a thick jungle. Not far from the docking port was a wide lake. John’s grin returned, along with the holiday feeling he’d had in the changing room at Hyperspace High. Archivus Major was a beautiful planet.
“As we only have two days and a whole world of wonders to see, I suggest we get started immediately,” Lorem continued, rubbing his hands together in glee. “We’ll walk to the Mars Dust Storm exhibit. This should be of special interest to you, John. Mars, as you know, is your own planet’s closest neighbour.”
* * *
“Mars!” Ms Varexia called out. “One of the galaxy’s most interesting worlds. Despite the planet’s hostile environment, its people achieved hyperspace technology very quickly and led the way in forming the first Galactic Council.”
The group walked across a bridge that looked like it was made from glass, followed by the ever-present Omega-bots. Already, John was finding it easier to ignore the menacing, silent machines. They were quickly becoming part of the scenery. Ahead stood a massive, box-like grey building. “Obviously, none of us are Martians, so we will have to wear protective suits,” Ms Vartexia continued, with a sharp look at John.
He smiled, remembering the only reason he was at Hyperspace High was because she had mistaken him for a Martian prince.
“What is this place?” he asked Kaal a few minutes later, while they both pulled white all-in-one suits with facemasks over their SecondSkins.
Every student had been issued with a ThinScreen guide at the dock, and Kaal was currently flicking through his.
“It says here that Mars Dust Storm exactly simulates the conditions on Mars forty million years ago,” the Derrilian replied. “It’s supposed to give visitors an idea of how hard it must have been for the Martians to build a civilization.”
“Forty million years ago? Human beings only evolved about a quarter of a million years ago.”
Kaal looked down at him. “That explains a lot ,” he grinned.
John punched his friend on the shoulder. “At least we can land spaceships properly,” he shot back.
A few minutes later, the two of them lined up with the class in the main hall of Mars Dust Storm. Before them was a desert of red sand and craggy rocks. Dotted here and there were pyramids that Ms Vartexia told them had been towns and cities in the days before the Martian people had created new homes deep beneath the ground. Above, a vast ceiling screen showed a 3-D scene of dark skies and swirling cloud. The sun – My sun , John thought – looked small and weak.
“There’s Earth,” said Lorem quietly, before adding with a chuckle, “I can see England from here.”
Following the headmaster’s pointing finger, John saw what looked like a small star, blue against the dark background of space. Not twinkling, but shining with the constant light that meant it was a planet and not a distant sun.
Seeing his own planet gave John another pang of homesickness. It’s a hologram, not the real Earth , he told himself sternly.
“In a moment, the environment generators will start,” said Ms Vartexia. “When they do, we will make our way across the hall, stopping midway at the Pyramid of Tal-So-Ga.”
A roaring sound began. Seconds later John was almost knocked off his feet by a gale that howled across the replica Mars. Carried by the wind, red sand hissed against his face mask until he could see only a vague white shape that had been Kaal a few seconds before. The temperature dropped quickly.
“Let’s go!” shouted Ms Vartexia over the storm. “Keep the person in front of you in sight at all times.”
“You OK?” Kaal yelled over his shoulder, as they began the trek across the fake Martian landscape.
“No. Something really weird is happening!” John shouted back.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m actually enjoying a Hyperspace History lesson.”
It was, John had to admit, a fascinating experience. Every so often the wind dropped, giving just enough
“As we only have two days and a whole world of wonders to see, I suggest we get started immediately,” Lorem continued, rubbing his hands together in glee. “We’ll walk to the Mars Dust Storm exhibit. This should be of special interest to you, John. Mars, as you know, is your own planet’s closest neighbour.”
* * *
“Mars!” Ms Varexia called out. “One of the galaxy’s most interesting worlds. Despite the planet’s hostile environment, its people achieved hyperspace technology very quickly and led the way in forming the first Galactic Council.”
The group walked across a bridge that looked like it was made from glass, followed by the ever-present Omega-bots. Already, John was finding it easier to ignore the menacing, silent machines. They were quickly becoming part of the scenery. Ahead stood a massive, box-like grey building. “Obviously, none of us are Martians, so we will have to wear protective suits,” Ms Vartexia continued, with a sharp look at John.
He smiled, remembering the only reason he was at Hyperspace High was because she had mistaken him for a Martian prince.
“What is this place?” he asked Kaal a few minutes later, while they both pulled white all-in-one suits with facemasks over their SecondSkins.
Every student had been issued with a ThinScreen guide at the dock, and Kaal was currently flicking through his.
“It says here that Mars Dust Storm exactly simulates the conditions on Mars forty million years ago,” the Derrilian replied. “It’s supposed to give visitors an idea of how hard it must have been for the Martians to build a civilization.”
“Forty million years ago? Human beings only evolved about a quarter of a million years ago.”
Kaal looked down at him. “That explains a lot ,” he grinned.
John punched his friend on the shoulder. “At least we can land spaceships properly,” he shot back.
A few minutes later, the two of them lined up with the class in the main hall of Mars Dust Storm. Before them was a desert of red sand and craggy rocks. Dotted here and there were pyramids that Ms Vartexia told them had been towns and cities in the days before the Martian people had created new homes deep beneath the ground. Above, a vast ceiling screen showed a 3-D scene of dark skies and swirling cloud. The sun – My sun , John thought – looked small and weak.
“There’s Earth,” said Lorem quietly, before adding with a chuckle, “I can see England from here.”
Following the headmaster’s pointing finger, John saw what looked like a small star, blue against the dark background of space. Not twinkling, but shining with the constant light that meant it was a planet and not a distant sun.
Seeing his own planet gave John another pang of homesickness. It’s a hologram, not the real Earth , he told himself sternly.
“In a moment, the environment generators will start,” said Ms Vartexia. “When they do, we will make our way across the hall, stopping midway at the Pyramid of Tal-So-Ga.”
A roaring sound began. Seconds later John was almost knocked off his feet by a gale that howled across the replica Mars. Carried by the wind, red sand hissed against his face mask until he could see only a vague white shape that had been Kaal a few seconds before. The temperature dropped quickly.
“Let’s go!” shouted Ms Vartexia over the storm. “Keep the person in front of you in sight at all times.”
“You OK?” Kaal yelled over his shoulder, as they began the trek across the fake Martian landscape.
“No. Something really weird is happening!” John shouted back.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m actually enjoying a Hyperspace History lesson.”
It was, John had to admit, a fascinating experience. Every so often the wind dropped, giving just enough
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