The Cartographer Collection: The Complete Series

By Craig Gaydas

All three books in 'The Cartographer', a series of science fiction novels by Craig Gaydas, now available in one volume!

The Cartographer: While exploring a cave, Nathan runs into Science Officer Satou and is taken on a wild adventure across the galaxy. After meeting the Consortium - an intergalactic league of explorers - he learns about the ancient Universal Map. When Nathan accidentally unlocks the map, he triggers a series of events that endangers Earth and the very fabric of their universe.

Reborn: Nathan Chambers finds himself in the middle of a war that threatens the survival of humanity and the entire universe. With the help of the intergalactic Consortium and the Twelve Timeless, he must fight on two fronts to prevent history from repeating itself. Nathan must transform from a naive teenager to a true defender if he hopes to save humanity from destruction.

Timeless: The Consortium is in chaos, and the Insurgents are struggling for survival. The Twelve Timeless, an ancient collective, aid Nathan and his allies, but their help may not be enough. Nathan is also losing a part of himself with each death of those close to him. Can he find the strength to save the universe and himself, or will he succumb to darkness?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Next Chapter
• Release date: Apr 14, 2023

Book preview

The Cartographer Collection

THE CARTOGRAPHER COLLECTION

THE COMPLETE SERIES

CRAIG GAYDAS

CONTENTS

The Cartographer

Acknowledgments

1. The Day The World Went Away

2. I Have A Dinosaur In My Closet

3. Deconstructing History

4. Men Are From Mars…

5. Passing The First Test

6. Uninvited Guests

7. Had A Little Help From My Friends

8. School's In

9. Making A Pit Stop

10. Close Encounters Of The Unpleasant Kind

11. These Aren't The Aliens You're Looking For

12. The Doorway To Heaven

13. An Unexpected Meeting

14. Meet and Greet

15. We Meet Again

16. Through The Looking Glass

17. New Enemies, Old Friends

18. Truth

19. Deep Impact

20. All Along the Watchtower

21. A Close Encounter of the Worst Kind

22. Homecoming

23. Follow The Dusty Trail

24. Gut Check

25. The Big Apple

Epilogue

Reborn

Prologue

1. Trouble

2. Solomon Corvus

3. The Curse From the Future

4. Kedge Mal'Dineen

5. An Old Friend

6. The Prince and the Pauper

7. Captain Lianne

8. The United Nations

9. Solomon Corvus

10. Kedge

11. A Cure For Boredom

12. Satou

13. Perceptions

14. The Ascended

15. Corvus

16. Redemption

17. The First Blow

18. Xajax

19. Calypso

20. Meta

21. The Voyage Home

22. After Earth

23. Solomon Corvus

24. Invited Guests

25. Hope?

26. Dead is Dead

27. Lianne

28. The Game

29. Starting Over

30. Broken

31. Gorganna

32. Grunts

33. Homecoming

34. Break Out

35. The Escape

36. The Beginning

37. Fear

38. Training

39. Deception

40. A New Beginning

41. The Aftermath

42. The Meeting

Epilogue

Timeless

Acknowledgments

1. Return to Basics

2. Time Travel for Dummies

3. New Mexico Redux

4. The Frisbee

5. Reunion

6. Moro

7. The Descent

8. The Terminal

9. The Proposal

10. Deception

11. Escape

12. Calypso

13. The Plan

14. Lianne

15. Follow the Yellow Brick Wall

16. The Timeless

17. Ye Olde Tavern

18. Calypso

19. The Terminal

20. Moro

21. The Voyage of the Humans

22. Vaire

23. Moro

24. Gods and Demons

25. World War Gliese

26. A Council Broken

27. A Rebellion Renewed

28. Final Ride

29. The Wolf and the Sheep

30. Test Results

About the Author

Copyright (C) 2023 Craig Gaydas

Layout design and Copyright (C) 2023 by Next Chapter

Published 2023 by Next Chapter

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the author's permission.

THE CARTOGRAPHER

THE CARTOGRAPHER BOOK 1

A tyrant will always find a pretext for tyranny

-Aesop

The universe is full of doors. When one closes, another one opens. The question is; are you prepared to step through the door?

-Satou

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This is my third book so far in my insane quest to release the voices of my mind onto the world. This book, however, would have never been completed had it not been for my friend, Eric Kaufmann who has dispensed invaluable advice and ideas into creating and bringing to life a science fiction adventure novel.

CHAPTER 1

THE DAY THE WORLD WENT AWAY

June 27th, 2012 Carlsbad, New Mexico

I stood at the entrance of the cave, staring into its gloomy depths. The stalactites reminded me of the homeless people I occasionally ran across in downtown Roswell—flashing me crooked smiles that would send the best dentists in the world running for cover. There were no rusted coffee cups or requests for spare change around here, though. The only begging being done here was me begging the cave to cough up its secrets.

Sam, my best friend, finished securing the rope around my waist. After he completed the task, I worked a similar loop around his waist, ensuring it was snug enough that it wouldn't slide off, but loose enough that it wouldn't crush his abdomen.

Come on Nathan, hurry up, he grumbled.

Alright man, hold your horses, I responded, completing my mental checklist. I examined the stability of the rope for the hundredth time, highlighting my anal retentiveness.

Most kids my age preferred doing things like playing Minecraft, sneaking into the Mall Cinema or hanging out at the Carlsbad Mall. Sam and I preferred exploring the unknown, and this cave provided enough adventure to last us the school year. The kids at Carlsbad High School treated us like pariahs because we preferred outdoor adventuring over Creeper smashing.

Sadly, this was our last chance to explore the cave before the summer break. I had qualified for advanced science classes provided by the high school which would absorb most of my time this summer. Sam had been upset about it ever since I broke the news, and seemed to brood nonstop. Sometimes he could be such a downer.

I'm gonna head in now, I called. Make sure to hold on tight.

He clutched the rope tightly and scowled before throwing me a curt nod. I smiled despite his crankiness, and descended the stony outcropping.

I hope this hammer works on that wall, I said and grabbed my rock hammer.

If it doesn't, this will be another short trip, he grumbled.

During our previous trip to the cave, I discovered a collapse which normally would signal the end of our little exploration. Despite my protests, Sam nagged me to investigate further and I had been surprised to discover air wafting in from several cracks in the wall. With renewed persistence, I eventually discovered what appeared to be some sort of path leading further into the cave. With the new discovery, I had been more determined than ever to break through that barrier and see what lay beyond. Images of fame, glory and treasure—gold, diamonds, or perhaps even buried cash—floated in my head.

Let's make this quick, Sam moaned. My mother needs me to run to the grocery store.

I rolled my eyes at him and grabbed the flashlight before sliding the hammer in a belt loop. I flipped on the flashlight and turned to Sam.

Alright, I'm going in.

Heavy rains in the area eroded the entrance during the past week so I found the descent into the cave more difficult due to the smooth surface. Sam held the rope tight and I slid on my rear all the way to the site of the collapse. As soon as I reached the wall, I jammed the flashlight into a nearby crevice. The light played over the wall and fell on a hole which—as soon as I saw it—made me realize that I would no longer need the hammer.

A ten foot high opening had been bored in the rock wall. The hole was approximately ten feet high and about four feet wide but its edges were smooth, like they had been eroded by centuries of running water.

What in the world? I whispered.

I pulled the flashlight from the crevice and created more slack in the rope. Moving through the opening cautiously, I continued another ten feet before coming upon a faint light illuminating the path ahead. The path curved in the distance which concealed the source of the light. Fueled by curiosity and frustration, I plodded ahead. I wasn't about to let someone else steal my glory.

I switched the flashlight off and continued along the path. My footsteps as well as my heavy breathing ricocheted off the walls, creating an orchestra of sound that made it difficult to be discreet. Before I reached the bend, a faint tapping sound, similar to the rapping of a hammer against sheet metal, broke the silence. My unknown spelunking adversary was still here and working on something.

I crouched low and inched closer. Fortunately I no longer had to worry about being stealthy, because the strange banging drowned out the sounds of my footfalls. I turned the corner just as the rapping stopped, freezing me in place and blanketing the cave in silence. Water dripped off the limestone, and rained tiny droplets on my cheek. I reached up and flicked them away before the silence was broken by an eerie, humming sound.

Around the corner the path widened into a large underground cavern highlighted by a small pool in the corner of the room. The pool reflected the light source, casting off a greenish-blue aura. It reminded me of underground lakes I had read about in textbooks.

The object in the center of the room grabbed my attention. It resembled a buoy similar to those floating in the ocean. One difference, however, was the large television screen mounted on top of the one in front of me. The flat screen was about four inches thick but five feet wide, which would qualify it to be the world's largest iPad.

A figure hunched over the front of the assembly, frantically working on the screen. When he turned to fidget with a valve, his silhouette erased any concerns I had of a rival spelunker stealing all my glory. At first it appeared he was eating something, but I soon realized the food was actually a set of tentacles extending below his chin.

My mouth dropped open in dawning horror while my mind tried to process the scene. It was as if a mad scientist had taken an octopus and placed it on a human body, in some insane experiment to create an aquatic version of Frankenstein. The creature stood over eight feet tall and the three tentacles sat in a way that made it appear as if the creature had some kind of crazy beard. He continued to fidget with the TV screen, unaware of my presence. The hands working the machinery were human-like, but with three fingers on its hands. The skin of the creature, illuminated by the large spotlight in the center of the room, was a denim-blue color like someone with poor blood circulation.

My brain refused to process the images my eyes were trying to force feed it. I was no longer concerned about discovery credit and my focus switched to my personal safety as I backed carefully out of the cavern. Before I could turn to make a run for it a flat rock collapsed beneath my sneaker, sinking into the limestone floor. A high-pitched squealing alarm pierced my skull and reverberated off the cavern walls, causing me to drop to the ground and cover my ears. I fell hard on my rear, swearing silently that I broke my coccyx (sometimes referred to as the butt bone) and had no choice but to stare helplessly at the creature as it swung towards me.

It hissed like a snake and its chin-beard waved menacingly as it approached me. Due to his size and my precarious position, I found myself focused on its legs. They were thick and elephantine all the way to the feet but instead of toes, the alien had small tentacles, allowing the creature to grip the floor as it walked. The revolting, sucking sound of its feet smacking off the limestone floor caused my heart to park in my throat which, looking back, was a good thing because it blocked the bile attempting to escape my gut. Instead of puking on myself, I gagged and watched helplessly as it lumbered over to me and looked down unpleasantly. I hoped his look was anything but hunger.

The creature wore something like a scuba suit without the helmet, and it glistened as if he had just emerged from the pool in the corner. It slipped a three-fingered appendage into the folds of its suit and retrieved something that looked a switchblade. I couldn't see it clearly, though, because his huge frame blocked the light in the room. It pushed a button but instead of a blade, a twelve inch long light extended from it, making a popping sound like a cork from a wine bottle. I would have laughed at the absurdity of it all, but my face was a frozen mask of fear. The creature reached over and sliced through my lifeline with ease.

Hey, the rope gave out. Are you OK? I heard Sam call out. Even though he was no more than forty yards from my location, at that point in time he might as well have been forty miles away. I was too frozen in fear to respond.

The beast looked toward the source of the voice and I prayed that Sam would stay put. The creature grunted and picked me up by the tattered rope ring before I had a chance to react. Its dark, beady eyes bored into my soul and he held me up like a snagged fish. Withdrawing a syringe—one that looked bigger than any I had ever seen—he held it in front of my face. Instead of a vial it contained an empty hour glass, surrounded by a gold-colored metallic sheath. At the end of the hourglass sat a four inch needle point that shimmered like water reflected by moonlight. The beast hesitated briefly and the needle dangled ominously in front of my eyes. I wished more than anything that I could close them but my facial muscles were paralyzed with fear.

I started to think he second-guessed his decision to stab me but then he plunged the needle into my arm. Oddly, I felt no pain, only a warm tingling sensation. Slipping through the skin uninhibited, the wet sensation spread across the site of the injection. A clucking sound escaped from the creature's throat as it moved in to look closer.

I started to lose consciousness and tried to call out to Sam, but the only sound that came out was a choked gasp. My tongue became ten times too big for my mouth and my throat felt like I had gargled with sand. Darkness enveloped me as I slipped from consciousness.

This is Nathan Chambers, signing off.

CHAPTER 2

I HAVE A DINOSAUR IN MY CLOSET

I opened my eyes and looked around. Everything around me—the walls, the ceiling, the furnishings—was the color of tarnished metal. I tried to stand up but restraints held my arms and legs firmly to the bed. The bonds, securely fastened around my wrists and ankles, were actually living, writhing tentacles pulling at my body. In panicked horror, I pulled with all my might, but slimy appendages held me in place.

HELP ME! I coughed, and it seemed the more I struggled, the tighter they became.

They had no source and were nothing more than alien, disembodied limbs. Despite their lack of a host body, they were very much alive—like a set of slimy eels.

My cries for help echoed off the metallic walls which gave off the impression of being entombed inside a giant lunchbox.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply in an attempt to calm myself. My composure was the last thing I wanted to lose in this strange place. I failed, however, and couldn't stop the inevitable flow of tears. My eyes burned with them and I turned my head to look for an exit, but the entire room became a blurred mess. My voice cracked from the uncontrollable sobbing and I was afraid I would start hyperventilating.

Help, I croaked. My eyes fell upon a metal door with a wheel, similar to an escape hatch, in the corner of the room. I trembled with fear, wondering what monstrosities lay beyond it.

A loud screech and a thud broke the tomb-like silence of the room. The door slowly swung inward and the monster from the cave entered with a box—no bigger than a briefcase—in his hand. He dropped it at the end of the bed and fixed me with an icy stare. Cold pin pricks poked at the base of my spine and I stiffened with a combination of fear and anticipation at what might be contained inside.

Turning his glossy eyes toward me, his beaky mouth gurgled something that sounded like a baby drowning and stood there with his hands on his hips, waiting for a response.

I shook my head furiously, causing tears to ping-pong off the satin pillow. What do you want from me?

He rolled a small cabinet toward the bed and removed a tiny headset—with microphone attachment—and placed it over his head. The earphones covered the creature's ears, which seemed less like ears and more like gill-covered holes. I started to wonder if I was on some kind of crazy reality show. I have heard about shows that place unsuspecting people in scary situations and video tape their reactions to the delight of audiences worldwide. Before I could figure out which show I had been cast in, he tapped his earphone with a scaly finger. The item glowed with a faint green neon light and he thrust a second set toward me.

To say I had a fondness for technology would have been an understatement. It would have been more accurate to say I had a morbid curiosity for all modern gadgets. Instead of being afraid of the item, I was curious. I had already assumed the device wouldn't hurt me since it didn't seem to cause the alien any type of discomfort, and I did not put up a fight when he placed it on my head. He adjusted it so the earphones fit snugly against my ears.

He held up a finger and made a tapping motion against his left ear, urging me to do the same.

I mimicked him and found a button next to the earphone. When I pressed the button, loud static streamed from the gadget, causing me to wince. It eventually cleared and the ringing in my ears faded. I heard everything around me clearly, as if nothing happened.

The creature spoke again in the drowning-gurgling dialect like before, but this time I understood it.

Do not be afraid, human. The object I placed on your head is called an interstellar translator. My name is Satou and I am the lead engineer aboard this ship.

I was speechless. Instead of a gurgling monstrosity from my worst nightmare speaking gibberish, there was now a gurgling monstrosity from my worst nightmare speaking English.

I apologize for the restraints, but it is for your own safety. He pushed the cabinet out of the way and his eyes bored into me uncomfortably. We don't need you wandering the halls and getting lost.

Did you say I was aboard a ship? I asked.

Satou ignored the question and heaved his chest, as if he struggled to breathe the air around us. His eyes shifted to the corners of the room, searching for something. He reached inside the box at the end of my bed and retrieved a clear plastic squirt bottle which contained a cloudy liquid. He pointed it at me and squeezed the trigger, letting loose a fine mist that formed a thin, wet veil on my face with a taste that reminded me of peppermint.

What the heck, I sputtered.

Sorry about that, he apologized and returned the bottle to the box. "But I have a small allergy to humans. Nothing serious, mind you, but I find it difficult to breathe around them on occasion. Never fear, the substance I sprayed you with will eliminate most of your scent and has no known detrimental side effects."

The film evaporated from my face and left behind a tacky substance, similar to dried sweat. The peppermint flavor faded and I fixed Satou with a sour look.

At least it tastes good, I muttered.

Satou chittered with laughter. It was odd seeing an octopus laugh and hard to describe but I truly believed that the image would live in my brain forever. I ignored him and smacked my lips together. The mist left me with a dry tongue.

Do you happen to have anything to drink? I asked.

As he bent down to examine me, the tentacles on Satou's chin reached toward me, like they were trying to sense my feelings, and I curled my lip in revulsion. He turned away from me and fumbled with an object that resembled a large microwave with a digital screen angled on top and a sliding door along the side. After pressing several buttons, the door slid open, revealing a clear cup filled with a dark, bubbly liquid. The slimy restraints around my wrists and ankles retracted into the bed. I sat up slowly, rubbing my wrists, while he held the drink out.

I eyeballed the glass in his hand suspiciously. He paused, sensing my apprehension, and placed the drink on the table.

Don't worry, it will not harm you. His beak-like maw formed a small grin. As a matter of fact, I believe you might even like it.

I scrutinized the murky liquid, first tipping the glass to my nose and inhaling. A familiar crisp, caramel scent invaded my sinuses and I slowly lifted the glass to my lips, sipping cautiously. It tasted like Coca Cola, the last thing expected aboard an alien craft.

Coke, I said and held the glass out. You don't seem like a soda drinker.

My suspicion did not recede. I smacked my lips together, trying to detect any hidden poisons.

Fear not, you are safe, he replied.

My thirst overwhelmed me and I tipped the glass back and swallowed the liquid, almost gagging on it. The cold, carbonated beverage provided a welcome sugary rush.

Thank you, I coughed.

His features softened while I finished the drink, although his eyes were a mixture of sympathy and regret. I slowly placed the glass down on the table next to the bed and frowned, wondering if the beverage came with strings attached.

Is something wrong? I asked, glancing nervously at the empty glass.

Satou shifted his feet uncomfortably, the digits of his feet making wet, sucking sounds on the floor.

Your presence aboard this ship is accidental, but I am afraid that gloop bargle gurglity goo—

I held up my hand to stop him. Whoa, slow down. I can't understand you.

A confused look came across his face but he continued to talk. Gloop garble.

I pointed to my headset and spoke methodically, emphasizing each word. "I…do…not…understand…you."

His confusion turned to frustration before he took the headset off and slapped it briskly against his leg before returning it to his head.

Sorry about that! I wish the Consortium would process my requisition and upgrade the antiquated equipment we have aboard this ship. Such a long and tedious process to upgrade the simplest of our equipment!

I chuckled nervously. Yeah, I hate when that happens.

What I was trying to say was that I brought you aboard in a blind panic, I am embarrassed to say. The bluish hue of his face brightened as he looked at the floor and I realized that he blushed. Our activities on Earth have gone virtually undetected for generations, and I would have preferred to keep it that way.

Suddenly fear crept into my heart as I became concerned for my personal safety. From Satou's tone, it sounded like he'd issued a death sentence. Dead kids can't tell their friends about the big bad alien. Then I thought of Sam and became concerned over the whereabouts of my lost spelunking partner.

What did you do to Sam? I asked, anger creeping into my voice. He recognized my unease and he waved his hands frantically.

No, no, remain calm. I assure you that your companion on Earth is safe. He ran into the cave not long after we returned to the ship, lost his balance in the darkness and slammed his head on a rock.

My heart skipped a beat. I thought you said he was safe!

Satou offered a weak smile. Yes, fortunately for him, Madoc was able to slip into the cave unseen and administer aid. He carried your unconscious friend out of the cave and left him outside, safe from harm. Madoc monitored him from the dark recesses of the cave as he regained consciousness and was last seen running off toward your closest town. He has a nasty cut on his head but he will be fine.

What's a Madoc?

A melodic beeping came from the door that reminded me of a cell phone ringtone.

Come in, Satou shouted.

The metal door squealed as it swung inward. I expected another octopus-like being to walk through the door. Instead a six foot tall cross between a man and a fish walked in. His entire body was covered in scales with small fins extending from his arms and legs. I immediately thought about a time when my science teacher, Mr. Yasinakas, taught us about angler fish, a mysterious species found within the deep oceans of the world. The alien that entered the room had a head similar to that very fish. Two bulbous eyes protruded from each side of its skull and several sharp teeth broke through his scaly lips. A stalk protruded from the middle of his forehead and dangled between his eyes. The end of the stalk glowed with a soft yellow light, like a built-in flashlight.

Ah, Madoc, just in time. We were just talking about you, Satou beamed.

Madoc gurgled in a similar language as Satou. He didn't come in equipped with a translator, so I had no idea what was said. Satou gurgled several words back and after a few animated gestures, Madoc left the room and I found myself alone again with Satou.

Madoc assures me that your friend made it home safely. Despite the good news, Satou looked grim.

Is something wrong? I asked gingerly.

I apologize for his demeanor but we had a little bit of a…disagreement, he responded with downcast eyes.

Once again, fear for my personal safety bubbled to the surface. Oh yeah?

Madoc believes that we need to return you to the planet. He paused and folded his hands in front of him.

And you believe I need to stay? I completed the sentence.

He inhaled deeply and let it out in one giant gust. Make no mistake, I do not wish to keep you here against your will, but I fear the consequences of returning you to the planet.

And what would that be? I asked, puzzled.

For generations the Consortium visited your planet discreetly, nothing more than a shadow in the moonlight, he explained. I am afraid that our secret is one that you would not be able to keep.

I disagreed and went to voice my opinion, but stopped when I realized that the words had a ring of truth. The more I thought about it, the more I believed he was right. I was abducted by aliens. How the heck could I keep that from my friends and family? I would be the coolest kid in town, rich and famous beyond my wildest dreams, maybe even the star of my own reality show. But the thought of staying with the aliens appealed to me and I found myself wondering what it would be like jetting around the universe with them, investigating strange, new worlds, going boldly where no human had gone before.

I could be the next Captain Kirk, I mumbled.

Satou cocked his head. I do not understand.

Oh, nothing. I was just thinking out loud.

His features softened. I am sorry, I did not mean to air out our grievances and create undue stress. If you are up to it, I would like to conduct a tour around the Cirrus, getting you acclimated to your surroundings.

I lifted an eyebrow. Cirrus?

Satou held out his hand and helped me off the bed. The cold, clammy feel of his hands did not surprise me, with him being a fish and all, but I was glad to see that I still wore my clothes and was not physically violated like some of the alien abduction horror stories penned in most tabloid magazines.

Cirrus is our ship, Satou replied. It is an Interplanetary Class starship used by the Explorer's League during exploration missions, but more on that later. Let me show you around our facilities.

He led me into the hallway where I stopped to admire the cavernous hallway. It ran almost thirty feet from floor to ceiling and about half of that in width. The rounded ceiling gave the impression that I stood inside of a train tunnel. I was dismayed to see the same dull gray color as the room I just exited. I was hoping for something a bit more vibrant—a bit more alien. My alien captors had no fashion sense I lamented, as I continued along the hallway. Many of the doors along the hall had no door handles but came equipped with small computer screens, no bigger than a cell phone, embedded in the wall next to them.

Satou studied my reaction as we traveled down the hall and smiled. Not what you expected?

I shook my head silently as we passed a door with a red cross etched into the wall next to it. I stopped and passed my hand over the symbol, which didn't seem painted on the wall but rather fused into it, as if someone had punched it with a giant cross-shaped branding iron. I rubbed the symbol mindlessly, amazed at the similarities.

Is something wrong? Satou inquired.

My chuckle caused him to lift a scaly eyebrow.

I noticed his face and nervously cleared my throat. No… Well, not really. It's just that this symbol was used a lot on Earth. It was used to show people where hospitals were and stuff like that.

Well, you will be happy to know that it represents the same thing on Caelum as well.

Caelum? I repeated.

Satou placed his hand on his chest. Our planet.

A man approached us from the far end of the hall and when he got closer, I couldn't help but notice his flowing red hair. It was so bright it gave off an impression that his head was on fire. Its length extended beyond his shoulders and covered a portion of his angular facial features. He wasn't much taller than me and wore a black business suit with a black button down dress shirt, accentuated with a red tie. Everything about him seemed human except his eyes, which were bright yellow pupils surrounded by blood-red irises.

He reached us and smiled, his teeth sparkling white in stark contrast to his onyx suit. It was like watching an alien mortician at work.

Hello there! You must be our new passenger. He extended his hand. My name is Calypso, and I am the commander of the Explorer's League.

I placed my hand inside of his and shook it in disbelief. Nathan Chambers, I responded.

Pleased to meet you, Nathan Chambers.

I shook off my initial shock and let go of his hand. I didn't realize other humans were aboard.

Calypso glanced at Satou and let out a hearty laugh. It was deep, throaty and reminded me of Santa Claus.

Oh, Nathan Chambers, you have a wonderful sense of humor. I am not human, however.

Things weren't adding up in my new found reality. I always thought aliens were supposed to be a race of little green men who beamed us up to their spaceships, prodded us for information, drained our blood, stole our organs and ate our young, or whatever else tabloids usually reported? This didn't seem to be the case aboard this vessel because I'd come across three aliens so far who differed from each other. My fear of being an organ donor was quickly replaced with curiosity.

Why don't any of you look alike? I blurted out.

Calypso's smile faded and Satou stiffened beside me. They exchanged glances and I got the feeling they silently debated whether or not to answer the question.

After stealing glances with Satou, Calypso's smile returned. Well, Nathan Chambers, that is because we are not from the same planet. He ran a hand through his hair and I realized he wasn't wearing a translator.

First off, stop calling me by my full name. You can just call me Nathan. Second, I noticed you don't have one of those translator thingies, which means you speak my language.

Calypso pointed his finger at me. You are correct, Nathan!

How can that be?

Calypso's smile widened. Ah, there is a lot in the universe that you are unaware of, young man. As if he read my mind, he added, Not all aliens are little green men jetting across the galaxies in flying saucers.

I went to ask another question but he interrupted me.

How about I take you on a tour of the ship? I am positive that a lot of your questions will be answered.

A beeping sound interrupted my response. Satou looked down at a bracelet strapped across his wrist. Sorry, but I need to make my exit. Calypso glanced at him and he shrugged. It appears my work in engineering is never done.

He lumbered his way down the hall, leaving me alone with Calypso. He rubbed his hands together and turned toward me. Shall we go?

I followed him down the hall until we came to a set of double doors. He opened a panel next to the door, revealing a small computer screen. He touched several strange symbols on the screen before I heard a metallic sliding sound, like a deadbolt sliding back.

I will need you to keep an open mind, he said over his shoulder. Once we step through these doors, a lot of the preconceived notions you might have about the universe will change.

I shrugged. So, I guess I will discover that humans didn't evolve from apes? Or perhaps God didn't create man before taking a Sunday off?

Calypso put his hand on the door and pushed it open. "Nathan, you will learn that humans are not even from Earth."

CHAPTER 3

DECONSTRUCTING HISTORY

Calypso stood before the door with one hand in his pocket and the other on the door. I stopped—my mind unable to comprehend what he just told me. He met my gaze and frowned.

Are you OK? he asked.

I nodded slowly, unable to answer.

He offered a warm smile and placed a hand on my shoulder. There will be a lot of information to process at first, but I promise you will be OK.

He pushed the door open and guided me inside. As we entered the room, iridescent bars mounted on the walls lit the way which guided us up three stairs toward a cavernous room complete with a domed ceiling. Several similar light fixtures affixed to the ceiling illuminated the center of the room, revealing two curved rows of ten seats. It reminded me of a small movie theater. Calypso moved to the front of the room and motioned me toward one of the chairs.

Have a seat, Nathan, and I will explain things further.

I sat down and the seat cushion moved beneath me, molding to my lower body, creating a comfort level I haven't seen since a trip to the mattress store where I came across a bed made of memory foam. I recall losing myself in that mattress and almost falling asleep because it was so comfortable.

Suddenly the ceiling slid open, like elevator doors, revealing the vastness of outer space. I gasped and my instinct was to grab the armrest to prevent me from floating into outer space. Millions of twinkling stars created a panoramic backdrop for Earth, a blue-green marble in the sky that took my breath away.

It's OK, Nathan. I assure you that you won't float off into space, he laughed.

Calypso touched a panel on the wall and it slid aside, revealing a large flat screen monitor. This room is our observatory, he said and swept his arm around the room. Before we begin, I want to let you know that what you are viewing is a real-time view of your planet and not any type of pre-recorded footage.

How far are we? I asked.

Well, Nathan, using Earth standards of measurement we are about 150,000 miles from your planet…give or take a few thousand, he chuckled.

A typhoon of emotions assaulted my mind. While I sat hundreds of thousands of miles above my home planet, I found it difficult to focus on what lay ahead. How many kids would get the chance to see Earth from the bowels of a spaceship? I haven't taken a poll lately, but I bet the number wouldn't be very high.

Calypso, satisfied that my brain hadn't fried, continued. Your sun takes about 225 million years to go around the galaxy once. To put that in perspectives you can better understand, I will break that down into a 24-hour clock. So, for example, let us say one rotation of the galaxy equals one hour. This makes the Earth about 20 hours old, which means your species has been on Earth for about 48 seconds.

I'm missing your point, I said, perplexed.

Calypso touched the monitor and it sprang to life. Several large dinosaurs swarmed across the screen and rumbled across lush wooded landscape. They flanked a smaller version of themselves, clearly the baby of the pack, as they continued following the banks of a river. Our science class covered dinosaurs last year, and I struggled to recall the name of the lumbering beasts.

Brontosaurus, I shouted triumphantly, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth.

Calypso smiled and handed me a pair of glasses. One lens was red and the other was blue while smaller, tinted screens were embedded along the temples. I put them on and watched the video. The dinosaurs continued their trek along the river, but the glasses allowed me to see a more panoramic view of the scene. From the left and right, out of my peripheral vision, I saw something moving, hidden among the trees. Five smaller figures emerged from the trees carrying something that resembled a flamethrower strapped to their backs. They moved slowly and methodically, tailing the animals and gesturing toward each other. As the camera panned in for a closer look, I couldn't make out whether the figures were human because they wore biohazard suits and motorcycle helmets, with several antennae covering their faces.

What the hell? I muttered but Calypso ignored my outburst. His focus was on the screen.

I watched while they flanked the dinosaurs and drew their weapons. The herd continued, unaware of the strangers behind them. The lead person fired but instead of a hail of bullets, a bright flash of light emitted from the barrel of the weapon and struck the trailing beast in the haunch but the animal continued on, unperturbed by the intruders.

It didn't do anything, I took the glasses off and looked at Calypso. Is this for real?

Keep watching, Nathan, he replied.

I replaced the glasses and fixed my gaze on the screen. The dinosaurs turned from the river and began feeding on some nearby trees. Suddenly the trailing dinosaur, the one who had been hit by the light, fell to the ground. The other dinosaurs let out a cry of alarm and galloped away from the fallen beast, leaving it in a cloud of dust. The person who shot it walked up to the corpse, held up a small square object and waved it over the body before the screen went black.

I threw off the glasses and glared at Calypso suspiciously. What is this, some kind of science fiction movie? Everyone knows that dinosaurs and people never lived together.

Calypso fixed me with a glance and I ceased my protests. The true history of your planet has been lost through the ages. Inferior science and uninformed conclusions do not help your cause. What you just saw was the first Explorer League scouting party to ever set foot on the Earth. When we discovered your planet generations ago, we were on a repopulation mission.

Repopulation mission? I interjected.

Calypso drew in a deep breath. Perhaps I should back up a bit, in an effort to explain who we are and what we do He leaned against the wall and folded his arms. We are the Consortium, a collection of races from various planets across the universe headquartered on the planet Caelum located within galaxy GX-100, about 125,000 light years from Earth.

I found myself grasping the sides of my chair anxiously. The impact of Calypso's words sank in and I felt myself losing grip on reality. For a brief moment I thought I'd imagined everything that had happened. I fell down in the cave and bumped my head on a rock and was now in a coma induced dream. The alternative was too much for my brain to handle.

I wiped a thin sheet of sweat off my forehead and Calypso stopped talking.

Are you OK?

My throat felt like I'd swallowed a bag of sand and washed it down with a cup of broken glass. I swallowed hard and tried to muster an ounce of saliva in my mouth. I croaked out a yes and he continued.

Calypso continued, his hard eyes drilling into my soul. I am a member of the Council of Five who are ruled by the Consortium High Prince, Meta. The Council of Five is made up of the five leaders of our principal organizations such as myself, Embeth, the Orgellian leader of the Defense Fleet, Varooq, who is the head of the Universal College, Hark-Kalech who leads our Science Unit and last is Kale, our head ambassador. The Consortium's mission is to explore the universe, gather information on inhabited planets, protect indigenous species and repopulate if necessary.

I raised my hand like I needed to use the bathroom, and immediately regretted my foolishness.

I'm sorry, but did you say repopulate?

This will be a good time to redirect your attention to the screen. Calypso gestured toward the monitor.

My eyes shifted to the monitor and a city skyline, similar to New York City, splashed across the screen. Based on the camera point of view, I must have been viewing the scene from the top of one of the skyscrapers. The city differed from New York because instead of the Hudson River, the metropolis blended into a dense forest. Large birds—larger than any I have ever seen—burst from the top of the trees in an explosion of flight away from the city. They were briefly tiny dots on the horizon before fading away entirely. Moments later the dots were back and I assumed that they made a U-turn. The dots became blobs, and I soon realized that they were not the birds. The blobs became aircraft and continued to approach the city at a high rate of speed. By the time they reached the city skyline, I recognized them as aircraft similar to zeppelins I read about recently in our history textbooks. The seven blimps increased speed towards Faux York and as soon as they were in range of the city, they fired, spraying bluish fire onto the landscape. Trees and buildings erupted in flames and the screen went black, but not before I watched a person, engulfed in flames, jump from a 30 storey window.

My hand flew to my mouth and I chewed back fresh bile, which ironically washed away the sandpaper stuck in my throat. I looked at Calypso and he stared back with a hard look about him. I had to grab the sides of the chair to prevent myself from fainting.

What was that? I gasped.

Calypso touched the panel and the wall covered the monitor. That happened to your people over 200,000 years ago.

I looked at him incredulously. That's impossible. The Earth never had cities like that 200,000 years ago.

Calypso turned on the lights and the panels in the ceiling slid closed, cutting off the view of Earth. He smiled and motioned for me to follow him out of the room.

You are correct, Nathan. When I got to the door, he placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. But that wasn't Earth.

CHAPTER 4

MEN ARE FROM MARS…

I turned toward him, my eyes narrowing. OK, I'll bite. If that wasn't Earth, what was it?

Calypso's answer was interrupted by a tall, muscular, gray-skinned humanoid wearing a black tunic manufactured from some sort of alien synthetic fabric that I had never seen paired with form-fitting pants that reminded me of Spandex. He wore a symbol on the left side of his chest depicting a gold star with a comet splitting the center. He fixed me with a sour look before shifting his gaze to Calypso.

I'm sorry to interrupt, sir, but we need to leave Earth's orbit. A Russian satellite is scheduled to pass by this region shortly.

Nathan, I would like you to meet the captain of the Cirrus, Calypso said and placed his hand on the man's shoulder.

I held out my hand and he looked toward Calypso, who offered him a small nod. Reluctantly he shoved his hand in mine and it felt like I'd clutched a piece of granite.

Captain Natronix, he offered. I apologize for your situation, but you should have plenty of time to complain to Satou during the return voyage.

I retracted my hand and made sure it was still attached to my arm. Return voyage?

Go ahead and set course for the Argus, Calypso interrupted.

Wait a minute, what's going on. What planet was that on the video? And what does he mean by 'return voyage'? My voice cracked as I rapid-fired questions at him.

Remain calm, Nathan, Calypso replied calmly. I am sure Satou explained the issues in returning you to the planet at this time. Earth is not prepared for that yet.

The mysterious statement caught me off guard and caused my anger to roll away like a tumbleweed. What the heck does that mean?

He grabbed my elbow gently. I assure you all will be explained in time. In fact, I have had Satou set you up with your own private quarters for the journey. I am sure you will find the accommodations to your liking.

I followed him down the hall and decided to hold my questions for later. Satou was standing outside a metallic door with two decorative metal bars forming an X across the front. When he saw us he turned and pressed a button on the wall panel, causing the door to slide open from the middle, like a mouth ready to swallow us whole.

I put this room together from intelligence gathered on Earth so I hope you like it, Satou said. If we missed anything, please speak up.

I entered, and my mouth dropped open when I realized I looked upon my bedroom back on Earth. The television stood in the northeast corner of the room with an Xbox attached to it. My bed along the far wall (with the same bed sheets) and my computer desk, complete with a laptop, sat in the southeast corner. Everything started to blur when tears of homesickness rimmed in my eyes and the reality of it all hit me—I was never going to see home again. Sam would forever be alone in his adventures and neither he nor my parents would ever understand what had happened to me. God only knew what the news reports said right now about my disappearance. Remote cave eats teenager, news at 11.

It is tough, Nathan, to be taken from your home and thrown in the middle of the unknown, Satou sympathized. We are here for you, whether you believe that or not.

I sat at the makeshift computer desk and placed my hand over my stomach. I could feel it rumbling and suddenly remembered that it had been some time since I ate anything.

Well, for starters, I haven't eaten in a while. Is there any way you could get me a cheeseburger or something?

I am afraid I don't know what a cheeseburger is, but let me show you how you can feed yourself from this room.

Satou walked over to the west wall where a metallic box stood similar to the one that had popped out a soda earlier. He pushed a button that had a picture of a sandwich and typed in the word Cheez Berger. The machine hummed for a minute before a red flashing ERROR message splashed across the digital screen. He scratched his head and looked at me, perplexed.

Um, you spelled it wrong, I chuckled. I moved around him and typed in cheeseburger and the door slid open. Out popped a cheeseburger on a red plate with fresh steam wafting from it.

This machine is called a Sustanant, Satou beamed. It is one of Caelum's greatest engineered products. It has the ability to transform any organic waste product and re-engineer it into an edible food product. I programmed this machine to include most delicacies on Earth.

Are you trying to tell me that this cheeseburger is made from poop? I grimaced and slid the plate away.

Satou frowned. No, not really. Try it, I guarantee you will like it.

I didn't move toward the burger. I continued to scowl at it like it was a moldy piece of bread weeping raw sewage.

How about I make you a deal? Satou asked. If it tastes like some kind of waste product, I will resign my position as ship's Engineer and request that Calypso promote you in my place.

I narrowed my eyes, lifted the burger to my lips and willed myself to take a bite and overcome my doubts. It smelled like a cheeseburger, but I wasn't sure if they used some sort of alien odor eater or some contraption to make it endearing to unsuspecting humans. Despite my reservations, my hunger overwhelmed me and I took a bite. The meat was bland and tasted like average fast food, but it was indeed an edible burger and not hamburger-shaped feces. My rumbling stomach accepted it and I swallowed it so fast that I almost choked myself in the process. Satou grabbed a drink from the Sustanant and held it out for me. Cold, stale water washed away what remained of the burger.

Thank you, I sputtered.

Satou turned to walk away but I grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at me. He turned back and cocked an eyebrow.

Wait a minute, I want to ask you something, I blurted, inadvertently spitting hamburger bits on his tentacle beard.

He showed no reaction to the little specks of cheese dangling off his chin, and I found that his indifference made it hard for me to read the emotions of an octopus.

"Calypso showed me a video of a planet being attacked. The planet looked like Earth, but he said it wasn't. I know it sounds crazy, and I hope I'm not just rambling like a scared kid. I guess if I'm going to be spending time aboard this ship, exploring the galaxy with you people, I will need to put on my big boy pants but I need to know the truth. It looked like human beings jumping out of those burning buildings. So what's the deal Satou, was it Earth?" My emphasis on the word highlighted the panic creeping into my voice but I didn't care. I just wanted them to be straight with me.

Satou looked at me through sorrowful eyes. Calypso was not lying to you, Nathan. What you saw was not Earth.

But? I prodded.

He sighed, heaving his peacock-like chest. You are correct, they were human. What you saw, however, happened a long time ago when they were attacked by an ancient force that the Consortium is afraid to mention. They dare not whisper their name even in the darkest shadows of the deepest cave under Mount Varnok.

I had no idea where Mount Varnok was and I didn't care, I needed to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Why are you afraid?

Satou crossed his arms and fixed me with a fearless gaze, despite his claims otherwise. They were evil, which is all I can say at this time.

I threw up my hands in exasperation. OK, so where did we come from? I stood and pounded my chest dramatically, driving the point home with each thrust. If not Earth, than where? I think I deserve to know the truth.

Satou looked away and hovered over the Sustanant. Your race came from a planet not far from where Earth is now. It was close, he added cryptically. We were afraid there was no compatible planet nearby.

Jesus Christ, will you stop being so damn mysterious and answer the question!

Mars, Satou whispered. You were watching the initial invasion of Mars.

I slumped into my chair. I was speechless and thoughts fed upon what remained of my sanity like vultures on road kill. Everything I had ever been taught about the evolution of man and life on Earth just flew out the window. The textbooks; hell, even the Bible, you might as well just toss them out too. It's spring cleanin' time for the ol' noggin, Nathan.

Satou sat at the end of the bed and studied me. I know this is a lot for you to process, but if you are to understand the Explorer's League, then it is best that you know everything. Thirty one days after the initial attack, the hostiles launched chemical weapons, scorching the planet surface and creating holes in the atmosphere, eventually leading to total atmospheric loss. Initially, the Consortium received reports of the invaders entering Martian airspace and the Consortium launched support efforts, but our technology was archaic during that time period. Unfortunately we were too late, Nathan. The Defense Fleet managed to rescue just under 10,000 survivors before they destroyed the planet.

I swallowed hard, trying to remove the sandbag that returned to my throat. Rescued?

The population of Mars at the time of the attack was over 2.7 billion. Millions were destroyed during the first wave of attacks. We had no idea of the extent of their viciousness and had been caught unprepared.

Who was responsible? I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Satou's eyes shifted nervously side to side and his chin tentacles matched the movements. Rubbing his hands together, he hesitated, as if speaking their name would cause the ship to spontaneously combust in the middle of space.

The Lumagom, he muttered. A hostile force of alien beings, a collective of various races throughout the universe with one mission—the destruction of all sentient life.

Why? I asked.

The bed creaked as Satou stood up and he suddenly made his way to the door. Without turning to look at me, he said something that made tiny icicles poke the base of my spine. Sometimes, Nathan Chambers, ignorance is bliss. Unfortunately, to be a part of the Explorer's League, I am afraid it is a luxury we cannot afford. When the time is right, you will learn a lot of things about the universe, including the Lumagom, but you can rest assured with the knowledge that we have not had contact with them for centuries.

A puzzled look crossed my face. What are you trying to tell me?

I spoke with Calypso before he took you on the tour, he said without turning around. We agreed, based on your background, that you would be good fit with the Explorer's League. You have an explorer's spirit, Nathan, but to adapt to our way of life, you need to access the information that we have accumulated during our travels. That includes information regarding your roots, alien races, hostile forces, the Consortium hierarchy and others pertinent to our cause.

My background? I snorted. What background is that; my wonderful cave diving failures or my ability to kick ass in Guitar Hero?

Satou shook his head, stepped out of the room and was gone. I was alone with my thoughts inside my makeshift bedroom among my makeshift belongings. The longer I stared at the closed door, the more I believed I had been imprisoned rather than accommodated.

I switched on the computer and watched it start with the familiar Windows jingle. Apparently Microsoft's dominance in the operating system world extended to space. Familiar icons mixed with the unknown on the screen but it was the desktop wallpaper that caused a lump to form in my throat. It was a picture of me flanked by my parents during a trip to Corpus Christi last year. My father had his arm around me and I was frozen in an eye roll between him and my mother with the Gulf of Mexico providing the backdrop. It was one of the rare times that my overly busy parents had some free time and decided to take me on vacation. Although our relationship wasn't the greatest, I still felt a warm wetness rim my eyes, and fought to beat back the tears.

I wiped the blurriness from my eyes and stared at the screen. One icon stood out among the rest: Helios Protocol. I clicked on it and watched paragraphs and diagrams splash across the screen. Despite the enormous amount of data, it was only the first section that interested me.

Evacuation Protocol

*INITIATION

-In the event of invocation of Helios Protocol, the source planet must be deemed total catastrophic loss. Upon initiation, repopulation of indigenous species is priority one. Consortium High Prince to be advised of situation. Defense Fleet and Explorer's League will be dispatched for reconnaissance, protection and relocation of assets. Direct interference in events on the planet surface is prohibited unless absolutely necessary to fulfill mission. Always verify compatibility of host planet to make sure assets will adapt and survive.

*RELOCATION

-As soon as the host planet is identified, relocation of source assets will begin immediately. The Science Unit, under the direction of the Head Ambassador, will work with assets in establishing a functioning culture, basic survival skill training, insertion of wildlife/flora and rudimentary industrial skills. The Science Unit is responsible for making sure any DNA samples exhausted are replenished and stored following proper storage protocols.

*MAINTENANCE

-Once relocation has been completed, Engineering will establish monitoring hardware, software and transceivers to allow Consortium follow ups as necessary. All follow up maintenance will be under the direction of the Lead Engineer. Portals only allowed under Commander of Explorer's League approval.

Evacuation protocol? I whispered at the computer, as if I expected an answer. That must have been what happened with Mars.

I closed the file and flipped through more programs, and immediately recognized some—Solitaire, Minesweeper, chess—games that were meant to keep me entertained during the voyage. I dug further and came across a game I played many times at home. Seeing the familiar logo brought a smile to my face.

Awesome, they have Angry Birds. The game popped up on my screen, with the red bird loaded and waiting to be launched.

I stared at the screen in amazement and thought the computer had read my mind by starting the game for me. I closed my eyes and let images of chess float around in my mind, concentrating on the queen blocking the king for checkmate and opened my eyes. The red bird was still on the screen, waiting to be launched. I scratched my head in bewilderment but the red bird continued to stare at me, begging to be launched at the snickering pigs.

What the heck? I rubbed my eyes in frustration before a