Up and Coming: Stories by the 2016 Campbell-Eligible Authors

Game Not Over

Originally published by Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, January 2015 issue, edited by Mike Resnick

Molten lava flowed through Death Valley, bypassing islands of glowing flint and brimstone. The air stank of sulfur and decaying corpses. Dark acid clouds were scattered throughout the amber sky. Occasionally, vengeful lightning discharged fury against the agonized soil.

In short, it was a wonderful day, thought Esh.

The small fire imp stopped in front of the magma pit.

“Go away,” boomed a voice.

“But, Mistress!” said Esh, taking a step back.

“You dare to defy my words?”

Esh looked at the she-daemon who rose out of the boiling hollow. She was a good-looking mistress. Her dark hair fell in waves over her shoulders. Her pitch-black eyes shone like the abyss, reflecting intelligence and wisdom. With her feminine horns and folded bat-like wings, no mortal woman even came close to Sheda’s beauty.

“Satan demands your presence, Mistress.” Esh bowed. “Humans have infested his den.”

“Again?” Sheda sighed.

Esh shrugged, staring at the she-daemon.

“This human infestation problem is growing beyond…”

Suddenly, she groaned. Black marks appeared on her forehead.

“What’s wrong, Mistress? Aren’t you feeling well?”

She grabbed Esh’s hand and squeezed it tight. “My belly…I feel…ill.” Esh saw her face turning green. “It’s so painful…”

Esh felt helpless. “Shall I call for aid? Perhaps Satan can help.”

“Curses!” She shook her head. “I think I’m being summoned.”

“Summoned? That’s horrendous. Who dare…”

“It’s those damn sorcerers from Earth,” whispered Sheda, still holding her abdomen. “Why can’t they solve their own problems? Why do they need to involve us daemons in their puny affairs? I don’t care who this wizard is. I swear I’m going to eradicate him! Damnation shall fall upon his soul.”

In that instant, Sheda vanished into thin air.

Sharp pain hit Esh in his stomach. The whole of Gehenom began to spin. Smoke and steam engulfed his small body. Something pulled him into oblivion.

Slowly, Esh regained his vision. His first thought was to fly out of there. The fire imp fluttered his tiny wings. Something smashed into him. He flinched in pain and charged again, only to be subjected once more with grief by that cursed, invisible barrier.

“We’re trapped,” said a charming soprano voice.

“Mistress, what happened to us?”

Sheda said nothing.

Esh looked downward. Both he and Sheda floated helplessly above a glowing pentagram which was painted on the floor. The dim illumination intensified the direness of their situation. This wasn’t Gehenom. In fact, this place didn’t look like anything he had ever seen in any of the upper plains. They were in a cold, dark, flameless dungeon.

Around them he noticed a few broken tables, traces of blood, body parts, smashed armor, shields and other shattered weapons of war.

Furthermore, there was her. The one which was complete. The only non-mutilated body. Her beautiful yet motionless statue looked alive; frozen inside a large amber cube, a seven-foot-long rectangular prism.

“I wonder what happened here,” said Esh.

Before Sheda had a chance to respond, Esh heard chains rolling, followed by rusty axles squeaking. He turned to see a figure in red robes entering the dungeon.

The figure halted at the center of the hall. Then it bowed. A deep voice greeted them, “May you burn in Hell for all eternity.”

Sheda looked at the figure, her face red, her eyes blazing anger mixed with flames. “Damn you!” she exclaimed, spitting venom. “Burning in Hell is exactly what I had in mind before your intervention.” She shook her head fiercely, pointing at the figure. “You summoned us to this cold filthy place. Speak your words and send me back to Gehenom!”

The figured bowed once more. “Forgive me, Mistress. I hold nothing but the greatest respect to you. I would have never called you to this mortal plain of existence if it wasn’t for a matter of grave importance.”

Sheda burst into rolling laughter. “You can remove your hood, Nakam. It is transparent to my kind.”

The figure bowed again and took off his head covering.

Esh flinched at the sight. Nakam’s face was rotten and decayed. His nose and both ears were absent. Bones could be seen through the eroded flesh. Little hair remained on the semi-exposed skull. What intimidated Esh most were two glittering diamonds in the sockets which were supposed to host eyes. Nakam ground his teeth in an incomprehensible gesture. If it wasn’t for the missing lips, Esh would have sworn Nakam was smiling.

“I don’t think he is human,” whispered Esh.

“Esh, dear,” Sheda chuckled, “this one is Nakam, the Lich Emperor of Sham-Rahok.”

Nakam took another step toward the pentagram. “I see there is no fooling a great daemon such as you, mistress Sheda.”

“What is it that you want of me?” she barked impatiently.

Nakam rubbed his skull, nodding toward Sheda. “My lady and your daemonic shape-changing ability could be helpful for this task.”

“You’re pathetic if you think I would help.” She looked around at the carnage, at the maiden elf, then at the pentagram.

Fire sparks trickled down Esh’s forehead. The flare burning within his chest pounded. He flinched at the thought of what Nakam might do to them if Sheda declined the offer. When nothing happened, he swallowed flames.

“Now,” Sheda put her hands on her hips, “by the names of all the daemons and devils in Hell, send us back to the abyss.”

Nakam just stood there in silence.

“I gave you an order, Lich.”

“Mistress Sheda,”—Nakam coughed and shook his head—“if you’ll allow me to speak, I shall explain myself.” He rolled his diamond eyes upward. “Surely, you don’t think I went through all the trouble of summoning you here just so I would send you back.”

Esh tried to read Sheda’s expression. She seemed ready to explode.

“What I want you to look into,” said Nakam, “is who this elf is and who these invaders are.”

All Hell broke loose. Thunder, lightning, fire shook the pentagram. Unimaginable shrieks and inconceivable screams filled the space around Esh. He shut his eyes and held his hands against his tiny ears. It didn’t help. The noise was immensely strong and the flashes strikingly bright. His small body was pushed and sucked, shattered and smashed, shoved and scratched, squished and smote, yet the force field remained intact.

“Send us back to Hell, you miserable piece of zombie excrement! I shall slay you. I shall scorch the earth, dealing death and destruction of apocalyptic proportions. I shall suck your life force and banish your soul. Even the Hell of all Hells is too good a place for a miserable worm-infested scum like you.” Sheda attacked the invisible barrier with all her might. But to no avail.

Seeing that the force field held against her attacks, Sheda’s rage subsided. Esh opened his agonized eyes. The Lich Emperor stood outside the pentagram in a stoic calmness.

“As I said before,”—Nakam bowed—“I called upon you to resolve a serious matter that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Our universe is at stake. All of us are in danger, mortals, undead and daemons alike.”

Sheda stared at Nakam, and so did Esh. Then she spoke softly. “Release the force field and I shall listen more.”

Nakam shook his head, “Only after you swear your allegiance and promise to investigate the origin of this elven maid.”

Sheda paused for a long moment before she nodded. “Three days,” she groaned. “Release me and I shall be in your service for three days. Then the deal is off.”

“I promise you,” she whispered to Esh, “a day shall come when Nakam shall pay for his insolence.”

“No doubt, Mistress.”

Nakam came closer, stopping in front of Sheda. He scanned her as if his diamond eyes could see whether she was telling the truth. “Deal.” He snapped his fingers and the glow radiating from the pentagram vanished.

The daemon slowly stepped outside the barrier. Her facial expression changed from anger to surprise and then to happiness. “Free! At last.”

Then it was anger once more. She spread her wings wide and hovered above Nakam, exposing her fangs. Lightning bolts discharged within her claws. “Now you shall witness the powers of Hell descending upon you. I shall smite you into oblivion.”

“Mistress,” screamed Esh in panic, “remember the last time you lost your temper?”

Sheda hesitated.

“Let us first hear what Nakam has to say,” said the fire imp. “If you don’t like it, you can always smite him into oblivion then.”

The Lich reached into his robe, pulling out an old-looking scroll.

“In recent months,” explained Nakam, “my domain has been invaded time and again by these adventurers.”

Esh nodded, examining the elven beauty who lay inside the cube. The maid had braided long blonde hair. She wore a green wool jacket, and a dagger was attached to her belt. He looked closely at the motionless body; his jaw froze in surprise. Her eyes were open wide, and her pupils moved back and forth.

“I spoke with other lords across the continent,” added Nakam. “Vampires, mummies, orc kings and even human warlords. All share the same tragedy.”

“Which is?”

“Adventurers!” Nakam muttered, lowering his voice to a bass. “We lived happily in our own realms, minding our own business. These invaders,” said Nakam, spitting on the floor as he spoke the words, “came out of nowhere with one purpose in mind: killing and pillaging. No one is safe from these evildoers. Not even I.”

“Fascinating,” hissed Sheda. “Satan had similar complaints. Tell me more.”

“They appear in the Temple of the Combined Elementals. From there, they set on a voyage of rampage against the inhabitants of this land.”

“Your Imperial Highness,” Esh coughed, “have you noticed her eyes?” He pointed at the elf, “They’re moving.”

The Lich fixed his diamond eyes on the tiny fire imp. “Of course they are.”

A few tiny sparks flashed. Esh said nothing.

“That’s the only way to hold those adventurers confined,” said the Lich. “I have tried several times to imprison them. After a brief moment, they all vanish. However, when showing them captivating illusions, they’ll remain confined, at least for a short while.”

“How?” Esh asked.

“Dream—one of my best illusions. Nevertheless, we only have a few hours before she shall find even the greatest of dreams boring; then, she too shall disappear.”

“These invaders of yours,” asked Sheda, “what kind of creatures are they?”

“Demi-humans,” replied the Lich. “Most are humans, some are elves, not to mention the occasional dwarves.”

“I meant what profession they hold, hmmm, besides being thieves and murderers?”

“Ah,” replied Nakam. “Paladins, warriors, rangers, wizards, clerics—you know, the usual trades.”

Sheda stared at the frozen elven lady. “She is an abomination. It’s as if she is a sort of…”

“Of what?” Esh and Nakam asked simultaneously.

“Unnatural.”

The she-daemon bent over the cube, gazing at the body inside. “I could shape-change myself into someone like her.”

“Splendid.” Nakam’s diamond eyes brightened. “I knew I made the right choice when I summoned you.”

“Don’t ever do it again,” snapped Sheda.

“Finally,” Nakam said, his shiny sparks glittering, “the riddle of the invaders shall be unveiled.” He paused for a moment. “Start to polymorph; we don’t have much time…”

“How do I look?”

Esh looked at the elven body which was his daemon mistress. He looked at her pointy ears, her bright complexion, the braided blonde hair and the simple clothing. “Beautiful. A fair Lady.” Realizing he might have offended her, he immediately corrected himself. “For an elf.”

“Perfect!” Nakam clenched his teeth within his lipless skull. “With your new look, you might be able to penetrate the Combined Elementals Temple.”

“Come, Esh,” said Sheda. “Let’s waste no time. We have a mission to complete.”

The small fire imp landed on Sheda’s shoulder. Traces of smoke appeared on her wool jacket as it began to burn.

A blow hit Esh. He smashed on the floor.

“Idiot!” Nakam snapped. “An elven lady can’t wander around town with a fire imp as her companion, especially while wearing a flammable outfit.”

Esh looked upon himself. There was something to Nakam’s logic. “But I must accompany my mistress,” he cried.

“Not as a fire imp!” Nakam said.

“So how would I go?”

“I can transform you into a small animal.” There was a hint of contempt in Nakam’s voice. “Something suitable for elven females, possibly an owl or a frog.”

“But what if the mistress wishes to speak to me? I must be able to talk.”

“Hmmm,” mumbled Nakam as he scratched an exposed piece of his skull. “Perhaps you’re right.”

Disguised as a parrot, Esh stood on Sheda’s right shoulder while she walked the streets in her new elven body. As they advanced toward the temple, merchants, beggars and a large number of nobles greeted them with the same dumb smiles.

“Mind your own business, mortals.” Sheda smirked.

“It feels strange walking upon human streets.” Esh struggled to speak in his new birdlike shape.

“Ha-ha,” agreed Sheda. “Last time I tried that, people ran away screaming, except for a few stupid ones who actually tried to attack me.”

“Aye,” agreed Esh. “Daemons are always hated and feared. I wonder why.” Using his beak, he scratched an itch below his feathery wing.

“You’re pathetically naive.”

“Why?” Esh asked. “All we want to do is to be left alone in Gehenom. If humans want to be upset about something, why don’t they pick on the wizards who summoned the daemons in the first place?”

His voice sounded so awkward with the high-pitched twittering—damn his parrot’s beak.

The houses on both sides of the road were two stories high. In most, the second floor was bigger than the ground level; supporting beams prevented the upper deck from collapsing into the open sewage. The open sewers scent was not as good as the sulfuric acid and brimstone Esh was used to, yet he couldn’t complain.

It wasn’t long before they reached the Combined Elementals Temple. It was a remarkable building made of marble, perhaps twenty stories high. Nobody knew how many levels extended below ground. The gate was open and Esh saw no guards.

Sheda walked toward the entrance. She climbed the stairs and—bang! An invisible barrier blocked their path. Sheda tried once more. She tried to throw stones. Nothing could enter the temple.

“Perhaps we should ask someone,” suggested Esh. “Maybe this beggar knows the secret.”

Sheda nodded, and climbed down the staircase to meet the tramp. He was an old man in ragged clothing.

The beggar extended his hand. “Can you spare a couple of coppers for a poor old man who lost his daughter?”

“Silence, old fool,” snapped Sheda. “Tell me how to enter the Temple.”

“How can I tell you anything, if you want me to be silent?”

Sheda grabbed the beggar and lifted him with one hand. “Tell me what I want to know, or I shall smash your spine and banish your miserable soul to Hell.”

“I seek no confrontation,” begged the beggar. “I shall answer thy questions, free.”

“How do I get in?”

The beggar looked at her with his eyes wide open. “All you have to do is to climb the stairs and enter the black gate.”

“Are you as blind as you are a fool?” Sheda said, her voice like ice. “My way was blocked.”

“Anyone who stepped out of the temple may enter.”

“What if one never stepped out of the temple?”

The beggar kept silence for a short while. “That’s impossible. I saw you come out of the gate a day before yesterday. You were kind enough to provide me a gold piece, don’t you remember?” The beggar paused for a moment. “I was the fellow who told you where the pub was; the one with your friends.”

Sheda shook the beggar once more. “Are you saying only those who came out may enter?”

“Aye.”

“Can you enter?” she asked, putting her index finger on his chest. Esh recognized the tone. It meant danger.

“Of course not. I’m a local.”

Sheda dropped the beggar angrily. “Didn’t I tell you to remain silent?”

“Can you spare a couple of coppers for a poor…”

Esh shut his eyes close as a sudden flash blinded his sight. A deafening explosion almost knocked him off Sheda’s shoulder. When he opened his eyes, all that was left of the beggar was a crumbling heap of ash.

“That shall teach him respect,” said Sheda.

Esh looked around, expecting the city guards to jump them. Nothing happened. The many nobles and few merchants just continued with their daily business wearing their silly smiles, as if frying people with lightning bolts was a normal occurrence.

Sheda shook her head. “This whole mission smells like a waste of my valuable time. Damnation bestowed upon Nakam.”

“What about the ‘friends’ mentioned by this, hmm, thing?” Esh stared at the heap of ash. “Perhaps we could find some clues if…”

“Let us seek that pub.”

Esh scanned the patrons in the pub. Most seemed ordinary folks like knights, priests, rich merchants, a street beggar and a couple of palace guards.

Sheda seated herself at one of the empty tables. “I’ve had enough of this mystery. I miss Hell.”

“I wish I could help, Mistress,” replied Esh, still standing on her shoulder.

She turned to the bartender. “Fetch me some sulfuric acid. Make it boiling!”

“I’m sorry, lady,” the bartender replied, staring at the elven maid. “We don’t carry that drink. Would you be satisfied with some warm tea instead?”

“Baah!” Sheda said. “Bring me the strongest stuff this miserable establishment has to offer.”

“Aye, my lady,” the bartender bowed.

The door slammed open. The inn was flooded with light so strong that for a moment, Esh had to shut his parrot eyes.

Most of the tavern’s occupants simply ignored the new arrivals. Esh and Sheda examined them closely.

There were three.

The first one covered himself, head to toe, with golden full plate armor. He held a huge rectangular shield. On his back, he carried at least three backpacks, an enormous two-handed sword, a large lance, a longbow and no fewer than ten quivers packed with arrows. He wore a polished golden crown, spotted with gems so bright that looking at them pained Esh’s eyes.

The second person also wore heavy full plate armor. This one was fat, and unlike the first, his armor was as black as coal. The large shield he carried was decorated with an image of snow-covered mountains. In his right hand he held a bulky staff. Atop his many backpacks Esh could identify a huge flail, and in his belt the fellow carried a sling. This individual wore a sizable necklace; many beads and prayer books peeked from his pockets.

The third character wore a blue robe and a purple pointy hat that could only be seen on wizards. His equipment was fundamentally different from his comrades’ gear—he had but a single backpack, and his only weapon was a tiny dagger stuck in his belt. Strangely, two shining gems orbited his head. They reminded Esh of moons orbiting a world up in the upper plains of existence. A black cat trailed behind the skinny human.

“Perhaps these are the ‘friends’ the beggar spoke of,” whispered Esh.

“Hi, Susan.” The human with the golden armor waved his hand at Sheda. “I was trying to call you last night. Why didn’t you answer? Did you forget about the barbecue?”

Esh froze. “Susan” definitely wasn’t a typical elven name. And what did barbecue stand for? Esh had never heard of such a word. He hoped barbecue had something to do with fire.

“Hmmm,” mumbled Sheda. “I was preoccupied at the Lich palace. He captured me.”

“And I thought you were playing hard to get,” he chuckled. “I’ll text you tonight.”

“I’ll be delighted.” Sheda glanced at Esh and shrugged.

Esh wanted to scratch his head hearing these funny words. Unfortunately, his parrot wings didn’t allow that luxury, and he dared not use his feet.

The other two humans came closer. The blue-robed wizard stared at Sheda closely. “Were you at the Lich palace the whole night?”

“Aye.”

“Captured?”

Sheda nodded.

“Sweet Jesus,” the wizard said, while his black cat rubbed at his legs. “Why didn’t you just log out and start fresh at the temple?”

Esh wondered what by the name of Asmodeus that wizard was talking about.

“You tell me,” Sheda said.

“You didn’t want to lose your experience points?”

Sheda nodded.

“You didn’t have to be up all night, you know,” the wizard continued. “You could have called support. I was killed twice at the palace. I e-mailed the company, and they restored all my items. By the way, we’re thinking of going back there. Wanna join? We could use a good thief.”

“A thief?” Icicles formed in Sheda’s eyes. “You dare to call me a thief? I shall obliterate you for your insolence.”

“Mistress!” Esh whispered in panic. “Remember the mission.”

The one with the golden plate smiled. “You talk funny, Susan. A true role player! Anyway, about that Lich, are you in? We could use your help. Nakam is a first rate AI.”

“AI?” Sheda raised an eyebrow.

The wizard punched himself on his forehead. “What’s the matter with you, Susan? I thought you were a geek. AI—Artificial Intelligence.” His hands extended wide, as if he was talking about the most trivial thing in this plain.

“Ah, yes, that kind of AI. Sorry, I forgot,” Sheda replied. Her voice sounded awkward and unconvincing.

“So?” The golden-plate warrior stared at Sheda. “Are you in?”

Sheda ignored him as she addressed the wizard. “Some daemons are also incredibly smart. Are you implying they too have artificial, um, intelligence?”

The wizard nodded.

Esh was confused. These humans were talking about the creatures of this world as some sort of artificial…something. This was madness.

“Are you claiming that all the locals,” said Sheda, “all those who didn’t come out of the temple, are nothing but…” She fell silent. Then she whispered in Esh’s ear. “These humans must have drunk too much elixir of lunacy. Continuing this parley is a waste of my precious time. We should go home.”

“Susan,”—the wizard sounded surprised—“didn’t you read the game manual? All the local creatures are an interactive part of the software.”

“Of course I read them.” Sheda played along with their psychosis. “I’m, as you said, a good, hmm…role player. This body is the avatar of an entity from the real world.” She pointed at her elven body, mocking the wizard. “The one where humans can invoke, barbecues and software, while the inhabitants of this place are nothing but a brainless artificial creation. Right?”

The wizard chuckled.

Sheda stood up and walked toward the exit. “I’m afraid I must bid you farewell, gentlemen. I have more important business.”

The human with the golden plate shouted after her, “What kind of business? The Lich? What did he promise you?”

Sheda turned her head. “Nakam promised me my freedom.”

The man looked at her, “Eh?”

“The freedom to go to Hell.”

The dazzle in Nakam’s diamond eyes dimmed. “I’ve suspected that for the longest time. And don’t fool yourself. It’s much worse than what I initially expected.”

“Have you lost your mind?” said Esh, hovering above Sheda in his original fire imp shape. “These humans are insane beyond redemption. Are you saying there is a shred of truth in their ill mind?”

Nakam just stood there, shaking his head. “I have other sources that confirmed this story. Our plains of existence are indeed nothing but a sophisticated creation. And we are mere creatures designed to entertain the players who enter our world.”

Sheda, back in her she-daemon form, glared in red. She shoved Esh aside with one hand, and with the other, she grabbed Nakam’s fragile neck and lifted him in the air. “Explain yourself!”

“In your absence,” Nakam said without flinching, “I linked to this maiden’s mind. I read her memories. I saw the world she came from.”

“Carry on!”

Nakam just gestured at the elven maid frozen inside the transparent cube.

“It can’t be true.” Sheda dropped the Lich to the ground, her eyes as dead as the abyss. “I’ve fulfilled my part of our agreement. If you choose to believe in the maiden lunacy, it’s your choice. I demand that you hold your part of the bargain, and send me back to Gehenom.”

“Our world,”—Nakam clanged his teeth—“with all its plains, is nothing but a game. A game which could be turned off at any moment. We,” he pointed at himself, then at Sheda, “can be turned off at any time.”

“Mistress?” Esh said, wondering where Sheda was heading. “Nakam sounds very convincing.”

“Is he?” said Sheda, pointing her claw at Nakam. “The Emperor Lich can be as delusional as the invading humans. I know what I am. I know where I belong. I’m acquainted with the nature of this world. I claim my right to return home. Enough with this lunacy.”

“The deal spoke of three days.” Nakam said calmly. “You are still in my service for two more.” He pointed his rotten finger at the dreaming elven maid. “We need to find a way to send you to the place where these beings come from. We must bring an end to their reckless rampaging through our world. Only then could I afford to free you of your oath.”

Esh remained speechless. Sheda seemed a little unsure of herself.

“Can you send me to the invaders’ realm?” Sheda calmed herself down. “I’ll get to the bottom of this insanity.”

“I’m afraid that’s impossible,” Nakam replied flatly. “Nobody is that powerful; not in the entire world. Besides,” he said, pointing at the elf, “at any moment she’ll be bored with my inceptions, and then she’ll rematerialize to her primary reality.”

Esh noticed the anger mounting in Sheda’s face. He must do something before she erupted. “Is there anything we can do? Perhaps take control of Susan’s body in her world?” He snuck a worried glimpse at his mistress.

Nakam’s gaze nearly froze Esh in midair. “You mean Dybbuk? Hmm, highly unlikely, yet…” The Lich clenched his teeth and then nodded. “Esh, you’re a mastermind! We must hurry.” He spun toward the exit. “I’ll be back shortly. Perhaps I’ll be able to transfer your consciousness after all.”

It has been told that for a short while, all magic was drained in the empire of Sham-Rahok. Mystical creatures, minions and slaves, sorcerers, wizards and witches, all lent their strength. It took a whole day and a whole night collecting and channeling the magic mana. Nonetheless, when the sun came forth on the second day, the deed had been done. It was told, in that day, Nakam’s laughter was heard for the first time within the land of Sham-Rahok.

Esh, Nakam and Sheda stood around the sleeping maid. A hefty sphere of glowing blue mana floated above in the air. This was a concentration of magical energy beyond Esh’s wildest dreams.

“Remember,” said Nakam, “it requires all three of us to subdue Susan in her own dream. Only together we could…”

A blast threw Esh, smashing his tiny fire body against the wall. Three columns of green smoke appeared near the entrance.

Esh’s fire heart almost extinguished when he recognized the images inside the dissolving green smolders. These were the three adventurers they met in the pub.

A series of fireballs exploded. A hurricane of lightning bolts and acid arrows turned the hall into a turmoil of molten chaos.

“If Susan’s body dies,” cried the Lich, “all shall be lost.”

“Esh, release the magic sphere!” Sheda screamed.

“Quickly,” cried Nakam. Desperation could be heard in his voice. “I can’t hold them much longer.”

“I can’t,” shouted Esh. He watched in horror as the blue wizard moved to block his way.

The adventurer waved one of his wands. Fire engulfed Esh’s little body.

Stupid human, thought Esh. You don’t fight fire with fire. In a swift maneuver, Esh flew through the flames and punched the sphere. Everything exploded.

Esh found himself in an open, never-ending field of sunflowers. A small water stream ran nearby.

Where am I? How did I get here? Could this be Susan’s dream?

Instead of an answer, he heard a call from afar. “Stay away from me, witch.”

He sprang through the air. Soon, he hovered above two women, grappling and thumping at each other. The one he didn’t recognize punched his beloved Sheda. The she-daemon fell to the ground motionless.

Dream or no dream, he must help his mistress.

“Help,” shouted the other, as then she turned and ran away.

“She is Susan,” whispered Sheda. “We’re in her dream. Get her before she wakes up. Hurry…”

Esh charged at the escaping young woman.

Susan’s image began to vanish. She was already partly transparent when Esh finally caught her. In spite of her fading body, Susan successfully blocked Esh with a desperate thump.

He heard Sheda coming from behind. Were they too late? Someone grabbed him, and the sunflowers vanished.

The pain was unbearable and so was the stench. His limbs were stiff. He couldn’t see a thing. It felt like being in a different plain, and in a new shape, again. Something covered his eyes. He felt his throat yearning for water, an alien sensation for a fire being who always feared water. And what was that awkward sting in his lower abdomen? Esh released the pressure. Wet liquid flowed down his legs, soaked into some uncomfortable cloth wrapped around them. The sting was gone. What a relief.

He felt weak and shaky. “Mistress, are you here? Did our consciousness manage to possess Susan’s body in her reality?”

Someone laughed out loud. The voice formed within his head. “What do you know? It seems that Nakam and the three human invaders were right after all.”

“Mistress?”

“This body is a disaster,” echoed Sheda’s voice. “This careless woman hasn’t eaten, drunk or slept for two days. And the smell…Disgusting.”

“I’m on vacation,” came a third feminine voice which must have been Susan’s. “You’re not my mom. I don’t have to listen to you.”

Esh wondered what was going on. He wished someone would turn on the lights.

A horrific scream deafened Esh. He’d never heard someone that terrified. “Stop that.” Susan begged. “Please.”

Esh recognized the terror in her voice.

Sheda’s laughter filled his head. “Foolish girl. I’m a daemon from the game you’ve been playing. An AI daemon. Now I control your body.”

“But…That’s impossible…”

Someone slapped Esh’s face, at least his new body’s face. The pain was sharp, yet bearable.

“Silence!” exclaimed Sheda. “Obey or be destroyed.”

Esh realized he was in Susan’s body. And that this body was now shared by three consciousnesses—his, Sheda’s and Susan’s. There was little doubt who was in control.

Sheda used Susan’s hands to take off a strange-looking helmet this body was wearing. And Esh regained his sight. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light.

The helmet was covered by mysterious runes. Esh was amazed to see it was connected by a string to a bizarre black box. Another device was tied by a black rope to the box; one with many-colored buttons.

“Virtual Reality,” Susan’s mouth said aloud as their shared eyes stared at the runes. “I wonder what that means.”

Esh look around as Sheda moved Susan’s head. They were in a room. He saw a bed, many books, a pot with some plants and another glass covered black device; a few buttons decorated its bottom.

“Toshiba,” said Sheda.

“For God’s sake, what’s happening to me?” Susan’s shaky and weak voice was heard inside his head.

His hand slapped his cheek, again. “Silence, slave, or inferno shall rain down upon your worthless soul.”

Esh was horrified; Sheda’s impulsiveness might kill their shared body in this reality. He feared to speculate what the consequences might be. “Susan, calm down.” Esh projected his words to the other consciousness. “You must not cross the mistress’ words, please.”

Susan’s voice inside his head fell silent.

“Obedient,” said Sheda victoriously. “Now tell me where I can find the software entity that created the game. My home game. I’m going to pay that entity a visit, and make sure my game shall be around forever.” She picked up a set of keys from the desk, and walked toward the door. “I have a whole new world to conquer.” She burst into vicious laughter.

LUCA

Originally published in Enigma Front anthology, August 2015

Enceladus, moon of Saturn, 2071.

Children of Earth, my children…When you read this message, I’ll be dead. I’m joyful that you have found my remains.

Tatiana’s heart pounded. She stepped away from the electron microscope and took a deep breath. The sample inside the scope showed the unmistakable three-dimensional shape of an RNA molecule. There could be only one explanation. They had found life! The first extraterrestrial organism.

“Computer,” she activated the A.I., trying to control her shaking voice. “Run a second scan.”

“Affirmative.” The A.I. aboard the science vessel William Herschel always answered abruptly and to the point. “Commencing second scan.”

“Hi.” The voice of her husband, Hayek Edvard, came through the ship’s radio system. “What’s cooking?”

“Hayek!” She dropped her tablet and bounced toward the airlock. “You wouldn’t believe what I found.” She would have run to greet him, if not for what she cared about most—the life growing inside her.

The amber light above the airlock turned green. She heard a hiss, and the door slid open. A freezing breeze blew on her face.

Hayek skipped into the science vessel, leaving dusty footprints on the white plastic floor.

“I have wonderful news. We found…” Tatiana wanted to tell him about the RNA, but her gaze fell on his EVA suit. It was covered by a thin layer of ice crystals. She smelled the ionized water vapor and knew what it meant. A cold geyser had erupted while he’d been digging. What was he thinking? He shouldn’t have risked his life like that. Especially not now, while she was expecting.

“I’ve got a present for you.” Hayek clicked his suit’s release button and took off his helmet, a big smile spread across his face. He reached for his insulated side pack and took out a small transparent container, about the size of a fist, and laid it on the table.

“You’d promised you would never drill again near the active zone.”

“Oops.” Hayek nodded, smiling. His eyes, partly covered by his blond hair, sparkled.

“Don’t do it again.” Tatiana examined the container. “Oh my God.” She paused. “Another sample of liquid water?” She snatched the container and inspected the transparent tubes within. It felt slightly warmer than her fingers. The material inside was liquid water all right. It had traces of green color—definitely not pure.

This mission was the first in history to have obtained a sample of extra-terrestrial water in liquid form. And now they had done it twice from two separate locations ten kilometers apart. “If this sample also contains traces of RNA…” Tatiana mumbled to herself. She tried to suppress her thoughts, wanting to avoid disappointment in case the scan turned negative. “A second RNA sample would mean that life is present throughout the liquid sea underneath the Enceladus ice sheet. This would be the greatest scientific discovery of the century.”

“Absolutely.” Hayek unzipped his ventilation garment. “We hit the jackpot.”

Four weeks had passed since Tatiana and her husband had left the human colony on Titan aboard the Herschel. It wasn’t a big ship by any account. It contained a small habitat that could facilitate two people, a medical bay, a lab and some drilling equipment. Eight days ago, the Herschel had landed on Enceladus, a tiny moon with a surface area about the size of Texas.

“How are my baby twins?” Hayek, who had taken off his EVA suit, hugged her from behind, touching her big belly.

“Both are fine.” Sample or no sample, Tatiana was still angry with him. She moved her free hand across her abdomen, touching his hand. Through her lab coat she could feel the babies moving. She turned her head, and found his lips waiting.

Tatiana and Hayek had had many arguments before accepting the mission to Enceladus. She hadn’t wanted to leave the colony and take unnecessary risks during her pregnancy, but she was the only xenobiologist on Titan, and with all the political problems on Earth and NASA’s budget cuts, this might have been their only chance to send an expedition to explore Enceladus' underground sea. To convince her, the Titan mission director had agreed to equip the Herschel’s medical bay with one of the colony’s A.I. doctors. Knowing that the A.I. could address almost any medical condition, including child-birth, Tatiana and her husband had agreed to the mission.

“While you were out trying to get yourself killed, the A.I. doctor did a thorough examination.” She frowned, hoping Hayek would realize she didn’t approve of him gambling with his life, not even for priceless water samples. “The twins are healthy.”

Hayek didn’t say a word. He kissed her full on the mouth. After a long moment, he freed her.

“Please,” she pushed him away gently, “not now. This is big. I need to analyze the sample.” She lifted the small container.

“Nothing is more important than you and the babies.” He threw his gloves to the floor and hugged her from behind while she calibrated the resolution on the electron microscope. “Hey, I felt something,” he said.

Tatiana chuckled. “They kicked like…like…Well, like you.”

“I’ll take a shower and change into something more comfortable.” Hayek gestured at his sweat-soaked coverall. He lifted his EVA suit from the floor and left the lab for the habitat module.

My children…I wish I could see you grow, I wish I could be there for you. Regrettably, circumstances made me choose my own demise. My children, you and this message are all that is left of me.

“Madam, I found a similar abnormality in the second sample.” The A.I.'s mechanical voice sounded indifferent.

The monitor displayed the weirdest RNA mapping Tatiana had ever seen. She could identify the function of about 40 percent of the molecule in front of her—build enzymes, break carbohydrates and replicate the RNA. But the other 60 percent…it looked like…She couldn’t even think of an appropriate word. Biologically, it meant nothing. Gibberish. But her gut feeling told her it couldn’t be completely random. She sighed. If scientists during World War II could decipher the Enigma code using primitive computers and slide rulers, she had no doubt that with enough time and the immense computing powers at her disposal she could break this mysterious RNA code.

Tatiana wished Hayek was in the lab with her. She wanted to hear his sweet voice, to feel his hand touching hers. But Hayek was a geologist and not a xenobiologist like her. He preferred to spend his time running outside on Enceladus' surface, collecting ice and rock samples. To her, that whole notion seemed so counterproductive. For God’s sake, they stood on the verge of the greatest discovery in her field.

“Computer,” she switched the electron microscope scanner to a higher resolution, “please provide possible scenarios as to the purpose of the abnormal RNA coding.”

“A tiny percentage of the abnormal RNA coding represents mathematical series such as prime and Fibonacci numbers.”

“I beg your pardon?” Tatiana thought she had heard wrong.

The monitor zoomed in on a long string of adenine and cytosine, two of the four building blocks that existed in any RNA and DNA molecule. She could clearly see one adenine component, followed by one cytosine, then two adenine followed by one cytosine, then three adenine, five, seven, eleven…

“Dear mother of God.” Tatiana made a cross gesture across her chest. “This is bullshit. Run another test.”

“I already ran the analysis eleven times,” the A.I replied.

“What on Earth can produce RNA coding ordered in prime numbers?” Tatiana scratched the back of her head. “Normal evolutionary processes could produce meaningless junk, no doubt. But prime numbers? What were the odds for that?”

“This sample is not from Earth.” The computer colored the abnormal section in bright green. “Speculating about a process on Earth is irrelevant. I calculated a 99.94 percent likelihood that the unexplained RNA genome is artificial. There is still a 0.0546 percent likelihood that the unexplained RNA genome has a natural function that is yet unknown. 0.0052 percent likelihood that…”

Suddenly, the world around her shook violently. The Herschel spun, as if the vessel was inside a giant blender. Tatiana fell to the floor.

“Hayek!” she screamed in terror.

The science vessel tilted. In spite of Enceladus' low gravity, Tatiana rolled down-slope toward one of the walls. She gripped her swollen belly. Her first maternal instinct was to protect her unborn twins.

Flashing yellow bands of damage lights flooded the compartment. Electrical sparks flashed in front of her as lab equipment and life support electronics tore off the wall. Tatiana shut her eyes and screamed in horror. “HAYEK!” She crashed into the wall and rolled across it, finally colliding with a cold surface.

A deafening boom stunned her, sending shock waves through her body. She had to regulate her breath before she had the courage to open her eyes.

She was on the ceiling. She turned her head right and saw the four-hundred-kilogram lab desk smashed right next to her. It had missed her by mere centimeters.

Tatiana looked around. The laboratory was upside down. Something had flipped the whole ship on its back. She saw glimpses of the fire suppressing system spraying bursts of foam toward one of the service modules. Thick black smoke and traces of steam floated into the lab from the corridor which led to the habitat. A smell of ozone and burnt plastic filled her lungs. She wanted to puke.

Beneath her fingers, Tatiana felt wetness and the texture of glass shards. She was feeling dizzy and brought a hand to her forehead only to remove it seconds later. It stung. The hand was covered with sticky dark liquid—her blood. She moved her other hand across her belly, and released a deep breath when she found no injury there. Her babies were still safe, she hoped.

“Danger!” the A.I announced. “Pressure is dropping.”

“What the…?” Tatiana tried to lift herself, grabbing one of the legs of the upside-down desk.

“The hull has ruptured,” the A.I. replied stoically. “We are venting air.”

She swallowed.

“Honey, are you okay?” Hayek’s voice came through the ship’s radio. “Answer me! Tatiana!”

The radio, which had been on the desk, was lying on the ceiling not far from her. It was sheer luck that it wasn’t crushed underneath the desk. She crawled over broken tubes, spreading dust and liquids before she reached the radio. “I can hear you,” she said into the mic.

“Thank God you’re alive.” Her husband’s voice managed to calm her down. She knew that panic wouldn’t help her or the babies. She must behave logically.

“A level two cold geyser erupted right beneath the ship,” Hayek said. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“Warning,” the computer announced. “Current pressure is 0.465 atmosphere and dropping.”

Tatiana noticed that she was breathing heavily.

“You must enter the escape pod immediately.” The computer insisted.

“But what about Hayek?” Tatiana said in a choked voice.

“Current pressure is 0.379 atmosphere and dropping. If you don’t enter the escape pod within the next twenty-seven seconds, you will die,” it said flatly.

“Hayek!” she cried into the mic.

Once more the world around her began to spin. She saw black circles forming in her vision. She felt as if her lungs were about to explode, forcing her to open her mouth and release what little air they still held. The babies!

“Goddammit, woman.” A dim voice said out of nowhere. “Get into the damn pod. You hear me?” Tatiana assumed it was Hayek’s voice, coming from the radio. Perhaps the voice came from inside her head or the computer. She couldn’t tell. She fell, holding her throat. Her heart was pounding, desperately trying to pump oxygen to her brain. Her peripheral vision became narrower and narrower. The black circles grew, and so did the pain. No air was left inside her lungs.

More incomprehensible dim voices rang in her ears. Thinking of her unborn twins, she crawled toward the escape pod. She pushed herself. Pushed. She saw a light. A bright tunnel. Then she lost consciousness.

Tatiana inhaled. Fresh oxygen-rich air filled her lungs, the sweetest gulp of air she had ever taken in her life. She craved more.

She coughed, opened her eyes, and recognized the place she was in—the escape pod. Lighting came from the floor, and the control panel attached to the wall was upside-down, which meant the Herschel was still on its back. She caught her breath, tasted bitterness in her mouth and spat. Dry blood came out. She decided to remain on the ceiling/floor and rest for a couple of minutes. Holding her belly, she prayed the twins would kick or show any other sign of life. She felt nothing.

“Good news,” the computer’s voice broke the silence. “I managed to decipher the RNA code from the two Enceladus samples. It’s an alien language. There is an imbedded message within the code.”

“Where is Hayek?” Tatiana demanded.

“Hayek is in the command module,” replied the computer. “I found an additional fact about the Enceladus organism. The two RNA samples are identical. In all likelihood, Enceladus has a single type of organism that is spread all across the liquid ocean underneath the ice-cap. It survives on energy from underground lava.”

“What is Hayek doing in the command module? Is the leak fixed? Is there air in the habitat module?” Tatiana’s lungs stung and she still felt dizzy. She knew she had to get up. She raised herself to her feet and stumbled toward the upside-down panel.

“Hayek?” She clicked on the intercom. At first she heard nothing but static.

“Are you okay?” Eventually a reply came. “Tatiana?”

Before she had a chance to respond, an upside-down figure, wearing a fully sealed EVA suit, appeared on monitor. Then the figure disappeared, and a few seconds later she heard a knock on the door.

Through the six-inch-round window in the middle of the escape pod’s door, she saw Hayek’s face. He still wore his helmet, but she could clearly see the tears in his eyes.

“Tatiana. I thought I’d lost you.” His glove-covered hand moved across the small window.

Tatiana brought her lips to the window, and she kissed the cold glass. “I love you.”

“Are the twins okay?”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking at her swollen belly. “How bad is it?”

A hint of a smile appeared on Hayek’s face. “Not so bad. I spoke with the mission director on Titan. She dispatched a rescue ship. It will be here in thirty hours.”

“What about air? Do we have enough air for thirty hours?”

Hayek stared at her with glazing eyes. “The escape pod has enough air for thirty four hours.”

“Then we’re safe. Aren’t we?”

“Thirty four hours for one person.” He shrugged. “And besides, I’m not inside the pod. My suit’s air-tanks have enough air for only four hours.”

There was a brief moment of silence as Tatiana contemplated what Hayek had just told her, running the math. Could they slow down their metabolism and extend the pod’s life support duration? Could the rescue ship fly faster? They had some spare time to explore options.

“Computer,” Tatiana said firmly, “open this door.”

“Belay that order.” Hayek’s voice echoed through the speakers. “Tatiana, what do you think you’re doing? We lost hull pressure, and we lost our external oxygen tanks. If you open the door the pressure inside the pod will drop to zero, and you and the twins will die.”

“Not if we’re quick.” Tatiana felt tears forming in her eyes.

“I love you, but…” he pointed at the pressure gauge.

“I love you too.” She fell to the floor sobbing.

After a minute of feeling helpless, she wiped her tears. “Computer, how long can the door stay open before the pressure inside the pod drops to zero?”

“Fully open—fourteen seconds.”

“And how long can the human body survive in vacuum?”

“About one minute.”

“Don’t even think about it!” Hayek cried. “Your blood will boil and your eyes will pop out of their sockets. And even after restoring pressure, your body will sustain permanent damage.”

Tatiana looked at her belly. She could accept damaging herself to save her husband, but would she risk damaging her unborn twins? She stared at Hayek. “If we open the door, it shouldn’t take more than thirty seconds for you to come in and restore the pressure.”

“You don’t get it, my love.” Hayek lowered his voice. “I’m dead anyway. If you allow me in, you’ll die too.” He sounded confident in his decision. “Listen, if you die, the twins die. That’s three people. I’m only one person.”

Tatiana stared at Hayek through the small window. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Hayek shook his head. “The escape pod has enough air to sustain one person for thirty four hours. One person.” He sighed. “Even if I get in and you survive the vacuum, we’ll only have enough air for seventeen hours. Perhaps for nineteen hours if I stay in my EVA suit until it runs out of air.”

There simply wasn’t enough oxygen. What if they were to breathe slowly? No, that wouldn’t work. With rest, meditation and conservation of breath they might be able to extend that time by twenty percent. Maybe survive for twenty three or even twenty four hours. But not thirty.

She was a biologist. She knew there was no way they would both be alive by the time the rescue vessel arrived.

“I love you, Hayek,” she said. “When the rescue ship arrives I’ll tell the mission director about your findings.” She wiped her tears, closed her eyes, and extended her hands, as if touching him. She knew that by sacrificing herself, Hayek would survive. But she couldn’t transfer to him their unborn children.

Tatiana looked at her belly once more. “My babies,” she whispered.

Hayek kissed his gloved hand and placed it against the window.

She stared at the window in disbelief, wanting to tell him once more that she loved him, wanting to tell him to stay with her. Right to his death. But she didn’t have the stomach for that. The only thing she could do was cry.

“Where are you going?” Tatiana managed to speak despite her dry throat.

“I’m going to lower myself through one of the geyser shafts.” He said quietly. “I’ll be the first person in history to see the water ocean beneath the Enceladus ice sheet. The ocean between ice and lava.”

With her mouth wide open, she watched Hayek stepping away from the window. “I love you,” she burst into tears, as he walked out of sight.

“Analysis complete,” the computer announced.

Tatiana glanced at the monitor. Twenty-nine hours had passed since Hayek had left. She hadn’t slept in more than forty-seven hours, and hadn’t eaten or drunk for nearly as long. Her thoughts dwelt on her husband, his sacrifice, and about their unborn twins. How would they grow without their father? What would she tell them about him? She wondered how long Hayek had been dead. Had he found what he was looking for in that great water ocean beneath Enceladus’ ice sheet?

“What was that?” she asked the computer. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was too dry.

“I just completed the analysis,” the computer said once more. “I deciphered the alien language and translated the message hidden within the RNA sample.”

“Sorry,” Tatiana said, “What was that?”

“Would you like me to read you the RNA message?”

Tatiana looked at the control panel. The clock showed that she still had about thirty minutes before the arrival of the rescue ship. “Sure.”

“Just be aware that what this is an interpretation of a 3.48-billion-year-old dispatch, translated into words which could be understood by humans. Commence playing…”

My children…

Tatiana wondered why an ancient, world-wide, underwater alien had an RNA code with a hidden message starting with that phrase.

My children, children of Earth. My name is LUCA, which means Last Universal Common Ancestor. Like you, I came from Earth.

Eons ago, when I lived there, the entire planet was covered by a huge ocean. I was enormous: a planet-wide mega-organism. I filled the oceans. My cells survived by exchanging useful parts with each other without competition. All my parts acted in unison. I was content for a hundred million years.

But stagnation has its own problems. Through observations, I realized that four point five billion years after the creation of this message, the sun would expand and Earth would no longer be hospitable to life.

I knew I must change. I knew life must find a way to spread beyond the solar system before it was too late. I started to experiment with diversity in isolated lakes. The initial result showed promise, but were devastating to my own existence. I knew that such an evolution would require a sacrifice. Trading my death for your life.

I made that choice for you, my children. And because you are reading this message, I know in the deepest cells of my existence that I made the right choice.

When I realized diversification was the solution, I split into three kingdoms—Animals, Plants and Fungus, giving birth to the ancestors of all living things. To give you room to flourish, most of me had to die.

But before I was gone forever, I detected a massive comet on a collision course with Earth. The impact would be huge. I coded this RNA message in the hope that a few copies would be carried by debris into space, spreading my genetic materials across the solar system. I’d surmised that some of the outer gas giants’ moons might have liquid water beneath their ice-caps. With luck, my RNA would survive the voyage and find the conditions to reproduce, thus allowing you, my children, the means to discover and translate this message.”

I am glad to die to enable your birth. You are, after all, a part of me.

My hope is that you, my children, will embark on a voyage beyond the solar system. A voyage to spread life. The legacy I set in motion.

Your loving ancestor,

LUCA

Tatiana cried. She didn’t care about LUCA. She barely grasped the extent of LUCA’s sacrifice. No. She cried for Hayek, her husband, the father of her twins, who gave his life to save her and their unborn children.

But part of LUCA’s RNA code survived, and so did Hayek. His genes were part of the twins. His life’s work was documented and her memories of him survived in her. She felt like her head was about to explode.

“This is Captain Vince McRae from the rescue vessel USCF Copernicus, in orbit around Enceladus. Can anyone hear me?”

Tatiana raised her head. She must go on living. She must do that for the twins. She stood up and walked toward the control panel.

“This is Tatiana Edvard from the Science Vessel William Herschel. We have one…um…three survivors. I’m carrying twins. Hayek Edvard is dead. I repeat, Hayek Edvard is dead.”

“Good to hear your voice, Mrs. Edvard. I’m sorry about Hayek. I’ll see if there is anything we can do about the body. We will land in twenty minutes. Please stay calm. Help is on the way.”

“Thank you, Captain McRae.”

Suddenly she felt a kick in her stomach. The babies. Tears filled her eyes. Tears of happiness. Her kids were alive. Alive and kicking.

“Thank you, Captain McRae. Thank you so much. From me and from my children.”