Galaxy Pirates

Chapter 7: Violet Meets the Doctor

The Shark Tooth made a stop in another big city in the Raden Universe – the city of Galal on Planet Ithnan, another of the Radenoids' many colonies. The covert team soon set up their shop in the harbour. Violet descended the ship along with Zehu and Baxus, who had followed them since he had nothing to do.

"Well, what are your plans for today?" Baxus asked.

"We're going to sell the items, as usual," Violet replied.

"No, I meant_"

"Hey, Rodam, this is for you, and this one's for you, Raido!"

The Dionoid squad of Jasheen and the two of the covert team exchanged some wrapped boxes with shimmering smiles on their faces. Violet grew surprised:

"What are they doing?"

"That's what I was asking about." Baxus chuckled, "Today is the interuniversal day of Root Cherishing. People give gifts to their friends of the same species."

"What? I never knew about such a thing! Did you, Zehu?"

"Yes. I've already sent some mind gifts to my mother and sisters via my green crystal."

"Wow! We, humans, have never celebrated such a day. It does sound like a great holiday."

"Hey, what's that long face for? Come on, cheer up, it's a day of happiness! Here, this is for you." Baxus handed her a tiny stone box.

"Ah, a present? For me? But I haven't gotten you anything, Baxus..."

"Come on, don't sink into depression, you've still a whole week up ahead – since time is different for different planets, the celebration lasts for long. I'll be looking forward to your gift when you're ready. Now, open that one up. I want to see your face as you unfold it."

Violet hastily opened the box, to behold a dazzling golden arm bracelet.

"It's pure gold from Earth! How did you get it?"

"It belonged to my mom. She said two bracelets like that were going down generations in her mother's line. As her mother had two daughters, she gave each of them a single one. My mother had no daughter, though, so she was the last one to wear it. I kept it tenderly as a family heirloom for when I grew and had a daughter I might give it to her. However, now I think it'd be better to gift it to you, since you too are of my mother's blood, and she would've been more than happy to give it to you if she had known you."

Tears appeared in Violet's eyes – it was true, her mother too, had such a bracelet on her arm, bestowed upon her by grandma. She had refused to inherit it back then and asked mom to keep it for her little sister.

"Baxus, thank you so much! Well then, I'm going off to the city – I should get you something awesome back!"

"Wait! Don't you want me to accompany you?" Zehu started, "It might be dangerous out there."

"Just taking a little stroll, it'll be fine. I want to make it a big surprise. Bax is my cousin, after all!"

"But_"

"Leave her, Zehu. Violet is a clever girl and she knows fifty-one languages. She'll be fine. Galal is not a city much engulfed in crime."

"Okay... Still, be careful out there, Violet! Don't talk to strangers too much!"

"Don't worry, I'll watch it!"

Violet walked off the harbour and disappeared through narrow streets. There she began to brood over what to buy for Baxus:

He loves explosions, so maybe, something related to it? Or something stony as Bakhals love? Ugh, this is so hard! Yet, the Root Cherishing Day sure is an awesome thing... Wait, if it's a day when the same species give each other gifts, then who does Captain receive gifts from? He's the last of his kind... Don't tell me, each year on this day he remains giftless and alone?! That extreme loneliness and sorrow which struck my heart back then – those should've been his feelings. On a day like this, he'd feel even more depressed, to see everyone sharing gifts and smiling, and he's standing aside in his cabin drawing on his pipe... It's unbearable! I must get him something too. I know he doesn't like us humans, but receiving at least something from someone is better than letting one's heart die of loneliness, right? To think on a larger scale, we, humans, are Hermin sub-species too. It is completely justifiable! I've been in his room two times so I kind of know what he might like... Those blank books he reads – the telepathic books – I'll get him one of those.