The Dark of the Stars

Chapter Five

So I don't know what the word would be for people from Jupiter, so I just made up the word Jupiteer. You guys will probably understand that refrence when you read it, but just in case you don't

_______________

_______________________

I looked around and marveled at the planet. The yellow buildings went up as far as the eye could see. They looked as though they extended higher than the sky, which wasn’t visible because of all the buildings and air traffic. Even if neither of those were there, I would only see the purple of the force field separating the different levels of Augusta. 

Dixie grabbed my hand and dragged me along with her through the giant doorway and warehouse that was filled to the top with giant crates labeled in many different languages. There were hundreds of stacks, with just as many different sizes, some I might've been able to carry and others that looked like they could serve as a makeshift house for a small family. 

We trekked through the warehouse and exited onto a crowded street. People rushed past us in every direction, headed to each individual destination. I saw beings of all shapes and sizes. Humanoid people like Dixie and myself. Reptilian creatures that crawled on many legs. There were even conscious mists that floated around with direction and purpose. 

Dixie and I fell in line with them immediately, losing sight of the building and going under in the rushing sea of people on the pedestrian street. If I didn’t have Dixie’s firm cold fingers twisted around wrist with a grasp stronger than anyone I had met before, I would have surely drown in the crowd and never be heard from again. 

It was clear Dixie was on a mission, she walked with intent and direction. After many blocks she led us into one of the buildings, which was filled with a similar ocean-like crowd. We climbed a packed staircase and at the top I found myself gasping. 

At the top of the staircase was a gigantic pyramid. It had to have been thousands of feet tall. The crowd of people continued on their way, paying no attention to the huge pyramid in the middle of a random building. Perhaps it was a normal sighting in this city. 

“Come” Dixie said, pulling me along in a B-line to the entrance of a pyramid, a small door I didn’t see until we were only a matter of feet in front of it. The material of the door disintegrated when Dixie touched it, and we walked into the dark corridor that appeared on the other side.

As soon as we stepped in, the door reappeared and enclosed us in the dark hallway for an instant before torches along the wall burst into flames in pairs down the dark hallway. Silence bombarded us as the noise from the crowd came to a sudden end with the close of the door. I felt myself becoming suffocated by the darkness of the tunnel, just as torches of fire lining the walls lit up around us

“Should we be in here?” I asked Dixie slowly, wondering why she could possibly want to come in here.

Dixie showed me a white smile that literally flashed in dim light. The white outlining the lightning bolt on her face was glowing, along with her bright white hair. “Of course!”

“What is this place? And why is there a pyramid in the middle of this building?” I asked as we started to walk down the pathway. 

“It’s the embassy of Jupiter. Pyramids are kinda their thing” Dixie said simply. I had heard that name before, it was practically synonymous with Earth. 

Soon we came to an opening that seemed to be some sort of makeshift lobby. Humanoids were hurrying walking back and forth. There were many unknown species sitting in chairs looking like they were waiting for something. Pictures of beautiful green sceneries were on the world. Noise returned to us, but it was hushed and not much louder than the sound of shoes tapping on the ground as people walked around.

Dixie marched straight up to the main desk where a humanoid woman sat behind the desk and stared at a screen filled with words in a language I couldn’t make out. She wore green jewel encrusted eyeglasses on a rope that went around her neck. Dixie cleared her throat and the woman looked up surprised. 

“I would like to speak to the King, is he in?” Dixie said confidently. 

The woman looked confused, “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but I don't really need one with a name like Dixie Jones” she said. The woman’s eyes widened at the sound of the name. Without saying anythig she held up a finger, gesturing for us to wait and then she got up from the desk and hurried down a nearby hall. 

“That’s it? You just say your name and you can speak to the King of Jupiter?” I asked. 

“My name is becoming famous around here. Especially for the Jupiteers” she gave me a short dry smile, she leaned against the desk, flopping her arm down on it and tracing little circles on the wood, “You don’t see a lot of other Earthlings walking around, now do you?”

I knew she was right. Dixie was the only Earthling that I had ever met, or even heard of. Earth was a rural but famous planet. Famous for ignorant savage species that habited it, and for the tourism industry that Jupiter ran around it.

“Why is that?” I asked her, wanting to know how and why Dixie had gotten away from that. I knew I pretended like I was totally educated in everything that revolved around the capitol, but in reality Dixie knew a lot more than I. I was suddenly genuinely curious why there was only one Earthling around when Earth itself was incredibly famous for a species that never left, or even knew that leaving was an option. 

Dixie suddenly looked awkward, like she didn’t really want to explain why she was the only Earthling. I regretted asking. “I’m here because my father was a brilliant scientist who dreamt of other worlds”  she didn't look at me, but still on the circles she traced in the wood. 

“And where is he? Still on Earth?” another two questions I regretted asking as soon as she told me the answer.

“He died before we reached another world....there was an accident” she looked uncomfortable. 

“I’m sorry” I had a feeling that my apology gave her no comfort, but I really didn’t know what else I could say to her. I had to remind myself that I was her hostage and ours wasn’t a friendly relationship, even giving comfort for the loss of a loved one cannot be tolerated. 

Thankfully our awkward silence was ended by the same woman leading Dixie and I into the hallway she had just come from. After walking around many bends and corners in the tiny path, which required us to fall in single file line behind the secretary woman, we came to another waiting room, except this one was silent and empty. A large set of wooden double doors stood at one end of the lobby. 

“He’s waiting for you inside” the secretary said to Dixie without making eye contact and then turned on her heel and made her way back to the main lobby. 

Dixie made a motion towards the door, and I started to follow, but she turned around and put her hand on my chest, “Stay here, and in case you trick yourself into thinking that you could make a break for it, just remember that I own everyone’s asses in this pyramid, so you wouldn’t get far” she smirked and entered through the double doors.