The whale swam away in the air over the trees, and Flash was left standing in a clearing. The light was bright. It reflected off the huge gemstone boulders that dotted the area, showering him with colorful beams. The whale had guided him here, but now it appeared he was on his own. He looked around, happy to be back on Olo. He was reminded of his first hour, when everything was new, and he didn’t know what to expect. That is how he felt again. He walked toward the trees. The shimmering air was warm, so he headed toward the shade. He stepped into a beam of blue light, and felt its chill. Then he heard the sound of laughter coming from the forest. He shaded his eyes with his hand, but could not see due to the glare. He blindly followed the giggle until he stepped into the shadows. There, he saw a child standing on a diamond outcropping, which jutted out from a net of woven tree roots.

“Grampa!” The boy called out, and Flash ran to him.

Meanwhile, Poikani, Bucket and the sphere went on an adventure of their own. The sphere almost got left behind with Lem, who stayed in the apartment. Bucket offered to hold him, and that was that. Peck met them in the castle courtyard, and they did all the touristy things People do on Olo. They saw the holograms of Olo’s history, which was interactive, and much more interesting than seeing it in the book. They ate lunch in the museum on the plain, and gathered a crowd of people asking questions. They were celebrities here.

After lunch, Peck and Poikani rode a whale through the treetops, and saw the fishlike aliens darting amongst the branches. Bucket and the sphere flew along beside them.

Olo was more wondrous than they imagined it would be. Poikani had only known the interior of the small spaceship, and Bucket had been all alone in space for eons.

Peck told Poikani stories about his mother and their life on Ino, which was a subject Lem didn’t discuss.

Toward evening, they returned to the crystal plain. The sphere was able to get around on its own, and Bucket’s dream of holding gems became a reality. He was finally able to feel the densities of various minerals in person, or should I say in bucket.