Saarebas - "The Dangerous Thing"

Chapter 2:

The Athlok instructor, Mayflower, knelt in the dirt to show us how to properly take care of a new crop we hadn't seen before.

"You see how I am digging deeper on either side, leaving a small mound in the middle? This process is called trenching. It is how we plant this particular perennial. Now who can tell me what a perennial is?"

My hand shot into the air.

"Yes, Whistler."

"A perennial is a plant that will come back year after year so long as the bulb or root remains intact and healthy."

She nodded. "Correct. The reason that perennials are so valuable to the Qun is because they're a guaranteed source of food so long as the soil and roots remain healthy. Not all Quanari like asparagus, but we are not concerned with likes or dislikes, only what is for the good of the Qun."

We all agreed and continued the lesson. Later in the evening we were allowed to eat with the others. I found Ben-Hassrath seated in a group together. Nimble sat with a small group of others. I went over and joined them. When he saw me, his face lit up.

"Whistler! Come, sit beside me. Tell me about your new role."

I did so and asked about his in turn.

"It's great. We're focusing on strength training right now. I'm fast, but nearly as strong as Id like to be. Maybe I should join you out in the fields with a plow to build up my muscles, huh?"

We both laughed, drank, and ate as he introduced me to some of his fellows. One of them was eating asparagus and I used the opportunity to show off my new-found knowledge.

"Boy, Whistler, you never miss an opportunity to show off, do you?"

My smile was mocking. "Said the man who lied so well to teacher that she believed him when he said he had already been given his role in the Qun. That was probably the reason they selected you to be part of the Ben-Hassrath."

"No doubt!"

And so the days went. With each passing one, both Nimble and I learned more about our positions and how they fit into the Qun. One day, some months later, I was out in the field, assisting in planting some new produce as Mayflower watched over us and instructed. I was doing what had earned me my nickname, whistling while I worked. I couldn't be happier. My line was going in faster than anyone else's. It pleased me. I was just digging the seventh hole when I saw a shadow fall over me. I stopped to look up. It was Mayflower.

"Whistler, you're doing an excellent job."

"Thank you very much, Ma'am. I strive to do my best at everything I do."

"Yes, and it shows. Would you mind stopping for a moment so that I may inspect your work?"

I nodded, dusted off my knees, and took a small break as she went down my line. I saw her stop and dig one back up. She flipped it over and poked around in the root structure, then replaced it with the others. The next one she moved to had its leaves and soil saturation inspected. When she stood she was smiling. I offered her a glass of water, which she accepted with a thanks.

"Your work is near perfect. I would caution you only to be careful when watering plants during midday. Make sure the water hits only the soil and not the plant. Droplets on leaves can become a prism that can reflect too much light and heat, thus damaging the crops."

"I was unaware that I'd done so. I will be more careful next time, Mayflower."

"Good. Everything else was perfect. You retain information well, Whistler. I am very pleased with your work. It's clear you have a flair for this kind of thing."

"I like to watch life come into the land. It makes me happy."

Her smile spread further across her face. "Yes, and when you're happy, you whistle."

"That I do, Ma'am."

I went back to work and continued my song. When the day was over and I looked back over my row I took pride. My plants were already showing signs of thriving. Not one of them had the characteristic trait of transplant shock or wilting. All blazed green as they swayed in the breeze. That night, I took my dinner back to the fields and ate as I watched the sun go down. The wind blew through the trees, whistling as it went. I joined in until it died back down, then sat there, content and at peace. The silence was disturbed by a voice from behind me.

"I thought I'd find you out here."

I turned. It was Nimble.

"When I didn't see you at dinner I figured you'd be out here, but you made it hard on me to find you."

"Why's that? I would have thought you'd be better at that, Ben-Hassrath."

His smile was sheepish. "Yeah, well I tried listening for you, but you're not whistling."

"No, not right now."

"Why?"

I paused and looked back over the fields. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"About…?"

"The future. How long has it been since we were all given our roles in the Qun?"

He stopped to think about it. "A few months now, why?"

"It feels like less time than that. I'm just wondering what I'll learn when Mayflower, my Athlok instructor, has taught me everything there is to know about my position. What comes after that?"

"What comes after is that you get better at it. Our lives are a study in perfection."

"Yes, I know."

"Then why do you seem sad? Is something troubling you?"

I got up and walked out to my line of crops. "No, not really. I just want to be able to help and grow. Sometimes I fear that these fields will be the only thing I ever do or know."

He came out to the fields with me. "And so what if they are? Your work is still important to the Qun. Without people like you, none of us could be fed. And even if you master your position, you can always rise through your ranks, or try to learn Qunlat."

We laughed. Neither of us has been any good with the language, and if you don't strive for perfection than it is better not to try at all.

"Cheer up." He said. "I'm sure you'll do great things."

"And I am sure you will as well, Nimble. I didn't ask, how go your studies?"

"Great! I'd show you what I learned, but I don't want to hurt one of the best Athlok that we have. My instructor says that I show great promise for espionage work."

"Does that mean that they'll send you out among the Tal-Vashoth and Bas?"

"Maybe. I guess it all depends on my future training."

I leaned down to inspect one of my newly-planted crops and addressed my next remarks to it instead of him. "If they do send you out, will you let me know? I don't want to worry about you if you suddenly go missing."

"Don't worry about me, it's all the others that should be worried if I'm out in the field. No one's as fast as I am, Whistler. Stop worrying. Anyway, I'd better get back to bed. My instructor won't be pleased if I'm too tired to keep up with the others."

"Right. Sleep well."

I waved good-bye and he headed off. I sat a little while longer. The breeze picked back up and I joined it in it's music. The air was cooler out here then back in the tent, and I wanted to enjoy it a little while longer. As I watched the stars above, I gently stroked the leaf of a nearby plant and whistled a melody to blend with the sounds around me. I'm not sure how long I sat there that night but when I got up to go the skies color had changed. I took another look back over my work. Nimble was right. if I continued my hard work, I might move up in the order, but all I really wanted was to be of use. That night, I slept soundly.

The next day, I was shaken awake by one of my fellow Athlok.

"What is it?"

"Come see, one of your crops is almost at full maturity already. Mayflower's calling it a blessing of the land!"