For One Nen (14 page)

“I’m the reader,” Tala joked back at her.

Tala slid her hand lightly down Deni’s side as the two parted.

Deni called out, “Teltel
, you can go look in the crate for a while if you want. I need to gather some things before we hear more stories. I’ll call you when we’re ready.”

“We could help you, Teltel,” Merari said. She and Molly followed him to the fallow field.

“They may need you,” Bug said to Trina. She followed the others down the rows of gardens to the tall shiny door of the fallow field.

The white crate was filled with books, hard backs, soft backs, no backs. It was also filled with scrolls of paintings, drawings, schematics, maps and little tiny metal boxes with wires coming from two sides.

Teltel began scooping handfuls of the crates contents out and placing it on the white dull floor. Molly began to organize it into piles. Merari pulled open her bag and flicked on a light near the door to help Trina see the pages in the dim room.

“The other lights won’t turn on,” Merari said.

“The others must be wired on a different circuit,” Teltel said.

Merari wiped her forehead, her neck and then her cleavage.

“Isn’t it hotter than two suns in here?” Merari asked.

“Power’s been shut off in here for months even before the gamma burst. We shouldn’t stay too long,” Teltel said.

“You mean there’s no life support in here,” Merari asked in dismay.

They worked for several minutes before Trina said. “I don’t think it’s in here. Most of this stuff is for the builders and engineers. There are manuals, calculations, lists. On and on,” she said pushing her hands over the pile.

“Wait. How about this?” Teltel asked.

He handed a book to Trina and she opened the first page.

“It’s not Denizen. I don’t know this language,” she said, handing the book to Molly.

“Look someone has written a name on the inside cover. ‘Darcy’.”

“I don’t know all that other stuff but that word there says, ‘Arcadia’,” Trina said pointing to the book Molly held.

She looked up at Teltel. “But we read in Chris’ book that she didn’t board the Eden.” Trina said.

“I wonder if someone else brought it with them,” Merari said.

“I don’t know,” answered Teltel, “but we’re looking for stories. Chris’ stories.”

“Can I see that?” Molly asked. While the others were busy looking for Chris’ books Molly slipped the book into her vest pocket and continued to search the other books for Denizen writing.

“Wait,” Molly said as she organized things into piles. “I think this is a Chris book. And here,” she handed two more books to Teltel.

“Let’s go see if Tala is here. I can come back later and sift through the rest of this stuff.”

Teltel
opened the door but shut it almost closed again.

“What is it?” Trina said.

“Tanik is here,” Teltel said. He shut the door the rest of the way.

“What do we do?” Molly asked.

“We should just go tell her what we’re doing. I’m sure she won’t mind,” Merari said.

“Are you out of your damn mind?” Teltel said in a loud whisper. “You saw how sparse she got in class with me; when I just mentioned an interpretation other than what she’s taught us all our lives. Trust me. She won’t like this.”

He slightly opened the door enough to peek out. “Okay she’s leaving.”

He opened the door wide and let the girls out.

“What did she want?” Teltel asked Benai when he returned to the planting stations.

“She really got after Tala for reading to us. She didn’t say much to Deni especially after Deni told her to leave Tala alone. You should have seen it. Deni even pulled her knife an
d sliced a piece of sugar cane like that,” he said with a slicing motion with his hand. Twirled it about like some kind of warrior or something. You should have seen it. I think I’m in love.”

“I thought you were sparse over Tala,” Teltel said.

“She’s real pretty and all but damn, a girl that carries a knife and not afraid to use it. Just…damn!” Benai smiled.

Teltel went to Deni. “I’m sorry she came. I don’t know how she found out.”

“No worries, my giant friend,” Deni said with a smile. But she turned to glance at Tala and then at the door, before she painted on a smile again for the students.

“Okay class,” she said with a smile. “I’m glad you’re here because when the engineers find a way to save our butts we’re going to have a ship full of people that still want to be fed. And we are going to be heroes because we had the forethought to plant for the future.”

The students cheered.

Tala gave a smirk because she thought it humorous how Deni spoke with such ease and confidence with those around her but when they were alone she barely used words at all.

Deni directed each student to a planting station. They stood in front of a table with small cup-like sections about two centimeters square and running the entire length and width of the table.

She showed the students how to level the dirt over the cup like section. Then taking a square frame with rows of pegs she pushed it down into the dirt s
o each cup section had a small hole in the center.

Giving each of the students a small paper envelope she showed how to drop one seed from the envelope into the hole and cover it over with dirt.

“This will be quick, Deni. Can’t we do something that will take a while so Tala can read?” Benai suggested.

“See the station in front of you?” she said to Benai.

“Yes,” he said.

“We need to do a thousand just like it,” she said.

Teltel did not protest any further.

She walked down the row to see the students work before Tala began to read.

“I don’t think I know you,” Deni said to the tiny girl with the cropped blond hair.

“I’m Trina.”

“She’s with me,” Bug said with a skinny grin.

“Nice to meet you Trina,” Deni said. As she neared Bug’s station she whispered. “Be good to her or I’ll tell Aunt Rudy.”

“Hey, Mom loves Trina,” said Bug.

“Yes, but you on the other hand,” Deni said with a cunning smile. She shook the back of her young cousin’s neck and added, “And your grandfather would like to see you around here more often, you know. He sees me more than you and I’m not even his relation.”

“I know,” Bug said. “I just get tired of dirt sometimes.”

“Bug, this place is more than dirt. Things grow here. They come alive. He’ll be here later. You should at least say
, ‘hello’.”

“I know
, but every time I see him he says stuff like… well, like what you’re saying now.”

“I get it. I do, but he sees Tsila in you. Something I think he wishes he saw in himself.”

Bug nodded.

Deni stepped back and addressed the entire group of students.

“Okay, class when you finish with your station just work your way down, planting all the stations until you come to the end of the row.”

Teltel pulled the
books from his pocket and handed them to Tala. “None of us can read them, not even Trina, and she’s Nen. Thought you might know how.”

Tala took the book with a smile and said, “Yes it’s ancient Hoth,” she said kindly, “and nice to have you talking to me.”

Teltel turned bright red and gave her a quick smile before walking off to his planting station.

Tala once again climbed up on a board laid across the scaffolding and began to read.

When the students had finished planting their last station they gathered on the cold white floor and continued to listen to more of the stories from Tala, who was sitting high above them.

1200 BE

On the surface of the planet REEN

“Friend, where are you from that you don’t know dog?”

“The cave,” Tinnen answered as he motioned with his hand.

All at once a strong hand grabbed his arm and led him away.

“Where are you taking me?” Tinnen screamed at the man.

“You must see the council,” the man said.

Tinnen’s eyes adjusted to the brightness, which made the amazing sights just beyond him quite distracting. They dismissed his fear for a moment. “What color is that?” Tinnen pointed to a shrub with small red flowers.

The man was in no mood to make conversation but the ‘dog’ as the man had called the animal, was jumping excitedly around Tinnen; often licking his hand.

Again Tinnen looked where his feet were stepping and asked, “What color is that?”

“Green, now come on,” the man said in haste.

“It’s magnificent,” Tinnen uttered as he was being pulled along. He was able to look a few feet around him as his eyes grew increasingly stronger. It was a long walk down a slight hill before anything changed on their journey.

Taking two steps up, he saw the ground beneath his feet was harder than the green softer ground he had walked on since emerging from the cave.

The steps le
d into a stone building; the likes of which Tinnen had never seen. The man was taking him into a structure that was finer than anything the underground empire had. It wasn’t as bright in this place as the blinding sky outside, and he began to see clearly. Large marble statues stood in the corners of the first room he entered.

He was led down a long corridor where paintings hung on the walls. Gold cups and vases sat on tall pedestals.

“Come on,” the man said as he pulled on his arm.

“It’s just so magnificent,” Tinnen said.

“Well if you’re lucky you can see it all after quarantine.”

“What is quarantine?” asked Tinnen.

Almost at the end of the hall the man came to a tall door of thick wood. He opened it and shoved Tinnen inside.

“Master,” Tinnen gasped as he fell at the feet of his friend, Atenilek.

The giant reached out his one long arm and drew Tinnen into an embrace that lingered.

Tinnen heard a latch being secured from the other side of the door but he didn’t care. He had found the only person that mattered to him.

When Tinnen opened his eyes, he realized he had closed them when he crawled into Atenilek’s warm embrace. Yet when his eyes were opened he saw they were not alone. The other Het guards were there also, trapped along with them.

“Where’s Ehic?” Tinnen asked as he took a seat next to his giant friend.

“He is no more,” Atenilek said.

“How?
” Tinnen asked softly.

“Madness stole his life. He charged a surface dweller and togethe
r they fell from a great height,” Atenilek.

“Now they fear us,” Soshin said.

“Yes, just as much as they fear all who come from the underground,” Atenilek added.

“Why do they fear us? And how did they even know about us?” Tinnen asked.

“They know the story of Hrilla; how she rebelled and stole the children,” Teltel explained. “But they say she didn’t kill the children. She brought them to the surface and when their parents came from the underground she wouldn’t give them back. I don’t know the entire story but it is different than we’ve heard it.”

“The painting,” Tinnen said. “In the tunnels near the surface, there were painting
s and writings that told the story of Hrilla. It read as you are telling it now. But in the paintings she was a hero.”

“Yes I saw the story as well. I just wonder whose version of the story is correct,” Atenilek wondered aloud.

“Will they let us go?” asked Tinnen.

“They are waiting to see if we go mad and sparse like Ehic did,” Soshin answered.

A man came to the door and shouted, “Stand away.”

The door opened and a man with a staff stood in the opening. “What is the story with the new one?” he asked the men.

“He is the Nen I told you about,” Atenilek answered.

“The one you gave your life to save?” the man questioned
, and yet he didn’t wait for an answer.

“I was hoping you were telling me the truth. Now I see that you were,” the man smiled.

Turning to Tinnen he asked, “And what say you?”

Tinnen stood to his full height
, which showed he was a Nen, small and swift.

“Atenilek is my Master,” he said. “I stole his arm but I didn’t mean to.”

“No,” Atenilek said with his deep rumbling voice. He stood next to his tiny friend and gave his explanation. “As I’ve told you before, I tried to touch Ot and Ot took my arm. It was not Tinnen’s fault.”

“But I asked the
Giver of Life to spare you and in return I’ve given my life in service to you,” Tinnen argued.

“Your
kindness intrigues me,” the man said. “but never-the-less the vote of the council is distrust in you. We banish you to the far valley. This is near the water and we know some of you still use your gills. This is also the place where the Hoth enter the water, so beware. They also are not to be trusted. After a sufficient time, if you have proven yourself to sparse no more, you may petition the council to join us.”