Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Richard woke up to see all the Reans standing around him

and watching him silently. He jumped to his feet and

asked, ‘Why? What happened?’

The entire group laughed heartily even the trees shook

their branches!

Re replied, ‘ Richard, you never used to sleep here in the

campsite and finding you here in the morning agitated few

of our weaklings. They feared that you fainted and brought

all the first aids but I saw them and stopped. But they were

still worried so they waited for you to get up…

Now you can see Richard alive and kicking…go back to

work!’

Richard was touched, ‘Thank you for your concern! But

you have seen me sleeping several times… so what made

you to worry?’

Fe replied, ‘You did not use any bed and you were lying

on the rock near the lake!’

Richard laughed, ‘Go plan your city…we have lot of

things to do!’

They dispersed but only Re and Ro remained! Re said,

‘Richard we liked your houses on Earth better than the

rock houses! What do you think? Ro is confident that he

can build using the raw material available here!’

‘

Sure, I will give a hand! Don’t worry about anything …

The plants will help us and even the aquatic beings may

give us some material for decoration. Just make plans and

go for it… don’t hesitate!’

Re, ‘It is really good to have you! We would have ended

up fighting with everyone and created a hostile

environment!’ He stopped when he saw Richard was

embarrassed… He kissed his hand and left!

Richard went to his cave and freshened up. When he came

down all the Reans in groups were planning for their Rich

city in Tim’s land… He quietly had some breakfast which

was kept for him...

He did not want to disturb them so decided to meet the

queen. He walked slowly and the old tree stopped him. He

was happy to see the old tree was sprouting new branches

from where he had cut it for propagation. The cuttings

were sprouting well and Ro and team took care of them so

well.

‘

Hello, you look happy… Your broods are growing strong

and nice! Have you seen them?’

One of the branches lifted him, ‘I am one of the oldest

here and I never thought I would leave my very own brood

here on Arda! No one told me it was possible... the queen

used to tell me about my branches being the seed but I

never could grow a new tree! But you have given me the

most precious gift ever! I feel young and strong. You just

ask me anything, I will get it for you!’

Richard was glad to note that his circle of friends getting

wider… He said, ‘ we are building a city and we may need

lots of wood.. You can help us to get them!

The tree gently dropped him down, ‘You are asKing the

easiest task! I know the exact place where you can get

them’

‘Oh that would be wonderful! I will meet you later…’

Richard was highly positive about the entire thing…as

everything was falling into place!

He wanted to ask the queen about the planet’s weather

conditions! Since the day they had arrived here , he had

not seen any variations in the weather! It is very pleasant

and the temperature was moderate even in the night. But

he was sure, looking at the erosion over the mountain very

severe climatic condition must have prevailed!

He wanted to know about the climatic changes before

building the houses and the city… Even though the Reans

were highly superior to him in technology, but when it

came to the logical thinking, they were nowhere near the

humans!

Before he could go any further, he was stopped by the

queen’s prop root! It had grown so big and firmly fixed on

the ground. It looked like the huge trunk rather than a prop

root. If he had not seen the banyan trees on Earth, he

wouldn’t have understood!

He greeted the queen cordially, ‘ I wanted to meet you and

learn more about this planet! If I had to keep all of you

happy ,I must know more!’

The queen, ‘learning through experience is one thing but

to have a prior knowledge is very helpful! I cannot be

telling you all that I know… That is too much of

knowledge. You ask me and I would come up with the

answer!’

‘What is one day here? Richard asked his first question…

‘This planet Arda or Proxima Earth as you call it, exactly

like the Earth, except for the tilt. This planet was hit twice

by some unknown space debris and it is tilted to 30.5

degrees . The other difference is that the orbit is circular

rather than elliptical. But of course as you know, it doesn’t

make any difference to the seasons!’

He was wondering about his poor knowledge of all these

and he wished Frank was with him. He again asked, ‘What

about the day and night’

The queen said, ‘ day and night is not equal because of the

tilt. Here we get almost equal but elsewhere it is different.

You may use the same Earth’s timings except it would be

2

8 hours a day and takes 480 days for one revolution. The

four seasons are very noticeable here where we stay but in

other places only winter and summer are felt!’

Richard could understand these simple calculations well!

He must ask Zo to make a calendar of twelve months of

forty days and a clock that showed 28 hours, eight days a

week!

The queen prompted him to ask more questions. He asked

about the trees that he had seen at the end of Frank’s pass.

The queen advised him to be cautious with them otherwise

overnight they would shift their place.

Richard told her all the plans and how the old tree

promised him to help to find the suitable wood!

The queen, ‘ You have helped one of the oldest trees that

we have… I knew about the vegetative propagation but

unfortunately we were not successful, The tree used to be

the saddest that roamed around the whole of Arda, trying

to find a solution. But now the tree is your most loyal

slave! You have earned respect from all the plants as you

have achieved something that I couldn’t do! Moreover the

tree knows the entire Arda, every nook and corner! You

have made a valuable ally!’

Richard thanked the queen and left. Ro met him on the

way as a beautiful red parrot!.. Ro was so excited; he

fluffed his feathers and puffed.

Ro said, ‘Richard I have found a pass that runs all the way

from the farm to the city… very narrow, but there was no

need to abandon this campsite as well as the farm!’

It was good news indeed! So much hard work has gone in

to this first settlement and it would be really a good idea to

retain them!

Ro continued, ‘ we have our plan ready and Re wanted

you to be there to select the best one!’

Richard did not think of any prize as he promised …he

must think of something as a prize for the winner!

When they reached the campsite all were already gathered

in the hall. The plants were standing here and there

sensing the excitement!

Richard wanted to know the groups and told them to

introduce themselves and explain their plans for the city…

Zo, Ro, Te and Fe had their teams. They came forward

and put forth their ideas. The first three had elaborately

planned their departments but their plan was not ideal for

the other departments. But Fe had an excellent explanation

and plans for every department… She had even planned

the material needed and approximate days to complete

them! She had even a plan for Richard’s private quarters

as well as the palace!

Not only Richard but all the others were impressed too! It

was an unanimous decision and Richard was very glad that

it was very obvious and he need not look into the plans in

detail!

He called Fe and announced, ‘Fe is the winner of the Rich

city plan and we all accept the plan. She will be the head

of the city construction. She will form her own

departments and select the heads… As we already have a

system, she wouldn’t have a problem! I will build her

house and present it to her!’

A great cheer went up at that and all were talking

excitedly…

Re wanted to know how fast they could finish the project.

Fe was confident that the houses for everyone would be

done easily but it would take a month or so to finish the

palace, labs and Richard’s private quarters.

Richard told them to concentrate on the palace and he

would see to his personal quarters!

The old tree that was listening silently until then made a

noise so everyone’s attention was with the tree. Once he

made sure all were listening, ‘We, with the help of our

queen will build the palace for our King. You must just let

us know the location for the palace and give some support

workers… He is our King too!’

Everyone welcomed the idea, except Fe, as she had spent

quite some time to plan the palace!

The tree , ‘ You are Fe! Don’t worry dear …we will use

your plan as well!’

Richard was thinking how these plants developed or

genetically modified to have this kind of empathy to

understand others. Certainly they were not like the plants

he was familiar on Earth!

Fe accepted it without hesitation!

Re wanted to know the details of everything and the

heads, groups and so on… Richard wished them well and

left the place…

He knew all the beings will help in establishing the city as

they had acknowledged him gladly as the King…

He went to the other side of the lake to see the tree

cuttings and he was satisfied with the growth. All of them

were sprouting new tender leaves and branches. He saw

that the old tree had followed him so he sat down on the

nearby ledge. The tree stood like a sentinel and Richard

did not know but the tree felt highly protective of him.

Both talked about the seasons and the problems they

would face in the future.

He was confident that nothing very serious was anticipated

and he said so!

The tree cautioned him, ‘ King Richard , I have been here

for thousands and thousands of years and we encountered

a serious problem at the beginning! Some other creatures

were here and they destroyed a large number of aquatic

animals almost wiped out the entire population! Our plants

too were destroyed and the queen alone put up a fight and

chased them!’

Richard was alarmed as so far no one had told him

anything about these creatures!

‘

But I was not warned about it? They must be somewhere

on land and we could have made a peace treaty with them

too!’

The tree was silent for some time and then slowly it said,

‘They were not from Arda, and they came from light and

then disappeared into the light!’

He shivered and he knew what the tree was talking

about! It was the aliens…

Both were silent and totally immersed with their own

tortured thoughts!

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