two drabbles/ficlets for stargateland
We had a Team challenge on stargateland where we had to build a world for our fearless explorers to visit. Team Atlantis sent their crew to Centia, a rainforest planet where the inhabitants are telepathic and related their adventures and findings (mission reports, pictures, adventures, memo, etc). We decided to host the result not only on the comm, but also on this website if you want to have a look. Or you can check out this .pdf and see how much work went into it. I wish I could link to the works from team SGU and SG1, too, because holy shit, great stuff!
My contribution are ficlets from two Centians, linked to other works
First hand account: Frulz
A/N: the xhalantribariats are horse with wings, Pegasus style :)
Frulz feels the thought bounce from one person to the other: one of the Visitors has taken a saddle without saying anything and is taking it into the trees. The little one, Ona, saw it and relayed the thought to her friends, who then shared it to their own, a ripple causing a wave. Frulz doesn't think it reached the adults yet and he tries his best to stop the flow.
Wait, wait and see.
He feels his own message diffuse, bounce and echo, calming the worries and raising the curiosity.
So they follow the stranger, the one who they can almost hear and with the blood pure enough to light the youngest trees. As they all thought he seeks an xhalantribariat, approaching it with care and soft words. The xhalantribariat lets him touch it, tail twitching, and after minutes the stranger is ready to go.
That he doesn't know what he's doing is obvious for everyone to see. Frulz winces as he gets tossed around, and wonders why an adult would do such a foolish thing as riding an xhalantribariat. Not that Frulz has never done it, he'd loved it as a child, but he's almost a man now and he must be responsible. He laughs as it goes from bad to worse but then the man is falling and Frulz's heart follows. If he dies, they will be in so much trouble for not noticing the adults. Fortunately the stranger falls in the river and seems in one piece if not a little worse for wear.
When the xhalantribariat comes back for him, the Visitor adjusts the saddle and climbs right back on, which shows a strength of character that commands respect. Frulz climbs as fast as he can to the canopy, needing to see more.
After an adjustment period, the show Frulz witnesses is awe inducing. The stranger rides the xhalantribariat like he's done it all of his life, laughing and intent, more alive than anyone Frulz has ever seen. Suddenly, riding an xhalantribariat doesn't seem like a child's game anymore, and Frulz longs to be in the sky, too. He watches and watches and diffuses the images for everyone to see: no one with such pure a passion can be bad. Frulz feels the impact of his message on all Centians, and he knows that more than one climb to the canopy to witness it too. Soon the images come in surround, mixed with admiration and some badly concealed hints of scorn that Frulz can only associate with jealousy.
But all good things come to an end and the stranger, Colonel Sheppard is bounced back to him, brings his mount back to the ground and rests against it. He lets the xhalantribariat go and takes his saddle back where he took it, most probably thinking his escapade has been unnoticed.
Frulz watches him walk back the village and swears that soon, real soon, the sky will be his again, too.
First hand account: Damoni
Damoni sighs as he puts his aquamarine tunic and grabs a plum Uyat to eat on his way. Another day where he'll need to play nice with the Atlanteans and the mere idea makes his skin crawl.
He is not amused as their antics.
He is not intrigued by what they call technology.
He doesn't find the wonder for their planet in some of them endearing.
He doesn't think that they could be interesting allies.
In fact, that's what irks Damoni the most. Why could they not just have let the strangers look around and then leave once they had their fill, as was the Centian's way? They were safe from the Wraith when they were invisible. Now every Centian is exposed because their existence is known. The strangers could send the Wraith as soon as they step out of the portal, and the Centians would not be prepared because they cannot see what is in their mind, in their hearts.
Damoni shudders just to think about it. Such opacity is unnatural and no one will be able to convince him of the contrary. Not even Huna, who seems to find them all so charming, telling him over and over that there is no need to condemn people for a crime they might never commit. And no, not even Alithianne who worships the ground they all walk on, just because they give her that treat they call chocolate.
No, Damoni will stand strong and watch, unmoved, unbiased and ready to react to protect his people. Someone has to do it.
My contribution are ficlets from two Centians, linked to other works
First hand account: Frulz
A/N: the xhalantribariats are horse with wings, Pegasus style :)
Frulz feels the thought bounce from one person to the other: one of the Visitors has taken a saddle without saying anything and is taking it into the trees. The little one, Ona, saw it and relayed the thought to her friends, who then shared it to their own, a ripple causing a wave. Frulz doesn't think it reached the adults yet and he tries his best to stop the flow.
Wait, wait and see.
He feels his own message diffuse, bounce and echo, calming the worries and raising the curiosity.
So they follow the stranger, the one who they can almost hear and with the blood pure enough to light the youngest trees. As they all thought he seeks an xhalantribariat, approaching it with care and soft words. The xhalantribariat lets him touch it, tail twitching, and after minutes the stranger is ready to go.
That he doesn't know what he's doing is obvious for everyone to see. Frulz winces as he gets tossed around, and wonders why an adult would do such a foolish thing as riding an xhalantribariat. Not that Frulz has never done it, he'd loved it as a child, but he's almost a man now and he must be responsible. He laughs as it goes from bad to worse but then the man is falling and Frulz's heart follows. If he dies, they will be in so much trouble for not noticing the adults. Fortunately the stranger falls in the river and seems in one piece if not a little worse for wear.
When the xhalantribariat comes back for him, the Visitor adjusts the saddle and climbs right back on, which shows a strength of character that commands respect. Frulz climbs as fast as he can to the canopy, needing to see more.
After an adjustment period, the show Frulz witnesses is awe inducing. The stranger rides the xhalantribariat like he's done it all of his life, laughing and intent, more alive than anyone Frulz has ever seen. Suddenly, riding an xhalantribariat doesn't seem like a child's game anymore, and Frulz longs to be in the sky, too. He watches and watches and diffuses the images for everyone to see: no one with such pure a passion can be bad. Frulz feels the impact of his message on all Centians, and he knows that more than one climb to the canopy to witness it too. Soon the images come in surround, mixed with admiration and some badly concealed hints of scorn that Frulz can only associate with jealousy.
But all good things come to an end and the stranger, Colonel Sheppard is bounced back to him, brings his mount back to the ground and rests against it. He lets the xhalantribariat go and takes his saddle back where he took it, most probably thinking his escapade has been unnoticed.
Frulz watches him walk back the village and swears that soon, real soon, the sky will be his again, too.
First hand account: Damoni
Damoni sighs as he puts his aquamarine tunic and grabs a plum Uyat to eat on his way. Another day where he'll need to play nice with the Atlanteans and the mere idea makes his skin crawl.
He is not amused as their antics.
He is not intrigued by what they call technology.
He doesn't find the wonder for their planet in some of them endearing.
He doesn't think that they could be interesting allies.
In fact, that's what irks Damoni the most. Why could they not just have let the strangers look around and then leave once they had their fill, as was the Centian's way? They were safe from the Wraith when they were invisible. Now every Centian is exposed because their existence is known. The strangers could send the Wraith as soon as they step out of the portal, and the Centians would not be prepared because they cannot see what is in their mind, in their hearts.
Damoni shudders just to think about it. Such opacity is unnatural and no one will be able to convince him of the contrary. Not even Huna, who seems to find them all so charming, telling him over and over that there is no need to condemn people for a crime they might never commit. And no, not even Alithianne who worships the ground they all walk on, just because they give her that treat they call chocolate.
No, Damoni will stand strong and watch, unmoved, unbiased and ready to react to protect his people. Someone has to do it.