CHAPTER 13:MARIEL
The first thing that I notice about his scoop is that it is extremely crowded. And this wasn't any old Andalite clutter—this junk was from anywhere but here. I didn't mind, seeing as how Karrass himself seems a little out of this world.
>Where did all of this come from?> I just have to know.
>Where do you think? Guess a place and there is something here from that planet,> he looks back at me, smiling.
>What do you do with it?>
He picks up one of the numerous colorful objects and opens it. It's like a box, but it is solid. He starts to leaf through the papers, >This is called a book. Most of them happen to be from Earth, but I have several from other systems. The Skrit-Na have a rather unhealthy obsession with Earth. Most of the stuff here is some type of book.>
>What do you do with it?> I studied the book.
>You read it,> he replied, but I was already ahead of him. The writing on three of the outside surfaces was in Gallard. >Great Expectations,> I read out loud.
>That one is fiction, an imaginative story.>
>Where did you get all of these books? Why do you have them?>
>I take them whenever we ground a Skrit-Na raider. Most of the stuff they collect gets incinerated, so I am free to take whatever harmless junk I want. The books are very entertaining. They occupy my time.>
>Can you read them all?>
>Most of them. I have found humans to be the most frustrating, though. No other species ever encountered speaks so many different languages. I borders on the ridiculous. I would love to know how they communicate with each other since there are so many languages that one might or might not speak.>
>They don't all speak the same languages? I'm a little incredulous. The idea of living on the same planet and not speaking the same language sounds insane.>
>No. Languages seem to follow geographic trends. Sometimes there are breakdowns, but it's mostly regional. Humans are a fascinating species for study, but it must be confusing being among them.>
>Hmm,> I ponder the book, turning it over in my hands the same way my mother does when she is confused or upset, >so what do they write about?>
His smile deepens. I can tell that he is enjoying talking about all of these books. >Anything, everything really. Murder, aliens, growing up, politics, journeys, morality, love. The events can be real or fake.>
>Why would they go to all of the trouble to write something down if it is not real?>
>For amusement. To share their ideas, hopes, dreams. They envision their futures sometimes. Other times, they try to teach whoever is reading a lesson. It's all about conveying one's emotions. There is something that the author wants his or her readers to take with them when the book is over, something to remember and to effect you. Even the true events are biased toward the writer. They are a very imaginative people. Some of the things in these books have scared me more than going into battle does…did.>
I looked more closely at the book in my hands. Is all of this bound paper really the thoughts and feelings of a dead human from a plant light-years away from me? The magnitude of it all unsettled me and I put the thing down.
>I'm sorry. You're hurt and here I am prattling on about alien literature.>
>It's not all that bad,> I start to say. The cuts and bruises don't hurt nearly as bad as they did earlier this morning.
He leads me through the scoop to an area that contains the fresh water supply. He draws warm water in a basin and hands me a piece of cloth.
>I'll leave you to wash up. Come outside when you're done and we'll talk about what to do next.>
He left me and I set about the arduous task of wiping off all of the slop I had accumulated over the past two days. It feels like it takes forever. Sometimes, I have to stop and break the filth apart before I can continue. I get most of it, but there is some that will have to be dealt with in a bio-decon unit. Because of all of the fur, getting wet to get clean is not the best option, so every so often, we go through a dry process that burns off specified microbes like bacteria (Andalites do not have pests mind you) and organic/inorganic materials like dirt and leaves. Most scoops have one and Karrass's is to my left. As dirty as I was, it would have taken longer if I had just used the unit. I step in, dial up what I need and I am done in 3 minutes.
Now it's time to find Karrass. A part of me is thrilled, but another part of me is worried. I love the idea of talking with him, but I know that he will take me back to the base. I know that I will have to see a physician for some of the nastier scrapes. Ultimately, I know that it means that I will have to go home. I will have to return to my family. Return to Ajaht's life.
