All That Glitters Ch. 64

*You teach here as well? Are you not the Director?* a surprised Tokussa asked.

"I am the Director, but I also teach many subjects. I have a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education but that is directed to Human development as opposed to those of the other species.

"I am completing my Doctorate level in ECE. Having already finished the classes, I now need to complete my thesis, which is on the subject of Early Childhood Development Comparisons between the children of Humans and the Greater Community. To say the least, it is a formidable thesis," Urano explained.

*Is that similar to what Junelliya did with her thesis on the Musical Differences in the Greater Community?* Tokussa asked.

"Yes, very similar indeed, however, I only started my thesis while working in the Educare Daycare at Denders Resort during the First Denders Summit," Urano told Tokussa. "I still have some work to complete on it."

Junelliya gave Tokussa a knowing look. "Some thesis will never be completed unless their mentors tell the student it is complete."

Tokussa smiled at Junelliya. *Are you speaking from experience, Junelliya?* she pointedly asked, getting a smile and a nod from her new friend.

*I know many people who would be interested in such a thesis,* Tokussa indicated to Urano. *Please let me know when you have completed it.*

Marla, Tokussa and the Piscium family adults left not long after that.

L-1889 The Piscium Family Apartment, Liramor-23, The Piscium System

The children returned home to pandemonium as they entered their apartment.

"MOVING!" Hanalei practically shouted at her guests, who turned out to be none other than the Santos family.

"The appointed Director of Liramor Thirty-One was injured and is unable to continue in his post because of it. There is only one person who can take the post, and that is me, as there is currently no one else with the required experience and, in truth, I too am lacking enough experience though I do have more than most of my contemporaries," Juliana explained. "Our family will move to Liramor Thirty-One once it comes into the system but Armando will still come to school here, and Clement will still teach here. They will just have to commute daily from now on."

"I suppose congratulations are in order on your promotion. Does that mean you will have to leave immediately for your new post?" Hanalei asked.

"I will, but Clemente and Armando will remain here until the new platform comes into the system in two weeks time," Julliana told them.

"Will you join us for dinner?" Junelliya asked.

"I am afraid not tonight," Clemente stated. "We will be having a private dinner with just the family as Julliana will be leaving first thing in the morning. However, we will be happy to take up your offer at a future time. We will not be far away and Armando and I will be on the Liramor Twenty-Three on a daily basis. As far as your family is concerned, it will be business as usual."

The ladies all gave Julliana a hug and congratulations and the Santos family left the apartment.

"Well, that was a bit of a surprise," Hanalei stated with some emotion.

"It had to happen sooner or later, Hanalei," Junelliya told her. "Julliana is just too good to remain in her position as Deputy Director for much longer. It is fortunate that she will be close by as our families have become such good friends. Still, she will not be able to come over too often. It will be mostly Clemente and Armando that we will be seeing."

The Piscium ladies went back to cooking dinner while the children started practice on the piano. It had been awhile since they had practiced so they were a bit out of sorts to start with but it didn't take long to get back into it. Kriss was very much surprised to see how good they were.

"They have attained intermediate level on the piano in a little less than seven months," Violletiya informed her. "They are natural musicians, having started with the Ukelele, then progressing to the piano. They were taught the Cattass by none other than Mainiss Arttrass, the foremost Cattass player on Mylatinyl. They are also being taught piano and classical guitar and even electrical guitar by Clemente Santos.

"The other instruments you see adorning the wall, were presented to the pair by the members of the Interspecies Embassy here on the station. I look forward to them learning how to play them as some of those instruments make the most unusual sounds," Violletiya finished.

"Wait...is that a Chinese Sheng?" Kriss asked, noting the instrument on a shelf.

"Yes. The Union Ambassador, Millenia Lapotnikov, plays one and has promised to teach the children whenever they want to learn it," Sylvie replied.

"They moved from beginner to intermediate in seven months?" Kriss asked after a brief pause. "Is that unusual?"

"It's not impossible, however, it is something that is more normally found with teenagers or adults who are very serious about learning an instrument," Violletiya confirmed. "According to Urano, children under three rarely move beyond the beginner level. Those that do tend to be prodigies."

"That is impressive then," Kriss acknowledged. "I'm not sure how I am going to be able to guide them in their studies."

"Not to worry," Silvie Kinlo, Hanalei's PA, chimed in. "The children pretty much find their own way. I have never seen more inquisitive children. When they get curious about something, they will search out anything and everything about it. Your job will be to help them in that search and to keep them involved with realistic and scientifically accurate data to browse from. In other words, how to avoid the chaff and fluff and get to the meat of anything. As a new university grad, I'm sure that you have some impressive search skills." That comment got giggles from the group as all of them were more-or-less recent grads or working toward higher degrees.

"Besides, the children will go to their 'aunties and uncles' on the station for information. They just happen to include many of the hospital staff, local engineers, Pilots and Navigators, and the professors at the local Campus of Malton University," Sylvie added.

"They have also shown an inclination for politics so they have asked if they can be included in any of the political debates I have with Alafka and Garnal in my capacity as Gurn Piscium," Hanalei threw in.

"So who is coming tonight?" Violletiya asked Sylvie. As the family's 'guard', she liked to know in advance who she could expect to see at the evening meals.

"We have Mylat Alafka and her guards, Martte Garnal and her guards, and Fiona will be here so Grace will also be in attendance, which means the three princesses will all be in place tonight," Sylvie started.

"Grace?" Kriss asked.

"Grace Elizabeth Holloway, daughter of President Holloway of the Union and Fiona's civilian EA," Sylvie answered.

"I must be getting inured to the surprises as that didn't even get my heart pumping," Kriss mumbled to laughter from the other two.

"We'll also have members of the House of Ur from next door, and Nurse Meela, Doctor Marla, and her friend, Tokussa. In respect of Tokussa, Hanalei has invited Professors Smeldt and Kuaté from the Malton University Campus. It should be a lively dinner," Silvie remarked.

"We won't have any room left for 'drop ins' then," Violletiya stated, getting a nod from Sylvie.

It didn't take long for the guests to start arriving as members of The House of Ur came from next door followed by Mylat Alafka and her retinue, who all started helping cook dinner. Kriss noted that all the guests were bringing offerings of meats and vegetables to the table. She nodded sagely at that thought. It would have coast the family a fortune to feed everyone every night otherwise.

"Wow, they all seem to know their way around the kitchen," Kriss remarked to Sylvie.

"As Heyya is fond of saying, 'this ain't their first rodeo', Violletiya sniggered.

Hanalei sent some of the senior people into the living room with hot water and the box of various teas. Sylvie went to help in the kitchen while Violletiya kept an eye on everyone. Kriss seated herself in the rocking chair and both children crawled up into her lap and took a short nap as she rocked gently back and forth.

"They must have had an exciting day," Junelliya smiled as she looked down on her children.

"An eventful one," Kriss acknowledged. "As you said, the reunion in the daycare was quite emotional as was the children's return to the Food Court. I think they will be good moving forward."

"I'm glad to hear that. What happened to them should never have happened to two such little girls," Junelliya said with some feeling.

The door chimed and Martte Garnal and her retinue arrived, with Nurse Meela, Dr. Marla, and her friend Tokussa coming to the door before it even began to close.

"Well, it looks like everyone is almost here," Violletiya said as a very surprised Tokussa was being introduced to Mylat Alafka.

The door chimed again and Professors Smeldt and Kuaté came in carrying their offerings for the evening meal. They were immediately introduced to Tokussa and started up a conversation that quickly left most of the others behind.

The table was extended and set and everyone was called to sit, the children being helped up into their chairs (though they were bigger than most two year olds, they were still slightly shy of table height while sitting on a chair).

The dinner consisted of three platters, two seafood choices, much to the pleasure of the Byandi, two platters of different meats, and two platters of vegetables, all seasoned with Anuuran spices. The smells were mouth watering and everyone quickly dug in, including Tokussa after she was shown how to properly use her comp to check the food by Dr. Marla.

As everyone sat back after the meal, conversation surrounded Marla's friend Tokussa.

"I have been teaching for three years, but I do not have enough real-life experience so I decided to take a short sabbatical and actually do the things I am teaching about," she told all through the language matrix. "I decided to come here as Human items are of interest as trade goods."

"Good choice," Caye-Ur stated. "You cannot go wrong with the trade goods of the Union. There is something here for all, you just have to find that which will interest the most people in the Byandi Realm."

"I heard you are getting a new ship?" Tokussa more stated then asked of Caye-Ur.

"The first Ur Class Large Cargo Vessel," Caye replied with obvious pride. "Made specifically for the House of Ur Trading Company by Pallanders Shipyard. She is twice as large as most large cargo ships and is purpose built for trading with the Greater Community. We still do not have a destination planned for the ship.

"We have not yet been to the Byandi Realm. I suppose we should consider it, especially as we have someone who is trade knowledgeable in our midst," Caye commented, eyeing Tokussa like a fresh piece of Anuuran spiced meat...

"You're on!" Tokussa replied, getting giddy laughter from Caye.

"What you do for seed money, Aunty Caye?" Ikekiya asked.

"Funny you should mention that, girls. Jean sent me all your money for use in the first voyage of the Mind-Ur," Caye replied with a Pod-Drran smile (the Pod-Drran, Maha-Rrin, and the Asocans, consider the showing of teeth a threat display so do not make open smiles like humans and other species do, keeping their lips closed).

"Our voyages have brought back exceptional profits of late so your own profits have been rather large as well. As we are just pushing it all into the next voyage, that means you have been increasing your profit margins by rather large amounts. Jean gave me fourteen million credits to use on this trip as your seed money," Caye explained. "Other than the House of Ur itself, that will make you two the biggest contributors to the Mind-Ur's first trip, so you will be entitled to thirty percent of the net.

"We intend to place a suitable comms net for the Byandi home world and we will use your seed money to buy comps suitable for the Byandi to use in their ocean. If we follow the trends, that will mean a nearly 300 percent profit on your contribution as a conservative estimate," Caye explained.

"Wow, that would be 42 million credits return!" Zarreniya interjected almost immediately, surprising all the adults who had not heard them doing math before.

"You estimate first-trip profits in billions?" Ikekiya asked.

"Yes," Caye agreed. "We are funding 1.26 billion credits for supplies. We usually do more than 300 percent profits but this will be our first trip to Byandi space and Mylatinyl, the Byandi home world. The installation of the Comms Satellite Grid and the bridging servers between the human and Byandi computers will be the most difficult and costly things, but once that is completed, the remainder will be mostly profit," Caye informed them.

"What would you consider to be useful trade items that you are not handling on this trip?" Tokussa asked.

"Show her tea kettle, mommy," Ikekiya suggested.

Hanalei smiled, turned and pulled the tea kettle and its base to the table and turned it on. They all watched as the kettle went through its colour spectrum as it heated up the water, much to the delight of the Byandi in the room.

"That is spectacular!" Tokussa gushed. "I have never seen anything of its like!"

"It's called a 'Camping Teapot'. It has its own power generator in the base. It is relatively cheap to buy in bulk and we sell it for around forty credits, giving us an almost 300% markup on the cost. At forty credits, it falls into the higher end of tea kettles but its portability, durability, and the colourfulness as it heats up is something that all like," Caye explained. "We wouldn't normally carry this on the first trip as we would be looking to establish our brand with other items that we want to push."

"Would I be able to rent space on your ship for the first trip?" Tokussa asked.

"I tell you what, you make suggestions on human items that would be useful to the Byandi and we will consider you part of the crew for the first voyage," Caye suggested. "That would mean you wouldn't have to rent space from us and your knowledge could prevent some unexpected surprises for us."

"That would be acceptable," Tokussa stated, extending her hand across the table. Shaking hands was not something that Byandi did, but it was common in Union space and, like the saying goes, 'When in Union space, do as the Human's do'."

"We should give teapot to 'Catrana, Private Investigator'," Zarreniya suggested. Instantly, Hanalei and Junelliya understood the potential marketing benefits of a successful program on the entertainment net showing off the teapot. They smiled to each other and to Caye.

************

The next morning, Tokussa wound up early at the local Campus of Malton University. She was impressed, especially so to see many non-humans attending lectures.

"Is this usual?" she asked of Prof. Xavier Kuaté.

"Oh, yes. Many are here to learn about maintaining Human electrical systems, computers sciences, and many are medical students or practitioners learning about other species. This is, in reality, one of the few places that one can learn openly about other species all in one place," Xavier explained. "This is also the principle location for Greater Community Politics, so many are here learning about human politics, especially the 'Good Governance' program, which has suddenly become popular within the Greater Community because of the initial Asocan interest in it."

She showed Tokussa the new plans for the improved campus once the ore ovens were moved out over the next few months. "They will be moving two of the ore ovens out in the first week, then one per week until all eighteen have been moved to the new mining platform. Then this place will become a space station dedicated to Greater Community politics," Xavier finished.

Tokussa was impressed and told her new friend so. She had recorded the entire conversation and would be sending it back to her friends and fellow professors at the Taddassan University on Mylatinyl.

Later that day, Tokussa was at the House of Ur apartment next to the Piscium's, talking about things with Caye.

"I think most of your items are going to go over well with the Byandi. They like what you call 'nick-knacks' and such. The colour changing teapots will be a big success as will the Wrist Comps. Those who previously bought these items at Denders, will be happy to see the new interface on Mylatinyl," Tokussa finished after some extensive online research for necessary items to pad out the load on the new ship.

"We'll also be bringing in some of the new Sprawl II Class Passenger Ships, to set up daily transit between the planets of the Byandi and the Mylatinyl. That should go over well," Caye stated. "The new ship can carry eighteen pairs of the passenger ships while the Piscium could only carry four to six pairs depending on our load."

"Yes, having the convenience of daily travel between Byandi planets would do wonders for the administration of the realm. You can be assured of support from the government if you bring those in even if you are establishing your own passenger service," Tokussa admitted.

"We may set things up and run it for awhile but we will eventually pass this along to merchant class Byandi that we need backing from. That will engender the best support from the merchants of your planets," Caye explained.

"Yes, with the capabilities of the Sprawl II Class, that means we can one jump to any planet in Byandi space. I can help you with establishing a contract for space transport, however, I can only do this from the continent of Taddassan. This is not near the capital, in fact, it is on the back side of the planet from the capital," Tokussa told Caye.

"That's alright, from what you have told me, the only thing that Taddassan has going for it is seafood and the Grand Academy. It would provide a huge tourist boon to Taddassan if it was where the interplanetary passenger net was administered from," Caye replied.

Tokussa nodded her head. It would be ideal for the continent. She had people to talk to in order to set this up before the Mind-Ur arrived on Mylatinyl...

The Grand Hall of The Palace, Capital City, Pod-Saar, The Sharanas System, 109 Light Years from Terra

The senior members of the Council of Warriors were standing before the Kumar-Pair and their latest brood, including Prakeshya. They bowed low to the group on the dais and waited to be acknowledged. The Kumar-Pair did not want to antagonize the group, so they quickly acknowledged their presence. The Palace Speaker stamped his Rod of Office and the Council of Warriors was permitted to speak...

"Kumaraie Ne-Maj Se-Lam Pod-Raie, Kumaroe Jarl-Se-Lam Pod-Sai-Roe, Prakeshya Se-Lam Pod-Raie, the Council of Warriors acknowledges all of the names submitted for Sai and Kai-Rai/Ro. We acknowledge those who were named Sai or Kai during the coup attempt against the Kumar-Pair but were not available for the rites due to their injuries.

"The Council also acknowledges Ikekiya Se-Lam Poda-Rai-Dosri Piscium Soona-Patak and Zarreniya Se-Lam Poda-Rai-Latti Piscium as Rai and to their elevation to Kai-Rai for the feats they have recently accomplished on their own merit," Callet-Mun Kai-Rai stated formally for all in the Great Hall to hear. There was a deafening roar of approval from the watchers after the statement.

"Well, it can clearly be seen that the elevation of the Piscium Brood is a popular item," the Kumaraie stated bluntly to the Council members.

"We will include them in the Ascension Ceremony for those who were not available before, however, as many of the Leadership of the Greater Community would like to be present for the elevation of the Piscium brood, they will be acknowledged with the others in two days time but their ceremony will take place during this year's Denders Summit. We thank you, the Leadership of the Council of Warriors, for your work in determining who still needed to be named Sai and Kai-Rai/Ro and acknowledging the status of the Piscium brood." Here, the Kumaraie gave a bow of her head and showed a soft smile for the Council of Warriors.