Radio: "We believe Voyager 1 will continue to explore the galaxy on and on ..."
Radio: "Traveling into the depths of the universe, carrying with it humanity's spirit of exploration, it is likely to persist longer than life on Earth ..."
The radio catches her new friend's attention in an odd way. She's spent the past few days fascinated with the little musical box.
Until another voice cuts through the broadcast.
Kiperina: What will the weather be like tomorrow? Maybe we can take a longer walk if it's sunny.
Kiperina: You haven't seen the diamond mine here in Mirny, have you?
The girl shakes her head, sets the radio aside, and waits for Kiperina to speak.
Kiperina kneels down. Now, they're eye to eye.
Kiperina: Is anything coming back to you? I asked some people around about you, but no one had any clue.
Kiperina: Don't worry. Most of us in the circus were adopted by Mr. Kozlov, so he won't mind if you stay with us. He always gives a hand to those in need.
Kiperina: And I'm going to meet an extraordinary lady tomorrow. She knows a lot. Maybe she will know who you are.
???: ...
Kiperina is used to this kind of blank stare. She's seen it on the faces of children that were lost while they were at the circus—how Mrs. Kozlov had comforted them, and kept them entertained until the smiles returned to their faces.
She stands up, steps back, and reaches her hand toward the girl.
Kiperina: Hey, look at this.
A soft glow blooms at her fingertip, warming the tent with its light.
Kiperina: It's my arcane skill. It's not very useful, I know, but don't you think it's pretty?
Kiperina: People say it looks like the stars.
???: ... Mhm.
The tiny light served its purpose. She seems far more at ease now.
Kiperina: I could do it again if you like.
Kiperina: Let's try something. Can you spell your name?
The girl eyes the colorful, crooked row of blocks placed in front of her. She doesn't know anything about the writing of this planet, so there's no way to share her name or where she's from.
But this creature wants a name to communicate with her. She understands that much.
The blocks form a messy, colorful path. A logic forms in her mind.
Kiperina searches for something familiar among the colors.
Kiperina: Long journey ... traveler?
Kiperina: sigh Sounds like you just picked these words up from the radio.
???: ...
Kiperina: Did you go on a long journey to reach Mirny?
Kiperina: Hmm. How was it that Mr. Kozlov decided on our stage names? Give me a second.
Kiperina: "Long journey," we could call that a "voyage." That would make you, who traveled a long journey, a ...
Kiperina: Voyager.
Kiperina stretches out her hand and traces the imagined path of the Voyager probe.
The girl watches for a moment, then imitates the gesture.
Voyager: Kiperina.
She twists her finger and points to herself.
Voyager: Voyager.
Kiperina: Now that you have a stage name, you are now an official member of the Utrennyaya Circus.
Kiperina: Hmm?
Voyager spins herself toward the tent's entrance. A moment later, footsteps and a familiar, friendly voice arrive together.
Natalya Kozlov: Alia, where's that girl? The one who was staring at the animals before? I brought a bunny around for her.
Natalya Kozlov: I suppose I'll be looking after her now, because you're meeting those Laplace people tomorrow, right?
Natalya Kozlov: You need a rest, Alia. Now do as Mama Kozlov says: go have a nice meal at the restaurant in town and then straight to bed early.
Kiperina: Mrs. Kozlov, I don't need to ...
Natalya Kozlov: Hush, just go. I didn't cook anything for you tonight. We've already paid the restaurant.
Voyager's head twists, unsure of where to look between the door and her new friend, but in the end, she chooses the fuzzy rabbit.
The tent falls quiet again, leaving Kiperina alone, looking helpless.
Kiperina: ...
Kiperina: I'm not just a little kid that you need to take care of.
Kiperina: Fine. I'll go, and after that, I will train for another hour.
Kiperina: Yes, that's for the best.
Hissabeth: That's all. Thanks.
She closes the menu and slides it across the counter.
Hissabeth: Sorry, it sometimes takes us a while to decide on an order. So, you were saying you found a strange girl here in Mirny, and then?
Hissabeth: Hold on! That special device you're holding. Did you get it from Windsong?
Kiperina: Yes. Before I came to Mirny, I fell from the wire during a show, and Ms. Windsong happened to be there.
Kiperina: I don't remember the details, but she said my arcane skill was able to protect me.
Kiperina: She helped me draw out the aura from around my body and analyzed how it worked. Though I didn't understand that part at all.
Kiperina: But the name of her theory is still clear in my mind—The Study of Ley Lines. She gave me this device before she left. She said it would make it easier to control my arcane skill.
Kiperina: Mr. Kozlov wants me to give it a try again, so I've decided to go see her tomorrow.
Hissabeth: Cool. She's a great researcher. The Study of Ley Lines is still highly theoretical, but as we say at Laplace, theory often lays the foundation for practice.
Hissabeth: If you do decide to join us, I'd be happy to write a reference letter for you.
Kiperina: You're a Laplace researcher?
Hissabeth: You didn't already guess? Hmm. My colleagues often say I dress, you know, like a mad scientist.
Kiperina: I guess it's that I never thought I would meet a scientist eating at a little restaurant like this.
Hissabeth: Oh, please, I'm sure you're aware that scientists are living things too. We need to eat just like everyone else.
A few little snakes poke out of Hissabeth's hair, nodding along with her laughter.
One tilts its head up, letting Kiperina stroke it. Its scales feel smooth and cold.
Hissabeth: Looks like you meant it when you said you're good with animals.
Kiperina: I spend a lot of time with them in the circus. I even helped raise one of our bear cubs.
Kiperina hadn't been in the restaurant long before Hissabeth walked in and sat right beside her.
One of the snakes takes the lead in inspecting Kiperina, who greets it kindly in return.
That's all it takes for the two to find common ground.
Hissabeth: You know you haven't answered my question yet. Why do you choose to be an acrobat?
Hissabeth: Don't you find it scary to walk on a wire all the way up in the air? I suppose it is a really cool job, though.
Kiperina: Well, it is cool, I have to admit. But what I really like about being up on the wire is that, when you look down, you get to see a view that no one else gets to in their daily life.
Kiperina: When I stand on the wire, the audience below look just like stars, and it feels like I'm floating in space with them.
Kiperina: Isn't that great? In that moment, I stop worrying about my performance and forget all expectations. I can just be in the moment, shining like a star.
Hissabeth: Oh, intriguing. You know, in a way, I came all the way out here because I had the same thought.
Hissabeth: I wanna work with the smartest minds in the world, whether humans or arcanists. They're also like the stars in a lot of ways, each one bound to go down in history.
Hissabeth: And I'm trying to find out what really exists beyond the limits of the sky.
Kiperina: Do all your siblings share the same feeling? They're such neat little snakes. Oh, it looks like they have fallen asleep.
Hissabeth: We've always been on the same page when it comes to these things.
Hissabeth turns her head. Kiperina notices her pupils narrowing to a slit.
Hissabeth: Your arcane skill is exactly as I expected.
Hissabeth: It captures photons from the aurora and stores them as latent energy; then, when it's deployed, it appears to form a kind of prismatic plasma barrier.
Kiperina: Wh-What?
Hissabeth: I'll explain next time. It's complicated. It could take hours to get it into your head.
Hissabeth: Still, it is most obvious to me that you are exactly the person we want for this opportunity. What do you say? Will you give it a try?
Kiperina: ...?
Hissabeth: An opportunity to reach the stars.
Kiperina: ...!
Kiperina: You mean you're the colleague Ms. Windsong mentioned? The one who invited me to Mirny?
Kiperina: I should've known. Was this a test? I thought you were a friend I could talk to.
Hissabeth: A "friend"? Superbe, that's the best compliment I've received in months.
Hissabeth: Relax, this wasn't a test at all. We just happen to share the same taste in food.
Hissabeth: But I do hope you'll consider our offer seriously, in the spirit of the good time we had together.
Kiperina: Are you serious though? You really mean you want me to become an astronaut?
The invitation seems too far-fetched. Even in her wildest dreams, she could never have imagined it.
Hissabeth: Exactly.
But Hissabeth's response carries a rare weight, different from her usual casual tone.
Hissabeth: Don't rush to a decision. We can wait till tomorrow.
Hissabeth: In fact, the materials I've been expecting should arrive tomorrow as well. Maybe the delivery guy will bring you a small gift along the way.
Kiperina: You don't have to. Sorry, I didn't prepare any gifts.
Hissabeth: Don't be silly. It's just a friendly gesture. I believe you come from the same region, so I'll bet you two will get along quite famously. And he has an interesting nickname too. It was, umm, oh, right—
Name Day.
