Life on Mars?

by Francis Plestor

third deviation he noticed a faint mark on the far wall. He inspected it closely. It was faint but still discernable; he could just make out something that looked not so different from the mark his father had taught him for the route to a feed cavern, but in old style. It had been made there a long time ago. Dorian had travelled along old tunnels before but none this old. It had an ancient feel, but his experience told him that this would be a good sign to follow if he could. No point sending a group of youngers, he mused, he was not sure that they would spot all of the marks further on, especially given their age and their faintness and what is more they would not deviate from the new route; they would not risk getting lost. Dorian made his decision. “Juma, you continue along the tunnel as planned. Turn back in plenty of time to return for the squeeze. Sulara and I will take this deviation.”

  Juma gave Dorian first a surprised looked, closely followed by a quizzical expression. Dorian lent his head against Juma’s. “Do you have a problem with this?” he asked with friendly authority.

  “Dorian, it is your responsibility to lead this exploration group. You should go to the furthest extent, ensure that you pick up any stragglers from the rear and report when we get back. Are you not evading that duty, changing the plan on the fly like this? Are you not taking an enormous risk?”

  “I hear you Juma and I understand your concern, at least for my reputation. However I have just spotted what could be an ancient feed sign and if I am correct, if I can find all of the other signs, it will lead to a feed cavern. At this time the importance of this potential find far outweighs this duty. Further I have you to take over the responsibility for the group. If it were not for that one fact I would not be taking this course of action. I do not see empowering you as a risk.” From the corner of his eye he noticed Transmuga close by, all of her attention focused on the two of them. He remembered something Sulara had said, which prompted him to add. “You may be younger Juma, but I see older in you very soon.”

  Juma took a moment to consider Dorian’s words and then seemed to make a decision of his own. “Thank you,” he said, “I will not let you down. Good exploring. We will all meet back at the squeeze.”

  Dorian turned to find Sulara waiting patiently a little way away, a shy knowing smile on her face. She waited for the rest of the group to move off and then came over to Dorian’s side. “Quite the Oldener you are becoming with your independent decision making and the giving of trust.”

  “Why does everyone think I am desperate to be an oldener?” Dorian said with exasperation.

  “Because you are,” Sulara replied, “even if you don’t realise it”

  “Well I’m not. I’m just me.” Dorian threw back as he turned and made his way to the entrance to the third diversion.

  “Exactly!” Sulara called after him in a voice full of triumph.

  They followed the faint signs as they wound their way onward, ensuring to mark the return route as they went. They worked together in their usual manner, taking it in turns to lead, mark and then follow, each knowing each other’s moves and thoughts, each doing what was required without being asked; an instinctive partnership that had always served them well. The tunnels ascended slightly or descended slightly but never to any great degree. Go too high and the temperature would decrease; go too deep and the temperature would increase. The feed caverns, it seemed, needed a certain ambient temperature so their tunnels ran at that appropriate depth. This was convenient because too cold or too hot, the histories told them, meant that they themselves could not survive for long.

  As Dorian had suspected, the tunnel eventually emerged into a feed cavern. Not as humongous as their previous discovery, but an ample size for a normal squeeze. There was absolutely no sign of any recent occupation. In fact, if you did not know different, you could mistake it for a virgin feed cavern but Dorian knew that it had been used in ancient times. He tried to imagine some earlier squeeze settling in here, exploring further before moving on to their next feed cavern. He looked around the walls and saw exit tunnels. None of them had collapsed or healed. They could potentially follow this ancient trail for many wakes. A lucky find, a lucky break and it would be an opportunity to train some of the youngers and younglings in the detection and inscription of marks. Damn! He had caught himself thinking just like an oldener, assesing and planning, thinking ahead. Sulara was right and now he knew it.

  “A feed for your thoughts?” Sulara’s voice pulled him back from his wakedream. “It’s just that you were staring out into the distance, a far away look about you and you haven’t even noticed the good stuff growing over there.”

  “You’re right as always,“ Dorian replied. “Yes, I was wakedreaming and yes, I do seem to think like an oldener, but you’re wrong if you think I am trying to be oldener. It’s just the way I am and, besides, I want us to have the responsibility of younglings before we take on the responsibility of a squeeze. Don’t you?” A flush of pink swept over Sulara. “And a feed is a good idea,” Dorian concluded as he headed toward the good stuff, just pausing for a mouthful of the ordinary on his way.

  They both fed their fill and then lounged in each other’s embrace, enjoying this moment of solitary togetherness; both wrapped up in their individual thoughts, both relaxed and at ease in each other’s company, both comfortable in their mutual silence.

  As if a silent bell had sounded, they disentangled their bodies and made their way toward the tunnel through which they had entered. They both instinctively knew when it was time to make their way back and no discourse was required on the matter. On the return journey, they re-cut the original faint markings so that they would be clearly visible again to any who came this way later. It slowed their progress but they were in no particular hurry; they had time enough to spare before the next squeeze.

  When they arrived back at the main feed cavern, their group was in a head to head for their report to Juma. Dorian and Sulara joined the group. Both lent their heads in to listen. When things were concluded Dorian confided in Juma the discovery he had hoped for; a feed cavern at the end of the ancient marked tunnels.

  The squeeze that followed was not just big; it was also exciting. They learned that each of the other two tunnels also led to feed caverns. Therefore next wake would be spent in this very cavern. Youngers, younglings and older would have their own separate squeezes after next wake feed in order to get better acquainted. Dorian knew that it would lead to smaller groups subdividing out, each with common interests and ideas, each group exchanging stories and news. It was how they communed; it was natural.

  At wake feed Limur approached Dorian and took him to one side. “I’d like you to join the squeeze of oldeners this wake. You and some of the other olders need to hear what is discussed and understand what is to happen. One day you will all be oldeners yourselves. I think it will be useful. Please join us after you have fed.”

  “I think there is going to be a squeeze split,” Dorian confided to Sulara.

  “I can’t see how there could not be,” she countered. “Our squeeze has been on the cusp of a split for a while now, with all these lost youngers and younglings swelling our ranks. It seems inevitable.”

  “I’d better go find out then. Feed with you later.”

  “Feed with you later,” Sulara called back.

  The oldeners had formed a head to head on the far side of the cavern, away from the many squeezelets formed by the rest of the squeeze. Amongst them were a few of the other olders. Dorian was the last to arrive and took up a position next to Lipshule and Garnewa.

  “Ah older Dorian, you have arrived.” Limur formally acknowledged Dorian’s presence. “We are now all present and may begin. Firstly you should know, as I am sure you may have guessed, that there are too many of us here for a single squeeze. Therefore we will be undergoing a split. However, unlike the squeeze split for which we had already planned, the addition of so many younglings and youngers from the squeeze of the lost, presents a new scenario. As luck would have it, we have stumbled upon this mig
hty cavern that will easily accommodate us and in turn we have discovered a set of three ancient tunnels that themselves all lead to new feeding caverns. This suggests that at some distant time in the past an oversized squeeze occupied this very site and that that squeeze then split into three separate squeezes, each of which followed a different path. Therefore I suggest we will follow this ancient example and divide the existing squeeze into three distinct squeezes.” Limur paused to allow the import of his statement to sink in. “Further, we must accommodate all of the lost youngers and younglings and try to ensure that the male and female younglings that originate from the same squeeze are separated. It will not be a straightforward task. It will take some time, but it can be done. Lipshule and Garnewa will be the lead oldeners for one squeeze. Kiendo and Marthana will be the lead oldeners for another and Jerano and Xangia will take the lead oldener role in the third. It is now up to you lead oldeners to select from the remaining oldeners and those olders amongst us now, your deputies, and assign them to their tasks. Let us now feed and move amongst each other so that we can resolve these issues.”

  The head-to-head dissolved into a set of individuals, all with