The cottage had a serene feel. Plants hung from pots dangling from the domed ceiling. The furniture was all smooth lines of golden wood, clearly carved here on Hydrae, and piled with cushions of a pale natural fiber. She slid a hand over the back of the couch, the wood glossy and smooth under her fingers.
“An artisan here in the village carves the furniture. He’d prefer to work on his sculptures all day, but he insists he also has to pay the bills, so he has other jobs.” Tonald gestured at the couch. “Take a seat. I’ll brings some refreshments.”
Nissa and Justyn sank on the couch. He scooted close enough for their thighs to touch, but his gaze was studying the room, catching on the painting of desert sand dunes lit by the first blush of morning light.
“I expected to see a library with a console or plas-sheets or even books,” she murmured.
“Physical records are not the only way to preserve the memories of a culture.” Tonald set a wooden tray on the low table in front of them. Three long glasses filled with green liquid sat beside a curved glass jug of the same fluid.
Nissa accepted her drink from the Memory Keeper. “How do you record your history, then?”
“We do have some electronic records, although our computer technology is far behind everything I’ve heard about within the galaxy. We also paint and carve. One of our favored methods is our oral storytelling traditions.”
“That’s not your primary method, though.” Justyn leaned forward, dangling his drink casually between his knees.
“You are a perceptive man, Mr. Phoenix.”
Justyn shrugged. “I’ve visited here many times, taken note of things. Besides, your big head is a giveaway.”
Tonald smiled. “Yes, my race has some mental abilities.”
“Telepathy?” Nissa frowned. At the bonfire feast she hadn’t noticed the telltale giveaways telepaths usually had—the long pauses, the tilted heads. That said, she had been rather distracted.
“No, not telepathy, although some Hydraens do have some mild telepathic capabilities. Mostly we have exceptional memories.”
She took a sip of her drink. It tasted far better than she’d anticipated—citrusy and sweet. “So, you just…remember all your history?”
“Simply put, yes.” Tonald took a sip of his own drink. “As our children are schooled, those with the most exceptional memory abilities are singled out for the role of Memory Keeper. We are trained to hone our skills. I can remember every single historical event passed onto me in exact detail, in color, and I can access those memories at will.”
Incredible. Nissa wondered if she would like an ability like that or if it would drive her crazy. “How far do the memories go back?”
“Millennia.”
Her skin tingled. She edged forward on her seat, setting her drink down. “Do you remember a ship called theNerostopping here?”
“No.”
She blinked. “Maybe it didn’t stop at Meni. Somewhere else on the planet?—”
“I don’t just have the memories of Meni, I keep memories for the entire planet.”
She ran a hand over her head. “TheNerohad to have passed through here. All our research?—”
Tonald’s expression was apologetic. “No ship called theNerostopped here. At least, not that was recorded.”
A dead end. She saw Justyn thrust a hand through his hair.
She straightened. Maybe they were going about this the wrong way. “What about a man named Horatio Griffin? He was a captain.”
Tonald went quiet for a second, his gaze moving inward. “Yes. He was here. Almost a thousand years ago. He and some of his surviving crew were rescued and brought here by an Arnissian freighter.”
Nissa grabbed Justyn’s arm. Her nails dug into him but he didn’t seem to mind. “Did they have anything with them? Belongings?”
“No, it seems they were lucky to escape with their lives. They lost most of their crew, and they were very, very upset to have lost their cargo.” He tilted his head. “Although they never mentioned what it was.”
So, it sounded like the Constitution never made it off theNero.
“What happened to the ship?” she asked.
