For One Nen (11 page)

He was strong and brave like all good Het but he was also willing to give his life for his friend. The empire couldn’t see the value in this kind of sacrifice, only in the sacrifice of their young in allegiance to the empire. Atenilek believed in life for all and Tinnen shared that belief.

On he went drawing his way to the
mouth of the cave where he made one last drawing. When he finished, he scrawled the name ‘Atenilek’ above the likeness of the giant and wrote his name, ‘Tinnen’, above the likeness of himself. He tossed the rock away and took a few more steps toward the light.

A carpet of leaves lined the opening of the cave and at the edge were trees. He stopped and turned back to face the tunnel for a moment.

“Master!” he called out with his best and loudest voice.

He stood long enough to listen to the sound swirl and bounce its way down the tunnel and away.

He looked around, picked up another rock, and stepped back to the last drawing he had made of Atenilek.

‘
Master,’
he wrote above the picture.

Dropping the stone, he smiled.

“My Master,” he said and walked out of the cave.

Barely out of the cave, he
dropped to his knees underneath the blinding light and felt the unfamiliar ground beneath him. His arms were out in front of him as he pressed his pain-filled eyes against one arm. He was unaware that anything could be so bright. He didn’t know how long he had let his body lay in a heap on the ground but when he felt something lick his face he jumped to his feet.

“Who are you?” Tinnen screamed, with his hands still covering his sensitive eyes.

Something very hairy brushed past his legs and again Tinnen screamed.

Shading his eyes
, he tried his best to open them enough to see around him. For a moment he wished he’d kept them closed. In front of him was an animal scampering on all fours with a long furry tail and when he opened his mouth his tongue dangled. All of that terrified Tinnen. But what made Tinnen cover his face again in fear were the rows of sharp teeth this creature had.

“Kas,” a man’s voice shouted. “Leave the poor man alone.”

The animal made a loud noise and Tinnen screamed.

“All is well, friend,” the voice of the man said. “It’s just my dog.”

Tinnen tried to shade his eyes and see the man talking to him. “What is a dog?” Tinnen asked.

297 AE

Aboard the EGRESS

“What
is
a dog?” Teltel asked.

Deni looked up from her work and sai
d, “Well I’m not sure. Any ideas up there, Love.”

“About what?” Tala asked having not heard Teltel
’s question.

Deni looked at Teltel but the giant just ducked his head and kept watering plants down the row.

“Any idea on what a dog is?” Deni asked Tala high above them.

“It was an animal that lived on the surface of Reen,” Tala answered.

“There you have it,” Deni said to the boys. Catching sight of Benai staring at an overhead light, she asked, “What in the ‘verse are you doing, Benny?”

Benai didn’t move an inch but answered clearly, “I’m staring at a light.”

Deni looked at the other boys for an answer. Getting none she asked, “Why would you do such a thing.”

“I just wanted to know why Tinnen couldn’t open his eyes when he surfaced. The light doesn’t bother me
a bit,” he said with a laugh as he finally turned to face the others. With tears streaming down his face, he said “See the brightness doesn’t bother me at all. But what are those yellow spots hanging everywhere.”

“Silly boy,” Deni said. “Okay I think that’s enough for today boys.”

“Ah, but it was just getting to the good part,” Beau fussed.

“You come back tomorrow and I’m sure there’ll be plenty more stories to hear,” Deni said.

Benai asked with unusual seriousness, “Can we bring others? We shouldn’t be the only ones to know this truth.”

“He’s right,” Tala said as she climbed down the scaffolding. “Even more should learn the truth.”

“Some may say we preach false teachings. I don’t know what they’d do to us,” Deni said with great concern.

“I would protect you,” Teltel said. “I would protect you both.”

“And I,” said Benai the tall Neph.

“Okay, but if anyone asks, this wasn’t my idea,” said Beau.

“Truth matters,” Teltel scolded.

“Alright, alright. You can count on me,” Beau said as he pulled a thick whistle from his pocket and began to play a happy melody.

“With systems down all over you have more work here in the gardens. I could bring more help and we could hear more stories… stories about who we are... where we came from,” Teltel said excitedly. “I will be careful to only bring the honorable.”

As Beau played, Tala closed her book and began
to dance among the many rows in the vast garden. Her flowing garments floated as if the air was lifting her off the ground.

Teltel took Deni’s hand in his and held it a moment while they watched Tala dance.

“Thank you, Deni,” he said as they watched the beautiful Tala exhibiting her natural talent.

Tala’s face radiated with pure joy and Deni looked on with pride.

Teltel looked down at Deni and sighed, “We’ll leave you now. Come on boys,” Teltel called out as he headed for the door.

Tala came to a breathless halt and with a gasp she called out, “See you tomorrow.”

Beau twirled his whistle between his fingers as he directed his comment to Tala. “Goweli,” he said with pride.

Panting, Tala nodded her approval and said breathlessly, “Goweli indeed.”

Later on
, when Teltel was asleep, he heard a scream in the darkness.

“No!” shouted
Benai, “no!”

“Ben,” Teltel called gently. “Ben, wake up.” The giant shook his friend, Benai, and turned on a light.

“You can’t!” Benai screamed as he bolted from his bed with eyes that showed he was ready to flatten Teltel. Though he was almost as tall as Teltel he was also only half his weight.

All at once Benai dropped his fists. His demeanor completely fell. He was himself again. Only a small whimper could be heard as he fell back onto the sweaty sheets of his bed.

“What happened this time?” Teltel asked. He drew near and sat in a chair close to Benai’s bed.

Benai turned his face away and replied, “Nothing.”

Only the small overhead fan could be heard spinning. He was glad that he and Benai still had the luxury of a fan, or their room would have smelled worse than dirty socks.

“It helped you the last time to talk about it. And I don’t mind listening. It doesn’t scare me.”

“I wish they didn’t scare me,” Benai said without moving from his crumpled position on his bed.

“Well, tell me or not,
but you’ve got to change the sheets on your bed again. Your nightmares make you sweat something sparse, which makes this place smell even sparser. Get up and I’ll help.” Teltel opened a wide drawer and pulled out dark blue sheets that were crisp and clean. Turning back to Benai he said, “You gotta get up.”

Grumpily Benai slid from his soft wet bed and stood beside it.

Teltel handed the clean sheets to Benai and with one swoop of his hand grabbed a corner of the wet sheets on Benai’s bed and pulled them off. With another swirling swoop he twisted them into a heap. He took a few steps and pulled open the laundry chute and shoved the sheets inside.

“Better throw in your cloth
es too,” Teltel said.

He took the sheet from Benai and began to make the bed for his friend.

Benai took off his only garment, long thin pajama pants. He threw them down the laundry chute and pushed the handle to close the opening. He stood there a moment before turning to Teltel.

“I’m going mad,” he said with a break in his voice.

Teltel had finished tucking in the corners of the bed sheets when he stood to his towering height. He looked slightly down to his friend.

“You’re not going mad.
They’re just nightmares. Quite interesting nightmares; but they’re only nightmares just the same.”

“No, in my dream. I’m some kind of emperor and I’m cruel and mean and I’m going mad. Everyone around is scared of me, even my wife.”

“You have a wife in your dream. That
is
a nightmare,” Teltel said with a forced laugh.

Benai grabbed some fresh clothes and headed to the shower but stopped short.

“I send people to their deaths.” With his eyes red and his temples wet, he asked his friend, “Tell me I’m not becoming evil.”

“You’re not evil,” Teltel said. “And you’re not
becoming
evil either. Now hurry or we’ll be late.”

Teltel was dressing when he heard a scream from the tiny bathroom. He ducked his head in the door and asked, “What is it?”

Benai was making, “Ooo, Ah, Ooo Ah,” noises.

“The water’s ice cold,” he shouted.

“Benny you about sparsed the breath out of me,” Teltel said.

Benai’s teeth chattered and he continued with his noises.

“They probably shut off the water heater. They’re rerouting everything these past few days,” Teltel said.

Shutting the door he called out, “And if you’re not out in one minute
, I’m leaving without you. I’m not going to miss morning meal.”

“I’m out, I’m out,” Benai said with almost purple lips as he hurried through the door
, holding a towel around his waist.

Dressing quickly
, they were out the door and to the elevator, where they met up with Trina and Bug who were holding hands and speaking softly.

“Kissy, kissy,” Benai teased, showing no signs of his nerves
having been shaken just a few minutes before.

“Grow up, Benai,” Trina said.

“If I grow up any more I’ll surely bang my handsome face on all the door jambs. And we wouldn’t want that would we?” Benai continued to tease.

“Cut it out,” Bug said.

Teltel slapped Benai’s chest with the back of his hand.

“Ooof,” Benai spluttered as he grabbed his chest a moment.

The four stood quietly and waited for the elevator.

“Hey, you guys like stories?” Benai asked. He wasn’t one to allow silence for too long.

“What are you doing?” Teltel asked in protest.

“They won’t tell,” Benai said.

“What do you mean; stories?” Bug asked as he ran his flat hand over his black hair from his forehead back to his top knot where a long, thin, braid hung down his back.

“We’ve been hearing stories from books that no one else on the Egress has ever read. They’re from our
ancestors’ home planet of Reen. Want to hear some of the stories with us?” asked Benai.

“Is that true?” Bug asked Teltel.

“It was supposed to be our secret,” Teltel said. “But yes, it’s true.”

“We talked about bringing others, remember?” said Benai.

“Meet us at the great dining hall after class,” Benai said.

“And don’t tell anyone,” Teltel demanded. Turning to Benai he said grumpily, “We’re supposed to be careful who we invite.” Turning back to Bug, Teltel added, “We work while we’re there too.”

“Where?” Bug asked.

“The gardens,” Benai said. “And there’s this Goweli lady there. Sparse the heart right out of your chest just because she’s so damn hot.”

“The gardens,” Bug whined.

“Did you even hear me?” Benai asked Bug.

Teltel again slapped the back of his hand against Benai’s chest and motioned to Trina standing beside Bug.

“Oh,” Benai said. “Sorry Buggy. But, oh!  She’s fine,” Benai added with a gushing laugh.

The elevator opened with its usual dinging sound and the four students entered with Teltel giving attitude, “Hurry.”

“Easy big guy. You’ll get morning meal soon enough,” Benai said.

“Wait up,” a girl’s voice called out as the doors began to close.

A dark arm shot through the closing doors making them open once again.

“Hey, Merari,” Trina said. “You barely made it.”

“You almost missed seeing my beautiful morning face,” Benai said.

“Yes, and I much prefer it to the filthy face you had yesterday,” she retorted.

“Hey,” Benai said.

The door shut, then all went black.

“What
in the name of Ot is going on?” Teltel rumbled.

No one answered the giant.

After a long silence a faint light flicked on.

“That’s my Dhobin,” Trina said to Bug. “Always prepared.” She gave him a long kiss in the gleam of the single light.