What If the Earth was the other way...?

Around Kliptora in forty days! part 6

Nathalia Avra

Days 26 through 30: Latina

Our next stop was Latina.Sitting inside the wagon, contemplating about how a frolicking experience I had these past so many days was awesome.

Actually, I never thought I would find a planet. I mean, I was just hoping to be in some part of space… like just blank space. The black sky, some meteors moving here and there. When I finish the fuel, I would pump up the refill fuel and retrace my step back. No one will know I was gone for two weeks. Two weeks was the maximum, I thought, I could keep everyone from realising I am missing. But then, I just found a cool planet where there was life and I am pretty sure Professor would've had a great time discovering it if he got to travel and come here first.

I mean, he calculated a point on this planet (he pre-programmed for travelling here), so pretty sure he would've reached here.

That got me thinking. If I'm here and if the original one was pre-programmed to reach a point on this planet… is Tommy here? I mean, That is a possibility. I should ask Tony about it. I decide.

Since we took the early wagon at the third hour, it was just me, Tina and Tony in the wagon. Tony was sitting across from me reading something on his tablet. Tina was staring at the big wall of metal behind me.

"So Tony… I was wondering if there was any other...you know, like a few years ago, anyone landed here before me?" I literally didn't know how to ask that question.

He looked at me and after a few moments let out a sigh.

"I have heard stories of a boy who came from Earth. The scientists at the Nomenclature wing in Latina had confirmed it. They remarked that the boy gave more information about Earth than you did. They have a recording of it. I didn't know how to tell you about him. I have never seen him but I have seen his ship. He was younger than you . I was hoping to meet him. But unfortunately, Switch was not thrilled by the idea."

Okay, so now I know Tommy is actually on this planet but I really got jealous at the part where those douchebag scientists thought he was smarter than me. He was the Professor's son! He is bound to be smarter. That aside, I also know, he must not be in Engame. So, my next mission after enjoying three more continents, is to find Tommy Faelliyo. After all, he is the real reason I got into this bizarre mission.

" Stories you say? So, you have not seen the recording?" I ask because I need facts to figure my next move.

"I have not seen the recording. The recording is confidential. Tina might have access but not me. Unless I have a permission grant from Switch."

"I have seen the recording. Yes. I assure you, he is perfectly alright. And Switch would not like showing you both the recording for confidential reasons." Tina adds in after Tony finishes. She doesn't jump into a conversation, so I think pursuing the topic is dangerous.

"Hmm…" I sigh and flop back on my bench.

The rest of the trip was spent silently and with no attempt to talk.

When we reached Latina, it was nearly the eleventh hour and so it was bustling with people.

The port was really white. It had small shrubs lined behind a glass wall. The whole place was marbled and the counter didn't even have a roof! Sorry. It had a roof, I couldn't make out because it was made of super thin glass. Like a greenhouse. The walls were light green and it gave that greenhouse kind of aura, even if plants were not inside. It was really calming. The girl greeted us with a smile and she gave me a firm handshake. I smiled at her. She wore green karate clothes and tied her long red hair in a bun. She had blue eyes that complimented her fair skin. She conversed with Tina and as usual we reached our stay room, which would be our home for the next five days. I flopped onto my bed which was extra cushioned with wool sheets. I was a little surprised by the white wool on the bed.

The stayroom looked just like the counter. Light blue walls that opened up to a beautiful sky. The roof was glass, if we looked closely we could see that transparent surface. The cluster of houses formed a beautiful path around. And I just lay on my bed starting at the night sky. I was lucky to see Zooie and Toriah on the sky tonight. My Kliptoran friends wanted me to get up and have something for dinner(or is it breakfast?) But I refused. The sky was beautiful and peaceful. After some time of nagging, which was of no use, they left me to my stargazing.

I know you might be wondering, how can I see at night, considering Kliptorans are nocturnal beings? Imagine seeing a cartoon in which they show the night time. That's exactly how it looks. The two moons reflect light a lot better than our moon and there is no night where one of them isn't in the night sky. There is no new moon day. That must be the reason they became nocturnal. If the moon reflects light that bright, the sun must be really hotter and closer. They must have gotten sunburnt, if they went out at noon. But, I have been outside at noon and nothing serious happened to me, only that I got tanned pretty great.

Sleeping in Latina will also be a challenge, because of the glass roof. I wonder how they sleep when it's hollow on top and you have to stare at the sun. Anyway, I was tired so I covered my eyes using a towel and slept.

The next day, I got to see the first place I opened my eyes in Kliptora; the Nomenclature wing of Latina. It is a one storey building and it was marbled and Tina told us there were three floors in the basement.

The first floor, too , was beautiful. It had cute holographic pictures of plants, their descriptions written in bold black letters. The columns were divided into three with several rows across the room. Tina took me to each one of them and some of her favourite plants, she explained a lot more about them. Tony also threw facts here and there.

The one thing that I found fascinating is that the scientific names of all the plants were the real names of all the plants in Kliptora. For example, Mango's scientific name is Mangifera indica and that is exactly what they call it in Kliptora. I think the reason to make every plant and animal names universal is for better communication. But I would like to stick with mango or "mangaa" (in Malayalam) when I want to refer to that fruit.

The second floor had the same thing done with animals. It is like walking around holograms of real animals. They have cute videos of them roaming and that helps a lot. We should literally have them exclusively on Earth rather than caging animals in zoos. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of animal reserves and wildlife sanctuary; Zoos are not the same though.

Moving on, the third floor was the aqua department. It had all kinds of fishes and plants and corals and,"Just look at the world around you, right here on the ocean floor, such wonderful things surround you, what more is you lookin' for? Under the sea, under the sea…" I wiggle my hips, pretending it to be fishtails and I open my eyes and realise I just sang it out aloud. I suddenly start scratching my head and smile awkwardly. "Sorry. I love that song."

Tony and Tina nodded a no-why-is-like-this, and went on with their business.

Back to Kliptora. Nomenclature wing was like a museum of everything living and hard to see and explore in Kliptora. It is a creative and beautiful initiative.

The fourth floor had offices and laboratories and rooms like that. Tony showed me a familiar room. It was white tiled and had a gurney and two chairs left near there, just how we left it. It was the first place I saw in Kliptora. My mouth quirks up into a small smile and I get into the room. I extend my srma and take a small twirl, breathing in the air and closing my eyes. I love this place because this place was proof I didn't die that day.

Tony and Tina froze and looked at me. Their brows twitched (a rare Kliptoran sign of being confused. Usually they stare.) I continued to surprise them by being me and the next ten minutes, I explained why I did that and how I am not crazy. I was being nostalgic. Tina had enough of my shenanigans as she left shortly after I started explaining, without even an excuse.

After lunch, provided by the Nomenclature employees ( which were the same goo balls that I had the first day and trust me, they still tasted crap!), we went back to the stayroom.

The next day, Tina announced that a couple was getting married and she wanted us to attend it. The couple was excited to know that there was an alien in Latina and wanted to meet me and also to show a small tradition of Kliptora or specifically Latina. I wore a half shoulder pink top and slightly tight fitting pants than the karate pants and it was light blue in colour. I am glad I did some shopping on Frenchi.

Tina and Tony wore the same karate clothes and we walked towards a huge concert hall. The concert hall looked exactly like the one in Edbranch. It had seven layers of stage and people sat sidewise to it. Light gargling of water can be heard and we took the second most closet seat. Almost thirty people were present. Two people walked onto the stage. The girl wore white karate clothes and the guy wore a tight fitting black pant paired with a white shirt. The girls side had two people standing, while on the guy's side three people stood. Must be family.

Tina mentioned that the wedding ceremony only consisted if their family members and the soldiers of the particular.locality, friends and neighbours (which is saying the whole continent,) is not invited but they do visit the couple in a week's time the leader of the soldiers of Latina, stood at the center. He was dark in complexion and his hair was black and short curls. He wore black karate clothes.

He started saying something in Lat and I listened patiently not understanding a word. Layer, he takes the hands of the girl and the guy and unites their hands for a handshake. They then proceed to gig and after that the parents exchange handshakes and hugs with the couple and layer everyone present does so. I was second last to do the same.

I grab both their hands and smile and say, "Happy married life." They smile back and I hug them. Later Tina does the same, although I think I should have asked her to tell me how to say that phrase in Lat and then go wish them.

After the ceremony of handshakes and hits. The couple stand on the platform and they share a kiss and then a person comes up to the second most high platform and sings a song, directing water and the couple dances. Everyone applauded. We then walked towards a stateroom and the guy in black, who presided over the ceremony, opened the door and ushered the newlyweds inside. They would be staying together there.

In Kliptora, a stayroom is shared between single people or by couples and their children. When one marries, they move together into a new stayroom. This gesture symbolises a new beginning and thus the wedding ceremony concluded. It was sweet and didn't have a huge budget for shopping sprees but it was beautiful and symbolic.

Likewise three more days passed by and my Latina concluded in a happily ever after.