Joe’s eyes grew wide with surprise. He didn’t expect to hear Dr. Cajo Tehinjhm’s name, but at the same time, hearing it explained so much. Joe saw Ginke return the surprised expression with his own, and Joe wondered if Ginke had the same thoughts as Joe.

To prove something, Joe activated his right eye and looked at Ginke again. Earlier, Joe saw an implant in Ginke and thought it was a replacement for a casualty of war. Now Joe saw clearly that Ginke’s tongue was the implant. It looked so real each time Ginke flicked it, though.

Ginke flicked his tongue a few more times. Joe could tell the Scincian was confirming that Joe had an implant from Dr. Cajo Tehinjhm, too. When Ginke was satisfied, he stopped flicking his tongue and smiled.

“Ah. You know them, too, then,” said Ginke.

“I do,” said Joe.

“Sir?” said Hoàng, who came up to Joe. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah…. Yes,” said Joe as he turned to Hoàng and smiled. “It turns out Ginke and I have something in common.”

“We all hate the birds, too,” chuckled Beck from her chair.

Joe chuckled and patted Hoàng on the shoulder. Hoàng nodded and then started back to the table.

Ginke was still smiling when Joe looked back at him.

“The last time I saw them was a couple years ago,” said Joe. “I lost an eye in a fight as a kid. Cajo gave me a new one.”

“See,” said Ginke, “I knew there was something different about you. When I first saw you in the forest, you gave me such a weird look. I didn’t know what it was, though.”

“When did you last see them?”

“Not long,” said Ginke. “Over a year ago, I had been jumping between jobs. I would get a new one, have an incident with the others, and then I’d be dismissed.”

“Incidents?” asked Joe.

“Speaking. I struggled to communicate things since I didn’t have a tongue. I’d answer a question but not flick my tongue to receive correctly. Nothing is more insulting than to refuse the scent of others.”

“They knew, right? About your tongue?”

“Of course, but that’s how important that etiquette is for Scincians. I don’t think it’s ever happened before.” Ginke paused before letting out a quiet, sad laugh. “Scents are important to give and receive in order to be welcomed, and since I couldn’t receive scents, I was never welcomed.”

Joe couldn’t say anything.

“Next, I cleaned a lab following a large convention,” continued Ginke after a moment. “As I worked, I looked up and the doctor was there. They knew something was different with me. I think they saw how isolated I was, and I told them it was fine. But they insisted that I join them when I was done.

“We went to their lab later. Cajo said even when they traveled they had to keep their experiments running. I thought they wanted to know more about Scincians. They kept asking me questions about myself, and I eventually told them everything. I told them I was born without a tongue, and they instantly knew the importance of a tongue among my species. I told them all I wanted was to be accepted and show I welcomed others when they reached out to me. Cajo understood, and then they helped me be able to do that.

“Once I learned how to use my tongue, everything around me changed. I could receive! But even then, many still didn’t welcome me. Too many knew what I had been before, but I didn’t stop. I showed how much I welcomed everyone else regardless.

“Then the Birnsteins invaded. Their savagery hurt many, and while our government resisted, some didn’t like how much was lost. They wanted to negotiate with the Birnsteins. And before we knew it, Scincians were helping the Birnsteins by sabotaging our defenses. It helped the Birnsteins get more, but they still destroyed everything. I couldn’t stand to see my species fight with itself as the planet was destroyed. If defeating the Birnsteins was the best way to protect our home, then I had to enlist and help our forces defeat them.

“You,” said Ginke after he paused and licked the air. “You’re smiling. Why?”

“I understand,” said Joe. “I grew up on Pturllel.”

“Ah! I know of it. Cajo had been there before.”

“He was a founder, actually.”

“I see,” said Ginke with his eyes widening.

“I don’t remember Pturllel before the invasion,” said Joe, “but I grew up in a Birnstein-controlled area. I would fight the young Birnsteins on the streets who wanted to be like the invaders all of the time. One day, I screwed up, and it cost me an eye.”

“Yes,” said Ginke after flicking out his tongue again. “The right one.”

“That’s right,” continued Joe. “Once I got used to living without it, the Days of Dispossession happened. We were all relocated off the planet, and as I waited to be placed with anyone left in my family, I heard that the Birnsteins had destroyed Pturllel. They say nothing will ever live on that planet again.”

“That news. I saw it, too.”

“So I wanted to fight. The military wouldn’t let me because of my eye. I met Cajo when I was at my lowest. They helped me just like they helped you. They gave me a new eye, and it can see everything.”

“An all-seeing eye,” said Ginke. “And I have an all-tasting tongue. Cajo helped us out a lot. I owe them so much. So do you, right?”

“Right,” said Joe with a smile. “I’m glad to help you, Ginke.”

“Yes, me too,” said Ginke with a smile.

Joe opened the rations bag he held, deciding he was hungry enough to brave what the others had already forced down. Joe pulled out two small bags and offered one to Ginke.

“Thanks,” said Ginke as he took it.

Everyone spent the next couple hours talking quietly and looking at their HUD or the monitors for any changes. Nothing changed, and their clocks showed the sun had set an hour ago.

 “Late,” said Terri as he stood up. “I’m going to retire.”

“Yes,” agreed Ginke. “Nothing’s going to change tonight. We might as well get some sleep so we’re ready for whatever comes with the morning.”

Hoàng, Beck, and Mulloy looked over at Joe as the two Scincians started down a tunnel to retire.

“You heard them,” said Joe. “We might as well get some sleep.”


Chapter 18: Return to the Surface

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