《The Ninth Planet》
The New World
Jett didn''t enjoy space travel. The recycled air of the ship was foul. Looking out of the porthole of the ship at the stars had been awesome at first, but it after several days it had begun to wear thin.
He heard the VI ship computer telling him stuff he already knew about their destination in its prissy, lady voice:
"In their search for the elusive Planet Nine beyond the Kuiperbelt, the Astronomer''s Union made a discovery of greater significance in 2022 ¨C the planet Hespera. A bare 112 million miles from the sun at its closest point, the eccentric angle of the planet''s orbit, combined with an accumulation of space dust at its L2 point, had allowed it to remain undetected until then.
"Hespera orbits the sun at a full 80 degree tilt to the ecliptic plane. Spectral analysis indicated the presence of water and a viable atmosphere. There was a strong possibility of life on Hespera. Robot probes confirmed it existed ¨C in abundance. The first human colonists arrived in 2031, in great space arcs. Hespera is truly the Ninth Planet. The planet Erebus, discovered in 2044, orbiting the sun at the great distance of one hundred billion miles and at an angle perpendicular to the ecliptic plane, is the Tenth Planet."
And now in 2050, here was Jett''s family making the trip across space to Hespera to try and establish trade of irrigation systems and other machinery with the colonists.
"Ready for the adventure, Jett?" said Charli Kaplan, Jett''s Grandma. She clapped him hard on the shoulder. "Not every day we get to visit the Ninth Planet."
"Oh, it''s fascinating Grandma," said Jett. "And you remember when they thought there were only eight planets."
"I do indeed," said Grandma with a tight lipped smile. "Scientists are a hubristic bunch."
"Approaching Hespera now," said the computer.
The iridescent, purple orb of the desert planet was filling the view from the porthole. Soon they would be landing.
00O00
Now there was a blanket of clouds beneath them, against the muted colours of the Hesperan sky, deep purples fading into red.
The clouds surrounded them and there were only pearly mists visible, and then they were dropping to the surface of the planet. The geometric shapes of fields could be seen.
The ship landed on a plane of purply-red sand. There was a swishing sound as the airlock opened and the ramp lowered.
As Jett set foot on the ramp, he was buffeted by the crisp, chill wind. After the recycled air of the ship, Hesperan air tasted sharp, and fresh. His family followed his Grandma Charli down the ramp.
A small crowd of Hesperan colonists were there to greet them. At the front of the crowd, there was a lady with frizzy golden hair dressed in a green padded suit and helmet. She clasped Grandma''s hands.
"Sadie Whitfield, colony governor. This is an honour, Madame Kaplan."
"No, the pleasure is mine," said Grandma, giving her best tight-lipped smile.
Sadie introduced a burly man with a bushy moustache, dressed in a blue padded suit shook hands. "Adam Marshall, our Chief of Police," said Sadie.
"We don''t have much of a crime problem on Hespera," said the Chief.
Jett noticed that the Hesperan''s eyes looked sort of pinkish. It was from the red pigment in the air. Harmless. If they stayed long enough, it would begin to affect their eyes too.
"Large or small, a crime problem can be solved. I may interest you in a line of security bots," said Grandma.
"Uh¡ quite," said Marshall.
00O00
To visit the industrial complex, they crossed the sandy terrain in landbuggies to a collection of grey domes over which clouds of smoke hung. Inside, there was the sound of clanking and clouds of smoke. The workers seemed a dour lot. There was no laughing or joking among them.
"Two of ''em workers have cracked," said the foreman to Sadie. "Dunno if they c''n work no more."
"Oh dear," Sadie shook her head. "I wish it were not the case, but amongst the Earth-born, mental illness is a common occurrence.
Jett felt apprehensive. Was this a likely result of living off Earth? He fervently hoped the workers were not seriously ill.
Sadie showed them around the different parts of the complex. She held up a nail for Grandma''s inspection. "Hespera hasn''t given up anything without a fight. Even to manufacture something as simple as this nail, we had to establish several primary industries."
On the way back from the industrial complex, the sky behind them turned blood red and Jett could see lighting flashes in the distance.
"Firestorm coming," said Sadie, her voice tense. "We''d better get to cover ASAP."
As the buggy re-entered the complex, Jett grinned at the sight of native Hesperan beasts. Six legged beasts of burden with smooth, blue hides, and blunt, beak like snouts.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The sky above turned an even deeper red. The flashes were nearer now. The air had begun to taste stuffy and dense¡
"This way! Now! Hurry!" cried Sadie.
She led them into a cubic, metal cabin. Not a moment too soon. A bolt of lightning struck the sandy ground, but it was like no lightning Jett had ever seen¡ It created a pool of liquid fire. Wherever this lightning struck it flowed, forming streams of liquid fire that merged into others until the streets of the settlement were awash. Streets, ablaze with molten rivers¡
But the storm only lasted minutes. The sky cleared and the oppressive atmosphere lifted. The fire seemed to seep into the sand and Sadie led them out.
The six legged blue beasts were standing around quite calm.
"The animals!" blurted Jett. "They stood out in the fire!"
Marshall turned his head. "The Lopers? Yeah, doesn''t bother ''em at all. They secrete some kind of chemical barrier. Same with the vegetation. We had to grow native plants, because the Earth plants got burned to cinders. In the early days, it was like the whole planet was against us. Still feels that way sometimes."
That evening they attended a banquet the Hesperan leaders arranged specially to welcome them. A kind thought, although Jett had real trouble stomaching the first course. He sat by his Grandma, amidst the group of Hesperan colonists. The main course was Zipper eggs. Zippers were some kind of flying reptile in the Hesperan skies. The eggs had greenish whites and pink yolks. They tasted of rubber and rotten fish. Gross.
"Most of the planet is still unexplored," said Sadie. "The survey craft have all broken down and we don''t have the resources to fix them."
"It''s hard enough to survive on colony land," said Marshall. "We don''t need to worry about the rest of the planet."
"The land and native people will remain a mystery," said Sadie.
"People? There are aliens here, aren''t there?" said Jett.
"The Threll, yes," said Marshall. "They could be the remains of some ancient civilisation. But they take no notice of us."
"Then make them notice," said Grandma. "You could learn from them."
Jett nodded in agreement. "Exactly. There''s just so much they could teach you. And you''d be the first people to establish contact with aliens. Real aliens."
Grandma smiled at him. "See? There''s a bright boy. Sees his Grandma is always right. Make the Trell notice you."
"You don''t make the Trell do anything," said Sadie sharply. "They''re not to be trifled with."
"You get to visit the Trell temple complex tomorrow," said Marshall. "You may spot a Trell if you''re lucky."
The elderly waiter seemed to have gone on a break. At that moment, a girl of about Jett''s age came into the hall. What a striking girl she was! Jett could not help but gape at her. The first thing that struck him was her bright green skin. And the cascade of lustrous, purple hair flowing down her shoulders. Her pink eyes had an oblique, staring expression.
She did not speak, just gathered up the plates. Up close, her skin looked so smooth and shiny. Jett felt a thrill at her closeness as she took away his half-eaten egg.
When she had gone, Marshall gestured in her direction. "Rain, Sadie''s daughter. Hesperan born. She was born green from certain native plants and medicines Sadie tried when she was pregnant. We notice much less sickness among the Hesperan born kids. They seem better adapted. Don''t experience mental problems or allergies. Unfortunately, very few take an active role in colony life."
Weird. What did they do all day then? Jett did not comment.
After that dreadful meal, Jett turned to leave the hall to make for the sleeping quarters. Everyone else had already filtered out. Jett was about to follow them when he heard a soft voice from the other side of the hall.
"Come."
He gave a start and turned around. Rain stood there, her skin tight red and white outfit hugging her graceful form, her green face framed by her purple hair. She beckoned to him with a green finger. "I have something to show you."
He felt a thrill once again. His curiosity could not resist and invitation like that. What could this lovely, mysterious, almost alien being have to show him in private? This was truly some kind of waking dream. She led him down a corridor and then a flight of steps, leading to a curtain.
She turned, green face close to his. He felt his heart beat faster¡ Her breath was on his face. She smelled sort of like flowers and mints¡ He badly wanted to kiss her shiny green nose.
"Don''t be afraid," she said, her warm breath tickling.
"I''m not." It was a strange thing to say.
Rain pushed the curtains aside. Jett let out a slow breath at what he saw. Rain took his hand in hers. Her smooth, green skin felt soft and warm.
Jett saw a long, low room, lit only by a single electric bulb that gave off a constant, dingy light. In the room, was a case of some pinkish, Hesperan crystal in which was entombed the body of some kind of hideous monster man¡ Roughly humanoid, but with a bloated, green head, and elongated nose and chin. The eyes were black and blank. He must be dead.
Rain gazed at the crystal coffin with wide, pink eyes and spoke in hushed tones. "The first Trell they came across. A member of the expeditionary party shot and killed him. We think it must have started the colony''s bad luck. That''s why they keep him hidden here. He is their guilty secret."
"Oh, that''s awful!" said Jett. "Um¡ if he''s their secret, why are you showing me?"
She gazed at him, her rosy pink eyes were unblinking. The dim light shone off her green nose and cheeks. "I sense you want to know."
"You sensed I want to know?" Jett repeated, feeling a bit dumb.
"Yes. I can sense you are different." She gave a small smile.
"You can sense I am different?" he repeated.
"It happens sometimes. I can hear people think. Must be if they''re as nice as you. Or it could be if I''m really interested in their thoughts." She shifted on her feet and twirled a strand of purple hair in her green fingers.
Then her expression turned grave as she pointed at the coffin. "The Trell can do it, I''m pretty sure. Talk with their minds."
"So it could be something to do with adapting to conditions here?" said Jett.
She nodded, her purple hair rippling and bouncing. "I think so too. Adapting to conditions here." Her intense, pink eyes gazed into his. "You''re not adapted. You need comfort at night."
"Right."
Did she think he''d get homesick like a little kid?
00O00
Jett''s guest bedroom had a window that opened onto the fields and the sandy plains of the desert beyond, but after the sun set, the twinkling stars all seemed to fade, as though blocked out by a great shadow over the sky. Jett knew it to be the accrued dust in Hespera''s L2 point. The only lights were those from the settlement.
"Darkness presses in."
Jett gave a start at the sound of Rain''s voice at his elbow. She was dressed in a pink nightie. What was she thinking, sneaking into his bedroom?
She took his hand. "Darkness is heavy. Some Earth born go mad from it. I want to stay with you tonight."
Stay with him? This strange and beautiful girl wanted to stay in his bedroom? Jett knew he ought to dissuade her, but really, did he want to dissuade her?
She was gazing out of the window. Her green face creased in an expression of unease. "The darkness brings hunters."
In the distance, barely illuminated by the lights of the settlement, Jett could see an eerie sight¡ mounds rising in the sand and then terrible shapes bursting forth. Long tubular worms, like great, grey serpents, but with gaping mouths ringed with sharp teeth. These horrors were bursting out of the sand and leaping towards the wire fence that surrounded the settlement''s perimeter! Leaping up out of the sand and burrowing back in before leaping up again, with as fluid a motion as if the sand were in fact the surface of the ocean. The predators of the night had the settlement surrounded and were closing in¡
The Alien Temple
"Death Worms!" said Rain. "Sharks of the sand! Night hunters" Her pink eyes were wide in her green face.
Grandma''s voice crackled on their communication device.
"Jett, m''boy. We''ve got a fight on our hands. We never run from a fight. Let''s show the Hesperans our mettle."
Rain shook her head, her purple hair rippling and bouncing. "Jett, please don''t go. The night fish¡ they''re terrible. Always hungry." Her plum coloured bottom lip quivered.
He cupped her green face in his hands. "Well, um¡ the Death Worms won''t get past us, so don''t worry." He hoped he sounded braver than he felt.
He hurried down the corridor getting his Phoenix rifle ready.
"Jett, wait!" Rain was calling after him. Her voice sounded upset, but he knew his duty.
Outside, the air was cold and the only lights came from the settlement. The sand looked sort of greyish tinged now, not purple.
Grandma and her staff were stationed at positions around the inside perimeter of the wire fence. Chief of Police Marshall was there too. Jett struggled up onto the tower beside his Grandma.
"Ah good," said Grandma. "If the monsters try and break in here, we''ll get them."
The Worms were all around the fence, circling and probing for a way in. The great, grey serpents with gaping maws and jagged fangs, their gleaming yellow eyes with glowing red slits for pupils that gleamed eerily in the gloom¡ One of them struck the fence with its fangs. There was an electric sizzle and the beast was thrown back.
It was a horrible feeling, watching the night fish from the fragile cage of the settlement and the fence. Jett could feel their cold, evil eyes, staring at him.
At that moment, Marshall''s radio crackled and a voice could be heard:
"Ranger Base, this is Red Patrol. I''m about three minutes off you, inward."
"Negative," said Marshall into his Comm device. "We have night fish activity. Tie up and lie back ''til morning."
"No can do," replied the voice on the radio. "I have engine trouble."
Jett saw the light of the Ranger''s flier weaving toward them. The flier looked a lot like a grimy motorbike, but it was hovering high above the sand dunes.
Jett suddenly heard a familiar voice at his elbow. "The Worms can''t get very high up, but the poor Ranger''s dropping fast."
It was Rain. She had sneaked out and was standing next to Jett. She was now in a purple bodyglove.
"What''re you doing here? What''ll your Mum say?" demanded Jett.
Rain''s bright green face seemed almost luminous in the near-darkness. "I wouldn''t desert you," she said solemnly.
"What are you talking about¡?" he began, but then he broke off at the events that were unfolding and Rain screamed out loud.
The Ranger''s engine broke down and he tumbled into the gaping, fang-ringed maw of a Death Worm. He never stood a chance as the serpent closed its terrible jaws around him. Blood spattered all over the sand¡
Rain flung her arms around Jett, sobbing. He tentatively stroked her purple hair. What could he say to comfort her? But the problems were not over¡ The flier careened out of control into the electric fence. There was a flash and an explosion¡
"The wire''s shorted out," said Marshall tensely. "We''ve lost the electric fence. And the explosion''s torn the mesh."
The Death Worm reared its evil head, the gleaming red eyes fixed on them. Its jaws were dripping with the Ranger''s blood. It lunged at the gap left in the fence.
"Hi Ex!" said Grandma.
She flicked the switch on her Phoenix rifle and fired. The rifle shot a tiny laser guided missile at the terrible beast which exploded, shattering its terrible fangs. Grandma held up a remote control. "Summoning the security bots now," she said. "This is a perfect time to demonstrate."
The bots were roughly humanoid titanium alloy robots with domed helmets for heads. They came marching jerkily to help as they fired at the dreadful Worms writhed and slithered in through the hole in the fence. The combined gun fire stuck the slavering carnivores, shattering fangs and rupturing tough hides. But the human defenders had to step back as the night predators lunged at them.
Rain was right by Jett, stepping in sync with him. Why on Hespera had she come out with no weapon? Jade''s heart was beating fast and he felt queasy with anxiety.
Grandma fired three explosive shells into the ravening maws of Death Worms. Another Worm had clamped its jaws around a security bot, but was finding it a tough morsel¡ The bot''s self-destruct mechanism went off, and Death Worm guts rained down on them all. The other bots fired continually at the Worms
"Rain, you''ve gotta get back inside," said Jett through gritted teeth. Then he noticed something. A Death Worm had its gleaming red eyes fixed on the Loper pen. The placid blue beasts were making soft, lowing noises in fear.
"Oh no you don''t," said Jett, firing into its mouth. "Eat this."
But too late, he noticed another lunging for them from the opposite direction. Rain gave a weird cry, and glared at it, gesturing with her green hands, her pink eyes going all weird. And then unexpectedly it recoiled and hissed as though it had been struck a heavy blow. The delay was enough for Jett to fire on it, blowing the red gleam out of one of its glassy eyes.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Now Grandma was here. She was out of explosives clearly, because she now had a metal pole from somewhere and struck the slavering serpent hard over the head with it. "Get away from my Grandson! Take that! And that!" She hit the worm hard as Rain glared at it. It writhed and hissed on the ground and then lay still.
"The Worms are in retreat!" called Marshall. "I suppose they''ve had their fill now."
"They know when they''re beaten," growled Grandma.
00O00
"Your Grandma''s a real fighter," said Rain.
They were back in Jett''s room. Rain was back in her pink nightie. Jett''s heart was still hammering after the excitement of the Death Worm attack. Rain''s plum coloured lips twitched to form a smile and she touched Jett''s cheek with a soft green hand. "You saw how Grandma got that extra burst of strength when defending you. Perhaps I did too."
"Yeah, how did you make the Worm flinch by glaring at it?" said Jett.
Rain rubbed her green cheek pensively. "Hmm. I wish I knew. It would be more useful if I could control it."
"Oh yes. You''d be deadly without a gun. You''d be able to deliver psychic blasts with unlimited ammo. You''re a special girl alright."
She took his hand in both of her slender green ones. "I was thinking about saving you. Like you thought of saving the Lopers. I''m no more special than you are. Now¡" She leaned closer, her warm breath tickling. "You''ve had adrenaline pumping through you. Don''t need to be psychic to tell that. Would you like a crystallised Blatchie egg?"
If whatever egg she was talking about was as gross as a Zipper egg, Jett didn''t want to know. "No thanks."
She peered at his face. "You''re exhausted, but you''re wide awake. I can help. I know how to take away negative energy before it builds up. It''s important in darkness. The darkness brings madness as well as the night fish."
"Oh¡ alright." What was she talking about?
Rain smiled. "All you have to do is lie back. You can close your eyes if you want to. You can focus on my face. You can look around. You can do anything you want."
Jett lay back. Rain crouched on his bed, leaning her beautiful green face close to him, so that her fragrance filled his nostrils. She gazed at him, her pink eyes unblinking. "It won''t hurt, I promise, I promise." She began to weave her green fingers in complicated motions in front of his eyes. "I''m going to take this worry, and that one¡"
It was hard to follow the twining patterns her bright green hands were making. He began to drift off as she murmured, "take¡. Take¡" Then slumber took him and he did not wake up until the Hesperan dawn.
00O00
The next morning, the air was cool and brisk and the sunlight glinted off the purply red sand. Grandma wanted them to take arms and security out to the interior the next morning. The screeching of weird reptilian birds could be heard in the distance. They clambered into the land buggy, a vehicle with heavy treads that ran over the flat desert terrain north across the scrubland to the Trell temple.
They stopped on the way to view a field of sponge rocks.
Ranger Rachel was acting as a tour guide. She was a sinuous lady with a bold, freckled face and the pinkish tinged eyes typical of the Earth-Born Hesperans.
Rain''s eyes were a much clearer pink. Her shiny green nose crinkled as she smiled at Jett. "I believe the rocks here are very different to Earth rocks."
Rachel gestured around at the round, purplish rocks. "The sponge rocks act like giant sponges, absorbing moisture from the air at night, gradually releasing it during the day. Each one supports it own small ecosystem. The rocks grow by attracting mineral particles from the air. In time, entire forests will form around colonies of sponge rocks, as you''ll see further north."
"The rocks propagate themselves, do they?" said Grandma.
"Yes. Fragments blown off by the wind can themselves grow into sponge rocks," said Rachel, pointing at a little rock glinting in the sun. "There''s a young one."
Suddenly, Jett noticed Rain''s purple brows drawing together. She was twirling a strand of her purple hair in her green fingers. "Something''s wrong¡" she murmured.
Now Jett could feel the ground vibrate. Was it a quake? But then a beast like a great, hairy green rhino appeared over the hill. It had an ugly, bony head, with a jagged horn. Was its skull on the outside?
"Sawhorn!" cried Rachel. "They''re stampeding at us."
"They''re panicking," said Rain, rubbing her temples.
Grandma fired a shot at a Sawhorn''s skull. It bounced right off. "Skull too thick¡" she muttered. "Hi Explosive then¡" She fired at the legs of an oncoming Sawhorn and there was an explosion, causing it to keel over. The other hairy beasts made weird, screeching sounds and turned to stampede in the opposite direction.
The cause of the stampede soon became apparent. There were human hunters from the settlement on a speeder in pursuit. "Sorry," one of them called. "We didn''t expect anyone out here."
As they left, the hunters carved up the fallen Sawhorn with serrated blades. The beasts purple guts spilled out of the gash in its hairy hide.
"They only take the most delicate parts," said Rain. "The hindquarters. The rest is left to rot. The best meat fetches the best prices, and there''s no shortage. Not yet anyway¡"
"Such a waste," said Jett, shaking his head. "Poor dumb beasts."
Rain wrinkled her shiny green nose. "It''s like it''s human nature to destroy things. Here too, not just on Earth. Will it ever change, Jett? You''re a thoughtful human. Will the rest change?"
"You think you''re not a human too?" said Jett.
Rain rubbed her green cheek and gazed at him, an oblique expression in her pink eyes. "I don''t know¡ maybe I''m not."
00O00
An hour later, the the buggy drew near the towering structure of the Trell temple. It was a dome carved into the rocky cliff face of a great hill, weird Trell faces carved all over it, and over the dome.
"The Trell temple," said Rachel. "Carbon dated to be almost fifteen thousand years old. The principle figures in the temple and on the cliff face are definitely Trell. Why their civilisation collapsed and how they became the nomads they are today remains a mystery. Many find the temple too disturbing to remain for long¡"
"Not me¡" whispered Rain.
The Hesperans lit wooden torches ¨C how retro ¨C and they all filed towards the entrance. Rain had taken Jett''s hand as they strode under an archway carved of blue mineral and decorated with carvings of Trell and Hesperan beasts, one of which seemed to have a skull like a Sawhorn''s¡
The tunnel beyond was rough, purplish rock. It was cool here, and the only light was from the burning torches. As they went deeper, they heard an eerie sound, a strange, undulating wail.
"What is that?" demanded Grandma.
"You''ll see," said Rachel.
They emerged into a vast cavern of purple rock with a domed ceiling. All over the ceiling were carved faces of Trell. They seemed to be making the strange wailing¡
"It''s the hall of voices," said Rachel. "The sound is from the wind blowing through the carved heads."
It reminded Jett of a recording he had heard once of a whale song. Low and mournful, as if they knew the fate in store for their kind.
"It ¨C It''s beautiful," he blurted out to Rain.
She gave a small smile. Her torch lit up her shiny green face. "Isn''t it? I come hear a lot to think. This is the song of the Trell. They''re telling us their story."
"This is Trell language?"
"Yes," said Rain. "It''s like writing, but in song. The Trell still leave song messages for each other in the rocks. I''ll show you if we find one. Now listen to the music¡"
Jett listened and felt the wailing echo around him. He was spinning and the rocky cavern was blurring. The carved faces towered over him and seemed to loom closer. What was happening?