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origins. Tata changed everything when he broadcast the idea of our mutual seeding. I do not like that word, seeding.” Ruen put her right foot in her lap. “As for the head priest, we call him Ada Chap. No one likes him.”
    I started to ask Ruen another question, but she interrupted.
    â€œDid you say that you and Tata were tied up on a dais?”
    I nodded. She apparently understood what my motion meant.
    â€œYou’re now a couple! Although, a very strange one,” Ruen said.

Chapter 5
    â€œA couple? What do you mean?” I asked. I hadn’t a clue what Ruen babbled about, although the thought seemed to amuse her.
    â€œTwo people together on the dais at The Temple of Enlightenment are proclaiming their love for each other,” said Ruen. She glanced at the both of us and then did her customary twirl.
    I looked at Tata; he had yet to utter a word. “We were just tied up and put there—we weren’t making any statement,” I said. Ruen spouted nonsense!
    â€œPerhaps,” said Ruen. “Tata, what do you think about this situation?”
    Tata didn’t answer. In fact, he gave my arm a pat and then got up and left the table. I’d received another unusual touch from Tata.
    â€œDon’t forget about the Space Museum this afternoon. I’ll meet you here after class,” I called after him.
    Tata didn’t acknowledge my reminder and continued walking away.
    â€œThe Space Museum? Can I join you? It is past time for a visit,” said Ruen, breaking our silence.
    â€œSure. Meet me here later.” I got up and headed back to class. I hated to be dismissive to Ruen, but I had a lot to think about. In addition to confused thoughts about Tata and Daro, perhaps I’d acquired a younger sister. Oh well, Ruen can help me understand Basilian society.
    The rest of my classes passed in a blur. For some reason, I couldn’t concentrate; I kept thinking about Tata.
    Tata and Ruen waited in the cafeteria for me after class. We shouldered our bags and walked the short distance to the museum. Interestingly enough, the museum had directions, and some history, beneath our feet on the floor, just like the Space Museum on Arandis—another similarity between the cultures.
    I wanted to study the Basilian history of spaceships, since Earth was nowhere near their level of technological sophistication in spacecraft. In fact, the Arandi had brought us from Earth, and the Basilians had ferried us from Arandis. So I had Ruen point out the appropriate exhibits.
    The museum’s ceilings were incredibly high, but they needed to be in order to store some of the immense objects related to space travel. Apparently, the Basilians had travelled to a few neighboring solar systems but had not yet found any intelligent life, other than the Arandi and humans. After a while, we came upon an object, which looked remarkably like a lunar lander.
    â€œWhat is this?” I asked Ruen.
    â€œThe signage says it is an exploration lander. When the main ship arrives at a planet to explore, they launch this lander so a couple of astronauts can explore the surface—hence, exploration lander.”
    Always a smart-ass, but I couldn’t say that to Ruen. “Interesting. Well I, for one, want to see inside.”
    â€œSo do I,” said Ruen. “Drop your bags in this bin. We need to leave them outside the lander. There is probably very little room inside anyway.”
    The exploration lander was about eight feet wide and twice as long, and it had obviously been a working lander, not a prototype. The outside was pitted and scraped and the landing gear looked well-worn. And Ruen had correctly guessed about the cramped quarters. With barely enough room for the three of us, we wiggled about and studied the interior.
    â€œYou know, they have included facilities and equipment for eating and sleeping, but I would probably throw my sleeping bag outside, on the ground.” I