"How do the two groups differ?" Cara asked. She was leaning forward intently, obviously relieved that Eerin was willing to discuss such a potentially touchy subject.
"The Wospind fear that our old ways will be totally destroyed by the contacts with the off-worlders. They do not believe that contact with the CLS can prove beneficial."
"They claimed responsibility for the destruction of one of the main laboratory buildings near your village, didn't they?"
"Yes." Eerin shifted restlessly.
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"Can you explain where they come from, and what their position is to my viewers?"
For the first time, the Elpind seemed reluctant. "The Wospind rose as a separate group only after the CLS representatives came to our world. From the first they argued against off-world contact. The dissenting families began to move away from our villages and towns in large groups, going higher into the mountains or even near the edges of The Long Desert, isolated places.
There they promised they would cling to our traditional life-style. Their protests grew ever louder."
"And what is their goal?"
Eerin hesitated. "Before hin can explain their demands, hin must first give a brief"--the Elpind's mouth turned down as hin considered--"a brief Telling.
The word does not translate well. History ... legend ... myth ... all those words combined, and more, that is a Telling."
Cara nodded. "I think I understand. Go on, please."
"Long, long ago, our Tellings say, the people lived much longer than they do now. Long enough so most Elpind parents survived to see their last child weaned and thriving before death ceased their dancing forever." Eerin's speech had fallen into that rhythmic cadence Mark had noted before. "In those days, long ago, the years of an Elpind's life as a hin, a neuter, were twice what they are today ... or so our Tellings record."
"But something changed?"
Eerin nodded. "The Elspind do not know what caused the lifespan to shorten. But over generations, it grew less and less. At the request of the WirElspind, the CLS scientists at the mountain laboratory have been researching the problem, to see if the lifecycle can be restored to its original length."
Mark straightened, listening intently. I didn't know about this! Eerin never mentioned any of this!
"If the CLS researchers succeed," Eerin was continuing, "Elspind would be able to look forward to time for many more Tellings, time to learn, time to accomplish more. Time enough so Elpind parents can leave strong, healthy children instead of infants behind."
"And the CLS scientists are close to finding a solution?"
Eerin nodded. "Hin believes so. The scientists have been working with Elpind herbalists and healers. Together they
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created a substance named 'Elhanin,' meaning 'life-more- long.' It would cause the Change to be delayed, thus extending the time we remain hin.
Early small-group testing was promising. Hin's own sibling Lieor volunteered to be among the first large test groups."
Mark felt as if a weight he hadn't even known he'd carried was suddenly lifted. Perhaps Eerin didn't have to die so tragically young. Medical science had failed his mother, but if it could give years more life to an entire planet of people ... well that would be wonderful!
"Is the substance available yet?" he blurted eagerly. "Can you get it?"
Cara gave him a reproving glance.
"Sorry," he said, realizing he'd interrupted.
"Hin does not know the answer to Mark's question," the Elpind said. "Hin does not know what will happen to the schedule now, or if, in fact, any of the research projects will continue. There was other research concerned with the lifecycle," Eerin explained. "Postponement of the Change was the first to bring results--because it was the easiest, they said. Elhanin would also lengthen life after the Change. It would slow down the rapid Elpind metabolism," Eerin said, and shot Mark a triumphant glance, obviously pleased at remembering the technical word. "The researchers are also investigating ways to make the Change, Enelwo, safer, so that not so many will die then."
"According to my sources, many of the researchers survived," Cara told the Elpind. "Perhaps they can continue the work."
"That is a choice currently facing the WirElspind ... whether to ask that the research be continued."
"What influence will the Wospind play in that decision?"
"Possibly a great deal," Eerin replied. "The Wospind feel that tampering with the lifecycle nature has given us is wrong." The Elpind sighed, an almost human-sounding sigh. "We of the WirElspind attempted to reassure the dissenters that Elhanin would only be available to those who wished to take it. But they did not believe us. They also feel that no Elpind should have to make that choice."
"How did the Wospind get the name 'People of Death'?"
"One of the members of the WirElspind, First Speaker Al
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anor, began referring to them as Wospind, saying angrily that if they were not in favor of longer life, they must obviously be in favor of death. Use of the name became common ... even the Wospind themselves now sometimes
use it, as a challenge and insult to the Elspind."
"And it was the Wospind who destroyed the lab," Cara said. "To stop the research, right?"
Eerin nodded. "But the destruction of one lab cannot stop the growth of knowledge on Elseemar. Hin hopes the Wospind will come to realize that soon, and cease this recent violence."
"They weren't violent to start with?"
Eerin shook hin's downy head. "At first their protests were peaceful. The Wospind petitioned the WirElspind for a seat on the Great Council, so they could have a voice. But the WirElspind ruled that they were not entitled to representation, since they were a group of believers scattered over many places. Our representatives are appointed by province. The Wospind protested this ruling bitterly, and with growing anger."
"How did you, personally, vote on that issue, Eerin?" Cara leaned forward intently.
Eerin was reluctant, but finally responded, "In this instance, hin was not in agreement with the majority."
"Was that ruling what began the Wospind's violence?"
"No. Three cycles ago, six of your months, a new Wopind leader arose. Orim is said to come from Lalcipind, hin's own vil age. This new leader is extremely radical, urging violence as a way to gain the Wospind's ends. It was Orim who led the attack on the CLS laboratory."
The Elpind was now plainly restless and uncomfortable, and Cara, seeing this, hastily brought the interview to a conclusion. Mark watched as she thanked the Elpind and promised to provide hin a preview of the film later.
Then, with Mark's promise to join hin in a minute, Eerin bounded off for breakfast.
"Do you want to eat with us?" Mark asked.
"No, thanks. I'll program something in my room. I want to take a look at this morning's film, do the edit on the interview, and get it transmitted today if I can. This material's too important to carry home like the rest of my documentary. I'm looking forward to watching the playback of the
Mortenwol," she added. "That was simply amazing."
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"I know," Mark agreed. "I actually look forward to getting up in the morning now, just to see it." They both laughed.
"Well, join us later if you want," he added. "We'll be getting a rundown later this morning from Rob on the student leaders we're to meet with on Berytin."
Mark and Eerin's pair project assignment was to work with the student leaders of one of StarBridge's satellite testing schools on one of the Dmian worlds, analyzing and lowering, if possible, the school's unusually high dropout rate.
"I've been meaning to ask you about that particular assignment," Cara said.
"I mean, in light of the fact that you've decided to, uh ... "
"Drop out myself?" Mark grinned. "I think it's an extremely ironic assignment and no accident, but I like it. And I won't have any trouble talking about the StarBridge ideals to those kids; I believe in them as much as I ever d
id. I'm just not cut out to be an interrelator myself, that's all."
Cara was shaking her head,
You don't know, Mark thought. I'm really not. And I can't tell you the real reason I like this assignment--that I'm relieved as hell because it's one where nobody's life or death is going to hang on any decision of mine.
Smiling, he escorted Cara out of the observation dome, then went to find his pair partner.
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Chapter 6 CHAPTER 6
Departures
A crowd gathered to see Cara, Mark, and Eerin off when their time came to leave StarBridge. Cara filmed the occasion, smiling a little mistily as she focused on Eerin, who was gamely modeling the StarBridge jacket hin had received. The human- sized garment hung in limp folds over the Elpind's thin body, but hin's eyes were brighter than ever as Eerin nodded and thanked hin's well-wishers, all the while clutching the jacket around hin proudly.
It's a good thing I don't have to say good-bye to Mark and Eerin until tomorrow, Cara thought. I don't think I could stand two more good-byes today.
Someone touched her shoulder. Cara turned to see Rob Gable behind her, another StarBridge jacket in his hands. "Here," the psychologist said, holding it out, "a memento of your visit."
"Thank you, Rob!" Cara exclaimed. "I'll treasure it." Quickly she draped the midnight-blue folds over her shoulders, then struck a pose. "How does it look?"
He nodded, making a circle with thumb and forefinger. "But how are you going to manage to film yourself wearing it? Your documentary won't be complete without this shot."
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"This footage is just for me," she told him. "To commemorate the greatest experience of my life--and the shortest month. I only wish I were arriving instead of leaving--then I could start all over again!"
Rob gave her a hug. "Don't let this be good-bye," he said. "Come back and see us again, okay?"
"I wish I could," she said earnestly. "I'll try."
He smiled understandingly. "Take care, Cara."
"I will, Rob." The journalist turned away from the doctor and looked at the crowd surrounding them in the shuttle dome. It seemed to Cara as though every student she'd so much as spoken to in the hallways was there to say farewell.
"The shuttle's ready," Rob announced, pointing up the ramp at the school's engineer and pilot, Janet Rodriguez. The striking woman with the vivid auburn hair was beckoning to her. "Here, I'll get--" Rob groaned theatrically as he picked up her carry-on bag. "What I'd better get is an a-grav unit! What have you got in here? Rocks?" He gave her a mock-suspicious look. "You sure you're not swiping the school's radonium? We need it to power this place, or we'l al be breathing vacuum!"
She laughed. "Come on, I didn't shoot that much film!"
"You couldn't prove it by me," he grumbled, his dark eyes twinkling. They began walking toward the shuttle. Mark and Eerin were already halfway up the ramp.
Cara paused in the hatchway, looking back at the crowd and Rob, feeling tears threaten again. "Rob, I ..."
The psychologist read her expression. "I've learned that there are times when it's not a good idea to look back, and this is one of them," he said.
"Mahree learned that the first day she spent alone after the Disiree left her on the Simiu homeworld. 'I had to learn to look forward, Rob, not back,' she told me. And she was right, as Mahree usually is."
Cara smiled at this unusual personal revelation from the media-shy psychologist. The doctor's trust that she would not reveal his confidence was a gift more tangible than the jacket she wore. "Thanks," she said. "I'll remember that."
The hatch slid shut.
Minutes later, as the glowing domes of the asteroid receded behind them, Cara unobtrusively wiped her eyes, then glanced at Mark across the aisle from her. She never had gotten the
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whole story on him, and she regretted that--not that she wanted to know it for professional reasons anymore, but her curiosity was still aroused.
Why is he leaving? she wondered, not for the first time. Is it because he's so depressed over his mother's death? He told me he'd made up his assignments, so it's not academic failure ...
She also knew that he'd split with Sulinda Carmel, his girlfriend. According to Cara's sources, Sulinda was telling her friends (at least the eight or ten closest ones) that the breakup was just as well, since Mark Kenner had some serious maturing to do before he became an interrelator or anything else.
That was just typical breakup talk, of course, but Cara still found it hard not to be disappointed in Mark. From what I've seen of him with Eerin, he's good at what he does, she thought. But maybe he's just not cut out to take the pressure of a diplomatic job. If so, I ought to try to admire his honesty, but it's hard not to think of him as a quitter ...
She remembered Rob Gable again, and reminded herself that the
psychologist obviously saw something worth fighting for in Mark, or he'd never have arranged this pair project for him. Give the guy a break, Cara, she thought. Don't judge what you don't understand ...
Cara looked out again. Only seconds had passed since takeoff, but already she could see the stark, jagged mountains on the asteroid's horizon, dark against the star-spattered void of space. Looking down, the four domes were just brightly lit circles.
"It's nice that we'll be traveling together for a little while," Cara said, breaking the silence in the shuttle. "Even if it's only until tomorrow morning, when we go into hibernation."
Mark nodded and smiled warmly. "It will certainly make Captain's Night a lot more pleasant." Traditionally, every embarkation from a space station generated a ship's party called Captain's Night, at least on the big passenger liners. Interstellar travel took weeks and months, even now with the ultra-fast, Mizari-designed Stellar Velocity drive; crews and passengers alike looked forward to the dressy affairs.
"Is Eerin going into hibernation, too?" asked Cara.
"Hin will not," said the Elpind decisively--in English.
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"Oh!" She was a little startled. "Eerin, I didn't realize your English was so good now. I didn't mean to ignore you."
The Elpind nodded graciously.
"You'd think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm still always surprised by how quickly Eerin learns," Mark said. "Hearing a word seems to be about the same for an Elpind as having it engraved right into hin's brain ... it's there for good."
Cara gave him a mischievous smile. "And can you say the same about your progress with Elspindlor?"
Mark laughed. "After hypno-sessions every night for weeks, and a couple of hours of practice each day, I'm getting there," he said. "If I were on Elseemar right now, I could definitely ask for food, water, or the nearest rest room."
"Well, you've certainly mastered the essentials, then," Cara said, straight-faced. "I'm proud to report that I could do the same on Shassiszss!"
Both humans laughed, then Cara turned back to the Elpind. "Eerin, if you're not going to hibernate, what will you do with yourself for the six weeks it will take you to get to Berytin?"
"Hin will learn from the computer," the alien answered carefully in stilted English. "Many lifecycles would not be ..." hin paused, searching for a word.
"Enough?" Mark suggested.
"Enough," repeated Eerin, "to learn all its Tellings."
"I can assure you that Eerin will make a pretty good dent in it, though," Mark said, smiling fondly at his pair partner.
The trip up to the space station took only a few minutes. Their tiny shuttle mated with an air lock at StarBridge Station, then they boarded the passenger liner S.V. Asimov.
A steward led them to the small cabin that Eerin would occupy while hin's companions slept. Mark would share it with the Elpind until time to go into hibernation, while Cara had a temporary berth across the narrow corridor.
"Almost as soon as we depart we'll make the transition to metaspace," the steward explained. The S.V. Asimov was an Earth-owned passenger transport; he was human. "Thr
ee hours from now Captain's Night begins.
Main festivities in the common lounge forward. You two will be hibernating tomorrow morning, so you know not to eat anything after midnight, right?"
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After showing them where to stow their hand luggage, he gave them each a layout of the ship, and left.
Cara studied the flimsy. Asimov was shaped like the diamond on a pack of cards. The forward "point" was taken up by the control room, officers' cabins, and storage lockers. A round room in the wide center of the diamond contained the hiber units, eighty of them. Directly aft of it, and extending in an oblong to the point of the diamond opposite the bridge was the
hydroponics section, crew quarters, and a series of different- sized cargo holds that could provide various types of storage environments. The largest cargo hold and the engineering deck curved beneath and ran nearly the length of the diamond shape to form the liner's underbelly.
Small cabins, forty in number, backed against the reinforced plas-steel sides of the four "walls" created by the side points on the diamond. The open spaces in the side points and the space around the hibernation room offered a large mess area, a gym, a small infirmary, and two viewing lounges with high-density storage for thousands of music disks, books, and holovids, plus numerous computer links for public use.
The largest open area in the ship was the big lounge that lay between the hibernation chamber and the forward passage that led toward the bridge.
Mark looked up from his copy of the layout. "I've heard they have a great buffet for Captain's Night. Eat, drink--at least until midnight--and be merry, dancing the night away. How about it, Ms. Hendricks? Will you be our date?"
He bowed gallantly.
"Our?"
"Eerin and I are partners, you know." He turned to the Elpind. "This will be a unique part of your exploration of other cultures, Eerin. You'll love it." He laughed. "And we sure won't have to teach you to dance!"
Cara thought of the exuberant moves of the Mortenwol and grinned, too. "I would be honored to accompany the two of you to the dance ... as long as you promise me, Eerin, that I don't have to leap into the air as high as you do."
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