T-47 Book II (Saxon Saga 6)

by Frederick Gerty

  Delivered to the small group remaining near the palace, the bigboy said, “I’m impressed. I don’t know if the humans will be or not, but I sure am.”

  “The real question is, will Lori?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Activity on the surface of the planet continued, all monitored by the expedition’s scouts. The king decided a welcome, should it happen, would be on the open plains near his Summer Place, which sat on a ridge at the beginning of the foothills of the spine of the mountain range at the mid-western section of the country. Without waiting for however long a reply might take, he set about making preparations. Workers soon swarmed into the area, mowing, clearing, planting flowers, grooming an elaborate parade grounds, and assembly areas, and constructing a massive reviewing stand, with a soaring, peaked tent, or a series of tents nearby, with what appeared to be an indoor garden, complete with a flowing stream and small waterfall, inside.

  Others watched as an army of natives descended on the ruins of the jail, and began going through the entire section where Lori was held, millimeter by millimeter, picking up, washing, and sifting every charred flake of material, until they reached the bare floor itself. And suddenly stopped.

  “I wonder what they found.”

  “Didn’t you see?”

  “No, nothing where the cambot was, just someone arrived, and they all packed up and left.”

  “Something happened somewhere else, I guess.”

  “The invitation is on the way?”

  “Yes, one of the illi-illi fast scout ships will leave with it this morning, take it up to the Koyaanisqatsi.”

  “Well, we’ll see what she says, then, won’t we.”

  “Play it again,” Lori said, and watched once more.

  When it ended, she said to Hunter, “What do you think?”

  “Lori, this one’s up to you. You don’t owe that place the time of day, let alone another visit. But it looks like they really want you back. At least that king fellow does.”

  “We’re getting ready to go, pretty well done here. I was looking forward to heading back to Earth,” she said.

  “We can do that.”

  Lori looked at Tarue. “What do you think, Tarue?”

  “This is the place that attacked you, imprisoned you, and killed your delegates?”

  “Not this place, or person, but other persons, many persons, there, yes.”

  Tarue frowned in her own way, and did not reply at first. “Have you forgiven them? Can you?”

  Lori looked at her. “Tarue, have you forgiven the priests?”

  Tarue sat up a millimeter. Her head rose as she said, “Now I live where the priests once did. They greet me in the street, not as one dead, but as one of high stature. To that I owe to you.” She shook her head. “There is nothing more to forgive.”

  “Tarue, I cannot make you that what you are not. Your stature comes from within. And that is what the priests, and others see, and greet.”

  “And so too, does your courage, and your honor, Sky Lady. That is what they seek now, your honor. And perhaps to recover a measure of their own. What do you wish to have these people do now?”

  Lori mulled it over. Truly, she’d like to see them integrated into the great assembly of intelligent races, though their bellicosity worried her. More than that of the bigboys? Or the illi-illi? Or the Pokoniry themselves, even? Or we humans? She longed for the wisdom of the Anawoka. Yet she knew what she must do. Sending the trading ships there from the other races is not enough. She, whom the others obviously shamelessly promoted as someone important, well beyond that accorded the simple organizer of a caravan, needed to return, and give a blessing to the whole planet. No matter if she wanted to do that, or not. And that planet, far more than Uta ever would, or could, held the sort of riches and variety of advanced goods that would appeal to the other worlds. Not to mention markets for everything modern made on six planets, especially anti-gravity. An enormous market for that. If they were ever to be a trading partner, an open, accessible market, they needed some legitimacy, and stature. And she was now the key to that. So, taking a deep breath, she knew she would probably have to accept. But she demurred.

  Over the next few days, they wore her down. Hunter, George, Tarue and Joshii, Borrelia, even Tari, all said she should go back, meet the king, the others, accept their amends, and do what she could to formalize trade agreements. The illi-illi indicated they wanted to be in the convoy back to the Milky Way with Lori and would leave at any time she wanted. But she did not want to force them to go early. So when they said they could stay for a while, and would leave Uta in time to join them before they departed from Magadana, she relented.

  On another morning, she said, “Hunter, talk to...whoever, the Anawoka, especially, see what they think I should say in accepting the invitation. Better check with Borrelia, too, see what he says. Then check with all the other delegations, and make sure they’re on board with whatever we decide. After that, we should send a video reply back to him, simple, but dignified. Tell Morales he’ll have to be in charge of on the ground security when we arrive. Nothing happens, no landing, without his OK. Maybe the bigboys would help.”

  “Right, we’ll get right on it. When do you want to go?”

  “Not till we wrap up everything here, so it’ll be a while. We’ll swing by there on the way back home. The stop will be short.” And that meant everyone, not just her, would be involved, maybe wind up on the surface, too. Was it worth that risk?

  “Sounds good to me. Tarue?”

  “Your courage and greatness continue to shine, Sky Lady. All will be impressed.”

  Lori smiled, and slowly nodded. She reached for her coffee again, and raised her face to the morning sun. And she wondered what new events might await her on that planet, Magadana.

  Captain George asked her to prepare a visual message. She looked at her calendar, and with Hunter and George calculated when they needed to depart to get back in time for Christmas, and picked a date that would allow them a little cushion. She called the Koya, asked for Dawna Sopata, the horticulturist, but she was on planet. She arrived at the temple the next day, and Lori asked her, “Do you have any orchids you can get to bloom in say, 40 days?”

  “Yeah, or less if you want, they’ll be ready sooner, we’ll have to chill them a little to delay them that long. For here?”

  “No, it’s got to go to Magadana, and bloom there on the 41st day.”

  “How soon will it get to Magadana?”

  Lori raised an eyebrow to Captain George, and he told her, ten days.

  “Oh, man, might be tough. They’ll need day and night cycles, won’t bloom at all down on the planet, with no darkness. But OK, I can rig an e-chamber, sealed, program our diurnal schedule, temp, water, and humidity, should be able to get it pretty close.”

  “We’ll need to be able to see what’s happening with the orchid once we get in system at Magadana,” Lori said to George.

  He wasn’t sure what was going on, but said, “I’m sure we can arrange a microbot, or whatever you need or want. You’re sending an orchid?”

  “Yes.” They all looked at her. “I will arrive when the orchid blooms.”

  Captain George smiled, and nodded.

  Later that day, up on the Koyaanisqatsi, Lori prepared the reply message. A holovision video. Shorter, they agreed, but no less pretentious than that of King V’ming. She sat robed in blue coverings, gold piping on the edges, sitting on a gilded chair, one from the dining area quickly spray painted with gold glitter. A glowing white and blue background rippled gently behind her. She looked sternly out at the camera, slowly raising her head and eyes, staring at the lens, and said, “Greetings, King V’ming. Your invitation to visit your planet again is accepted. The Sky Lady shall arrive when the orchid blooms.” Her right hand moved to gesture to the orchid, in a small environmental container, a spot light illuminating the thin stalk with a half a dozen small buds, growing up from the several big green leaves in a container of tan b
ark and dark mulch. The lens zoomed in until the plant filled the screen image, and slowly faded.

  “That’s it? That’s what you’re sending?” Tarue said.

  “Yes. The video, and the plant.”

  George took the chip, a crewman picked up the orchid, and he said, “Lori, see you in 32 days.”

  She left immediately in the air car, and as she fell from orbit, watched the majestic sight of the Koyaanisqatsi light its engines, and slowly break orbit. By the time she entered the atmosphere and slowed, the ship was gone from sight.

  Told the Sky Lady sent a message, and a gift to him, King V’Ming immediately summoned Captain George to an audience. The captain entered, resplendent in his dress uniform, he enjoyed wearing it to the higher level official functions he seemed to incur on this planet.

  After brief formalities, he showed Lori’s holovison clip. When it ended, two nervous crewmen entered, one with a small table, the other carrying the e-habitat covered with a dark cloth. They placed the table down, and the container on top. George slowly lifted the covering, to display the orchid from the video, and repeated Lori’s words. “When the flower blooms, the Sky Lady will arrive.”

  King V’ming sat up, his importance on his planet assured. He, and he alone, will bring the Sky Lady back, and all will be right on the world.

  “But when will it bloom?” he asked George, slowly rising and moving toward the table. “Soon?”

  Prepared for that question, he answered, “You must not disturb the plant, it must remain in the container, which will mimic the conditions on which it grows on its home world. It must have periods of light and dark, which this container will provide. It will bloom in about 20 brights. I will leave to return to the Sky Lady in nine brights, and she will appear when the flowers open.”

  The king stood up. “We have time then, to prepare a suitable welcome. Without a moment to waste. Captain, I am in your debt. All Magadana, and all Tajmyr is appreciative of your diplomacy, in bringing the Sky Lady back to our planet.”

  “I am at your service,” he said, with a slight bow.

  “Now, is there anything I might do for your?”

  “Well, there is the matter of some fuel for my ship.”

  “Tell me what you need.”

  By the time George returned to his ship, all the world knew of the Sky Lady’s message, the clip playing over and over on the TV news. A camera focused on the orchid itself, under heavy guard in V’ming’s palace. They soon learned of the light-dark regime, a strange and fascinating concept, and that slow process soon played live each time it occurred. Scientists showed the gradual development of the flowers, updated each new light period, and counted down the time until the expected arrival of the Sky Lady. Meanwhile, a small army of craftsmen worked bright and dim, building a reception area on the sports fields near the summer palace.

  And all Magadana awaited the arrival of the Sky Lady.

  Chapter 24 - Mulling A Return

  “Tarue, the question you need to consider is what you wish to do. You, and the kits, and your husband,” Lori said, nodding toward Joshii, standing beside her. “In several brights, I will return to Magadana, sooner than I’d planned. From there, we go once again, back to Earth.” She looked at them both. “I do not know, when, if ever, I shall return here to Uta, your fair and wonderful planet.”

  “What is the question, Sky Lady?” Tarue asked.

  “Do you wish to remain here, or return to Earth once more, with us?”

  Without hesitation, she said, “And what of my husband?” She looked over at Joshii.

  “He is welcome to come to Earth with us, should you, and he wish.”

  “I will discuss this with my husband, and tell you of our decision.”

  Lori smiled, pleased at how Tarue included Joshii in the matter. But Tarue’s demeanor showed she was uneasy with the whole issue.

  Shortly after they left, Nif and Dayu peered into her room. Lori looked up from the screen, smiled at them, and waved them in, thinking they scouted for goodies, fruit or cookies. Instead, they sulked in, squatted at her feet, a look of desolation in their posture, and on their furry faces.

  “What’s the matter?” she said.

  “You will leave us soon?”

  “You will leave us here on this wretched, stupid planet?”

  Lori, surprised, said, “This place is stupid?”

  “They have nothing...”

  “No one likes us.”

  “No holovision, no TV even.”

  “No games, no air cars, no party places...”

  “Nothing good to eat.”

  “No where to swim.”

  “No one interesting to see.”

  “It’s boring.”

  “Very boring.”

  “If we are very good, will you take us with you?”

  “Back to Earth?”

  “I thought you’d want to stay with your mother and father,” Lori said.

  “Not here.”

  “Not in this boring place.”

  Lori looked at them, shocked. “You’d leave Uta, all the people like you, and your parents, to go back to Earth?”

  They both hissed at her, with feeling, “Yes!”

  Lori had never considered that possibility, thinking that Tarue and Joshii would decide for the kits. But they were fully half grown already, coming quickly into young adulthood, they’d hardly fit on her lap any more, hadn’t even tried to get up there in a long time, but now eased forward, to rest a head on each knee.

  “Sky Lady, we miss Earth. And you will go back there.”

  “We will miss you, greatly.”

  “And the baby.”

  “And the Hunter.”

  “And all the rest of the sky people.”

  “We miss the days, and the nights even, when it is quiet, and we can do things we wish to.”

  “Can’t you do that here?” Lori said.

  “No, someone always is watching us, bright and dim.”

  “They make us study all the time.”

  “And we know more than the dopey teachers.”

  Lori doubted that, figured for sure they’d know lots more on certain Earth matters, but hardly everything. Or maybe so? She said, “Well, the first thing is, you need to speak to your parents. Have you done that?”

  “They will not listen...”

  “They will stay for sure.”

  “I’m not so sure. We just spoke earlier today, your mother and I, and she did not say what they wanted to do, to stay here, or to come to Earth with us, but they would consider it.”

  “She did?”

  “Yes.”

  “Today? Just now?”

  “Yes, earlier this bright. Have you seen them?” Lori said.

  “No.”

  “No, where are they off to?”

  Lori patted both heads, and said, “Perhaps you should tell them what you told me.”

  “They will not listen.”

  “Ah, to their two bright and wonderful kits? Oh, yes, they will listen.”

  The word of the Sky Lady gospel for sure, Nif sad, “Come, we must find them, Day, now immediately, and tell them what we think.” The two turned to leave, but Nif stopped suddenly. She turned to face Lori again, and said, “If they say they will stay, will you still take us back with you?”

  “You would really leave them?” Lori asked again.

  The two kits looked at each other, and nodded. “We will. We will return,” Nif said.

  “We will go back to Earth with you,” Dayu added.

  “Earth is our home.”

  “Earth is wonderful, and humans are our people.”

  “We would go home with you.”

  Lori said, “Talk to your parents first, then we’ll decide, OK?”

  “We will find them,” Dayu said, and they raced away.

  Lori clicked on her message screen. “Hunter, I need to talk to you right away. And an Anawoka, too, I need some wisdom, and some help with a difficult situation.” The scree
n said, “Sent.”

  In less than a minute, the screen answered, “Be there in ten minutes.”

  Much later that bright, well after Lori and Hunter finished their dinner, and sat in Uta’s wavy afternoon on the portico with Tari, Tarue approached. Lori knew from her posture, and demeanor, she was depressed. Tail low, ears down, she walked up to Lori, and stopped. Lori looked at her, waiting for her to speak.

  “Sky Lady, I will return to Earth with you, and my kits also.”

  Lori said, “And your husband? What of him.”

  “He, here will stay,” she said, waving a hand outward. She sat heavily on her rump.

  “You do not seem too happy with this decision.”

  “I am not.”

  “Then why have you made it?”

  Tarue raised her head, and said, “Because of the kits. They do not like it here, wish to return to Earth. I think they would do that in any case when they are of age, and the eyes clear, in another bright-cluster. That will not happen before you depart. They wish to go with you. And I will also.”

  “So the kits have made the decision for you? For you both?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “Yes, for me. They are not happy here. They much prefer the life on Earth, where they were important, unusual, privileged even. They miss all that. Here, they are one of many, unusual only in their lack of familiarity with customs, and strange accent. As for Joshii–he just wishes to remain.”

  “Why is that so?”

  “He does not know of the Earth, does not know what he would do there, feels inadequate with the American English, and has much to do here, with the teaching and such.”

  “He does not wish to be with you, or you with him?”

  “It matters not...” Her head slumped downward.

  “I think it does. And I am reluctant to remove you from you husband. And your kits from their parents. I will not break up a family I tried so hard to unite. Perhaps, all should stay.”

  Tarue’s head rose.