Chapter 5

"Hi Grandpa," Ellie thought aloud to her Grandfather Dan aboard the Behemoth Bounty. "Well, we're here at KTT and it doesn't look like much."

"Tell me what you see, baby girl," her Grandfather said.

"Like I said, not much. Tonto says there are a series of directional beacons broadcasting in a spectrum well beyond the visual range. He said they form a pathway for us to follow into a very shallow bowl. I asked him if we would be able to see the bowl but he said it was a flat, dull black thing that he referred to as a 'depression in space-time'. He said from the right angle we might notice that some stars are occluded by the bowl but mostly we will just pilot the Kedah into the center on instruments and when we are locked in there will be a conference with the local Darjee operators. I guess he was right when he told me to keep my feathers in good shape. I haven't let Jason touch me for almost two weeks to keep his odor off my plumage."

Dan asked his granddaughter, "Do you think it is going to be big enough to hold this monstrous ship Grandma Val and I are on?"

"I can't tell by looking but Tonto said it was big enough and about the right shape to hold Earth's moon in the depression. Your ship is big but it ain't that big."

"No, not by a long shot! Can I talk to you about something else?" Dan asked.

"Sure, Gramps. Tonto says after you finally took your turn in the rejuvenation process you now look like a younger version of Jason. Do you really only look to be 15 or 16 years old?"

"Ellie, your old grandpa took a long time to think about the body he wanted to have. I really searched my mind and even went through a couple of private sessions with Tonto to accurately refresh my memory. I was physically the strongest and most vibrant when I was just your age, 16 years old. So Val and I talked about it long and hard. We considered our new responsibilities to an ever expanding family and the work we will have to do on our new home planet. Both your Grandma Val and I have recaptured very youthful bodies. Mine is a very strong 16-year-old lanky young man who is just a touch over six feet tall. Val is only three inches shorter than I am and she too opted for the lanky body style but she went for a couple more years to reach her peak. Val now appears to be 21 or 22 years old. We've been doing the belly bump more than once day since we recovered from the procedure. However, Val is getting well along in her pregnancy and the twins are starting to kick and wiggle so it might slow us down."

"Ewee, Grandpa," Ellie said. "That is way, way too much information. I don't care what you look like but you are still the old man who held me on his knee. I can't even think of you without your clothes on, let alone doing what young people do. Eweee!"

Captain Katie Tufts voice echoed throughout the ship, "If I may be so bold, Darjee Citizen Princess Eloise Valantrina Katherine Tufts, this is the Captain speaking. The AI who represents the Darjee staff of this transfer station has contacted our AI. They have inquired if it would be possible for you to meet with them in the feather. They have a full report on your first meeting with the Darjee and are eager to make the acquaintance of a princess. Will you care enough for them to reply?"

Sub-vocalizing via Tonto, Ellie said, "Mother, you are such a goof. What's with all the flowery talk. Oh, and wait just a sec please."

"Grandpa, it looks as if duty calls and I have to go. Take care of yourself and Grandma Val. It will seem strange Grandma and I having babies about the same time."

"I love you Baby Girl Bird," Dan said. "Be good and make us lots of friends."

Ellie again sub-vocalized to her mother, "OK, I take it that they were monitoring your announcement. Do you and Tonto have a suggestion of how I should respond."

Tonto said, "Ellie, we've already made them wait too long. May I use your voice to respond?"

"Sure, big guy. Go for it."

"Captain Tufts," Tonto responded in Ellie's youthful voice. "I'm sorry that I made you and our hosts wait so long. I was in a conversation with my Senior Humanology Mentor, Grandpa Dan, and propriety required that I use the formal modes of respect prior to terminating the conversation. I would be most delighted to meet with my Darjee winglings. May I assume that they would prefer the same transfer protocol as before? I would be comforted if you would accompany me as far as the waiting room outside the Darjee location. I am certain that they care enough for us to make you comfortable while you wait."

There was a brief pause as the AI and Tonto confirmed their link and the Darjee were consulted. "Yes," Captain Tufts said, "That arrangement would meet the needs of all parties and they await the time that is most convenient to the Princess."

Tonto urged Ellie to be careful. Her normal response would have been to defer to the Darjee's needs and decision but that would be very bad form and considered to be an insult, as if pandering to someone of lower status. "Remember," Tonto said, "they do not think like humans and their society is very, very old and the display of caring for one another is quite regimented. Tell them that you will have to consult your schedule and will respond to them within twelve hours."

Ellie found her own voice and in the trilling Darjee language relayed exactly that message. There were three elongated notes in response from the three Darjee voices, again in perfect unison and undulating harmony to indicate that her statement was appreciated and considered to be most gracious.

Tonto took control and said, "time is short. While we have twelve hours to respond to them, the quicker after that time is up that we can hold the meeting the more respect we show the Darjee. I suggest that at the end of 11 hours you tell them that we would like to meet in a hour and forty five minutes. That is less than an hour after the time limit which shows great courtesy and that you value them greatly. That you give them notice a full hour in advance lets them know that you do not hold yourself above them in rank, that too is a gesture of respect. Sweet cheeks, you need to hit the showers with Jason and Katie to help you prepare but from this moment on no human hands may touch any part of Ellie's body, you'll have to wear latex gloves to keep your scent off her feathers. As soon as she is clean it will take a full ten hours to get her primped and looking like royalty. While you're getting ready I'll try to learn what this meeting is all about."