After a little thought, Manqui decided to invest the last remaining mental sparks of energy from his exoskeleton, for today, in listening to music.
He sifted through the music archive stored inside the metallic memory chest of the A.T.H.A.H.E. Homeostasis Dwelling, and with one hand placed into his old optical disc player the fourth record by Ice Atan, Diatomic Earth.
He wished to restore a new thread of meaning and begin his work, so he set to play a musical piece accompanying the traditional poetry of his favorite singer.
It was yet another prophetic way for him to place his trust in Choky’s return.
Short and Plump — Traditional Song
One short, one plump,
ah, one short, one plump,
yet I have no beloved,
I have no one to kiss.
The Cave That Spoke From Book III: Of the Crows and the Gulls
Ice Atan was a wandering musician who ruled over a certain corner of the urban jungle.
One day, after roaming the city in search of an audience, he had failed to earn even a single coin.
The sun was nearly setting, and despite his great hunger, the artist had begun his journey home.
Along the way, he came upon a great cave and thought to himself:
“Surely some company must gather in such a grand cave.
A cave this beautiful cannot remain empty.
By sunset, anyone wishing for a good evening here must eventually return.
I shall hide inside and wait for my audience to arrive.”
But the cave was the home of a security officer, who arrived shortly after the musician had hidden himself inside.
At the entrance, the officer noticed tracks leading into the cave, yet none leading out.
He thought:
“If indeed some intruder or exhibitionist has entered, I had better draw my weapon as soon as I go inside.
But how can I be certain? There is no reason to stay away from my home if no one is inside.
I must find a way to confirm whether someone is still there.”
So the officer devised a plan.
Standing before the cave, he called out: “Hello, Cave! Hello, Cave! May I come in?”
For several moments he waited in silence, then called again:
“Hello, Cave! Have you forgotten our agreement all these years? I always wait for your answer before entering. Why are you silent today? I shall go to another cave if you do not reply.”
Hearing this, Ice Atan reasoned to himself:
“The cave must normally answer this gentleman before he enters.
Perhaps it is some automatic system.
Maybe it is because I am inside that it does not answer today.
I must invite him in on its behalf, otherwise my potential admirer will leave.”
So the artist answered in song from within the cave:
“Greetings, Spectator! You may enter. It is safe inside.”
The melodic response was made even more eerie by the echo of the cave walls.
The officer was instantly terrified, believing that a lion was waiting inside to devour him for supper.
He ran forward as fast as he could, smashed through the wooden door of the central chamber with his shoulder, and opened fire on Ice Atan in a frontal assault. Burst after burst struck his body and head, though the left side suffered the most. Yet he survived.
Ice Atan used his musical tools as a shield. He lost all of his equipment, but in the end he too was saved.
The misunderstanding was resolved, and he was protected from ruin through an honorable compensation.
Cherry Chan — Historic Song of Souli
At the spring in Tseritsana,
by the plane tree in the plain.
Groups of pashas sat over there,
groups of pashas sat and watched afar.
There fights Tzavelaina,
there she fights for you, children.
There fights Tzavelaina,
like a worthy young warrior.
A rifle hangs at her side,
bullets fastened at her belt.
And the child in her arms,
the child for you, children.
And with the child in her embrace,
she walks ahead of all.
Lonely Alien, a poem by King Ankel
—Hmm, actually I don’t know what we should record.
Is it recording?
—Now it is!
—Well then, our universe is a universe,
and it has many more universes all around it, yes,
and those are on top of a turtle
that stands in a gigantic forest!
—And where is that forest, outside this planet?
—Of course, I’m telling you, in another universe!
—Oh! What are you saying now!
—Just like our universe, it has many universes,
and all of them are on a turtle.
And that turtle is in a forest full of creatures like that.
And that forest is on top of another forest
which is on top of a universe that is on top of a turtle, and so on and so on.
And there is, there is only one alien, just one, who has managed to escape all these universes and worlds and reach the greatest turtle!
If you get off that turtle onto the universe, hmm… you’re lost…
After that, you are—you don’t know where you are!
—You’re lost…
—Do you want some bread with a little olive oil?
—Huh? No, I don’t want any!
—You only want sweets, huh?
—Maybe an egg?
—Hee, hee, no!