Ashes in the Sky Read online

  Nematali stopped. “You might want to sit down.”

  Huh? We stood in a big hall of nothing. “Where should I sit?”

  “Anywhere. The deck would be fine.”

  Okaay. I eased to the floor and crossed my ankles. Less than a second later, the hallway turned into the Tower of Terror ride at Disney World, but upside down. My butt riveted to the floor as g-forces shook through me. I looked up. Bad idea. The momentum smashed me to the side, and I ended up laying on the ground, bile rising into my throat until we jolted to a stop.

  I gasped for air, my mind whirling. What the frig happened?

  Nematali offered her hand. “Are you all right?”

  Still dizzy, I accepted her help and stood. The floor shifted slightly beneath my feet, not unlike the pine needles in the forest.

  I tucked back that annoying stray bang on the side of my face. “Listen, we’re going to need to communicate better ’cause I have no idea what is going on, and all this is freaking me out.”

  She grinned. “When we train our young, we never tell them what to expect. It reinforces the ability to be ready for anything.”

  “Yeah, well, consider me ready for anything and warn me next time, okay?”

  She nodded.

  “What was that anyway?”

  “Let me show you.” Nematali fluttered her fingers in the air, and the wall to my right liquefied. The shine faded to black, almost looking pixelated, before pinpoints of twinkling light appeared.

  Holy shi … Wow.

  Stars. Billions and billions of stars.

  “Come, little one.”

  She guided me farther down the hall. I tripped several times, dumbfounded over how big the galaxy seemed. How could outer space be right there, like I could touch it? Was it an illusion?

  We turned the corner, and I froze. My camera nearly slipped from my hands.

  Earth. Larger than I ever imagined it could be. The blue ocean stood out from green and brown landmasses, just like in the pictures you see from the space shuttles. But bluer. Scattered clouds covered parts of Canada.

  Leaning toward the glass, I tried to find New Jersey. I could kind of see where the right shape formed along the east coast of the USA. I waved, knowing no one could see me, but it didn’t matter. My eyes filled with tears. I was actually on a space ship.

  “Do you want to take pictures?”

  “Oh yeah!” I lifted my lens and shot off several rounds. I took a few with Nematali in the foreground to get perspective on how big the planet looked. Then I turned the camera around for a few selfies. Amazing.

  As we continued down the hall, I looked for corners to peek around; doors to open, but the hall seemed to go on forever. “Where are the people?”

  “They are here, I assure you. They are just as interested in you as you are in them.”

  The wall to our left shimmered, and the shaded forms of individuals came into view but faded out.

  Whoa. “Are there people on the other side of that wall?”

  “Many have gathered to see you. Most of our citizens have never ventured from our ships. A being from another culture is quite a treat.”

  I pointed my camera at the now solid wall and snapped a photo. Got a big old picture of nothing.

  Oh, well. It was worth a try. I slung the camera over my shoulder.

  So, I was inside a big fish bowl. Was that why we seemed to be walking around in circles? So tons of aliens could get a good look at me? Creepy, but kind of neat at the same time. I was the first human most of these beings would see. Awesome. I held up my hand in a peace sign.

  As we continued down the hall, Nematali barely looked up to see where she walked. Weird.

  “So, umm, people have been asking me questions about Erescopians.”

  She looked at me. “I’m sure.”

  “Can I, like, ask you some of the stuff I couldn’t answer?”

  “I will answer as best I can.”

  Score! I raised my camera and hit the video button. “Okay, so, why don’t you guys eat meat?”

  Nematali’s lip twisted. “In an age long past, our diet was quite similar to humans, but as our resources became scarce and livestock dwindled, we turned to a less violent existence. Now, even the thought of eating another animal is reprehensible to us.”

  Hmmm. I never thought of eating bacon as a violent existence, but to each their own. “Can you explain the name thing to me? Why did the ambassador call me Jessica Natalie?”

  “Our culture is mostly matriarchal. The female chooses the mate, and the male takes the female’s primary name next to his own. The children are given their personal name, followed by the name of their parents.”

  “So David’s name is Tirran.”

  “Tirran Coud. One never drops the name of the mother. It is considered an insult to the matriarch—similar to someone forcing their middle finger close to a human’s face. It is not done. His full name is Tirran Coud Sabbotaruo, Sabbotaruo being his father’s given name.”

  “So, you guys do marry?”

  “We mate for life if that is what you mean. But an Erescopian vow is much more permanent than what our research shows in humans.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “There is no word for divorce in our culture. Once you are coupled, you are connected until one of the pair dies.”

  “Whoa. What if you decide you don’t like each other?”

  She glanced in my direction again. “The bond compels you to mate. Pairs are not required to live together if they choose not to.”

  I balked. The idea of closeness and touch seemed foreign to David. Did they not know love, either?

  Nematali stopped suddenly, her gaze trailed over the wall to her left. “I’ve been looking forward to this.” She ran her fingertips through the wall. “Do you like children?”

  “Me? Oh, yeah. I love kids. Why?”

  A doorway formed, and she motioned me through. I froze, staring at the inclined, naked, violet heads of miniature Erescopians.

  No. Way.

  A few dozen children sat cross-legged on the floor, heads bowed. I snapped my gaping jaw shut. “May I?” I held up my camera.

  “Of course.”

  I clicked a few photos and then switched to the video setting.

  A tall alien, mostly violet except for a few splotches of purple-blue on his midriff and legs, spoke a few words in Erescopian.

  The children stood, keeping their faces down. One stepped forward. “Wheel-cum too ower skoool.”

  Welcome to our school. Whoa.

  “Thank you.” The child kept his or her eyes down. “On Earth, we like people to make eye contact when we talk.” Keeping the camera steady in my right hand, I reached out with my left, raising the child’s chin.

  The kid cried out, taking a step back. The teacher sprang forward, spinning the student away.

  “What did I do?”

  Nematali stepped between us. “I am sure that was an accident.” She turned to me. “It would be best if you refrained from touching while you are here. Our median temperature is much higher than yours, and the skin of our young is quite sensitive.”

  “Are you saying I hurt the kid?”

  “You probably only startled him. To a child, your touch would be akin to being stung by ice.” She turned over my hand. My fingertips flashed crimson. “I would be more worried about the heat of our skin hurting you.” She glanced up. “Erescopians, in general, don’t touch each other. I am sorry I neglected to mention it.”

  “Ay, caramba.” I leaned around her. The child trembled beside the teacher. My heart split. “I’m so sorry.”

  “¿Ay, caramba?” another child said. “¿Hablas español e Inglés?” Do you speak Spanish and English?

  Whoa. “Yes. Sí.” I leaned toward the child, but not too close. “Hablas español muy bien.” You speak Spanish very well.

  A bright grin lit up the kid’s face. “Thank you. Parlez-vous fran
çais?”

  I stood. “No, sorry, I only speak Spanish.”

  Nematali sent the child back to their place. “Our young are learning the languages of Earth. Our hope is that once they are old enough, they can become trade ambassadors.”

  “Trade ambassadors?”

  “Yes. It would be foolish of us not to reach out to a neighboring world for trade, don’t you think?”

  I double-checked to make sure my camera was still shooting video. The general totally needed to hear this. How cool was it that the Erescopians were taking steps to be friendly already, and they hadn’t even moved in?

  “Come,” Nematali said. “We are expected at our next appointment.”

  The children waved their hands goodbye.

  Wow. So cool.

  I gave a special wave to the kid I’d scared. He smiled and waved back. No permanent damage done, thank goodness.

  Nematali and I moved out into the hallway. Part of me yearned to go back and hang with the kids some more.

  “How many classes are learning Earth’s languages?” I asked.

  “A few hundred classes scattered among all the ships. Earth’s culture has become a core curriculum.”

  Take that, General No-trusty-pants.

  I turned off my camera as we came to the end of the corridor. The wall liquefied, and we passed through. Heat from the new hall stung my cheeks before the temperature cooled. I tripped and adjusted my footing as the floor declined like walking down a hill.

  “This is what we consider the first level of the ship,” Nematali said as we turned inward for the first time. “This area is similar to what you might call a recycling center.”

  The wall opened, and we passed through.

  Two human people—well, at least they looked human, left their work areas and approached. One guy and one girl. The guy scurried toward me, stopping only an inch from my nose. I stepped back, but he inched closer. I went with it. Good politics and all, but there was no chance of getting a picture with the dude so close.

  “Jessica Natalie Martinez.” Close-dude forced his left hand into the six inches of space between us. “We are honored to acquaint with you.”

  I thought about correcting the handshake, but what did it hurt? I slipped my left hand into his and shook. “Hey, thanks, it’s nice to be here.”

  His warmth startled me, like he had a fever. Not that I should have expected any different. I guess I was used to only David feeling that warm, and I barely had a chance to notice the kid’s heat before he pulled away.

  I sighed, taking in their human-colored hair and average, department store clothing. If the kids were comfortable in their alien form, then why not everyone? The people back home would want to see aliens. The new Martians in their natural habitat, so to speak. I had to give the Erescopians kudos for their hospitality, though. They were probably trying to make me more comfortable.

  I clicked on the video button as Close-dude described how they recycled pretty much everything on the ship. Very interesting stuff.

  When he’d finished, I picked up what looked like a can of tuna fish from a messy pile on the table. I flipped the squished silver cylinder in my hand.

  Close-dude gently took the container from me. “That is a secondary energy module. It is defective, and nearly drained of power, but could still run a small human city for a few months.” He set the can down on the table.

  Whoa. Seriously? “So, it’s like a super battery?”

  He nodded. “In your terms, maybe. To us, it is refuse. It could barely power a scout ship for more than a few hours.” A tone sounded, and he walked from the room.

  Nematali turned to me. “Do you have any further questions about recycling?”

  My eyes fell on the tuna can battery. Recycling? Nope. Knew all about recycling. But harnessing enough power to run a city for a few months in a pint-sized container? I was all over that.

  This was the kind of technology General Baker must have been talking about. A few hundred of those cans at full strength could end the energy crisis. And they were going to throw it away?

  “Do you like the module?” The girl alien fidgeted behind the table.

  I pried my eyes from the battery. “Oh, umm, yeah. I’m kind of fascinated by it.”

  She picked the squat cylinder up and placed it in my hand. “I have already spliced the outer casing for disposal. It’s harmless if you’d like to examine it.”

  “Wow, you’re really going to throw it out? Seems like a waste.”

  “It will be melted down and recycled, but to be honest, it is mostly meaningless in its current state.” She blinked three times, her gaze on the battery. “Would you like to keep it?”

  No. Way. “For real?”

  She nodded. “Since you seem captivated by it, consider it a token. A souvenir.”

  My stomach tickled. “But won’t you get in trouble?”

  A split opened in the wall beside her, and heat flooded the room. Deep red and orange embers glowed within. She picked up another can-like-thing from the table and tossed it through the hatch. The metal disintegrated instantly.

  She shrugged. “Who would know? Enjoy it: a gift from me to you.”

  Whoa. Three points for Jess. The general was gonna flip! And I didn’t even have to steal it! “Thanks so much. I mean, this is so cool.”

  She tilted her head to the right. One eye narrowed before Nematali tugged me back toward the exit. “Come, little one. There is much to see.”

  I slipped the battery into the bottom of my backpack and followed through another blank hallway. I swore it looked exactly like the last one. How’d these people not end up lost all the time?

  Something scampered across the wall to my left. Grabbing my camera, I stopped, but the wall seemed as plain, gray and empty as before.

  “Is everything all right?” Nematali asked.

  A touch of unease centered in my chest. “Yeah, I guess I saw a shadow or something.”

  Her eyes combed the walls and ceilings. Holy cow—there were no lights. The walls seemed to emit illumination of their own. I scanned the area. No shadows. Yet I’d seen something black move across the wall. I moved my arm up and down, unable to recreate the vision from any angle.

  Shifting my weight, I cleared my throat. No big deal. It was my imagination, that’s all.

  Nematali continued through the hall until we reached a narrow juncture. She ran her fingers through the liquefied panel to our left. “We have a few extra moments. There’s something I’d like to show you.” She stepped into the wall. The glassy surface closed around her, as if she’d never been there. Totally weird.

  I wish I’d had a chance to ask questions. Like: if I followed her, did I have to hold my breath, and for how long? She wasn’t all that forthcoming with the info, but I wasn’t going to just stand in that hallway by myself waiting for her to come back, so I pressed the video record button, took a few deep breaths, and followed.

  Instant arctic temperatures flooded me, as if I’d gone all polar bear club in November. Another step blasted me with heat. I opened my eyes, expecting to be wet, but I was just as dry as when I stepped on board.

  Coolness abounds! I just had to get me some of that liquid metal stuff.

  I blinked a few times as my eyes focused. Something like a silvery-black winding staircase rose stories above my head. A hint of pinky-orange glow coated the upper levels. Pinpricks of light scampered around, reminding me of shooting stars caught in a pinball machine.

  “Wow.”

  “I thought you’d like it,” Nematali said. “We shouldn’t be here, but this is one of our most beautiful places. I couldn’t help but share.”

  “What is it?”

  “The hub. The center of the ship, a nervous system of sorts for the vessel’s flowing systems.”

  The lights stopped, flittered in place, and then scurried in the opposite direction. I pointed my camera straight up, hoping a fraction of what I saw w
ould come out in the low lighting.

  She gave me another tug. “Come. We have an appointment.”

  8

  The brilliant glow of the staircase pulsed above, the color fading from peach to pink and back again. And the lights fluttering in the distance … amazing. The sight almost topped the classroom full of little purple kids.

  For the second time since stepping aboard the ship, I wanted to stay. I could have watched those lights for hours, just like chasing lightning bugs as a kid. Why did we always have somewhere else to go?

  Moving farther down yet another unremarkable hallway, I adjusted the backpack on my shoulder. Funny, I had enough juice in that bag to power a city, and it weighed less than my textbooks. This technology stuff was awesome.

  The walls morphed into a door before us. I’d never get tired of watching that.

  “Are you enjoying your tour thus far?” Nematali asked, stepping through.

  “Are you kidding?” My reflection stared back at me from the entryway. I grabbed my camera and took a mirror selfie. “This ship is amazing.”

  I stepped into a small, circular chamber. The walls were a swirling gray, like everything else on this ship.

  “If you could wait here for a moment, someone wants to see you.”

  I lowered my camera. “Who?” But the walls had already swallowed her. I walked to where Nematali last stood, but no opening appeared. I ran my palm through the watery surface. My skin chilled. Flinching, I pulled my hand out and flexed my numb fingers

  Why were the walls so cold?

  The lights went out, and a piercing scream flew from my lips.

  Ten years ago, Mom and Dad took me to a cavern in Virginia. The tour guide turned out the lights to show us what complete darkness was. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. It made me feel small, helpless, and insignificant. Just like now.

  My heart thumped madly. The liquid walls hummed, as if they concealed an energy all their own. Could they shift? Come closer? Crush me? Would the room be the same shape when the lights came back on?

  If they came back on.

  A sloshing sound filled the room, as if I stood beside a pool and someone had walked into the water. The walls continued to hum as a presence overwhelmed my senses. I shuddered worse than one of those stupid girls in the horror movies.