Under a Starless Sky

Candace woke to the smell of breakfast, roasted Irk. She screamed, sitting up, putting her back against tree. Her scream brought three Irks out of the shadow. She stopped screaming. Shen petted Irksome and thanked him for watching out for them. They retreated.

“I didn’t dream that? It really happened?!” Candace asked.

“It really happened,” Shen said.

“You’re friends with Irks?”

“I wouldn’t say all Irks. I am apparently imprinted on Irksome. Their social structure is much more complicated than I imagined. I think his lady friends follow his lead. We are either under his protection, or they think I am the alpha,” Shen said. “I don’t speak Irk. They may just recognize human as not Irk and we’re Irksome’s property. In that case, they will protect us as if we were eggs.”

Candace didn’t have a response.

“Have something to eat,” Shen said.

She assessed the bounty, not understanding. The rotisserie seemed professionally made, not something thrown together out of whatever one could find in the wilderness. With the proper tools made available by TL, Shen had made quick work of the Irk carcasses. Nothing went to waste. He had several almost perfect stretches of leather hide, connecting trees. They were absolutely perfect from Candace perspective- and since she knew Shen hated killing things, she probably didn’t understand how he had done it so skillfully- so quickly. A bundle of feathers, sorted by down or quill quality, in gunny sacks made from hemp; manifested through replicator technology. Several jars of pitch. Several bags of Irk jerky, already dried and preserved with salts. An assortment of bones, some for tools, some for grounding for bone meal for food or gardening. There were jars full of bone meal. There was more material here than the two of them could carry back to Midelay. What he didn’t take, the Irks ate.

“Who are you?” Candace asked.

“I am Shen, your hated brother,” Shen said.

“You take that back! I have never hated you,” Candace snapped.

“You’re angered by my perception,” Shen said.

“You frustrate the hell out of me, but I have always stood up for you,” Candace said. “Where is the tree spirit?”

“I am sorry?” Shen said.

“Your woman friend. Or was she the dream? Is she human, or tree spirit? Are you really friends with the trees?” Candace asked.

Shen debated not telling her.

“I am not crazy,” Candace said.

“You are not crazy,” Shen said. “I call her TL. Technically, the acronym is TLC, Torch Light Companion. This particular personality interface happens to be a mirror of my friend. Someone I love very dearly. They’re connected in a way I don’t know how to describe. Usually when TLC is first activated, the personality interface is constructed out of subconscious archetypes that the user will likely respond well to. This TLC was pre-established, and because of my link with her origin self, she maintained this form. The deeper reality of her is much more complicated, but then, that is true for all of us, isn’t it?”

“I don’t understand anything you just said,” Candace said.

“It isn’t necessary,”

“Your friend is distant?

Shen said, amused. “That is one way

“She’s a master?!” Candace

“She is. She is the embodiment of

you, or anything you have said, but I accept this, you are a shaman and can’t speak rationally,” Candace said. She suddenly became worried and went for the branch that fell with her. She put her

again,” TL said, direct to Shen’s

“Touch it

it. TL provided information from the infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths, translated into a medium and overlaying it with his normal vision- so Shen could see what she saw. The leaves were glowing. He suddenly had insight, not from TL, not from Candace, but a direct transmission from the tree. He spoke what he

said. “Shape this branch into a staff

with

“There is only

be true,” Candace said. She stood up. She paused. Her leg was healed.

welcome,” Shen

recovered her bag and brought out paint. She prepared to paint the

that way,” Shen

“What?”

“You paint the side facing Midelay,”

do

Midelay is, or which side of

“How do you know

“I observe, I make guesses, and sometimes

and painted the side of the tree pointing the way back

did you come so far into the forest?”

She considered this. “We are linked.

“I am not aligned with a tree,” Shen

“Because of your age, maybe,” Candace said. “Or because you’re

bit down on his irritation. TL saw the slight as minimal and was curious about his anger response but

began to remove excess branch from her future staff. She had a good deal of material to remove. She collected every piece removed and placed it in a pile. She ate the leaves. Shen was worried but TL assured her, they were reasonably non-toxic. They might irritate her stomach, result in an urgency to

“This is too luxurious,” Candace said, but kept eating. “I am afraid

tell them,” Shen

the

“They probably won’t believe you,”