An Alien Confluence by Roxanne Barbour

Author:Roxanne Barbour [Barbour, Roxanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-01-29T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

Normally Smale’s transporter didn’t bother me but our return from his office frazzled my nerve endings. “I need to sit down.”

Frakis helped me to a chair, and sat beside me. “What is wrong, Cyn?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m getting sick. I know I’m upset with Stire, but the words Smale used struck me as particularly ominous. Are they going to be alright on Temma?”

“Nothing will happen to Stire—he is a Temman. As for Smale, he can take care of himself. Right now we need to worry about the diplomatic end of things.” Frakis picked up her copy of the papers Smale had given each of us. “I will read these notes. Perhaps Smale’s concerns will become obvious.”

“Good idea.” I flattened my copies. My hands had scrunched the papers.

I vaguely noticed Jana, her mother Jest, Fasta, and Councilor Lannis joining us. Smale’s detailed notes required concentrated study.

“Frakis,” I asked, after I looked up, “ah, ah…why is everyone sitting at this table?” Their presence hadn’t really registered.

“Cyn-Tia, we are studying Smale’s documents as they apply to everyone—humans and aliens alike,” said Councilor Lannis. “He included background pertaining to issues each race faces.”

I had to laugh at her turn of phrase—aliens indeed. “Sorry, sorry. My mind was elsewhere. Of course, we’re all concerned.” I sighed. “Any important discoveries?”

Councilor Lannis spoke. “Smale’s thoughts are obvious. The Temmans do not have a world government—each nation is on its own. And, by nation, I mean a grouping of Temmans. Because they are, and have been, nomads, the world isn’t broken into countries or nations.”

“How does that work?” I couldn’t quite grasp what Councilor Lannis tried to convey.

“Smale does not know, so we do not. However, I suspect each city—each gathering of Temmans—governs itself,” said Jest. “City-states make sense because of their nomadic nature.”

“Thus no world government exists,” added Jana. “They never needed one.”

Why wouldn’t they need a world government? Actually, come to think of it, Earth really didn’t have one either. Notwithstanding the UN, each country on Earth made its own rules. Are we like Temmans?

“So who did Smale contact on Temma? Who’s he meeting?” I asked.

“Whoever answered his hail, I imagine,” said Frakis. “His report was unclear.”

“All we do is wait?” My anxiety increased, and now included concern for Smale and Stire.

“Yes,” said Councilor Lannis. “We need to work on our artistic endeavors. Your friends wish you to join them.”

I glanced around. A few of our group worked on projects, but a larger number stood in conversational groups.

“Where’s the party?” I asked, after I stood before them.

We spent the rest of our day working on our artistic pieces, and a lovely concert ended the evening.

After a snack, Jana’s mother rose from our table. “I am tired and need to retire.”

“I’m also pretty beat. Hopefully, Smale and Stire will soon return. See everyone at breakfast,” I said.

****

Smale and Stire didn’t grace our breakfast table. “Okay, now I’m starting to worry. Where are they?” I asked.

“I also expected news, or their presence, by now. Perhaps they had overnight accommodations to continue their dialogue?” asked Frakis.

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