The Celestials

by Richard Wood

  The formation of Landers slid gently into the upper atmosphere of the third planet, beginning the long descent through the night sky. The moon was full and bright, but paled in the light from the Supernova one hundred and thirty light-years distant, making the night side of the planet almost as bright as the dayside.

  At ten kilometres above sea level, they stopped the descent and levelled out over a large body of water below them, heading towards land, far to the north where they had seen a range of towering snow-capped mountain peaks. As they drew closer, they saw islands ringed with glowing white beaches, then the main landmass it was a beautiful sight. Ancore called the other two Landers “I'm looking for a large river valley where we can land, but closer to the mountains, there the water should be purer, also we don't want to be too close to any beings that might inhabit this planet. We need to get ourselves landed and organised before explorations proper.” The other two craft acknowledged the transmission, Fantee came on the line saying, “Have you noticed that there are no other transmissions except ours, I have been scanning all frequency bands but apart from our transmissions, the bands are throwing up only a hiss captain.”

  “Yes Fantee, we've been checking as well with no results, could be the planet is uninhabited.”

  They were now passing far to the right a land mass that rose from the sea very steeply to a range of hills. This eventually gave way to a low-lying plain and the mouth of a river; here they turned to follow the silver trail of the river inland. They found themselves flying across a broad fertile plain with a mountainous region to their left and far across the plain to their right the beginnings of a large desert. On the horizon far ahead rose majestic snow-capped mountains, it was where the river ought to have its source. They were now passing different branches in the river and eventually came to the foothills of the mountains, and circled looking for a landing site they found an ideal area where the river tumbled down and formed a pool, with a comfortable landing area to one side surrounded by vegetation.

  They landed in a Vee formation facing the pool; there was a general scramble to set foot on the planet first, but Ancore beat Breen and Fantee by a step. The air was warm and heady with unfamiliar scents and the sound of water tumbling over rocks into the pool. They felt utterly and wonderfully invigorated the air was so pure. It was hard to believe the difference between canned air in the ship and Landers, to this intoxicating stuff they were now breathing.

  Glaina remarked, “If we could can enough of this to take home, we would make a fortune in the aphrodisiac market.” There was a general ripple of laughter.

  Nassel chipped in with, “Why share, this is Nirvana, let them travel fifteen years if they want some.”

  “You’re so insensitive sometimes Nassel,” said Fantee.

  “Now what have I done wrong, you’re so touchy these days,” he groaned.

  “Have you forgotten we're stranded here light-years away from our families, she snapped.”

  “What are you talking about you haven't got any family at home, they were killed years ago in a flivver accident.”

  “Oh NASSEL, how could you,” she wailed tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

  Ancore stepped in, “that's enough bickering, we haven't the luxury for an argument. We need to secure the area for the night and get some shelter erected, and then we need a meal, and a good night’s sleep. What's left of it,” she said firmly. “Adeetoo please check the water to see if it is drinkable, Adeeone, please gather dead vegetation for a fire. The rest of us will erect the portable sleeping shelters, and prepare a meal.”

  Inside an hour, the three shelters are erected, and a fire lit with a quick blast from a laser side arm. Adeetoo had returned with water, which was soon boiling in a pot from the survival packs. Glaina had emptied a freeze-dried pack of nutrient gruel into it and warmed it up. There was plenty for the six of them. After it was dished up into bowls, Fantee went and cleaned the pot out in the river. She returned with more water, to boil for a night time drink of vinath that would help promote sleep.

  Breen remarked, “Not even in my wildest nightmares would I have believed a couple of days ago, that I would be marooned on this planet tonight.”

  “It's a real twist of fate all right, fifteen years travelling in a state of the art deep-space survey vessel, only to be brought to this situation by a damn five centimetre piece of space rock. If it wasn't so serious, you could almost laugh,” replied Rogan.

  Nassel asked Ancore, “Should we post a sentry tonight, while the rest of us sleep.”

  “Good thinking Nassel,” she replied. “Adeeone and Adeetoo, please stand watch while the rest of us try and get some sleep.” On that note, the gathering broke up to their various shelters for the rest of the night.

  They are awakened at dawn by loud coughing grunts, followed by a roar that echoed around the clearing. They came tumbling out of their shelters in alarm, to be confronted with a light mist hanging over the scene.

  “What was that?” cried Fantee.

  “Some animal I suspect,” replied Rogan.

  “Adeeone, Adeetoo have you seen anything?” queried Ancore.

  “No captain,” they both replied.

  “Well keep your lasers ready, Adeeone come with me while I fetch water,” she said taking the pot and walking off to the river. Rogan followed trying to catch them up.

  By the time the water is brought back, Breen had lit the fire, and the mist was slowly fading, birds of all colours had started calling and singing. The place was alive with unfamiliar sounds.

  After the morning meal is cleared away, the suns are in the sky, and the land warming up. They all trooped down to the river to bathe, as they reached the banks of the pool, they gasped with delight. Thousands of brightly coloured creatures were flitting and fluttering through the air over the pool, and landing on a sand bar a little way out from the edge.

  “Ooh look,” cried Glaina in delight “Pili Palis aren't they beautiful,” the girls were oohing and ahhing.

  Nassel muttered quietly under his breath, “I hope they're not poisonous.”

  Fantee stood at the edge of the pool with her arms wide. The Pili Palis seemed drawn to her suit, and were fluttering around her in multicoloured clouds, “isn't this wonderful,” she cried. Soon, the three girls were stood at the water’s edge surrounded by swirling, dancing clouds of Pili Palis, flashing and fluttering in the sunlight.

  The three men, stripping off their suits, and with shouts of glee went charging into the pool diving beneath the water, amid arches of glittering silver drops. The three girls quickly stripping off followed. Soon they were splashing and laughing chasing one another under water, then as they tired, wading out and lay around on the moss-covered rocks, drying in the warm sunlight.

  Breen got up and began building a pen of rocks around a small pool.

  “What's that for?” asked Nassel intrigued.

  “It's a fish pen, I saw some large fish when I was swimming underwater, if we can catch some, we can keep them in here alive, until we are ready to eat them.”

  “What a good idea, Adeeone give Breen a hand please,” said Nassel laying his head back in Fantee's lap, with a quiet smile.

  “Nassel you're so idle,” complained Fantee.

  “I'm engaged in keeping you warm my dusky treasure,” he said turning his head and kissing her thigh.

  “Don't try getting round me, you're plain idle,” she said with a hint of a smile pulling her lips up in the corners.

  They decided to wash their suits and left them drying on bushes, while they changed into fresh apparel. On board ship, they had just thrown the dirty clothes into the wall chute, which took them, disassembled and sterilised them, then recreated new suits. They did not have that luxury now ship was gone, and only had three suits each.

  When they were dressed, they assembled around the embers of the fire for a meeting called by Ancore. When they were all present, she began speaking.

&nbs
p; “I don't want to impose my will on the group, in this extraordinary situation we find ourselves in. I believe all decisions henceforth should be group decisions, all who agree, please raise your hands.” Five hands were raised, Ancore raised hers, “carried unanimously.” “Now we need to discuss a lot of things. I think the most important is to secure a source of food, although we have rations with us, they will not last for more than a month. We are talking about being marooned on this planet for a minimum of fifteen point four years, that would be the very earliest we could hope for rescue. Because of the war situation, well perhaps they won't be able to mount a rescue mission immediately, I think we should plan for a stay of at least seventeen years on this planet.” The rest of the crew were nodding assent. Breen spoke up, “are we going to unload the Landers and use this site as our headquarters, or are we going to explore our new world taking everything with us?”

  After general discussion, a majority consensus agreed to make the site a temporary base for operations. Breen then remarked, “I've started on the food problem by building a holding pen for fish, all that is required now is to be able to catch some and put them in it.”

  “How do we catch them,” asked Glaina?

  “A net would be the easiest method, if Adeeone and Adeetoo agree they could spend time making one. We have plenty of plastic twine aboard the Landers,” said Breen. Adeeone and Adeetoo readily agreed, while the rest of the crew was still discussing tactics, Adeeone left to get the twine.

  “Fruit would be good if we could find some,” suggested Rogan.

  “How would we know if it was poisonous or not,” asked Nassel.

  “We get Adeetoo to check it for us, before we eat it, replied Rogan.

  “Alright that's taken care of food for now, what about exploration and security,” queried Nassel.

  “I suggest we unload one Lander and build a shelter for our equipment, and store our spare supplies in it. Then we would have a Lander for exploration. Three of us could scout around in that. The rest of us could be employed on radio watch, and getting this site more habitable,” said Ancore.

  There was general agreement, and it was decided to draw lots to see who would go exploring and who would stay. Ancore picked six twigs up, breaking three to make three long and three short.

  “The longest sticks go exploring,” then held them out in her clenched fist, as the crew filed past taking a twig each. It transpired Rogan, Glaina and Fantee were the explorers, with some good-humoured grumbling from the remainder. Then Adeetoo asked if he or Adeeone ought to accompany the explorers. Ancore looking very crestfallen, apologised to Adeetoo, the rest of the crew had gone quiet.

  “I'm sorry Adeetoo of course you and Adeeone should have been included in the draw, but only one of you can go the other is needed here,”

  She picked two twigs and broke one smaller then held them behind her back, just then Adeeone returned with the plastic twine for the fishing net.

  “Adeeone come and choose, left or right hand,” she called.

  Adeeone came over and said, “right hand.”

  Ancore held her hands out in front of them both and opened her hands the right hand had the short twig.

  “You are staying with us tomorrow, and Adeetoo is going with Rogan, Glaina and Fantee to explore.”

  “Yes,” replied Adeeone, going off with his twine, to fashion the fishing net.

  The rest of them set about building a shelter for the equipment that had to be unloaded from Lander One. They built the shelter out of two poles with a forked end, and a sharpened pointed end the other end sunk into the ground. Another pole was laid across the two uprights into the forks. They fitted a plastic ground sheet pegged into the ground, securing the uprights with guy ropes, then fitted another plastic sheet pegged on three of the sides, around the outside leaving enough sheet to pull over the open side when it was filled. By late afternoon the Lander, contents had been unloaded and stowed in the shelter. Rogan having lit a fire, they sat around drinking water and watching the pot boil, then emptied a packet of gruel into it for a meal. They were all ravenous by the time it was ready, and formed a queue to have their bowls filled by Glaina. In next to no time the gruel was gone, and the pot washed out, with more water boiling for a cup of vinath each. Adeeone was still engaged making the fishing net, as they all disappeared at various intervals to attend to their ablutions, before retiring for the night, leaving Adeeone and Adeetoo on guard.

  Adeeone was near the riverbank seated on a fallen log busily making the fishing net. Suddenly, he became aware of a large shape that emerged silently from the undergrowth. It sat on the fallen log beside him, staring out across the river. He could hear it breathing. It was larger than he was with yellow eyes, big teeth, and darkly striped body and long tail that slowly curled around its feet, the end slowly waving back and forth. He carried on making the net wondering, is this a sentient being of this planet.

  Ship broke into his thoughts, “will you try communicating with it. It seems friendly enough?”

  “Yes,” he replied and turned his head to speak. It had vanished as silently as it had appeared.

  Next morning the crew are awakened by a voice speaking an unknown language, emerging from the shelters, they were astounded to find a row of beings, prostrate on the ground, another being knelt before Adeeone and Adeetoo, with hands together at head level. When it saw them, it began trembling. A torrent of sounds began pouring from its mouth. As everyone seemed rooted to the spot, Ancore took charge.

  “They must be welcoming us. Someone bring the chairs over.”

  The chairs were quickly put in a half circle facing the strange beings; another chair was placed behind the kneeling being. Ancore told the crew to sit, and then stood in front of the being gesturing for it to be seated. It had a great difficulty standing. Ancore took its arm and helped it to the chair, which caused a ripple of aahhh's from the prostrate ones, then took a seat herself.

  For over a minute, the crew and the beings studied one another. Ancore realised the being in the chair was ancient. Its face was brown and much wrinkled. On its head, it had long white fur that hung down the back almost to its waist. One eye was brown; the other had a white growth over it. It was dressed as were the others, in a simple one-piece open necked grey tunic. Below which it wore faded blue trousers, on its feet it wore open slippers held on through its toes by two arches of material. It was then she realised, that all the beings had five fingers and toes.

  As neither party could understand the other all conversation was by sign language, first the old man, for that was what he was, all the crew now realised, pointed to himself and spoke the word “Sharmin,” several times over.

  Ancore then pointed to him and repeated “Sharmin,” he nodded in assent.

  Ancore pointed to herself saying, “Ancore, Ancore.” The sign language conversation continued in this vein for the next hour. The prostrate ones were now sitting cross-legged on the ground.

  The old man Sharmin wanted to know if they came from the stars, when Ancore agreed there was another ripple of aahhh's.

  The crew gathered they came from a village downstream, when asked what the name of this planet was, the old man answered Gandhara.

  Ancore asked Adeeone to light the fire and put water to boil for a drink of vinath, for their visitors. The visitors had lit their own fire and were preparing something on it that smelt very appetizing. So, the talking continued the Vinath was offered to the guests who quaffed it with seeming relish.

  The crew was then presented with a green leaf each, filled with a spicy vegetable. There were gales of mirth when Ancore tried to eat some and the leaf, a younger member of the party quickly showed her the proper way to eat with one's fingers. The leaf was only to hold the food, not to be eaten she realised.

  The food was delicious but caused the mouth to burn slightly after it had been eaten, and quite a few cups of water were drunk. After they had eaten, each of the crew
was presented with a woven multicoloured cloth they called Jamevar. After the crew had accepted the presents, Ancore was at a loss what to give them in return, until Glaina suggested that Adeetoo should check Sharmin's eye to see if anything could be done to correct it.

  Adeetoo came over and with great difficulty; they persuaded the old leader Sharmin to let Adeetoo examine his eyes.

  “He has cataracts in one eye. This is easily treated captain, but I need to do it inside Lander one, where I have set up a small treatment area.”

  Trying to convey to Sharmin what they wanted him to do was exceedingly difficult. He looked utterly terrified when Adeetoo led him into the Lander; he was shaking like a leaf. Ancore accompanied him to help reassure him. Inside Adeetoo sat him on a chair and brought a machine over that allowed him to examine the eye under high magnification, and displayed the image on a screen alongside him. Sharmin gripped the arms of the chair with such intensity that Ancore felt impelled to stroke his arm and speak softly, to try to reassure him, no harm would come to him.

  After examining the eye Adeetoo put some drops in it, “this will gently numb the eye,” he told the trembling wreck before him. He then dropped into the eye some nanobots, which he had sucked up from a dish with a dropper, and then leaned back examining the screen beside him.

  “It will take several minutes for the nanobots to complete removing the scale from the eye, and then I can wash out the debris and the nanobots,” he explained to Ancore.

  Sharmin had started to relax slightly, while they sat waiting for the nanobots to finish. After several minutes and careful observation of the eye, Adeetoo washed it out and put some drops in from a different dropper, “that will neutralise the numbing effect, in a moment his eye will be completely normal, captain.”

  The old man’s face wreathed in smiles showing all his missing teeth, as he babbled away to them, placing his hands together in front of his face as he kept bowing to Adeeone. They led him gently from the Lander, as he emerged, he raised his arms to his fellows and a torrent of words poured from him. They only caught a few of them, he spoke so fast, Dawa, and Acha are repeated many times, as his followers rushed forward to examine his eye.

  Then they faced Adeetoo and all knelt with hands together in front of their faces, as they chanted, Namaste Utnapishtim, Namaste Utnapishtim, Namaste Utnapishtim.

  Then several of the men came before Adeetoo in supplication showing a damaged foot or arm, Adeetoo examined them all and treated them with various ointments and bandages. Eventually, the visitors decided to leave but left an older man called Sadhu behind, to teach them their language? He accompanied Adeetoo everywhere pointing and saying a word for all the various things around them.

  Adeeone had finished the fishing net, and that evening, he and Breen went fishing. They managed to catch three large fish; the largest had feelers around its huge mouth. The other two although slightly smaller were very handsome fish with large golden scales and powerful tails. They killed one golden fish for that night's meal, the other two they put in the walled pool Breen had made. They took the dead fish triumphantly back to camp, Sadhu the teacher showed them how to clean and prepare it for cooking.

  That night they enjoyed a wonderful meal of fish, with boiled seeds the teacher had brought with him and some herbs he had picked. The teaching had reached the stage of short conversations and with Adeetoo as an interpreter; they all started learning the language.

  Things progressed rapidly and within the week they could all hold a passable conversation, had a much clearer idea of what they could, and could not eat, how to identify edible plants and fruit, also some of the perils of this unfamiliar planet. Bears, Snakes, Tigers, Panthers, Rhino and Elephant. It was during this lesson that Adeeone recounted his meeting, with what he now realised was a tiger.

  They learnt a King ruled the area they were in, and there were many Kings, who ruled different areas but all answered to Emperor Bharata. It seemed one main duty of a King was to keep open the trade routes through the country, and levy taxes on travellers. Each large village had a Caravanserai, a kind of lodging house for merchants, with water nearby and grazing for the animals. It was decided that as there was not enough room in the Landers for them all to travel together, Adeeone and Adeetoo would accompany Sadhu to their village, named Taxila. The rest of the crew would help reload Lander One and meet them there later.

  Two hours later as they were airborne heading for Taxila, the radio suddenly crackled into life, and a voice heard talking to someone else in an unknown language. The voice spoke for another ten seconds and then clicked off. The airwaves resumed their normal background hissing. Nassel came on the inter-ship phone, “do you think that could have been Zedds captain.”

  “Who else has advanced technology on this planet, the natives appear not to have invented the wheel yet, certainly they do not have radios. It must be Zedds, and if they are listening, they now know that other advanced people are on this planet, keep radio silence” she replied.

  They landed on the outskirts of Taxila, near a lake, and are greeted by what seemed the entire population. The headman dressed in his finery, wearing a folded blue cloth on his head, accompanied by his parasol bearer, he stepped forward to greet them, and bowing with hands clasped together fingertips touching his forehead. He was about medium height, well built, with bright brown eyes and reeked of perfume.

  “Welcome honourable travellers, your highness's fame travels before you, like the call of the peacock on a summer wind.”

  Six young women came forward with garlands of flowers that they hung around the necks of all the crew.

  “I am Zakir head of the village council, and area tax collector for his Munificence, Emperor Bharata, ruler of all Arachosia,” the headman announced as the young girls lifted parasols above the heads of the crew. The ones with the job of holding the parasols over Ancore and Rogan were having a struggle because of their height.

  Ancore asked him “where is Sharmin?”

  “Alas your highness he is Rishis and has set out to end his days in joy, among his brethren in the Himalayan foothills.”

  “Rishis, what is that,” asked Rogan.

  “Rishis are holy hermits, who live in the Himalayas my lord,” he replied.

  The crew looked around taking stock of their surroundings. Encompassed by a wall of sun-baked bricks the village had West facing, wide wooden gates, with a tower on each side. Over the top of the gates, stood a building with open windows fronted by a balcony. Below entering the village was a wide tree-lined dirt road with ditches either side. Each side of the gate stood a warrior with belted sword and holding a lance and leather covered wicker shield.

  “Would you honour me your highnesses, by accompanying me to a dwelling I have arranged for your pleasure, while you are honoured guests in our fair Taxila,” asked Zakir gesturing toward the open gates.

  They followed in a stately procession through the gates, passed various buildings made mostly of wattle and daub with thatched roofs, set back from the road running through the centre of the village. Crossing the main thoroughfare at right angles were several smaller roads. In the centre of the village stood the circular meeting hall above which were the offices of the village council. They turned off the main road into a short side road that led into a small park with a pond to one side. In the centre of the park was a large thatched bungalow. “This is your dwelling your highnesses. The finest haveli in the village. It has every facility for the needs of your highnesses.” When they reached the bungalow, they realised it was built on three sides of a central courtyard with wide airy verandahs. Inside were couches, tables laden with fruit, sweet-smelling flowers and herbs. Above all a huge fan gently swung back and forth stirring the air, operated by a rope pulled by a Pankah-Wallah, who was a young boy of about fourteen years of age whose name they found out later was Sammi.

  The haveli had three separate sleeping quarters with charpoys, which turned out to be rope-strun
g beds, with herb-filled mattresses. A communal bathing area completed the inside of the dwelling; in the courtyard were the sweet water well, and the cooking area.

  Ancore thanked Zakir, “you have shown us great hospitality Zakir, on behalf of us all I give you our thanks,” the rest of the crew echoed Ancore's sentiments.

  Zakir's face was wreathed in smiles, “I have mounted a guard on your flying conveyances, these servants,” he pointed to a row of young girls who had filed in and were bowing with hands together in front of their faces, “will attend to your every need.” They thanked him again, he replied, “I have taken the liberty of summoning the tailor, who will be honoured to make new clothes for you, to your own design. Tomorrow evening your highnesses are invited to a feast and concert, to be held in the grounds for your pleasure,” with that little speech finished, he asked if he had their permission to leave them, as he had many arrangements to attend too.

  Ancore replied, “certainly Zakir. We are overwhelmed by your generosity and look forward to tomorrow evening.” After he had left and the servants had brought them food and drink, they dismissed them.

  They sat around in a conference discussing what was uppermost in their thoughts, Zedds.

  Glaina kicked off with, “what we need is weapons, hand lasers are hardly adequate, if what Nassel saw in their wrecked ship is anything to go by.”

  “I agree with Glaina, BIG weapons preferably,” piped up Fantee. Nassel and Breen exchanged glances, “We have big weapons,” confessed Nassel.

  “Yes we didn't want to alarm you by telling you about them,” added Breen, “we secretly loaded them in Lander two, which was why it was so full.”

  “What are these weapons?” asked Ancore.

  “Breen and I dismantled the rail guns. We were worried about what we might encounter on this planet,” said Nassel.

  “Thank the stars, you had the foresight to load them,” remarked Rogan.

  Everyone concurred; a lot of worry had left their faces since Nassel and Breen's confession. “What about the discs,” queried Ancore?

  “We loaded them as well,” replied Nassel.

  “Good, that's a lot off our minds, can they be fitted on the Landers,” asked Ancore.

  “Yes, it will take several days to fit them, also the disc loading mechanism will need modifying, and I suggest flying out to sea to test and align them, well away from land,” said Breen.

  “That would be very prudent. We don't want to alert the Zedds wherever they may be,” agreed Ancore.

  “That should be next on our priority list,” said Nassel, “we need to find where they are operating from.”

  “That's easier said than done, has anyone got any ideas how to find them, without them finding us,” asked Rogan.

  Fantee spoke up, “we might be able to monitor the radio frequency they used today, with two widely separated Landers, we could get a reasonable fix on them, them. Three would give us a triangulation point.”

  “We could wait weeks for them to use the radio again, in the meantime. How do we communicate with one another in widely separated Landers without them finding us,” asked Ancore.

  No one had any ideas on that problem, so they decided to wait for ideas to emerge later. Then Breen remarked, “what if they find us, our Landers are in plain sight and bunched together, it would be easy to destroy them all.”

  “We must think of a way to keep them separated and hidden, exclaimed Ancore.

  “Under trees would be the obvious place,” answered Nassel

  “If we are widely separated in different Landers, how do we communicate,” asked Fantee. That stumped them all; they sat around looking puzzled until Ancore spoke.

  “I think we should concentrate on what we can do, the moment, we can fit the rail guns, we can test them and we can camouflage the Landers, the rest we will have to think about later.” There were relieved nods and grunts of assent. Adeeone and Adeetoo arrived with Sadhu at that moment; garlands around their necks, accompanied by serving girls and assorted followers.

  Ancore took charge and dismissed them all; she then quickly related to Adeeone and Adeetoo what the problems were and what had been decided.

  Adeeone said, “light communication, it is line of sight only though captain.”

  “How would that be achieved Adeeone,” asked Ancore.

  “Modulated laser beam, aimed at whatever you wish to communicate with captain,” he said.

  “That's brilliant Adeeone,” she said. Adeetoo spoke “captain we still have a working medical replicator, we could make Lander sized camouflage suits.” “Wonderful idea Adeetoo,” she enthused.

  “I suggest tomorrow we make a start, Breen and Nassel if you could fit the rail guns. Fantee, Rogan and I will concentrate on laser communication, Glaina would you and Adeetoo concentrate on replicating camouflage suit material.” Everyone agreed, as the conversation drifted around to other topics they are interrupted by the arrival of the tailor and his retinue carrying bolts of beautifully dyed coloured cloths.

  Soon they were being measured and fitted, the girls had opted for loose swathes of cloth cunningly wrapped around the lower body from the waist down, the top was a short bodice, and over their heads went another piece of cloth that started at the waist, they had opted for different coloured outfits. Fantee had chosen an orangey red that went fabulously with her skin, Glaina had picked a saffron outfit, and Ancore had opted for a plummy purple colour, which really accented her golden eyes. The men had all selected baggy trousers over which was a long jacket with a sash at the waist, on their heads they had decided, amidst much laughter on a cap that came to a pointed peak front and rear. Adeeone and Adeetoo had gone for a long flowing one-piece garment with long sleeves and an integral hood, Adeeone wanted blue like a spring sky, and Adeetoo wanted a mint green outfit.

  The tailor then showed them various shoes, slippers and boots. All the men and the androids chose the mid-calf soft leather boots, all the girls went for slippers of various types to match their outfits. After all the measurements had been taken on multiple pieces of cord and the shape of each foot drawn with charcoal on skins the tailor and his entourage left promising the clothes and footwear would be ready for the feast the following day.

  Early next morning after a delicious meal, they went to the Landers and got to work. It seemed half the grownups and all the children sat around brewing chai watching.

  Adeetoo and Glaina had been having second thoughts about the camouflage. Instead of making camouflage material, they had decided a better option was camouflage paint. They dragged the replicator out of the Lander and built a platform to stand it on, and a funnel in the top to pour in the various elements and piles of earth and water that would be required to fabricate the paint.

  Adeetoo programmed in, its chemical formula, and with the willing assistance of some of the children, they obtained many wooden and leather pails.

  Ancore and her party having finished modifying the signalling lasers came over to help them.

  “We need brushes to put the paint on with,” said Glaina.

  “Sticks with bundles of cloth tied on the ends would do,” said Rogan.

  These were soon fashioned with the help of the villagers, and with some of the older children shovelling earth, and Adeetoo pouring in some of the scarcer elements and the water, the paint started to flow. Of course, it looked like a bright pink gooey mess. With borrowed wooden ladders and many helpers, the paint was liberally smeared over the Landers top and bottom the crew supervised the proceedings because there were certain areas that must not be painted.

  “This doesn't look much like camouflage,” remarked Fantee.

  “It looks more like three giant pink pies,” said Rogan with a big grin on his face.

  “Oh you disbelievers just wait and see,” cried Glaina.

  A lot of the children helpers had managed to get paint splashed all over them, Ancore was trying to explain to them, that they should come to the river and
wash it off, but some of them had already gone home as it was now late afternoon. Nassel and Breen came out from one of the Landers; they had been busy fabricating the parts they would need to fit the rail guns.

  “My they stand out well, is this the anti-camouflage paint you designed Glaina?” asked Nassel with a twinkle in his eye.

  “These should really blend into the landscape,” commented Breen with a large grin. Glaina's neck was starting to flush as she retorted, “you just wait and see. We had better mark where they are, so we can find them in the morning.”

  Privately, she was a bit worried, as she whispered to Adeetoo, “We did get the formula right didn't we?” “Yes,” he answered.

  They shut the Landers up and carried out a final check of the area, impressing on the leader of the men guarding the Landers, to let no one touch them. Then went and bathed in the river before returning to their lodgings.

  True to his word, the tailor arrived, and the fittings began, it said a lot for the skill of the man and his work force that very little needed alteration, and that was accomplished within the hour.

  After being washed again by the servants, they each had a massage with sweet-smelling oils and unguents.

  “This is wonderfully soothing,” murmured Glaina.

  Fantee was purring like a cat as she replied, “ahh this is absolute bliss.”

  “I feel so relaxed, I can feel the knots in my muscles unwinding, added Ancore.

  In the next room, the three men were receiving slightly different treatment. After being washed and rubbed with sweet-scented herbs, they were now being gently flogged with wet branches.

  “My goodness, this certainly makes you tingle all over,” remarked Breen.

  “I must have been a masochist in another life, this is certainly bracing,” replied Rogan.

  “This is better than a sonic shower, if she gets any lower with this branch, all the blood is going to drain from my head,” quipped Nassel, to hilarious cackles of laughter from the others.

  After the massage, they were gently dried and dressed in their new outfits ready for the feast. Adeeone and Adeetoo had submitted to being washed, but had declined the massage, when they appeared in their new hooded robes, they both looked most mysterious figures.

  Zakir arrived and presented a flower to each of the girls with gushing praises of their beauty.

  “What an old smoothie he is,” said Ancore in their own language.

  Fantee replied, “Ohh, I think I could get to enjoy all this attention.”

  Glaina broke into the tittering, “I wish he would tone down that reeking perfume. He must pour it on by the basin full.”

  They each took their partners and with the two androids trailing behind, they followed Zakir out into the park where a large tent was erected.

  When they entered the tent, they were greeted by crowds of people bowing, and shown to a sumptuous pile of cushions laid out for them. They are each given a silver bowl, and when they were comfortably seated, the whole assembly sat, and at a clap of Zakir's hands, musicians started playing low throbbing drums and stringed instruments played with a bow.

  Servants arrived with steaming platters of food for them to choose from. Ancore leant over to Zakir asking, “What is this food called. It is delicious.”

  “We call that a vegetable biryani,” he said smiling.

  After seven more dishes, they were beginning to wonder how many more dishes they are expected to eat, as they were getting very full. That is when they brought in the grandest dish, they had ever seen. It was a peacock stuffed with fruits and spices, the huge fan of feathers in a magnificent array.

  “It looks too splendid to eat,” remarked Fantee in awe.

  “Well if it tastes as wonderful as it looks, we are in for a rare treat,” replied Nassel.

  They were each served some in their silver bowls, and the piquant flavours made their mouths run with saliva. “Superb dish,” said Ancore to Rogan and Zakir.

  “I am glad your highnesses enjoyed it,” replied Zakir, “it is only served on very special occasions.”

  “You do us great honour” she replied.

  They were also given silver chalices of a wonderful liquid to drink. “This is gorgeous, what is it?” asked Rogan.

  “It is called wine my lord. Some refer to it as the ambrosia of the gods, but too much can make your wits leave you. It is brought by ship from across the ocean,” answered Zakir. They then leaned back on the cushions, as three dancers wearing the briefest of diaphanous costumes came in and performed the most sensual slow dance that they had ever witnessed, with dark flashing eyes, and sinuous gestures of hands and fingers to a throbbing drum beat accompanied with haunting pipes.

  When it finished, the crowd clapped and clapped calling for more. Nassel beckoned a young serving girl over and asked her to go to the bungalow, and fetch his instrument, the Celandine to him; she nodded and left with alacrity. Returning a few minutes later as the jugglers were finishing, she handed him the instrument with a low bow.

  “It’s time we sang for our supper Fantee,” Nassel said to her, standing and helping her to her feet.

  They walked into the centre, and after a quickly whispered exchange, Nassel started playing a trilling, haunting melody. Then Fantee started to sing in her own tongue, from deep bass her voice rose slowly higher, higher, higher, rising to the heights, and falling to liquid depths, a full four octaves. The audience were spellbound, they had never heard anything like this before; some were moved to tears by the exquisite voice. When they finished there was a long silence, then a cheering clapping crowd surged around them begging for more. They sang and played one more song of unrequited love. It soared and swooped and although most of the audience did not know what it was about, the tune and the throbbing, sobbing voice contained so much passion it tore at the strings of their hearts. The audience was enthralled, swaying to the underlying rhythm of the song. When it ended, there was a swelling roar of appreciation, as they made their way back to the cushions. Zakir clapping them as they returned paid them both compliments, although his eyes were firmly fixed on Fantee.

  After the sensual dancers did another turn, an old man walked to the centre and after bowing to the honoured guests, he sat cross-legged and began reciting poetry with a story.

  It concerned a valiant group, which crossed the heavens in a large flying bird and their adventures and battles.

  They had encountered the second in command of all the Djinn, and after a heroic battle, they had managed to douse him in lamp oil, and throw burning brands on him. With a loud whoosh and a flash, he had lit up the heavens burning so bright. He appeared like a second sun. The great father of all Djinns had been so angered at the destruction of his second in command that he ordered that the band of heroes be destroyed by any means possible and to this end; he sent fiery rocks flying at great speed around the heavens searching for this valiant band of star people.

  The star people had pulled an invisible cloak over themselves but one of the flaming rocks accidentally crashed into them and mortally wounded the great flying bird named Ship. Not being able to heal the giant bird ship, they had to leave it and embark in its three children.

  The six valiant warriors, with the great sage Utnapishtim, the green one bless his name, along with his brother, the celestial pilot Adtheone, having a memory of all things, since the beginning of time. Followed the giant mother bird Ship, as she showed them, a place of safety before she died in glory, streaking across the heavens with a final roar of defiance.

  The valiant star people landed on the edge of the Indus River near here. A delegation of teachers and wise men led by the old mystic Sharmin, who was blind in one eye, were dispatched to greet them, after much cordial discussion the delegation offered rugs as gifts to warm the travellers at night.

  The chief of the star people, the great warrior maiden highness Ahncor, made entreaty to the great Utnapishtim, to give the gift of sight to Sharmin the mystic.
With gentle hand, Utnapishtim led ancient Sharmin into one daughter of the great bird, Ship. Inside he bade Sharmin to sit, and applied a magic potion to his eye, all feeling left him. Then Utnapishtim plucked out Sharmin's eye.

  Loud “Aahhhs,” rippled around the enthralled audience, as the old storyteller poet continued.

  Utnapishtim took a magic cloth of golden stardust, and polished the eye until it shone with a wondrous lustre. The green one bless his name, then replaced the eye in the empty socket, applying healing unguents that brought all feeling back into his completely restored eye. When Sharmin came forth from the child of the great bird ship into the sunlight, he stood in awe; he could now see the eye of an eagle flying over a Kos away. He called his companions to witness the miracle of his eye, which now shone as it did in his youth.

  After the party left the star people to take the tidings of the great miracle to Taxila, the old seer Sharmin took his departure, to visit his companions in the Himalayan foothills and spread the fame of Utnapishtim. The heroic saga is now almost complete; it only remains to tell of the daughters of the great bird Ship.

  Weary now from all the countless Kos they had travelled, they brought the star people to Taxila. Where they found a green pleasant pasture to rest in, and with the help of the good people of Taxila, Utnapishtim concocted a healing balm that the people helped apply to the faithful daughters of the great bird Ship. The healing ointment made them shine pink like the setting sun, as they are guarded from the father of all Djinns, whose name cannot be spoken, by the brave warriors of Taxila.

  This is the end of my tale of heroism and sorcery and wicked Djinns. And a true account of the journeys of the valiant band of star people, I am Dhrostma poet and storyteller, and will tomorrow travel on to tell other peoples of this epic saga throughout the land.

  The audience clapped and cheered, they had been riveted as the tale unfolded. Zakir sent a small bag of silver to the storyteller who bowing low to the company took his leave.

  “Well you can understand how legends are created,” remarked Ancore.

  Glaina observed, “it’s twisted somewhat, but if you are talking to people with no concept of space travel, by what other means can you convey our story. What surprises me most is where did they get all this information from?” There were general denials all around from the crew, no one admitted divulging that much information.

  After more music and dancing, also many silver flagons of wine, the feast ended and attentive maidens escorted them back to their bungalow. They had to steady the crew as the wine was beginning to affect them, and they were very wobbly on their feet. Breen was the worst and tripped on the verandah pulling several nubile young things down with him. They were eventually safely tucked up in their charpoys for the night, the bungalow resounding to drunken snores.

  Just after dawn, they were awakened from their drunken stupor by screams and wailing. They hurriedly dressed and came tumbling from their rooms to be greeted by the sight of servants wailing and beating their breasts, and praying to the gods to save them from the wrath of the Emperor.

  Ancore grabbed one of the wailing servant girls and had to slap her before she could get her to explain what was happening.

  Tearfully the girl who was shaking like a leaf with fright managed to stammer. “Your, hig --- your highness djinns have been in the night. Oh what will the Emperor do to us. We will all be put to death,” she wailed.

  “Pull yourself together girl,” ordered Ancore, “Rogan go and try to find out what's happening outside,” she asked.

  Rogan ran out of the bungalow to be confronted by the sight of the captain of the Lander guard, on his knees in supplication before Adeeone and Adeetoo.

  “My lord” he cried as he saw Rogan, “it was Djinns. They came in the night lord. My men fought valiantly but were overwhelmed. I beg mercy my lord.”

  ”What are you babbling about man,” snapped Rogan still trying to clear his swimming head.

  “The Djinns lord they came in the night, my men and I fought mightily, but were vastly outnumbered. The djinns cut off the legs of the flying birds, and made off with the bodies my lord.”

  Comprehension suddenly awakened in Rogan; first, he started spluttering, then unable to suppress it, great gales of laughter burst from him and tears started to roll down his face. Most of the crew was outside, and had heard the conversation with the captain of the guard. Rogan tried to help the terrified man to his feet, but he resisted, convinced the awful news had turned Rogan mad.

  Watching the antics of these two had started the rest of the crew off, and they were holding their stomachs because they were laughing so hard they were in pain.

  When they could laugh no more, and were exhaustedly lying around groaning, servants started dousing them with water, trying to shock them, and help them regain their wits.

  Eventually, Rogan pulled himself together, “STOP, STAND STILL,” he shouted. Everyone froze. He then explained, “The salve we painted on the flying birds yesterday had a magic potion mixed with it, they have not been spirited away by Djinns. They are now invisible.” He lifted the unresisting captain to his feet, “come with me, I will show you,” he commanded.

  They all trooped out of the village to the landing field, when the warriors saw them coming, they fell to their knees in fear. It was a funny sight, kneeling terrified soldiers in front. Framed by a mini forest of steel legs behind them, which was all that could be seen of the three Landers. Rogan and the rest of the crew opened the Lander hatches and climbed inside, promptly disappearing to gasps of amazement from the assembly.

  When the crew climbed out and locked up the Landers, the truth dawned on the crowd of servants, smiles of relief shone on their faces as they slowly returned to the bungalow chattering animatedly among themselves.

  It was only an hour later when a delegation of wailing mothers arrived dragging their children with them demanding that their little darlings be restored to full health. It was the children who had gone home early the afternoon before. They are paraded before the crew the mothers wailing as they lined them up before the crew seeking redress. Children stood in a line with their missing parts of ears, elbows, fingers toes and knees.

  Ancore turned to Adeetoo, “can you make a mild solvent that will remove the invisible paint from these children, without harming them?” She asked him.

  “Yes,” he replied setting off for the Lander to make a solvent in the replicator. Meanwhile, the children are given fruit to eat while they await Adeeone’s return. He returned fifteen minutes later carrying a wooden bucket filled with a faintly blue liquid. “I shall require warm water and cloths,” he told Ancore.

  Ancore ordered some of the female servants who were standing around to fetch warm water and cloths. When they returned all the crew began gently removing the invisible paint from the children and to wash and dry them until they were once more looking whole again and sparkling like new pins, much to the relief of the children's mothers who thanked the crew before rushing their little darlings back home.

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  Chapter Five