“It’s landing out in the root field,” Mike said as the gigantic black prism, larger than any Egyptian pyramid, descended from the sky. The root field below it didn’t even move as it continued to land. “No thrusters,” he said.
“Must be antigravity tech,” Mai replied, picking up a pair of old binoculars from the table and returning to the window. “It’s an impressive structure all right. It has an intricate texture on its surface that almost repels light, giving it a matte finish. There’s some blue laser-like strips at certain points. Impressive. It’s like a massive scale version of that one you used to speak with Drone 21.”
“At least we know it’s definitely scion,” Mike said.
Outside, the rest of Unity, or at least those that could still walk, had left their houses and other buildings and started to scale the great steps of the basin to get a closer look at the new arrival.
“That’s got to be their ride,” Mai said, referring to Charlie, Denver, and Layla.
“Hopefully. I’d rather see it with my own eyes, though. Are you up for a stroll?”
When Mike turned away from the window, Mai was already hobbling to the door, putting her coat on and reaching for a walking stick Mike had found for her. She reached for the door handle and turned to Mike. “Well? You going to stand there all day, old man?”
With the help of a couple of Unity soldiers, Mike and Mai made it to the top of the basin. The huge scion ship had landed and was now surrounded by the remaining people of Unity. They all fidgeted nervously, waiting…
Even though, through the new council, Mike had explained his conversation with Drone 21, there was naturally a great deal of skepticism and fear. Who could blame them? The past few months had been one long struggle. He understood their concern over what else might be coming for them.
Hell, even as he approached the crowd around the prism ship, he couldn’t be entirely sure. Although his new handler answered most of his questions and seemed open to his inquiries, as well as showing him video footage of his friends, he realized he was dealing with some extremely sophisticated tech and this could all be a trick.
But given the options, what else could they do?
If this scion were as powerful as they seemed and had fixed the gate of their own accord, then it’s not as if those left on Earth would be in position to put up much of a fight.
“Something’s opening,” Mai said, still peering through her binoculars.
The base of the prism, hovering a few meters off the ground, emitted a low rumble. A blue line of laser light flickered once before a large square section on the side facing them slid open to show a nondescript interior of gray and white walls.
Then, backlit by the blue light, three silhouettes approached.
Mike’s heart thudded against his chest. He worried about Mai; would this be too much strain for her after her minor heart attack? He pulled her close to him. Her arm went around his waist and they held each other, silent in anticipation as the three figures approached the edge.
A ramp from beneath the base slid out to connect with the ground before changing shape to create a set of steps. Mike’s eyes grew wide as he watched the metallic surface seem to change shape almost at will.
“Did you see that?” Mike said.
“I’m not blind yet,” Mai replied. “Look, it’s them!”
Mai was right. Now they weren’t backlit by the craft’s interior lights, Mike saw the tired, but undeniable forms of Charlie, Denver, and Layla.
The crowd around them almost didn’t know how to respond.
Charlie stepped forward and put his hand up, hushing the crowd to a silence.
“Hagellan is dead!” he shouted.
The crowd erupted with cheers.
“The croatoans are no longer a threat to Earth!” Charlie added.
The crowd yelled again, clapping and cheering, some crying with relief.
On it went, for at least five minutes, Charlie, Layla, and Denver filling the crowd in on their adventures and who and what the scion were and what their role would be. When they had finished with their brief, Charlie shouted, “Where’s Mike and Mai?”
“Maria?” Denver asked.
“Over here,” Maria yelled from the right edge of the crowd, which split to allow her through. She headed toward Denver and hugged him before Layla joined in a group hug.
Charlie didn’t wait, he just waded through the crowd toward Mike and Mai after someone had turned around to point them out. When he came through, Mai launched on him, grabbing by the shoulders and kissing his face. “You stupid man! Don’t you ever leave us again, you hear?”
“She’s happy you’re back, old friend,” Mike said with a wide grin. Charlie looked awful, though. He seemed to have aged a decade and looked gaunt. There was a shadow behind his eyes that told Mike he had gone through a rough time. He’d no doubt talk about it sometime late at night as they shared a drink. But Mike knew enough not to press him. Charlie wasn’t really the sharing type.
Mike thrust out a hand. “Welcome back, Charlie.”
Charlie shook it enthusiastically before nodding to the miniature prism around his neck. “I see you’ve already got acquainted with our new friends.”
“Aye, if they are friends?” Mike said, quirking an eyebrow.
“I guess that remains to be seen,” Charlie said, “but I think we can trust them… Denver’s… well, he’ll explain everything. Right now, I could murder a cup of root wine.”
Later that evening, after everyone had dispersed back to their homes, the council members of Unity met to discuss the next stage of plans. Mike was beyond curious about the whole situation. Charlie told him the scion would be looking out for Earth. A prism named Drone 21 made plans with Mike to recover some lost artifacts that Hagellan had stashed.
Mike finally felt at ease with the world.
He couldn’t believe what Denver had told him, how the scion were actually a human creation. It blew his mind and reminded him why he became an archaeologist all those years ago. He wanted to find out how humanity came about, and why, if that was a question that had an answer.
With the scion helping, they could perhaps, once and for all, learn each other’s origins and reason for being. He would muse over that question for some time, he knew. Why did the other, far more ancient humans create the scion?
Had they seen into the future somehow? Seen that working together, other humans and the scion could forge an alliance and increase their odds of survival against the multitude of alien species across the universe?
“I’m going tomorrow evening,” Denver said, standing up in the chalet.
“Already?” Maria said. “It’s too soon.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have a choice. I agreed to help and it can’t wait. Besides, the sooner I leave and complete this mission, the sooner I can return. You guys have got so much to do without me. So many new plans. A new start! I wouldn’t even know what to do. I have to do this.”
Both Layla and Maria had tried to change his mind, ask if there was some other way, but there wasn’t. Mike could see it in Denver’s eyes. He didn’t just want to do it for the deal with the scion; he wanted to do it for himself. He needed this. This was who he was.
As they continued to banter back and forth, delaying Denver from getting some well-earned rest, a scratching noise came from the door to the chalet. Mike looked round, a dread settling in his stomach… what the hell was that?
Denver was already on it. He grabbed a rifle from the weapon rack on the wall and pressed his finger to his lip to indicate silence, then stepped toward the door until he stood beside it.
He chambered a round, aimed the weapon, and opened the door.
A sharp bark caught his attention and he immediately aimed the rifle away.