Closer To The Core (25,000 Light-Years Book 1)

by S. Hansen

  'Dantil!'

  Dantil turned to Starks voice, smiled and clapped his hands together. He moved closer to Stark and Polly who continued to explore each other’s bodies in dance.

  'Dantil, I need you to get us somewhere quieter!' Stark kept his eyes on the three stars as Dantil ushered them through the crowd, Polly was keen to move anywhere with Stark.

  The multi sense stimulating stroll through the presumably recently redecorated city had led them to a quieter, less populated area. Stark placed his hands over Polly's ears and they both closed their eyes. He took deep breaths of clearer air and his muscles began to tighten up once more. Stark shook his head as he opened his eyes and began to think more plainly. He had nearly lost himself completely, but he couldn't complain, his mind felt fresher than it ever had done. Polly began to straighten her posture and rely less on Stark's embrace.

  Tilam, Manim and the scientists had all gotten lost in the crowds leaving the three of them to become increasingly more awkward. Polly and Stark both knew how strongly the celebrations had affected them, and wanted to move quickly past the awkwardness. Stark's clear mind enabled this with questions posed to Dantil.

  'Why do they treat you differently?'

  'I am no more important within our society than any Dantan here but I am directly descended from one of the founders of our society, they appreciate my lineage, nothing more,' Dantil said humbly. Stark looked to Polly, pointed at Dantil with his thumb and joked.

  'We are with royalty, should we curtsey, bow or both?'

  'What is royalty?' Dantil looked confused and apologetic

  'Don't worry Dantil, Adam is just joking. Perhaps we can explain royalty another time.'

  'I would like that Polly. I would also like you to tell me of your planet.'

  'Dan you want to talk about our planet when yours is having the best party I have ever seen, how many people are celebrating? Better yet what are they celebrating?' For a few seconds Dantil looked at Stark with confusion until he realised he was "Dan".

  'The celebration is planet wide, roughly eleven billion Dantans are celebrating the beginning of our society. We celebrate it at regular intervals and during that time everything is shut down and no one works. Or at least that is normally what happens. Your arrival changed a few things, the port was left on automatic control but guards had to be summoned upon your arrival.' Both Polly and Stark were fascinated by the idea of a planet wide shut down so that everyone could celebrate for a week.

  'What is the society that you celebrate?' Polly said.

  'Two hundred and sixty four solar rotations ago a number of Dantans grew tired of divided nations and unhappy workforces. To combat this they created the template behind the society that holds today. Every Dantan has an equal place within our society, every Dantan has work and is able to provide for themselves and their spouse, every Dantan works hard in order to enjoy the twenty five axis rotations of relaxation every solar rotation.'

  'This is sounding a lot like communism to me.' Polly scowled at Stark who shrugged at her while Dantil was excited to discover a likeminded society could exist on another planet.

  'You have the same society?' Before Polly could explain the intricacies of Earth, Stark opened his mouth and stomped out Dantil's excitement.

  'Oh sure, communism has worked really well on Earth. It has only suppressed every nation ever to attempt it. It doesn't really work because humans are greedy and corrupt.' Stark's sarcasm confused Dantil, and somewhat ashamed of Stark's representation of humans Polly quickly changed the subject.

  'So your entire planet shuts down for twenty five days every year?'

  'Founding week happens five times throughout a single solar rotation. It requires preparation but is exactly what society needs to release tension.'

  'And because your society is equal you have no extra power despite your lineage?'

  'Almost none, if a court ruling goes far enough there are times when decisions can only be made by blood line members. It would take too long to have every member of our society vote on every single decision.' Polly was beginning to feel a little bit like Hajeel at this point so decided to refrain from further questions, whilst Stark had become absorbed in thought. He had closed his eyes, his breathing was deeper and he gently swayed. When he noticed the halt in conversation he snapped out of his transfixed state.

  'This is like no other party I have ever been too… And I've been to some pretty swanky dos. But we do have something we ought to be doing. I don't suppose you know anything about a device floating around in space causing time ripples do you?'

  'We know of recent disruptions to the structure of space some distance from here, it was picked up on our scanners days ago. We thought little of it, we also had readings remarkably similar to the ones picked up of you this day. We investigated but found nothing. However I now believe it was your visit in the midst of a time jump.'

  'So you know all about the device and you are not concerned?'

  'Not yet, our scientists had been studying its effects before the celebrations began. We are happy to give you any information we have.' Dantil did his best to seem well informed and giving but in all honesty the celebrations had perhaps taken undue importance over a possible planetary threat. Stark understood Dantil's openness as an attempt to impress Polly because Dantil had continued to closely examine Polly throughout their conversation.

  'I have only one request in return.' Stark was hoping that he wasn't about to request that Polly stayed.

  'And that request is?'

  'I want to go with you both.'

  'You want to leave your planet to break a crazy device and then come back?'

  'I was hoping you could take me to Earth, I would like to see where you have come from. I want to see what else is out there.’

  'Don't even think about it Adam.' Stark looked at Polly in false shock and indignance.

  'Think about what?'

  'I know what you are thinking, you want to let Dantil come along for the ride.'

  'You know I was thinking about sticking strictly to those creepy stalker aliens rules but now that you mention it....'

  'Absolutely not.' Dantil's head was flicking back and forth between Polly and Stark as the fast paced conversation played out before him.

  'But look at him, he'd be like a ship mascot.'

  'No. They are already going to be mad that we even came here, how do you think they will react if we leave with an alien?!'

  'Who is they?' Dantil's face was pleading with them both.

  ☆★☆

  After a lengthy discussion and explanation about their accidental adventure Dantil had been brought up to speed. This hadn't helped dissuade him much as now not only did he want to visit Earth he also wanted to meet the Observers, the keepers of information. Stark was warming to the idea of Dantil joining them for a few reasons, firstly he loved to break rules, secondly Dantil seemed like a smart guy with even smarter gadgets and lastly he was beginning to feel a kind of kinship based on their shared to desire to explore space.

  'Polly, until we have fixed that little problem for them I don't think they are going to do anything to us. Why should we be the only ones who get to explore the galaxy?'

  'Adam we are not "exploring the galaxy!" It isn't our ship remember.’ Stark had one last trick up his sleeve, he felt a little guilty using it on Polly again but ultimately he wanted what he wanted and would get it by any means necessary. Stark gently placed a hand on each of Polly's shoulders, as he did this he caught a glimpse of the three stars tattooed above her collar bone again. His eyes lifted to meet her steely blue eyes and he smiled as he spoke.

  'Polly, I'm really sorry to put you in this position. I know it's not in your nature to break rules, unfortunately it is in mine. I won't force you into exploring the galaxy with me, I know we can't really. We have a mission and I don't fail missions. But I honestly think Dantil is an asset.' Polly was beginning to melt under his gaze, she knew she wouldn’t' be able to refuse him but didn'
t want to seem so weak willed. She took a deep breath to compose herself before announcing her decision.

  'In the interest of saving time, I will allow Dantil to come. But don't think I'm happy about it Adam.' The way Polly said "Adam" made Stark feel as though he was about to be told off by his mother. Polly stood up, grabbed Dantil's hand and began to lead the way back to the Asteria.

  'Come on Dantil, I hope you are ready for a short journey.' However to Polly’s surprise he retracted his hand and began to head in the wrong direction.

  'I'll meet you at the ship, can you find your way?' Stark's over confidence assured Dantil that they would be fine on their own. After a short but unnecessary detour Stark and Polly returned to the Asteria to begin their wait for Dantil. Dantil was gone roughly an hour before arriving at The Asteria with a small lightweight looking bag and an unstoppable smile.

  Chapter Four: The Worst Laid Plans

  At Polly's insistence the jaunt around the galaxy’s many planets had stopped not long after it had begun when numerous attempts eventually resulted in the cube being reprogrammed to plot the course to the device once again. The Asteria floated gracefully through the dark abyss of space with Polly at the helm. Stark, feeling he had not found everything there was to find on The Asteria, decided to use the free time to continue his exploration. As well as being unable to circumvent the door on the bridge he was certain there were large sections of The Asteria that remained undiscovered by him.

  A while after the departure from Drium he knocked through a panel in the cargo hold and slowly emerged like a nimble slug but as he did so he found himself entering the home he had shared with Anna. He had another successful mission under his belt and he was coming home to his newly pregnant wife. She was struggling to drag a suitcase down the stairs. He loved the faces she pulled when she was finding something difficult, her cheeks would redden against her pale skin and her brow would wrinkle ever so slightly.

  'Let me help you, I don't want you to overdo it,' he cheerfully said as he bounded up the stairs. But when he met Anna face to face he suddenly realised she had no need to have packed a suitcase. He looked at her with concern strewn across his face.

  'Where are you going?'

  'I can't be the wife of a spy Adam. I married you thinking you would always be there for me, you vowed you would.'

  'But I am here, I am here whenever you need me.' Anna stroked his cheek as a tear rolled down hers, she continued to move downwards on the stairs while Stark stood dumbfounded.

  'So when I tried to call you two days ago, why didn't you answer Adam? Why didn't you answer any of my fourteen calls? Why weren't you here for me when I was losing our baby?' Stark's knees gave way beneath him as he collapsed on the stairs in realisation. He was never going to live up to the vows he had made, not while he lived up to the oath he took for Her Majesty's secret service.

  'I'll quit, I want to be there for you. Just don't leave, please Anna.' His eyes begged her to stay, she managed to get the suitcase to the bottom of the stairs before walking back up to Stark and kissing him gently, in a painfully apologetic manner.

  'I can't have you resenting me for the rest of your life, your work is too important to you. It's best for both of us if I leave this sporadic relationship.' She smiled weakly and headed for the door. Stark felt powerless and empty, he cried for some time on the stairs before throwing himself into a strenuous run, a run that he never really stopped. When Stark made it back to The Asteria he found himself running flat out down the cargo deck. He skidded to a stop and angrily paced around as he threw punches and kicks at defenceless objects. Unbeknownst to Stark, Dantil had been sat on one of the cargo gangways, he watched Stark in confusion but he had heard enough of the past conversation to understand that it was more polite to slip away quietly.

  Back on the bridge Polly was humming her favourite song and doing her best to dance whilst remaining seated. When Dantil entered the room she hesitated but continued upon seeing his happy face, she got louder and began singing the lyrics. Dantil was enjoying the foreign music style and began to move with fluidity that Polly could barely comprehend. Each movement made him seem something other than solid matter. After running out of lyrics she tried to concentrate on her piloting but Dantil had too many questions for his new friend.

  'Polly Webster-Hargreaves do you know a woman named Anna?' Polly had begun by laughing at Dantil's understanding of human names but her face straightened when Anna's name was mentioned.

  'You know you can just call me Polly, you don't need to say Webster-Hargreaves every time, it’s an awful mouthful.'

  'That seems simpler. This is good. But you avoided my question.'

  'Where did you learn that name?'

  'Should I not know it?'

  'That depends how you know it.'

  'I was watching Adam Stark; he has a great gift for communicating with distant people.'

  'You only have to call him Adam. What do you mean by "communicating with distant people"?'

  'He was talking to Anna in the cargo hold, they were in a building and she was leaving while he was leaking water on the stairs.' It dawned on Polly what Dantil had seen and she began to feel uncomfortable talking about it as a pang of guilt crept in once more.

  'Adam is not in control of the communication, the device is causing time jumps on board the ship as we get closer. He was experiencing something from his past, something I don't want to talk about out of respect for Adam.' Dantil considered both concepts and appreciated Polly's good nature.

  'Have you been to your past?'

  'Once, it wasn't a pleasant experience. So I'd like to get this sorted and think about the future instead.' Polly stared straight ahead to avoid eye contact with Dantil, not really thinking about whether eye contact was important to Dantans.

  ☆★☆

  The Asteria glided closer to the device than they had previously managed when it was bombarded with attacks from reality and time. The first to be hit was Stark, the ship rocked and as he clung to the railings in the cargo hold his vision blurred. When his eye sight cleared he was staring up at a cavern and grasping the edge of a crumbling cliff. Stark rifled through his memories to find a matching situation. There was nothing, he had no memory of this cavern, cliff or dilemma.

  He would have panicked in confusion but training kicked in as he shimmied along the edge of the cliff to a sturdier ledge. The blackened ground crumbled at his touch and he scrambled desperately as he began to lose stability. A sharp pain in his side coursed through him causing him to lose grip on his right side. A large chunk started to slope into the black hole and as it did so Stark was jerked downwards. He desperately clutched at the platform to no avail, it tilted further and further until it broke away completely. Stark free fell into the inky void, he felt cool air rushing past him as his senses began to fail him. He felt nothing but regret, a lifetime of serving his country had left him lonely and empty inside.

  When Stark struck the ground he was surprised to find himself relatively unscathed, the hard floor of the cargo hold wasn't comfortable but he imagined falling from the railings wasn't likely to do much damage. As he sat upright he leant back against the side of the stair case, sitting quietly for a few hours afterwards. Not only had he experienced something not from his past but he had some personal feelings to deal with.

  Meanwhile Polly's pilot chair had transformed into a comfortable dining chair. The bridge had reconstructed itself as a small hall with some of her family and closest friends occupying many of the seats in the room. She looked down and was baffled to find herself wearing an extravagant white satin dress with a bodice adorned with pearl encrusted curls. To her right was her best friend Kate in a simple dress that was Polly's favourite shade of teal. Whilst to her right was a man in a tuxedo with a waistcoat to match her dress and bow tie to match Kate's. His head was turned away from hers and before she could see his face she was led to the dancefloor by her father.

  It became easier and easier to hide her confusion
as elation took over, she looked at her left ring finger with utter jubilation. Although she wasn't sure who she had married she could feel that whichever version of herself this was she was overjoyed, so present day Polly was satisfied. She gripped her father tightly as he led her around the floor with grace and ease. The music finished and he moved closer to her in order to whisper in her ear.

  'Congratulations sweetheart, he seems like a good man even if he is a little odd.' She beamed with joy, laughed peacefully, her arms wrapped around him and she felt at home. She was feeling home sick for the first time in her life. She closed her eyes and felt so comfortable she could have fallen asleep where she stood.

  When she opened her eyes she was shocked to find herself in Dantil's arms, back on the bridge of The Asteria. She politely thanked Dantil for the dance before returning to her post.

  Prior to their unexpected dance Dantil had also been visiting another time. Dantil waited patiently on the worn stairs but as soon as he heard the footsteps approaching concern spread across his face. Not only was Tanika descending gracefully down the stairs, so too was his younger sister Idana.