SHU'KAN

by Martin Durst

  Tr’al mother sat weeping quietly.

  ‘That’s it?! Why can’t they get more people looking? We could take a ship! C’mon-’

  ‘Tr’al,’ her father interrupted. ‘They are doing all they can.’

  ‘Bull!’ she screamed. Tears were streaming down her face. ‘Everyone’s just sitting around hoping!’ She turned and ran to her room and slammed the door.

  To’il quietly left and went home.

  Chapter Four

  The next morning, Tr’al woke early and decided to go for a walk. She sat on the edge of her bed and slowly tied her shoes. This was her third attempt, but she was getting better with the strings. Wearing human clothes was still a little weird.

  She brushed her long hair bringing it to a full shine. She stared at herself in the mirror. At sixteen cycles, she was almost a woman. –Two more cycles, and she’d be able to participate in the Ceremony of Jek’tar. She couldn’t wait. Finally! She’d be able to wear the color of her caste. She sighed and put on her brown wrist band. Until then she still had to wear the color of a Shu’kan adolescent.

  She left her shelter in a mixed mood. She was still upset about Shi’la missing, but it was a beautiful day. She inhaled deeply and squinted at the sun. The experience of living solely on a ship was already becoming a distant memory.

  All around her, trucks delivering loads of equipment and material were moving every which way. She was amazed at how fast the settlement was growing. Dozens of new building were being built at the same time. Everything had a new look. There was even a recreational area beside the large community building. It featured an outdoor playground for toddlers. Now that they were off the ships, the settlement could produce more children. Even Mother was talking of having another child, but father said they were too old. She wondered what it would be like having a younger brother or sister.

  Inside the recreational facility, a full size replica of a Tal’gret court was being built. She excelled at the game and was one of the best players. Humans had a similar sport called gymnastics. In fact, several pieces of human equipment were being added for diversity. Once finished, she hoped that she’d be able to compete with some humans to study their techniques. –Though she doubted they’d be able to do all of the Shu’kan events. Physically, humans weren’t as agile.

  She was supposed to help some of the village elders from the services caste finish installing a pump for an additional well that was dug for the settlement. She headed that way enjoying the brisk fresh morning air. As she got closer to the well, she noticed dozens of humans already there assisting. Good, she thought. This shouldn’t take too long. She found the Shu’kan in charge. ‘What should I be helping with?’ she asked.

  ‘It seems,’ he said with pursed lips, ‘that we aren’t of much use.’ He rolled his eyes indignantly. ‘But, we are doing the best we can. –Here, you can finish moving this dirt over to the agricultural building. They want to begin growing some seedlings of our native plants. The chemical composition of this soil is compatible.’

  He pointed to a wheel barrow and showed her how to use a shovel to fill it. She awkwardly applied the tool the first couple trips, but got the hang of it after that. She worked hard moving the soil from one location to the other most of the morning. So much for easy work, she thought.

  By the time she had moved the entire dirt pile, it was the middle of the day. She wiped the sweat from her brow and drank heavily from the cooler full of water that the humans had brought to the work site. The water was cool and quenched her thirst.

  The well was located at the edge of the settlement just inside the barrier. She’d noticed a lot of activity on the other side a couple hundred feet away. Another large group of humans were building another collection tank for waste processing. She’d heard a human the other day joke that the Shu’kan were full of as much crap as humans were. Since she was done, she decided to investigate their progress.

  By the time Tr’al had walked back across the settlement, out the gate, and back to the collection facility, the workers were already breaking for a mid-day meal. She quietly walked to the edge of the tank and peered in. She hadn’t realized they were so deep. It appeared to be at least another twenty or thirty feet underground.

  ‘-Careful. Don’t fall in.’

  She turned around to see who was behind her. He was so close that she stumbled backward against the edge of the tank; her momentum almost causing her to fall in.

  ‘-Whoa! I was just kidding about the falling in part!’ He grabbed her wrist and steadied her.

  She lightly pulled her arm away embarrassed that he startled her.

  She studied his tanned face. He was human. From his height and build, he was about the same age as she was. He was grinning obviously pleased with himself for saving her. He stood with his hands on his hips observing her.

  ‘I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying,’ she said.

  He stood there looking perplexed and shrugging his shoulders. Why didn’t he answer? Then she remembered that humans here spoke Portuguese. She thought for a moment, and then tried again.

  ‘Can you understand now?’

  ‘Wow, you speak Portuguese,’ he said with surprise. ‘I didn’t expect that!’

  ‘What language were you speaking before?’ she asked.

  ‘That’s the language of my ancestors,’ he replied proudly. ‘It’s called Tucano. Only my village can speak it. –But almost everyone speaks Portuguese Brazil.’

  ‘Well,’ he continued in English; deliberately changing languages to see if she could keep up, ‘I can say I officially met a Shu’kan my age now. Though humans don’t usually do suicide dives in poop tanks!’

  She almost lashed out angrily at him for being the cause of her close mishap, but then realized he was still smiling and now speaking English. He must have read her reaction.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he added hastily. ‘I was just kidding. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have startled you. Do you speak English also?’

  Tr’al took a couple steps back and nervously wrung her fingers. She wasn’t sure how to talk to humans her age. Till now, all her interaction had been with adults; and that was limited. She decided to give him a smile hoping he’d see it as a friendly greeting. ‘Yes, I can speak English.’ She waited quietly not sure of what to expect next.

  ‘Well, you can talk to me.’ He pulled his cap off and wiped the sweat with his arm. ‘Honestly, I was a little nervous coming over here, but my curiosity got the best of me. Do you like it here on Earth so far?’

  ‘Yes. Your planet is lovely. –Especially the rain forest. I enjoy walks through it.’ She didn’t know what else to say, so she stood quietly glancing around. She was nervous about looking directly at him.

  ‘Well, hey, I was about to eat some lunch. You want to sit over here a spell while I’m on break? There’s a ton of questions I’d love to ask!’

  ‘Well,’ she hesitated, ‘just for a few minutes. I have to get back,’ she lied.

  They walked a few feet away and sat with their backs against the collection tank. It was high enough to provide some shade against the mid-day sun.

  He opened a small box he was carrying and took several items out. He realized she was watching.

  ‘This is a sandwich, an orange, a soda, and a bag of chips. Would you like to try something?’

  I’d better not,’ she said, ‘We still have to be really careful of what we eat until we know how it affects us.’

  ‘Oh, Yeah. –Right,’ he replied.

  ‘You know you look African?’ he said.

  ‘-African?’

  He realized she was waiting for an explanation.

  ‘Yeah, African. –People originally from the African continent. Your skin is extremely dark.’

  ‘You’re darker in complexion than most other humans I’ve met,’ she replied.

  ‘My ancestors are American Indian and African,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘-Though, mostly Indian.’

  ‘-And the
two are … compatible?’ she prodded.

  ‘Yes,’ he laughed. ‘All humans are compatible.’

  She shook her head in amazement. ‘It’s astounding the diversity of your species. All of you must be grateful for such a gift.’

  ‘Well,’ he said slowly, ‘unfortunately our history says otherwise. Many wars have been fought over our diversity.’

  ‘What is your name?’ he asked changing the subject.

  ‘Tr’al. –And you?’

  ‘I’m Matheus.’

  ‘Ma-the-us,’ she repeated slowly. ‘I like that name.’

  She smiled at him and he returned it warmly.

  Tr’al listened to him talk about his village and family for a few moments. As he spoke, he crammed a sandwich in. It was fascinating to watch him talk while he ate. She was sure she could do it, but no Shu’kan ever would. To chew one’s food while speaking was embarrassing to a Shu’kan.

  The leaders of the Shu’kan were slowly discovering what human foods they could or could not eat. As it turns out, humans and Shu’kan are similar in this department also. Meats are all compatible. –Good for Shu’kan since a large portion of their diet needs to be protein. But some fruits and vegetables can cause mild nausea, allergic reaction, or even death. A vegetable called ‘En Choy’ causes serious nausea, but green beans digest just fine. The most promising fruit, avocado, is plentiful right here. –Turns out it’s perfectly balanced for Shu’kan chemistry.

  ‘So, why are you working here?’ she asked.

  ‘My village is just a couple miles from here. Work was being contracted out to locals to build your settlement, so here I am! We all had to take two weeks of training for your arrival. –They said ‘for acclimating us to a different species.’ But, after the Hiver’s, many humans are over the first contact thing.’

  She noticed that he was looking at her hands.

  ‘-Must be different with just four fingers, huh?’

  She self consciously balled her hands into fists. The way he was studying her made her uncomfortable. He must have realized he was making her feel that way.

  ‘I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I’m just fascinated –and excited- to finally meet one of you.’

  She could tell he was sincere, so she relaxed a little.

  ‘I’d better get back,’ she said standing and dusting off her shorts, ‘I have to help my mother and father arrange some things in our shelter.’

  ‘-House.’

  ‘What?’ she asked.

  ‘It’s called a house. –Where you live.’

  ‘Oh, alright. –House,’ she smiled.

  She studied him a second. He was tall. -At least half a head more than her. -Muscular as well. –Kind of cute, in a strange way. She shook the strange thought from her mind and starting walking back to the settlement.

  ‘Hey,’ he called after her, ‘How’d you like a tour of some of my favorite spots in the rain forest tomorrow?’

  She was hesitant to accept, but decided it was best to. All the Shu’kan were trying to be social to humans as part of their settlement efforts. Besides, there were plenty of Earth Fleet soldiers around to protect them.

  ‘Ok,’ she replied, ‘just come to the gate and ask for me. They’ll escort you to our … house.’ She smiled in satisfaction that she remembered the correct word.

  ‘Great, see you then!’ He bent over and picked up his food box. Shoving his gloves in his back pocket, he left to join his work colleagues. She watched him go, and then resumed her walk back around the barrier to the gate.

  The next morning, Tr’al sat sleepy-eyed at the kitchen table eating a small piece of lamb. She wasn’t fond of the taste, but her parents said it was worth trying once. She choked down the last piece then started on an avocado with more enthusiasm. All the Shu’kan had developed a love for the fruit. She couldn’t get enough of them.

  She was washing down a bite when the door bell rang. Her father answered it before she could get up.

  ‘Excuse me, Sir. There is a young man from the village that says he has an appointment with your daughter?’

  It was one of the soldiers that worked the gate. He had escorted Matheus to their house.

  ‘Uh,’ her father turned with a questioning look, ‘do you know this young boy?’

  She forgot to tell him of her plans this morning with Matheus. She had to think quickly. He’d never let her go with a human she didn’t know.

  ‘Oh, Yeah.’ She walked to the door. ‘This is Matheus, Father. He has offered to give Li’el and me a more detailed tour of the rainforest this morning.’

  She smiled and bounced on her toes slightly waiting for her father to invite him in.

  ‘Ok. –Come in.’

  He sounded suspicious but seemed willing to go along.’

  ‘Hi, I’m Matheus, Sir.’ He stuck his hand out and Father shook it appropriately.

  ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you,’ he said bowing with both palms of his hands up.

  Father smiled and returned the traditional Shu’kan greeting. ‘-Looks like someone did his research. You performed that greeting well, Matheus.’

  Matheus grinned in appreciation. ‘Thank you, Sir. Does every Shu’kan speak languages so well?’ he said looking at Tr’al.

  ‘We have a gift for speaking and learning languages quickly. Even so, it took months to learn the many languages you have.’

  ‘Well,’ he laughed, ‘it takes humans years to do the same. I’d say you’re doing fine!’

  ‘The three of you just be careful,’ her father said. ‘Be sure to be back before it gets too late. There are a few things I need you to do around here.’

  ‘Ok, father.’

  They left and walked towards Li’el’s house.

  ‘I’m sorry about inviting my friend without asking you, but my Father wouldn’t have agreed to let me go if I hadn’t.’

  ‘-Hey, no big deal. The more the merrier.’

  After giving the same speech to Li’el and his parents, she finally convinced him to come with them. They moved in unison to the gate and started to walk through.

  ‘-You kids stay out of trouble now,’ one of the gate guards sneered. Tr’al didn’t like his tone, and gave him a look that let him know. He obviously knew he was irritating her.

  ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ he added.

  He laughed and snorted while slapping his hand against the other guard’s back. They both laughed at her look of confusion.

  ‘Why are you attempting to joke about me?’ she asked angrily.

  They didn’t answer, but started to laugh harder.

  ‘-Ok, boys. That’s enough.’

  From behind the guards, another Earth Fleet soldier walked out of the guard box. The two laughing guardsmen stopped laughing and stood stiffly.

  ‘Yes, Sir,’ they sounded in unison.

  ‘Leave the little lady alone,’ he continued. ‘She obviously has plans with her two escorts.’

  ‘Let’s go,’ Matheus said. He looked at the soldiers who silently grinned at them. ‘We’ve get better things to do.’

  They walked silently for a while, and slowly Tr’al forgot about the rude guards as she admired the beauty of the rain forest. She breathed deeply. Somehow she always felt constricted in the settlement.

  As they walked, they chatted about the differences between humans and Shu’kan. Matheus finally commented about their skin, as most humans eventually do. He compared her to a snake, but then laughed when he said snakes were less dangerous than women. She laughed with him out of politeness, but didn’t get the humor.

  Matheus led them along a small trail that wound through beautiful tall trees. Along the forest floor, plants with the largest leaves she’d ever seen clogged the landscape. Hundreds of birds weaved in and out of the trees. She gave up trying to count the varieties.

  They climbed a steep hill and were winded by the time they reached the summit.

  ‘Through here,’ Matheus said.

  They pushed a patc
h of plants aside to reveal a marvelous canyon that held a large waterfall on the opposite side. It was easily visible even from this distance.

  ‘It must be almost two hundred feet tall,’ she gasped.

  ‘That’s a lot of water,’ Li’el chimed in.

  ‘I hiked to that waterfall a couple years ago,’ Matheus said. ‘It took two days just to get there, but it was worth it. I found some caves there that have drawings of my ancestors. I haven’t told anyone where to find them. I’m afraid people will want to study them and disturb the spirits of my forefathers.’

  They sat on the ledge pointing out the different features visible far below. Matheus then patiently described the different birds that flew past as well as the large scavengers that circled high above.

  ‘They ride the warm air that rises above the canyon as they hunt. This way they can circle for long periods of time,’ he said.

  They soon continued walking along the trail and again got on the topic of the Shu’kan.

  ‘-So, you’re saying that your skin actually sheds?’ Matheus asked.

  Li’el looked uncomfortable and visibly looked away from them as they continued down the trail. It had widened enough that all of them could walk side by side.

  ‘Yes,’ Tr’al finally answered. ‘-After we reach twenty cycles in age. But, it is a highly private and personal matter. Once a year, your mate assists with shedding. It takes several hours and is considered something intimate. It’s not something usually discussed publicly.’

  ‘And it’s something male and female go through?’ he continued.

  ‘Yes. We’ll die within days if the shedding isn’t complete. You become too weak to remove the skin by yourself.’

  ‘Wow. That’s really … different. –Wait. Here we are!’

  Matheus stepped off the trail and pushed through some brush. ‘C’mon! You gotta see this!’