Part 43 (2/2)

Cub stared. A female of my species, here in the enclave! he signaled, astounded. But how is it possible? We are out of phase!

I sent a shoot across theoretical elements to locate the home-frame of your male parent, OX explained. That frame provided a nascent female. She aged as you did, as I brought her into phase with us. She is for you.

She is beautiful! Cub signaled. I do not know what I will do with her, but I must do it urgently.

He went to the female. He tugged at her wild long hair. He put his appendages on her torso, squeezing the strange flesh here and there.

She squawked like Ornet, chewed on his digits, and sc.r.a.ped his surfaces with the sharp points of her own digits. Then she ran away.

Apparently something had been omitted. OX consulted with Ornet.

Mams must be raised together, Ornet said, or they do not get along. You have provided Cub with a wild girl, one raised alone. She possesses the physical attributes of his species but lacks the social ones. So does he.

Social attributes?

Come into my mind, Ornet squawked.

OX came into his mind. Then he comprehended.

We must return to the natural framework, he flashed. We can not exist apart from our societies. This is true for all of us; I, too, must join my kind.

But we are isolated in the enclave, Ornet protested.

I now know why, OX replied. It is time to break out.

And run amuck like that wild mam fem? Ornet asked.

We must discuss it together, OX agreed. What we decide together will be right.

They discussed it together: OX, Ornet, Dec, Cub, and Mach, now rendered sociable by the provision of its necessary substances. Together, they issued a report.

That report changed alternity.

Chapter 17.

cATAL HUYUK.

Cal lay within the cabin of the Nacre, staring up at the palm frond and bamboo-pole network that enclosed the cabin of their crude homemade raft. He felt the mud clay calking between the logs of its deck. Uncomfortable, certainly -- but he hardly cared, for he had existed much of his life with extreme discomfort... and now Aquilon lay beside him.

”But the bird,” Aquilon protested. ”You said it was intelligent. That means Paleo is technically inhabited -- ”

”Intelligent for Aves: birds,” he said. ”That can't approach human capability. But yes, it is most important that this -- this ornisapiens be preserved and studied. It -- ”

”Orn,” Veg said from the woman's far side. ”In a zoo.”

”No!” Aquilon cried. ”That isn't what I meant. That would kill it. We should be helping it, not -- ”

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