Matt's jaw dropped. "No way!"
Quana stomped up to the female. "Kreah hib chik jaiteb layd!"
"Hua glaapih gosa garu lotfemqiol."
The two had a long talk.
Quana ran back to Matt. "Can you believe it? She followed me all the way here just to keep her position at the palace!"
Matt smirked. "I believe that's called job security. Is she trying to take you back?"
Quana didn't share his mirth. "Not sure. She seems to be okay with staying here until I decide to go, but I think she resents me throwing away my wealth and luxury like this. She's jealous."
"You would know better than me about that subject." He shrugged. "So what do you do for fun around here?"
"You can look around, or do chores. Whatever you feel like doing, I suppose. You're going to have some free time. I'll be helping out with the Macevas, so you can do that again, if you like. You don't have to, though. Just keep out of the female housing." Quana glanced at Dista for a minute, as if she intended to assign her as a tour guide, but instead grabbed a male monk on the way out of the kitchen, muttering something in Wava. A moment later, Matt got pushed in front of the stranger.
"This is Azbori," said Quana. "He says you can experience the Wusu farm."
"Experience?"
"Divag'qa. It means `tour,' `look around,' `experience,' or `participate.'"
Matt frowned.
"It seemed like the thing to say."
"Oh well." He hooked his fingers, making curving gestures with his hands. "This kind of Wusu? Jub jub?"
"Guep." Giggling, Quana mirrored the gesture. "Jubjub, Wusu dinka."
The male muttered something to Quana.
"He says you should take off your robe and move into a pair of ukxa. You should have a pair in your room. He'll wait for you to move into your clothing."
"Oh. So that's the word I was supposed to use."
"What?"
Quana laughed when he told her about the incident. "I don't see any feathers. Are you certain you changed?"
Matt rolled his eyes.
"Have fun, Farmer Matt!"
Matt dressed himself in a canvas jumpsuit he found in his room. Although it had a tail hole, he wore pants under it, so didn't expose anything. He followed the monk through the worship plaza and down a path on a hill.
The air became abuzz with `jubjub' sounds as they entered a swampy fenced in enclosure teeming with large, four legged maggot creatures. The Wusu, roughly the size of small dogs, pecked the water with their little beaks, shrimp claws making hooking motions as their scaly feet danced around in the muck. Their eyestalks nervously glanced Matt's way. So that's what a Wusu looks like. That's not cool!
The Wusu poked in and out of little stone hornet nests and pecked at small islands in the water, noisily swimming away and flocking behind their hives as Matt approached.
A male with green fur waved to them, then resumed his duty of throwing down feed. Matt's guide introduced the worker as Giladl. Azbori led Matt into a big stone hive at the end of the enclosure, and through a narrow passageway lined with netting, to a hatchery swarming with fly creatures the size of golf balls. All along the walls, rows of fat Wusu sat in squishy brown mud nests, staring at Matt with drowsy expressions.
Azbori grabbed an alien butterfly net, trapped a swarm of flies with a swing and a net closing button press, emptied it into something resembling a laboratory `glove box.'
The monk stuck his hands through a pair of gloves, cutting off the ends of a bug's wings. A few minutes later, he had the whole swarm buzzing and hopping flightlessly, scooping them into a cage full of similarly flightless bugs.
Matt picked up one, staring at it. Guess we can't have an ugly bug farm if all the ugly bugs fly out.
Azbori slapped a hand on Matt's back. "Kee shnarf hib viravo guvib codimol. Chicelini?"
Matt shrugged.
"Gip'm. Xoc gosuv." The monk crossed his arms, staring expectantly.
Matt didn't move. I don't think so.
Looking annoyed, Azbori caught another cluster of flies, repeating the process he did with the other ones.
After Matt watched this process for the fifth time, Azbori glared at him. "Yok pisoqo bowfez biofa! Nuxhua! Jaogoa bid kai dobov brifexagtarb!"
Shrugging, Matt nervously pointed his net at the flies, and his instructor gave him an impatient nod.
Matt raised his net and swung, laughing in triumph as he caught a small cluster of the bugs.
They escaped.
Azbori muttered something, but it didn't need translation.
Matt swung again, pushing the button to snap the net shut. He carefully crept to the `glove box', fumbled with the lid, dropped the net in.
Unfortunately, he forgot how the monk had opened the net last time, so he unzipped the wrong side and all the flies buzzed back out.
Azbori growled something again, but Matt ignored it, snatching up another small swarm of bugs.
This time, he got the net closed inside the box so that nothing could escape.
Careful not to release his catch, Matt stared at the wiggling lump inside the net. "Great. What am I supposed to do with this again?" He tapped Azbori on the shoulder, pointed to the box. "Now what?"
Azbori patted him on the back. "Loex! Eiko dobov fexagta!"
Matt stared at his dictionary. `Cut'...? "Dobov?"
"Dobov bea fexagta. Kreah hibbea nocodo? Yicelini Wava?"
Matt nodded, piecing together words. "Hua hib kigo...Yok...bav hua celini. Pumcko...chik...hua chik bya pisoqo bozakda." Azbori pointed to the glass, pantomiming cutting actions.
Feeling awkward, Matt released the bugs inside the box, and after fumbling around a bit, he caught one, then stared at Azbori, pointing to the laser. "This?"
He had to point a few more times before the monk understood.
Azbori leaned over the box, scowled at its contents. "Guep. Xoc."
Matt grabbed the creature's wing, activated the laser, made a slicing motion. The creature squealed, spat up yellow bile, and died. "Oh no!"
"Chik nibletihguv!" cried the monk.
"Kigo," Matt muttered. "Sorry. Mese kigo."
"Briaudep dutio." The male pulled Matt away from the box, pointed to his eyes, pointed to Matt. "Cacureihua."
After repeating the winging procedure again, Azbori gestured for Matt to continue. "Riko mese gapagna!"
Matt grabbed another bug, attempting the operation again. The creature, horrified by what had happened to its kin, wiggled around so much that once Matt had the laser pointed at its wing, it had already moved a vital organ into its path, and Matt had to take his finger off the button. "C'mon! I don't want to kill another one of you guys!"
After staring the thing down for a long time, Matt activated the Klecut gently along the creature's wing, then let up. The Wusu squeaked in pain, but didn't die, the remains of its wing dangling from a chunk of flesh. The barest tap of the Klecut took the rest of it off, but Azbori wasn't happy. Matt just stared as he got yelled at in Wava.
Growling, the monk pulled Matt away from the box, finishing the job himself. "Yihibik copagvo'h coz ruhd," Azbori muttered as he clipped the other wing.
Once he had the other bugs winged and caged, Azbori brought Giladl into the hive, pointing to Matt. "Mudkma gelgos. Geliwi minahujochik viravo gosa salbue brihakafha."
Matt grabbed his net, but Azbori snatched it out of his hands, handing it to the green one. It seemed he had been demoted.
I'm not going to miss that job, Matt thought.
Azbori led him to a Wusu. His mentor lifted the creature out of its nest, curling his tail tightly around it as he pulled a jelly-like egg out of the mud with his hands. As the Wusu squawked in protest, Azbori slapped the egg in a padded container, simultaneously plopping the Wusu back in the nest with his tail. "Eiko chijilat." He waved at the nests.
"But I don't have a tail."
"Eiko chik jilat."
Shaking his head in frustration, Matt pulled a Wusu out of the mud and set it on the floor, wishing he had an extra arm or some device to hold the creature while he took care of the egg. As he stuck his fingers into the muck near the bottom of the egg, a yellow sludge poured out, and the egg shriveled like a punctured soccer ball.
Growling, the monk pushed him aside, scooping the yellow tainted mud into a trough. "Gapagna!" He jabbed a tail in the direction of the Wusu scurrying around on the floor. "Kaha!"
Matt dove for the Wusu, but it darted beneath a stool. When he tried reaching under and catching it with one hand, it squirmed out of his grasp, then, once Matt chased it, darted beneath the legs of the table, around the stools, and around the corner of the trough. Matt coughed at the odors of rotten bagels, urine and skunk wafting from that little piece of farm furniture.
The Wusu sped into a small crack between the trough and the wall, making jubjub sounds as it poked its eye stalks out at him. When Matt reached for it, it bolted out the other side. "Hey! Stop! Come back!"
He chased the thing under the table, around the trough, to the entryway and to the table once more. When Matt tried to head it off by running the opposite way, the Wusu knew the game already, speeding under the table. The monks just watched Matt and laughed.
"Nux hua!" Matt shouted in desperation.
Chuckling, the green monk made a fake lunge at the Wusu with his hands, catching the creature with his tail as it scampered away. A second later, the Wusu made its weird little noises from the comfort of its nest.
Sighing, Matt grabbed the Wusu in the next nest, feeling more than a little jealous of the farmer's extra appendages.
Tucking the creature under his armpit, Matt stuck his fingers deep in the slime until his fingers hit something other than the egg, and he successfully retrieved the thing intact.
Before he could do anything with it, the Wusu squirmed out of his armpit, and he dropped the egg in surprise. Splat.
"Pebo'h riko gapagna!" Azbori shouted.
Groaning, Matt scooped the yellow mess into the trough, and the green male returned the Wusu to its place.
Determined to do a better job this time, Matt grabbed the Wusu in the adjacent nest, pressing it tightly beneath his arm as he reached into the mud. When the creature tried to squirm out, Matt raised his leg to keep it from escaping.
It all seemed to go well until he had the egg clutched in his hands. Once he finally brought it out whole, the Wusu wiggled so much that the muddy thing slipped out of his fingers, splattering on the floor.
Cursing under his breath, Matt shoved the Wusu back where it went.
Noting the angry look on Azbori's face, Matt spoke before the monk even opened his mouth. "I know, I know. Riko gapagna."
It seemed that even the patience of monks could reach a breaking point. Azbori grabbed Matt by the shoulders, pushing him out the door.
"That was fun," Matt sighed, wading out of the farm.
He strolled aimlessly across the main plaza, tried to climb the stairs on the Vansibik, but a pair of monks blocked his way with their staffs as he approached.
Turning around, Matt came across a stone cube building, but he found no way in, so he crawled into the cube next to it, stumbling across the male dwellings, and his room. A crawl further in led him to a maze of virtually identical places, tunnels connected to homogenized spartan rooms. Yup, Matt thought. This is a monastery.
A bit more wandering led him to Shilem's room and the pool. Matt wandered back out, past the dining hall to another stone building, where he discovered another maze of tunnels and drab dwellings.
A tall purple skinned female came crawling towards him. With a shout of surprise, she shoved him back, berating him in Wava for several minutes.
This must be what Quana warned me about, Matt thought with amusement.
He wanted to laugh, but the female's fierce glare and harsh tone of voice quashed it. Matt tried to not even smirk, nodding repeatedly whenever it seemed appropriate, but he nodded at the wrong time and got slapped.
The female stomped away in a fury.
Matt rubbed his face, finally allowing himself a laugh, but it was a mistake. The moment he made the sound, the female whirled around and glared at him, looking like she intended to slap him again.
Biting his lip, Matt swallowed and raised his hands in surrender. The female growled and stomped further away, at last leaving Matt alone.
To avoid another confrontation, Matt wandered down a hill, overlooking a field where monks gathered wiggling blinking hay and peeled tree bark.
The prospect of more work did not appeal to him, so Matt kept going, to the opposite end of the plaza. He only found more of the same.
He wandered past the Vansibik and a stone hut presumably used for confessions, crossing a field of squirming grass.
A few yards beyond, the plants thinned out, replaced by large shelves of rock leading to a cliff.
The sun shined brightly in the purple sky, illuminating an ocean of water that crashed against the rocks below in pomegranate waves.
As Matt watched the purple liquid swell, foam and recede, he caught sight of a giant almond shaped head rising from the water on a long black neck. After giving its surroundings a quick scan, the thing blew air from its spout, once again disappearing beneath the waves. I don't think I'll be going to the beach anytime soon, Matt thought.
Sensing motion elsewhere, Matt turned and saw a female in a shiny, form fitting pterodactyl costume sitting on a nearby rock.
The open beak turned towards him, revealing his girlfriend's face.
Matt backed up. "Were you praying or something?"
She stood up, folding the wings of her costume beneath her arms. "Don't worry about it."
Matt gazed at the shiny red-green outfit, admiring how it accentuated her figure. "Wow. What's that getup for?"
"The Gleenpach dance. I'm going to the Agyhat for practice."
He smiled. "I like it. It looks good on you."
Quana blushed. "Thanks."
"Is it hot?"
"Not really. It's very light material." She sat back down.
Matt seated himself on a rock next to her. "What's the Gleenpach dance?"
"It's a dance of praise. We're supposed to perform publicly in a few months."
Matt opened his mouth to protest, but she poked his lip closed with her finger. "You probably won't get to see it, because you'll be back home by then."
Matt nodded his appreciation, gazing bashfully into her eyes as he contemplated kissing her.
"I took my vow today. I'm officially celibate. I explained my situation to my Quaceb sisters here and they agreed to rescue me if Nabal tries to take me away for his wedding."
"Well." Matt swallowed. "That's good."
She sniffed. "What's that smell?"
"Um, splattered Wusu?" Okay, maybe it's best if we don't get super close, Matt thought.
They quietly stared out at the ocean.
"Enjoying the view?"
"I'd hate to break it to you, but you have the Loch Ness monster swimming around down there. You might want to tell someone to close the beach."
"There's no beach down there, silly!"
Matt chuckled.
"I really like the view here. It's very beautiful."
"Y-yeah."
They silently watched the creature resurface from the depths.
"That thing is called a Bujaxia. It's nearly extinct."
The Bujaxia drifted in the water, bobbing its head for something behind the foam.
"Isn't Dista supposed to be trailing you around everywhere?"
"She's doing...penance right now. She knows I don't want to leave yet. She'll be back for the dance."
The Bujaxia sunk beneath the waves again.
Quana grinned. "This place is great! I can just blend right in with the other females. No one makes demands on me. I can work at my own pace, and do any dirty chore I want."
"Well as long as you're happy, Quana. Can't say that I'm having as much fun as you are, but I'm happy for you."
They absorbed the warm breeze, neither one saying a word.
Matt forced his eyes not to trace the contours of her outfit, to keep his thoughts pure. "I just got kicked out of the Wusu farm."
"Why's that? The splattered eggs?"
"Among other things."
Quana chuckled. "Maybe you should stick to planting."
The waves crashed.
"What did you learn from the meeting this morning?"
"Basically the same thing. Shilem is still skeptical. So far, the case is still pretty good for Jesus. The Kipom being born beneath a star or comet...The cannibalism thing only makes sense in communion, and the prophecy of fasting and temptation was too vague. A lot of information to go through." She paused. "Were all twelve disciples fishermen?"
"Matthew was a tax collector. Luke, I think, was a doctor."
"Well that's not good."
Matt cocked his head. "They were all fishers of men. Does that count?"
"I'm...not sure."
Matt stared up at the sky. "How far away from Earth are we?"
"More than a thousand light years." Quana stood up. "I should go. It's about time for the dance."
"Can I watch?"
"I guess you can come along and find out if you can."
He followed her past a small roofless alien gazebo, staring at monks sweeping and cleaning the path with wiggling fuzzy creatures, while others shoved their faces across the pavement in penitence for whatever wrongs they did.
After passing yet another dull gray cube, they arrived at a round bumpy building with a flat roof and arcane symbols painted on its walls. Averting his eyes, Matt followed Quana through a crawl tunnel to a room decorated with exotic flora, costumes and art.
A crowd of females in colorful spandexy pterodactyl costumes stretched and practiced their moves on one side of the dance floor while males in Grunkiahu feather robes and skirts discussed their moves on the other. A band practiced on instruments resembling body lice, cow bells, lumpy drums, eight stringed double bass things with a miniature record players on the bottom, and spongy morel mushroom things covered in key buttons.
Dista grinned and waved to Matt. A second later, the tall purple faced female shouted and pointed at him, complained to a stern, hefty looking female.
The stocky one let out a fuming snort, her red fur sticking up like flames as she stomped up to him, unleashing a volley of sounds Matt didn't understand.
He endured this for an entire minute before Quana stepped in to defuse the situation.
Quana frowned. "Matt, what did I tell you about the female housing?"
"How was I supposed to know? It's not like I had a map!"
Quana muttered something to the red one, then shook her head. "Everything's okay now. Just don't go in there again."
"Don't worry. I don't enjoy getting slapped."
Quana laughed. "Anyway, there's nothing wrong with you being here. You're free to dance, or watch, or whatever you want. I'm going back to practice." She pranced away to join the others.
Matt leaned against the wall, watching the dances for several minutes, scarcely aware of the passage of time.
Quana crawled out to use the restroom, and Matt got left alone with the dancers.
A sun wrinkled dancer with striped fur introduced himself as Spak, inviting Matt to join the others in practice.
Matt shook his head. "I'm not that good of a dancer." Spak didn't understand, so he said it again in Wava.
Nodding, Spak offered his tail, but Matt just nervously stared, not wanting to look stupid.
Undeterred, his new acquaintance grabbed Matt's hand, dragged him into a circle of dancing males, throwing a robe of spotted feathers over his shoulders. For a moment, Matt thought he'd be given a skirt like the other male dancers, but he didn't.
Clearing a space, Spak stepped forward with his left, throwing his arms into the air toward the right as he tapped a rhythm with his feet. He stepped forward with the right, and the wings flapped down.
Feeling foolish, Matt mirrored the motions the best he could, bird dancing in circular patterns around the room.
"Loex!" Spak beamed. "Eiko, jaiirud!" Spak stood in one place with arms raised, singing, "Ponai, Ponai, Ponai hua chik cron pugot." He dropped to the ground, pressing his face to the floor.
Matt just stared and didn't do anything.
Spak stood up, giving the human a confused frown.
Matt shook his head. "Yok."
The male looked slightly offended. "Yok? Kreah legparfcik, `yok'?"
Matt thumbed through his dictionary, piecing together an explanation about how they might not believe the same thing.
The music stopped. The dancers glared at him, angrily murmuring amongst themselves. Even Dista seemed upset. From what he could decipher, they expected him to be a serious Quaceb and worship their god wholeheartedly, or leave at once.
In attempts to smooth things over, Matt flipped through the dictionary and told them he was an alien who didn't know how to speak Wava, which quieted them a bit. "Hua kigo."
Satisfied he'd done his best to resolve the situation, Matt handed the feathered robe back and crawled out the tunnel.
The music started back up, the weird instruments clashing together to gentle plodding thud of a tom-tom.
Past the gazebo, Matt came across an octagonal building from which he could hear laughter and popping sounds. Intrigued, he crawled through the front tunnel, entering a wide open roofed room where males hurled a ball between two jaialai-like goals while simultaneously batting a puck around two soccer nets.
Matt gawked at them as they bounced across the floor with their tail scoops, effortlessly knocking the puck in one direction while tossing the ball in the other, somehow losing track of neither one.
He watched them with his jaw hanging open, dumbfounded, until they called it quits, shook tails, and went their separate ways.
Lacking anything better to do, Matt picked up the ball, shaped like a molded hedge apple, hefting it in his hands. After bouncing it off the floor a few times, he spent the next ten minutes shooting brick shots off the wall around the goal.
Azbori shuffled in through the tunnel. "Dusaq." He had an ashamed expression on his face. "Hikigo coz kreah jaio'h fonome, jupe chik faneso celini shnarf gik raraba bitcajbei weh Wusu, barb bribosagre kai brihakafha."
Matt shrugged.
"Kee, feut chiglaap gosa deponux, chisnaa xoc fod. Yiglaapua chik dobovteb fexagta Wusu, jupe chijaii bebak brifomu depo. Chihib ip mese loex jaolal."
Matt shook his head. "Whatever. Hua yok celini rua Wava."
Azbori sighed. "Oalesa chipyoci gosa guli Treivadel?"
"Kreah?"
The Abreya bounced the ball, pointing to himself, then to Matt. "Chik?"
Shaking his head, Matt looked up a response. "Mese gecar."
"Giwib fihbux coz chik. Jilat!" Slipping his tail into a scoop, Azbori gave the ball a bounce and threw it to him.
"All right. I guess I'm a graceful loser."
Matt dribbled the ball several times, preparing to run around the farmer, but the alien said "yok," shaking his head as he snatched the ball back.
Matt stared as the male bounced the ball once, then traveled with it, hopping across the room.
"So traveling is the rule, not the exception?"
Azbori shrugged, tossed the ball back, scooping up the puck with his tail.
Hopping across the floor, Matt attempted to fire a shot past the Abreya, but Azbori leapt up and caught it, flinging the puck with his tail at the same time.
Ignoring the hockey component, Matt laughed and snatched away the ball, attempting to shoot a `basket'.
"Naxik faneso guli con pisoqo fijbuy," his opponent chuckled. They ended up playing a strange version of basketball against each other, concluding in a tie.
Before another round could be played, the sound of didgeridoos rang through the building, and Azbori muttered something, offering his tail.
Shrugging, Matt shook the tail. The male crawled away.
Lacking other diversions, Matt followed him outside, past the gray cubes, to the worship plaza, where other monks already prostrated themselves on rugs.
It's that time again, huh? Finding his navaktos where he had left it, Matt sat down, watching the others bow.
All of a sudden, Matt's body convulsed, arms and legs flailing about in random directions as he fell backwards on the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth.
A group of monks flocked around him, worried looks of concern on their faces.
A pair of them held Matt's shaking limbs down as he continued to thrash about.
The shaking stopped as abruptly as it began, and Matt sat up, wiping the saliva on his sleeves. "Hib loex," he found himself saying. "Bea gubayo coz Ponai gahagi gejcuhua kalefimpaga."
Matt blinked, not believing what came out of his own mouth.
He blurted a long string of strange words, then fell unconscious.
Matt awoke in a low brick barrel vault, simply furnished with only a few pieces of furniture and medical machinery. The place smelled faintly of must and mildew and model paint mixed with old hamburger grease.
He'd been tucked under a sheet of a translucent, fleshy material, tubes stuck in his arms and down his throat, clothing replaced with a thin gown. A monitor beeped above him.
Matt sat up. A small group of males and females huddled around him, Quana on one side, Dista and Azbori on the other. A number of them happily muttered "mabby."
Matt pulled the tube out of his throat.
"Sorry," said Quana. "Doctor Shojoji put that in to keep your airways open."
"Which one is he?"
She pointed to a male with spotty brown and white fur, making his tail curl up in a question mark.
Matt waved and the doctor smiled, muttering something to Quana.
"What's that?"
"He says he's sorry about what happened to your genitals, but it's nothing he can repair."
Matt squirmed and checked himself. "Tell him he shouldn't make jokes like that."
Quana snorted. "He didn't think it was a joke. and if you ask to marry me again, I'll remind you of what he said."
He blushed. "I think we both know what this means."
She wrinkled her face in apparent disgust. "Anyways, do you feel okay?"
"Yeah?"
She gave him a big hug and kissed him on the head. "Oh Matt! I was so worried!"
Matt lifted a wrist, staring at the green fluid draining through the IV. Oh great. Avoid every indigenous food and I get it intravenously.
"You hit your head, so they brought you here. I thought a blood transfusion too risky, so I just had them bandage your head and give you some chemicals so it would heal on its own."
"Chemicals? Oh wonderful." Matt touched the back of his head and found rubbery material had been applied there.
Matt stared at a heart monitor and frowned.
"I'm sorry this Fiqajko is so primitive. The Takofuea isn't up to date on the latest technology."
Matt snickered. "Apparently you've never seen an Earth hospital." "What...happened?"
"You don't remember?"
"Not...really."
"Oh Matt! You were having an epileptic fit!"
His jaw dropped. "I was? But I don't even have epilepsy!"
"I don't know how else to describe it. You were foaming at the mouth, your whole body was shaking...and you kept muttering things about Jesus being the Kipom over and over again in Wava. You must have been delirious or something."
"I said what?"
"I don't know. It was a bunch of stuff that didn't make sense. Something about how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Naidru prophets."
"I don't know why, but deep in my heart, that sounds right. It feels like Jesus must be the Kipom your people seek."
Quana paled. "That's probably because you don't want to entertain the possibility of being wrong, on account of having traveled all this way, and you're a Christian. You think if you can convert me, we can leave, and you can go back to your normal little life."
Matt stared with worriment, struggling to come up with an adequate response.
"You want to fit in here, to impress me. You want to belong, because you love me. Maybe you're afraid that if you're wrong, you'll have to face the realization that you've been shirking your God's calling to convert your fellow human beings, that maybe you've been wasting your time with us here. And that's why you memorized the dictionary and impressed everyone with a word salad."
"You might be right. Those thoughts did occur to me. I mean, I could have done that unconsciously, I suppose..." He paused. "But what if God put me here to share the gospel?"
"Then I would want more proof," she said quietly.
Matt's mouth opened. "Ip cujajl kai havajgu cumfio beekay coz ip citiseu; jupe metau citiseu cuocup hipae gosuv hawcuqi bea citiseu coz benuforte Jonah."
Dista gasped, putting her hand to her mouth. The others muttered amongst themselves in horror.
The remaining color drained from Quana's cheeks. "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale. So will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the Earth." She stared at Matt like he'd grown another head. "Did you translate that all by yourself?"
"Translate what?"
"You just quoted Matthew 12:39 in Wava."
"I did?"
Quana glared. "That's not funny. Stop playing games. I know you learned something from all that studying we did on the ship. When did you translate Matthew into Wava?"
"I didn't. I spent zero time on it whatsoever. Is my head on fire?"
"I think your pants must be, with all the lies you're telling."
"I didn't think I was that much of a genius, but, if you say I'm lying, you would know, `Sarah.'"
"So you just started speaking it out of the purple?"
"Blue, you mean? Yes."
Quana stood up. "I'm sorry. This is just too difficult for me to accept." She stomped out of the room, taking her servant and a few monks with her.
[0000]
ALIEN CHARACTERS:
Choxu: Prince of the Voorop nation, previous suitor for Quana Falcameer.
Dista: Personal servant of Quana Falcameer.
Goksar: One of the shortest Quaceb monks at the Takofuea.
Kodo: A monk at the Takofuea. Stripe tailed, same age as Chaz.
Nabal: Prince of Kadegni, fiancee of arranged marriage to Quana Falcameer.
Poog: An elderly Takofuea monk.
Quana Falcameer: Princess of Pathilon.
Rusa: A male arranged to be Quana's suitor.
Shilem: A senior scholar of Quaceb literature at the Takofuea.
Shojoji: The medic at the Takofuea.
Tama Falcameer: Queen of Pathilon.
Thiftreda: Princess of another nation bordering Bencap.
GLOSSARY
Abreya: Furry aliens with bare humanoid faces and hands, long opossum-like tails, and feet resembling human hands.
Agyhat: "Dance building/center".
Auno: Powerful subatomic unit, providing energy surpassing that of nuclear fission or fusion.
Bariafu: A special cloaking system for Pathilonian spaceships.
Bedzyk: First female ever created, according to Gaxea.
Bencap: A country on Pathilon.
Beaurbak: Security device on a spaceship.
Bifafras: A prayer of penitence.
Bindif: Dining area of the Takofuea compound.
Boomosi: Far rural area of Pathilon, inhabitants known to be uneducated bumpkins.
Bub Tig: Special entree enjoyed by Abreyas.
Bujaxia: A dinosaur-like sea monster.
Carnrick: Seller of ceremonial Hoyroqs.
Chirqui: Obelisks that absorb essences of sacrifices, transporting them to Kwibron, for the honor of Ponai.
Deglos: Planet near Abreya planet Pathilon.
Deoring: Paradise planet described in Holy Gaxea.
Dinagla: A statue which Quacebs use to remind themselves of the great prayers of the faith.
Duvalha: A dictatorial nation of Kaybok system history.
Duwaky: Transit tunnel.
Duxamca: Pathilon's best amusement park.
Elazfil: Coming of age observance for Quacebs.
Ferleok: Coldest of the eleven planets of the Kaybok planetary system.
Fetmip: Chemical that can change coloration of your blushing and blood.
Fiqajko: Small medical station.
Fopakna: Quaceb anointing ritual.
Fotebja: Abreya entertainment device.
Fubalca: Special knockout gas developed by Abreyas. Contains a percentage of breathable air.
Futamer: Planet destroyed in Auno wars of Duvalha.
Gaxea: The core Quaceb religious book.
Gleenpach: Quaceb ceremonial praise dance.
Gogibi: Cryogenic stasis machine.
Gojot: "Living room" of a spacecraft.
Gi'uz: Ceremonial Quaceb headwear for males and females.
Grunkiahu (Grunk): A large flying creature, ridden by Abreyas like horses.
Haxgorg: Personal toilet waste disposal appliance.
Hirejosi: A sawing machine.
Hoyroq: Premium sacrificial animal used to expunge Quacebs from their sins.
Iznolgu: Environment suit.
Jiticuha: A monastic organization.
Jufuceri: Planet in which law treaties regarding Auno energy were drafted.
Kadegni: Country located close to border of Bencap.
Kaiaquke: Stellar nursery
Kecuru: Special mineral found on planet Deglos.
Kemmer: When animals go into heat.
Kicabaii: Special gas that exists on Kugifogelo, has unusual properties that affect coloration of its atmosphere.
Kipom: Quaceb messiah.
Kisostrom: A book in the Quaceb Holy Gaxea.
Klecut: A laser knife.
Kugifogelo: Planet nearest Abreya planet Pathilon.
Kwibron: Core religious site for the Quaceb faith.
Laima'j: An aromatic plant, which is burned to ashes for use of bathing and drying off.
Lemwag: Abreya showering cubicle.
Lerilite: Laser sawing element on an Hirejosi.
Lutab: An organic swimming pool, with wormy creatures along the sides for cleaning purposes.
Lyuntaaz: Quaceb religious observance similar to passover and Hanukkah.
Macevas: A plant similar to rice, which is made into a bread-like substance.
Medufa: "Planet of Temptation/Downfall" according to Gaxea.
Mimapi: Matriarchs of the Gaxea.
Miricacci Sector: A galaxy containing the Abreya universe.
Nafnith: Main world altar of Quaceb faith.
Naidru: An order of prophets in the holy Gaxea.
Navaktos: Quaceb ceremonial mats.
Neflah: Ceremonial Quaceb headwear for females.
Nidrix: Musical scales used by Abreyas.
Nilfloip: Quaceb compass that directs one to holy sites.
Nubsa: One of the Falcameer family's royal Grunkiahus.
Obnurd: Personal toilet waste disposal appliance.
Pabizol: Vision correcting devices.
Pathilon: Planet of Abreyas.
Pija: A staple food for Abreyas, similar to wheat.
Pijaturu Festival: A grand celebration that harkens back to ancient times, regarding the harvest of Pija.
Pihodai: A group of Abreya Quacebs described in the Gaxea.
Pocwam: A Quaceb saint.
Ponai: Quaceb religious name for God.
Pufedaga: Special mineral found on Ferleok.
Pulotage: Docking center at Bencap palace.
Quaceb: A monotheistic Abreya religion, or one who adheres to the religion.
Quidsy: Spaceship manufacturing company.
Quinamm: A month on the Pathilonian calendar.
Rantag: A book in the holy Gaxea.
Rilla: First Abreya ever created, according to the Gaxea.
Rujodale: An alien type of furniture, resembling a Venus flytrap.
Rukhag: A month on the Abreya calendar.
Saholiqe: A country on one of the planets described in Gaxea.
Sihiku of Tocedopu: Alien tree of forbidden knowledge, described in the Gaxea.
Stopamoya Jerz: Famous Quaceb saint/Pocwam.
Supica: Quana's spaceship.
Takofuea: Quaceb monastery.
Tagososi Bosigoqa/"Flash Matter Transit Zone": Hidden area of space where bubbles of time can be encountered.
Tarru Lorejiba: Matrimony. Literally "Binding of tails."
Tesagob: A sacred Quaceb hymn.
Treivadel: A sport similar to Jai Alai.
Tuldil of Fuceti: A second version of the tree of forbidden knowledge, according to the Gaxea.
Vanseb: Quaceb religious temple.
Vemorik: Communications device.
Vitabese: One of the smelliest animals on Pathilon.
Voorop: Nation adjacent to Bencap.
Wava: "Tongue", the language of Abreyas.
Wighesh: Dress-like garment worn by male Abreyas.
Witad: Spirit of Ponai.
Wodov: Priest or priestess of Quaceb faith.
Wusu: A chicken-like creature used as livestock.
Yadafcu: A special race of Abreyas found in the book of Rantag.
Yarkolemsis: A month on the Pathilonian calendar.
Zajyaf: A book in the holy Gaxea.
Zorlaeba: "The Evil One."
Zux Leem: An alien fruit.
WAVA LESSONS:
Note: These aren't solid rules. I got tired of trying to trying to write stuff in Wava after awhile and just threw everything together. Sometimes I didn't even spell the alien words correctly.
Bitu: Indicates future tense.
Bri: Used before a word to indicate plural forms. Often used at the beginning of a word.
Cik: Can be used instead of Chik, as a contraction.
Gi: Add to word to indicate "we," such as Gisnaa ("We can").
Iga: Add to word to make possessive.
`Ih: Used to indicate past tense.
Teb: Indicates action progressively, like "ing" in English. Example: "Walking" would be "Jujagteb", not "Jujago".
O'h: Past tense ending in a vowel.
Paga: "Quality of being". Example: "Borpaga" (Worriment).
Yi: Functions the same as "not" when added to words.
Contractions: Words can be combined into contractions. Example: Guki'ua=Guki+Hua ("May I"), Chibya=chik+bya (you were) Kreeuv=What is it (Kreah+Guv) Marud=This female, Chiib (Chik+hib) Bisib (Bisa+hib).
Compound contractions are used sometimes, such as: chigoselsa (chik+gosa+oalesa). Gelgos (To+him).
NUMBERS:
Dool: 10
Rey: 9
Fat: 8
Dolsike: 7
Leeg: 6
Diete: 5
Ri: 4
Oim: 3
Hanna: 2
Bid: 1
LEXICON:
Aaberahu: Solely/strictly/alone
Abukos: Nothing
Adanep: Behavioral model
Ahdep: Halt!
Aiju: Closer
Algot: Any
Andere: Amen
Aoqigoia: Neutralize
Artane: Beacon
Audep: Halt!
Ausuhi: Force (v)
Azulfine: Upstairs
Barb: Their
Batua: Dressed/wearing
Bav: Did
Bea: The
Bebak: Other
Becuro: Finally
Beekay: Seek
Baueco: Bless/guide
Benuforte: Prophet
Benuton: Prophecy
Biofa: There
Bisa: Who
Biti: Let/allow
Bixok: Queen
Boqadi: Answer
Boqedo: Prove
Boine: Bless
Boqadi: Proof
Boru: Worry
Bosagre: Chick (baby bird)
Bowfez: Stand
Bozakda: Stupid
Bya: Was
Cacurei: View (n)
Cajbei: Trouble/problem
Cagote: Ignorant
Cao: Far
Capamfe: Wonderful
Casiku: Recognize
Cazqui: Hope
Cehoo: Welcome
Ceiogefa: Already
Celini: Understand
Ceo: Her
Cevafpe: Maximum
Cewafme: Sick
Ceygaum: Cult
Chik: You
Chisda: Heaven
Chuzka: Idiot
Cikdew: Fast (v)
Citboi: Danger
Citiseu: Sign/Indication
Clozaril: Disable
Coamurugi: Hypothetical
Codimol: Done
Con: With
Copagva: Qualified
Coz: As/for/from
Cron: Owe
Cujajl: Evil
Cuocup: Shall/Will
Culumafa: Worship/adore
Cumfio: Generation
Daced: Plan
Dahna: I am
Darulo: Mate/Have Sex
Datucue: Absolutely
De: Of
Debotoke: Consider
Degatec: Store (v)
Demofoa: Order
Depo: Again
Depogast: Reenter
Derako: Soon
Dete: Each
Deubew: Fear
Devibo: Pagan/unbeliever/heathen
Dezafvi: Outfit (clothing)
Divag'qa: Experience
Dobov: Clip (v)
Docuinu: Best
Doqjah: Surrender
Dotasa: Future
Duboqidu: Grant/allow
Dudpim: Rather/Prefer
Duhem: Die (verb)
Duquedaka: System
Duigoje: Separated
Dusaq: Hello
Dutio: Happen/occur
Eidaraba: Guess/suppose
Eiko: Now
Emilihu: Threat
Eurtep: Well/Somewhat good
Eyap Mez: Good night
Faneso: Should/Might/Shall
Feobex: Wrath
Fapai: Fight (verb)
Fepahoi: Choice/option
Feut: Whether/if
Fexagta: Wing
Fihbux: Easy
Fijbuy: Ball
Finihu: Seem/appear
Fipogue: Waste
Fito: At/to
Fod: Back
Fomu: Thing
Fonome: Before/first
Foqipi: Child
Fuhe: Even
Fuqapeh: Bride
Gac: Have
Gahagi: Has
Gapagna: Careful
Gapsom: Affection
Garu: Keep
Garzok: Heathen
Gaz:u: Know
Geben: Father
Gebupega: "People" (Abreyas)
Gecar: Difficult
Gefmoo: Another
Gehgapeqak: Egotistical/Egomaniacal
Gejcuh: Touch
Ge'l: He
Gibet: Them
Gik: We
Giperhofi: "Weirdo"
Gimble: Affectionate nickname like "honey".
Gingahan: Serious
Giwi: Will
Glaap: Want
Gosa: To
Gosaca: Engine
Gubayo: Hand
Guep: Yes
Guki: May/might/can/could
Guli: Play
Guom: Where
Gubayo: Hand
Gurabo: About/concerning/on
Guv: It
Guvicoh: "It's" (contraction of "it is")
Ha: Or
Hacapad: Meddle/dabble/toy(v)
Hakafha: Egg
Haofek: Morning
Hapa: Eat
Hargawage: Cannibal
Havajgu: Adulterous
Hawcuqi: Except
Hei: On
Hib: Is/are
Hieroda: Alarm
Hifarud: Ever
Higiwi: I will
Hojila: Tell
Hojita: Tell
Hua: Me
Huqea: Fake/false/artificial/fraud
Hurgoco: Fool
Hurota: Foolish
Husigu: Quantity
Ibblesquib: Forget
Ip: An/"A"
Jagbei: Return
Jagopune: Give up/surrender/leave
Jaii: Do
Jaogoa: Capture/Catch
Jaolal: Catcher
Jegfoj: Clever
Jeko: Also
Jiaz: Like
Jilat: Try
Jocabai: These
Johoca: Side
Jomofo: Join
Jopotaju: Comfortable
Jouge: Begin/Start
Joreh: Palace
Jub: So (in order that)
Jufae: Friend
Jujago: Walk
Jujuba: Immediately
Julujau: Invalid
Jupe: But/However
Kai: And
Kaha: Get/Gain
Kahna: Name/"Called"
Kalaja: Political
Kalefim: Powerful
Kalefimpaga: Powerfully
Kee: So (interjection)
Kehag: Time
Kenuiji: Prepare
Keucam: Happy/Cheerful
Kigo: Sorry
Kijafwa: Service
Kimera: Present/presence
Knoli: Find/discover
Kogel: Stay
Kolapibu: Sharing
Kood: Both
Kreah: What
Kuditig: Specific/Particular
Kuiyo: Holy
Kulwad: Stop
Kusele: Make/Create
Kusuqali: Change (v)
Labuc: By/under the order of/under/subject to
Lagupo: Week
Lajuje: Word
Layd: Here
Legparf: Mean
Leijue: Thief
Liduli: Pace
Lifahu: During
Loex: Good
Lorejiba: Bind
Lotfem: Job
Maltuje: Ask
Marun: Female
Mepjar: Really/seriously
Mese: Too/very
Metau: Zero
Micha: "Little"/"small", often used affectionately.
Midasu: Truth/True
Midhohu: Honestly/seriously/truly/really/actually
Minahujo: Display/show (v)
Moacibi: Praise/Flatter
Moqo: In/inside
Mudkma: Listen
Muhafofo: Relationship (connection)
Naca: Flesh
Najikece: Detect
Nalah: Wow
Najufe: Boyfriend
Nar: Him
Narun: Male
Naxu: Maybe/Perhaps
Neebee: Search
Niblet: Kill/destroy/shut off
Nioqa: Dress/clothe (v)
Nocodo: Problem
Nueto: Silly
Nuqida: Prison/jail
Nux: Help
Oalesa: Would
Oopuhane: Individual
Pae: Give
Palafnu: Slow
Paneciqa: Everywhere
Parehe: Then
Paryiz: Pool
Patnar: Firing
Patuihi: Defect
Pebe: Say
Pequecoja: Confess
Peraha: Cage
Pihile: Clearly/definitely
Pikhi: Need
Pimopek: Exterior
Pimqam: Self Praising/Self Important
Pisoqo: Just/only
Podo: Meet/introduce
Pofokiai: Password
Poiagupu: Heart/Mind
Puebuko: Elder (honorific term)
Pugot: Everything
Puguqe: Belong to
Pumcko: Think
Pusasuji: Hide/conceal
Putu: Data/Info
Pututula: Information
Pyoci: Like (verb)
Qafe: Take
Qaigas: Event/Occasion
Qasolire: Purpose/Reason
Qecajeda: Birth
Qidu: Table
Qilahami: Treatment
Qiol: My/mine
Qoeloqe: Challenge/competition
Quako: Self
Quayhox: Fur
Qiciheli: Recording
Qugu: Certain/Sure
Rajua: Dear
Raraba: Must
Raulu: Bring
Redaheo: Nice/fine
Remabe/Reem: Mother/mom
Reodacol: Rain
Repisita: "Jerk" (Disagreeable Person)
Riko: Be
Ritaqomi: Approaching
Roca: Within
Rofi: By
Rua: Your
Rudibugu: Background
Ruhd: This
Rulijo: What we have?
Saasaa: Water
Salbue: Harvest
Saojifa: Security
Scrumsaarg: Marriage
Sejucore: Planet
Shnarf: That/concerning
Siruka: Wrong
Snaa: Able/can
Sohenogi: Question
Soisofu: Family
Soqokuru: Identify
Sotukobe: Religion
Subecosu: Bother
Suka: Many/Much
Susocir: Bald
Tarru: Tail
Tebesoe/Tebesque: Command
Tibu: His
Ticoh: Is
Tipohu: Add
Tiks: When
Tocedopu: Wisdom
Tohibou: Run/operate
Toihoja: Board(v)
Toib: See
Tuc: "Child" or "Baby", usually used condescendingly or as a pet name.
Tupaha: Possible
Ucuk: Speak
Ukxa: Pants/overalls
Umua: Thank you
Vatus: King/ruler/lord
Viravo: How
Weh: Our
Welk: Use
Xoc: Go/Going
Wof: Now
Yalnov:
Yok: No
Yunk: Why
Zaib: Correct
Zoor: Because/since