The Secret of the Dark Galaxy Stone

by Pam Stucky

  “And now, our turn,” said Emma. She looked at Aly, Bek, and Gesil. “Gesil, I know we’ll meet again. Aly and Bek, I hope we do, too. You’ve been so great to us. Thank you for everything. I don’t know what we’d have done without you.”

  “The pleasure was all ours,” said Bek, his smile as bright as the Jovo sun. “You all had better visit us, or we will track you down!” He patted Chuck on the back warmly.

  “We have a famous scientist on Jovo,” said Aly, “who studies particles that have come together and then are separated. It’s too complicated to explain quickly, but basically she says the particles are ‘entangled.’ She says once they have been entangled, or connected, they stay connected, even if they travel far apart. They become part of one another in some way.” Aly smiled. “I think we are entangled now. We will see you again, I am certain.”

  Emma squinted. Had she heard something like that before in school? Science was science, wherever you might go, wasn’t it? She shrugged and laughed. “Yes, I have a feeling, too, that we will see you again.”

  After hugs all around, Emma, Eve, Chuck, Charlie, Ben, and Kata piled into the elevator.

  “Be safe,” said Aly.

  “Happy life,” said Bek.

  “Until we meet again,” said Gesil.

  As Emma and the others waved goodbye, the elevator door slid shut.

  “Earth, here we come,” said Eve. “I think.” She typed in coordinates that she and Ben had agreed would get them to somewhere on Earth. They all held hands, and hoped.

  The door slid open.

  Dr. Waldo stood before them, jumping with excitement. Whatever effects had plagued him from his time at the ghost planet, he seemed fully recovered and his old self again.

  “Oh my stars! Children! I cannot believe it! Ben, you are brilliant, sending that Dark MATTER sphere! Did you make that yourself, young man? You will have to tell me all about it. We had been so worried for you all. You’ve been gone for weeks! Where have you been? Wait, no, you’ll have to tell me later, first we need to get back to the Hub and back in time six weeks, so much to take care of, then we’ll talk, no time, no time! Kata? Kata, is that you? My stars, they found you! No time, no time, we must hurry!”

  “Dr. Waldo!” cried Charlie. “Never happier to see you, my man!” He and the others poured out of the elevator. “Earth!” said Charlie. “Never happier to see you, Earth!”

  “Six weeks!” said Emma, rushing out of the elevator to hug the old scientist. She vaguely noted their surroundings: an isolated lighthouse, somewhere where it was relatively warm and also daylight. Six weeks, that would be sometime in February? Her mind tried to put the pieces together.

  “New Zealand,” said Dr. Waldo, answering the unasked question. “Good thing your friend’s lighthouse didn’t end up in Greenland, so cold this time of year! Yes, yes, New Zealand, wish we could stay and visit, adding this lighthouse to my map of elevators, but for now we need to get you home.”

  Dr. Waldo handed Chuck a device. “You first, young man, this will send you back in time and over to your universe. Two for the price of one, yes, two for one!” he giggled and danced with pride.

  “Are you sure, Dr. Waldo?” asked Chuck. “Maybe I should do one thing at a time?”

  “Oh, no worries at all, young Charlie! This will work, certainly, get you home in a snap.” He snapped, to demonstrate his point. He looked at their bags and his brow furrowed. “Do you not have all your backpacks anymore? What about your iPerts?”

  “Sorry,” said Ben. “I didn’t have room to explain everything in the note. We lost them. We lost pretty much everything.”

  Dr. Waldo shook his head with a chuckle and reached into the bag he was carrying, pulling out another iPert and handed it to Chuck. “Here, good sir, take this. Call us when you get home. Eat your vegetables. Do your homework. Be a good boy!”

  Chuck shook his head. “Good old Dr. Waldo! Don’t change, my man!” He gave hugs all around, then activated the device Dr. Waldo had given him, and disappeared.

  “I do hope that worked,” said Dr. Waldo, under his breath.

  “What?” said Charlie. “What was that?”

  Dr. Waldo perked up. “Oh, my, did I say that out loud? Nothing, not a worry at all! Everything is fine, just fine! Chuck is probably home in the past as we speak. Now we need to get you home in the past too, to answer his call! Everyone ready? Of course I’ll stay here, can’t have two of me in one place, but I’ll be there when you get there, just the old younger me, of course, perfect sense, yes, I’ll see you there!”

  “Dr. Waldo,” said Eve, “if you don’t mind, what’s the rush? We’re traveling back in time anyway. Does it really matter how fast we travel?”

  “Good point, Eve!” Charlie said, and instinctively reached to high-five Chuck, forgetting for a moment that his parallel twin was gone. Emma reached up a hand to take Chuck’s place. Charlie smiled at her. “Dork,” he said.

  “Dork,” said Emma.

  “Well, my, yes, I suppose you do have a good point. Still, I would think you all are quite ready to get home and tell us your tales?” said Dr. Waldo.

  “We definitely, definitely are,” said Emma. “Dr. Waldo, please send us home.”

  Moments later, they were back in the Hub, standing in the lounge they’d created themselves.

  “Are we here on the right day?” asked Emma.

  Ben looked at a small clock he’d created, which was sitting on an end table. “We’re back. Same day we left, just a couple of hours later. As if nothing ever happened.”

  They all looked at each other. As if nothing ever happened? But so very, very much had happened.

  “Kata? Kata, is that you?”

  Eve’s father, Milo, who had been briefing a scientist in the Hub on his latest travels, had seen the group reappear. At first his focus was on his daughter, but then he realized there was one more person in the group than when they had left.

  “Hello, Milo,” said Kata. “Yes, it’s me.” She walked to him, and together they went to find some space to talk.

  Eve watched them go, mixed emotions wrestling on her face. “Well,” she said. “We’ll see.” She sat down.

  Rupert the two-dimensional elephant seemed somehow to realize they’d been gone longer than the clock indicated. He came over and raised his trunk in greeting.

  “Hi, sweet Rupert,” said Emma, slowly petting his side. She loved this giant two-dimensional elephant. She thought about Gesil’s cats, how Gesil made them so they would disappear when she wasn’t there, so they wouldn’t get lonely. Emma stopped and looked at Rupert in his two-dimensional eye. “We’re not meant to be alone, Rupert,” she said. Then she stared into the space beside him, focusing and thinking very hard for several moments. Slowly, a new form shimmered into existence beside Rupert. Another elephant. A companion. “Rupert, meet Hermione,” said Emma.

  The elephants intertwined their paper-thin trunks and ambled off to get acquainted. Emma was sure she saw a bit of a smile on Rupert’s mouth. She looked back at her own group and saw Charlie staring at her.

  “What?” said Emma, defiant.

  Charlie just laughed.

  Just then, a phone on the table rang. Eve picked it up to answer it. “Hello?” she said. She paused to listen to the person on the other end of the line, then smiled. “Chuck is home safe,” she said with a smile. “He says to tell you all hello.” She hung up.

  Dr. Waldo came jogging over with a tray of tea and scones. “Sent myself a note from the future, I did, so I’d be prepared for your return. Now then, children,” he said. “Tell me everything.”

  So they did, everything from the dark galaxy stone and the magnets, to Kata’s theory about interwoven universes, to an enthusiastic recounting of their new friends Aly and Bek and Gesil.

  “We meet Gesil again in the future,” said Emma. “You and me and Ben. When we’re in a grand battle against The Void. About eleven years from now.”

  “We do?” said Dr. Waldo, his mind w
hirring. “My, my, my. Time is tricky! Time is tricky!”

  “Gesil even wrote a book, The Layers of Time,” said Emma. “I wish I’d remembered, I wanted to bring it back with me so I could read it.”

  “Hmm,” said Dr. Waldo. “This is all very, very interesting.” He started rapidly muttering to himself, but no one could make out any words. He ran off without warning.

  “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I, for one, could use a nap,” said Charlie, watching Dr. Waldo race off to who knew where.

  “And a nice, hot shower,” said Emma.

  “Speak for yourself,” said Charlie.

  “I was,” said Emma. “If I never see these clothes again I’ll be happy!”

  They all raced off to the cabins where Eve and Milo and some of the others stayed when they were in the Hub. Showers were taken, then everyone quickly reconvened in the lounge.

  “Now then, now then!” said Dr. Waldo, running back once they were all gathered together again.

  He was not alone. With him was a tall woman with four arms, skin the color of a night forest, and a firm but kind and confident manner.

  “Aly!” cried Emma, jumping up. “What? How?”

  Aly beamed, spreading all her arms to embrace Emma in a big hug. “Your Dr. Waldo!”

  Dr. Waldo blushed. “I, well, may have just done some time traveling just there. And distance. Yes, time and distance traveling. I went to visit Gesil and see her Hub, and she took me to meet Aly and Bek, and, well, Aly is interested in learning about the work we do in the Hub, and so, yes, yes, well, time travel and distance travel, you see. And Aly and I took a little side trip to hear the physicist Dr. Brian Greene speak at a lecture on your Earth, yes, we had a bit of a giggle, fascinating man, he’s on the right track, on the right track! And layers of time! We have been studying it and you are correct, I think, I believe you are correct, there are layers of time!”

  “You just studied all that? Just now? While we showered?” said Emma with disbelief. She laughed. “Dr. Waldo, I have missed you. It is good to be home.”

  Dr. Waldo waved a hand. “Well, you children go home and get rested, visit with your parents, read some books, do what you do. In the meantime, Dr. Aly and I will do more research. Oh, and Emma, as to that matter we were concerned about, I’ve been studying, I don’t think we need worry as much as we thought we might. I shall fill you in soon. And then when you’re ready, we’ll travel through time. If you’d like to, that is.”

  Suddenly, all the exhaustion Emma had felt was gone. “Travel through the layers of time?” She looked at the others.

  “Yes,” said Dr. Waldo. “Are you ready?”

  Emma, Eve, and Ben and Charlie all spoke at once. “Ready!” they cheered.

  “But maybe a nap first,” said Charlie.

  the balky point adventures

  If you loved The Secret of the Dark Galaxy Stone, discover how the Balky Point Adventures began! Read The Universes Inside the Lighthouse and see how Eve and Milo first came to Earth, how Emma and Charlie found the elevator inside the lighthouse, how they met Dr. Waldo, and more! The Universes Inside the Lighthouse, available now in print and for Kindle!

  more by pam stucky

  FICTION

  Mystery

  Death at Glacier Lake

  The Balky Point Adventures (MG/YA sci-fi)

  The Universes Inside the Lighthouse

  The Secret of the Dark Galaxy Stone

  The Wishing Rock series (adult contemporary)

  (novels with recipes)

  Letters from Wishing Rock

  The Wishing Rock Theory of Life

  The Tides of Wishing Rock

  NONFICTION

  The Pam on the Map series (travel inspiration)

  (wit & wanderlust)

  Pam on the Map: Seattle Day Trips

  Pam on the Map: Iceland

  Pam on the Map: Ireland (retrospective)

  Pam on the Map: Switzerland (retrospective)

  From the Wishing Rock Kitchens: Recipes from the Series

  Find purchasing links and more information at

  www.pamstucky.com

  twitter.com/pamstucky

  facebook.com/pamstuckyauthor

  pinterest.com/pamstucky

  Death at Glacier Lake (mystery)

  “This is a neat little mystery with the rare virtue that the setting and characters are as interesting as the unfolding story... A reflective tone, with heart and insight into human frailty and strength, made this a very worthwhile read.” — Amazon reader

  Pam’s first mystery, written in a traditional “whodunit” style, has already captivated fans of this popular genre. For two decades, the lush, isolated forests of the North Cascades have hidden a secret. Now, twenty years later, a mysterious contest has brought Mindy Harris back to the area she thought she’d left behind forever. A seemingly innocent creative design firm shows up for a company retreat, but all goes awry when one of their own turns up dead. Was it an accident? Murder? And how does the unsolved mystery from twenty years ago play into it all?

  Find out more about Death at Glacier Lake.

  The Balky Point Adventures (MG/YA sci-fi)

  “Aliens, infinite universes, ghosts AND time travel ... a winning literary combination if ever there was one.” — Just One More Chapter reviews

  This smart and unforgettable middle grade / young adult science fiction adventure series takes teens Emma, Charlie, Eve, and Ben, along with brilliant but quirky Dr. Waldo and a host of others, on adventures through time and space. Inspired the timeless wonder and fantasy of A Wrinkle in Time, with just a dash of Doctor Who, the Balky Point Adventures are for readers of all ages who love a good romp through the imaginative marvels of the universes, delivered with heart and wonder. Exciting and imaginative, courageous and thought-provoking, this series commends the strength of compassion, and the inherent power within each person to change the world ... or the universe.

  Includes: The Universes Inside the Lighthouse, The Secret of the Dark Galaxy Stone.

  Find out more about the Balky Point Adventures series.

  The Wishing Rock series (contemporary fiction)

  “It was just what the doctor ordered, fresh, quirky, funny in places and seasoned with wisdom. Light without being frivolous, it follows the story of a woman trying to find someone to fill her desire for true love and family.” — Tahlia Newland, author

  Wishing Rock, Washington, on Dogwinkle Island—don’t look for it on a map; you won’t find it there. The only place you can find this town is in your heart—and in the books in the Wishing Rock series!

  The Wishing Rock books take us to the fictional town of Wishing Rock, in which all the town’s residents live in the same building. In this Northern Exposure-esque slice-of-life series, letters between the neighbors and their friends chronicle the twists and turns of the characters’ daily lives, and are interspersed with recipes tried and tested by the characters themselves. These novels, filled with wit, wisdom, and recipes, take characters on adventures far and near, and ultimately offer up insightful exploration of the ideas of community, relationships, happiness, hope, forgiveness, risk, trust, and love.

  Includes: Letters from Wishing Rock, The Wishing Rock Theory of Life, and The Tides of Wishing Rock (all novels with recipes); From the Wishing Rock Kitchens: Recipes from the Series completes the series, with a compilation of all the recipes in the first three books.

  Find out more about the Wishing Rock series.

  The Pam on the Map series (travel inspiration)

  “I couldn’t resist reading the entire book, both for the wit and chuckles that I found on nearly every page, and to make sure I didn’t miss any of the useful tips that were scattered throughout. I’m big on pre-trip research, and I found some tips in this book that I haven’t seen elsewhere.” — Emily, Amazon reader

  In her Pam on the Map series, Pam sets out to discover and connect with people and places, and to take readers along on her adventures. Raw and r
eal, Pam’s tales are infused with candid honesty, humorous observations, and perceptive insights. Pam’s descriptive, entertaining, conversational style brings her trips alive, making readers feel as though they’re traveling right along with her.

  Though they’re not guidebooks, the Pam on the Map books are still informative and illuminating, providing useful tips and plentiful ideas for people who might want to follow along in Pam’s footsteps.

  Includes: Pam on the Map: Seattle Day Trips, Pam on the Map: Iceland, Pam on the Map (Retrospective): Ireland, and Pam on the Map (Retrospective): Switzerland.

  Find out more about the Pam on the Map series.

  connect

  The Secret of the Dark Galaxy Stone is the second book in the Balky Point Adventures young adult science fiction/science fantasy series. If you loved this book, tell your friends and let Pam know! Send a tweet to @pamstucky, or drop a note at facebook.com/pamstuckyauthor.

  Stay tuned for more Balky Point Adventures! Be among the first to know when a new story is coming out by signing up for Pam’s mailing list at www.pamstucky.com!

  acknowledgments

  I visited Lightning Ridge, Australia, once, but that was a very long time ago. Thank you to the people at Lightning Ridge Tourism, who sent me information that helped me envision the town in my mind and, hopefully, describe it in a way that made it come alive for my readers. My apologies for the liberties I took in bringing a real town to a story of fiction. Visit Lightning Ridge on Earth in Australia, or online at www.lightningridgeinfo.com.au. I hope to stop by again myself one day soon and visit the labyrinth!