Metamorphosis - Jean Lorrah [23]
“There is a spring not far away,” Data said, remembering a flow of clear water they had seen while circling the mountain. “We can refill that.”
“Yes,” she agreed, and as they set off over the rocks, she asked, “You’ve been here long enough to explore, then? Did your Speaker tell you to expect my arrival?”
“No,” he replied honestly, as he wondered how, more than four days ago, the gods could have told the Speaker in Thelia’s land that a stranger would be on the island when she arrived. But then, if they were capable of detecting subspace radio messages they could have known that the Enterprise was in the vicinity. Had they deliberately lured it here with the power surges? Was the rescue of Darryl Adin and his gang one of the gods’ tests? If Data concentrated on whatever these gods required of him, he might earn the opportunity to question them directly. He could only hope he would also earn some answers.
As Thelia struggled over the sharp boulders, she could not help but notice the ease with which Data jumped from one to another. “You are very quick and agile,” she said as he offered a hand to help her across a wide gap. “It is my nature,” he replied. “I will explain, but it might be better to wait until we have easier going.”
Thelia did not let go of his hand immediately. Instead she spread his fingers, looked from his hand down to his feet and then up his body to his face. She was only a little shorter than he was; most of the Elysian males the away team had met were taller than Data, and broad shouldered from the hard work of pre-industrial survival.
“You are far stronger than you appear,” Thelia noted. “Have you already a gift from the gods? Perhaps from one of your ancestors, as I have?” “Not in exactly that way,” he replied, “but yes, I am physically stronger than the people I live among. I
promise, Thelia, I will explain. I just do not wish you to become frightened of me.”
“You are the One from Afar of the Speaker’s prophecy. You have already saved my life.” She smiled. “Do you think me a child, to fear your golden eyes? Data, you have already proved yourself to the gods, or you would not be here.”
Her confidence in her gods would make it easier, he realized. But it was too early to tell her the whole truth-and perhaps he was not intended to. Should he try to pass for an organic being? Under the close scrutiny of a genuine organic lifeform he doubted he could do so for long-but then, if Elysia’s gods did not want Thelia to know what he was, they might help him avoid the issue.
At the spring Thelia drank eagerly, and then refilled the water pouch. Data was not thirsty, of course; his cooling system did not operate by evaporation as many organic beings’ did, so he required no replenishment of liquids after exercise. He did wash the swamp mud off his uniform-and saw Thelia’s surprise at the way it rinsed right off.
“What excellent cloth,” she said. “I wish you were not from such a distant land. My people would be pleased to trade for such material.”
“Do you trade with the people of other lands?” he asked, for they had heard nothing of that in Quinaria.
“Only with the people of Tosus, the land closest to our own, and even that is very difficult. That is the purpose of my Quest, Data-if I succeed, I will ask the gods to unite our two lands, for without each other’s help our lands are dying.”
Progress! And the idea came from the Elysians themselves, no taint of outside interference. “I shall
do everything I can,” he told Thelia, “to help you succeed in your Quest.” When Data started to lead the way back, Thelia asked, “Do you know of an easier slope to climb?”
He stopped. “Do your legends say we are to climb the outside of the mountain?”
“What other way is there?” she replied.
“There is an opening into the mountain, near where you came ashore,” he told her. was Ixt me at least look into it-if it is a dead end, we will climb the outside.”
But when they reached the spot from which Geordi had seen the opening, Data was sure that they were meant to go in. His infrared vision showed a definite cold spot