dangerous soldier, too,’ says Daniel, raising his eyebrows meaningfully.
‘How so?’ asks Joshua.
‘Well, you know he does not sleep?’
They nod. Since his recovery after the Ekpe he has not passed out or slept. He spends his time in the jungle during the night. He does not stray far, and many people have returned with strange stories of his doings.
‘Last night, I went out after dinner to meet with one of the scouts who was going out on patrol in the north quarter. He wanted to know if we should keep the sentinels out around the crash and meteorite sites. I said, yes, for a few more weeks. We were talking and I see the old walnut tree, the one with the long branch—’
‘About five metres up? I tried climbing that as a child. I think everyone does,’ says Joshua.
‘He was doing a type of dance on it. Moving slowly through a set of routines. I realized it was a series of defensive and offensive movements. Very slowly, often balancing only on one foot, dropping suddenly, raising his leg straight above his head. The branch did not move. It was as if he was feeling the tree, able to control himself against the motion of the branch.’
Esther collects the mugs and rinses them in the sink. They are not dirty enough to put in the dishwasher, and they will use them again later. ‘Will Hannah and the girls join us for dinner?’ she asks.
Daniel nods and then continues, ‘We watched for a while. It was quite beautiful. Then he dropped off the branch and landed on the ground, like a cat. His whole body absorbing the shock. Five metres, and he landed without a sound. He runs faster than us, without tiring. He held his breath for seven kilometres when he swam with you.’
Daniel raises his eyebrows, his face half pointed at the table. ‘He may not be dangerous to us, but he is dangerous.’
‘What is he doing now?’ asks Esther.
‘He is in the market talking to Dala Oluigbo. They are discussing the design he wants for the boat. She has the biggest printer and he wants a five-metre boat,’ says Joshua.
Samara has been collecting the components he needs for his boat in a storeroom near the market, including the aluminium remains of the gimbals from the escape pod.
‘You also took him to meet with Gideon this morning? I take it the negotiations went well?’ asks Daniel.
It has not escaped anyone’s notice that building and equipping this craft will be expensive. The battery alone will cost most of the village’s savings. That money was to go to the type of large-scale, multi-material, high-precision fabricator that could print such large batteries.
‘Gideon and I were quite careful. Their money would not be of use to us. He also is aware of the things we most want to assure our complete independence from Calabar.’
Esther gasps and grins as she realizes. ‘He will give us a metal fabricator!’
‘Yes, he will give us a metal fabricator. A four-metre one.’ Joshua is grinning broadly.
Daniel is delighted. ‘That is wonderful,’ clapping Joshua on the back and giving Esther a hug that lifts her off the ground.
‘Why did you not tell us?’ she asks.
‘I am telling you,’ Joshua says. ‘That is not all. He will give us one of the latest sphere. He says that the new ones have a much greater range. In fact, he will give them to all the free villages. They are almost like a connect and will allow us to maintain contact with each other. We will not be so isolated.’
‘How does he afford that? Sphere must be expensive even for his people.’
‘His grandfather is the inventor and can produce more for us. They print them. It is difficult always to understand the things he says. Their culture is so alien. Members of the Nine are not paid. They serve for twenty-five years, and it is an honour to be selected, but they must have independent wealth to support themselves during their term.’
Esther is starting to cut vegetables for dinner. Joshua rises, inspects the cupboards and pulls out pots
‘How so?’ asks Joshua.
‘Well, you know he does not sleep?’
They nod. Since his recovery after the Ekpe he has not passed out or slept. He spends his time in the jungle during the night. He does not stray far, and many people have returned with strange stories of his doings.
‘Last night, I went out after dinner to meet with one of the scouts who was going out on patrol in the north quarter. He wanted to know if we should keep the sentinels out around the crash and meteorite sites. I said, yes, for a few more weeks. We were talking and I see the old walnut tree, the one with the long branch—’
‘About five metres up? I tried climbing that as a child. I think everyone does,’ says Joshua.
‘He was doing a type of dance on it. Moving slowly through a set of routines. I realized it was a series of defensive and offensive movements. Very slowly, often balancing only on one foot, dropping suddenly, raising his leg straight above his head. The branch did not move. It was as if he was feeling the tree, able to control himself against the motion of the branch.’
Esther collects the mugs and rinses them in the sink. They are not dirty enough to put in the dishwasher, and they will use them again later. ‘Will Hannah and the girls join us for dinner?’ she asks.
Daniel nods and then continues, ‘We watched for a while. It was quite beautiful. Then he dropped off the branch and landed on the ground, like a cat. His whole body absorbing the shock. Five metres, and he landed without a sound. He runs faster than us, without tiring. He held his breath for seven kilometres when he swam with you.’
Daniel raises his eyebrows, his face half pointed at the table. ‘He may not be dangerous to us, but he is dangerous.’
‘What is he doing now?’ asks Esther.
‘He is in the market talking to Dala Oluigbo. They are discussing the design he wants for the boat. She has the biggest printer and he wants a five-metre boat,’ says Joshua.
Samara has been collecting the components he needs for his boat in a storeroom near the market, including the aluminium remains of the gimbals from the escape pod.
‘You also took him to meet with Gideon this morning? I take it the negotiations went well?’ asks Daniel.
It has not escaped anyone’s notice that building and equipping this craft will be expensive. The battery alone will cost most of the village’s savings. That money was to go to the type of large-scale, multi-material, high-precision fabricator that could print such large batteries.
‘Gideon and I were quite careful. Their money would not be of use to us. He also is aware of the things we most want to assure our complete independence from Calabar.’
Esther gasps and grins as she realizes. ‘He will give us a metal fabricator!’
‘Yes, he will give us a metal fabricator. A four-metre one.’ Joshua is grinning broadly.
Daniel is delighted. ‘That is wonderful,’ clapping Joshua on the back and giving Esther a hug that lifts her off the ground.
‘Why did you not tell us?’ she asks.
‘I am telling you,’ Joshua says. ‘That is not all. He will give us one of the latest sphere. He says that the new ones have a much greater range. In fact, he will give them to all the free villages. They are almost like a connect and will allow us to maintain contact with each other. We will not be so isolated.’
‘How does he afford that? Sphere must be expensive even for his people.’
‘His grandfather is the inventor and can produce more for us. They print them. It is difficult always to understand the things he says. Their culture is so alien. Members of the Nine are not paid. They serve for twenty-five years, and it is an honour to be selected, but they must have independent wealth to support themselves during their term.’
Esther is starting to cut vegetables for dinner. Joshua rises, inspects the cupboards and pulls out pots
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