Healer Dakalio couldn’t find anything wrong with Boro’s ears. He explained that high levels of stress hormones in the human body could cause temporary deafness, and chatted with Boro and Ilika about precautions they should take.
The healer also spent time with Mati, looking for any signs that she was asking too much of her reconstructed knee. K’stimla came in and did the same. Eventually both human and mantis, one with lips and one with mandibles, smiled.
“Whoopee!” Mati cheered.
With the promise of a non-dangerous mission coming up, everyone was in good spirits. After the long training exercise they had just endured, the entire crew of the Manessa Kwi felt they had earned that evening’s celebration on Satamia Star Station.
With decorations just starting to go up, Boro and Sata dashed away to spend an hour swimming and fishing with Glorm and his mate.
Kibi and Ilika walked hand-in-hand to the Psychic Development patio, shared a tender kiss by the little bubbling fountain, then entered different chambers to meet with their teachers and get assignments for the up-coming phases of their training. They never knew how long they would be at the star station, as an unexpected mission could interrupt classes, work, or the evening dance party. With a long and easy mission already on their schedule,
NEBADOR Book Eight: Witness 20
they both got assignments they could take with them.
Rini noticed that many of Mati’s classes had to do with getting fully comfortable with her body, which she had not been able to do at the usual time — childhood. She was not yet attempting the serious dancing that Sata did, nor the extreme tests of courage under pressure that Kibi often endured, but just little things she had missed, like crawling on all fours while talking and playing with others who were working to overcome an injury or handicap of some sort.
At the door to Mati’s class, they shared a long embrace, then Rini, not yet in Psychic Development, headed for the Mission Assignment Room.
Rini was in awe of those skilled citizens who worked directly with Kerloran and the heads of the Nebador Services, mortal creatures like himself doing the work of the gods. They had all, he knew, completed Psychic Development and many other programs, so he had simply offered, in a note addressed to Kerloran a few Satamia days before, to be a messenger, sweep the floor, or whatever they needed.
To his surprise, the response had come quickly, asking him to report to someone named Metateron, in the Mission Assignment Room, as soon as he had free time.
As he followed the wide passageway that led to the lowest entrance to the huge spherical room, Rini wondered if Metateron would be bird, reptile, insect, or mammal like himself. The name seemed very strange, so he guessed insect.
The bottom of the Mission Assignment Room, he knew, was a broad circular space that curved upward on all sides. In the center, a pool allowed marine mammals and amphibians to work with avians and other land creatures as critical reports were shared and missions planned. Glowing balls of light, of all possible colors, came and went, while mortals with feet used the three curving ramps that climbed to the many work stations in the massive room.
Rini stood out of the way and wondered how to find Metateron.
A moment later, a fanator floated down from somewhere high above, landed on two feet, and stepped forward. “Rini?”
NEBADOR Book Eight: Witness 21
He nodded. “Are you Metateron?”
The fanator clucked with humor and presented his back for the lad to climb on.
Rini swallowed, as he had only ridden fanators a couple of times, and this fanator was not wearing a harness. His mind raced, struggling to remember the short class he had taken that explained where to hold, and where not to.
The giant bird seemed happy with Rini’s grip, launched itself into the air with one thrust of its powerful legs, then let its wings take over as the pair began to circle the room and slowly gain altitude.
“Usually you’ll have to go up and down the ramps on your own,” the fanator said. “This is just for fun, to welcome you to the nerve center of Satamia Star Cluster.”
Rini
smiled.
Kibi and Ilika emerged from Psychic Development, met at the little fountain as planned, and arrived at the party a little late. They expected to find all their crew members dancing up a storm.
Instead, Rini was on the floor where Mati was busy massaging his sore legs, and both Boro and Sata were nestled in couches, moaning and occasionally scrunching sore shoulders.
Kibi looked down at them and cocked her head.
“We made a mistake,” Boro began. “We told Glorm and his lady to swim and fish at their normal pace, and not slow down for us.”
“Do you have any idea how tirelessly bears can swim?” Sata asked.
Ilika chuckled and grinned. “Some idea.”
“And what happened to you, Rini?” Kibi asked, sitting on the floor beside Mati.
He turned his head to look at his steward, but stayed on his stomach. “I lost count after a hundred trips up and down the ramps in the Mission Assignment Room, taking knowledge pads here and there, fetching vegetables and seed cakes for people too busy to stop and eat, or just listening to some little meeting Metateron wanted me to hear. I didn’t understand much, but I’m starting to get a feel for just how many things are going on, all the time, in Satamia.”
NEBADOR Book Eight: Witness 22
“My turn!” Mati declared, and lay down on her back.
Rini carefully sat up and began gently massaging her knees.
“Sorest knees in the star station,” she explained. “I’m so glad I’m not a baby anymore!”
Just then, a lively song began, played by a group of avians, that caused Ilika to start tapping his feet. “Anyone want to dance?”
Four of his crew members just moaned.
“Me!” Kibi said with a grin.