Ava froze in the doorway. The Igosi looked to Ava as he ceased massaging the calves of the Yervite. The Cuvio stopped mid-scribble, mirroring Ava's disbelief. Before another word was spoken, they heard a cry radiating from outside the skylight. The volume increased rapidly before coming to its climax -an overgrown bat had rammed into the chest of the Cuvio man. He flew back as the bat ricochet off and stuck the landing in front of the desk.
It gave a victorious cry before noticing the Yervite on the floor. The bat waddled over to the corner and began to pout.
"Neville?", said the Yervite.
Squeak.
"I'll take my song later."
Ava glanced at Coordinator Cooper. Disappointment etched onto his face as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Ava looking at him. In an instant, he snapped into an upright posture. Cooper directed his hand as he made introductions between the two groups.
"Inspector Travlack, Ranger Chrissy, Head Rover Nathaniel. This is Miss Ava Sinclair, the prize winner."
"...s-salutations", Nathaniel wilted.
"Argh - good mor- hrng!", groaned Chrissy between cramps.
"Mornin'", stated Travlack.
Ava politely nodded her head in response to their greetings before turning her attention to the bat brooding in the corner.
"And… the bat?"
"That's Neville! Say hi, Nev - FECAB-!!", Chrissy chimed before another cramp set in.
Neville flicked his wing at the request and gave a welcoming chirp. Vae responded in kind as she looked around the room assessing everyone.
Ava nodded her head towards Neville as a smile formed. She looked to her left where Jules stood. As he looked back a large smile crept along his face, he was close to breaking. Ava cleared her throat and addressed the room as she clasped her hands together.
"Right! I will return in five minutes. That's plenty of time for all of this to be orderly. Jules, please escort me outside while we give them the grace to present themselves properly."
Jules swallowed his laugh before coughing roughly. Ava saw him use his hand to wipe the grin from his face as he responded.
"Mmm -yes ma'am. You heard her. Five minutes -and nothing more! Miss Sinclair hates when her time is not respected!"
Ava spun around curtly before Jules followed her out. He gave each person in the room a nod before shutting the door and following Ava down the stairs. They hastily walked past the concierge and made their way to the front door. Jules held it open for her as she trotted out and turned a corner. Jules followed suit as he stood in front of her; he acted as a shield from the view of the street.
"Is the coast clear?"
"I believe so, Ava."
Snorts, screams, and howls escaped all at once from Ava.
"Did - did you see the way the bat hit him?! Oh my gosh! An Igosi massaging a Yervite? A giant bat? A song?! Ha!"
This laughter went on for a while before she spoke again.
"Please! Please - Jules! Handkerchief! Pass one!"
Jules took the pocket square from his uniform and draped it between his fingers. Ava wiped her eyes as tears started to fall. Jules chuckled with her as he checked his pocketwatch.
"It's almost been two minutes", he stated. "As funny as that interaction was, does it not worry you that we're entrusting them with your safety?"
Ava cleared her throat and handed the handkerchief back to Jules. He stuffed it back into his front jacket pocket before turning around. Ava took deep breaths as she steadied herself. Shortly after, she regained her Zenith posture and stepped back into the view of the street.
"I'm not sure what to think, if I'm being honest. We have the son of the legendary Ulysses Bosh leading us. If that isn't enough, who else would be?"
"Fair. But what about the Igosi? If your purpose is to catalogue and observe resonant plants and animals, what's going to happen when a goliath beetle decides to sit on him? What about a badger bear? A herd of capridae could take him out!"
"I won't deny that his stature is… interesting", Ava pondered. "In our travels we haven't come across them. All I know is that they eat bugs -that and they live in caves and marshes."
"I won't even go as far as to note his origins. I just worry for your safety."
Ava and Jules stood in silence as the morning sun rose. After a minute of contemplation, she broke the silence.
"We can see how the meeting goes. If I still have any reservations about this arrangement I'll make them heard."
Jules smiled as he took off his hat. He ran his fingers through his hair before rubbing his chin.
"Miss Sinclair, you've already made up your mind. I can see it on your face", he chortled.
Before flicking out his watch to confirm the time Jules returned the hat to its designation. He sighed as he put the watch back into his pocket and turned to Ava.
"Time's up. Are you ready to go back inside?"
"Indeed. Would you please?"
Ava motioned towards his arm expectantly. Jules held his elbow out as she daintily took the invitation. Just as they reached the door she stopped cold.
Another Igosi? In The Vince?
She could not help but stare as he trooped out and down the steps. He muttered to himself fervently as he adjusted his oversized grey trenchcoat.
"Mr. Falkner, was that… a Dweller? This may be my first time seeing one… ever. And here of all places? "
"I'm just as surprised", said Jules.
The look of astonishment on his face dissipated as he focused.
"Miss Sinclair - we should continue."
Ava nodded. Jules escorted her back to the office where Coordinator Cooper posted himself outside, checking his watch.
"Ah, Miss Sinclair! They're ready now. I'm sorry about the earlier debacle."
"It's quite alright, Cooper. Let's commence the meeting."
"Right away, Miss Sinclair!"
Cooper opened the door again. The three people rose in response as Ava surveyed the room. The glass from the window had been picked up, leaving only the flowing of the curtains picking up the wind. The bat from earlier stood in front of the Yervite. Never had Ava witnessed such a creature attempt a regal posture. It stared at Ava with opaque eyes before turning its attention to Vae, who had not left Ava's shoulders. Jules, Ava, and Cooper filled into the room on the opposite side of the desk. Jules pulled a chair out for Ava, and the rest of the room followed as she took her seat.
"Now", Cooper started, "This is Head Rover Nathaniel Bosh."
Bosh nodded. All traces of a bat hitting his ribs had been scrubbed clean.
"The son of Ulysses Bosh and the fastest promoted Head Rover within the RRET."
"Let me just say what an honor this is", Nathaniel said. "Leading this expedition is a privilege I do not take lightly, Miss Sinclair."
"I've heard many great things about your father, Mr. Bosh", Ava responded. "I hope to see the same things come from you."
She noted a tinge of bitterness appeared on Nathaniel's face before Cooper moved onto the next person in the ensemble.
"This is Ranger Chrissy Taniel. She comes from the forests herself, so she is no stranger to the unpredictable terrain you will cross. A skilled warrior as well, Taniel boasts an impressive record of ecology defense in clashes with poaching groups."
"Saval tae yae!"
Chrissy extended an excited hand. Ava twitched a shoulder before she caught herself. She was in public view. Zenith etiquette is clear on who she should shake hands with. Ava opted to let Chrissy's hand remain unmet with warmth as she awkwardly retreated.
"Ah, right. You wouldn't speak Kutaxia", remarked Chrissy. "A pleasure to meet ya!"
"A pleasure to meet your acquaintance as well, Ms. Taniel. I have no doubt your skills will prove useful on this journey. If I may ask, the bat? His name?"
Neville squeaked.
"This is Neville Fairfield Taniel. I rescued him from poachers as a baby. Nothing major. I was only outnumbered fifteen to one, and I-"
Ava blinked in disbelief as Chrissy monologued. Fifteen to one hardly seemed like "nothing major".
"Miss Sinclair has no need to hear of your exploits in detail, Ms. Taniel", Cooper chided. "Thank you for your enthusiasm."
Chrissy leaned back in her chair, locking her fingers as she sighed.
Cooper resumed the introductions, now gesturing towards the Igosi.
"And this is Inspector Travlack. He's been with the DLF for more than twenty cycles. All the while, he has maintained a level of consistency that the department deems nothing but satisfactory."
Travlack arose from his seat and saluted. Though he had stood up, he had lost the height the chair had given him. His neck popped up from the top of the desk. Travlack hopped back onto the chair without saying a word.
"I know nothing about the Igosi", said Ava. "But if Cooper vouches for you, then I will take him at his word."
Travlack flicked his ears together. Ava wondered what he was trying to communicate, if anything at all. Cooper grabbed a dossier from a compartment in his desk as Ava continued to ponder.
"Alright, now that introductions are completed. There is to be a Therian that joins your party per region you visit. They are to coordinate with Bosh and Taniel in order to find the safest routes, serene views, and fantastical wildlife you will come across. For this region we have assigned Jay Feldon, a Peak Dulim Therian. His strength and size will be of much use. He travels with his bonded beast - a capridae - so you won't be able to miss him when you travel to Strohl's city gate."
Bosh raised his hand.
"Yes - but a capridae? They are wonderful creatures - granted - but shouldn't we be assisted by someone… stronger? The capridae are known for their passivity - supported by the fact their backs of hardened cartilage allow them to take a large amount of punishment. Wouldn't we want someone with more offensive capability? A goliath beetle Therian, even?"
Cooper went to open his mouth, but Chrissy responded first.
"Jay Feldon! Tir-sa essaq cuessi lav! There's no one better to lead a nature hike than him! Besides-"
"Don't say it", Bosh growled.
"There's no day like a capridae!"
Ava's hand moved to her mouth to stifle a laugh. Neville started squeaking loudly as Chrissy looked around the room. After noticing the lack of laughter she nudged Neville.
"It sounds better when he says it…", Chrissy said as she sank into her chair.
Cooper exhaled audibly, eyeing Chrissy before commanding the room.
"As I was saying, Jay Feldon has been screened by the Department of Lost and Found. His durability was a large part of the reason he was approved. Feldon is to be the first to engage threats in order to preserve the strength of Travlack and Taniel. Bosh, do you have a route in mind?"
The room looked to Nathaniel. He arose and adjusted his glasses before leaning over the map. Ava noted the time it took for him to begin as he fixed his clothes.
"A rough outline, yes. I had planned to go over the foothills, followed by the glade, and then the forests. After that we resurface onto the back half and return to Strohl. However that route leaves us in the sight of Unpo beasts as we'd be entering south of their territory. I had thought to go in reverse order but the goliath beetles would flatten us all if we took a wrong turn. And don't even get me started on the-"
"Thank you, Bosh" Cooper cut in. "Perhaps articulating your indecision is not the wisest course of action."
Ava observed Nathaniel sit down and slouch. After a moment he took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, a sigh escaped. Cooper closed the dossier and handed it to Ava.
"Regardless of your route you will go over it with Feldon. He has orders to meet you at Strohl's northern gate in one hour. During this time you are to go over all your equipment, say your goodbyes, and prepare for the survey. When you return here Miss Sinclair will pick the next region to fly to, and the survey will continue from there. Are there any questions?"
"Just one", piped Chrissy, "How is she going to survive? Agopi, Travlack, but what if the worst case scenario happens?"
The air in the room became dense. Ava glanced at Cooper struggling to find the words to counter Chrissy, but his defense sputtered. Ava's brow flickered, and her hands intertwined as she leaned forward.
"And what, pray tell, would be the worst case scenario, Taniel?"
Chrissy widened her eyes as she glanced around the room. As she leaned forward in response, a chuckle escaped.
"The first two laws of resonant ecology are these:
Number One: Watch Your Step.
Number Two: Watch Who Watches Your Step.
If the worst comes to worst, I have to assume you may forget rule two. And if that happens, what then? Do we end up in a Zenith court?"
Ava had no words.
"I would be lying if I said the same question didn't cross my mind", chimed Nathaniel. "Where we're going is certifiably dangerous -multiple times over, in fact. While it is my honor to escort you, Miss Sinclair, your safety is of the utmost priority. No offense to Travlack - but there are beasts several times his size. Beasts several times OUR size, for that matter."
Ava looked to Jules. Many times when he was mulling something over, Jules would be stroking his beard with his eyes closed. This was another one of those times. After a moment Ava spoke.
"I assumed you were the representatives of a larger escort?"
"Yae sa-ne baezo," Chrissy sighed. "We are the expedition crew."
Ava blinked once.
She blinked twice.
She blinked a third time.
"P-pardon?", she uttered, as her throat tightened.
Nathaniel adjusted his glasses.
"Miss Sinclair", he said, adjusting his glasses. "With the addition of a pack animal and the Therian guide, we're at the maximum capacity of an optimal survey party. You will learn quickly that resonant beasts are hypersensitive to certain presences."
Ava nodded through pursed lips.
"And not just resonant beasts", Chrissy continued. "Husks, poachers, and don't even get me started on ripple users-"
"Ah- I'm sorry. Ripple?"
Ava rubbed the side of her head as she spoke. The more they spoke the less she retained.
"Kutax aeda tir - she doesn't know." Chrissy rubbed her palms together as she contemplated how to explain. Ava's forehead jewel began pulsating lightly as her brows furrowed. Vae and Neville noticed the glow and locked their eyes on the rhythmic shine.
"Ok so - resonance is a river, or ocean - whatever body of water suits you. Resonant beasts just sit in the flow of the water and wait. Their goal is to remain still enough to remain undetected and let whatever is moving around them splash the water. And when you splash water? You get a ripple. That being said, we can't go 'splashing' around with a twenty person escort without scaring all the animals in a three mile radius."
"It defeats the point of the survey", Bosh added. "This is also the reason we can't stop by populated areas."
Ava's eyes widened further. No towns? No forts? No villages? The forehead jewel began humming slightly inside her head.
"Exactly how far off the grid are we going, Mr. Bosh?"
"Far enough to see the real side of resonant ecology, Miss Sinclair. A town, city, village - what have you - is a giant splash zone. Any animals that we want to see have adapted far away from these places."
Ava gulped as she fixed her posture. She had been wilting with each new stipulation.
"So, I repeat myself". Chrissy's eyes narrowed to Cooper, whose eyes had widened considerably. Ava flickered her eyes between the two as the gem roared inside her head.
"What happens if worst comes to worst?"
Coordinator Cooper started to defend and rationalize but Nathaniel chimed in too. Jules began to speak but Ava could no longer hear any of them. She could no longer hide her practiced breathing. Her torso rose and fell with each of her breaths. This prize began to seem more and more like a wager. Voices overlapped with each other and continued to rise as the room began to blur violently.
A single voice pierced the cacophony.
"I'll handle it."
It was Travlack.
Ava forgot he was in the room with them.
The entire room turned.
Travlack met each of their eyes.
"I've served the department for twenty cycles", he said. "I plan to serve twenty more. So if worse comes to worse, I will handle it."
Ava looked around the room. Cooper nodded his head slowly. Chrissy displayed a smirk with an eyebrow raised. Nathaniel held a soft smile as he glanced from the corner of his glasses.
A dry chuckle was heard from Jules. It turned into a hearty laugh as Travlack flicked his ears in confusion. Chrissy and Nathaniel shared a look of confusion as Vae and Neville looked at Jules.
"He'll handle it", said Jules after a moment. "If the man said he'll handle it, then who are we to doubt him?
"Exactly! He'll handle it!", joined Cooper. "Jules is-"
"Falkner", Jules snapped.
Ava tilted her head down to hide her smile. This was the second time Cooper had tried to be on a first name basis with her guardian.
"Falkner-", said Cooper, adjusting his tie. "-is correct. Travlack is among the best the Department has to offer. Thank you all for voicing your concerns. It would have killed me on the inside to send Miss Sinclair off with so much doubt. Do we have any more concerns?"
Cooper met the eyes of everyone in the room. One by one they gave confirmation.
"Nothing that comes to mind", said Bosh.
"I'm all good", Chrissy said, scratching Nevillle's head.
"No", stated Travlack.
Cooper turned to Ava. She realized it was her turn to talk. Clearing her throat, she moved a single hair back into its place.
"The dangers have been made known, but so have the solutions. I believe I will be fine, Coordinator Cooper."
Cooper clasped his hands together in jubilation.
"Alright! In one hour we assemble by the north gate to see you off for your prize! Now that there are no more further questions, let's not delay any further!"
Chrissy, Neville, Nathaniel, Travlack excused themselves and left the office. Cooper looked to Ava, who sat in her chair.
"Cooper, could I have the office for Falkner and I?"
"Oh, sure! I'll be outside."
Cooper pivoted and marched out. She silently motioned for Falkner to lock the door. He obliged with a confused look before walking back to Ava.
"Jules - the thing - now."
His eyes widened as he hastily took an ordinary brown bag and handed it to Ava.
"Thank you as always, Jules."
Ava vomited in the bag violently before handing it politely back to Jules. With two fingers he nodded and retrieved the bag. Jules looked around the room trying to find somewhere to dispose of it before settling on the open window.
"Jules, this is too much. This is far too much."
"Ava, you-"
"And I love animals - beautiful things - I love them! I donated a fortune to the RRET because I love their work!"
Jules chuckled softly as he sat down next to her.
"Ava-"
"But I love them through polished glass and a respectable distance! And the thought of being so deep in the wilderness without an escort is absolutely-"
"Ava, are you saying you don't want to go?"
She fell silent.
Ava turned to Jules. She wanted to speak but lacked the words. Vae dropped from Ava's shoulders and settled into her lap. Without looking, Ava's hand caressed Vae. Her eyes, however, remained staring at the open window.
"Jules", said Ava. "Why does that window feel so… far away?"
"Why should it?"
Ava smiled at him, then lowered her gaze to Vae.
"We have one hour. Let's not be the last to arrive."
___
Language Translation:
Kutaxia:
Saval tae yae! = Greetings to you!
___
Tir-sa essaq cuessi lav! = My soul knows him!
Tir - Me
Adding "-sa" after a Kutaxian pronoun denotes ownership
Tir-sa = My
Essaq = Essence/Soul
Cuessi = Know
Lav = Him/Her
___
Yae sa-ne baezo = You are fooled
Yae = You
Yae sa-ne = You are
I, You, We, He/She, and They all have unique follow ups to express:
Tir fa-ne = I am
Yae sa-ne = You are
Aki la-ne = We are
Lav da-ne = He/She is
Irz ka-ne = They are
___
Kutax aeda tir = Kutax aid me
___
Agopi = Apologies