heeded the Kovana’s admonishments to be patient, to allow the resettling to conclude and the upheaval to subside. But the upheaval would take years to subside to a state of harmony, and he dared wait no longer.
He must return home. If the Life Garden bestowed on him any wisdom, it was this.
Intentions fortified, he veered toward the makeshift shiplot in the field beyond the central settlement.
They had given the field the designation of shiplot, but thus far it was only ships parked amid grasses. Their protectors, these ‘Katasketousya,’ promised them they would be able to continue to fly here in this new realm, continue to spread their wings and explore their new stars. But with the enormous efforts required to make this planet a suitable home, flying around in space was far from anyone’s priority.
“Salote, ho!”
He spun at the shout from behind him to see his tau-mate Emele dashing up the hill after him. He had hoped to slip away unnoticed, but he wasn’t willing to delay another day to accomplish it. So he waited.
“Where are you off to? We could benefit from some aid down at the distro.”
“I can’t, Emele. I won’t be available to aid for a few…days.”
“Ah, Salote, you’re not still thinking of going back to search for them, are you?”
“Not thinking. Going. Don’t you understand? My bonded and my pod-brood didn’t make it out! The last evacuation vessels have come and emptied and left, and they are not here . If I do not return for them, they are lost. I cannot abandon them.”
Emele floundered then dipped low in respect. “It is the worst manner of tragedy, Salote. You are not the only one who left family behind. Fef’s down at the lake weeping his heart out into the waters for the third day in a row now, very same reason. You should join him and take comfort in shared sorrow.
“But you heard what the Kovana said. You heard what the alien admonished: it is too dangerous to return. The Anaden demons will kill you within a blink if they find you.”
“Then I will ensure they do not find me. And maybe the demons didn’t find Airini and the little ones. Maybe they’re hiding. Waiting for rescue.”
“Hiding where, Salote? Waiting where? The planet is surely in pieces by now. Our home is gone . You need to make peace with this reality. If you will not mourn with Fef, go to the Life Garden. Spend what time you need to make your peace, but make it.”
He circled Emele, ignoring his tau-mate’s flailings. “I have spent so much time in the Life Garden I smell of elderberries and valerian. And it tells me to return home. Airini could have hidden at the moon port. It holds no materials these Anadens would desire, right? It could have remained untouched. Overlooked.”
“Salote—”
“I have to check. To see. I have to know .”
“And if you do not come back?”
“Plant a seed in the Life Garden in remembrance of me—no, in remembrance of Airini.”
“I will do both.” Emele clasped him briefly then let him go.
Saddened but undeterred, Salote resumed his journey to the shiplot. Most of his people had evacuated in the mammoth Katasketousya vessels, but those with ships of their own were allowed to bring them along. The route from their home through the portals to this new world had been provided to all such ships, including his own, and the coordinates and accompanying instructions were still stored in his ship’s system. He simply needed to reverse the order of progression.
The shiplot was deserted, and none arrived to interfere as he climbed into his small vessel and checked its integrity.
The time for reexamination of his decision had passed—in truth it had never existed—and now he did not hesitate. He engaged the engines and lifted off without fanfare, though he imagined some eyes lifted to the sky as he flew over.
He endured the violent traversal of the planet’s atmosphere and at last reached the stars, where he took the briefest span to gaze upon the
He must return home. If the Life Garden bestowed on him any wisdom, it was this.
Intentions fortified, he veered toward the makeshift shiplot in the field beyond the central settlement.
They had given the field the designation of shiplot, but thus far it was only ships parked amid grasses. Their protectors, these ‘Katasketousya,’ promised them they would be able to continue to fly here in this new realm, continue to spread their wings and explore their new stars. But with the enormous efforts required to make this planet a suitable home, flying around in space was far from anyone’s priority.
“Salote, ho!”
He spun at the shout from behind him to see his tau-mate Emele dashing up the hill after him. He had hoped to slip away unnoticed, but he wasn’t willing to delay another day to accomplish it. So he waited.
“Where are you off to? We could benefit from some aid down at the distro.”
“I can’t, Emele. I won’t be available to aid for a few…days.”
“Ah, Salote, you’re not still thinking of going back to search for them, are you?”
“Not thinking. Going. Don’t you understand? My bonded and my pod-brood didn’t make it out! The last evacuation vessels have come and emptied and left, and they are not here . If I do not return for them, they are lost. I cannot abandon them.”
Emele floundered then dipped low in respect. “It is the worst manner of tragedy, Salote. You are not the only one who left family behind. Fef’s down at the lake weeping his heart out into the waters for the third day in a row now, very same reason. You should join him and take comfort in shared sorrow.
“But you heard what the Kovana said. You heard what the alien admonished: it is too dangerous to return. The Anaden demons will kill you within a blink if they find you.”
“Then I will ensure they do not find me. And maybe the demons didn’t find Airini and the little ones. Maybe they’re hiding. Waiting for rescue.”
“Hiding where, Salote? Waiting where? The planet is surely in pieces by now. Our home is gone . You need to make peace with this reality. If you will not mourn with Fef, go to the Life Garden. Spend what time you need to make your peace, but make it.”
He circled Emele, ignoring his tau-mate’s flailings. “I have spent so much time in the Life Garden I smell of elderberries and valerian. And it tells me to return home. Airini could have hidden at the moon port. It holds no materials these Anadens would desire, right? It could have remained untouched. Overlooked.”
“Salote—”
“I have to check. To see. I have to know .”
“And if you do not come back?”
“Plant a seed in the Life Garden in remembrance of me—no, in remembrance of Airini.”
“I will do both.” Emele clasped him briefly then let him go.
Saddened but undeterred, Salote resumed his journey to the shiplot. Most of his people had evacuated in the mammoth Katasketousya vessels, but those with ships of their own were allowed to bring them along. The route from their home through the portals to this new world had been provided to all such ships, including his own, and the coordinates and accompanying instructions were still stored in his ship’s system. He simply needed to reverse the order of progression.
The shiplot was deserted, and none arrived to interfere as he climbed into his small vessel and checked its integrity.
The time for reexamination of his decision had passed—in truth it had never existed—and now he did not hesitate. He engaged the engines and lifted off without fanfare, though he imagined some eyes lifted to the sky as he flew over.
He endured the violent traversal of the planet’s atmosphere and at last reached the stars, where he took the briefest span to gaze upon the
Similar Books
