One more chapter just because I can. Ny'Kle, there might be a new chapter next week. Until then, here it is.
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The next day I enter the kitchen to find mother already at the clay oven baking bread. She tests it and finds it to her liking and pulls it from the oven. I sit at the table.
She hasn't acknowledged me yet. It is as if she doesn't know that I am here. She can't fool me though; ever since I can remember she's had an unnatural ability to know where I am.
Father steps through the door rubbing his eyes and bends so mother can kiss his cheek. She twirls around him carefully as he sits in his chair. She begins frying something in that odd pan thing she had delivered from Earth. She still gets things from her old life. I swear we have enough books to make a library.
"Hon, I'm going up to the city today. Thel and Rtas need me for something or other. I can never get a straight answer out of either of them on the communications network." Mother says.
"Be careful and give them greetings for me." Father replies.
She nods and says, "I'm going to wear my armor."
"Take my sword as well. There are still malcontents among the state."
"Yes, dear." Mother answers meekly.
Armor? I didn't even know mother knew the meaning of the word. And father's sword? I snort. She doesn't know how to use it.
Father has a plate set in front of him. Mother claims she has already eaten and leaves to pull on her armor.
I grumble and get up to make a plate.
I am nearly finished eating when mother steps into the door and I startle when I see her.
She actually has active camouflage armor, with some alterations that remind me of human armor.
Mother kisses father one more time before disappearing out the door without so much as looking at me.
"So what happened next?" I ask.
"What? Oh, that. Thel brought her to Sanghelios. He figured it would deter any humans that thought they could rescue her…"
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We leave the ship in silence. Over the course of the trip I have learned several words and phrases of the human language. Andrea, however, has a knack for languages and has learned greetings to different ranks of Sanghelli, how to ask for directions, and how to ask for either me or Thel. She continues to learn too; I can hear her and Thel speaking in a back and forth manner ahead of me.
I watch her. She is less graceful than is her usual. She keeps tripping. Ah, I see now. The rocks under her bare feet make her twist her ankles. She has gotten used to the smooth floors of the ship. The belt of her shift comes undone again and she curses as she tries to catch it.
I step up beside her and pick it up for her. She thanks me and ties it again. We walk through the fields on the outskirts of the village. Andrea has to stop several times and pick stickers out of her feet. Too bad she doesn't have strong hooves like Sanghelli.
Once into town, I notice that Andrea is out of breath and struggling just to walk. I ask if she's alright.
"Air…heavy." She tells me.
I point out her situation to Thel.
"Earth's gravity is barely half as strong as Sanghelios. She will grow used to it."
Still I worry, but Andrea is pushing on, toddling after Thel as quickly as she can. I grudgingly admire her tenacity.
We enter Thel's small, empty home. He tells me I can return home, but gives me orders that I am to return every day and continue teaching Andrea the Sanghelli language.
I nod and, with one last glance at Andrea, leave to return to the house of my parents.
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Short, I know, but I have class in like fifteen minutes. Ciao!