“I’ve only been mountain-climbing a few times,” Jal told the stocky woman who stood behind the counter. “I’m looking for someone to teach me the basics all the way through the advanced level.”

“You realize this will take a long time?” Sali leaned forward. Jal nodded. She put a sheet of paper in front of it. “This is what we recommend for beginners who want to progress steadily but can’t commit to going every week. This column has the things that you do on your own. Hikes, strength training, cardio workouts, and endurance exercises. This column shows when you should increase your load, effort of workouts, or length of hikes. This column describes the teaching we will do. It includes techniques and the level of intensity. These pages show the calisthenics we recommend a person do to strengthen themselves for climbing. Do you have any questions about these things?”

After Jal shook its head, she went on. “We have people sign up and when there are twenty on the list, we have them meet to get to know each other. At that time, we set the dates that we’ll plan to go out for practice as well as the first several overnight trips. If there are eighteen to twenty people who want to begin training, we split them into two groups. Generally, by the time climbers have intermediate skills, their attendance drops and they begin to opt out of the program.”

“When that happens, we combine the two smaller groups together. We host a gathering and an intermediate climb. If these people want to learn advanced skills, we ask them to commit to a group covenant. It provides an opportunity for some to step away without hard feelings. They set the dates for the third level and agree to support each other and stay together so that everyone can finish the program.”

“What if I already have ten people in a group?”

She considered the question. “It’s highly unlikely that all ten of your people will complete all the training. Plan for seven to drop out over the year of training.” Jal hadn’t thought about this at all.

“Do you teach what equipment to purchase, like shoes, tents, and camping gear for higher elevations?”

“We do. It’s part of the second session of climbing.”

They talked about the types of gear that would be used, names of suppliers, and whether it was built into the cost of the program. Jal asked about the climbing locations, and whether there was a way to practice skills outside of the scheduled meetings. Jal fired questions at her one after another, and she answered them all.

Jal thought about Jan. “What would you do with a person who is not keen on being in the outdoors, has never been camping, but says he or she wants to do this?”

“A young person such as yourself?”

“No, older than myself.”

“I would tell her to stay home.”

“Why?”

“It’s not my job to get someone to like mountain-climbing and being outdoors. My coworkers and I have a goal that focuses on equipping and training climbers so that they can enjoy this type of activity safely. If your friend wants to do this, I suggest that he or she take some hikes, go camping and fishing, or learn how to hunt. If they don’t like being outdoors, you cannot change that. This is sometimes risky and occasionally dangerous. Not caring about what you’re doing and not enjoying it will lead to carelessness. I don’t want anyone to get hurt out here.”

Sali went over the rates for the training for individuals and for groups. “I would imagine that you’re simply collecting information right now.” Jal told her this was true. “There is another climbing business in Kilfront. The owner is more experienced than we are, but he only takes out three or four people at a time. My partner and I go together when a group goes out, so there would be twelve people in a group at the most.”

Jal had a lot of questions but decided it had obtained the information it needed. It thanked Sali for all the information and went on its way.

***

Luk was on his knees in the garden when he became aware of the stranger’s appearance. He had heard stories from his parents about the tall, blue-skinned people the older generations of his family had encountered.

Jal was looking at its tablet as it came to a stop. It didn’t see the man kneeling and went up to the door of the dwelling. Jal hesitated as it raised its hand. The world seemed to go silent, and an odd sensation came over Jal. It shook its head, then backed away from the door. As Jal turned away, voices whispered around it. Uneasy and now uncertain, Jal reached for the bottle in its belt and returned to the pathway.

Jal’s head spun and it gulped down water. The feeling passed and Jal reconsidered whether it should talk to the second mountain-climbing instructor. “He only takes three or four people out at a time.” It was as if Sali were standing next to Jal.

“Why did that happen?” Jal wondered. “Maybe I’m dehydrated and it’s affecting my brain.” Jal stood for several minutes trying to decide if it should knock.

Jal returned to the door, more quickly this time. It was knocked by an unseen force and nearly fell to the ground.

“Are you all right?” The gardener called out to Jal and it jumped in surprise.

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“I feel so odd,” the words spilled out of Jal. “Something unusual is happening.”

“Please come in and join me for tea. Perhaps if you sit a bit, you’ll feel better.”

“I’m actually here to see Luk.”

“That would be me. Come and sit.” He took his hat off, hung it on a hook by the door and went to a small cooking room. Jal followed him and took a seat at a table.

As Luk turned toward the stove, he glanced at Jal’s face. Jal stared, nearly too shocked to speak. “Ulrik? Ulrik, is it you?”

“I’m Luk.” He filled the tea kettle with water and put it on the stove.

Jal sat in silence, uncertain of what to say. Finally, it spoke. “You look exactly like Ulrik Van Djik must have looked like in his younger days.”

“How is it that you know my uncle?” Luk slid onto the chair across from Jal.

“Uncle?” Jal’s chest ached. “What is going on?” it muttered to itself. A sense of urgency filled Jal. It had no idea why.

“Perhaps you should tell me why you’re here first. Something strange happened when you stood at the front door. There was a flash of gold right before you staggered.”

“I’ve come to see you about mountain-climbing lessons,” Jal explained. “I was in Kilfront, talking with Sali, and she mentioned that you often had students. I thought I would see if you still offered instruction. As for the flash at the door, I have no idea what that was. I have a very odd sense about being here.”

“Is it a good sense or something bad?”

“It’s hard to explain. There is a pull from this house. It seems like a magnet. Do you have something unusual here? It’s...” A shadowy shape formed in the middle of the table. “It’s a plant.”

“I have several plants that my grandma gave me,” Luk explained curiously. “Come this way.” He led Jal out a different door to a large garden.

“Eicroo,” Jal murmured. “Invisible Buttons.” Jal touched one gently. “King’s Nightshade?” Jal looked at Luk. “Are you a wizard?”

“No, I just like unusual plants.”

Jal blinked. “You have Yellow Aychasa Ebena? These are fantastic! But it’s out of season for blooms.”

“I’ve created a microclimate so that it blooms multiple times each year.”

“Multiple times?” Jal’s voice became light and wavered. “You’ve created a spot where they bloom and drop seeds all year long?”

“Yes. They reseed very generously.”

“Yours are a different yellow than mine.”

“You haven’t come here because of a plant.”

“I came here to ask about mountain-climbing lessons. But it seems I’ve been drawn here for another reason. This plant. It comes from Aphyx. There is no information in the world computer network regarding it. My Grandma Eaglestje had this.”

“Your grandma was Eaglestje Bron?” Luk’s eyes widened in surprise. “From Iragos Peninsula? But you’re a Stafriez. How can she be your grandma?”

“How can you possibly know who she was?” Jal’s voice dropped.

“She and Uncle Ulrik were cousins.”

“Cousins?”

“They shared the same maternal grandparents. She was definitely not a Stafriez.”

“You knew Eaglestje?” Jal’s voice was filled with incredulity.

“Who are you?” Luk demanded.

“I’m Jal Jomari. I was born on Iragos Peninsula. I learned about plants in Eaglestje’s garden. Who are you?”

“Jal Jomari. The name rings a bell. I’m Luk. Luk van Djik.”

A look of alarm passed over Jal’s face. It thought, “Oh, no! I’ve said too much. Now everyone will learn who I was!” Jal swallowed its fear and asked curiously, “Do you see and talk to your cousins from Iragos very often?”

“No. My parents have a farm. I didn't want to be a farmer. My sisters and brother are busy with their families. Ulrik is very advanced in age. He lives with his son’s family. I was married, but...she was complicated. It’s better this way.”

Jal turned its attention back to the plant. “What do you know about this plant?”

“It’s easy to tend. Regular watering. It does best outdoors in a shady area where there is a breeze. When the petals are falling off, I pick some heads and dry them for the seeds. Some I leave to self-seed. Others I start in pots that I leave to sit outside. They like the cold temperatures.”

“That’s why mine doesn’t look so good. It’s in the solarium. I’ll move it outside. You have a lot of them, and they’re a different yellow than mine. Would you consider sharing some of the seeds? I would pay you for them.”

“Pay me?” Luk laughed. “There’s no need for that.”

“Do you use the petals for a balm or salve?”

“No, not even tea. It doesn’t taste very good. I grow them because they’re pretty and bright.”

“Hm. Do you mind if I collect some of the petals that are on the ground?”

“Go right ahead. Speaking of tea, I should check the tea kettle. Hopefully, it’s not boiled dry.” He went into the house as Jal dug into its backpack for a small bag. As Jal knelt to pick up the many petals that were sprinkled all over the ground, it considered what it might offer as a gift to Luk as a thank-you.

Jal always carried the sewing kit that Grandma Bonnema had made. It was clearly an Aphyxian design. “No,” it decided. “It’s better to downplay the connection to Iragos. I have a green charm. I’ll give him that.”

Jal put the bag of flower petals in its backpack and went into the house. “Luk?” it called out. “Do you have a place where I can wash my hands?”

Not seeing him in the kitchen, Jal walked through the rest of the long dwelling. “Luk? Luk? Maybe he went out the front door.” Jal found the toilet, used it, and washed its hands. Calling out, it walked down the hallway again, but he was nowhere in sight. It was as if the man had evaporated into thin air.

Now Jal began to run from room to room, opening doors to storage rooms, a crafting room, and one filled with unusual objects. The last door revealed steps going down. “Luk? Are you down here?”

Jal propped the door open and reached for a lightswitch. There was none. Jal pulled the wand out of its belt. “Doe oit kaar!” In the light of the wand, Jal saw that Luk was sprawled across the floor. A tin of biscuits stood on end next to him. A broken candle holder held a bent candle.

“Luk? Are you okay?”

When Jal’s efforts to rouse him failed, Jal picked him up and carried him up the stairs. Jal put him on a small couch and looked at his head. There was no blood, but a bruise was forming above his left eye. Jal lifted his eyebrows carefully and saw that the pupils were different sizes. Jal lifted him, tapped his communicator and said, “Emergency transport to the hospital in Pejaru. Possible head injury.”

“Please state the nature of the emergency,” a doctor stood waiting.

“Possible head injury,” Jal answered.

“State the patient’s name.”

“Luk van Djik.”

“Accessing records,” an attendant said.

“Tell us what happened.”

“I went looking for him, but he didn’t respond. I found him unconscious at the bottom of the cellar stairs.”

“How long has he been unresponsive?”

“Ten to fifteen minutes.”

“Your name?”

“Jal Jomari.”

“Are you a family member?”

“No, I’m visiting in the area.”

“Thank you. There’s a waiting area through that door and to the left. We’ll update you as often as we can.”

“I’m going to his home to close his house and I’ll be right back.”

Several hours passed with no update. Hungry and impatient, Jal went to a counter in the hallway. “I wondered if there’s any word on Luk van Djik?”

.