“I will get you some tea.This feels like a tea vibe.”
Chloe chuckled and sat in her ship with her plants and a long-lost cousin wrapped in death.She had had weirder days.
Chapter Two
Chloe looked at Skylar.“You look impressive.”
“You look like mist on a sunny day.The ship had those robes all the time?”
“Sure, but they aren’t Gertrude’s size, so she just kept them.”
“You are a smartass.”
“Yes, yes, I am.”She looked at the city and the group of Pericoffs that were approaching them.“Shall we?”
Chloe walked with a hand on Skylar’s arm.Her leg wasn’t reliable.She looked at the group of armed males approaching them, and she sang out, “We need to speak to your elders, we need to speak to your holy ones, we need to speak to your women.We need to speak.”
Skylar sang out, “We need to speak to the lost, we need to speak to your ancients, we need to speak to your eldest dead.”
The men looked nervous.Their gold skin and pale white fluffs of hair reminded Chloe of geese.Their clothing was long and concealing.
One of the men picked up his radio and spoke into it.He got an answer, and the six men divided to give them a path to the city.
Chloe watched the nearby trees and smiled.She was welcome here.
They walked slowly to the city and to the central space.The locals were gathering, while the elders stood in the central space, looking curiously at them.
Skylar followed their plan and sang softly, “Elders, would you allow my friend the touch of the tree?She was wounded and needs the support.”
The elders frowned and separated.Chloe let go of Skylar, and she walked slowly toward the tree.One of the elders moved to block her, but the tree swept her aside and let Chloe come.She touched the bark.It was dry and smooth where it should have been rough.“Oh, dear little one.They haven’t been treating you right.”
She leaned into the tree, and it whispered about what it needed.How a maiden had tended it, and it made its people flourish, but then the people died, and the maiden died, and no one could hear it.
“Skylar, please ask the very dead about the maiden and the tree.”
Skylar nodded and said softly, “We are here to learn if the Pericoff wish to survive or fade.To determine the basics, I need to speak with your dead.Where do you keep them?”
