by P. S. Power
It didn’t take long to find the right location, though he paid more attention when he looked around this time. There were more people out in the big hallway for instance. The light fixtures were still giant green crystals. The light, still warm like the sun itself, was coming from around each one. The people under them were in all different shapes and sizes however. A lot of them were actually dressed the way he had for class the day before. In the exact same clothing. They looked youthful, so were probably school kids. They carried small satchels with them as well, which was a good thing to note, in case he had to pretend to be one of them at some point. He tried to memorize everything as he gazed around. Some of the clothing was brightly colored, even fancy. There were flowing robes, as well as single piece outfits on several of the people walking past. Those people tended to have lighter skin, like he did, as well as unique hair and tattoos in different places. Bizarre piercings as well. Mainly on their faces, though the ears were also being done.
The point was, he didn’t need to change a lot at the time being, he didn’t think. No one was dressed exactly like him at the moment, but there were people who were close enough that no one was staring too much at him. A few did, but when he smiled, they did it back. That probably meant they were responding to his attractiveness, not how strange he seemed. The place was easier that way than most would be.
It had representatives from every culture practically. Including some that weren’t even human. One who wasn’t. The being, who was obviously Ysidril, if much smaller than Neesa, came out of the red box behind him. The being looked around, a lot like Will had been doing himself, then slowly started to walk toward him.
Focusing, he made his pine tree emblem appear. Not that he’d met this particular person before, but he kind of thought that to the Ysidril, all humans might look alike. This being was more green than purple, but had a large scaled blue streak on its snout. Seeing the pine tree appear, the being opened its mouth, smiling. It didn’t look like that, but he could tell that was the point. It felt right.
“Ah! Hello. I’m Erath. A Ysidril. I’ve come to see about arranging more transport booths for the incoming fleets. I’m not a danger to you, please do not harm me.” The last bit seemed tacked on, but got Will to bow. The tiny creature, who couldn’t have been much past three and a half feet tall, did it back. One of their lower arms going across its middle. It was very correct, really.
“Erath? I think I’ve heard of you. Sibling of Neesa? Also the head of the transport system distribution for the new fleets coming here?” That was about all Will had on the topic. Not even what gender the being was. There was no strong sense, either way, so far. “I’m Willum Baker. I try to wear a pine tree here, on my chest, when Ysidril are around.”
That got the being to stand up, its mouth opening again.
“Yes? That is most kind. I can tell the difference between some humans, but that… Well, I’m nearly the best at it for the Ysidril, being young and immersed in the new people, more than the others. Neesa is my sister. I also know High Leader of Mars, Hess. Have you met them?” The being seemed curious, not demanding. It was probably a good lesson in how to get information without seeming like you were prying all the time. Erath was clearly new there, so of course they needed data. It only seemed right.
“I’ve met Neesa once. She was very nice. So much so that I was planning to invite her along on a trip next week. With some other people. I don’t want you to think I have inappropriate designs on your sister.” For one thing, she had four eyes, four arms and was covered in scales. The big mouth filled with sharp teeth also helped.
Erath just grinned. At least the mouth hung open and a sense of trying not to chuckle came off the child. That they were young was clear. Also wickedly intelligent. More so than he was, at a guess. Given that he’d started bright enough and had been pushed to more than that by Tim Baker, that was saying something. For instance, the being in front of him was conversing in nearly perfect Standard.
Willum didn’t know any of the new fleets’ languages at all.
The kid bowed again.
“Neesa is a near adult. What she chooses to do and with whom, is her own business. That wouldn’t be inappropriate by Ysidril rules, if you all wish to do that. Now, I need to find the magical artifact storehouse here. I’ve been to this location before, but never to that specific place. Would you know where it is?”
Will got to smile then, since that and the bakery down the way were the only two places he knew for a fact that he could find there.
“Through that door, right there. It’s convenient from the box. Probably so that visitors can get space worthy shields right off. You have one of those?” It was the law there after all. If you were in space, you had one. Given freely.
The little being nodded.
“I do! Dareg Canton gave it to me. I think he made it himself. I haven’t learned to do such things yet. I was considering attempting it. Do you think that would be possible? The Ysidril haven’t shown such skills before, but the humans with us haven’t either. It might be a learned skill, in that case.”
They moved toward the door, Will not knowing the answer at all.
“We should ask about that? I don’t know enough to say yes or no. My guess is that you will have to try it out. Even if you can’t do it personally, a lot of your people should try, just in case.”
Interestingly, behind the counter that day, was a small girl. She looked to be about eleven or twelve. Around her neck was a wooden cross. He’d never seen one before, but it marked her as being from Tellerand, or at least holding to a one god religion. Noram had that as well, though they were a bit different. Mrs. Sams hadn’t gone into that deeply, not really knowing much past that on the idea. What she had known was how to speak that language.
So he tried that, which got a blank look from the girl. Then a smile as she took in him first, then moved to look at Erath.
When she spoke it was in Standard though.
“I know that’s Tellerand, but I can’t speak it. My mother does sometimes at home. Do you speak Standard? I can find a translator if not.” She was very polite, though if he didn’t speak that language, there was no way he could have understood what she was saying. That meant her words were more about having a kind tone, than actually finding out what he was able to speak.
He just switched to the common tongue.
“I can do that one. I was hoping to find some makeup amulets? My friend Erath here is looking to commission more of the transport system huts. We probably need Tim Baker for that? I think Dareg said that he thought Timon, Tor or Taman could all make more of the things. It probably comes down to who has the time for it right now. Taman is busy, I think. For at least another few weeks. I’ll ask about that for you Erath, since I’ll see her in the morning tomorrow. Is Tim in?”
The girl shook her head.
“Not for a while. I heard he was going off to do some things in secret. I can’t say more about it. Mainly because no one tells the shop girl all that much. I did hear that Tor and his wife were in Vagus for the time being. At his magic school there? I don’t know if that will help. I can get you those amulets, if you wish? Do you need anything else?”
He nodded, his face pulled into a smile.
“Probably one of everything useful? Aunt Taman told me that I should be ready for anything, but… Well, she couldn’t come up with what that would be.” It was the short version of what his life was destined to become, he thought.
Interestingly, the girl didn’t have a problem with any of that. In fact, she didn’t just make up one bag that she filled with amulets, but two. The other went directly to Erath.
“These units will let you watch shows and get new information. There are even classes on different things you can attend. You can listen to music as well. So, you should have these. Then there’s more boring items. All useful…”
She listed off what each thing was. That included food making units, which weren’t as nice as the ones that Queen T
iera made, but were good enough for regular people, making loads of foods. They each got new clothing amulets, since having more than one made sense to the girl. Also toiletries, small houses that could take many shapes and other things. Mainly tools. Earth moving and compacting magics, a cutter that had four different sizes and shapes of blade on it, which glowed in the air so you could see where the line was going and handfuls of other things.
In short, it was probably a good way to a million golds worth of magic. Just being handed to them. Not that he wasn’t going to take it. Just as they finished up, each with a soft fuzzy blue bag that wasn’t actually there, filled to near the top with things, Patricia Baker walked into the shop. Coming from the front.
She smiled at Will, but focused on Erath.
“Hello! Are you Erath?” It was a great guess, if clearly one of those. The woman did make a golden triangle appear on her front, after glancing at his pine tree design. That got the small alien to bounce a bit, holding the blue bag a bit covertly, as if trying to hide that it existed. Even as Willum stood there with the same thing in his hands.
“Yes. I am Erath, of the Ysidril. You are… Patricia?”
That got a smile and a nod at least.
“Right. Patricia Baker. I’m not certain…” She was looking at Will then, which he understood, since he looked nothing like he had before.
“Willum Baker. Your nephew. I recently had my face changed, so that I wouldn’t confuse people as much.” He glanced at Erath, then shrugged with one shoulder. “Some people that looked like how I did before tried to attack others here. On Earth, actually. So I changed the way I looked.”
To avoid attack, but he didn’t put it that way.
Erath went very still for a moment.
“The Adversaries?”
He got a hug from his aunt, which was probably a good bit closer than was strictly proper. Then, interestingly, Erath got one as well. The tiny being went very still, at first, but returned the movement after a few moments.
“The other humans, with the fleets… They don’t allow such contact. They fear us, even though we’re very peaceful. You here do not seem to. Not nearly as much.”
It was an interesting observation, which he filed away. After all, if he was supposed to go there and not be noticed, that kind of thing would be important. To him the Ysidril seemed a bit like dogs, to be truthful. Friendly, even helpful. Possibly dangerous, but only if they didn’t know you or you mistreated them. Except that they were also brilliant, so had control of themselves all the time.
It was a bit diminishing, thinking of them like that, so he tried to stop it. They were, more or less, just funny shaped people. Ones who seemed to be hard working. At least this one was.
“Oh! Erath came to see about getting more of the Transport System? I don’t know what he’s doing, but Dareg mentioned he might be busy, so I think the current plan is to go for all the other wizards that can do the work and dun them until they give in to our demands.”
Not that it was their project, but he wasn’t making a little kid go and face alien wizards by themselves. Trice shifted her long curly black hair out of the way, then nodded slowly.
“Tim can’t do it. Not for at least half a year. He’s…” She glanced at the alien, then nodded. “He’s off in a different reality, helping people. There are sick people there. Their own people can’t help them, but we can. Taman is supposed to go and do that soon as well, except…” She glanced at Will, as if seeking permission from him to explain things to the alien child.
Which made sense, if they were going to get help from that direction.
“I’m being trained to go to other worlds, right now. Not that we understand how to get that done. Really, I should go and live with the Ysidril for a while. They have to be about as different as we can manage for now. I’m supposed to try and mingle with your people, the fleet humans, but that would work too. I’m not allowed to do it as me.”
Willum got a strained look from his aunt, but Erath bobbed happily.
“Yes. I can see this as needful. We will help you then. You can be the representative to the formerly lost homeworld of my people? It will need learning a new language, as well as customs and protocols. Is that a thing that will aid you?”
It almost certainly was. Especially if he could pull it off without dying.
“I think so? When do I need to be ready for that?”
“A little over one of your years here? The Ysidril tend to move slowly. The old ones from the world we left, long ago. Those in the fleet are beings who held adventure highly. Those left behind, less so. You can come for lessons? I will find a tutor for you. Many will volunteer. It is considered rare still for a human to be willing to be close to my kind. This place… It is a marvel. No one does more than smile at me, or perhaps walk away quickly. It is better.”
That sounded a bit sad, to tell the truth, but it was the kind of thing he needed to know for his next mission.
“Okay. We should go and see if we can find Tor then? Like I mentioned, I can get with Aunt Taman on that tomorrow. I have a class in about an hour, which I can’t miss. Learning English?” He got ready to try and explain why he might need that, when Erath just switched to that tongue.
“I have learned this as well, the old language of some human people. The new, different world humans often use it, still.” It was a bit rough around the edges, but not bad at all.
In fact, it got him to blink.
“Exactly. Are many of your people learning that language?”
That got a side to side bouncing motion. It seemed to mean something specific, though what exactly was too hard to read from the tiny alien.
“Some. About a thousand of us. It was decided not to be of prime importance at this time. Instead most are working to master Standard, other now Earth languages as well. I have been doing it on my own, from old mech records. If you seek to learn of us, our fleets, you should start there, as well as with my kind. There are some here, you could meet. In the Capital of Noram? Other lands as well, but I do not know them.”
Will could see that as being helpful, even as Trice shook her head.
“Each person you talk to is one who might report you later. Even if they don’t mean to, it’s a danger.” She was using English as well. Decently.
He decided not to be surprised. Learning to communicate with people from different worlds was kind of a fun thing after all. Rather than justify himself, he nodded, thinking for a bit first.
“There is truth in that. The problem is that going to a different culture without knowing what to do first is insane. Even if they accept me as a stranger, I’ll need to be able to communicate and not start a war. Right now I can’t see another way to do that. Find a friendly place that is similar, and learn there first, perhaps?” Not that he could do that. It might not even be possible in many cases.
There were other people that could pass for him, in different locations, also called Earth, so it was possible that it might work that way. If so, he was going to need a lot of help, if he was going to stand a chance at all. For the time being though, they needed Tor.
Which, handily, had Trice smiling at them.
“Vagus has several transport units. One of them is for the mage school, which is where Tor is working right now. You should be able to find him there, if you hurry? You said you had class soon?” She was avoiding using a time measurement. Probably because she hadn’t learned those in English yet. Taman had used it, so he’d worked out how that pretty much had to function.
Taking his large blue bag of magic, he started toward the door. Walking at a sedate pace. Not slowly, since Erath was working to keep up pretty well. The creature didn’t seem to be struggling, but it wasn’t really all that quick.
Which, once they were in the booth, stopped being an issue. The little being scrolled through the names at a blurring speed, finding the correct one and getting them there so easily that Will kind of understood why this little kid had been put in charge of importa
nt things. Bravely they walked out into the daylight in Vagus. Except that it was still dark out, once he glanced around. They just had lights everywhere. The world glowed, since they were at a space port. That had literal lines of color lighting up the world. In the distance there was a large dome that seemed to be made of metal. It was lit in copper red and purple for some reasons. It was interesting looking, as well as impressive.
“I bet that’s the place. It’s a bit of a walk.” That seemed to be about half a mile, but the small Ysidril simply bobbed for a bit, then rose about four inches above the ground.
“We can use the low travel selection on our shields? I… I can fly, but it terrifies me, I fear.”
It took him a few minutes to work out the controls, but after that they were moving along faster than he could have run. Possibly not, now that he’d been changed. He hadn’t tried that part of things out yet at all. That felt like an oversight, but the honest truth was that he’d been too busy to do a lot of things.
When they got to the building, they were met by four men and women, all of whom were dressed up in deep red robes. Identically, except that one of the ladies had a rather pretty silver colored bow in her hair. She was probably the youngest one there, but moved forward, bowing.
Speaking in Standard. At least she tried to.
“Come, you, from lands not here?”
Will got the idea at least. None of them even bothered to stare at the Ysidril with him. That was a good sign. So was the lack of weapons.