Space Knights: The Arrival

about knights, “Yes, they still use those weapons plus axes, maces and such. It’s considered quite an honor to be a knight. All of the worlds around about have knights.”
“Awesome!” Trance exclaimed. Growing up on Earth he had always loved to play and pretend that he was a knight. His dad had made him and his brother a number of wooden swords and other weapons to play with. Many times Trance and his brother, Sammy, had played knights and had battles with their friends from school and the neighborhood. One such time there were thirty boys over at the Sonderson’s yard waging a make-believe battle that lasted from morning just after breakfast until dark when they all had to go home for supper.
“How do you know about knights?” asked Chorus curiously.
“We had knights on my world for a while. Then the militaries started making more powerful weapons. That was several centuries before I was born. I always did enjoy that period of history, and my brother and I used to watch programs about them and played knights in our yard,” said Trance as he reflected back with fond memories.
They discussed more topics from the seasons to society, different kingdoms, and how Trance might possibly become a knight. Their conversation was pleasant and both enjoyed hearing about the other’s world. Without realizing it they had arrived at the farmhouse, and as they dismounted the horse a short plump woman came out of the house.
She had shoulder length brown hair flecked with silver and was wearing a cream-colored blouse spotted with flour and dark pants and leather slippers. “What took you so long?” she asked Chorus, surprised that he’d been out longer than normal before stopping for breakfast. And then she saw the boy and looked at Chorus questioningly. Without saying a word her look asked who was the stranger and where he’d come from.
“Maxine, this is Trance Sonderson. He’s from Earth, aboard one of those strange ships that have been talked about on the news for the last few months. His ship must have been one of them that the Boulthorians had destroyed. I found him and his escape craft a couple of miles from here in the woods. I suggested that he stay with us until his family is found,” explained Chorus, looking at his wife pleasantly and wondering what she might say to providing room and board to a stranger.
“Hello Trance,” Maxine said politely. She looked at Chorus wonderingly and then made up her mind and turned back to Trance and said invitingly, “Welcome to our home. Come on in and we’ll get you cleaned up and you can get some breakfast. You probably haven’t had anything to eat for a long time.” She moved to invite him in and looked back at Chorus. “Come in and get your breakfast. I’ll have your lunch ready about noon.”
Chorus got the message and entered the house to eat. As he sat at the table and filled his plate he looked at Maxine as an idea struck him, “I’m going to get Willis to help me get the chamber out of the forest before I start again.” He then bent his head and said a quiet prayer and began to eat.
Maxine turned to Trance and smiled, unsure of how to proceed. She made up her mind to be hospitable, and being a good mother and hostess motioned him to the door. “Come on, I was just making breakfast for the rest of the family.”
Trance looked nervous as he looked at the house and said humbly, “Thank you. Are you sure you have enough?”
“Oh yes, there’s plenty,” she said smiling more. She was starting to like him more. He seemed lost and vulnerable to her at the moment, and she decided to take him under her motherly wing.
Right inside the door was the kitchen and attached dining room. There was a modern stove against the right-hand wall, a counter going just about clear around the room. Trance noticed the source of the flour on Maxine’s blouse. On the counter there was a large mixing bowl with a towel draped across the top and a sprinkling of flour on the counter next to it. Trance had seen his mother make bread enough times in the past to know what Maxine had been doing. As he looked further around the room he saw the cupboards on the walls above the counters. He took in their glass doors and marveled at the efficient way they were arranged. In the center of the dining area was a fair-sized table and chairs that appeared to be made of mahogany. The table was already set for five.
As Maxine went about and set another place at the table for him, Trance suddenly smelled something wonderful. The smell had been tickling his nose since he had entered the house, but he had been too busy taking in the kitchen and dining room to have noticed. He looked back at the stove and noticed the source of the smell. On the stovetop were two skillets sizzling away and one hot griddle. In one skillet was what looked like bacon, the second eggs, and he figured the griddle must be for pancakes.
“That smells wonderful,” Trance exclaimed his mouth already starting to water. “That looks like bacon, a meat we had on Earth,” he said as he went over and looked at the thin strips of frying meat.
Maxine looked at him smiling more at his compliment and explained, “Thank you Trance. That is sliced sager.” She explained it was an animal that was a cross between a cow and a boar. The meat she was frying came from the same place on the animal as bacon from a pig. “Those are called flatcakes,” indicating a stack of them already fried, “and of course heniver eggs.”
Trance smelled them deeply and said, “The flatcakes look like my mother’s pancakes back home. We also had eggs.” He was very happy to talk to her about the kinds