Ad Martem 12 Read online

  This would mean roaming the grounds around the Aresland in complete freedom, on board incredible vehicles that Jordan had been dreaming to drive since he was a child. Of course it was still a great responsibility. Now the safety of trips and excursions depended on him.

  And he was proud of it.

  That morning he woke up sooner than necessary, but he just couldn’t resist one more minute in his bed. Yet he would still have to wait a good hour before he could go to the Main Base for breakfast. He silently left his room through an automatic sliding door, wearing pajamas and grey silky socks. That curved corridor was empty and quite dark, the only lighting came from a pair of mild LED lights on the ceiling of the dome.

  He slipped into the bathroom, a small structure that resembled a parallelepiped which was almost in front of his room. It only contained a toilet, a sink and small mirror. It was a little bit cramped, not much of a comfy place, but however that bathroom served for night or morning uses only. The sanitary facility with a shower and the medical compartment was in the Main Base.

  Jordan washed his face and then passed a hand through his brunette hair, completely and constantly messy. When he decided he had achieved a sufficiently neat status, he headed back to his room.

  He let himself fall back heavily on his bed and absently glanced over to a small digital clock on his nightstand. It was 6:23 am. He had forty minutes left before breakfast. He knew that he wasn’t going to resist all that time doing nothing. Therefore he decided to make time fly by tidying his room that after all those years had become a real disaster. He got up from the bed and went to stand in the centre of the room to look around himself, it was difficult to decide where to start. After all he had owned that room since he was born, so it contained anything and everything. On the floor, next to the bed, there were some horrendous robots, built with some pieces of cork, plastic and some rudimentary gear that Jordan had tried to test many times, unsuccessfully.

  Books of every genre were piled up on the shelves above his bed, from children’s tales to entire scientific encyclopedias, everything hidden under a thin layer of garnet dust that covered some models of rovers and spaceships as well, leaning in balance next to the books. Jordan had never had many books, actually no one had. Until, with Dounja Douglas’ arrival, they got a machine that printed works in hard copy. Before that printer, Jordan used to have only one small book entitled “Your first book about the Universe”, that his mother had given to him. It was one of the few colored books in the Aresland because the new printer could produce only black and white volumes.

  And then, ancient toys and plushes of every kind were holed up under the desk, under the bed and in every corner of the room. He had no courage to throw them away. His nightstand had three drawers containing his underwear and on it, there was a framed picture next to a small lamp and the clock. It portrayed a woman with long, dark hair and a kind face, who carried in her arms an unleashed one-year-old kid who just didn’t want to stay still. She was his mother, Laurie Williams, with her baby Jordan.

  It had been already six years since he last saw her and he almost wouldn’t remember her appearance if it wasn’t for that picture. She had fallen ill quite badly when he still was a child and therefore she had to leave for Earth where some experts would heal and keep her safe: this was what Jordan had been told. He was fine with it, he had accepted the fact that he wasn’t going to see her ever again, even though he missed her. Jordan was serene: he had his father Alexander with him and all the others who lived in the base. He had always been the centre of attention for everyone, surrounded by smiling and kind people. He was fine with it, he was happy.

  When Jordan heard a bell ringing and was taken out of his thoughts, he realized that all he had done was sit on his bed with the picture of his mother in his hands, without tidying anything. He figured that he would never manage to reorder a thing and that mess would reign forever. Alright, he thought. In any case that sol he was going to start driving rovers! The bell that woke up all those present in the bases stopped ringing and Jordan took off the clothes he wore to sleep and put on a dark green t-shirt and a pair of cozy cargo shorts. After he slipped on his sneakers, he turned off the light and left.

  His room was part of a dome divided in three spaces: the other two belonged respectively to Alexander Miles, his father, and to Dounja Douglas, a young-looking woman that took his mother’s place inside the Red Stone four years before. Jordan walked down the perimeter of the dome, that was again contained in a bigger geodesic dome, until he turned left and continued in a corridor. He walked at a deliberate pace until he came out in the Main Base. Right next to the entrance there was a long table which followed the curvature of that immense hemisphere, where two men were already sitting, having their breakfast: George Jenner and Frank Larsen were used to get up much earlier than anyone else.

  «Already up?» Frank asked as he noticed him approaching.

  He was a middle-aged man with a very pale skin, fading blonde hair, light blue eyes and flushed cheeks.

  George, who wasn’t watching, turned to look at Jordan as he took a seat next to them. He was the eldest inside the base, but despite the grey hair, his physical shape was more than fit, even if a little bit more achy. He had the role of leader inside the Red Stone.

  «Eh eh, I know why he’s already up, don’t I, Jordan?» George gave him a wink and the boy grinned.

  «Good morning to you too» Jordan said.

  George chuckled. Everything that was available for breakfast was placed on the table and Jordan was very hungry. He filled his plate with scrambled eggs, grabbed a piece of wholemeal bread and framed it all with some dried fruit. He poured a glass of water and began to ravenously eat that yellow mush.

  «Tell me, did I miss something?» Frank asked glancing between George and Jordan with a questioning look.

  «Since tosol on I’ll take care of the rovers» Jordan explained.

  «Oh, you were promoted then. But anyway someone should deal with the henhouse.»

  Jordan waved his fork dismissively.

  «Not my problem anymore, Frank. I don’t want to see those birds ever again.»

  Frank turned to him completely and pointed a finger at his plate in a scolding manner while George chuckled, sincerely amused.

  «You know, that stuff you’re devouring so passionately is only thanks to those birds, Jordan. No hens, no breakfast.»

  Jordan rolled his eyes without looking at him.

  «Don’t torment him, Larsen» a new voice spoke up. Alexander had entered the Main Base, followed by a sleepy Dounja. «Jordan did an excellent job with the henhouse all this time. It is fair that he receives a promotion, he deserves it. Am I wrong, Jenner?»

  «Thanks, da’» Jordan murmured.

  «I was just giving some life lessons» Frank argued with a low tone, shrugging.

  «Very correct, Miles» George agreed «But, as Larsen rightly said, we need someone who’ll take care of our hens periodically.»

  In the meantime, the last woman who completed the crew came out of one of the four private rooms of the Main Base and joined her mates at the table. She was Klara Nowak.

  «Good morning, Nowak» George greeted when he noticed her «Right on time! We’re about to decide who’s going to be the next to take care of the henhouse. Anyone volunteers?»

  «Don’t wait for someone to volunteer, George» Jordan suddenly said, after swallowing the last bite of breakfast «You need an extreme courage to endorse such a task» he brought the glass of water to his mouth, ignoring the amused looks everyone shared.

  «Until yestersol I was the one who took care of the rovers, commander» Klara said, moving her short dark hair behind her ear. «I can deal with the henhouse, it isn’t a problem and it doesn’t take time from my main task. I’ve already done it in the past.»

  «Excellent, I suppose we all agree.»

  George’s gaze scanned all those present, noticing a particular spark of relief in everyone’s eyes.

  �
�Nowak, we are in debt to you. You saved our life» Alexander said ironically shortly after.

  Klara smiled and Jordan stretched.

  A new sol had begun.

  Jordan finished his meal together with all the others and then left to go to class, which would start at eight. The big cylinder in the middle of the Main Base hosted four personal rooms, three of which were occupied by George, Frank and Klara. Jordan walked alongside the perimeter, passed in front of the corridor which led to the Hong Se De Du base and, after passing the kitchen, he took the corridor which led to the Krasnij Gorod base, where classes were held every sol. Soon he found himself in a new large dome that contained a smaller one in the center. He turned left and began to walk down the perimeter again, passing next to the machines of the Life Support System: the oxygen generator, the carbon dioxide absorber and the water recycling system.

  Just as he was about to get past the bathroom door, it opened and a girl of his same age came out in the corridor, stroking her long wavy red hair with her fingers, trying to untangle some rebellious knots. Jordan reached her.

  «Oh, Dobroe utro, Jordan!» the girl exclaimed seeing him.

  «Utro tebe[1]» he greeted back, smiling.

  “Dobroe utro” meant “good morning”. At the Krasnij Gorod they were all used to speak Russian, just like English was principal in the Red Stone and Chinese was protagonist at the Hong Se De Du.

  Those three languages were the three main means of communication at Aresland. Jordan had learned them all as a child, even though English was spoken more often due to its simplicity and it was destined to become the only official language.

  They were about to start down towards the classroom when they heard some quick steps approaching and they turned back again, already well aware of who was coming. A tall boy with dark hair and almond-shaped eyes had come out of the corridor that arrived from the Hong Se De Du.

  «Da jia hao![2]» he greeted cheerfully, reaching their side.

  «Hi, Nunki» Jordan said, high-fiving with him.

  «Privyet[3]» the girl said, finally giving up on her hair and throwing it backwards.

  The real name of the boy was actually Yan Heng, but everyone called him Nunki because it was the first word that he said as a baby. On the other hand, the girl’s name was Anna Yesfir Taykeeva. Jordan had a second name too, even though no one ever used it: Arcturus, it was the name of a very bright star that was visible at night. The three of them were the same age, they were born there, not too far from one another. They had grown up and lived together until then, Jordan had always considered them as a sister and a brother.

  «Do you remember which sol is tosol?» Anna asked looking at her friends expectantly.

  «Tosol is sol solis» Yan replied thoughtfully. «So what?»

  The girl rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head in a defeated manner.

  «How can you forget these things, Nunki?!»

  Anna’s question puzzled Jordan, who tried to think as much as he could to give her a better answer.

  Suddenly a memory was lit in his mind like a spark.

  «It’s Virgo 15th, 239!» he spoke suddenly. «The arrival of three new persons is scheduled for tosol!»

  «That’s it» Anna upheld.

  Yan turned to him with wide eyes.

  «Man, since when no one new arrives?» he asked frowning.

  «As I recall, four years ago a new woman joined the Red Stone, so I suppose someone arrived at yours too. Honestly I don’t remember much.»

  «Precisely. No one has arrived for four years» Anna confirmed sighing. «Anyway, guys, we’d better go to class, Nastya must be waiting.»

  The two nodded and together they started down towards the room that was adjacent to the bathroom.

  «I almost forgot, I managed to develop a new super complicated videogame, it’s a bomb!» Yan announced with enthusiasm as they reached the room’s entrance.

  «Impressive» Anna commented flatly.

  «What’s that tone? You don’t appreciate my hard work?»

  The girl snorted and pressed a button next to the door, ignoring his question.

  «I think that’s great, Nunki. Can’t wait to try it» Jordan intervened standing up for Yan.

  «See, Anna? That’s a friend» Yan pointed out, passing an arm on Jordan’s shoulders theatrically.

  The door slid open and the girl entered first glancing at the sky and whispering “Men!”

  Yan went in after her with narrow eyes and Jordan followed them laughing.

  The room wasn’t very big. Three desks with a laptop each were placed one next to the other in front of a multimedia whiteboard. At the end there was a small closet which contained some papers, notebooks, volumes and all the office supplies. Images of cosmic objects were hanging on every wall: several moons of Jupiter and Saturn, the Andromeda galaxy, various nebulae, and star clusters and then many, many images of planet Earth, with its blue surface, its whirling white clouds and the night lights of the inhabited settlements. Next to the multimedia whiteboard, a woman was sitting at a bigger desk, her hair gathered in a pony tail. As soon as she heard the door opening, she raised her eyes from the book she was reading.

  «Zdravstvuy[4], Nastya» the three greeted in unison.

  The two boys took their seats at the desks while Anna headed to the closet.

  «Zdravstvuytye, rebyata[5]. How are you?»

  Nastya stood up from the desk and went to switch the multimedia whiteboard on, while Anna handed a paper and a pen to both Jordan and Yan, just in case they had to solve some written exercises.

  «Ochen’ koroshò, spasibo[6]» the girl replied first with a resolute tone as she took her seat.

  «Not bad» Jordan’s voice followed.

  «Everything’s nominal» Yan concluded.

  The lesson began, held in Russian. With Nastya Ivanova they studied chemistry. That sol they analyzed and mastered the reaction that happened between carbon dioxide and hydrogen and that gave methane and water as products. That chemical reaction was extremely important and fundamental in the Aresland, as it was used every sol by the Life Support Systems in order to provide potable water and propellant for the rovers.

  Three hours later the three found themselves together in Yan’s room, inside the Hong Se De Du. The boy was sitting cross-legged on an armchair as beige as the sky, in front of a screen, the joystick in his hands. Jordan was crouched on the arm of the same chair and observed the game moves of his friend with attention and interest while he explained everything, step by step. Anna, on the contrary, was laying on Yan’s bed, her serious gaze was focused on a thick volume that she held in her hands, entitled “Earth and life”.

  «Okay, now we are in the foreign mother spaceship. We must refuel and leave immediately» Yan explained, completely absorbed in the game.

  «What’s that countdown?» Jordan asked pointing at the top left corner of the screen.

  «It says how much time of invisibility you’ve got left. As soon as you return visible everyone will try to kill you.»

  «How very reassuring. However, Nunki, you’ve got ten seconds.»

  «O, huoji![7]»

  «How long for refuelling?»

  «Five seconds!»

  «Well, you have… five left now! Geez, run!» Jordan was raising his tone of voice and slowly Yan too.

  «It should be somewhere here!» Yan shook the joystick frantically. «Zai zheli![8]» he yelled.

  «Go, go, go! Oh no, minus 3, 2, 1!» Jordan had even stood up.

  «They might not find us right away. Come on, 4 seconds, 3…»

  Shortly after, the text “Refuelling completed successfully” appeared on the screen.

  «YEAH!» the two boys screamed in chorus.

  «OH, COME ON! CAN YOU KEEP THE NOISE DOWN?!» a voice that they hadn’t heard in a while thundered in the room.

  «Why don’t you play with us too? Always stuck on those books…» Yan commented without turning.

  Anna got up to sit, closed the book an
d placed it on the bed next to her, glaring at Yan’s back as he was turned towards the computer screen.

  «And you always stuck on those videogames, where’s the difference?» Anna hissed back.

  «The difference is that books are boring and games are fun. Okay, let’s fly away from here. Now we go into the fray.»

  «Or the contrary» the girl retorted even if Yan wasn’t listening anymore, again focused on the game.

  She stood up and walked around the armchair. She grabbed the joystick out of Yan’s hands with a snap, taking him by surprise.

  «-the heck you doing?! The enemy army’s coming!» he shrieked.

  «Otlichno. Vstavay[9]» her tone didn’t admit replies.

  The boy didn’t hesitate any longer, knowing the girl, and left the place to her.

  «Davay![10]» he added, moving to the other side of the armchair.

  The two boys stood to watch. With her small spaceship, the girl defeated the entire enemy army in a record time that not even Yan had achieved before, despite he himself was the one who had programmed the game. Sharp blows, clear and precise, and all the enemies fell one by one. The girl stood up even before the text “You won” appeared on the screen and she headed to the exit. She turned back as the door slid open only to see Jordan and Yan staring at her, dumbfounded.

  «Well?» she raised her eyebrows «What’re you waiting for? Food’s ready.»

  Right at that moment the lunch bell resounded in the Aresland and the girl disappeared.

  Yan shook his head and switched the computer off.

  «She’s excruciating» he let out in a heavy breath.

  A weak smile was plastered on Jordan’s lips.

  «Yeah» he murmured.