As a Grandfather, his motives were his own. His pain was worthy of respect and silence so she would ask Zach to discuss the issue of human loss. He had strong family ties. And in the meantime, the Aizen Myo-o would have a place of honor in the temple.
Ito got into the car. The vehicle was so large that he resembled an eggling sitting in a seat built for an adult. “Grandmother, I apologize for any offence Mr. Tsang may have offered. The Rownt are nothing like the Anla, and to imply as much...” He shook his head.
“A grieving parent need not apologize for any illogic. No one has enough years to forget the loss of a child,” she said.
Ito drew a quick breath, but then he fell silent as they drove back to the Command building.
Kensho Part Six
Liam stood at the apartmentdoor and pressed his hand to the entrance chime. He wondered if the government had added his fingerprints to the public database. If so, Mr. Tsang might not answer his door. Honestly, Liam hoped he wouldn’t. He had offered to carry a message for the Grandmother, but he had no idea what to say to a man who had lost his daughter and grandchild.
The door remained stubbornly closed for a long time, but Liam stood with his hand on the chime and he waited. He had lived with the Rownt long enough to understand the value of patience, especially with a man who appeared more Rownt than human in his reactions. Minutes passed. Cars travelled the road and a pair of laughing youngsters ran in the opposite direction as the moving sidewalk, racing the mechanics of it as well as each other.
The door opened, and Tsang demanded, “What do you want?”
Liam gestured to the box at his feet. “I came with a pair of sculptures from the Grandmother.”
“I didn’t ask for payment.” Tsang went to slam the door, but Liam put his foot inside the shop to prevent the door from closing.
“She isn’t offering payment. She asks that you hold the pieces and either she will collect them when we return or she will collect whatever goods you have taken in trade.”
Tsang opened the door and studied Liam as if he were a particularly disgusting spider that had landed on his eggs. The silence grew longer, but Liam was used to Rownt. He waited.
“She wants me to take pieces on commission?” Tsang’s gaze darted down to the box, but it was closed. Inside was a pair of statues: a male Rownt cradling a child and a female Rownt holding the hand of an eggling struggling to walk. The child was so young that his tail touched the ground and it had an arch in it that suggested the young one sought to balance himself using it. They were exquisite pieces that showed every ounce of emotion. The eggling in the male’s arms was unhappy, and the parent glurbled in comfort. When Liam looked at the shape of the mouth and the muscles along the neck of the small statue’s form, he could almost hear the sound.
And the female who held the male eggling’s hand was proud as her offspring showed such determination to walk so early. His face was twisted with the effort and muscles stood out as he tried to balance a body that wasn’t yet ready for it.
After a long silence, Tsang said, “I don’t do that.”
Liam sighed. “You’re being an asshole on purpose. You’re an art dealer, so most of your pieces are probably on commission.”
“But they aren’t from an alien.” Tsang was angry now. Liam wished she had told him the content of Tsang’s message, but shortly after she had come back to the ship, she had sought out Zach and then all the Grandmothers had vanished into the upper levels of the temple where even tuk-status individuals could not follow.
“Offering you this... it’s her way of saying she respected whatever message you sent her.”
That surprised Tsang. He took a step forward, which required him to open the door more. “I told her that I didn’t trust her.”
