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Authors: Zac Harrison
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time to see rocky hills and pyramids in the distance. Then, all too quickly, it would resume a shrieking, sand-blasting howl that made conversation impossible. Taking one tiring step after another against the gale, John tried to imagine what it must have been like to live on a planet like this. No wonder they developed space travel quickly , he couldn’t help thinking. Probably couldn’t leave fast enough .
Inside the pyramid, a surprise was waiting for him. The furniture and decoration were almost exactly the same as he had seen in books about ancient Egypt. “Ms Vartexia,” he said excitedly, as the Elvian led the class inside. “Did the Martians ever contact human beings?”
“The Martians have been visiting your planet for millions of years,” the tall, blue-skinned teacher answered.
“But I thought they kept it a secret. Everything in this pyramid looks Egyptian.”
Ms Vartexia sighed. “That would have been the Martian king, Ram-Es-Izz the Bizarre. He had the strange idea that humans could be civilized and started trying to teach them. Of course, we now know that human beings are much too primit—”
“Many people still think that Ram-Es-Izz was a great king who saw potential in the people of Earth,” Lorem interrupted. “I, for one, agree with him. Humans might be capable of great things.”
“Ahh, yes. Yes indeed, headmaster,” gabbled Ms Vartexia, looking from Lorem to John. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that our John Riley is in any way primitive. I meant that—”
“Perhaps we should move on to the Pool of Ritual on the lower floor,” said Lorem, cutting her off tactfully.
When the pyramid tour was over, the class headed back out into the dust storm. John took one last look behind him as he trudged across red rocks, watching as the great building disappeared in a cloud of sand. For a moment, he wondered what would happen if he told his fellow humans about what he had learned there.
They’d lock me up and throw away the key.
By the time the class reached the exit, he was a little sad to be leaving the dust storm. Although it was fake, when the wind dropped he had been able to look up into the sky and see Earth shining down at him. It had felt almost like being home.
“Well, Mars is as dull as a weekend on Darum Four, then,” said Emmie Tarz, as the class piled out of the exit. “Whatever’s next, I hope we can actually see where we’re going.”
“Yep. Seen one desolate, sandy planet, seen them all,” Kaal agreed.
John grinned. It was difficult to be sad when Kaal and Emmie were around. “Hey, you two, that’s my closest neighbour you’re talking about... what is that ?”
An alarm blared. Instantly, a door at the end of the corridor slammed shut. Students looked at each other, eyes wide, antennae twitching, and claws clicking nervously.
“What’s going on?” demanded Lishtig.
“Quiet there,” Ms Vartexia ordered. “Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen... Headmaster, there are only fifteen students here. One is missing.”
“Check again.” Lorem’s calm voice held a note of steel.
“Fifteen. I checked twice.”
John looked around. “It’s Mordant,” he said quickly. “He’s not here.”
For a brief moment there was silence, then, in the distance, a voice: “Leave the young master alone. You don’t know who you are dealing with. Master Talliver is a very important young man.”
All eyes snapped to the Mars Dust Storm exit, as two Omega-bots emerged, holding Mordant between them. The warp guns had disappeared, as each of the machines’ hands held a part of the black-haired boy. Mordant’s face twisted in frustration as he tried to break free.
“Mordant Talliver,” said Lorem icily. “Please tell me what is going on here.”
Instead, it was G-Vez that answered. “If I may explain,” said the little droid. “The young master took just a moment to observe—”
“I said Mordant Talliver ,” the headmaster roared. Gone was the kindly,
Inside the pyramid, a surprise was waiting for him. The furniture and decoration were almost exactly the same as he had seen in books about ancient Egypt. “Ms Vartexia,” he said excitedly, as the Elvian led the class inside. “Did the Martians ever contact human beings?”
“The Martians have been visiting your planet for millions of years,” the tall, blue-skinned teacher answered.
“But I thought they kept it a secret. Everything in this pyramid looks Egyptian.”
Ms Vartexia sighed. “That would have been the Martian king, Ram-Es-Izz the Bizarre. He had the strange idea that humans could be civilized and started trying to teach them. Of course, we now know that human beings are much too primit—”
“Many people still think that Ram-Es-Izz was a great king who saw potential in the people of Earth,” Lorem interrupted. “I, for one, agree with him. Humans might be capable of great things.”
“Ahh, yes. Yes indeed, headmaster,” gabbled Ms Vartexia, looking from Lorem to John. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that our John Riley is in any way primitive. I meant that—”
“Perhaps we should move on to the Pool of Ritual on the lower floor,” said Lorem, cutting her off tactfully.
When the pyramid tour was over, the class headed back out into the dust storm. John took one last look behind him as he trudged across red rocks, watching as the great building disappeared in a cloud of sand. For a moment, he wondered what would happen if he told his fellow humans about what he had learned there.
They’d lock me up and throw away the key.
By the time the class reached the exit, he was a little sad to be leaving the dust storm. Although it was fake, when the wind dropped he had been able to look up into the sky and see Earth shining down at him. It had felt almost like being home.
“Well, Mars is as dull as a weekend on Darum Four, then,” said Emmie Tarz, as the class piled out of the exit. “Whatever’s next, I hope we can actually see where we’re going.”
“Yep. Seen one desolate, sandy planet, seen them all,” Kaal agreed.
John grinned. It was difficult to be sad when Kaal and Emmie were around. “Hey, you two, that’s my closest neighbour you’re talking about... what is that ?”
An alarm blared. Instantly, a door at the end of the corridor slammed shut. Students looked at each other, eyes wide, antennae twitching, and claws clicking nervously.
“What’s going on?” demanded Lishtig.
“Quiet there,” Ms Vartexia ordered. “Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen... Headmaster, there are only fifteen students here. One is missing.”
“Check again.” Lorem’s calm voice held a note of steel.
“Fifteen. I checked twice.”
John looked around. “It’s Mordant,” he said quickly. “He’s not here.”
For a brief moment there was silence, then, in the distance, a voice: “Leave the young master alone. You don’t know who you are dealing with. Master Talliver is a very important young man.”
All eyes snapped to the Mars Dust Storm exit, as two Omega-bots emerged, holding Mordant between them. The warp guns had disappeared, as each of the machines’ hands held a part of the black-haired boy. Mordant’s face twisted in frustration as he tried to break free.
“Mordant Talliver,” said Lorem icily. “Please tell me what is going on here.”
Instead, it was G-Vez that answered. “If I may explain,” said the little droid. “The young master took just a moment to observe—”
“I said Mordant Talliver ,” the headmaster roared. Gone was the kindly,
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