I’ve got my `Dinis back. Young still but they are GrI and Ktg!
They are!
It took time to sort it all out even with the full cooperation of Trp and FIk, the elder `Dinis of the household, and occasional comments from Tip, Huf, Mur and Dip. No human had ever been allowed into a hibernatory. Although it was understood that this was where Mrdini procreation occurred, the process of gestation was not understood.
`I’m not confident that I do even now,’ Damia said when Trp and FIk had done their best to explain.
`Like the amoeba, splitting apart, Mother,’ Zara said.
`Or, like a human placenta splitting in two to form fraternal twins in utero. Not quite like .
`Thank you, Zara,’ Damia said, but she patted her daughter’s hand to apologize for stemming a xenobiological lecture. Zara didn’t take offence.
The `time’ problem had been taken up ;by the necessity of checking back through hibernatory records to discover which pairings had originally produced Grl and Ktg. They were not from the same `split’ for a `split’ only produced one new Mrdini. So that both sets of original parents had had to be contacted and brought to the Aurigaean hibernatory at the appropriate time and a new `split’ of the same elements as the original Grl and Ktg had to be `programmed’ which, FIk said, was an intense form of meditation to `urge similar traits’ to occur in the new form. With this sort of procreation, no worthwhile `persons’ were totally lost, but could be retrieved by encouraging a `split’ by the same two Mrdini which had produced the original. Those who had gone on the line to preserve their elders on long voyages were therefore not `lost’ but their living deferred.
`Oh!’ Laria said at one point during the explanations.
`So that was why Prtglm was… So nothing of it would come back into the procreative cycle. Wow! What a punishment!
`That also explains why the Mrdini grieved so when ships were lost to the Hivers,’ Thian said.
`NO, THN,’ Flk said, `THOSE ON THE SUIDICE SHIPS WERE SPECIALLY CHOSEN BECAUSE THEIR COMPONENTS WERE AVAILABLE FOR RE-CREATION.
MRDINI ARE NOT WASTEFUL.’ `THEN THAT ALSO EXPLAINS WHY MRDINI CAN BE BRAVER THAN HUMANS AND MAKE THE SACRIFICE OF DEATH,’ Thian added, nodding with relief at his comprehension of this facet. `MRDINIS DO NOT REALLY DIE. THEY CAN BE REPLICATED.
`NOT REPLICATED,’ Flk said firmly. `NOT THE SAME PROCESS. MRDINI LIVES ARE NOT REPLICATED. THEY ARE REPRODUCED.
`WHATEVER!’ Damia said with a shaky laugh. `BUT COULD NOT YOU HAVE TOLD RJR THAT HE HAD NOT LOST GRL AND KTG. HE HAS MOURNED THEM.
THAT, TOO, IS NECESSARY,’ Tri said without apology. `MRDINI MAKE A SPECIAL DISPENSATION FOR RJR. HONOUR REQUIRED IT. AND TIME. WHAT HAS BEEN SAID REMAINS WITHIN THIS FAMILY.
`OF COURSE,’ Afra answered, inclining his whole body forward in acceptance of that requirement. `A SIGNAL HONOUR FOR US ALL. TRULY AN INESTIMABLE HONOUR.
`Speaking as a healer,’ Zara said, `it certainly does clear up a lot of crazy theories.’ Then she sighed. `Well, I know and, while it is privileged knowledge, it is a privilege for me to know it.’ She stroked her `Dinis, Pal and Dis, who were wedged in on either side of her.
`JUST SEE THAT IT DOESN’T HAPPEN TO YOU TWO!’ NOT LIKELY TO,’ replied Pal, waving its forearms and wriggling its digits.
`This whole family is high!’ Damia said with some asperity but her grin broke out again and, once more, she had to brush tears of joy from her eyes. Just seeing the radiant look on Rojer’s face was enough to set her off again. `Now, let us all try for some decorum.’ Afra rose with an air of renewed vigour. `And resort to a few practical matters.
Hunters are needed to fill the pots for tonight’s feast. Who’ll go out?’ They were all willing so Damia showed the guests to their rooms while her children found their own much as they had left them and changed into riding gear.
When all reassembled, Afra told them off into smaller groups, excusing Rojer so he could spend uninterrupted time with his `Dinis.
Thian chose Flavia to come with him, Ewain and Kaltia. Afra and Damia took Morag and Petra who proudly informed Kincaid that she was a crack shot with her sling-shot. That left Laria, Zara and Kincaid.