by Nancie Neal
"I remember the first time we met," Rhada said.
"Oh yeah, I was in the climbing tree. You wanted me to jump down." Amnika straightened.
"Would have you done it?"
Amnika looked up at him and thought about it. "I think I would have. I do remember loosening my grip, but then my uncle yelled at me. I wasn't supposed to be climbing, and he was right."
"I could have caught you."
Amnika blinked. "Really? In retrospect, we were almost the same size. It was good that my uncle saw me."
Rhada just chuckled and shrugged. "I could pick you up then, but it would be difficult because my arms were too short. I can cradle carry you to the market now if you like."
"No, I like walking now. It helps with the sadness."
Rhada nodded with a grunt. "Indeed."
They reached the market. Even before the friends stepped under the massive dome canopy covering all of the tables, two Natisiens at the front booths offered food to Rhada. Amnika chuckled. It was exactly like what her friend said. One offered Rhada boiled Eetchi eggs then he offered it to Amnika.
"No thanks," she declined, "You know I have to pay."
"Then I give to Rhada to share with advisor's daughter," he said as he gave Rhada a handful of the small oval objects.
Amnika scoffed. Natisiens can be stubborn sometimes, and she wasn't going to argue with him when Rhada was around. She watched the Natisien hand Rhada a bag.
They stepped away from the booth, Rhada handed Amnika some of the eggs. Amnika thanked Rhada and rubbed the eggs between her hands to remove the delicate shell. They put the waste in the compost container for the public riochi farm.
Another Natisien called Rhada away, and Amnika spotted a booth that had an assortment of sweets. A male and a female Inersien sat at the table. She noticed that they weren't wearing the standard clothing. The woman wore some jewelry. It looked like they were non-citizens. Standing by the table, she realized they were united. Looking at the variety of sweets on the table, one hard, red sweet on a stick caught her eye.
"What's this one?" Amnika inquired.
"That is boiled riochi nectar with red berry juice," The woman cast a thought to her.
Amnika looked up a little surprised.
"It's a genetic anomaly," the man said. "My wife's tongue isn't formed properly. Fortunately, she can share and cast thoughts just fine."
Amnika nodded. "How much?"
"Half a piece each."
Amnika bought 6 of them. Then she picked five roasted riana roots her mother liked. These were from a plant that grew in the marshes outside of the wall. When they are roasted, they expand and become fluffy and melt in your mouth when eaten. She also bought a container of candied red and black berries.
She didn't negotiate the price. She knew that for them, every piece counted. The woman put the sweets into a bag and handed it to her. She thanked them and went to find Rhada.
Rhada was in a middle of wolfing down a patri and leaf wrap when she spotted him.
"They're selling Patri over there," he said and pointed at a booth farther down the market.
"Oh, Rhada," Amnika chuckled, "I'm already out of pieces."
Rhada smiled and took his other hand out from behind his back and handed her a wrap. Amnika loved patri, but since it was rare, it was out of her price range.
Amnika took it without complaint.
"I have some riana roots," Amnika said. She took two of the largest out of her bag.
"Oh, I like those," Rhada said and accepted her offer. She felt better taking the patri from Rhada. After all, it was an exchange of sorts.
While eating the patri wrap, Amnika spotted the woman who sold her the necklace. Before she could walk over there, two male Natisiens began yelling at each other over the price of something. The buyer complained in halting Natisien dialect, how the price for an item was too much. The seller said that maybe he should bring something worth trading for.
A bit nervous on how close they were, Amnika stepped behind Rhada. Rhada nudges her, and they both took a few steps back. The argument got louder, and the ground rumbled as they shouted. Amnika felt the nervousness of the nearby Inersiens. A few put their hoods on as they hurried away. Amnika put on her hood, but she wanted to see the outcome.
The smaller Natisien tried to swing at the larger across the table, but the larger one stepped back. This enraged the smaller one, but instead of attacking he just yelled louder, waving his hands about. Amnika noticed how much the larger one seemed to enjoy goading the buyer, making snide and sarcastic comments whenever the buyer seemed to be losing steam.
"He's got a set of lungs, now doesn't he?" Amnika heard a female Natisien say of the smaller Natisien. The lack of accent in standard told Amnika that the Natisien grew up in the city.
The shouting continued until A couple of wall guards walked over and deescalated the situation. As the potential buyer walked away empty-handed, she recognized him as one of the forest Natisiens. He walked by, spotting Amnika and grunted at her with a smirk.
"What was that about?" Amnika asked Rhada.
He shrugged. "Forest Natisiens are a little different. Definitely hot-tempered. You should see them paired. They punch and slap each other. Must be the lack of hair on his head. The sun may have fried his brain."
"But I mean-" Amnika started. The Natisien recognized her, she was sure of it - or was she? "Oh, never mind."
Rhada chuckled.
"Hello!" Amnika greeted the Natisien woman. Everything returned to normal, and the usual hum of the market continued. Some Inersiens returned, taking their hoods off if they hadn't already.
"Did the advisor's daughter like the necklace?"
"Of course I did, but I need another one." Amnika smiled and took her hood off. "I need one that's shorter without a data card."
The Natisien woman nodded.
"Yes, you said it was long, but you keep it?"
"Of course, I'll think of another use for it," Amnika said. "Can you find another shorter one?"
"I do not have one here," The Natisien woman furrowed her brow. "I think I can get another. Need to find the Hemerian who sold me the last one. Necklace very strong, I cannot break."
"So you are able to get another one?" Amnika asked.
"I don't know," She said, "Some Hemerians come only once. They sell stuff for pieces so they can buy from other booths. I could ask other Hemerians, they may know."
She thanked the Natisien woman, making a note on her speech improvement. The Natisien smiled and tapped her chest with two fingers.
Amnika was a little surprised. She touched Rhada's hand to get his attention, and he followed her to the edge of the market.
"She tapped her chest," Amnika said. "With two fingers."
"Ah, yes. Natisiens like you already."
"I'm not even a citizen yet." Amnika quickly moved out of the way as two very young Natisien children ran past, with their mother yelling at them to walk, not run in the market.
Rhada tapped his fist to his chest, over his heart.
"Well, yeah, you are supposed to be. You are my protectorate. Everyone else, though?"
"You are kind and willing to listen," Rhada said. "You are willing to understand our traditions. That is enough."
"I'm still a child."
"You don't look like one."
Amnika looked up at him for a moment and thought about what he said. "It's my hair. It was always dark."
"Well, that too."
It took a moment for Amnika "Oh, right. That reminds me, I was supposed to be refitted." Amnika sighed. "I can stop at medical before going to the mountain hangar. It's on the way, and it only takes a few moments."
Rhada took a couple of steps in front of Amnika and offered his back. He was too small to carry Amnika in his arms, and Amnika was too old to ride a Natisien's neck. So, instead, Amnika hopped onto his back and put her legs around his waist. She was glad she was wearing her community clothes at that moment.
He
carried her back to the community back through the Garden. His longer legs shortened the time it took to get to the garden. He stopped suddenly and held still.
Amnika slid down his back, wondering what he saw. She took a few steps back to watch him.
Rhada's eyes narrowed, and he began to sway. A few moments of intense concentration, then he leaped into the brush grabbing a six-legged scaly creature.
Amnika gasped. "How did one of those get in here?"
Shrugging Rhada studied the squirming animal. It's long iridescent green tail wrapping around Rhada's arm. It's split tongue darted in and out, and its claws dug into Rhada's skin. "Sometimes they get dropped by birds. Sometimes the sticky eggs get stuck on Natisien clothing. They're supposed to check themselves, but the small eggs are easy to miss."
"It's a good thing you caught it, though." Amnika stared at it. "If it would have bitten a small Inersien child…" Amnika couldn't finish. She knew that the toxins in creature's mouth could be deadly if the infected didn't make it to medical on time.
"I'm immune, though." Rhada gave Amnika a sideways glance. A mischievous grin appeared on his face.
Amnika knew what was about to follow and turned her head as Rhada put the creature in his mouth. The crunch was sickening, and she shuddered. She waited until she was sure he was done eating.
"They're actually delicious," he chuckled.
Amnika wrinkled her nose. "You didn't want to wait until I'm out of earshot?"
"Why risk losing it back into the bushes?" He asked.
Amnika hopped on his back, and they followed the path to the steps that took them over the transport tube into the edge of the community center on the Inersien side. As they continued on the other side of the transport tube, Amnika spotted a couple of mother's talking. Three Inersien children were playing a three-way clapping game nearby.
"Let's stop here for a moment," Amnika said.
Rhada stopped, and Amnika got off.
"I have some candied red and black berries," Amnika cast a thought to the mothers, "can they have one?"
The older child picked up on the casted thought and turned to his mother, eyes wide with expectation. The other two continued playing as if Amnika wasn't even there.
"How generous of you," One mother cast back. The other nodded.
Amnika took her bag and opened it. She looked up to see the older child already in front of her. The other two children caught on and ran over. She handed them a few pieces each. They thanked her and ran back to their mothers.
"Tell your father 'thanks' for getting the door panel fixed for me," one of the mothers said.
"I can do that," Amnika said and waved as she left with Rhada to go home.
They stopped in front of her house. It was one of many that lined the lane, part of a group of four. They were simple boxes, built for efficiency and designed to take advantage of the delivery and rikta system.
Amnika put her hand on the panel next to the door, and the door slid open. Once inside, Amnika gave her mother the roots. Then she gave her father the rest of the candied berries, but not before having a few herself.
She then showed them the hard sweet on a stick. Her mother laughed and said something in the language she taught.
"I would like to learn that so I can know what you are saying," Amnika sighed.
"Then how are we supposed to talk privately about you with you here?" Father teased. When he saw her roll her eyes, he chuckled.
"We have problems with small insects again. Be sure to put those in the sealed cubbies."
Amnika nodded. She offered one of the sweets on the stick, and Rhada declined.
"I only drink riochi nectar," he said.
Amnika took one for herself and put the rest in the sealed cubby in the cooking area.
"Are the insects getting into the electronics again?" Amnika asked her father.
"Well," Her father was surprised. "Yes, they are. How did you know?"
"I took an educated guess," Amnika said, and she shared with her father the moment with the mothers.
"I don't understand it," Her father said. "The rikta panels are well sealed. Other than swimming in the rikta fluid itself, there's no way for them to get in there."
"You'll figure something out, I'm sure," Mother said. Then she turned to Amnika, "Formals? We are going to see the returning citizens."
Amnika nodded, smiled at Rhada and went up the lift.
It didn't take her long before she was back down, in her formals with hair down. This time her hair fell nicely in place.
"I'll probably have to braid my hair." Amnika walked into the common area between the cooking and gathering areas. "I don't know if I want to. It actually looks nice today."
Her father raised his eyebrows and looked up at Rhada who shrugged. Amnika was a little perplexed on their reaction.
Her father finally nodded. "You will have to braid it, I'm afraid."
"I can braid it." A small smile crossed Rhada's face. "I like braiding."
"Let's go into the project room." Amnika intended to talk to Rhada alone about the odd moment. Why did her father look so surprised? When they were in the room, she closed the door. "That was an odd reaction to my comment. I only thought my hair looked good this time."
Rhada opened his mouth as if he were going to say something then shut it. He walked over to the panel that Amnika used the previous day and slid his finger across the top. Instead of acting like a reflection, a few database queries appeared. Rhada tapped on some of them until an image appeared. It was a scanned snapshot of Lady Adeli.
At first, Amnika didn't get it until she stood directly in front of the image. She looked at Rhada.
"It's almost as if I'm looking at my older self!" She exclaimed.
Rhada grunted an affirmation.
"Except I don't have a black mark on my cheek," Amnika said. She pointed at a black spot on Adeli's left cheek. "There must have been some damage to the photo before the scan."
Rhada leaned in a little and squinted. "Possibly."
He tapped the screen, and Amnika appeared, looking back at herself. Rhada stood behind her. He took her hair in his hand and began braiding.
This time it was many small braids. It was a little fancier than Amnika was used to, but she knew that Rhada wanted to practice, so she didn't say anything.
When he finished, Father opened the door and stepped in.
"Surprise?" Amnika said.
The smaller braids merged into one large one, and Rhada finished braiding the end.
"Not bad, Rhada," Father said.
Rhada beamed.
"We need to go. I have to be there early, and I would like you to be there with me," Amnika's father continued.
"That's okay. I have to go to medical to get refitted." Amnika walked past her father, and he followed her.
"Oh, yes. Your mother told me about that. I understand. Just meet up with Mihka inside the hangar when you are finished."
They met Mother by the entrance, and they all left for the mountain hangar.
Chapter Five
Amnika, Rhada, and her parents stepped out of the transport docking station. This placed them in the back of the mountain hangar, just behind the lifts to the towers. She noticed that the door to the City's decision building stood. It was where all the citizens would meet for matters concerning the city.
To her right and she saw the flight technicians offices. A hallway on the right led to the student dorms. She knew that it wouldn't be long before she was staying there.
"Well." Father checked his tablet and frowned. "I have to make sure everything is on schedule. Amnika, be sure to seek out Mihka after you get refitted for your suit."
Amnika sensed his nervousness. What was on his tablet? She watched her mother follow her father to the lifts.
As she walked into the main part of the hangar, she looked up at the large dome above her. Like every ceiling, it had the polymer that held the rikta fluid. It was lit up, giving uniform lighting to the a
rea. The hangar was cleared of everything. No ships were being repaired, and no secured deliveries were waiting to be distributed. The carts of tools and flight suits the technicians pushed around were also absent.
The hangar was cleared of everything to make room for the returning citizens and their families. Amnika was particularly excited because, with her uncle and aunt, her little cousin will be returning.
Hearing the lifts activate, Amnika turned to see her Parents followed by Zakkon, his wife and Anias. Rodgistan and Trinka stepped off the elevator next to them.
Amnika caught Trinka's eye who excitedly waved her over.
"I figured you would be here early," Rodgistan said. "So I thought I would bring Trinka over sooner than later. You two can spend some time with each other before her parents arrive."
Greeting her friend, she apologized. "I have to go and get refitted. Is it okay that Trinka comes with me?"
"I don't see why not," Rodgistan said. "But be quick. Mihka is supposed to meet you soon."
Nodding, Amnika wondered why Rodgistan sounded urgent. She took her friend's hand, and they walked quickly to Medical which was on the other side of the research center. It took up the first level of the dorm buildings. There were twenty dorm buildings in four rows of five. The primary medical office was in the center of the first row. Amnika stepped into one of the three large rooms, and the head Medical technician greeted her.#"Your father told me that you would be here. I wanted to make sure it was done quickly." The technician then guided them to an area near the scanners. Amnika looked on the other side of the room at the wet stasis tubes. They were all empty, which was a good thing.
"Do you ever use those?" Trinka asked the technician. Amnika looked over to Trinka who pointed at the tubes.
"Not for a while." The technician wheeled one of the scanners next to Amnika. "Fortunately, we won't need them for injuries since none of them are serious enough, but we may need to deal with some mental trauma. Sometimes mental trauma makes it difficult to act as a normal citizen." She tapped on her tablet. "When we see they can react to normal interactions without breaking down, we take them out. Okay, Amnika. Hold your arms out. It will only be a moment." The medic touched the top of the scanner head, and a bar flipped out.