by Derek Baker
When I arrived at Mars for the first time with Chym and Alexander aboard the runaway Wendran ship, I could see that all of this “science” of the past was unmistakably wrong. It was easy, though, to make such an inaccurate assumption when our two planets were so very different.
Earth obviously was blue and green with swirling clouds floating through its atmosphere, Mars was red and brown; from any outsider’s view it looked dead. The humans of Earth in my childhood were conservative, selfish, and superstitious creatures, warring over religions that were so similar and the fossil fuels that only helped to damage their precious ozone layer. Their world was small, making it easy for them to hate those who were only slightly different. Martians had overcome their differences and united their race in order to face the challenges that threatened their species as a whole. Humans had stalled in their technological progress; Martians had developed means of traveling through space at incredible speeds and managed to visit other planets to discover other civilizations, including that of Earth, as Chym had informed me.
The trip from Wendra to Mars took a couple of weeks by my standards. Luckily, the ship was well supplied with food and beverage to sustain us for the long journey through deep space. However, there wasn’t anything that even remotely resembled a shower on the vessel so I felt pretty filthy going without one for that length of time. We had to vacuum our waste out through a vent that ejected the excrement into space. We spent most of the time in the cockpit, taking a break to eat or sleep. Adjusting to these new living arrangements, Alexander and I continued to learn from Chym and about the civilization on his home planet.
My first question was as to how the Martian race was living upon Mars without the general populace of Earth knowing about it. Being the adaptive race that the Martians are, they watched over the course of thousands of years their planet - once verdant and wet like ours - dry up after the planet they called Kintare between them and Jupiter had been destroyed by an asteroid millions of years ago. The effect was that Mars began drifting further from the sun and slowly began to turn into a desolate wasteland at all points except for its poles. As humans would likely do in the face of annihilation, and being before their technology could permit reasonable and convenient interstellar travel, they built ships to send out into deep space in hopes of finding a new planet for their people. The remainder of the population, seeing no other choice, saw their best chance to survive in going underground which was where there was still plenty of water. In the span of a few generations, the innovative, creative ancestors of my friend Chym had built for themselves an entire subterranean world.
As the planet changed, so did their society. Before the Martians moved underground, they had been a race that quarreled amongst themselves much like we humans had. The Martian landscape above ground consisted of varying nations that often went to war against one another for reasons ranging from border disputes to profit. Somehow they had managed to unite in the wake of potential extinction as they adjusted to underground life. Their society transformed from that of disjointed countries to bonded city states that had been dug underneath the Martian surface. Each city state was its own massive cavern crafted in a spherical manner by Martian machines and bare hands combined. Most were constructed under the frozen poles to where the majority of the remaining water had retreated. At the bottom of each city were the array of public buildings and other important institutions such as schools and hospitals to sustain Martian civilization on a local scale. The circumference of the cavern was littered with individual homes and neighborhoods occupied by Martian families. Interconnecting all of these cities were tunnels through which the Martians could travel via subways. This all proved to be a very defensible planet and made Mars practically invulnerable as long as its inhabitants stayed underground.
As was the case in Ancient Greece, one city rose above the others in significance and size to become the capitol. This was the city of Tai, Chym’s home and namesake. Chym was his given name, Buk was his family name, and Tai named his place of birth. This was where after hundreds of years in ancient Martian history the descendants of those who had set out in search of more habitable planets had returned with news of other civilizations, most notably those of Earth. The news inspired the Martians to rapidly increase their technological capabilities in order to travel to these new worlds. It was quick work as the subterranean life had turned Martians into highly scientific, efficient, and intellectual beings since many of the things they had done above ground were no longer possible. The shrunken, pathetic wings on Chym’s back gave evidence to a time when his race had glided through the thin atmosphere of Mars. Perhaps the yearning to fly again was what encouraged the Martians to soar once more through space.
This was where they fell in love with Earth and humans. They learned our languages and taught them to build grand structures and smelt metal. Even though they no longer needed a new planet to inhabit having built their masterpiece underneath Mars, they were keen on utilizing Earth for its resources as well as recreation. When the other races had discovered the beauty of Earth they too wanted a share. Martian leaders figured because they didn’t claim to own Earth that they could share with the likes of Wendrans, Genmo Kayans, Hynapians as well as the Hybrans.
Though as the centuries wore on, the humans began to worship their alien visitors in hope their periodic visits would occur more frequently. The “gods” they worshipped were none other than the aliens that descended from the heavens. Those who did not agree with the religious were quick enemies and the wars that ensued between the different cultures of human civilization led Martians to the sad and unfortunate conclusion that the humans could not handle the presence of the visitors. Wishing nothing more than to protect its sister planet, Martian ambassadors made it clear to the other planets that Earth should be left alone to heal from the harm dealt by the separate alien societies. When compliance with this wish was ignored, the war that Chym described previously to me between the different planets followed. Mars, as I had learned, was the victor. From then until the years of my adolescence, Chym and the long line of ambassadors before him had kept fragmented contact with world leaders on Earth such as the president of the United States or the Prime Minister of Great Britain in the most recent centuries. While these leaders were acutely aware and secretive on the matter of alien existence, they had been forced to keep things under wraps.
Situations like the one we were in were the main reason Chym made his presence known to the likes of world leaders: to warn of a coming invasion, which is what the Wendrans were inevitably planning. Somehow, some way, humanity would have to overcome its struggles like Martians once did and fight to save its freedom and perhaps existence. The Wendrans knew how weak we were technologically, making us an easy target.
I learned from Chym and his knowledge of the Gregorian calendar on which Earth operates that it had been nine months since the fateful evening when Alexander and I had been abducted by the Wendran scout ship that forewarned an invasion. It was now around January or February of the year 2135, a meaningless number to anyone not on Earth. We had both missed our birthdays during our induced coma and captivity. Our friends and relatives likely thought we were dead. It pained me to think about the suffering my parents probably went through to come to the conclusion that their only son, the only fruitful result of their marriage and life together, was gone. And even though Claire was probably pissed at me after the last time we spoke, I’m sure the effect my supposed death had on her was anything but positive. Though we had just gotten together before I was kidnapped, I knew there was something about her…
~~~~~~~~~~~~
With the “nightly” rest over that Alexander and I had to take finished and all three of us fully awake, Chym told us we would be arriving on Mars within a few hours by Earth standards. Our hours were actually fairly similar in length seeing as Mars’ day was only slightly longer than Earth’s.
Chym on the other hand seemed to only require sleep once for every three times that Ale
xander and I slept, a circumstance to which he claimed was a result of spending so much time in space.
In addition to the history and infrastructure of the red planet, Chym also briefly explained customs and traditions in Martian culture.
“In the dark days when we lived on the surface, there was a hierarchy in the social ladder. With the migration underground, and the massive slump in the total population, democracy and equality to all before our laws were reached. Because we have great admiration for science and intellectual prowess, we are all very formal creatures, much like myself as you’ve likely noticed. We are not narrow-minded though; we are very liberal and take no offense to other races’ customs. You should not have any problem getting along with the natives in my city.”
“So your city of Tai, it’s the capitol of Mars, pretty much?” asked Alexander.
“It serves the city-states thus, yes, and it also where all foreigners are received. Due to the extreme importance that our situation carries, we will be brought before the Martian Legislature as it will be then decided how best to handle the upcoming attack on Earth.”
I groaned. I wasn’t much of an enthusiast for politics.
“This’ll be great,” said Alexander, smiling, looking off in the distance, “I used to study political science, Chym.”
Chym looked pleasantly surprised. “Very good. You will find our political process most fascinating, I would assume. One thing you should note though: as an alien on Mars you will have limited freedoms. You are forbidden to speak inside the legislative chamber. I am uncertain of the origins of this law, but it is the law and law is what is most highly regarded in our society.”
Alexander’s brow dipped down in apparent offense. Though he didn’t say it, I could tell he was thinking: Well, that’s bullshit.
When Alexander had brought up his political science interest, I was immediately reminded of the night we were abducted, traveling down the road in the pick-up discussing our shared interest in Astronomy. How Alexander had thought there would be a chance in terra-formation on Mars.
“Hey, Alexander,” I murmured after a moment of silence.
“What?”
“You remember what you said about Mars before we knew anything about it?”
He sharply turned his head, shot his finger up to his lips. Chym didn’t seem to care, but I knew he was listening.
It seemed like Alexander didn’t want Chym to hear the selfish things he had in mind for the red planet. Understandable.
Whether Chym was impatient or his curiosity got the better of him, he turned his head back at Alexander as he stayed seated in his pilot’s seat.
“What exact thoughts did you conceive of Mars prior to this incident?”
“Well….” Alexander started, giving me a glare, something I was unused to, “some Earth scientists think it’d be possible to bring life again to the Martian surface, by melting the polar ice caps and putting more oxygen into the atmosphere.”
“So that humans could one day inhabit the planet,” finished Chym, almost like he could read Alexander’s mind.
“Yeah, but now I don’t think that would work too well, considering there’s an entire civilization underneath the surface.”
“Our race has considered the possibility of future human invasion.”
Invasion. He said it in a tasteless way. His disgust couldn’t be disguised.
“Yeah,” continued Alexander uneasily, “probably not a good idea…”
It was left at that as just at that moment the first message we’d heard for the length of the journey came loud and clear through the ship’s electronic message system. It was in a new language that I had never before.
Chym was quick to reply in the new tongue. It was a Martian on the other end. After exchanging a few words, our friend said to his correspondent, “My human contemporaries only speak English, I’m afraid. You will need to repeat your instructions to them.”
Then the Martian on the other end addressed us: “Regards, humans. I am Gikkus of the family Ren of the city Tai. Please excuse my assumption that you were knowledgeable in the Martian language. I, being the head of the receptions department here in Tai, shall be receiving you once you have landed safely in our city. Once you two have landed you will be summarily taken to our medical facility to undergo examination and decontamination. Chym’Buk’Tai would be joining you; however, he has most important matters to attend to with Prime Minister Shri’Buk’Tai. Are there any questions?”
“Examination and decontamination? Sounds painful,” I commented sarcastically.
“I can assure that no unnecessary pain shall come to you,” replied Gikkus with a warm tone to his voice.
I shrugged, even though the Martian messenger could not see me. “Doesn’t sound like we have much choice. Sounds self-explanatory, anyway.”
Alexander looked at me and indifferently nodded.
“Your compliance is appreciated. We look forward to seeing you,” said Gikkus and, saying his farewell to Chym in Martian, disconnected.
“Seems like a nice guy,” I remarked to Chym.
“Indeed,” came his sincere reply.
The last couple of the hours were uneventful as I assisted Chym in piloting the Wendran vessel towards Mars. The red star that I could barely make out in the distance was now turning into the great rust-colored planet that I had only seen in pictures and through my telescope. I began to see the so-called “canals” as they were so called in the past which with my new knowledge were probably at one time great rivers that brought life to the ancient Martian cities. I saw the massive volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.
Phobos and Demos, Mars’ asteroid moons, shone brilliantly with the reflection of the sun that was now becoming almost as big as it appeared to me on Earth. The dark, shadowy craters gave a beautiful contrast to the spectacle before us. Already was this sight so serene that it would seem unthinkable to alter it with terra-formation.
Locking into orbit with the planet, we gradually drifted toward the south pole underneath of which was the city of Tai. The sun started to fade away on the other side of the planet, and so we were again met with darkness as we approached the surface.
Despite the lack of light, Chym and the ship’s instruments knew exactly where they were going. The surface came closer and closer. Finally, hovering a couple hundred feet above ground, we were able to make out a portal opening up several hundred yards away. Our ship drifted over this and we started our descent.
“This is the tricky part,” Chym commented.
It was impossible to tell how fast we were going in the dark, but the trip down took about five minutes. I wasn’t certain exactly how far down the city was, but when I saw it, it was definitely unlike anything one would find on the surface.
Everything was instantly very bright, and from the top of the dome we saw the futuristic city below. It stretched for miles, filled with the characteristics of many cities on Earth: tall, metallic skyscrapers almost blinding me with all of the light that glittered off their crystal windows, a river running through the downtown area, parks with actual green shrubbery where I could see Martian citizens walking about, and rows upon rows of houses going up even to the sides of the spherical cavern.
On the edge of the downtown district I saw what looked like a landing strip. Trying to mimic Chym’s moves and take in the scenery that dazzled me at the same time proved difficult, but we managed to finally touch down in this apparent air/space port.
The long journey to Mars was over. Since we didn’t have anything of value with us, our trio left the cockpit once and for all and at last came to the door of the ship. It opened up, and before us stood a large gathering of Martian soldiers dressed in tight clothing. They looked much like Chym: skinny frames, the toned muscles, the dinosaur looking head that gave a passive expression, the fragile, shriveled wings upon their backs, the brown/bronze and hairless skin. At the center of this group stood a distinctly dressed Martian donni
ng a white robe.
The soldiers brought a staircase for us to walk down from the ship and Chym led us to the robed Martian. It was Gikkus’Ren’Tai.
Chym and Gikkus bowed before one another. Alexander and I followed suit with the head of reception. “Regards, once more, men of Earth, “ he said politely, “on behalf of the city of Tai and the planet Mars, welcome. While I’m sure you must be anticipating a tour of our beloved metropolis, it cannot be arranged until after we have inspected you in our medical facility. Your visit to the legislature will take place after you’ve had some rest and relaxation. If you are ready, we shall be going now.”
Turning toward Chym, Alexander said, “I guess we’ll see you later.” We owed the Martian so much; it was almost bittersweet to part from him even for a while in this new and strange place. It would have been more comforting to have someone I knew there.
“Yeah,” I added, “good luck with the Prime Minister. Hopefully we’ll catch up with you soon.”
Chym and Gikkus exchanged a look and what looked to be a smile.
“I thank you for your kind words, gentlemen, but luck has nothing to do with my meeting with the Prime Minister. Shri’Buk’Tai is none other than my father.”
Chapter 14
The primary mode of transportation, other than the subways that took people from one city to another, was the use of strange rover-like vehicles that travelled around on six wheels. They were unlike cars; they looked much more mechanical than stylish. While there were doors, there were no windows to shield one from the elements. Not that it would rain underground anyway. Getting into one of these with Alexander and our new acquaintance Gikkus’Ren’Tai, we proceeded towards to the hospital where we were to be “inspected.”