Tau Ceti Read online

  Like Roger Emmerit had told him in the handoff, the Teecees were hiking up the mountain through the forest. When Harald first opened his screens they’d dipped down to the stream for a drink. Harald’s eyes flashed back and forth, trying to take it all in. All the flora seemed to have surprisingly gracile stems like you might expect in low gravity. Little flyers fluttered here and there. Some flyers attacked others. Smaller ones seemed to be eating the plants and trees. None of them seemed to have feathers, reminding him of big bodied, small winged bats. Or to some degree, seeming like big soft bodied bugs. One of the flyers dive bombed Goldy! Surely it was too small to pose a threat? Goldy ducked violently, thrashing out with the stick it’d been carrying. The stick reminded Harald of a tennis racquet, though more slender of course. The ducking and swinging shifted Harald’s world view about in a sickening manner. Goldy missed the flyer but made it abort its attack with a quick dart to the side. As Harald watched, the flyer buzzed up and off to the side, then pitched over for another dive. This time Goldy waited a moment then swung accurately, the branches of the stick savaging the wings of the flyer. The flyer bounced to the ground. Harald got the impression that Goldy only felt relief that the flyer would no longer be attacking but Silver darted forward. Holding the flyer down with a hind claw, Silver sank a knife into the base of its neck. The flyer quivered a moment then became flaccid. Wheat’s eyes widened, could the brain be inside the body just behind the neck? There it would be protected by what Wheat had thought were “rib like” bony rings during the “dissection.” Located there a brain would be protected from bites of other animals but easily taken out by a knife plunged down from above like he’d just witnessed.

  ***

  Dex watched Syrdian with puzzlement as hie killed the flyer. “Why did you kill it? It would have died anyway with its wings broken.”

  Syrdian shrugged hies wings, “Dinner,” hie said, quickly cutting the flyer into front and back halves and scooping out the organs.

  Dex tilted hies head curiously. Hie’d never eaten a forest flyer but hie supposed they might be good. After a moment hie resumed hiking up the mountain. Syrdian fell in behind himr.

  As the sun descended the next day they reached the cliff below the Yetany tribe’s cave. Syrdian had two more of the annoying flyers on hies harness and they were both tired. They watched the cave area for a portion of a dek. No fliers came or went. The tribe must have migrated as planned.

  Dex turned hies gaze to the cliff. Hie’d failed to consider that that cliff might be a problem. Hie’d flown over it hundreds of times. But now Syrdian couldn’t fly. Looking up at it hie wondered if it might be possible to climb it. The dalin practically never climbed anything. Why would you climb something when you could fly to the top of it instead? Even if a dalin did climb onto something, a few reflexive wing beats almost always assisted the climbing.

  Stilling hies wings, Dex stepped forward and sunk claws into some crevices in the cliff face. Hie pulled himrself up a bit, fighting the urge to beat hies wings a little. The limestone of the cliff face gave way, chunks falling out. The porous limestone on the surface had softened under the onslaught of the recent rainy season and it wouldn’t hold himr.

  “How am I going to get up the cliff?” Syrdian said, sounding dismayed.

  In hies backeyes Dex saw Syrdian staring up at the cliff in horror. Hie shrugged hies wings. “We’ll think of something. Can you gather wood for a fire while I scout the cliff from the air?”

  Still staring up at the cliff, Syrdian nodded. Dex beat into the air to circle out and up, then land at the top of the cliff. The cliff had been a constant feature of hies life during the winter portion of the year when the tribe lived at the cave above it, but hie’d never given it much thought. It wasn’t useful and, because hie could fly over it, it wasn’t a problem. Hie realized now that it may have hindered some of the land predators from reaching the cave and that likely had been a good thing. It was about six body lengths high and extended far to either side of the cave. Hie didn’t really know how far it was unbroken and that should be hies first mission hie supposed. Perhaps Syrdian could simply walk north or south a ways and climb where there wasn’t a cliff or there was a break in the rock face? Hie looked up toward the cave a moment, wondering if hie should fly up there, maybe it would give himr an idea?

  Instead, hie beat into the air and rode the east wind rising up the mountain, sliding to the north looking for a break in the cliffside. Though the flight in the rising wind felt exhilarating after days of walking, Dex despaired at the unbroken wall of limestone, it would take a long time for Syrdian to walk this far and hie still hadn’t found a break. Dex turned and drifted the other way, passing over Syrdian with a little wave and coasting along over the cliff to the south. Again the cliff seemed to go on forever and Dex eventually turned back, hoping to find a way to help Syrdian climb it. Walking around seemed like it would take forever. At best walking around the cliff would be a way for Syrdian to continue climbing the mountain. But Dex would then have to fly back to visit the cave alone to scavenge supplies so that Syrdian didn’t have to walk all the way back to the cave area.

  Dex coasted in to a landing next to Syrdian. It pleased himr to see that Syrdian had built a respectable little fire in front of a recess in the cliff face that resembled a shallow roofless cave. When Syrdian had seemed so pathetic at first, Dex’s infatuation had withered. But now that Syrdian displayed more capability and competence Dex found himr very attractive again. Syrdian had spitted the annoying flyers hie’d collected during their trek and suspended them over the flames to cook. Dex sucked a little air in over hies olfactory patches and the smell made hies mouth water. Syrdian said, “Did you find a place for me to climb up?”

  “No and then it started getting too dim to see well so I came back. I’ll look again in the morning but I wondered if you could climb up one of these trees if we cut it so it leaned up against the cliff face?”

  Syrdian tilted hies head, “Climb a tree? I don’t know. I’ve never tried. But I’ll try it now.” Hie walked to a nearby tree and looked up along the trunk. After a moment to gather resolve, hie reached up and sank claws into the bark. Raising hies left foot hie sunk a set of toe claws in too, Pulling up with hies arms Syrdian surged up and pulled hies right foot up to try to sink its claws too. Suddenly the claws on the left foot ripped the bark loose. The sudden weight on hies hand claws ripped them loose too. As Syrdian fell back, hies wings ascended to beat for some lift and prevent a fall.

  Behind Syrdian Dex shouted “No! Hie stepped forward, catching Syrdian beneath the wings with both arms. Hies primary intention was to prevent Syrdian’s wing beating and possibly tearing the sutured lacerations. Dex, however, felt overcome to be holding Syrdian’s body to hies. Warm, firm, wonderful Syrdian. The Syrdian that Dex had dreamed of holding for years now.

  Syrdian turned hies head to look at Dex with hies fore eyes. “Thanks Dex, I’m OK now.”

  With a start Dex let Syrdian go. “Sorry, you scared me.”

  “I frightened myself too! I appreciate you catching me and keeping me from tearing my wings. I don’t think I should climb this type of tree though.”

  “You’re right, let’s try a couple of other kinds to see if their bark is more secure.”

  Dex and Syrdian walked around to several different types of trees, sinking in their claws and pulling. The bark ripped off fairly readily from every type they tried. Dex shrugged hies wings, “Oh well, I was worried about how hard it would be to cut a tree so it would lean against the cliff anyway. Let’s eat, maybe we’ll think of something during the night. If not, I’ll fly the cliff again tomorrow and find a place for you to climb no matter how far it is.”

  Syrdian said, “You’ll think of something.”

  Dex thought that Syrdian’s statement displayed an unrealistic faith in Dex’s abilities; but it gave himr a warm feeling.

  Not as good as holding Syrdian in hies arms though.

  Syrdian handed himr a cou
ple pieces of flyer and hie took a bite. Hies eyes widened, these flyers may be annoying but they’re tasty! Hie wondered about hiking into the forest with a branch in the future just to try to bring some flyers down. Maybe even some of the flyers that didn’t attack? Could there be some way to catch some of them? Some kind of snare? Hie took some more pieces of flyer Syrdian held out to himr as hie tried unsuccessfully to picture a snare that could catch a flyer. Hie couldn’t imagine catching one of the small flyers, they were much too agile and would easily dodge such attempts. Hie wondered a moment about trying to put a trap on their nests, but the nests hie’d seen were high in trees in thick branches that a dalin couldn’t fly into. Hie’d just learned that hie couldn’t climb trees very well.

  Dex and Syrdian finished eating the three small flyers that night and they talked a little while. Syrdian said, “It’s getting pretty hot. I sure hope you’re right about it being cooler higher up the mountain.”

  “I know it’s cooler. I’m worried about what we’ll eat up there.” As they drifted off to sleep Dex wondered what they would eat in the morning.

  ***

  Ell’s car dropped her off a couple of blocks from Vic’s new club in Carrboro. As the car headed off to park, Ell pulled her hoodie up over her ball cap and started down the sidewalk. She appreciated the brisk evening air since it made the hoodie seem reasonable attire. She smiled to see a dispirited line waiting beside the ticket booth. Ell stepped up to the window and cleared her throat. The man in the booth uncrossed his arms and pointed to the “Sold Out” sign, “Gotta wait in line for someone to leave.” Ell leaned close to the window, “I think you’re holding a ticket for me?”

  He rolled his eyes, “Name?”

  “Donsaii.”

  His stool, propped back on its rear legs, dropped forward, “Sorry, Ms. Donsaii! We’ve been hoping you’d come!” Since she was only twenty, he issued her a red, “non-drinking,” wrist band, then popped the door open.

  Ell wandered in and headed to the bar for a Coke. Velos seemed to be on break. The place was packed but not as noisy as she would have expected. Coke in hand, she looked around and realized the diminished sound level came from all the sound absorbent materials covering the walls. The crowd seemed boisterous and people were talking just as loud as you might expect from a vibrant throng, it just didn’t echo around. Instead of struggling to understand people in the normal cacophony of a crowded bar scene she could hear them clearly.

  She leaned up against a post and watched the crowd. To her amusement the couple beside her were arguing about whether Velos sounded great because they were “an awesome band,” or whether they sounded great because “the acoustics in this place are amazing.” Ell was just happy that the consensus was that “they and/or the place sounded great.” She saw Emma and Joe Chan standing near the dance floor. Joe wasn’t staggering, making Ell think that he hadn’t had anything to drink.

  Though the stage remained empty, the guitar lick from the intro to Velos’ new hit single “Alive at the End of the World” came over the PA. Ell surreptitiously looked around, surprised that they would play a recording of their hottest song at one of their live shows. The lick repeated itself, then again. A spotlight up on the stage faded on and slowly pivoted around until it pointed out over the crowd. It gradually drifted to the right wall and then down until it lit the curly red hair of someone facing the wall. Gordon slowly turned around and the spot expanded to reveal his guitar in his hands as he stroked the lick again. The crowd went wild, hooting enthusiastically. The next time Gordon played the lick, the bass came in on it too. Another spot came on, swung slowly around the club and focused on the bass player standing over on the left wall of the club. They cycled through the intro licks again. Then the snare began to pop on the backbeat. Another spot came up on the drummer who’d mounted the stage while everyone was focused out front. He brought in the powerful thump of the kick drum on the one and the three. The lights snapped off and the music paused for a four beat. Ell felt the tension building in the crowd as a long sustained note faded in on the Hammond D3 organ. As another spot faded in on the keyboard player he began arpeggiating the same chord that the intro guitar lick covered. A spot faded in on Gordon, now standing in the middle of the dance floor beside a mike on a stand. He leaned into the mike whispering the words of the first verse; Ell felt goosebumps at the eerie sound of the whispered verse over the Hammond. The words paused and Gordon played the guitar lick again, then the entire band came thundering in on the chorus while the crowd went even crazier than they had when Gordon first appeared in the spot.

  Standing in the shadows, Ell pulled the hoodie back far enough to be sure it didn’t affect her hearing. The music was loud! She felt the thump of the kick drum resonating in her chest. Gordon’s traditional rough guitar sound was powerful to the point of being intimidating. Yet everything sounded so clear! Ell shook her head in amazement—she’d never heard live music sound so good.

  When the song had faded away to enthusiastic applause Ell slowly became aware of a large presence on her right. She glanced over and saw Vic grinning at her. “Ms. Donsaii, thank you for coming—and thank you for what you did for us all, as the President reminded us in that ceremony.” He waved around the club, “What do you think?”

  Ell grinned back, “They sound awesome!” She winked, “They must be really great musicians.”

  He grinned back, “They are, no doubt.”

  She raised an eyebrow, “You don’t think it has anything to do with the incredible acoustics of this venue?”

  He frowned and rubbed his chin as if considering, “Might have a little bit to do with it.” Then he grinned proudly. “So, you like it?” He waved his arm again to encompass the bar/venue that was his pride and joy.

  “Yeah! I think it’s amazing. You sure do have an ear for these things. “I’m thinking my friend Belle’s crazy aunt isn’t going to regret her investment?”

  Vic shrugged. “Opening nights can be good and everything can still go to crap, but I sure hope not… Are you gonna dance?”

  Ell laughed, “I think I’ve done enough dancing at Gordon’s concerts.”

  “No you haven’t! I know Gordon’s hoping you’ll dance at this one. So am I. He left some space open at the right side of the stage again.”

  Ell said, “How ‘bout just you and I dance, then you can tell Gordon I danced at his concert for him.”

  “I can’t do any of that crazy stuff you do on the dance floor!”

  “Let’s just dance like everyone else. I’ve made a spectacle of myself plenty of other times.”

  Vic shrugged and moved out through the crowd toward the dance area. Ell followed, wondering if she could keep the hoodie up and try to remain unrecognized. Vic stepped out into the midst of the other dancers, almost all freestyling, and turned to face Ell. They both began moving to the music.

  Vic mused that Donsaii didn’t seem to be doing anything complex, just swaying to the music like he was, shuffling her feet a little and moving her arms to the beat. But, she did it so… elegantly. Not different, just better. So much better. Her clothing wasn’t sexy, she wasn’t performing any of her unbelievable athletic feats, yet he just couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He looked at her clothing, an ordinary hoodie with short t-shirt under and loose pants, not so different from many others in the bar. In fact, other than her graceful flat tummy peeking out from under her shirt, it seemed something more likely to be worn by a guy than a girl. Yet there was no doubt that she was a girl. Though you couldn’t see her very well with the hoodie up, you just had a feeling that she was pretty. Could it just be because he knew who she was? Vic glanced around and saw that most of the people nearby were watching her, both men and women. He didn’t think they’d recognized her, just that they were fascinated with her graceful, though simple dancing.

  Then one of them pointed. Like a ripple around her, people began focusing on her, turning toward her and obviously recognizing her. He would have sworn that Donsaii
was blushing even though her face was shadowed. The people around her opened up an area of the dance floor and several waved toward it, obviously hoping that she would dance one of her remarkable dances again. Instead she shook her head and backed up to the edge of the open area as if waiting for someone else to dance in it. When the song ended Vic took her back to a dark corner of the back bar and got her another Coke. Talking to her he found her to be very down to earth, he could see why Gordon thought he was crazy about her even though Gordon had only spoken a few words to her.

  When Velos took their next break, Vic took her back to the band’s dressing room. “Gordon, someone here to see you.”

  Gordon turned, “Ms. Donsaii!”

  “Ell, please.” Ell said quietly, almost shyly. She turned, “Hi Emma, Joe,” she said, nodding to each of them.

  “How do you like the show?”

  “You guys sound great!” She turned and winked at Vic. “I’m thinking that something about the acoustics here is helping?

  “Oh yeah,” Gordon enthused, coming over to Ell, “Vic’s helped us tremendously with our sound out on the road but this place he’s built is just amazing. Everything sounds so clean in here. We’re hoping to turn out a ‘Live’ album from what we’re recording tonight.”

  Ell turned to Vic, “You aren’t manning the mixing board for that?”

  He grinned, “Naw, I’ve got the world’s greatest recording engineer doing that tonight.”

  Gordon waggled his eyebrows, “His Dad is on the board. He knows more about recording than any two ordinary engineers.”

  Vic said, “I was out there trying to learn from him when the ticket office told me that a certain VIP had picked up her ticket and I went out to look for her. In fact, I’d better get back before he decides I don’t care.”

  Once Vic had excused himself Gordon turned to Ell, “Sit, sit. I’ve so wanted to have a chance to get to know you. First, I want to second what the President said about you…”