Our friends gathered and we tried artwork. J~oie happily sat weaving with many weavers. But, D’gmiash pulled at my arm. “Did you try carving figures? It is fun! Here is Samtych, Figure Maker.”
He stood and gave a shaky bow. D’gmiash helped him up.
“Sam, I am happy to see you came with us! How are you here?"
“O, D’gmiash asked me to come. I nearly have your figures ready for your Weddingtable!”
Ryee giggled. “Ay, the figures you saw are holos. Sam carves figures so realistic, they could walk and sing!” He helped me sit.
He taught us to wave up a kauta, an eggshaped eaezhfee, and heat it for colors. Oh, I enjoyed this! Then we carved. “Here is how you form a joint. When you get to this point, I shall guide you.” He shaved bits off a slender neck.
D’gmiash showed us a figure of a little girl. Her facial features were not clear yet, but he had the rough shape of a body. Her twintoed feet were perfectly formed and beautiful. I realized he carved E~Janne, Ryee’s sister.
We set to work and I found this relaxing. Soon I had a face. Then, the body of an infant.
Papa and Mama sat with us after they were too tired to dance more. “Oh, what is this you are doing?”
Ryee looked to Samtych, who explained.
Mama smiled. “Oh, this is like what my uncle does. He carves animals. They do not look real, but he tries.”
“One must use a holo to look upon, for realism. But many carve from the imagination. All art is well.” He finished a figure of E~Janne and put a formal on her. By him were an assortment of costumes.
Derees and Vonn sat with us. Derees asked about the costumes. “My brother-in-law, Hashi, taught me to sew. All Elshar men learn. May I try a costume?”
“Ah, few wish to learn them! I am happy to teach. Let us begin with a short gown.” We carved, and Derees worked with a square piece of cloth. His stitches were so fine, they seemed to be decoration rather than a seam.
Ryee carved—me. My face burned. His figure’s face was very realistic.
I worked on mine’s face and the little body, looking at Beth in Mama’s arms, asleep. But this was not my sister.
Shaved dull edges on the tiny twintoed feet. Kept moving from one body part to another, from large shaving to small. My Zheien body gave me new skills, and this pleased me much!
When I was nearly finished, Sam taught me how to carve the joints. “O, you and Ryee have talent! J~oie, also, but he likes tapestries better. Many of your diplomats like tapestries and pottery, but they ne choose figures. I fear ne chooses my occupation.” He sighed and it rumbled on us.
“W’Vie will learn from you. He will be J~oie’s bae. So will Asha, Diplomat of Elshar Zheiea. One of Ryee’s clones, he will also choose to learn from you.”
Sam dropped his figure! “You have clones, my liege? Will they ne choose to help in your Reign?” He picked up the figure of Jana and shaved a tiny amount from between her fingers. Set her in a row of finished ones.
“I ne know. I must meet them before we sleep, Ay. I am happy to have bae! We shall meet your sae also. Pirad will bring them when they wake.”
Sam’s excitement tingled on us. “O, you will have help! Who is Pirad?”
“A talented scientist of Bisillipia. He, Kirnonos and Taredias Gupa help us with cloning. He can put memories in them and grow them to any age! Our people can have children!”
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He looked sad. “Once, I loved a maiden, Kinerae. Her heart failed her before I thought to recite. Is it selfish, that I would wish a clone of her in my age?” His blue eyes filled.
“Dear friend, Kirnonos might save her with recloning and reclone you young. We lack materials for it now, but soon, we have them.”
“Recloned?”
“Elders are recloned that they live many lifetimes. I wish to preserve your skills! If we have enough children, perhaps many wish to learn from you.”
“O, I am honored that you would think of me, a mere figure maker!”
“Why should I ne remember you, Sam, when your service to me all these years brings much happiness to all our people? Few occupations touch every life. Every Yeff has a table with your figures. Even infants enjoy them.”
He looked at Beth, and she clutched one.
Mama smiled. “She loves it! I asked Sam to make this one of Adia for her and a prog so she can hold it. How long is this mission?”
I sighed and it rumbled on her! My face warmed. “I wish I knew! We will be there tomorrow, so perhaps you should port—”
Papa laughed. “We decided to stay and see this Earth! Vonn said we can contribute research while we are gone. And, all the traders plan to get items. We contributed much trade. ScSv provides more than Areon did! We have a home, a Kleideu home with flowers!”
He waved up a holo, but his loud thoughts of it showed me much more. Scents of the flowers, which towered over the finely carved door. They had furniture carved by his grandfather decades before, that relatives kept for him! Mom also had furniture from her ancestors. One item was a table carved by Olin Runge, Founder Of Areon, a gift to her great-grandfather Albin Gelb. He missed flowers that would not grow, so Olin carved them into the table for him. Eaezhfee from Ye~ added colors! Cousins stored these items for our family. Grandfather’s house stood empty for years, and now they can live there, but they moved it to Ye~! Enough furniture and items for Maia, Aronna and I, and future children to share.
Ryee waved a holo of our chamber. We had a little square table, also made by Grandfather Olin, with the carved flowers and a drawer. Inside, a set of flowers and animals that he carved. What treasures they were to me!
Aronna and E~Janne came to sit with us. J~oie handed Aronna a figure of herself. “O, you made me beautiful, like a maiden!” D’gmiash gave E~Janne her figure, which she admired.
“I look like a princess, in this beautiful dress! This is Cinderella Aronna, at the Ball!” She pantomimed the part of the fairy tale with dancing with the prince. “And the clock struck midnight! She went running down the stairs!”
J~oie waved and a hologram showed them. And, the Prince. “Wait! Wish you another pastry? O, you left your shoe. Such a hard shoe! Surely your feet are bruised! When I find you, I shall have my finest artisan make a soft pair of shoes this size.”
Aronna laughed! “But, she was not Zheien!” Both girls giggled.
When he finished his figure, it was Laura. I smiled. She wore a redviolet formal dress with much decoration.
“O, who is this? I ne saw her on this ship.”
“Adia tells me she shall be my wife. I hope she is right.”
I took his hand. “She will save Jea~, and Geor~geh, and we must find Deci for him.” All these people! How can we find them all?
Sam smiled at me. “Ne worry, we shall find them. At times, I have requests for people in colonies that are ne Alliance or Unified. For those, scientists can take holos. Can you ne run holos of this Earth?”
Ryee called Be~saech to him. Explained.
He nodded. “Is easy! We are close enough to do this.” He wrote a prog and waved. “Now we have holos of every person on Earth. I—”
Another set of holos came up. He frowned. “There are other colonies. Two Seppspon colonies, one under Earth’s oceans, and one in Antarctica. An unknown colony deep within Mars, as Earth calls it. Many study emissions from Earth. But this colony is Ty’nirrhan, but ne completely Ty’nirrhan. They are altered.”
Ryee looked at a display. “I ne knew Ty’nirrhans would alter themselves to appear as another species. What is it they wish?”
And, I found three of them on Earth. “This man teaches students science close to where we land! He is married to an Earthan. This is Greg Wehn Cet.”
“Does he plan to enslave Earthans, then? His fa is a powerful slaver—”
“No! He does not have memories of his people. He, and this man who also teaches, they want to live peacefully. Greg’s brother is dying. The other one is Greg’s sa. There, in Scotland.” She will lead part of the colony on Mars. Ry Pethe. But, she will be insane if we cannot find her. Greg is very important to our level. He can negotiate with his people. His wife delivers babies.” Oh, I wished I could see more!
“Then, tomorrow, should we find Greg Wehn Cet? Then, Laura Martin?”
I nodded. Now we know exactly where to go. “He can teach us how Earth’s economy works. He knows much more of it than Laura does.”