The Many Worlds of Dean: Book 1 - Mars (8 page)

“Reference unknown. Comparison data required
to convert scale.”

“How can I describe temperature on a scale
you would understand?”

“You can provide the desired temperature as
a percentage greater or less than your internal body
temperature.”

Dean’s eyes glazed over as he began doing
calculations in his head. After a few seconds he gave up and said,
“Equal to will work.”

Dean watched as a drawer extended itself
from the wall next to the shower. “I am unable to provide new
clothing at this time,” the computer explained. “I am able to
sanitize the garments you are currently wearing if you will place
them in the newly opened receptacle.”

“Thank you,” Dean replied.

“Gratitude is unnecessary,” the computer
informed him.

Dean just shook his head and began to
undress. Once he had deposited his clothes in the drawer, it
immediately slid shut. He then stepped into the shower and waited
to see what would happen. He was slightly startled when warm water
began to flow in streams from every part of the ceiling. “I don’t
suppose I could get some soap?” he asked aloud.

“There are chemicals in the water which will
remove surface oils and foreign contaminates.”

“Oh…okay.” Dean used his hands to scrub at
his body and began to feel remarkably better. Once finished, he
asked, “How do I turn this thing off and dry myself?”

The water immediately ceased and warm air
began to blow across his body. Within seconds he was completely
dry. He stepped out of the cubicle and found his clothing waiting
for him on a shelf that hadn’t been there when he had entered the
shower. Picking up the garments, he could smell a slight,
antiseptic odor.
Better than sweat
, he thought and began
pulling on the clothes. Once dressed, he walked back into the
bedroom and said aloud, “I guess I’m ready for the grand tour.”

Following Quillitonoxic out the door, Dean
looked around in wonder. His room exited onto a balcony that
overlooked a large central chamber. He could see that he was at
least ten stories above the bottommost level. Everywhere he looked,
the surfaces were all a reflective, pristine white. Peering over
the waist high railing at the balcony’s edge, he could see a
metallic archway that looked exactly like the one on Mars, sitting
in the center of the central chamber. He was smart enough to
realize that he was no longer on Mars and that the archway had
obviously transported him somewhere else. Now he just needed to
figure out where he was and how he was going to get back.

Quillitonoxic had offered to take Dean
somewhere he could get some food. He had been unsure if he would be
able to eat whatever they might provide him, but he had been
assured they had scanned his body chemistry and he would be able to
eat most of what they had available. Following the meal, he was to
be given a tour of the facility and the alien had promised to
answer any questions Dean had.

Dean continued to gawk as they moved along
the balcony. He could see many more creatures that resembled
Quillitonoxic. He was, however, able to detect subtle differences
in each individual. He could also see representatives of four other
species moving about the massive space. He could see one creature
that resembled a small dinosaur, like the raptors he had studied in
his archeology class, but no teeth were discernable in its
undersized mouth. Another looked exactly like a silverback gorilla
with four arms. Walking towards him on the balcony was a creature
that brought to mind a centipede with the head of an aardvark. And
last, on a balcony opposite his own, he saw a round, gelatinous
blob that appeared to float above the floor.

Following Quillitonoxic, they came to a wide
ramp that led all the way down to the bottom level. Creatures like
the one he was following were moving up and down the steep incline
with ease. Seeing them move in that fashion, and given their
slightly insectile, external appearance, Dean took to calling them
ants in his mind. He looked down at the socks he was wearing on his
feet and realized he would never be able to negotiate the
incline.

The issue didn’t arise as his guide turned
left at the junction instead of continuing straight onto the ramp.
They moved down another corridor before coming to a platform that
seemed to hover next to the balcony. Dean followed his guide onto
the platform and immediately grasped the handrail in panic as it
plummeted towards the ground several stories below. His new friend
appeared to take no notice of his discomfort. The platform slowed
and came to a calm stop at the bottom level.

Heart beating rapidly, he continued to
follow the unflappable alien on shaky legs. They approached one of
the outer walls and entered through a doorway of what could only be
a restaurant. Quillitonoxic waved in greeting at another alien and
then walked over to stand next to a tall table. Dean looked around
and saw several tables with chairs of various configurations and
several more tables with no chairs at all. He walked over to stand
next to one of the latter with his guide.

“From the scans we took,” Quillitonoxic
suddenly said, “it is obvious your species consumes animal flesh as
well as plant matter. My species only consumes plant matter. While
this establishment serves flesh for some of our off world visitors,
I find it disgusting and have no desire to observe its consumption.
I hope you will not force me to do so.”

“Vegetables will be just fine,” Dean
replied.

Quillitonoxic bowed his head slightly and
said, “Wonderful. Then I will take the liberty of ordering for us
both.”

The same alien his companion had waved to
earlier approached the table and Quillitonoxic ordered two of
something his translator apparently couldn’t translate and that
Dean had no hope of ever being able to pronounce. Once the alien
waiter had departed, Dean asked, “What was that you ordered?”

“I ordered us a dish consisting of a tuber
braised in a sweet berry sauce. It is my favorite meal that they
serve here. I was unsure what type of beverage you would find
pleasing, so I ordered you plain water”

Dean smiled gratefully and said, “That
sounds just fine.” He paused for just a moment and then asked
cautiously, “May I ask you some questions now?”

“I was hoping to conduct you on a tour
first, but I suppose you must be greatly curious. Proceed with your
questions.”

“Well, I assume that metal arch in the
middle of this building is what brought me here. What is it?”

“You refer to The Path. Surely you must be
familiar with it. You did, after all, access the one on your own
world.”

“Ah…yeah, let’s just say it was an accident
when I went through the arch. No one even knew it existed until I
found it,” Dean explained.

“I see; I can certainly understand your
confusion then. What I don’t understand is how you were able to
operate The Path without first accessing the information stored
within it.”

“You’re referring to the four encrypted
files it was broadcasting?”

“Of course,” Quillitonoxic said.

“We were only able to decode the first file.
And, I have no idea how I was able to operate it.”

The alien offered a remarkably human smile
with something like sadness in its eyes as it said, “That could
prove to be quite problematic for you.”

“How so?”

“Each device is assigned an address. One of
those files you could not decode possessed the address of your
device. Without that address, you will be unable to return
home.”

“I can’t go home?”

“I’m afraid that unless one of your species
can decode the files and then happens to be able to find you and
give you the address, you will never be able to go home. And, I’m
afraid the odds of your being found are astronomical. There are
over a quintillion instances of The Path throughout the
universe.”

As Quillitonoxic finished delivering his
dire prediction, the waiter returned and set a plate in front of
each of them. Unfortunately, Dean’s appetite had just completely
abandoned him.

Once they had finished their meals - Dean
had only eaten a little of his even though it was really quite good
- Quillitonoxic had led him directly to the arch Dean had arrived
through. As he approached, Dean was able to see that the device
truly was identical to the one he had found on Mars. He took note
of the fact that there was an area of floor missing under the
device. The pedestal holding the archway appeared to be set into
bare stone.

As he continued his inspection, he saw two
railings that went from the sides of the device and led to a large,
white counter set directly opposite the device. Two aliens stood
behind the counter and a large sign that looked like an LED display
he would find on Earth hung overhead. Looking closely he saw that
the sign said ‘Arrivals’.

Startled, he turned to Quillitonoxic,
pointed to the sign, and asked, “Hey, why is that sign written in
English?”

Quillitonoxic appeared confused for just a
moment before comprehension lit up his face and he said, “It is
not. It is written in the language of the builders. Your
translation device intercepts the image from your optical nerve,
translates it into your own language, and then sends the modified
image to your brain. Surely you must have noticed you could read
other signage throughout the building?”

Dean slowly looked around and felt his face
grow warm. Everywhere he looked there were signs written in perfect
English. Somehow he had failed to notice before. He turned back to
Quillitonoxic and said, “I guess I’m still a little rattled by this
whole set of circumstances. I didn’t notice before now.”

Quillitonoxic gave him a look that required
no translation. It was obvious the alien was contemplating the
apparent lack of intelligence of this new species. After a moment,
deciding not to comment on Dean’s ignorance, Quillitonoxic turned
and began to explain how new arrivals would check in at the counter
and be given a pass based upon the reason for their visit.

As the alien continued to explain the
minutiae of what to Dean was nothing more than a customs
checkpoint, Dean heard a familiar hum coming from the arch.
Turning, he saw a silvery veil appear over the opening and a moment
later the veil shimmered as another of the raptor-like aliens
stepped out.

Thinking of what Quillitonoxic had said
earlier, that there were over a quintillion of these devices
scattered about the universe, he wondered if each one was a
different planet, each with its own unique species. The
ramifications were staggering. And, if all planets had one of these
things, how come one hadn’t been found on Earth?

Dean shook himself from his contemplations
as he felt a tap on his arm. He turned toward Quillitonoxic and
asked, ‘What?”

“I asked if you were ready to continue the
tour.”

“Uh, yes, of course. I apologize. I am still
trying to process everything.”

“I understand,” the alien said.

Somehow Dean didn’t think that was true.
Regardless, he continued to follow Quillitonoxic around the
structure and listened politely as he was informed, in exquisite
detail, of what each point of interest offered. During the tour,
Dean noticed a clothing shop and asked his guide if they might go
in and see what they had available. He explained that the clothing
he was wearing was intended as an undergarment and was actually
very uncomfortable.

The shop had nothing available that would
have fit him properly, but with the help of his guide, he was able
to convey the necessary shapes of different clothing items to the
shopkeeper. He was informed that his physical dimensions had
already been gathered by the computer and any clothing he wished
could be fabricated within a short time. Dean ordered several
t-shirts, underwear, socks, and five jumpsuits similar to what he
wore on Destiny. He also found a pair of human looking boots in the
shop and ordered a pair that would fit his feet. After being
assured his order would be delivered to his room, and Quillitonoxic
had arranged to take care of the bill, the pair continued their
tour.

Eventually, they boarded another platform
that shot the two of them straight up at an insane speed. As they
continued upward, Dean could see that the ceiling began to angle
towards a single point at its peak. As they approached the point at
which the wall went from vertical to angled, the platform added a
sideways motion to their ascent.

Nearing the apex, the platform slowed and
then came to a stop next to a small balcony set in the wall just
three meters from the top. Stepping onto the balcony, they
proceeded to move to a large door. Walking through the door, Dean
was struck speechless as they came onto a massive, viewing deck
that wrapped around the top of the pyramid shaped building. They
were at least thirty stories up and Dean could see many kilometers
in all directions.

He could see he was in the heart of a large
city. Immense buildings seemed to radiate out from the building he
was in. None were taller than ten stories, but each took up as much
surface area as ten or twelve normal sized buildings; at least
normal in Dean’s experience. As he continued to gaze further out,
the city appeared to end abruptly and in a perfectly straight line.
Beyond the city were rolling hills of mostly green with some bright
colors sprinkled in. What struck him the most was that every
building was perfectly white. No color existed anywhere within the
boundaries of the city. It looked like what one would expect of a
desert city back on Earth.

Peering closer, he noted that there was very
little space in between the buildings and nothing moved within that
space. Instead, he could see beings moving across open air walkways
that linked each building to those beside it. Nowhere could he see
any sign of cars or anything similar.