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!
*
****