She turned to the elders.“We are going to our shuttle to do research.When can you have everyone together?”
They looked at each other.One said, “Four hours?”
“Good.We will be back, and we will sing for entrance once again.”
They nodded.“We will have an honour guard waiting for you, Seed of Life.”
Skylar nodded and said, “There are tales to be told of the ancients.I need someone to record them.”
The elders nodded.“We will have scribes waiting.Thank you, ghost of memory.”
Skylar nodded, her robes shifting.
They left and walked back to the shuttle.
The moment they were inside, Chloe peeled off her hood and sat at the terminal.She made the call, and a few minutes later, Trin was looking at her.Chloe said, “Not meaning to be rude, but I need to talk to Birun.This is all history, and he’s an old dude, plus he imported these morons.I also need a list of compatible species for them.They are stupid and won’t last another two hundred years without intervention.”
Birun appeared on a split screen.“You are there?They spoke to you?”
“They spoke to us.We sang our requests, and they were too stunned to say no.”
Skylar laughed behind her.“Chloe figured that out from the initial files you sent.Singing goes straight to their limbic system.”
Birun blinked.“You know why their offered companions chose to die?”
Chloe looked at him and sighed.“They have no sex drive.They are stimulated breeders.They eat fruit from the sacred tree and have an orgy.The population expands.When the tree gets strong enough, it has a shoot that is taken to a new settlement, and their population expands again.They never got beyond the first tree.The two companions you got honestly didn’t know what to do with a male.The tree hadn’t told them because they hadn’t eaten the fruit.”
Birun’s eyes went wide.“What?”
“They get sex-ed from the tree.They eat it again when they are pregnant, and it helps them get to term.”Chloe rubbed a hand over her stubbled head.“In case you wonder, the tree told me.I am currently helping it get a health boost, but they are going to need another set of stimulated breeders who respond to plant hormones.”
Birun nodded.“I can think of three, but I will have to see what is available.”
Skylar said, “They also need a proper archivist.I can anchor some of their elders to some stone, but it is weird working with non-human species.They feel lighter.That means they won’t be around long.”
Birun nodded again.“I have sent queries.”
“Do you have images?”
“Of course.They should be on your tablet.”
Chloe looked at the species and flicked, “No, no.Yes.The Lhinok.They are the closest biologically, and they will respond to the hormone bomb.They are also similar in physical description.They won’t be too much of a stretch, and if the locals can’t, then I am going to make a new ritual that is a little embarrassing but should be effective.”
Trin asked, “What?”
“Colourblind orgies.Seriously.This population is collapsing.”
Birun asked, “You think they will agree?”
“What are the chances of getting the Lhinok?About fifty to start?Will they take the bond for land and the possibility of family with a strange species?”
Birun cocked his head.“They are overrunning their original world, so yes.”
She chuckled.“Well, send the Pericoff specs and ask if the Lhinok would mind getting some alterations that would make their children Pericoff.”
Birun’s dark eyes widened.“That would solve the problem, or it would help.”
Chloe nodded.“It would.If the first fifty blend in favourably and learn Pericoff ways, you could save a species.A stupid species, but a species.Oh, and we need a maiden to take care of the tree.She would get a spot on the council, a nice house, and some spiffy robes.”
