dark reddish-black soil.

Ezra Standish materialized beside his lover, smiling in appreciation of the location that Vin had found. He had on simple riding garb, though as always, his clothing was finely made, neatly worn. The short, clever Southerner, nicknamed 'Conman' for his smooth ways, stood admiring the view, first of the mountains of ice, then the green swart of valley and low tree line beyond. Finally, he turned to admire his companion. The twin suns' light reflected almost blindingly off his gold tooth as he smiled widely down at his dearest wild friend.

"Hey, Ez."

"Hey, Vin."

Ezra Standish hunkered down beside the wiry plainsman, squinting over at him. "Care to share?"

Vin's eyes were warm and full of love as he passed the second bottle over. Ezra sucked on the cold brew and passed it back, then sat down beside the scanner / navigator.

"Lovely here. I can see why you wanted to meet here for our day off."

"Yup. Did you bring a ride?"

Ezra nodded. "Got him over the hill." He used his jaw to indicate the far side of the ridge. He sighed then. "It would be nice to have my very own Chaucer under me again." His words echoed Vin's own thoughts.

In silence, the two men sat and shared the rest of Vin's lunch. A rumble in the distance made Ezra look up. "Vin, I like thunder and I like rain, but only as seen from a window in some nice shelter. This does not bode well. We should depart forthwith."

Vin shrugged. "Hell, Ez, sky's just grumblin'. I checked the met' report afore we left. It's gonna pass north o' here, all we'll get is the pyrotechnics and some noise. Ain't gonna get wet."

He sent a sly smile toward the smaller Exec Officer. "Sides, out here, we can have open fires, with you and me sitting in front o'some roaring flames."

Ezra leaned against his friend. Vin's arm came up around his shoulders, guiding the Southerner's head to Vin's shoulder. Both took a moment to enjoy the closeness. Then Ezra spoke. "...But if the thunder's in my brain..?"

"It'll only be from me comin' inside ya." Vin laughed.

Green eyes sparkled up at him. "We are going to stay here long enough for...?"

"I aim to take a ride, Pard, on you."

"Ahhh..." the rest was lost to a sudden swooping kiss as Vin gathered the Southerner to him.

"Riding you, Ez, is even better than bein' on horseback," Vin licked and nibbled at the exposed neck, "and you know that any chance I get I'd like to be on horseback, so's what that make what I want with you?"

Ezra gasped at the lavish tongue work on his exposed neck, shivering in arousal. He twitched and clutched at Vin's nearer arm as his lover surrounded him. Coherent speech was nearly as impossible as was coherent thought. He swallowed hard and tried to answer. "Some find it strange to be here, on this small planet in who knows where..."

Vin snorted, "I know where. And I'd rather be with you than flying though space."

Ezra ignored him and continued, "And when it's strange and full of fear, it's nice to be on horseback."

"Or even better, on your back." Vin twisted his lover over on to his stomach and lay down on top of Ezra. Soothing his lover with kisses and hugs, all the while pushing against Ez's sweet, taut ass with his own stiff rod still tightly bound by his trousers.

"Damn, Ez, we gotta lose some clothes here," Vin muttered as he sat back in frustration.

Turning beneath his lover's bracketing thighs, Ezra looked up at this, the most beautiful man on any world. "Vin." He reached up and began unbuttoning the other's shirt, love shining in his deep green eyes.

Blue eyes shone down to meet those emerald lights, sending a message of untamed love back, wrapped in flames. Now naked, the two Earthers made heavenly love on a faraway planet called Wander's Lust, under the setting colors of two small suns.

Vin Tanner held his own sweet Ezra close to him in the evening dusk, content with their closeness now. Yeah, this was even better than being on horseback.

On Horseback.
I like beer and I like cheese
I like the smell of a westerly breeze
But I like more than all of these
To be on horseback

Chorus
Hey and away we go
Through the grass cross the snow
Big brown beastly, big brown face
I'd rather be with you than flying though space

I like thunder and I like rain
And open fires and roaring flames
But if the thunders in my brain
I'd like to be on horseback
Some like the city some the noise
Some make cars and some toys
But if I was to have the choice
I'd rather be on horseback

Chorus

Some find it strange to be here
On this small planet in who knows where
And when it's strange and full of fear
It's nice to be on horseback
Some are short and some are tall
Some hit their heads against a wall
But it doesn't really matter at all
When you happen to be on horseback

Chorus

So if you feel a little glum
To Hervis Bridge you should come
In summer, winter, rain or sun
It's good to be on horseback.

Chorus

Chorus

Lyrics by M Oldfield and W Murray
Virgin Music (Publishing) Ltd
From Ommadawn By Mike Oldfield.