Dust of a Star

My world was tipped upside down when I got to the station. The one they called Dolhin. There were humans and Eltherâks wandering around. Most were Eltherâk. Especially since this was their base.

I stood in the middle, staring at the large place. I felt as if I shouldn't be here. I wasn't clean enough to be here. I should be back in the slums, with my father. This was way too big for me. Too high up.

“This is the commons,” Hol'ræ said softly. She was walking before me, stopping periodically to say something about the massive place. It was a city in space. It was like New Kor flying above, orbiting Era. I looked at the large table filled room. There were shops and food pavilions all around. Everyone seemed to be here. They were eating every manner of food imaginable. Food synthesized to be exactly like Eltherâk food from Rulvo. With all the nerves in my stomach flying on bug wings, I wasn't hungry. “Let us continue on. Tüvo is expecting you back in three gæs.”

“What does tüvo mean? Gæs?”

“Ah, I apologize. Tüvo is a title for a high council member. Gæ is our measurement of time.” Oh. That made sense now.

“Okay. I got it. So...should I be calling...” I learned quickly with Hol'ræ that I shouldn't be calling Leatho by his given name. Even his surname was a big no-no. Especially for people below them in status. They may believe no one is above another, but recently that had changed. The High Council was above everyone else. And humans that lived in the slums were the worst. Everyone was above humans from the slums. Everyone was above me.

“Tüvo.” She was a stickler for rules.

“Ah, alright. Tüvo wants me back soon then, I take it?” I asked, crossing my arms across my chest. I felt uncomfortable with so many people around me. All of them seemed to be judging me. They just knew I was from the slums. Could it be that I had it tattooed across my forehead? Did I have the smell of the slums still on me? I truly did no know.

Maybe it was the clothes. They were all in their pristine, wrinkle-free robes or Kevlar-like armor. It wasn't Kevlar, but it was close to it. They had silver plates on their shoulders and around their hips. I didn't know why their armor was like that. I would have to ask...another time. Hol'ræ didn't like all my questions when we got to the science center and the armory. I was seeing things new and interesting. So I figured she wouldn't appreciate them now.

There was several different kinds of robes, from the high council ones to more plain and had a crest that I had never seen before. Another thing I wanted to ask about. “Yes, we should be heading back. Tüvo should be done with his work for the moment. Let us head back,” the female said softly. She led the way, even though I could probably get there just fine. When living in the slums, things change all the time, one would have to be very good with their directions to navigate it. I happened to be very good and have a very good memory.

We turned right, passing two soldiers. They glanced at us, eying me more than Hol'ræ. “You look like you don't belong.” What? “You lack confidence. It shows in your body...movements.”

“Language. We humans say body language.”

“Language, Mehej rùnit.” She smiled. It surprised me. She hadn't smiled at my all through this trip around Dolhin. I was beginning to think that she hated me. “You do not walk with your shoulders high or your eyes not on the ground. Confidence goes a long way.” I tilted my head, trying to picture myself looking like a noble because that was the only thing I could think of that had confidence. No one in the slums really has that. They just meander about, minding their own business for the most part.

Hol'ræ grasped my shoulders, pulling them up gently before lifting my chin. “Like that. Now walk. Walk like you own this hallway. That you should be on everyone's mind.” I don't want to be on everyone's mind. I wanted to be unnoticeable and just get whatever Leatho—rather Tüvo needed from me.

She led me down a long hallway and I did my best to look more confident, but I kept reverting back to my normal position. A position that kept me feeling safe and hidden. At least that was what it felt like. I was in the position that she suggested every time she glanced back. I needed to show that I was trying. I was trying to be someone other than what I had been for every day of my life, but it was hard. Very hard.

We arrived at Leatho's door. I just didn't know what was on the other side besides Leatho. Hol'ræ placed her hand against the holographic green screen before putting in a code. I couldn't read the symbols, but I figured it was Eltherôn. There was a pause before the door binged open. It slid, breaking the green holographic screen that seemed to be sealing it. Hol'ræ ducked her head as she entered. I forgot, or rather conveniently did not notice therefore I didn't do the same thing as I entered after her. She nudged me in the ribs at that. I quickly ducked my head as well, adding to my list of growing things to learn and work on.

Number 103: show proper respect when entering rooms.

Leatho glanced from his POD, pausing in whatever he was doing and set the POD down. He laid his hands upon the tablet that went black. “I am glad you are back. We have many things to discuss, Ol'am.” I opened my mouth to ask, but Hol'ræ touched my shoulder. In Eltherâk culture, one only touched another when familiar with them. So that boosted my faith in my belief that Ho'ræ liked me. “Hol'ræ,” She ducked her head with a hand across to her shoulder. She turned to me giving me a look. I have learned that Eltherâks were very expressive with their faces and eyes. The female walked out, leaving me in there with Leatho.

He looked at me with his dark brown eyes. He stared for a moment before gesturing to the stool in front of his glass desk. He sat upon a similar stool. “Um...” I started, not comfortable with this silence. “What did you want to talk about?”

Leatho pulled his POD out from beneath his hands. He tapped a few things before a document came up. He spun it around, showing me the characters on the screen. They looked so different than what I have seen of English. But I didn't know how to read, so I just looked at the document. “That tells you everything.”

“I can't read. At least not that well.” Leatho furrowed his brow, clearly not realizing that people in the slums don't get any education unless sneaking into lessons. But the longer I looked at these characters, the more they formed words, words I couldn't understand, but I knew they were words and I could “read” the characters.

“We have more to do than I first thought. Ol'am, I need you to gather information.”

“Information? Why? You couldn't get someone else to do this?”

He stared, narrowing his eyes just slightly as if I did something wrong. “If you let me finish, I would explain.” Leatho waited a moment, seeing if I would talk once more. I didn't. I bit my tongue and kept my thoughts to myself. “I need you to gather any information about the Hunsal.” Hunsal? “Ever since he came to the position, things have changed. It has been slow, but it is there.” Leatho sighed. “I needed someone that didn't know our customs nor did the others recognize. You fit that perfectly. Also, it can appear to be a charity case as you humans would call it.”

“So your using me and using my father against me to meet your ends,” I stated with a cold tone. I was annoyed, but at the same time, not surprised. Humans have been used since the Ghafer came, by the other races. It seemed only the Vükna didn't use the humans. Eltherâks didn't in the beginning, but now it seemed they were. I was being used. I didn't like being used.

Leatho seemed confused. His eyes flickered across my face, my expression. I knew it showed I was angry. And I was. I was furious that this...this man had the gall, the audacity to use my father to get what he wanted from me. “That was not my intention. If you do not believe me, we will see your father tomorrow. I need your help. You can say no. Go back to living your life like you had before.” He gestured to the POD. I handed it back to him. “I need you.”

“Why? There are plenty of other females in the slums that you could have chosen. Why me? Because you could persuade me with helping my father? Was I the easiest to entrap? What made you choose me?”

“Your skill set.” That stopped me and my rant. My skill set? How could my skills be used here? “You have a special set of skills that Kafnal gave you. Skills that will prove useful in this...situation.” I blinked. How could my skills, whatever he thought them to be, could be helpful here? In this situation? And who is Kafnal? “You seem confused.”

That was all I needed. “I am. Who is Kafnal? And how in the world would my skills be helpful here?” I tossed my hands in the air, frustrated. Leatho, luckily, was patient, more so than I gave him credit for. He seemed to have endless patience with me.

Leatho tapped something upon his POD, bringing something with pictures up. He spun it around, so I could see. “Kafnal is our god of creation with his wife Xabtûl. They created the universe and then in turn other gods. Kafnal is god of fate and judgment. Hence he gave you the skills you posses now.” He took the POD back and brought up a video. One of me stealing the silver from the V28 H fueled truck. The one that set all of this, what ever it may be, in motion.

He played it, showing me the video. He paused it as I knocked the guards out. “How did you know to hit them like that? Intuition. You knocked trained, excuse me, highly trained guards to the ground dazed and unconscious. They didn't have a chance. And once inside,” he pressed play, showing me cutting the wires and jumping in the truck.

I didn't even know they had security bots following, recording the transports. “You only stole three cases. Just enough to pay for your father's treatment.” He paused it once again as I stood in front of the rest of the guards. “You may have been caught this time, but I know you have stolen more. As everyone in...your position would do.” He really did not want to say slums. It was like it was dirty. Improper for him to call it that, even when it was just that.

“Besides not many of the others will think of you as a threat. A human with a record and a charity case. They will think of you as a poor soul and talk. They will tell you more than they would anyone else.” So he was using me, but he wasn't using my father to get me to do it. It was rather a favor for helping him. But what would happen if I failed? What then?

“First, we need to teach you everything about my culture and learn how to read.” Oh boy, that would be a challenge. He must have known that as well. “And then in three weeks we will put it to the test. A charity dinner is planned and that will be your reveal to the others of the High Council and Hunsal.”

“Why should that be that my 'reveal'?” I questioned. “Why would, should I be there?”

“It is a charity event. Everyone of the High Council will be bringing one case they have taken on. Some will be papers and propositions. Others will bring people, like yourself.” Ah, so I wouldn't stand out being the only “charity case” there. Now, I just had to survive the three weeks before that.