Twin Earth

“Mochuvia?” I whispered, clambering to my feet and staggering backwards. “Why all the pictures? Where is my friend? What have you done with her?” I exclaimed, collecting my senses.

“Tom, it’s fine,” Rachel replied running over.

“What the hell is going on?” I mumbled quietly to her as she gently hugged me. “Who are these people?”

“We are human, just like you,” a man replied walking over to us. “I am sorry if you felt threatened in any way. We had to make sure you were not contaminated by the sphere.”

“The sphere?” I asked confused, pulling Rachel behind me as I assessed our position.

“You do not need to be afraid,” the man replied.

“Afraid? One of you practically dragged us here.”

“If he had not, you would be dead. The outer environment is not suitable for long expeditions, even for us. We have to wear protective cloth that reduces the moisture in our lungs and keeps us cool.”

“Is that why it’s so cold in here?” I replied.

“You find it too cold? I am sorry, we do not have recent experience of what is a suitable climate for your people,” the man replied, looking behind him and lifting his hand slowly in the air to another one of his kind. “There, do you find that more comfortable?”

I was surprised to feel the icy chill in the air alleviate and I was relieved to finally stop shivering.

“Err... yes I guess so, but who are you people? And why all the pictures? Where did the room go?” I rambled.

“Tom, it’s okay, they’re kind people. You don’t need to be so defensive.”

“How do you know?” I growled softly under my breath.

“Again, I apologise if you found our language room uncomfortable. We try to keep it simple so as not to frighten different species. We ask that you speak the names of the pictures so that we can decipher your language, for communication. That is how you can hear me now, in your own language.”

“So, you’re not speaking English?”

“No.”

“Then what are you speaking?”

“Our language is a mix of ancient Earth’s languages and dialects that have changed over thousands of years. It would be incomprehensible for you to try and understand it so quickly.”

“He has a point Tom, you never even bothered to learn Japanese,” Rachel giggled.

“You seem surprisingly chirpy Rachel considering what has just happened to us both?” I scorned, moving away and removing any protection I had previously offered.

“I’m not sure how long you have been unconscious for, but... these people, they’ve been really kind to me, offered me food and rest, medical care. I have literally never felt so healthy! I can’t explain it, but I just feel so relaxed and calm.”

“Calm? How is any of this calming? We need to get home Rachel. We need to tell Trevor and the others what we have found here.”

“No, you cannot leave,” the man replied, matter-of-factly.

“Look, I know you mean well, but you can’t keep us prisoner here. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not from around here and we need to repair our craft and go home. Your planet might be paradise to you, but ours is suffering from earthquakes and extreme weather that are killing thousands of people because of this thing surrounding your planet, and you tell me to be calm?” I shouted.

“Tom, calm down,” Rachel whispered.

“You need to rest,” the man replied. “We will talk more about the sphere when you have recovered from your trip.”

“I don’t need to rest. I need to go home,” I shouted as the man began walking away.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Rachel asked, pushing me slightly. “Even if these people are monsters in disguise, do you really think your attitude is going to help? It’s your bloody fault we’re here in the first place, you... you... ugh!”

“Where’s your calmness now?” I replied sarcastically.

“Is it any wonder?” Rachel shouted, walking off.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to my room.”

“What room? We need to get back to the ionohex to fix the damn thing. We can’t suddenly forget what we’re here to do,” I replied, shouting after her, but I was ignored. Even the group of alien humanoids began to wander off leaving me alone once again with the woman from before.

“Please, come with me,” the woman replied walking over.

“No, I need to go.”

“You can speak with the Order later, after you have rested. I am sure once you have regained your health you will begin to feel calmer and engaged enough to listen.”

“Listen? Listen to what?”

“What you need to know.”

“Eh?”

But I was too tired to argue and allowed myself to be led away down a corridor. My head was throbbing, and I was beginning to worry that I had a concussion from the crash, and for a moment I stumbled from a wave of dizziness at having to walk.

“Please, be careful. Your resting room is not far.”

Eventually we stopped a few yards further along the corridor and the woman waved her hand over a control pad next to what looked like a door in one of the walls. It was hard to tell as only a faint outline tinged in green light was visible, but then an opening appeared and I wandered into yet another hexagonal shaped room that overlooked the dense jungle outside.

“You will find everything you need in this room. There is a resting platform for sleep and nourishment is available by order here.”

I watched as the woman showed me what seemed to be a computer screen set into the wall.

“Wave your hand over this screen and choose what you would like to eat. You should find suitable nourishment that is familiar to you. If you need to refresh your body, which I recommend you do, then please enter this room and wave your hand over this panel here. Please remove your coverings first.”

“What is this?” I asked, peering into the cupboard like room I was now being shown. There was no shower head and no tiles, it was merely a cupboard sized room that glowed the same green hue as everything else I had seen so far but seeing the screen inside and being subsequently ignored, I nodded and waited for the woman to leave.

“I will leave you now,” the woman smiled.

“Where is my friend?” I asked quickly.

“She is in the next room, you are free to visit her, but I ask you to remain in the living quarters until the Order speaks with you. It is for your own safety as you are not accustomed to our planet yet.”

“Who is this Order?” I asked confused, but the woman simply ignored me again and instead bowed slightly and left the room. “How very Japanese,” I thought sarcastically.

Turning to look at the room again I was relieved to see that it was much more comfortable than the disturbing picture room I had woken up in. Again, the floors, walls and ceiling all merged into each other, but the calming orange glow of the lighting made it feel cosy. The huge window was of a similar design to that of the movie screen, water-like and transparent, but I could feel no effects of the jungle outside, which by now was being battered by strong winds and torrential rain. I was relieved I wasn’t still out there, and I had to concede that Rachel was right on that score, these people had saved our lives. There was no way we would have survived for much longer out there. If we hadn’t of passed out from hyperthermia, we would probably have been eaten by whatever monsters lurked in the trees.

The resting platform, or bed as I preferred to call it, was also soft and comfortable and filled with cushions and delicate fabric blankets, although I couldn’t tell what they were made from. They didn’t seem to be made from any fabric I was familiar with, but they were so luxurious I almost found myself wanting to sleep as soon as I touched them. Pulling my hand away, I marvelled at the length of the bed and realised it had been designed primarily for the people of Mochuvia rather than for humans and cursed my stupidity for not realising it sooner.

Feeling my head spin again I decided to undress out of my now torn and incredibly dirtied bio-suit and make my way back into the cupboard like shower room I had just been shown.

“Wave your hand over the panel she says,” I mumbled sarcastically, doing so and then realising nothing was happening. “Typical,” I grumbled. I repeated the gesture a few more times and wondered if my hand was even compatible with the panel so I decided to try and stretch my hand to make it more Mochuvian and repeated the action a few more times, but nothing happened. “Seriously?” I shouted aloud, looking upwards. If I had ever been taught a lesson at making rash decisions, this was it. I cursed myself for deciding to go into the anomaly and hoped that it was all just a bad dream. Then a bleeping sound came from back inside the main room.

“What the hell?” I muttered clambering back out the cupboard and stumbling over my bio suit. The food computer screen I had been shown previously was now flashing a close up of Rachel’s face.

“Hello?” Rachel’s voice filtered into the room from outside.

“Rachel?” I asked, confused.

“Wave your hand over the screen,” she replied.

Doing as she said I was shocked to see the door opening reappear and Rachel standing on my doorstep wearing the same clothing as the alien woman had been wearing earlier.

“Oh,” Rachel exclaimed looking me up and down. Then, I realised I was still naked and immediately covered my lower half with my hands.

“Well I didn’t know the fucking door would open did I?” I scowled.

“You seriously need to swear less,” Rachel moaned, walking in but turning around while I wrapped one of the bed blankets around me. “Were you trying to have a recovery shower?”

“A shower yes, what’s a recovery shower? And how do you know so much about this place and I don’t?”

“I’ve been awake longer than you and I have less of an attitude than you. It’s surprising how much you can learn when you actually listen to people instead of shouting at them. Here, I’ll show you how it works.”

I waited as Rachel waved her hand over the panel in the shower room and was amazed to see the roof turn into a million little holes where a mist began to emanate from.

“But... I did the exact same thing?”

“Sure you did,” Rachel replied, rolling her eyes. “I think it detects your miserable attitude.”

“Very funny, but where’s the water? I can’t wash in this!”

“They call it a quantum cleanse. It kills off bacteria and reduces inflammation in and outside of your body, or something like that. When they brought me here I was unconscious and had internal bleeding.”

“I know, I saw you collapse.”

“They patched me up in something similar to this. It’s a miracle really,” Rachel replied, her voice trailing off. “You want me to wait while you have a shower?”

“Err, okay,” I replied, watching Rachel walk over to the bed and lie down. “I’ll be quick.”

“Sure, take your time.”

Frowning in confusion at Rachel’s complete disregard for our situation I pulled off the blanket and entered the weird shower. As soon as I did my headache vanished, almost instantly and I was surprised at how refreshed I was beginning to feel from just a mist drifting around me. A tingling sensation drifted up and down my body and I could feel all my aches and pains disappear. Even my eyes felt moistened and fresh as tiny particles twinkled in my vision. Lifting up my arm, I rubbed my hand over my cuts and bruises and gawped in amazement as they slowly disappeared.

“I said take your time, not stay in there forever,” Rachel shouted over.

“I... don’t understand,” I shouted back. “How is this possible?”

“How is any of this place possible?” Rachel replied.

“Can you pass me a towel?”

“You don’t need a towel, just swipe your hand over the panel again to dry.”

Doing as she said I tried in vain to swipe my hand over the panel to switch off the mist, but it didn’t work, no matter how many times I tried.

“It’s not working,” I shouted.

“Use the back of your hand, not the front.”

“Why the back?”

“It’s something to do with our genetics. Didn’t she show you?”

“Not really,” I mumbled, trying the back of my hand and sighing in relief as the mist finally stopped and a cool breeze began to blow around me. Clambering out I pulled the blanket around me again and walked back out into the main room. “What do I wear now?” I asked, looking around and rubbing my belly in embarrassment.

“Try this,” Rachel replied, getting up from the bed and passing me a robe similar to what everyone else had been wearing.

“No way,” I remarked stepping back. “I am not wearing a dress.”

“Seriously Tom, what is your problem! It’s just clothes. You can’t put that stinky bio-suit back on. Just man up okay and put it on.”

“Fine,” I grumbled snatching the reflective green robe and yanking it on.

“It’s not a fashion show,” Rachel muttered, laying back down.

“So, what now? Do you know who this Order is?” I asked, trying not to think about what I was wearing and just relieved I didn’t hurt anymore.

“If you’re ready then we can go and see them now.”

“So you know who they are?” I asked confused.

“Yes, I met them earlier. They keep the order on this planet, hence the name.”

“Sounds ominous,” I scowled.

“You’d be surprised.”