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icarusThe Walls of Jericho - 12 (from part 1 here)
by Icarus
Daniel calmed his breathing and with an effort slowed his stride. He nodded politely to a pair of aliens he passed in the halls. They bowed, but then edged around him.
He was a mature adult. Just because Jack wasn't didn't mean he would let his mood get in the way of a golden opportunity for research. Daniel knew it was childish to gleefully take Jack at his word, happy it would piss him off… annnnd he didn't care.
The aliens hadn't said if strangers could wander their city, and based on the looks people gave him Daniel was beginning to suspect that it wasn't allowed. But he could apologize later. Sincerely.
He gazed up at the beautiful pillars. There was no writing that he could find; or recognize anyway. He turned the corner and glanced around at the open 'city' street, deciding where to go first. There was no real indication of a city center, no 'this way to the library/temple/something interesting' sign, so Daniel made a small helpless gesture and decided… okay, left.
He wandered at random, vaguely hoping he remembered the way back, until he found a section where the caverns grew steadily more crude, less decorative and more functional. The glow of the various cloth-covered entryways were spaced evenly apart here. Daniel rubbed the back of his head and guessed that he'd found some sort of residential street. The cloth doorways suggested a very low crime rate, possibly a small community with close family ties.
Or it could mean something entirely different. He had too little information.
The smooth stone streets were empty, and Daniel wondered where everyone had gone. A curfew? Or perhaps a religious ceremony? Everything indicated a regimented society, and their guide had placed a high significance on their wearing the gate symbol. Jack's voice came back to him - irritating because he was still mad at him - with a joke about his missing the obvious.
Daniel slapped his forehead. Of course. It was dinner time.
Which he was going to miss, and he was hungry, and so far he had accomplished nothing. He turned to leave. Hel-lo….
There was an odd puddle of light, over near the doorstep of one of the, well, houses was a bit of stretch. A child, no more than eight or nine - though who knew with alien physiology - sat playing with a collection of glowing balls.
Daniel approached, and squatted down across from him. He remembered these people didn't smile for whatever reason. It might have a different meaning in their culture.
"Hi," he said, and kept his face serious.
The kid glanced up, blinked at him, then continued to play. The glowing ball radiated heat, then broke off into two smaller balls.
"What have you got there? Looks like fun."
The little boy held up a couple of pebbles, a perfunctory gesture, and returned to his game. Whatever it was.
"Rocks?" Daniel picked up a stray stone and showed it to him.
The little boy made a disdainful face and shook his head, showing him the pebbles in his hand again with a curt nod. One was green, and the other white-ish; or maybe yellow, it was hard to tell in this light. As the kid turned away to show him, the globes melted behind him into a glowing, golden puddle… molten.
Daniel stared, light flickering off his glasses, as the kid held up the pebbles again, demonstrating patiently like Daniel was a little slow. At his gesture, the molten lava raised off the ground and twisted into a complex form, vaguely bird-like.
A woman's voice called out from the house. The little boy got up, ran the pebbles up and down the form hastily and it stopped twisting and froze into place. A few final orange flickers ran along its surface. He waved to Daniel as he ran inside.
Daniel lifted his hand, a little too late to wave back.
He carefully touched the shape -- then jerked his hand away. The basalt was still hot.
Part 13 here.
by Icarus
Daniel calmed his breathing and with an effort slowed his stride. He nodded politely to a pair of aliens he passed in the halls. They bowed, but then edged around him.
He was a mature adult. Just because Jack wasn't didn't mean he would let his mood get in the way of a golden opportunity for research. Daniel knew it was childish to gleefully take Jack at his word, happy it would piss him off… annnnd he didn't care.
The aliens hadn't said if strangers could wander their city, and based on the looks people gave him Daniel was beginning to suspect that it wasn't allowed. But he could apologize later. Sincerely.
He gazed up at the beautiful pillars. There was no writing that he could find; or recognize anyway. He turned the corner and glanced around at the open 'city' street, deciding where to go first. There was no real indication of a city center, no 'this way to the library/temple/something interesting' sign, so Daniel made a small helpless gesture and decided… okay, left.
He wandered at random, vaguely hoping he remembered the way back, until he found a section where the caverns grew steadily more crude, less decorative and more functional. The glow of the various cloth-covered entryways were spaced evenly apart here. Daniel rubbed the back of his head and guessed that he'd found some sort of residential street. The cloth doorways suggested a very low crime rate, possibly a small community with close family ties.
Or it could mean something entirely different. He had too little information.
The smooth stone streets were empty, and Daniel wondered where everyone had gone. A curfew? Or perhaps a religious ceremony? Everything indicated a regimented society, and their guide had placed a high significance on their wearing the gate symbol. Jack's voice came back to him - irritating because he was still mad at him - with a joke about his missing the obvious.
Daniel slapped his forehead. Of course. It was dinner time.
Which he was going to miss, and he was hungry, and so far he had accomplished nothing. He turned to leave. Hel-lo….
There was an odd puddle of light, over near the doorstep of one of the, well, houses was a bit of stretch. A child, no more than eight or nine - though who knew with alien physiology - sat playing with a collection of glowing balls.
Daniel approached, and squatted down across from him. He remembered these people didn't smile for whatever reason. It might have a different meaning in their culture.
"Hi," he said, and kept his face serious.
The kid glanced up, blinked at him, then continued to play. The glowing ball radiated heat, then broke off into two smaller balls.
"What have you got there? Looks like fun."
The little boy held up a couple of pebbles, a perfunctory gesture, and returned to his game. Whatever it was.
"Rocks?" Daniel picked up a stray stone and showed it to him.
The little boy made a disdainful face and shook his head, showing him the pebbles in his hand again with a curt nod. One was green, and the other white-ish; or maybe yellow, it was hard to tell in this light. As the kid turned away to show him, the globes melted behind him into a glowing, golden puddle… molten.
Daniel stared, light flickering off his glasses, as the kid held up the pebbles again, demonstrating patiently like Daniel was a little slow. At his gesture, the molten lava raised off the ground and twisted into a complex form, vaguely bird-like.
A woman's voice called out from the house. The little boy got up, ran the pebbles up and down the form hastily and it stopped twisting and froze into place. A few final orange flickers ran along its surface. He waved to Daniel as he ran inside.
Daniel lifted his hand, a little too late to wave back.
He carefully touched the shape -- then jerked his hand away. The basalt was still hot.
Part 13 here.
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Date: 2004-12-28 11:58 pm (UTC)