Siblings of Sol: Destruction of a Planet

Chapter 11

Adam wakes in the large sleeping chamber for the males, and it takes him a moment to remember where he is and what has happened over the last couple of days for him. The other males are getting up and going out the entrance to the main hall for their morning meal. He lays on his slightly raised cot like bed and stares at the wooden beams that hold up the roof. "How am I going to get Evian and myself back to The Sphere, so we can escape this strange place?" The problem of course is that there are so many things that he does not know about Mur and the inhabitants. For him, and the way he analyzes situations, the lack of knowledge puts him at a loss as to how to proceed.

The room is now empty, and he is not about to get any answers laying in bed, so he gets up and goes to the main hall where the rest of the males are eating. He steps under the overhang of the loft above on the side that faces the river to see Jess and Evian already there, as they giggle about something as they drink their spiced water.

He sits down and grabs a piece of Avon fruit from the bowl that sits on each table. "What is so funny this morning?"

Evian turns to Jess and shakes her head, as she smiles happily. "Nothing. It is just girl talk, that's all."

Adam looks from one to the other as Marie rushes over with a tray of bread and some thick honey in a brown jar. She sits the tray down and brushes up against Evian slightly as she turns, smiling at her longer than normal.

He is curious now, as he looks to Marie, who is still leaning over the tabletop. "Did something happen that I am not aware of?"

Marie looks away, blushing and smiling sweetly. Evian reaches over and places her hand on his arm. "I was just aiding a young woman, as I was trained to do in the past."

He takes the hint and decides not to ask anymore about it. He picks up a thick piece of the bread and uses the wooden spindle in the thick honey to dribble some on the bread. He eats it with passion as he looks out over the flower beds and the fields of crops beside the river. The whole scene is one of tranquility and peace. Some of the males are starting to drift off towards the fields and the days work as he watches, while some females follow them as others move to the area set aside for the children.

Jess turns to him. "You are our guest here. But it is customary for everybody to do their share of the work it takes to keep the place looking good and running smoothly."

Adam sits up straight. He has never done much physical labor before, but the weak gravity here on Mur, should make it easier to lift and pull weeds from the ground around the plants. "I would be honored to help with the crops."

Jess calls out to one of the workers. "Cal, can you take our guest with you today, and show him how we plant the crops? I think the last field across the river is ready for planting."

Cal turns slightly from his course to the river to step up to the table. "No problem, we could always use another strong back, and a good pair of hands."

Adam gets up and turns to Evian. "Maybe I will see you at the noon meal then."

Evian looks up at him. "I will look forward to it."

Adam walks away beside Cal as Evian watches him go. She turns back to see Jess staring at her and smiling. "He is quite a man. He seems more refined than most males. Do you feel a special connection to him?"

Evian looks back to Adam walking away. "Yes, he has been a good friend and a great lover, who has answered many questions for me."

"From what I hear, he has what it takes to be a good lover," giggles Jess.

"Oh, yes, that he does," smiles Evian, as she gives a little shiver. She turns to Jess. "So, what do I get to do today?"

Jess sits up straighter. "Well, I was thinking that you could instruct the young ones on how your village was formed, and how you managed to get selected for the task of going from village to village, teaching the people your ways, which I assume is why you are here."