She Touched Me

A long time ago a warrior left his people .. at the request of a commander. No one else knew of this .. why ... or what the task was. Not even the Ubar. But it was important to both the commander and to the one he trusted to undertake the task. The warrior was gone from his people for almost a year. To a Tuchuk that can be a lifetime. And in this case it was .. for he lost many things because of his quest and his word that he would not speak of it to anyone.

When the warrior returned he was gaunt .. starved and exhausted. There was a woman who quietly .. gently ... and without too much stimulus .. fed the man a simple Tuchuk meal. He could not finish it .. his stomach refused to accept too much too soon. But it was more than the food that touched the warrior. It was the simplicity of all that he stood for and all that he bled for.

I will never forget. In that moment a connection was made that will never be broken or tarnished. I have never spoken of it. I have never acted on it. But it is there none the less .. like a sleeping sleen with one eye open or a sheathed weapon. The Sky will regret ever bringing her to any harm ... let alone a mere human.

She touched me. And I bled inward. She yet again offered me the simplicity of all that I stand for and all that I die for and all that live for. She handed it to me like she performs these great deeds on a regular basis and I suppose she does. For her there is nothing more there than what she does for everyone ... but I am not everyone. To me it is like a lone star in the Sky .. something that I will never get too close to but that I understand is a great cosmic power and I would be less of a man than I am today without it. Knowing it is there .. is enough.

She asked me .. if I remembered it.. the meal. Even she does not realize what slumbers just beneath the surface. If she did she would not ask me such a question. But it is better she does not understand or fathom it. It is better she remains as innocent and fragile ... not that she is physically weak. She is Tuchuk. But I speak of her spirit and heart. Even I have pricked the tenderness of it and caused it to bleed. So I try to keep her at least at a bit of a distance .. for her own protection. But I am there .. and I am watching. And I always will be.