The First Ones

The Cultural Institute of the Sect

Unlike on Seerin, the descent was made by shuttle craft instead of riding the space elevator. The trip was fractionally shorter but was simply more turbulent as the surface of the Earth swelled in the windows. A shaky moment later and the craft was plunging toward an ocean of fluffy clouds. After that the First Ones descended beneath the clouds and found themselves soaring above and among the towers of a beautiful, glistening city. Luci peered out the window in wonder. This planet appeared so much livelier than Seerin! The city below was on the edge of a lovely green forest, with snowcapped mountains on one towering side. Beyond the peaks, a wide river trailed in a silvery ribbon towards the distant horizon. While Luci could not know what it was like down there, it certainly appeared very cheerful from up where she was.

The shuttle veered to a landing outside a fabulous white monolith of a building with three massive statues outside. Luci eyed them in wonder. One was of a Markuan warrior, armored in glory and wielding ferocious-looking weapons. The second was a Redani scholar, dressed in the elegant robes, attire and scientific insignia of Dovera. The third was a young Armui farmer, simple in appearance but proud in tradition. As Luci got out of the shuttle she inhaled a deep breath of Earth's air. It tasted sweet and free, and she could not help but laugh as she took in the awesome sight of the human city. It rose stoically above her and sang with the light of the sun. She had never seen anything like it before.

"The gravity treats me well!" Luci exclaimed, noting an unusual spring in her step.

Tra'nath glanced at her. "You're right, little one. Earth bears eighty-two percent of Seerin's mass."

"What's this happy feeling I get?" Luci added, as they were led into the building.

"Nitrogen," the guide answered. "It makes up the majority of the human atmosphere. Breathing it causes calming effects, which is why it is colloquially known as the laughing gas."

Tra'nath brought the First Ones to the very top of the building. There in a handsome office, she introduced them to a surprisingly youthful grown. Luci had expected a wise, elderly representative, but she could see the Redani mark on his hand, so this one was undoubtedly learned. "Welcome to Earth, everyone!" He gave the newcomers a deep bow. "We are of the sect."

"We are of the sect," they echoed.

"You will definitely wonder what that means in the time to come," the grown replied. "It is overwhelmingly tempting to immerse yourself in the ways of the human. Like myself, for instance. I may appear youthful to you but that is the product of a human technology. The humans, like the Redan, are able to control the rate of growth. Of course, we of the sect use it to accelerate the turnover for crop growth on Seerin. The humans use it to slow and even reverse the aging process. Otherwise I would appear to be twice as old as Tra'nath."

As the arrivals gaped at him in wonder, the Redani went on. "I am Soh'lli, superintendent of the cultural institute. That's what we call this place. The humans seem very interested in our culture just as we are with theirs. We have been here for countless years, friends to our hosts from the stars. Currently we are in the city of Reinu, in a part of the world called Europe. This is where all activity of the sect on Earth is coordinated. We will soon have other representatives to help you choose your paths from here."

Luci liked the sound of that, and soon Tra'nath's group of arrivals was collected in parts by said representatives, both of the sect and human ones. Emador gave Luci a hug as they parted ways. "We'll meet again," he promised.

Jonatel had a similar thought. "I enjoyed meeting you," he told Luci, clasping her hands. "Fare yourself well on this planet, Luci of Seerin." He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on her cheek.