Rogers cleared his throat and addressed the group. ‘As you know, this is the day that you will start your journey to your new planet. You will be issued with your planetary passport. From then on, you will officially be considered citizens of Mars.’ He paused while they applauded. ‘You will be joining a team of selected experts who have gone to Mars ahead of you. They are working to make sure your stay will be as enjoyable as camp life has been.’ They all clapped again. ‘Your new passport will look like this,’ he continued, holding up a red-covered booklet.
Some of the migrants smiled back and many nodded.
‘The cabins have been assigned according to families travelling together or to those who have, at some point during this process, indicated their desire to share accommodation. We’re glad that many of you managed to form friendships. We encourage companionship during this dangerous and unpredictable voyage – someone to look out for you. You’ll have plenty of time to continue to develop these bonds. We couldn’t stress this more: team spirit is key to this project. You must help each other in whatever ways necessary in order for all of you to succeed. You are unique among the human beings on Earth right now. No one in the whole world has this passport except for the three hundred of you – and, of course, our workforce which consists of more than one hundred individuals.’
Rogers started calling out names and presenting the migrants with their passports. After that, they boarded the underground coach to a secret location and met the train that would transport them to Station X. The coach was like an underground train with eight very long carriages.
Martin looked at his fellow colonists. Some, who he deemed to be the daredevils among them, could not keep their excitement off their faces but he couldn’t miss the terrified expressions of others. As they boarded the train with their passports in hand, he could tell that it was finally dawning on all of them that there was no going back now.
CHAPTER 6
DEPARTING FOR STATION X
Gazing out of his window, Martin saw a sign that said Station X. He smiled from ear to ear and exchanged a warm look with his friends. Suddenly the carriage came to a halt and Martin and his group hurried down from the underground train onto a long platform. In front of them was standing a shiny new train that looked like something from a sci-fi movie. The place looked deserted; no one was in sight except for them and their four attendants.
‘Here we are,’ said Rogers. He started walking up a shallow ramp that led them to another platform in front of the stationery train. Everyone followed.
Martin gazed with excitement at the fast train before turning to his friends; they all wore broad smiles. However, after seeing the train a few faces among the crowd looked on in horror.
‘Guys, let's hurry and get seats at the front,’ said Martin, pushing past the other migrants.
‘Martin,’ Koi, called, ‘there’s an allocated seat for each passenger so we can’t choose our own seats.’
‘Oh,’ Martin said. He walked back, irritated and impatient.
The four attendants, Rogers, Simon Gatty, Luis Landsy and Sunita, helped everyone to board the state-of-the-art space train. It had twelve carriages and Martin and his group were in the second one. They sat on two banks of seats, separated by a long table. Koi, Martin and Morgan sat on one side, while Monica and Chris sat facing them. There was one unoccupied seat beside Monica.
Once everyone was aboard and seated, Luis Landsy stood. Using a microphone, she made an announcement that resounded through all the coaches. ‘Hello, everyone, welcome aboard Space Train 0100912 to the Channel of Exchange. This fast passenger train will take you on a twenty-four-and-a-half-hour journey to a place called “Middle Way”, where you will spend the night before boarding your spaceship. These locations could not be disclosed for security reasons. The rest of my colleagues and I wish you all a pleasant journey. Once again, congratulations for making it this far. Goodbye!’
Martin saw Rogers bid goodbye to a few of the passengers. He was surprised when Rogers strolled towards him and his friends. Martin scratched his head and looked away. What does he want now? he thought.
The boys shifted a little in discomfort. They soon heard Rogers’ voice. ‘I must say, it’s been a real pleasure to spend the last six months working with such interesting young men as yourselves,’ he said admiringly.
The boys were dumbstruck, wondering why he was saying this to them.
‘Martin, you remind me of myself many years ago. And you boys all displayed a lot of courage in risking your lives to save your friends and others. And you, Koi, for providing information when required. I admire that. I ask that you keep up the good work,’ he finished.
‘Thank you, sir,’ said Martin and the rest of the boys nodded.
‘I want you to know that we are still working very hard to resolve the matter you brought to our attention,’ Rogers said. He offered them each a handshake and smiled, nodded at Monica and said farewell before stepping off the train.
The other three attendants were also walking through the train, saying personal farewells to a few of the passengers they had become close to. The doors immediately shut when they stepped off the train.
An announcement came from overhead: ‘Attention all passengers of Space Train 0100912 to the Channel of Exchange, please fasten your seatbelts. In front of your seat is an infrared scanner. Please insert your thumb for fingerprint identification. For those of you who are seated facing a table, the infrared scanner is below your seat armrest.’
They all did as instructed.
‘Thank you for completing the registration process. Please take a few seconds to familiarise yourself with your surroundings and observe the guidelines stipulated in both the handbook and the space guide. Here are some of them.
‘This is an electric-powered train with no driver or conductor, therefore we cannot provide any assistance or answer any questions you may have once it departs. You are expected to take care of yourselves.
‘The train will be travelling at very high speeds and won’t stop until it reaches its destination. The doors and windows are electrically locked and can only be opened from the central switch. They will open automatically when the train has stopped. No one is allowed to open the doors or windows under any circumstances during the journey. We want to reiterate this point, as we would not want you to try and open the windows.
‘Please take time to read your handbook. The Channel of Exchange, where you will board your spaceship, is a place of exchange. What that means is that it’s like an international airport here on Earth, where various people go to board aircraft in order to return to their own country or to visit another country. The difference is that this is an interplanetary channel of exchange where various planetary travellers depart to their planets, as you will be doing soon. Others will be travelling to other planets, as long as they have obtained permission to do so. The equivalent of that on Earth is the visa system, which allows people to visit or leave different countries. You should, therefore, be prepared to encounter some creatures or strange beings you’re not used to. You may encounter animate or inanimate objects, such as robots, depending on who is travelling that day. Please do not be alarmed at their presence. It’s perfectly safe.’
‘Koi, Morgan, did you hear what they said? We could encounter space creatures at the Channel of Exchange! That means Zebe was right. I’m pretty sure we may encounter aliens, too, judging by what he said. Even the Gatekeepers are mentioned in this handbook. Perhaps Zebe wasn’t drunk at all, he was just suffering from the fears that had affected him,’ Martin said.
‘Hmm, maybe you’re right, but you heard them say it’s perfectly safe,’ explained Koi. Martin said nothing but shrugged his shoulders. Koi took the handbook and started reading it out loud.
‘It says, “The agents known as “paranormal detectives” work for the Universal Gatekeepers and operate at a speed faster than thought – it is more like the speed of light. They deal with all manner of delinquents. Their role invo
lves making sure the Channel of Exchange always provides a safe environment for the workers and allows all creatures to travel from one portal to another without harming any other occupants. They also ensure that no one enters any realm, like the magical world that zombies, vampires, witches, etc, occupy, without the prior agreement of the Ruling Council.”’
‘You see, Zebe was right,’ Martin interrupted. ‘The handbook speaks about some escapee creatures, so they could be anywhere, just like he said.’
‘Yes, listen to this,’ Koi said, reading again from the handbook. ‘“As with any system, there have been a few cases of escaped creatures and humans being found in other realms without permission. Even though the Gatekeepers constantly work to prevent this from happening, they have occasionally had to send out tracker agents to find the perpetrators and remove them. They then seal the fracture that was used to enter the realm or the portal in question. The appropriate punishment is then imposed for the crime.” So, I’m pretty sure the organisers have everything under control,’ Koi said.
Hearing that, Monica looked at Chris and breathed out heavily. He took her hand without saying a word. Martin beamed at Morgan but his smile was not reciprocated.
The announcement continued. ‘There are bathrooms in every carriage. Refreshments are located in the middle coach. There is an entertainment box on the seat in front of you and you have access to movies, games, audio, and even the space station in your new city. You can access this via a radio transmission. You will be able to enjoy the space station once you codify the transmission into an Earth frequency. The instructions for this are in the entertainment section of your handbook. Upon reaching your destination, you will receive further instructions. We hope you have a pleasant journey and enjoy all the facilities this train has to offer.’
The migrants began their very long, exciting journey into the unknown. Everyone was quiet as the train started moving. The silence was deafening, almost drowning out the clanking dissonance and the rattling of the train along its metal rails. It seems the magnitude of our adventure has finally hit home, Martin thought.
His group were quickly distracted by the screens in front of them. Looking around their coach, Martin noticed that some of the passengers were finding it difficult to access the instructions for the space station’s entertainment. The instructions also sounded strange to Martin but some people, whom he considered nerds, took to the challenge like moths to a flame from the looks of serious determination on their faces. He watched as Koi and Chris studied the entertainment section of the handbook assiduously.
‘This is easy,’ Chris said. ‘I’ll do yours for you, Monica.’ She said nothing, but happiness shone in her eyes.
Morgan and Martin fiddled with their own systems for a while before giving up and finding movies on more familiar technology. Martin’s voice was soon heard, interrupting his friends’ watching. ‘Guys, could you believe the Wise Old Owl? I thought he hated our guts.’
‘Well, he never said he liked us. He just admired our courage,’ Chris said.
‘If Martin reminds him of himself, who knows what he was like when he was young?’ Morgan asked sarcastically, trying to poke fun at Martin. They all laughed, including Martin, but his attention was soon derailed when he heard a young girl’s voice in front of them.
‘That final announcement caused me some anxiety and I’m usually not scared,’ she said to a man sitting next to her. ‘But I’m glad I am not the only one who feels that way. Look at those people over there!’ She pointed at some passengers in the seat in front, lowering her voice and leaning in closer to the man. They looked close enough to be father and daughter. The man was in his late thirties and the girl looked about twelve years old.
‘Why are you scared, darling?’ asked the man.
‘I don’t know. There’s just this feeling of helplessness that enveloped me,’ the girl said.
The man pulled her closer, his arm around her shoulder to comfort her. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘Yes, thanks, Dad. You know, it just sounded as though we are travelling to our doom – how once the door was shut, there was no turning back.’
‘Darling, you’re not getting cold feet, are you?’
‘Nah,’ the young girl replied. ‘But they keep calling the journey a dangerous and unpredictable voyage then they reassure us that it’s safe and full of adventure. My question is: which one is it?’
‘Trust me, it will get better when we’re there. I’m pretty sure it’s safe. The other words are a kind of disclaimer for the organisers. Do you know what I mean?’ he asked.
Martin wondered what she was afraid of. He continued to look around at the other passengers. He noticed the newlywed couple that he had overheard at Stallion House. They sat quietly, holding each other closely. Other passengers were looking around too, seeming to seek reassurance, and some were encouraging each other. A few supportive nods and light smiles went around but even so many passengers looked frightened and uncertain.
‘Look at these people,’ Martin said to his seatmates. ‘I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. They either want to go to space or they don’t. I mean, what are they scared of?’
‘Uh, probably minor things like never seeing their loved ones again,’ Koi said sarcastically.
‘Then they should have stayed on Earth,’ Martin said, but then he remembered his mum again. He tried to maintain his tough demeanour.
‘It’s not that simple, is it?’ Koi said, watching him.
‘Morgan, look how fast the train is travelling,’ Martin said, changing the subject and pointing at the window.
‘Yeah,’ Morgan replied disinterestedly. He continued reading his handbook; Martin wondered if he was experiencing secret doubts of his own without giving anything away.
Martin’s eyes followed a few of the passengers as they watched the houses and trees quickly flash by. A strong wind forced the trees and the tall grass in the fields to sway from side to side.
CHAPTER 7
MARTIN’S DEPARTURE FROM HIS FAMILY
Martin enjoyed the silence in the coach as everyone thought about their situation but it was soon broken by a member of his group. ‘I’m hungry,’ Monica said, clearing her throat softly.
Monica Lamb was in her mid-twenties. She was pretty, with long, shiny, curly hair. Her blue eyes were soft and her pinkish lips seemed barely to move when she spoke. She’d worked as a manager in a hotel in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, and didn’t have many female friends because she spent most of her time with Chris, who had been her boyfriend since high school.
She’d had a best friend, Victoria, but their friendship had fallen away after high school, when Victoria moved to Manhattan to work for a telephone company. They kept in touch but only saw each other occasionally when Victoria visited her home. Her absence drove Monica even closer to Chris and his group of friends.
Chris worked as an IT computer programmer for a company that operated close to where he lived with Monica in Delaware. He loved working with computers. He was kind of nerdy, but in a dark and handsome way. His wavy, jet-black hair was combed back with a small side fringe. He was six feet two inches, with a pleasant smile, and he was twenty-six years old, just a year older than Monica. The other three boys lived very close to them; they had all been friends since they were kids.
Martin Salexy was of Irish extraction, the fourth-generation descendant of migrants to America. He was tall and slender with a ruddy complexion, which he had inherited from his father, Patrick Salexy, whose original surname was McFarne. His father had changed the name because of a notorious robbery that had involved his grandfather, who had served twenty-five years in prison for the crime. Although the robbery was carried out years before Patrick was born, he still did not want to be associated with it. It wasn’t that Patrick didn’t love his grandfather but he didn’t want to be associated with a robbery.
Besides that single incident, his grandfather was a good guy. He attempted to defend his actions t
o his children by explaining that he’d done what he thought was best to support his family. He told his children how he’d tried to find work and said it was impossible to find a decent-paying job when you had no qualifications. The family had fallen on hard times and one thing had led to another – and this was how he came to carry out the robbery. After serving his prison sentence, Grandpa told the story often. He would usually start with half-suppressed laughter and embellish the tale, speaking partly with humour and partly with exasperation.
‘And we would’ve succeeded if it wasn’t for that stupid Lou McGolf, who ate a hot curry the night before the robbery.’ He would pause and offer nothing further about how the curry affected the robbery, staring blankly into space as though he was trying to remember something else, until someone broke the silence.
‘And?’ everyone listening would ask eagerly.
Grandpa would feign reluctance, as though he wouldn’t have continued without their prodding. ‘Lou McGolf, the bastard,’ he’d say, scrunching his face and baring the few teeth left in his mouth. ‘Because of the anxiety in his stomach, he shits himself. There was diarrhoea running down his trousers. But, of course, we didn’t know that until the four of us ran out of the bank and jumped into our getaway van.
‘The smell was so strong that it knocked everyone dumb. Our nostrils were completely clogged. It was like brain freeze! Everyone had their hands pressed tightly over their noses, including the driver, who shouted, “What are you guys carrying, cash or shit?”
‘We started to go through the bags. Lou was next to me. I noticed the smell getting stronger. I turned my head towards Lou, who smelled like a he-goat in heat. I said, “My goodness, Lou, what have you done?” He promptly responded, “Oh, I shit myself in there . . . I had a hot curry last night,” and broke into a smile. I belligerently asked why he hadn’t said so in the first place instead of wasting our time. Then it dawned on him, the level of trouble he’d caused us. His smile quickly evaporated.
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