Welcome to Gaia! ::

Caedus was not oblivious to the studious Cadet prior to her speaking to him, but he had learned to give them space and not interrupt them. He was polite and courteous and liked to check up on them when he could, but she seemed busy so he didn’t bother her.

It was a little windy today, and he was taking some time outside the dome to just appreciate the weather. He could smell the season on the air, and it was something that filled him with nostalgia and just the slightest bit of dread.

He remembered cold winters, and lonely nights wandering in the snowy forests.

He didn’t have time to drift into any worrisome thoughts; he turned to Naeria when she spoke to him. “Naeria,” he greeted, because he had worked very hard to learn all of their names. “Hello. Are you taking a break from your studies? You looked like you were enjoying your books, I did not want to disturb you.”

Caedus moved closer and eyed her book. “It is not a bother. I am honored. I would like to know what you have found that is so interesting,” he said, and smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way so she knew that he was sincere.

He settled onto the ground. He was obviously entranced by the pictures even before he made his way to the words.

“Oh, this does look advanced,” he agreed. “And exciting. I think humans are very interesting. I like the pictures. Even if it is a bit unnecessary sometimes. I can read these words. I do not understand them all, but I am a little out of date with some of these things. Perhaps you can make sense of them if I read them out loud to you? If that does not work, I have some suggestions that might help you continue your studies.”

Caedus nodded. “That is very wise. Earth is,” he paused and considered his words carefully. “Flawed, in many ways. But it is charming as well. I think the humans are young, and they live short lives, so they push through as much as they can. They sometimes do not see the bigger picture. They only see what they can accomplish and experience in their lifetime, but they are not always able to think about the longevity of their species and their world. But I think they can learn.”

He looked at the page and added, “I think they are trying. I do not know much about fungi on a personal level, except I know that I can eat them. Some of them are better than others. But if you think they could be useful to Velencya, I believe you. If it comforts you at all, ‘cutting-edge’ is not a physical description in this instance. It is,” he pursed his lips for a few seconds as he again considered his words, “a good thing. It means it is advanced. As if it is slicing the way towards a new future. It sounds aggressive but it is not. I do not understand where it came from, but I have had this explained to me before. Unless the meaning has changed since I was last here? But I think it is consistent. It means they have made improvements and it is new and the best they have to offer.”

Caedus’ nodded as Naeria spoke, and while he was trying to be respectful not to crowd her space he couldn’t help but lean a little closer to peer at her screen. “You have been hard at work,” he noted. It took him a moment longer to piece together what she had put together but when he had the general gist of it a smile blossomed on his face.

“I can see why Commodore Lyndin brought you along. He will be most impressed by this, I think. Earth would probably not mind if you borrowed a few mushrooms. I am sure we can find some way to repay them. Though, to be honest…”

He looked at the grass, at the trees on the horizon. “I do not think they would even know they were missing anything. I hope you will share these findings when you are finished, I would be very interested to learn. I used to be better at studying. Now, I find it a bit difficult to sit still. There is always something to distract me.”

Not always something for the better; sometimes the silence unnerved him. Sometimes an innocent sound in the distance made his hair stand up, or a shadow in the corner made his heart skip a beat. Caedus was antsy and jumpy, and if it wasn’t a potential danger distracting him, it was the song of birds, or the warmth of the sun, or a scent on the wind.

While Caedus had found himself nodding to Naeria’s words, he seemed a bit surprised when she asked him what he would study.

He redirected his gaze to her and blinked a few times. “Oh. I am not certain. I think there are a lot of things that I would study. I do study,” he mused, but the things that held his interest most weren’t things that he was really able to apply to anything useful. “I like to explore. I like to find crystals and rocks. Seashells and timeless things that nature leaves behind. I have many.” He paused and placed his hand over the satchel at his side. “But I suppose that is not really studying.”

Another contemplative moment. “I would study…maybe starseeds. Maybe I would study what worlds have survived for so long. But those are difficult things to gather information for, I think.”

His lips were still pursed, deep in thought.

“...If I was not worried about Velencya, or Velenia, though? If we had a home, and everything was perfect, I think I would study peace, and healing. Not physical wounds, but the greater things. The things you cannot see, cannot touch. I want to help. I have learned some already, because Earth seems to have many resources that have been shared with me. ”

He still didn’t know if he was satisfied with his answer.

“I am sorry, this answer is all over the place. I am interested in many things. Maybe I would study a little bit of everything? Maybe I would write books,” he sighed and seemed to be deeply focused. “...Maybe stories. I like stories.”

“I agree,” he said after a moment. “A narrow mind only means many missed opportunities, I think. And all the better to have a team of very educated people, with knowledge on many things. I bet you are the most knowledgeable on all things mushroom-related. And I am certain you will become more knowledgeable before we leave. I do not think any one thing will restore Velenia, but I think many small things might.”

Of this, he seemed certain, and there was a fire in his eye that spoke to his conviction for the matter.

“I think that there are many things we can do, especially when we are working together. What you can learn might solve a problem we haven not yet experienced, and maybe someone else will study something that benefits your goals. I think you should continue to pursue these studies.”

He was enthusiastic about this, and might have taken her hands if it had been socially appropriate to do so. “I think you should take them as far as you can. I would like you to learn, and I would like you to teach me how we can apply your knowledge to make the worlds better. Velencya, and Velenia, and Earth, too. I bet we could help all of them.”

Caedus smiled still, encouraging and excited for her. “You are good company. I feel very relaxed around you. I think it is nice to have someone to read with, so I would like that very much. I will read, too,” he said, and reached into his subspace to pull out a book with faded pages and a faded cover. The once-gold font had faded and flaked, and he brushed his fingers over the front of the book like it was something important, something to be treasured.

“If you find anything interesting, I would like to learn of it, too. And if you find any strange phrases, we can work them out together. And then, you will be able to help others, too.”

He smiled again, when he looked from her back to his book and cracked it open. “Maybe we will be able to put our minds together to make sense of this silly language.”

There was no disdain in his voice, only fondness; Earth was strange and silly, but he was completely endeared to it. He was glad that he could share it, and glad that she had already found something she could enjoy about it, too.