Read Online Vibrations: Harmonic Magic Book 1 by P.E. Padilla - Free Book Online Page B

contemporary Kasmali, which I suppose is why it is called ‘Old Kasmali,’ but different, too, from Ancient Kasmali. If it was the same as the Kasmali used nowadays, I suppose it would just be called Kasmali, eh? Of course, when Old Kasmali and Ancient Kasmali were being spoken, perhaps they were just called Kasmali then. Hmmm, now there’s an interesting thought.
    “Anyway, anyway,” he said, waving the words away, “the name hapaki means something like ‘shove’ or ‘kick over.’ Apparently, in the rare sightings of these creatures, they have been observed moving rocks for various uses, pushing them with their heads or even shoving them with their front paws. Fascinating, just fascinating! I have never seen one. In fact, most people have never seen one in the last several hundred years. Why is it just standing there?”
    “He’s afraid that you want to eat him,” Sam told him. “Apparently that’s how they deal with fear.”
    “‘He?’” Dr. Walt asked. “Don’t you mean ‘it?’”
    “No, he’s my friend. He’s not an ‘it.’”
    The doctor’s wrinkled face flushed. “Pardon me, my boy, but I meant no offense. You see, hapaki have no gender. They are asexual, starting the reproduction cycle at will. They can do it alone, though the entire community apparently helps in the upbringing of young ones. As I said, absolutely fascinating. I suppose you could refer to…ahem…him as a him, or as a her for that matter, but scientifically speaking, he is neither male nor female.”
    It was Sam’s turn to be embarrassed. He reddened slightly, looking over at his friend. “Oh, I see. He just seemed like a ‘him’ to me. Hold on a moment, let me check.”
    Sam directed his thoughts to Skitter: Mind…if I…call…you… “him ?” knowing that Skitter could read Sam’s thoughts to decipher what “him” was.
    Fine. Male…is…boss…your…home? Fine . Skitter sent back.
    “Ok,” Sam said, turning to the doctor, “he’s fine with me calling him ‘him.’ He said something about how where I’m from, the ‘him’ is boss, so he’s cool with it.” Sam laughed at the idea.
    If at all possible, Dr. Walt’s jaw dropped even lower and his eyes grew even wider. “What? Are you trying to tell me that you can communicate with him, and that he is intelligent?”
    Sam was puzzled. “Of course. I thought you were the expert on hapaki here. Doesn’t your research indicate that they communicate mind-to-mind?”
    “Mind to…uh…wha…I…ummm…” The doctor took a breath and stared at Sam, and then at the hapaki, and then at Sam again. He fished a small crude book from one of his pockets, what looked like a homemade pencil from another, and wrote a note. “No. My research indicates nothing of the kind. Like I said, they are very rare. We will have to discuss this later. For now, let me tell you a bit about where we are and what you, and perhaps I, can do about it.”
    As Sam settled in to listen to Dr. Walt, Skitter sent to him: Hapaki? Push…shove? Push…better…than pull. Less…effort. If he didn’t know better, Sam would swear that the hapaki was laughing. With him, or at him.
    Sam chuckled out loud. Dr. Walt looked at him questioningly. “Oh,” Sam said, flushing again, “I was just laughing at what Skitter said.”
    The look did not leave Dr. Walt’s face.
    “He was laughing about the name ‘hapaki,’ and its meaning. He said that pushing is better than pulling, more efficient, so he doesn’t have a problem with that name. I’m finding that he has a fine sense of humor.” Casting a sidelong glance at the hapaki, he continued, “Maybe too fine a sense of humor. Sometimes I get the sense he’s laughing at me.”
    Dr Walt’s face lit up, crinkling into a huge smile. “Oh, I can’t wait to hear more about your furry friend there. But for now, let us speak of other things.
    “The place you find yourself is called Gythe, from an Old Kasmali term meaning ‘the physical