Chapter 10

Gilleena found me in the kitchen getting ready to make some breakfast. She asked if I’d make her some scrambled eggs, toast and tea, so I set her a place at the table and put the water on to boil.

As I was whisking the eggs and milk, she kissed my neck and asked, “Are you ready for our meeting with Grandfather and Ninnith?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess. Of course, I’m nervous as hell, but you’re being there will bolster my courage. Have you given my idea any more thought?”

“Some. I’m beginning to see what you want to accomplish, but I’m still very ‘iffy’ about us being exposed, even if it’s as fictional beings. You know some people out there are going to believe it, don’t you?”

“I’m counting on it. Maybe the first ones to jump aren’t who we’re looking for, but as the story and its followers grow, we should start hearing from those who are giving it a lot of serious thought. I guess it’ll depend to some extent on how well I write it. I’ll accept any help I can get in that area.” I sighed and added, “Anyhow, nothing happens without unanimous approval of the clan, and that begins with Grandfather and Ninnith. I guess we’ll find out how good a salesman I am.”

Gilleena hugged my shoulder and kidded, “Just remember to smile. I know for a fact that Ninnith isn’t impervious to your charms.”

“Nor am I,” Mallya joked as she came in and poured herself a cup of coffee. She strolled over to the stove, kissed my cheek and asked, “Got enough of that breakfast for a third?”

“Easy.” I added two more eggs and kept whisking. Hoping I wasn’t revealing any confidences or pushing my luck, I asked, “Sleep well last night?”

“Like the dead. How about you, Gilleena? Does this guy wear you out like he does me, or am I just getting old?”

“We’re nearly the same age, Mallya. But for your information, dear Jesse always leaves me happy and satisfied. I can think of one or two of our clan who would benefit from peeping in on his technique; not to name names.”

I was a little taken aback by that off-the-cuff remark because I’d never heard any member of the clan gossip about any other member. I guess I assumed it was just not done.

They both busted out laughing as I strained my brain trying to think of who they might be talking about. I blushed at the reference to being ‘peeped’ at, but I couldn’t help myself puffing up a little bit with pride.

“Hey!” I joked as I poured the eggs into the hot cast-iron skillet, “I’m standing right here, you know. Please do not dis my fellow males in my presence.”

Gilleena giggled, “We would never disrespect anyone in this household. Even the least skilled among your gender is still an accomplished and caring lover. You’re just a little better than most.”

“Hear, hear!” Mallya agreed as she patted my butt.

I bowed deeply to each of them. “I humbly accept your kind words. Have a seat, ladies. Your breakfast will be ready in a minute.”

Jakoby and Ninnith were waiting in his quarters as we entered from the main tunnel late in the afternoon. As Gilleena and I sat on a wooden bench across a low table from them, Ninnith poured tea for all of us.

Not one to waste time with small talk, Jakoby took a sip of his tea and gestured for me to begin. I looked at Gilleena, took a deep breath and spoke. No one interrupted while I took a good twenty minutes to lay out my plan, offering as much detail as I thought might be useful, but without burying them in minutia. When I got to the part about each clan member contributing to my blog, I handed each of them the copies I’d made of my first projected posting.

Nothing was said as the three of them read over the introduction. We sat in silence until Ninnith, smiling, looked at me and said, “I must say, Jesse, this is an approach I wouldn’t have dreamed of in a hundred years; certainly not the way I thought you would go. Very bold, to say the least.”

Rather than comment on my presentation, Jakoby looked at Gilleena and asked, “Tell me, sweet child, what is your sense of Jesse’s thinking? Do you see any possibility of success with this idea?”

Gilleena considered her answer for a few seconds. When she was ready, she looked and me, reached over to take my hand and said, “Grandfather, at first, I was overwhelmed with the audacity of such an approach, but now that I’ve had time to consider it further, I can see it might well be successful, if great care is taken to protect us from discovery.

“We’ve been so secretive as a people, I was at first stunned to think Jesse would even consider openly publishing accounts of our existence. But then I thought, if we are to be driven from our home, isn’t it just and proper that we leave behind some comprehensive chronicle of our lives and struggles, whether it’s believed or not? And is it really necessary in this day and age that we remain hidden from the rest of the world? As for our personal contributions to his blog, I know we all have much to say about what’s happened to our people. This may be our best opportunity to say it.”

“Dear Gilleena,” Jakoby began, “We’re not so much hiding as we are surviving. We remain out of public view because, not only is it dangerous to our health, men haven’t been especially tolerant of our kind in the past. For many reasons, I’m not confident they’d be all that much more tolerant now.

“But the most important thing we’re hiding now is not ourselves, but the Travelers. They’ve been very insistent that men should have no knowledge of their presence in the solar system, let alone right here on Earth. They’re legitimately concerned about the profound social, political and religious impact knowledge of their existence could have. The way I read Jesse’s plan, word of their presence is going to be exposed about the time we leave the planet. I can’t guess how they’ll feel about that. They will certainly have to be consulted before we embarked on a plan like this one.”

“If I could add something here, Grandfather,” I broke in. “Not one single member of the clan likes the way your people have been portrayed in our literature. I see this blog as a chance to get the truth out there, let people know what you’re really about. I just don’t see how that could be a bad thing.”

Ninnith seconded my thoughts, “I certainly agree with that, Jakoby. If we must leave this world, I’d like to leave behind an honest account of who we are and were; not some myth about woodland sprites with magical abilities and dragonfly wings.”

Jakoby actually laughed. It’s the first time I ever heard that sound come out of his mouth. “It would be nice to clear up those images, wouldn’t it?” Fixing his eyes on mine, he went on, “Jesse, I’m not prepared to say yes or no to this project. Since it involves and affects the welfare of every member of the clan, I’m going to call a general conference and ask you to present this plan to all of them, then answer their questions. You can bet there will be a lot of them. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Of course. Uh, could we make it a couple of days from now? I’d like to polish it up a little, work out some of the kinks.” I looked at Gilleena and added, “Maybe you could find some time to help me out on a few points I’m not clear on.”

She nodded her agreement.

As we stood to leave, Jakoby said, “Jesse, whether the clan approves this plan or not, you should know we appreciate what you’re trying to do. You may feel confident we’ll do what we can to help you accomplish your objective; if not this way, then by another.”