Molly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien Spacegates

By Wyatt Davenport

After combating against the evil Alien Syndicate in their last adventure, Molly Lennox, Pirra Lennox, and Vicky Valentine are having personal difficulties. Pirra is homesick and can't share her home world with Heidi. While Vicky is fighting the shame of her abysmal adventure on Venus. Worst of all, Molly can't shake the nightmares of the alien war from four years ago. Her terrible choices torment her.

When their mother finds an artifact from Pirra's World, Molly and Vicky see it as an opportunity to seek a small measure of vengeance on the aliens. They plan to destroy it with one gigantic blast. But Pirra has her own plan and all three desperately fight to solve their worst mistake yet.

For ages 10+, Book 5 in the Molly of Mars series.

All the books in the Molly of Mars series:
Molly of Mars and the Alien Syndicate
Molly of Mars and the Alien Nebula
Molly of Mars and her Alien Sister
Molly of Mars and the Alien Creatures
Molly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien Spacegates
Molly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien Cages
Molly of Mars in Pirra's World: Alien Revolt

Or try my other series, Lunara

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wyatt Davenport
• Release date: Aug 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311905727

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.

Book preview

MOLLY OF MARS

IN PIRRA’S WORLD:

ALIEN SPACEGATES

by Wyatt Davenport

Copyright © 2015 Wyatt Davenport

Smashwords Edition.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1 – Absolutely Rappelling

Chapter 2 – Shaken and Stirred

Chapter 3 – Cold Sweats

Chapter 4 – Backflipping into the Unknown

Chapter 5 – In the Blink of an Eye

Chapter 6 – A Plan I Can Deal With

Chapter 7 – The Huntresses

Chapter 8 – Don’t Catch Me If You Can

Chapter 9 – Savior From Above

Chapter 10 – Wanted Dead or Double Dead

Chapter 11 – Settling In

Chapter 12 – Epicenter

Chapter 13 – The Warrior Class

Chapter 14 – Not So Merry Meetings

Chapter 15 – A Dip at the Docks

Chapter 16 – Molly of Sephia Prime

Chapter 17 – Major Burnage

Chapter 18 – Human Ingenuity

Chapter 19 – Blue Genes

Chapter 20 – Sisterhood

Chapter 21 – The Changing Face of Molly of Mars

Chapter 1

Absolutely Rappelling

Molly of Mars, are you seriously thinking of jumping?

My sister was being condescending and using that grating name, Molly of Mars, too. I made myself even more annoying. I’ll jump. I swear it.

Her face turned to sorrow. I have the ropes here. I thought—

Pirra, give them to me. I snatched them from her hands and began to attach them to our anchor.

I always referred to Pirra Lennox as my sister. We weren’t actually related, but we were sisters in every other way. We shared a room. We talked to each other about everything. Our mother infuriated both of us with annoying rules. And we were absolutely best friends.

Sometimes you could play along with my jokes, I told her.

My sister’s green eyes rolled. You were teasing me. I should’ve known.

Your grasp of sarcasm is coming along.

Sephians aren’t much for jokes, she said. Or should I say, for being mean?

My sister was an alien, but she looked entirely human, from her jet-black hair to her emerald-green eyes to her amazingly beautiful everything else. Normally, I wasn’t jealous of other people’s looks, but I’d consider looking like Pirra for a lifetime.

Mean? I said doubtfully.

Yeah, mean, she said. Isn’t that what someone is when they pretend to jump and get someone else upset?

You’re being overly dramatic, our mother, Naomi Ravenswood, said as she walked up. I set up the snacks. Did you tie the anchor rope, Molly?

I tugged on the rope. The knot will hold. I still think we should jump and let the antigravs catch us.

Our mother rubbed the back of her neck. She was a tall, blond woman who adopted both Pirra and me after the alien war. Pirra and I had both lost our parents. Naomi was my real mom’s friend before the war. I’d be forever thankful to her for taking care of me. Overlooking the annoying rules, she was a great mother.

Just before the war, she said. I jumped from four hundred feet up. Landed with a couple broken ribs. It isn’t like your fall last year. Bad things can happen and usually do.

That makes it more fun, I said. I’ll be okay. Please.

No, she said. Pirra is right that you take it too far sometimes. It’s mean.

Fine. I threw up my hands. I like exciting things to happen.

She gestured for us to sit down. Not everything is an adventure, Molly.

As we sat and ate our snack, Pirra and our mother talked about Pirra’s latest outfit and her girlfriend, Heidi Hollister.

I was silent. I thought about the alien war and my need for new adventures. I would admit my adventurous side needed taming. The war had caused me to lose my sense of fear. I figured I used up all my fear when the aliens captured me. It was a struggle sometimes. It was like not being able to feel pain and putting your hand on a stove. I burned myself a few times.

The alien creatures that attacked Acadia City bore this hole? I asked.

Sort of, Mom said. The tyton creature shook the underground caves around Acadia City. The council was told to investigate several of them. This hole, along with others, was assigned to me, so what better way to discover it than with my girls?

So anything could be down there, I said. This is great. Treasures, or maybe a cool artifact.

Mars has never had treasures, Pirra said. It was empty for millions of years. At best we’ll find a pool of water, which is probably frozen. It’ll be a fridge down there.

Don’t worry. As long as you have your thermals on, you’ll be okay, I said. Her alien body couldn’t handle the cold.

She turned her head in indignation, as if it was obvious she had them on. I still worried about her even if she was older than I was. I had been a big sister to her because I taught her how humans lived. Lately, she resented it. I thought she might miss her home.

Interesting fact, Mom said to Pirra.

I knew a joke was coming.

I asked them to put thermals on your statue in Acadia City, but they couldn’t get enough fabric.

Pirra’s face soured. That would be so stupid. My butt is already way too big on that statue.

I think it looks perfect. I chuckled. The statue did have a big rear end. I like big butts—

Don’t start that, Pirra replied. Old Earth songs are more annoying than your reminders about thermals.

We’ll find a tent or a parachute. Mom shook her finger. It would always remind you.

I laughed and Pirra snickered.

So I forgot my thermals a few times with Heidi, she said. I’m adapting to Martian weather.

Forgot or wanted your outfit to look perfect, Mom said. I know you pretty well, Pirra.

Mom, my sister said, I’ll always remember when it counts. Don’t worry about me so much. I’m not the adventurous type like some people.

It’s strange, Mom said. I worry about Pirra the most because I don’t have to worry about her doing anything wrong.

That makes no sense, I said. It’s because she’s so weird.

Everyone’s weird, Mom said. It’s because if Pirra doesn’t do the right thing, something is gravely wrong.

I nodded in agreement. Oh yeah. That feeling when your stomach drops. Pirra is good at doing that—making us stay up all night.

Pirra shook her head. Last month, Heidi and I were late because of the sandstorm. I didn’t disable my phone to give us a romantic night together. It wasn’t fun to hide in a cave.

It made us worry twice as much, Mom said. Let’s get down the hole and see what’s up.

I hopped to my feet. Awesome. I’ll go first.

We wouldn’t have it any other way, Mom said. I’ll go second. Pirra, take the rear . . . because yours is so big.

Enough! Pirra grunted. The proportions are off on that statue.

Sure they are . . . I moved to the edge of the hole. I looped the rope under each shoulder and around my back and brought the other end around my hips and between my legs. I kept one hand on the rope to control my descent.

Remember to keep a rhythm, or you’ll get stuck, Mom said. It isn’t a race. You’ve got others on the rope with you.

Yeah, yeah, I said. I’d done it so many times on the rock walls, I knew I’d get down just fine. Can I go now?

Did you forget something? she asked.

No.

What were you teasing Pirra about earlier?

Oh, I said, touching my chest. I flipped on my antigravs. I got a little excited.

Think, then do—

And then you won’t have to do and then panic. I quoted her saying to me.

Exactly.

I powered on my antigrav and put my feet on the edge. I jumped over, dropping down ten feet or so. Immediately, my rope caught on my hand as I squeezed too hard. I slammed my shoulder into the side of the hole’s edge.

My face pressed against it, and dirt flew into my nose and mouth. I spat it out, angry at not setting a good rhythm to start.

Smooth move, Pirra teased me. Super lax.

Vicky’s a bad influence on you, I rasped back. She taught you that.

Mom gave me a playful grin. Seems appropriate, she said to tease me further. Get it right on this one, Molly.

I pushed my feet against the wall and looked down two or maybe ten times to make sure I wouldn’t screw up again. My ego was on the line. One mistake happens to everyone. Two is so amateurish.

I jumped off and dropped again.

Wham! I hit the hole’s wall a second time. I swore pretty seriously. Even I noticed my harsh words.

Molly! Mom warned me. Take it slow. Don’t get ahead of yourself.

Okay, I said. And sorry.

I understood the need to get everything in sync from hoverboarding. When doing a trick, just because your feet turned around fast, it didn’t mean the board would be there. You had to make it all work together. Same with rappelling.

I steadied the rope again, pushed my feet off, and dropped down to the next point. I did it four or five more times, getting a rhythm going.

You got it! Mom yelled.

Keep it going to the bottom, Pirra said.

I did, working my way to the floor. I hit it unexpectedly on a dark spot. Beside me, a glow stick hit the floor and pattered to a stop. Two more fell farther away from me.

Sorry, Mom said. Should’ve dropped these before.

Slowly, the cave lit up with an eerie green glow. It was odd because Mars was eternally red. I’d grown used to it, but earthlings always complained. I guess I knew how I would feel on Earth with its green forests and blue oceans.

Looking upward, I saw that the hole was ribbed with several rocky rings circling to the top. I could see Mom going over the edge. I moved to the side, turning my gawk into the cave. It was huge, deep into the surface. From my position, I could see I was on the top of a hillside.

Curious, I took one of the glow sticks and tossed it down to the bottom. It fell for a long time, hitting off the edges and skipping to a rest. But it was odd. It glowed like a disco ball, moving back and forth. I didn’t understand it. My Martian eyes were keen, better than most. I squinted hard, but still, I didn’t get it.

Behind me, Mom hit the floor with a thud. I jumped, startled by the sound. She undid her rope and moved beside me.

Go, she called to Pirra. Be careful. The bottom comes quickly.

Okay, Pirra called back, but I didn’t see her rappel down. My focus was entirely on the glowing stick.

Do you see it moving? I pointed.

Mom studied it for a moment.

I don’t get it, I said.

I do, she said. What runs and has no feet, roars but has no mouth?

An alien creature from Pirra’s world.

Maybe, but the real answer is a river.

Water. I slapped my head. I should’ve realized it from Lake Miranda.

You’re excused, Molly. Martians aren’t much for water, unlike earthlings.

"How can a river