Homecoming

By Henry A. Burns

Jeremy Blunt is warning from beyond the grave. Kasumi and Little Bit have a secret plan to make the Alsoo even stronger. The Alsoo are developing a government on Earth and Brother Hope rules the largest concentration of Alsoo remaining on Burrow-home. Kusumi gives Big Rock and his family a chance to return home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Sep 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781649796769

Henry A. Burns

Henry Burns was born in 1953 to Edward and Phyllis Bernstein later Burns. His father was a photographer and his mother was a housewife who used to paint and draw. His earliest years were spent in the company of his grandfather and grandmother. His grandfather would tell him stories from the old country or invent new ones on the spot. His grandfather used to tell him stories about the ‘ceiling which was no ceiling’ and the ‘sunshine car’ a vehicle that ran on milk.

Book preview

About the Author

Henry Burns was born in 1953 to Edward and Phyllis Bernstein later Burns. His father was a photographer and his mother was a housewife who used to paint and draw. His earliest years were spent in the company of his grandfather and grandmother. His grandfather would tell him stories from the old country or invent new ones on the spot. His grandfather used to tell him stories about the ‘ceiling which was no ceiling’ and the ‘sunshine car’ a vehicle that ran on milk.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my wife, Paula, who died in 2022 at the age of 65. Even for short-lived humans she died too soon. She was my inspiration and I miss her terribly.

Copyright Information ©

Henry A. Burns 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Burns, Henry A.

Homecoming

ISBN 9781649796752 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781649796769 (ePub e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023906376

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Chapter 1

Light System, Burrow-Home, Great

Southern Plain, Brothers’ Place,

Weak-Hand Meadow

Brother Hope was coiled up on a flat rock just outside the great longhouse. Brother Hope liked the rock as it had a good view of the weak-hand wall and got the morning light.

The maker team that had arrived two seasons earlier had completed the poured concrete footing that now supported a temporary wooden wall and gate.

Building the footing had depleted their supply of limestone and volcanic scree that was necessary for Alsoo concrete and Brother Wait was leading a search expedition for more.

They had brought their kinetic engine carry cart out of storage and had set out, with a team of makers, that morning. Brother Wait was certain that he remembered seeing an outcrop on their way here when they first arrived.

Two seasons had brought changes other than the wall, the most important being that the farms had doubled in size and they now had a small but growing herd of the horned bounce-tails.

Similar in shape and size, the new animals also provided eggs and mother-green and their feathers produced a softer thread that also took color better than the hornless bounce-tail feathers did.

The only downside was that the horns-have bounce-tails were almost as irritable as the hand-horns they used to pull the plows and their horns had already injured an unwary yearling. The child only suffered some minor bruises but Brother Hope decreed that only the older yearlings could tend them.

The fruit trees they had planted a little over a hand of sun-paths earlier were in bloom for the first time and the crazy-long-they’s climbed through the branches in hungry anticipation. The fruit eaters reproduced so quickly that Brother Hope found himself being forced to cull them regularly and crazy-long-they had become the meat source of choice.

The Gumli colony that had sprung up next to the outer wall had grown as well, and though no new Gumli had arrived in over a season, it seemed as if every Gumli female had eggs or hatchlings.

Their primitive shelters while still primitive were now all covered in a thick adobe-like mud shell that provided greater insulation and most of their dens now had a simple, clay oven that provided warmth and cooked their meals. And even though most Gumli kept to themselves, except when requested to provide muscle, Papa and Big Brother met with Brother Hope regularly.

The healers that had arrived at the same time had finished setting up their own healing house and the centurions and makers each now had their own barracks/long house fully operational as well.

In the middle of all the good news was the revelation that the Big Tree citadel had collapsed. The Brothers Place had absorbed a third of the refugees with the remainder joining with the Stone Wall citadel. There were now over a strong-fist¹, living in the compound with most living in the great longhouse. A wide, low-roofed construction that was capable of holding thousands.

Brother Hope’s reverie was interrupted by the sound of someone approaching. He turned his body slightly to see his mates, Sister Help and Sister Friend-Make, approaching. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about the two females. He hadn’t really chosen them as mates; instead, they had just assumed the roles over time; first cooking his food, cleaning his den, assisting with the People who came to speak with Brother Hope that, by the time they started sharing his sleeping chamber as well, it had come without shock, just another duty the two females felt they needed to take on.

Brother Hope would often compare these two females with those he had had in the past and, while the two females were pleasant looking, no one would have described them as ‘pretty-face’. At the same time he had to admit that unlike his past females, these two actually seemed to enjoy his company and there were many darks where he and the two females would just talk. Something he never expected or wanted from the females in the past.

Despite all his misgivings he still rose up in mate-pride when they approached. Greetings, mates belong me, he said pleasantly.

Greetings, mate belong we, Sister Help replied. She and Sister Friend-Make coiled up on either side of Brother Hope. They sat in companionable silence as the two women let the sun warm them. Then Sister Help made a throat clearing warble and took a breath. Eggs have me this time, she said.

Brother Hope continued to stare out toward the weak-hand gate. His two mates turned their heads to look at Brother Hope. The Brother remained silent. Sister Friend-Make tilted her head then waved a hand in front of Brother Hope’s eyes. The brother continued to remain silent. Sister Friend-Make gave Brother Hope a push and the Brother just leaned over silently.

Live action make he this time, question? Asked Sister Help in an amused voice.

Maybe-maybe, know have me not, replied Sister Friend-Make. Males, she said in exasperation. Eaters! She shouted.

Brother Hope shot up, grabbed his spear and immediately sidewinded forward to protect his mates from danger. He looked around fiercely then slowly his expression changed to confusion. He lowered his spear, Dizzy-think have me, think have me hear action make me mate belong me speak action make eggs have she this time, he said.

Speak action make me that thing, Sister Help said and rolled her eyes. Much-much mate action make we, hear action make me mate action egg time make, she said and moved closer to Brother Hope. Proud be me eggs have me, proud be me, Brother Hope Father be, she said and rubbed her cheek against his.

Apology make me, Brother Hope said, big good female you be, proud be me hatchling Father want have you me be, he said, mates have me that time, he shrugged an Alsoo shrug of flaring his head feathers. Know have me good male me be not, he began.

Good male you be not that time, good male you be this time, Sister Help interrupted firmly.

Sister Friend-Make waved her hand in agreement. New live action time have we this time, she said, Sister Friend-Make me be this time same-same not no name have me that time, think have me death time have she, she pressed her hand against her chest, this me, name have me this time, name take me that time, that time new life time start have, she said. She rose up slightly.

Light-light come this time, new eyes have me, all things new feel have, she opened her mouth to inhale, smell action make, she said, home smell have it, new smell have it this time same-same, she said and inhaled again.

Good words that be, Brother Hope said, feel have me same-same, new time this be, new life, new hatch time have we this time, he waved his hand in agreement, think have me speak action make me this dark, think have me People need have hear action make good words mates belong me speak action make, big words they be.

---

¹Approximately 2187.↩︎

Chapter 2

Light System, Burrow-Home, Great

Southern Plain, Brothers’ Place,

Great Longhouse

Brother Hope waited until everyone gathered for the evening then rose up behind his pedestal.

Number one show all, naked be, Brother Hope pronounced. Number two show all, name make we, number hand show all, truth-oath make, number hand-one show all, belong not take not, number hand-two show all, hurt action make not, number two hand show all, care action make.

Princess, Speak action make, responded the people of the long house.

Princess, Speak action make, agreed Brother Hope, Princess speak action make that time, thirst have me that time, thirst have me not this time, remember all time that time thirst have me, Brother Hope continued, Speak action make she same-same hunger, speak action make she same-same naked be, he said, know have me this time all things have all-all, remember have me that time no thing have no one, he said.

The people warbled quietly among themselves. Brother Hope smiled at a small cluster of hatchlings sitting nearby, Hatchlings know have not that time, he said, good that be, want have me hatchlings no time have time be-like time have we that time, he declared. The people warbled in agreement.

Mates belong me, all time good words speak action make they, tall words speak action make they this light, words share action make me this time, good words think have me, he said and rose up a little more. Sister Help and Sister Friend-Make also rose up to support him.

Mate belong me, Sister Help, words speak action make good male me be not that time, good male me be this time, he said and waved a reluctant agreement sign, maybe-maybe. Mate belong me, Sister Friend-Make words speak action make, this time that time same-same not, all new it be, new eyes have we, old smells know have we new smells have this time, new life have we, he declared and his hand wave was more assertive this time.

Think have me truth that be, he said, Think have me this be new life time, he waved a hand, Spirit home this be not, this be live action time, same-same this time same-same not, spirit home it be-like, this time come hands belong we hold action make, he said and held out his two three-fingered hands as if holding something, this time come belong we, new have that be, all-all new have this time, he said. He clapped his hands together twice, Thanks make me, new life have me this time he said.

Thanks make me, new life have me this time, responded the people.

Brother Hope waved a hand, Remember have all-all, this be new time, new live action have we, he said, that time that live action, this time not. Good path follow action make we this time. Brother Hope rose up, Path Maker path make action make, Spirit Speaker hand take action make, he said.

Path Maker path make action make, Spirit Speaker hand take action make, chorused the people.

Chapter 3

Sol System, Earth, Northern California,

Alsoo Territory, White Citadel,

Speaker’s Residence

Big Rock Watcher He, Speaker for the White Citadel, lay on his back in the middle of his work place in the Speakers Place on the top of the White Citadel and let his hatchlings climb all over him. Lying on floor next to him was his Bobuh², Mip.

Every so often one of the hatchlings would start wriggling away and Mip would get up and pick the hatchling up in his mouth, carry the hatchling over to Big Rock and drop the hatchling on his chest.

Big Rock had to admit that the first time he saw Mip do that his heart almost stopped but he had forced himself not to react. True to Captain Mamba’s words, the hatchlings were unharmed and one hatchling even warbled a giggle when it was picked up.

His brother-mate Sleek was coiled up nearby behind his work pedestal and making some notes. "Need have we one grab hand³ jar dry-make⁴, have we all-all this fat moon trade goods belong we," he said after totaling up some figures.

Big good, replied Big Rock. He made funny faces at the hatchling he held until it giggled, Think have remember have me see action make me berry place that time, he mused, maybe-maybe berry gather team make action make we, he rolled over and coiled up, Captain Mamba, speak action make you that time, action want have you question? He asked.

The centurion Captain rose up from behind his own work pedestal, Question? He asked.

Berry place maybe-maybe one light go action need have make, Big Rock said seriously, send action make we gather action team, protect action need have make we, he said, need have they food cook action make they, maybe-maybe healer, Big Rock said thoughtfully, big much like have me know have all things that place, he waved his hand as if trying to gather something, he frowned, Words need have me, he complained⁵.

"Big split-tails say, data need have they, intelligence make they, Captain Mamba said, data be kind things learn action make we, color have, smell have, name belong it maybe-maybe, he said, Split-tails data look action make, story see action make they, he slapped his chest, truth this be, see action make me this, he said, Think action make you, data have you, big think have it, tail have it, hair have it all places, mew sound make it, good friend be it, be question?" He asked.

Bobuh, replied Sleek, story make, he agreed.

Big Rock waved a hand, "Data easy make word, need have we data this place have we, animals kinds have we, question? Trees kinds have we, question? Maybe-maybe much-much berry fields have we, know have we not, data need have we, he said. Think have me this be good centurion task action have," he pointed out.

Big good make-way find action make me much-much big good centurions, Captain Mamba said in thoughtful agreement. Like have me this, he said, action make me, he agreed and made a note on the mash-flat in front of him.

"Sleek, Musa mash-flat send action make, data word use we this time, Big Rock said. Sleek waved a hand. Action need have we this time question, Sleek?" Asked Big Rock.

Good we be, Sleek replied and sidewinded over with a stack of mash-flats. Read action make, sign action make, he directed.

Hatchlings bathe action time, Quiet said as she sidewinded into the large meeting room. She smiled widely as her five offspring all abandoned Big Rock and came rushing over to her. She placed the basket she was carrying on the floor and the hatchlings piled inside.

Happy, happy, happy, warbled the hatchlings⁶ as they made themselves comfortable inside the carry basket. Quiet picked up the basket and sidewinded away, Mip followed on her heels.

Life that be-like, Captain Mamba said with a laugh, time-time all-all papa want have, all time all-all mama want have.

---

²Bobuh – a companion animal.↩︎

³Grab hand – 27 in Alsoo counting.↩︎

⁴Dry-make – a smoked and dried mix of various small animals’ meat.↩︎

⁵The Alsoo language became debased over three hundred years of fighting for survival. Words were lost for lack of use.↩︎

⁶Hatchlings – all Alsoo children.↩︎

Chapter 4

Sol System, Earth, Northern California,

The Colony, Colony Storage Depot

Kasumi walked slowly through the storage depot. The three citadels, Truth Hunter’s research compound and Tilzi’s middle place had all sent their monthly People tribute and the depot was filled. Her dark red crest rose in approval.

She was especially happy about the ‘native art’ collection. Most of the rest of the tribute, the food, the homespun cloth, the corn-make, were just collected and recycled among the Alsoo. It was the native art that produced the revenue.

The Alsoo artisans who created the works were true artists and their works were popular enough to start a mini-craze to the point that some countries were busy imitating the works and making cheap knockoffs. In response, the Alsoo were now signing their works and recording them in a registry. A copy of which Kasumi held in her hand.

Spirits Sing, another work by Duli’s granddaughter, Tree Hopper, she chortled. What did the last one fetch? She asked the redhead in the depot with her.

"Her carving of hatchlings in a basket brought in over a hundred brats⁷, Mel replied. She looked at the new carving, a Bobuh carrying a smiling hatchling in its mouth. This one is better," she opined.

A lot better, Kasumi agreed.

Mel went over to another pallet, This is also from White Citadel, she said in identification, there’s a note, she said and removed a small mash-flat⁸ affixed to a package on top. She chuckled. Pets we be not, she read aloud. Kasumi respect gift make action make we, she finished. Mel picked up the package and handed it to Kasumi. Feels like another cat-fur wrap, she said in comment.

If it’s half as pretty as the first one, it’s going on the wall, Kasumi replied. Her crest flicked in a yes, This one has birds, she held up the narrow cloth and let it unroll. Beautiful, just beautiful, she said. Kasumi grinned and wrapped the cloth around her neck like a scarf. Maybe I’ll wear this to my meeting with Beauregard Deloit, she said impishly.

Humans are rubbing off on you, sister, Mel said and laughed. That’s almost human-level nasty.

Why thank you, Mel, Kasumi replied. Germy always did accuse me of being too nice, Kasumi’s crest lowered and she sighed, I still miss him, she said. And once again the dreams have stopped. She reached over her shoulder and briefly grasped the hilt of the sword she always carried.

For now, Mel predicted. Be thankful. The last time led to the Alsoo making a suicide dash across that plain. She picked up another of the art pieces sent by the White citadel, Just beautiful, she said in admiration.

Whatever that place is, it seems to have rules, and Gramps and Grandma Mei Lin are bound by those rules, if I’m right, it means that there is no crisis on the horizon. Mel smiled, Both Gramps and Mei Lin hinted several times that they were prevented from freely discussing things.

Jamal said that Germy told him he could only have one question per meeting, Kasumi mused, rules.

Rules, agreed Mel. We just have to figure out what they are and maybe we can get some real answers, she declared. Look, you and I know that we’re talking to gramps and someone I really hope is Mei Lin, okay? She said. But that place is right out of fantasy, I’m just not sure whose fantasy it is.

It may be several, Kasumi replied, but I think you may be on to something. She made a chirping sound, Torque, review all documentation stored in the research file labeled, Shared Dream Research, she directed.

Accessing, replied an invisible voice.

Torque, could a computer program account for what the subjects have experienced? she asked. The torque was silent at first.

Requesting additional torque input, it intoned.

Accessing, said Mel’s torque.

I’ve never seen torque coordinate before, Mel said in fascinated tones.

It’s not as infrequent as you might imagine, Kasumi replied, though usually it’s among theoretical physicists, she said in amusement. She was interrupted by a tone.

It is the torque consensus that a computer program is unlikely, it reported, with the caveat that the physical structure of the shared memories may be manifested by a computer program it does not explain any mechanisms for generating the computer program in the first place, the torque paused.

Torque, access research file labeled, Zenpathy, Mel ordered, and cross reference to the shared dream research file.

Accessing, replied the torque. Requesting additional torque input, it said without additional prompting.

Twice? Mel asked.

Okay, that would be considered unusual, admitted Kasumi. They waited. There was a tone from both torques.

It is the torque consensus that it is theoretically possible that if such a sub-threshold brain pattern exists it should be possible to be detected and possibly provide interaction and direction to an artificial reality, Kasumi’s torque replied, Dr. Monhasses’ work does suggest several avenues of exploration, a simple proof of concept test may be possible.

Give me a cost analysis, ordered Mel.

A cost analysis is in progress, the torque replied.

"If it’s under a thousand brats for the quarter, consider it approved, Kasumi ordered. If it’s over a thousand I’ll decide if we go forward, she said. Interesting," she said.

Temple of Light

The being that thought of itself as having once been Jeremy Blunt looked out of the window of his suite in the temple at the marketplace below.

Mei Lin had told him that the suite hadn’t existed when she lived in the temple alone. She remembered having a bedroom and an adjacent room with a window but didn’t remember using either much for most of it.

It’s hard to explain, she had said when he asked, it was like I was asleep and having this dream where you spoke to me, she explained, it was only when I started speaking to Kasumi that I … woke up, she finished and shrugged.

The new suite replaced her two rooms and had appeared along with Jeremy. Jeremy looked toward the large bed that dominated the center of the room and the petite woman who was apparently asleep in its center.

Jeremy knew he was Jeremy but he also knew he had died. In life, he had been neither religious nor agnostic, he had just never thought about it. I’ll worry about the future when I get there, he was known to say frequently when he was younger and when Mei Lin was still alive.

Jeremy hadn’t known if there was an afterlife and frankly hadn’t cared. He had lived his life on his terms and died because he was afraid he wouldn’t. He had awoken lying on the steps of the temple and being the object of worship by thousands of beings. A worship so intense it was palpable and had only grown stronger though it was no longer as overwhelming.

Since then he had tried to learn about this unexpected existence. One thing he was sure of, he may be worshipped as some sort of demi-god but there was something that controlled this reality and everything in it, including himself.

The woman on the bed who called herself Mei Lin rolled over and opened her eyes. We had a layover in Madrid once, we left the airport and walked along the cobble stone streets for an hour before stopping in a little cafe, I don’t remember its name, she said.

I ordered in Spanish, I think you had a hot chocolate, Jeremy supplied. There was a fountain just outside the cafe. You took your shoes off and soaked your feet in the fountain.

You were wearing your brown leather jacket, the one with the zipper on the sleeves, Mei Lin replied. She sighed. This gets us nowhere, for all we know the memories are fake as well.

That’s what we are trying to determine, Jeremy replied. He again looked out of the window and toward the ‘market’ and in particular two market stalls that contained little red and green crystal snakes. One stall contained the crystal snakes and tall thin beings, the other had originally just the crystal snakes but now he would at times see the tall thin wraiths of humans and Rynn and something small that was obscured by the snakes.

The market stall itself had changed as well. Before, it had looked worn down and seemingly on the verge of collapse but now there were signs of repair and new growth. There also appeared to be footprints outside the stall.

Jeremy frowned. Something was sniffing around the Alsoo’s stall, he said.

That means something else can come here, Mei Lin replied, or even live here, like us.

That does seem to be the case, Jeremy agreed. He smiled wryly. This feels very familiar, he said, you and I, on a job, and having to deal with somebody freelancing in our lane.

Like the Coolidge’s, Mei Lin said thoughtfully. I just remembered something, she said, about that night. Mei Lin sat up and closed her eyes as if meditating. I’m sitting on the couch, it’s just after sundown and I had just armed the home security system.

The system was off when I came home, Jeremy said grimly.

It was armed, Mei Lin said firmly, but for some reason I was uneasy and swept the perimeter, she continued, I was at the back door when something made me spin around into guard, she frowned but her eyes remained closed, a sound, a smell, there was something there, she said, I started feeling nauseous soon after that. Mei Lin opened her eyes, That’s all I remember, she said in frustration.

Did it smell like a mix of wet dog and vinegar? asked Jeremy.

Mei Lin snapped her head toward Jeremy, Exactly like that, she said. What? she asked when Jeremy started to nod slowly.

Graz’to. Jeremy replied.

---

⁷brats – Rynn gold coin↩︎

⁸Mash-flat – Alsoo made paper.↩︎

Chapter 5

Sol System, Earth, Northern California,

The Colony, Colony Center,

Control Room

Kasumi listened to the quarterly report with undisguised satisfaction. I knew the heavies would be a big seller, she chittered in pleased laughter.

We have orders covering the next six years, Meadow Flower reported, "four orders with Nest⁹ alone, she said, and only one of those is with your father¹⁰, she watched as figures scrolled in front of her eyes. Two with China, one with the North American Alliance¹¹, she said, and one with Mars Colony, She looked at Kasumi, I’ve seen their revenue figures, they can’t afford an HLV."

The Forest Cabin Clan is providing the financing, Kasumi replied, I think Darren is good for it, she pointed out. Mars is minerals poor and Darren needs to build his industrial base quickly, she said in explanation.

That may be true but I want legal to get with finance and make sure we’re not stepping on any of the locals toes. Meadow Flower replied, Humans have weird finance rules, she flicked her pinkish crest in complaint. And Mars colony apparently imported the worst of them, she said. Next time you see Darren Newgate you might suggest moving the Colony’s account to Nest. He’d do so much better, she added tartly.

Rynn over the age of one hundred and fifty tended to thicken and Meadow Flower used to have a decidedly matronly figure but that was before coming to Earth, with the one thing humans had developed that far exceeded anything the Rynn had developed by a wide margin.

Rynn surgeons were perfectly capable of performing cosmetic surgery, they just never developed of it beyond repair and restoration, relying on Omisett to do most of the work. Humans, not having Omisett, had been forced to develop medical techniques undreamed of by Rynn physicians.

The Rynn never developed targeted exercise programs though they were avid sports people. Obesity was rare among the Rynn and the Rynn diet was healthy so nutrition and diet while practiced never reached the levels of current day Earth. Rynn were a naturally pretty people and never developed cosmetics. They never even considered the idea of dyeing their crests.

Not until they came to Earth where Rynn friendly cosmeticians developed Rynn specific cosmetics. Human hairdressers learned how to cut and shape and dye Rynn crests. Rynn accepting Yoga and Pilates studios sprang up almost overnight in the towns the Rynn frequented. There were at least a dozen in Whiskeytown¹² alone.

Over the past fifty years the town that welcomed the first Rynn had prospered. The Rynn adored the county fair, so the county fair was still there and a growing number of Rynn were entering the craft competitions. And most of the food vendors were now selling Rynn treats along with their usual fare.

The Rynn loved the haunted house and the roller coaster and the rigged games of skill common to all fairs. And the Whiskeytown fair had prospered and grown along with the town.

The country store, with its open barrels of vegetables had expanded to accommodate the Rynn tourists who came in regularly to buy and buy out the local produce, especially root vegetables¹³.

Those Rynn tourists would fill the many new restaurants, cafes and coffee shops that now supported a working population that had tripled in size.

And then these same Rynn, male and female, would get their crests shaped and dyed and their vestigial nails polished and painted. And some might slip away from the group and head to a number of discreet little storefronts for a Botox shot or have just a little fat removed from their hips.

And the Rynn discovered that just because they were over a hundred fifty didn’t mean they had to look it.

And since Whiskeytown was less than an hour’s drive away, Meadow Flower would sometimes take a long lunch; as her trimmer and more youthful appearance attested to.

I even feel younger, she thought more than once. Not that her core mates ever complained before but they certainly weren’t complaining now. Meadow Flower smiled to herself.

Which one of her core mates do you think that smile is for? Kasumi asked from her central chair.

Well, if it was me, it would be Emily but it’s probably Jamal, Mel said from her seat in the first ring. I am constantly amazed at how, um, accommodating the Rynn female is, she continued, I’m human and I know he’d be a tight fit.

Meadow Flower looked over to see Mel and Kasumi grinning at her and realized she had been daydreaming. Rynn babies have larger heads, Meadow Flower replied dryly. Though Em never has a problem, she said.

How surprising, Mel replied in a