Chapter 8

“Faith who’s your friend?” her Grandfather asked.

          “I am Darmacus Lint.” Darmacus answered. “I am honoured to meet one of Faith’s forefathers.”

          “’Nice to meet you Darmacus. I am Jeremirer Moonstone.” Faith’s Grandfather said offering his hand to the Wraith. He did not accept. Jeremirer cast a quizzical look at his Granddaughter.

          “Oh, he’s a Wraith, if he touches you it could kill you.” Faith explained. The guards all aimed their weapons at Darmacus. “No.” Faith exclaimed in continuation. “Put your weapons down.”

          “Why?” The closest guard asked.

          “Because he means you no harm.” Faith said. “He is here as both messenger and potential new ally.”

          “She speaks the truth.” Said an echoing voice from the far doorway of the hanger.

          "Samuel?" Faith said. It sounded like a question.

          “Yes Faith, darling, it’s me.” He answered I walking through the hunger.

          “But it can’t be,” Faith protested, “you died. You died on Amethyst. Loki he...”

          “I know what everyone thinks happened there. But as much as I want you to know what happened, can’t tell you. Classified.” Samuel said taking Faith’s hands in his. They were as cold as ice. Faith ignored it. Darmacus grumbled at him.

          “Sam what can you tell me?” Faith asked.

          “Not much anymore.” He replied releasing her hands and turning away. “I was sent by the council of elders to escort you and your guest back to the main city.”

          “So what,” Faith exclaimed, “after everything that we have everything we’ve been through, human, means nothing now? Are you now just work and no play?”

          “Yes, I know it hurts you but, to be all work and no play is what is best for both of us.” Sam answered. “Besides I think you found Someone else who can make you happy. Now please follow me.”

          They followed Sam to a small hovering craft. They all climbed into it. When they were all seated, the craft took off. They were moving fast  between the trees of Quartz Minor. A green world. A dying world. The part of the forest they were travelling through was the largest left on Faith’s planet and it to, had began to thin into a lifeless wasteland. A wasteland that would only remember life as skeletons and dead lifeless husks. If regeneration was still possible it would now thousands of years, not hundreds.

          “Have they still not found a solution for the damage the humans have done?” Faith asked her grey haired Grandfather, casting a scornful look at Samuel, who sat opposite Darmacus, staring out the window, at the increasing lifeless land outside.

          “No, and they fear that we never will.” Jeremirer explained. “They continue to try, but now the main research force has been told to locate a new home-world for our kind.”

          “What if we moved to Earth?” Faith proposed. “I heard that the humans managed to get a terra-forming device and made it habitable again.”

          “Could you not use such a device yourself?” Darmacus asked.

          “No, the device was and destroyed by Gemini. There is also no race in existence anymore that can rebuild such a device, as they too were destroyed by Gemini.” Faith explained.

          “That is a good idea. I will put that forward.” Jeremirer said.

          “That would be impossible.” Sam said still gazing out of the window. “Earth was taken by Gemini two months ago, besides the sun is due to expand. When it does the Earth will be cooked. A desert planet. Nothing would be able to serve long after that. Gemini are evacuating.”

          “Oh, what a shame.” Faith said. Darmacus laughed.

          “What’s so funny, Wraith?” Sam snarled.

          “Well, you are right that Earth was terra-formed before the device and the people who built it were destroyed.” Darmacus explained. “But everything else is wrong. The sun has already expanded, and Earth survived and is habitable, and fell into Gemini’s control nearly ten years ago now.” Darmacus laughed again.

          “But you didn’t answer my question.” Sam replied agitated.

          “Stop lying,” Darmacus explained, “because you are such a bad liar it is laughable.” Faith started to giggle, because Sam’s face was a picture of embarrassment.

          “How far left to go, computer? Jeremirer asked.

          “Approximately 0.27 miles Mr Moonstone.” said a soft, female electronic voice.

          “Thank you.” Jeremirer said.

          “Grandfather, you don’t have to be polite to a machine, most do not have feelings.” Faith said, with a giggle.

          “I will be nice to anything that has a voice.” her grandfather scorned.

          The journey after that passed in a silence full of tension.