sizes covered the land. A massive wall surrounded the city on all sides all the way up to the edge of water. The buildings sparkled in the sunlight made of some type of crystal substance that had veins of gold and silver running through it. It was beautiful, and most pleasing to the eyes as the hues cast by the buildings shifted as the shuttle flew over the city.
“There's the Royal Palace,” Deatra said as she pointed out a tall building.
The Palace was situated on two square miles of land and had four spires that reached for the sky. The spires looked as if someone had taken the top and twisted them slightly as they rose from the ground. It was the only building that was made of the crystal substance that had an amber hue to it.
“The amber crystal is a very rare type of crystal we use in building,” Deatra said. “It takes years to grow it and cultivate it correctly. The clear crystal only took months to grow and cultivate.”
“It’s grown?” Jon said.
“Oh yes,” Deatra said. “It’s a natural product from our planet made by a large insect similar to what you would call a wasp. They build their nests from it and once it sets it’s as strong as our hardest metal. We make almost everything from it, excluding our ships. For some reason, space breaks the substance down in months. We call it Ixantrau, named after the large insect that creates it, the Ixantrax.”
“Large insects like wasps,” Jon said. “Must be very dangerous to produce and cultivate.”
Deatra shook her head as she spoke, “They’re quite docile, and most of the tribes cultivate and sell the substance to the cities. A few tribes trade it for items they need. There are four tribes I know of that do patch work when needed and bring the insects with them for on-site repairs. The largest of the Ixantrax are used as mounts, they’re the ones who produce the amber Ixantrau, a very rare strain of the species, and I know of only one tribe that has them.”
“Very interesting,” Jon said as he watched the city pass below. The streets were almost devoid of life. “With a city this size and the Royal Palace here I would have expected the city to be full of life.”
Deatra sighed as she sat back and turned her head to look at Jon. She paused a brief moment before speaking, “The city, as well as every other city and even some of the villages, has about one eighth the population it used to. My people are dying out, and we have no idea why.”
“Our people,” Jon said as he squeezed her hand. “The animals too, yet the plants aren’t, they’re prospering. The two have to be connected and I promise you I’ll find out why and then if I can do anything, I will.”
“I know,” Deatra said. She laid her head on his shoulder. “I just hope it isn’t too late.”
I just hope what is affecting the planet and people here doesn’t affect us while we’re here Jon thought as he looked back out the window.
“Jon you might want to come up here,” Terri’s voice said from the cockpit.
Jon kissed Deatra on the forehead as he stood up. “Be right back,” he said.
Deatra nodded and smiled at him.
Jon made his way and climbed up into the cockpit. Terri was seated in the pilot’s chair, and a Drovasian was seated in the co-pilot’s chair. He nodded his head at the young female Drovasian as he entered.
“My Lord,” she said as she returned the greeting, bowing as far as she could.
“No need for all that… Uh… I’m sorry I don’t’ know your name,” Jon said
“I’m Ifata,” Ifata said. “I’m one of the personal guards assigned to you and your family.”
“Great more guards just what I need,” Jon said under his breath.
But it was loud enough for Ifata to hear, and she frowned slightly.
Terri smiled as she reached over and patted Ifata’s arm. “Don’t worry he’s always that way. You’ll get used to it soon enough. He thinks one guard is too many,” Terri said as she smiled. “He has yet to meet his
“There's the Royal Palace,” Deatra said as she pointed out a tall building.
The Palace was situated on two square miles of land and had four spires that reached for the sky. The spires looked as if someone had taken the top and twisted them slightly as they rose from the ground. It was the only building that was made of the crystal substance that had an amber hue to it.
“The amber crystal is a very rare type of crystal we use in building,” Deatra said. “It takes years to grow it and cultivate it correctly. The clear crystal only took months to grow and cultivate.”
“It’s grown?” Jon said.
“Oh yes,” Deatra said. “It’s a natural product from our planet made by a large insect similar to what you would call a wasp. They build their nests from it and once it sets it’s as strong as our hardest metal. We make almost everything from it, excluding our ships. For some reason, space breaks the substance down in months. We call it Ixantrau, named after the large insect that creates it, the Ixantrax.”
“Large insects like wasps,” Jon said. “Must be very dangerous to produce and cultivate.”
Deatra shook her head as she spoke, “They’re quite docile, and most of the tribes cultivate and sell the substance to the cities. A few tribes trade it for items they need. There are four tribes I know of that do patch work when needed and bring the insects with them for on-site repairs. The largest of the Ixantrax are used as mounts, they’re the ones who produce the amber Ixantrau, a very rare strain of the species, and I know of only one tribe that has them.”
“Very interesting,” Jon said as he watched the city pass below. The streets were almost devoid of life. “With a city this size and the Royal Palace here I would have expected the city to be full of life.”
Deatra sighed as she sat back and turned her head to look at Jon. She paused a brief moment before speaking, “The city, as well as every other city and even some of the villages, has about one eighth the population it used to. My people are dying out, and we have no idea why.”
“Our people,” Jon said as he squeezed her hand. “The animals too, yet the plants aren’t, they’re prospering. The two have to be connected and I promise you I’ll find out why and then if I can do anything, I will.”
“I know,” Deatra said. She laid her head on his shoulder. “I just hope it isn’t too late.”
I just hope what is affecting the planet and people here doesn’t affect us while we’re here Jon thought as he looked back out the window.
“Jon you might want to come up here,” Terri’s voice said from the cockpit.
Jon kissed Deatra on the forehead as he stood up. “Be right back,” he said.
Deatra nodded and smiled at him.
Jon made his way and climbed up into the cockpit. Terri was seated in the pilot’s chair, and a Drovasian was seated in the co-pilot’s chair. He nodded his head at the young female Drovasian as he entered.
“My Lord,” she said as she returned the greeting, bowing as far as she could.
“No need for all that… Uh… I’m sorry I don’t’ know your name,” Jon said
“I’m Ifata,” Ifata said. “I’m one of the personal guards assigned to you and your family.”
“Great more guards just what I need,” Jon said under his breath.
But it was loud enough for Ifata to hear, and she frowned slightly.
Terri smiled as she reached over and patted Ifata’s arm. “Don’t worry he’s always that way. You’ll get used to it soon enough. He thinks one guard is too many,” Terri said as she smiled. “He has yet to meet his
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