Hi, here's a story that I'm enjoying writing, I imagine this will be two parts and at the most three. I wrote a three-part story set in the same universe this one is set in and enjoyed that so decided to write about a different person and planet. Hope you enjoy it, it's still a Sci-fi story, but, this one feels a bit more Fantasy to me.
Here's a link to part 1 of A Trip Off-World if you want to read it.
@killerwot/a-trip-off-world
Loeta was in deep meditation, her mind was blank. She could see movement though, unconscious of her surroundings, she could see her home planet. Dosha. It was more beautiful than she could have ever dreamed, the mass of vibrant greens, every shade imaginable. Orbs of light flew back and forth from the planet's surface to the protective barrier of light surrounding it. She followed one orb down and saw a plant taking root, a mother giving birth. Following one up she could see an old person taking their last breath. I know what happens when we die, she thought to herself as her eyes opened. I wonder what happens if we die off-world? She wondered. The vision was one of the most vivid she has ever had. The sounds around her erupted once her head was clear of questions, she had nothing more to ask the World Tree. It had shown her enough.
She stood up from her resting position and turned to look at the tree. It was large enough to reach the clouds and wide enough to sit sixty-three Doshans shoulder to shoulder around its base. The ancient ones. Looking at their mummified faces, each looked as fresh as the day they joined their deep meditation. Long before her time. "I'm joining a clan today, I'm excited. And nervous. I have no idea what I'll be assigned to." She said to them and the tree. Wondering if they could hear her. It's said that one day they will wake up when they have the answers. Or when the universe ends. Whichever comes sooner.
Her meditation was enough to settle her mind and calm her nerves, but the World Tree had revealed to her something she didn't ask to see. But, sometimes the ones who don't seek find what some would wish to know.
She headed out, to the main hall. Today was the day. Something she had anticipated for fifty years, a last name. While on her journey she thought about the possibilities. I could be a petal, beauty incarnate, work the jobs of an entertainer. Or a bud, focus on food production and resource gathering. Ray, join the hooded monks atop the floating mountain, finding answers to every question. Stem, go off-world to master the skills of the galaxy that isn't taught here. Leaf, learn and be able to educate. Root, remain on Dosha bolstering our people and tend to the war that never ends.
The war that never ends. The confederation thought they would wage war here. Little did they know that Dosha has never stopped fighting, the plants of the world are in a constant battle for dominance. Ever since the first Doshans left our world and joined the Free Space Alliance they have collected plants and animals from every world, releasing them to grow wild here. One planet, home to every known species. Even the ones that shouldn't exist. She looked at each passing plant and tree, peaceful and still other than the moving of the wind, but her whole life to this point had been spent learning the ways of every Doshan. To listen through meditation, to feel deep into the soil, to tap into the root network that spread throughout the world and hear. It was a skill only Doshans possessed, not because they were special, but because they lived long enough to learn how to do it. Listening though came at a cost, like millions of voices calling at once and never-ending. Some Doshans can go insane from it and cut themselves off completely to live the rest of their years alone.
Her town was small, walking into it was as if you were anywhere else on this planet, wild and chaotic, beautiful and vibrant. The Doshans had perfected the art of being at one with nature, they lived comfortable and were technically sophisticated, all while remaining at peace with the nature of their world, the buildings weren't above the foliage, they were in it and under it.
"I can't do this. I'm not ready." She heard a familiar voice. "You have to, we all have to." Another familiar voice replied. Loeta made her way through some vines, descending steps into a small hut. Startling Sengy and Brima. "Loeta. Please talk some sense into him."
"What's wrong?" She asked. "Brima is nervous about being assigned a clan." She looked to him, he averted his eyes when she did. "Brima, we all have to do it. It's time, we're the first generation since the war to be assigned, isn't that exciting?" He looked up at her once she finished. "No. It's nerve-wracking. I have no idea what I should be." Sengy looked down at him. "That's the whole point. We don't have to choose. They do. Come on. We're going to be late."
Sengy grabbed Brima from under the arm and pulled him to his feet. "I'm nervous too, but, in an excited way. I think I might be a Petal." Brima and Sengy both looked at Loeta and then at each other, their faces contorted as they both burst out laughing. "I don't know about that Loeta, a petal? Really? I think Brima has a better chance at that." Sengy starts to laugh once more after finishing. "Wait. What, men can be Petals too." Brima says in a tone that almost sounded like he was offended.
Loeta tried to contain her embarrassment. "My mother was a Petal." Before the confederation soldier took her Off-World. "Yeah. But, clans aren't hereditary. Now come on, both of you. I want to know what they've chosen for me. I'm thinking Stem."
Loeta would have laughed but, Sengy was probably right. She usually was, a Stem, heading Off-World, alone. Sengy was the kind of person that could do that though. The three leave the dilapidated old hut, heading for the main hall. "Remember when we were kids, the hut wasn't much different than it is now," Loeta says, thinking back to a time that felt so long ago now. "Remember back then, dreaming about this day, each of us were going to be Rays and go and live on the floating mountains." Brima says. "It still could happen." Loeta wouldn't mind being made a Ray, although it would be a scary clan to join. Nobody knew anything about them outside of the clan, she had only ever seen one once. Which was brief. Some emissary to speak terms with the Confederation about not disturbing their work.
The main hall wasn't far away now, just a few short minutes and she was going to start the next chapter in her life.
Here's a link to part 2 if you want to keep reading!
@killerwot/assignment-day-part-2