{"sf1_id":2178359,"sf2_id":"JewyRKKn","title":"Home, Hearth and Heroes - Chapter 3","author":"Radical Gopher","words":2637,"posted_at":"2024-09-13T23:39:12.000Z","tags":["Character Development","Drama","Equine","Human","Rebirth","Sci-Fi","courage"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2178359-home-hearth-and-heroes-chapter-3","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/JewyRKKn","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/cd/1b/cd1b81e3-e472-4c28-96f7-d945662e0e31","description":"The plot deepens as both Jillian and Bob become aware there is something not quite right with their new Kerachaw ward, Yolaja.","content":"“I cannot believe you compared my uncle to a horse.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;“Well, he started it,\" Jillian replied wrinkling her nose while smiling.\u0026nbsp; She noticed the mixed facial signals appeared to confuse the youngling.\u0026nbsp; “We talk like that all the time, but it's all in good humor.\u0026nbsp; There is no serious insult intended.\u0026nbsp; We humans call it playful banter.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “T'at is hard to understand.\u0026nbsp; T'oughts like t'at among the chaw might lead to physical altercations.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “When you get better at understanding our language I'll introduce you to sarcasm.\u0026nbsp; Would you like some tea?\" she offered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Yolaja thought about it for a moment, then responded by nodding vigorously and grinning\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “Nice try,\" Bob instructed, “but a little too expressive.\u0026nbsp; Next time try a single nod and a smaller smile.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “It might be easier to teach Dr. Strat'en how to use telepathy t'an teach me how to read and use human facial expressions.\u0026nbsp; My face is not built to be as flexible as hers.\" \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; “If humans had telepathy, we would be on the brink of war twenty-four seven,\" Jillian replied\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “As opposed to what you have now?\" Bob asked with a slight nicker. \u0026nbsp;The human responded by sticking her tongue out at the Kerachaw.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “By the way,\" Jillian offered, “Your uncle's last comment… That was sarcasm.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Yolaja's face scrunched slightly, then her eyes brightened.\u0026nbsp; “T'at was sarcasm?\u0026nbsp; We call it quasta… t'ough I do not know if I can stick out my tongue like you did.\u0026nbsp; It looked… unusual.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Jillian chuckled.\u0026nbsp; “It is.\u0026nbsp; It's a form of non-verbal communication that expresses disbelief and defiance and is normally used between friends.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “She's much better at it than I am,\" the Kerachaw said.\n\n\u0026nbsp; The human smiled as she strolled into the kitchen area and brought out a tray with three mugs of hot tea and several slices of warm bread pudding.\n\n\u0026nbsp;“Here, let me help you with that,\" the Outlander offered.\u0026nbsp; The tray gently floated out of Jillian's hands and drifted over to the coffee table where the mugs and plates deftly redistributed themselves.\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Show-off,\" grinned the doctor.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; “At least he is being a helpful show-off, whatever t'at is,\" said Yolaja, then she brightened.\u0026nbsp; “And to t'ink, it only took my uncle seven years to learn how to do t'at.\"\u0026nbsp; She looked over at Jillian.\u0026nbsp; “How was t'at for quasta… err, sarcasm.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Not bad,\" the human said.\u0026nbsp; “Your tone of voice sounded just a little snarky, though.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Snarky?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “More like a criticism; less humorous.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; The youngling looked down into her mug.\u0026nbsp; “Sorry.\u0026nbsp; I was trying for humor.\u0026nbsp; Learning to speak a language rather t'an t'ink and send it is hard.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Like everything else in this world, it takes time and effort to master a skill.\u0026nbsp; Considering you've only been awake and with us for less than a day shows how remarkably elastic your mind is.\u0026nbsp; Just remember what I said about mistakes and learning.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Yolaja smiled thoughtfully at the comment.\u0026nbsp; She took a sip of tea, then gently broke off a piece of bread pudding.\u0026nbsp; It drifted on unseen hands into her mouth.\u0026nbsp; She chewed slowly, savoring the taste.\u0026nbsp; “T'at is delicious.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian smiled at the compliment and glanced at Bob.\u0026nbsp; The Kerachaw was suddenly sitting ramrod straight, looking at his niece.\u0026nbsp; His expression was a mix of surprise and… concern?\n\n\u0026nbsp; “How long have you been doing that?\" he asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; The youngling thought for a moment or two.\u0026nbsp; “Not long.\u0026nbsp; It started shortly after I was given implants for my visor.\u0026nbsp; Before t'at I could not see well enough to move t'ings with my mind.\u0026nbsp; It came as a surprise… for me and t'e ot'er survivors on t'e shuttle.\"\u0026nbsp; She smiled as she popped another small piece of bread pudding into her mouth.\n\n\u0026nbsp; “How much can you lift?\" the Kerachaw asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Not much… maybe a couple of zun.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Zun?\" asked Jillian.\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Ounces,\" Bob repled.\u0026nbsp; He looked back at Yolaja.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;“You've started developing faster than I did at your age.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “T'e shuttle's doctor t'ought so too.\u0026nbsp; But he never really talked wit' me about it.\u0026nbsp; I t'ink he was a little nervous about treating t'e heir presumptive.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I've heard you say that before,\" said Jillian.\u0026nbsp; “What exactly does it mean?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; The youngling paused for a moment as she silently communicated with Bob.\u0026nbsp; She then turned and looked directly at Dr. Strathern.\u0026nbsp; “T'e closest approximation to your culture would be t'e position of Princess of Whales…\"\u0026nbsp; She paused for a moment, “no… Wales.\"\u0026nbsp; Her face scrunched and she bit her lower lip as she tapped into her uncle's knowledge.\u0026nbsp; _“Impra qanbul sim catian umvini p'jun larimar?\"_ \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n_\u0026nbsp; “Tu banai,\"_ replied the Kerachaw gently. \u0026nbsp;_“Ry'yabul codse kalatu w'alapa.\"_\u0026nbsp; The youngling abruptly became quiet and withdrew into herself.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;The brief exchange echoed softly in Jillian's mind.\u0026nbsp; With her inhibitor collar turned off she understood there was some slight confusion about kings, queens and… sea life?\u0026nbsp; Bob immediately picked up on her thoughts.\u0026nbsp; He focused in on her mind.\n\n\u0026nbsp; _“Yolaja was trying to compare the Kerachaw hierarchy to that of Great Britain,\"_ he explained.\u0026nbsp; _“She became somewhat confused about Wales the country and whales.\"_\n\n\u0026nbsp; _“So, if I understood correctly, Yolaja is a… princess?\"_\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Bob nodded and reached across to Jillian, switching her collar on.\u0026nbsp; He then spoke directly to her.\u0026nbsp; “She is the third daughter of the Majestrix, or queen. \u0026nbsp;With both of her older siblings missing, and her mother… gone, it was presumed she was the last surviving member of the Kerachaw royal family.\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Except for you?\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; The Outlander shook his head.\u0026nbsp; My sister married into the royal family and became Majestrix upon the death of her mate.\u0026nbsp; While my niece is royalty, I am not.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “But you are her last known living family member.\"\u0026nbsp; Jillian looked across at the youngling who was sitting quietly, a vague lost expression on her face.\u0026nbsp; “Is she okay?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I don't know.\u0026nbsp; She is much too young to be fulfilling the role of Majestrix, and the weight of her loss has just started to sink in.\u0026nbsp; She's been trying not to think about it for a while now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I'm sorry if my question hurt.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't meant to.\" \u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I know,\" the Outlander said.\u0026nbsp; “If the time reading on the capsule is correct, then she was put into stasis less than one of your months after leaving the World ship.\u0026nbsp; Unfortunately, there is no data on why this was done.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Didn't the shuttle have some kind of flight log?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Yes, but when the ship arrived on Earth it crashed.\u0026nbsp; What little that survived of the computer system was corrupted by the Directory's scientists when they dismantled the remains of the spacecraft.\u0026nbsp; I found no data in their computers.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian frowned.\u0026nbsp; “Yet another reason not to like those guys.\" \u0026nbsp;She studied her companion for a moment or two.\u0026nbsp; “Something's bothering you,\" she said.\u0026nbsp; “What is it?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I don't really know.\u0026nbsp; I'm still connected to Yolaja's thoughts, but she trying as hard as she can to pretend she has some control of her life.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “That doesn't sound like an unreasonable mindset for someone who's been through what she has. What else?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Bob took a moment to clear his thoughts.\u0026nbsp; “It's the time factor that troubles me.\u0026nbsp; I arrived on Earth almost four years before the spacecraft carrying Yolaja did.\u0026nbsp; That means she was in stasis for a little over four years.\u0026nbsp; That's a long time for anyone, let alone a young girl.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “How did the others on the spacecraft survive that long a voyage?\u0026nbsp; I mean, did they make stops somewhere, on other worlds?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Perhaps… The ship could easily have been adapted to use its medical chambers as makeshift hibernation pods.\u0026nbsp; It was designed for long term survival, and it only had a small crew.\u0026nbsp; Taking turns, they could, and did, survive for years without using up their available supplies.\"\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I take it there's a major difference between the hibernation pods and Yolaja's stasis tube.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; The Outlander looked over at the youngling in time to catch her yawning.\u0026nbsp; He quickly scanned her mind and realized part of the reason for her withdrawal was exhaustion.\u0026nbsp; “The answer to your question is Yes,\" Bob replied… “There is a difference.\u0026nbsp; But I prefer to discuss it a bit later… after we put my niece to bed for the evening.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; He stood, walked over to Yolaja and gently brushed the tips of his fingers along her temple.\u0026nbsp; She looked up, then silently nodded.\u0026nbsp; Standing, she leaned against the taller Kerachaw as he walked her over to her bedroom.\u0026nbsp; Jillian busied herself picking up plates and cups and placing them in the kitchen sink.\u0026nbsp; By the time she'd finished, Bob was sitting on the couch once more.\u0026nbsp; The human sat next to him, and he reached across her shoulders and pulled her gently into his embrace.\u0026nbsp; “\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian sat quietly, watching his expression.\u0026nbsp; It was focused on something beyond them for several minutes, then it softened, and he switched off her collar.\u0026nbsp; _“She's asleep now,\"_ he thought to her.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;_\u0026nbsp;“That's good to hear.\"_\n\n_\u0026nbsp; “One of the differences between hibernation and stasis is the mind is unable to rest the way it normally does in sleep.\u0026nbsp; The entire life process is simply frozen, locked into a single moment.\u0026nbsp; You don't really rest, so she is understandably tired.\"_\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “So, she hasn't dreamed for more than four years?\"_\n\n_\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “No… She was unaware of the passage of time, at least until we deactivated the chamber.\"_\u0026nbsp; Bob sighed.\u0026nbsp; _“It creates a null point in her experiences where nothing happened but everything around her changed.\u0026nbsp; That can have serious psychological effects on an unprepared mind.\u0026nbsp; The longer she stayed in stasis, the more jarring coming out of it will have been.\"_\n\n\u0026nbsp; “What can we do to help her?\" Jillian asked aloud.\n\n\u0026nbsp; The Kerachaw thought about it for a moment or two.\u0026nbsp; “Well, first of all I will needed to set up the medical system on my ship so I can give her a complete physical and psychological examination.\u0026nbsp; Hopefully, I can convince her to voluntarily sleep through the procedure.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian looked at Bob with a touch of concern.\u0026nbsp; She wondered why sleeping through the examination would be important.\u0026nbsp; Thinking back on her first-year studies in pre-med she tried to recall what she'd learned about psychological conditions.\u0026nbsp; A person who had experienced traumatic injury, then spent an extended time in a coma sometimes awoke suffering extreme disorientation, memory loss, and more than a few underlying mental problems.\n\n\u0026nbsp; Now take that person and give them telepathic powers.\u0026nbsp; A mind like your average Kerachaw would always be reaching out for contact with like minds, contact the stasis chamber would prevent. \u0026nbsp;Then add the possibility of other mental powers to that.\u0026nbsp; Powers that were common only among the strongest minds, the Vu-Theel, who studied for years to develop their abilities.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian looked up sharply at the Outlander.\u0026nbsp; “Telekinesis… Yolaja shouldn't have such power, should she?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Not at her age,\" Bob replied.\u0026nbsp; “Something has happened, and I do not know what it is or why it's happening.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Would it be possible for you to join minds with her, the way you do between us.\u0026nbsp; Communicate directly with her… maybe even find out what she is feeling.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I could,\" he said.\u0026nbsp; “But I'd want to do it under a more controlled environment.\u0026nbsp; Joining with another mind without knowing the mindset of the patient is extremely risky, as you already know.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; The human nodded.\u0026nbsp; “I remember our first contact… It was more than a little crazy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Crazy is not something I want, or she needs at this time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian and Bob sat quietly for several long moments, sharing the calm and the quiet of their unique home.\u0026nbsp; “When we get a chance, we should take Yolaja outside.\u0026nbsp; Give her a chance to feel what it's like living outside the artificial environments she's probably known her whole life.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; That's not a bad idea… once we know what exactly is going on with her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “So, tell me.\u0026nbsp; What other differences would there be between hibernation and stasis?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Well, stasis is an absolute.\u0026nbsp; It's typically used to prevent further growth of an illness, such as your cancer.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; It delays the negative effects of a condition until treatment can be applied.\u0026nbsp; However, because it is an absolute suspension of time it is not intended for long term use.\u0026nbsp; I will want to consult my medical system's memory and find out what the longest time anyone has been held in suspension without the development of entropic effects.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian frowned. “But isn't stasis a condition where there is a lack of decay… of entropy?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “That's the problem,\" the Outlander replied.\u0026nbsp; “Entropy is a natural condition of the universe.\u0026nbsp; Stasis isn't… it is artificially induced.\u0026nbsp; Over time, a physical object in complete stasis will slowly start to break down, molecule by molecule.\u0026nbsp; That's because being artificial our version of stasis is imperfect.\u0026nbsp; True, a severe injury or disease won't grow worse, but the entire structure will eventually disintegrate.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “How long?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Again, I don't know.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “Yolaja seems to have managed it fairly well, at least so far.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; “I hope that is the case.\u0026nbsp; Using a stasis chamber is most often reserved for extreme circumstances.\u0026nbsp; If they had placed her in hibernation, then normal healing, both physical and mental, would have been possible.\u0026nbsp; She could have maintained contact with her friends through her dreams as I did with you.\u0026nbsp; She also would have been able to age normally.\"\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;“On the other hand, if she had been in hibernation and not stasis, she might not have survived the crash of their spacecraft on Earth,\" the human pointed out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; “True enough,\" replied Bob.\n\n\u0026nbsp; There was a sudden, soft noise off to one side of the living quarters.\u0026nbsp; They both looked up.\u0026nbsp; Standing before them was the youngling.\u0026nbsp; She was dressed in the same armor she had been wearing when they'd first opened her stasis chamber, minus the visor she needed so she could see.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; That, she held firmly in her left hand.\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; Jillian's first impression was that the girl was sleepwalking.\u0026nbsp; “Yolaja?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp; The Kerachaw turned towards the sound of the human's voice.\u0026nbsp; With her face uncovered Dr. Strathern could see trickles of blood running out of her mouth, ears and eyes.\u0026nbsp; She stepped forward and one of her legs banged sharply against a dining room chair.\u0026nbsp; The sudden pain was enough to elicit a soft whimper from the girl. \u0026nbsp;She did not appear to wake up, but what happened next was far worse.\n\n\u0026nbsp; Without warning various objects around the room began lifting into the air, swirling about as if caught in a tornado.\u0026nbsp; There was the sound of breaking porcelain, glass and metallic clanging as the objects collided with walls, furniture and each other.\u0026nbsp; Amid the chaos the youngling stood firmly at its center, unseeing, and untouched by any of the flying debris.\u0026nbsp; A glow began emanating from Yolaja's forehead, glowing brighter as the surrounding madness accelerated.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\n\n\u0026nbsp; “What the HELL???\"\u0026nbsp;","series":{"name":"Tales of the Outlander","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2174305-home-hearth-and-heroes-chapter-2.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/2182753-home-hearth-and-heroes-chapter-4.json"}}