NOVEL NEXT 199: A Mirka Called Sal
SLYDAR
We've skipped over a lot of story telling in efforts to keep things concise and moving, but I don't wanna minimize how cool Shurwinn is, so we're gonna tell you 'bout the last bit of that trip aboard the Good Time.
We left the Trauton system and headed for Shurwinn to see Rory's folks. It was earlier than our usual late winter visit, but it didn't matter. The desert welcomed us all, and Rory and I stayed in her old bedroom at her parent's house in the village while Rhianne and Susette lodged in the apartments across the hall from Poppop Peydran. Euri and Shah disappeared up the hill to their casita, and we didn't see them for a long while.
Mostly, we laughed at Rory's dad, agreed with her mom, ate out at restaurants that served spicy veggie curries and amazing chocolate and watched funny B-grade movies about wannabe desert assassins getting up to hijinks and silliness.
We had a lot of fun and goofed around, but the best part was the video call we got from Rhianne tellin' us to get to Centre Oasis for some news. When we got up to the Centre, the most adorable sight greeted us: Susette outside in the rooftop garden with a blue-grey mirka perched on top of her head, chittering at Rhianne excitedly.
Laughing Susette explained, "No, she's not competing, she just wants everyone to like her! And she wants to go wherever I go. She doesn't care if it's cold."
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"How can that possibly be a good idea, Sus?" Rhianne countered. "Taking this sweet creature away from the desert and all her friends to live in the Nineton tundra? That's not fair at all. She'll be frozen and lonely."
Rory butt in, "I know it seems like it, Rhianne, and you'd be right most of the time, but it's really different with the mirkas. My Uncle Ronnie bonds them, and they just wanna follow him wherever he goes. Etta travels everywhere with him, and she's not the only one he's bonded. It would be far more cruel to leave her behind— hey, what's her name, Susette?"
"Sal, meet Slydar and Rory."
Sal bopped her head and trilled. She was a lively little thing, spunkier than the quiet Etta. Fun little creature, I had no doubt.
Rhianne sighed, "I guess that sounds logical, and if she's homesick, well, maybe we can bring her back."
"Why don't you three come to visit with us when Rory gets tired of winter and wants to come back to see her folks? How does that sound?" I suggested as a compromise, and Rhianne brightened at that.
Susette seemed to like the idea as well, and I found myself wishing I could afford to buy us a starliner so we could just sphere hop our way wherever we wanted. Mindy on Trauton 4 had the right idea about living life like a constant vacation.
We stayed on Shurwinn another two nights, and then made our way back home on public transport, leaving Euri and Shah behind to keep watch at the gates of the Ayela Arcana Sanctuary.
But Auntie Shah didn't forget her promise to help Rory find a way to bring the cozy of our Trauton trip to Nineton, no, when we got home, there was a glorious surprise waitin' for us, and we'd love it for the rest of our lives.
