Kaden gulped. “Why? If that was your job?”
For the first time, I could make a choice that made a difference. I wanted no harm to come to this planet. Better that we all died.
“You thought you’d die too?”
Yes.
“But how much harm could little things like you do?”
When billions of us followed…a lot of harm.
“Oh.” He gulped. “What do you look like?”
Not like you. Not like miniature humans.
“Would I freak out if I saw the real you?”
Joe huffed.No. Yes. Probably. I’d like to think you wouldn’t. But you probably would. My wings were magnificent.
Kaden smiled. “Wings? That sounds fun.”
Yes. Wings were fun.
Kaden wondered at the past tense. Did that mean Joe didn’t have wings anymore?
Lanu ate them immediately after we entered the tank.
Kaden gasped and tripped. He took a moment to steady himself. “Ate them? That’s awful. You eat each other?”
Others can eat protectors. It is only permitted in dire circumstances. Lanu ate them more from spite and anger than need. The culture medium and the archaea gave some nourishment.
“I’m sorry. That’s terrible.”
They’d almost caught me in the tank. No one was able to use their wings once we’d hidden. That was lucky for me, otherwise they’d have captured me. You saved me. Thank you. I’m sorry about what I then did to you. Especially after Harris had hurt you.
“I understand why you did it.” Though he was still unhappy about it.
He felt Joe rhythmically stroking his back.
Do you hate me?
“No.” Not hate, because Kaden understood Joe had done what he’d done because he felt he had no choice.
“Are you similar to any creature on this planet?”
Not that I have yet seen.
Kaden chewed his lip. They’d been through several of the library’s books on animals, insects and reptiles. “Can you tell me about your planet and what it’s like?”
It rotates around a sun similar to Earth’s sun but at a greater distance. There are five moons. All water is stored underground. We’re technologically advanced through necessity. We’re running out of some elements and minerals. The planets we went to before this one had small amounts of rare elements. Earth looked promising because the atmosphere suited us more than any other we had visited. That meant colonisation was possible.
Joe paused, then asked.What do you think will have happened to the contents of the tank?
“I don’t know.” Kaden’s anxiety soared again. “Now I’m worried. What if they got out too? Oh God. I need chocolate.”
Explain God. And chocolate.
“I’ll buy chocolate. Religion is complicated. I’ll try and explain.”
