by Nick Evans
"It certainly worked, because once it had fixed its eyes on me, it knew that I was the target and it launched itself through the portal. At that point the technology failed. Half the Cryomorph was in the location I had just left and the other half was on my side of the portal. It was effectively sliced in two when the portal closed. If you were to peer through the airlock, you'd see half its remains lying on the floor in front of the wall."
"But where's the other half?" asked Xalata, "you must have only been in Habitat 14 all the time?"
"Correct, Xalata. I only made a small jump, just to a section of the habitat on the other side of the Control Room. Again, I wanted it to be on an outside wall with airlock protection in case my plan went wrong and the beast succeeded in passing through."
"But it didn't and you're here to tell the tale," said Melody.
"Yes, I am, but it's thanks to you two that we were able to do any of this. If you hadn't both tricked Fark, so that Brett floored him and so we got hold of the control for the Cryomorph, I dread to think what would have happened. His evil plan would have succeeded and we would have been left stuck on the Moon for ever. More importantly, you've actually saved the Earth."
"Wow! Just like in the movies!" said Xalata and she and Melody burst out laughing.
* * * * *
The journey back to LunarBase was long and boring and the team all spent most of the time catching up on some much-needed sleep. Fark sat quietly, dozing, but it was evident that he had had the stuffing knocked out of him by the experience and, once he knew that Castrana had died in the attack by the Cryomorph, he became very subdued.
The train sped on and, later, it pulled into a makeshift station near to the main terminus at LunarBase. Everyone was dazed from sleep and boggled by their experiences so that, when they emerged into the main concourse and were met by a crowd of people, they were taken aback.
"Tell us what happened."
"How did you stop the asteroid?"
"Which one's Xalata and which one's Melody?"
The questions came thick and fast and Wiglet and Brett pushed a way through the jostling journalists and led the two girls and Glitch to the relative calm of a local food outlet. "I think before we do anything, we should eat - agreed?"
The two girls nodded enthusiastically and Glitch piped up, "Yeah, Mr O, I could eat a Cryomorph - fried perhaps?"
* * * * *
Back at the home, Melody and Xalata were greeted by a visibly relieved Dawn, who hugged her daughter hard and, with tears in her eyes, said to Brett, "Thank you so much, for bringing her ... them, both safe back. I can't thank you enough."
Brett smiled and looked at the two girls, "I think you'll find that it was more about them saving me than the other way round, actually." The girls laughed and Dawn smiled and then dashed over to give Brett a hug.
"I know I don't see you very often, even though we are next neighbours, but I would be devastated if anything happened to you. I'm so relieved to see you, all of you, back home safe and sound. Brett put his arms around her and gave her a hug.
"I think perhaps we need to make good on that and promise that we shall see each other from time to time."
The two girls looked at each other and both pulled a face, "Eugh!" said Xalata, "lovey-dovey talk! C'mon, Melody, you have practising to do." Xalata pulled her friend away from her mother and took her into the Fret's home. They closed the door. "I think it's best if we leave them to it, huh?" she said. Dawn nodded, with a grin.
"OK - where's my gee-tar?" and she picked it up and started to play, really badly.
* * * * *
The next two days passed in whirl. First up, they needed to watch the final moments of the asteroid as it plummeted towards Mars. Their programming had been spot on and the Mission Control in Beijing had now established a connection to control the project once more. Gathered together in Wiglet's home, the little group watched the readout from the cameras on board the asteroid and also from the impact site on Mars. It was only when they saw the bizarre images of a huge rock hurtling towards the surface of the planet that they realised how enormous it actually was. The size of a city block, it grew massively as the impact drew nearer until, all at once, it was upon the planet and all readout from those cameras ceased.
Satellite cameras took over and the view from space onto the surface of Mars showed an enormous plume of dust, rock and debris, ejected kilometres into the sky, leaving a mushroom cloud, not unlike the scene of an atomic explosion. Reports from the other side of the planet, where hardy pioneers were creating habitats, spoke of earthquakes and, alter, a darkening of the sky as the dust circulated in the Martian atmosphere.
It would be many years before the true benefits of the impact would be revealed and there were to be other impacts in the future, all designed to help along the process of terraforming. But back on the Moon, there were scenes of jubilation from the group of heroes who had prevented the destruction of Earth.
Meanwhile, Adolf Fark had been taken to secure quarters where he was held under house arrest, pending a transfer to Earth and then a wait while evidence was gathered and a trial was put in place. The remains of Castrana Machin would be retrieved in due course and, now that the engineers had established that there was a viable route through the redundant tunnel around the Moon, teams of people would be sent out to retrieve the wreckage of Habitat 14 and to arrest Fark's henchmen.
* * * * *
There was much talking to be done, reports to be submitted and interviews to be had. The girls and Glitch were exhausted by the experience so that when, on the next day, they turned up at the Academy, they were unprepared for the welcome they received.
A throng of students met them as they walked into the large seminar room and everyone talked at once, wanting to know the full story. However, not everyone was so enthusiastic. "So, you saved the world and made it back, eh?" sneered Rose Pretty while Penny Wrath scowled from behind Rose's back. "Heroes in the classroom, my we are honoured! However, let's not forget that you are both fugitives and I should now be able to claim my reward. Something to do with illegal access to secure systems, if I remember correctly?" and she made a grab at her as if to restrain her.
Xalata stepped back and brushed away her hand, "Leave it Rose," she said with a tired voice.
"Or what?" said Rose aggressively. "Strikes me that you just skipped classes to go on a trip with your simpering little friend here. Big deal."
As Rose sauntered off to the other side of the room, Xalata turned away and Melody looked anxious. "Right," said Xalata to her friend, "You faced down the Cryomorph, rescued me and generally were a superhero ... and you're still afraid of Rose and Penny? C'mon, get serious!"
Melody looked at Xalata, "It's just that somehow, they're real and here and in my face where the Cryomorph and all that was just a dream that happened and anyone can be brave in dreams."
"You know what they say, Melody? Live the dream!"
Epilogue
Lessons at the Academy settled down into a more normal pattern. The girls studied hard, took exams, presented their findings and did well.
Melody entered Lunar Tunes with new-found confidence. She had followed Xalata's advice from what seemed ages before, had concentrated on learning the guitar piece and then had added the vocals. The result was good, but not good enough. She had dropped out of the contest in the first round and, although she was disappointed, she realised that she just couldn't do everything: studies, exams, Lunar Tunes, saving the world.
Xalata buried herself in her work, trying to forget the awful outcomes of her actions, but realising that they were more the fault of the people who started them than they were hers. As a result of the adventure they had been through together, she and Brett became closer and spent a great deal of time, discussing the past, looking to the future and working on scientific projects together. Brett and Dawn too, started to see more of each other, much to the two girls' amusement and delight.
The final exam season was comi
ng for their year grade and so everyone was busy at their studies, both in the Academy and at home. On one particular day, Xalata had come into the seminar room where everyone studied during the week. No one else was in there except for her and Rose. They sat at opposite ends of the room and ignored each other until, after about an hour, Rose sauntered over to the table where Xalata sat.
"Xalata, my dear, dear friend," said Rose.
"Yeah, right," muttered Xalata.
"You and I have some talking to do."
"I don't think so."
"My friends and I don't like you."
"You have friends? Wow! Now that's an interesting snippet of news. Do they know?"
"Always ready with your sharp tongue, aren’t you? Well, let's just say that my friends and I ..."
"You mean Penny, I guess?"
"My friends and I have now lost patience with you."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning ..." Rose paused, "that we shall be waiting for you to fall and if we can help to give you a push, then we shall."
"You're weird. Leave me alone. I'll do the same."
Rose walked out of the room and Xalata sat there, fuming. Why should someone want to threaten her? What had Rose got against her? She was fed up with this psychological bullying and, at that moment, she jumped up and decided to do something about it. Dashing into the corridor she saw the door swing and Rose walking away from her into the atrium.
She was just about to follow her, when a voice stopped her. "So, Xalata, going somewhere in a hurry?" She turned and, to her horror, saw that it was Rose.
"But, you've ..."
"What, Xalata? What is it? Lost your voice?" Rose sneered again and made to walk past her, but Xalata grabbed her arm.
"You just walked out that door," she said, "yet here you are. How can that be?"
"You're gibbering again. Mind's gone, blasted by monsters on Farside, I expect."
Xalata was certain of what she had seen and, without saying more, dashed out of Rose's presence and headed out to the atrium. She can't have got far, she thought as she searched, knowing that Rose would be heading for her home.
Then, in the distance, she caught sight of the tall figure of Rose, heading to the TransTrak and she dashed after her, pushing people out of the way in her certainty. As she arrived on the platform, the pod doors were just closing and she was too late. The TransTrak pulled out of the station and as the pods went past, Xalata's eyes met Rose's where she sat. There appeared to be two Rose Prettys.
The End
Watch out for the next thrilling story of Xalata Orbit and Melody Fret.
About the author
Nick Evans is a writer of non-fiction business and education books, so this first venture into fiction has been a bit traumatic. He started on the basis that he wanted to write dialogue - something he couldn't do - and now you'll know that he still can't do it!
He is a bit older than he'd like to be but younger than some people. He lives in the depths of Staffordshire in the UK and has no wish to go to the Moon. However, who knows what his grandkids might do?
He likes knowing what people think about his stuff, so if you fancy writing to him, just connect on [email protected] - but be gentle. He's only human ...
