“Forwhat?”
“Forhow they talked to you.”
“Itis they who should be angry. Zlathars pushed Humans down to the bottom of thehierarchy of the Uni society. I would react the same way if I were them.”
Jstopped again, looking at me and narrowing his eyes. “I don’t get it.”
“ShallI explain it again?”
“No,I mean: if you have such a noble way of looking at it, how come Humans are putin such a bad position in the first place? Aren’t all the Descendants likeyou?”
Iheld my breath, staring at him for a few moments. Relax, Dora. It’s the most logical question. Answer in the most logicalway. “No, there are several different species of Descendants.”
Imoved on, hoping he wouldn’t press the subject.
“But,”he said, catching up with me, “they don’t all think like you, do they?”
Myeyes were glued to the floor patterns of the wooden bridge. “Descendant specieswere developed by targeted genetic manipulation and are, therefore, verydifferent in their physical and mental states.”
Hestopped in the middle of the bridge. I stopped as well and turned around tolook at him.
“Youare not answering my question,” he said, crossing his arms. “Okay, so which onesare the rulers?”
“Thereare no rulers. It is a homogenous society.”
Jlaughed out loud. “No. Not if Humans are treated the way they are, it’s not. So,who holds the strings?”
Strings?
“Whotells everyone else what to think?”
Iunderstood now what he meant, and amazingly enough, he was more right then hecould have imagined.
“Zlathars.”
“Zlathars.Okay. So, how come they didn’t tell you what to think?”
Itook a deep breath. Time to leave.
“Thisdiscussion is not of interest to me,” I said with my best Senthien intonation.”I would like to retreat to my living quarters.”
Heopened his eyes wide, and for a few moments, he was just looking at me. Then hisface changed into an expression I could not decipher.
Heshrugged and said, “Yeah. Fine. Whatever.”
Andhe left in the direction we’d come from. The bridge shook from his heavy stepsuntil he reached the other side.
Hewalked over several other bridges and then he was gone. I bowed my head low. I wentback to my hut and sat on a wooden chair, my gaze empty on the floor.
Why did I say that?
Iactually didn’t want to retreat to myliving quarters. And I didn’t wanthim to leave, either. I wanted to be near him, I wanted to look at him, I wanted to talk to him. But instead—I pushed himaway.
No. No, this can’t be. I’m doing things the wrong way. I need to go back.I need to find him.
Justas I was about to stand up, I heard footsteps over the wooden bridge leading tomy hut.
“Dora!”It was Tania’s voice. “Dora,” she said again as she opened the leaf curtain.“It’s Stevanion. He’s not doing well. I think you should see him.”
Stevanion. Oh, no!
Igot up swiftly and followed Tania until we reached the infirmary.
Taniamoved the curtain away. I walked in, but then stopped. I stared at Stevanion inthe bed. His face was white, unmoving, his eyes closed. Drops of sweat wereshining on his forehead.
I have seen this.
Thenext moment, he coughed a heavy, throaty cough as his face grimaced in pain. Iwalked quickly to him, supporting his shoulders until his coughing frenzyceased, and then helped him gently lay back on the bed. He resumed hiscorpselike posture, not moving, barely breathing.
“Whatis wrong with him?” I asked, though I knew the answer, but voicing it as amemory about to happen.
“I’msorry, Dora. I don’t know. It seems he has a flu. Just a regular flu. It normally lasts for a few days only,but it’s as if his body doesn’t have the means to fight it.”
Iclosed my eyes with sorrow, defeat, and guilt.
Sorrow,because he was my only link to the world I had known all my life.
Defeat,because I had seen it. I knew what was going to happen.
Guilt, because he had accompanied me on my port inthe first place. If he hadn’t,he would never have come to Earth. And he would still be healthy.
“Dora,how do you feel? Are you all right?”
“Yes.”
“Imean… do you feel healthy?”
“Yes,my health is optimal, Tania. I thank you.” My eyes were still closed.
“Iam afraid for you, Dora. This is a classic Human disease, and it’s usually not life-threatening. But for him—and for you—itcould be. Here, could you please drink this? It’s a specific herbal tea thatmight prevent you getting ill.”
Iopened my eyes as she handed me a cup of warm green liquid.
“Thereis no need, Tania, I feel perfectly healthy.” My voice was strong, but inside Ifelt weak and uncertain.
Shelowered the cup to her lap and looked at Stevanion.
“Ifhe has any Human immunity left in him, he might survive.”
And if hedoesn’t?
Ilooked back at Stevanion.
Then—then he will die.
Idropped my gaze to the floor.
Whatam I to feel for a dying person from a highly advanced world where diseasedoesn’t exist anymore?
“It’sdifficult…” she said, as if she knew my thoughts.
“Yes.”
Istood up and walked slowly to the door. Then I turned back. “I need to… I haveto… go. I need to think.”
“That’sall right, Dora. I understand. I’ll watch over him, you can go. But please,stay near the village, okay?”
“Nearthe village. Yes…” I said distractedly, and left.
Chapter 10
Iwalked across a few bridges, not really caring where I was going. I passed somepeople, but at this time of the day most were on the ground, working in the fields,so my time on the tree bridges was solitary. And that’s exactly what I needed. Ispent more than a hundred passes walking around the village, thinking of thelast few days.
Whathad happened? How did we port here? Was this really a mistake? Would the Mindreally make a mistake? Or was it sabotage?
By who?
Certainly not by Uni Humans. I would have seen it. My Visions would have shownme something so drastic, I was sure of it.
Mygaze was unfocused and empty on the bridge planks, but my thoughts were crowded.
TheMind.
Zlathars.
Visions.
Disease.
Death.
Death? Will Stevanion die?
Ididn’t know how to deal with death. Not many in Uni did. We were not used toit.
Butdeath exists here. These people were used to that. They know how to cope withit. With that thought, I turned and walked back to the infirmary.
Taniawas still there,
