The Secret of Mars

Princess Mary laid in her capsule, trying to get comfortable. She wished there was somewhere else she could sleep, but unless she wanted to sleep on a bare rock, this was as good as it got. At least the capsule was warm, probably heated by a reaction to her body heat. As she laid there, she wondered how much longer she would remain inside FarCore. Or how long she had already been inside? As far as she knew, years could have passed by. Were they still looking for her? Or had they given up, gone home, left her alone on Mars? No, she couldn’t think of that. That would mean her situation was hopeless. And she refused to believe that. The Orbs did not bring her inside just to bury her forever in FarCore. There had to be a way.

A strange noise caught her attention. A crackle. She sat up and listened, straining her ear. There it was again, like kindling wood crackling on an open fire. When it sounded for the third time she got a bearing and leaped from the capsule. She scurried across the floor toward the broken Window of Universes, then stopped just as the sound did. Several minutes went by, and there was no sound. Thinking she imagined it, she turned to return to the capsule. Crackle! There it was again, a louder, longer crackling sound. She rushed to the window and held her ear alongside it and waited. This time it was a short wait for soon several more crackling sounds were audible. Did the far end of the broken glass pane seem clearer? Then she held her breath, not even sure her heart was still beating. There was movement on the other side. As the crackling intensified, she could make out more of a shadowy figure.

“Here, I’m in here,” she yelled, pounding on the glass.

“No, Your Highness,” Weenow screamed, grabbing both of Mary’s hands. “Don’t do that.”

“Let me go. There is someone on the other side,” Mary shouted. “We have to let them know I’m here. It might be Dattwa or Amber.”

“You must not pound on the glass, Mary,” Weenow instructed, forcefully holding onto her wrists. “If by some chance someone is on the other side trying to repair the window, the vibrations of your pounding could rebreak it. Or worse yet, completely shatter it. And then there would be no chance of fixing it.”

When Weenow released her hands, Mary pulled them into herself, now fearful to even touch the delicate glass. “You don’t think I hurt it, do you?”

“No, I believe you stopped in time.”

Windar and Hygone dropped tiny droplets of their blood onto the broken Mars’ window, their eyes wide in amazement as the pane of glass crackled as it sealed and repaired the fractures that ran across it. Barook had pulled Mars’ window within six feet of Europa’s, making the journey a very short one for Windar. To ensure that she did not accidentally float away or was unable to return, ropes connected her to at least two Oonocks and the Table of Orbs. An additional lifeline connected her to Hygone, an added piece of security Queen Europa insisted upon.

The healing of the window was slow. Windar could only remain inside the Expanse for five minutes, after which she needed at least three to four hours to rest. Gardawyn gave her a special vitalizing drink to help combat the effects of her exposure to the elements and conditions of the dimensionless void, but her body was still exhausted. Despite the slow progress, all were thankful they were at least making some.

“Two more drops, Windar. It is time for you to return to FarCore and rest,” Hygone announced, seeing Prince EJ give the signal it was time to return.

“Okay,” a weary Windar replied, squeezing her fingers for the last two drops. Suddenly, from seemingly nowhere, a shadow crossed behind the broken glass. Before Windar could withdraw her hand, she felt the glass brush up against her fingers as the window bowed outward, recracking the newly repaired section.

“Get her out of there,” EJ shouted, fearing that the hand that had reached through the obelisk on Mars and tried to take Anew was now trying to do the same to Windar. Instantly, the two soldiers pulled on the ropes, but their movements were too quick, too powerful. The window did not have time to adjust to the rope being pulled and sealed itself, thus cutting the three lines in two. Windar desperately clawed at the window trying to grab onto something, anything, to keep herself from floating out into the Expanse. But there was nothing to grab on to. The plate of glass was too smooth, and the window frame on the inside the Expanse was flat with no width. Soon, Windar’s fingers were clawing at the air, inches from the window and drifting further away.

EJ picked up one of the ropes and began to tie it around his waist quickly. “Skiquam, tie that other rope around my ankle.”

“Where do you think you are going, Your Majesty?” Ospree asked, watching the frantic prince.

“Where do you think?” he shouted. “I have to go in there and get Windar.”

“I am sorry, Prince EJ, but I cannot allow that,” Ospree stated. “If you try to go through the window it will either severe the rope again, or this time, possibly you. It is too dangerous, and I cannot allow it.”

“But.” EJ knew Ospree was correct. It was too dangerous for him to go inside. He helplessly watched as Windar drifted further into the Expanse.

“Do not worry, Prince EJ, I will get her,” EJ heard Hygone shout within his head. “Have Gardawyn standing by. He may be needed. She has been in the Expanse for too long.”

Fearing the worse, EJ and the others watched as Hygone transformed into a winged creature. She began to pull on the rope that united the two while flying toward the now unconscious Windar. It was only two minutes before she had Windar in her arms. She gently wrapped her middle and bottom wings around her, shielding her from the effects of the Expanse. As the group outside watched, they saw a golden glow surround Hygone as she used the Orbs’ powers to breathe life back into their beloved ambassador. Using her top wings, Hygone propelled herself back toward the window. As soon as she reached it, she opened her wings and pushed Windar through into EJ’s waiting arms.

“Is she alive?” EJ asked, looking down at the still body.

“Barely,” Hygone said, transforming back into the familiar octopus and climbing through the window. “Hurry, lay her on the floor. Skiquam, hold her legs. Ospree, hold her arms. Prince EJ, get her a glass of water.”

EJ looked around wondering where he was going to get some water. FarCore didn’t have such things. Realizing he would have to go back into the Estate, he hurried down the corridor toward the portal. When he reached the Model of the Planets, he encountered Forbee returning with Gardawyn.

“Quick, Forbee, Windar needs water,” EJ shouted. Forbee immediately turned around and went for the water.

Hygone titled Windar’s head back and opened her mouth. “Hold her very tightly,” she instructed Skiquam and Ospree. She then used the knife to make another small incision in her hand. Holding her palm over Windar’s mouth, she allowed two small drops of her blood to drip inside and down the Oonock’s throat. Immediately, Windar’s body began to convulse violently, making it almost impossible for the two soldiers to keep ahold of her.

Upon seeing Windar shaking, EJ and Gardawyn rushed over. Immediately, Gardawyn scanned her body, trying to determine what was happening.

“She will be okay in just a moment,” Hygone stated, as the convulsions began to subside. Windar’s eyes fluttered as she regained consciousness, then opened. She looked at everyone, wondering how she ended up on the floor. And why Skiquam and Ospree were holding her down. Once they let her go, she sat up and tried to talk, but nothing came out. “Do you have the water, Prince EJ?”

“Yes, it’s right here,” Forbee replied, swimming as fast as he could with the glass of liquid, holding his hand over the top to keep it from mixing with the lilac water.

“Thank you,” Hygone stated, taking the glass of water from Forbee. The soldier watched as the Ancient carried the liquid over to Windar, amazed that the water neither flowed out nor did the lilac water mix with it. “Here, Windar, drink this. It will make you feel better.”

Windar took the glass of water and drank it. She could feel it sliding down her throat and into her stomach, spreading out across her body, legs, and arms. It was a cold feeling of moisture replenishing her body, restoring it back to its original form, repairing the tissues Hygone’s blood had altered.

“Do you feel better?” Hygone asked.

“Yes, I feel fine,” Windar stated, opening her wings and rising into the water. “Who knew a drink of water could make one feel so good. I kind of feel like a creek. The water of a mountain stream is coursing through my veins instead of blood.”

Even though she was not obligated to, Hygone felt a further explanation was needed. “That is because my blood that passed down your throat was energy, for that is my real self. It restored your life, but at the same time, stripped you of much of the liquid your body needs to exist. The water is replenishing that fluid, flowing through your network of blood vessels, returning your body to its proper consistency.”

EJ looked at Gardawyn for confirmation. “The recorder says there’s nothing wrong with her.”

“Will there be any side effects?” EJ asked.

“She will probably live longer than she would have, possibly by another five or six thousand years,” Hygone stated. “Possibly more. And she should be able to channel the Orbs’ power more efficiently and accomplish greater things. She may even be able to speak with them. Or talk with the other Ancients.”

“Will I be able to heal like Queen Europa, Prince EJ, and the Princesses do?” an excited Windar asked, suddenly feeling full of life and energized.

“That I do not know,” Hygone stated. “No Oonock has ever received such a gift before. There is no way to tell if there will be changes in you or what those changes might be. Queen Europa, Prince EJ and Princesses Mary and Amber can heal because they have a deep connection with the Orbs and can channel their powers. You, however, now have two drops of the Ancients’ blood living inside you. While we Ancients can heal, I do not know if it will give you such powers. But I do know this. The Ancient blood that is inside you is eternal, as a part of you always will be.”

“Does that mean my children will be part Ancient too?” Windar asked, thinking of the possibilities.

“Again, I have no way of knowing,” Hygone replied. “But that is another possibility. The Ancient’s blood will continue to spread through your body and enter every cell until it lives in every part of you. So, since your younglings will contain your cells, it is logical to assume they will be part Ancient.”

“We may have just witnessed the birth of a new being,” Gardawyn stated. “A new form that is a combination of Oonock AND Ancient.”

Just as fast as Windar’s energy came, it left, making her float back down to the floor, too exhausted to even sway her wings to keep afloat.

“She needs lots of rest,” Hygone instructed Gardawyn. “And as much food as you can get down her. As I stated, my blood will continue to spread through her, robbing her cells of their moisture. She must keep replenishing the moisture in her body. At least one or two glasses of liquid each hour, even through the night. She must be awakened to take her water.”

“And if she does not?” a curious EJ asked.

“The energy in my blood will dry her cells until they become dust,” Hygone said. “She will die from the inside out.”

“How long must she keep up this water regiment?” Gardawyn asked.

“At least two weeks,” Hygone replied. “And she should recover at the Complex, not the Estate. Her outside body needs the constant moisture.”

EJ bent down to lift the exhausted Windar into his arms. Skiquam stepped forward. “I’ve got the Little Tadpole, Your Majesty.” He scooped Windar into his arms.

“That’s what King Kiijon and Monarch Earon always called me,” Windar whispered, giving the large soldier a smile.

Skiquam leaned down and whispered, “That’s what all of us call you. We just never let you know that we did. Especially now that you’re a mature female.”

“Forbee, tell Medi that I am going to accompany Windar down to the Complex,” EJ ordered. “And ask her to send a message to Ragjaw informing him that Windar was taken to the Complex to recover from, ah, from.”

“An unusual incident?” Ospree suggested.

“Yes, an unusual incident,” EJ said.

“Not Ragjaw,” Windar silently whispered, barely having the strength to make her words heard. “He’s too busy. I’m okay.”

“He is never too busy to be with the one he loves when she needs him,” EJ replied. But Windar did not hear her prince, for she was sound asleep.

“You said Hygone said she must rest for two weeks?” Europa asked, hoping she heard wrong.

“That is correct,” EJ replied.

“Then I guess we will have to postpone the window repair for two weeks, or until Windar is up to the task again,” Europa firmly stated.

“Mattwa, we cannot delay the repair for two weeks,” EJ objected.

“Well, who is going to do it? Certainly not you!”

“We have been over this before, Mattwa,” a frustrated EJ stated. “I am the only other one qualified to be in the Expanse. I am the only option.”

“Tell him, Kiijon,” Europa said. “Order your son.”

“I’m afraid, My Love, that EJ is right,” Kiijon said, seeing the anger rise in his mate’s face. “And you know he is too. If that was EJ or Misso lost on Mars, you would be at that window even now, in your implanted condition, repairing that window. And before you decide to argue with me, remember when you were implanted with Misso on Europa. You engaged Lady SaaTeek in war and almost got you and our unborn daughter killed.”

Europa remained silent. Kiijon’s argument was undeniable. Just as she was willing to sacrifice her life to save her son and people, she had to allow EJ to do the same. She had to step back and let her son be the adult that he was, the future king he would be. Together, they would face a parent’s greatest fear – the possible loss of a child. “Make it so,” she quietly said, praying she would not come to regret the words.

“Any word yet?” Amber asked as she stepped into the renovated Observation Lounge. She didn’t know why, but the new window somehow appeared bigger than the old one.

“The workers are attempting to open the hatch door now,” Tong replied, hovering just above Glock’s shoulder.

“So they decided not to try to get the bay door open?” Gart asked.

“They thought it better to open up the smaller door first, to help with any pressure problems,” Earon answered. “Plus, it is less likely to have a booby-trap attached to it.”

“A booby-trap?” a concerned Amber asked. Her Uncle Jeanip and Swaybuk were out there. “No one said anything about there being a trap.”

“It makes sense, Amber, that your enemy would rig their ships with explosives to make no one could board it,” Gart stated. “That’s standard military practice. I’m surprised they didn’t blow it up when it was stranded here.”

“Normally I would agree,” Tong said. “But since this starship was in space and had no intention of coming down to Mars, I would guess there are no booby-traps.”

“Care to make a wager on that?” Gart asked.

“I see you have learned the ways of the humans,” Tong chuckled. “How about five grackins?”

“I’ll double that,” Gart said.

“How about fifteen?” Earon asked.

Amber leaned close to her uncle, placing her arm on his. “Uncle, how much is a grackin?” she whispered.

“A grackin equals three dollars and sixteen cents, if I am not mistaken,” Earon answered. “So five grackins would be fifteen dollars and eighty cents.”

“I will wager five also,” Amber proudly announced. “Five grackin that there are no explosives or booby-traps.”

“That will cost you ten grackin, Princess,” Gart explained. “Five for the explosives and five for the booby-trap.”

“Oh, so ten grackin,” Amber sighed. She turned to PiePie and silently asked, “Do I have ten grackin?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” PiePie answered, smiling. “You could even go as high as your uncle and wage fifteen.”

“I think I had best stay at ten.” Confident she would win, Amber announced, “Ten it is.”

“They’ve got the door off,” Staybo announced. Immediately, everyone pressed up against the window using their spying glasses to see what was going on.

“I wish we could see better,” Amber said. “Or better yet, be out there. At least a little closer. It is so hard to see what they are doing.”

“In just a few short minutes, you should have no problem seeing at all, Your Majesty,” Staybo announced, as he turned his screen around for everyone to see. There, as plain as day, was a now-opened door, beyond which was total blackness. “I attached a video camera to Quigbee’s suit. We’ll be able to see everything they see. Your uncles have them also.”

“So does that mean I won the bet?” a thrilled Amber asked.

“Technically only half, Your Majesty,” Jazee replied. “There were no explosives, but there could still be booby-traps inside.”

“Inside? I have to worry about inside too?”

“Amber, I must remember to tell your father that you need some combat training,” Earon chuckled. “You certainly do not know the first thing about waging war.”

“No, and I never want to,” Amber defiantly stated. “War is in our past, not our future.”

“While that may be true, Amber, this starship IS from your past,” Tong replied. “And it is here in your future. Your Uncle is right. You need to be skilled in the art of warfare for occurrences such as this. One never knows when such knowledge may be necessary.” Glock grunted – twice.

“What did he say?”

“He also agrees,” Tong translated. “Their young are taught such things before they can even talk. And they have not fought a battle for at least ten thousand years.”

Seeing the disapproving look on Amber’s face, Gart took her hand and lifted it to his lips, softly kissing it. “It is something a leader should know.”

“Hey, can you guys see me?” asked Jeanip, as his face appeared on the screen. He was standing in front of Swaybuk facing directly into his camera.

“I have you, Monarch Jeanip,” Staybo replied. “We’re getting a clear picture.” So that everyone would know what they were seeing, Staybo explained that Swaybuk’s camera was the image on the top left, followed by Anew’s on the right. Beneath Anew’s was Jeanip’s with Quigbee in the lower left and Soojay’s in the bottom right.

“Soojay and I will go in first,” they heard Quigbee announce. “Then you, Your Majesty, then Anew. Swaybuk, you bring up the rear.”

“Okay, let’s go in,” Jeanip announced.

As the five entered the starship, all eyes in the Observation Lounge were on the five separate screens. It was very dark inside making it impossible to tell if they were in a small hallway or the actual hangar.”

“Can you give us any more light?” Earon asked.

“Sorry, our lights don’t shine that far out,” Jeanip replied. “Quigbee, can you and Soojay pan your lights around so we can see where we are?”

As commanded, the two soldiers took their lights and swept the room. On the screen were darkened images of a wall, some cargo boxes and then several speeders.

“Looks like we’re inside the hangar,” Quigbee announced. He panned his light past the speeders and followed a yellow line down the floor. It led to another wall at the opposite end. “There appears to be a panel up ahead. It might be a control box. Maybe I can get us some real light.”

“Make it so,” Jeanip replied. “But go slow. There still could be traps in here.”

“Or other creepy, crawly things,” Anew said.

“Even in here, Anew, I think Mars is lifeless,” Swaybuk said, hoping to calm her fears. Anew was fearless except when it came to spiders. She had a huge fear of them.

Slowly, the team made their way across the hangar to the other side, stepping over various forms of debris. Those left behind watched anxiously, barely breathing as the drama unfolded across the screen.

Glock gave a usual grunt. “I agree,” Gart stated. “He said next time you need to bring a larger screen.”

“Staybo, can you see this?” Quigbee asked, aiming his camera at a large metal box hanging on the wall. “Do you think this could be the controls?”

“If I had to take an educated guess, I’d say yes,” Staybo replied. “Or the lever to crush you all.” No one except Staybo laughed.

“Uncle, do you think that after all this time the control panels would still work?” Amber asked.

“If this is a Terrian ship and they used bendicor as we surmised, the power source should still be energized,” Earon answered. “Bendicor’s power does not diminish over time.”

Staybo touched the screen and enlarged Quigbee’s feed, hiding the others. As the door to the panel opened, they saw a series of switches.

“Swaybuk, speeders and hangars are more your expertise,” they heard Jeanip say. “Which is the correct switch?”

“As we’ve mentioned before, JeffRa would not have had time to redesign his ships,” Swaybuk answered. “He would have followed his usual aircraft blueprints. Therefore, I believe you should move the second and third switches from the right.”

“Staybo, what do you think,” Jeanip asked.

“I go with what Swaybuk suggests,” Staybo replied.

“Make it so,” Jeanip said. As the screen returned to all five feeds, they saw Quigbee reach out and flip the second and third switches. Immediately, the screen was filled with blinding light as the power came on.

“Holly crap!” they heard Soojay say.

“What?” Earon asked. “What are you guys seeing? All we see is bright lights.”

“Give me a minute, Your Majesty,” Staybo stated. “I have to adjust for the new lighting. I had the dials set to night vision.” He turned several knobs and moved levers. “There, I think that should do the trick. Yes, I can see Quigbee now.”

“Swaybuk, turn and sweep the area so we can see what you see,” Earon ordered.

“You guys are not going to believe this,” Swaybuk said as he swept his camera slowly across the hangar. There, tied to the floor, as new as the day they were built, were three aircraft of a never-before-seen design. Each one glimmered in the light as if made of thousands of twinkling stars.

“What are they?” Amber asked.

“Some kind of advanced airships, I think,” Swaybuk replied.

“How did JeffRa ever build them?” Earon asked. “I do not even recognize the metal there are made of.”

“I’m not sure he did, Earon,” Jeanip replied. “They appear to be way past what we were, or still are, capable of designing and building.”

“Perhaps he found them,” Gart stated.

“A possibility,” Jeanip said, stepping toward one of the ships. He reached out his hand and ran it across the skin of the ship. It was like glass. He so wished he could remove his glove and touch the ship, feel its texture. Since he couldn’t feel the outside, he decided to look at the inside and hoisted himself up on what appeared to be a side step into the cockpit, which was partially open. Reaching his hand inside, he effortlessly opened the windshield. Glock let out several grunts. “No need to translate. I’ll be careful, Glock. If you guys thought the outside was impressive, wait until you see the inside.” Jeanip moved his camera to record the inside of the cockpit.

“Jeanip, your camera must be malfunctioning,” Earon stated. “We do not see anything except for a seat. Maybe you are too close.”

“Oh, it’s not malfunctioning,” Jeanip said. “That’s all there is inside – a seat. No controls, no steering stick, nothing.”

“How could anyone possibly fly one of these things?” the small group heard Swaybuk ask.

“Maybe JeffRa didn’t finish designing them,” Soojay commented.

“As Monarch Jeanip suggested, JeffRa did not create these ships,” Anew said, standing in the front of the strange craft and looking at its hull. All eyes averted to Anew’s screen and saw what she was looking at, a unique, unknown emblem.

“Staybo, can you enlarge Anew’s screen?” Earon asked. Staybo brought Anew’s image to full screen, revealing the mark. It was a long, black triangle with three objects to the left of it, starting just below the tip’s height and descending downwards. The top mark was a blue circle. The middle was a red star. And the bottom was a green circle.

“Is that a Terrian sign?” Amber asked.

“None that I’ve ever seen,” Jeanip answered, also now staring at the mark. “Anew, could it be an Ancient sign?”

“Not to my knowledge. But I have seen it before. I just don’t remember where,” Anew answered.

“Jeanip, perhaps you and the others should return to the Settlement,” Earon suggested. “We will contact the Complex and Hygone and see if they know what this symbol is.”

“We might not get another shot at this, Earon,” Jeanip replied. “So far we have met no aggression. If Mary is hidden inside, or if the means to free her exists, we need to find it now.” Jeanip looked at Swaybuk.

“I agree, Your Majesties,” Swaybuk stated. “Let’s explore as deep and as far as we can. As Jeanip said, this may be our only chance.”

“Okay, but I want you out of there at the first sign of danger,” Earon said.

“Will do,” Quigbee answered.