Harwin blinked.“Oh.So why is he after her?”
“No seed has survived in fifteen thousand years.They die with the bulk of the population.How did this one survive?”
“Don’t know.You will have to ask.”
He looked at her and shook his head.“You have made life so interesting since you fought off that raider vessel and bled out on my doorstep.”
She leaned in to kiss him.“Don’t you forget it.”
He smiled and stroked their son’s cheek.“Never.”
* * * *
Chloe was still lyingon the moss when she waved at the newly named Trin.“Hey, Trin.Your grandpa was right.It was a self-sustaining coma.I am out of it now, and after we hit Aten and pop by for a visit, I thought we could come by Sanctuary Base, and I could hug you, then Skylar keeps hearing the word Pericoff, and I thought I would go there to see if I can help.”
Trin nodded.“We were going to find an anthropologist for that.”
“If you can, you can; if not, what can it hurt?”
“Sure.Absolutely.”
“We can stop there before I come in for my hug.”
Trin nodded.“Fair enough.We will send you the coordinates.Apparently, they aren’t very friendly, but we will also send the language pack.”
“Nice.I will improve myself and see you in the next few weeks.Hugs and stay warm.”
Trin grinned, and the screen went dark.
Chloe chuckled.“She was on his lap.That was the white background.”
Skylar chuckled and finished her meal.“Don’t you need to eat?”
“The plants are feeding me.”
“Okay.”Skylar’s voice drew it out.“What are the plants doing to you?”
“Oh, they are putting enzymes into my knee and ankle so that I can bend them without having them crack.The tendons are in rigour, and I am getting directed relaxants to the affected joints.”
“How do you know how to do that?”
“I don’t.The plants do.The same way they feed you life so your mind stays human.”
“Wait.What?”
“That is the end game for Dyturans.They are the repository of souls.You should’ve been trained and then driven to download thoughts and knowledge of the dead.”
Skylar stared.“But you diverted me, and I have been travelling and easing humans, giving them hope for the next generation.”
“Yeah.Aren’t I just a jerk?”
Skylar started laughing, and then she gasped as the plants slowly started to flex Chloe’s limb.
Chloe focused on remaining relaxed and breathing slowly.She muttered, “And for my next trick...”
Skylar laughed again and watched as the rigid limb came back to life.“Let me know when you want a boost up.”
“Yes, dragon lady.I will ask for uppies when it’s time.”She sighed as her leg crackled inside as the vines moved it.“It’s going to be a while.”
