by Gini Koch
Could have looked at Spehidon for a long time, but we had other things to do.
Chuckie, Hacker International, and Brian went to work with Serion, Sciea, and Cavus on the star charts. Jeff insisted on joining them, though I wasn’t sure why. Mother provided comm links for all of them so they could include her in all discussions, since this work was taking place in the building dedicated to this kind of research.
The rest of us, however, were now on vacation.
And what a vacation it was.
Feoren was our guide. He took us all over the city, named Pheo, which was considered their spaceport. Though, really, due to how the moon worked, anywhere was a spaceport for Cradus.
This was fun, in the sense that we got to see something different and riding on the streets literally never got old. But it wasn’t as much fun as it could be, since all the buildings looked alike. This was just how the Cradi liked it, though—they saw no reason to use anything but the most efficient form of housing, so to speak, and they had no interest in architecture at all. Who would, when you could architect your world into anything you wanted?
“Can we see the deer?” Lizzie asked. “The ones we saw on the mountain?”
“Of course,” Feoren said.
For this, we didn’t use a street. Feoren gathered some land under us and we zipped off that way. There was some concern about someone falling off the side, confirmed when Sidney Valentino, who was leaping around to impress Lizzie, lost his balance.
Thought he was going over for sure, but the metal under us expanded out and up, caught him, and placed him back on his feet. Then it created a three-foot wall around all of us, presumably under the correct impression that we were clumsy, foolhardy idiots.
Thusly protected, and little kids held in arms, we continued on to the forest.
It was even more beautiful in person. The wall lowered and we stepped off the platform, which instantly blended in with the rest of the topography, which was very like a typical mountain region on Earth, only all metal. But the metals were different—soft, malleable, and pretty. There were metal leaves on the ground that felt like soft silver, and metal dirt like iron filings. The kids all picked up and played with these, saying they felt like leaves and dirt did at home. They felt like dirt and leaves to me, too. Moon Suits were definitely the way to go.
“It smells a lot like pine,” Lizzie said. “But the leaves look more like oaks.”
“Different worlds, different things.”
“I’m amazed metal can have a scent,” Wasim said.
“As Kitty said, every world has something different and special,” Mossy said. “I’ve visited many worlds and they all surprise you.”
“I expected this world to smell like a foundry,” Gadhavi agreed, as he took Charlie from me and put him on his shoulders, while Siler did the same and lifted Jamie up onto his. The kids grabbed the tree branches nearest to them. One came off in Jamie’s hand.
“Oh! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt it,” she said to Feoren, looking ready to cry.
He smiled and took the branch from her. “No pain caused and no harm done. See?” He put the branch against its tree. The branch flowed into the tree and reappeared by Jamie’s head. Then it tickled her. She squealed with joy.
This, of course, meant that all the other kids had to do the same. Some of the adults, too. Lots of laughter, lots of fun. Some of the kids climbed the trees. Chance Maurer fell off, and the tree caught him.
“This is like the safest world in the galaxy,” I said to Feoren, while the other little kids all fell out of trees now while the young adults watched on and pretended to be too old to do this.
“It is safe, yes. We see no reason to have injuries—repairs take time and cause pain.”
Chuckie’s comments about this being a utopia nudged at me. “Was it always like this? Did you have strife in the past?”
“No, no strife. Our history is quite complete and we live for long periods. We have never had strife here—strife makes no logical sense if things are good, and they are. Well, I misstate. Among ourselves? No strife. Issues created by visitors? There we have had strife, and worse.”
“Who came by that you liked? I mean, you made the Moon Suits for a reason.”
“In the olden days, the Anciannas would visit, though those visits stopped long before John Wruck was born. The Z’porrah visited, too—it was they who we created the Moon Suits for. The Anciannas can shift safely, but the Z’porrah cannot. Then, their war started. We maintained noninvolvement and they left us alone. I believe they forgot about us.”
“How? I mean that seriously. I can’t imagine Earth ‘forgetting’ about a world like this, especially a world this rich in useful things.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. None of us do. But the visits stopped, and we went on with our lives. We had the occasional visitor, normally a ship that was lost or in need of repair that had stranded near our solar space. We would always help them.”
“Until? I mean, we know there’s an until.”
Feoren nodded. “Until some came with the idea of taking our world for their own. They were easily repelled, because they could not survive in our atmosphere and we did not give them Moon Suits. After that, we made the decision to scare off travelers, as opposed to letting them die on our world.”
Decided it was time to Megalomaniac Girl Up. “These others who came to claim your world, were they called the Superiors?”
He nodded. “So they told us.”
“And I’ve got Mephistopheles Bingo.”
CHAPTER 65
THAT WE WERE ON the Fix What Mephs Ruined And Algar Allowed Tour was now confirmed. Not that I’d had any doubt, but still, it was always nice to be right.
“Excuse me?” Feoren said.
“Nothing. But it explains a lot.” Wondered how I could get a message to Reader about this. Closed my eyes and concentrated on SuperBun.
Who was taking a breather from chowing down on the best food he and the other bunnies had ever had and so was available. He agreed to give it a try.
Threw leaves with Charlie—which consisted of me picking them up and him making them fly around us—and played tic-tac-toe in the dirt with Jamie to while away the wait time.
SuperBun came back on my mental airwaves. He’d reached Reader and given him the news. Reader was on it and had advised the others. Also, the least weasels were behaving themselves, still eating stems as well as squash, and not trying to eat any of the rabbits.
Remembered that least weasels were carnivores and asked SuperBun about this. Apparently, these least weasels also liked the squash. A lot. Decided not to complain about it.
This was all I could do about anything, so focused back on the kids. Heard Rachel Lewis say she was hungry, so asked Feoren if we could go back for a meal. He agreed, and I sent word to Jeff and the other astrogators that we were going to eat and to meet us at the safe room.
This time, the ground wrapped around us very like we were actually on a roller coaster—with metal forming around each person in a protective manner—and we raced down the mountain at a breakneck pace. This was fun and exhilarating, and all the young adults asked to do it again.
“After we eat,” Denise said, marshaling the kids as was her skill.
We went to the safe room created for us—it had cafeteria-style tables and chairs, bathrooms—all pewter—and food and drink waiting for us, supposedly courtesy of Mother. Felt that this was courtesy of the King of the Elves, but chose not to say anything. Jamie and Charlie ran for Jeff, who was already there, Patrick ran for Brian, Jennifer raced for Hacker International, Nathalie walked with grace to Chuckie, and everyone else hurried to grab seats. Rachel was clearly not the only one who had been hungry.
This room was inside one of the smaller buildings. “There is oxygen in here provided via your ship,” Feoren said, as he and I
stood in the doorway he’d created. “And it’s fully shielded. Wait two minutes for the signal, then you can remove the Moon Suits safely. When you’re ready to leave, put your Moon Suits back on, then ask us to open the door—we will be monitoring all of you, just in case.”
Gave him a hug. “Thank you.”
“Where would you like to go after you eat?”
“It depends on the time of day, I think. We’re all jumbled, and have no idea what time it is here.”
“We don’t worry about time,” Feoren said. “We have much time in light, and then much time in dark. Right now, we are on the light side of Cradus. Let me access what you consider a day.” He cocked his head, just as Fathade had done when she was connecting to their collective or whatever. “Ah. We have ten days of light and then ten days of dark. We are in the middle of the light days here. This meal for you would be, I think, dinner.”
“What do you do when it goes to dark?”
“Some stay and enjoy the darkness. Others move to the other side of the moon. Our buildings are blocked from Crion’s light, so we can sleep as needed. And we can see in the dark.” His eyes glowed for a moment. “Though I would not recommend any of you go to the dark side.”
Resisted making a dark side joke because I knew he wouldn’t get it. “Is the world dangerous in the dark?”
“No, just less appealing for most of us. We have no lights for you, though—we don’t need them so we have not created them, and back in the past, the Anciannas and Z’porrah had no real interest in the dark side, since they could look at it during its time in the light. I’m sure we could create lights for you, if being on the dark side was important for you, but creating heat would be more difficult, and I cannot guarantee that the Moon Suits would allow you to adapt to the cold the darkness brings—they have not really been tested in that way.”
“Oh, it’s no big. I was just wondering why most of you didn’t stay where you were when the moon orbits.”
He shrugged. “We can move, so we do. As you have seen, we can move our buildings with us. This is done all over Cradus. Other than the area where the Orange Scourge has taken . . . root, is that right?”
“Yes, taken root would be the right term. Was that area inhabited before?”
“It was, which is how we know that the Orange Scourge is deadly to us. And our world.”
“And yet, it’s thriving here . . .”
Because Feoren didn’t know me, he didn’t ask what I was thinking. Instead he nodded. “Yes, which is our dilemma. I will leave you to relax. Call for me when you’re ready.”
Went inside and Feoren closed the door behind me. Suggested that we only remove the parts of the Moon Suits covering our heads, and everyone agreed.
Algar was here with the Royal Hatbox, meaning he’d collected the least weasels since I’d talked to SuperBun. He hadn’t gone with us to the forest, but I only realized that now. Figured no one else had noticed either way, other than maybe Gower and White. Had no idea what his game was, just that it was a long one and one he expected me to win for him, somehow. Always the way. Literally, as I was fast finding out on this trip.
We ate, drank, and rested. While we did so—and Jeff talked with Christopher, Gower, White, and his brothers-in-law, TCC and Jonathan Price, about how this world was the perfect example of life as we didn’t know it but was still amazingly familiar, and I chatted with Amy and Jeff’s sisters, Sylvia and Marianne, about how the rest of the Martini clan was missing all this amazing stuff that was almost too good to be true—let my mind work on the Orange Scourge Issue.
Came up with some ideas, but couldn’t put them into action until Reader’s team was back. So, thought about why Naomi had brought us here. The why of our arrival was obvious—we needed to see what this world was doing to protect itself so we’d feel protective of them. Achievement unlocked.
But why bring the people she’d had Jamie bring? So few of them made sense—Jeff’s Cabinet in particular, the Valentino and Price families in the other particular. There had to be a reason. But damned if I could figure out what it was. Maybe it had to do with things on Earth. Meaning I’d find out when we got back. Bottom line—I’d know why they were along when I had to and likely not a moment before.
Back to this situation, then. Clearly, Naomi wanted this world saved, and I couldn’t blame her. Also clearly, these people had been, if not truly harmed, at least menaced by Mephistopheles’ people. Figured that at least one of the several plans I’d come up with would probably solve the Orange Scourge problem. Figured also that we’d come up with a good way to protect Cradus, since they knew where in the galaxy they were and we could call in help from one or more of our allies.
But there was a pattern, the Utopia Pattern. We now had two solar systems we planned to put under our protection. From what Kreaving had said, was willing to bet that the system his ship had stranded in was also going to somehow be utopian, or at least peaceful. He hadn’t been afraid of the locals and, greater firepower or not, if there were enough angry people with spears and rocks, you and your spaceship could be toast.
Maybe the pattern was simple—that utopian worlds were at risk from less than ideal ones. But that seemed too simplistic. Maybe I just didn’t have enough intel yet. Three utopian worlds, yes, but Tropea was destroyed and we’d only made two stops. Perhaps the answer lay with the system Kreaving was in. If we could find it.
So, no answers for any of my questions. I was batting a thousand on thinking failure.
Stopped the Debbie Downer mindset. We’d find it. Period. Not just to keep Mother from potentially slagging, but because I refused to believe we’d be too late. Maybe we’d cut it close, but we’d get there and we’d save them. Somehow.
Could have pondered Mephistopheles’ message about what was in that system’s sun, but didn’t have the oomph. Meaning my next steps were clear—right now, I had to continue vacationing.
Realized I wasn’t used to it anymore. Back in the day, Jeff and I would escape to Cabo as often as we could manage. Once we’d been sent to D.C., though, those times were fewer and farther between, and once Jeff had become the President our vacations were nonexistent. Due to how our first trip to Camp David had been, thanks to Operation Madhouse, none of us wanted to go back there, and we’d managed not to return.
During a pause in both conversations, leaned over to Jeff. “You’re done helping Chuckie, Mister Amateur Astrogator. Your family needs your attention.”
“Why? Is something wrong?”
“Yeah. Our kids haven’t seen their father relax in, for Charlie, his entire lifetime. Jamie probably can’t remember the last time you weren’t stressed out of your mind. Lizzie’s only known us through stress and strife. It’s time to take the vacation we haven’t had that all the kids have been asking for. Whether it’s a day or a week, until we know where we’re going next, you’re on Fun Dad Duty.”
Jeff grinned. “Okay. Chuck was doing his best not to ask me why I’d insisted on helping.” His smile faded. “And we’re no closer to figuring out where to go anyway.”
“Then we’ll relax. I want the guys each taking time to relax, too, Chuckie and Brian especially. This is their only vacation time, too.”
“I agree,” Amy said. “Not that you asked. But I think we all need the break this amazing world has offered to us. Oh, and I know what I want to do after dinner. Well, twenty minutes after, at least.”
“What’s that?” Jeff asked.
Amy winked at me. “I want to go swimming in the ocean made of mercury.”
CHAPTER 66
TURNED OUT THAT SWIMMING in the oceans of mercury was something the Cradi did for fun. And the Moon Suits would allow us to do so safely, too.
Being from or around Earth, all of us wanted to be in bathing suits, not our clothes, to do this excursion. The Moon Suits would protect us either way, but everyone was weirded out thinking about
going to the beach in, say, a business suit, so we all changed in the Distant Voyager. We were able to go barefoot due to the Moon Suits, too.
It surprised me that Horn was interested in the swimming idea—he had burns over seventy-five percent of his body due to the horrific multicar crash a drunk driver had caused decades ago that he’d been involved in. He’d lost his family but he’d pulled every person out of their cars, most of which were burning. He was the only reason anyone had survived, and he was a true hero, but he understandably wasn’t excited about the idea of sharing his exposed body. In all the time I’d known him, I’d never seen him in anything but long-sleeved shirts and slacks.
However, the Moon Suit allowed him to do this. He’d put the Moon Suit on in his room, but that was his only concession. And in it, he looked like everyone else, really—golden. He was in board shorts, but otherwise, this was the most undressed I’d ever seen him. He seemed bashful about it, but Elaine was talking and walking with him, and no one commented about anything. It was nice to see Horn getting to do this normal thing for, I had to figure, the first time in public since the accident.
Horn wasn’t the only one who’d prepped in his room, though. We were all becoming quite adept at getting the Moon Suits on and off, even the littler kids. Wondered if suggesting that the Cradi turn their world into a vacation planet would be met with derision, horror, or excitement. Figured I’d get two out of the three, so kept my mouth shut.
Thusly bathing suited up according to whichever custom and style each person followed, we did the airlock thing and headed off to the beach. I’d insisted that Chuckie and Brian join us. Hacker International had given me looks that said that they wanted, nay needed to keep on working on the star charts, so I let them off the bathing suit hook. I knew when to do someone a solid.
Going swimming here worked just like it did on Earth—you held your breath underwater and, if you wanted to open your eyes, you wore goggles. The goggles we were all given were equipped with the first clear thing I’d seen on the planet—the eyepieces were crystal. The crystal was ground in a way that made the goggles work just like any glasses or goggles from Earth would—the view was distorted a bit when you were under, not as bad when you weren’t. And they fit over the eye protection of the Moon Suits perfectly, not that I’d had a doubt.
