Europa (Deadverse Book 1) (33 page)

- Emir -

The plasma drill shut off and Emir stood up to look at his work. He had finally carved out the final bit of green hull he was trying to get to. He stood up and worked out the cramps in his legs. Sitting like that for hours gave them to him. He walked around a bit, feeling his muscles loosen up a bit. He took the visor off and tossed it aside. Sweat dripped down his face and onto his thick black beard. He reached back and grabbed the cup of water and drank from it. Cold as always.

He got up out of the ice crater he had found the last piece in and scaled back up to the surface. He looked up at the dome that had become their home. Long strands of green were intertwined in the ice walls, and towers of lush green vines towered over everything. He heard the clucking and looked up just in time to see one of the white chickens jump from one vine to the next. It hung upside down for a moment before jumping off to another vine. It looked down at Emir, and in one action, a small pile of droppings came slowly tumbling down to the ice floor. He noticed where it landed, as he would have to come scoop it up later.

The alien vessel had become their home, along with the ice of their moon. He still called himself Emir, but the remains of that man were only slight. He held the memories of ninety seven men and women, Emir included, and the journey to become just one man among those many had been difficult, terrifying at times. But he had worked through them, with help.

He heard another sound and turned to smile. The infectious laughter filled the dome, and two small children came running around the bend. They were tall for their age, and amazingly agile, their bodies adapted to the low gravity of the moon. Behind them, he heard the admonishing words of their mother, and he couldn’t help but smile. The children saw him and came leaping towards him. He held his arms out towards them as they leaped into him. He caught them as they laughed together.

Susan came around the bend and saw them together. Emir smiled back at her and waved her over. Emir tossed the children back up to the top of the crater and climbed all the way out himself. Susan met him at the edge where they briefly kissed. She then looked down into the crater.

“Is that it?” she asked.

“After all this time. It is.”

Down in the bottom of the crater was a small green sphere, small enough to fit in the palm of one’s hand.

“And the ship? How long will it take?”

“With this device? A few years.”

Susan nodded, her eyes on the small sphere. She then turned and kissed him again.

“Supper will be ready soon. I’ll take the kids, join us when you’re ready,” she said, turning to walk away.

Emir watched her walk away, and his hand instinctively went to the scar on his stomach. She had saved his life, and she claimed he had saved hers. They hadn’t heard anything from their friends on the Odyssey since they reached Earth, not since Ben had requested how the alien artifact weapon worked. In fact, they hadn’t heard anything at all come from Earth.

Here on this moon, they had built something. And just outside of the dome, he had rebuilt a ship from the parts of the alien vessel. The memories still haunted from time to time, but now they guided him. And at the bottom of the crater was another device, one that could save them. One that could save all of the worlds.

“Just a few more years,” he sighed. “But now, I eat. Hey, wait for me,” he shouted after the children, and he ran after them, laughing like he never had before.