Chapter Two: Pep

The halls of Castle Aquila were very beautiful. Finely sculpted walls and paintings everywhere, a witness to the history of House Aquilanus. Aeneas waded through the crowd of people. As befitting of the occasion, the young Inquisitor was dressed in formal wear. It was at this point that Aeneas bumped into someone in the crowd, a tall man.

“I’m sor-,” Aeneas began to say but he would not finish it as he noticed the blue skin on the man that he had bumped into. “It’s you, you.”

If the blue man took offense at Aeneas’ awkward words, he didn’t show it. “My name is Pep, Pep Siman. Nice to be meeting with you,” he said suavely. Or it would have been suave, if it wasn’t for the awkward grammar.

“Greetings, Pep,” Aeneas said as he bowed respectfully. “My name is Aeneas. Aeneas Aquilanus.”

“So, you’re Aeneas,” Pep said excitedly. “Your father Mr. Anchises had said so much of the things about you.”

“Is that so?” the young Inquisitor raised his eyes curiously. “What did he say?”

“Mostly praises,” Pep answered. “But one insult, for some strange reason.”

“Insult?”

“Yes,” Pep said. “He first said that you are a good Inquisitor and that he is proud of you.”

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“Papa said that?” Aeneas said, happy to hear that his father had spoken so highly of him.

“Yes, indeed. Then Mr. Anchises said that you are a very studious and meek person.”

“What’s the insult?” Aeneas asked.

“I already told of you, Aeneas,” Pep answered. “He called you meek, a weakling.”

Aeneas couldn’t help but chuckle. He had almost forgotten that the Lektros are not Christians, having been isolated from the Earth for at least three millennia.

“You got it all wrong, Pep,” Aeneas said warmly. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.”

“Whatever is that?”

“That’s a verse from our scriptures,” Aeneas responded. “My father did not insult me when he called me meek, that was a compliment.”

“Being meek is good thing?” Pep said in confusion. “That is certainly intriguing.”

Aeneas was also intrigued. The history of the Lektros, of such a long period of isolation, Aeneas was already imagining scenarios on how things might have been in that pocket dimension.

“What do you know about us, Pep?” Aeneas asked.

“Not to be much, I am afraid,” Pep answered. “We were able to observe of the things behind the gate…”

“You mean the Lektros Gate?”

“…yes, that gate,” Pep answered impatiently. “In any ways, we were able to piece together your language. But we know very little about your society, your religion, and your people.”

“Ah,” Aeneas said. “And that’s how you learn of our language before we even made contact.”

Pep nodded. There was a brief silence between the two. “Aeneas, may I ask favor of you?” the Lektros said suddenly.

“What is it, Pep?”

“Will you teach me, about your religion?”

Aeneas looked at Pep. The Lektros looked at him intently. The young Inquisitor could tell that the blue man was hungry for spiritual nourishment. Truthfully, he was doubtful if he was up to the task. His calling was to be an Inquisitor, not a Missionary. But this was not an opportunity that most would have.

“I’ll tell you what I know,” Aeneas said in assurance.

The Lektros shook Aeneas’ hand in gratitude.

“Thank you, my friend.”