Page 30 of Music of the Ocean

He bit into another orb. This one turned green and the taste was sharper. The flavor was almost medicinal. The throbbing behind his eyes eased up and his energy levels rose.

Swallowing, Saxby looked up at Callie, who grinned with an understanding that made him want to reprimand her and cry on her shoulder at the same time.

“Better?” she asked, glancing at Indigo, who hadn’t moved.

“Yeah,” Saxby said. “Guess I was hungry.”

“Most likely. You need to eat often at first. You got a lot going on in that new body if yours.”

“Why are you helping me? Telling me all this?” Saxby asked finally.

“Because you need to learn how to move without smashing into things, how to speak without broadcasting, how to eat, sleep, shit, all of it. Every part of this is different.” Callie punctuated each word with a bite of the orb, juice flowing out in brief, blue clouds.

Saxby’s stomach twisted. The memory of air, gravity, food that didn’t float stabbed through him. That was his old life. This was his new one. The taste of the orb faded, replaced by a sharpness in his chest. He bit down, chewed, and forced himself to swallow.

“Because you’re special,” Callie continued. “Because I’ve been there and it sucks. The first few months are the worst. You’ll hate everyone and cuss this world. You’ll want to kill everything and anything, but you can’t because the world is inside you now. You’re inside it.”

“Speaking from firsthand experience?”

“Of course. I was a kid and was a holy terror. You’ll get used to it, eventually, but until then? You’ll need someone to show you the ropes, and you matter to him, so you’ll matter to me.” Callie paused. “Also, if you try to run, you’ll die. It’s not a threat, just physics.”

Chapter Twelve – Indigo

“NOT TO mention that I will come after you,” Indigo added.

“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck,” Saxby muttered.

“What’s a duck?” Callie asked immediately.

“A duck is a bird that’s known as waterfowl on Earth and—”

“What’s a waterfowl?”

“Okay, forget about the animal for a moment. It’s an old Earth saying that illustrates the principle of identifying something by its observable characteristics,” Saxby replied. “In other words, to me what you said sounded like a threat.”

Callie blinked as she stared at Saxby, then she turned to look at Indigo. “I don’t remember the other humans’ speech being this convoluted.” She faced Saxby again. “That really wasn’t a threat.”

“Sure,” Saxby replied.

“It really wasn’t,” Callie huffed. “It was a statement.”

“Let me explain,” Indigo interjected. “I am the one who goes to retrieve those who touched the water and do not return voluntarily, like you did.”

“Voluntarily? I thought I was dreaming. Or hallucinating!” Saxby exclaimed. “And what do you mean you retrieve those who do not return?”

“Just what I said. And before you ask, yes, I have that capability,” Indigo said. “This planet is more technically advanced than other species think, yours included.”

“Really?” Saxby crossed his arms as he floated there. “Because nothing showed up on the ship’s scanners.”

“Exactly my point.”

“That needs some explaining, but I’ll come back to that. You said you retrieved those who do not return. Which means you go after them. Which means you have not only the means to support your special needs but also the capability to go after them. Are you telling me this planet has starships?” Saxby demanded.

“I am unsure why that would surprise you,” Indigo said. “You can plainly see we have built a city here. It is not the only one, either. Humans would refer to this as the capital city of the planet, I believe.”

Saxby gulped. “Hold your horses. Just wait. Capital city? And this building is, like, the palace? Oh gods, are you saying you’re the king or something?”

“There are no rulers here, but your human word of palace could fit. The name of this city is Nerropolis. I have a chamber here, which is where we’ve stayed.”