Public Domain - authored by Dee Dreslough.
Luuko eyed Tara closely. For a moment, he thought he may have heard her speak,
but she was just staring at Goothib, who was babbling away with Harmon, relaying the joyous birth of the new barrydmates
to her. They were the first of the season, and very early, as most eggs wouldn't be hatching until the middle of
the rainy season.
He turned back to listen to Tarrin and the Great Mother, rapid firing questions
back and forth about child rearing in all three species. The humans, it seemed, were more like the Dimar, in that
they paired off and each pair would produce an offspring that often would be raised either by a group or by the
pair, or by just one individual. They did not often produce two offspring in one hatching, and neither species
laid eggs. His mind boggled at the thought. In fact, both Arrallins and humans produced nectar in their chests
and abdomens to feed their young directly after they were born! Luuko reared back, a bit disgusted, but Tarrin
clearly broadcast that this was considered a wonderful thing by the parents of both human and Arrallins.
The Arrallins were especially puzzling to Luuko. Without eggs, they'd produce sometimes
as many as two dozen offspring, each one popping out of the egg-layer one after the other, and then both parents
and all the Arrallakeeni would produce nectar to feed all the hungry mouths. It must be a horrible sight - all
those squalling youngsters popping out all over the place! Luuko would be as supportive as possible when the Arrallins
finally began producing offspring.
Luuko looked back through the doorway at Tara and Rakal, wondering if they were
angry that they couldn't enter the room with the Great Mother. Tarrin had expressed a deep concern about this,
explaining that it would be considered a personal insult to Rakal and Tara, but the Great Mother had stood firm
on the ancient rule that the Leader of the barryd would be the only Leader allowed into a room with hatching eggs.
Back during the wars, Leaders and their barryd children, rendered sterile by a particularly virulent strain of
the active Telkai cells, took to smuggling away hatchlings from their parents, and since those days, no Leaders
other than the properly vested leader of the barryd, or it's acolytes, would be allowed into the chamber until
the babies were properly nestled on their parents' backs.
Luuko had argued fervently that although Rakal and Tara were both technically Leaders,
that they were not likely to try stuffing the new babies in their clothing and go running off, especially when
they had no idea how to leave the upper level of the barryd without some Dimar to fly them to the courtyard level
below. Luuko felt another surge of pride, remembering the stunned looks from the various Leaders as he and Liur,
side by side, flew the Leaders of the starborn colony to the Council.
Even now, he could hear the paranoid whispers of the visiting Dimar in chambers
nearby, wondering if humans and Arrallins were in fact the ancient warriors of the Mulkai returned to Dimar to
conquer. He knew, not only from his exchanges with Tarrin, but from his overall experience at the colony, that
they were, in fact, just waters-lost from another world, not quite sure where they are, but following their chosen
path regardless of the tide. Luuko rather enjoyed their company.
Do not let yourself be lured off by strange nectars, Luuko. Telka needs you now
more than ever. It was the Great Mother speaking to him, spikes of protectiveness flooding the message. Luuko blanched,
embarrassed that she had heard his ramblings. I know where my duty lies, Mother. However, if they choose to accept
the honor, Tara, Rakal, Mason, and all the others will be barrydmates. Their ways will become ours as much as ours
will be theirs, so I struggle to learn. He could sense that she was exhausted from the meetings and the constant
mental games that the other Leaders played.
That is an excellent endeavor, Luuko. Do charge yourself to learn the vocalization
of both of the species if you can, and encourage your siblings at the colony to do likewise. Having only a few
Minds among them is making communication and learning very difficult, and there will be crises soon. The fires
will hit the dry wells near them and spread at twice the rate. Warn them, if you can. The Great Mother's tone was
torn, echoing a friction toward Rakal and Tara, but concern for all their children. Oh, and watch your tail around
the other Leaders. They're a dangerous lot, as I'm sure you've found. Her tone was suffused in pride for Luuko.
He had been quite a sensation among the dignitaries of other barryds.
More than one Leader had approached him about flying the fires and becoming a Tinar
instructor at their barryd. They could sense his comfort on the Wind, as well as his comfort with the new, strange
starborn visitors. His knowledge of them and his skill with the fires would make him a popular and welcome addition
to many of the major barryds on Mainland, as he was well aware. However, as each offer topped the first, it made
him realize more and more that making Telka, or a barryd like Telka, the safest, healthiest barryd on Dimar was
truly his first goal. He'd be lost on the Twin Continents and in the Southern Archipelago, which had no fires and
a weaker wind at best, and the Isle held no barryds at all, even to this day. The barryds to the east held some
attraction, but the easterners were traditionally their major rivals at the Mirrai festival. How could he face
his barrydmates in the Wind games, to fly against them?
He followed Tara and Rakal into the hallway, leaving the happy parents and their
family to celebrate without the pressure of a full honor guard and three Leaders in their midst. The Great Mother
filed out last, following Tarrin and Mason, who continued, even while walking, to bombard her with questions about
everything under the sun.
He touched minds with Tarrin, The Great Mother is quite tired from the day's exertions,
Tarrin. Can I help with the questions? I would enjoy helping you learn about our home. His inflection on the 'our'
included Tarrin, Mason and the others affectionately. Plus, we have been charged with the task of learning your
vocal language, so that we can be better 'mates to more than just your Talents. Can you help me?
Tarrin nearly howled with laughter. Shnu! I remember how much fun I had learning
English when I took my first assignment on a human ship. Where should we start?
Luuko could sense a mischievous intent in Tarrin's enthusiasm, but he could survive
the occasional embarrassment in order to complete his task. How do you say hatchling in English? And Egg? Nest?
We can start with the events at hand. He sent Tarrin clear pictures of each item, waiting for the verbal equivalents.
Mmmm...hatchling would be 'Baby', egg is 'egg' and nest is 'nest'. Oh, oh oh! Try
this...go over to Tara and say 'Hey Baby, nice eggs.' Tarrin was snorting and whuffling, and whispered something
to Mason in English.
Luuko managed to understand 'Tara', 'Baby' and 'eggs', but not much else. Gamely,
he approached the human Leader, looking back toward Tarrin and Mason, who were both laughing now.
"Heeeeee babeeeee, naaahce eggs." His muzzle mouthed the words with some
difficulty, but he could see that she understood, and was covering her mouth in an effort not to expose her teeth
as she laughed.
"Thank you," she replied, talking as slowly as possible so he could catch
each syllable.
"Taaahnk oooo," Luuko echoed, getting the meaning from Tarrin. Is this
some wonderful compliment for the humans? Should I compliment Mason on his eggs? Neither of them have eggs, which
puzzles me. Before he could catch Tarrin's reply, he barked out the line at Mason, "Haaay babeee, nice eggs!"
with better results, who had to lean against a wall to stay standing, he was laughing so hard.
Actually, it's a play on a common human intimidation phrase, often directed from
males to females to scare them into thinking that the male might want to mate with them forcibly. They really say
'Hey baby, nice legs!', and often whistle and make strange gestures. Normally, Tara would have probably struck
you or stunned you, as is the proper response for human females when the males bother them. Tarrin relayed the
information to Luuko very matter-of-factly, still chuckling, but Luuko began to fret.
Does Tara think I want to mate with her?! His tail lashed from side to side as he
tried to read some reaction from Tara.
No, no, no...she understands you were just doing what we told you, and she thanked
you for talking to her. She's not mad at all...in fact, she's flattered that you want to learn English. That's
why she said 'Thank you'. Tarrin soothed Luuko's fears, understanding that if he had made an offer of mating to
one of his own kind, it might be considered the same as asking for marriage, and very serious. You will know when
a joke is being said by their faces, and the noises they make. If you say something and she smiles and laughs,
it's a funny or good thing you've said. If she frowns... Tarrin asked Tara to demonstrate an angry frown, or looks
confused then she either doesn't like or understand what you've said. Watch the faces, and listen for the tone
people use when talking. Sarcasm is one of the most confusing aspects of human vocalization.
Luuko nodded, noting that Dimar had a similar tradition of humor in their culture.
He practiced more words, with Tarrin and Mason demonstrating each, as well as common facial expressions for humans
and Arrallins, and soon, he was feeling quite the scholar.
Liur! The Great Mother has charged us with quite a task, you know. We're to learn
the languages of the humans and Arrallins. I've already begun, here with Tarrin. We should have Goothib work with
Harmon. Luuko reached out across the barryd to where Liur was resting with other rankmates on a ledge still warmed
by the setting sun.
Well, it is better than 13 hour shifts in the fire line, Liur echoed back. We should
take them back to their camp and begin our learning with them. Rank 4, the Great Mother tells me, and Rank 5 will
come with us to learn too, as well as continue our work on the firebreaks during the night. The second half of
the message came through heavily shielded. Luuko was willing to wager that Liur was being approached by a Leader
of another barryd.
I'll meet you on the southern platform with Tewi, Goothib and the others, and we
can fly them back. Luuko relayed that message to Tarrin as well, and listened closely as he translated. "Thaaahnk
yoou, Tarrin."
Tarrin smiled up at him with surprise.
With the help of Ranks 4 and 5, the group managed to rescue the downed hovercar
from the treetop. It took a few minutes to herd out the various birds, lizards and numu, small ferret-like animals,
that had started making homes all through the vehicle. Slung between tree branches, the larger members of Rank
4 and 5 were able to carry the ailing machine back to the repair station at the colony.
The language classes began almost immediately, halting work on the buildings for
a time and providing a much needed diversion for the exhausted beta and human laborers.
Within two weeks, all the Dimar at the colony understood the basic mechanics of
the English language.