Nexus Talks to People (Nexus Space History Mysteries Book 2) by Ginger Booth

Author:Ginger Booth [Booth, Ginger]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 25

SHOW & TELL

Day 14, Bliss, Aloha Quadrant

Entering the courtyard of Beauty School, Nexus gazed up at the young audience surrounding him from the windows, and gulped.

Unlike the container architecture of most homes, the locals built the age 5-14 school as a permanent installation. Though not yet finished – so far an athletic annex consisted of a foundation and one thigh-high segment of wall. In the mean time, field and track and playground spread outside the walls, while the courtyard served for group gatherings like today’s.

Mr. Owen, the science teacher, hastened to greet Nexus’s team. The rat authority trio of Badger, Cossack, and Miner Major waved from a picnic table in the back.

All too soon, several classes of ten to eleven-year-olds in navy-and-beige uniform filed in to sit on the mowed lawn, while Mr. Owen introduced the Sol team. The next row of kids froze to stare at the entryway.

Nexus turned, already smiling, to welcome Rolf and Tedd. And his mouth hung open. He hadn’t seen Tedd since the attack, Rolf preferring to talk outside his ship. Now a well-behaved grav lifter followed the father, while son and selected rodents rode on top. That wasn’t the astonishing part.

Rolf joined Nexus and stopped the lifter, then rose to two feet to help Tedd down, and get him balanced two-footed on crutches, one leg immobilized in a cast up to the hip. Everyone could see that, because Tedd’s tortoise-like shell was missing. Or rather, it was regenerating. Tough dinner-plate-sized sections looked as though he’d strapped on a pair of medieval play-shields, front and back, except they pulled on Tedd’s skin, whose texture resembled a saggy beige elephant hide.

The regenerating shell really was belted up, skin wrinkled above and slightly more taut below. Otherwise his ‘shields’ might interfere with his leg cast. For modesty, he wore stretchy gym shorts blazoned with ‘Beauty School’ under their mascot, a grinning floppy-eared puppy, in the same navy-and-beige school colors.

Nexus stared at the youngster – well, twice his age – as astonished as children. He hadn’t expected the star attraction would be not the rodents, but the pair of testudo.

Noor shot him an acid look, and bent forward, hands on thighs, to match Tedd’s eye level. “We’re so glad you’re here, Tedd! Good to see you back on your feet! Let’s hear it for Tedd!”

This proved exactly the right approach. Mr. Owen led a round of applause, while all the children rose onto their knees. They inched toward the injured one and craned their necks to see.

Caio leaned in, and low-voiced, explained to Nexus and Rolf that children did this when anyone was hurt playing sports. Now the kids knew how to behave. Tedd was like them, and he’d been hurt. But he’d been brave and returned to action. Time to cheer, while Mr. Owen introduced the visitors.

Nexus turned to look a question at Rolf, who lidded his eyes in a slow blink. Yes, this entrance was intentional – especially the Beauty School shorts for modesty. Without saying a word, he’d claimed a place for his Tedd among the town’s children.

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