by S. H. Jucha
“Famgore, will you want to keep the elite-core relationship?” Alex inquired.
Like any engineer, Famgore took time to consider the question from many sides before he spoke. “At this time, the core holds the power, but it might not always be that way. I think we need a more equitable system.”
“Famgore, Trobath, Julien has just shared with me what he terms democratic principles,” Vyztram offered. “It gives equal weight to the opinion of every citizen. I’d be pleased to share the principles with you.”
“Yes,” Famgore and Trobath echoed simultaneously.
Alex watched Vyztram take a seat on the ramp’s rear, feet hanging over the edge, and the Elvians sat on either side of the AI. They began a long discourse on the principles of democracy, which Famgore and Trobath found fascinating.
The World of Light’s star traveled across the horizon, and Renée made sure the Elvians received a meal.
As the evening cooled, Vyztram, Famgore, and Trobath quieted.
Alex thought the three Elvians would soon return to the ship’s interior, but they stayed on the ramp.
When the stars appeared in a night sky, the Elvians stared in wonder. Trobath and Famgore pointed at the heat trails of small asteroids that shot through the atmosphere.
Alex saw Trobath shiver from the cool air, which he’d welcomed. He signaled Vyztram, who stood and retreated to the ramp’s side. Alex sat in the AI’s place, and the Elvian citizens quickly gravitated toward Alex’s heat.
Julien broadcast to Omnians the scene of the Elvians tucked close to Alex, and his arms around their slender shoulders.
“What do you think of this world?” Alex asked.
“Exciting,” Trobath replied breathlessly.
“While I’m not as energized as Trobath,” Famgore said, “this is a wonderful option compared to remaining aboard the failing Arcus.”
“We’re lifting,” Trobath declared, gripping Alex’s waist.
The traveler had risen an additional three meters.
Alex sent, with heightened power.
Alex soothed the Elvians. Then he explained, “This planet has both flora and fauna. The Ollassa move into protective environments before the star sets. This is due to several reasons. They need the day’s light to feed their fronds, and the cool air makes them shiver. More important, some herbivores and omnivores forage at night, and the Ollassa fear them.”
“Explain,” Famgore requested, and Alex realized he’d used unknown terms for the Elvians.
“The animals on this planet can be categorized as those that feed on plants, herbivores; those that feed on other animals, carnivores; and those that feed on both, omnivores,” Alex explained.
“How will we protect ourselves when we leave the domes?” Trobath asked.
“I’ll ensure that our domes connect to the tram system, which will allow Elvians to travel safely,” Vyztram interjected, silently thanking Julien for the response.
“But what about when we’re in the open?” Trobath pursued.
“You know the answer to that,” Alex challenged.
Trobath’s smooth forehead wrinkled, and Famgore supplied the response. “Alex, this is similar to your advice about the Life Givers,” he said. “We should consult the Ollassa about how to handle carnivores or omnivores when we’re in the open.”
Trobath ducked her head, realizing her fears had driven her in the wrong direction.
“There’s time to learn how to live well and safely on your new world,” Alex said, squeezing Trobath’s shoulder. “What we must do first is secure you permission from the Ollassa.”
32: Various Sentients
The following morning, Alex let the ramp down after dawn. He sat on the edge with Renée to enjoy morning meal and thé.
“A beautiful world,” Renée commented quietly.
“Which needs to be protected,” Alex replied.
Renée gazed behind her. She thought their activities would wake Famgore and Trobath, but they hadn’t.
“Is Vyztram still communing with the SADEs?” Renée asked.
“Never stopped,” Alex replied, sipping deeply on his thé. “The SADEs are assisting Vyztram with the AI’s reorganizing of algorithms and hierarchy.”
“What are you hoping to achieve today?” Renée inquired, finishing the food on her tray.
Julien slipped behind Renée and removed her tray.
Vyztram replied.
Alex noted that Killian’s message was relayed through the scout to his traveler’s controller. He used his ship’s controller to determine the scout’s position. The ship was keeping pace above the tram, which was winding through the forests.
While the Elvian citizens, who in Alex’s mind now numbered three, prepared for their first meeting with the Ollassa, Alex conversed with Killian.
Trobath stood behind Alex. Renée had signaled her to wait, and the Elvian believed Alex was communicating via the device in his head. When Alex turned to her, she asked, “I brought a costume to wear when we greet the Ollassa leader. Is it appropriate?”
“Not this time, Trobath,” Alex said gently. “Save the costume for times of celebration.”
When Alex heard from Killian that the tram had arrived, he signaled Franz to drop the ship.
Franz followed Alex’s short vid. He spun the traveler ninety degrees to the path, placing the aft end at the path’s edge. Then, he lowered the ship to just above the grasses. When he saw Alex and Renée vacate the ramp. He tilted it down as far as he could without crushing the vegetation.
“Where will we meet the leader?” Famgore asked Alex.
“Here on the path,” Alex replied.
“Is that appropriate?” Trobath inquired. To her, the isolation and lack of structures lacked diplomacy, courtesy.
“Remember, Trobath,” Vyztram replied, “our host is a species characterized as symbiotic fauna. To Scarlet Mandator, this location is probably extremely comforting. I would calculate this is why Alex has chosen to meet here.”
Famgore and Trobath regarded Vyztram and then Alex. Then they nodded, accepting the explanation, and Vyztram had another opportunity to guide Elvian citizens, as Julien had instructed.
Alex leapt onto the beaten path. He reached up and lowered Renée to the ground. Then he helped Famgore and Trobath down. He noticed that each investigated the soil beneath their feet.
Alex arranged the mandator’s greeting. He placed Famgore and Trobath shoulder to shoulder and faced them toward the forest. Then Renée and Vyztram stood on either side of Alex behind Famgore and Trobath. Julien waited beside Vyztram.
Z and Miranda chose to wait on the ramp.
After Olive Tasker brought the tram to a halt, Scarlet Mandator exited the last car.
“Do you wish me to lead?” Killian requested of the mandator.
“Do you mean, would I like it, or will I allow it?” the mandator replied.
“I will follow,” Killian replied. He’d noticed the mandator’s attempt to make light of the anxiety that flooded stalks and trembled fronds.
As Scarlet Mandator and Olive Tasker rode the small transport through the forest, fronds closed against the cool dim morning. When the tall trees ended and the meadow began, the mandator dismounted and stepped into the Light. Fronds opened, and the mandator relished the warmth that bathed the body.
Scarlet Mandator’s bloom lifted and regarded the waiting assembly. Alex’s imposing mass dominated the individuals, which gave the mandator comfort. Stalks moved, and the mandator covered the distance from the forest’s edge to the group waiting on the path.
Famgore and Trobath watched the alien approach. There had been time for Elvians to become accustomed to humans and SADEs. It was eased by the equivalent bilateral symmetry of heads, arms, legs, and torsos. However, they had difficulty relating to the approaching entity. They might have stepped backward, but they were held in place by Alex’s large hands gently resting on their shoulders.
Probably the more intimidating aspect of the approaching alien to the Elvians was the mandator’s height. They were hoping to meet an alien their height or smaller. Instead, the colorful bloom, which had no characteristics that the Elvians could identify, was well above them.
Scarlet Mandator halted, leaving a significant space before the individuals who waited.
Killian stepped beside the mandator and held the holo-vid within the bloom’s view.
“Welcome, Alex Racine,” Scarlet Mandator said. “May the Light shine its beneficence on you.”
“Thank you, Scarlet Mandator,” Alex replied. “I’m warmed by the Light.”
When the mandator’s bloom tipped down to regard the Elvians, Alex said, “I wish to introduce two citizens from the Arcus, the great ship that will arrive overhead with the Freedom. This is Famgore, a representative of the citizens, and this is Trobath.”
“Is this as big as the animals grow?” the mandator asked.
That the mandator’s ultrasonic frequencies were translated by Killian and transferred to Alex’s implant was an advantage to the Omnians. The process allowed Alex to control the negotiations.
“These two are probably wondering why the sentients on the World of Light are so huge,” Alex replied. His words were turned into ultrasonic waves by Killian to emanate for the holo-vid.
Alex’s reply caught Scarlet Mandator off guard. The bloom examined the two individuals who leaned against Alex’s hand. Their trembling imitated the mandator’s before the warmth of the Light had stilled fronds and stalks.
Not knowing what else to do, Trobath leaned forward and felt Alex’s hand ease off her shoulder. She bowed slowly and extended a courtesy. It was a slow, gentle articulation from the wrist to the fingertips.
“Is this how these individuals speak?” the mandator inquired.
One hurdle surmounted, Alex thought. The mandator had referred to the Elvians as individuals.
“Trobath is demonstrating the manner in which Elvians greet one another,” Alex replied. “They’re called courtesies. The graceful movement is an indication of the race’s fierceness.”
When the mandator received the translation, Alex watched the bloom tilt up to observe him. Then the petals curled and uncurled before straightening.
Scarlet Mandator gazed across the other assembled individuals. A bloom was tipped toward Renée, Julien, and the SADEs, who waited on the ramp. The bloom settled on Julien’s face but quickly turned to focus on the individual who waited beside Alex. Twice more, the bloom swiveled from one face to the other.
“Scarlet Mandator, let me introduce the AI of the Arcus, who is called Vyztram,” Alex said.
Julien’s portable holo-vid came from behind Vyztram’s back. The AI held it above and to the side of Famgore’s head.
Vyztram sent via the holo-vid.
The mandator regarded the AI housed in a Julien look-a-like avatar. The petals curled and twisted, but pleasantries were required first.
“I welcome the three of you to the World of Light,” Scarlet Mandator beamed.
The mandator’s message visibly relieved Famgore and Trobath.
The bloom regarded Alex. “One cycle, I hope to be as clever as you, Alex. You’re adept at meddling in the lives of various sentients.”
Alex smiled and nodded at the mandator.
The mandator turned toward Trobath. “When there’s time, I’d like you to teach me your courtesies,” the mandator beamed. “We’ll see if my stalks can perform adequately.”
“It would be my pleasure, Scarlet Mandator,” Trobath returned, smiling widely and delivering a subtle flex of her fingers.
“Alex, allow us to board your ship,” the mandator requested. “I believe the next step is to find a dome location suitable to the Elvians and the Ollassa.”
Just like that, Scarlet Mandator had decided that the Elvians were to be accepted.
The SADEs stepped aside, while Alex lifted Famgore, Trobath, and Renée onto the ramp.
Vyztram had the opportunity to test the avatar’s physical capability. The ease with which the avatar gained the ramp matched the tension measurements that were listed in the avatar’s specifications.
Miranda leapt from the ramp. “May I assist you, Scarlet Mandator?” she sent through Killian’s holo-vid.
“Yes,” the mandator beamed.
Then stalks relaxed while the SADE picked up the body to deposit the stalks on the ramp.
The mandator proceeded inside the ship. This was another opportunity to ride in the Omnian traveler. When the lights dimmed on the first occasion, the mandator had been frightened. In response, Alex had returned the light and stood beside the mandator. Then Julien had showed the mandator that the ship had lifted and was sailing over the World of Light. The ease of the flight had greatly relieved the mandator.
This time Alex sat beside Renée. He hoped the Elvians would engage the mandator.
Renée watched a smile form on her partner’s face, when Trobath, who chose an aisle seat, knelt on the seat’s bottom to view the Ollassa.
“You’ve a question?” Scarlet Mandator queried, when Trobath’s attention was noticed.
Killian translated for Trobath, who replied, “We’ve been told the Ollassa are a symbiotic species. Although, I must confess my ignorance of the subject. Do you control every part of your body?”
“Never apologize for asking questions, Trobath,” Scarlet Mandator replied. “That’s how every individual learns. Only the foolish are satisfied with their ignorance. My sentience and primary senses reside within my bloom.”
“What about these other parts?” Trobath asked, gesturing at the remainder of the mandator’s body.
“The pairs of sturdy leaves along the body stalk are called fronds,” the mandator replied. “They respond to the beneficence of the Light.”
Vyztram quickly explained to Trobath and Famgore, who had also turned around, the phrases the mandator had used.
“Then you don’t command them to open or move,” Famgore suggested.
“No, but they might react to something my bloom senses,” the mandator explained.
“Such as?” Trobath
pursued.
“If I sense danger, my fronds and stalks might tremble,” the mandator replied.
“Tell me about your stalks,” Famgore requested.
“I send requests to the stalks, and they respond,” the mandator replied.
“That doesn’t sound like you can move quickly,” Trobath suggested.
“Ollassa don’t occupy the furtive world of animals,” Scarlet Mandator replied. Then thinking that the comment sounded harsh, the mandator added, “No disrespect was intended. In many ways we’re more similar to the trees of the forest than the animals that occupy it.”
“Then your bloom, fronds, and stalks are a cooperative venture,” Famgore reasoned.
“Well phrased,” the mandator replied.
“Could we touch?” Trobath inquired. She held out an inviting hand.
When Scarlet Mandator had seen Renée touch the petals of Mist Monitor, the mandator’s entire body had reacted in trepidation. Ollassa didn’t touch one another. Despite their communal existence, they lived lives of relative isolation.
The mandator feared that Trobath wished to stroke the petals, but she held her hand low. A single stalk, with a soft pad for touch control, was tasked to raise and extend.
Trobath waited, while the mandator considered her request. She was patient, primarily because she was that curious. The soft end of a single stalk tentatively tapped her open palm, and she was careful not to move her hand. The stalk returned and rested in her palm.
“It’s delicate,” Trobath whispered.
“This stalk is used to manipulate controls,” Scarlet Mandator replied. An odd thing happened when the mandator recalled the stalk. There was hesitation. The stalk lingered longer in contact with Trobath’s hand. The bloom sent the request a second time, and the stalk slowly responded.
Alex replied, knowing that the SADEs were sharing Killian’s view.