the Runner by Peter Ponzo
CHAPTER 3
Blue Lights
At the boy's request, Captain Cruder took Andromeda slowly over the parched plains and dark dry jungles. Runr spent hours staring intently at the televiewer which displayed the ground below. Cruder smiled as he watched the boy. He intended to return to York Sector where he would use his influence to adopt the boy and bypass the months of quarantine. It was early the following day when Cruder announced that he must leave Africa and take the ship into an orbit which would pass over the Americas. Runr wasn't listening. Instead the boy had his eyes closed, moaning and singing softly; a rising and falling wail.
"Runr?" asked the Captain. "It is time."
But Runr continued to sing softly. Cruder looked at the televiewer. It showed a deep canyon with tall spires of stone rising from the bottom. The canyon was rimmed with trees, but the jungle was green and a wide clear river ran winding through the woods. Cruder looked more closely. The spires - they were familiar. He had seen them before. Where?
"Dost thou see that, Runr?" he asked. The boy didn't open his eyes but mumbled softly. "Runr? What sayest thou?"
"Afria," said the boy quietly, with eyes still closed.
Afria! That was where Cruder had seen such spires of stone. Kevn had explained that the stone spires of Afria were once an Afrian city. Were these spires evidence of an Afrian community on earth? The boy was speaking softly. The Captain listened.
"Afria ..." whispered the boy, "my people ... crystals ... they speak."
Cruder stared at the screen. The canyon was somewhat brighter now and seemed to glow, a faint blue shimmer. Runr wailed more loudly. The canyon twinkled with a myriad of blue lights. Then the boy opened his eyes and stared at Captain Cruder.
"Afria. We must go down," he said. "The crystals are there. We must go down."
Cruder immediately typed directives on the keyboard and the great ship swung about and hovered.
"Come, my boy. We will take the shuttle down."
The Captain was as excited as the boy. He had failed in his mission to gain information on Afrian genetics when he had visited the Afrian planet. Were there Afrians here, on earth? Were they still masters of genetic science?
The Captain beckoned to the boy and headed quickly to the shuttle bay.
______________________________________________________
The shuttle landed in the canyon and they climbed out and gazed up at the towering spires. Blue lights glimmered softly everywhere. Runr ran to the nearest tower of stone and placed his hands against the smooth sides. The ground shuddered. Lights danced about his hands. Small stones quivered on the ground as the earth trembled. Cruder backed away toward the shuttle, ready to leave.
"Runr," he called, "we are in danger. This happened on Afria. We must go."
"No Captain, we are welcome. The crystals are happy. They greet us. Wait, I will speak to the crystals. They -"
The ground stopped shuddering but the blue lights increased in intensity. Runr smiled, then fell to his knees and closed his eyes and began to wail. Cruder watched in awe as the wail grew in intensity, rising and falling. The boy was clearly oblivious to everything, as though in a trance. There was an echo, a wailing which rose and fell in harmony with the boy's song. Something was happening. Cruder was frightened. This was something he didn't understand. He began to speak, to insist that they return to the safety of the ship, but the echo grew stronger and Cruder now realized that it was coming closer, approaching from beyond the towering spires, a rising and falling with the blue lights now flashing fiercely and the boy rocking and shaking his head. Suddenly Runr jumped up and stood facing the approaching song, his rusty curls shaking about his head and his green eyes glowing brightly. Now Captain Cruder was really frightened. He didn't understand what was happening - but something strange was certainly happening. That was when the three tall figures appeared.
It all happened as though in slow motion and Cruder stood mesmerized. Runr walked slowly toward the tall figures in blue flowing robes, his hands held high, singing. The three figures approached slowly, hands raised, singing. They stood before each other, singing, the song of the crystals. Slowly, the three circled Runr and placed their hands on his head. Runr fell to his knees, still singing. Cruder looked closely. The tall figures had rust-colored hair which fell in a wild cascade about their shoulders. They leaned over the boy. Their eyes were green, glowing. Then, abruptly, the singing stopped, the blue lights dimmed and Runr jumped up and faced Cruder.
"This is my friend, Captain Jacob Cruder," said Runr, pointing to the Captain. The tall figures bowed deeply in Cruder's direction. The Captain bowed slightly, keeping his eyes on the three.
"We are pleased to greet thee," he said warily and held out his hand. The tall figures approached and took his hand in turn and, in turn, they smiled a bright white smile with gleaming teeth. Cruder relaxed. Anyone who could smile like that could not be all bad.
The tallest figure spoke to him, a singing speech. Cruder didn't understand. Runr sang briefly. The tallest looked at the boy, then at Cruder, then smiled.
"You are welcome, Captain Cruder. I am Tawna. Please follow me."
Tawna turned and they all followed to a tower of stone. Tawna placed a hand on a shiny flat spot and a portion of the stone slid aside revealing a brightly lit interior. Tawna and the other two Afrians entered. Cruder hesitated.
"Why do you stop, Captain Cruder?" asked the boy. "They are our friends."
"Runr, we may be in danger. Do you see that the tallest, Tawna, is carrying some weapon. It in beneath his tunic. I can see the bulge of a weapon at his chest. Why does he carry a weapon -"
"Captain? Why do you fear a weapon? They have no weapons."
"But Tawna, his tunic conceals -"
Runr laughed.
"Captain, Tawna carries no weapon. She is our friend."
"She? Tawna is a she? But, I thought ... " Cruder blushed, then smiled. Runr turned and entered the doorway in the rock and Cruder followed. Tawna was waiting, alone. The others had gone. Cruder stared intently at her long robe which fell in rolling blue folds from her shoulders to her ankles. Tawna smiled and sang to Runr.
"Captain?" said the boy. "Tawna asks that you not stare."
Cruder straightened quickly, coughed and stared straight ahead into the depths of the tower. Tawna smiled and turned and they followed her.
Then they saw the Afrian community within the tower of stone.
The interior of the tower was spacious and clearly extended beyond the periphery of the tower. The roof soared above them in a series of rising columns through which sunlight streamed, lighting the cavernous interior. Cruder gasped. Each skylight terminated in one of the towers of stone which had filled the canyon where they landed the shuttle. The floor of the interior was tiled, brightly colored in intricate patterns with walkways which radiated from the center, joining numerous small conical buildings. At the center of the radiating walkways was a tower of crystal, carved in rising spirals and tapering to a narrow column which reached to the roof. The tower was blue, glowing, vibrating with light. Tawna stopped and sang to Runr.
"Captain? Tawna says that the crystal tower is their keeper."
"Their keeper?" asked the Captain. "I do not understand."
"It gives them warm rains and green jungles and -"
"Is it the crystal of Afria?"
"Yes, it is from Afria," answered the boy delightedly. Cruder became excited.
"Ask Tawna, did they come from Afria? Do they continue the genetics of their home planet? Have they unlocked the secrets -"
"We are Afrians," said Tawna. "We have settled here and continue the ways of the Afrians. There is no need for genetic experimentation. We are perfect. Our forefathers have left us the secrets of Afria, but we need them not. Look about you. Our people are perfect. I am perfect. Do you not agree?"
Captain Cruder looked at Tawna. He had avoided staring but accepted eagerly the invitation and now looked ve
ry carefully. She was tall, statuesque, beautiful, with high cheek bones and glowing green eyes. Her ebony skin glowed. Tawna shook her head in response to the Captain's stares. The curls which fell from her head cascaded in rolling curl to the middle of her back. She smiled widely and her teeth were white jewels. She straightened and thrust out her chest. The blue robe immediately hung straight from her rising breasts. Tawna lifted her robe. Cruder coughed and looked away. Runr sang briefly and the tall Afrian smiled and let her robe fall.
"Yes," stuttered Cruder, "thou art most perfect."
"Yes," answered Tawna, "I am most perfect. Come. You will meet the Afrians."
She turned and walked toward a building on the far side of the blue crystal tower which dominated the center of the plaza. Other tall and elegant Afrians walked the pathways. They stopped to gaze at Cruder. Runr smiled gleefully; he was ignored. He was one of them. Cruder was the outsider.
When they passed the crystal tower, Tawna touched it briefly and lights flashed about her hand. Cruder gave it a wide birth but Runr stopped and placed his hands on the smooth tower. Tawna looked back at the boy and smiled.
The tower shuddered and burst into brilliant spears of blue light. Cruder jumped back. Tawna stopped smiling. Other Afrians stopped and stared at the tower. It illuminated the entire plaza in a bright shimmering light. They began to gather about the base of the tower, bowing and singing. Soon there was a crowd. They all raised their hands and sang, a rising and falling wail. Tawna was singing. The lights of the tower followed the rhythm. Runr was now on his knees, hands firmly on the crystal tower, his head buried in his chest, eyes closed, moaning and singing softly. Then the boy rose, opened his eyes and looked up at the tower. It stopped shining. The crowd stopped singing and stared at the boy. Captain Cruder leaned forward and whispered to Runr.
"What has happened? What hast thou done? Dost thou -"
Tawna raised her hand and Cruder stopped whispering.
"Your powers over the crystal, they are great," said Tawna. "How do you know the ways of the crystal?" She spoke almost reverently. The other Afrians leaned forward, staring in awe at the boy.
"I know the crystals on my planet," answered Runr quietly. "My planet was ... it was alive, with these crystals."
Tawna looked intently at the boy. "Afria? Was Afria your planet?" she asked.
"No, I don't think so. I only remember a planet - it has no name - I don't know its name. Gry called it C-phon3. I do not know its name."
The Captain coughed quietly and Tawna looked at him, encouraging him to explain. "The boy grew up on a planet close to Afria. It was one of the three planets in the Krono-sector which were sentient. It was, somehow, alive, like Afria. The boy -"
Tawna gasped as did several of the nearby Afrians.
"Afria-gamma," they whispered. "The boy comes from Afria-gamma."
The crowd backed away, whispering among themselves. Then they parted as an old black woman stepped forward. She was bent and leaned heavily on a cane. Tawna raised her hand and the whispering stopped. The old woman spoke:
"My child, do you remember your parents?" Runr shook his head. "Then I will tell you a story." The old woman looked about and someone brought her a stool. She sat. Runr sat beside her. Everyone sat. The old woman continued.
"The planet Afria, it was angered by the atrocities which were wrought against the environment and it destroyed the community. Some escaped. Some returned to earth to establish another community. Eventually we settled here and began again. Others attempted to land on the Afrian sister planets ... and were destroyed. Then, some years ago, a child was born in this community. It was a remarkable child. The crystal tower shone for days after the birth of this man-child. The parents of the child came here, to this tower, each day to worship at the tower. Others watched."
The crowd was absolutely quiet. Everyone was familiar with the story. They had repeated it countless times among themselves and to their children. The old woman continued.
"One day they came here and waited for the others to come. The tower shook. The others came and sang. The parents held up the child. They had had a dream. The child was to return to Afria. It would tame the planet. It could control the crystals. One day we could return to Afria. The child would tame the planet."
The old woman paused and coughed into her withered hand. Her voice had weakened considerably and everyone was leaning forward, listening intently, but none so intently as Runr. She continued.
"The parents left with the miracle child, into the sky, to the planet Afria. The crystal tower shook for days. We were afraid. The rains did not come for months. The jungle began to wither. Dark clouds covered the sky and there was little sunlight. Our plants began to die ... the waters of the river turned dark. We were afraid and prayed for the return of the miracle child, but the parents of the child were never seen again. Then, one day, the sky cleared and it began to rain, a warm gentle rain. The jungle grew green again. The sky was blue again ... but the tower has never again shone so brilliantly as the day the child left."
The old woman rose and looked at the tower. "Never so brilliantly as this day." She looked down on Runr and placed her hand on his curly head. "My son, you are that miracle child. Our tower knows ... you have returned ... it speaks to us with a joyful heart. It speaks to all of us with a joyful heart."
The crowd began to chant, to sing, and the tower began to glow.
______________________________________________________
Tawna finished first. Cruder and Runr kept eating from the plate of vegetables and meats, hot and spicy. It had been too long since they had tasted anything but cold dried meat and bread. Tawna watched quietly, pleased at their appetite. When Captain Cruder finally leaned back and wiped his mouth he looked up at Tawna.
"There was an African village. The boy was there. They were not friendly."
"Yes," said Tawna. "When our forefathers returned to earth they landed at that village. It was the original home of the Afrians, before they left for the planet Afria. They tried to change the ways of the people; they grew the crystals and the rains came - and the birds and clear waters, but the people could not speak to the crystals. Young Afrians were placed in the community, to grow and start a new society which knew the ways of the crystal. The crystals were instructed to continue the warm and happy environment, and the Afrians left. It was here, within these towers that we began our new home."
Runr sang to Tawna. She answered, "Yes Runr, they killed the Afrian children. They expected too much. They did not see the bright future that was assured them, but the crystals will look after their needs, as long as they are not wicked. It is the most that we can do."
Tawna straightened and stroked her long rolling curls. "We are different. We are no longer Africans. We are Afrians. We are perfect." Tawna looked intently at Runr. "And you, Runr. You are the most perfect. The crystals listen to us but the crystals are our masters. But you ... you are master of the crystals."
Captain Cruder coughed quietly. Tawna looked at him and waited. The Captain leaned forward. "The story that the old woman told. She didst speak of a dream - Runr's parents had a dream. Dost thou know more of this dream?"
"The dream said they should return to Afria. If Runr came from a sister planet then perhaps that is what the dream commanded - that they bring the child to Afria-gamma, a sister planet. I know no more of their dream."
"I have dreams," said Runr excitedly. "I have dreams. I do not understand them, but there are dreams." Tawna frowned, then sang to Runr.
"Please?" asked Cruder.
Tawna continued in English. "Your dreams, do they tell you what you must do? Do they tell you of the future? Do they warn you of dangers? Do they -"
"Yes! Yes!" cried Runr. "They sometimes frighten me. I cannot understand them all - but sometimes they seem to tell of things which do happen."
Tawna rose, straight and tall. "You must stay here. You must tell us of your dreams. You mu
st lead us to a perfect future."
Runr lowered his head. "Tawna? I must go to Afria. That is the home of my people. I must go to Afria. I've always known that. I must go to Afria."
"Then it is clear, we will follow you to Afria," said Tawna with an air of finality. "Your people will follow you. Yours is the promise, to tame the crystal planets, to begin again a community in harmony with the land and waters of Afria. Tomorrow we will tell your people. They will rejoice. They long to return to Afria. You will lead us. Now we will sleep."
Tawna spoke with such command that Cruder wouldn't, couldn't disagree. He wasn't tired, but he lay on the cot which Tawna had prepared. She slept in an adjoining room. Runr curled up on a blanket and fell fast asleep. Cruder was awake for some time. If the boy led them back to Afria, should he go too? Could he learn from the Afrians - a cure for the gene which infected his people? He fell asleep thinking of a perfect future free of the devil gene.
______________________________________________________
When Cruder awoke both Runr and Tawna were gone. He left the building and wandered the empty walkways. He heard the cries from the crystal tower and ran. He was exhausted when he reached the milling crowd. Tawna was speaking.
"... and those who are chosen to return to Afria will gather at the space ships in two days. There will be room for three hundred. Families with children will be chosen first, then man and woman pairs, then single persons. The selection will begin immediately. The others will stay here. We will return when the new Afria has been established. Those who wish to stay on earth may do so. For the selection process, give your names to the keeper. The selection will be made tomorrow morning ... "
The crowd was whispering, pointing at Runr who stood by Tawna on the platform. Runr was excited and rocked from foot to foot. The tower soared above them, winking blue. When Tawna had finished there was a general motion in the direction of the tower. A lineup formed. They were entering their names, spoken quietly to the blinking crystals. Cruder hadn't noticed the videomonitor at the base of the tower. Now it displayed the names of those who had indicated their desire to leave for Afria.
For the next two days the cavern was alive with tall black figures hurrying, carrying bundles, boxes, cases - to a series of doors which ran along one long wall of the cavern. The selection process had been completed, but even those who had requested and were refused ran with excitement and provided help and encouragement.
At last the time came to leave. Those who were chosen lined up by the doors and the others stood back, waving. An exceptionally tall man with long hair which ran in woven rivulets down the sides of his head stepped onto a platform and began to speak:
"Afrians! We will need your prayers! Within the hour we will leave for our new home! Keep your hearts full of joy and wait for our return! Please the crystal! Make it rejoice in your worthiness!" Then he withdrew a slender rod from his robe and held it aloft. There was a grinding, then a resonant hum. The entire wall of the cavern began to move. Beyond the opening Captain Cruder could see the space ships; four large spheroidal vessels with blinking lights and stairways which extended to the ground. The line of Afrians moved forward and began to ascend the stairs. Cruder looked at Tawna. She nodded her head and began to walk toward the ships. Runr and Cruder followed. When they had reached the stairs, Tawna stopped and stepped aside to let the line continue.
"Captain Jacob Cruder," she said quietly, "we thank you for returning our miracle child to us." Tawna looked down at Runr who stood by her side and ran her hand through his hair. "Now we must leave - and you must leave. We have understood your request for a cure for the devil gene which aggrieves your people. Return to your people and tell them that we shall provide such a cure. When next we meet, we will come with this gift of life."
Cruder bowed then backed away, looking at Runr standing proud and black by the tall Afrian. The boy was wearing a bright blue tunic. Then Runr ran to the Captain and threw his arms about him.
"Oh, Captain! I am so happy!" he cried.
"We shall miss thee, my son," Cruder whispered into the boy's ear. "May God guide thee safely to Afria and give thee the wisdom to lead thy people."
Then Cruder turned swiftly and walked away, hiding his tears. Runr watched him vanish among the crowd then ran back to Tawna. The line of Afrians stopped climbing the stairs to let them pass, and several began to bow and to sing. Soon, the entire black community was singing and the crystal tower shone brightly blue.
______________________________________________________
By the time Cruder had reached his shuttle the first of the space ships was rising slowly from a great opening which had appeared in the ground. He watched as three others joined the first, then hovered for several minutes. Cruder was sure he heard singing. He watched as the four ships rose and vanished into the bright sky, then he turned and climbed into the shuttle. He waited for some time before he started the engine. He wiped the last tear from his cheek and the shuttle rose quickly and entered Andromeda . In a few minutes, his space ship was gone.
A warm breeze ran through the jungle and it began to rain softly. A flock of doves rose in a flurry from the canyon and the stone spires gleamed, shimmering blue in the gentle rain. From the depths of the canyon came a wailing, a rising and falling. One day the boy would return. One day he would lead them back to Afria.
Blue Lights
At the boy's request, Captain Cruder took Andromeda slowly over the parched plains and dark dry jungles. Runr spent hours staring intently at the televiewer which displayed the ground below. Cruder smiled as he watched the boy. He intended to return to York Sector where he would use his influence to adopt the boy and bypass the months of quarantine. It was early the following day when Cruder announced that he must leave Africa and take the ship into an orbit which would pass over the Americas. Runr wasn't listening. Instead the boy had his eyes closed, moaning and singing softly; a rising and falling wail.
"Runr?" asked the Captain. "It is time."
But Runr continued to sing softly. Cruder looked at the televiewer. It showed a deep canyon with tall spires of stone rising from the bottom. The canyon was rimmed with trees, but the jungle was green and a wide clear river ran winding through the woods. Cruder looked more closely. The spires - they were familiar. He had seen them before. Where?
"Dost thou see that, Runr?" he asked. The boy didn't open his eyes but mumbled softly. "Runr? What sayest thou?"
"Afria," said the boy quietly, with eyes still closed.
Afria! That was where Cruder had seen such spires of stone. Kevn had explained that the stone spires of Afria were once an Afrian city. Were these spires evidence of an Afrian community on earth? The boy was speaking softly. The Captain listened.
"Afria ..." whispered the boy, "my people ... crystals ... they speak."
Cruder stared at the screen. The canyon was somewhat brighter now and seemed to glow, a faint blue shimmer. Runr wailed more loudly. The canyon twinkled with a myriad of blue lights. Then the boy opened his eyes and stared at Captain Cruder.
"Afria. We must go down," he said. "The crystals are there. We must go down."
Cruder immediately typed directives on the keyboard and the great ship swung about and hovered.
"Come, my boy. We will take the shuttle down."
The Captain was as excited as the boy. He had failed in his mission to gain information on Afrian genetics when he had visited the Afrian planet. Were there Afrians here, on earth? Were they still masters of genetic science?
The Captain beckoned to the boy and headed quickly to the shuttle bay.
______________________________________________________
The shuttle landed in the canyon and they climbed out and gazed up at the towering spires. Blue lights glimmered softly everywhere. Runr ran to the nearest tower of stone and placed his hands against the smooth sides. The ground shuddered. Lights danced about his hands. Small stones quivered on the ground as the earth trembled. Cruder backed away toward the shuttle, ready to leave.
"Runr," he called, "we are in danger. This happened on Afria. We must go."
"No Captain, we are welcome. The crystals are happy. They greet us. Wait, I will speak to the crystals. They -"
The ground stopped shuddering but the blue lights increased in intensity. Runr smiled, then fell to his knees and closed his eyes and began to wail. Cruder watched in awe as the wail grew in intensity, rising and falling. The boy was clearly oblivious to everything, as though in a trance. There was an echo, a wailing which rose and fell in harmony with the boy's song. Something was happening. Cruder was frightened. This was something he didn't understand. He began to speak, to insist that they return to the safety of the ship, but the echo grew stronger and Cruder now realized that it was coming closer, approaching from beyond the towering spires, a rising and falling with the blue lights now flashing fiercely and the boy rocking and shaking his head. Suddenly Runr jumped up and stood facing the approaching song, his rusty curls shaking about his head and his green eyes glowing brightly. Now Captain Cruder was really frightened. He didn't understand what was happening - but something strange was certainly happening. That was when the three tall figures appeared.
It all happened as though in slow motion and Cruder stood mesmerized. Runr walked slowly toward the tall figures in blue flowing robes, his hands held high, singing. The three figures approached slowly, hands raised, singing. They stood before each other, singing, the song of the crystals. Slowly, the three circled Runr and placed their hands on his head. Runr fell to his knees, still singing. Cruder looked closely. The tall figures had rust-colored hair which fell in a wild cascade about their shoulders. They leaned over the boy. Their eyes were green, glowing. Then, abruptly, the singing stopped, the blue lights dimmed and Runr jumped up and faced Cruder.
"This is my friend, Captain Jacob Cruder," said Runr, pointing to the Captain. The tall figures bowed deeply in Cruder's direction. The Captain bowed slightly, keeping his eyes on the three.
"We are pleased to greet thee," he said warily and held out his hand. The tall figures approached and took his hand in turn and, in turn, they smiled a bright white smile with gleaming teeth. Cruder relaxed. Anyone who could smile like that could not be all bad.
The tallest figure spoke to him, a singing speech. Cruder didn't understand. Runr sang briefly. The tallest looked at the boy, then at Cruder, then smiled.
"You are welcome, Captain Cruder. I am Tawna. Please follow me."
Tawna turned and they all followed to a tower of stone. Tawna placed a hand on a shiny flat spot and a portion of the stone slid aside revealing a brightly lit interior. Tawna and the other two Afrians entered. Cruder hesitated.
"Why do you stop, Captain Cruder?" asked the boy. "They are our friends."
"Runr, we may be in danger. Do you see that the tallest, Tawna, is carrying some weapon. It in beneath his tunic. I can see the bulge of a weapon at his chest. Why does he carry a weapon -"
"Captain? Why do you fear a weapon? They have no weapons."
"But Tawna, his tunic conceals -"
Runr laughed.
"Captain, Tawna carries no weapon. She is our friend."
"She? Tawna is a she? But, I thought ... " Cruder blushed, then smiled. Runr turned and entered the doorway in the rock and Cruder followed. Tawna was waiting, alone. The others had gone. Cruder stared intently at her long robe which fell in rolling blue folds from her shoulders to her ankles. Tawna smiled and sang to Runr.
"Captain?" said the boy. "Tawna asks that you not stare."
Cruder straightened quickly, coughed and stared straight ahead into the depths of the tower. Tawna smiled and turned and they followed her.
Then they saw the Afrian community within the tower of stone.
The interior of the tower was spacious and clearly extended beyond the periphery of the tower. The roof soared above them in a series of rising columns through which sunlight streamed, lighting the cavernous interior. Cruder gasped. Each skylight terminated in one of the towers of stone which had filled the canyon where they landed the shuttle. The floor of the interior was tiled, brightly colored in intricate patterns with walkways which radiated from the center, joining numerous small conical buildings. At the center of the radiating walkways was a tower of crystal, carved in rising spirals and tapering to a narrow column which reached to the roof. The tower was blue, glowing, vibrating with light. Tawna stopped and sang to Runr.
"Captain? Tawna says that the crystal tower is their keeper."
"Their keeper?" asked the Captain. "I do not understand."
"It gives them warm rains and green jungles and -"
"Is it the crystal of Afria?"
"Yes, it is from Afria," answered the boy delightedly. Cruder became excited.
"Ask Tawna, did they come from Afria? Do they continue the genetics of their home planet? Have they unlocked the secrets -"
"We are Afrians," said Tawna. "We have settled here and continue the ways of the Afrians. There is no need for genetic experimentation. We are perfect. Our forefathers have left us the secrets of Afria, but we need them not. Look about you. Our people are perfect. I am perfect. Do you not agree?"
Captain Cruder looked at Tawna. He had avoided staring but accepted eagerly the invitation and now looked ve
"Yes," stuttered Cruder, "thou art most perfect."
"Yes," answered Tawna, "I am most perfect. Come. You will meet the Afrians."
She turned and walked toward a building on the far side of the blue crystal tower which dominated the center of the plaza. Other tall and elegant Afrians walked the pathways. They stopped to gaze at Cruder. Runr smiled gleefully; he was ignored. He was one of them. Cruder was the outsider.
When they passed the crystal tower, Tawna touched it briefly and lights flashed about her hand. Cruder gave it a wide birth but Runr stopped and placed his hands on the smooth tower. Tawna looked back at the boy and smiled.
The tower shuddered and burst into brilliant spears of blue light. Cruder jumped back. Tawna stopped smiling. Other Afrians stopped and stared at the tower. It illuminated the entire plaza in a bright shimmering light. They began to gather about the base of the tower, bowing and singing. Soon there was a crowd. They all raised their hands and sang, a rising and falling wail. Tawna was singing. The lights of the tower followed the rhythm. Runr was now on his knees, hands firmly on the crystal tower, his head buried in his chest, eyes closed, moaning and singing softly. Then the boy rose, opened his eyes and looked up at the tower. It stopped shining. The crowd stopped singing and stared at the boy. Captain Cruder leaned forward and whispered to Runr.
"What has happened? What hast thou done? Dost thou -"
Tawna raised her hand and Cruder stopped whispering.
"Your powers over the crystal, they are great," said Tawna. "How do you know the ways of the crystal?" She spoke almost reverently. The other Afrians leaned forward, staring in awe at the boy.
"I know the crystals on my planet," answered Runr quietly. "My planet was ... it was alive, with these crystals."
Tawna looked intently at the boy. "Afria? Was Afria your planet?" she asked.
"No, I don't think so. I only remember a planet - it has no name - I don't know its name. Gry called it C-phon3. I do not know its name."
The Captain coughed quietly and Tawna looked at him, encouraging him to explain. "The boy grew up on a planet close to Afria. It was one of the three planets in the Krono-sector which were sentient. It was, somehow, alive, like Afria. The boy -"
Tawna gasped as did several of the nearby Afrians.
"Afria-gamma," they whispered. "The boy comes from Afria-gamma."
The crowd backed away, whispering among themselves. Then they parted as an old black woman stepped forward. She was bent and leaned heavily on a cane. Tawna raised her hand and the whispering stopped. The old woman spoke:
"My child, do you remember your parents?" Runr shook his head. "Then I will tell you a story." The old woman looked about and someone brought her a stool. She sat. Runr sat beside her. Everyone sat. The old woman continued.
"The planet Afria, it was angered by the atrocities which were wrought against the environment and it destroyed the community. Some escaped. Some returned to earth to establish another community. Eventually we settled here and began again. Others attempted to land on the Afrian sister planets ... and were destroyed. Then, some years ago, a child was born in this community. It was a remarkable child. The crystal tower shone for days after the birth of this man-child. The parents of the child came here, to this tower, each day to worship at the tower. Others watched."
The crowd was absolutely quiet. Everyone was familiar with the story. They had repeated it countless times among themselves and to their children. The old woman continued.
"One day they came here and waited for the others to come. The tower shook. The others came and sang. The parents held up the child. They had had a dream. The child was to return to Afria. It would tame the planet. It could control the crystals. One day we could return to Afria. The child would tame the planet."
The old woman paused and coughed into her withered hand. Her voice had weakened considerably and everyone was leaning forward, listening intently, but none so intently as Runr. She continued.
"The parents left with the miracle child, into the sky, to the planet Afria. The crystal tower shook for days. We were afraid. The rains did not come for months. The jungle began to wither. Dark clouds covered the sky and there was little sunlight. Our plants began to die ... the waters of the river turned dark. We were afraid and prayed for the return of the miracle child, but the parents of the child were never seen again. Then, one day, the sky cleared and it began to rain, a warm gentle rain. The jungle grew green again. The sky was blue again ... but the tower has never again shone so brilliantly as the day the child left."
The old woman rose and looked at the tower. "Never so brilliantly as this day." She looked down on Runr and placed her hand on his curly head. "My son, you are that miracle child. Our tower knows ... you have returned ... it speaks to us with a joyful heart. It speaks to all of us with a joyful heart."
The crowd began to chant, to sing, and the tower began to glow.
______________________________________________________
Tawna finished first. Cruder and Runr kept eating from the plate of vegetables and meats, hot and spicy. It had been too long since they had tasted anything but cold dried meat and bread. Tawna watched quietly, pleased at their appetite. When Captain Cruder finally leaned back and wiped his mouth he looked up at Tawna.
"There was an African village. The boy was there. They were not friendly."
"Yes," said Tawna. "When our forefathers returned to earth they landed at that village. It was the original home of the Afrians, before they left for the planet Afria. They tried to change the ways of the people; they grew the crystals and the rains came - and the birds and clear waters, but the people could not speak to the crystals. Young Afrians were placed in the community, to grow and start a new society which knew the ways of the crystal. The crystals were instructed to continue the warm and happy environment, and the Afrians left. It was here, within these towers that we began our new home."
Runr sang to Tawna. She answered, "Yes Runr, they killed the Afrian children. They expected too much. They did not see the bright future that was assured them, but the crystals will look after their needs, as long as they are not wicked. It is the most that we can do."
Tawna straightened and stroked her long rolling curls. "We are different. We are no longer Africans. We are Afrians. We are perfect." Tawna looked intently at Runr. "And you, Runr. You are the most perfect. The crystals listen to us but the crystals are our masters. But you ... you are master of the crystals."
Captain Cruder coughed quietly. Tawna looked at him and waited. The Captain leaned forward. "The story that the old woman told. She didst speak of a dream - Runr's parents had a dream. Dost thou know more of this dream?"
"The dream said they should return to Afria. If Runr came from a sister planet then perhaps that is what the dream commanded - that they bring the child to Afria-gamma, a sister planet. I know no more of their dream."
"I have dreams," said Runr excitedly. "I have dreams. I do not understand them, but there are dreams." Tawna frowned, then sang to Runr.
"Please?" asked Cruder.
Tawna continued in English. "Your dreams, do they tell you what you must do? Do they tell you of the future? Do they warn you of dangers? Do they -"
"Yes! Yes!" cried Runr. "They sometimes frighten me. I cannot understand them all - but sometimes they seem to tell of things which do happen."
Tawna rose, straight and tall. "You must stay here. You must tell us of your dreams. You mu
Runr lowered his head. "Tawna? I must go to Afria. That is the home of my people. I must go to Afria. I've always known that. I must go to Afria."
"Then it is clear, we will follow you to Afria," said Tawna with an air of finality. "Your people will follow you. Yours is the promise, to tame the crystal planets, to begin again a community in harmony with the land and waters of Afria. Tomorrow we will tell your people. They will rejoice. They long to return to Afria. You will lead us. Now we will sleep."
Tawna spoke with such command that Cruder wouldn't, couldn't disagree. He wasn't tired, but he lay on the cot which Tawna had prepared. She slept in an adjoining room. Runr curled up on a blanket and fell fast asleep. Cruder was awake for some time. If the boy led them back to Afria, should he go too? Could he learn from the Afrians - a cure for the gene which infected his people? He fell asleep thinking of a perfect future free of the devil gene.
______________________________________________________
When Cruder awoke both Runr and Tawna were gone. He left the building and wandered the empty walkways. He heard the cries from the crystal tower and ran. He was exhausted when he reached the milling crowd. Tawna was speaking.
"... and those who are chosen to return to Afria will gather at the space ships in two days. There will be room for three hundred. Families with children will be chosen first, then man and woman pairs, then single persons. The selection will begin immediately. The others will stay here. We will return when the new Afria has been established. Those who wish to stay on earth may do so. For the selection process, give your names to the keeper. The selection will be made tomorrow morning ... "
The crowd was whispering, pointing at Runr who stood by Tawna on the platform. Runr was excited and rocked from foot to foot. The tower soared above them, winking blue. When Tawna had finished there was a general motion in the direction of the tower. A lineup formed. They were entering their names, spoken quietly to the blinking crystals. Cruder hadn't noticed the videomonitor at the base of the tower. Now it displayed the names of those who had indicated their desire to leave for Afria.
For the next two days the cavern was alive with tall black figures hurrying, carrying bundles, boxes, cases - to a series of doors which ran along one long wall of the cavern. The selection process had been completed, but even those who had requested and were refused ran with excitement and provided help and encouragement.
At last the time came to leave. Those who were chosen lined up by the doors and the others stood back, waving. An exceptionally tall man with long hair which ran in woven rivulets down the sides of his head stepped onto a platform and began to speak:
"Afrians! We will need your prayers! Within the hour we will leave for our new home! Keep your hearts full of joy and wait for our return! Please the crystal! Make it rejoice in your worthiness!" Then he withdrew a slender rod from his robe and held it aloft. There was a grinding, then a resonant hum. The entire wall of the cavern began to move. Beyond the opening Captain Cruder could see the space ships; four large spheroidal vessels with blinking lights and stairways which extended to the ground. The line of Afrians moved forward and began to ascend the stairs. Cruder looked at Tawna. She nodded her head and began to walk toward the ships. Runr and Cruder followed. When they had reached the stairs, Tawna stopped and stepped aside to let the line continue.
"Captain Jacob Cruder," she said quietly, "we thank you for returning our miracle child to us." Tawna looked down at Runr who stood by her side and ran her hand through his hair. "Now we must leave - and you must leave. We have understood your request for a cure for the devil gene which aggrieves your people. Return to your people and tell them that we shall provide such a cure. When next we meet, we will come with this gift of life."
Cruder bowed then backed away, looking at Runr standing proud and black by the tall Afrian. The boy was wearing a bright blue tunic. Then Runr ran to the Captain and threw his arms about him.
"Oh, Captain! I am so happy!" he cried.
"We shall miss thee, my son," Cruder whispered into the boy's ear. "May God guide thee safely to Afria and give thee the wisdom to lead thy people."
Then Cruder turned swiftly and walked away, hiding his tears. Runr watched him vanish among the crowd then ran back to Tawna. The line of Afrians stopped climbing the stairs to let them pass, and several began to bow and to sing. Soon, the entire black community was singing and the crystal tower shone brightly blue.
______________________________________________________
By the time Cruder had reached his shuttle the first of the space ships was rising slowly from a great opening which had appeared in the ground. He watched as three others joined the first, then hovered for several minutes. Cruder was sure he heard singing. He watched as the four ships rose and vanished into the bright sky, then he turned and climbed into the shuttle. He waited for some time before he started the engine. He wiped the last tear from his cheek and the shuttle rose quickly and entered Andromeda . In a few minutes, his space ship was gone.
A warm breeze ran through the jungle and it began to rain softly. A flock of doves rose in a flurry from the canyon and the stone spires gleamed, shimmering blue in the gentle rain. From the depths of the canyon came a wailing, a rising and falling. One day the boy would return. One day he would lead them back to Afria.