That night, Sage Elvan came home late from the office. It was nearly bedtime. Jan pressed the communicator for Jal. “I’m home!” Jan hoped Jal would respond like most children did when the parent arrived. Jan went to its room to put more comfortable clothes on. “Jal, I’m home. Where are you?” It went up the steps to Jal’s room. The door was open, so Jan walked in. “Jal?”

Jal didn’t move. It was deep into a history lesson and its mind was far over the Antiham Expanse, on Shifos. Explorers had recently reached the northern area of the continent and discovered the caves in the icy lands of the northern edges. Jal was trying to mentally match the known section of Shifos to the maps it had seen of the northern part. “It doesn’t make sense,” Jal thought. “There must be a middle section of the continent. I wonder what kind of people live there. Maybe there are some Stafriez?”

Jan stood at the door of Jal’s room. “Jal? Zuphreon to Jal.”

“Guardian four oh three point sixty-eight. Intersect at vector two two six point three seven. We believe the Megace Mountains are uninhabited and would make a good place for our people to live.”

Jan studied Jal’s face, then walked in and looked at the computer screen. “Show me which spot in the Megace Mountains.”

“The area is not visible on this screen. Let me zero in on the territory.” Jal focused the map on an unexplored section of Shifos. “This area is presently unmapped. It could be a dangerous place to land. We would have to change trajectory in order to do a fly-by of the area. We could then circle around and report back to the command ship.” Jan looked at the map, then at Jal. He wasn’t sure what to say. Jal seemed to be in a different mental state.

“Jal, can you hear me?”

“Sir, there is no Jal here. I am awaiting your orders.”

“Who are you?”

“You are getting forgetful, sir. I am Mazi Chee Obee. What is your decision?”

“Do a fly-by, Mazi,” Jan responded.

Jal appeared to punch some keys in front of it. “The hull is losing integrity, sir. I am returning to the higher levels of the atmosphere. Resuming orbit above the planet.”

“Jal!” Jan snapped his fingers. “Jal!”

“Yes?”

“Are you Jal? Or are you Mazi Chee Obee?”

“I’m Jal.”

“Do you remember what just happened?”

“I’ve been studying. I was thinking about Shifos.” It sighed. “I’m going to have to go there. I need to put a team together.”

Jan looked at Jal. “Are you okay?” Jan touched Jal’s shoulders. “Are you okay, Jal? Or are you Mazi Chee Obee?”

“I’m Jal. It’s time to find Giel Moti. It knows where Lu Kan Moti is. Or it at least it has an idea. My grandparent is somewhere on Shifos. Jan, I have to go to Shifos.”

“Are you saying that Giel Moti is your parent?”

“Yes. It’s time, Jan. I received a communication from Solrio today. She told me that Giel Moti turned in a DNA sample during the census, as they requested. It was a match. She said that it is living in Nik. It’s time for me to talk to it.”

“Jal, we need to talk about this.”

“Yes, we do. You’re right.”

Jan sat down on the bed, “Come sit with me.”

Jal sat on the bed with its knees pulled up. “When Solrio and I were done talking, Eiske called.”

“Oh?”

“Geldou and Haerm Bron have been arrested and are being held in lock-up. I need to get a lawyer, Jan.”

“You? Why you?”

“Eiske says that the prosecuting attorney wants me there to testify as to what happened. I don’t want to. I’m afraid it’s going to come out that I was Syp Bron.”

“Would that be a bad thing?”

“Yes. People would think I’m being a fake and a liar. I don’t want to testify. I need a lawyer.” Jal looked at Jan. “The authorities have charged her with Eiske’s and my attempted murder and some other stuff. That’s why Eiske called. I’m going to get served with a subpoena and be forced to testify. At the same time, Eiske says there’s a rumor going around that nothing will happen regarding the attempted murder, because I’m dead.”

“You’re dead? People believe you’re dead?”

“Someone’s been spreading rumors about me, Jan. It’s going to ruin my reputation. How can I be a businessman when my reputation’s been ruined?”

“A businessman? I thought you were talking about being a botanist or herbologist and possibly going to medical school.”

“I have to make money for university, Jan. I have to have some sort of income to save. If I don’t show up, people will think that I’m dead. Worse yet, to have a subpoena served and not respond, will put me in lock-up.” Jal began to shake as the panic took over. “What should I do? Who should I ask for help? Eiske’s caught up in all of it, too. He says we should get a lawyer and work together. But who do we call? What should I say? Where is this parent of mine when I need it? It just left me somewhere for someone else to raise! How can I even trust it? Will it make me leave here and go with it? I like it here. I’m doing what I need to do. What should I do?”

“First of all, take a deep breath, Jal.”

“No! I don’t want to take a deep breath. I don’t want to meditate. I’m tired of hearing the voices talking. They keep calling to me. I talked to the Spirit Guardian at the Sanctuary of Revelations today. He was of no help. He wants me to keep meditating and says it will clear my mind. But the voices are so loud.”

“What do they say?”

“Lu Kan Moti holds the key. Bring the key to us. Some say, ‘We’re beyond the Megace Mountains.’ and ‘Beware of the giants.’”

“Jal, let’s stop for a minute. I know you’re very upset and confused. Big things are going on in your life. Let’s go downstairs, have some tea, and sort them out.”

“I don’t want tea. I’m afraid Giel Moti will make me go with it. You and Eiske – you- you've been supportive of me. This parent didn’t. Maybe I should leave so you don’t get caught up in this.”

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Jan rubbed Jal’s back. “Giel Moti’s test was a match, huh? No wonder Wenta Enuma said you looked like it. Giel Moti must have met Geldou Bron in Kop.”

“But I wasn’t born until nearly five years later. This doesn’t make sense. Why would someone leave their child with someone else, and not see that child for years?”

“I don’t know. I understand that you don’t want to leave. Remember when I told you that I wasn’t going to make you leave? I meant it. I don’t want you to leave until you’re ready to, if you do at all.”

“Thank you,” Jal responded. “But I still need to talk to Giel Moti. I need to find Lu Kan, so this situation is resolved. Giel lives in Nik. Will you help me get there?”

“You know I will.” Jan looked at Jal. It was filled with frustration. “You’re going to be okay. I’ll call Eiske, and we’ll decide what steps we need to take. Let’s go downstairs and have some tea.” Jal reluctantly followed Jan down the stairs. “You’ve been through a lot already, Jal. I’m here to help you get through this.”

***

“Here’s your feline, Tunne.”

"What? Where'd you come from?” Tunne scratched his head. “I thought you were dead.” He scratched again and took the feline. “She’s cute. Ans is going to love her!"

“You might want to have the vet neuter her. Unless you want kittens!”

“Maybe,” Tunne was puzzled. “Maybe Ans will want her at home. Who can tell what that woman will say?” He petted the feline gently, then set her on the floor. "Your stock sold out. I’ve set aside your profit. I thought you were dead, so I ordered pieces from the mainland. I’m sorry, Jal. Why did she say you were dead?” Tunne couldn’t understand. “I heard that you gave a set of dishes to Timke Westra.”

“I did, hm? How is it that you know that? And was that before or after I died?” Jal tried to smile and make light of the situation. Jal thought to itself, “I took them from the kiln this morning, but I haven’t delivered them. No way could he know!”

“I have my sources,” he said smugly. “Why did you sell those to her, instead of bringing them here?”

“I don’t need to tell you that.”

“I’ll tell you who told me that you made earthenware for Timke and who said you died, if you’ll tell me why.”

“Alright.”

“Geldou Bron told me. She said that Oenke told her.”

“I didn’t sell those dishes. They were in exchange for some tutoring. She and I made a trade.”

“You could have made money from those.”

“Now you know that I made a good trade, and I’m still alive."

“I heard that sometime back you killed a tiljeekik. What are you going to do with that skin?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“It would bring a very high price.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Jal was pensive as he went down the street. “How would Grandma know that? Why would she say such a thing?” It tried to think about whether it had done anything odd. I do have a list of orders that I’ve put together in my electronic pad, and a potential delivery date for each. There was nothing unusual about that. Maybe I should double check my currency balance.”

That night, while Jan was reading, Jal re-set passwords on its documents, schoolwork and applications. It created a written list, and memorized them before putting them in the drawer in its room.

The hidden drawer was pretty handy, Jal thought. In it, Jal had put its identity papers, the currency card that Superintendent Kingma had given it, and its stack of currency. Jal’s hair and the heirloom seeds from Eaglestje were in there, too. It was confident that the tower wouldn’t reveal its secrets.

Jal watched the lightning flash outside. It was the second half of the summer season and Eiske’s crops needed the rains that would take them through the dry months. Jal hated the lightning and thunder. “If we could harness that energy, maybe I would think differently. “Jan, what’s it like to go camping in the rain?”

“I have no idea. I’ve never been camping. and I’m not very interested in finding out,” he glanced up at a Jal. “Are you thinking of going on a long hike?”

“I’m toying with the idea. I’d have to catch up on orders, and maybe work ahead a bit. And then there’s schoolwork.”

***

Jal was dressing when Sage Elvan tapped on its sleeping room door one morning. “I need to go to the village. The new information on the Mazeza ‘flu is available." When they were done, Sage Elvan suggested that they go for the mid-day meal. Several people came by the table to express confusion at being told Jal’s wares were no longer available because Jal had died.

There was a ping on Jal’s tablet, and it looked at the message. "Look at this.”

Eiske came in for a meal and spotted them. “Can I join you?” He slid into the booth. Jurian de Clerk, a lawyer, came past the table just then. “Counselor, are you having lunch with anyone?” Eiske said to him. The lawyer shook his head. “Would you join us please? We’re willing to pay you for your time.” Jurian sat down and gave the waitress his order.

“Show him that message, Jal.” Sage Elvan said to Jal.

As Jurian looked at the communication, he spoke quietly to Jal. “After lunch, let’s go to my office.” The four continued the meal but were interrupted repeatedly by other customers. “Why are people saying that they thought you were dead, Jal?”

“I don’t know.”

“Has someone been threatening you?” Jal wouldn’t give Jurian an answer. “Let’s go talk.” Jurian led them to his office. Jurian asked a lot of questions, and Jal tried to answer them all. “Let me see if I have this right. You’re five years old. How is it that you’re two-hundred-seventy-four centimeters tall and you’re only five?”

“I am a Stafriez. So is Sage Elvan."

“You're teasing me."

“No. That is what my genetic tests showed. Two tests done at two different places.”

“Back to the fact that you’re five. What you’re telling me is that your parents did the ceremony that declared you an adult just after your fifth birthday and sent you out the door in the middle of winter. You went home with your uncle, then you went to Sage Elvan’s. Your parents have been harassing Eiske. A mediator from the Protectorate has determined that you should have no contact. That’s situation number one. Situation number two is that people are under the impression that you died, and you want to stop the rumors. It’s affected your business."

Jal nodded. “Someone made up this nonsense. Tunne said it was Geldou Bron and Oenke Bonnema.”

“Situation number three is that someone is threatening your life and has sent eight emails from various computers, but the same email account, in the past four months. I was told that someone accessed and tampered with your financial account at the bank. That’s against the law. There is also a possibility that the community computer system’s security wall might have been breached. I don’t know that for certain, but the Protectorate officials are doing a complete examination. Do you have any thoughts about that?”

“I have no idea. Who would be able to do that? It would have to be someone who knows about accounting. I keep track of my own currency and have two apprenticeships. I don't know anything about getting into other people's accountants, nor do I have time for it. What I would like to do is stay in business until I go to the university.”

Jurian sat with his head in his hand, thinking. “Do you want it revealed that you are Bahansir the Younger? How about Syp Bron?”

“No and no. I’m tired of being harassed and talked about. That kind of craziness is going to affect my business even more.”

“You own a private business?” Jal told him that he had submitted the paperwork to register it. “I don’t know where it’s at in the process.”

Jurian wrote down the businesses that bought Jal’s products. “I’m going to do some checking on certain people. Can you go somewhere for a vacation for a few days?”

“No.” Jal’s voice wavered. “I have orders to fill. Well, I hope I need to fill them.”

“I was told that Jal was going to be served with a subpoena,” Eiske said quietly. “If ?Jal leaves, it’s going to look like it’s done something. Like it’s involved and has had a hand in this.”

Jurien said thoughtfully, “You go home and do what you normally do. I’ll contact you when I’ve gathered all the necessary information.”

A week passed, then two. Jal studied, worked at the pottery wheel and went for daily runs. Jan knew Jal was methodically making runs from the Ridali Farm outward like spokes on a wheel.

Jal looked at Jan’s face one day and could tell he was concerned. “Would it make you feel better if I had a weapon with me? These first runs will take me further into the hills. I have a leather sheath that I created for my rifle.”

“Yes. Wouldn’t it be awkward though?”

“Maybe a little, but I need to get used to it.” Jal strapped a sheath onto the backpack before lifting it to his shoulder. Jal carefully slid the riflle into it.

“What are you going to do if you happen to kill something?”

“Call you!" Jal smiled.

That day, an official from the court in Pencadick Rill served Jal with a subpoena to testify in court. Jal tried to stay calm, but it had a growing awareness of the turbulence in the atmosphere over the peninsula.

“The weather’s going to get really rough,” Jal announced. “I’m going to call Eiske and warn him. Maybe he can get the word out."

“Don’t you think Eiske knows?””

“He probably does. I guess I just want to talk to him. To make sure he’s okay.”

It wasn’t long before Jal was on the communicator. “Eiske, the winds from the will be picking up. There's a hurricane coming in. If you don’t get the chickens in, you may lose all of them. I saw it. It’s coming. Very soon. Please do it now. Be careful out there.” Eiske trusted Jal’s instincts. He promised he’d be careful.

As they got ready for bed a few hours later, the wind howled around the tower. Over the next three days, rain fell almost constantly. Jal was up several times during the nights, wondering what court would be like. Finally bored, it fell asleep.