CHAPTER 9 #2
He arrived sooner than expected laden with a backpack and a bulging duffel bag in each hand.
“I do believe you forgot the kitchen sink,” her sarcastic drawl.
“Oh, that’s in the pallet I asked Nimrod to ready by the Mars portal, on wheels so we can push it inside.”
“You do realize Mars’ version of electricity won’t run your electronics.”
“Figured that, which is why I’ve got some portable power packs on the pallet. I would have brought a generator but didn’t figure you’d have gas to run it.”
“We don’t. We ran most of our things off luughal.”
His brow creased. “What’s that?”
“A crystal known on Earth as kyawthuite.”
He snapped his fingers. “Isn’t that like the rarest thing on Earth? They only ever found a tiny chunk, less than two carats large.”
“It’s actually from Mars. Or was. I swapped the one in the museum a few years ago for a fake.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s the one thing the Kukakk would need if they wanted to build nanobots or one of their more deadly weapons. It’s part of why we struggled to defeat them. They took over one of our mines.”
“Damn. Guess it’s a good thing Earth doesn’t have any, or we’d be in even bigger trouble.”
Most likely the Kukakk would find a way to adapt. Once it did, game over. “Ready to go?”
“Heck yes. After Your Majesty.” He mocked a bow, and she bit back a smile at the Earthly custom. Martians had not been as strict on those kinds of ridiculous pageantries when she was queen. Although she did know, in their past, they used to be quite fond of ceremonial customs.
Her suite spanned the entire upper floor of the tower, with only two areas sectioned off, one for bathing, another for a wardrobe, not that it was required with Nimrod supplying every need.
She headed for a section between those two doors, a seamless expanse of wall but for a sigil carved in the stone.
“We about to pull a Harry Potter?” Reece asked.
“A who?”
“Never mind,” he muttered.
She placed her hand on the symbol, and an opening appeared.
Beyond it, five arches. One for each major city on Mars.
The one in the middle, with a pallet sitting just to its left, led to the citadel.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped through and emerged in a chamber similar to the one they left.
It also held five arches. Four of them leading to the other cities.
Not that she would dare visit them. They’d been reduced to rubble.
The citadel had only survived because it had been built to withstand even the most severe natural disasters, unlike Tamtui, a resort city of incredible beauty, its buildings built of the shells that washed upon its shores. It had been the first to fall.
She stepped aside just in time as Reece came through, pushing the wheeled pallet ahead of him. His expression brightened with interest.
“Let me guess, those are doorways to special spots on Mars?”
She nodded.
“Built by Martians.”
“Yes, although the magic that links them was a gift from the Astraeus.”
“Did they use some of your people as avatars too?”
She shook her head. “That concept came into conception after our fall. Their way of mourning what happened and trying to prevent it from occurring again on Earth.”
“Where can we park this stuff?”
“Depends. What kind of testing are you doing? Inside? Outside?”
“Both, although the latter worries me. While I can handle any kind of temperature and air on Earth—even the shitty kind—I don’t know what will happen if I try to step foot outside.”
“Likely bad things. There is protective gear, though, we can use.”
“We? You going to join me?”
She shrugged. “Might as well. We’ll head to one of the suruanas chambers. What you might call a ready room with an exterior door.”
“Let me grab a few things I brought.” He dug into his bags and the pallet, putting sample bottles, a few handheld electronics for measuring readings, and more into a smaller backpack. He also strung a utility belt around his waist with a knife, flashlight, and some closed pouches.
“Ready?”
“Lead the way, Queenie.”
The ready room held a layer of dust, but that didn’t affect the suits protected in airtight lockers. She helped him get one on, showing him how to activate the seals, finishing with the helmet.
“Where’s the air tank?” he asked.
“No need for one. When you breath, the helmet takes what you emit and converts it back to a proper oxygen mix.”
“Damn. That kind of technology would make a fortune in the diving world.”
“If I ever find myself running low on funds, I might introduce it.” After all, she’d been doing that for the last century.
It took time before humanity evolved enough to understand and build machines.
She’d done her best to not interfere too much with their progression, but as parts she required became scarcer to scavenge from Mars, she’d had no choice.
Losing Atlantis, with its factories, had been a huge blow.
With their bodies protected, she pressed the button to open the door to the outside. The barren surface never failed to constrict her heart. She’d done this. Ruined her once-lush planet.
Reece immediately stepped outside, bending down to run his hand over the hard, scoured dirt.
“I can’t believe I’m touching Mars.” Wonderment filled his tone.
“Where shall we start?”
“I’m going to get some readings.” He dug into his knapsack and pulled out one of his electronic devices. As he wandered off, she stood staring.
How she wished he could find a way to bring back her world. It would be nice to relieve herself of the burden she’d carried. To shed the guilt. To bring back those who counted her on.
As Reece wandered farther, she joined him, knowing how quickly storms could whip the dust, reducing visibility. She’d not had time to fully explain to him all the perks of his suit, such as the homing device that would lead him back to the citadel if he got lost.
He didn’t say much as he gathered his data, most likely because he’d begun to realize just what an impossible task he’d set for himself. As he crossed a flat expanse, likely heading for a tumble of rocks, she stuck close, and thus disaster hit them both at once.
There was no warning, just a sudden sharp crack before the ground underfoot crumbled, plunging them below Mars’ crust!