Content warning: fictional drug consumption
image [https://cdn-gcs.inkitt.com/story_images/big_08ddaf2ecc88fe4cfdcc29cfaf7bcd3d.png]
The Aerios had met with a ship a fair distance from the Arktoca system. It was a good thing, the density of the ice chunks and glaciers spread all over. The outskirts of the system were becoming closer and closer together, and once again, the Aerios had done yet another feat.
The penguin on the communications display spoke to the captain with surprise. “You’re very brave to have sailed this close to Arktoca with the ice being so thick.”
Junne smiled and chuckled. “Not as bad as flying blind through a dark nebula, at least we could see.”
The penguin shook his head. “Brave, stupid, talented, either way, it’s a good thing you’ve come in. We don’t want to poke our beaks out too far in case there are Namina in the area. We should be swift and head in. It’ll be a while at sub-light speeds so feel free to communicate with me if you need anything.”
The transmission cut and Junne spun around to talk to the crew. “He was nice.” He switched the ship’s navigation to shirpa mode, which would make it follow the exact path of the penguin’s scout ship through the broken-up ice. Soon it would travel through a huge tunneled highway deep towards their homeworld. They had time to move about.
“Ok.” Gem clapped her hands together. “This letter is going to a penguin called Petunia. Petunia the Penguin. I don’t know how much time we have to do this one so let’s get it done first.” The letter she pulled from her jacket had only the name on it in the center, as well as all the shiny filigree and glittering ornamentation. “Unfortunately, she is on her deathbed. That’s what the author of the letter had said.”
Everybody seemed uneasy, but Quayl knew better. “I’ll deliver the letter. You all can take some shore leave and look around. Maybe see what these people know about the Namina.”
Rob nodded. “Arktoca is the best place for information. The Arktokans are a collecting race. So to gain entry, they must have a copy of all the data on the ship. It’s for their library.”
Stevero snapped his fingers with a realized comparison. “Like the Library of Alexandria, just west and down from Egyptia.”
“West and down? Please use the metric heading like everyone else.” Gem poked at him.
“Fine, roughly 281 mark negative 20.”
“Ahh.” Everyone said in unison with the accurate new information.
----------------------------------------
The penguin world of Arktoca was now in sight. Junne took control of the ship and requested a docking port, speaking with a lady penguin that seemed happy to see them.
“Oh, my penguin god! HYOOMANS!” She exclaimed joyfully, “Please! Come into docking port one, we’ll be ready to receive you.” The transmission cut.
They traveled down a winding dark tunnel through a glacier the diameter of a star system. Iced in their places were the different planets with the star at the center. The sun’s light made the ice glow, and sometimes the tunnel would split off into different directions. Some to planets, others to asteroids for mining materials, or just plain pockets of air for farming ice wheat and snow mangos. They were grateful they had a sherpa, navigating this sort of maze-like world would’ve been confusing. The penguins knew though, so they trusted them.
----------------------------------------
The docking pad on their main homeworld was icey, and the air was frostbitten with a chill that stuck to the face. The wind was mild, but it didn’t take much to bring a coldness onto the crew of the Aerios like they hadn’t felt before. Everybody was adorned with coats, only the best they could replicate. The Puuqpu must have never known truly cold conditions.
Junne led the way down the docking bay ramp, and a few penguin people greeted them at the bottom. “Welcome!” The lady penguin they had spoken to before said before Junne could respond, she threw her arms around him and squeezed tight.
image [https://cdn-gcs.inkitt.com/story_images/big_0a9a107c4e5c50f57749b913a67004ac.png]
“Ack, ok, so you’re huggers. Good to know.”
The penguin lady was joyful. “It’s so good to see some of your people, there’s been no good news of your conflict with the Namina. The battles you have been facing have not been in your favor. Please, come this way, our leader wishes to discuss a trade of information.”
Quayl stepped forward next to Junne. “I am a courier for the human postal service. There is a letter that needs to be delivered right away. It’s urgent.”
The penguin nodded. “Yes, of course, carry out your duties.” Quayl hoisted his satchel and went forth to complete his task with haste.
The penguin introduced herself to the rest of the crew. “I am Penny. Penny Penguin. And before you ask, all our names suck.”
Junne smirked. “Not the creative type?”
Penny shook her head. “I’m afraid not. There aren’t many of us so we don’t mind it too much. Where we lack in naming, we make it up in collecting data, singing, and affection. We have a unique way of flirting by gifting shiny rocks and pebbles. It’s a long-time tradition and, I guess, we take it seriously.” Penny noticed Gem’s various adornments of beads and pearls. “Oh my, people must love you.”
Gem responded the only way she knew how. “As a matter of fact, they do! They really do. I’m just waiting for this one to give me a pebble.”
Junne reacted. “What? You want me to give you a rock? Humans don’t give each other rocks.”
Stevero pinched his nose as it was obvious. “Yes we do, she’s talking about diamonds.”
“Oh… OH!” Junne blushed a beet red as Gem bumped his thigh with hers. She had quite the fast track on her mind.
Penny waved with her fingered wing for them to follow her. “We should speak to President Tuxedo right away.”
----------------------------------------
The capitol building was large and warmer on the inside. Somehow the penguins have found a way to hyper-freeze or petrify ice to make it a sturdy and strong building material. It had a higher melting point and wouldn’t decay in any environment they had in their world. Rob took notice of it, seeing that its turquoise hue may have something to do with salt water. He knew many different technologies relied on some simple properties of salt. The penguins had sculpted it in magnificent ways into columns and pylons, railings, and curved stairways. There was even a chandler hanging high above, all made of ice.
Once passed the foyer and down a central hall, they came to an office where President Tuxedo awaited them. “Please, have a seat.” There were only three somewhat short seats, so Stevero stood in the back. “We would like to have any information you have acquired about the Namina as well as military advancements-“
“Done.” Junne interrupted.
“W-what? Just like that?”
“Yeah. We’ve been sharing our tech and knowledge with everyone we’ve met so far. I think it’s the only way for everyone to get an upper hand in the war. Feel free to download and scan our ship.”
There was an astounded pause from the president before he answered. “Thank you… we’ll get right on that. We’ll pass on all that we know as well.”
Junne rubbed his hands together. “Alright, good talk! I’m starving and I heard penguins have the best fish here.”
Gem moaned with hunger. “I’m starving too!” Rob and Stevero agreed as well. Nobody had eaten, and the timing upon approaching Arktoca was awkward for them in their daily routine. Days tend to blur in the ocean.
President Tuxedo stood. “I’ll plan dinner. You may all stay here in the capital estate for as much time as you need.” He formally offered.
----------------------------------------
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
The hospital was quiet. The only person present was the receptionist as she tapped away at what appeared to be a computer made of ice. “Is everything made of ice here?” He muttered to himself.
“I beg your pardon?” The receptionist asked.
“Oh, uh, I’m looking for a Petunia. Is she here?” He asked. The receptionist picked up a phone, also made of ice, and quietly spoke to a nurse. With a few nods, she hung up.
“She’s able to see a guest, but then she’ll need to rest. Nurse Penelope here will lead the way.” Another penguin waved and ushered Quayl to an elevator.
The elevator was a smooth ride until he looked down. Through the clear ice floor was a long shaft below, extending longer as they continued to coast upward to the extended-stay rooms on the fifth floor. Quayl, to say the very least, was uneasy seeing their height through the clear floor. “Uhm… is everything here made of ice?”
Nurse Penelope giggled. “Would you believe me if I said yes?” Quayl stepped back and sunk further into the railing on the back wall of the ice elevator. He didn’t have a fear of heights, but he had zero confidence that the elevator would hold his weight.
They arrived at their floor and Quayl rushed ahead into the hallway. Nurse Penelope calmly walked off and ushered him to the rooms.
Penelope didn’t need to say much, she simply stood by the door, though she did advise Quayl of one thing. “Petunia had suffered a stroke this morning. We don’t know the full extent of her condition, so keep your conversation simple.” Quayl acknowledged.
He entered the dark and bluish room. On a bed of woven fibers and blankets was an elderly penguin lady. She was gray-faced in all the places that once held sunshine. She now held onto age like it was a lifeline, so any further would be too far for her.
Nurse Penelope spoke to Petunia. “You have a guest, Petunia.” She spoke plain and clear. She then turned to Quayl. “Keep it brief, her cognitive functions aren’t great.” The nurse left the room.
Quayl took the letter from his satchel bag. “Miss Petunia Penguin?”
“Yes?” Her voice was graveled and rasped with strain. It worried Quayl.
“I’m a mailman. I have a letter for you.”
“Oh, I wonder who it’s from?” She asked.
Quayl looked around the envelope and found no return address and no other name than hers. “It doesn’t say.”
She raised a shaky hand and tried to open it, but she didn’t have the strength. Quayl insisted on helping. “Allow me.” He tried to find a loose corner of the flap to slide a finger into to loosen it, but nothing would give. He tried tearing the end of the letter, and it still didn’t give, not even a wrinkle. He tried biting at the very tip with his teeth, but still nothing. “I’ll be right back, Miss Petunia, I’ll find a way to open this letter for you.”
Quayl went to the nurse’s desk to ask. “Excuse me, do you have a pair of scissors I can borrow?” Nurse Penelope reached into a door and took out a pair of scissors. It was made of ice, of course. It was frosty in Quayl’s fingers, but he tried it anyway. It didn’t cut, and after pressing on it with all his might, the sharp frozen blades snapped.
“Oh my.” The nurse said. “Here, try these.” She took out a metal pair and gave them to him. It was nice to see something real for a change. He tried again, and when he squeezed, it didn’t cut again. He gave it all his strength with both hands and grunted, then stopped. He thought he might have made progress, but it was simply the scissors bending in his grip. He managed to bend metal in his hands.
“Oh dear.” Penelope was shocked. “You are a lot stronger than you look. No luck? I have some other things that might help get that open.”
----------------------------------------
A disc of pre-recorded music played in the dining hall. Despite being a native sound to the penguins, the style and singing dialect matched that of reggae music back in the human territories. The themes were similar as well, but most talked of flirting with stones, relaxing on couches, and eating bread made of ice wheat.
A long table was dressed and spread with dishes of all sorts of fruits, veggies, and especially fish. To imagine all fish was alike would be an error, because there were even kinds of fish considered dessert fish, and the variety matched any palette present. The Captain and the Aerios crew enjoyed their dinner. The spices were exquisite, and paired with snow mangos, mm! Junne and Gem couldn’t keep their hands off the dinner rolls though. Junne was filling in the cracks with his last one, topped with some kind of caviar or fish roe. “Oh my god these are delicious! We need to take some to go! I must have had like three of these, maybe four?”
Gem licked her fingers. “I know that was my fourth, how many have you two had?”
Stevero and Rob looked at each other, then at Gem. “Zero.” They said together.
“Why?” Junne asked. “They’re so good!”
Stevero explained why. “Ice wheat has psychedelic properties. Potent ones, I might add.”
Rob chimed in. “I’m the designated driver.” He seemed to have decided for them. Junne looked at his bun, then at Gem.
“D’y- did you know?”
“M-hm.” She hummed as she took one last bite. “It’s been a while since I did the ice wheat, the weedy wheat, the Baja-bun, funny flour, dank dough, toke toast, baked bagel, loaded loaf, stoner sandwich, buttered bread, a dime baguette-“
“I’ve heard enough.” Junne placed his half-eaten bun down. “Oh crap, am I gonna be ok? Am I gonna be alright? I’ve eaten like four of them.”
Stevero chimed in. “One is usually enough. Don’t worry, no one has ever died from ice wheat. It’s not even a regulated substance, and it’s one of the penguin’s chief exports.” Junne looked at his hands, front then back then front again.image [https://cdn-gcs.inkitt.com/story_images/big_e385b9120d7567df462498e6ae611a7c.png]
Gem hugged him, holding him tightly. “It’s ok, I’ll babysit you, you’ll be perfectly fine. The worst is that you feel light and fluffy in an hour and get thirsty. I’ll order us a bunch of drinks and smoothies. You’ll have fun!” Gem grabbed Junne’s half-eaten dinner roll and took one more bite. “Mm! So good!”
----------------------------------------
Quayl and nurse Penelope snuck into a surgery lab. She kept the lights dimmed so nobody would notice their presence and report them. Unlocking a cabinet, Penelope pulled out a tool. “We’ve tried almost everything else, but this is a plasma scalpel. If this doesn’t cut it open, nothing will.” Quayl sat the letter on a special tray designed to withstand the blade of the plasma scalpel and stepped back. The nurse put on a pair of safety glasses and began cutting. There was a hair-thin beam of heat and molten material in a line on the very edge of the envelope. In a moment, she stopped. The iridescent line cooled quickly while she blew on it and fanned it with a wing. She picked it up and examined it, checking the edge with her fingers.
“Nope, nothing. That’s the best we can do. What on Arktoca is this thing made of?” She said and gave the letter back to Quayl.
“I don’t know. Well, thanks anyway for all the trouble.” They snuck out of the surgery suite and made it look like nobody had been inside.
Quayl entered Petunia’s room to apologize. “I’m terribly sorry Miss Petunia, we can’t seem to open the letter.”
She looked a bit disappointed. “That’s ok. I’ll figure it out someday.” She declared.
Quayl placed the letter in her frail hand and smiled. “I’m sure you will.”
She smiled back. “Thank you.” Quayl gave her a quick nod and turned to leave. He hoisted his bag to his shoulder and left. Though, in the doorway, Quayl took one last look at Miss Petunia.
There she was, as a ghostly apparition of herself standing beside the bed, young and alive again, and holding a faint page in her hands. She was smiling widely as she read. She held the letter to her chest and sighed with joy. “It’s from my mother.” She said, “In our next life, she wants to be my sister. I can’t wait. Thank you.” She held out her hand and in it was a glowing golden nummus. Quayl took it and felt its presence seep in. The soul of Petunia moved on to parts unknown once he had. For a moment, the divine gave him clarity.
image [https://cdn-gcs.inkitt.com/story_images/big_bf2106b5752bb12d2d784c657addde7a.png]
In a rush, nurse Penelope came in. “Sir, you must wait outside.” She ordered. He couldn’t wait to see her body taken to the morgue. It wasn’t his business, his business had been done. He left to meet up with the crew of the Aerios.
Quayl was alone in the clear ice elevator, staring down through to the long shaft below. As he peered through, he noticed the back of his right hand. The scaliness and rough coarse skin had spread. It was orange now and hardened into a chiton-like crust. It reminded him of a crab carapace and shell. He moved his hand and arm around to test his movement, which all was perfectly fine and mobile. Maybe this had something to do with his ability to bend that pair of metal scissors. He was in a sophisticated hospital, he could have it looked at right now if he chose to, but he didn’t. He didn’t know if it was denial, if it was fear, or simply if it was going to be ok and he should trust whatever the process was. He pulled the sleeve of his courier’s coat down over his hand and left the hospital without a word more to anyone.
----------------------------------------
The crew of the Aerios waited in the docking bay for Quayl. Gem and Junne were slow dancing to some music that President Tuxedo had given them. Junne had his hands attached to Gem’s butt as she hugged him close. The penguins had finished their scans and collection of data from their ship and they were cleared to leave.
Quayl came aboard looking bummed and tired. The witnessing of Petunia was bittersweet. She had nobody but him at her side when she passed. Death — even when everything is ok, and it’s time — still sucks. He had to believe it was ok, to believe otherwise makes him as ignorant as too many others. He has seen spirits and knows what happened to them, but it must be human to have so much fear of death regardless of knowledge. The more he thought, the more he wanted to not think. Wanting to not think outside of his momentary life. Perhaps it was the act of leaving things behind that scared him. The ‘what if’ of living was more worrying than leaving in death. What bothered him were the things only he could do that must be done; his purpose. Was it his human curiosity conflicting with his fear of the unknown? His fear of not knowing perhaps? He began to understand Herme’s point of view. Whether life ends or you live forever, there is one universal truth; nature wastes nothing. It took a chance to express itself through you and to experience itself. It’s time to be content. No matter how silly, stupid, accomplishing, gold-star winning, time-wasting the activity is, the universe is billions of years old, but one day matters to you the most. One good day, one bad day, it matters to you. It matters to those around you too. The universe cares that much about you. Quayl’s clarity was enlightening, yet remained conflicted in what his human brain could comprehend, but his moment of reflection gave thus in a crystal mirror. There was a new golden rule that now applied: was he fun to be around? He was going to share the nummus as soon as he could with his best friends, the ones he knew would always have his back. He didn’t know how much more clearer his head could get, any more clear and he’d likely see through to the bottom like the ice elevator. It made him think of Heather on Lobora just before she died with millions of others. What happened to her? She liked him… so, what happened?
Rob was holding a basket of buns and watched the two lovebirds giggle and rock back and forth in a slow dance to the calm reggae beats. Quayl didn’t say anything as he approached. Rob and Stevero could see that he didn’t have a very good time and it weighed heavily on him.
Quayl saw the basket and lifted the cloth to peek inside. He saw the buns and picked one up and smelled it. “A dime baguette. Nice.” He shrugged and took a large bite.