Where the Forest Meets the Stars

Ursa’s quarks are a form of magic she claims is one of her special alien abilities. She says her quarks “can change people’s fates” and “make good stuff happen around us when we meet earthlings we like” (137). Her quarks are a motif that helps develop the theme Taking the Good with the Bad. In the first instance of Ursa claiming responsibility for a good thing happening, Jo and Tabby sign the lease for their dream house. The owner puts the house up for lease because she must leave the state to care for her former partner after a severe car accident. When Ursa declares, “I made it happen” (95), she invites skepticism from Tabby, who asks if Ursa also “made Nancy get in a car wreck” (95). Ursa clarifies that she “didn’t want that […] but sometimes bad things happen to make good things happen” (95). Ursa’s ability to make good things happen sometimes comes at the cost of bad things happening. This theme is evident in several additional events involving Ursa’s quarks. For example, when a fallen branch hits Ursa in the head, knocking her unconscious, she claims responsibility, explaining it enabled a good thing to happen, which she clarifies is “[Gabe] staying overnight again” (136).