Feather Fallacy III

I closed my data terminal with a rapidly increasing sense of relief, and let out a breath I didn’t even realize I had been holding. Dr. Corvan had sent a message saying he would be on the planet within a day. My mind began to race ahead, imagining the people being cured of the blight, their feathers shining and healthy on their wings as they soared the skies once more.

My reverie was broken as thunder boomed overhead and the ominous clouds reminded me of how dire the situation still was. What if Dr. Corvan failed? What if I could not save our people? It was as if the storm represented this sickness; a dark brooding presence looming over everything and everyone in sight. It was a macabre thought, returning me to some of my darkest days as a child and how sickness had lead to my current position. It seemed that everything good and bad in my world hinged on disease.

My earliest memories of my mother were those of her as a young officer in the Sky Warden Corps. She led them from the skies, teaching them to telepathically communicate so as to better protect our people. Like all frontier worlds it was dangerous and plagued by those who sought to exploit it. As a result my father, sister and I were constantly moving. It was in one of these engagements with bandits that my father died, when he was attempting to save my mother, sister and I from being abducted and sold into slavery. After his death, my mother was forever changed.

Now, normally this is where most would say their mother had become cold and ruthless; but this did not happen. Instead she became even more loving and attached to us, clearly trying to protect us against the world. She gathered together as many able bodied and psionically strong Saraven as she could and drove out the bandits which had ruined our life. She was commended for her efforts and we soon began to settle in the surrounding area. As a result of her actions, the colony council elected her as leader. I remember that day very well indeed. Mother was overjoyed and instantly took the position. However, her new duties weighed heavily on her shoulders, for she treated the entire colony as her extended family and the responsibility she held over them all drained her. As time passed, she started to become very sickly and eventually passed.

She had not been idle during her period of weakness though. Perhaps she saw her own death. Who can say? She taught me all she knew of the art of leadership, instructing me in the use of gentle mind manipulation to persuade others to a course of action, or how to perform gentle mind taps to read the motives of another without drawing suspicion.

As any young psionic Saraven, I enjoyed these mental tricks at first, and ignored her more poignant lessons on humility and compassion, thinking them weak when I wanted our people to grow strong. It was not until her death that I learned the importance of these virtues, for they were what I had to draw on most during the biggest trial our colony had ever faced.

I have done everything in my power to keep this colony strong and thriving. I have had many disputes throughout my tenure here, but somehow we find a way to pull through. That was the issue now. This disease wasn’t some conflict with another race or legal dispute over theft. It was something internal and not necessarily physical. Something I couldn’t pass a law or ordinance to make go away. I felt powerless, like my own wings had been removed from my body. It was when I caught wind of Dr. Corvan’s research that I was filled with hope once more. I knew that we truly had a chance to save my people and our race. It wasn’t just lives on the line here; it was the survival of my entire race on my hands. I knew I had to do something.

Our own scientists were baffled by the disease. We had no other choice. We would need the help of an outsider. Normally we would never allow someone not directly a member of our colony or even our race to help us, let alone the fact that it was a Charian team. We Saraven are a very proud, and at times, egotistical people. We put a lot of faith in ourselves and what we can accomplish; so be it our military or scientific advancements or something as internal as our gift of flight and psionic power.

Flight is one of the most precious gifts bestowed upon us by Hadjara. This is thought to be from where all Saraven hailed. It's radiation bestowed upon us flight and our strong psionic power. We come together as a connected people as a result of this. Saraven are taught to hone this skill of flight from birth into a formidable weapon and tool. Flight is something that is a part of everyday life for the Saraven. It is not just a toy for us, but the very core of our existence. Without it, we would be no more than groundling prey. We are our wings.

My office door opened with a loud hiss and my mind reached out automatically, withdrawing again at the familiar feel. It was Nerruk, my husband; and Alestra my youngest.

“Mother, when will the long-faced outsiders arrive?” she said with unspent energy.

“Tomorrow, Alestra. Why are you so excited to meet them?”, I replied, inwardly smiling as she bounced around the room.

“Because I wish to see my first ever outsider face to face! Will they have wings? Can they read minds like you, mummy?” Alestra had always been quite precocious and now it was shining through as bright as the sun.

“I’ll let you know as soon as they arrive so you can meet them. Now, get back to your homework!” I finished as she embraced me. Nerruk and I waited for her to walk out of the office. When she had gone, Nerruk turned to me, his forehead feathers drooping. I could tell that he was worried about something, but I was surprised when it turned out to be worry for me.

“Aurok, I know that you’re frightened. I picked it up when Alestra mentioned the science team.” Nerruk always knew exactly how I was feeling. I could feel my feathers instantly ruffle to hide the others drawing closer to my body. I couldn't show my husband I was somehow frightened of the possible outcome here. It was common knowledge that the Saraven females were the psionically gifted, but I sometimes had to wonder what powers the males had, especially my husband.

“I am, but for Alestra and all of the children living in our colony... what will happen if I fail? What if Dr. Corvan and his team fail?” I tried to mask my worry, but my voice was shrill and nervous. Nerruk closed the gap between us with a fluttered stride, and threw me in his embrace. His touch lowered my defenses, and my mind joined his. Instantly my fears and thoughts poured out of me and into his mind.

“I promise you that all will be ok,” he said out loud, his mind lacking the ability to mentally communicate. I wanted to reply, but my throat tightened at the effort. Instead I flashed the emotion to him, the worry, the apprehension, the fear. I expected him to recoil at the strength of it, to flee the room, but instead his arms tightened around me.

"We will find a cure and our people and families will be safe,” he said, holding me close. We stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity, but eventually he loosened his grip and held me at arms distance so that he could peer into my eyes. Wordlessly, he left soon after and I raised a hand in silent farewell. Words were never needed in moments like that. He clearly held faith in me, and that gave me comfort like no other.

My attention was drawn to the floor however when I recognized a dark brown and red feather -I knew immediately that it was my daughter's.

“Alestra has the illness….”

(by Zachary Mathiot)