Out of the Ashes (Rise of the Empire Book 3) Read Free Page A

hardcover of a book and then pulled back. She cast a hesitant look at Tomas as if she was asking permission. Tomas walked up to her, and then took the book she touched and offered it to her. Hesitantly, she reached for it, as if it was some great treasure. Slowly she turned it in her hands with an expression of awe on her face.
    “I read about this, in the files your people translated for us. It’s how you used to record your history.” Sumia said in English, she had learned their language during her 10 month trip from Nuva to Sanctuary.
    “Your people didn’t have anything similar?” Tomas asked.
    She grimaced, her gray eyes dimming with sadness. “We had something similar, long ago. But my people are not like yours. We do not value things of the past, when something new and better comes along we discard the old. I believe that all the records we kept in a similar fashion were destroyed, when we switched to digital data storage. And our records are nowhere near as extensive as yours, we record only the most important events, things that affected our entire people, and our history doesn’t go nearly as far into the past as yours does. Of course we do record data concerning technology and laws. You on the other hand record every single thing, down to the smallest events of your history, you even keep records of things that you have long since proven false. I can’t imagine what it all could serve.”
    “We have learned long ago that it is important to remember the past, the stories of our ancestors. It helps us avoid making the same mistakes.” Tomas said.
    “Stories…” Sumia said, her strange eyes twinkling with amusement. “I have read a few of your fictional stories. They were… Interesting.”
    “You don’t have stories? Made up stories I mean.” Tomas asked, intrigued.
    “Not in the written form, and available to everyone. We have what we call Sufra Nim - family stories. Every family has them, and they are passed down from one generation to the next in oral form. Each generation adds something to it. It is a kind of family history. They are not shared with those outside of the family. And even those are not really made up, more something like embellishment of the truth.” Sumia said as she turned the big red book in her hands, studying the writing. Tomas could see that she was struggling with the artistic font the name of the book was written in, so he offered his help.
    “It reads ‘The Lord of the Rings’. It is three books gathered in one big tome. You should read it, It is one of our greatest fictional works.” Tomas said.
    Sumia narrowed her eyes, a gesture that Tomas learned was supposed to convey interest in something. “I don’t think that I am that proficient with your written language just yet. But perhaps when I feel confident enough.” She said as she put the book back in its place. Tomas moved his right hand over his chest in a Nel gesture that was meant to convey his acceptance and approval. He then gestured towards the two sofas. They sat opposite one another, with Sumia siting closer to the edge with her back straight to leave room for her tail.
    “The facilities you provided are sufficient, and the food is excellent. The Guxcacul are thankful for the quarters you provided for them, they asked that I relay their thanks.” Sumia said, referring to the giant anthropoids that came with the refugees from Nuva, only a few of them were on Nuva as a Consortium diplomatic team. And now with the war, they could very well be the last of their kind.
    “It was the least we could do. And the Mtural?” Tomas asked. Mtural were another member race of the Consortium, and four families that lived on Nuva came to Sanctuary as well.
    “They are much more similar in stature and necessities to us. Their quarters are adequate.”
    “Good. The transport with more of your people should arrive in nine months. And by then we will expand your facilities and flesh out any details and problems that