Seil had reached its zenith in the sky by the time Lipper’s squad obtained a visual on the coordinates provided by Natori and Io. The four had long since removed their helmets, lulled into a sense of security by the endless rolling grasslands of the river valley. The rising steam of the geothermal bed placed them back on full alert, but no threats popped from the grasses or behind mossy crags.
“Finally. Thought I was going to fall asleep standing up,” Lipper complained, stepping over a small, bubbling pool of mud that smelled faintly of sulfur.
“The Sergeant doth protest too much, methinks,” Natalya ribbed him. “You are always welcome to go back to the ship and breathe six month old air. I will remain here as long as I can.”
“I’m with her,” Mendes agreed. “Do you guys think we should have brought some seismic imaging gear with us?”
“Not the worst idea, Mendes,” Lipper agreed. “If the ground here is tectonically active that means any heavy equipment could be at risk.”
“You wanna lug that stuff for two hours in the sun?” Rex groused.
“That’s our fucking job, Rex. You keep all that muscle up for something else?” Lipper wondered as the four of them finally crested a hill that gave them a view of a small, straight chasm in the distance. Lipper’s hand went up, helmets were replaced, and the team knelt at the ready.
“Natalya?” Lipper requested.
“Visual is a confirmed match. Overgrown bunker type construct, definitely metal under all that sod. Not sure what else to say,” the Russian replied, confirming what they could all easily see with their own helmets. Lipper moved his eyes in the necessary pattern to establish a comm link with the Event Horizon. “Admiral? We have a visual on the site.”
“Sergeant? Yes I hear you. Did you say you have a visual?” Natori’s voice replied with a minimum of static.
“Yes, sir. Linking optics now,” Lipper replied, ensuring that Kaczynski could see what they were all looking at.
“That’s our forge, alright,” he agreed.
“Come again, sir. Did you say forge?” Lipper demanded.
“I did indeed, Sergeant. Though it is not any sort of scientific term, Lieutenant Winters’ wife apparently associated the site with a tale from her culture’s mythology. Kel’s Forge, she called it.”
“And who exactly is Kel, their blacksmith?” Lipper laughed dismissively.
“That would be Tyrdus,” Kaczynski replied flatly. “There is a primer on Cauthan society and oral traditions already available on the ship's intranet. I would suggest you…ah, I can always count on you to set a good example, Private Orlova,” he said approvingly, noticing that Natalya’s suit had pinged the Event Horizon’s databases and begun a download of the text file. After a few seconds of searching, her voice could be heard over the comms.
“Tyrdus is their smith god, Lipper. Kel is the god of death and the void,” she informed them ominously.
“Wonder what sort of weapons a death god can come up with,” Mendes murmured.
“You guys don’t actually believe that, right?” Rex demanded. “We don’t…we don’t believe that, do we?”
“You got a better explanation for why there’s a giant operational metal bunker buried on a very habitable planet that doesn’t have evidence of something as basic as steam power on the surface?” The Brazilian Jumper shot back. Rex shrugged his massive pauldrons.
“Aliens?”
“Oh yes, that’s so much more reasonable,” Natalya scoffed. “Let them have their traditions, Rex. Perhaps this installation is the reason such lore exists among her people.”
“We can all debate the origins of Cauthan mythology later,” Lipper advised, bringing them back to task. “Admiral, the surrounding area is geothermically active. Stability of the substrata is unknown, but we’ve had no problems yet.”
“Understood. I will prepare a shuttle with seismological survey equipment and have it ready when you return to your LZ. Were there any issues on the way, Sergeant?”
“None, sir. Trip was quiet. Plenty of life going about its business in the distance, but nothing sapient.”
“Understood. I will speak to you when you make contact with the shuttle.”
“Oh this is just ridiculous!” Natalya scoffed.
“Private? Is there an issue?” Natori requested.
“Of course there is an issue, one that I will not bother testing with a recon drone as it doesn’t have the same profile as a shuttle. Send the equipment down and make it clear that I will be taking the shuttle into the airspace around the forge to the pilot.”
“Natalya, I believe I made my feelings on the potential threat of this installation quite clear,” the Admiral replied strongly.
“And I will simply jump out of the shuttle if it is fired on. My armor will not break,” the Russian insisted. “I will save us thousands of man hours or cost you one shuttle. I will buy the pilot a bottle of vodka later.”
Lipper and Natori met eyes within the privacy of the squad leader’s helmet. The Segreant rolled his skyward. “She doesn’t get fired up too often, Admiral. I’m gonna request you authorize this. Much as I enjoy the idea of using Rex as a pack mule, it’s not a long term solution and it’s going to kill morale if we can’t set up shop closer. No one’s going to ask to have bunk beds on the roof of this thing,” he reasoned.
“That does not change the situation,” Natori debated.
“It’s our job to take the risks, sir. Worst comes to worst you’ll have to build a new shuttle. Natalya will be fine,” the Sergeant insisted. “It’s a pretty nice planet down here, Admiral. But that doesn’t make the trek any easier. That and we’ve been standing out here for a good ten minutes now, no welcome party.”
Kaczynski pressed his thumb and forefinger into the near corners of his eyes and took a deep breath. “Very well. I will authorize it. Private Orlova?”
“Yes sir?”
“Try not to scratch the paint,” he requested. She smiled thinly under her helmet.
“So you do care about making a girl happy. Yes sir, I’ll be careful sir. Sergeant, permission to borrow Rex?”
“Wait, why me?” The soldier requested, caught off guard at having been brought into the conversation at all.
“It would be best to move in pairs and someone will have to babysit whatever pilot brings us the shuttle and gear we need,” Natalya explained with a noncommittal shrug. “Doesn’t have to be you.”
“Rex, if you’d rather sit around here doing nothing for a couple hours you're welcome to,” Lipper declared. “I’ll go with Natalya.”
“Alright, geez! You two sure know how to motivate someone,” he grumbled, nevertheless gathering up his gear and setting off the way they came at prodigious speed. “You coming, Ruskie?”
“Oh yes, act like it was your idea all along. No one will believe you, American dog,” Natalya retorted in good humor, striking her own pace around trickling streams of hot water, lichen covered rocks, and hearty grasses as she and Rex made for the grasslands and their original insertion point.
“Bye you two, have a good time!” Mendes called after them, removing his helmet and sitting himself on one of the many rocks available at the bottom of the small hill they had used to recon the site. His selection was in keeping with Kaczynski’s orders and featured minimal moss, lichens, or other growths. At least he assumed they were mosses and lichens. Technically it was all unexplored and undocumented. That realization gave him pause for a moment as he reached into a hardened leather pouch that he’d brought along, strapped to his leg armor. It was not standard issue, but no one said anything. With the prospect of at least a couple hours of nothing to do on an alien world looking him in the face, he was happy he had brought it along. Out came a pen and notebook as Mendes removed his right gauntlet and set about finding a subject. The landscape that stretched before him beckoned, with waving grasslands to the south, columns and wisps of steam nearby rising from pools, and streams that bubbled up from the rocky earth around them. He tapped his lower lip a couple times before taking a quick swig of water from his canteen and putting pen to paper. Behind him he could hear Lipper settling himself down on the hill, relaxing while keeping the installation in full view as he took a load off after their trip.
“What do you think, Mendes? Pretty easy assignment so far,” the Sergeant called.
“I thought we still weren’t speaking after the Winters incident,” the private proposed.
“Yeah well, given how often she hangs out with that Marine I’d say we’re both shit outta luck. Water under the bridge?”
“I’m not the one who held the grudge. But you did get shot down twice so I’ll forgive you, Sergeant.”
“Yeah yeah, not like you fared any better,” Lipper laughed casually, waving his hand at the partially cloudy sky.
“If you’re so eager for some action she’s not the only civvie on the boat,” the Private suggested idly, pausing to evaluate his trace of the horizon. “The engineer running hydroponics has that reserved, bookish exterior. Nice dark skin too.”
“Bah, you know that whole shy on the streets, animal in the sheets thing is a lie. Besides, Alice is by far the hottest civvie. You see how her ass looks in those compression shorts?”
“Don’t let her brother catch you looking,” Mendes warned.
“I’m not fucking scared of some Omega boy,” Lipper growled, sitting up.
“Your funeral, Lipp. You heard what he did on the bridge.”
“Sounds like a goddamn psycopath to me. Wonder how his sister came out so nice.”
“You really are asking for a bullet to the brain,” Mendes chuckled darkly. “Please do go on, Lipp. I wouldn’t mind a battlefield promotion.”
“You’re still mad about that?”
“I’m mad that you did well enough to deserve it,” Mendes replied sagely. “Seriously Sergeant, I think it’s best we stay away from him, make our own name our own way. If he was actually insane he’d be locked in a cell on board, not leading his sister and the bridge Scot on a scientific and diplomatic expedition.”
“What’s your point, Mendes?” Lipper drawled, feeling the warmth slowly sink into his armor. It was a pleasant planet.
“My point, Lipp, is that if he isn’t mental and still drew iron on the bridge in front of the Ghaelen and the Admiral…he knows something we don’t. You know Kaczynski doesn’t fuck around when the stakes are high. They couldn’t have been higher and he negotiated with him. Admiral Kaczynski, the only reason we got a chance to be Jumpers, top dog of Beta Division, negotiating with a First Lieutenant from Omega. You tell me something’s not up with that.”
“Something’s not up with that,” Lipper chortled, taking the chance to be ornery while they had nothing to do.
“Isso é balela, Sergeant. My advice still stands. Watch out for that guy and definitely don’t fuck his sister if you want to live…or do. You know how I feel.”
“Maybe you’ll have your own squad one day, Mendes. Until then I have no plans on dying,” Lipper replied. “Real shame…she does have a great ass.”
“And looking is all you’ll do if that’s all you care about,” Mendes muttered to himself, not wanting to actually start a fight with his commanding officer. He wasn’t about to begrudge another man his preferences in women, but he considered lusting after Alice Winters for her ass alone to be a crime against Beta Division at a minimum and perhaps all of science at worst. “Don’t think either of us have a chance now, Lipp. She’s got those Cauthan to worry about.”
“Can you believe he married one?! Dude must have been desperate something awful.”
“Or maybe she rocked his world,” Mendes proposed, playing devil’s advocate as he so often did with Lipper. “C’mon, I know you saw the pictures.”
“Yeah she’s got them thunder thighs but dude, the fur?!”
“Clearly not a dealbreaker for him. Alice is pretty open minded too…” Mendes smirked devilishly as Lipper shouted from atop the hill.
“Don’t wanna fucking think about it, thank you very much!”
“No need to despair, Lipp! I’m sure there’s plenty of young damsels in that village who would fall head over heels for a dashing human soldier like yourself.”
“Nope! Kindly go fuck yourself, Private!”
Mendes laughed as the two of them mutually ended the conversation. “I’m good right here, thanks Sergeant.”
“Yeah, we definitely could have pulled a worse assignment.”
-----
“It’s not going to win you any awards.” Lipper gave his evaluation of Mendes’ sketch after the calm relaxation of the Maran surface had worn dull. The Private tilted his head just enough to throw a sharp look his way out of the corner of one eye, but Lipp continued before the Brazilian Jumper could protest. “But it’s way better than anything I could ever do.”
“You and I both know we don’t really do small talk that well, Lipp. You worried about her?”
“Course I am. You aren’t?” Lipper demanded.
“Obviously. It’s been two hours, five minutes, and thirty four seconds since they left. Poor Rex, everyone always wondering about Natalya.”
“You know he’d be saying the same thing if he was here,” Lipper agreed.
“And Natalya would be having none of it,” Mendes added, pocketing his drawing materials and standing with a groan as he stretched his legs and arms. “Pretty sure the Admiral would have radioed us if something was wrong, Sergeant. We should stay put.”
“Yeah yeah, I just hate waiting,” Lipper complained, looking to the eastern horizon as Seil slowly made its way in the same direction. “It’s not like there are any trees around. We should be able to…heh, there she is. Private?”
“Yes sir?” Mendes replied, standing beside him.
“Let’s be ready just in case this crusty old tomb decides to shoot back,” Lipper ordered. The two of them threw their helmets on, unshouldered their rifles and took up vantage points. Lipper tracked the progress of the incoming shuttle as Mendes watched the installation for any sign of activity. Neither was sure what to expect, but it certainly didn’t include Natalya taking the shuttle for a couple loops around the area before landing directly on top of the structure’s grassy roof. Nor did they expect the flurry of activity that emanated from within. “Mendes, are those…”
“Bats? Looks like it sir. Damn there’s a lot of them!” The Jumper replied as a swarm of small, winged animals poured from the opening in the ground and flew about in confusion.
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Well? I’d say you lot owe me a drink later,” Natalya said confidently over the radio, still intact.
“We can discuss your super liver later, Natalya. Threat assessment is null and you’ve definitely disturbed the local wildlife. Head back to Rex and the pilot. Grab that equipment and touch down two hundred meters east of here. That should leave you outside of this geothermal hotspot,” her Sergeant commanded. “We’ll radio Natori and let him know.”
“Aye aye, sir. See you both in a bit. Say sorry to the bats for me,” she chuckled, kicking the shuttle into the air again and jetting off from the direction she’d come. Lipper and Mendes did not have to wait long for her return, and soon a very relieved pilot was on his way back up to the Event Horizon.
“Barely made the window,” Mendes stated with relief, checking the orbital position of their home via his armor. “It’s going to be a while before they can send a crew down to take the seismic readings.”
Natalya groaned exaggeratedly. “Can’t we just do it? Could this pile of scrap really be so difficult to operate?”
“Oh come off it, Orlova,” Rex countered. “Don’t act like you’re different from any of us. That shuttle may have held together but the minute you try and touch that tech it’ll fall to pieces. Jumpers break things, remember?”
“Yes, that part of the job does come naturally to you,” she replied flippantly.
“You can sit here and be mad about it or you can come check out the scary batcave with me. Makes no difference,” Rex offered. When Lipper didn’t expressly tell him not to, the sizable soldier began walking towards the installation. With nothing better to do than wait for the science teams, the rest followed. The majority of the trip was nothing more than a stroll, but as they approached the maw in the earth a certain tension gripped them all. Fingers flexed under ceramic and metal as they palmed their weapons.
“Rex, anyone ever tell you that warhammer looks ridiculous?” Lipper asked to break the silence, walking slowly at his side as the black slit in the ground drew nearer.
“Don’t think so,” he replied confidently, resting the colossal weapon over his shoulder.
“Cause they didn’t want him to slam their spine out their ass,” Mendes joked. He did not carry any specific melee weapons, having been certified at the highest levels of unarmed combat within Beta’s Jumper program. He considered it a matter of cultural importance. Natalya nervously tapped the point of one of her daggers against her hip.
“I don’t think it’s possible to be more American than that,” she agreed, causing Rex to puff out his chest. “But I’m glad to have a body shield of that size on our squad.”
“You’re just jealous,” the soldier insisted. He was about to place his foot down when he suddenly sidestepped, shouldering into Lipper and knocking the squad leader to the ground.
“Rex, what the hell?” He demanded, pulling himself back up with little fanfare.
“You almost killed it,” Rex replied, replacing his hammer on the maglocks of his back plating and kneeling to the ground. “Easy there little guy. Stop struggling, would you? I’m new on this planet and even I can see your wing is broken. You guys notice anything while we were gone? I haven’t seen something like this yet.”
“Must be one of those bat-like animals that got spooked when Natalya landed on the installation,” Mendes deduced as Rex collected the injured aquila into his hand, dwarfing the tiny Maran creature. When he covered it with his other hand in an attempt to keep it from escaping and tumbling to the ground a second time, the darkness seemed to soothe the animal to a degree.
“You did what, Natalya?” Rex demanded. “That sounds like something I’d do!”
“How was I supposed to know that it was actually a guano pit?” She shot back. “It’s not like I broke its wing.”
“Would you two just settle down!” Lipper demanded. “Rex…you remember what the Admiral said.”
“The Admiral said don’t step on anything, which I prevented you from doing by the way,” he pointed out, taking a good look at the aquila’s fluffy wings and finely scaled body. “You really think this planet is going to mind if we stop one bat thing from decomposing early?”
“Rex,” Mendes warned.
“Oh fuck off. You know that’s what’s gonna happen. Besides, unless the Sergeant got clearance to actually go in there, the best we can do is look. And you stop trying to walk, or crawl, or whatever it is bats do when they’re on the ground,” he scolded the animal. “Alright, fine. Let’s go get some water then.”
Mendes and Lipper shrugged at one another as Rex promptly turned away from the installation and headed off to take care of the aquila. “Well, sir? Do we have authorization?” Mendes wondered.
“Negative, Private. We do not,” Lipper acknowledged. “Count on Rex to find something to distract himself.”
Mendes shrugged and followed after Rex. The burly Jumper was trying to get some water for the creature while still keeping it steady and contained within his palm. It was a job for at least three hands, which he did not have. “Here, just keep it still,” Mendes offered, pouring a few drops of water from his canteen into Rex’s gloved hand. The reinforced fiber was more than up to the task of keeping some water in place, and soon the aquila was lowering its head to scoop small mouthfuls of water.
“There you go!” Rex encouraged. “What do you think it eats?”
“Hell if I know,” Mendes replied. “But I know how we can find out.”
“Wait, Mendes don’t get the fucking...hello there Admiral,” Rex groaned as Kaczynski appeared just above Mendes’ gauntlet.
“Hello Private. We just received our shuttle and are preparing the necessary equipment for a forward operating base that will come down during the next window. Is something the matter?”
“Not exactly, sir, but we’d like to request you send down a biologist or two,” Mendes requested.
“Miss Winters is currently busy on her own expedition but I can think of a handful of other crew with such experience. Can I ask why you need biologists at an alien installation?” Natori prompted.
“It’s occupied, sir. A swarm of these little guys got spooked when Natalya approached with the shuttle. One was injured. You can see it there,” Mendes explained, ensuring that his helmet was pointed at Rex’s clasped hands so the Admiral could get a look at the animal inside. The Jumper drew his hands closer to his body, as though Natori might tell him to return it. After a few moments of silent contemplation the Admiral hummed and rested his chin in his fingers.
“I daresay it’s about time you four found yourselves a squad mascot! I’ll send the ship’s veterinarian and an ecologist down today. The former especially has had very little to do as of yet. I presume food is a question? Don’t go killing anything, please, but feel free to try grasses or insects or anything small you might find. You didn’t enter the facility yet, did you?” He suddenly asked.
“No sir, we found it just outside the entrance,” Lipper affirmed, having joined the other two along with Natalya.
“Thank you for your discretion, Sergeant. I apologize for asking you to wait anew, but I must. We will see you as soon as possible,” Natori promised
“We won’t begrudge you orbital mechanics, sir,” Natalya quipped. “Thank you for letting me have a little fun today.”
“Indeed. Let’s just make sure we take care of the collateral damage,” Natori said with a smile. “If the wing is injured, secure it with a bandage until we can get a real look at it. Natori out.”
The Jumpers looked at one another as he left them alone on Mara’s surface. “Did…did the Admiral just order us to perform first aid on an alien?” Rex wondered.
“Sure as hell sounds that way,” Natalya agreed, kneeling to get a closer look at the aquila and its spade-shaped head. “It’s not exactly a sky-dog, but it’s not ugly either.”
Lipper nodded approvingly and removed his helmet, feeling the unfamiliar warmth of the afternoon Maran sun on his face. “Damn, it’s good to be a Jumper.”
-----
“Alice Winters, be welcome in the shelter of the Mother. And welcome back, Lachlan MacGregor. To what do I owe the pleasure? Asha? Are you well, dear?” Gentia demanded, the humans long forgotten. “Centille!”
“I’m right here, Gentia,” the acolyte replied, hurrying over. “Asha, so good to see you. Are you-”
“Everyone please, I’m just fine!” Asha giggled, quite comfortable being the center of attention as her tail whipped about, buffeting Alice and Lachlan’s armor. “I’m just accompanying Alice here. She mentioned she wanted to speak with you about something.”
“We might as well give you a little check-up anyway,” Gentia replied, leading Asha towards the annex adjoined to the right side of the temple, the same room where Merat had given birth to Laran many moons before. “Alice, what was it you needed?”
“Ah…do you think I could sit in on this and maybe record it?” The human requested nervously, prompting Lachlan to take a step back and indicate with his body language that he wanted nothing to do with such a sensitive subject. Gentia paused and turned back to Alice as Centille stood by, glancing quickly between the two of them. The Matron did not often wear such a face.
“Why don’t you start from the beginning, human,” she demanded, offering Alice an opportunity, but clearly only one, to explain herself.
“I really wish my brother was here to translate,” she lamented as she sat on one of the benches all about the temple, trying to put off a non-intimidating vibe as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. “The reason I came here with Asha was to propose to both of you the possibility of meeting a very good friend of mine, Yvonne Dupuis. She followed a similar path in life to you, Gentia, caring for human mothers and babies for many years. I understand how important and dear mothers and cubs are to you, so I wanted to ask first before doing anything. Today I was hoping to understand a bit of what a ‘check-up’ entails for someone like Asha. By record, I meant I would take a video of it with this device here,” she held up her tablet. “And then I would have that as an archive to show Yvonne later. I don’t want to make any mistakes in conveying information. This is the best way to do that. Here, let me show you!” She offered, opening up the appropriate app and beginning a video. “Hi there, this is Alice Winters! It’s uh…looks like it’s August fifteenth back on Earth and this is a test to demonstrate video recording and information security for our Cauthan friends! Lachlan, say hello! Gentia, Asha, wave for the camera! Now if anyone other than me can access this, it’s a failure,” Alice concluded, turning off the recording, setting biometric authentication, and turning off her tablet. Asha was bright eyed, Centille confused, and Gentia continued to look on with stern patience. Alice offered her the tablet.
“What shall I do with this?” She requested, nevertheless pleased to have been given an active role.
“Well, let’s start by turning it on,” Alice replied warmly, showing Gentia the power button. The Matron’s eyes widened as the device lit up at her touch.
“Alice, are ye sure this is wise?” Lachlan said with some concern.
“Mac, the best way to learn a language, at least when you don’t have an AI to translate for you, is immersion. Same with tech. Alright Gentia, here’s where I keep all my video files. This one here is the record that I just took. Here, this is what happens when I try to access it,” she explained. The edge of the tablet’s display flashed green when Alice’s fingerprint was accepted and the Cauthan gasped as they saw Alice on the screen speaking and acting as she had just moments ago. The recreation was perfect. Only Asha was not completely surprised, having seen such memory summoning before in Veera’s home. This particular memory was much more pleasant than Russell’s fight to the death with the Ursae. Alice reset the device and guided Gentia back to the appropriate file location. “Here, now try to do what I just did,” she offered, showing Gentia where to touch with her fingertips. The Matron did so under the watchful and curious gaze of her pupils.
“What does this mean, Alice Winters?”
“It’s asking for you to identify yourself.”
“I am Gentia, high priestess of Meylith,” the old Cauthan spoke. Alice began chuckling delightedly.
“I should really program it to accept voices; that would be the best password ever. I mean with your finger, see?” Alice held out her own and Gentia did the same, placing it on the device. It glowed red. “Access denied. Only I can get at that recording. I would of course offer that same protection to anything I see or hear during Asha’s examination. This is all, of course, if Asha agrees to it,” Alice added, entreating the young mother herself.
“Well, child?” Gentia appealed neutrally. “It is your cub.”
Alice wanted to plead with Asha, but she remained silent as the Cauthan held her belly gently. “You think it will help?”
“I’m no healer, not like Yvonne,” Alice said humbly. “But I can assure you it won’t hurt. We all hope your delivery goes smoothly and without incident but sometimes things go wrong, at least for humans. That’s where our medical practices have saved lives.”
“Did you ask your brother about this?” Gentia wondered, interrupting them for a moment. Alice looked at her with surprise.
“My brother? I don’t really think Russell would have any interest in this sort of thing,” she said. Gentia fixed her with a firm gaze.
“He may not, but that does not mean he didn’t rise to the occasion when he was needed.”
“I don’t understand,” Alice murmured, looking over her shoulder at Lachlan. The Marine could only shrug, stepping to the side to allow a farmer into the temple. Another of the acolytes approached them and led them to the granary for the bartering of goods for salt.
“This past winter something did go wrong, Alice Winters. Your brother was in the right place at the right time, and he ensured one of our mothers lived to see her child born. I thought perhaps he had told you this story, but it is better that your own interest has grown naturally,” Gentia mused.
“Rusty did that?” She wondered in amazement. “I…maybe I’ll ask him about that one day. Asha?”
“I don’t mind,” she eventually replied. “But I would like to meet this female you mentioned before you show her any memories that you keep.”
“Of course!” Alice replied excitedly. “Anything that makes you feel more comfortable. Sorry for the interruption, Gentia. Please go ahead?”
“If your people end up saving the lives of mine…there will be no need for apologies. But do not think I will just allow this female to usurp me,” the Matron replied wisely, shepherding Asha, Centille, and Alice to the back. She cast a final glance over her shoulder and pointed her cane at Lachlan, who remained at rest near the entrance of the temple. “I like a male who knows where he is not supposed to tread. I will take care of her, Lachlan.”
The Scot nodded and placed two fingers to his temple in an informal salute of acknowledgment. “I thank ye kindly, Gentia.”
“Mum is fine, human,” she replied with a small, playful smile. It was hard for Lachlan to deny her a smile in return, her age not hampering her spirit one iota.
“As ye say, mum. Go take care of yer fluffy lass now. I’ll be here.”
-----
“Gentia, can I ask you a question?” Alice wondered as Centile helped Asha over to one of the beds within what the human could only describe as a primitive maternity ward.
“Make it quick, if you please. I must tend to Asha and then my mate. You would not want to join us for dinner when he decides to take stew into his own paws, always experimenting with things that should not be in a cooking pot,” Gentia described as Alice stifled a tiny laugh.
“I’m sorry there’s just so many…I’m wasting time. Gentia, would you say that the females or males run your society?” Alice’s question had Asha and Centille looking at them with interest while Gentia hummed with a devilish smile.
“That depends, Alice. Are we under attack?” Gentia responded with another question.
“Well, no. I should sure hope not,” Alice replied.
“Then that would be us,” Gentia declared playfully.
“But Antoth-”
“Is the leader of this village and the High Priest of Seil,” the elder confirmed. “Now if you please, dear, I must perform my own duties. Centille, any sensitivity?”
“I was just starting, Gentia,” the acolyte replied. Alice set aside the Matron’s puzzling reply about Cauthan leadership and took up a position one bed away, recording the action from a side angle that would protect Asha’s modesty if the exam did become a more private occurrence. She wanted to reach out and assure the Cauthan, but remained silent instead. She was documenting, not participating.
“Have you been in any pain recently?” Centille asked, lifting Asha’s dress and pressing tenderly around the swell of her belly. The mother moved her feathers subtly.
“No, but it is a tad uncomfortable being kicked and punched from the inside,” she chuckled, throwing a nervous look over at Alice. The human gave her a smile and thumbs up, though she wasn’t sure Asha understood the gesture.
“How many times a day?” Gentia requested as she oversaw the examination, occasionally reaching down and guiding Centille or touching Asha’s belly for herself.
“I’d say two or three, not including when I’m asleep,” Asha replied after a moment of reflection.
“It’s a boy. Sounds like a lively little thing,” Gentia deduced happily before looking over at Alice. “For our observer, she should know that kicking is typical around this time in a pregnancy. However I would expect such frequency after another cycle or two. Asha, there’s nothing to be concerned about, but be ready in the event that this little life decides it would like to meet its mother and father sooner than we’d expect.”
“Alright. Thank you, Gentia. Is that everything?” Asha asked nervously, looking over at Alice again.
“You know it’s not. Alice?” Gentia requested sternly.
“Yep, already leaving!” She replied, showing the three Cauthan that her personal tablet was done recording and powered off. With a subtle nod and flutter of feathers, Gentia thanked the human for her discretion.
“Now let’s have a look and make sure nothing is out of place,” the Matron carried on with her examination. “Have you been working less, Asha? I will talk to Alyra if need be…”
-----
“What? Are ye back already?” Lachlan asked as Alice emerged from the adjacent room in the temple. Zolta was with him.
“Let’s just say that there are some parts of an examination that recent acquaintances should not be present for,” Alice told him sagely.
“I think ye should get some sort o’ record regardin’ consent,” the Marine advised. “I already filled in dad here.”
“Thanks for that, by the way,” Zolta nodded, still clad in a leather apron over his work clothes. “I would have said no, for the record. But if Asha and Gentia were both alright with it then I’m clearly overruled.”
Alice could not help be reminded of Gentia’s words regarding the ‘leaders’ of the village as she bowed to him. “I understand how private this is, and you should know that at any point Asha can rescind her approval and we will get rid of all this information. We just care about the health and safety of her and your cub.”
“You’ll have to forgive me when I say I’m not quite sure I believe that,” Zolta replied neutrally. “And I think you’re taking full advantage of the fact that you’re Russell’s sister.”
“I…” Alice put her tablet away, unable to hold eye contact with Zolta for very long. In her heart she knew he wasn’t wrong at all. Without her brother she’d be fumbling about trying to learn their language and perhaps negotiate entry into their village, assuming she’d be allowed any contact at all.
“That may be the case,” Lachlan agreed, placing a hand on Zolta’s shoulder. “But I can tell ye that humans love small, cute, fluffy things and have a deep, subconscious desire to protect ‘em. Speakin’ from personal experience here as I happen to be living with one now. Alice, regarding dinner?”
“I think you should make your hostess happy and dine with them tonight, Mac. Unless of course you got yourself uninvited by stepping on a mushroom? Don’t worry, I’m sure my brother has a spare bowl for me!” Alice asserted with confidence as Gentia and the others emerged into the main area of the temple.
“You’re all set, dear. Come see us anytime you feel the need, and before the harvest festival at a minimum,” the Matron ordered, turning Asha over to her mate. “Zolta, a pleasure to see you. You put quite the rambunctious little cub in her belly!”
Zolta cocked his head awkwardly as Asha returned to his side, but there was no mistaking the happy look on his face. “I’m glad to hear everything is alright. Shall we think about our own meal, Asha?”
“Oh, just before you go,” Alice interrupted. “I’m sorry to bother you again, Asha, but Lachlan made a good point that I should record your consent just so we’ve crossed our t’s and dotted our i’s…that made no sense to you. Uh…so no one can make any false claims, and that so you can revoke your approval to use these memories in the future. I’m really not doing a good job of explaining this. I’m sorry.”
“I think I understand,” Asha assured her as Alice approached with the tablet. The camera was already on and Asha peered at her own face next to Alice’s as they both looked down at it. “This is so strange. Look! It’s talking just like me! So what should I say?”
“Ah, well it wouldn’t be proper if I told you what to say since I’m the researcher here. Lachlan?” Alice implored him for help again. The Marine bobbed his head as though it were a mild inconvenience, but he understood the importance.
“It’s no problem, wee lassie. Just state yer name and that you give Alice permission to use the record as far as you’re comfortable with,” he instructed.
“Oh, alright! Is it happening now?” Asha wondered.
“Yeah, see the red light right there?” Alice pointed out as Gentia and Centille looked over her shoulder.
“Ok well…oh I feel a bit nervous now! Hello Asha,” she waved at herself. “My name is Asha and Alice just recorded one of my pregnancy check-ups. I would like her to use this to help our people and only share it with her close, trusted friends…after I meet them in the flesh!” Gentia gave the young one a most approving look following the termination of the recording, which Alice also locked behind her own biometric security.
“Well, Alice Winters, I think I speak for all of us when I say that we would like to meet this female healer you spoke of.”
Alice couldn’t help the broad smile from forming on her face. “Of course, Gentia. I will speak with the man who leads us, Natori Kaczynski, and then with Antoth. Thank you so much!”
Gentia waved her off politely. “Go in peace, everyone. I am off to ensure my mate eats something edible tonight. Selah.”