"Good. Do this for me, Tom: remember the story I've just told. Remember me for as long as you live. Remember the Guardian here, also. And," Zolan said softly, "remember Valry and the Little One. Tell your children about us, and your children's children. Tell of the Dark Days and of the Redeyes, and of the days of good and evil. Remember all these things, Tom. For if you do, then we will never die and we will always be in your dreams forever. That is," Zolan said with a chuckle, "if you want us to be."
Tom just stared at Zolan for a moment.
"Will you do that for me, Tom?" the man asked once again. The boy nodded, and Zolan squeezed his hand affectionately. "Good. Now back you go on top of Thalick. You'll be leaving very soon."
Tom walked away slowly then stopped only a few feet from the Stinger. He turned suddenly and ran back to Zolan, hugging the old man as tight as he could. Zolan puffed with surprise, but nevertheless gave the boy a warm pat on the head. Without looking at Zolan, Tom then ran back towards Thalick and climbed to the rear against the massive tail.
Zolan sniffed happily, enjoying the warm glow filling in his chest. He stared up at the Little One beaming down directly above and laughed heartily.
HSSSSSSSSS
Zolan brought his eyes down and looked at the strangely silent Stinger. Thalick was as calm as the man had ever seen him; Zolan listened for the familiar buzz of precommunication, but none came to him. He folded his hands in front of him and shrugged at his old friend.
"Take care of things, ugly!"
Thalick's antennae twitched wildly above his head as every nerve sensor zeroed in on Zolan. Not one heart beat or breath of air escaped his scrutiny. He watched the Little One beaming at its brightest, and hissed uncomfortably. He wanted to move forward, and grab Zolan and run as fast as he could away from this place of mystery. But instead he only hissed to himself and remain where he was crouched. The boy above watched Zolan quietly, smiling a little as he waved once again.
Then, Thalick found himself only transmitting one message. GOOD-BYE, ZOLAN. THALICK MISS YOU
Suddenly, the Stinger found himself blinded by a light far greater than he had ever known. He could hear Tom scream from up above. The flash lasted for only a second, but it was several seconds more after that before Thalick could focus again. Tom had obviously recovered first, and was now yelling and thumping his feet against the back of his armor.
"He's gone, Guardian!" the boy screamed as he leaned on Thalick's head staring ahead in wonder.
Thalick turned his attention toward the wandering star moving away from the oasis. It did not appear any different than before - only this time, it had come and taken Zolan with it. Thalick did not even initiate a probe scan of the oasis around him; he knew that the man's body would not be found. A great calm filled him, and he brought his two claws together as if in prayer. At that moment, he noticed something near the spot Zolan had been standing. He lurched forward and could feel the boy on top of him pull at his antennae in surprise.
The walking stick Zolan always had uses lay partially covered in the fine sand. It was the only thing remaining to ever indicate that the man had been here at all. Thalick extended his pincher and picked it up gently.
Abruptly his antennae lashed out from the boy's startled hands and began perusing the exterior of Zolan's makeshift cane. Thalick made a peeping sound with his mandibles, then sunk down to the ground in a resting position. All eight of his eyes turned and followed the Little One hurtle itself toward the far horizon.
Tom stared at the stick in curiosity, but could find nothing particularly fascinating about it. Quickly, he began looking around the oasis for some sign of the old man. He could not possibly have seen what was stenciled across the base of the cane from where he was sitting, but Thalick had no such difficulty.
It was not a deep etching, but it was clear enough for the Stinger to detect as he twirled the cane slowly between his pedilpaps. Thalick's mind raced as he read over and over the words: WE LOVE YOU.
Half an hour passed and finally Thalick rose to his legs and moved slowly away from the oasis. The Little One was humped over the farthest hills now, and only a sliver of its light radiated across the night sky. Thalick followed it to the very end, until the distant twinkling of the stars replaced the sun with their cool, feeble luminosity.
The Stinger gazed across the sky and took in every star he could see; somewhere out there were his companions who had left five centuries ago ahead of him. Perhaps they had found the home they had been searching for, he thought to himself, wondering if he would ever want to follow them at some distant point in the future. At the moment, he had no longing to join his comrades of a billion years; Earth was his home now, with a special attraction that he had never known for eons before on his own planet so many light years away. Here, on this shattered world of another people, he had found his own treasure of a new beginning. He did not believe he would need to look further.
Here he would be needed; here there was meaning. He would not break his promise to those who had loved him.
Stinger and boy stargazed awhile longer, before Tom spoke first.
"I wish I could go there one day. Like you and Old Grizz," he said, hoping for some kind of reply. "Maybe, Guardian, you take me one day?"
Thalick remained silent, though not unmoved.
He was not yet ready to communicate with men -- or boys. But he knew eventually that he would.
One day.
Whatever Gods May Be Page 37
