Page 44 of I Married Kayog
“It is,” I concurred. “During our entire flight, I could feel their presence but couldn’t figure out who was emitting those soft emotions. Never in a million years would I have expected this.”
“You can feel the dormant Syllens?!” Tala exclaimed, stunned.
“Yes,” I replied, while Kayog nodded.
“Yes,” Mares said, wistfully. “They dream while the Mothers watch over them.”
“You guys seriously suck with all your cool powers,” Tala said with envy as she gazed upon the trees with wonder.
Mares chuckled. “Don’t be sad, my love. Come, let me introduce you to Mother,” he said, extending a hand towards her.
Although taken aback by his request, she went to him willingly. He took her right hand and pressed it against the trunk of the tree. Tala licked her lips nervously and cast an uncertain look at her mate. He gave her a gentle smile.
“You cannot feel her right now, but she can feel you. She loves you a lot and made me promise that once you and I are mated, I will bring you back so that you can properly be introduced. You will have your ownveristhen.”
“I would like that very much,” Tala said in a voice choked with emotion before glancing around the room with a frown. “This temple must be protected at all costs. As grateful as I am that you brought us here, no one should be able to enter this sacred place. While we may have good intentions, the same could not be said of any other random person.”
“I agree,” I said, casting a questioning look at Kayog.
“The Syllens are safe,” he said in a reassuring tone. “Beyond the security systems I mentioned before, these trees are not helpless. Should anyone with evil intentions try anything, the trees can extrude some vicious spikes that will impale the fools who dared try anything. These pretty flowers can also release deadly spores that will wreck you in seconds and even kill you if exposed for more than a minute.”
“Don’t mess with a mother,” Tala said, impressed, caressing the tree’s bark one last time before dropping her hand.
Kayog nodded. “However, they’re not as fully protected as I would like. I hate that this great nation was destroyed by off-worlders. And now, another greedy group wants to make sure they don’t come back.”
“What?!” I exclaimed, my shock reflected on the faces of my friends. “What do you mean?”
“There is a conference happening in a few days in the capital city’s Convention Center,” Kayog explained.
“A conference about what?” Mares asked, tension and preemptive anger seeping into his voice.
“About construction and touristic development projects in the canyon,” Kayog replied with disgust and anger. “The organizer is a man named Connor Harmond. He represents multiple real estate development conglomerates. For years now, they’ve been trying to get construction permits and purchase some of the land in and around the canyon by claiming that the Syllens have been dead long enough.”
“Clearly they aren’t dead!” Mares exclaimed with outrage.
“The conglomerate argues that we are confusing the trees being alive as proof of life of the desiccated corpses they hold. They claim that invaluable resources are going to waste over wild flights of fancy and old wives’ tales,” my mate said with contempt.
“What resources are they after?” Tala asked, her voice hard.
“The area is rich in rare minerals,” Kayog explained. “The lands are fertile and the iron concentration in the phreatic bed allows unique crops to grow. For years, the conglomerate has been trying to get the protective laws repealed. Advocates for the Syllens are pushing for Prime Directive laws to be instated for the region.”
“How could that possibly happen?” I asked with a frown. “As much as I would love it, Mazeria has been colonized by humans for more than a hundred years.”
“Yes but we’re not asking for the expulsion of the humans,” Kayog said with an indulgent smile. “We simply need to return this region and all connected lands back to its people and grant them the Prime Directive protection until they reawaken.”
I clicked my beak pensively and slowly nodded. “If the estimates are accurate, thirty to forty years is more than enough time to prepare for their return and for the companies who built their businesses in the area to slowly move out. The museum and visitor center can recreate this whole experience via holodeck. It won’t be difficult to scan and reproduce the entire region to a high level of realism.”
“Exactly!” Kayog said with fervor. “Visiting this place while I was finishing my previous master’s incentivized me to pursue my current degree. We need stronger Prime Directive enforcement to protect worlds and species such as this one. They deserve a chance to thrive and reach their full potential without being plundered by greedy corporations.”
I smiled, thrilled to finally understand what was driving him. His talks about potentially going for a desk job for the UPO writing laws about the Prime Directive now fully made sense.
“Wow!” Tala said. “You’re truly passionate about this.”
“I definitely am,” Kayog said firmly before taking on a sheepish expression. “That said, as much as I want to keepadvanced species like ours from interfering with the daily lives and evolution of primitive species like this one, I’d give anything to meet them and get to know them. I’ll have to be content with helping them thrive from the shadows.”
“And that is a great reward in and of itself,” Mares said in a soft voice. “Thank you for allowing us to share this incredible experience. Should you ever need my help with this project or anything else, never hesitate. This is the greatest gift you could have ever given me.”
“You ladies are witnesses!” Kayog said teasingly. “Remember you offered when I will shamelessly come collecting.”
