The Plant Pt. 02 - Spores

Margaret understood the message and took the remains of the dead plant downstairs. She tearfully offered a prayer before putting the plant in her incinerator. Once she was convinced the flower was gone, she went back to her shop.

Turning her communication device on, she made contact with the Council and let the members probe her recent memories.

"You are sad, Facilitator," one councilor said in her mind.

"Yes, Councilor," she responded.

"Do not feel sad. It was a necessary cost and the volunteer knew what could happen. She will forever be remembered," the councilor said.

"You seem to harbor some sadness and anger," another councilor said. "Explain."

"I feel the loss of life was a bit unnecessary," Margaret responded. She knew the council respected the truth, even if it went against their wishes.

"That is understandable, Facilitator. Loss of Gingravik life is always to be avoided. Sometimes, however, it is necessary for the greater good. As it turns out, your initial assessment was correct. However, there may yet be something good come from this encounter," the councilor said.

"And what is that, Councilor?" Margaret asked.

"Follow the air current," another councilor said, flashing a map in Margaret's mind. "And watch the ground."

"As you wish, Councilor. Marsook's will be done," Margaret said.

"Yes, indeed," the councilor said. "Once again, Facilitator, you have done a good job for us and are to be commended. Now, rest and let us soothe your mind and remove the sadness."

"Thank you, Councilor," Margaret said. She closed her eyes as a humming sound entered her mind. Within minutes, the sadness was gone and Margaret felt much better.

"Follow the air, and report back," a councilor said.

"Yes, Councilor," she said. The council members ended the link and Margaret laid down and slept.

When she woke up, she felt much better. Donning the communicator's headpiece, she printed the map the council had placed in her head, wondering why they had chosen to give her this piece of information.

She studied the map, which included air currents for her location and realized it came from a local meteorological website. She also saw a fairly complex equation on the map and realized the council had provided this to her so she could determine the approximate location of the spores emitted by the female plant in her last minutes of life.

She plugged the equation into her computer and instantly realized what the council had given her. She made notes on the map and decided to check out the areas she had marked.

She walked around the neighborhood, taking notes as she went. A few weeks later, she noticed something odd. Strange plants were beginning to sprout in the areas marked on her map. Some of them, unfortunately, had taken root in areas that were constantly being mowed, but there quite a few that had started to germinate in areas that weren't regularly maintained.

Quite a few had even managed to land in the local park, in the shade of some very large trees. She made a note of these areas and decided she would find a way to feed these plants. A few of them were female, but, she noticed, the vast majority were male. Growing in the wild like this, she knew the plants would take longer than normal to mature.

But, she wondered, was this the beginning of a new Gingravik colony? Could the male plants entice other human females or would they choose to gravitate to the female Gingravik? What would be the result of human sperm mixed with Gingravik female DNA? Would she be able to communicate with these hybrids? Would these plants be as monogamous as native Gingravik? Would they follow the High Council and participate in the final remedy? Each question brought about even more questions.

Perhaps, she thought with a wicked grin, she could get the local conservationists to lobby on behalf of the new species of plant. She began to laugh at the irony. Imagine, she thought, humans lobbying to protect the very species that would eventually replace them all. Maybe she could even get the plants listed as an endangered species, forcing the humans to relocate out of the area.

"Praise Marsook," she said to no one in particular. Laughing and singing, she walked home, a spring in her step. Yes, she thought, that would be the ultimate irony.

To be continued...