“But the Linyaari remained, and many of our Ancestors remained, and we all remembered, to remind us of the dangers the Ancestors had once faced on that other world, and to teach us that while we must sometimes share our gifts with others, we must also beware and keep our home hidden from them, lest our enemies find us once more.”
“We are the ki-Lin” Acorna said excitedly. “Or rather, the Ancestors are! My guardian, Delszaki Li, told me of the Ancestors from mankind’s viewpoint. He came from a very old people whose memory predated the great flood of which you speak. They revered the Ancestors almost as much as the Linyaari.”
Grandam yawned. The herbal tea was taking effect. “I’m glad our story pleases you, Khornya. I haven’t seen you look so animated since you arrived.”
“I think I’m finally starting to adjust,” Acorna admitted, sleepily.
But the next morning, as she was leaving for the technoartisan compound, Acorna was intercepted by a breathless Maati, whose eyes were round, wide, and wet. “Khornya, Khornya, I came right away to tell you. We’re not getting the routine signals from the Balakiire anymore.”
“Since when?” Acorna asked.
“Earlier this morning, about three kii ago.” A kii was roughly fifty-seven minutes of Galactic Standard Time, Acorna had learned. “Everyone else is finding out now but I wanted to come to tell you myself,” Maati said. “Khornya, I’m sorry.” The young girl began to cry, which helped Acorna to control her own fears enough to put her arms around the child, hug her, and rock her.
“There, there, Maati. They’ve probably just been affected by that same problem that’s blocked communications from the other missions-the one all the ships went to try to fix. Grandam says most likely it’s some sort of equipment failure and as soon as one of the crews identifies it, it will be fixed and we’ll be hearing from everyone again.”
“Do you think?” Maati asked.
Acorna was glad that Lmyaari children -weren’t psychic, so that Maati couldn’t tell how frightened for Neeva and the others she really was. “No doubt. If the Ba.lak.iire has lost contact, that means they’re also closer to the source of the problem. The others won’t be far behind on their way to their own destinations, so probably one of them will have an answer for us soon.
But the answer, as the days progressed, Was that with one ship after another, contact was lost. Relatives and friends were informed of each successive failure to receive a ship’s signal. In the interests of security, signals would not be sent from the planet to a ship which could no longer be heard from. Everyone knew that the Khieevi could be listening, and find narhiiVhiliinyar by tracing the signals. That was not a thing that could be risked. All over Kubiilkhan, all over narhiiVhiliinyar, eyes turned heavenward as the planetbound searched skies which -were silent except for the sound of thunder and the clatter of rain and hail.
It seemed as if the storms brought with them such an unescapable wash of anxiety, regret, fear, and grief that Acorna paced with restlessness.
“Grandam, I feel so useless. I need to be active, to be of service. You and Maati come home exhausted every night. Can I not relieve some of your burdens somehow? If not yours, then perhaps Maati’s? Surely if a child can do her job, I could, too.”
“Hmmm,” Grandam sighed wearily, sinking onto her pallet, which was still dry thanks to the raised floor. The inside of the pavilion was dark now and confining rather than cozy with the flaps closed against the rain. “A very good suggestion, Khornya. Our people need more than ever to stay in touch with what’s happening, with the crisis, with -what the government is doing about it, and with each other. I, for one, would welcome your help.”
While heading toward Nirii, the crew of the Balakiire distracted themselves from worrying about what might await them by imagining the parties they were missing.
(I just hope we’ll make it back in time for Acorna’s bonding
ceremony,) Khaari joked.
(I think you’re being a little premature,) Neeva responded. (I’m afraid if the new viizaar has her way, my niece will be put to work picking seeds from the grass and replanting them by hand or some such chore. Liriili is unbonded herself.)