Molly of Mars and her Alien Sister

By Wyatt Davenport

Molly and Pirra have always gotten along famously. They share the same bedroom, they tell each other every secret, and they're best friends. Quickly though, Molly finds out that growing up has a way of changing every relationship in her life, even the one she cherishes the most. Pirra's new responsibilities make her unbearable. Molly tries to repair the damage when she gets invited along with Vicky and Pirra to a party for ultra popular Heidi Hollisters.

But it doesn't work our how Molly expects. Separated because of a blow up, Molly finds herself regretting everything she'd did that night. Her relationship with her sister will never be the same. She and Vicky set out to solve the mystery of what happened. In the process, she uncovers more about the Alien Syndicate and faces off against masked men, aliens, and her own regrets.

For ages 10+, Harry Potter level reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wyatt Davenport
• Release date: Aug 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311345721

Wyatt Davenport

Wyatt Davenport was born in 1977 in Kingston, Ontario, and grew up in London, Ontario, and Atlanta, Georgia. He currently lives in Seattle with his wife Colleen and their two Siberian Huskies. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, Wyatt is inspired by authors like Timothy Zahn, Michael Crichton, Robert Aspirin, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

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MOLLY OF MARS AND HER ALIEN SISTER

by Wyatt Davenport

Copyright © 2014 Wyatt Davenport

Smashwords Edition.

Contents

Chapter 1 - Me and Pirra, Pirra and I

Chapter 2 - An Exercise in Futility

Chapter 3 - Responsibilities

Chapter 4 - Grease Monkey

Chapter 5 - Vicky’s Back, and We’re Gonna Get in Trouble

Chapter 6 - Wild Parties

Chapter 7 - Why Did I Leave?

Chapter 8 - Search Patterns

Chapter 9 - Unexpected Surprises

Chapter 10 - Alien Tech

Chapter 11 - What’s in the Box?

Chapter 12 - Alien Inc.

Chapter 13 - Running on the Razor’s Edge

Chapter 14 - Wide Awake

Chapter 15 - Ununderstandable Choices

Chapter 16 - Smoking Them Out

Chapter 17 - Taking It to Them

Chapter 18 - Removing Their Heads

Chapter 19 - The Loss of Molly of Mars

Chapter 1

Me and Pirra, Pirra and I

You’re not Molly of Mars anymore, my sister Pirra said from a hundred feet up the side of a Martian cliff.

I know. I’m just Molly, I said, annoyed that she always brought up the name everyone on Mars called me. My real name was Molly Lennox, and I was born on Mars. The media gave me the nickname Molly of Mars because I was one of the heroes of the alien war.

You can quit at any time, she suggested.

I just think we can get to the top. It’s not us being heroes or showing off. It’s an accomplishment.

I heard my sister clip in from below me. Pirra was my best friend, my sister, and an alien. She looked human, and she was extremely beautiful by human standards. She had black hair, a fair complexion, wonderfully vibrant green eyes, and a perfectly placed beauty mark dotting a small spot on her left cheek.

I did my part in the war, and the media liked me because I was cute. But Pirra was a real hero when she stood up against her people, the Sephians. The war ended quickly because of her. After our parents died, Naomi Ravenswood adopted us, and we became sisters. Though I lost my real mom, I gained Pirra. So the trade the war dealt me was in a weird way not entirely awful.

We’re higher than everyone in our class, Pirra said. Isn’t that what you wanted?

No, I replied. I wasn’t happy because my nemesis, Aiden Atrocia, had also made it to the top, and I wasn’t going to give him any opportunity to tease me. You know who made it up.

I thought you might forget about that, Pirra said.

Never.

I dug my foot into the crack to my left, swung my hand to the jutting rocks across from it, and pushed myself into the splits with my legs. With my hands free now, I inserted a clip against the rough Martian red rock and snapped a foothold into the cliff.

Careful! Pirra shouted up.

You really don’t know much about human superstition, I yelled back, annoyed. You don’t warn someone to be careful when they already know something is dangerous! It jinxes them.

I grabbed the handholds and pulled upward to get my legs out of the splits position. I let my feet dangle as I found the next foothold. Loose pebbles and dust trickled down the cliff, echoing off the bottom, a subtle reminder of the height. Like ants running around, my classmates had gathered to watch us.

You’ll never get around the ledge, Pirra bemoaned as she spit dirt I’d knocked in her face. Why do I always get the bottom?

Because you’d force us to quit too soon, I muttered back. Sorry.

I looked at the ledge only a few feet above me. It wasn’t an easy place to climb because it meant I’d have to hang over the cliff. I forced two handholds into the overhanging ledge and tested another that had been left behind by a previous climber. All three checked out as stable, and I looped my rope through it. I attached it back around my waist.

How’re you going to grab the cliff after you get around the ledge? Pirra quizzed.

My sister was testing my plan. I really didn’t know what I was going to do, but if Aiden could do it, I’d have no trouble. I’ll saw a handhold, I said, lying to make her feel better.

Don’t—

Quiet! I shouted back. When I get over the ledge, I’ll call for you to follow.

All right! she said, annoyed.

The wind in this part of Mars wasn’t as bad as on the rest of the planet. A gusting breeze came from the top of the cliff and worked down to the bottom. Our school took these adventure trips once a month. This month we were lucky. Exploring the largest canyon in the solar system, Valles Marineris, was a treat.

If you ever saw a picture of Mars from orbit, Valles Marineris was the renowned scar cutting across its face. But unlike a scar, everyone considered Valles Marineris one of the more beautiful features of Mars.

I took in several breaths in preparation for holding up my body with just my arms. I grabbed the first handhold, let go of the cliff, and swung my other hand to the other handhold.

I groaned as my weight pulled down on my fingertips. I kicked in a bicycle pattern until I was comfortable enough to swing to the next handhold. It held my weight, and I pulled myself toward the ledge. I searched for something to grab on the side of the cliff again, but it was sparse and smooth.

Ahh! I grunted. My shoulder muscles were burning.

Come back, if you have to, Pirra cautioned.

No. No way was I giving up, even if my hands were almost numb.

I pulled upward, lifting my body, and I reached around to the cliff over the ledge. This spot was smooth and pitted because of the wind, but my fingers wrapped around a knob, and I tested my weight on it. It held.

I think I got it. I was too proud of myself, and I turned to Pirra. My mistake was looking down the cliff to the bottom. In a slight panic, my body contracted. I pulled as close to the cliff as I could, fully aware of the fall now. My chest heaved as I took in panicked gulps of air.

Snap out of it, I muttered to myself. Get your legs up, I thought. With a swing, I kicked toward the cliff to secure a foothold. Not a good idea. The rope wrapped around my foot, and the kick fell short and jerked me to the side. My hands slipped from the cliff. I dropped instantly.

"Ahh!" I screamed, hitting hard against the cliff and then bouncing away from it.

I came to a halt with a stabbing pain in my foot. Upside down, I hung from the rope twisted around my ankle.

Molly! Pirra shouted. Are you okay?

Fine, I said, trying to do an inverted sit-up to grab the rope.

Don’t move! Pirra shouted. Your antigrav is broken. I’ll get you.

Don’t let me fall. I reached along my chest and found the smashed antigrav unit. Antigrav knocked against the cliff. If I fall, I’m dead.

I see it. Pirra pushed herself off the cliff to reach for the rope. She tried several times, but her arms weren’t quite long enough. I’m going to have to unhook to get it.

Don’t risk yourself for me. I’ll try to get up.

No! Pirra said harshly. If you fall . . .

Begrudgingly, I agreed with her, even if it went against my instinct to protect her. It was safer for her to unhook and risk herself. She still had her antigrav suit operational.

She disconnected and pushed off the cliff to grab my rope. Sweat beaded on my forehead just watching her. If she couldn’t get it, or if she didn’t grab it gingerly, it might disconnect, and I’d drop.

Her fingers tickled the edge of the rope. She pushed off farther, slowly wrapping a finger at a time around the taut rope, until finally, she grabbed it and pulled it toward—

Pirra and Molly! Stay where you are. The emergency crew is coming to get you! It was our teacher’s voice, sounding over a large megaphone.

Pirra jerked to the side, startled. I pulled in tense as it scared me, too.

One of the mounts above me popped, and the rope dropped. I twisted severely when the rope drew taut again. My foot came free, and just like that, I was in free fall. The rocky bottom fast approached as gravity pulled me to what was sure to be an abrupt end.

The wind wrapped around me, whooshing past my ears. I screamed. I knew I was going to die!

Slam!

The stop was abrupt, but not painful. I opened my eyes to find that I was hovering a few feet from the rocky floor. Pirra’s arms were around my waist.

I laughed aloud, thrilled with the rush that trickled over me. Ha-ha! Wow! That was amazing!

Pirra dropped me to the Martian surface with a thud.

Hey! I said, rubbing my elbow. What’s that for?

Pirra disengaged her antigrav and stood with her arms on her hips.

"I can’t believe you thought that was in the least bit amazing, she said hotly. You were a couple feet from being a Martian pancake, you stupid fool."

Stupid fool? Aiden will never top a free-fall dive, and grabbing me just in time, it’s the thing of legends.

Molly, you can be stupid sometimes. You almost died.

I didn’t die. I lived, so maybe we should be happy about it.

I risked my life for your life. You shouldn’t put me in this position just because of your stupid competitions with Aiden.

My annoyance with her attitude was increasing. She was being unreasonable, especially considering that no one had been hurt. Maybe you should’ve stayed at the bottom and collected algae samples.

If I had, you’d be dead.

Maybe that’s what you want. A boring life. I wanted to get to the top. It was something I know you wanted to do, too. You aren’t that far gone from being a warrior and adventurer.

Warriors fight when there is no other solution. You fight because of your ego. It isn’t noble. It’s stupidity. I’m not going to be a part of it anymore.

You don’t want to be my sister? I threw my arms up. I had no idea why she was so angry. We tried to top Aiden every time, and this