Pendulum: An Aes Sidhe Novel

by A. Omukai

  She looked at Adams’ last message one more time, when another alarm ping reached her ears. She closed it, looked at the clock. Four more minutes had passed. Adams sure was worried, telling from the frequency of his attempts to contact her. She almost felt guilty about it.

  “Deirdre, what’s going on? Please contact me ASAP! Are you all right? Do you need help? I’m still getting vitals from your suit’s med systems.”

  Instead of closing the window, she called him. He opened the channel almost instantly. His face appeared in a small window on top of her display. She dragged it down to the middle and made it bigger.

  “Hello Daniel. I’m good. Sorry, I just woke up, still drowsy.”

  His facial expression, full of blame, collapsed into one of shame, then changed into a relieved smile. Not one word was needed. She’d never seen such expressive features, apart from Cailean, who could tell stories with just his face. She’d need the help of her Cu Sidhe down here. So many things to worry about, but one thing after the other.

  “Glad you’re all right. You’re the last member of our team to get in touch. Listen, I contacted our vehicle, it’s some hundred kilometres to the west. It will need over an hour to reach my location, and then I’ll need longer to pick you up. You’re on my map, about five kilometres north-east. The others are further away, we must get to them together.”

  An hour for a hundred kilometres, that didn’t sound right. Then again, if it had to drive on its own, and in unknown terrain…

  “So what do you want me to do?”

  “Please stay where you are. Wandering five kilometres in this gravity is a waste of energy, and we still don’t know enough about this planet to tell if it’s even safe.”

  “Gotcha. So far it’s not too bad here.”

  His laugh was hoarse and reminded her of Brilann’s, but he didn’t have quite the dark voice.

  “Call me anytime. If there’s anything, don’t wait.”

  “Aye. You take care, too.”

  He nodded and cut the connection.

  So far, so good.

  Cailean. Maybe she should call him to her side now. He was probably immune to whatever this planet could throw at him, considering his nature. With his physical body residing in the Otherworld, nothing could touch his manifestation. Not only would she need him to find those ominous places of power, he might also be useful here as a guardian of sorts. Besides, she still didn’t know just how Brilann had “talked” with him. How does one talk with Cu Sidhe? She’d have a word with Cailean - if she could figure out how to do it.

  She closed her eyes and calmed her thoughts. Breathing in and out, in and out, until nothing was left of the environment. And where was she in this body? Deirdre wasn’t in a hurry. Her breath was slow and regular. The gravity was a bit distracting, but that didn’t matter too much, it would solve itself in time. Where was she in this body? She could feel herself, but locating her essence wasn’t always easy. There, her attention focused on her temples. There she was. Zooming in, she sunk into herself and skipped forward in time. When she finished her meditation, she stared into two big, glowing eyes sitting in a large, white face. Her system clock said 17:02.

  “Hey buddy,” she said, and the face in front of her seemed to put on a smile. Or a grin. She could never tell which. Cailean would forever be full of mysteries, and hopefully so.

  ***

  Adams looked around and was fascinated.

  The ground was covered mostly with a mycelium he couldn’t identify, of course, but the mere fact he encountered something similar to what he knew from Earth was fascinating. He was on an alien planet, after all. After years and years of only thinking about biology on exoplanets in theory, this was his first experience.

  While he would have loved to take some samples right here and now, he needed his equipment to do it. Yet another reason to find and collect all the gear he had brought from the Tuatha De Danann.

  Had it all made it to the planet surface in one piece? He would find out. Before he could collect all his gear, though, there was something more important to deal with. He had to search for the team members, and the Fir Bolg was quite a way out in the wild. He was also the one among them who could handle the gravity without breaking a sweat.

  Thankfully, the druid seemed to be okay. She had sounded distracted, but she didn’t have any injuries, and she was conscious again and able to communicate. She had her own plans, and they would have to sit down and talk about a plan of action, as soon as they accomplished their more immediate matters.

  There must be ways to accomplish both missions efficiently, so when the lander came in a few days, they would be ready. That would be the best-case scenario, something he wouldn’t count on yet. From the looks of it, most, if not all, vegetation of this planet was fungi. Apart from the fact that this place was over twenty light-years away from home, this was not surprising. Fungi were very durable and adaptable, and they had survived aeons on Earth. They were strong, and a similar evolution on this planet wouldn’t shock him at all.

  He contacted the vehicle one more time, a hopper with the name ‘Wisp’. It was still over thirty minutes out, so Adams had time to look around, even though he wouldn’t gain any more detailed insight this way. The fungi on this planet reached impressive sizes. Some of them were as tall as an adult human, a few even taller, most of them smaller. Their form was very much adapted to one point four gravity. Firm basis, small caps.

  This was all very exciting. The system of his suit had analysed the gas composition of the air, and while it was breathable, he wouldn’t risk taking off his helmet just yet. They didn’t know what was in the air, especially not on a planet dominated by fungi. He didn’t want to breathe in anything that had the chance to use him as a breeding ground, or kill him outright.

  The landscape was beautiful. The orange light and the mostly brown and dark green flora made for a pretty vista.

  The lighting wouldn’t change at all during the day. Gliese 667 C was a red dwarf. It was only one point four percent as bright as Sol, and just half as big, but it was also closer, which made it look bigger than Earth’s sun. It completely dominated the sky and made for a warm illumination. The fungi didn’t seem to mind the light. It wasn’t bright enough to disturb them; the planet received only very little UV light, so they thrived under it.

  The soil was soft and looked fertile. The mycelium was everywhere; it gave the soil stability and stored moisture. The temperature of the air was slightly higher than that of Earth, with high humidity in the upper seventy percent range.

  The poles had no ice shelves, but the atmosphere was thick, so the heat on the planet was evenly distributed over most of the globe.

  While he had sailed down to the surface from the transport craft, he had taken video recordings. He had to wait for the vehicle anyway, so he watched them one more time.

  Deirdre being shocked and paralysed mid-jump had been a welcome distraction for him, even though it made him feel guilty. He had been scared himself, but his worry about the young druid had helped him cope with his own fear. He had followed his own advice, forced himself to breathe slowly and regularly, and it had turned out to be the right strategy. Dumb luck.

  Thinking back, he smiled. The druid was quite something.

  He had been one of the scientists lucky enough to be on the bridge during the jump ritual. Not only had he been able to watch it, it had probably also saved his life.

  Would any of the laboratories be usable when they got back? Even with all his equipment, he couldn’t do all the work on the surface of Gliese 667 Cc.

  They probably wouldn’t be, but the labs weren’t even the real problem. Three of his colleagues had died. Adams was probably supposed to feel bad about them, but he hadn’t even known them yet. He had only seen them in passing, and not even gotten the chance to talk to them. So now, he felt bad for not feeling bad, wondering why this moral dilemma even caused him any distress.

  Adams was an introvert. He was comfortable with on
e or two people around, but only that. That was one reason he had chosen xenobiology. He spent most of his time alone, analysing, taking in and interpreting data. Being here on this mission with only Deirdre MacBreen would be doable for him. He would not have to step outside his comfort zone.

  He stretched his body. Then he opened the system menu and checked the clock. Still ten more minutes until the Wisp would arrive.

  There was a mountain range in the distance, to the east. The mountains looked rounded, and from what he could see from his position, they were covered with what he thought would be tall fungi, probably bigger than the ones that grew around here. The colour of the flora over there would certainly fit this impression. There had been no grass or trees on this planet so far, evolution had taken a different direction here. He had seen no animals yet either, not even insect-like creatures. Of course, fungi didn’t need insects to procreate. The atmosphere was dense enough to produce strong wind, so the spores could just fly freely. The mycelium that seemed to be everywhere, could just spread out and grow in any direction.

  Was spanning the entire planet as one organism, or was it a bunch of local colonies?

  Adams looked up to the sky. Even though this sun wasn’t as bright, he couldn’t stare directly into it. The orange sky made him anticipate nightfall any moment, as if the sun was going down… all day long.

  How long was one day on this planet, anyway?

  He activated his system and searched the mission data package they had uploaded on board the Tuatha De Danann.

  One day turned out to take roughly two hundred hours on Gliese 667 Cc. That was a very slow rotation.

  Also, why was the gravitation this low? The planet had four times Earth’s mass and was bigger, but less dense, and they didn’t yet know what it comprised.

  Sure, from their perspective, this was a good thing. Humans wouldn’t be very comfortable over two G. One point four was already straining. Adams didn’t feel like he had gained forty percent bodyweight. The sensation was very different. His head felt heavy, and it was. A human head weighed seven kilograms normally, so on this planet, it would be roughly ten. The added weight would be most noticeable in joints and ligaments.

  In the past, people had looked down on their devices, spent hours with their posture adding persistent strain on the neck. That had led to straight neck syndrome, and something similar was likely to happen here, unless settlers would receive genetic modifications, and probably an exoskeleton or other mechanical augments for the first generation.

  Technology had moved on, thankfully, but living on this planet would certainly require some adaptation.

  People weren’t used to the hour-long strain on the neck, and that was just the first thing he had noticed. He was tired already, and not much time had passed yet.

  According to his AI, the Wisp had artificial gravity set to one G. No idea how this had been accomplished; he was not an engineer. Or a druid.

  All of humankind’s most advanced technology had not only been indistinguishable from magic, it was magic. He wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case for the Wisp, too.

  Speaking of which, he checked again. Estimated time of arrival: two more minutes. Adams stood up. He shook out his legs, massaged his neck and stretched his body once, then made sure his rucksack was firmly attached to his back.

  He sent one more message to Deirdre: “Car is going to arrive any moment. Hope you’re alright. Be there soon.”

  Message sent.

  The vehicle arrived in time. The Wisp was hovering over the ground, round, reminding him of a capsule of silver colour. It looked like a will-o’-the-wisp, its namesake, and he couldn’t have come up with a better name for it either.

  Adams checked the environment one last time, then sent the command to open the door.

  The inside of the Wisp appeared to be bigger than it had seemed from the outside. He did not know whether this was an optical illusion, or if there was magic involved.

  There was a driver’s console with an old-fashioned steering wheel, and there were two benches in the back, with large enough open space between them to fit a table if needed. By default, it was folded into the wall.

  The Wisp had no actual windows, but displays could be activated to make the walls disappear completely. If the driver so desired, they could set the displays to full transparency, and it would feel as if they floated through the air, over the ground.

  Adams decided to just switch on the front monitor, so he could see where he was going, even if he let the autopilot drive in his stead.

  Now that he was inside the car and the door was closed, gravity adjusted to Earth standard. He felt how tired he really was for the first time.

  Yes, he had noticed some strain earlier, but the immense relief he now experienced made him aware of how much strength he had extended over the last few hours.

  It was still manageable, though, at least for a short time. How this would turn out in the long run, he did not know. How long could he withstand the gravity?

  Maybe his body would get used to it.

  He opened his system’s main menu again, then opened a group message.

  “The Wisp has arrived, I’m on my way.”

  “Roger,” the Ghillie Dhu said.

  “Understood” The tech specialist’s voice was thin and vibrated subtly.

  The Fir Bolg confirmed with a grunt.

  Adams closed the chat and turned to the controls of the vehicle.

  This had been part one of his plan. Now for part two, picking up the team. After that was accomplished, they would try to find the equipment, which hopefully wouldn’t take too much time. At least they didn’t have to run. When all this was finished, they could think about how to proceed.

  The Wisp made the distance to the druid in just a few minutes. There was her lonely figure, visible from a distance, sitting on the ground, standing out among all the short fungi around her. She also was the only moving thing in the area.

  When he reached her, he stopped the Wisp, opened the door, stepped out and raised his hand to greet her.

  “Hello,” he said. Not very creative. Oh well.

  10

  Scavenger Hunt

  Deirdre looked up when she heard a rumble coming from behind.

  She turned around, and there it was, the Wisp, a ball hanging in the air, just above the ground. She had lost all sense of time and not bothered looking at the clock since her last communication with the xenobiologist.

  This planet had an interesting influence on her psyche. The constant evening atmosphere calmed her down, and the warm colours of the sunlight relaxed her. Everything was peaceful, no perceivable danger, even the colour of the fungi and the mycelium on the ground were warm and welcoming. It didn’t quite match her home in Ireland, there was just not enough green, but the wide, open space, like the meadows of her birthplace, had a soothing effect on her. She could see as far as the horizon, which seemed to be very far out. Rolling hills and eroded mountains added to the peaceful impression she had of the place. She could almost smell it, and that wasn’t even possible. Her suit didn’t let her breathe the air of this planet. Maybe later, when Adams was done with his checks and declared the air harmless.

  The silvery Wisp stood out like a sore thumb. It didn’t look ugly, but it sure didn’t fit in here, in this world of autumn colours. Technology seemed somehow wrong in this place, as if it disturbed the peace. She couldn’t tell what exactly it was that made her uncomfortable with the image.

  She looked at the Cu Sidhe by her side, patted his head, then turned her attention back to the incoming Wisp.

  “Now we can relax a bit, Cailean,” she said in a soft voice.

  The ghostly, white dog stood silently beside her, his head almost reaching her shoulders. He was big, even for a Cu Sidhe. His ears stood up, and his glowing eyes were fixated on the approaching vehicle. He was sniffing, as if he was trying to pick up the scent of the Wisp. Or of something else in the air. Magic, perhaps.

 
Finding places of power was their primary mission, after all.

  When the Wisp stopped just a few steps away, she rose. The discs in her spine popped one after the other. The door opened, and the tall xenobiologist appeared in the door frame. He raised his hand to greet her, and she raised hers in return. She slandered over to him, careful to not trample on fungi, Cailean by her side. They didn’t speak. Adams gestured for her to enter the airlock which she did, and the doors closed behind her automatically. A crackling sound in her helmet, then his voice.

  “Wait a moment, the decontamination is running. This display over here will turn green when it’s safe to open your helmet.”

  He pointed at the console at the front of the car, next to the steering wheel. She nodded.

  Cailean took a seat in the middle of the vehicle. Adams didn’t possess the gift, at least not to her knowledge, so he wouldn’t be able to see him, unless the Cu Sidhe showed himself. He was invisible to most humans, like all Aes Sidhe creatures, unless they had magical abilities, in which case they would be educated as druids. Most people would decide to go that route and transform their talent into a skill set. Magic users were in high standing on Earth.