The Surface - That Which Sustains Us...

The Rogue Speaks:

(To catch up with the story, please read my post for Sunday.)


“Do others know about this? Surely they must!” said Selah, answering her own question. “And why don’t they talk about it? There are people here much older than we are. Haven’t they read about their ancestors, just as we have done?”

“I can’t answer that, Selah,” Scott said, shaking his head. ”Maybe there are people who just cannot face the truth about how we came to be here. Maybe they chose to not come here to the archives to read about the past. It’s not required reading! Maybe they are just resigned to the way things are, or were. From what I read, many of the people who came here in the beginning HAD no parents, and therefore had no history to be saved in the archives.”

“They couldn’t have ALL been orphans, or all alone in the world!” Selah protested. “OUR ancestors weren’t! They came here with children! They lived in the Two Parent Sector, just like we did when we were babies! And those people who had no families when they came here, didn’t they produce offspring, and leave histories as well?”

“I’m sure you’re right, Selah. I just had not thought about that. Of course they left histories. Our ancestors, though, yours and mine, were the brightest of the bright. There were scientists and engineers from every field of study, who were recruited here after years of working to create this vast underground network of “bunkers,” as one of my ancestors put it. Many of them must have died before ever seeing what their work had created, but before they died, they passed along they knowledge and skill to their offspring, hoping it would be carried far into the future. There were also writers, composers, musicians, artists, and workers of every kind who came here in order to preserve their skills to pass down to their children, and their children’s children. Just look at our library. The compressed files there must be in the billions!"

"But what did our ancestors leave to us, Scott?" Selah asked, looking more and more perplexed.

"Think about it Selah! Why do you think you can play the tone frame with such skill, and produce such beautiful sound?"

"One of the nursery staffers taught me the basics. I loved it from the very beginning!" Selah's voice was more animated now, and she actually began to feel a little happiness when she thought of the sounds she had created on the tone frame in the last few years. "My mother loved it, too! I read about it in one of the letters!"

"Exactly!" Scott cried. "That skill, that art, was passed down to you over generations so you could carry it on into the future."

"Oh, Scott! Everyone had a chance to learn the tone frame!" Selah said.

"But they didn't! Your friend, Issa, doesn't play, even though she had the same lessons you had."

"Issa makes our clothes, Scott! You know that! She probably just doesn't have time to play. But she can certainly make that big machine run fast and smoothly. Just look! Every garment is perfect!"

"And our friends, Yogev and Reaya?" Scott asked.

"Well, were it not for them, we would probably starve! They both work so hard in that big greenhouse! Growing all our food? Always coming up with new varieties? I would never be able to do what they do," Selah said, smiling shyly.

"We all have gifts that we bring to Gornad, Selah, and every one is vital to our existence. Now that I have reached "the age of enlightenment" I can begin working in earnest in the scientific sector. My parents were both scientists, and they worked tirelessly to insure that the people of Gornad would always be safe. I plan to carry on their work as quickly as I can, before..." and here Scott paused, the animation that had been in his voice slowly drifting away.

"Before what, Scott?" Selah asked in a puzzled tone.

"Selah, I can tell you are tired, and probably hungry, too," Scott said hurriedly, trying to distract her from his remark. " Come on! Let me put the chest away for now. We can come back later. Right now, our new life needs nourishment."

With the thought of their little one singing in her mind, Selah allowed herself to be led away into the dining sector. She was eating for two, now!