Inspiring the Future: A Visit to Ranih’s Class.

I spent this morning preparing for my guest talk at Ranih’s school. She had already introduced her students to the inner workings of the Symbiosis Commission, including the rigorous criteria used to determine a candidate's suitability for joining.

She had even touched upon the delicate subject of Emergency Joined Hosts, recalling the cases of Ezri and my late friend, Deezell, and the complex, lasting implications such unplanned transitions have for both the host and the symbiont.

When I arrived just after lunch, I found myself sitting comfortably in her classroom, awaiting the arrival of her students. They are a bright, lively group, aged eight to ten, and their curiosity was immediately apparent. Their questions were remarkably articulate and consistently thought-provoking.

The children were particularly fascinated by the interplay between past memories and my current life here on Docosie. They wanted to know if my previous hosts influence my day-to-day decisions or inspire me to try new things.

I explained that the echoes of those past lives absolutely shape my perspective. To illustrate, I spoke about my sixth host, Torias, a daring and highly skilled test pilot. I shared the story of the Kestrel fighter restoration and the subsequent test flight. 

While I consider myself a reasonably competent pilot, I was able to explain how the inherent knowledge and reflexes inherited from Torias proved invaluable during that flight.

Overall, it was a fantastic Q&A session. Ranih has cultivated a brilliant group of young minds, and there is no doubt in my mind that they will make meaningful contributions to the future of our colony, wherever their paths may eventually lead them.

Image from Unsplash by Taylor Flowe.