Skip to content

Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 6: Dinner With the Junts

    Xeno Xoo: The Lost Chapters
    1. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapters: Preface and Setup
    2. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 1: Welcome to Durandia
    3. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 2: The Safety Video
    4. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 3: Entering Randhra
    5. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 4: The Crew Catches Up
    6. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 5: Crypsids Hit The Town
    7. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 6: Dinner With the Junts
    8. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 7: Loud-Ass Ministry
    9. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 8: The Tunnel Metaphor
    10. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 9: Claustrophobia
    11. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 10: Denk’s Rescue
    12. Xeno Xoo Lost Chapter 11: Crypsid Homecoming

    Not only had the Durandians excavated the impressively large cavern, but virtually every structure in the city was hewn from the same igneous rock. The Junts’ dwelling was up six flights of tiny stairs that Voprot, coming up the rear, could easily hop from landing to landing. Geddy took three at a time.

    Four families worked each garden clinging to the side of the massive support columns. Sturdy rope bridges connected each one to the dwelling level, and people were constantly moving back and forth with food or seeds.

    Considering the engineering behind the Spine and the precision demolition that had gone into the rest, Geddy expected something a bit less primitive. But Denk explained they had delicious running water, an efficient sewer system, and electricity generated from deep geothermal vents. Part of the reason they dug the cities so deep was to take advantage of that same residual heat. The rock felt warm to the touch and kept the entire cavern at a very comfortable and constant 22C.

    Denk’s family’s dwelling was essentially identical to all the rest. As expected, the ceiling was only tall enough to accommodate the tallest Durandians, who topped out at 1.2 or 1.3 meters. As Mundt appeared to usher them inside, Geddy poked his head in and experienced a flutter of claustrophobia. It was a single room with a surprisingly large, polished rock table near the door and a small kitchen at the back. Beds were set to the sides and the toilet in the back right corner, with only heavy cloth curtains for privacy.

    He had to strike a low crouch to pass through the door, but took one of the seats on the warm rock bench alongside the table and found that he could sit fully upright without scraping his head. Oz, Tardigan, and the others squeezed through the door and took seats as well, leaving just enough room for the Junts. Even on all fours, Voprot had to hold his breath just to squeeze through the door.

    “Voprot, I’m afraid you’ll just have to make yourself as comfortable as possible,” Mundt apologized.

    “It okay. Voprot often not fit.”

    “That’s for sure,” Geddy muttered under his breath, earning an elbow in the ribs from Oz.

    Trilly, Denk’s mom, and his sister, Aibry, came from the kitchen carrying colorful earthen pots that overflowed with equally colorful root vegetables and greens. Contrary to how Denk described Durandian food, it looked and smelled delectable.

    “Please,” Mundt gestured at the bounty. “Don’t wait for us.”

    Geddy didn’t need further prompting. He poked his fork into a pale-yellow morsel about the size of his thumb. Was it a potato? A parsnip? A grub? Nothing looked remotely familiar.

    He slipped it into his mouth and chewed, immediately deciding it was none of these. It had a spongy quality like a mushroom and roughly the flavor of an earthy carrot. It was tangier somehow, almost lemony on the finish, and unexpectedly delicious.

    “Whoa.”

    “Do you like the strunce?” Denk asked.

    “As much as the next guy,” Geddy replied with a sidelong glance at Oz. “Oh — you mean this.”

    The ladies set down the remaining bowls and took their seats. Denk pointed at the items in turn. “That’s rucory hash, meatnuts, tibaco … ooh, and dried wisterfruit.”

    “Quite the spread. You guys always eat like this?”

    “Only on Wednesdays when we host our terrace-mates,” said Trilly. “Only our flat has such a large table.”

    Geddy pointed excitedly to a tiny bowl of pasty white stuff with a miniature spoon sticking out of it. “Is that gamat?”

    Mundt appeared surprised. ”You know about gamat?”

    “We watched an … educational video on the train here.”

    He gestured at the bowl. “Please.”

    “No, no,” Geddy said, shaking his head. “Ever sp– er, drop is sacred.”

    “I insist,” Mundt said.

    Do not be rude, Geddy.

    — But it looks exactly like–

    Just try it, you utter child!

    Geddy used the little spoon to put a dab of the stuff on his fingertip and stuck it in his mouth. It wasn’t as sweet as honey, and there was an almost citrusy sharpness to it he didn’t expect, but it was quite tasty. Not risk-your-life tasty, but pretty damn good.

    The Junts, and everyone else, looked expectantly in his direction. “It’s really good.”

    “Mix it with some of the ale,” Denk admonished.

    He didn’t need to be asked twice. With some of the gamat still coating his mouth, he took a swig of Durandian ale — his fourth of the night. To be fair, the cups were small.

    The bubbly, bitter ale struck such a different chord that his eyes popped open, a grin parting his lips. “Dude.”

    “Told ya,” Denk said with a wink.

    “Where’s Pyna?” asked Oz, not allowing Geddy any further commentary.

    “Oh, getting dinner ready for Ingo, I’d imagine,” said Trilly, not looking up from her plate.

    “Quite the charmer, that one,” noted Jel.

    Denk said, “He wasn’t always like that. Geddy, pass me the meatnuts, please.”

    Had Denk not pointed directly at the little bowl of white spheres submerged in pale brown liquid, he wouldn’t have known what it was. He took one for himself and handed the rest to Denk.

    “Always like what?” Geddy asked.

    “His dad was a warden. One day, he went to harvest gamat without his QP and ran into some soldier crypsids. They ripped him to shreds. Ever since, he’s been trying to convince everyone we should just kill ‘em all.”

    “What’s QP?” Oz inquired.

    “Queen pheromone,” Mundt said.

    Krezek nodded, chewing his food with relish. “The Durandians were pioneers in pheromone synthesis. They’ve been producing QP for generations, and with very basic equipment.”

    “Unquestionably,” Doc agreed. “But you pushed the science further.”

    “Well, the food is excellent,” Jel said to Trilly, beaming. “Thank you.”

    She demurred. “Don’t thank me, thank our terrace-mates.”

    “What do you mean?” Geddy asked.

    She gave a small laugh as though the answer should be obvious, but if it was, none of them got it. “We only produce enough food for ourselves and our partner families. They agreed to contribute their rations so we could host you.”

    It was so matter-of-fact, yet a wave of guilt crashed over Geddy at the realization that they were literally taking food from Durandians’ mouths. Generations of agrarians come and gone here without outsiders to worry about. The calculus of how much to plant and harvest had to be very exacting because they didn’t store food.

    A leaden silence had fallen over the table, suggesting the others had the same feeling. Geddy had been to a lot of places but never felt such generosity. And they were so casual about it, too. There was only one right thing to do.

    “I’ll take more of that rucory hash, Mrs. Junt,” he said brightly.


    Long rows of posts strung with the same thick rope that formed the bridges to the farm terraces were all that separated anyone from a fall, but they wouldn’t have fallen all the way to the bottom. You hardly noticed it until you looked straight down, but the narrow paths that ran between the dwellings on each level were slightly terraced. The lower level didn’t stick out a whole lot further, maybe a meter, but if you fell, you’d have something to grab.

    The Junts lived roughly in the middle of the stacked little dwellings. The ground was maybe forty meters below and the roof of the cavern fifty or sixty above. Ethereal blue light emanated from a carpet of crystals overhead, casting just enough light over the city to get around.

    It is rather beautiful, is it not?

    — It is. On many levels.

    How are you?

    — You can’t tell?

    Not always. I do not sense your individual emotions.

    — What do you sense?

    It is more like a shape your psyche makes.

    — Yeah, and what shape is that?

    Something sharp. Like an obtuse triangle.

    — That’s a shitty shape. What would be better — a circle?

    A circle would be lovely, yes.

    — I’ll work on that.

    What emotion would form an obtuse triangle?

    — Anxiety.

    What are you anxious about?

    — I just want be with Oz. To have all this behind me.

    That may be a while.

    — Oh, I’m aware.

    “Hey, Cap, we should probably head to the big meeting pretty soon.”

    Denk came up beside him and leaned into the top rope with his full weight on his hands, pulling it taut. It creaked under the strain.

    Geddy pointed at the top of the cavern. “What’s that stuff?”

    “Those are insects called golgomites. They like the heat up there. The myre’s covered in ‘em.”

    “They remind me of stars.”

    Denk chuckled. “My Dad used to be Chief of the Ward. When I was little, he got picked to represent Durandia at some conference on Eicreon. I don’t know what for. It was his first and only time on a starship. When he came back, he had a present for me. It was this little remote controlled spaceship about yea big. A nice one.

    “I used to stand right here and fly it all around the city when no one was around. It had a little flashing light so I could always see it. It had a camera so it felt like I was flying around in here. Just me and the open air.”

    Geddy gave a knowing nod. “And that’s where you got the itch.”

    “Yeah. Anyway, one day I heard Dad talking to somebody about Eicreon. They asked how the food was because I guess it’s supposed to be pretty good.”

    “It is.”

    “Dad said he didn’t know because he used his Ministry stipend to buy that little ship for me. His one chance to live kinda large and he blew it on a toy. Crazy, huh?”

    Even after just half a day in Durandia and knowing how they lived here, Geddy could still appreciate what a sacrifice that was. His own dad was a captain in the Planetary Defense Force. Geddy learned the rudiments of flight sitting in the cockpit of a military-grade simulator or playing Ponley Point at home. What had he done with that advantage? He ran weapons and alien antiques for the Double A.

    “I don’t know your old man that well, but I’d be willing to bet the look on your face was worth skipping a few meals.”

    Warmth spread across Denk’s pudgy face. “I suppose it did.”

    “What happened to it?”

    “It crapped out after a few months. I probably flew it too much. Dad thought he could fix it, but I don’t think he ever did.”

    Geddy gave a sly smile. “I’ve got a new toy for you.”

    Denk’s nose wrinkled. “What do you mean?”

    “It’s a surprise.” He checked his watch. It was 7:40 p.m. The Ministry meeting started at 8. “Well, I suppose we should get down there.”

    “Yeah.”

    “What do you think we’re walking into?”

    “I dunno. I’ve never been to a Ministry meeting.”

    “Then we’ll count it as our first post-reunion adventure.”

    “You’re gonna tell them what’s what, aren’t you?” Denk asked hopefully.

    “No,” Geddy replied. “We are.”

    Back To Top