Chapter Four (65,000,015 years ago)
"A female!" Egome Maltra was enraged.
"Egome, she is your daughter, look at her."
"I will not, woman! Why did you not bear a son?"
"According to scientific studies, Egome, it is your fault that our offspring is female."
Egome Maltra yelled curses to the sky.
"What shall we name our daughter? I leave the decision to you Egome."
"Name her what you wish, she is not mine."
"When I bore your son you did not rail and curse like this."
"Think! You are a foolish unintelligent woman!"
"I find it humorous that though we have been married for more than a decade, you do not call me by my name."
"You were betrothed to me. I am not required to love you. I am not required to call you by your name, for you do not deserve it."
"Very well, I shall name her Alana."
"Why bestow such a high name on such a lowly form."
"She will not always be this way, she will grow strong and graceful, and you will never be rid of her."
"She is but an infant of three, how hard would it be to take up my knife and slay her this very moment?"
"You will never kill her, but she will return the favor."
"Where do you get this confidence, woman?"
"You can make her a slave in her own home, a target for epithets, wounds and scorn, but you will never kill her." Alana's mother, Jasera, looked with cool-headedness into the angry eyes of her husband Egome Maltra.
"No, I'll kill you first."
"Follow your promise." Egome pulled his knife and lunged at Jasera. All at once she turned into a floating ball of luminescence. He fell right through the energy and dropped his knife. Alana slept in her cradle, her back turned on the scene.
"Jasera?" For the first time in ten years Egome Maltra spoke the name of his wife, not out of respect for her as a sentient being, but out of fear at what she had become. Her face appeared in the center of the light and she spoke
"I was a well educated member of the Great City. My early research was of what comes after. There was a record of the very intelligent shedding their bodies and becoming like what I am now. From now on you will know me as Oma Desala."
"Jasera..."
"No one will believe you, the story you will tell is that I died." The shining form floated over to the cradle and said
"My darling daughter, I wish I could take you with me, but you must learn a lesson first. When it comes time, you will join me." She disappeared through the ceiling and Egome picked up his knife again. When he walked to the cradle, he found his hand incapable of either releasing the blade, or of striking. Sheria walked into the room and shrieked.
"Dear mercy! What are you doing?" She rushed over and picked Alana up from the cradle, putting herself between the baby and the blade.
"Keep her quiet and hidden that is all I ask." Egome walked haughtily from the room and Sheria whispered
"You will always be protected." Two glittering green eyes flickered quietly in response.