by Jason Melzer
I wouldn’t forget the looks on their faces for as long as I lived. They were lost for a few minutes happily in wonder as I waited on the inside of the door with them. Sitting down the headache and fatigue left me with the overwhelming desire to rest. Closing my eyes cold swept over my body. I didn’t remember Preti and Tolan getting me out of the forge. I only closed my eyes to rest them for a minute before waking up in a large bedroom with mom.
Beautiful white light shined through long silky drapes that blew from a soft breeze outside. Getting up the headache was gone and so were all of my sores. Mom was quick to take my hand and start holding it while her voice seemed quiet. “How is my young daughter? I was hoping you would wake up soon.” Mom gave me a hug with a few kisses on my cheeks before turning around and calling to my Pontu doctor. “She has awoken Lotu. A little early I think.”
Tolan’s dad stopped next to the bed looking at me with a smile and a still and gentle voice. “I think the larger nanoheme dose hurried Simran’s recovery along. How are you feeling Simran?” Looking around I was relieved that the adventure had changed as I answered them. “I feel good. Did I die again?” Mom smiled before placing her hand on my forehead and I saw short hair on my other side of my head. Feeling my hair I realized the remaining braid had been cut off as Lotu answered me.
“No you didn’t die. Extreme exhaustion and a little oxygen deprivation but there was no danger. You just needed rest and electromagnetic induction so your artificial organelles could speed along your recovery.” Mom turned away and walked over to the window before looking out and waving. Walking to the closet door mom called back to me. “Are you ready to get up Simran? The others are coming back with treats from earth.”
Sitting up in my bed I felt pops in my back as mom placed my clothes next to me before leaving. Looking to a small pool in the room I quickly jumped in for a few minutes. Taking a towel left next to the pool before changing into fresh clothes. Looking in a standing mirror I smiled as I felt ready for the new day. My key around my neck still gleamed with life as I held it for a moment. Leaving my room two guards stood at my door as laughter drew me down the hallway.
Following the voices past my protectors I came to a large room with my family and Tolan’s family. Another character spoke to them with a familiar voice as he faced away from me. I thought I knew who it was as I approached him. The older Pontu turned to smile at my family and I recognized Porah from Shoal. Sitting next to him was Talalh and both were chewing on sugar cane.
As I walked into the room both of the elder Pontu were chewing with sour expressions on their faces. As they both swallowed Porah noticed me first before speaking to the others. “This is so sweet. It’s almost as powerful as Borain Mana. Thank you for joining us young forge master. We have tasted some of the trading delicacies now arriving from earth. I did not realize earth food could have such powerful tastes.”
Looking over, most everyone else was enjoying a piece of sugar cane as I spotted one in a bowl on the table. I quickly moved over to pick it up before a robotic hand reached over offering it to me. “I believe this should be safe for you to chew on.” Looking up to Link he had new legs and the same dents and scratches as I remember from before. Taking hold of the sugar cane for a moment the room was quiet as I leaned in giving my cold friend a hug.
It lasted a few seconds before I stood back and Link turned to show me a table. On it were new sets of gravity wings with other items as Link explained. “I am happy to see you awake forge master. You and the others have had gifts come from the worlds you have saved.” Glitch stepped into the room with lots of new body parts as he addressed us with news. “I have finished speaking with the forge festival commission about the flying lanterns. They loved it and ordered millions. These are for us.”
Kai, Quanik and Suntrah walked through the door behind Glitch and I took a turn embracing them. Well Quanik’s short arms tried to give hugs but he was better at nuzzling the neck. Smiles filled the group as I offered Kai a piece of my sugar cane and he tried it. Lanterns were handed out and we drew and colored on them as I heard how Koleas was recovering. After drawing some creative sun images and a reef world I wrote my name alongside Listal’s and Tolajh.
I wanted to celebrate them as Kai wrote a poem on his lantern that ended with my kin name Sundance. After preparing the lanterns Kai led me to the gifts on the table with three set of wings. The gravity wings weren’t just a dull grey but were covered in bright blue plate. Edges showed gold trim along both the wings and the feathers. Kai held my wings sharing with me why this was the gift from his people.
“The Leshenkai have a great tradition of taking flight and making the finest wings in the known universe. We have even sent wing builders to other worlds to learn and use greater knowledge. You will find no finer wings to lift you as forge kin.” Putting mine on they felt light and I could sense them in my mind as if I had grown up with a pair of wings. They were awesome as I was first to thank Kai for his people’s great generosity.
Next Quanik called Preti over to the table offering beautiful matching armguards with a satisfying speech. “The Borain have rivals in making armguards and the technologies that go in them, but we have no equals. You don’t need helmets or back packs for space flight, only these arm guards to go into space. These will remind you where your journey’s all started.” Preti showed their beauty as hers were covered in the beautiful cities of Tychod.
My sister replaced her old armguards marveling at the cities before they went dark. Glowing forests and wildlife brought the shining beauty of Tychod to life. Receiving mine I not only saw lush forests and cities mixed together. But I watched as the Leshenkai flew above them playing in the skies. Tolan smiled as Ocelia covered his arms with all of the beauty of the Pontu worlds to be found. Suntrah picked up the first fan like object off the table and turned to Tolan.
Sliding it over his new armguard and attaching it onto his arm Tolan held one side of it with his hand. “The Pontu are known as masters of travel and shields but on Ocelia we are craftsmen of the highest order. Craftsmen who were inspired by apprentices who did what Pontu fleets feared to try. You were more than a shield. You taught us what a shield could be.” Receiving the fan with my sister I was wondering if I was allowed to have another shield. Suntrah was calm as she explained what we saw.
“The shield is legal and has two settings. The first fills a shield shell with plasma and blocks portal telemetry so you can only defend. The second is that it can become a personal forge and release a single gravity drone. May your path bring peace always.” Looking back to the others I spoke out excitedly about the gifts. “It’s a sun shield and a forge?” Mom and Dad brought me back from my excitement as Dad was quick to speak.
“Let’s get those put away for your first missions. What do you say?” Taking it off, I handed the fan like shield to dad amazed that it was also a forge. Looking back to Kai I felt my bangle loosely moving on my wrist. Taking it off, I offered it to Kai. “I wish I had more to give Koleas for the gifts. Please accept this for your people as a gift from me for their care and sacrifice.” Kai plucked the bangle from my hand and smiled as he felt the steel with watery ripples of gold in the metal.
“Thank you Sundance. The people of Koleas will treasure your gift.” Preti followed offering up her bangle of steel and gold to Quanik. “Thank you Quanik for your people’s care and sacrifice. Please accept for your people this gift from me.” Quanik seemed quite satisfied as he answered holding the large piece of metal. “Thank you Starfire. The people of Tychod will celebrate your generosity.” Tolan’s soft voice spoke up as I turned to see him pulling something out of a cloth back pack.
“Simran, I took this to hold because I wanted to remember your bravery at the forge terminal. May I give it to the people of Ocelia?” Holding up the object it was the missile that had once pierced my heart. Looking at it and then back to Tolan I nodded and answered. “Yes, if you want to.” My friend smiled turning to Suntrah and offering it to her. “
Thank you Suntrah for your people’s care and sacrifice. Please accept for your people this artifact from me.”
Suntrah smiled back at Tolan and answered him. “Thank you Totality. The people of Ocelia will treasure this gift. Thank you all.” Link cut in putting down the lantern he made. “I look forward to the lighting ceremony but we are to arrive at the trade courts in an hour. The Fellorn will escort us to the courthouse.” Leaving my lantern I bid Kai, Suntrah and Quanik good bye as they promised to be in the courthouse while our families were escorted to a waiting shuttle.
I was nervous as our shuttle flew from Ember into space. Waiting for us a large fleet surrounded us for our journey but I still felt dread for the courts. Talalh must have sensed my nervousness. “When we land for court the Fellorn will escort us to the court’s shuttle. Do not hold a grudge with the Fellorn. You three have become very popular with them and let me tell you. It’s hard to impress them.” Looking to my former guide Link had a few words of comfort.
“We have had our differences with the Fellorn but their hearts were changed by all of you. The Fellorn nation’s demands have moved your court case to the head of the court schedule. They are fighting for our rights.” Leaving Ember behind our portal doors opened in space and we passed through. On the other side we were in the daylight of a world with light above it. Glitch spoke up as I started to see more.
“Orbiting the world of Apaxis is the bloom world of Reshai. In moments we will meet the court guards in the judicial city of Hintoa. It seems as if Reshai also joined in celebrating your ascensions.” Lowering to the city, music and crowds filled the streets while fighter escorts broke off. Civilian escorts flying with wing suits took position on our sides as we cruised through the city. Banners waved from buildings and shining confetti drifted past us.
The city scape of Hintoa rose above the windows as the shuttle turned to land. Our landing platform was surrounded by thousands of aliens and dozens of Fellorn. The ramp door opened from outside long enough to let a single Fellorn inside. The creature was neat and fearsome with orange stripes following his curved neck. Calmly he spoke. “I am Voush and I will be taking you to the courthouse. My soldiers are ready to push to the second shuttle that just arrived. Keep your wings on.”
Voush soon lead us into the shouts outside as the ramp again dropped. Outside dozens of Fellorn held back the crowds as dozens more surrounded us. Voush called out as he moved to the head of the group. “Keep moving and stay in the circle!” The alien masses were everywhere and of every kind of shape and size. Creatures with tentacles, claws and wings were everywhere. Creatures that were as tall as small buildings in the distance or as small as mice cried for attention.
Ducking as I moved more Fellorn flew through the sky holding back more of the crowds. Through the commotion the path to the shuttle was crossed as the Fellorn opened the door letting us in. The crowds became quieter as I took a new seat waiting for everyone to arrive. Chaos seemed to disappear as the shuttle moved through a portal gateway on the platform. Looking around we arrived inside a building where creatures looked and pointed as Voush growled.
“Welcome to the Trade Court of Reshai. Entry to the building is given by encrypted access so there shouldn’t be crowds here.” Exiting the shuttle Voush directed us down a hallway. “Judge Rodesh is awaiting us with all the character witnesses she called. Please follow me.” As I walked behind him we must have passed a dozen rooms with people sticking their heads out. Reaching our court room Voush offered me his hand and I shook it as he spoke. “Good luck young Sundance. Congratulations or your ascendance.”
Inside the courtroom were seats, camera drones and an audience with a variety of aliens. I was selected by the guards to sit with Link and Talalh on the Pontu’s table. On another table stood an alien woman with what looked like quills that were black and red forming a ridge down her slender back. She wore a red uniform with a chest plate and arm guards that matched. Between our tables stood a raised seat and platform as a Fellorn in uniform called out to us. “All rise for the honorable Judge Rodesh Shokahn.”
Rodesh entered with a slim black uniform with body armor before taking a seat at the head of the court. Sitting again Rodesh called out to the court. “The court recognizes Kinsar Dunshau and the Pontu trade organization. The case of reef world Hypartheon will now commence. Both parties please submit all documentation for your contracts.” Talalh and the quilled woman submitted their electronic files with computer panels on the tables.
Rodesh looked down intently at the two different submissions. A few minutes passed as she seemed to cross reference things filling out her own paper work. Finally relaxing Rodesh looked up from the case files and closed down her holographic folder. Speaking with authority she began to address us. “One world was owed and an even better world was delivered. It was honorable of you to admit that the interest you feel was owed was paid in the upgrades Lady Kinsar. I am however compelled to place a hold on this transfer of title.”
Talalh was quiet as Lady Kinsar spoke up. “Your honor I am already registering Hypartheon land sales with the trade courts.” Rodesh held up a hand silencing the room. Clearing her throat she started to explain her decision. “Simran Singh is a member of an endangered species that does not have rights in the trade courts. That is the first legal crisis I have to address. The second regards Sundance going without payment for services rendered.”
Straightening her back Rodesh continued. “We will finish your transaction but third party arbitration is required for humanity to be included as a trade nation. Do both parties agree to this?” Talalh and Kinsar both agreed to the motion before Rodesh continued. “The court will appoint as the third party arbitrator the Forge Kin Guide known as Link.” My robotic friend stood up and walked out in front of Rodesh before addressing the court.
“I Link from the reef world Shoal accept the job of arbitration for humanities inclusion to the trade courts. I will now arbitrate on behalf of the court.” Link looked at both of our tables before speaking. “If mankind is to be given representation as a trade nation Earth must become a trade hub. If Sundance is to be paid, something must be given to her in exchange for her sacrifice and work. What payment would you like Simran?”
Raising my hand to feel my key I said what I wanted. “I want a reef world of my own.” Surprise and murmuring filled the room as Link raised his hand and spoke to my desires. “A reef world would make an excellent trade hub for humanity and generous compensation.” Talalh cut in worried. “But if we paid for a new reef world we would have to push back trading in our thirty third galaxy. It could take years.” Link paced closer to our table and responded with wisdom.
“Not every generosity must be paid. The titles of the confiscated Davon fleet can be a free charitable donation for a local fleet.” A voice from the audience called out adding to it. “I may have been called here as a character witness but I would like to volunteer my peoples services. We will help build the space ports of this world and help train pilots and ships crews with our own.” Turning back I saw Kai, Quanik and Suntrah sitting with my family. Not to be out done Quanik called out from beside Kai.
“The Borain are willing to help and volunteer in building the cities of this world. There are new generations of master builders to train.” The last voice that came was Suntrah as she volunteered. “The people of Ocelia would like to couple our trade operations with mankind for a full century. My people must gain perspective with modern trade routes.” Turning back to watch Link he continued.
“The voluntary resources of three worlds with Earth’s trade should offset the majority of infrastructure costs. With this level of assistance the Pontu should only be delayed by a matter of a few months.” Lady Kinsar had a concern as her soft voice drew my eyes back to her quills. “If I am helping to pay for the opening of a new trade hub I want something else!” Tension filled the courtroom as Lady Kinsar looked past me to Talalh. “I want to help open up a new galaxy. I want to be part of the Pontu trade mission a
nd to share in your adventure.”
I turned to see the elder Pontu smiling before giving his answer. “We will be grateful for your company in on this trader’s road. We accept.” Lady Kinsar called over to Link “I accept this arbitration.” Talalh happily replied, “The Pontu happily accept this deal. What do you say Forge master Sundance?” Looking at Lady Kinsar who was smiling I gave my answer. “I accept it too.” Whispering filled the room as I ignored the camera drones while Link turned back to Judge Rodesh.
“All three parties have come to an agreement you’re honor. Humanity will become a trade nation and their Forge Kin will have legal rights under the trade laws.” Talalh thought for a second before looking to me. “It works out perfectly. What will this new world be called?” Link walked up to me before adding his question. “Do you have a name for your world or shall I pick one?” Smiling at the thought of including Link it felt right as I answered him. “I would like it if you picked the name.” Nodding at me Link turned and walked into the center of the floor before addressing us again..
“I have found many beautiful Earth names but one will stand out amongst the trade nations. This world shall be called Bountiful.” Judge Rodesh was doing more holographic paperwork as my eyes now focused on her. Link continued, “Your honor. Terms for this arbitration are set. We are ready to sign.” The judge picked up a tablet from her side and handed it down to one of her Fellorn guards. Rodesh spoke up as the guard moved to everyone. “Everyone including the volunteers please sign the agreement with your keys.”