Flinx Transcendent Part 5

Flinx indicated his understanding as he slipped back into the unprepossessing AAnn vest, kilt, and sandals he had worn since he had first donned the simsuit. Deftly manipulating the suit's clawed fingers, he secured the ubiquitous AAnn travel pouch around his waist. Clutching the lightweight head covering in one taloned hand, he followed Kiijeem as his host led the way out of the desert landscaping that had served as Flinx's sanctuary for the last several days.

Off to their left the main residence lay baking under the glare of Blasusarr's relentless star. As they made progress Flinx could see the rooflines of other expensive sunken residences; dull, natural, or gleaming according to their owners' tastes. Avoiding the main gate through which non-aircar vehicles entered, Kiijeem led him to a small, older side portal in the artificial stone barrier. The youth activated an interrupt in the photonic alarm system, the two of them stepped through, and for the first time in many days Flinx found himself once more striding along a pedestrian pathway.

Hardly any nye were out in the middle of the morning in the exclusive quarter, but crowds increased as they loped easily toward the nearest commercial area. From there Kiijeem led the way onto a public transport and proceeded to enter the necessary individualized programming. A private vehicle, they both knew, might draw personal attention. Public transport was slower, but it was safer to take the extra time in a vehicle filled with other pa.s.sengers and thereby limit the opportunities for detection.

While the ijkk Flinx wore loosely over his head drew the occasional curious, even kindhearted glance, the only real danger arose from Kiijeem's irrepressible nervousness. While Flinx had no difficulty relaxing in his resting crouch near the rear of the transport, Kiijeem exhibited the air of one who at any moment was expecting a formal challenge from one of Krra.s.sin's grand champion fighters. Only after the back of the vehicle had emptied out a little did Flinx lean toward his young companion.

"No one suspects us, no one senses me." The simsuit's voice box added an appropriate artificial rasp to his otherwise fluent command of the language. "Will you relax? You're attracting far more attention than I am." Coiled in her pouch against his left side, Pip squirmed slightly as she sensed her master's tension. "Do I have to pin your tail against a wall to keep it from snapping?"

"Truly, you are right." Kiijeem made an effort to calm down. His tail tip stopped banging against the transport's inner wall, though it did not stop twitching entirely. "I ssupposse we could even sspeak loud enough to be overheard without raissing any undue alarm."

"Of coursse we can." Flinx was at his rea.s.suring best. "I conversed with many nye before I met you. None ever suspected my ident.i.ty. You can even call me by my real name."

Kiijeem considered. "Yess-Fflinxx could could be an AAnn name. An unussual one, but it ha.s.s the right ssoundingss." be an AAnn name. An unussual one, but it ha.s.s the right ssoundingss."

"Anybody asks, just tell 'em I'm from the sticks." Flinx was enjoying the view out the sweeping transparent wall of the transport as it soared eastward several meters above the manicured sands below.

"The what?" what?" Kiijeem was confused by a term that did not translate well. Kiijeem was confused by a term that did not translate well.

Flinx elaborated. "I'm from offworld. Some small, out-of-the-way Imperial planet with a reputation for backwardness."

"Ahpessx," his friend responded understandingly, adding a third-degree gesture indicative of quiet glee. "I know jusst the world. We will identify you as a vissiting agriculturalisst from Quepht-nuum. That fact by itsself will be enough to excusse any errorss you may make, verbal or otherwisse." Kiijeem seemed pleased with the label he had a.s.signed to his companion, while Flinx saw neither reason nor need to dispute it. He was not in the least ashamed to find himself designated the AAnn equivalent of an Imperial hick. his friend responded understandingly, adding a third-degree gesture indicative of quiet glee. "I know jusst the world. We will identify you as a vissiting agriculturalisst from Quepht-nuum. That fact by itsself will be enough to excusse any errorss you may make, verbal or otherwisse." Kiijeem seemed pleased with the label he had a.s.signed to his companion, while Flinx saw neither reason nor need to dispute it. He was not in the least ashamed to find himself designated the AAnn equivalent of an Imperial hick.

They were on the transport for what seemed an eternity. The interior was sealed and, of course, not air-conditioned. If not for his simsuit's ability to evaporate his mammalian sweat, recycle it as drinking water, and otherwise keep him cool and his body temperature stable, Flinx knew he would have fainted from heatstroke hours ago.

As the transport hummed eastward, picking up and disgorging pa.s.sengers along the way, it occurred to Flinx that he could make an excuse for them to disembark. Once out of sight, he could kill Kiijeem easily. That would lose him the potentially useful contacts he sought, but would also allow him to find another hiding place in a completely different part of the city. Perhaps a location where he could safely hide out long enough to await the return of the reconfigured Teacher Teacher. That would mean he would not need the help of Kiijeem's more powerful friends.

Of course if he did such a thing, carried out such a disgraceful act, it would only prove that he was no more worth saving from the menace that lay behind the Great Emptiness than the other humans and a.s.sorted sentients he had been quick to disparage on previous occasions. Besides, he liked Kiijeem, even though he was quite aware that should the right opportunity present itself the young nye would swallow his dismay at the loss of his offworld acquaintance and happily sample the softskin's flesh. While such instinctive behavior might repel the average human or thranx, in Flinx's wide-ranging experience it did not disqualify Kiijeem's entire species from the prospect of salvation.

Anyhow, the entire galaxy was at stake. In order to save the benign species, he had to save them all.

Only two other pa.s.sengers remained by the time the transport entered a part of the capital city's western residential zone. Marked by steep-sided hills and lengthy escarpments, so perfectly rendered were these geological features that he needed Kiijeem to confirm the artificiality of their nature.

So this was how the upper levels of AAnn society managed to enjoy sweeping views from their dwellings while still remaining largely underground, he reflected as the transport turned silently down a winding accessway. If the ground where you choose to live is flat, construct your residence and then build an obligatory mountain around it. Even to his undiscerning human eye, the amount of effort and expense that had to have gone into each individual dwelling in order to make it look as though it had been excavated from natural rock must have been considerable. There was even one estate that was "buried" entirely in a row of artfully sculpted barchan dunes. Characteristic longitudinal windows gleamed from the slip faces of sand that never shifted no matter how strong were the winds that blew against them. Clearly, the AAnn who could afford to live in this district must hold positions of considerable importance within the Imperial hierarchy. In response to his query, Kiijeem confirmed as much.

"Truly only the mosst important nye dwell here, outsside of the Imperial family itsself." He motioned second-degree self-importance. The verbal equivalent in a human would have been called boasting.

"Like my friendss."

Flinx regarded his guide from behind imitation AAnn eyes. "Your friends hold positions of such importance? Within the government?"

Kiijeem looked away and his tail drooped slightly. "Fssabb "Fssabb, not exactly. It would be more correct to ssay they are the offsspring of thosse who actually hold ssuch possitionss."

Great, Flinx thought as he studied the extensive, expensive surroundings. Additional juveniles to deal with. Not that it mattered, if they could provide the safeguarding he needed.

The transport slowed to a halt outside a picture-perfect replica of a small sand-swept b.u.t.te that was complete down to fossils of extinct Blasusarrian life-forms that were embedded prominently in one layer of sedimentary "rock." The complete structure was a good three stories high and gave no indication of how far the dwelling continued belowground. As the vehicle touched ground Flinx hopped off behind his escort, his simsuit's simulated leg muscles handling the shock of the short jump in faithful imitation of an adult AAnn.

Unlike at the AVM residence of Kiijeem's family, here there was no fence. No visible fence, anyway. Pausing atop what looked like a vacant patch of desert soil, Kiijeem waited for the sensors beneath his feet to respond to his presence. While not expecting the kind of sophisticated internal scanning devices that might be present at an official checkpoint, Flinx nonetheless took care to stand just to the right of the dedicated clearing.

"We are being made known," Kiijeem informed him helpfully. "I will sspeak to my friendss. When la.s.st I contacted them they were home alone, engrossed in their daily sstudiess."

"Will they make time for us?" Flinx continued to marvel at the beauty and perfection of the multiple layers of artificial stone. they make time for us?" Flinx continued to marvel at the beauty and perfection of the multiple layers of artificial stone.

Kiijeem made a gesture of second-degree a.s.surance. "They are among my oldesst group-companionss. I have told them to expect mysself and a friend." His tail slapped reflexively at the ground. "I think I am going to enjoy thiss."

Why wouldn't you? Flinx mused. Flinx mused. It's not your skin at stake if they lose control, panic, and decide to turn me in It's not your skin at stake if they lose control, panic, and decide to turn me in.

Popping out of a camouflaged burrow, a diminutive automaton in the shape of a local jarlt jarlt approached them, stood up on its hind legs, and trilled musically before disappearing back into its hole. approached them, stood up on its hind legs, and trilled musically before disappearing back into its hole.

"We are announced." Kiijeem started toward the high, slightly overhung sandstone wall in which windows that had been treated to match the color of their surroundings were clearly visible. "Dwelling ssecurity ha.s.s been muted accordingly. Plea.s.se accompany me. And remain at my sside. For an adult to trail behind ssomeone of my age would look ssusspiciouss. My friendss are ssuppossed to be alone, the adultss in ressidence away at work-but we sshould sstill take care."

"Don't worry." Flinx lengthened his stride until he was walking parallel to his guide. "I've spent my whole life taking care."

The hall they entered bespoke the wealth of the residence's extended family. Two stories high, opposing walls of simulated sandstone flaunted patterns composed of embedded synthetic gems. Water flowed down one wall; a singing, soulful reminder of a time when such scarce fluid meant life itself to the primitive ancestors of the modern AAnn.

"Try it," Kiijeem urged him, seeing his visitor staring at the cascade.

Flinx did not hesitate. Nothing in the emotions emanating from the young nye suggested treachery. Utilizing his simsuit's mouth and servo-driven tongue, he sipped at the edge of the artificial cataract. Mildly acidic, the cool flow agitated his taste buds with overtones of meat and mango. The liquid that formed the decorative waterfall came flavored.

Sunshine poured in from overhead via a lengthy polarized skylight. In the absence of freestanding furniture, here and there the fake sandstone had been warped to form places to sit or to crouch in comfort. A shallow sand pit provided ample room for relaxing or fighting.

His attention was drawn away from the decor by movement near the rear of the entry hall. Not one but two young nye were bounding toward them. Healthy, active, and well attired, they appeared to be of about the same age as Kiijeem, though both were slightly larger. The female wore a selection of metal bands around her tail that extended from its base to its end. Neither was as big as the simsuited Flinx.

"Your friend iss tall," declared the male as he halted before them. As he spoke, his sister was exchanging the traditional throat grab with Kiijeem. "A sshame he musst wear the ijkk."

So used had he become to the head covering that Flinx had forgotten its presence-and its meaning. Without waiting for approval from Kiijeem, he doffed it and shoved the crumpled fabric into his waist pouch. His new hosts regarded him with interest.

"Where are you from?" the female asked as the male exchanged greetings with Flinx's escort. "Kiijeem ssayss you are from offworld. Truly, I do not recognize your pouch dessign and the remainder of your apparel iss nondesscript." For an AAnn her voice was unusually liquid, Flinx decided. No doubt an occasion for sympathy among the more normal raspy-voiced members of her social group.

"I will reveal all truths in good time," Flinx informed her.

The two youths exchanged gestures and a glance. "You certainly sspeak like an offworlder," the male acknowledged. "But I forget my mannerss. I am Eiipul IXb and this is my ssisster, Eiipul IXc." He gestured pridefully but without condescension. "We are the sscionss of Lord Eiipul IX."

Eiipul. It was a name Flinx thought he recognized from his manifold studies. Something to do with the history of Amalgamation times, though he could not place the precise reference. The partial recollection only served to further confirm Kiijeem's a.s.surance that his friends did indeed have access to the kind of clout Flinx would need to ensure his safe departure from Blasusarr.

"I am Flinx," he replied simply.

The female gestured confusion. "No family name?" She eyed her brother uncertainly.

"Perhapss all the resst of hiss entire family iss dead," Eiipul IXb opined clumsily. "Or possibly the name ha.s.s been withdrawn, or iss being reconssidered." He looked up at Flinx. "Doess your name lacking have anything to do with your wearing of the ijkk?"

"Inssenssitive, inssenssitive," Kiijeem chided his friend. "But you will undersstand ssoon. Have I not promissed you the ssurprisse of all ssurprissess?"

"Truly yess," responded the female eagerly. "It musst be a great ssecret for you to a.s.sk that it not be revealed to a parent." Turning, she gestured simultaneously with hand and tail. "Come to the commonss and tell all-I cannot wait!"

The commons was the central room of the extended dwelling; a large circular chamber from which hallways radiated outward to other parts of the residential compound like spokes from a wheel. Like the entryway it was also an impressive two stories high, capped by a dome of spun multihued quartz that added another half story to the overall height. The enclosing curving walls were fashioned of synthesized copper minerals, mostly turquoise and azurite flecked with splotches of less-familiar cupric ores. The lighting was appropriately subdued, while the fine-grained pink sand that filled the central depression had been imported from a famous quarry in the center of the southern continent. Ten percent of the carefully coiffured sand was composed of natural colored carbon crystals, Kiijeem informed him. Truly, Flinx realized, the extended family of Lord Eiipul IX was a wealthy one indeed.

Settling themselves into comfortable crouches on the sand at an equitable distance from their guests, the two youngsters let their forearms dangle down between their bent front legs and regarded their guests expectantly. Taking care to remain well out of informal striking range, Kiijeem explained their purpose in coming and the need for continuing secrecy.

"My friend Flinx ha.s.s been hiding with me for a number of dayss now, but my family ressidence iss not conducive to maintain hiss anonymity among uss. He requiress a place where none will ssearch for him, and alsso requiress a.s.sisstance in departing Krra.s.sin un.o.bsserved."

"How sstimulating!" Eiipul IXc made a gesture indicative of second-degree excitement as she contemplated the tall visitor in this new light. "You are a criminal."

"Not exactly," Flinx replied honestly.

Her brother tilted his head slightly to one side as he considered Kiijeem's companion. "Then why the need for all thiss continuing ssecrecy? Why musst you leave Blasussarr un.o.bsserved?"

Flinx turned to Kiijeem, not wanting to do anything that might upset his young friend. Kiijeem gestured third-degree indifference coupled with overtones suggesting he would not be responsible for whatever happened from now on. Deciding there was nothing to be gained from postponing the unavoidable, Flinx reached up and began fingering the hidden seals of his simsuit. When he was finished he reached up and pushed under his protruding reptilian chin.

It was a good thing there was no one else in the residence. Both young Eiipuls began to shriek like steam engines as their well-mannered visitor's head started to come off.

To their credit and despite their initial horror, neither covered their eyes. Even young AAnn were made of stern stuff. But the high-pitched whistle-hiss that const.i.tuted an AAnn scream echoed around the commons chamber for the better part of a minute as Flinx continued to peel off the simsuit. Yawning widely and flicking her tongue to taste her new surroundings, Pip emerged from the collapsing internal resting pocket to slither up Flinx's left arm and onto his shoulder and neck. Her appearance prompted fresh hissing from the already seriously shocked Eiipul siblings.

It was the sister who first connected the appearance of hairless, scaleless human flesh with something she had previously seen only in studies.

"By the Pregnant Pouch of Pa.s.shawntt-a ssoftsskin! A live live ssoftsskin!" Simultaneously fascinated and repelled, she favored the disrobing Flinx with a stare not unlike that a human might employ while eyeing the emergence of a botfly larva from the meat of his thigh. Her brother was no less revoltingly captivated-until it occurred to him that he and his sister were crouching there witness to this revelation while wholly weaponless. Rising abruptly, he moved quickly toward a cabinet built into the blue wall. Divining his intent, Kiijeem hurried to intercept him. ssoftsskin!" Simultaneously fascinated and repelled, she favored the disrobing Flinx with a stare not unlike that a human might employ while eyeing the emergence of a botfly larva from the meat of his thigh. Her brother was no less revoltingly captivated-until it occurred to him that he and his sister were crouching there witness to this revelation while wholly weaponless. Rising abruptly, he moved quickly toward a cabinet built into the blue wall. Divining his intent, Kiijeem hurried to intercept him.

"There iss no need to panic." Kiijeem indicated the now unashamedly unsuited Flinx. "He iss a friend."

"That?" One clawed hand paused halfway to the weapons locker, Eiipul IXb stood awestruck and appalled. "Kijeem-friend, it iss a One clawed hand paused halfway to the weapons locker, Eiipul IXb stood awestruck and appalled. "Kijeem-friend, it iss a ssoftsskin ssoftsskin. A human. A citizen of the dessp.i.s.sed Commonwealth! It iss friend to thranx thranx."

"Thiss one iss different," Kiijeem rea.s.sured him. "Hiss rea.s.sonss for coming here among uss make little ssensse to me." He looked over at the silently standing Flinx. "They would make even less ssensse, I think, to hiss own kind."

"Then why iss he here?" Eiipul IXc gaped at the amazing apparition that had appeared in the hub of her home. "How "How iss he here? And what iss that more normal-looking ssmall coiled thing that ha.s.s wrapped itsself around hiss neck and arm?" iss he here? And what iss that more normal-looking ssmall coiled thing that ha.s.s wrapped itsself around hiss neck and arm?"

"I'm going to tell you everything." Squatting down, Flinx settled into a close approximation of an AAnn resting crouch. Without the aid of the simsuit he could not maintain the posture for very long: his leg muscles were differently arranged. But he thought the familiar stance would help to rea.s.sure his edgy hosts.

"You sspeak naturally," the female observed in wonderment. "Though your voice iss even more sslippery than mine."

"I told you he wa.s.s different." Kiijeem was thoroughly enjoying the unsettling effect Flinx's unmasking had had on his friends. AAnn loved surprise and shock, even when it was coupled with fear. "Truly, the sstory he ha.s.s to tell iss beyond remarkable. I am not ssure I believe all of it mysself. But I believe enough of it to have brought him here, to sseek the help of the Family Eiipul."

Cautiously, the brother settled himself into a crouch on the other side of the circle, as far away from the intrusive human as could be considered polite. His civility was instinctive and not prompted by a sudden acceptance of anything the softskin or Kiijeem had said. The weapons cabinet remained close at hand. The young female started to join him, then impulsively started across the sand.

"Ssisster," he began, alarmed, "conssider your possition!"

"That iss jusst what I am doing," she replied as she approached to within an arm's length of the crouching Flinx. She extended a clawed hand. Though at ease, he tracked her movements intently. One flick of her clawed hands could shred his face or tear out his throat. On his shoulder, Pip tensed slightly.

"May I," she began hesitantly, "may I-touch you, Flinx-guesst?"

"Go ahead," he told her without wavering.

Her left hand rose and reached toward him. The claws retracted and the tips of her fingers made contact with his right shoulder. They drew slowly down his chest as far as his stomach before withdrawing. Gesturing grat.i.tude mixed with muted delight, she stepped backward, her tail swaying slowly from side to side. It took him a moment to identify the meaning of the unusual hissing that accompanied her retreat.

She was giggling. It was, to the best of his knowledge, not a common mode of expression among the AAnn.

"They are are ssoft." She settled back down alongside her uneasy brother. "Like a blood pudding." Her attention shifted back to the improbable visitor. "I am ssurprissed you do not ssimply collapsse and sspla.s.sh out all over the floor, like a big grea.s.sy puddle." ssoft." She settled back down alongside her uneasy brother. "Like a blood pudding." Her attention shifted back to the improbable visitor. "I am ssurprissed you do not ssimply collapsse and sspla.s.sh out all over the floor, like a big grea.s.sy puddle."

In his life Flinx had been compared to many things, but never before to a big greasy puddle. He was not offended; he had been called far worse.

Her brother had recovered the emblematic AAnn bravado that had been momentarily wiped away by the revelation of Flinx's true appearance. "Friendsship extendss only sso far." He glanced pointedly in Kiijeem's direction before turning back to the human. Had the situation been reversed, Flinx knew, Kiijeem would have said and done exactly the same as his friend. "Why sshould we not report your pressence here to the appropriate authoritiess, much less put at rissk our possition both within and without the family in order to a.s.sisst you in leaving our world ssecretly?"

"I a.s.sure you that I have found mysself wondering the ssame." Kiijeem turned to his guest. "You musst explain to them, Flinx-friend. You musst tell them everything that you told me."

"I know," Flinx murmured ruefully.

Despite his disinclination to do so, he proceeded to do just that.

The exquisite commons room could be solemn or joyous according to the desires of its occupants. After Flinx had finished it was dead silent for long minutes. Having already heard the tale in its entirety, Kiijeem was quiet and composed. In contrast, the emotions of the twins reflected confusion and uncertainty. That was to be expected, Flinx knew. He awaited the inevitable questions.

The first query came from Eiipul IXc and was a compliment to her maturity. "If we had appeared before you on your homeworld, emerged from ssynthetic human sskinss, and told ssuch a sstory, how would you react?"

Flinx had to smile. "I'd be suspicious and skeptical. I'd also think that if I needed to fabricate a falsehood in order to get me safely off the planet, I would invent something a lot less grandiose. No need to claim the fate of the galaxy is at stake, much less that I'm the key to maybe saving it. I would look at anyone telling such a tale and think that he was either the biggest liar in the history of interspecies relations, completely insane-or that if there was even a nub of truth to what he was saying, he might deserve to be taken seriously."

Eiipul IXb's response was swift. "Truly, I find mysself tending to credit the firsst ssuppossition."

"I am ssimilarly inclined," his sister added, albeit not quite as quickly.

Kiijeem stepped forward. "Flinx ssayss that he can impart a sshared experience that will confirm everything he ha.s.s claimed."

"Sso then." The disbelieving brother studied his friend. "You have sshared thiss 'experience'?"

Lowering his eyes, Kiijeem gestured second-degree self-effacement. "I regret to ssay that I have not. I have repeatedly requessted to do sso, but Flinx inssisstss that I am not ssufficiently developed mentally and that to partake of it could be sserioussly damaging to me."

The sister scrutinized the tall human. "How convenient. You claim evidence but declare that itss revelation would be injuriouss to thosse dessirouss of it. You pressent our friend with a possible lie the ssize of the ssouthern continent and then proceed to inssult him when he requesstss proof. I sshould sshoot you mysself."

Pip's head came up to focus on the young AAnn and Flinx hastened to calm the minidrag. "No insult was meant or intended. If I did not value Kiijeem as a friend, I would not be so hesitant to share this experience with him. I've had occasion to do so with another who was close to me, a very mature human whose affection I value more highly than you do Kiijeem's friendship, and it was a near thing that no lasting damage resulted." He stared hard at her. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Kiijeem-nor do I want anything bad to happen to either of you. The kind of conclusive confirmation I have to offer will be hazardous enough for a mature member of your kind to experience. That is if, as Kiijeem believes, you can recommend one you think resilient enough to deal with it."

"I sstill think you are a sspy desserving of interrogation and possible execution," the brother stated straightforwardly. Flinx stiffened. If necessary, he was prepared to make his escape and flee the residence. The twin youths knew even less of his fighting abilities than did Kiijeem. Flinx was confident that if necessary he and Pip could deal with all three of them. It was the last thing he wanted to do-but as always, he was prepared to do it.

"But," the brother continued, "the ressolution to this puzzle iss truly quite ssimple. We will introduce you to precissely the kind of mature, powerful nye whosse a.s.sisstance you require and leave the decission concerning what to do with you up to him." He glanced at his sister, who gestured first-degree concurrence. "Tonight, when thiss individual will have time and you can be pressented to him, we will learn truly how much veracity there iss to the bizarrely extraordinary tale you have related. If you are telling truth, then it will be up to him to decide how to resspond. If you are nothing more than the clever fabricator of an elaborate falssehood, then we three here will acquire sstatuss for having identified you and turned you in." Brother and sister turned their attention to the watchful Kiijeem.

Unmindful of what Flinx might think or how the human might react, the remaining young AAnn responded without hesitation. "That iss a ssumming-up with which I can willingly concur."

The three of them waited for the softskin's response. While not wholly rea.s.suring, they found it surprisingly worthy.

"If I were one of you," Flinx told them simply, "I would do no less."

It was not the first time Flinx had been inside an AAnn structure, but it was the first time he had been inside a private residence. That it was not a typical dwelling complex he knew from what Kiijeem had already told him of the wealth and standing of the Eiipul extended family. In point of fact, his young friend's predescription was unnecessary. Even someone utterly unfamiliar with AAnn culture would have been able to recognize the family's affluence from a casual stroll through the rooms.

The design of the central commons was followed throughout the complex: walls and ceilings soared in curves and waves that employed a minimum of straight lines. Light poured in from above instead of through side windows. Technological enhancements were artfully concealed within walls, floors, and ceilings. Poured floors were fashioned of welded sand, pebbled gla.s.s, and other natural desert materials. The hallways and portals that separated individual chambers tended to be high and narrow.

The c.u.mulative effect was akin to walking through a series of small slot canyons of the kind common to water-eroded desert terrain on Earth-or Moth. As he trailed his young hosts through the complex, Flinx was reminded of the time he had found himself relying on the guidance of an elderly prospector named Knigta Yakus to help him survive an entirely different kind of journey on his own homeworld.

As they showed off their residence (and by inference the lofty status of their extended family), with the typical AAnn pride that an unknowing human would have considered excessive braggadocio, Flinx felt that his new hosts were growing more and more comfortable with his simsuited presence. That changed when a muted musical squawking echoed through the recreation room where they were currently relaxing.