The Decade Worlds

by Patrick McClafferty

  “Is he all right?” Mairi whispered.

  “I think so. I think Athena’s equivalent took a hand.”

  You couldn’t pronounce his name, my Gareth, Athena whispered in his mind. but you can call him Mars. It’s the closest comparable.

  As in the Greek God of War? Gareth raised his eyebrows.

  This wasn’t always a peaceful garden planet.

  As soon as the wind dies down, we’ll go then.

  Athena laughed. There’s no need. Mars is intrigued with you, and appreciates the discipline you maintain with your troops. He senses a kindred spirit in you, my Gareth.

  Athena! Gareth answered a little desperately. How could I be a kindred spirit with him? He’s a god. The voice in his mind was disturbingly silent.

  “Welcome to my home.” The voice boomed all around them. Gareth’s jaw hung open, and on his right side Mairi had a death-grip on his hand. Two meters away Sergeant Xianliang stood trembling, his carbine at his feet.

  “Pick up your weapon, trooper.” Gareth hissed loudly enough to be heard in Kansas. “Port arms. Don’t embarrass me.” While the Sergeant’s eyes were wide with surprise, he no longer looked ready-to-bolt terrified. “Are you all right?” Gareth asked more softly.

  “Sir, yes Sir.” The Sergeant replied, picking up his weapon. “He spoke to me Sir. He… I can understand the little critters now. It makes all the difference in the world.”

  “Good, now just keep your eyes open and your finger OFF the trigger.”

  “Yes Sir.” The young marine gave him an embarrassed grin as Gareth turned back to Mars.

  The image standing before him was perhaps two meters tall, and built as one would imagine the God of War. His exposed skin was tanned brown as old leather, and his black hair and beard were cut short. He wore a black steel muscled cuirass, with a studded royal belt. From his belt hung a short Roman sword, and his wrists were enclosed with steel bands. His eyes were the color of lead. Leather sandals were strapped up legs that were as knotted and gnarled as old oak trees, and probably as hard. If it was his intention to intimidate those standing before him, he was succeeding wonderfully.

  Gareth swallowed. “Thank you for taking us into your home, Mars. It was not our intention, however, to inconvenience you.”

  “Why are your kind back on my world?” The deep voice boomed.

  Gareth felt sweat trickle down his back. “I am looking for a home for the people of my world.” He said, deciding at the last minute to stick with the truth. “Wars have damaged our world, and now a supernova is casting its deadly radiation at the Earth. In a few years all life will be extinguished.” He took a breath. “Not all will be coming here, but a few thousand of one particular tribe or another. The decision is yours, Mars, but we would love to share this world with you and yours.”

  “The last humans never used the word share.” Mars rumbled, and then his hard face broke into a smile. “I can work with you.” His body sparkled for a moment, and he was standing before them in a soft blue tunic. “That’s better.” He rumbled, swinging his arms. “That armor is as uncomfortable as hell. How did your ancient Greeks ever get used to it?”

  “You pulled the thought out of my mind?”

  Mars chuckled. “It worked, didn’t it?” He waved a hand and a long wooden table heaped with food appeared before them. Mars waved a hand as he plopped into a deep pillow, picking up what looked like a turkey leg, and began to gnaw on it with strong white teeth. “I haven’t had a decent talk with someone in millennia. Tell me how you got into this business.”

  Gareth poured himself a glass of wine, and a smaller one for his daughter, and sat down beside Mars. “The tale may take a while.”

  “This is all occurring between one second and the next back in the cave. We have, literally, all the time in the world.”

  Gareth shook his head at the incredible implications. “It all began in a rubble-strewn street of Karabila, Iraq, three or four years ago for me and thirty-eight thousand years in the distant past.” Gareth took a long sip of his wine and leaned back in his cushion, his eyes taking on a far-away look. “I really don’t remember how long I’ve been on this journey, exactly. It was in a blown up mosque, a temple if you will, that I found a scroll with the likeness of a medallion drawn on it and for some reason I folded it up and put it in my pocket. The next day…” Gareth continued the story, as Mars, Mairi and the young Sergeant listened with rapt attention.

  Chapter 5

  LOTHAR

  The meerkats never even looked up when Gareth, Mairi and Sergeant Xianliang returned to the cave. To the small creatures the disappearance had never occurred.

  Gareth, Athena whispered. there is a problem on the other side of the gate. You should go now. The wind has died down.

  It was always something. “We should go.” He said softly to his companions. “I’ve gotten word that there are problems back home.”

  Mairi looked disappointed for a moment, and opened her mouth. She shut her mouth again, her protest unspoken. “All right.” She said at last.

  Gareth stood and approached the rocky door. It swung open at his touch. Glancing back at their small hosts, he bowed slightly. “Thank you.” He said in the language of the meerkats. They chittered excitedly.

  “What’s the problem?” Mairi called out as the hopped across the stepping stones in the river.

  “Athena didn’t say.” Gareth replied, making the last jump to the river bank. “And I didn’t ask.” The air smelled dusty, and he could see that the wind still flailed at the tops of the stony towers, sending swirls of dust to the river, far below. The marine had already passed through the gateway, and Gareth motioned his daughter ahead as he took a long last look at the beautiful, mystical land of Sedona.

  Ell was already speaking as he stepped through the gateway. “… and there have been a number of strong aftershocks also. All of Eldenworld seems to have been shaken.”

  “Casualties?” He cringed when he remembered that Eldenworld didn’t have a central communication system.

  “My drones report a number of structural fires in both Puasheehchester and Molva. How it fares in other Realms is unknown.”

  “How are Chiu and Lyndra coming?”

  “They are both up and about, if somewhat shaky.”

  “Good. Tell them I’ll meet them in the apartment. The world of Sedona checked out, and I’ve made arrangements with management for them to accept several thousand refugees. I was thinking about the goblins. They could go through the Shsa-Tirion gate.”

  “I will notify Thomas.” Ell said crisply. “Have you made plans to move anyone else?”

  Gareth smiled. “The people of the Shattered Plains Realm would probably be good candidates for Gocaea.”

  “That’s a good choice.” Ell murmured in approval. “But bear this in mind—time is of the essence. Tens of thousands will perish in upcoming earthquakes if they can’t be evacuated first. Now, what else do you have in mind?”

  “I’ll be taking care of that next, by myself.” He said abruptly, and turned for the transport.

  Sitting hunched over the dining room table, Chiu looked definitely unwell. The porcelain skin of her face was the color of gray chalk, and there were dark rings under her red eyes. Her hair, usually bright and glossy hung limp and dull. Lyndra, on the other hand, had brushed her blond hair until it glowed, and sat at the other end of the table eating a stack of pancakes that were nearly floating in a lake of maple syrup. Gareth’s stomach growled as he caught the tantalizing aroma. She looked up and grinned as he and Mairi entered.

  “Well, look at what the cat dragged in. Our missing partner and his miscreant daughter.”

  Mairi looked over her shoulder at Gareth. “I told you that you were going to get us into trouble.”

  Gareth gave Lyndra a sour look and a quick kiss. “I love you too. Mairi and I, with one of the marines were checking out the next gate. The world is called Sedona. It’s a nice place.”

  Mairi rolled her haz
el eyes. “The most beautiful world you can imagine, and he calls it a nice place.” She said in disgust, although her eyes were sparkling.

  Chui lifted her glass of tomato juice, and stared at it grimly for a moment before taking a small sip. Gareth saw her shudder. “What are your plans now?” She managed to get out.

  He looked around the table. “I’m going to Jafelon, and turn the gate on.” He could have heard a pin drop.

  “Cool.” Mairi said finally, her eyes wide with the wonder of it all. “Can I go too?”

  Gareth bit his tongue. “Sorry.” He glanced at Chiu, and sighed. “I’ll take… Lyndra and three marines in the shuttle. It’s too bad the island isn’t safe to land on or they could…” He stopped abruptly as Athena began to speak in his mind.

  The cay is safe. The last earthquake generated a three hundred meter tsunami that swept the land completely clear. All that is left is sand.

  Gareth cleared his throat. “It seems that the island has been rendered safe. The shuttle can wait there.”

  Chiu regarded him with bleary eyes. “Do you plan on swimming down to the gate?” She asked with a scratchy voice.

  Gareth gave her a sympathetic look. “Ell, could you ask Thomas if the transportation pod is still operational in Jafelon?”

  It was only a short moment before she had the answer. “Thomas says the pod is still operational, and can probably be used in conjunction with an EVA suit if you wish.”

  Gareth grinned. “I wish. I was hoping for that answer.” Chiu rolled her eyes once, and then lay her head down on her forearm with a groan. Gareth frowned. “Why are you so sick, and Lyndra so… chipper?” He added lamely.

  Lyndra just shrugged while Chiu croaked, “just dumb luck,” without lifting her head. To himself Gareth frowned. It was his experience that on Eldenworld things didn’t happen by dumb luck.

  Gareth watched the huge stack of pancakes disappear with undisguised awe. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning. Could you rustle up three marines to go with us? Sergeant Xianliang went with us to Sedona, so pick someone else. Make sure we have two EVA suits aboard, just in case.”

  The fork clanked on the empty plate. “I’ll do that.” Lyndra mumbled, her cheeks bulging.

  “If you plan on moving about underwater,” the voice of Ell said out of the air. “there are maneuvering belts available in the shuttle that are designed for use with the EVA suit.” The voice of the AI paused for a moment. “I will provide you with a code key to open the gateway.”

  Gareth scratched his head in thought. “Can you set that key to leave the gate on, and discriminate unwanted lifeforms, like kraken and similar monsters?”

  “I can have the key programmed by tomorrow. Communicating what you want to the dolphins, however, may be a bit harder.”

  Gareth sighed. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.” He gave his wife a long look. “When you are feeling better I need you to start funneling people from Oseothan into The Yeugate for their immunization, and then on to Puborg. As you well know the effects of the immunization take about a week to run their course, and leave the recipient fully protected. They will need pioneering equipment, and sufficient food to last them until they can get their own farms producing.”

  It was Chiu’s turn to frown, but it was Ell that answered. “I have the plans for portable emergency converters. You put raw material in one end and food comes out the other.”

  “Make as many as you can, Ell.” Gareth said with a grin. “I’m going to start moving the goblins and the people in the Shattered Plains through Shsa-Tirion. Goblins will go to Sedona while human-ish settlers will head for Gocaea.” He grinned. “I was thinking of the witches and their ilk.”

  Chiu gave him a weak smile. “Why isn’t that a big surprise?”

  Gareth closed his eyes. “Suddenly I don’t have enough time to do all the things I need to do. I feel like the wolves are snapping at my heels.” He opened his eyes and gave Lyndra, who was a werewolf, an apologetic grin. “No insult intended.”

  Her returning smile was predatory. “None taken. When I snap at you, you will know it, and it won’t be at your heels.”

  Gareth could feel himself flush.

  “All set back there?” Gareth called over his shoulder into the passenger compartment of the drop shuttle. Three marines: two privates and a beaming Corporal Mei Yong gave him a thumbs up. Beside him Lyndra was already buckled in tight. “You may take us up whenever you like.” He said softly to Shyrrik, the AI who piloted the ship and who currently sat between him and Lyndra in a basketball sized silver sphere. Through the view screen he saw the shuttle rise gently from the pad, the dwindling figure of Mairi standing forlornly on the concrete pad.

  “How would you like me to plot the course to Jafelon?” Shyrrik asked calmly.

  “How fast can you go if you take us up to a low orbit?”

  “Mach eight.”

  Gareth grinned. “Make it so.” Outside the clouds blurred, and in moments he could see the curve of the Earth, far below them.

  Lyndra, however, wasn’t looking down. She had activated the overhead screen that showed the view above. “Look at the stars,” she whispered. “They look like I could reach out and touch them.” Her voice was filled with wonder. “If I die tomorrow, I will be satisfied that I’ve seen this.” She reclined back in her seat, her eyes filled with the miracle of the universe.

  “We will reach our destination in slightly more than an hour, given the time we need to decelerate.” Shyrrik sounded the typical airline pilot, Gareth mused.

  There were a few straggly blades of grass, and a number of tree stumps on Ojor Cay when they set down. The rest was sand. Fifty meters from the shore the small pedestal still rose from the teal colored water, and the globe on top of the pedestal still sat a meter from the surface. Gareth glanced at the two privates, both younger even than Corporal Yong. “Flip a coin, gentlemen. I need someone to row me out to the pedestal.”

  The young man with dark skin, and short hair so black as to appear blue, stepped forward. “It’s my turn, Sir.”

  Gareth pulled the self-inflating raft from a storage compartment. Dragging the raft outside, he touched a small tab set in the side of the shiny black material. He blinked as a three-meter raft popped into existence. Gareth nodded to the shuttle. “There is a paddle in the compartment where the raft was stowed.” He said, snapping the propulsion module to the back of the EVA belt. “Come on… we don’t have all day.” He growled in a Drill Sergeant voice.

  The private jumped, and scrambled for the paddle. “Get the paddle. Aye, aye Sir!” Gareth gave the Corporal a flat look, and the young woman flushed slightly, rolling her eyes.

  “It could be a couple of hours before I’m finished for the day.” Gareth said, rechecking his own equipment for the third time. “We’re playing this by ear.” He gave Lyndra a long kiss, and then winked. “Keep the kids in line, please.” She just laughed.

  Gareth pushed the raft into the water and jumped in, followed immediately by the private. Gareth pointed. “Make for the marker, young man.” The raft crawled across the intervening warm water by fits and starts, as the young marine got used to what was probably his first time paddling a raft. Gareth looked straight ahead and said nothing. Sticking out of the water a single meter, the stainless-steel pipe was unmarked by either light or design. On the top of the pole rested a thirty-centimeter translucent glass ball, again without light or design. As they approached Gareth placed his hand on the sphere, which immediately pulsed with color. No more than a minute later a seven-meter translucent sphere surfaced with a rush of displaced water. Gareth grabbed the young marine’s arm to keep him from falling overboard. “Careful there. It’s a long swim to shore.” He murmured, smiling. Despite his dark skin, the private paled.

  “Aye, aye Sir.”

  “As soon as I step into the sphere you head for shore. Keep an eye out for me.”

  “Yes Sir. Keep an eye out for you.”

  Gareth stepped into the sp
here with a sigh, and as soon as he sat the bubble began to sink, the black interior slowly brightening enough for him to see around the small compartment. Without a sound the bubble sank completely beneath the surface, and Gareth knew that he was fully committed now. There was no equipment that he could see in the pod and no lights, yet the bubble traveled smoothly beneath the surface at perhaps a walking pace. An arm long silver fish swam by, and then another. Gareth recognized them as barracuda. When they reached what Gareth guessed was thirty meters below the surface the outside of the bubble began to glow, shedding a soft yellow radiance into the surrounding waters. Schools of multi-colored fish swam by in dense clouds, unafraid of the bubble or its single occupant. A jellyfish pulsed as it swam by, trailing meters of purplish tentacles. It might have been the twin to the one he saw the first time they traveled to Jafelon, in search of a transport to the moon. The pod continued its descent into the depths. Gareth suddenly remembered that Jafelon had flooded, and the arrival platform he was currently heading for was underwater.

  “Set our course for the Jafelon gateway, please.”

  “You realize that, like the rest of Jafelon, the gateway is underwater?” The voice of the pod’s AI murmured.

  “I understand, and have taken it into consideration when I made my plans.”

  “Very good Sir.” The pod turned slightly in its descent. Below him was only darkness. Time passed, but the darkness remained constant. “We have arrived, Sir.” The AI murmured, startling Gareth for a moment.

  “Can we have some light please?” The pod lit up like a lightbulb, and Gareth blinked. The gateway, only slightly smaller than the gateway at The Yeugate, stood by itself on an isolated platform set to the side and slightly above the city. A heavy metal ring surrounded the base of the gateway, and looked to Gareth to be the bottom of a now nonexistent dome. He pressed his face closer to the wall of the pod. “What happened to the dome that was covering the gateway?” He looked around quickly, noting the shadowy images of drowned buildings. “What happened to any of the domes?”