Welcome to a distant future full of possibilities where the enigmatic
Floribans are humanity's alien best friends and their gift of the quantum space drive allows
starships to slip through the veiled dimension they call the strange as they visit distant
planets and stars. Come along with the astral navigators and their Floriban counterparts as
they explore the galaxy and build friendships that will change the course of history. The
strange is calling you. Welcome, friend-shaped entities, to the second episode of the Strange
Space Adventures podcast. I'm Katie Silverwings, author of the award-winning cozy, optimistic
science fiction series this podcast brings to you each week. I'm thrilled to be here
with you once again in audio form to share the tales of strange space. This week we have
three chapters from my debut novella Feathered Friendship. We'll be hearing a bit more about
the early life of the little bird who hatched last week as well as the not quite mad scientist
and young Floriban lab assistant in her life. And with that said, here's this week's installment
of Feathered Friendship, a strange space novella. Chapter Three
There we are. One more perfectly lovely hatchling. Isn't this exciting, Kobe? Welcome to the
galaxy, little birdie. Cobalt pauses looking over the newly emerged bird. Dr. S, when will
we find out what colors this one is? At the moment, like all baby budgerigars, this small
pink creature is completely bald and betrays no hint of what their actual appearance will
one day be. Not too long, dear, Dr. Salzar Newman tells them, preparing the syringe of
nutritious sludge she'll be feeding the little bird. They'll get their down feathers and
open their eyes in ten days or so, and their colored feathers should show up in two or
three weeks. So we have a while to wait, then? We do. She gestures towards the nest box hanging
in one corner of the bird room's night cage, where a small yellow budgie is peeking out
and accepting an offering of food from a bright blue one. Considering that Judith carries
the white-based genes even though she's yellow-based herself and Archibald is blue-based, it's entirely
possible we'll get a little blue-and-white bird of some kind. I'll sequence this little
one's genome like we did with Albert once they've had something to eat. We'll be able
to make a better guess about the feathers, then.
I'm not sure I want you to tell me, says Cobalt, watching with interest as Dr. Salzar Newman
does her best impression of a mother bird for the hatchling, complete with soft attempts
at soothing chirping sounds. I'd rather let it be a surprise. She chuckles. Oh, it'll be
a nice surprise regardless. There are several factors that interact to make the different
color morphs. Okay, then. You'll have to show me your gene charts again. The tone of the
young Florbin's voice betrays an enthusiasm almost matching their mentors for the details
of the subject. Their long, tufted tail has taken up an equally curious waving motion.
Say, Dr. S, don't you think it'd be easier to let Judith and Archibald take care of these
chicks like they are the rest of their clutch? Well, easier, yes, but then it would be easier
for me to lose track of which hatchling was which while they're still featherless like
this and too small to give their ID microchips safely. Besides, the rest of the clutch is
our control group for this experiment. I suppose that makes sense.
Mind you, Kobe, says Dr. Salsar Newman, grinning up to her assistant. Once this little bird
is a bit bigger, you're going to be the one making sure they don't go hungry. She pauses
looking over to the incubator in which a slightly larger baby bird is now chirping for attention.
And speaking of hungry budgies, it sounds like Albert's awake. Go ahead and mix up the
food like I showed you and we'll see how you do feeding him once I'm done here.
Yes, ma'am.
Chapter 4
Time passes. Somewhere along the way, her eyes open and she gains a fluffy coating of white
feathers on her back. She's learned by now that she is something called a bird, like the
many birds flying freely around the room belonging to the creature called Dr. S, who is not a
bird but something else that is much bigger and has no feathers at all. She has the impression
that one day she'll have nice feathers like the other birds, but for now hers are still
growing in. She's not sure yet what color they'll be. Most of the other birds are shades
of yellow and blue and green and white and have black stripes across their heads and
backs though, so she's reasonably sure she'll look like one of them. She likes the idea
of having more feathers. Feathers are warm and seem to be the thing that allows the other
birds to fly. The Dr. S also seems to be her mother, since it's this one that feeds her
and cares for her and picks her up to sit her in all the different interesting places
that make beeps and whirs. She's not entirely sure why mother has no feathers or wings and
is so much bigger than her, but food and care is provided, so mother this creature must
be. Her instincts tell her this and she believes them. There's another tall creature who regularly
comes into the room where she and all of the other birds are. Mother calls this creature
Kobe and seems to show them an excited sort of parental affection too. She wonders if
that makes the Kobe creature her sibling, although they're hardly a bird themselves.
They're only a bit smaller than mother and hardly the same sort of a creature. They're
bright blue and silver instead of shades of pale brown and have two extra limbs, a tail
and a third eye to start. While the Kobe still doesn't have any feathers, at least they're
a similar color to some of the birds. She's beginning to understand the language of the
other birds, although they don't say much that interests her past simple things about
food and flying and how pretty this or that thing is. She likes the sounds mother and
the Kobe use, though, and is starting to be able to understand what their sounds are as
birds, even if she doesn't understand all of the concepts behind those words. What she
likes best right now, though, is that whenever the Kobe comes to the side of her warm translucent
nest box and peers in with their three large golden eyes, it means that it is time for
her to be fed. She's decided that's reason enough to want to keep the Kobe as part of
her flock, since their presence is a sign of food. She always makes sure to chirp happily
at them as thanks for this. As a growing bird, after all, she's always hungry.
Chapter 5 How is Bernadette today, Dr. S.? Cobalt asks,
immediately going over to the pair of incubator boxes where the two baby birds who hatched
from the eggs they carried into quantum space reside. They have a marked fondness for the
younger of the hatchlings, possibly because hers was the egg they kept with them for the
entire time the baby bird within it was growing. As soon as Cobalt comes within view of this
younger hatchling, the little bird starts chirping excitedly and shakily wiggling closer
to the side where the young Florvin is looking in at her.
She's developing well, Kobe, says Dr. Salzar Newman, joining them at the incubators and
gesturing to the hatchling. See, she has more pin feathers today. She's turning into a very
spiky little bird. Cobalt holds back a giggle. She does have a lot of pin feathers, doesn't
she? Dr. Salzar Newman reaches a hand in now to gently rub through and help the little
bird preen some of her new feathers, particularly the ones at the top of the head where the
hatchling's beak can't reach. Don't worry, they'll lose all of the sheaths and become
proper feathers once Bernie grows a bit more.
Is she going to learn to talk like Rico does? Eventually, Kobe, at least that's the plan,
although like I've said before, what Rico does is just imitating words he's heard as
a flock signal. He doesn't really understand what more than a handful of them mean. And
Bernie hears still just a baby. She won't be able to learn anything for the experiments
until she's fledged. Right, of course.
Dr. Salzar Newman turns her attention to Cobalt now, ruffling the mess of silver hair behind
their large cat-like ears for a moment with her clean hand. The young Florvin accepts
the brief affectionate contact almost as happily as the hatchling had.
So, how was your first shift back helping Ciel? Dr. Salzar Newman asks, going over to
the cabinet where all of her baby bird feeding supplies are kept.
It was... okay. Cobalt's eyes are still on the hatchling, but cast downwards a touch
as they answer, only okay? I had to spend most of it sitting with Lieutenant Freiberg
and Nav instead. Same problem as usual? Yeah. I see. Are you feeling better now? I hadn't
heard much of anything from Navy this morning, just that you'd come in after the shift and
curled up in your nest without saying anything.
I'm fine. I just... Cobalt's tail swishes reluctantly. I sort of overslept and missed
seeing everyone this morning, but I don't think Ciel's told them what happened yet.
Ah, I had to come down here early and tend to the birds, so if anything was discussed
over breakfast, I missed it. Dr. Salzar Newman holds out a cup with a small syringe sitting
in it to Cobalt and gives them a reassuring smile. Here, help me give our little birdies
their lunch, and then we can have some tea and you can talk about it if you want to before
we get started with the other work we have waiting. Okay? Cobalt looks up to her for
a few moments and then takes the cup and syringe with a hesitant nod. Okay.
And that's where we'll leave our story for this week. I hope you're enjoying the continuing
story of Bernadette the Budgie. Next week, we'll explore more of her life and see if
she can get those wings of hers in working order. If you've enjoyed the show, please
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Thanks again for joining me today on the strange space adventures podcast. I hope your upcoming
week is filled with opportunities and joy. This is Katie Silverwings wishing you the
best the galaxy has to offer. Stay shiny.
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