Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Reans were happy as all the departments were shaping up

well except the lab where they were planning to grow the

embryo culture in the artificial medium. They were

missing the cattle and all the dairy products that they used

get by any means back in Earth!

In the farm which was in a valley behind the campsite, the

corns, different millets and vegetables were already

growing bigger and better than on Earth. Ro and Ge and

their team guarded the fields day and night…

Few Reans were always in the lookout for a suitable place

for their city!

Richard was searching for the same. He would pack some

picnic lunch and go as far as he could go! Zo had

promised him a bike just like the one that he had as he

missed it!

He decided to explore few valleys and walked along with

the mountain range that ran along the ocean.

He heard his name being called and he was surprised as he

couldn’t even see any plants.

Then he realised one of the prop root had planted firmly

on the mountain crease and it was calling him!

He knew all the prop roots in Arda were part of the queen.

‘

Is the King searching for a fort?’

Richard was happy that the queen cared enough to check

on him.

He said, ‘yes my dear queen, we need a place which would

stand the test of time’

‘

I will send some trees to take you to the place that I

thought would be perfect…check that out’

Before he could thank the queen, he could hear the trees

hopping and coming towards him. He knew he would be

carried as before and he braced himself for the

uncomfortable experience…

He was carried by one of the branches and instead of

throwing from one to another, the same tree hopped in a

breakneck speed towards a small crease in the mountain

wall…

The tree squeezed itself into the crease and travelled for

nearly one kilometre.

Finally the crease started broadening and then it opened

into a valley completely surrounded by mountains… The

valley was not small, must have been easily 100 square

kilometres!

Richard was dropped down gently and he stood there with

such incredulous look!

He could visualise the city very easily… the palace, the

offices, the labs, the lakes the farmlands…. The valley

was almost flat there were no boulders or hills! One large

water body was seen one side! The perfect place for the

city that he dreamt…

He quietly concentrated and called both Zo and Re and

they got connected immediately. He told them that he

would be sending a tree to bring them to the place where

he would be waiting for them and they agreed.

He asked the tree to go to the campsite and bring Re and

Zo ! The tree immediately left. Richard started walKing

through the valley. He checked the soil and the soil was

right for plant growth but there were no plants!

He thought the propagation of plants was not as easy as on

the Earth because of absence of birds and insects!

He walked further on… there was water falls that filled the

lake and he was wondering about the seasons as the

weather condition was so pleasant till now. He decided to

ask the queen…

There were many small rivulets of water from the

mountain but he couldn’t see any pools. In rainy season

perhaps something needed to be done about the rivulets!

Moreover only one exit might not be a good idea!

He was checking to see for other exit to the box canyon…

He wished he had retained the tree with him… it could

have covered the entire perimeter in no time!

The tree hopped back followed by two birds!

The tree reached him, ‘they refused to be picked by me …

Frightened of me I guess!’

Richard had to laugh and the birds came and perched on

the branches of the tree but it shook them off! Re flew

down and perched on his shoulder!

‘

It is the perfect place! Thank you Richard!’ Re said with

elation in his voice!

Richard ‘ we should thank the queen who led me here! But

I find a flaw here! Tell me if you find a flaw!’

Zo replied, ‘Water should flow, need to make some inland

waterway for the water to drain when it comes excess’

Richard was pleased as Zo pointed out the problem as well

gave the solution too and he said so. Zo was happy and

flapped its wings to show its gratitude!

Re remained silent for some time and he said, ‘Richard,

we need to make other exits from this box’

‘Oh yes, Re ,we need to see if it is possible… but first let

us see if any other exits are there!’ Richard asked the tree

to take him around the periphery and it immediately

picked him moved fast.

He saw a gap between the mountains within few metres

from where he started! He asked the tree to drop him and

it did!

He looked into the pass but it looked like a dead end. The

tree squeezed past him and moved further and

disappeared!

Richard followed the tree! The pass curved to the right

from the dead end.. He walked on for sometimes and the

tree moved faster and finally stood. He ran to catch up

with the tree and what he saw in front of him made him

speechless! There was a deep bluish green forest as far as

he could see ! The green was not the usual green but it was

more blue than green! The whole landscape was shifting

as the trees kept on moving!

He asked the tree, ‘ Do you know these trees?’

‘

yes we know.. they are very proud trees because they

produce big fruits… They obey only to the queen and they

fight with all the other trees and even small plants. You

can see only their family’

Richard was in high spirits as the pass made the canyon

the best place for permanent settlement! He thought he

would call this pass Frank’s pass.

Re and Zo were excited as they had found one more pass

to the other side of the canyon which led them to a similar

forest of different plants… It had different types of plants

of all sizes and colours!

They were quite content to rest in the shadow of the

mountain in Frank’s pass. They made plans for the city

that would come shortly!

Richard finally asked, ‘ Re, what will be the name of the

city?’

No one spoke for some time! The Re said, ‘ Richard,

nearly one thousand years we stayed there on Earth in

Tim’s Land. I think we will take it as our name too!’

Richard was touched, ‘ Good idea! The whole canyon can

be called as the Tim’s Land and the city at the centre of it

will be called’

Re and Zo both said together, ‘ Rich… your name Richard

and we will call it Rich city!’ ‘But I was thinking of

calling it Rean’ Richard said and they all laughed. The

tree said, ‘ but the city must be known by the King… I like

the city Rich!’Zo said, ‘for once the tree said something

correct!’

The tree shook him down from the branch where he was

sitting. They all laughed heartily!

They retuned back from the way they came. Richard

stopped and took his knife and wrote Tim’s Land on the

entrance of the narrow fold!

On the way, he saw the queen’s prop and told her how

perfect it was for the settlement and she was pleased!

When they reached the campsite, Re called all the Reans

and informed them about the find!

He told them they could go and see it whenever they

wanted and the tree would show them the way!

The tree had gone directly to the lake and was standing

perfectly still but when it heard Re it shook itself to

acknowledge the same!

They all laughed so hard and continue to make merry late

into the night!

Richard called everyone, ‘Plan for a city… you can form

groups and give us your plan. The best plan will get a

surprise prize’veryone wanted to be in Zo’s team but he

said he already had a team. It was funny to see them

forming groups like a musical chair!

It was almost Alpha rise before all had slept. Richard did

not go to his summit cave, instead he stretched on the

ground near the lake shore far from others.

The night was almost gone but the stars were brighter. He

wished he could tell all these strange happenings to

someone! First time he felt lonely and tried to concentrate

holding the link and called Frank’s name repeatedly but

there was no response!

He knew no one would miss him as he had been living

alone for a long time! Perhaps one of his distant cousins

who would follow him around whenever he had gone to

their house might miss him! He smiled at the thought! The

crazy tomboyish girl Christina who had a very strong

crush on him and he knew it! So he avoided going to the

cousin’s house for the past years! Would Christina

remember him?

He wished he could at least talk to Frank and he put them

all in a difficult situation when he left abruptly! Re told

him he had spoken to Frank very briefly and they knew he

was alive!

He slept dreaming about his friends!

*

****