Star Keepers: Legn

So, this one's a little odd. It's part of a previous rendition of my book that will probably be worked into the new version somehow, just not right now. I hope you enjoy.

Star Keepers

Chapter Six: Legn

LEGN VARA ZHOKAKIBA

Carefully, I slipped my thin claws into the groove at the edge of the PHLIT. I worked it for a moment before removing the back completely. Squinting, I looked over the minuscule wiring and circuitry that made up the insides of the device.

I glanced at the small tree lizard on my shoulder. “Nka,” I whispered, “more.”

The lizard looked up at me before shivering and causing his bioluminescent body to glow even brighter.

“That’s better,” I said. I turned back to my work. I peeled open a thin gelatinous pocket of the hovel tree wall around me and removed a small tool. With it, I started manipulating the mechanics inside the PHLIT, disconnecting and reconnecting wires and removing pieces here and there.

I stuck my tool in the corner of my mouth, opening up another pocket in the tree’s skin and pulling out another tool. “Okay,” I said out of one side of my mouth, clamping my lips on the other side to hold tight to the tool there. “This right here controls the digital data output. If I can tamper with it just right, I might be able to boost its capacity by at least thirty percent. What do you think?”

I turned to Nka. The lizard merely stared at me and let out a soft squeak.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” I said.

I turned back to my work just as I heard a soft “Legn! Legn!” coming from outside my hovel tree.

I let out a sigh, grumbling under my breath. I replaced the back to the PHLIT and put the tools away in their grooves inside the bark. I tossed the PHLIT down into the pile of electronics at the bottom of the tree.

“Come on, Nka,” I said. I dug my claws into the side of my tree and pulled apart the gummy wafer-like bark.

“Yes, A-Ma,” I said, sticking my head out into the humid morning air.

My mother came around a small patch of trees. Time and care had not been kind to my mother, for she had dark bags under her eyes and her thin hair had almost completely fallen away. Still, she bore herself well and carried an air of firm authority. She wore an especially stern look this morning.

“There you are, little thorn,” she said. “What are you still doing in there? Raka’s firstborn has almost reached the height of his leap.”

I glanced up at the sky to see the sun nearly hanging over my head. “Is it that time already?” I said. “Sorry. I must have gotten distracted.”

I clambered out of the tree and planted my talons on the soft earth. Nka scampered around as I straightened my knotted and clumped tunic.

My mother tilted her head at me, taking a deep breath and helping me straighten it while also fixing my messy hair.

“Oh, you,” she said, placing me down between her knees in order to get at a particularly nasty patch of hair near the back of my head.

“Enough, A-Ma,” I said after a solid minute of straightening, pulling, and yanking had gone by. I pulled myself out of her reach and scratched at the clump with my own claws.

“Now, you get to tending that tree of yours, little thorn,” my mother said. “I don’t want your father to return from his trip to the consulate and find you’ve let it die.”

“Don’t worry, A-Ma,” I said. “I’ve been watering it and taking care of it every day, just like he showed me.”

My mother smiled at me, her warm eyes glistening with gold. She wrapped me in her strong arms and placed her forehead against mine. “Be good, little thorn,” she said.

“I will, A-Ma.” I let her hug me a minute longer, but pulled away when she started scratching at the snag in my hair again.

“I’ll be in my grove if you need me,” she said.

“I know, A-Ma,” I said, turning away and heading toward the spot where my tree grew.

“Be careful,” she called after me.

“I will.”

“And send a message to Aghri. He ships out today.”

“Okay.”

I hurried off through the trees, Nka digging his claws into my tunic. I shook my head after I was out of sight. My older brother Aghri had left us six years ago to join the Star Keeper Corps. Mother had sent him a message once a week since he left, and I had sent him several over the years, but he stopped responding after the first year. Uncle Masqa told Mother that it was because it was too painful for him, but I think he just stopped caring. That was okay. We didn’t need him anyway.

Still, sending him a message would at least make Mother happy.

I slowed as I came to the edge of the Valley of Fire. The massive swath of burnt-out tree husks and blackened earth stretched for miles in every direction and stood as a monument to the alien invasion that occurred here twelve years ago, just before I was born. Hundreds of Witani milled about the wide scar, tending to the young trees and flowers that had sprouted here since then. I crouched low and scrambled down the slope, making my way to the patch of trees that my family used to call home.

I stopped at a small tree surrounded by white focai flowers. I knelt to it and placed my hand on the left side of my waist. “Brother Sarbek,” I said. “Please continue to watch over this garden as you have these many years.”

I stood and placed my hand on the tree, closing my eyes as the love of the brother I had never known washed through me. I dropped my hand and moved past the tree to where a small bulbous tree grew underneath a rocky outcropping.

“And how are you this morning?” I asked, crouching and looking it over. One of its three leaves had turned brown and I quickly plucked it away so that more could grow in its place. I placed my hand against its thick blue bark, feeling it tremble slightly under pressure, indicating that it was time for it to be milked. I dug my claws deep into the bark and tore open a wide hole. Thick white liquid spilled from the hole onto the ground. The round tree deflated visibly, almost as if it were breathing a sigh of relief. After enough sap had been spilled, I closed up the wound with a handful of mud.

I looked over the white creamy substance on the ground. “What do you think, Nka?” I asked. “Think today will be the day?”

Nka squeaked in response.

I placed my hand in the puddle, letting it congeal around my fingers. I closed my eyes and focused willing myself with every speck of my being to wisp. Nothing happened.

I tried again, trying to figure out a different way to concentrate. Still nothing.

Finally, I gave up. “Not today,” I said. “Looks like I’m still doing this the hard way.”

I plunged both hands into the puddle, scooping out about half of the sap. I slowly got to my feet and carefully walked back to my family garden, sprinkling each tree and flower with the substance. I made the trip twice more until there was not enough left to scoop.

I slumped down against my tree, satisfied that there was no more left for me to do. Nka jumped from my shoulder onto the tree, curling up contentedly on the top knot. I breathed heavily and dug into my pocket to retrieve my everyday PHLIT. I switched it on and flipped through my messages. Nothing interesting today. I considered recording my message to Aghri now, but decided to wait until later.

I had just settled into a holo game when I heard someone calling my name.

“Legn!”

I looked up to see a young male Witani coming over the edge of the hill. Nka sat up and squeaked at him.

“Hi, Makis,” I said, switching off my PHLIT and putting it back inside my tunic. Makis had been my friend for many years. He and his family tended a grove just over the nearby ridge and his older brother worked with my father at the consulate. Did you find any cool tech today?” I asked.

“Sure did,” Makis said, reaching into his robe. He pulled out a greenish-gold object that was square and flat in shape with a small handle inside of its open back and two red lenses near the front.

“Cool, right?” Makis asked.

“Yeah,” I said slowly. I had seen one before, and I recognized it instantly. It was a Woraugenn energy weapon. It must have been left behind in the invasion.

“So, do you want it or not?” Makis asked. “I bet it does something really cool.”

“Um, that’s okay,” I said, pushing the weapon away. “I . . . have one already.”

“Oh,” he said. “I’ll give it to my brother then.” He slipped it back into his tunic and sat down on the rock beside me, scratching Nka’s head.

“Hey, guess what my brother told me?” he said suddenly.

“What?” I asked, perking my ears up. Makis’s older brother was new at the consulate so he still didn’t quite grasp the idea of classified information. Hopefully this would be something really good.

“Apparently, a Star Keeper ship is going to be landing at the consulate in four days.”

“The Arrowhead?” I asked without thinking.

“Um, no,” Makis replied, tilting his head. “I don’t know what its name is. What’s an Arrowhead?”

“Nothing, sorry,” I said.

“Anyway, he says they’re going to be here for about a week. Official Star Keeper business. Top secret, so don’t tell anyone.”

I smiled. “Sure,” I said.

“So what do you think?” he said. “Want to go see them land?”

I thought for a second. “Let’s see,” I said. “I doubt my mother would let me go, and it’s too far away to sneak off without a good excuse. However, it would be a good chance to see a spaceship up close. Then again, there is the consulate security to worry about.”

I scratched at the knot in the back of my hair as I considered.

“So, are you in?” Makis asked.

I looked at him and smiled. “I’ll think about it and let you know.”

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