The sight of Cromwell’s shuttle descending past wisps of fluffy clouds on its way to the surface was by then a common enough event among the villagers and guard force that most paid it no heed. The shen owners still grumbled every so often on account of their excitable flocks, but moving the coops away from the western gate had been an easy enough affair. Having understood the effect of her engines on the local animal husbandry situation, the pilot was perfecting her long range glide paths both out of compassion and as something interesting to do beyond the simple act of a ferry operator. There was little need for loud, rapid insertions to or extractions from the village.
It was only after the majority of the occupants had disembarked that any major action began to occur within the settlement, as Russell explained to the on-duty guards that a shipment had arrived for the Temple of Uthos. One of the watchmen left promptly to summon Staroth, passing Lachlan on the way. The Marine was walking at a brisk pace, stopping Veera and Russell just outside the gates. The Jumper and his wife, who had been taken aback at first by MacGregor’s worried expression, quickly relaxed and assured him that Fenrir would be back at some point. The animal had tired of playing horse during the heat of the day, and had become quite testy with Lachlan until he’d allowed him off his leash so he could seek shelter in the shade of the forest. Miniature crisis averted, the Marine was instead conscripted to carry the second crate of lanterns to the barracks. Before he left he nodded to Pilot Cromwell, who was taking a moment to relax against her shuttle, stretch her legs, and feel the warmth of the sun on her face.
“If ye don’t mind, I’m thinkin’ of spending the night aboard the ship. Got room on the way up?” he inquired. She threw a confident smile his way.
“I always have room for you, Private.”
“Hey, thanks for babysitting today! Might need your muscle when I talk to Antoth about asteroid mining. I’ll fill you in on all the details later,” Alice cut in, tapping Lachlan on the shoulder as she and Yvonne helped Asha back to the gates despite the Cauthan’s insistence that she was just fine on her own. Had Lachlan been in possession of a free hand, he would have run it through his hair in exasperation. The sharp look that Cromwell was directing between Alice’s retreating shoulderblades was impossible to miss.
“Anyone who says the Devil is dead is full o’ shite,” he muttered to himself before giving Cromwell a formal farewell and a promise that he would be in touch regarding travel to and from the ship. He still needed to ask Sentaura for permission, and he drew up a plan in his mind to assure Ursol that he’d not be gone long. Nearby, Yvonne was bidding Asha and Zolta fond farewell, dispensing what was by then a long-practiced set of advice.
“Be sure to maintain a healthy diet, regular sleep, and mild activity if you can. If anything begins to feel out of place do not hesitate to seek out Alice or Russell. They will be able to reach me at all times of the day. Otherwise I believe we should perform one final ultrasound shortly before you are due. I will find Gentia and explain to her how things went today. Oh, and this is for you both,” she finished happily, presenting them with a small black and white printout of Asha’s ultrasound. Zolta took it gently in his hand, thanking her quietly.
“Selah to you,” he and Asha said as they departed, off to find shelter and return to their work as there was still plenty of daylight left. Yvonne waved over her shoulder to Cromwell.
“Do not worry about me. I will return along with Mr. MacGregor here.”
“Not a problem, Doctor. I guess I’ll head back down sometime in the next window. Seems like everyone’s going to be a while.”
“Very good. Thank you as always for the ride,” Yvonne concluded before turning to one of the on-duty guards. He was staring at her hair. “Yes I did change it recently. Could you direct me to Gentia? Will she be at her temple at this hour?”
“You can do that?” the guard replied in shock, earning him a swift and heavy clap on the shoulder from Staroth, who had just arrived on the scene.
“Given that the proof is staring you right in the face, I’d say the conclusion is yes. Now answer the kind woman’s question, would you?” he chuckled. “You’re the one looking after Asha, right? Hard to miss when you look like that. This one is Rakis and you can give him a swift whack if he stares at you like a shen again.”
“Gentia should be in her temple at this time. If not you could always check the Temple of Kel where her mate lives,” Rakis offered, remaining upright despite his chastisement. Staroth crossed his arms over his chest and nodded approvingly.
“Thank you both. I should be on my way then,” Yvonne bowed politely, but Staroth held out a hand.
“If Gentia approves of you I may seek you out. My mate and I are getting along in years but we still have a duty to this village. I worry as her belly swells. You humans have been decent to us so far.”
“Wait Staroth, you’re expecting?!” Veera blurted out. She, Russell and Lachlan were sheltering in the shade of the wall awaiting the conclusion of the Guardian’s conversation on account of the lantern delivery. He smiled wide as he turned her way.
“I’m not of course, but she is!” he laughed, stepping aside and motioning for Yvonne to pass into the village. “This village and its people are under my protection. I hope you’ll aid me in that regard.”
“I consider it a great honor and wonderful opportunity,” Yvonne assured him before procuring a pair of sunglasses from her pocket and bravely walking into the village alone, pistol on her hip.
“We sure there aren’t any movies about her back home?” Lachlan joked, hefting his payload into his arms again as the four of them headed for the barracks with Staroth. That left two individuals mostly forgotten back at the shuttle. Xan, on account of his dogged insistence that he would accept no assistance in walking back to the village, and Anita, who had not yet disembarked, cautiously looking out of the doorway at the goings on. The engineer had not anticipated any sort of field expedition when she’d packed her things back on Earth, and landing on a habitable planet with intelligent life had been right out. And yet she found herself there on Mara, in jeans and a blouse, with naught but a sample kit and an earpiece for translation.
“Hey, you alright?” Xan requested, looking back at her curiously from where he stood on the dusty road just outside. Cromwell was muttering something about ‘civvies horning in on the hot chaps’, but seemed content to hang around for a bit while Anita mustered her courage.
“I suppose so,” she said quietly, stepping onto solid ground as his words made her aware that she couldn’t stay in the shuttle forever.
“If you’re not feeling well I could ask Thantis to fix up some tea or something. I know the heat can be pretty oppressive. Alice has been drinking most of what we make with no problem,” he offered. Anita rubbed her arm subconsciously and looked around. Xan fell silent and watched, something he’d been doing a lot more since his injury and meeting Alice. With ample lighting from Seil above, he couldn’t help but compare Anita to Alice, the only other human woman he could claim to know even remotely well. Beyond the obvious differences in skin pigmentation, he wondered how Anita’s eyes were so dark. Russell had blue eyes like Eris and many others in the village. Alice’s were brown. Anita’s were so dark he could barely make out the border between her iris and pupil. Her nose was of interest to him as well. While all humans possessed far inferior olfactory organs from his perspective, Anita’s was petite even by human standards. It seemed to fit in well enough on her face, which was pleasing and soft looking despite her being an alien. He still didn’t get how she was supposed to smell anything, but he didn’t feel the current time was a good one to ask. “Anita?”
“Coming or going, Engineer?” Cromwell’s voice called from the cockpit, the pilot having finally decided it was time to head back home. “Need you to clear some space around the transport.”
Xan steadied himself against his cane and offered Anita his other hand, his brow furrowing as she reminded him of a chesko, flighty and nervous. She did take it, however, and he guided her several feet towards the gate as Brick kicked up a small cloud of dust and began its ascent. “Anita seriously, you alright?”
“N-no?” she gasped quietly, as if unsure of the answer herself now that he was pressing the matter.
“Ok?” Xan replied in confusion. “No one’s going to eat you or anything. Ah for the love of Kel, what I’m trying to say is that you’re not in any danger down here. We’ve got a treaty and everything. Besides, you’re Alice’s friend, right?”
“I’m not sure,” the Indian woman replied. Xan’s ears twitched as he wondered if this was how he looked to Eris the fateful day she’d tried to mate with him. He considered how he would have preferred to be treated at that moment. Keeping his pants and shirt on seemed like a fine place to start. Talking seemed like a good follow up, if he could manage it.
“Look, Alice and Russell just charge off and do their own thing, all the time. Don’t let it bother you. Why don’t I show you some of our plants?” he offered. “The farmers won’t mind when I explain why you’re here, promise.”
“Thank you,” Anita muttered, nodding her head a few too many times. Had Xan still been in the guard force he was pretty sure he would have laughed, maybe told his friends about it and had a laugh over dice at the strange human. The shame of his own social failings stalled his tongue. Instead he proceeded quietly down the lane and away from the gates, checking to make sure Anita was with him. The late afternoon sun cast shadows in front of them as they headed west, and he remarked they were of a rather similar height. When they were close to the forest he cut to the left, walking along a row of basic wooden trellises that were covered with vines bearing rather heavy produce.
“These are kina,” Xan began, watching as Anita reached out and touched the leaves and vegetables on the vine with a tender hand. “The skin is very spicy, almost intolerable for some of us, but it can make a good seasoning for soup and the inside is crunchy and watery. It’s not my favorite, but you can eat it raw no problem.”
“A spicy cucumber?” Anita smiled slightly. “I should like to try one someday. May I?”
“May you what?” Xan wondered.
“Examine it more closely,” she requested. He nodded, not bothering to employ his feathers at all. Humans seemed to respond much better to head movements.
“Long as you don’t eat them I don’t see why not,” he replied as Anita knelt in the soil and took a couple quick pictures of the fungi that grew there. Next she moved to the stalk of the vine, brushing her fingers along it and tilting her head curiously. Her long, black hair was done in a braid that hung almost to her waist when upright, and Xan found himself wondering how she got her fur to grow so long. “So, could you grow these on your ship?” he wondered after the silence began to grow uncomfortable.
“I’m not sure about growing them in bulk,” Anita replied. “Although… no, I would need to test a few things first. I would need to retool one of the growing bays if I’m right but I think I’ll just start with a handful of these as an experiment.” At that point the young woman seemed to realize what she’d suggested and looked at Xan apologetically. His remaining good eye, she realized, had been roaming over her body. She promptly broke eye contact again. “I would just need some seeds.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” the Cauthan informed her as Anita quickly busied herself with two soil samples, one from the middle of the row where Xan was standing and the other from directly beneath the kina plants. He cleared his throat as she labeled them. “How do you manage without tails?”
Anita felt her face burn as Xan questioned her posterior anatomy, hating herself for feeling such a way even when the boy in question was an alien. She swallowed and blinked forcefully to keep her tears at bay.
“I just figured that it might be hard to run, you know? But I’ve always had one so I was curious,” he elaborated. “Did I say something wrong? Look, there was this time when a female tried to mate with me and I couldn’t really, you know, do it. I think I looked pretty much like you’re looking right now, so I’m sorry. Do you want to just get back to the plants?” Xan offered, smiling wider as Anita stood and looked at him in mild shock, checking to see if the translation had been correct.
“No, no you didn’t say anything wrong,” she assured him. “I have never had a tail, so all I can tell you is that we manage just fine without them, including running. I did not take much animal biology in school, but I believe we compensate with larger muscles in our legs and…” Anita clammed up as the gluteus muscle groups came into focus again.
“Ok ok, fair enough,” Xan took control quickly, cursing Alice in the back of his mind. The situation was far beyond simply ‘being nice’. He felt like he was holding a newly hatched shen. “So how did you get into plants anyway? I mean, I grew up around them and I couldn’t wait to do something other than farm. Guess it’s kinda funny now, isn’t it? I’m back in the fields, just with one less eye and a fucked up leg.”
“You don’t need to be so forward with me,” she whispered.
“What do you mean? Not like I can hide the fact I took a couple of arrows and a spear in the leg. Here, this is erulass. Don’t eat it; at least I wouldn’t. They should be ready soon,” he explained, leaning closer and fingering at a green growth on top of a short stalk. “Yeah, almost. When these are harvested those who serve the Twins spin them into fiber that they weave into dresses and other clothing. We don’t have much of it. It’s mainly for trading. Gotta eat first, right? And there are plenty of chesko to make tunics and cloaks from.”
“I don’t know what Alice said to you, but it’s alright,” Anita replied hesitantly. “You don’t need to volunteer such things to a stranger. I’m happy to learn about your crops.”
“Woah now, let’s make one thing clear!” Xan insisted. “I am the apprentice death priest here. Alice is just Russell’s sister.”
Anita held her fingers to her lips. “I’ll not tell her you said that about her. She’s just as proud of her degree as I am.”
“So she learned about aliens and you learned about plants?” Xan clarified.
“Not exactly,” Anita said, running her hands over the nearest row of erulass. She took a deep breath that smelled of soil and almost familiar scents. “So when you said that my skin was… pretty?”
“Is that what was happening back by the shuttle? It’s called a shuttle, right? Look, I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t realize it was something humans don’t do, comment on skin color. Won’t happen again,” Xan promised.
“No, no,” Anita sighed, feeling a bit overwhelmed by Xan’s talkativeness. She wasn’t used to such things, but didn’t want to make life harder for the rest of the crew who had to deal with the Cauthan on a regular basis. “That was just me realizing how far away from home I am. I don’t know if you could imagine travelling all the way to my homeworld and walking on it, but that’s what I was feeling.”
Xan recalled the first time he’d seen Mara from space. “Yeah, I think I can understand that. Not much to look at though, is it?”
“Quite the opposite,” Anita replied. “I know you don’t have flowering plants here, but they’re rather pretty all the same. I haven’t experienced this for a long time.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“You must really like plants. But I guess if I was trapped inside all that metal for however long it was I’d appreciate dirt and crops a bit more too,” the Cauthan agreed. She had a wistful look in her eyes.
“It’s been far longer than that. And yes, I love plants,” Anita confirmed. “They’re delicate and tender, but with a bit of love and knowledge they will flourish for you. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like…”
“Oh I’m going to kick myself for this later,” Xan groaned, curiosity overwhelming. “Does this plant situation have anything to do with that whole skin color issue?”
“You’re a very persistent and curious alien,” she said, looking away as she hoped she hadn’t offended. Xan made a scene of glancing around them, waving to a nearby farmer.
“Do you see anything around here more interesting than your kind? If so please do point it out to me,” he suggested. Anita felt a nervousness tightening around her, wondering just what sort of conversations were really ok with the Cauthan. It all seemed so deceptively casual.
“I suppose that’s a fine point. I imagine life has been like this as long as you have been alive, hasn’t it?”
“Lot longer than that I’m pretty sure,” Xan agreed. “Seriously though, since there are no other humans around, you don’t need to worry down here. Your skin is a pretty color. Antoth has really dark fur. So do Eris and a bunch of us. Your leader does too, right? Are you related to him? Why is it a bad thing?”
“I guess you really are like cats,” Anita managed a slight chuckle despite the situation. “It’s not a happy story, Xan. But I suppose I should explain it to you if only so you know that not all dark-skinned humans are closely or even distantly related.”
“You sounded like Alice for a moment,” he told her, hoping that his tone was warm enough to convey that he didn’t find the contrast bad. “Let’s make a deal. You tell me your unhappy story, and I’ll tell you about how the female of my dreams tried to mount me and I couldn’t perform for her.”
“That’s quite unnecessary!” Anita squeaked. “Are all of your people so forward?”
“No. I just was trying to make you feel more comfortable,” Xan explained, watching some of the nearby crops swaying in a sudden breeze. “It appears to have not worked.”
“Thank you. And… “ Anita sucked down a fortifying breath who’s smell reminded her of the farms of her birthplace. “I was happy when you said my skin is pretty. Happy and sad that hearing it from an alien would feel so nice.”
“Sounds like I’m about to learn a bit more about humans. Let’s get out of the sun?” he offered, with the forest only a short walk away. Anita followed him quietly, speaking once they’d sat on the tree stump left by Winters’ efforts from a year earlier.
“Well, you might have been able to guess, but I’m not from the same country as Alice and her brother,” Anita began.
“I figured on account of the way your speech is different from theirs. So different tribes?”
“Something like that. My homeland is called India, and it has a rich culture and history, full of vibrant people, art, architecture, stories, and religion. It’s not all good though.”
“What is?” Xan agreed. “How many humans are part of your tribe?”
“Indians? I think there are about one and a half billion of us now,” Anita guessed, tilting her head upward. Xan could only splutter. “As I said it’s a very dynamic country, full of life. But it has many traditions that, well, let’s just say that if I had been born some other time in the past I would have been the lowest of the low, and I certainly wouldn’t be here.”
“You what?” Xan asked, his voice suddenly serious. “What do you mean by low? Like a slave?”
“That’s not too far off,” Anita confirmed, resting her elbows on her knees and playing with her long, braided ponytail. “My country had something called the caste system. Officially it is gone now, but its legacy is felt everywhere in India. Whatever caste you were born into, you stayed there. It determined who you could marry, what jobs you could take, almost everything important about your life from the day you were born. My family were dalit, untouchables. We are considered unclean and impure, fit only for the most disgusting jobs and the most squalid living conditions,” she explained, her voice emotional and raw. “I also have darker skin and I’m a woman. Lighter skin is valued more highly than darker skin. All you need to do is look at an advertisement to see why. Even in the modern era there are still many who look at me and know that my place is in the kitchen of a leatherworker or trash collector, giving birth to his children and remaining out of sight. When I was at school, there were people who sought to remind me of that at every opportunity. I found plants to be much kinder companions.”
Xan responded by placing his paw on her shoulder, understanding that humans seemed alright with such gestures between unmated individuals. She didn’t look at him, but he could see how tight her facial muscles were. “I don’t understand everything about what you just said but you’re cleaner than everyone in my village, smell better too. And uh… you already have a lot of people right, so I don’t think you need to worry about babies like we do?”
“You’re very kind, Xan,” Anita muttered, punctuated by something of a depressed laugh. He was surprised at her words, but took it to mean he was succeeding in his attempts to interact with a female that wasn’t Alice for more than several seconds.
“So how did you end up here?” the Cauthan moved the conversation along.
“I studied, and I studied, and I studied,” she told him, a hint of pride showing through. “When I was accepted to a university in America, where Alice is from, my parents broke down in tears. For many hours of the day we would have no electricity or running water, but their daughter was going away to learn engineering in one of the greatest powers on Earth, a place where people traveled to space as easily as getting on a train, a place where it’s written that every man and woman is free and equal. It was probably the most important day of my life.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Xan cut in, not having the faintest clue what a train was, or electricity. “It sounds like you worked very hard to get on that ship.”
“I did, and now I wonder if I’ll ever see my family again,” Anita lamented. “Some on board say we are stuck here.”
Xan’s tone dropped at the news. “Oh. I didn’t know that.”
Anita shook her head. “I’m sorry for troubling you with all this. Perhaps you could show me more of your crops? I would like to try to grow them when I return to the ship.”
“No problem, but you should come have dinner at my place tonight. I’ll make sure my mom and sister save some seeds for you from whatever they’re cooking,” he insisted. “Are people… mean to you on board the ship like they were when you were in your homeland?”
“You ask very difficult and penetrating questions, Xan. No, they are not, but some things don’t go away so quickly. I know I’m seen as a shut in and a loner.”
“Well my family doesn’t know squat about any of that, so don’t tell them! They’ll probably ask you a lot of questions. We’ve never had a human over for dinner, not even Alice or Russell. Anyway, let me show you some dato!” Xan pressed himself upright, relying heavily on his cane before extending his hand to Anita. “I won’t tell anyone.”
Anita brushed her hands across her eyes before accepting his gesture of kindness, making sure to stand mostly on her own power so as not to throw him off balance. “Thank you.”
----
“Go through that one more time, if you would?” Antoth requested, exhaling as he looked at the human lantern held in his hands. It had been far easier to understand than what he’d just been told. To his right, Ratha stood from the seat she’d been given in the Temple of Kel and made to depart.
“If you wish to entertain these fantasies it’s none of my business,” she informed him, a hand resting on her hip. The Huntress had taken to leaving her armor at home of late, given her propensity to remain within the walls of the village now that she was with child. Her dagger and commanding eyes remained just as sharp, however. “But if you forget that you serve the giver of life and light again you’ll find your plate empty, Antoth.”
“I’ll do my best,” he replied.
“I don’t want your best. I want you to be there and appreciate my cooking when it’s hot. Do you trust Staroth so little you feel the need to do his job for him in addition to yours?” Ratha demanded, her feathers waving in a complicated pattern that Russell and Alice were not familiar with. “You have a duty to me and to the life you put into my belly, Antoth.” Thantis quietly sipped his tea to the side.
“I will be home for dinner, Ratha,” Antoth caved.
“Then I’ll see you soon,” she agreed, sweeping from the Temple with barely a sound. Russell waited a few moments before ribbing his furry comrade.
“Have too much fun patrolling one night?” he wondered with a smile.
“If by fun you mean settling disputes over goods and labor? Yes, I had great fun one night,” he replied flatly. “Now go over this again, in detail. I would not deny you this, Thantis, but if I am to send you intentionally into Kel’s domain I must be sure you will return. Xan has made great strides, but he is not ready to take on your duties in full.”
“On that we are in agreement, Antoth,” Thantis said. “I will defer to your judgment, Priest of Seil.”
“Why is it that no one calls me that as an actual sign of respect?” the burly Cauthan wondered to himself.
‘Because you will always be the Guardian, even to us,’ Io added affectionately thanks to Russell’s B-MASS, which he now took everywhere regardless of the rest of his armor. ‘I have fully incorporated myself into the Event Horizon’s systems, Antoth. While I may not actually be invited on this little trip, depending on Russell’s wishes, I am comfortable in assuring you that there will be very little danger.’
“Just explain it again, please,” the chief of the village requested. “You’re saying that your people are running low on resources. Would it not be best to simply acquire them here?”
“That’s very kind of you, Antoth,” Alice said with a broad smile on her face, having just received a message from Anita explaining that she’d be dining at Xan’s place and desperately asking for advice. “But if our ship were to land on your planet we could never leave again.”
“My word, how is that so?” Thantis questioned. Io was ready, using Russell’s armor to project a three-dimensional model of space-time that, at that moment, encompassed the Seil system as a whole.
‘If I may?’ she opened, receiving nods from both Alice and Russell.
“You’re probably better suited for this than I am. I got a C in physics,” the Jumper chuckled, causing Alice to roll her eyes as Io added herself to the projection, pointing to the relatively flat surface of the solar system.
‘Imagine, if you will, that Kel’s domain is an ocean,’ she began with an adjustment of her wire-frame glasses. ‘I presume you all know of oceans?’
“The great salt waters, yes. Continue,” Antoth bade.
‘Indeed. Kel’s domain is similar, and our ship sails across it. Your home, Mara, as well as Seil itself and all the other objects nearby float in this ocean. Where they do, they form large pits within the ocean. Think of whirlpools or other dangerous formations that might destroy a ship. In the case of Mara, our ship would not be destroyed per se, but were we to descend into its pocket here,’ she highlighted the relevant section of the display and zoomed in, a small blue dot indicating the Event Horizon as it orbited Mara. ‘We would not be able to climb back out again. If we sent smaller craft to gather materials on the surface, not only would we be in violation of our promise to protect your planet and its ecosystems, but we would expend a great deal of energy lifting those supplies out of the hole and back to the ship. This is where we propose to travel for our mission.’
The display zoomed out and moved past Mara, away from Seil to the asteroid belt of the system. Io demonstrated how the pits formed by the asteroids were negligible as Alice cut in. “We have craft that can approach these balls of rock and ice that float around in space and harvest materials from them, water and metals. They tend to be on the surface and easy to dislodge, gather, and transport back to the main ship. Your offer was very kind, Antoth. And we need not take any of your kind with us. It was just a suggestion of Natori’s. I think he wants to show off a little bit, to be honest.”
“If I had the technology to plunder the realms of Kel I might wish to show that off as well,” Thantis mused. “Though I wonder what use the Lord of Death would have for such stores of ice and metal. Perhaps that is how he conjures winter each year? The metal is a mystery. I have one question for you, however. Assuming all this does come to pass, how do you intend to maintain the balance of the realm? I do not find it likely that Kel would simply allow your ingress.”
Antoth hummed in agreement, a sound that was more similar to a rumbling growl than anything. “I should like to hear this as well.”
‘Ah, sir? How does one negotiate with a god?’ Io wondered.
“Aren’t you the spirit here? How should I know?” Russell asked.
‘Some avatar of Kel you are,’ the AI complained, disappearing the educational display and sitting down with a contemplative expression. ‘What does Kel value, Thantis? I’m sorry to say we won’t be sacrificing anyone even if he is a death god.’
“How barbaric,” Thantis gasped. “I would think that of all the gods, Kel would be the least inclined to sacrifice. All arrive at his side sooner or later. Hmm, let me ponder this question,” he requested, beginning to pace slowly around the room, consulting a scroll here or there. Russell looked to his side to find Alice busy on her personal device.
“Are you seriously texting right now? Who are you even texting?!” he whispered.
“My boyfriend. I’m going to spend all night at his place making incredibly loud and lewd noises,” Alice replied with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. “It’s not like it’s any of your business even if that was what I was doing, Rusty. Xan is showing Anita around and she has some questions is all. She’s very shy so I guess she feels more comfortable asking me. Besides, how would I have anything to add to a discussion about Kel? You’re the one who’s carried his name on this planet for a year apparently. I just got here!”
“Good thing we have a communications pylon down here,” Russell muttered, leaving the rest be. After another few moments of awkward silence, staring at Antoth or the wall, Veera opened her mouth.
“Thantis, is what the humans are proposing much different from foraging in the woods? I’ve had to do that most of my life, and only recently have I ever had anything I could even consider sacrificing to Valta,” she posited. Thantis turned to her and adjusted his glasses, already quite adept at their placement on his muzzle and used to their function.
“An excellent question, Veera. If only our Huntress had not just left! Oh please now Antoth, do not think anyone here takes issue. It cannot be easy, being torn between Valta and Meylith as she is.”
“There have been difficult moments, yes,” Antoth agreed, his eyes glazing over. “But it has been a rewarding journey as well.”
‘Whenever that infant is born it will be the epitome of Cauthan bloodlines,’ Io declared. ‘And now I’ll cease discussion of breeding stock before my accent conjures some interesting parallels. Do you think I would look good in leather, sir?’
“Giving you more processing power was a mistake,” Russell tried to contain his laughter. “But who knows? If anyone could pull off that look it would be you. Just… know your audience?”
Io nodded emphatically as Thantis seemed to come to a conclusion regarding Veera’s question. “I believe there is merit to your line of reasoning, Veera. Valta does not smite those who pluck and remove the herbs and fungi from the undergrowth of her forest. If they were to disappear one day, perhaps that would be a sign of her displeasure? Let us hope that the father is as amenable to such actions as the daughter. Antoth, I believe I should meet with the leader of these humans. They have need of these resources, and I would very much like to observe Kel’s reaction if such a thing is even possible!”
Antoth crossed his arms over his chest. “Thantis, the journey to their ship is not an easy one. And we know nothing about what this expedition will entail. No offense, spirit Io, but I believe only witnessing such things will be sufficient for us. The magic and knowledge of the humans is impenetrable at times. What you propose is… let’s just say I have no plans on meeting Seil or Uthos until I die.”
‘Might I suggest that the good Dr. Dupuis review the state of Thantis’ health before such a mission?’ Io offered. ‘She specializes in feminine health, of course, but I am absolutely confident in her ability to administer a simple physical evaluation for spaceflight. I am sure you feel perfectly healthy, Thantis, but if you do come with us your body will be subjected to certain forces you have yet to experience in your lifetime.’
“How thrilling!” the elderly Cauthan declared immediately. Antoth rested his head in a paw.
“At this point I would feel guilty keeping you here, truth be told.”
“Let’s just make sure everything is squared away, then we can decide,” Russell offered. “Xan has been up and back a couple times now, so if Thantis is unable, he can go in his stead.”
“Of course. Where is my apprentice anyway? I thought he was with you,” the elderly priest wondered.
“Oh, he’s showing one of my friends around the fields. She’s going to be involved in the efforts to grow your crops aboard our ship. Xan offered to help her learn how to do so,” Alice explained, her words bringing a healthy smile to Thantis’ face.
“Is that right? I should like to meet this human sometime then. I believe Gentia would be happy to spare a few seeds. Ah this is good. Yes this is very good. I must make note of this, ever changing… yes yes, the balance itself.”
Russell and Antoth glanced at one another as Thantis yet again retreated into the quickly turning gears of his own mind. “He is indistinguishable from the death priest I knew a decade ago,” the village leader commented. “I don’t profess to be an expert on Kel or his balance, but your people have given to mine, Winters. And so perhaps we and Kel could give unto you. Spirit Io, the healer you spoke of is the one caring for Asha?”
‘Yes, Antoth. She’s actually in the village right now. I believe she had a matter or two to discuss with Zolta and Asha about their cub. All is well on that front by the way. Shall I summon her here?’ the AI asked. ‘She may be with Gentia at this very moment already.’
“That is up to Thantis. Perhaps it would be best to have this happen when Gentia is around? Even if I gave you my approval this instant, she could still overrule me in matters concerning her mate,” Antoth explained, picking up Alice’s knowing smile. “Such a thing is not officially true but I’m sure even you have known Gentia long enough to understand my position.”
“Quite clearly, Antoth. Maybe you should head out to join your own mate? No one is going to be going anywhere for a few hours at the earliest. We could fill you in after dark?” Alice proposed.
“Mmm, very good. Thantis?”
“Yes yes, I’ll see to it Antoth. They’ve been here for almost a cycle now and I’ve not met any of their healers to exchange recipes for tea. Simply astounding. I do wonder what Kel’s thoughts are regarding tea. An unbalanced brew does taste quite foul… there may be something there.”
Io and Russell did their best to contain their laughter as the Jumper bumped arms with Antoth before allowing the black-furred Cauthan to disappear into the dusk-lit streets and head for home where Ratha awaited him. “I should go see if Veera needs help with dinner. You coming tonight?” he asked his sister.
Alice nodded. “I’d love to, thanks. I’m going to track down Anita and Xan, maybe Yvonne as well. Natori seemed pretty intent on this supply run, so the sooner the better. Thantis, thank you for your time. I’ll return later?”
The priest acknowledged their intent to depart so as not to be rude. “Selah to you both, my friends. Alice, do you think you could show me how to change the strength of this white flame again before you go?” He gestured to the lantern she’d provided him with days before.
“Who am I to deny a request like that?” she asked of the air around them. “You go on, Rusty. I’ll see you later.”
“You want chesko tonight?” he asked.
“With extra kina!”