The Children Star (41 page)

With a bright flash and a whiff of ionization, the craft landed and was still. Out stepped Khral, waiting, the wind lifting her hair.

Rod ran to meet her, too fast, as his feet stumbled through the loopleaves. He caught her in his arms and met her lips. Then they sank down together and lay tangled in the loopleaves for a long while, a time behond time.

“Rod,” she whispered, “are you sure it's all right?”

“What's right for you, is right for me. Can you live here now?”

Khral nodded, her fingers combing his hair. “I took in enough micromen to modify my chemistry so I can survive here. It wasn't fun,” she admitted. “It was scary, after watching you go through it. But now they're okay. They're not a bad population; they're scientists, wanting to know how everything works.”

“Curious, isn't it, how they always imitate their host.”

“Don't people always grow into their habitat?” Khral shifted onto her elbow. “Rod, what about your colony?”

“The colony is changing. A couple of Brethren are joining us, and I'll be talking with them.”

“The Spirit Brethren? Not the ones that dance before the moon?”

“Only at midsummer.” He smiled. “Maybe I need to learn to dance, like 'jum.”

“So long as it's with me.”

“Are you sure? You know I have nothing to give you. Not even . . .” With a sudden thought, he plucked a brokenheart and slipped it around her finger.

In the caverns of Mount Anaeon, 'jum was showing the new Sharers how to feed the carnivorous plant that secreted the enzymes for their work. “They'll eat anything,” she explained, “but they like hoopsnakes best.”

A clickfly zoomed in to alight on her head. “Lightcraft landed outside,” it clucked excitedly. “Visitor coming up mountain.”

“Ushum?” Sarai called to her, looking up from the holostage where she tried to dissect the crossing-over of triplex chromosomes. “Ushum, can you see who it is. If it's anyone but Khral, send them packing. We're busy.”

“Yes, Mother.” She headed out to the mouth of the cavern. Blinking in the sun, she scanned the mountain across the valley. So many rays poked out between the crags, but now she had friends to help her count them. Down the slope cascaded the loopleaves, where little zoöids chased each other, clinging by their suckers. Whirrs soared up and down, carrying sisterlings from one world to another; at night, their messages would light up the singing-trees.

On the path below, a man in a cloak was climbing
steadily toward the cavern. It was Brother Rod, come to see her again, 'jum smiled and waved.

1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1,
(be sure to tell him,) reminded the Dancing People. (Warn him about the poisons some of our foreign sisters are trying to spread.)

I will, said 'jum.

(We're trying to spread peace and democracy among the worlds, but it's not easy.)

“Brother Rod!” 'jum did a cartwheel, landing on her toes.

“That's a good trick, 'jum!” Brother Rod sketched a star in the air, and the stone at his neck glinted as if on fire He caught her up in his arms, then set her down. “You must be eating well.”

'jum thought he looked well, too, not as sad as he used to. “Brother Rod, you need to watch out for the other sisterlings, the ones that still live in the tumblerounds. Some of them are not yet civilized.”

“Do they hurt you?”

“Of course not.” She took his hand. “My sisterlings protect me. They are telling me the names of all the bad molecules to watch out for. Mother Sarai sends it all up to Station.”

“And Station tells the rest of the world, wherever the micromen have got it. It's an important job you're doing.” Brother Rod nodded. “Throughout the Fold, now, people are carrying worlds full of micromen. And, just like people, the Spirit has made more good than bad.”

“They need our help,” added 'jum. “They're mostly children.” Children with elders, but no parents.

He looked out across the tops of the singing-trees, past the clouds and sun. A helicoid swooped down to catch something, its propellers humming. “There will be many more worlds to settle, now. And more of your own neighbors
from Reyo have come to join us. So many changes—you would scarcely know the colony. But you will always have a home with us.”

“This is my home now.” 'jum nodded. “So many children. You were right, Brother Rod. This really is the Children Star.”

All native life-forms on Prokaryon contain ring-shaped structures, both in body plan and inside their cells (i.e. circular chromosomes). The
zoöids
are animal-like;
phycoöids
are plantlike;
phycozoöids
share traits of plant and animal; and
microzoöids
are microbes.

zoöid
Animal-like species, capable of rapid movement; consume food.

four-eyes
Zoöids that graze on wheelgrass in large herds. Shaped like car tires with suckers for “tread,” and four eyes spaced equally around. Several species known, ranging in size from bike tires to truck tires. Usually light in color, or striped to blend in with the wheelgrass.

helicoid
Flying zoöids with ring-shaped propellers. Several species, the size of birds. Some are brightly colored.

hoopsnake
Flexible, looplike zoöids which travel
like a sidewinder snake. Capture prey by strangulation.

hydrazoöid
Extended tubelike zoöids, with one fin winding in a spiral around the tube. Rotate as they swims through water.

megazoöid
Large predatory zoöids, the size of an elephant. Capture prey (usually four-eyes) by running them over.

microzoöid
Microscopic size; also called micros. Many classes, ranging from plant to animal, not yet well-known, except for one species later designated

micromen
.
The micromen are also called silicates, by the Elysian medics, after their silicate capsules inside the human body; also sisterlings, by the all-female Sharers.

whirr
Tiny helicoids, like insects. Different species feed on juices of zoöids or phycoöids. One species transmits microzoöids between tumblerounds.

phycooid
Plantlike species, with loopleaves and double-roots; absorb energy from light (photosynthesis).

brokenheart
Tall looping stalks, with loops upon loops. Produce large numbers of edible ring-shaped fruit which look like wedding bands.

wheelgrass
Tough green stalks, like croquet hoops, growing thickly across vast fields. Consumed by four-eyes; tend to catch feet of humans.

singing-tree
Arch-shaped trunks, dark blue-green, many times taller than humans. In the upper loop branches, platelike leaves vibrate in the wind, “singing.” Hanging lightpods carry microzoöids which produce light.

phycozoöid
Species share traits of plants and animals. Most are not yet well-known.

tumbleround
Human-sized life-form, shaped like a collapsed truck tire. Color is gray-green; perform some photosynthesis, but also feed on wheelgrass and dead creatures. Long tendrils can slowly pull the creatures into a new position. Always infested by microzoöids and covered with whirrs.

ring fungus
Parasitic growth around the trunk of singing-trees. Can be dried to form a tough material usable for construction of buildings.