Chapter 3: Fine Feathered Friends

Jason, Ellie and Val winked into existence aboard the Harvest Moon and were ushered directly into a side alcove. The Marine Captain greeted them warmly but with clear deference showing in his manor. "Jason," he said, "you are to remain here with me while the ladies are boosted up. If you would like I could give you a tour of our ship and operations."

Jason was nervous but hid it well, as he understood his part in this program. He was wearing civilian clothing that looked as if it might be a uniform from some military unit, somewhere. "I would like that very much, Captain" Jason said.

Val was in her usual soft blouse and blue jeans. The Captain had no idea what Ellie looked like. She was covered from head to toe in a soft, shimmering silken robe with a giant cowl. Her face was hidden in shadow, her form unknown except for her unusual height, and her gown was so bright it distracted the eye.

The door to a small room slid open and as soon as Val and Ellie entered it slid shut again. There was an ever so slight dip in the brightness of the lights in the alcove for a moment and the Captain said, "That unit uses a lot of power. They'll be OK; we've never lost anything or anyone yet. If you'll follow me this way."

Ellie and Val stepped back through the same door when it opened again to find that they were in a comfortable waiting room with transparent walls. The view to one side was the distant dark side of the moon and beyond it was the bright ball of the Earth. Some distance in the other direction was a large ship, so dark that it's features could not be determined. It was almost as if there were a hole in space. A shimmering, thin cable extended from their pod toward the dark ship.

"This is it," Val said. "Tonto told me to keep the robe here and to make one small adjustment before you step on the blue circle for transport to the Darjee ship. She lifted the cowl back from Ellie's face and gently touched her nose with the fingers of each hand. As she ran her fingers down the ridge and sides of Ellie's nose the texture changed from human flesh to a hard, beak like substance with a golden sheen. "There, your transformation is complete. We think the Darjee will fall in love with you and grant you all that you ask. Remember, no matter what happens, Tonto is there with you and will not let you make a mistake. I love you, my child."

Val removed the robe from her brightly-feathered Granddaughter and stepped back. Ellie reached toward the older woman but did not make contact lest she carry human scent into the negotiations, she used a small wet wipe to sanitize her new beak. Her smile looked odd on her transformed face. She remembered; she must keep her teeth hidden at all times as she stepped into the future of humanity.

Ellie blinked into existence at the dark end of a small hallway that led into a dimly lighted room with few embellishments. There were three Darjee in the center of the room. All three had their bodies toward her but their faces were turned aside and their eyes closed. Tonto sub-vocalized to her, "Ellie, they are afraid of you. See how their neck feathers are tight against their body? That is a sign of fear and protection. Yet all three are high-ranking men. Only men have red in their feathers and the more they have, the higher their rank. My studies determined that by putting some orange tinting on your breast and belly down you would gain minor status but now that I have access to their computer systems I know that I have given you very high status. You are a Princess One, destined to be a candidate for Queen. You must be very regal in your bearing, these men are vassals to you. I'll give you the words, you act the part of a royal queen who is also kind and loving."

Ellie stepped forward into the light and stamped her foot loudly on the floor. In a stern, loud voice she demanded, "Kreetch, takt feelta NON!" ("Am I so ugly?")

All three looked up in surprise. Before them stood a young, beautiful queen-to-be. A glorious beauty with a radiance rarely seen. Her neck plumage was the brilliant iridescent royal green and stood out just far enough to display annoyance but not anger. Her tight lips without any upturn said to them that she was loving and caring. They were astounded and her Darjee style smile filled them with joy.

With one voice the three said, "But we were told that you were HUMAN and that we would not survive this contact. You are glorious, my queen, and we bow before you, begging that you care for us as we care for you."

Tonto clued Ellie that they had just made the most gracious greeting available in the Darjee language and her proper response would be to slowly turn before them without words, displaying her royal plumage. "When you again face them quickly ruffle your neck feathers twice to show that you appreciate their care and kindness."