Canto 128 – Vegetable Worries
Ged, worried about the kids, carried Sara to her bunk aboard the Super Rooster. She was conscious, but still in shock from being stripped naked and nearly beheaded by a big green thistle-guy.
“She’s the healer,” said Junior. “What do we do if she can’t heal herself?”
“Give her time. She’ll be back to herself before you know it,” said Naylund-sensei who was, after all, her father.
“We have got to do something to help this planet,” said Ged. “This is a seriously bad dictatorship.”
“Now, how do you know that, no longer than you have spent exploring this new world?” Naylund asked calmly.
“ThroCKpods are iNvaders!” interjected Luigi the Onion-guy through one of Gyro’s stink-translators.
“See, what I mean? Fascist weeds have taken over the plant world, and they are ruling through violence and fear.”
“Ged, that’s how you see it from a human point of view.”
“Naylund, I saw rule by bullies at its worst back on Questor when I was a boy.”
“Again, you are looking at it from the side of human beings.”
Ged looked at Carrot Mabutu and Luigi the Onion-guy.
“Gentlemen… er gentlevegetables… can you tell us how your government normally works?”
“Ooh… We liVe by gARdens plaNt peOple soaKing up suNshine. We giVe all to tHe grAinmaSter, ruLer of all.”
Carrot Mabutu spoke up too. “NeVer he uSed ThrOCkpods beFore.”
“This Grainmaster is obviously using shock troops to enforce his will upon the people of this planet. These people should be freed of their tyrant. Once free, they could become a member of the New Star League.”
Naylund simply shook his head. Ged was determined to intervene on behalf of the upset little Onion-guy and his walking carrot first mate.
“Look! Sara is better!” said Junior.
In fact, she was sitting up and smiling at her father and the White Spider.
“Are you healed, daughter?”
“Yes, Daddy. I am happy to not have sacrificed my living sap to the Throckpods. But if we’re determined to intervene on this planet, we need a couple of things first.”
“Oh? What’s that?” Ged asked.
“Well, we definitely need reinforcements now that we know what we are dealing with. We are at least going to need more White Spider students, if not an army. And I am sitting here still in my birthday suit. I would appreciate somebody fetching a kimono from my closet over there in the corner.” Junior swiftly retrieved the requested garment. Naylund smiled. And Ged blushed.
Catch a Falling Star 