No Ledge

An intergalactic traveller scales a large mountain with a small alien companion, determined to gain answers about the mysterious planet she is on. But will she like what she finds?

No Ledge

By Christina Muldoon

A pre-dawn breeze blew as Taark pulled herself up over the lip of the cliff. However, given her exhaustion, the breeze felt like a gale force, attempting to rip her off of the face of the rock and toss her like a loose stone onto the ground below. Taark’s muscles were screaming for air and rest, but she held fast. She and her crew would be leaving in a few days for their home planet, and she had wanted to see what was on this mountain ever since the Qaastos had first told her that it held spiritual significance for their tribe. Today was the final chance to see what was here, and as a scientist, she refused to waste it. Luxx had woken her when it was still dark and bid her silently to follow. They had been climbing for almost two hours now, and without looking, Taark knew that it would be a long yet quick drop to her death. She wasn’t one who was inclined to envy or wishful thinking, but she found that her fear made her resent the gift of strength that was afforded to her brother. He was literally made for such things, and if she had his abilities, she would be running on par with Luxx, and perhaps they would have reached their destination by now.

Taark’s physical inabilities were a frustration to young Luxx as well. The girl knew every cliff and crag of these ranges and scaled the sheer rock, fearless and with graceful ease, finding small ridges and foot holds that were otherwise invisible. She had swiftly climbed the rock face, so fast that she was practically running, tied a rope to a boulder at the top, then threw it to Taark, who took the rope with slight irritation. Her people, the Umadi, had been genetically engineering themselves for countless generations. Despite being made to be in all ways superior to most races in the known galaxies, she was being bested in strength and stamina by a child of a lesser species. It was certainly a sight to watch Luxx in her element. She was at peace as she ran along the loose stones and inch-wide ridges in her bare feet, throwing herself off cliffs just to glide to the face opposite, catch it, and continue climbing. Her physical abilities were astonishing, and Taark often found herself being inwardly reminded that Luxx was not engineered in a lab, but born of Nature. This both fascinated and terrified Taark. All her life, she was educated to know that life created in a lab resulted in guaranteed genetic superiority. However, Nature seemed to also create this result, but through random chance and constant struggle. Though life in a lab could be superior, life in nature was miraculous. Luxx and her people had small, stocky bodies that looked as if they were carved from lumps of earth; the Umadi were tall and lithe, their long, sinewy limbs hiding how strong they truly were. Yet it was Taark who was dangling like a worm on a line, and Luxx who was helping her up. The contradiction of it all was too much for her. Tenacity sank in and she gripped the rope.

Slow but steady she climbed, with Luxx shouting encouragements to her. The wind howled and attempted to rip her off of the rope. When it didn’t succeed, it threw her hard against the mountain side. Taark could only try swing her body in such a way that it meant minimum impact for her, but it seemed that the rock was in league with the wind. Her soft, living tissue was no match for the ancient, unrelenting density of the mountain. It was as if the giant rock wanted her dead, but she refused to relent. Her brother may have had the physical strength of a Protector, but as an Exceptional she had her brain. She knew that pain was a great deceiver. She would reach the top of the mountain, and then discover the secrets that lied therein.

Finally, after what felt like many hours and thousands of metres, Taark had reached the top of the cliff. Her hands were in spasm, her body bruised and covered in many cuts and lacerations. She felt ill from pain and exhaustion. She made a pledge to the ether that if she ever got off of this mountain--- indeed, off of this planet--- she would implore the elders on Er MharkTa to reconvene on the definition of ‘strength’ and its role in Umadi DNA. After all, she had a firsthand account of how their engineering was not enough. And it needed to be, if they were to establish a colony here.

A small pair of light skinned hands wrapped round Taark’s dark grey wrist and forearm. Taark pushed up with her free arm as Luxx’s toes gripped and pushed into the cliff’s edge, sending small sparks of stones and dust shooting out. Once Taark was safely on the ledge, Luxx turned and began to untie the rope from the boulder. Taark could barely manage her words.

“No”, she forced out. “Rest.”

Luxx didn’t even turn to her. “We can’t. We’ve already taken too much time. We’re not so far from No Ledge. A bit further.” She continued to pick at the knot in the rope. Taark pushed herself up onto her forearm, so astounded she thought she might laugh. She could barely speak from exhaustion, and her blood smeared Luxx’s hands. A few minutes of recuperation would spur their journey, not dogged brute strength. Fuelled by her annoyance, Taark began, “Luxx! I am not---”

Suddenly, the cliff shifted and crumbled. Taark frantically grappled at solid ground, but it gave way to join the rest of the rockslide. Luxx quickly wrapped the still tied rope around herself and dove for Taark. Catching her hand, Luxx pulled with all her strength to get a better grip on Taark’s arm. The cliff finally settled and had left Luxx hanging half way over the newly formed ledge, with Taark dangling helplessly one-handed from Luxx’s iron grip. Taark had no leverage, no grip and no net. Only Luxx’s small, sure hands. Taark’s giant purple eyes met Luxx’s small blue ones. Both of them saw fear.

“I won’t let go. I promise.”

Despite Luxx’s heartfelt oath, Taark felt herself slowly slipping. Her bloody hand made the grip slick, and Luxx had only one hand in hers. It was a matter of seconds before Taark would plummet.

Looking straight in front of her, Taark saw the rope. Were it not for the wind, the rope would be right in front of her face, allowing Taark to merely grab it. But it wasn’t even as close as an arm’s length away. She only had one chance.

Taark looked up at Luxx, whose face was contorted in effort, but true to her word, she held fast. Taark saw this young girl fighting so hard for her, and her mind cleared. There was no wind, no pain in her muscles, no exhaustion in her body. There was only survival. Taark set both her mind and her face, and very calmly, she said, “Get ready to pull.”

Luxx didn’t even have a chance to look confused before Taark swung her legs forward, back, and forward again, their hands sliding apart as Taark flung herself into a free fall and caught the rope with both hands, swinging her leg in large circles to coil the rope around herself. As soon as the rope was wrapped, she crossed her other leg over to hold it in place. Every muscle tensed as she screamed upward, “Pull!”

Above her, Taark heard a scream of fierce tenacity from Luxx as she stood up, pulling hard at the rope wrapped around her waist. This time, there was no hesitation, no cursing her strength; Taark would make it. In this body with what strength she had, she would see herself safe. As Luxx pulled, Taark climbed as best she could, and in no time, she reached the cliff’s edge. She grabbed at it, pulled herself over yet again, and crawled with Luxx’s help to the stone wall of the plateau. Luxx and Taark pushed themselves into the solid rock as if they might be able to make themselves meld to it. Taark felt Luxx’s body shaking. Thinking the girl was crying, Taark went to put her arm around the child, but she was staring straight ahead, her blue eyes bulging. She was in shock, too stunned to cry. Taark’s hand found Luxx’s, and together, they calmed their breathing. After uncounted minutes, Luxx interrupted the silence.

“Alright… I suppose we can rest awhile.”

 

Taark  and her crew had set out from Er MharkTa with one mission: ensure the continuation of the Umadi. For all of their technological advances and knowledge, Er MharkTa was dying. As an Exceptional, Taark had seen first-hand that their planet had stopped regenerating. Despite testing, analysis, experimenting and miles of calculations, she and the other scientists of her planet were helpless. It seemed an unsolvable problem. The Umadi elders considered asking their allies on other planets for aide, but they decided against. The Umadi were renowned and respected throughout twenty different solar systems to be the leaders in scientific, artistic and militaristic advances. Many rulers from many surrounding star systems sent their own offspring to be educated on Er MharkTa. How would it look if the leading race of the known galaxies were floundering themselves? What disruption would it have on the galactic economy and interplanetary relations? Having misjudged and miscalculated so terribly their ability to sustain their own society, the allies of the Umadi would challenge them, or worse still, abandon them. At least, this was what they believed would happen. Much of their economy was from the import of others, allowing so many of the privileged to come and study at Umadi universities, live and work in Umadi cities, and be educated by Umadi minds. They were powerful because they insisted upon it, and thus like so many power systems, their dominance was built out of perception and insistence. And they would risk none of it. Therefore, they would find another place, somewhere where they could recuperate and try again. A colony. And hopefully, with such an adventurous undertaking added to their already infallible prestige, they could hold onto their respect and dignity and carry on as if nothing had ever changed.

Taark had been at the top of her class since she began to communicate, and was therefore chosen to lead the mission. All of her crew were her brothers and sisters, although no Umad ever actually did have biological siblings. Many generations ago, the Umadi found that they could pick and choose specific genes to be harvested and spliced together to make a near perfect being. Biological parents could decide whether to have children who were smarter, faster, braver, healthier; many Umadi volunteered themselves and their offspring for the process, though some chose to continue to have Children of Nature. But as it became clear that the engineering produced perfectly sound Umadi children, what started as voluntary became practice; practice became implementation; implementation became law; law became Nature. Now, no Umadi reproduced, and no female could physically carry a child. Children were raised by the State in a centre, but every child was cared for and loved. The children were encouraged to find ‘brothers and sisters’, with a success rate of 100 percent of children finding a Centre Family. The family would look after each other from the time they left the centre until death. When they were of age, they were genetically harvested to help create more Umadi. Traditional family units were archaic, and therefore the words to describe them, like ‘parents’, became disused and discarded. The older Umadi at the Centre were considered mentors, not parents. The Centre fostered inclusion, rational debate, and empathy. Not only within the singular group but between the many Centre Families. Over time, crime, poverty, and much illness on Er MharkTa decreased until it was non-existent. 

To create a balanced society, the Umadi developed four main groups of citizens: The Protectors--- Umads who were engineered for physical strength and stamina beyond regular Umadi capability--- were an army trained in all types of combat and combat strategies. Though the Umadi never fought in wars, the Protectors were a defensive army that no one dared test.

The scientists and mathematicians, the Exceptionals, knew every theorem and proof and were often consulted by other alien races for their technological advancements.

 The Beautifuls, the artists of Er MharkTa, trained in every artistic endeavour known and produced thought-provoking, engaging art that was universally loved and revered.

And the Keepers, a small group of Umadi society, served as the memory and spiritual leaders of Er MharkTa. Their practice was a guide, not dogma, and they held the accounts of the Umadi ancestors, Those From the Stars.

Although every Umad was engineered to be in one of the four groups, they were all educated in each. They were honed through the generations to reach a state of near perfection. What started as a controversial practice had grown and evolved into an advanced society. Yet through it all, the Umadi never lost their capacity for emotion and empathy, spirituality and wonder. This balance between the scientific and the spiritual was what made the Umadi so respected and revered throughout the known galaxies. However, constant adoration shifted into egotism on the part of the Umadi. They were, after all, not gods, but mere mortals. And as such, they were fallible. It gave way to unchecked pride, which manifested small oversights throughout many decades and centuries, which created catastrophic trajectories, none of them intended and therefore no contingencies made. 

And now, with their ecosystem on the brink of collapse, and the fate of their Utopian society in the balance, it was up to Taark and her crew--- her sisters and brothers--- to find hope.

*      *      *

 

“Taark?”

Taark was pulled from her memories. Or perhaps they were dreams? Taark had been on the planet for so long, she was feeling less and less Umadi and more Qaastos.

“Taark, we need to keep going.”

She was reticent to move. The ground was solid, but she had a lingering fear that it might give way at the slightest shift of movement. Luxx must have sensed her fear.

“It’s alright. We’re out of danger.” Despite this, however, Taark noticed that Luxx herself hadn’t moved to get up. Taark took the time to look around them and get her bearings.

“Where are we going? What direction?”

Luxx pointed to a cleft in the rocks. It was further onto the mountain, and the ground looked solid. Some tension left Taark. She took a deep breath and winced.

“Are you alright?”

Taark winced again as a dull ache came from her bruised back. “I think I broke something. My ribs, perhaps. During the climb.”

“Can you continue?”

Luxx’s voice had a note of concern, but her face almost looked hopeful that Taark might say no.

“Yes, it’s fine. I can manage it… we’ll heal it when we get back to the ship.” 

This caused Luxx to soften and to even smile a bit. Taark had noted that of everything on the ship that fascinated Luxx, nothing held her attention more than Umadi healing practices. With the help of technology, they could heal almost instantaneously. None of the Qaastos had ever seen anything like it, and if there were ever an injury in the village, Luxx would sit in on their healing, unabashedly fascinated by the process.

Carefully, Luxx lifted herself off of the ground and slid against the rock behind her. She put her hand down and offered it to her injured friend. With equal care, Taark raised herself from the ground. With the rock face as much a reminder of stability as well as a guide, Taark and Luxx walked towards the path in the boulders.

 

They travelled slower now. The exhaustion from the climb as well as the stress of the rockslide had them utterly spent. Luxx even spoke less. She was always talking and asking Taark questions about science, about life on Er MharkTa… anything she could learn. Taark didn’t like this silence. All day, Luxx had a muted agitation that was only interrupted to tell Taark to go faster. However, Taark understood why. Luxx was going against her tribe by bringing Taark up here, and this wasn’t even her first infraction. One of the reasons she was on the fringes of her tribe was her wilful, albeit innocently intended, rebelliousness. It was made worse by the fact that Luxx was female. The Qaastos were ruled by men, and only men came up to No Ledge for pilgrimages and to hear the gods speak. So for two females to abscond in the middle of the night and make the trek… this was something that could get Luxx exiled, possibly even killed, and it would certainly irreparably damage the relationship that had been built between the Umadi and the Qaastos.

Taark suddenly felt immense sadness for this girl. Soon, Taark would be leaving, and Luxx would be left here, alone. Even though Taark would return one day permanently, she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Luxx here for her intelligence and curiosity to be crushed by Men. She spoke the thought as it came to her mind.

“Luxx… would you like to come back to Er MharkTa with us?” 

Luxx froze and tension seized her body. Taark saw her breathing quicken, yet she took a moment before she turned around.

“Why?”

Now Taark was caught off guard. Luxx loved hearing stories about her home planet, her eyes lighting like suns when Taark would tell her about the labs, schools, and organizations that offered intellectual challenge and possibility of discovery. She danced when Taark’s brother --- a Beautiful--- sang Umadi songs and was held rapt when he told and acted out various tales. She asked deep, thought-provoking questions of her Keeper sister, and was once bloodied but smiling as she asked Taark’s brother who was a Protector to attempt to hit her again because she was determined to learn his fighting style. Luxx seemed like she wished that she had been born to Er MharkTa, and Taark thought it would be a dream come true for her to see it with her own eyes. A dream she would be all too happy to make a reality. Thus, Taark was almost offended.

“What do you mean ‘why’? You are one of the smartest of your tribe, and your tribe is the most intelligent species on this system.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“I think it does, but for some reason you’re refraining from a legitimate answer.”

“Am I not allowed to question? Am I not allowed to understand? You of all people. You taught me how important it is to be educated, how important it is to ask ‘why’ of all things. And so I ask again, why?”

For a moment, Taark didn’t answer. She stared, confused and hurt at Luxx’s words and implications. Since meeting her, Taark felt a pull from somewhere within her, something that she didn’t have words or even emotions for. Luxx was so small, so helpless. She had no family, which was an impossibility on Er MharkTa, and as such, it gave Taark a certain anxiety. She found herself constantly looking for Luxx, trying to find her just to know where she was and knowing that she was safe. After months and months of this constantly growing feeling within Taark, she wondered if she had some sort of a virus or bacteria. The ship’s diagnostic tools found nothing wrong, so Taark, quietly and conspicuously, went to the elderly Qaasti healer, and described her symptoms. A smile filled the wrinkled face of the old woman as she couldn’t help but laugh at Taark.

“Oh, my dear,” she had said, “You’re describing being a parent.”

This idea terrified Taark. Her people moved past such things, had even been genetically modified to be past it. So to experience such a thing implied that she had somehow backslid and devolved. How could such a thing happen? She checked records and did her own calculations, yet found no answer for this strange occurrence. As far as she knew, her brothers and sisters didn’t feel this way. So it was something wrong with her, not the whole Umadi system. The idea that she was somehow becoming lesser plagued her day and night, and she found it near impossible to concentrate. But as the days and weeks passed, she found herself often distracted from these thoughts as she and her crew became more and more immersed in the Qaastos tribe. Her feelings of anxiety shifted to acceptance, as she came to know and understand this slow growing feeling. She enjoyed feeling like a mother, if the that was indeed what it was, and she began to think that perhaps such a feeling wasn’t a return to some primitive, base state of being, but perhaps a recessive gene finally shining though.

However, in this moment, standing on the edge of this mountain, staring at this stubborn, questioning little child whom Taark had come to care so deeply for, she felt pain. Pain that Luxx didn’t trust her, didn’t just listen, didn’t just want to love Taark back. Taark’s love soured into something new, and it rose up in her to come into her throat, lacing her next words with vitriol.

 “How easily you forget that I am not ‘people’, Luxx. I am a greater being than you. All of my crew, we simply are the more evolved species that all of you here on this planet. In all of the time that we have been here, we have treated you and your people as equals even though you simply aren’t. I myself have personally taken you on, singling you out from the tribe, but I have done this because I see so much potential in you. I would hope you would want to learn more. I would hope you would bring your Qaasti knowledge to add to our great libraries on Er MharkTa. I would hope you would help us understand this great wide universe just a little more. I would hope you would take whatever knowledge we could impart to you and one day bring it back here to further advance your tribe. I would hope, Luxx, that you would display some of that intelligence that you clearly have and realize what I am offering you. You are right. I always want you to ask questions, but here, there are no answers, nor are there ways of getting them. My planet has answers to pair with your questions. Here, there is nothing but mere existence and survival, but on Er MharkTa, there is life.” The words fell from her like the rocks from the cliff, and they did as much damage when they landed.

“My life and the life of my tribe is pointless?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You said you were better than us! That we merely exist!”

“We are! Empirically speaking, we are! We are more highly evolved! It’s merely science, Luxx!”

“What good is science if there is no humanity to accompany it. Who are you to tell us how to live?”

“I am not telling you how to live, Luxx. I am simply telling you that off of this planet, there are infinite possibilities that can make your life more. I only want what’s best for you. And the tribe.” And she meant it.

Luxx stared like a cornered animal, ready to fight.

“You only want what’s best?”

Taark nodded, for the first time feeling uneasy in Luxx’s company.

“Perhaps I don’t want to go with you. Perhaps my staying here is what is best for me and my tribe.”

Again, a stab of pain in Taark, in that part that felt like a mother.

“Perhaps.”

Luxx regarded Taark with an unknowable expression, then looked up into the crags of the mountain. “We need to continue.”

 

After months of searching various galaxies, going from one barren planet to another, testing the terrain for the potential of life and being refused at every chance, Taark and her crew came across a small blue planet in an unknown galaxy. Taark and her crew were amazed to find that amongst all of the barren, silent galaxies, this small planet by itself was teeming with life. Some of it microscopic but prevalent, some of it inanimate yet stretching out over vast areas, housing and protecting even more life within, creating its own small, green universe. Some creatures were bold and ventured into the open, but others stayed hidden, only emerging to find food or a mate. Some life even appeared sentient, with many of the creatures showing emotions ranging from aggression to playfulness for other species as well their own. Some displayed curiosity, other defensiveness, and some of it just seemed to be, with the ecosystem continuing on around it, sometimes including it and sometimes not. Nothing was engineered, nothing was created by a seen force. It all just… was.

As amazed as Taark and her crew were by the pristine beauty of this untouched planet, nothing prepared them for finding the Qaastos. Like the Umadi and many other races known to them, the Qaastos carried themselves upright, with their bodies displaying the same characteristics. However, their general physical shape is where the similarities ended. The Qaastos were ruddy with smaller, stockier bodies as compared to the Umadi, who were tall, lithe, and had greyish flesh. The Qaastos had small eyes that ranged in different colours, from light to dark. Every Umadi had big, dark purple eyes that saw more colours and movement than the Qaastos could even comprehend. The Qaastos were primitive, living in huts and caves, and wearing the skins and eating the flesh of many of the smaller creatures that lived in the green universe. They also ate the immobile creatures that grew out of the ground. But this seemed to be how they stayed alive. This intrigued Taark the most: even though the raw materials for their food came from Er MharkTa itself (and was one of the reasons why was dying, as it wouldn’t regenerate), the food was made in labs, much like the Umadi themselves. No Umad had ever eaten food straight from a planet before. The more she learned about this new, blue planet, the more she loved it, and grew to believe that this would be her people’s new home.

The actual day that they had revealed their existence to the Qaastos, Taark willed herself to keep from trembling. Landing their ship in plain sight of the village, she and her crew disembarked with armour, yet hands held free in supplication. There was screaming and panic from within the village. Females stayed with the young, males approached ready to attack. Weapons on both sides were drawn, but none were discharged. The Umadi weren’t aggressors; they would not attack, but they would defend. However, this strange new tribe appeared to be unaggressive as well. Frightened surely, and wary, but not aggressive. Their leaders came forward, hands also held in supplication, and attempted to speak with Taark. One of her sisters was trained in the known languages of the universe, and with her linguistic knowledge, they were able to form a way of communication in a matter of days. 

In the following weeks, the crew was amazed at how quickly the Qaastos’ fear turned to acceptance, then acceptance to kindness. Many Qaastos learned the language of Uma, and Taark and her crew learned Qaasti. Though there was nothing but respect and healthy curiosity on both sides, one of the Qaastos intrigued Taark the most: a young girl, who always stood on the outer edges of the village. She had her own hut which could be seen, but she had no people. Taark had been told by the village elders that one day, the girl appeared at the edge of the forest (which was what the Qaastos called the vast, green universe). They didn't know where she came from. She appeared to have no family, and slowly became familiar with them. However, she was not Qaastos. She was… something else. She wasn’t ignored or banished, but none took her in. It was not the way of the Qaastos. So, she lived her life parallel to the tribe, seemingly content to not be part of them, but close enough to always know that she was not alone. Then the families in the tribe realized that their crops had been pilfered. Only one or two plants each, but enough to notice. Whenever there were expeditions to their holy ground No Ledge, Luxx mysteriously disappeared, yet always returned a day or two before the Qaastos men. Luxx was always warned about her infractions but never punished because she was never caught in the act. To the tribe, they saw this as the mark of a parasite, a criminal who was not to be trusted or rewarded with kindness. But to Taark, she saw this mild rebellion as a mark of intelligence. It only needed to be nurtured correctly.

Taark began to invite Luxx on expeditions with her crew, and to explore the ship and its various abilities. She encouraged Luxx to ask questions and to educate herself. This investment of Taark’s grew with interest. She saw that Luxx was more intelligent than anyone had ever given her credit for. She learned at an exponential rate. She showed this ability to learn not only with Taark but with her tribe. Luxx was a bridge between the two factions which helped the bond grow all the stronger, and the tribe grew to accept her. She was given a small hut within the village, and a small plot of land to farm. Villagers looked her in the eye and would give her small smiles. She took part in ceremonies. Slowly, she was becoming Qaasti. 

One night, during a celebration of the changing seasons, Taark regarded Luxx taking part in her tribe, smiling, laughing and dancing. For a few months now, she had been allowing herself to feel like a mother, but her affection didn’t stop with Luxx. She loved this whole tribe. She smiled broadly as she watched her family and the Qaastos come together, laugh and share the evening. She resolved that when the time came that the Umadi would colonize the planet, she would personally see to the welfare of the Qaastos. The tribe would help the Umadi to learn how to grow and create life without a lab, and the Umadi would welcome the Qaastos into their lives, educating them with technology and scientific discovery. She could see it now, and she smiled with happiness and optimism in her heart.

An elderly Qaasti male saw this and asked for her hand to dance. Smiling wider, she gratefully accepted and joined him.

*      *      *

They continued further up onto the mountain, and thankfully away from cliffs. There was no discernible path, and Taark’s blind faith in her young guide began to falter. 

“Luxx, forgive me, but why is there no path if this is a pilgrimage for the Qaasti men?”

“We can’t go that way. They would see our trail at their next trek. I found this path after my first time following them to No Ledge.”

Taark was angry with herself. Of course, they couldn’t go on the trail that the men used. She silently berated herself for her untrusting attitude towards Luxx. This girl was nothing but good and loving, yet at the slightest turn of character, Taark began to doubt. Luxx had spent the first years of her life unloved and untrusted, relying only on her instincts and ability to think quickly to survive. The arrival of Taark had changed all of that. However, as much as Luxx’s reputation within the tribe had changed, the rule about No Ledge was still a weighted one. Luxx was risking not only her life by bringing Taark here, but also the reputation and acceptance that she had garnered. She had a family again, and to lose that would be worse than losing her life. Suddenly, Luxx’s reticence to leave her adopted tribe for Er MharkTa came into sharp focus. Taark didn’t know the pain of being separated from one’s family to cross the galaxies, but only because she brought her family with her when she did. She then felt a stab of shame for being so angry with Luxx earlier, and giving into the horrible impulse that being unkind to Luxx was the way to control her and bring her to heel.

She reached out to touch the child’s head, but Luxx turned a corner. The stones opened into a wide precipice, almost a small ravine on top of the mountain. It was a solitary place, with tall trees reaching all the way to the edge of a pool of crystalline water fed by a tall waterfall. The pool continued into a small stream which flowed down the mountain, and Taark assumed, into the one that weaved through Luxx’s village.

Luxx waded into the water, which was much shallower that Taark had observed. She turned around and beckoned Taark to follow. After getting over the immediate shock of cold water, Taark felt excited. They were close. She could feel it.

Behind the waterfall, Taark saw a wall of rock, but nothing else. Before she could ask, Luxx dove under the water, and Taark followed. Once underneath, Taark saw that there was a gap between two submerged boulders where Luxx went. After swimming easily through the rock, Taark’s head broke through the water. They were in a dark inner chamber. Torches sprang to life, illuminating the cave.

No, not torches.

Lights.

Automated lights.

Emerging from the water, Luxx proceeded to an archway and waited for Taark to catch up. Luxx put one foot inside the threshold, and more lights lit, one after another, in a small slope downward, revealing a small staircase.

“Luxx…”

The Earth child looked at Taark.

“Welcome to No Ledge.”

It was all Taark could do to keep herself from running ahead of Luxx. On the walls was a strange mix of the primitive with the advanced. The Qaastos men had drawn images, stories that Taark couldn’t figure out. There were pictures of multiple explosions, trees withering, and many dead on the ground. All of this lit by electronic light, triggered by some sort of sensor. Though this technology was basic by Umadi standards, it was a near impossible feat by the Qaastos.

“Who created these lights? Your tribe? Your ancestors?”

“They were created by the old gods. They know when we are here, so they light the path.”

“How? What powers the lights?”

“There is a special, flat rock that is on top of the mountain. It takes the light from the sun and pulls it into the cave, so there are many small suns within.”

“But how do you know of the rock?”

“The gods told us. It’s in No Ledge.”

They didn’t have to walk long before they entered yet another cave, but it was unlike anything Taark had yet to see on this planet. The gargantuan cavern was filled from roof to floor with towers. All the same, and clearly not made by nature. But it wasn’t anything that Luxx’s tribe could build themselves, considering they used stone tools. Taark wasn’t sure how far back the cave went, but she knew that it went far. And as far as her eyes could see, it was filled with tower after tower.

Luxx walked in front of a giant black screen and waited. A light came on under her feet from inside the rock, and the screen jumped to life, producing a three-dimensional interface which simply said ‘Knowledge’. The screen changed to various files to choose from. Luxx’s hands moved with the interface, and as she touched file after file, window upon window opened. Some windows played music that Taark had never heard before, some were projections--- some moving, some still--- of what Taark could tell were other Qaastos. Some were projections of landscape. Some were projections of what Taark could tell were documents. There were creatures Taark had never seen before. Men fighting in a war. Women laughing. Children sitting in a row, smiling. Animals running. Images of galaxies that Taark had seen with her own eyes, yet somehow, they were being seen here, light years away.

There were smiling faces. Crying eyes. Image after image, file upon file. Taark’s eyes could barely keep up with what they were seeing. Luxx scrolled through, opening them all. Taark was in awe. She had no words.

“Long ago, before we began counting the ages, there were more Qaastos. There were so many that the Mother began to die. Many boarded ships to go to the stars to find us a new home, but no ships returned and were lost. We were charged to stay and look after No Ledge, to take care of it and the rock that keeps it alive. We lived in the mountain for many years, because the mountain was not sick, but outside of it was. The Mother blessed us with the ability to stay alive. Our ancestors, in their selfishness, made the Mother very sick. But in their ignorance, they believed they killed Her completely. But She did not die. She merely… rested. And like many without mothers, we suffered. When we emerged from the mountain many generations later, we found She was as She had been for millennia before and took it upon ourselves to care for Her again. But we never forgot No Ledge. It is our charge, and we will keep it safe through the ages.”

Luxx turned to her, softly took her arm, and placed Taark on the light that Luxx had stood upon a moment ago.

“Luxx, you said ‘we’, but you were not born a Qaasti.”

Luxx regarded her, and her eyes lit with tears. “No, my people were not from the mountain.” She went inward for a moment and briefly closed her eyes. “But I am Qaastos now.”

She turned Taark’s attention to the interface and simply swiped a window, showing Taark how easy it was to open and close the files.

“Try.”

Taark stared at the screen, hungry to try, to know, to understand. But she was stopped in her actions, and turned slowly to look at Luxx.

“I owe you an apology, Luxx. You and your people are clearly so much more intelligent than I realized. Your ancestors created all of this, and all of the information that it contains. And your people have survived despite a dying planet. We haven’t---”

Taark stopped herself abruptly. Realization careened into her as she considered how the Qaastos lived their lives, their ability to grow and hunt for food, access Knowledge, and survive despite the stacked odds. She stared at this young child who herself was intelligent, strong, and wise beyond her years, this child who was made by Nature, not engineered in a dish in a lab. Taark found herself no longer questioning the superiority of the Umadi… she simply no longer believed in it.

Taark stared and tears sprang into her eyes as she continued to look at Luxx, her view of the universe and the order within it shifting and rearranging, up-ending her all she was taught to believe as fact. She took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Luxx. I’m truly very sorry.”

Luxx stared back, wordless and unsure of how to respond. Tears overflowed from her eyes as she nodded assent and turned away quickly. Taark felt an impulse to comfort her, to comfort her child, but time was running out. They needed to return to the village soon if they weren’t going to be missed. And Taark needed--- yearned--- to know.

Tentatively, she brought up her arms, parsing through the many different files. She opened many of them just as Luxx did, glanced at them, then continued, determined to take in as much as she could. She forgot Luxx, forgot about what the tribe would think, even forgot about her mission and why she was here at all. Now, she needed to know. She needed to know the truth about this planet.

Taark opened a file. A projection came onscreen of a Qaasti male who stood in front of her as if he was in the room:

“… failed the planet. Our resources are utterly spent. We have already sent three ships to neighbouring galaxies, but none have returned, and we have heard nothing. Our people’s last chance is our one last ship…”

Taark hit the next projection:

“… we have left the engineers of the computer Knowledge to look after her. We will return for them when we find another planet…” A tense pause as he gained his composure. “… if we find another planet…” His eyes watered, and he made to speak again, but Taark hit the next projection.

“… this is our last video capsule from Earth. We leave in twenty-four hours. If we should fail however, this is our account. This is the account of Humanity. We were here. We tried, and we hope to try again. I pray that God will guide our quest to continue and try again on another planet. It is our solemn vow…”

Taark hastily closed the projection as she saw the next file in line. It was also the final one. Tentatively, she opened it. This projection was different than the other ones. This one had grainy video and crackling sound. It seemed like a transmission that had been set a very long way. She saw the same Qaasti male as was in the Earth submissions, but he had aged many, many years. He didn’t have the worry on his face that he carried in the previous projections. He looked strong, sure. And unbending.

“Our greetings to our brothers and sisters still on planet Earth. We hope this transmission finds you well.” He paused. “We hope this transmission finds you. The ship carrying five hundred thousand humans has indeed found a new planet. We have established a colony here and have even made contact with a species of extra-terrestrial. Though we intended to return to bring you here to join us on Earth Mark Two, it has been decided by our council that we shall not return for the time being. Our reasons are twofold: one is that our ship can simply not make the trip again. Finding our new home planet, empty yet able to sustain life, was a miracle, and the ship herself sustained much damage and must be properly repaired. To attempt a flight again this soon, we fear, would be disastrous. The second is that we wish to have Earth as a potential to return to one day and hopefully may repopulate it again. To have other humans there to greet us is our greatest hope. You have been left in the safety of the mountain, with the technology to help you sustain life for a number of years. We have every confidence in your abilities. We wish to make it clear that you are not forgotten. You are not cast offs. You are still an important part of the human race, and we shall never forget you. Godspeed and we hope to one day see you again.”

The screen went black.

Taark stood motionless in front of the interface. She could scarcely breathe. She had learned so much in her life. Her life on her planet allowed her to learn everything known in several galaxies. On this mission, she had seen the stars, unknown solar systems and unexplored planets. She saw parts of the Universe that she had never read about in any books. She had found another planet that could sustain Umadi life. She encountered new life not only as a scientist, but had befriended them and loved them as if part of her own family. She was overcome by their history. And yet it all paled to the realization she had just come to:

Her people were the Umadi of Er MharkTa.

Humanity of Earth Mark Two.

Umadi and Qaastos were once one and the same.

 

Taark coughed and her blood splattered the floor. The blade was so sharp that she didn’t notice it push between her ribs, right in the space where they were broken, finding its way through her lung and into her heart. She fell back and saw Luxx standing back from her, clutching the stone dagger. The girl sobbed as she stood there, feet pacing, unsure of what to do next. She made towards Taark, then turned back around, then turned to face her again. She let out a heart wrenching scream that echoed in the cave. Her hand went limp, and the dagger broke against the floor. Taark tried to get up, but her lungs were filling with blood, and what little oxygen she had wasn’t getting to her muscles. She was dying.

Luxx wept bitterly, afraid to come near Taark. She sat and regarded her dearest friend as tears spilled from her eyes.

“Your ancestors left ours to die. They claimed otherwise, but their farce was known. When you told us that you were exploring the galaxies for new planets and knew nothing of ours, I believed you, and I believe you still. You didn’t know about the Mother, or about us. But that’s what breaks my heart. Not only were we left to die, we were forgotten.” She broke off as fresh, hot tears escaped her brave face. Despite it all, Taark wanted to comfort her. 

Luxx looked heartbroken at the sight of Taark, but didn’t move to help at all. She had made her choice, and now, just sat and cried while waiting for the inevitable.

“You once told me that I was smarter than I knew. That I was intelligent. And you’re right, because I know why you came here. You and your crew claimed exploration, but I saw the samples you took, saw how you ingratiated yourselves with us. You intend to colonize. But why? For exploration, for education? No… for survival. Your people have committed the same crime on your new planet as our common ancestors did on this one: the planet was raped and pillaged until it was nearly spent. Imagine that: an organism, our Mother… living, breathing and billions of years old, is killed in a matter of years because of selfishness and hubris. Our ancestors turned to the stars for a second chance, and once again, it was squandered. And what’s more… your people will come here, and we will be treated kindly at first, but then we will be forgotten again, only this time, we will be forgotten while amongst you.”

“None of you will return to your planet. Like the ships that left our planet so long ago and were never heard of again, you will merely be a story that was lost to the stars. Your crew will meet you in the afterlife. We put a sedative in their food last night. They didn't suffer, Taark. I promise. We aren’t doing this out of cruelty. But you… I needed you to know before---” She broke off and struggled to regain her composure, but she relented and allowed her heart to escape her.

“I love you so much, Taark. I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry. But I need to do what’s best for my tribe and the Mother.”

Taark found that she too was crying. In her dying clarity, she knew that Luxx was right. And it terrified her to know that even the most intelligent of beings could still be the most basic.

 Her bloody hand found Luxx’s, and Luxx squeezed with all her might. Taark tried to tell her something, but all that came from her was a blood-soaked gargle. Luxx motioned to her to rest.

“I won’t let go. I promise.”

The sight around the outside of Taark’s vision turned grey and unfocused. She counted herself lucky, to die on an adventure such as this, in this cathedral of Knowledge, holding the hand of one that she loved so dearly as if she were family.

Her last thought brought a slight smile to her face. Perhaps she laughed; she wasn't sure. Without realizing or intending it, she had completed her mission: she had ensured the continuation of Humanity.

With that, Taark closed her eyes and breathed no more.