Centauri Serenade

by Theresa Jenner Garrido

  Craddohk reached down, lifted Annie’s chin, and looked deeply into her blue eyes. She looked back at him through a veil of tears. His thumb stroked her damp cheek. “Oh, Little One…be patient…and trust me. You will be all right. We will be in orbit around Ahrmoira in six of your Earth hours. Only six. And then Haelee will show you a world, beautiful beyond your imagination. You girls will go to wahshhahi to swim—you do swim, do you not? —And you will experience that which you have never experienced before. You will take long walks in the hills behind our home. You will see exotic vegetation and animals. Meet wonderful people. Your time with us will go by so quickly that you will be surprised and, I hope, a little sad at leaving us. Yes?”

  Annie, with the help of the sedative, was able to dam the over-flowing tears. She wiped her face with the small square of light material the woman had given her and smiled up at the man. “Y-yes…”

  “And I will give you something for your stomach,” Mahrah Tahn, the ship’s doctor said as she reached into her pocket for a tiny box. She placed it in Annie’s upturned palm. “Take one before bed and you will not be troubled with what you call ‘acid reflux’ again. Understand?”

  Annie nodded. “But…how did you know?”

  Mahrah smiled. “It is my job to know.”

  “Very good.” Craddohk smiled in relief. “Now Haelee will walk you to your quarters and see you safely into bed. You sleep, Little One, and when you awaken, we will be home.”

  “H-home,” Annie repeated in a soft voice. “Home…”

  THIRTEEN

  Annie stared out the starboard viewing port in fear mixed with wonder. The “glass” of the viewing window was specially treated to block out ultra-violet and other potentially harmful rays emanating from the smaller of the two primary suns in the triple star system. In minutes they were safely past and in position to see the purplish-green world floating before their eyes. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

  “Oh…wow…” Annie murmured.

  Haelee grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “It is beautiful, is it not? I know you will love our world. I am so excited. Mother will spoil and pamper you, and you will love her. She makes the best mahftah and crunchies you have ever tasted.”

  In the whirl of activity that preceded the complicated docking maneuver, Annie could only stand back and wait and watch. Haelee stayed by her side, her muhlahtahtoh in a sturdy case strapped to her back. She offered occasional comments on the involved procedure, explaining various activities to Annie. Crewmen worked through the entire choreographed process with ballet-like efficiency.

  Halig was with his father on the bridge, having opted to stay clear of their “guest” for a while. The previous night, Haelee told Annie, their father had sternly advised that Halig do some serious re-thinking about his preconceived conceptions of Earth and Earthers. He was forbidden to spend time with Khahl Khal who, in Craddohk’s opinion was narrow-minded, and was to invest more time in hahlmahnahtah. His twin assured Annie that her brother would be his charming self in no time. Annie had only grinned.

  And then the whirlwind activity slackened and, before she knew, a radiant Haelee pulled Annie along. They dashed down a wide corridor toward double doors that stood open, giving them a tantalizing glimpse of the orbiting space dock and the incredible world beyond.

  “Just a short shuttle ride and we will be home. I cannot wait to see my mother and little sister and sleep in my own room.” Haelee sighed as she climbed into a small craft, not unlike the one that had transported Annie from Earth.

  The shuttle filled up fast. Many of the crew were allowed to disembark at this time, and they crowded into the waiting room, chattering and laughing. Annie felt a wave of homesickness wash over her. Haelee noticed her slumping shoulders and gave her a brief hug.

  “Annie…remember what Father said. You will be fine and returning to your home world before you know it. But, I am secretly hoping by then you will not want to.”

  Annie bit her lip and sighed. “Half of me probably won’t want to. My life on Earth wasn’t exactly problem-free.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  The shuttle doors closed, a whistle sounded, and they slid out of the docking bay into absolute immensity. This time Annie really felt like she was in outer space. Her time on the larger ship was not unlike being on a cruise ship back on Earth, but in this much smaller vessel, she could appreciate that they were actually flying toward an alien planet.

  Sitting next to a tiny window, Annie pressed her nose against its transparent surface and drank in the heart-pounding view of this strange, new world. The purple-green sphere had a smattering of clouds—giving it a marbled appearance—and she could just make out the contours of various landmasses. Haelee had told her the “continents” were no bigger than Australia back on Earth, and most of them were merely islands dotting the vast ocean. It was a sea world; no doubt about that.

  “Look,” Haelee pointed. “You can see our home island, Ter Draeh Hahi. It is shaped like a man kneeling, yes?”

  Annie strained to see where she pointed. They were close enough now to make out several islands and the numerous buildings each supported. “I can’t see it,” Annie complained. “There are too many, and they’re too close together. Will we land right on your island?”

  “No, the shuttle will land on the mainland, Ter Ahlbah. From there, Father will fly us in our private hoverlight. I wish we were taking the boat, but Father does not want to take the time. He misses Mother and Adorie.”

  After the shuttle landed at the main shuttle port in the heart of the sprawling city, and they’d descended a short set of automated stairs, Haelee led Annie to the large food court that serviced those traveling to and from the stars. She chose a kiosk that served hot rolls filled with a tangy seafood concoction and ordered two apiece. Then, directing Annie to a small table, she removed the instrument case from her back, set it under the table, and left to buy beverages. She returned carrying two tall glasses of a bright blue liquid.

  “I think you will like khahsh. It is one of my favorite—uh—I think you call them sandwiches. And hahji is most refreshing when you are very thirsty. It is made from squeezing the juice from the hajhi hahji tree’s fruit.”

  Annie took a tentative sip of the drink, licked her lips, and grinned. “Tastes like lemonade mixed with raspberries and club soda. Mmm, it’s great.” She bit into the hot sandwich, chewed for a moment, and then nodded. “Oh, yeah. This—what did you call it?”

  “Khahsh.”

  “Oh, yeah, ‘kah-shh’. Well, it’s delicious. I have to say this; so far the food’s been pretty good. You say your mom’s a good cook? When do we leave for your island?”

  “As soon as Father finishes overseeing the hundred and one duties his crew have to perform. I took the first shuttle so we could have a chance to look around the shops. When we get to Ter Draeh Hahi there will not be any shops. Our island is what you would call rural.”

  “What about the rest of the stuff in your quarters? You only brought your muhlah-uh, muhlah—”

  “Muhlahtahtoh. The rest of our belongings will be packed and sent to us later. I only needed to bring my instrument, as I never leave it anywhere. I would be sick without it.”

  Annie nodded then winced as a wave of longing washed over her. Her violin was in a closet back on Earth—an eternity away. And, she felt sick without it.

  They ate the food with relish, laughing and talking, often at the same time. When they’d finished the last crumb and returned the dishes to the correct kiosk—they did not use disposable paper products for meals—Haelee led the way down the wide street lined with colorful shops on both sides.

  The roomy and uncluttered stores had an open-air quality about them. A browser didn’t have to bump elbows with other customers nor push through jammed clothing racks when looking for things to purchase.

  One store in particular caught Annie’s attention. It featured several items made out of a glass-like substance that enthralled her. Picking up the fi
gurine of a dancing girl, she examined it with a thoughtful eye. It was one of the most fascinating things she’d ever seen. Annie whistled. “This is…this is the most beautiful thing. Is this made out of glass? It looks like it is, but doesn’t feel like it.”

  “Yes. We excel at glass blowing. Our artisans have perfected the technique to the point of almost paper-thin translucency. Almost all of our building material comes from the sand on our beaches. We call it fhah. Our house is made from this sand, but, of course, it has been combined with other materials to make it suitable for building. I do not know much about it, but I assure you, it is quite durable.”

  “The colors are gorgeous. I’ve already noticed that you people really like color. The buildings here are all painted with soft pastels.”

  “They are not painted. The color you see has been, uh, incorporated into the sand. By this, I mean, the sand already is colored before made into anything. Fhah varies in hue—there are yellows, pinks, lavenders—oh, so many colors. ”

  “Wow, that’s neat. What color is your house?”

  “Our house is a dark pink. The gardens surrounding the house are a lovely contrast.”

  They’d gone in and out of more than a dozen shops, admiring the fine craftsmanship and making wish lists, before Haelee remarked on the time. The second and third shuttles had come and gone, and it wouldn’t be long before the fourth and last one landed with its weary passengers. Craddohk and Halig would be on that run.

  The girls sat in the waiting area and watched the people coming and going. Annie was still overawed with the physical differences of these people to her own. All the women wore their incredibly straight hair long and hanging like an airy cloak about them. To Annie, their hair seemed to flow and undulate like tall grass in a prairie wind. Once, while visiting friends in Pennsylvania, she’d seen a field of ripening wheat rippling in a wind like waves on the ocean. It was fascinating. These people were fascinating…and so different.

  The fourth shuttle landed, and Haelee and Annie watched as passengers spewed from its wide door. The last to disembark were Craddohk and Halig. The boy grinned and waved when he spied the girls standing beside a flowering pikkah tree. He sprinted over to them, his father following at a more reasonable pace.

  “There you are. Are you ready to leave? I cannot wait to get home. Yikkah.”

  “We have been ready for eons, Halig. It is you who have only just arrived.”

  Craddohk Draehl chuckled at his son and daughter and winked at Annie. “Do they ever stop inciting one another to outbursts of some kind?” He placed a hand on Annie’s shoulder. “We go now to the private holding area where the hoverlights are kept while we are away. The trip to our home is not long. We will be there in time for the evening meal.”

  The three young people dashed ahead of the captain—Halig leading the way. The hoverlight was large enough to carry six passengers and resembled a helicopter minus the tail assemblage. Craddohk ushered the girls into the second row of seats while he and his son took the front seats. With a flip of a few switches, they took off.

  FOURTEEN

  They flew low, skimming the surface of the pulsating, rolling sea beneath. Annie couldn’t believe her eyes. The deep, deep purple of the ocean was fantastic—especially against the backdrop of a pale lavender sky. Fluffy white clouds, gilded with a reddish-gold, rested low on the horizon—cupping an orange setting sun in an ethereal atmospheric down. In the opposite direction, she could just make out the silhouette of distant islands.

  Annie kept silent, asking few questions. No one appeared to think anything was amiss. In fact, Haelee and her brother were doing enough chattering for a dozen kids their age, almost oblivious of their alien guest. Craddohk, now and then, spoke a word or two, but for the most part, he, too, was subdued.

  They’d been flying for approximately twenty minutes, when Haelee let out a squeal. “There it is. Look, Annie. There is Ter Draeh Hahi, our home.”

  Annie pressed up against the window for her first glimpse of their island domain. She’d already seen several others, varying in size from impossibly tiny to quite immense. The Draehl’s island was in-between—just big enough to allow for a free and open lifestyle, but not so big that it was impossible to maintain.

  From the air, the island indeed looked like a man kneeling, as Haelee had said. The house was large, covering at least a fifth of the island, or the ‘head’ of the kneeling man. It reflected a dusty rose in the light of the setting sun. A vast yard extended from the east side of the house to the beach, hosting a variety of vegetation. Tall, slender trees made a copse on the west side and Annie marveled at their strange appearance. They resembled palm trees except that instead of palms, the lime-green leaves that exploded from branches on the top of each tree made her think of the pine trees back home. She couldn’t wait for a closer look.

  Craddohk settled the hoverlight on a raised platform behind the house. They touched down so lightly, that if Annie hadn’t been watching, she wouldn’t have known they were on the ground. No sooner had the engine stopped than a slender woman with light blue hair tumbling to the ground and a little girl with dark blue hair cut in a pixie, burst from a side door.

  The captain, Halig, and Haelee leapt from the aircraft, leaving Annie squatting in the hatchway, uncertain what to do next. She was overcome with a sudden shyness and dreaded meeting the strange woman and child.

  Craddohk paused, saw her uncertainty, and returned to the craft. “Come along, Little One. We are home. Come meet my wife and baby daughter.” He took her hand and helped her out of the small plane. His wife approached, wearing a bright smile that lit up her dark green eyes.

  “Hello…you must be Annie. Craddohk has told me all about you so do not feel shy. You are welcome here.” She extended her hand and doused Annie with a wash of warmth and security. Annie extended her own sweaty palm. The woman seemed to radiate tranquility and peace.

  The little girl, hardly more than a toddler, ran up, grabbed her mother’s skirt and tugged. “Tah chehl mah? Tah chehl mah?” she said in a high little voice with the hint of a lisp.

  Aeldorah Draehl gently chided her youngest child. “Hosh, Adorie. You must speak the new language you learned. Remember, Sweet One?”

  “Fuh-rench?” the little girl asked with wide eyes.

  “No, no, not French, Adorie. English. Remember your lessons with Khari? You must speak English while Annie is with us. It would not be polite, otherwise. Yes, my Precious One?”

  The little girl glanced up at Annie, her dark green eyes wide and curious. Clearly, she found Annie as strange as Annie thought she was. Curling a few strands of her straight blue hair around a finger, she studied the stranger for a moment and then smiled. “Hel-loh, Earther. My name…is…Adorie.”

  She was so cute that Annie melted. Crouching down to her level, she stuck out a hand and the child shook it. “Hello, Adorie. I’m so glad to meet you.”

  Adorie beamed. “Are you…ummm…are you hungry? Mother…has made…breakfast.”

  Halig chortled. “Breakfast. You silly. You mean dinner.”

  Craddohk scooped up his little girl and lifted her high onto his shoulders. “Come. Let us go into the house and eat this breakfast/dinner. I, for one, am famished.”

  They walked into the sprawling house, the twins still talking non-stop. Aeldorah led Annie down a short hallway and into a circular atrium that contained six closed doors. Choosing one, she touched a square panel and the door slid open to reveal a beautifully furnished bedroom; its walls the same metallic finish as in Haelee’s quarters on Spectrum; its windows round instead of square or rectangular.

  “This will be your room, Annie, while you are with us. I hope you will find it comfortable.”

  Annie entered the room, and the walls came to life. Instead of the dull, metallic gray, they burst into a riot of blossoming colors. Bright red melted into turquoise, then into a soft, robin’s egg blue. Behind her, Annie could hear her hostess laughing.

  “My, you
are wound-up. Relax, Annie, and the room will take on a color that is livable. We want you to be able to sleep tonight,” Aeldorah said with amusement.

  Annie grinned over her shoulder. “I’m still not used to all this. You should’ve seen what color my emotions made Haelee’s quarters on board ship. It was awful.”

  Aeldorah followed her into the room and surveyed it like a concerned hostess. “Well, it appears to have settled on the light blue, so that is good. You will find toiletry items in there,” she pointed to a smaller door, “and in the closet you will find an assortment of clothing that I am certain should fit. If there is anything else you need—anything at all—please let either Haelee or me know and it will be procured.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Draehl—do I call you Mrs.?”

  “You may. I am familiar with that title. But, if you prefer, you may call me by my given name, Aeldorah. We do so on Ahrmoira—young and old. It is not considered disrespectful.”

  “That’s neat. Thanks.”

  “I will show you the bathing room so you can wash.” She led the way through the smaller door, into a nicely appointed bathroom. Annie recognized what must be the toilet, but the sink and tub were strange looking. Each had what appeared to be a spout but no handles or buttons with which to turn it on and off.

  “How do you turn on the water? Is it automatic like in our airports and stuff?”

  “I am not familiar with your airport restrooms, but you turn the water on by merely standing under the spigot here,” she pointed to the shower. “Or by placing your hands here.” She demonstrated by thrusting both hands under the faucet. Immediately a stream of light, purplish liquid came spewing out. “Try it, Annie.”

  “Yeah, we have it like this in a lot of our restrooms on earth.” Annie put one hand beneath the spout and again the liquid came pouring out. Her hand recoiled at the touch. “Wh—. It feels weird. It’s not water.”