[Child of the 7th Age]

When Gamba came in later that morning, both Daisy and Anee went over to thank him for remembering the extra food. The boy politely nodded his head, but said little. He went about his work of cleaning out the old straw and putting in new with little comment. It was as if Daisy or the rescue no longer existed in his mind.

Daisy shook her head in astonishment. The boy who had challenged her just two nights before, the boy who wanted all the details of this and that and wouldn't stop asking questions, had disappeared. Daisy wasn't sure who had taken his place. This new Gamba was a somber fellow whose grey eyes mirrored shadow and caution. Daisy didn't know what to make of him. She wasn't even sure she liked him.

She decided to try and draw him out a little, to see if he was really as uncaring as he seemed to be. She hoped not.

"Gamba, you asked me before to tell you something about who I am and where I come from. Do you still want to know that?"

He kept working at the straw, sweeping it into piles. He finally said one word in return, "Maybe."

Maybe? Daisy wondered what that meant. It didn't seem like much of an answer. But she didn't want to give up. And at least it was something. Better than silence, she supposed.

"I can't tell you a lot, but I will say this. The people on the Star really aren't much different than the hobbits you live with. They're just ordinary people. They don't have any special magic. They saw a job that needed doing, and they're trying to do it."

"Our ships can't grow wings and fly to get here any faster. I wish I could tell you differently, but I'd be lying."

Gamba turned his head and scowled, "That's not exactly reassuring. How do you expect to succeed at what you're doing? How could you think you will win? It's impossible. If I were you, I'd stop trying and go home."

Daisy turned around in disbelief. Why would this boy say such things? She was not going to keep quiet. "Don't you want to be free? Can't you see that people are doing these things because they care about you and your people? Go home? Maybe it would be easier if we went home. But because something is easy doesn't make it right."

At this point Daisy stopped and lowered her voice for fear one of the guards would hear her and come to investigate. "I used to be a lot like you. When I first came on the Star, I was very angry. But they were good people, and they taught me a lot. They took me in and showed me how to be part of something bigger than myself. It sounds like you could stand being part of something like that too."

Gamba looked at her intently. Part of him wanted to believe what Daisy was saying. Part of him yearned to do the kinds of things she was describing.

But there was also another part. And that other part just didn't think something like that was possible anymore. Maybe it was all a silly tale they told to children to keep them quiet. Gamba shook his head and went on with his work.

[ October 11, 2002: Message edited by: Child of the 7th Age ]