Karik
hesitated and turned to her. "Thank you," was all he said.
Uncertain what to say, she could only nod. He said nothing more and
followed the other two inside, leaving her alone with
Torik.
She stood before him under the lights
of the landing platform and the stars in the night sky.
"Your world will be free," she said to
break the awkward silence.
"Yes. Because of you."
"No…Maybe a little. The Inari can take
most of that credit. But you were the one who let me find the true
me. Your kindness is something I can't repay."
A sad smile stretched up his face but
faded quickly. "I saw a being who was frightened. I know that
feeling after losing many in the occupation of Leisil. Like us, you
are a survivor, even more; you were alone on a strange
world."
"But you are kind. The others were
always suspicious."
"I am weak."
"No. It takes more strength to not let
their abuse harden you. I know." Her voice lowered upon the
memories of all the rejection she had suffered.
"That is why you are stronger than you
believe," he said.
"Like you. You stood up for me, and
that is something no one else has ever done."
At the faint hiss of air, she turned
to see the ramp of the other ship lowering.
"The Onduun."
Not yet. She wasn't ready to leave
him, but she wanted to learn everything about what she was and
where she belonged.
"I won't forget you." Krissa flung her
arms around him, afraid to let go after finding someone who made
her feel welcome. His embrace made it more difficult to
leave.
"I will remember you
always."
After a brief squeeze, she eased away.
"Thank you, Torik, for everything."
The clang of metal on metal drew her eyes to the ramp now
resting on the platform, a bright light blazing from the interior.
She held her breath in anticipation of what might emerge,
what she might be under the human skin she had worn as long as she
could remember.
What stepped from the ramp wasn't what
she expected. Two hooded figures in gray cloaks hiding them
proceeded to take up posts on either side of the base of the ramp.
From their head to toe robes, she couldn't make out details, but
she breathed easier to see that they were humanoid.
The final figure stepped down into the
full light as something ethereal. Although bald with a flat face
encompassing large, liquid blue eyes and a small line of a mouth,
the figure was more attractive than the Inari. The light gown
barely hid the faint glow of the white skin beneath, much as the
gown Krissa had worn when presented to the Tah'Na. On the slender
form beneath, she made out no distinguishing gender characteristics
and only a fold of skin at the waistline where she would have
expected a belly button. At the lifting of the gown, she realized
it was made of four transparent membranes attached between several
tentacles in pairs evenly set about the body. The alien was naked
but extraordinary.
It stopped at the base of the ramp,
long-fingers curling around the support strut. Blue eyes blinked at
her.
For a long time, Krissa stared and
neither said anything. Only by the nudge from Torik did she take a
step.
"Um…hello?" she said in
Lereni.
The center figure took a step towards
her and stopped. After several seconds, long fingers reached for
her.
Krissa looked back at Torik, but he
only shrugged. Was this the Onduun or something else? Why didn't
they speak?
"I'm…pleased to meet you."
Abruptly, one of those hands went to
her head, the fingers lightly touching.
"I am very pleased to meet you, my child." The thoughts came
without words, clear and concise with overtones of emotions. "I speak not these
strange tongues."
Before Krissa startled back from the
contact, the connection opened before her to reveal the
truth.
She stared in disbelief at Naperi—the
name coming into her mind in full clarity. An instant later, she
gasped in realization that this was what she really was.
The one question that had plagued her since learning she
was adopted was answered: "There is a new threat to
hesitated and turned to her. "Thank you," was all he said.
Uncertain what to say, she could only nod. He said nothing more and
followed the other two inside, leaving her alone with
Torik.
She stood before him under the lights
of the landing platform and the stars in the night sky.
"Your world will be free," she said to
break the awkward silence.
"Yes. Because of you."
"No…Maybe a little. The Inari can take
most of that credit. But you were the one who let me find the true
me. Your kindness is something I can't repay."
A sad smile stretched up his face but
faded quickly. "I saw a being who was frightened. I know that
feeling after losing many in the occupation of Leisil. Like us, you
are a survivor, even more; you were alone on a strange
world."
"But you are kind. The others were
always suspicious."
"I am weak."
"No. It takes more strength to not let
their abuse harden you. I know." Her voice lowered upon the
memories of all the rejection she had suffered.
"That is why you are stronger than you
believe," he said.
"Like you. You stood up for me, and
that is something no one else has ever done."
At the faint hiss of air, she turned
to see the ramp of the other ship lowering.
"The Onduun."
Not yet. She wasn't ready to leave
him, but she wanted to learn everything about what she was and
where she belonged.
"I won't forget you." Krissa flung her
arms around him, afraid to let go after finding someone who made
her feel welcome. His embrace made it more difficult to
leave.
"I will remember you
always."
After a brief squeeze, she eased away.
"Thank you, Torik, for everything."
The clang of metal on metal drew her eyes to the ramp now
resting on the platform, a bright light blazing from the interior.
She held her breath in anticipation of what might emerge,
what she might be under the human skin she had worn as long as she
could remember.
What stepped from the ramp wasn't what
she expected. Two hooded figures in gray cloaks hiding them
proceeded to take up posts on either side of the base of the ramp.
From their head to toe robes, she couldn't make out details, but
she breathed easier to see that they were humanoid.
The final figure stepped down into the
full light as something ethereal. Although bald with a flat face
encompassing large, liquid blue eyes and a small line of a mouth,
the figure was more attractive than the Inari. The light gown
barely hid the faint glow of the white skin beneath, much as the
gown Krissa had worn when presented to the Tah'Na. On the slender
form beneath, she made out no distinguishing gender characteristics
and only a fold of skin at the waistline where she would have
expected a belly button. At the lifting of the gown, she realized
it was made of four transparent membranes attached between several
tentacles in pairs evenly set about the body. The alien was naked
but extraordinary.
It stopped at the base of the ramp,
long-fingers curling around the support strut. Blue eyes blinked at
her.
For a long time, Krissa stared and
neither said anything. Only by the nudge from Torik did she take a
step.
"Um…hello?" she said in
Lereni.
The center figure took a step towards
her and stopped. After several seconds, long fingers reached for
her.
Krissa looked back at Torik, but he
only shrugged. Was this the Onduun or something else? Why didn't
they speak?
"I'm…pleased to meet you."
Abruptly, one of those hands went to
her head, the fingers lightly touching.
"I am very pleased to meet you, my child." The thoughts came
without words, clear and concise with overtones of emotions. "I speak not these
strange tongues."
Before Krissa startled back from the
contact, the connection opened before her to reveal the
truth.
She stared in disbelief at Naperi—the
name coming into her mind in full clarity. An instant later, she
gasped in realization that this was what she really was.
The one question that had plagued her since learning she
was adopted was answered: "There is a new threat to
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