Children of Terra 13

Chapter 13: Departure

While it seemed that the general population of Sara went on with their daily lives. The political and theological world was in turmoil. The queen was busy cementing her new position of power and reached out with an iron hand to squash any opposition. She installed new high priests in every temple of the kingdom. Their power severely reduced, no longer allowed to step behind the Ebony Wal l.

It was only herself who would do so from now on and during a new feast day. She reinstated the truly ancient practice to allow male priests in the palace, while in an exalted position they were nothing more than servants.

The forces opposing her were not defeated but forced to hide in the crevices a kingdom as big as the Saran Empire had an endless supply off.

There were those who decried the fact that she purged the temples. There were those who did not believe she was a daughter of the gods. Of course, the voices of those opposing all religion and wanting to free the Saran people from all trappings of religion god worship were not really silent but had lost much of their conviction power.

No one, not even the skeptics could explain how the queen managed to bridge the vast distance and arrive long before her royal barge.

Among the political forces that opposed the queen, were the other houses, who felt it was long overdue for a queen of their own lines to ascent to the Seat of Eternal light and sit on the Throne of the Divine Falcon.

One of them was the House of Mukummh, as old and almost as powerful and influential as the House of Kethmmar. The Mukummh had not seen a queen of their line on the throne since Queen Thometep the IIIrd almost nine hundred years ago. She was accused of treason by having a love affair with a high ranking Pan Saran senator and forced to put on the Golden Mask. She withered away and thus her guilt was “proven” to the public. While no one could really deny the love affair, the evidence was quite convincing it was not spoken off.

Japhusut the Eldest of the Mukummh and everyone else in her family believed the Golden Mask of RA was just some parlor trick and had no supernatural powers at all. She was convinced the Kethmmar had somehow uncovered its secret function and based their claim to the throne on it ever since.

Officially the Mukummh were loyal subjects to the queen just like the Houses of Nilathe and Taramth.

These were the four dynasties that ruled Sara and the empire since the dawn of history and long before the Sarans threw open the gates to the stars.

Legends of the beginnings were nothing more than fairy tales now, but the fact remained that the fate of Sara was guided by four dynasties, by four families for more than 20,000 years.

No outsider could fathom the depths of the roots those families had grown into the Saran society and culture.

Over the course of all this time, the star of one Dynasty rose, while others faded, but they never faded completely away. Then one of the almost forgotten ones grew in power and pushed the others aside. A game began anew only with a different arrangement of the four players starting positions.

Each of the houses, of course, claimed to be the one true line, not that even them wisest scholars could really define what this true line really was.

Japhusut the Eldest of the Mukummh, was near three hundred herself as she watched Tethebea of Luxor being tossed into the basin. She shuddered as she saw the old woman torn apart by the teeth filled maws of these terrible monsters. She herself was 133 light years away as she watched a recording of the execution. She was on the planet Petra, one of the old worlds, the seat of power of the Mukummh here she felt safe for the moment. She knew the current queen would not hesitate to have her tossed into the basins if she had the chance. Of course, the queen could not effort to openly attack the Mukummh. The old family maintained over thirty percent of the Saran fleet and had members in many important positions of the government, but the Queen was a master manipulator as the recent events had proven her to be, Japhusut had a new respect for the Queen. She despised the quite beautiful monarch, but she gave credit where credit was due.

The old leader of the Mukummh dynasty did not believe the entire Freon story for one second. Everything was planned and executed with admirable precision. What could not be explained was the fact that the abducted Earthers were apparently psionic gifted. How did she manage to find these talents?

Japhusut was actually quite scared of the most logical conclusion, all Earthers were able to use psionics.

Was that the true secret of Earth? Was this the reason for the contact ban?

No one could deny the potency of these almost magical powers. An army of such beings were able to change history and create empires.

Japhusut waved the projection screen off and turned to the only person that was with her in the sun-drenched living quarters of the Mukummh palace.

“Wathkamh, you have been my closest advisor and confidant for so long, you have risen from the slave quarters and now you are second in power only to me. Tell me good news.”

The man only bowed very slightly. He indeed was no longer a slave, he was most likely the most powerful man alive. No male anywhere in the Saran Empire had risen to such a position. He had no interest in women and his position allowed him to have an entire harem of willing and beautiful males, but all this he had because of her and he never forgot that. “Indeed I do have good news. We successfully restored the assassin to life and he is in stasis and on his way.”

“How much of him remained?”

“Less than twenty percent, or mainly his brain and some of his spleen, but it was dead only four minutes and we successfully restored life to the brain without significant loss. We also have confirmation of the Kermac scientist we retained for this project that the Assassin has tremendous psionic powers.”

“I wish we would be able to learn more about these powers. Inform me when he arrives and we can begin to clone him a new and improved body.”

“He will be a perfect tool for your goal to raise your granddaughter to the throne.”

“Indeed!”

--””--

The general population of Sara also was not aware that a huge space ship of utterly alien design had appeared in their core system. However Saran military command had raised system wide alerts. Planet defense systems were activated and several of the largest battle barges were sent to intercept.

But as soon as visual contact was made, the ships were recalled and the planetary defense systems put on standby.

A messenger rushed into the throne room where the queen was holding court and slid on his knees over the polished black marble and crouched in deepest devotion before her.

The queen knew it was urgent and spoke loudly. “Speak freely messenger, your cause supersedes all.”

“Your majesty, the Harok has arrived and appeared without warning inside the seventh orbit and is approaching fast.”

“I doubt Saran obsesses weapons able to stop the Harok, but its appearance was expected. Its path shall not be obstructed.”

She then dismissed her current business and hurried in her chambers of state. “Sarun, summon my maids. Prepare the Falcon gown and send word that the Earthers to be brought to the palace!”

--””--

The Norwegian teenager was working out as if he was training for an iron man competition, he had just completed at least twenty laps in the pool and now bench pressed an improvised weight while lying on one of the benches that lined the pool. He puffed and groaned pressing another one of the heavy benches with Aoife sitting on it.

Melissa, Liu and Sofia were in the water having fun with a ball they tossed between them and Manjieet and Sarah, the Israeli girl.

Pierre Luc and Margit stood with open mouths and watched with frightened expression on their faces as Sergei balanced on the narrow handrail that separated the terrace from the stomach tightening abyss of the mega city below.

“My friends in Moscow do that all the time! You should check out the ‘You tube videos!’ “Sergei yelled seemingly without any distress.

Margit yelled back. “We don’t have any You Tube. We believe you though you can come down now.”

James and Edward had just arrived at the pool terrace both carrying trays with food. James held up his. “I found a dish that tastes just like good ol’ Brown soup.”

While Edward looked similar pleased. “I found out that there are food choices of other societies available. The Sarans conquered many other civilizations and have many colonies on distant planets.” He uncovered his tray and a very strong odor of something fatty wafted from it. He explained with a deep smile. “It isn’t Haggis but it’s the stuffed intestine of something and tastes great!”

Alice from Australia almost threw up, “Cover that! It stinks!” She and Rosa Perrero played with make-up boxes and tested different looks.

Ninuk and Buwunti had also just came in, Ninuk carrying the ′Namm and Pier′ game board and Buwunti the cloth sack with the game pieces. They had found a traditional non electronic version of the game and played it day and night.

Maria was sewing something. She loved sewing as it pleased her creative talents and calmed her nerves. It gave her hands something to do, while she was able to think about things. Atheer the girl from Saudi Arabia who hasn’t spoken more than maybe ten sentences in all her time away from Earth sat next to Maria and watched her progress closely. Maria held up the piece she was working on and said to Atheer. “I never made a Chador and I did it without a pattern, but I think this one is done. If you like it I can make a second one.”

Atheer slipped the turquoise thing over her head. It covered her face and left only her eyes visible. It was as if a switch was turned. The others could see the outlines of her lips turn to a smile and she started to talk like a waterfall. She told them how she was abducted from the roof top of her family’s house. How she felt frightened about everything. How intimidated and afraid she was without her veil in public. She actually hugged Maria and kept on talking.

Geng Khan the young man from Mongolia was another one of those who had not spoken much, but he slowly thawed and spoke a little more.

The others knew he had been raised in similar very primitive conditions than Buwunti, at least in the eyes of the kids raised in Western societies, but Melissa found that he knew more about horses than even she did, that he missed his family and the wide endless tundra of his home region. He told them about the nomadic and quite harsh life he and his family lived. About the never ceasing winds and the many names he had for each wind.

Right now he was sitting terrified at the rim of the pool, while Consuela was standing in it, the water up to her shoulders, telling him it would be safe.

She had tried for days to entice him into the pool. Geng who had never seen a pool or had any open water in his natural environment that was fit for swimming was terrified of the thought. He was certain he would drown, but his male ego could not overcome the fact that there were girls in the water doing just fine. Today he decided was the day he would try or drown trying.

Wolfgang leaned against the railing of the Terrace on the other end, partially watching Sergei’s daredevil escapades, partially looking over the skyline and working on something on his pad.

Pierre Luc sick to the stomach with fear for Sergei turned and asked Wolfgang. “What are you doing?”

“I am thinking about a Superhero name for Sergei. He seems to have the acrobatic skills of a non-super power superhero and could be a Real superhero for Sara! “He added. “And I would be the Genius designing his super hero gear!”

Sergei actually ran on the narrow hand rail and crouched down right before Wolfgang. “Amerikansk super hero eh? Not bad Idea! What you got so far?

“Terra Kid or perhaps Crimson Avenger hinting on the Red Square of course. Then I thought Siberian Wolf might be cool, with the powers and instincts of a wolf!” Wolfgang was in his element and basked in the attention of the Russian. He turned his pad and it showed a clearly artistic drawn version of the skyline and Sergei in a tight costume jumping of a roof top also rendered in a very cool looking comic book style drawing.

Sergei snatched the Data-Com from Wolfgang. “This is awesome, German! You have captured me very vell!”

--””--

Aaron more and more embraced the female aspects of his outer appearance, and was wearing a long hair version of the latest wig fashion, female day fashion and full make up. He and Yoko, dressed almost identically strolled arm in arm along one of the business streets not too far from the Gukhuthum. Their guardians allowed them to leave the place, as long as they would be reachable.

The Saran officials had little concerns about Aaron and Yoko, they both blended in well and embraced the Saran culture. Most people would think of them as Sarans from a distant colony. Maybe at awe about Sara, new to the center of the Empire with all its awe inspiring grandeur, but Sarans no less.

It was also quite close to the truth. They both enjoyed their new lives and Aaron had to remind himself to be sad about his father, because inside he felt ashamed how little he was thinking of home and how much he was thinking about his future here and perhaps with Yoko.

They both of course spoke Saran now, but Aaron also made an effort to learn Japanese.

This business district was both similar to a busy street in Tokyo according to his Japanese girlfriend and that of a Moroccan bazaar. It featured both hyper modern businesses and tent stalls that could be found a thousand years ago in a medieval market.

There were no cars, no rickshaws or bicycles. There were elevated transparent tubes on pylons in the middle of the street and access ramps every 500 meters or so. The tubes itself featured, small open sided compartments that moved at a steady speed. From the access ramps idle compartments could be entered and the compartment would then link into the steadily moving stream. A similar tube right next to it allowed public transportation into the other direction. There were signs for businesses and there was very subtle advertisement. Nothing like the advertisement overload you could see in just about any city on Earth. I was especially apparent for a boy growing up in New York City.

Yoko who lived in Tokyo felt similar and pointed it out. “No one advertises except a cosmetic surgeon or something.” She pointed out a colorful sign with holographic projections of faces that appeared to be before and after images. The words read.” Unhappy with your face? Facial remodeling can help. Inquire within.

Aaron, ever conscious and unhappy about his enormous nose attracted to the sign, found the lift platform that took him and Yoko to a third tier mezzanine and directly to the business.

Inside a very beautiful Saran lady greeted them both. “Welcome to Face remodeling. She smiled at Aaron. “I can almost guess why you have chosen to consult us.”

“Can you do something about it and how much?”

“To make the complete change would be around 300 trade Units and you would be here for at least three hours.”

“You mean you can do it all in three hours?”

“Yes, unfortunately we cannot do it any faster, but we guarantee our work and it is virtually pain free.”

The guides had showed them how buying things worked the other day. So Aaron called up the pay and trade screen on his Data-Comm. “Let’s do it!”

Yoko said. “Can you make me bigger lips?”

“Of course, but I must say you are esthetically already perfect. Let us show you how it would look first.”

--””--

Mahmud was still convinced he was dead. He still felt nothing but he occasionally had the notion as if there was a voice, another presence. He tried to reach out but did not know how. He had no ears to hear and no voice to call. He tried anyway and there was an audible yell. He felt pain, but not his! Someone else’s pain! He was the cause of it. His call hurt someone. He called again, but there was nothing.

--””--

The Kermac scientist had stumbled back holding his head and then groaned painfully. He had been in the instrument filled room that was part of a very private laboratory and research facility, deep underneath the Mukummh palace.

Wathkamh, the former slave and closest advisor to the old bird. Stood behind a transparent view port and witnessed the incident. Other than the paper white Kermac there was a tube like tank in that room, filled with a greenish thick liquid. A human brain parts of a skull and a spine suspended by wires and hoses inside. Spider web like strings ran from the brain and if one looked closely, they shaped the outline of a human shape.

Wathkamh spoke into a voice pick up.” Fiesecsieb, are you hurt somehow?”

“I am fine now, but the specimen is psionic more powerful than I expected, much more! I believe you have obtained a Battle Telepath, one of the rarest and most dangerous individuals.”

“Can we shield ourselves against him?”

“I will obtain Kermac Mind shields for you and as discussed we will implant a safe guard.”

“You will be richly rewarded for your services.”

“I have no doubt it will be so.”

--””--

Guards and officials more or less flooded the pool facility and terrace. The same official they had learned was the Chief Chamberlain of the queen. Ushered them together and said. “The queen has summoned you all to the palace for urgent business!” He stretched his neck. “There are only twenty one, should there not be twenty three?”

One of the also present handlers and assistants said. “The Earthers Aaron and Yoko have received permission to leave the Gukhuthum. Both have consistently earner our trust and returned on time.”

“Her majesty summoned them to the palace!”

“They are reachable and I will call them.”

But only Yoko answered. “Aaron and I underwent cosmetic surgery. In my case it took only ten minutes, but Aaron is still in treatment. The attendant says twenty more minutes.”

--””--

The Harok entered an orbit around the planet, and moments later a smaller section detached and descended.

The ship had both technical artificial and organic aspects to its design and so did the smaller planet lander.

It had the appearance of a drop of tar with two extended pods of similar organic shape and panels of a bright glowing shade of purple.

It landed at the main port of Sara and the bright purple glow subsided somewhat.

--””--

The Saresii delegate was also on her way to the Saran main world.

While she was one of the oldest Saresii, part of the Council of Elders that led the Saresii society. A society, that valued harmony and perfection above all else. In a race of psionic gifted she was one of the most powerful Psionics. Unknown to most, she was also one who saw little value in perfection. She secretly preferred a little chaos, a little chance and unpredictable imperfection. To her, a wild flower was more beautiful than a pink Guhi, considered the most perfect flower ever created by Saresii genetic engineers.

Algera was married to a man from Earth, Phil Decker. A New York police detective who helped to uncover Project Warrior-Breed, a secret plot of the scheming Freons to create a genetic monster race, controlled by them, which would fight and defeat all the other societies for them. Phil Decker, Texas Ranger Peter Baker, a stranger named Wulf Starr and the truly enigmatic being called Dark Cloud fought and defeated the alien infestation underneath New York before it could spread. Events that unfolded just a few years ago. A tremendous fight that almost ended in a catastrophe remained completely unnoticed to the population of that planet.

It was during these events she had met Decker and fell in love. They had married and Phil had left Earth for her and was living with her on Sares One.

But Algera had fallen in love with planet Earth long before she had met Phil.

Many decades ago, the Saresii wanted to know more about this out of the way planet that was deemed of great importance to the Saran and the Pan

Saran empires, so she traveled and secretly inserted herself into various Earth societies and had studied them. It took a while for the cynical, aloft in her Saresii arrogance; elder of the Saresii council and psionic giant to admit to herself that she was hopelessly and deeply in love with this dirty, wild planet with its stubborn, ignorant but infinite creative and aggressive inhabitants.

Earth was in danger. The Freons kept plotting, the Xunx would soon awake. Maybe the Saran civil war would eventually spill onto Earth. Disregarding any pacts and tearing the world apart. There were the Kermac and a million other threats to a young and for the most part completely unaware society. Yet the Saresii as a whole would never listen to her advice or plea and spend resources or waste energy on such a primitive, unimportant society.

Algera always toyed with the idea to create a new Galactic Council; setting conditions for Pan Saran and Saran to find peace and perhaps reunite.

She leaned back and gazed onto the main screen allowing her to watch the approach to the Saran throne world from her comfortable cabin aboard the Yahseedrin star cruiser.

Saresii had only one class of ship, and this star cruiser like all Saresii ships was shaped like a flower pedal. With an iridescent mother of pearl pastel colored hull. It was much faster than the ships of the Sarans, because it did not rely on Trans-spatial jump technology, but was able to enter a hyper-spatial condition known as Quasi-Space. A buffer zone between two different time space conditions, infinite thin in terms of dimensional space, but without any time conditions and none of the luminal speed real space limitations. An expert explained it once to Algera in laymen terms.

Quasi Space and its relation to real space and hyperspace could be visualized as a soap bubble. A simple soap bubble separates the gases inside from the gases outside. Two different rooms, different conditions, separated by a layer of only a molecule thick wall of soapy water. Yet the gases inside remaining warmer than the outside, making bubbles rise and fly.

The analogy held very much true to real space and hyper space. Two completely different spatial and physical conditions. Or in other words there were certain conditions of space and time inside the bubble and certain conditions outside the bubble, but there are none of the limitations of either space continuum inside the thin and yet in terms of real space infinite wide layer that became known as Quasi space.

With the right technology and special instruments and sensors that allowed you to look “down” into real space you could theoretically navigate by sight, or in other words point the ships nose towards a star and accelerate at many hundred times the speed of light without any of the physical limitations of either side.

The complex quasi field generating engines accelerated and decelerated the ship and kept it in a multi-dimensional condition that neutralized time dilatation effects by taking real time along and allowed it to ignore the mass effects of gravitation. Thus accelerate and come to a stop much faster than any hyper jumper ever could. Smaller ships could even maneuver at much higher speeds.

In other words, this way of traveling FTL was much more advanced than jumping form gravity well to gravity well; accelerating for days and hours and decelerate at the exact same rate and time and energy consumption. However it relied also on something called super symmetry condition between a certain types of super exotic particles. One side of the particle was carried and created by the Quasi engine and the other was inside quasi space. Even the slightest error in calibration caused the bubble to burst and expose a traveling ship instantly to either hyper or real space. With truly terrible consequences.

This technology had been rediscovered by the Saresii for quite a while now, but it was still considered risky to commit to threshold speed. It was also many thousand times more energy consuming and expensive. It used Trans uranium elements in sun like nuclear fission reactors at a very high rate, limiting the range by the amount of fuel that could be carried.

The engines themselves, needed to be re-calibrated frequently by highly trained technicians and the calibration core had to be replaced after 5000 light years of use. It was a truly expensive and complicated technology.

But then the Saresii did not maintain a huge fleet and were a rich society that did not expand past their own solar system.

The commandant sent images of the Harok. She had to admit how intimidating this truly ancient ship looked, She did not know very much of its true nature. The Thirteen weren’t very forthcoming to any outsider, and even to her.

She was one of the lucky ones who had been chosen almost three centuries ago to take the trip aboard the Harok and learn and study under the guidance of the Thirteen on the World of Old.

The Saresii were an old species with much knowledge, yet compared to the Thirteen, it was not much.

She had grown in her powers, was taught to use them in new ways and she was made aware of many secrets. Secrets she would share with no one, but gave her insights and motivations that guided her decisions ever since.

The Saresii were once a galaxy spanning society with a huge empire of many thousand colonies.

After the great catastrophe, the darkest times in Saresii history, after they had lost the war against the Dark Ones, they lost all their colonies, abandoned all space exploration and for a long time abandoned all scientific research and interest in technology. All the knowledge and achievements of their once quadrant spanning empire were lost and forgotten. The Saresii had to restart their civilization.

That old age still dimly remembered in fragmented legends was called the First Age of Knowledge. Every once in a while an artifact of this great past was found; mostly decayed into clumps of unrecognizable metal things, that still garnered astronomical sums paid by wealthy collectors, by every known society hoping to restore it and unlock its technological secrets.

On the rarest of occasions, something of the past ages surfaced that was still functional and completely intact. Such a device had surfaced about twelve years ago and was offered for sale by auction at the famous ′Galactic Bazaar′ of the galactic merchants calling themselves ′the Golden.′

The Saresii council was deeply concerned, and even more so the secretive

Order of the Gray Cats who unknown to any outsider, protected caches of forgotten Saresii tech. The device was a fully functional ′Yathynhto’, a hand held scanning device that could detect and locate Psionic talents over considerable distance. What was even more disturbing, the party offering for sale remained anonymous, despite her efforts to unmask the culprit, a traitor within the highest ranks of Saresii society. That shadowy figure included instructions how to use the device and authenticated it by demonstration, the Yathynhto was genuine no doubt, and Algera had a chance to examine the recordings of the demonstration after the sale.

While it was just another artifact of a forgotten time to everyone, the ′guardians of the Hidden Vaults’, the ′Gray Cats of Sar′ knew the device and its true purpose. It was forbidden back then and assumed destroyed.

Phil her husband, was a detective and a police men with heart and soul and he voiced what Algera feared the most, the traitor was a ′Gray Cat’. A member of this almost mythical order that were the guardians of Saresii society and culture ever since the times of the fall.

Algera knew the Freons had won the auction long before she heard about the sale and was able to make it to the ′Golden Bazaar′ herself.

She also found out they had used it to locate psionic talents on Earth of all places.

Now the device was lost again. She assumed it was now in possession of the Sarans, but none of her mental probing and none of her Intel resources could tell her where the device was. It was imperative that it was recovered and returned into a hidden cache, because the ′Yathynhto′ could also be used to kill psionic talents from a distance. A terrible perspective especially to a species of psionic talents.

Being there to witness the Terran kids departure would give her a perfect cover to probe deep into Saran society and find the Yathynhto and equally important to uncover the identity of the thief.

One of her assistants came into her cabin disturbing her in her musings and said. “We will be landing at the main space port of ′Sara′ in about ten minutes. The Harok is in orbit and the shuttle of ′the Thirteen′ has already made planet fall.”

“Splendid, Karona. I look forward to exchange a few words with the queen.” she hoped the queen would let her examine whatever was taken from the Freon ship. Aloud she added. “I wonder how the thirty Terrans adapted to all this. It took Phil quite some time and he is an adult.I hope they didn’t get lost too much.”

Karona raised her shapely eyebrows. “So you haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

“The young Earthers almost caused a successful coup. Were part of a terror attack on the temple? One of them resembles a goddess or some other supernatural figure that can be found in one of their religious texts. They had been the focus of several assassination attempts. Furthermore they were responsible for reprogramming the tronics of the ′Samoteth war barge’. Successfully acquiring classified tech equipment and one of their group just became ′Namm and Pier′ grand champion. I think the Sarans are quite ready for the Thirteen to take them of their hands.” Karona smiled because of the surprised reaction of Algera and added. “It is the Pan Saran’s calling them Terrans. The Sarans prefer Earthers.”

Algera changed her expression into an impish smile as she draped the cloak of state around her shoulders. “I should have known. Terr ... I mean Earthers do look human but they are ... different.”

Karona nodded as she left. “Exactly and you should know you married one.”

--””--

They had found Aaron and Yoko and rushed them to the space port. Yoko had her eyes made a little bigger and now almost looked like a real life anime character ... and so did Aaron. Gone was his huge nose and the pronounced Adams apple. There was not a trace of beard grow in his face. While he still was recognizable, he was very androgynous. Almost feminine in appearance now, especially due to the wig and the make-up.

He felt more Saran than ever and secretly admitted he did not miss Earth one bit.

The two Saran officials who had accompanied them also commented very favorably on his new looks. They were much less forthcoming on the nature of the urgent matter.

Yoko kept staring at him.

“It is a little too much right?”

She shook her head. “You are perfect now!”

He blushed at that and asked the male Saran who was sitting next to them in the flyer behind the pilot. “Our destination is at the spaceport?”

“Yes, the others must be there already and of course out majesty the Queen.”

Aaron instantly understood. “We are leaving, right? We are going to this place called World of Old?”

The female pilot turned. “Yes Aaron of Earth. It is a great honor and you will learn much.”

He sounded more than gloomy when he said. “I just got started to get used to Saran society and culture.”

“You and your companion will be missed, but is not an exile. After your time at the world of old, you can go to many places and one of course will be Sara. I am Sinamapa Kethmmar, my aunt is commandant Moheepata of the Samoteth. She told me about you.”

Yoko blustered. “Your aunt is the Commander of a war barge and you must run errands?” She covered her mouth. “Sorry that was impolite.”

“I am an official of high rank in the government administration of Sara. You Earthers are important to the queen and you Aaron are important to the Kethmmar family.”

He felt quite honored and also knew that there was much more to it than she just mentioned. “So I can come back to Sara?”

“Of course! Once you come back from the World of Old, I would not be surprised if you would be offered to call yourself Aaron of Kethmmar.”

“I will do my best at the World of Old.”

“Before we join the others, the Queen herself would like to have a word with you.”

The flyer caught up with a bombastic gigantic floating air ship that reminded Aaron very much of the Sphinx, It was at least as big as the stone version on Earth. This flying version was mostly hollow like an open ship, with a pool and fountains, grassy areas and ornamental structures. Just like a floating princess garden.

The floater with Aaron and Yoko past through an opening hatch that revealed the almost reflection free transparent bubble that enclosed the seemingly open deck.

The Queen herself hushed the guards away and greeted Aaron very friendly. “It pleases me greatly that you embrace the Saran culture so proudly and openly.”

Aaron bowed deeply. “It is you who rescued us from a terrible fate. I interviewed one of the Freons after all.”

“Yes I heard, Moheepata had much good to say about you indeed. Forgo the requirements of palace etiquette and courtesy for the time being and join me for a little snack and a few words before we reach the others and the hour of your departure.”

The queen gestured to her face, as she looked at him closer. “I see you have changed your appearance. Not to insult your previous features, but it is a great improvement, very appealing indeed.”

Aaron blushed. “I too think it is, your majesty.”

One of the queen’s associates bowed before Yoko. “We obtained cultural items from an earth nation called Japan. We understand you are of that culture, would you assist me in the identification?”

Yoko was excited and out of instinct curtsied the Japanese way. “I would be delighted to do so.”

In her excitement she followed the woman, completely oblivious to the fact that Aaron was now alone with the queen.

“I am Turmeetha, and I am a scholar of Earth cultures. Sadly because of the treaty we can only study our lost sisters via the transmissions we receive whenever we are in that system.”

Yoko nodded. “I understand.”

“So when I heard you are leaving for the World of Old, I begged the Queen to have a chance to speak to you.” Turmeetha had led Yoko in a spacious room underneath the top deck. There on several tables were indeed Japanese articles displayed.

The guide explained. “A few of these things have reached us over the span of 3000 years. Most have been replicated from pictures and images and I am eager to learn their significance.”

Yoko was in heaven as she explained Kimonos, tea sets, kirigumi, fans and other distinctive Japanese artifacts to the woman that soaked it up and only interrupted her with very good questions. Her happiness could not have been greater when the woman told her she could take whatever replicated item she wanted.

She was not sure how much time had elapsed as she rejoined Aaron, wearing a kimono and carrying a big bag of things, including a samurai sword. “Aaron!” She exclaimed happily. “See what I got!”

The queen actually had her hand on Aaron’s shoulder and smiled at Yoko. “When you and Aaron come back from the World of Old, you must show me how to wear this, I love to try this charming garment.”

“Oh I will your Majesty. We will come back?”

“You and Aaron are most welcome to do so. You will have a great future ahead of you I am certain.”

Moments later Aaron and Yoko had re boarded the small flyer and went ahead to rejoin the others.

The flyer swooped into an elegant building at the edge of a spaceport landing field. Just before they passed inside he saw the two strange and alien looking space ships outside. To him Saran design was somewhat exotic, but not alien. He had clear references to old Egypt and despite much of the futuristic technology, it was not strange. The ships out there were.

The flyer landed on a marble floor, not very far from the other Earthers and a group of apparently nervous officials.

The building so it appeared to Aaron was a place somewhere between airport concourse and mega corporation lobby, but without the advertisement or the crowds such places on Earth would have. There were white cube like pedestals here and there displaying pieces of Saran art and things that looked like archeological artifacts. One of the walls was transparent from floor to the distant ceiling and gave a great view over the landing field and the two alien space craft.

The sleek pedal shaped one was substantially bigger than the ugly black one, but not as big as the Samoteth. To Aaron it looked as if it was made of semitransparent orange carnival glass. It had a mother of pearl shine to it. There were no visible weapons, no view ports or antenna of any sort. He wasn’t even sure which end was aft and which was the bow. It rested on a single landing strut.

The alien ship, Aaron could not help himself making the analogy, the outer appearance of a piece of black dog dodo. It had no clear or straight lines. Its surface seemed like molten and burnt plastic with smooth panels of dark glowing purple. There also were no visible equipment extensions, weapons or something like that.

The thing hovered a few feet of the ground without any landing struts.

As they approached the others, Wolfgang was the first to notice him. “Was im Himmel ... is that you Aaron?”

“Yes that’s me. I decided to get rid of that ugly snot nose of mine.”

Aoife nodded approvingly. “While I am no longer sure what to call you, but it is an improvement.”

Sofia shrugged. “Yeah it is nice, but I think you lost character. I think the big nose made you unique. But you are very pretty now.”

Melissa came closer. “Well they did a fantastic job, you went for more than the nose I can see and Yoko had some work done too.”

“Yes, not so much but it was fast and not expensive.”

Margit actually touched his nose. “Did it hurt?”

“Not a bit.”

Sergei formed invisible female breasts before his own chest. “I think you forgot something, Pretty boy.”

Aaron seemed not offended just looked Sergei down. “Eventually I will command a Space barge of my own, and if this is what it takes...”

James looked around. “Much looks like right out of a retro science fiction, some things are just a little more modern, but the fact remains they are technologically far advanced. I wonder for quite a bit about their medical advances.”

Manjieet also examined Aaron and Yoko closer while she commented on James statement. “Yes they are. I have not seen any handicapped person or any wheel chairs.”

Sigurd crossing his sizeable arms, exposing the sinew of his underarms shrugged. “Maybe they are not allowed to life.”

Wolfgang said. “Maybe they have something like Soylent Green.”(*)

Sarah curious came closer.” Soylent what? “Doesn’t anyone watch classic Sci Fi?”

While Aaron tried to explain Wolfgang’s movie reference to Sarah. James shook his head. “I don’t think so. They are a Monarchy and apparently the death penalty still exists, but they are not a dictatorship.”

Maria frowned at that. “Monarchy or dictatorship, what is the difference. One guy says what is the law and the others must do it or get killed.”

Their discussion was cut short as seven Sarans, quite apparently of the same age group appeared from an elevator and marched towards them and joined their group as if they belonged.

However before anyone could make any remarks. A pompous golden air ship of enormous proportions and ornate decoration swooped down from the sky and landed before the building. Elite soldiers running in military precision taking position in long rows, made it clear to everyone the queen herself had arrived.

That it was also some kind of official event with news media coverage was also evident in the throngs of media people flooding into the previously vast, tranquil and spacious environment. Filling it with a sense of urgency and importance and a wall of noise.

Their approach was halted by a row of elite soldiers in gleaming armor that moved like a living wall between the Earth teens and the news hounds.

Blaring music, a rousing tune played on flutes and harps by very scantily clad males and females, followed by even more revealing dressed dancers, that filled the air with a flutter of artfully swirled veils and a very sweet heavy, to Aoife’s nose oriental perfume. The musicians and dancers walked down a wide red and blue carpet that had materialized somehow moments before and stretched all the way out to the royal conveyance.

Aaron estimated the carpet to be at least a mile long. Giving testimony just how big the flyer of the queen really was.

Towering muscle clad brutes with huge tusks protruding from their lower lips, with dark green skin wearing futuristic armor holding black Naludian war cats, wearing partial upper body armor with metal spikes on thick chains, followed the dancers.

A square of armored soldiers with banners and golden anachronistic looking armor marched in perfect unison behind these impressive brutes. Then more dancers and a large group of temple priests carrying statues of the gods.

Finally sitting in all her splendor and a cape that mimicked the wings of a bird, the queen herself. Carried by a multitude of male slaves with oiled bodies. The contraption, appearing to be a copy of her Falcon throne looked like it was weighing many tons.

A voice boomed and announced the queens’ presence. Margit noticed that everyone was kneeling, except the Earthers’. She smirked as she corrected her own thoughts. Aaron and Yoko were kneeling as well.

The queen came down in graceful moves and stepped before the assembled teenagers. She gathered her cape in a dramatic, regal move and with raised chin she addressed the news crowd. “The Thirteen exalted have sent the Harok to bestow great honors, much knowledge and wisdom upon these orphans of our lost sisters on that primitive world called Earth.”

She paused, but no one dared to speak. So she continued. “Twenty three Earthers and seven Saran will now travel to the World of Old and receive education that surpassed even that of Saran.”

Out of thin air a tall female figure appeared next to the queen, clad in a peach colored velvet cloak with open faced hood. The queen did not seem to be alarmed and gestured with an open hand towards the woman. “Greetings to the ambassador and representative of the Saresii. It is by Saresii council these arrangement was made.”

The Saresii brushed back her hood and revealed a porcelain face that made Aoife look tanned and solid. The Saresii had soft pink hair that was parted in the middle and fell down at both sides of her human yet very alien face.

Aaron and the rest were mesmerized. She was clearly human in every aspect of proportion but to them she somehow appeared more alien than the gray Freons.

The Saresii inspected them with a long intensive stare and then turned to the media people and their image takers. “With great pleasure do I receive this great honor? To be welcome by her majesty the queen herself at this magnificent world and seat of great power.

I am Algera Soneri of Sares One. I came to see the Terran ... I mean the Earth Youth to board the Harok.”

From the alien drop shaped ship, three shapes appeared directly underneath and approached, not walking but still moving, as if on an invisible conveyor.

All three wore obscuring cloaks, of the same design, the cloaks clearly obscured non-human beings. The dark gray fabric and the helmet like hoods of the other two were draped over non-human, alien shapes.

A cold wind seemed to accompany the three as they silently approached.

All three spoke in a chorus like manner and with a slight metallic echo. “We are sent by the Exalted to gather those who earned to be raised upon the Mount of Wisdom and understanding. We ask for permission of the Queen to do gather the chosen.”

Melissa was not exactly happy about the events and the prospect to go with yet another group of aliens to a place she knew nothing about. “Do they really expect us to go with these disguised scarecrows to God knows where. No one asked for what purpose. Are we sold maybe?”

Aaron turned only his head. “It seems to be a group of nonaffiliated very old teachers of sorts. It is clear they are highly regarded.”

Melissa snapped. “You are from New York, no wonder all this gay and esoteric crap appeals to you. Maybe you don’t care what is going to happen to us, but ever since that gray freak show messed up our lives we have not been asked what we want.”

Sofia was split in her feelings and said. “I agree with you, Melissa from Texas. No one asked us, but I don’t think anyone really asked them to take us either.”

“If they hadn’t interfered, I would have forced those gray bastards to turn around. They would be scientific curiosities and we be famous and home.”

James sighed. “I am not so sure. Even if you managed to force the Freons to take us back to Earth, I think we be in some sort of government lock up. I read the stories about Area 51 and Roswell. I know there had been such incidents in England. I think there are authorities on Earth who know full well about Aliens and keep it quiet from everyone else!”

Wolfgang sighed. “The Freons could have increased gravitation or reduced it as easily as the Sarans did after our first escape attempt. I applaud your initial success but I am not convinced you could blasted and forced your way back to Earth as easily as you thought it would be. Logic dictates that the Sarans did safe us. I do not like it but Germany for example would not go to war against let’s say Iran for the sake of thirty German hostages. The Sarans are part of a greater space faring community so it appears. Their reasoning for not taking us back might not be to our liking, but it is reasonable.”

Sergei spat. “Vladimir would bomb Iran to atomic dust for the sake of Russian citizens!”

Manjieet looked at him. “Are you sure? Would he bomb China?”

Sergei crossed his arms. “I don’t like it to be toy of everyone.”

Melissa once more paid attention to the proceedings and heard the Saresii say. “Once they completed this journey of scholastic indoctrination they are highly respected councilors and ambassadors at all worlds of the diverse and often adverse Galactic Council. Welcome of course on Sares as on Saran worlds.”

The media people of Saran did not act like similar professionals of western societies on Earth but more like as if they would cover a North Korean event.

They were quiet and recorded the event.

The queen spoke. “Make us proud and return much wiser. Maybe you become voices for your own world or lend it to advance our civilization. RA may shine his light upon your path, farewell!”

Chapter 14 »