Starcrossed

Chapter 4a: Echtran (part 1)

CHAPTER 4 (part 1)

Echtran (EK-tran): person of Martian birth or descent living on Earth; expatriate

      Rigel and I didn't get the chance we'd--well, I'd--hoped for until after school. Molly had been in my French class, too, but hadn't been able to sit near me, so all we'd managed to do was smile at each other. But after my final class (during which Trina and her pals went on and on . . . and on . . . about Sean), I saw not only Rigel, but Sean and Molly waiting by my locker.

"Hey." Rigel greeted me with a quick kiss on the cheek that inexplicably made both Sean and Molly frown. "We ran into each other a couple minutes ago and Sean says he doesn't have practice today."

Sean quickly switched to a charming smile, though his sister's frown was slower to fade. "Yeah, Coach said I could have a day or two to settle in before starting. Mum's picking us up, but she's running late, so this seemed like a good chance to talk. She can drop you both off after."

"Sounds good," I said. "Where's a good place? It'll be chilly outside, but probably more private."

"Courtyard?" Rigel suggested. "No wind and we'll see anyone coming before they can hear us."

Still weirded out by that zing Sean had given me, I kept my distance as we walked--but tried not to be obvious about it. We all talked about everyday school stuff until we were in the courtyard with the door closed.

"So, what's the sitch?" Rigel asked without preamble. "What are you guys doing here, really?"

Sean and Molly exchanged a look that I thought wasn't so much confused as trying to look confused.

"Um, going to school?" Sean suggested.

"Right." I didn't try to hide my skepticism. "But why here and why now? You're not really going to tell us it's pure coincidence that four Martians from three different families just happened to end up in Jewel, Indiana, of all places?"

Sean looked back and forth between us. "But it is coincidence that both of you just happen to be here?"

"Not exactly," Rigel allowed, "but we can talk about that later. So?"

There was a brief, tense silence. To my surprise, it was Molly who broke it.

"It's not like we can keep it a secret, Sean," she said to her brother. Then, looking directly at me, "We're here because of you, of course. Our parents have been heading up the Resistance for years, trying to get rid of that unbaen, uh, dictator, Faxon. It's why we had to leave Mars. But now you've been found . . ."

"How long ago did you leave Mars?" I interrupted. "And why, exactly?" It still felt strange to talk about this sci-fi stuff so matter-of-factly.

"Over a year ago," Sean answered. "Faxon's thugs raided a Resistance meeting and got their hands on files incriminating our family. We--most of us--were lucky to escape." Both of their faces turned bleak.

I was almost afraid to ask. "What happened?"

"Our sister Elana." Sean's voice held anger as well as sorrow. "She was captured, maybe even killed. We still don't know, though we've been trying to find out ever since."

Molly nodded mutely, her beautiful blue-gray eyes tragic.

"So Faxon's thugs even drag off kids now?" Rigel was clearly aghast.

"I wouldn't put it past them," Sean said, "but Elana was--is--nearly forty."

"I'm sorry." I meant it, though the huge spread in ages between some Martian siblings still boggled me a little. I'd recently learned Rigel's father had a brother forty-five years older than he was.

"That doesn't explain why you're here," Rigel pointed out. "How is M supposed to help? Or is that even what you have in mind?"

Molly found her voice again. "Of course she can help--eventually. Meanwhile, our . . . family wanted to be here, where we can help protect her and make sure she gets the instruction she'll need to eventually take her place as our leader. It's really important that everyone--Echtrans and especially Nuathans back on Mars--know that's happening."

I wasn't sure I liked the direction this conversation was taking. "Why?" I asked. "How can it make a difference now, when I'm only fifteen?"

"Faxon's grip is slipping." Sean's intensity was understandable, considering what had happened to his family. "Even before we left, some of his original supporters were joining the Resistance--sick of the corruption and how he was screwing up a system that's worked for centuries. Now that word's got back to Mars about you, our dad says the Resistance has exploded--more than quadrupled in size. But some still aren't sure a return to the monarchy is the way to go, even if they hate Faxon. They need convincing. Hearing that you're getting the training and forming the alliances that everyone expects of a Sovereign will help do that."

"Alliances?" Rigel echoed. "What does that mean, exactly?"

Sean's ears reddened but he shrugged. "Political stuff. My folks can explain it better than I can."

"But I thought--" Molly began. Her brother shook his head and she broke off, frowning at him suspiciously.

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