“I am alive.I can be hurt.I will recover, but the injuries still occur.Someone bound me, and I wish to have my recovery accelerated so that I can return and move with ease.”
“Will you leave your staff?”
Chloe paused.“Not yet.It was given to me to communicate with the tree.When the communication is no longer required, I will return it to the tree.”
“Thank you, Seed of Life.”
“You are welcome, Elder Ptwee.Look forward to change.It is frightening, but it can move you to places you will be excited to be.”She nodded to Skylar, and they both made their slow way to their shuttle.
Skylar said softly in English, “Do you think they will go for it?”
“If they want life, yes.Did you find what I thought you would find?”
“Oh, yeah.Dead on.Congrats.You nailed it.”
“Oh, thanks.”They got intoFreedom Break,and she staggered to the controls.“Okay, Gertrude, we need to pop in on Birun and Trin and then off to Aten.”
“Yes, Captain.”
Skylar settled, and they both pulled their veils away and then high-fived.
Chloe sighed.“You finally found a soul who would talk?”
“Yeah.They are the same.It was a race thing.Each thought they deserved to be the custodians of the great tree, and when illness swept the land, the Pericoffs stole a sapling, and when they were collected, they declared themselves a separate species.It was a lie, but it stuck, and they were kept away from the others.”
Chloe stretched.“Right.One lunatic in charge and a bunch of folk willing to follow, and you end up slowly dying centuries later.The tree got chatty as you reminded them of something.People talk a lot when it is only a tree that is listening.”
Skylar nodded and sat back as they lifted off the surface and headed out to Sanctuary Base.“Do you need to rest?”
“Not until I get my leg fixed.I can make do with moss naps.”
“Why are we going to Birun and Trin’s?”
“Oh, they are in this system, and right now, they are between Aten and us, so they may as well be the next stop.”
Skylar grinned.“Well, then, let’s get there, Captain.”
“Gertrude, up, up, and away!”Chloe chuckled.
“I am already out of orbit,” Gertrude spoke.“Now go sit in your moss.”
Chloe laughed and got up, using the staff that came to hand to help her to her moss bed.The robes flowed around her, and vines wrapped her neck and wrists.Settled and getting strength from the greenery around her, she rested.
