L’elland Mester laggardly willed one of his eyes open apprehensively. Not greeted by the shining sun, but by the playful curls of his insistent little daughter dancing before him, her eyes alight with the joy of living and a smile which brought him out of his slumber with intention alone. Leading him from his cot, like a newborn pup lead into the light for the first time, little Mia guided him out through the vast caverns of his home, blinded by tapestry, relief and lighting which seemed to leave L’el wondering whether his eyes met reality, or if he was still dreaming.
Trying to rub his weary eyes proved difficult while maintaining stride across the uneven paths. A few minutes more of sleep is all he asked. He had spent many sleepless nights preparing for the upcoming county festival. It was not something one did without putting in many hours. Climbing out through his niche in the catacombs of the city, moving above ground through the convoluted yet picturesque caverns of his town, each lit by a concatenating series of mirrors, one playing upon the next created quite an aesthetic scene. The use of prisms, creating a variegation of light, made for breath taking vistas and left the surface of the moon Aelon not as desirable as within. Especially as the gypsum soils when heated provided the inhabitants with an abundance of breathable atmosphere and kept the interior fresher. When these vapors were lit up with all the colors of the rainbows it created scenes which rivalled anything L’el could ever have imagined. Truly, the Aelopian civilization, inhabiting a distant moon circling a gas giant on the outer rim of the galaxy, was unique.
The ‘Festival of Sentience’ ,as it was called, was only a few days away now and a great many people would be witness to everyone’s talents, which would easily lead one into his career in life, particularly the youth. It was believed in this society that everyone had a role, something they were good at no matter what it is, and if they found this ability, they would not only be productive throughout their lives, but would be happy doing that role for which they had proclivity. Many opportunities abounded for the young to find what would be their fitting ‘Life Role’, and if they hadn’t found one by the age of 15, then they would meet the community council and together decide with whom they could work to forward another’s Life Role, but with so many chances, almost everyone had found their niche by that age. The festival itself was a time of opportunity, and was filled by the youth of the many counties putting the best of themselves on display, whether it was through the performing arts, culinary works, craftsmanship, storytelling ,etc, the Festival was an important part of the culture.
“I figured out my routine and I want you to see it first, let me show you what I can do!” she said, bubbling with excitement.
They came upon a clearing and he stretched his arms as far as they would go and let out a great big yawn, being so tired he begrudgingly followed her out to the common grounds to witness her latest exploits, but he always had time for his little girl.
“Look! Watch!”
Little Mia began standing on one hand and attempted to spin herself around while holding her foot with her free hand. Promptly falling backwards, she tried again
“Well. Not bad. Try again.”
Her brow now twice as furrowed with determination, again began on her one hand and… fell.
“No wait! I can do this, I swear!”
“OK, another try.”
Mia propped herself up once again and after balancing on one hand for several seconds, flipped her hand through the opening between her knee and other hand and landed back on her first hand. Then did the same switching off in the opposite hand.
Half-hearted clapping came from nearby and L’el and Mia’s attention went to the nearby arbor.
“Wow, that was great. How many tries did that take you?” Three figures emerged from the brush and approached them. “I don’t think the judges will look too kindly at a young girl flopping all over the place before finally landing a simple hand flip. Maybe you should also take after your father and spend your time inventing useless things”
“No one asked your opinion Drake!” yelled little Mia.
“Mia can earn her place in society honestly, even if others can’t” L’el added. Seeing his daughter in danger brought out a completely different side of him.
“There’s no proof of that and you know it!” Drake said.
“You shouldn’t be allowed to judge me!” said Mia.
L’el could see their fists clenching under their sleeves. As identical triplets, each seemed to know what the others movements would be before they happened and they would prove to be a formidable opponent in a fight, especially since they were outnumbered and out-sized, with them standing close to 7 feet tall each. L’el tried to maintain his nerves when they all started to approach.
“You don’t want to make your faces uglier than they already are Drake, so why don’t you take yourself and your fakers go back to your watering hole. My daddy will protect me.” Cried Mia.
“I don’t think we can let these insults slide, not this time. You’re going to pay for your insolence, and the only competing our little friend here is going to do is for the hospital cafeteria food.”
Within a half second they were surrounded, not knowing from which direction the first blow would come, he held Mia close. Muffling her sobs, L’el motioned for her to be silent. With deft hands he grabbed at the closest rock and whipped it at the mirror illuminating the room—they plunged into darkness and in a flash L’elland bashed into the figure behind them while trying to maintain silence. He took Mia unto his shoulders and hastily sprang for the passageway leading to town whilst shrouded in darkness.
“WHERE ARE THEY!?” he heard from behind.
He took another rock and threw it in the opposite direction to lead them in the wrong direction. He could feel Mia in his hands trembling.
“Shhh… we’re almost in the clear” he whispered.
Thankfully he knew his way from here with or without light and he made his way to the common roads. Seeing other pedestrians he looked back to make sure they weren’t followed.
“Are we safe Daddy? Were they gonna hurt me?” Mia asked.
“No one’s gonna hurt you. I’ll make sure of that. Not as long as I’m around.”
“Is it true what they said, do you think I have no chance at the festival?”
“Don’t listen to them Mia. You have to understand that although they present themselves to be all tough and confident, they would never attack us if they weren’t nurturing an inner doubt. No one truly able needs to prove themselves with words or with fists. That’s why you’re special Mia! Don’t you ever forget that. You will prove yourself with your actions. Now you just have to work for consistency. Remember what happened last year” said L’el “You were so close to winning yourself but came up short right at the end. And whose to say that their wealthy family didn’t have a hand in their placements. I think the Elster triplets got that spot in the acrobatics league not by their talent alone. If you keep your work ethic up and practice relentlessly you will make it.” He said reassuringly.
Gratified by his kind words, Mia ran up to him and gave him a big hug.
He leaned back. “Hey, have you seen Dreban?”
“No he’s probably up to his usual in his study. You know him, he wants to be just like you.” Mia replied.
Rushing back into the catacombs and taking a few detours so as not to be caught out in the open, the two came upon Mia’s 8 year old brother, once again being full on in his work trying to invent like dad. While a great number may spend many years at the Festivals working out their Life Role, L’elland Mester’s was known almost before he could talk. He was able to take almost any apparatus, take it apart and invent something new and useful out of it.
Seeing his dad and Mia walk in all ruffled and perspiring, Dreb noted they had just finished physically exerting themselves.
“So where have you guys been, is everything OK?”
“Yeah, everythings fine, we ran into the Elsters again just now though, make sure you d
on’t go alone in the caves north of here.”
“Oh those guys. Dad don’t you have like a disintegration ray we can use on them or something?” said Dreb.
“I wish I did. So what are you making today big guy?” asked L’el.
“Well I was seeing if I could make a new type of toy the Nettles could chase after.”
Oh that sounds good, make sure you have it make some sounds for them to emulate, I think that would do well with the Judges if they saw that interaction”
“Good idea pops. He what are you up to these days?” he returned.
“Oh nothing too special. You know how you guys are always forgetting your chores?”
“Yeah” Mia giggled.
“I’m inventing a new improved L’elland to chase and scare his kids into obedience!” And with that he flung himself after his two kids through the caverns of his homestead below the surface.
“He has twice the vocal capacity than before! Four times as scary! Ten times faster!!“ he yelled as he was chasing after them.
He finally caught up with his kids on the surface near Old Miss Nelly’s farm. She was raising a new crop of half breed Nettles, cute for kids because they somewhat resembled a fur ball with legs which were one foot tall. Highly intelligent, they were not yet capable of speech. However they’re high pitched trilling and somewhat quizzical looks made them a favorite in many a home.
Out of breath, L’el stood by the fence looking out over the plantations and saw the lady of the ranch approaching. She was of Stocky stature, firm but with a face that was both stout yet kindly.
“So what’s the latest Nell, have you bred some that can talk yet?” L’el asked.
“Ha ha ha! No not yet. I’m still trying to get them trained to wash my dishes for me, but so far no luck.”
“I could probably invent you a dish washer or something, but nothing beats the look in those little critters eyes when you try to talk with them. That’s irreplaceable.”
L’el’s eyes followed his kids running in among their new little friends and felt at peace. Little Mia picked up one of the little creatures and held it in her arms. In response it seemed to nestle itself in her coat and trilled. It looked up at her and cocked its head.
“Aww, Dad this seems like it’s trying to talk to me! Can we keep it please please please!! I promise to take good care of it.”
“I’m not so sure, they are quite a responsibility Mia. I think we should start with something a little smaller and see how you do and work your way up to a Nettle. Why don’t we start with a fish or maybe an insect farm?” said L’el.
“Ok dad. If you say so.” She set the little one down. She noticed a flock of them were now following her around in which she took great pleasure. They followed her every turn and so she climbed bins and went through tunnels with her new followers.
L’el watched her as she giggled and heard them mimic her which only made her laugh harder. It was heartwarming. Finally she climbed onto the roof of the nearby shed to address her new congregation.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby declare myself your new leader! We will be implementing some new guidelines and policies.”
The group mimicked the word ‘policies.’
“Also we will be setting some boundaries”
They mimicked the word ‘boundaries’.
“But most first and foremost we will be declaring friends and enemies.”
They all peered up at her, enthralled it seemed by her words.
“You will all be heretofore be known as the clan of Mester!”
“Mester!” they all trilled. By this time there was about 40 of them.
“And we will be declaring war upon the Elster triplets! War I say! WAR!”
“War!” chanted the little Nettles.
“WAR! WAR! WAR!” they all chanted in unison.
Le’l and the others looked on in considerable amusement.
“Well isn’t that cute, my little girl is going to grow up to be a dictator.” He said.
“The finest munchkin dictator the land has ever seen.” Joked Nelly.
“We better plan our assembly lines of plastic forks and knives to be ready for war.” Dre’ban piped in and they all laughed.
Mia always had the capability of making others laugh even from a very young age. Which was a trait that made her more lovable than L’el ever could have imagined. He would do anything for his children. He would do anything to make them happy. Lost in thought, he imagined the woman that she would become. Such determination, there was something special about her and he resolved himself to give her every opportunity to succeed as possible. He thought of the future and thought of all the festivals and all the social programs that were awarded by the government. He considered himself lucky to be part of such a beautiful system. It was a system that kept everyone busy and productive while doing what they loved. In a few decades, through the plenitude of artists cultivated by the art incentive programs, the world as he knew it now would have evolved even beyond what it was. Those who would attempt to thwart constructive efforts were first evaluated based on their own personal contributions and if found unproductive were left without authoritative positions. Only those with a true record of production could have a say, and so it was that the nation was lead by doers.
He was really looking forward to the festival next week. He still had his own work cut out for him and a lot more work to do. With another few years of palpable production under his belt he would be eligible to gain a seat in the high council. Dreaming of all that was to come and all the work ahead of him he was beginning to feel tired. He had spent the whole night perfecting his new work, a contraption designed to sample earth and after calculating it’s properties, automatically determine its best use for cultivation based on location and incline and atmospheric conditions. It was something that could change the state of agriculture, but it needed work. He was spearheading a multitude of technologies to lead the Aelopians to automate certain aspects of life, to leave more time for other things such as the arts.
But he felt sleepy. He could trust old Nelly and the people of the city with his children, as long as they weren’t named Elster. Besides, Mia now had an army to call her own to protect her, he thought, even if the only weapon they was their own cuteness. It was time to lie down and rest. He found a towering tree nearby and sat with his back to the trunk of the great tree. Taking one last look at his kids frolicking in play he closed his eyes and let his imagination take him away…
* * *
L’el awoke. He couldn’t tell how many hours had passed since he fell asleep. It wasn’t the clamor of kids or any sounds at all that woke him, rather the lack of sound. Something seemed strange. It was as if the world had suddenly shut down. He looked around him, no one was talking or playing. Even the birds had become quiet. He noticed no one was nearby anymore. They had all moved to somewhere else. He jogged himself awake and went to look for everyone. Running out to the fringes of the solar array where Nelly’s farm lay he looked across the plains of the farms of his county. In the distance he could see a clutter of people all grouped into a mass. They were on all perched on a hilltop looking out over the vast plains. They were all facing the same direction. They were all entranced.
L’el turned his glance towards the horizon and then he saw it. Aelon was known for sandstorms and it was common practice for everyone to flee to the inner sanctums of the moon during those times of maelstrom. He had even designed a system to allow for quick and easy entry to the inner subterranes through a series of pulleys and carts. But this time was different. The people just stood, transfixed. What L’el Mester saw looked like a sandstorm, but there was something odd about it. In the first place, usually the sandstorms reached into the treetops or four stories at the highest. This one seemed to reach its handstraight into the heavens, it was enormous, there was no way to tell where the horizon started and space began. Normally the sandstorms were the color of sand, or light brown. This one had a reddish tinge to it, almost
maroon. The usual storms were a sheet of sand, this was an expanding cloud of cumulus. Something was wrong. L’el took a moment and looked back over his people. He found they were in almost in apathy, staring, in awe.
Panic began to well up in him! It was coming for them, it was coming for all of them. This was no sandstorm. Something had to be done! Why was everyone just standing around!?
“EVERYONE!!! GET INSIDE NOW!!! NOW!!! COME ON!!”
Slowly it was approaching closer and closer like a horde of locusts swarming in upon the fresh crop. He could see they had only minutes now.
“GO GO!!! AS DEEP AS YOU CAN BEFORE IT OVERTAKES US!! EVERYONE NOW!!!” L’el roared as he began to shepherd everyone underground as the crowd seemed to come to life! What was total apathy was replaced by hysteria. He searched indesperation for Mia and Dreb. He found them in amongst the crowd and forcefully shoved them down further into the nearest cave entrance and started the cart upon its path back to his chambers until they arrived in his study. He became dismayed when he realized he had only created one environment suit, and it wouldn’t fit his children. He had only devised its construction in order for him to study a volcano near the far end of Aelon. How could he have foreseen something like this. He had no choice but to put the suit on and to protect his children within these confines and hope for the best. He slipped on the respirator and breathe matter gauge and then tended after his children.
There was a thunderous cacophony emerging now from the surface. He couldn’t hear himself think. The relentless onslaught of sound was painful to his ears. The storm would be upon them in seconds. He wrapped them both in a specially treated blanket he had designed for fending sandstorm attacks.
The wave blast hit him and knocked them clear against the other side of the room. Everything within his study was instantly destroyed, all of his life’s works, gone in a moment. They were inundated with red. It was hot, and smelled of brimstone. clutching with all his strength, L’el held onto his progeny with all that he had and initiated his respirator to keep from choking to death. His family had to make it for the sake of his people. He waited for the initial wave to pass so he could see if they were still alive, but beneath the blanket he could still feel their squirms.
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