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“Oh!” Abbey gasped. “Oh, what is it? What’s on me?”
“Be easy, my dear,” Maprist said quickly. “That is only my Eye-pet, Chirrux. Apparently he likes your scent, which is most unusual and very lovely.”
The little gray fur ball danced on its three tiny feet on Abbey’s shoulder, squeaking in her ear, though again Solon couldn’t hear what it was saying in its shrill voice.
Abbey seemed to hear it, though and thanks to the shot of Translation Bacteria she’d been given, she could understand as well.
“Oh, well…thank you,” she said and laughed a little. “That’s very kind of you to say! I’m sure you’re a handsome little guy too. But maybe you should go back to Chancellor Maprist.”
The furry creature squeaked once more and then jumped back onto the Chancellor’s robes, clinging to his shoulder with tiny claws. It whispered in his ear again and he nodded and laughed.
“Well, Chirrux is quite taken with you, my dear! He says you are the most beautiful female he has ever laid his many eyes on. And I must say, your scent is uniquely lovely as well.”
“Well, thank you.” Abbey nodded and smiled. “That’s very kind.”
“Would you like to come with me? I have an autodriver ready to take us to visit the Empress, who is eager to meet you both.”
They walked through the docking area and Solon noticed that the furry little Eye-pet on Maprist’s shoulder was constantly whispering to him. He still wasn’t sure if the male was blind or not—he walked with ease and confidence on the smooth pathway between the ships which were parked on either side.
At last they reached a kind of side street which seemed to lead to a larger road. Solon noticed many small vehicles whizzing back and forth—some of them looked just big enough for one person though there were larger vehicles as well. All of them were nearly silent as they whooshed down the road.
Chancellor Maprist led them to a vehicle which was large enough for four—two passengers in the front and two in the back. Solon couldn’t help noticing that there were no apparent controls for steering, accelerating, or braking. Also, the front seats were facing backwards, towards the rear of the vehicle. It looked more like a setup for casual conversation than for driving.
“Here we are,” Maprist said, waving a hand at the vehicle, which caused two large wing-like doors to open and slide upwards at the same time. “I made sure to bring a large autodriver so we can all be seated comfortably.”
“Er, you can drive?” Solon asked as he stared at the strange vehicle, which was bright orange. “Forgive me, but I wasn’t sure if you are one of the sighted or the blind,” he added apologetically.
“If you mean can I steer this vehicle by sight, then no, for I am one of the Inner Seers—not one with Outward Sight,” the Chancellor said, smiling. “But the autodriver has no need of a driver. It goes where I tell it to go and takes a preprogrammed route.”
“Oh, are all your cars self-driving then?” Abbey asked with interest.
“Yes, for we have found them to be much safer and in this way, transportation is accessible to all. Come, would you like to get in so we can go to the Palace?” Maprist asked.
“Yes, just give us a moment. Abbey is also one of the, er, Inner Seers,” Solon told him. “She cannot see fine details so I’ll need to help her into the vehicle.”
“Ah, I thought you might be an Inner Seer, since Chirrux had such an instant affinity for you, my dear,” Chancellor Maprist said to Abbey. “But tell me, why do you not have some sort of aide to help you get around?”
“I had a seeing eye dog named Major that I loved very much,” Abbey said sadly. “But he died about a year ago. I haven’t been able to make myself apply for another one yet—I still miss him so much.”
“How very sad! But…he died before you?” the Chancellor asked.
“Well…yes. I don’t know how it works here, but on Earth, where I come from, dogs don’t live forever,” Abbey said sadly. “I wish they did. Why? Do your, uh, Eye-pets have especially long lives?”
“Here on Tengula Five, a child with the Inner Sight is paired with an Eye-pet pup almost from birth,” Chancellor Maprist explained. “They grow up with the child and, because of the intimate connection the two of them form, they do not die until their person does.”
“How fascinating,” Abbey said, looking really interested. “And I noticed they can speak—do they direct you everywhere you go?”
“Yes, everywhere. I’ve had my little Chirrux since before I can remember walking or talking,” the Chancellor told her. “He and I are both now sixty-nine summers old and he will live as long as I do.”
“Do you ever allow outsiders to own one of these Eye-Pets?” Solon asked, thinking that it might be the perfect thing for Abbey.
But Chancellor Maprist shook his head.
“I’m so sorry,” he said regretfully. “But an Eye-pet must be paired with its person at a very young age. I don’t know if you would be able to form the necessary neural connection at your current age. Also, Eye-pets are reserved exclusively for Tengulans. The Empress herself would have to make an allowance for you to even try pairing with one.”
“That’s all right,” Abbey said lightly, though Solon could read the disappointment on her face and feel it coming through her hand on his arm. “I’ll probably apply for a new seeing eye dog once I get back to Earth.”
They climbed into the vehicle, Solon taking extra care so that Abbey didn’t bump her head, and got settled in its luxurious seats. He and Abbey sat in the rear and Chancellor Maprist sat across from them, in the front of the vehicle. When they were all settled, the Chancellor spoke in a firm voice.
