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!
*
****