Journey to D'zeron Section 4: The Marrion Jay

==Chapter 29 transition to the Marrion Jay==
29 transition to Marrion Jay.
upon arriving Harris prepares Jason’s bedroom, making him a full bathroom with water and everything before bringing Jason there. He pleeds with him once more to meet with Sen’tran, receive a templink, and allow himself to be ehaled jsut this once. Jason declines. Harris leaves Jason to rest in the room he has just created for him, after asking if there is anything else he would like and creating everything Jason mentions or has ever mentioned before. 
==Journey To D'zeron Section 3: On the Marrion Jay==
==Chapter 30 day 1 Marrion Jay==
Harris returns the next morning, as soon as he realizes Jason is awake. He then instructs Jason how to contackt him and shows him the direct observation room. he teaches him to use the communicator there and instructs him that he can also jsut yell for Harris from pretty much anywhere except his private room and Harris will hear him. at this time he first tells Jason he has promised to introduce him to Anton. Jason is offended and refuses to meet ANton at this time. 
==31X old notes first weeks on marrion jay pov jason==
Pov  Jason Jason’s first few weeks on the Marrion Jay. below are random old bit which might be useful
Jason is very sick when they first arrive from the jumpgates. Harris again tries to get him to link, ad go see sen’tran in the community. he tries to get him to accept healing from the ships automatic health maintanence system. He’s set up living space for him which is to the best of Harris’s abilities earthlike. Harris gets a few things wrong, and a few things not to Jason’s liking. every time Jason complains or mentions anything out of order Harris immediately fixes it. 
when Jason stops complaining and doesn’t notice anything else not perfectly earthlike Harris starts offering games toys playground entertainment etc [should we let him offer Sylvias services as a movie projecter? it seems like he would so I would have to move that bit of the story up. so I guessI shouldn’t let that happen. 
after a few weeks Jason very pointedly asks him to leave him along and Sen’tran insists that Harris should respect Jason’s wishes. 
He continues visiting occasionally, and even tries introducing Anton to Jason. Sen’tran finally consents to this because Anton is driving him crazy about wanting to see Jason. Jason does talk with him for a short time and enjoys his company but does not want to see him again, although he secretly considers it now and then. 
Jason records a log of his journey which he intends to send to Matthias. he records what he learns about Paragangia but it isn’t much because he doesn’t interact with them at all really. Sen’tran never visits him [why?]
I could make red links to such questions and then answer the, and the answers would be already linked. 
there could be 4 or 5 chapters of getting adjusted to the Marrian Jay and Harris trying to help him and a fe conversations, a chapter of his visit to the community and of Anton’s visit to him, but other than that, one chapter of summary could cover the whole several months of space travel. 
Jason would spend a lot of time playing his guitar. He would also read, I’m not sure what he would read. he might study scriptures, which would fascinate Harris and Harris would remember this when he gets the scriptures from Desmond. 
they would talk about reading and written language and why Paragangia does not have written language, and scriptures and the prophet Paragan.  But Jason would never really engage in these conversations, so they would be cold and minimal. Harris would not be inspired to learn to read at this point, and might not even be able to on the Marrian Jay while navigating as he could on HomeStation
There would be at least one Harris POV chapter in this section. and we would get a glimpse of life in the Paragangian community but just a tiny glimpse. 
[which I need to create before I can write this part, and  have not created and don’t feel like creating, but someday I will be inspired, and now that I have the wiki I’ll know right where to put the information so I can find it.]
XXXX XXXXXXXXXX
Jason’s first week or so on the Marrion Jay, climbing walls and dealing with Harris. summary with a few small scenes. Jason cannot enter the Paragangian community because he has refused a link. thus Sen’tran will not visit him, [what are Sen’tran’s motives here?] and Rhonda also will leave him alone. 
Harris consistently treats Jason like a kid, but often Harris acts like a kid too, trying to be his friend and sometimes like an adult trying to take care of him and comfort him. at some point he will try taking him to the Paragangian community, he will convince Jason when he is very bored that it would be an educational experience. He will do it without linking Jason, using his own link to transport Jason [which is not easy to do, and not entirely legal, and Sen’tran will be mad that Harris tried it] but Jason will not want to be there and will never choose to visit again. He will not visit again until he goes to the Marrion Jay with Serai on the way back. [ I’m not sure if he’s linked then or not. at what point can a link read genetics? a temp link wouldn’t, but I’m not sure how he could transport without his genetics being read. Sen’tran might have done something to make his genetics unreadable, when he changed the color of his eyes. ] Harris would know how to secretely read his genetics, and would do so and the link would tell him that Jason is Jonathan’s son, and not Paragan. Harris would still doubt this and have fantasies about 
They finally negotiate a deal where Jason can climb in access tunnels of the Marrion Jay’s hull structure [or something like that] and Harris will promise not to offer him any more toys. and mostly to leave him alone.
Details of the structure of the Marrion Jay, and the relationship between the community and the passengers. Paragangian passengers travel in the community. many alien passengers do also. But they have private rooms where passengers can travel without community. 
why are there no other passengers, or are there, and if so where are they going, and do they interact with the other passengers? [most would travel in the Paragangian community, with plenty of education and entertainment and interaction available on the link. this is a very pleasant way to travel so Harris feels terrible for Jason all alone in a strange place all this time]
what Jason’s room is like, and the part of the ship he is on. Harris’s room which he would take Jason to, and they would talk about start wars. Harris would tell him to watch it, offer to get it for him. Jason would tell him about Matthias.
******* 
*********
7x take outs from planetary arriving
Jason was usually to be found dressed only in tan cotton shorts, preparing himself physically to climb trees and cliffs at D’zeron. He could cling to the only-slightly-textured corridor walls by his toes and finger tips or hang upside down from a ceiling beam. 
. the weeks in the ship taxi with no escape from Paragangian technology. The disconcerting brightness of the black mazes of corridors on the Marrion Jay Ship Community, as if light sprang to life and somehow radiated without reflecting in the motionless scentless temperatureless air.  The isolation of knowing that the only other living creatures within hundreds of light years were Paragangian Spacers who looked down on him as a child, not just physically, but also because he choose not to be linked to their ship’s computer.
       Every day Harris asked again if he had changed his mind. after the first week He sopped asking about the link and started offering to sneak Jason into the community without a link. He actually talked Jason into trying this once when he was extremely bored, but Jason hated it and Sen’tran was angry and Harris didn’t even visit Jason for a few days after that, and that was worse.
         Those first few weeks Harris kept offering to create high-tech toys for the retro-technologist. Harris saw Jason practicing rock climbing on corridor walls and offered to create a gravity-controlled holographic climbing room where Jason could pretend he was climbing real trees and rocks in the exact gravity of the planet Terran 8. Jason politely refused and Harris offered to do more research so he could make it smell like real trees and rocks. After several days of sheer frustration Jason finally compromised, allowing Harris to instead give him access to all the tunnels and vents within the Marion Jay’s hull structure. The tunnels definitely didn’t smell like rocks and trees or imitate D’zeron gravity. They were white, and seemed to reflect light in a much more Earth-like way than the weird matt black of the corridors. Jason wondered if Harris had somehow recolored them just for him before offering access. They weren’t low technology by any stretch of the imagination, but they varied in size, shape, texture and orientation so they made more interesting climbing practice than hallways and support columns. They also made avoiding Harris easier. Harris was happy to have been allowed to help, and stopped bothering Jason for awhile. 
**** 
*******8x ch 8 out takes 
Paragangians rarely spoke face to face. At age four every Paragangian child was given a  “memory implant.” The child lost three days of memories, and gained a permanent invisible connection to his community’s central computer, the Community Mind. He could communicate instantly with anyone in his community. Every Community Mind connected to the central computer of the Empire -- the HomeStation Community Mind. Thus they were connected to every other Community in Paragangia, except when they were too far away from HomeStation or traveling faster than light-speed, as the Marrion Jay almost always was. Harris was immediately connected to three thousand or so citizens and passengers of the Ship Community he had grown up on. At port he could communicate with HomeStation and other Communities, though there was delay-time of several days between Terran 8 and HomeStation.
Most adult Paragangians spoke in person only to close friends and family. Harris spoke for the Community to passengers such as Jason who refused to be temporarily linked. It was like speaking to small children, so he made an effort to remember to treat them as adults. Jason made this especially difficult by also looking and acting like a child. Harris didn’t mind. Most four year olds were also more mature and intelligent than people gave them credit for.
****
**
ch 8, more out takes [harris would take Jason here when they arrived, try to interest him in his toys, they would talk about technology and Retrotechnology and star wars. ]
The navigation room was small, designed to protect the navigator from all distractions. The navigation chair could comfortably hold his body in any position. Like most Paragangian technology it was controlled almost automatically by his thoughts through his link to the Community Mind, so the navigator could direct his full attention to flying the ship: Gathering energy from all available sources—during approach, mainly from the planet’s gravity and the sun’s radiation—and redirecting that power through the reverse-drive engines, storing whatever was extra in the recycling system. The navigator’s job was to chose the path which would enable the ship to collect as much energy as possible and arrive exactly on time, without flying too close to any dangerous energy sources. For a journey this long, on time meant as soon as possible.
Traditionally, a navigation room held only floating furniture and the walls were blank and black and empty, pure as the emptiness of space. Harris’s black walls were covered with Star Wars posters, and a shelf against one wall --also adjustable through the Community Mind—held various Star-Wars-related gadgets Harris had made: a light saber and several small robots. He claimed they helped him “feel the force.” No one could argue, since Harris always got them wherever they were going faster than any other navigator in Spacer history. 
==32X  jason meets Anton==
31 Anton meets Jason
this might well become more than one chapter]
Harris would come to visit Jason at least once per day, to make sure he didn’t need help with anything. He would also give Jason some way to contact him at any time, something similar to the video phones that he uses at home. or Jason could just go someplace outside of his private room and ask for Harris, and Harris would hear him. He would also make sure that he was in a place most of the time where Jason could walk down and see him if he ever wanted to do so. But Jason never did. 
 A few weeks later, when Jason is beginning to get bored, Harris brings Anton to meet him. A chapter of conversation between the three of them. [I look forward t writing this chapter, with Anton interacting with Harris without the link. ] this chapter might also explore Harris’s family life and his interest in pre-alliance earth movies
==33 placeholder Marrion Jay journey==
I am leaving a space here because on the 2014 feb edit, these files are so random I can't sort what is current they are all jsut random notes from various time.I probably need to add some chapters here. this will save me some renumbering hopefully
from this pont on I am very unsure which is most recent, I'm going to transfer everything with minimal editing from the most current folder, and then use this as the master file to add stuff from other versions into. this is probably a real waste of time but I don't mind. perhaps I should mind.
==34 planetary arrival ==
2013--
before I can rewrite this for the current version I will need to outline full content of all forgoing chapters. this needs much revision due to changes in forgoing content.
Planetary Approach
Marrion Jay Ship Community, Earth date March 20, Alliance Year 167[correct this date when the timeline is completed]
[there would be prior to this a breif conversation in which Harris told Jason when they would be arriving, inviting Jason to go to the observation room and watch arrival. That part would include discussion of the fact that when Jason went to planet Mexico he transported and Rae had not shown him the approach when they traveled to and from earth in her HomeWorld aircar, so this would be his first time observing a planetary arrival. }
describe how Jason dresses himself and that he is carrying his guitar on his back, just as when he arrived.
Jason walked through the wall from the black corridor and was surrounded by the familiar sky-patterned walls of the direct observation room. Acutely aware now that it felt like home, having been home to him for almost six months. It didn’t really look like the sky, he thought, though it had been designed for that purpose. to help him feel at home. Remembering Earth’s sky he felt far from home, realizing how little of sky could be capture in this illusion of flat color, created by someone who didn’t love the sky. Maybe if mom had colored it, it would actually feel like sky. 
Soon he would stand beneath real sky again, feeling the joy of that expanse. It would be alien sky, orange sky with green sunlight, yet still more like Earth sky than this perfect visual likeness. and even then, it would be just as alien as everything in Paragangia. fearful and joyful anticipation strove dizzily within him.Jason struggled to slow his racing heart, and just to breathe.
He gazed down into the night sky of Terran 8. His lifelong dream. He grinned uncontrolably, then a moment later froze in terror at the same thought. He stood by the window, dizzy and nausiated, staring into the darkness of space trying to steady himself. 
Terran 8 was A bright blue disk growing slowly against the darkness,  accompanied by it’s true moon, Lurrin, showing as a bright yellow disk. The blue moon Aissis was also just barely visible now. She was not really a moon but a small planet which followed in the orbit of Terran 8 like a dog on a leash. In D’zeron they called her the moon of destiny and dreams, because she rose as the sun set, and set as the sun was rising. 
Silence deepened around him until he was alone in the universe, conscious only of the beauty of these planets, wondering at the forces which kept them spinning so beautifully each in it’s own sphere. 
 Suddenly the stillness shattered. 
“Hey Jason! we’re almost there!” Jason struggled in vain to cling to his momentary peace.
 
  The pale blue wall of the Observation Room gathered itself disconcertingly back together behind Harris, shutting out the bright blackness of the corridor while Jason gathered his own walls to face the darkness which had entered.
“I’ve brought you the world of your... dreams.” Harris laughed, a small mocking laugh, but his voice was calm and quiet. “What do you think Jedi Jason?”   
Relieved not to be alone approaching an alien world, but still intimidated by Harris’s wildcat grin Jason braced himself against the window. Gratitude mingling with terror increased his vertigo. He took a deep breath and willed himself to relax. Words failed him. 
Harris smiled only slightly, his fangs not bared.  “I’ve come to check on you before planetary arrival.” Harris gestured to his negotiators uniform, the one he wore when they first met at HomeStation six months ago “doing my job”
I should say something, thought Jason, struggling for words.
 “It’s a beautiful planet,” said Jason. “Dreamlike. I can’t believe I’m really here.” 
          Harris laughed playfully and tousled Jason’s hair as if he were a little kid. “You’ll be going to bed early tonight, huh, Kid? your real arrival happens when you sleep in the blue moonlight, right?”
usually annoying, Harris’s hair ruffling seemed comforting and familiar as the alien planet rushed closer. Tonight I will be sleeping under the blue moon Aissis, dreaming in ways that aren’t even possible on Earth.
        Jason turned away from the dark giant towering above him and stared out into space. He pressed his hands against the window wishing it felt cold like real glass. Harris was simply too friendly.
          Jason felt uncomfortable, out of character. Harris probably saw him as a lonely kid arriving in an alien world, using his anthropology professor disguise to cover his terror, just like on the space taxi when they came to the Marrion Jay. That’s what I am. Why should I object to him thinking it? He nervously pushed back a lock of hair which fell across his face, and wished he had braided it. It was long enough now, at least for some basic cornrows.
 This part of his life--this place--which had in it’s own way become home would very soon be left behind. and Harris-- Just as Jason had tried not to let Matthias have any place in his life then ended up missing his freindship. So it was with the Marrion Jay, and Harris. Jason had longed to be free of this place, but now realized this new transition would be as hard as leaving Earth. on the Marrion Jay at least he knew there was a friend of his parents in charge of the community. on Terran 8 there was no one except a half-brother twice his age he had never met who didn’t know of his existence and might not even still be living.
         Watching the end of their journey together approaching, Jason remembered the beginning ---Harris had tried so hard to comfort him those first few days on the ship Taxi. Jason smiled at the memory. He would miss Harris. Jason’s antagonism towards the black-skinned, black-haired, black-clad giant-child with all his technology toys had made the journey more interesting. Avoiding Harris became a game as Harris continually tried to win his friendship by thinking up new toys to offer. Perhaps that was about as close to friendship as any one in Jason’s life ever came. like Matthias, who would be looking forward to Jason again being able to send him messages from the planet.
“You got plans for the time in port, kiddo?” Harris asked.  “Might be awhile before you get to go looking for Jonathan’s boys. I’ve been to Jai-ten before. Interesting town.”  
           “Jonathan’s boys?” Harris spoke as if he believed Lenn were still alive. [Jason should ask him about this sometime, figure out the right time and what Harris will know. Harris shouldn’t know much]
Jason turned his attention the man he had tried so hard to avoid for six months. Harris’s thick black hair was neatly combed back and instead of his shapeless black jumpsuit he wore a formal uniform outlined with tiny gold braids. The negotiator’s uniform he was wearing when Jason first saw him at HomeStation. Harris wasn’t seeking friendship. This was his duty. I am the only Terran traveling to Jai-ten on the Marrion Jay. He got dressed up for only me.
 
         Harris persisted with childlike tenacity. “Helps to have someone local to show you around. I know people here on Jai-Ten who’d be happy to help if you’re not too proud to listen.” Harris said.
         That’s what I’ve been: too proud to listen, too afraid of Harris’s technology to trust him as a friend or even as an informant. 
Harris was turning to leave, his wildcat grin faded to resigned disappointment. 
How old is Harris? probably older than he acts. Paragangian technology erased all signs of physical aging. Harris might have been on the Marrion Jay forty years ago when Tersh and Lenn were born there. If I had ever given him a chance Harris might have offered me more than random tech-toys and a game of avoidance.
         Jason looked pensively at the planet --visibly closer now-- where he hoped to find his half-brother Tersh in the low-technology village of D’zeron. Tersh’s twin brother Lenn was stillborn. As a child Jason liked to imagine Lenn had miraculously lived and they would meet someday. Jason gave up that hope along with the other myths of childhood. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe Harris had reason to think Lenn was alive. [reduced or change this exposition based on what has been already shared]
Jason turned towards Harris, a towering black shadow walking away. The sky-blue wall of the observation room had already parted, dissolving around Harris as he stepped out into the bright blackness of the corridor. 
        “I haven’t been fair to you, have I Harris?” 
        Harris turned back quite suddenly. Sylvia scurried away to avoid collision. Jason blinked wide-eyed behind his gold-framed glasses and stepped back as the planet he had waited all his life to see was slipping gradually closer, unseen, behind him.
          Harris smiled warmly, ---not a wildcat grin--  and slouched a little, as if trying to appear smaller. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. Here, I’ll sit down so I don’t seem so intimidating.” He summoned an anti-grav chair and positioned himself near the window so Jason could watch the planetary approach without having to look up while they talked. He snatched Sylvia out of the air with one hand like a basketball and set her on the floor beneath his chair. 
       “I’m just a Spacer doing my job” He gave Jason a look of humble servitude. It didn’t suit him, and the awkwardness of the gesture made Jason smile.“doing my best to get you to the port of your dreams.” Harris winked as he said the word ‘dreams.’ “You don’t owe me anything, Dr. Scott-Harris.”
         Was the formal name to mock him or show respect? Probably both. The end of their journey together grew ever nearer beyond the window.
“There’s more to life than just doing your job, Harris Jenzar.”
           Harris grinned, his slightly-pointed teeth bright against the blackness of his skin like some giant night-hunting wildcat ready to pounce, but he leaned forward meeting Jason’s eyes affectionately as an older brother, and Jason wasn’t afraid. “I wondered if you’d ever remember that, Jedi Jason.”
 “What’s a Jedi?”  Harris often called him this. Jason feared he might be inviting the retelling of some ancient earth movie, but he finally really wanted to know why Harris called him “Jedi Jason.” [I need to figure out when and why Harris stared calling him this]
 “Jedi are the most amazing people in the universe.  You haven’t seen Star Wars, have you?” 
Jason shook his head “Maybe we can watch it sometime?” he replied, more surprised than Harris at the tone of hopeful anticipation in his voice. 
           “Yeah,” Harris replied very seriously “We should do that. Sylvia has it, she can project it for us.” 
“Not right now, though,” Jason added hastily, though he was happy to hear that Sylvia could actually do something more than float silently behind Harris. 
          Harris nodded and stood to leave. Sylvia rose to follow. As if responding to Jason’s thoughts, she beeped musically.  Harris said. “Speaking of Jedi, I should get back to navigation. Planetary approach is the most dangerous part of the journey. I’m supposed to give it my full attention.” 
          Terran 8 seemed suddenly very close, approaching at dizzying speed. “Why are you here then?” Jason asked, shifting his eyes nervously between the window and the navigator. 
Harris laughed “Don’t worry little brother! Sylvia would tell me if anything really needed attention.” 
         Sylvia beeped in cheerful agreement, twisting her wings to rotate vertically as if she was nodding her head. Jason eyed her suspiciously. Like all Paragangians, Harris was linked to all systems of the ship through the Community Mind. He shouldn’t need Sylvia to tell him anything. 
         Harris turned back and met Jason’s eyes, suddenly very serious “I came in person because I wanted to see you again before we arrive. I might never get another chance.” He paused, drew a deep breath and looked down at the floor as if trying to choose words tactfully. “Traveling to D’zeron is dangerous. I set a slow approach so she could auto pilot in while I came to say good-bye. I should get back, though.” When Harris looked up his dark brown eyes had grayed like Jonathan’s, when Jonathan was in pain. 
Jason felt tears rising behind his own eyes. Harris thinks I am going to die here.
         “Since you don’t have a link you’ll need someone to control the transport.” Harris said “I can take you to port as soon as we stop if you’re ready.” His eyes were dark again, shining with childlike enthusiasm. “But you’ll have some time to kill in Jai-ten. We’re arriving mid-day, and they say it’s better to dream after Aissis rises. Might be a week or so before you get permission to go to Kaar-taal. If you wait, I’ll meet you at the transport when I’m done tethering. My friend DaraJeen owns an inn here. I can take you there. You’ll like it. It’s more Retro than the tourist places in the port center, and you can have lunch with her. She likes to cook Terran food. Stuff that used to be alive, just like you like it.  I’ve heard she’s good, But I don’t know.  grows it all herself I guess. I wouldn’t eat that stuff for anything. After that you can go look at the city before sunset if you want to.” 
           Sylvia whistled with a tone of urgency and Harris left without waiting for reply.
==35 harris and his father old file==
place holdre file, from 2013
this section needs extreem revission when the forgoing chapters are completed. 2013 aug. Harris has alot more information by this time in the current version.
Scene two        Harris and Sen’tran     
[still need some editing]
Rushing down the bright black corridor Harris resumed navigation hoping his father hadn’t noticed the few minutes he had switched control of the Marrion Jay to Sylvia.  Maybe Jason isn’t really the son of the traitor Jonathan Landon, he told himself, like a child contemplating the sword Excalibur protruding from a stone.  Maybe he’s the lost Paragan. He has Desmond’s name. Maybe he’s the son of Desmond Harris. This fantasy seemed worth the lecture he would have to endure for it. [this exposition will not be needed at this point, but I dn’t know what will b, not having written the forgoing chapters]
Harris gave his body to the navigation chair, as he rarely did, straining to reduce the delay as much as possible as quickly as possible so perhaps Sen’tran would not take notice. –it was only minutes…
direct his full attention to flying the ship: Gathering energy from all available sources—during approach, mainly from the planet’s gravity and the sun’s radiation—and redirecting that power through the reverse-drive engines,  drawing from the recycling, form his own emotions, and for all those of the linked community.  The navigator’s job was to chose the path which would enable the ship to collect as much energy as possible and arrive exactly on time, without flying too close to any dangerous energy sources. For a journey this long, on time meant as soon as possible.
[this exposition might need to go earlier in this version]
     He glanced up at his shelf of starwars gadgets and smiled, remembering that Jason had agreed to watching it with him, He never expected that to happen, after Jason’s first reaction to the suggestion months ago.
       And better yet, Jason agreed to spend time with him at Jai-Ten. He would take him to the inn.
      thoughts of Darra Jeen made Harris’s heart race, and gave him enough energy to make up most of the lost time. He was feeling entirely optimistic by the time tethering began, and wasn’t even worried about Sen’tran anymore.
        Navigation ended when the ship was tethered. Because he was outgoing and liked to keep busy Harris also took responsibility for overseeing the loading and unloading of passengers and their possessions. When he left the Marrion Jay, which wasn’t often, he was always among the last to leave. Through the link, Harris checked the transport room. Jason seemed to have chosen to wait. [make sure that this version contains another option, that didn’t involve Harris taking him] Harris programmed auto-settings for a two-week planetary leave, and rose to depart. 
            Sen’tran Jenzar stood in the doorway watching him with ancient eyes that seemed to look beyond the surface into his soul and find him lacking. “Harris. Slow approach with a three minute pause and then a crazy rush to hide the delay. and two weeks leave on Terran 8. What’s wrong with you?” 
         Physically Sen’tran didn’t look any older than his son, in fact people who didn’t know them well could not tell them apart, but Harris imagined over four hundred years worth of disapproval in his father’s eyes. Having lived more than twice as long as any other Paragangian, Sen’tran Jenzar didn’t respect the maturity of anyone. Harris felt no hope of ever winning his father’s approval, and rarely tried anymore.
         Sen’tran’s intrusion this day annoyed him more than usual. Jason, waiting alone in an alien place, might not mind solitude, but he always seemed scared and confused when faced with anything unfamiliar. Harris had grown quite fond of him during these past few months in spite of his pointed rejection, and didn’t want to cause him any unnessessary discomfort now that he was finally willing to talk. 
Harris glared up at his father from the navigation chair and replied verbally with obvious irritation which he pointedly projected over the link also. “There is nothing wrong with me. My work is well done. What’s wrong with you, Father?” Why did Sen’tran come here? I anticipated this censure through the link; not in person.
“Slow landing isn’t like you Harris. And two weeks leave on Terran 8? Does it take two weeks to get drunk and seduce an alien innkeeper? At your age all your brothers were raising Pure Paragangian families in their own Ship Communities.”
“I am not my brothers! Times have changed in the past hundred years or so since any of them were my age, Old Man!” He shouted back. “I am taking responsibility, Sen’tran Jenzar Patriarch of  Spacers! How long did the journey take the last time you brought the Marrion Jay to Terran 8 from the HomeStation transfer point?
“5 months. You do well.” 
                    *
Sne’tran tried to project reassurance and approval through the link, but Harris wasn’t receiving. What is wrong with me? I did not come here to anger him, I am only expressing concern for my son. 
“I brought you to Terran 8 in three months,” Harris raged on, projecting through the link a powerful sense of injustice and failing to conceal the childish disappointment it sprang from.
 All he wanted was the respect of his father. He deserves that, why couldn’t I just give him that, for once?
 “Three months. Nobody’s ever gotten here that fast, yet all the praise I get is you here in person calling me irresponsible and childish because I delayed the approach three minutes? Three minutes! Doing what you asked! Taking care of Jonathan’s kid, whom you didn’t have the curtisy, --or guts—to even say hello to And I was arranging transport for a passenger who has refused to be linked. That’s my job, too. For your passenger, you conceived this insane adventure, didn’t you, Patriarch Sen’tran? It’s really your Empire, isn’t it? You’re just waiting or me to find you a new Paragan so you can retire. You have no Idea how Hard it’s been to get this kid to even speak to me. I spend three minutes finally getting his attention, and he fnally agreed to talk to me as a human being instead of an alien wildcat…So I lost three minutes after saving you two months. But no!—My father doesn’t see it that way. He has to give me a lecture about being irresponsible and tell me to grow up.”
Harris paused, took a deep breath. Sen’tran was silent. Harris resumed, obviously still annoyed but calmer.
“I’ve done my part, Old Man. I’m on leave now. I already signed off. I’m not a child, I don’t have to answer to you when I’m on leave. Could you not have just chastened me through the link?” 
“So. You are leaving, Harris?” 
“Yes, I am leaving! I served you well, Old Man! I babysat the son of your friend and your enemy so you can keep your promise and still imagine vengeance. I have a center to find and I have an informant who seems promising. [?is that still relivant?] I’m leaving. Now.” Harris headed for the door, his link silent. He tried to slip past his father without walking too close, but the room was small, so his avoidance seemed exaggerated.
         *
        “You are going to get drunk and waste your life with that alien innkeeper.” The old man stated it as fact, as if he had seen vision of it.
          Harris had only wanted to help his new friend, learn from him, maybe find out for sure who’s son Jason really was. He had not planned to get drunk, or spend any time with DaraJeen other than taking Jason to the inn. Jason would love the Inn, and DaraJeen would take good care of him. DaraJeen had made plain last time that she wanted Harris to stay away. But, inscenced by Sen’tran’s smug certainty, Harris’s resentment began to feel more important than friendship or fantasy. 
        “If you say it is so, so it shall be, Sen’tran Jenzar, Shaman of Paragangia! I will get drunk, just for you, My Father. I’ll waste some vauable time with that terrible alien woman, just for you. Maybe she’ll agree to bear my child so you can have another bastard heir. Do my father’s visions control my destiny? I am your heir, Sen’tran Jenzar. You are my father and the patriarch of my community. I’ll accept that duty when the time comes, but until then I live my own life. You may be four hundred and twenty-six years old, but I am not a child. Go live your own life, Old Man, and let me live mine”
          Pushing past his father Harris rushed down the corridor towards the transport room where Jason had agreed to wait. His father’s words echoed oddly down the black corridor after him. “You are my life, Harris” Harris didn’t understand and didn’t want to. He turned off his communication link again, and kept walking
==36 pov sentran old file==
Chapter 11 POV Sen’tran
slightly edited Sept 2012—needs work. 
[most of this might be unneeded now]
Sen’tran Jenzar felt the weight of  his Four hundred and twenty-six years, and his duties as Patriarch of the largest Ship Community in the galaxy, leader of the largest and most powerful faction of Paragangia, as he stood sadly at the door of Harris’s oddly cluttered navigation room watching him disappear down the corridor followed by his pointless communication robot. “What is it about the love of a father for a son which leads us always to say the wrong things?” He whispered aloud, painfully aware of how his words to Harris would bring his fears to life. Harris would get drunk now just to prove him wrong. I try to express concern; he hears only disapproval. 
Carefully bred for vision and wisdom, Harris let his choices be guided instead by momentary passion born of words misunderstood. Why is my youngest and most talented child so childish and rebellious? All of Sen’tran’s wisdom –-of age and of genetics—brought no answer to calm his fears. [this is not very beleivable…Sen’tran would ask a deeper question]
Harris could choose any wife he wanted in all Paragangia and become a great leader. But he was loyal. He chose to navigate his home-ship and wait for an alien woman who would always refuse to marry him. Harris, I hope you never have to find out how dangerous that woman really is. Sen’tran wished to have chosen wiser and kinder words for his son. 
Normally, He thinks I want him to grow up and go, so he stays here to defy me. He tries not to be what he thinks I want. I usually tell him to go, because I want him to stay, though I know wanting to keep him here is wrong. He follows his heart and not his wisdom. In so doing he obeys my heart and not my wisdom. But today, by trying hold on to him, by trying to protect him from this danger he has chosen for himself, ---Danger he doesn’t fully understand--- I have driven him away.
           Here on Terran 8 he runs from me imagining I am pushing him to grow up. The path he’s choosing will leave him more grown up and more responsible than I would ever wish for him to be. The old man quietly cursed his future-seeing ability. Visions were rarely useful, and almost always unpleasant.
“Be safe, my son,” He said aloud to the empty hall, looking beyond the point where Harris had vanished into the distance. “May you always choose a course for your own life as well as you choose for the Marrion Jay. May my fears for you be all unfounded. Be safe, my son” 
 As Sen’tran sadly returned to his quarters in the Marrion Jay a long-forgotten memory came to him:  
Desmond Harris.
==37 sen remembers des old file==
HomeStation, Earth Date Jan 15, Alliance Year 145
It was the evening after the unveiling of the mural, the day Gloria Scott left Paragangia. Desmond had just shed the physical façade of his Paragan identity but the mantel of power still clung to him like a nightmare.
“Sen’tran Jenzar.” Desmond Harris’s bright blue eyes captured and held his attention, uncharacteristically grave. “By your power, I am Paragan, the Center of Paragangia. Do you serve me?
 “You are Paragan.” replied Sen’tran
             “I require of you a gift. Will you give it?”
 “Anything you ask, I give.”
 “I am cursed with the gift of Paragan. There are times when the veil is torn apart and I see things which cannot and should not be known, Dark things, but I know God has it all in his power, somehow,”
 “Tell on” said Sen’tran, with effort, not wanting to share this gift they shared.
 “Sen’tran Jenzar, as much as you may love me, there is one thing I know you don’t want to give me now, yet I ask this of you. When the time comes you will know what is needed and why. You will give me this.”
 “What would I not give to you, Paragan?”
Desmond smiled sadly “Your son Harris. The one you conceived to be the heir of Paragan, to take my place when I am gone.” 
Sen'tran looked down not wanting to know what they both knew. Harris was born for this purpose.  Desmond waited quietly. Sen’tran met his gaze again with shattered, tear-filled eyes.Harris was only 5 years old. He had received a central control implant, it was true. He was, theoretically capable of becoming Center…“No,” whispered Sen’tran tentatively “I cannot. He’s not mine to give. He belongs to the Community.” 
Desmond laughed softly. The sound of his laughter tore at the old man’s heart “Well spoken. You are wise and old but you know cannot fool me with careful words. You serve Paragan. I am Paragan. He belongs to my community. He is already mine. Don’t worry. I don’t need to take him away from you now.  He’s not ready to replace Paragan. All Jo’s Scheming might seem to fall to nothing for awhile, but unkind destiny is very patient. Harris will remain on the Marrion Jay many more years. He will grow in wisdom and in stature. [look up and correct this quote] It will be in you power to keep him there forever. We all know the Empire is entirely in your power Patriarch Sen’tran, you control the implants, you control the Center. I rule only by your consent. I only ask that you will let him serve me when I have need of him.”
Sen’tran looked troubled. “Of course he may, Desmond. We all serve you.”
“Not for long, my friend.” Desmond’s bright blue eyes paled slightly, like smoke rising into summer sky.
           For a moment, Sen’tran’s eyes grayed also, and he struggled a little harder than usual to keep his spirit attached to his body; to refuse his long-overdue death. 
         “Harris will serve me again, Sen’tran Jenzar.” His eyes dropped to the floor, voice fell to a whisper, nearly inaudible. “But tonight I will leave you.”
 A chill of foreboding passed through the old man leaving him frozen, speechless for a moment. He knew the truth. “How Desmond? Destiny is never sure.”
When Desmond looked up his eyes were bright blue. “This destiny is sure. You have promised to protect my son. Someday, Sen’tran Jenzar of the Marrion Jay,” Desmond continued in a voice of hope against all odds “Someday Harris will choose to leave you. He will set aside Paragangia for a higher cause. He will come to you, his father, asking you to remove his central control implant and send him into voluntary exile. You will do this for Harris. You will do this for my son. You will do this for me, Sen’tran, because you will know it is the time of which I now speak.” 
          The young alien leader who had brought hope to Paragangia walked away that night as Harris walked away now, leaving the old man watching after him. That was the last time Sen’tran Jenzar had seen Desmond Harris alive. Letting go was no easier for Sen’tran now than it had been 20 years before.
Sen’tran had filed that conversation in the back of his memory and gone on with life. Tonight he choose the same path. All things reveal themselves in time. He willfully set his mind back on the affairs of his ShipCommunity, determined not to worry himself with prophecy, foreboding, or rebellious sons. 
==38old jason looks at planet waits for harris==
Direct observation room of the Marrion Jay Ship Community
[add date and time here]
A water planet! So beautiful! Jonathan never showed me this ocean. I’e been so focused on D’zeron that I never thought of it. I hope I’ll have time to see what lives there. His mind filled with memories childhood in Florida, before Jonathan, before dreams. He had wandered beaches by his home searching for crabs and starfishes, talking with fisherman and just watching the waves as they rolled in across the sand.[show not tell …narrate a memory of childhood, looking at the  ocean, perhaps talking to someone on the beach, a fisherman or something[else this]. He gazed at the vast blue ocean of Terran 8 with the innocent awe of childhood until the Marrion Jay passed into the night sky of D’zeron, and all details of the surface melted into darkness. 
    So close, and I’ve waited so long. Curiosity got the better of him; abandoning his aversion to advanced technology, he turned on sensors which Harris had insisted on turning to manual control in case Jason changed his mind [***show not tell ?] and examined the details of the planet’s surface through the darkness of its shadow. *how did he feel? add italic thoughts to show feelings.
He Searched the watery emptiness …*how did this feel?... until he located a tiny forested landmass: the continent of Kaar-taal. Roughly circular, it was divided in one direction by mountains --where the dragons live—and a river flowed from the mountains to the coastline. This, the largest continent on Terran 8, was so small it would be considered merely an island on Earth. [how small IS it?}
 Increasing magnification, Jason followed the river Sh’harn inland from the waterfall on the western shore until he found a small clearing in the forest Zair Thaleil. soon, I’ll travel that path. ***p[ have him remember this when he arrives on the beach and looks up at that waterfall…remember significant contors of the river when he looks at it on a map athe the Museum, preparing for the journey. ***I need to create details of Terrain on the river, Islands, perhaps? ]
 D’zeron-- my destiny of dreams. If Jonathan ever looked down at D’zeron from space like this, he never shared it with me. It looks like a starfish. That round structure at the center of the star must be the temple, and the points must be the pillars. ***rewrite with less italics
There it is: not even a dream, but only an image on a Paragangian optical devise. Less real than a dream. He felt a rush of shame for using this technology to observe a place which forbid any advanced technology and switched it off, staring out into featureless blue darkness lit only by the reflected blue glow of Aissis amid the Paragangian purity of space. Aissis was not really a moon but a small planet following Terran 8 in synchronous orbit, very much like the planet Beta Blue, which followed Blue Desitiny, the Mexican planet where Jason had lived for two years as a field study. ***add her some other memories and associations with blue destiny. 
   If my brother Tersh in D’zeron looked up into the sky would he see a shooting star? Or aliens arriving? 
 The Marrion Jay passed out of the peaceful blue Aissis-lit night of D’zeron into glaring green-sunned day of Jai-ten and tethered above the port city. It was an even smaller Island on the opposite side of the watery globe. Jason sent a quick message to his family just to let them know he had arrived safely ahead of schedule and would now be able to send and receive messages***[they would have sent a message, or even a few messages, which would be waiting for him when he arrived, and would effect his thoughts. He wouldn’t be expecting these messages, and would get them when he went to the post office for some other reason, like to send a larger message..or when he went to the port office to get permissions]. He was still too excited to feel homesick, and hadn’t left the Marrion Jay yet so there wasn’t much to say. He collected his possessions and went to the transport room to wait for Harris.  
    Like most places in the Marrion Jay which were not designed mainly for Terrans, The room was oddly, disturbingly bright in spite of its black walls and ceiling. All the other Passengers had transported to Jai-ten as soon as the ship tethered, or had no intentions of visiting the port.
***who were the other passengers, and how much contact would Jason have with them? what contact if any would they have with the ship community? why would they not live in the community during the journey? [I would think most travelers would choose to do so unless they were traveling alone] so Jason was alone. The furniture here was link-controlled, and sized for Paragangians. Jason didn’t mind. He deposited his luggage on the black floor near the transport and sat down with his back against the wall, his turtle-shell guitar cradled in his arms like a teddy bear.
   Bored and apprehensive but excited, he contemplated his journey. His third off-Earth experience, farther from home in every way than he had ever been, yet it felt like going home. D’zeron --his destiny in dreams. No advanced technology, only the magic of a portal leading to a different world which existed only in dreams. He had walked D’zeron’s pathways in shared dreams with Jonathan. He had spoken and eaten and climbed trees and cliffs with people from Jonathan's memories. Most of them were long dead now perhaps, but some would still be there; the dream keeper D’neira, who had been a child when Jonathan met her, and maybe Tersh. {**other elders of D’zeon, who remember Jonathan? the hunter? ]
A brother old enough to be my father --In Jonathan’s memories Tersh had been a baby [more description of the baby, so the shared memories of Tersh].-- but still, I have a brother. 
    The young anthropologist looked up at the bare black walls of the Ship Community that had been his world for three months. A Ship Community traveling through open space couldn’t receive messages without stopping. Stopping could add many months to a journey, so they didn’t. Soon, he would be able to send a message home. ***[wait, didn’t he just already send one? reword this. ] They would receive it in a few days, and a few days later, perhaps, he would hear from his family for the first time in several months. Homesickness engulfed him.
 I won’t miss this place. 
 He had always been with friends of his family when he was away from the Earth before. Aunt Rae on Homeworld, jonathan’s friends in Mexico. Here in Paragangia Jason was alone. Rhonda, didn’t consider him fully human since he wasn’t linked. Sen’tran Jenzar, an old friend of his mother, had assured her that he would be welcomed as family, but Jason had never seen him.
He sent his son, thought Jason. absentmindedly he began playing a random hymn tune on his guitar. He laughed when he realized what it was.
  “God Loves us so he sent his Son
    Christ Jesus the atoning one…”
  Harris isn’t exactly Christ, and I sure hope Sen’tran isn’t God, but Harris is the closest thing to family I have until I reach D’zeron. 
He felt a terrible longing for home; for his mother and Jonathan. For Kansas, even in the winter. for the university, and even for Matthias, who would be teaching his lectures o retro technology now.
    On his other journeys the culture shock had been terrible at first even on Earth-like colonies among family friends, close enough to call home. He was older now. 21; legally an adult even in America, the planet known for having the oldest childhood in the galaxy. He still lived with his parents when he wasn’t traveling, though he had been in a sense living as an adult for several years, teaching at the university. Three months aboard the Marrion Jay with no contact from home had been boring, but not terribly uncomfortable. The busy port city Jai-ten which lay before him just a transporter ride away would be much more alien than the Marrion Jay. ***[I need to create details of Jai-Ten, and the surrounding 
He thought back over his journey. [add back tiny flashack]Now Jason sat near the transport of the Marrion Jay holding the same guitar and waiting for the same 7-foot tall space pirate to transport with him to the most remote and alien port of the Earth Alliance. 
==39 anton==
Edited Sept 30 1012 and posted.
Scene 4    Antondaeleil Haridaen (the Paragangian kid)
            A small dark figure materialized suddenly beside Jason, like a ghost.
           “Hey Jason! Take me to the port?”
            “I can’t transport Anton; I don’t have a link, remember? You would have to take me to the port.”
           Anton grinned. “AWESOME! Really? Let’s go! C’mon!” Anton, bouncing with hyperactive enthusiasm, grabbed Jason’s arm and moved as if to immediately drag him to his feet and through the transport to Jai-ten.
          “No. Wait. Anton! Slow down! I told Harris I would wait for him.”
          Anton made an exaggerated but not very successful effort to hold very still. He seemed to sort of vibrate rather than bounce. “Aw, c’mon Jason! You just said I could take you. Harris won’t mind. He can meet you at the depot. He’s talking to the Old Man now anyhow, so you might have to wait awhile. Don’t you wanna see Jai-ten? It’s a much funner place for waiting than here.” 
          That isn’t saying much.  “The old man?”
           “Yeah, y’know, Sen’tran Jenzar? We call him Old Man, because he’s older than everybody. Some people think the Old man’s sorta scary. Nobody hardly ever sees him in person, But he’s ok. I saw him goin’ to talk to Harris in person though. Harris must be in big trouble, I wonder what he did. I’m waiting for Harris too, t’ ask him to take me to the port. He took me last time --Jai-ten is so much fun! But he’s not here yet ‘cause he’s talking to the Old Man. But you’re here Jason, and you’re not busy and you are an adult, right? So you can take me, okay? I can take you through the transport and you can show me the city, so we both get what we want and we both don’t have to wait for Harris, Okay?” 
            “Why don’t you take yourself? You have a link.” It came across sounding like a brush-off though he had not intended it so.
            Anton rolled his eyes in exaggerated frustration, and bounced around a little more than usual, perhaps in compensation for the preceding moment of mere vibration.
            “Not allowed. Gotta have an adult. I mean, they monitor me through the link, but I gotta keep a big person with me at all times to scare off evil aliens or something. You don’ look like an adult but that’s only ‘cause you’re Terran, right? You don’t even look like a Terran adult, but I know you are ‘cause Harris told me! Harris wouldn’t say you were if you weren’t, right?” Anton grinned infectiously, staring at him with huge shining dark eyes. Jason, slightly overwhelmed but at least no longer bored, grinned back in spite of himself. Anton was like Harris with twice the energy packed into half the size. The half-size aspect of him was comforting after more than three months in the Marrion Jay never seeing anyone but Harris. Maybe that was why Harris had brought him by in the first place, months ago. Maybe I should have given him a chance, too.
          “Are you sure little alien adults count for big people, Anton? I couldn’t protect you if you got into trouble down there. I’m not much bigger than you and you probably know more about fighting evil aliens in Jai-ten than I do.
          “Oh, I do, Jason, I do! Jai-ten is so amazing, you gotta see it, c’mon! 
          “I will, soon enough.”
          “Thousands of aliens --don’t worry, they’re not really evil-- or I never saw one not that I could tell was evil just by lookin’ but looks don’t tell much, just like you don’t look grown up but you are, and Harris looks just like Sen’tran but Harris’s fun and nice an’ in Jai-ten there’s not just Terans like you, there lots of those Cat-people from Rhoisoh. That’s where Sen’tran is taking us after he gets rid of you. Planet Rhoizoh. They never let me out there. Some of them really are evil, but they hide it real well so you won’t have to fight them, not with me, anyhow. Harris says they can shapeshift, but he’s never seen one do it, an’ they even have fur on their faces an’ hands, so you can see it even when they’re properly dressed but they don’ even try to cover it, not that they could an’ There’s different color people, too, even one’s without fur. Cat-people fur is usually yellow but I dunno what color their skin is, ‘cause you can’t see it, y’know?  My skin is all black but that doesn’t mean their skin is all yellow, some of them have stripes on their fur, they might have stripes on their skin, too. Or they might not. An’ there people with horns an’ scales who can breath underwater, an’ people who wear their atmosphere in a jar on their head an’ people who can fly, and things that don’t even look like people but talk like people. Y’know what?  Harris said there might be people who can read your mind even without a link. I don’t think I’ve ever met one but I dunno, I sometimes wonder if Harris can read my mind, ‘cause he seems to know what I’m thinkin’ most times even when I shut my link off.”
             Jason laughed “I bet Harris just reads your mind by remembering what he was like when he was…” he paused estimating the boy’s age. Anton was not much shorter than Jason.
            “I’m seven. But I’ll be eight by the time you get back from D’zeron.” Anton offered.
           “See, there you go Anton, you read my mind! I didn’t ask how old you were, but I was wondering.”
            Anton laughed much the same way Harris laughed, but the effect was more a strange alien animal than a drunken pirate.[does in this version Jason ever call Harris a drunken pirate?] “C’mon let’s go Jason.”
        *Jason’s thoughts?   “I am tired of waiting. Are you sure your people wouldn’t mind?”
           “ ‘Course not!” said Anton, “They monitor me all the time an’ if they didn’t want me to go with you they would be telling me not to right now and if I tried they could shut down the transport so I couldn’t. They’ll be glad you took me so I’ll stop buggin’ everybody else t’ take me. C’mon already Jason, Please.” Anton emphasized his pleading with a very theatrical sad puppy face.
           When a kid who has surely never had a puppy dog and maybe never seen a puppy  makes a sad puppy face, they probably don’t call it a sad puppy face. Analyzing it didn’t minimize the effect of huge, wide brown eyes. In fact with his black Paragangian skin, the visual effect was really very much like a large black puppy dog. ***possible memories of some specific black dog from Jason’s past?
            Jason offered one more tentative protest about waiting for Harris, at which Anton volunteered excitedly to leave a hidden message on the Community Mind. It would be great fun, he said.  Harris would receive it 30 seconds after he stepped into the transport room and noticed Jason had mysteriously vanished. Long enough to make him wonder, said Anton, but not long enough to leave him worrying or make him angry with Anton or Jason when he got the message.  Anton and Harris played jokes like this with each other all the time, he reassured Jason.
           Jason rose and slung his guitar strap over his shoulder and they were off to Jai-ten. The dizzying pace of Anton’s persuasion routine had drawn Jason in and taken his mind off his fears so completely that he didn’t even notice the usually disconcerting effects of transporting. Anton went through first pulling Jason along by the hand and chattering on about the marvels of Jai-ten without pause as they passed through the transport. They left Jason’s luggage on the Marrion Jay hidden where Harris wouldn’t see it when he first walked in, and Anton asked Harris to bring it along when he came. Jason brought only his guitar, which was strapped to his back.
              The port swarmed with humanity and other sentient life, plus some creatures Jason couldn’t guess what were or whether they were sentient. There were trees and flowers and sky. Oddly colored sky, but sky. After three months of virtual night in the Marrion Jay, even alien daylight was delightful. Anton dragged him straight outside into its brightness. Jason stood there grinning, blinking, taking it all in, basking in the warmth of greenish alien sunlight. Terran 8!
             Anton grabbed the child-size Terran’s arm, bouncing him around to face another direction, gesturing to the orange-tinted sky above the transport depot they had just emerged from. “Look, Jason, look! Air cars, see? I love air cars! Hey Jason have you ever flown in an air car? Harris says you like old technologies because you’re a retro-technologist. Air cars are old, do you have air cars on Earth? Have you flown in one, do you like them?” Jason grinned up at the orange sky shaking his head at the barrage of questions, clearing his thoughts, then looked back at the small dark bouncing creature who was his current companion, “Yeah, Anton, all that. Except for the part about air cars being old. Air cars are fairly new and pretty high tech where I come from, but my Mom has one she got when she was in Paragangia and I fly it to work sometimes when the weather’s bad.” 
              Anton stared back in pure amazement, his eyes huge dark brown circles in his black Paragangian face. 
            “Woah! You can drive an air car? Really Jason? Oh, I’ve always wanted to ride in an air car! I came here with Harris last time but Harris wouldn’t let me ride an air car; Harris is afraid of air cars.”
            Jason laughed. “Nah, Harris isn’t afraid of anything! How could he fly the Marrion Jay and be afraid of air cars?
           “Marrion Jay isn’t an air car and he is Jason, really! He is. I know Harris more’n you do.” Anton insisted “But hey you can fly one can we go for a ride Jason, please? I’ve always wanted so much to ride in an air car! Please Jason?
           “Well you know Anton, I didn’t pack one of those in my suitcase. No need for it in D’zeron. Where would we get one?” 
           Anton fell silent for five seconds inquiring through the link. Five minutes later they stood out of breath in front of a shop which rented out air cars.   
         A variety of tethered air cars hovered near the ground like helium balloons awaiting customers’ inspection. Anton walked among them in silent awe. The brown-skinned, grey haired Terran shopkeeper grinned at Jason, observing the boy’s reverence. “This is a day your young friend will remember vividly for years to come.” said the shopkeeper. “You have any words of wisdom to share, this is the day to share them.” 
              “Words of wisdom? I barely know him, what would I say?” 
             The shopkeeper shrugged with a shadow of a smile “Everyone has wisdom of some sort. Which car would you like to rent, sir?” 
            “That pink one in the far corner looks similar to the one my mom has back home in Kansas. Does it color-shift?”
            The man nodded. “It sure does, sir. That the one you want?’
             Minutes later Jason and Anton were soaring gleefully above the port of Jai-ten in an air car color-shifted to look like a dolphin. Anton had never actually seen a dolphin, but he’d seen images, and was impressed with Jason’s artistic skills. 
           “I’m surprised you’ve never flown, Anton. I understand these air cars were a Paragangian invention. I was flying much younger than you. And,” he added “I was a whole lot smaller too. Flying is quite easy and safe.”
          “I’m a Spacer, Jason. I’ve never even been to HomeStation. Born on the Marrion Jay, spent my whole life in space excep’ sometimes when I get somebody like you ‘n Harris to take me to port for a few muinutes. Spacers don’ use land technologies.”
           Jason laughed. “Air cars are land technology.”
             “Well, it sure ain’t Spacer technology. What am I gonna do? Go flying around the corridors? Isn’t the daylight beautiful? It’s sort of green here, even though the sky is orange. Isn’t that weird? On Rhoizoh the sky is blue like the sky on earth. I’ve never been to Earth, but I’ve been to Rhoizoh. Sen’tran took me down to look once, just for a moment. I’ve seen pictures of Earth sky, though. It’s blue like Rhoisoh sky. Like the observation room Harris made for you. He hates that room, but he made it just for you. He likes you a lot, even if you’re not Paragan. Harris is such a great guy. But Harris is afraid of daylight and sky. You’re much more fun than Harris for going to port.” Anton grinned. “Last time he brought me in daytime, though, so I could see the weird orange sky even though he hates it. Everybody loves Harris. You’re lucky he’s going to port with you. Harris likes you a lot, and not just ‘cause he thought you might be Paragan or something, either; he just likes you. I can see why.” 
         I can’t believe Harris is afraid of anything, especially not daylight and air cars. Jason listened in silence as the excessively energetic Spacer child exclaimed about everything. 
           “Look Jason! What are those flying animals over there? Wonder what they call those. Rat pigeons.” the link had apparently told him “In Jai-Ten they call them Rat pigeons. Look, They land on trees, see? But the way they follow people, I think they might be sentient. It’s like they’re making jokes about the other aliens. You never know in Jai-ten. All the people are aliens in Jai-ten, Y’know? ‘cause there were no people here before the Alliance, so everyone here now is alien. Except on Kaar-Taal, where you’re going. I wonder if those little guys flying around over there are from this planet or imported. They might be the only people here on Jai-Ten who aren’t aliens. Harris doesn’t like animals. Most Paragangian’s don’t but Harris is more sensitive than most. But I like them. Especially those rat pigeons, those are awesome. Hey look! The one with a baby on her back stole something from the Terran man at the table, and then gave it back to him.”
         “She took his book, to get his attention, like my cat stands in front of my computer screen.” 
         “What’s a book? ***[later Jason might buy Anton a copy of his book, and/or a book with paintings of animals. Since this man is reading a book, he might be George the retrotechnologist,so when Jason visits him he’s have his pet Rat pigeon and tell Jason about them, and he might have books for sale Jason could buy for Anton]] Look! She lets the man touched her.” Anton went on.  “She’s sitting on his head now, see? Just like the baby sits on her back. They must be friends. Have you ever touched an animal, Jason?” ***[Anton might be getting info through the link about everything and sharing it with Jason at this point, also.] 
            “Sure, I love animals. I have several pets at home. I can’t imagine being seven and never having touched an animal. When I was your age I lived by the ocean. I had lots of pets then, I had a big black dog, named ????. you remind me of ????. I used to search for little creatures on the beach, like crabs and starfishes, and ??????  would run along the beach chasing after seagulls.” 
             Anton paused for a second while he consulted the Community Mind about pets, and crabs, and starfish.[write what info he mentions, so Jason knows this is what he’s doing.  “Really?” Anton was very impressed “Wow I wish I could have a pet! Nobody has pets on the Marrion Jay, nobody! How do your pets live without you while you’re here?” ***[add possible ravings about the regenerative properties of starfish and their taking over places]
          “Mom and Dad take care of them for me. Aren’t there petstores in Jai-Ten? We could go look at the ocean. Maybe there are animals on the beach. You could catch a crab or something and make Harris build you a tank for it, he can apparently make anything. Wanna drive, Anton?” 
          “Really? You would let me fly?” Then his face fell. “Aw, no time now. Harris got our message and he’s meeting you now at the port entrance with your luggage.”
          “Okay then,” replied Jason passing Anton the controls. “You fly us back to the port entrance.”
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             Harris stood by the door of the Depot watching them approach, back against the wall, arms crossed. Anton waved and Harris waved back smiling. Sylvia hovered overhead head, twisting nervously in every direction, as if watching for enemies. Anton made an abrupt, slightly bouncy stop in front of Harris and tumbled out, jumping up to give him a hug. “Harris!” he screamed, “Jason let me fly!”  The rest of the conversation was through the link. Anton bounced a little, and gestured a lot, then slouched and made the sad puppy face again. Harris laughed, and ruffled his hair, the way he always did to Jason. “No. Sorry Anton.”
        Anton turned back to Jason. “Bye Jason. Thanks for everything. See you when you get back from Kaar-Taal. Thanks again. Bye!” He bounced away and vanished through the crowd of miscellaneous aliens in the transport depot, back to the Marrion Jay.
         “You rented an air car.” Harris looked it over skeptically. He seemed tense. Maybe Anton was right. Maybe Harris wasn’t as unshakable as he seemed on the Marrion Jay.
         Jason grinned “Anton suggested it. It’s just like the one I use at home.”
         Harris met his eyes, “I don’t expect retro-technologists to fly air cars.”
        Jason returned his gaze. “Mom had the air car before I was born. I’ve been flying longer than I’ve been a retro-technologist. I never expected the greatest Paragangian navigator in the galaxy to be afraid of air cars.”
           Harris squinted, replying slowly. “Not really afraid. You know how Anton exaggerates. But I don’t like them very much. Don’t mind if you do though. Anything is good if it makes you feel better.”
          He seemed more unsettled by this than anything else in the time Jason had known him, except perhaps Rhonda. She could unsettle anyone. And when Jason had been ill that first week. Harris had been pretty upset about that.
         Cautiously, as if reaching into a den of dangerous creatures not knowing whether they’re home or not, Harris reached his hand into the car and touched the control panel. ‘I’ll program coordinates for the inn, and meet you there, ok? Easier to take luggage direct through transport than haul it into that thing.” Jason nodded consent watching the location program appear on the control screen.