The First Ones

The Youngers and the Growns

 Collifer was the second-to-largest city on Seerin, a hustling market of a metropolis constructed in the early years of the planet's settlement. For a very long while the Doverans oversaw the settlement of culture after their arrival and even now, many millennia later, the Redan still had a strong presence in the city and on the planet. Seerin may be ruled by the Armui and Brennor by the Markua, but the Redan were guardians of reason and logic, and as such the other sects accepted their input and at times, arbitration, with due respect.

Luci ambled along the path towards the transit office with a delighted canter in her step. As per her father's instructions, she had boarded a shuttlecraft to Collifer, the one which went there and back once daily at the rising of the sun. She had worn a farmer's scarf with a case of belongings clutched firmly in one hand. She could not bring herself to dismiss the memory of her father and sister, huddled together in the shade at the edge of the landing area, watching as she entered the craft and disappeared.

Her father had looked solemnly and even hesitantly proud; Zeth had looked disappointed and, Luci liked to think, a little jealous. It didn't matter, though. Over breakfast that day Luci vowed to contact them as often as she could. What Zeth didn't want to voice, however, was that the elder would probably forget about Seerin the moment she was caught up in her new existence with humanity. And so that subject had passed with no mention.

The flight to Collifer had taken a quicker time than Luci expected. She had presented her ticket to the captain, a tall, gruffy-looking grown whose breath smelled of grikan fish, and had chosen a seat by the window. There she watched the Seerini landscape pass beneath as the shuttle sailed southeast to the city. In a flash Luci caught a glimpse of the dead forest, the familiar path and the canopy of the talking tree, under which she had shared that conversation with her father and sister. But that was two local weeks ago, and here Luci was now, on her way to a new life.

The surface of the planet zipped by until there was a deep albeit gradual downward slope to the oceanic plains and a vast smattering of silver appeared. Further away on the horizon, Luci could see the inky blue of the Seerini ocean. So. This was Collifer.

The shuttle touched down in the bustle of the spaceport, a place filled with every kind of vessel that one could imagine. There were large bulk freighters from the asteroids carrying raw materials, some from Seerin being loaded with crops for transport to Dovera and Brennor, luxury passenger liners, and more. In low orbit hung the gargantuan warships of the Markua, silent armored mammoths sworn to protect and defend the peace.

Luci disembarked from the shuttle and followed the directions west along an artificial river, channeled from the ocean along a massive canal. This construct, Luci saw, glowed with light at different times of the day. It was a short trip to the office, even shorter given the fact that Luci was captivated at walking in the shadow of the space elevator, the tallest structures constructed by the First Ones. Although they had abandoned the use of such tethers centuries ago, the Redan had re-adopted them after first contact with humanity as a sign of goodwill. Besides, the superstructure had a lot of pragmatic use and visual appeal. Due to its staggering height, the base of the tether could be a quarter of the way across the nightside of the planet and still catch the light of the star, hence it shone even after the midnight hour on Seerin. There was one such elevator per metropolis on the Armui's planet.

Having craned her neck in an attempt to look directly up the length of the engineering marvel, whose top was far beyond visual sight, Luci entered the office and asked for help.

"You're a pretty one," said one of the grown assistants. "What's your name, child?"

"Luci, miss," she answered.

"In that case, come with me," the assistant continued. She gave the adolescent a pleasant smile. "You must be Harlebo's girl. He contacted us about you."

Luci was barely surprised. "Thanks, I guess?"

"Don't thank us yet until you're away from here," the grown continued. "There is much to do before then, but the good thing is you won't have to do much." She gave Luci an amused smile. "This way please."

"Who are you?" Luci asked, as she was led into a corridor off the main atrium.

"I am a dock manager here at the spaceport," the grown answered over her shoulder. "A cover, of course. I'm a Redani cultural officer." She lifted her arm to show the personalized skin-marking on her left hand that all Doverans sported. "My name is Tra'nath."

That was all that was said. The two females remained silent until Luci was shown into an office that smelled pleasantly of evening flowers. Another grown was seated at a luxurious desk, beautifully decorated with flowers and metallic objects. Tra'nath went to him and whispered something in the Redani dialect which Luci didn't understand. The seated grown looked at Luci as he listened, and nodded.

"Good morning, Luci," he said, standing to shake her hand. "I am Minaro, chief of culture here. We are of the sect."

"We are of the sect," Luci repeated, bowing to him.

"Please sit," Minaro continued, gesturing to the empty chair in front of his desk. Only then did Luci notice there was another younger already there, who drummed her energetic fingers idly on her case, which she held in her lap. "Luci, this is-"

The younger leapt to her feet and thrust out her hand. "Just call me Random," she said.

"You seem like it," Luci smiled as the girls shook. "Where are you from?"

"Fallon-Limar," Random answered.

"I'm from Fallon-Toulu," Luci said.

"All right! Province partners!"

"Thank you, ladies," Minaro said with a smile of his own. The youngers quieted themselves and paid attention. For a while Minaro explained how things would work. The Redan would arrange for their accomodation aboard a liner bound for the human Celestial Confederacy. The journey, several thousand light years further out along the Orion Arm, would take several weeks. Once they arrived at Earth, the homeworld of the humans, they would disembark at a cultural hub operated and maintained by the First Ones in one of their cities. Representatives of all three sects were there to provide assistance.

"That's all we can do for you," Minaro said. "Our officers there will help you in selecting your new way of life and place of dwelling." He had been facing the window as he said this, but now he turned back to the girls seated in front of his desk. "You may think it is forbidden to leave our worlds to live in human space. In fact, the Redan encourage it. It is now a widely-accepted practice on Devora and Brennor, but maybe less so on Seerin."

In spite of themselves, Luci and Random both nodded. "You may ask why," Minaro continued. "The humans, while still technologically-inferior to us, are only very slightly so. And they possess a varied and powerful military to defend their worlds. So you see, they already share the cultures of the Markua and the Redan. Maybe tending the land is something they do less of these days. That's something the other sects respect about Seerin. You Armui are much more devoted to the ancient ways."

Luci smirked. "When do we leave?"

It was Tra'nath who answered instead. "Tonight. We'll ascend the tether of the elevator and board the liner at the docking port in orbit."

"We?" Luci repeated.

Tra'nath nodded. "That's right. I'll be going with you two, and you'll be my charges until we get there."

"Tra'nath is one of our regular guides," added Minaro. "She's been ferrying adventurous youngers and growns like yourselves for many years. Everything's been arranged, children. There's just the question of accepting the journey."

"I will," Random said immediately.

Luci glanced out the window. Far beyond the boundary of the city, she could see the hazy brown-and-green plains of the hills which led to her home. Finally she took in a deep breath and nodded. "I will."

Tra'nath nodded and stood to leave the room. "It's settled, then. Minaro, the details will be sent shortly. As for you youngers, I'll see to the transport. You may visit the city to eat and explore, but please be back here by the eighth degree."

As Luci and Random left, Minaro gave them a bow. "Have a wonderful journey, Armui," he said. "After all, it doesn't just end when you get there."