FALAHA'S JOURNEY: A Spacegirl's Account in Three Movements

Episode #72

Wen was already waiting for me in the hallway.

His soma space expanded all over Tjrnenagh, protecting everyone from sight. He had subtly left the Control Center, but, unlike Tagai, there was something about his presence that made people not pay much attention to him. I threw a glance back—only a few people noticed me leaving. And those were quick gazes.

Wen took me by the hand.

"Come, our Falaha, come!" he whispered. His hand was warm and dry. "We go to different, calm place. No disturbance."

"Where?"

"Much water."

"Oh, bath." Was there any functioning?

"What troubles our Falaha?" he asked, when we were far enough from the Control Center.

"Father still isn't telling me the whole thing. What exactly happened during his thirteen years spent on this ship?"

"We saw," Wen replied. "Shaamta's favorite experiment." He touched my hand with his other hand and caressed it gently. "You sensitive. Might not want see."

"Eh?"

"Shaamta clever. Yet we see big picture from his actions now: all war killing plan create you. Careful first, he learned. Your people behaved he expected. Then picking Father for Sangu from his Harvest, you call it. That not all—make you evolve and grow, make Father lead you here, to him, unknowing. Once Shaamta has you, kill all rest. Father not know this, yet deep down inside he worries this may be so. He wish not betray you, he suffer once know truth."

Could what my family was looking for in soma space have been proof of this? That could mean Mom knew as well, or at least suspected it. I see! Everyone felt this, that's why it wasn't even discussed—they avoided putting this into thoughts in case any of them got caught, so the enemy or anyone else wouldn't suspect that my family already predicted my father's designated 'role' and were possibly preparing counter-measures. They managed communicating it without keeping soma records. At least direct ones—they 'coded' it through our cultural and family background. Cultural context as a weapon? Clever. Oh, that's what attracted the Fossil.

"I see. So Shaamta tortured him." A nod. "Yet Father could have seen through this too, he can be fighting his own battle, subtly, so you wouldn't even recognize it. We may seem little people to you all, but don't underestimate us."

Wen nodded again. "Perhaps so. There something in Father we not understand." The kid was confident in his movements and in his touch, navigating through the hallways and sections of the dead ship.

"Well, what about Kané's plan then? Does it even exist?"

"That it was—rebuild the lives who died. She not plan far after that, she too young, yet she had talent with black blood. Shaamta researched, made environment speed up process he discovered in you all—potential for Sangu and new kata Baali. He uses Dorgu, yet loves him. Seeks best female for himself. Kané made mistake, disappointed Shaamta. Challenged him creating your people and made him hurt Dorgu, killing his child. Dorgu blames her, hates you all, Shaamta uses this wound, not lets it heal." Wen moved closer. "You child many worlds, many parents, have all their strengths and their weaknesses, world in itself, blood flower born of pain, suffering, hate, and deepest love."

"Does he even know how to love?"

"He does. He wants. He knows only one that hurts. He think loving someone painful. He sees painful love beautiful. This his early experience. Now his core. Shaamta blames us society structure that made Baali Sangu vulnerable, desires change that. We not fault. Not our system. Maok have no center. We all nomads. We born and move and breed in small sets that our families. Some do differently, most not."