Read Online Dragon Dawn (Dinosaurian Time Travel) by Deborah O'Neill Cordes - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Deborah O'Neill Cordes
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looking worried.
Fey’s expression matched her mate’s. “May I get you some water?”
“I’m stunned, that’s all. I’ve lost so much of my other life, and each time I regain a part it takes me a moment to adjust and make sense of it all. Forgive me.”
“Of course, my dear,” Fey said.
“But what did you see?” Mem asked.
Dawann described her vision, then pointed to the plaque and pronounced the name for them in the alien English tongue. “ Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff ,” she said, the words coming in a slow hiss. “It says Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff . It’s the signature on the right, the one with the slanted letters. The full translation gives her title, too. It says Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff , Misssion Ssspecialist .”
“Holy Mother She-Goddess!” said Fey as Mem grabbed her hand.
Dawann turned to look straight at Fey. “Once, I was a scientist like you. I dug up old ruins and explored the ancient cities of my world.”
“You were an archeologist?”
“Yes, and I loved my work.”
In the next few moments, Dawann was able to decipher only one additional word, the name Mars.
“And that was the human word for Moozrab?” Mem asked.
“Yes,” Dawann said. “See the letters? M-A-R-S. I don’t quite understand what happened. You said you believe humans also evolved on Shurrr? Then why did human astronauts visit the Shurrrian continent of Mera, as if they were exploring an alien world? Why doesn’t the plaque say something about Mera?”
“Maybe someday you’ll be able to tell us, Your Highness,” Mem said.
“There’s something else,” Fey said mysteriously. “Something I discovered after I left the site.”
Dawann turned as Fey touched her ring to the case. An image of the back of the plaque shimmered into view. The metal surface was marred by a series of scratches. Amazed, Dawann took a closer look. There was printed script there.
“I have pondered this for a long time,” Fey divulged. “I believe it’s an extra message, perhaps done in an emergency. It looks rough, as if written in haste. The hardness of the metal makes me conclude someone used the diamond ring to scratch the message. I would love to know what it says. It must have been important.”
Dawann leaned forward, staring at the marks on the plaque. Fey’s assessment seemed correct; the script looked like it had been scratched into the metal. After a long moment, she said, “Other than the names Dawn and Gus, I can’t read it.”
“In time,” Mem said. “Perhaps you’ll be able to read it in time.”
Fey gestured toward the virtual reality/retinal headset affixed to the monolith. “We have a direct feed to Shurrr, so we can observe the clone’s progress. This is what Mem referred to a moment ago. Our secret.”
“Who else knows about this, Fey?” Dawann asked.
“No one but us here on Moozrab. This is a quantum-secured communication device, which cannot be monitored by the Keeper or any of his government ministers and spies – another of Mem’s inventions, a new method known only to us and our closest allies. The distance to Shurrr creates a time delay, but you can watch and listen to the clone.”
Dawann reached for the headset, which was cradled in a carved slot on the face of the monolith.
Fey raised her hand. “Wait a moment, please. You must be prepared, Your Highness. The clone can be disturbing on first sight, for he is quite ugly, not only because of his flat facial features, but because,” she exchanged a look with Mem, “he has chosen to let the hair on his face and head grow long.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and his body odor is revolting if he has not bathed in the river,” Mem added.
“With our telepresence equipment,” Fey went on, “we can recreate everything, even the smells of the rain forest of Sagamish, and him. So, you must prepare yourself.”
“I am prepared.”
Mem said, “The clone has strange habits. For example, he is omnivorous.”
“Omnivorous?”
“He eats
Fey’s expression matched her mate’s. “May I get you some water?”
“I’m stunned, that’s all. I’ve lost so much of my other life, and each time I regain a part it takes me a moment to adjust and make sense of it all. Forgive me.”
“Of course, my dear,” Fey said.
“But what did you see?” Mem asked.
Dawann described her vision, then pointed to the plaque and pronounced the name for them in the alien English tongue. “ Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff ,” she said, the words coming in a slow hiss. “It says Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff . It’s the signature on the right, the one with the slanted letters. The full translation gives her title, too. It says Dawn Anne Ssstroganoff , Misssion Ssspecialist .”
“Holy Mother She-Goddess!” said Fey as Mem grabbed her hand.
Dawann turned to look straight at Fey. “Once, I was a scientist like you. I dug up old ruins and explored the ancient cities of my world.”
“You were an archeologist?”
“Yes, and I loved my work.”
In the next few moments, Dawann was able to decipher only one additional word, the name Mars.
“And that was the human word for Moozrab?” Mem asked.
“Yes,” Dawann said. “See the letters? M-A-R-S. I don’t quite understand what happened. You said you believe humans also evolved on Shurrr? Then why did human astronauts visit the Shurrrian continent of Mera, as if they were exploring an alien world? Why doesn’t the plaque say something about Mera?”
“Maybe someday you’ll be able to tell us, Your Highness,” Mem said.
“There’s something else,” Fey said mysteriously. “Something I discovered after I left the site.”
Dawann turned as Fey touched her ring to the case. An image of the back of the plaque shimmered into view. The metal surface was marred by a series of scratches. Amazed, Dawann took a closer look. There was printed script there.
“I have pondered this for a long time,” Fey divulged. “I believe it’s an extra message, perhaps done in an emergency. It looks rough, as if written in haste. The hardness of the metal makes me conclude someone used the diamond ring to scratch the message. I would love to know what it says. It must have been important.”
Dawann leaned forward, staring at the marks on the plaque. Fey’s assessment seemed correct; the script looked like it had been scratched into the metal. After a long moment, she said, “Other than the names Dawn and Gus, I can’t read it.”
“In time,” Mem said. “Perhaps you’ll be able to read it in time.”
Fey gestured toward the virtual reality/retinal headset affixed to the monolith. “We have a direct feed to Shurrr, so we can observe the clone’s progress. This is what Mem referred to a moment ago. Our secret.”
“Who else knows about this, Fey?” Dawann asked.
“No one but us here on Moozrab. This is a quantum-secured communication device, which cannot be monitored by the Keeper or any of his government ministers and spies – another of Mem’s inventions, a new method known only to us and our closest allies. The distance to Shurrr creates a time delay, but you can watch and listen to the clone.”
Dawann reached for the headset, which was cradled in a carved slot on the face of the monolith.
Fey raised her hand. “Wait a moment, please. You must be prepared, Your Highness. The clone can be disturbing on first sight, for he is quite ugly, not only because of his flat facial features, but because,” she exchanged a look with Mem, “he has chosen to let the hair on his face and head grow long.”
“Really?”
“Yes, and his body odor is revolting if he has not bathed in the river,” Mem added.
“With our telepresence equipment,” Fey went on, “we can recreate everything, even the smells of the rain forest of Sagamish, and him. So, you must prepare yourself.”
“I am prepared.”
Mem said, “The clone has strange habits. For example, he is omnivorous.”
“Omnivorous?”
“He eats
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