Women of Tetchki (Part One)
Women of Tetchki (Part One)
1.) House of Kamin
On the planet of Tetchki. In the city of Riab, opposite a local place of worship, stood a house with an iron foundation. One of the first homes made from Diudya Crystal and mounted to withstand extreme natural disaster.
In his room, the owner Kamin kept tabs on his family by watching multiple monitoring devices. These monitoring devices, installed the same day he installed his Environmental Control AI system, ensured a constant comfortable living environment.
Kamin housed all passing officials and merchants. On top of renting rooms in his house, he sold his own variety of Ceremonial Tea and grew his own crops in the country. His worth among the city of Riab is well known and respected.
Feod, his oldest son, is foreman mechanic at his father’s silos. Feod is kept busy maintaining harvest equipment. He lived on his father’s farm and hardly visited Riab. Sophie, Feod’s wife lived with Kamin. She is sick and needed to live in the city where she could receive proper treatments on a daily basis.
Deformed Osha, Kamin’s second son, also lived at home with his young new bride Varva. Varva, known for her beauty, led the household Tea Ceremony and is admired by city officials and merchants alike.
2.) Travelers of Tetchki
This evening, a couple of moons past harvest when the air reeked of day-old produce and open jars of cultured Misarot, three men arrived at Kamin’s home to deliver a load of clear Diudya.
Kamin ordered the crystal blocks to begin construction on his second home.
The first traveler of Tetchki, about thirty, wore a tan canvas jumpsuit. The second, a boy, of seven or eight, a long coat with big buttons.
A young teen in a red shirt carefully lowered Diudya from the traveler’s vehicle to the ground.
The first traveler washed his blue hands with water from his canteen and placed a prayer blanket on the ground. He knelt and Bowed towards the place of worship across the street. He remained in prayer for a moment and then stood up slowly.
Kamin, after studying many travelers, decided this man is serious and understood his own worth. Usually, his guests stayed into the evening to tell stories while Kamin’s wife, Afan, prepared an evening meal after milking the family Nasie.
“I suppose this boy is your son?” Kamin broke the silence.
“My adopted son, Uzka” Answered the first traveler. “The boy in red is my real son, Manni. Uzka I took as an orphan to earn my Kindra.”
Kamin learned that the first traveler is a homeowner named Matvei. Matvei planned on heading downtown to inspect the new city garden after he dropped off this load of Diudya.
3.) Story
The three travelers moved onto Kamin’s porch to stand in the shade and avoid the stifling heat of the late afternoon.
“I have a long story Kamin, very involved.” Began Matvei. “About ten years ago on our street where now stands the Candow Factory and Moil Mill lived Seff, an old widow with two sons. One son conducted trains on the city train system. The other, Anya, lived at home with his mother.
Seff kept Equin, two of them, who carried passengers into the city daily and provided profit. Anya raised Goldlings and Starfinches on their roof and sold them downtown in crafted ornamental cages.
Seff grew ill and decided to marry Anya as quickly as possible.
Within a week Seff managed a connection through the temple and found Anya a bride. A young girl, short, with a light blue pleasant face who brought with her a Nasie and her own bed.
After feeling herself beginning to fade, Seff set out on her journey to Usal where there is neither sickness or sighs. Anya and his new wife, Shenka, spent two days praying for their Kindra.
They lived together, peacefully, for six months before Anya was conscripted into the Holy Say. The will of our God with no appeal. When he said goodbye to Shenka, he cried as if his heart would break.
Years past but the home stayed well kept.”
4.) Osha and a Song
“One day, years later, I stopped by Shenka’s house to invite her to Tea Ceremony. She seemed highly educated with incredible manners. She dressed neatly and efficiently. I remember we talked about Theology and Politics. Through these talks, I learned she added three Equin to her Tourist Travel Initiative and she became the authority on the breeding and sale of Goldlings and Starfinches. Her property increased to a four Nasie household due to her keen organizational skills and attention to detail. She turned out to be a leader of men and I met her with honor.”
Matvei paused. Osha ran into the yard, without a look at the group, and then into the house. A minute later he rushed out with a Certina, a small stringed instrument, and disappeared behind the corner.
“Who is that man?” Asked Matvei.
“My son Osha.” Answered Kamin, “He’s gone off to amuse himself! He is blessed with a deformity so we go easy on him.”
“He does nothing but play with the children!” Afan sighed as she batted at a rug. “We married him thinking it would help. He is worse and now we house another without profit.”
“Varva is a respected part of our family Afan.”
“Yes, she is. I apologize.”
From the place of worship across the street came a sound of a mournful but pleasant song. Three voices, two tenors and a bass, sang in a chorus. Everyone listened silently. At one point in the song, the tenor sang so high that everyone mechanically looked upwards as if they heard voices from the sky.
5.) Evening Approaches Tetchki
Varva walked onto the porch after leaving her seat at the upstairs window. She shaded her eyes from the brightness prior to dusk and pointed towards the place of worship.
“Today is a day of marriage. One of the Holy just gave away a son to master the art of matrimony.” All three of the voices continued their song.
“Once given to her husband with her husband she must live.” Matvei sighed. “Husband and wife are one flesh and blood.”
Matvei finished his story as Kamin sat on a block of Diudya. He rested his head on his hands and looked at the sky as evening colors began to turn from purple to a reddish-orange glow.
“You look like a stump of a tree Kamin! Evening is upon us and you must get your family to bed.”
“It is time.” Kamin stood and yawned. “These children think themselves clever and disobey their elders. That is the cause of our troubles with Sha. It is late Matvei, you may stay in my home for the night.”
“Do not worry about my family Kamin we brought sleep pods and will sleep near our vehicle.” Matvei headed towards their vehicle and gathered up Uzka and Manni for evening prayers and to set up their sleep pods.
Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed reading this story stay tuned and if you would like to read the previous stories go to:
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/06/a-return-to-science-fiction/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/06/space-kiss-1/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/06/space-kiss-part-two/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/06/a-chorus-of-stars/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/06/the-spaceship-verotchka-part-one/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/07/the-spaceship-verotchka-part-two/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/08/an-excellent-alien-part-one/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/08/an-excellent-alien-part-two/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/08/the-galactic-family-council/
https://www.creativeexiles.com/2019/09/a-sackful-of-woe-the-wormhole-way-station/
For more works like Women of Tetchki (Part One) and others by this author visit Jamie Lee Hamann Author Page
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This was very enjoyable, Jamie. I do love good sci fi and fantasy, and novel excerpt is engaging.
Thank you John. I am so happy you stopped by and read. I hope that the stories to come keep you engaged also. Thank you for the push. Jamie
Jamie, I enjoyed this excerpt. The details you have on each person really enhances the story. Like John, it really kept me engaged. Well done.