Epilogue #3
“There will be another baby,” Kenz’ox rumbles. “But the birth… it sounds terrible!”
“It does,” Sprisk agrees. “And yet women in the tribe have done it. And survived! It boggles the mind, Kenz’ox.”
Cora explains some facts of life to the men, we get inside the saucer and then Dex has it take off. Akeri’z is thrilled with the new company and squeals and babbles and reaches out to everyone except Sprisk, who looks too scary for her to trust.
The girls notice the Plood mushroom tucked against one wall.
“I saw how the saucer reacted to Aker’iz,” I tell them.
“And I thought, she’s small and compact.
Maybe she almost fits what the saucer is looking for, but not quite.
Now, to start a car, you need a keyfob in your pocket.
The car senses it and agrees to open and start at the press of a button.
What if the saucer is expecting the same, except no keyfob.
Just a creature. A creature about Aker’iz’s size.
The craft might be looking for a driver before it’ll work.
A driver it recognizes: a Plood. Sorry, I know it’s not very clear.
I just had a hunch, really. After tinkering with those damn consoles for days and getting nowhere. ”
“Sounds about right,” Riley says, looking confused. “Great job, Dorie.”
“Anyway, we’ll find Callie,” I state, my optimism renewed with the girls back. “We’ll all be together.”
“Are we all going to join the Borok tribe?” Morgan asks. “If they turn out to be really good?”
I look up at Kenz’ox with a little smirk. “Some of us are allergic to all chiefs and shamans and villages. So, probably not. We like that beach.”
“We do,” my husband agrees.
I’m aware that I don’t own this saucer. It belongs just as much to Dex and the girls as it does to me.
And there’s every chance that someone else will want to decide how to use it.
Looking for Callie is a good goal for now, but Riley and Morgan are going to want to check if they can go home in it.
I suppose it all depends on Dex. And he’s unpredictable.
We sit down and catch up, passing Aker’iz Calliope around because she is completely adorable and she loves the attention.
Kenz’ox and Sprisk exchange caveman stories, while Dex flies the saucer slowly towards the red mountain, looking for Callie the whole way.
I’m grateful to the girls for not blaming me for Callie’s disappearance, though I do blame myself and probably always will.
Finally Dex speaks up. “We are hovering in the sky above the red rock. There’s a plateau and natives, as well as human females. Shall we land?”
“If you’d be so kind,” I reply, feeling nervous again. We don’t know how these guys will receive us.
“I’ll land on the plateau,” the drone says. “There’s room.”
We all get up and straighten our clothes.
“I guess Cora and Sprisk go out first?” I wonder out loud. “So they can see we’re friends.”
“That’s all right,” Cora says. “Unless you want to? You got this thing working. We’re just hitching a ride.”
“Theodora first,” Kenz’ox rumbles calmly. “She is good at dealing with tribes, and these men will respect the first woman to exit. I think she’s earned it. She can be intenz.”
I grin at his use of the English word. I think he might have a point.
“We’re down,” Dex announces. “Open the hatch anytime you want.”
I look up at Kenz’ox. “We’re not staying here. It’s not our tribe.”
“Not yet,” he says in his bassy voice. “Perhaps in time it will be.”
I nod. “We’ll see. Open, please.”
He hits the button and the hatch hisses open.
A little breeze blows hair into my face.
Outside it’s evening. I smell smoke and food being cooked. I also hear metallic zhing sounds of swords being slowly drawn.
Still I take a deep breath and step out onto the bare, red rock.
Big shapes tower over me, striped and powerful, their faces hidden in darkness and their swords bared.
Only one has crossed his arms over his chest, striped in yellow and green.
I think I know who that is, and it kind of ruins my opening line.
But I’ll use it anyway. I giggled too much when I thought of it to discard it now.
Kenz’ox is right behind me and puts a hand on my shoulder. It calms me down. Wherever he is, I’m safe.
Okay. Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth.
“Greetings, Borok tribe. I am Theodora.” I look straight at Chief Korr’ax. “Take me to your leader.”