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 third episode of the strange space adventures podcast.
I'm Katie Silverwings, author of the award winning series of cozy optimistic science
fiction stories 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 Bernadette's life in the bird room as well as meeting a
new character who happens to be one of my favorites.
Without further ado, here's this week's installment of feathered friendship, a strange space novella.
Chapter six.
By the time most of the feathers all over her body have grown out, it is clear she is
a blue and white sort of a bird.
Her coloring is a bit lighter than the Kobe's smooth featherless skin, but she still takes
the similar colors as a sign that they must truly be siblings.
She also comes to understand that she's been given a name.
She is a Bernadette, which seems to be a very big name for such a small bird as her, but
she likes it because it's hers.
Mother also calls her Ernie a lot of the time, which she assumes is a sign of affection,
like the way the Kobe's proper name seems to be Cobalt.
The similarity of the names is another sign of siblinghood in her mind.
None of the other birds are ever called something other than their proper names, after all.
Therefore, as far as Bernadette is concerned, the Kobe is hers and family, just like Mother
is.
The other thing Bernadette learns as she grows is that she's somehow just not like the other
birds who fly around in the world she knows.
She understands the things the tall people say, and she wants so badly to talk to them
and ask them all sorts of things, but neither her Kobe nor Mother seems to understand her
chirps at all.
Bernadette finds this incredibly frustrating.
Her odd-looking sibling is often the one taking her out of the nest box and feeding her, now
that she's not a helpless, scraggly baby anymore.
Her Kobe's long sets of four fingers aren't as warm as Mother's five-fingered hands are,
but they're always gentle and make sure to help her with all of her pin feathers in the
places where she can't reach easily.
She's especially grateful for the help with the ones on top of her head.
Those itch terribly when they're ready to lose the waxy sheaths keeping the fully-grown
feather safe.
Now Bernadette, her Kobe says, setting her into the weighing box again, Dr. S says you're
going to be able to start learning to fly like the other budgies soon.
Are you excited about that?
Even though they don't seem to believe that she understands and wants to carry on the
conversation, her Kobe does always keep a running one-sided dialogue with her.
It's part of why she likes them so much.
Bernadette chirps brightly in response.
She's very much looking forward to having wings that work, although she's not sure how
it works exactly.
She's been watching the other birds carefully, though.
There seems to be a scientific principle at work to keep them aloft, but she hasn't worked
it out yet.
She wants to be able to ask her Kobe how flying works and many other things like that, since
they seem to know so much about the world.
She's determined that as soon as she's able to fly, she's going to make the great trek
across the open space of the world to meet the old green and yellow bird called Rico,
who can make the most tall creature sounds of anyone in the flock.
Ideally, she'd find a way to make Rico come to her sooner, but when he isn't accompanying
Mother to the place beyond the bead curtain at the edge of the world, he never seems to
fly near Bernadette's nest box.
At times, she almost thinks Rico and the rest of the adult birds are making a point of avoiding
coming near her.
Still, it's a quest which Bernadette is eager to undertake.
She wants to be able to talk to her sibling almost as much as she wants to be able to
fly.
I thought so, says her Kobe.
Albert will have to go first, though, I think.
He's almost a week older than you, so he should have his flight feathers ready and
fledge first.
Albert is the name belonging to another young bird who lives in the nest box next to Bernadette's.
He is yellow, and loud, and somewhat annoying.
He does try to talk to her on occasion, but he's only vaguely a better conversationalist
than the rest of the birds in the room.
Bernadette has a burning desire now to be able to fly before Albert can, just to show
the pompous little floof that she's just as good at being a bird as anyone could ask.
Her Kobe finishes whatever they're doing to make the usual set of beeping sounds, then
picks her up and holds her towards the nest box where Albert is sitting and staring at
her.
Do you want to say hello to your brother before I put you back in your nest?
She chirps at her Kobe, meaning to say no, but they seem to misunderstand and hold her
close so she and Albert can interact.
Hello Albert, I guess.
Silly knot bird, you have silly stripes.
Isn't it sillier that you don't have them, Albert?
Very silly.
You're the silly one, Albert.
I don't see why my Kobe thinks you're my brother.
They're not a bird either, silly.
No wings.
Bernadette musters all of her strength to hop back up onto her Kobe's hand with a pointed
chirp and turn her tail feathers towards Albert.
Thankfully, her Kobe seems to get the message this time.
You know, Bernadette, her Kobe says, bringing her up close and stroking her chest feathers
a few times before they set her back into her own nest box.
I get the feeling sometimes that you don't like Albert.
Albert doesn't like me, she wants to say, but it still comes out as chirps that her
sibling doesn't understand.
The first time she was introduced to the yellow bird, he'd said that she didn't smell like
a proper bird and she therefore couldn't be a bird.
There weren't really any grounds for her to want to be friends with him after that.
Albert had told her that she seemed more like her Kobe than a proper bird too, although
he just kept laughing at her every time she tried to ask him to explain what that meant.
This was the point where Bernadette decided that the idea of Albert having been one of
her siblings at any point in time was ridiculous.
If it weren't for the occasional conversations she was encouraged to have with the yellow
annoyance, she would be happy to ignore the fact that he existed at all.
What she wants now, more than anything, is to be able to fly and talk to the tall people
and ride on her Kobe's shoulder to leave the confines of the world of birds like they
do and see for herself the bigger world that must be waiting outside.
Chapter 7
Alright now, Kobe.
If you look at the metabolic rate charts on that holoscreen and read off the numbers to
me so I can enter them into the system, that's our first step for the day.
Which holoscreen, Dr. S.?
The one on my pocketcom, dear, I left it on the counter by Bernie's nest box.
Cobalt walks over and lays their hand on the small silver device, pausing for a few moments
to greet the little blue and white bird who so happily begun chirping at them for attention.
You mean this one?
They ask, holding the pocketcom up.
You'll have to unlock it, the holoscreen's not projecting.
Dr. Salzar Newman turns to look at them and raises an eyebrow.
Oh dear, I left it out.
I can see it in your hand from here.
Are you okay?
I...
Cobalt looks down at the device and waves one of their hands through the air around
it.
The tactile feedback field responds with a mild hum at the point where their fingers
meet the holoscreen interface.
Oh, there it is.
I'm sorry, Dr. S. I didn't notice.
Dr. Salzar Newman stops what she's doing and comes over, setting a hand gently on the
young Floravind's shoulder and looking carefully at their three golden eyes.
It's that kind of a day, then?
You should have told me earlier, Coby, how many doses?
Three, Cobalt replies, hesitating again.
It's not that bad.
I can see a bit of a shimmer now if I squint.
Here.
I offer the pocketcom to her, looking away.
She takes it and then sighs.
You know I'm not upset with you, right?
We've talked about this.
I just need to know if you can't see what we're working on so I can give you something
else to do until the side effects wear off.
I know.
It's fine, really.
I honestly didn't realize that the screen was out.
It's my own fault for being...
Cobalt is interrupted by a loud chirping.
Bernadette has, for the first time in her life, managed to get her whole body up out
of the nest box and shakily perched on the side of the rim.
She chirps even louder, waving her wings excitedly.
Easy, Bernadette, I see you.
Good job!
Cobalt turns to her, whatever they were discussing all but forgotten in the excitement.
They take the triumphant little bird up in their upper pair of hands and hold her out
to their mentor, grinning broadly.
I think she's trying to talk to us again.
I wouldn't be surprised if she is.
Dr. Salzar Newman chuckles and gives her young assistant a brief pat behind the ears.
I think she was offended that we were both standing here and not giving her food, but
this is progress.
She holds out a hand and gives the small blue and white bird a pat on the head, too.
Bernadette chirps happily again and waves her wings, hopping up to perch shakily on
Cobalt's wrist.
You know, Cobalt, once she starts flying, Bernie's going to be one of those birds who
escapes all the time and gets me in trouble.
I just know she is.
Dr. Salzar Newman laughs again.
I'll keep her out of trouble, Dr. S. Don't worry.
Cobalt helps the small bird up to a comfortable place sitting on their shoulder.
Bernadette is immediately distracted with the bits of silver softness that are now within
reach, carefully scooting on her unsteady feet until she's half hidden under the longest
portion of Cobalt's hair.
You know, Cobie, I think she's imprinted on you.
Birds do that too, then?
Different than the way y'all do a bit, at least if Navy's been honest the times I've
asked them to compare it.
Bernie thinks we're her family because when she was a hatchling I did her mother's job.
Her instincts would say that the one who feeds me is my parent, you know?
I see.
So a little bit like us then, really.
That's why I never questioned that Cerulean was my Nita when I was little at least.
Well yes, I suppose.
Dr. Salzar Newman nods.
Come on then.
You can sit with me while I enter these things and keep Bernie out of trouble since she's
decided to be an explorer today.
And when you can see the screens again, I'll put you back to work.
She smirks brightly.
Unless you want to go through and clean the birdcages a second time today instead.
Oh no, I don't mind waiting.
Thought so.
Chapter 8.
It's an exciting day for Bernadette when a new tall person comes into the bird room for
the first time in her life.
The newcomer is a slightly taller, inky blue version of her Kobe with much longer hair
that's pulled away from their face in a series of intertwined braids with a shimmery piece
of sheer pinkish ribbon woven in at the back.
The shimmery ribbon immediately catches her attention as something she'd like to inspect
more closely.
Now, what did you want to show me, Meridae?
The new person asks following her Kobe in from the bigger world's beaded portal.
Bernadette carefully gauges her sibling's position in space, stretches her wings, and
hops off of her perch on the edge of her clear nest box.
Landing securely on the cool white surface below, she excitedly hops across the table
to greet them.
She hasn't quite mastered flying yet, although all of her feathers have grown in.
For the moment, hopping is sufficient.
Her Kobe is coming over to see her first, like they always do, after all.
She chirps happily when she gets close enough and her sibling reaches out with their long
silver-tufted tail to offer her a new perch so they can bring her closer to their hands
and pick her up.
Kobe, morning, Bernadette adds into her chirps.
She still hasn't managed to go all the way across the room to talk to Rico and learn
all of his vocabulary of imitated tall people sounds, but these two words she's got down
perfectly.
It helps, she thinks, that unlike the other birds, she actually knows what the sounds
mean even before someone tries to teach them to her.
Kobe, of course, is her sibling's name.
Morning is the first part of the day and a greeting for one's flock members when they
appear.
So far, Bernadette is proud to have mastered a grand total of twenty words.
She's doubly proud because currently Albert can only mimic one.
Even if the yellow annoyance did manage to fly first, he can't begin to challenge her
vocabulary.
Good morning to you too, Bernadette, her Kobe says, rewarding her for her efforts with a
stalk of millet once she's taken her usual place on their shoulder.
This is Elder Navy.
I told you about them, remember?
Bernadette tilts her head to one side and then chirps at the bigger version of her Kobe.
She does her best to make the chirps come across as a hello and I am happy to meet you
person called Navy sort of statement.
She's heard her Kobe and mother talk about a person with that name before.
She thinks now that this must be the person who belongs to the name.
Certain of that, Bernadette focuses her eyes on them carefully as she bobs her head and
tries her tall person words again.
Morning, Navy.
Navy, the name of the new Kobe-like person, is now word number twenty-one.
Very good, Bernadette.
Her Kobe happily looks over to the new person.
See Elder Navy?
I told you she was smart.
She's barely even learning to fly yet and she's already started picking up words just like
your kittens do.
I see, Meridae, I see.
Navy nods solemnly.
She's a very nice bird and this is what came out of that egg Aerie had you carrying around
in the strange with us for weeks on end?
Bernadette isn't sure what she thinks of Navy yet.
After mother and her sibling, this is only the third of the tall people she's met.
She knows from her Kobe's talks with her and with mother that there are many other tall
people in the big home called Venture that lies beyond the door to the world of birds,
but she's yet to get to see any of that for herself.
She is.
Albert's around somewhere over there with the other budgies if he wants to meet him
too.
He's the one who only went in with me that first time.
He's not as talkative though.
I've barely gotten him to say his name.
Navy shakes their head.
Aerie's lucky I let her get away with this experiment at all.
I don't see what's so wrong with it since we were being careful and Bernadette doesn't
seem to have suffered any ill effects.
That you can see, Meridae.
I still don't like the idea of exposing anything to the strange if we don't have to.
Navy sighs, shaking their head again.
I'm not looking forward to trying to explain all of this to the rest of the council the
next time we meet as it is.
Yes, Elder.
Her Kobe's voice shifts to something less excited.
Dr. S said she wasn't going to do any more runs of the experiments until she's sure Bernadette
and Albert will be able to pass the other tests we're setting up anyway.
And for that, they have to learn the call words and signals.
So it'll be a few months, really.
Navy is quiet for a moment, then tilts their head to one side.
You're really interested in all of this, aren't you, Meridae?
Yes, Elder, at least I...
I like working with Dr. S. And the birds, too.
Birds!
Bernadette is a good budgie, Bernadette chirps, trying to show off for her siblings' proof
of how good she's getting at repeating the phrases they and Mother want her to learn
to say.
Yes, Bernadette, says her Kobe, catching just the edge of a smile.
You're a good budgie.
See?
That's what I mean.
She picked that one up in two days.
She'll be just like Rico and never stop talking all of her adorable bird nonsense at this
rate, says Navy.
Their tone finally softening a bit.
This little bird seems to be fond of you, Meridae.
Dr. S. says she's taken a bird imprint on me, her Kobe responds, absently helping her
with one of the few remaining pin feathers on the top of her head.
But Bernadette is a good little friend either way.
Navy dramatically lays one of their four hands over their face.
You're going to end up just like Aerie, letting this bird ride around on your shoulder all
the time, aren't you?
Oh, really now, Navy, says Mother, appearing out of the doorway and coming over to join
the three of them.
What's so odd about that?
Bernie's going to be a working bird, hopefully.
She'll need to be socialized to not get stressed out by the rest of the ship.
Morning, Dr. S. Morning, Bernadette calls to her, bobbing her head excitedly.
Bernadette is a good budgie.
Yes, sweetheart, you're a very good budgie.
Mother laughs brightly and offers a hand to her.
Good morning.
How's my Bernie today?
Bernadette flaps her wings and hops the short distance to reach it, nuzzling happily against
Mother's cheek when given the chance.
She then looks up to the green and yellow bird, who often accompanies Mother when she
leaves the world of birds, and chirps a few happy good morning things at him, too.
This is the closest she's ever been to Rico.
Usually he flies off to join the flock as soon as Mother comes near her.
The old bird looks down at her from his perch in Mother's hair and chirps back, although
not with the sort of conversational chirps he uses with the rest of the flock.
It's more of a, hello and I see you still exist, sort of chirp coming from him.
Terse as it is, Bernadette takes this as a good sign.
Hello, she chirps again, tilting her head to one side at him.
I will learn to fly soon.
When I can, will you teach me your songs so I can talk to my Kobe and Mother in Navy?
Fly, fly and sing.
Rico fluffs out the feathers on his chest and flaps his wings.
Howdy, stranger.
Rico is a pretty bird, pretty bird.
Bernadette marvels at the performance.
As Rico flies off to join the rest of the birds, she decides to take his response as
a promise.
Oh dear, says Navy.
The birds are gossiping about you again, Aerie.
More likely, Mother laughs, they're gossiping about the fruit I brought down for them all
from hydroponics.
You're still involved in that, you know?
Navy swishes their tail pointedly.
It counts.
So I am.
Dear Bernie, go back to Kobe now.
I need my hands to make your breakfast.
Mother holds her out where she can flutter back triumphantly onto her Kobe's shoulder.
Navy shakes their head again.
Aerie, you spoil these birds almost as badly as you do my kittens.
What can I say?
I like seeing my feathered children happy and well fed just as much as my step kittens.
Now be a dear and help us get their breakfast in order before the budgies all get too excited
and try to get in the way.
We can discuss the parameters I'm thinking for Albert and Bernadette's tests after I
get the flock fed.
You really invited me to come in early because you wanted two extra pairs of hands to help
you with all this, didn't you?
It's a perk, yes?
Mother grins.
Besides, you know you like my birds.
I like them best now that I'm not living with any of them.
You are never going to let me live down the time Monica made a nest in your closet, are
you?
I forgive Ariadne, but I have a long memory.
All right then, Elder.
If you would please help me with this.
I promise you won't have to wait as long.
Don't worry, Bernadette, whispers her Kobe as the other two tall people go over to do
whatever it is they're doing with the contents of the large bag Mother was carrying.
They're actually best friends.
They just chirp at each other a lot, that's all.
I heard that, Meridae, calls Navy from across the room.
Bernadette decides this must mean that the tall person named Navy is part of her flock
too.
It's true, though, Navy, isn't it?
asks Mother, halfway between laughing and serious.
Or are we back to being something else?
We're family, Ariadne, but that doesn't mean you're not the most confounding human I've
ever met all the same.
Ha! says Mother, giving Navy an affectionate nudge much like Bernadette has seen the birds
in the flock do with each other, and you're still the most oddly serious Floravan I've
ever come across.
That's why we're friends, isn't it?
Naturally.
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 be meeting a few more characters as well as seeing how long it takes for folks
to notice just how special our dear little bird is.
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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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