The fanfare of the whales heralded Flash’s return to Olo. As the group drew nearer to the outer layer of atmosphere, the smaller whales dove through into the bubble of air. They stirred the surface so that wisps of vapor rose into the vacuum and then dissipated back into the exosphere. Larger whales followed, plunging into the air, and began their descent toward the planet’s surface. Flash parked the mother ship in orbit and watched them for a while before preparing to enter the TNI2.
He had to pack things for the baby. Peck and Lem didn’t need anything.
Flash was reminded once again of childhood family vacations. His mother would remind Flash and his brothers to use the bathroom before they embarked on a road trip, and she always prepared a bag of snacks.
Flash looked around the cockpit, and was amazed by the unlikely family he had assembled.
You could say they were his chosen family, but upon reflection, he had not chosen any of them. They had chosen him. Sensitive Lem, impulsive Peck, and baby Mad who was the offspring of his heart.
I love all of you, Flash said as he opened the hatch to the awaiting pod.
The mother ship was flooded with light, and sweet Olo filled the view from the greenhouse.
Flash floated through the hatch with the baby in his arms. She cooed as he secured her for the trip, and covered her with the hide. Peck and Lem followed.
The TNI2 was jettisoned from the larger ship as the last whales followed the others down.
None of them knew quite what to expect. This was a concern for Lem, but not for Peck, who strained to see, wide eyed and trembling with excitement.
Flash opened the book to calm Lem’s mind.
He read aloud that the Ololians were gathering on the great plane. The first of the whales were coming into view, and the whole planet celebrated their return. Across the plateau, the inhabitants of Olo built structures out of gems. Some assembled buildings, while others created sculptures, depending on how the pieces fit together.
Flash held the book up so that Lem could see images of the colorful edifices which danced in vivid, saturated light.
Many were elaborate with ornate features, but even the simplest pieces arranged by children made a strong and vivid impression.
Each crystal was mesmerizing in itself.
The blood red ruby that Flash saw in his first hour on Olo caught his attention even in its darkened state, but when he raised it into the light, it enchanted him.
A television set can be a beautiful piece of furniture, but when you turn it on, it can transport you with stories brought to life by light.
The Ololians were masters of the art of turning these stones on.
Flash closed the book as the TNI2 grazed the outer atmosphere.
The baby was asleep by the time the TNI2 descended into the air.
Flash could make out familiar shapes on the the painted surface of Olo, and the approach felt like a homecoming, even though he had only been there once before.
The colorful ground appeared in greater detail as they fell, and soon Flash could make out the towers, the castle, and their landing site on the plain.
It was a cloudless day, and the plateau shimmered in the full light of afternoon.
The whales hung like chromatic clouds over the merry crowd below. Everyone felt a joyous abandon as all eyes turned upward.
Something was moving through the midst of the happy throng, which parted for it.
A pure white whale glided just above ground level, and on its back sat Buffy and Skip, the queen and king of Olo. The hovering whales also parted as the TNI2 approached.
The small spaceship touched down where the colors all came together, near the small crystal castle that the royal couple had assembled.
Flash unfastened the baby and opened the hatch. Everything shimmered in the reflected light of crystals. The dancing colors were brighter than before because the structures that dotted the area were beacons focusing the light onto the ground below. The light was intensified and then reflected back up into the sky and on the underside of everything.