Cantral The Entra

Maybe you're right.

Haari and Zafira's house is set deep in the Rinah countryside. Far from the nearest city, far from everything, but trees and hills, birds and bugs. A brick house built with warm grey stone. There's a garden around it, flower beds and vegetable patches, but past the garden, trees rule.

Sunlight shines into the clearing. It shines on a child's wooden playhouse, on dolls, on toys set in the likeness of various Oneeran animals and they weave round the garden in long lines. I bend and pick one up, my hand smooths over its soft white fur. Do real animals feel as good as this? Would I have liked toys when I was a child?

Fendan and Ramet are shown inside by Haari. My eyes follow them, but my feet remain still. By the side of the house there's a small spaceship, it's Fendan's. It's a reminder of the entra, that even here, on a world so alien, they are close, they are a threat.

Zafira hurriedly, with blushing cheeks, collects the toys and throws them into the wooden house. "I don't play with them. I was just sorting them out. You can keep that—" she nods to the animal in my hands "—I'm too old for it."

"Thanks." I smile. "I think I will."

A brief expression of surprise crosses Zafira's face. "Okay!" She smiles. "It's a jaarva, my favourite animal, I can tell you all about them, if you like?"

"Of course."

"They live in the ice forest, in small family groups," Zafira says as we walk inside. "I've even seen them! Last year for my birthday ... but it made me sad, because if the entra come they will all die. Why do you kill animals?"

I walk to the house. "Haroc believes animals have no use, that energy is wasted on them," I say, the door clicks shut behind us.

I run my hands over a wooden cupboard. Entra don't use wood, I like the feel, the imperfections. There are pictures upon it set in glass, pictures of Zafira when she was younger. Fendan's apartment never had pictures of me. My childhood was lost to time.

"But what do you think?" Zafira asks.

"I don't know, I've never really considered animals." What do I think? Me. Not Haroc. "I suppose the variety is nice." Haroc doesn't like variety, he likes entra.

"Yes!" Zafira says.

Fendan approaches. "Made a friend?" He nods to the stuffed animal in my arms. "I used to have things like that when I was a child—"

"You were a child too? Like Cantral?" Zafira asks.

Fendan nods. "I'm half Entara, I was raised on the planet with my mother."

Zafira's eyes widen. "But Haroc destroyed that planet, weren't you sad? Why did you follow him after that?"

"Because I was foolish, because I believed him when he told me it was a mistake," Fendan says with a voice steeped in regret. "Zafira, do you mind if I steal Cantral for a moment?"

Zafira shakes her head and Fendan guides me to another room. He shuts the door behind us. Tall windows, from floor to ceiling line one wall and display a world of green. Thick set, moss covered trees. And the room mirrors the forest. Green cushions on the sofa, green ornaments. Pointless additions to a room, but they look nice.

"Are you okay?" Fendan asks.

I nod.

"I know this is not what you're used to, but it's still a mission. We still have a job to do and when it is done, we must leave. Do not allow yourself to become attached to this world or the child," Fendan says firmly and takes a step towards the door. "Do you understand?"

The old me would have nodded her head and followed the order. "Why? Why shouldn't I become attached?"

"Because attachment sets you up for pain. I won't ask you again, I expect you to remain professional." Fendan turns, his hand rests on the door handle.