Chapter 10

Note: When the conversation is a telepathic exchange, it is indicated by italics font.

“We see you made it,” Kennith said greeting his parents as he arrived with a group of young people. They were all sweaty and dirty.

“Good afternoon,” replied Sarah’s Clan. “Of course we made it.”

Alena said, “What have you guys been into?”

“We went for a hike over toward the creek and then into the woods a little ways.”

“I’m not sure that that was a good idea.”

“We were fine. A couple of those who went with us were former Special Forces members. They showed us some techniques they hadn’t been able to show us on Mars.”

“Be sure and write up what you saw,” said Chester of Keriann’s Clan. “Actually, that would be a good thing for everyone to do after exploring.”

“Gee, now you are making it work.”

“Not really and it is something to which all of us should be contributing to. Our surveys have provided us with a lot of information about what is on this planet. However, pretty much all of that is general background which still leaves a lot of blanks to fill in.”

“Oh, so you are suggesting something like a daily journal.”

“Yes, that would be a good tool. I think that if you look in the library you will find examples of what others have done, in particular look at the journals explorers kept. This information will be very important when we begin to move to other areas on the planet. In the meantime it should help those who are setting up our agricultural operations.”

“Okay. We can do that, it just means that we can spend more time on the planet.” Several in the group with Kennith smiled.

“Talk to Amy’s Clan. They have a couple of groups working on those issues who can tell you what information needs to be recorded and how they plan on doing it. That way you can have some fun exploring and will know what to look for.”

“You still have lessons to do,” said Alena, “so this doesn’t replace them.”

“Can we alter our class schedule so there is more time available to us on the planet during the day?” asked Moya.

“Sure, but only if your other responsibilities are met. Now you might want to clean up a bit before you do anything else.”

“Okay, mom.”

“Rather than doing that why don’t you explore on alternate days?” said Alison. “Doing it that way will mean that there would be less time consumed in traveling.”

“Good idea,” replied Iris. The group then headed off toward a shower area.

Conan said, “Chester, let’s put together a list of items people should carry with them while exploring. Key items are weapons, first aid kit, snacks and water, but there are other items that probably should be included.”

“Sure. Let’s get together after the Command Staff meeting tomorrow. In the meantime, we can each make a list. The list shouldn’t be very long.”

“You’re on.”

Joyce said, “Our meeting is moved to the 5^th, rather than tomorrow.”

“Good idea,” responded several.

“As to a list, there probably is one already,” said Kelly. “I’ll bet Cathal has one. Also, those going out exploring or hiking should sign out and provide an indication of where they are going.”

“True. Although I suspect his list is more orientated toward conducting a field operation than a casual outing. We probably should have one for both activities. Telling someone where they’re going and when they expect to be back is an excellent idea.”

“Ah, I see what you’re doing. A list for a casual outing is a good idea. A copy of their plans should be given to security, either the settlement’s or their ship’s AI, and should include how long they plan to be out.”

“Thanks,” said Rusty to Conan and Chester. “Our telepathic communication should enable anyone to summon assistance, provided it works and that they are awake or conscious enough to use it. I suspect that the items on these lists will be little different than those that were used on Earth.”

“Good points to make when presenting the list. We’ve come to depend on telepathy but we don’t know yet if there are any limitations in using it on the planet.”

“As to signing out, we are sort of doing that now as those exploring have been using shuttles and IPTPs to look around. That ought to be more formal, and it definitely needs to be done for those hiking.”

“Let’s talk about this tomorrow,” said Sarah. “We’re going to split up into groups and wander around until our children sing.”

Keriann said, “Our meeting agenda looks fairly long. How long do you think we will be?”

“Well, if we start right after breakfast, by say 09:00, it will probably last until around 19:00 or so. First we need to review the activities with regard to the settlement, which should take the most time. We should discuss how well our new family members are adapting. We need an update on the situation with the Durale prisoners and the crew on IGN404. Probably the most difficult item will be on what topics we want to cover with our visitors.”

“You don’t expect to finalize that last item tomorrow, do you?”

“No. For the first item we just need to review the relative merits of each project and see if we need to make or suggest adjustments to any of them. We also need to look at project priorities to see if their sequence or ranking is appropriate or needs reviewing.

“At this point, for the last item we just need to lay out our thoughts so that over the next few days we can decide what topics need to be covered, and what to show them. If they offer assistance in establishing our home, then it’s ‘what can we use?’. Anything we think of needs to be prioritized. I consider that last point to be an intangible, or soft. It is really just to get us thinking of ways in which we could use assistance so that if an offer comes we can respond in a sensible way.”

“You were a business major, right?”

“Yes. Why, is it showing?”

“Sort of. But that is good. Besides, we all have a wide range of backgrounds which should help us.”

“Let’s wander around,” said Siobhan. “See y’all at dinner, unless we cross paths before then.”

Sarah said to her clan, “Before we split into groups and wander off, this evening I’d like to see the sunset from the pavilion, which I think will be shortly after dinner.”

“Mom, I think sunset will be around 24:00.”

“Okay. What time are you singing?”

“Shortly after dinner.”

“How soon after?”

“We’ve changed the time to give the groups more flexibility.”

“We can put off seeing the sunset.”

“You don’t need to. There should be plenty of time after we play, so it should work out just fine.”

“If you think so.”

“Yes. With the change in time we may join you at the pavilion to see the sunset.”

“Okay,” replied Sarah’s spouses.

“Mom,” said Moya, “if we want to go off exploring again what should we take with us?”

Terry said, “For one, each person should carry a small weapon and a reserve power pack. Then the group should have at least one backpack containing a field class first aid kit, a GPS, snacks, water, emergency beacon and a fire starter.”

“Okay. We had most of that with us earlier.”

“Good. Also, you should be back in time for dinner and definitely before twilight begins. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“Let us know who is going?”

“Okay.”

“And have a good, safe, time.”

“We will.”

After their children left, Sarah’s Clan spit into groups of four then went in different directions. Maeve, Tara, Rusty and Sarah were in one group. While not a focus of their attention, they were all aware of their spouse’s activities and the status of Dóchas through their telepathic links.

As they started off, Sarah linked arms with Rusty and Maeve while Tara linked with Rusty’s other arm. Before choosing a direction Sarah looked to see which way the other groups were going. She began laughing when she saw their spouses looking to see which direction they were headed. Maeve, Tara and Rusty were at first puzzled by Sarah’s outburst but began laughing when they realized the cause.

Rusty said, “Let’s go this way,” as he started towards one of the activity areas. “It sounds like there is singing and dancing in this direction.”

“There are many places today for singing and dancing,” said Maeve as she began to move in step with the rhythm they heard, “but I see the one you are heading toward.”

“This music sounds a little different,” said Tara.

“That tune sounds like it is from either Tigsu or Monque,” added Sarah.

“In any case, it has a nice rhythm to it. It should fit quite well with the dance steps we know.”

As they approached the activity they saw people dancing in small groups in an open area between the crowd and the musicians. A large crowd surrounded the dance area watching the dancers and listening to the music. Those closest to the dancing were sitting on the ground or on small stools while many more stood or sat behind them listening and watching.

When they reached the crowd several people moved to the side so that they had a better view. As they listened to the songs Maeve’s and Tara’s movements were more and more in time with the music. After several songs the lead musician announced a short break. With the music not holding the crowd’s attention, those around them noticed who had joined them and immediately began greeting them. When the spontaneous greetings in their immediate vicinity diminished, Rusty, Maeve, Tara, and Sarah began edging through the crowd to greet others. In many cases their greeting was followed by a brief chat.

It wasn’t long until the musicians began returning to their places. “Wow, that was a short break,” said Rusty causing a few laughs around them.

“It was almost twenty minutes,” replied Sarah.

“Well it went very quickly. Do we want to stay here or wander some more?”

“It looks like the same musicians, so if the music doesn’t change,” answered Maeve, “let’s dance.” Seeing the hesitation on Rusty’s face she added, “It is not that hard. Just follow our lead and we will start out slow. It’s been a while since I’ve danced to music like this.”

“You mean like we did before?”

“Yes. We’ll start simple then once we have a feel for it we’ll step up the pace. We can use our mind link.”

“So, you’ve danced to this kind of music before?”

“Yes, but not for a long time, a long, long time. No wait, remember, we did this at one of the receptions on Mars.”

They listened to two more songs before Maeve led their group toward the dance area. As they stepped into the dancing area they chuckled to themselves on seeing the surprised looks on the musician’s faces. Maeve saw a young lady sitting near the dance area and asked her if she would watch their shoes while they danced. The young lady blushed as she quickly agreed.

“I’m glad you thought of taking them off,” said Tara. “We wear them so much, I probably wouldn’t have thought of it until we started dancing.”

“Dancing will be easier without them.”

They formed a square facing each other and waited for the music to start. Tara said, “Maeve, why don’t you lead?”

“Okay.”

With each song they became a little smoother in matching each other’s movements but due to their mind link timing wasn’t an issue. When the third song finished they were surprised to hear applause and looked around to see who it was for. They were amazed to see everyone looking at them. There were now only four groups on the dance floor, which was a lot less than when they started. As they were catching their breath a lady from one of the other groups dancing said, “We like your dance steps. Could you show them to us?”

Maeve almost laughed before she realized that the group was serious as she hadn’t used a set sequence. “Maeve can show you,” replied Tara. “We’ve been following her lead, or I should say ‘trying to’.”

“You’ve been fantastic. We just watched most of the last dance. So would you?”

Maeve looked toward the musicians and said, “Can you give us a minute?”

“Certainly. We’re interested as well.”

Maeve turned back to the group and said, “Okay, these are the basic steps we are using.” She went through each one slowly a couple of times and then sped them up. They then led the other dancers through the steps a couple of times. Once she was sure that they were familiar with the moves she turned toward the musicians and said, “Can you play the last song at half tempo?”

“We have another that would sound better than that,” replied the lead musician.

“Great. Let’s try it.”

He made a quick comment to the other musicians. After a few moments, he said, “When you’re ready.”

Maeve looked at the now five groups around her before saying, “For this to work you need someone to lead. The lead should be the one who feels the rhythm. So while we dance to this song think about who you want to lead your group.” Maeve, Tara, Rusty, and Sarah formed a square then Maeve nodded to the musicians. After the intro, they began dancing. The slower tempo made it easier for those watching to see their movements.

When the song came to an end Maeve said, “Now, if they will play another with a similar tempo, you all can try it. Remember to follow the lead in your group.”

“Your sequence was different than before,” said a woman.

“Yes. It almost always is.” Several dancers looked puzzled. So she added, “I feel the tempo and melody. Those tell me the next steps to take. The choice of steps depends on your sense of the music and your emotions, which likely varies each time you hear it. There is no right or wrong as this is not a scripted performance. The choice in sequence of movements is intended to be an interpretation of what you feel and hear. Who leads a group can change from song to song. Your choice.”

“Okay,” replied the woman slowly.

“So let’s try it. Take your positions.” Maeve nodded to the musicians who began to play the song again. They watched the six groups dance to the music using many of the new steps. When the song ended, the crowd applauded.

“You did fine,” said Maeve before the dancers could say anything. “A couple of things. For most groups it works better if you follow one lead. Don’t restrict yourself to the steps you just learned. Instead use steps that from your perspective fit the song while keeping the tempo.

“I’m sure our musicians can play a couple more slow or moderate tempo songs before returning to their play list.”

“We will play if you will dance some more,” replied the musicians, drawing a lot of applause from the crowd.

Maeve looked at her three spouses before saying, “A few,” drawing cheers from the crowd.

Over the next several, sets besides dancing, they coached other groups. When the musicians announced a pause Maeve led the crowd in applause for the musician and dancers. After the applause died down they moved to leave, the young lady minding their shoes said, “Don’t forget these,” as she pointed to their shoes.

“Thanks,” said Tara as took them from the young lady. “Did you enjoy the music?”

“Absolutely. I really enjoyed watching your group dance. You were so smooth and precise. Thank you for being here.”

“You are welcome,” replied all four. “See you around.” They then began working their way toward the edge of the crowd. It was slow going as everyone wanted to either thank them for the dance demonstration or offer congratulations.

They were a little ways from the crowd when Sarah said, “Maybe it is my imagination but our arrival back there and our departure seemed like ... opposites.”

“I don’t know that it was that different,” replied Tara. “We arrived while the musicians were playing. I’m not sure we’ve been around very many of those in that crowd before. Last but not least, us being a Command Staff with a history and now Councilors makes some hesitant to approach us. Our dancing, and other activities, perhaps changed their perception of us a little bit.”

“Well, I enjoyed that. You know it’s getting close to dinner time and we haven’t done much wandering.”

“So what? We relaxed. We had a good time. I don’t know about you but I’m tired.”

“Same here,” replied her spouses.

“You all realize that dinner is not too far off. If we’re going to see the sunset after our children perform we need to be careful of our timing.”

“Okay, let’s remind our spouses.”

Well behind them a woman at the edge of the crowd said, “God, I wish I was as good as they are. Yeesch, they can do anything and so perfectly each and every time.”

“Michaela, don’t sell yourself short.” On hearing the comment Michaela quickly turned toward the voice and stopped. Before her stood the loveliest woman she had ever seen. The woman was just a little taller than she was with long reddish rust colored hair. Michaela quickly looked the woman over before looking at her face in time to see a bemused smile. She scanned the woman’s face until her eyes connected with the light grey eyes looking back at her.

Seeing Michaela’s reaction the woman added, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

The soft voice brought Michaela back to the present and she quickly replied, “Sorry, what did you say? I was distracted for a moment.” The woman smiled as she had seen similar reactions to her presence by others. Before she could reply Michaela said, “Oh, now I remember, I don’t think I’m selling myself short.”

The woman said, “Oh but you are. You have a very good skill set. You likely match those you envy in their use. Within you are other talents that could grow if you gave them a chance. Your family, this family, depends on you using all of your skills to the best of your ability. Becoming more skilled in using all your talents will benefit both you and your family.”

“But I don’t have a family anymore.”

“You don’t? What about those all around you?”

“Oh, you mean that family. Yes, in a way they are now my family.”

“Ah, you mean you don’t have anyone close to you.”

“Well, yes and no.”

“Several of those you feel closest to could be even closer if you let them.”

“But...”

“You are afraid and that’s understandable. You don’t need to open up to them all at once. Relationships take time. They may have similar fears. With just a little effort you may find the relationship you desire, but it takes a first step ... think about it ... you never know ... someone has to reach out.” With that the woman turned and walked away. By the time Michaela realized that the suggestion was reasonable, the woman was nowhere to be seen. It was as though she had just vanished. ‘How did that happen?’ she asked herself. Looking around she didn’t see anyone who even came close to resembling the woman she had just spoken to and she wanted to talk to her some more.

“Are you looking for someone?”

Michaela spun around to see Aine and another woman just a few steps away. “Yes. I wanted to ask that woman another question, but I don’t see her now.”

“What did she look like? Maybe we can help.”

Michaela described the woman as she telepathically shared her features with Aine. As she did so she realized that some of them had not fully registered with her earlier. She finished with, “I don’t understand this. I can remember seeing her walk away. She is different than us. She isn’t an Órarduine as she didn’t have a mane or tail. When she walked, it was so graceful, it was as if she was gliding away rather than walking.”