All of Olo was buzzing with the news that visitors were coming. Messages had been received that a ship was approaching. Flash read about them in the book. He had previously met one of their race in a dream (or was it a dream?), the magenta alien that was licking rocks. They wanted to taste the Ololian jewels. The king and queen planned a welcome ceremony on the plain, followed by a banquet in the castle.
As the ship approached, more and more people gathered at the tables, scanning the night sky for the first glimpse of them.
No one on Olo ate rocks, or even licked them. Instead, they carved the karkkia into the shapes of jewels, and served them on large platters. The treats looked just like gems, until you touched them. They jiggled when they were handled, and the sound of laughter rose up from the already joyful nocturnal gatherings beneath the stars.
At last, the spacecraft came into view, and excitement continued to grow over several days while the speck of light became more brilliant night after night.
It was daytime when they entered Olo’s atmosphere, and everyone gathered on the crimson plain. Everyone looked upward when a white streak appeared in the sky. It circled the planet, and when it reappeared, it was much lower, and clearly visible, glimmering against a clear blue background. The ship turned, in a descending spiral, encircling the plain. The crowd parted, leaving a landing strip in front of the entrance to the museum. The silver ship was so smooth, and so reflective that it was barely visible in the daylight as it touched down. It mirrored the sky on top, and the sparkling, multicolored stones below. It hissed. With a cloud of steam, a ramp lowered, and three occupants descended.
The king and queen greeted them first, welcoming them to Olo. They parted to reveal Flash Meridian standing next in line. Looking into their faces, Flash had a feeling of déjà vu. Besides the drooping eyelid, there was an unmistakable expression on their faces that Flash recognized. Here was a dream standing before him in the flesh. They were familiar, yet definitely alien. He had thought that his mind had pieced the red alien together from his experience, but clearly it had entered his brain by other means, the universal stream that ran through everything. Here were bits of him, or maybe he was bits of them. Anyway, they were bits of stardust meeting face to face.
The crowd was cheering and waving, but the aliens couldn’t take their eyes off the stones that stretched out as far as they could see. They licked their lips, and wiped their wet mouths. They were so close to the appetizing gems, and obviously distracted.
Pages stepped forward bearing selected jewels. They held velvet pillows which cradled emeralds, rubies, diamonds and other stones of every color.
Help yourself, Flash invited.
The visitors leaned over, sniffing the crystals the way earthlings would look over a box of chocolates or a platter of Christmas cookies.
The first wore a suit of armor. Like the alien in Flash’s dream, he had appendages coming out of his head that looked like dreadlocks. The second wore a blue silk robe, and the third wore a blood red gown. They each selected a stone from the pillow. With closed eyes, they inhaled deeply, taking in whatever aroma the stones gave off. Some Ololian onlookers picked up gems and smelled, them. They shook their heads, smelling nothing, but the three travelers seemed to be in ecstasy, intoxicated by the scents they detected. They licked the crystals they held in their hands, and were overcome with emotion. One after another popped the jewels into their mouths, and swallowed. They gobbled up every stone from the pillow, and after that they were less distracted, more talkative. Flash had already read that the man in the blue robe was their king, and the woman in red, their queen. The third man was their bodyguard and pilot.
The dignitaries boarded whales, which transported them to the castle gate and deposited them onto the amethyst road. I should say gateway, or gate opening. There was no actual gate. They had never had a reason to close people in or out, so it was always open. A procession made its way up the winding paths from the plain to the castle plateau.
Flash and his daughter Mad, along with Luuu and Poikani, took another whale, while Bucket flew along beside them, cradling the sphere inside him. They went directly up to Flash’s balcony, since the royal party were having their portraits made before dinner.
Throughout the castle were bowls of gemstones, set out like candy dishes, which the guests savored, thanking everyone around them, and commenting on their deliciousness.
Skip asked Buffy whether there might be a shortage of gems after their new friends’ visit. She laughed and said Don’t worry, your majesty, we’ll get the stones back. They don’t digest them.
Buffy then approached the alien queen who was about to pose for her portrait. She produced a Ruby necklace and headdress. Leaning in to fasten the clasp, she whispered into her ear A little something for later, your majesty.