Chaotic Futures, page 26
It wasn’t difficult for digital sentients to school their faces, but the sisters had spent too much time with the Woots. They’d slowly adopted their mannerisms and expressions. In this case, Frieda appeared dumbfounded.
“You heard me,” Withern said, lightly stamping her foot.
21: We’ve More Visitors
Despite Ticnikrok’s objections, the Liberation foursome boarded the Woot sisters’ traveler.
Derry linked to Juno.
Aboard the traveler, Withern claimed her seat. Then she directed others to sit next to her.
Frieda chose to make herself absent, believing her relationship with Withern was strained.
Cyan stood in the aisle to allow her to translate for Eshtitor, Quanitine, and Doktorg, whom Withern had invited.
Bedoah sat next to Kelley and across from Juno. Gaylene occupied the fourth seat, and Mila sat across the aisle from them.
Withern gestured toward the trio around her and said, “Talk.”
Cyan translated the request as, “Withern would like to hear your stories.”
As Eshtitor and Quanitine spoke, they quickly realized two things about Withern. She might have come from a less developed society, but she had an agile mind. This resulted in the Dwerves receiving insightful questions, which forced them to explain more about their history than they’d intended.
Then too, it was obvious that Withern had gleaned more information from Bedoah than the young tech had understood she was divulging.
Cyan was busy handling a three-way conversation, as she translated between Dwerve, Woot, and Krackus.
Having followed the entire conversation between the Dwerves and Withern, Doktorg knew he was about to receive a similar grilling from Withern. After a lengthy period, he revised his estimate. Withern not only wanted to know about him and his ship, but she also demanded to understand the nature of the empire from which he’d come.
There was a break for food and water for the biologicals. After which, Withern requested the Liberation group join her.
As for the Dwerves and Doktorg, they were happy to escape Withern’s interrogation.
Gaylene sat across from Withern, and the elderly Woot cackled.
“Biggest female I’ve ever seen,” Withern commented.
“Actually, I’m about average for a New Terran,” Gaylene replied. “There are males and females who are much greater in stature.”
Withern started by trying to understand how the foursome appeared from a similar species but were still quite different. Then she learned about Earth, its colony ships, and the huge passage of time before humans were united. She also was made aware of the history of SADEs and sisters.
While Mila was answering a question about Axis Crossing humans, she watched Withern’s eyes close. Her voice trailed off, and the foursome heard Withern snore.
Kelley and Cyan, who’d stood in the aisle, retired to a pair of empty seats.
Juno added.
Frieda sent.
Kelley detected the slight pause by Frieda and Cyan that indicated they were struggling with how to respond to the most youthful individual of the Liberation’s foursome.
Cyan gazed over the seat tops at Mila.
When Mila saw the sister stare at her, she held her hands out and shrugged, as if to say it was only a good guess.
Gaylene saw the gesture, and she too linked privately to the sisters.
Frieda switched to a private link with Cyan. She sent,
About that time, Withern’s snoring ceased. She woke with a subtle smile and wiggled to indicate the source of her pleasure. “I would request to have a seat like this for my house,” she remarked to no one in general. “However, it would be a constant struggle to get the young ones out of it.” With that, she struggled up and made her way to the refresher.
When Withern returned to her seat, she beckoned to Cyan. To the sister, she said, “I will see the Dwerve ship.”
Cyan shared the demand with Frieda, who acknowledged it. Then Frieda informed the Liberation’s contingent that they were diverting to the warship at Withern’s request.
A little more than a cycle later, the traveler landed aboard the warship. Eshtitor led the way off and into the corridor. Purposely, no announcement was made to the bridge or the citizenship.
Withern had requested to see the extent of the damage, but she was told many spaces were open to vacuum. She did manage to see bays that had been open to space but where the hull was patched. Ruined equipment and material was strewn everywhere.
It didn’t take long for Withern to tire of walking the huge ship. At one point, she paused, eyed the group, and settled her gaze on Gaylene.
“I would be pleased to assist you,” Gaylene said, having deduced the reason for being singled out.
After Withern heard the translation, she nodded thankfully and held up her arms.
Gaylene was surprised at Withern’s frailty, and she warned her companions that they must be careful with the elderly Woot.
Still, the tour proceeded until Withern fell asleep again.
Not long after the traveler exited the warship, Frieda was guiding the ship to the usual landing spot in front of Withern’s house.
Cyan was first off the traveler. She intercepted the household, who ran out to greet Withern, and said, “A new guest of Withern will bring her out. She’s asleep, having had a busy trip.”
The older women knew of Withern’s advanced age. Yet, there was little they could do to curtail the dynamic personality that drove her onward.
Cyan signaled Gaylene to bring Withern out. There had been a short internal debate about a sister not carrying Withern, but Juno had pointed out that the elderly Woot had chosen Gaylene. Kelley had added that Withern might have had an ulterior motive that related to her arrival on the planet. At that point, Frieda had acquiesced.
Gaylene eased through the hatchway with her burden. Withern might have been light, but, in Gaylene’s robust arms, there was little clearance.
When the Woot household saw Gaylene emerge with Withern, they held their collective breath. Their concerns eased when they saw the giant female easily navigate the steep steps.
Gaylene gave the Woots a warm smile. “Where does Withern sleep?” she asked, which Cyan translated.
Withern’s eldest daughter swept an arm toward the house, intending to lead the way. Immediately, the females converted to the gestures and pantomimes that they had first used with the sisters.
Gaylene deposited Withern in a small but well-padded bed, and two daughters saw to her comfort. Stepping from the small room, Gaylene encountered a youngster of about three annuals. His gaze traveled upward from about Gaylene’s knees toward her face. Unfortunately, his balance was disrupted by the extended tilt of his head rearward. He teetered and fell backward toward the stone floor.
Lunging forward, Gaylene caught the little one. As she held him aloft, he grinned at her, and she smiled in return.
Quickly, a young female Woot held out her arms to Gaylene, and the New Terran handed off the youngling. The female tapped her chin and extended her hand toward Gaylene.
The household heard Gaylene’s words, and heads nodded in agreement of her professing a Woot belief.
That night, the biologicals opened their traveler seats to turn them into beds.
Kelley and the sisters gathered at the aft end of the ship and communed.
Kelley sent,
Kelley continued.
The foursome spent much of the rest of the night updating one another about what had transpired with the conclave and the sisters.
With starlight adding a touch of gray to banish the night, Kelley and the sisters caught the sounds of Woots leaving the house.
A young Woot male stuck his head in the traveler hatchway. “Withern invites you to her hearth for morning meal,” he said. Then he quickly disappeared.
Mila had heard the youngster, and she woke Gaylene.
Bedoah did the same for Eshtitor and Quanitine.
Cyan came forward and shared the invitation.
After a round in the refresher, the passengers exited the traveler and made for the house. The chilly morning mist was dissipated by the warm hearth where the females prepared the meal.
There was a brief pause by the household, as they examined the unusual newcomers. Then Withern broke their reverie by requesting her guests be seated at the table.
An older female laid a bowl and plate in front of Gaylene and Mila. She skipped Frieda and Juno. When she was behind Juno, Withern said quietly, “Sister.” The female paused behind Kelley and glanced toward Withern.
“Male sister,” Withern instructed.
Although confusing, the female moved on to Doktorg, Bedoah, Eshtitor, and Quanitine. She briefly paused to regard the iridescent scales.
The meal was simple, but it was hardy.
Eshtitor managed to clean his bowl and plate. Others couldn’t finish, but nothing went to waste. When individuals gave up, they passed what was left to Gaylene, who happily consumed every bite.
Withern watched Gaylene eat, and she cackled. “Could probably work like three males,” she commented.
After the guests finished, the table was swiftly cleaned, and the household males were served next.
Frieda informed those with implants that it was odd that the males didn’t leave the house after their meals, which had been the custom.
A young female stuck her head in the door, spied Withern, and nodded her head.
“Come,” Withern directed, swinging an arm, as she made for the door.
Outside, nearly eleven families had gathered from nearby farms.
As the house emptied, Withern directed her family to join the crowd. Then she had Frieda and Cyan stand on either side of her. The Liberation contingent was strung out beside Frieda, and the Dwerves and Doktorg stood next to Cyan.
“As you can see, we’ve more guests,” Withern announced forcefully. “If this keeps up, I’ll need a larger house.” As she cackled at her joke, the audience laughed with her.
“They don’t seem to be shocked by our appearance,” Eshtitor whispered to Quanitine.
“I imagine that’s Withern’s doing. They trust her,” Quanitine quietly replied.
“Some of these races haven’t always trusted one another,” Withern continued.
The audience’s eyes hardened, as they regarded the individuals arrayed in front of them.
“This is understandable,” Withern cautioned. “Did the dresat share fairly with us before the sisters came?”
That caught the crowd off guard. Their own history was undergoing significant changes.
“I’ve questions for you, and I need honest responses,” Withern said. “What do you think of our sisters?”
A robust male, the head of his family, called out, “They could use more hair!”
The households who had gathered roared at the comment.
Withern added her own cackle. Then she repeated her question.
“Why do you ask this, Withern?” an older female inquired.
“We’ve a dubious past,” Frieda explained. “The sisters who landed here have chosen to take a different path. Some of those who’ve just arrived are concerned about how we’ve been treating you.”
The audience hostilely regarded the newcomers, and the Dwerves and Doktorg were tempted to point at those who stood beside Frieda.
“I can tell you where the sisters have fallen short, as far as I’m concerned,” a male said. “They should have brought more of their kind.”
The audience unanimously shouted support for that idea.
“I don’t know how we can convince others what has happened since the sisters have arrived,” an elder male, a contemporary of Withern’s, said. “It’s in big and small things, but these things are too numerous to count. We’ve enjoyed peace since they came. The raids against our farms have ended. Our lives are better. We can sell our product instead of paying tithes to the dresat. Whatever was the complaint against sisters before they arrived, we would ask that this group be forgiven.”
Withern was satisfied that the Liberation contingent had received her citizens’ message. She instructed her males into the fields and the females into the house. Then with a crook of the finger, she led her guests to the traveler. At the hatch, she extended her arms to Gaylene, who carried her up the stairs and didn’t put her down until she reached the front of the main cabin.
With a gentle pat on Gaylene’s check, Withern enjoyed settling into a nanites seat. When she was ready, she said, “Now let us talk. The sisters have been extremely fair with us, if not a little overprotective.” As she dropped her last phrase, she stared directly at Frieda.
Pointing a finger at Eshtitor, Withern said, “However, you’ve been partaking of our resources and have offered no compensation to Woots.”
“Dwerves aided the sisters with your harvests,” Eshtitor objected. The moment he’d spoken, he realized his mistake, and the bright light in Withern’s eyes said she knew it too.
“You’re correct,” Eshtitor admitted. “We helped the sisters so that they could aid us sooner.”
“In fairness, we were told to keep a low profile on the planet,” Quanitine pointed out.
Again, Withern eyed Frieda. As she patted the sister’s leg, she said, “She means well.”
Others would have spoken, but Withern raised a hand to halt the replies. Turning her attention to Doktorg, she said, “Your kind damaged the captain’s huge ship.”
Doktorg knew an explanation wasn’t required. He merely tipped his beak.
“What’s to stop others of your kind from coming here and attacking the captain’s ship?” Withern continued.
“Nothing,” Doktorg replied. “In fact, they’ll consider it their duty to destroy the captain’s ship.”
