After a change of clothes at the Protectorate Enclave, Solrio and Syp shared a meal. They returned to the office of Simar the Silent. Simar accessed the message from the laboratory and studied it. “Hm,” it grunted. “You are indeed a Stafriez. Let’s see who the computer matches you with.” Simar the Silent started the match program and the computer began to sort through the files. It was several hours before a message popped up. “No Match Found.” Simar looked at Syp, who stood blinking. “There are many Stafriez who haven’t submitted a DNA sample to be registered with the main computer.”
"What do you suggest we do?” Solrio asked.
“Let’s meet tomorrow morning and develop a plan with the others as to how to proceed. They may have some ideas. In the meantime, stay out of the ocean.”
“Why do you know about that?” Syp wondered.
“Now that you are on our registry, the Stafriez Guardians have a fix on you. They notified me what happened and asked me to check in with you. You are fine, I presume?”
“Yes.”
When Solrio and Syp left Simar the Silent’s office, Syp’s shoulders sagged. “I’m sorry, Syp,” she said. “I know you were hoping to have some answers. Maybe tomorrow we’ll have some direction when we leave. I know there are Stafriez in various cities and villages around the planet. I’m certain there are more here in Kop.”
Syp turned its head away and blinked. “I think I would be satisfied if I found a place where I felt I belong, even if its temporary.”
“Do you feel you belong at your uncle’s home?”
“Yes, but I don’t want to be a burden to him.” Syp sighed. “I think I need to go to school, Solrio. But I think that if I return to Pencadick Rill, there’ll be trouble.”
“Haerm Bron has been told to leave you alone.”
“That doesn’t mean his boys will.”
“Oh, they will. Trust me,” she said assuringly. “You know,” Solrio said slowly, “that you are genetically not a Bron.”
Syp looked at her curiously. “I’m not a Bron? You’re right. I’m not. I guess I can’t use that name anymore. You know, my Grandma Eaglestje Bron fed me tiny sips of milk when I was born. She would say to me, ‘Just a little sip.’ She’s the person who named me Syp and kept me alive.”
“Some people choose to take new names for themselves when unusual things happen to them. One person I know has changed her name six times! She has gone through many great changes in her life.”
“Are you suggesting that I choose a new name?”
“You could.”
“How would I choose?”
“Many parents choose a name because it’s a family name. Other people choose a name because of its meaning, or because something happened at or before the birth. Wells Shion’s name was chosen because of the wells that were discovered on the family’s property.”
“I didn’t know that. He is a great artist.”
“You could pick the name of someone you admire. There are millions of choices.”
As they walked through the city of Kop, street vendors hawked their wares in loud voices. Crowds of people seemed to come from nowhere and scurried around between the open-air markets and food sellers. It was rush hour in the city, Solrio informed Syp. People had just gotten off work, were purchasing food for dinner, and would go home shortly.
“I have an idea,” Solrio said suddenly. “Let’s go to ‘The Sushi Dome,’ for our next meal.” She explained that she had a card in her pocket to pay for their meals and what sushi was. “We can eat as much as we want, and you can try all kinds of things.” Syp brightened up at this; it had often wondered what seafood tasted like. “On the way, we’ll go past the street performers.”
Visitors to the city often filled Merchant Row, and today was no exception. Syp watched as an octopus-like creature inserted swords into six of its tentacles. “That’s an off-worlder,” Solario said in Syp’s ear. “A Cetapheten.” She had to pull Syp along to the next performer. “This is a Buketo. A lot of people don’t know it, but if it loses a body part, it grows a new one.”
“Like a starfish?” Syp had seen this in science at school.
“Yes. It turns into a whole new person!” Syp shook its head in amazement.
They walked past a Mazke. All three heads were playing ‘serpents,’ long wind instruments. A pair of Trestdons did gymnastics by bouncing off one another, the ground, and the side of the building.
Most shocking to Syp was a creature Solrio called a Bunifer. It would bend over, look at itself, and appeared to be pulling stuff out of its anus. “I met one once at a bar, and she told me that the females have a special opening in their bodies to carry their young. These creatures think it’s hilarious the way humans respond to body waste. The street performers try to find the most gross substance so that people think it’s shit, fill the pouch ahead of time, and then pull it out, bit by bit. The one I spoke to seemed very likeable and made me laugh a lot. She told me that they love to make people laugh.” Syp told her that it didn’t laugh very often, mostly because it hadn’t seen anything really funny.
Solrio pulled on Syp’s sleeve. “You’ve got to see this one act. Let’s hurry before he closes for the evening!” She led Syp down the street to where a young man stood in front of a piano. She gestured to the fellow and she whispered in his ear. She put some coins into the pot that stood on the piano and the man brought a chicken to the piano. The chicken began to tap out a popular tune, and Syp began to whistle in short low bursts. When the chicken stopped playing, the owner put it back in its cage. Another person put money into the pot and the man brought another chicken. A high-pitched trill filled the air and people looked to see where it came from. Syp was laughing with great gusto. The audience thought that Syp’s laughter was funnier than the chicken, and various people put money into the pot. The chickens’ owner set out another, and another. Syp’s trills came in short bursts as it gasped for breath. “I can’t do this,” it sucked in air, “anymore!” At Solrio’s urging, Syp moved with it to the back of the crowd.
“Thank you!” the man called after them. “Come back tomorrow! I’ll make you laugh again!”
“I didn’t know a person could laugh so hard,” Syp told Solrio as they stood in line at the Sushi Dome. “My stomach muscles hurt. That was so funny. I didn’t know I could do that.”
“They thought you were funny. People wanted to hear you laugh, Syp. The trill of a Stafriez is a very pleasing sound, much like a songbird.”
In the morning, Solrio and Syp met with the Stafriez again. The Honorable Bahansir asked Simar the Silent to share the results of the previous day’s activities. Simar explained that Syp was indeed a Stafriez and that the computer had not turned up a parental match. “That answers the question,” Jasjeet Bunnag observed. “You must stay under the guardianship of the Protectorate."
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“This is a temporary solution,” Solrio replied. “The Protectorate places children with families, they don’t turn them out on their own. Syp needs to be placed with a Stafriez, so it learns the Stafriez customs and how to live.”
Awat Gudalj tapped its pencil on the table impatiently. “No one is going to want a five-year-old child. It is one thing to put an infant with a family, and another to place a child. Anyway, this is out of our purview. We don’t handle infant placements. Why would you expect us to place a child?”
“I didn’t ask you to place Syp in a family! I said that it needs to be. We need to continue the search for Syp’s parent. How can we reach out to other Stafriez so that they are genetically tested, and their data is entered into the system?”
“That is not our job!” Woot Hasik objected.
“As the Minister of Well-Being, I should think that you would want this information.” Solrio was irritated. “Syp needs a Stafriez living situation for its well-being. With your permission, I would like to contact some of the names on the list, to see if one of them would accept Syp into their family so that it may be in a stable environment and complete its primary education.”
“I think this is a good idea. Syp needs to learn to address simple concerns, such as how to have its hair cut. We all know this is a painful process and that it can’t be done by just anyone.”
“There are two people in Nik that would easily address this,” Woot stated.
“That is an entirely different discussion. No. We cannot allow you to contact several people. Other families don’t need to be concerned with this matter. We need to approach one Stafriez only. If it spreads among our people that names have been released to an outsider, we will be in breach of the agreement we made when we collected the data. Who can we think of that’s likely to be a guardian?”
“This is not our job!”
The Honorable Bahansir peered over its glasses. “I say it is. Now think! Who would accept this honor?”
They slowly suggested a few names. “I have an idea,” Simar the Silent spoke. “Sage Elvan lives somewhere on the Iragos Peninsula.”
“Tell me about Sage Elvan,” Solrio urged Simar.
“It works for the World Peace Foundation. Has been with them for nearly ten years. It has mediated some key conflicts here on Zuphreon.”
Woot Hansik said. “I would guess it is about sixteen years of age.”
“Sage Elvan is known for its ability to reflect the emotions of two people at once. A true negotiator.” Syp could hear the admiration in Jasjeet’s voice.
Glen Timarek searched the faces of its colleagues. “Would Sage Elvan take on a ward? It hasn’t had a child, and I don’t know that it’s worked with children.”
“But it has had apprentices several times,” the Honorable Bohansir spoke. “Some of them serve on the Council of Agriculture.”
Glen Timarek nodded, “It’s protégées are brilliant. One is a biotechnologist. Another I know is an economic botanist.”
Solrio noticed Syp’s attentiveness. “I will speak to Sage Elvan. This will be a temporary resolution. I would still like to see if we can locate Syp’s parent.”
Simar the Silent spoke. “I suggest that we make a census of the Stafriez here on planet Zuphreon.”
“That would take a lot of time and energy to correct the situation of one Stafriez.”
“The Protectors are discussing a census within the Senate," the Honorable Bahansir said. “If the vote comes out positively, we could join our efforts with theirs.”
“I believe it’s on the docket.” Glen Timarek said. It typed on its electronic pad. “Yes. Next month.”
“Very good. To sum up, Solrio Nansen will approach Sage Elvan to ask if it will serve as a guardian for Syp. If the vote for a census of Zuphreon is positive, we will approach them for a joint effort. This group will meet again in several months. I will send a notice.”
“Syp’s paperwork is no longer valid,” Simar pointed out. “It may have been born to Haerm and Geldou Bron, but genetically they aren’t its parents. It must have valid paperwork. How would you like this matter handled?”
“Syp needs to carry official recognition as a Stafriez. That will provide access to all our services.” The Honorable Bohansir looked at Syp, “You should choose a new name. May I suggest Dolen or Doren?”
Syp blinked in surprise. “A new name?”
“Jal.”
“Taleb.”
“You could add to it, the name Jomari.”
“Does this need to be decided by the Stafriez right here and now?” Solrio was puzzled.
“No, but we hope you will consider our offerings,” this came from Glen Timarek, “Each one has a meaning. There are books in the library downstairs. Perhaps you will examine them and consider the names of the Stafriez who have come and gone.”
Awat Gudalj had other things to do. “Taking a new name seems like a very good idea. I thought we were ending this meeting.”
“We are. I will provide the paperwork so that the youngster can receive full benefit of being a Stafriez. Meeting adjourned.”
Awat quickly exited the room, and the others followed. “Please come to my office,” the Honorable ,Bohansir told Syp and Solrio. While the two adults filled out the identity documents, Syp looked at the unusual things around the room. The shelves were filled with books of different sizes; one was so big the shelf bent. Piles of reading material were in various places. A mobile of the star system hung in one corner and a large map of the known stars covered one wall. Flasks of varying colors were lined up on a shelf, and Syp wondered what they were. A small, colorful ball of fluff about the size of a walnut emitted a barely audible tone. As Syp looked at it, it rolled forward. “Don’t pick it up,” the judge warned. “It will never let you put it down. Please step back.” Syp retreated and the thing rolled backward.
Without warning, the ball expanded and flew off the shelf. It bounced off the ceiling, the shelves and the books, repeatedly hitting Syp in the face and head. Bohansir and Solrio didn’t seem to notice the flurry of activity at the other end of the room. “Am I supposed to catch you?” Syp asked as it flailed its arms around trying to catch it. It had grown to the size of a large apple. Syp finally caught it and it flashed colors wildly and hummed. “You’re purring like a feline,” Syp laughed. “Should I pet you?” Syp rubbed the fluff, and the ball became smaller. It seemed to calm down, and when it had shrunk a bit, Syp returned it to the shelf where it had been. When Syp turned to look out the window, it was assaulted in the back of the head by the ball. It bounced wildly off the stacks of books, hitting Syp solidly in the head and finally bounced off Syp’s butt.
“Ow! Stop that!” Syp turned and after a few more bounces, caught it. It held the ball and rubbed it gently. It settled down and shrank to its original size, purring loudly. Eventually, Syp placed it where it belonged. Carefully, Syp backed away from the shelf, making certain that it wasn’t going to get pummeled again.
“Syp, leave that alone!” Solrio said loudly. “Bahansir told you not to pick it up.”
“I didn’t. It attacked me.”
“Balls do not attack people,” Solrio responded.
Bahansir stood watching Syp. The ball stopped purring and projected itself at Syp, who caught it handily. “Don’t pet it this time. Just place it back on the shelf.” Syp set it on the shelf. Again, it flew across the room. “Razrazhat, stop!” Syp put it back again. “It wants your attention. It will stop trying to get your attention when you stop responding to it.”
“How long does that take?” Syp laughed.
“Since you aren’t being serious, it could be a while. It is a razrazhat, an annoyance. It makes appealing noises to get a person to pick it up, then goes wild and gets out of hand.”
“And to stop it, you ignore it?” Syp asked.
“Yes. Or I whack a gavel or book on the desk.”
“Why do you have it?" Syp wanted to know.
The judge looked at it. "I use it to teach lessons to the law-violators that I meet with." Syp was puzzled. "It's a very appealing little toy. You play with it, and its fun for a while. When its time to do something else, it still holds your attention. Its become an annoyance. What happens if you give an annoyance more attention?"
Syp didn't know what to say.
Bahansir answered its own question. "Sometimes a small habit appeals to us. We don't realize what we're doing, then things get out of hand. A small habit turns into a bigger habit. A thief may take a candy from a store. Then an apple. He says to himself, 'I need this more than the grocer needs my money.'. The next time he steals a bag of apples."
"If you want a thief to stop taking things, they have to stop a small bad habit?"
"Exactly."
"What if no one knows you have the bad habit?"
"Can you give me an example of what you're thinking?"
Syp took a big breath. "A person lies to their child, but the child doesn't know its a lie. Then that same person lies to someone else, say, the student's teacher. Then they lie to someone important, like yourself. What happens if they keep lying and no one stops them?"
"At some point, that person is going to forget which lies they've told the different people. Someone or some people will discover bits of the truth and won't trust the liar any more."
Solrio gathered the papers that they had worked on. “I’ll take these to the Protector’s Enclave. We’ll process them there and Syp will be placed on the global identification registry. If anything should happen to turn up regarding a match on the Stafriez computer, here’s my contact information.” Solrio aimed her electronic pad at the one the Honorable Bahansir held.
“Syp, I have assigned you my name for now. You will be called ‘Bahansir the Younger.’ This is only temporary. I want you to choose a different name. It will provide a break with your past, even if you don’t leave Iragos. Please use the services available, particularly for your vision issues. I’ve given Solrio access to an electronic education system that is designed for Stafriez youth and their parents. Let’s talk in three months about how things are going.”
“Thank you, Honorable Bahansir.”