Starcrossed

Chapter 4b: Echtran (EK-tran) (part 2)

CHAPTER 4 (part 2)

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

"So, is it true Faxon actually sent people here to try to kill you?" Sean's abrupt question was a blatant attempt to change the subject but I played along.

"Yeah, this guy Boyne Morven, Faxon's head nasty on Earth, was controlling a bunch of Echtrans with an Ossian Sphere. He brought a couple dozen of them to Jewel, along with the sphere, to get rid of me. But Rigel's grandfather, Shim, called in his own people and we, um, won," I ended lamely, realizing that the whole story would take way too long. Especially since I wanted more answers.

They both nodded. "That's about what MARSTAR reported, but we wondered if they told us everything," Sean said. "How did—"

He broke off to reach into his pocket and pull out a cell phone. Something I still didn't have. Not that I was bitter.

"Hey, Mum, yeah. Be right there. Um, do you mind a couple of extra passengers? (pause) Rigel Stuart and . . . Princess Emileia." There was a long pause and I heard a suddenly high-pitched voice talking very fast. "Yeah."

He turned to us. "Mum's out front. We can talk more in the car."

We all left the courtyard, my mind still teeming with questions. I couldn't quite wrap my head around the fact that these two had actually grown up in Nuath, the colony on Mars, and had lived there until so recently. What was it like now? Did I maybe have relatives there? There was so much I didn't know, so much they might be able to tell me.

So much I couldn't ask inside the school, where we might be overheard.

I settled for a question I could ask. "Where did you live in Ireland?"

"Where all the—I mean, a little village on the coast, nowhere near anything else," Sean said. "Bailerealta."

The Martian village I'd heard about. Cool.

"How many people live there? Is it as big as Jewel?"

They both laughed. "Hardly," Molly said. "I think at last count there were not quite four hundred people living there full time. Four less, now we've left."

"A whole town the size of this school?" I marveled. "And I thought Jewel was the middle of nowhere."

Sean chuckled and shook his head. "You have no idea. Oh, there's our mum."

We'd reached the front doors and he pointed at a rather battered maroon minivan with rust spots along the wheel wells. A far cry from the shiny Audi and SUV Rigel's parents drove. But then, Rigel's parents had been on Earth for seventy-five years, plus his mom was a doctor and his dad a computer consultant.

The O'Garas might have had to leave Mars with nothing, for all I knew. I felt a surge of sympathy since I knew what it was like to be one of the have-nots in school.

Sean opened the front passenger door for me. "Mum, this is . . . M. That's what people call her here."

Their mom looked about the same age as Rigel's folks—meaning not old enough to have teenaged kids. Not to mention a forty-year old daughter! She was a little on the plump side, but very pretty, with red hair bordering on orange and eyes as bright blue as Sean's.

"Hi," I said cautiously. Careful not to touch Sean, I climbed in next to her.

"Oh, my," she almost squeaked. "I mean, it's such an honor, Excellency. I hope these two scamps haven't taken any liberties."

"Um, liberties?" Confused, I glanced into the back seat, where the other three were buckling their seatbelts.

"I mean, I hope they've shown you the proper respect," she clarified.

"Oh, um, yeah, they've been fine. Er, I should tell you, Mrs. O'Gara, that nobody around here knows who I am except Rigel and his folks. So I'm not used to being treated special or anything. I'm just M, and that's fine."

Clearly startled, she stared at me for a long moment before suddenly relaxing into a smile. "Of course. How silly of me. You didn't even know who you were until quite recently did you, luv?"

"Not till a couple months ago, no. But Sean and Molly said you guys moved here because of me? I'm still a little confused about why." Maybe she'd be more forthcoming with reasons than they'd been.

She put the car in drive and pulled her gaze away to watch the road. "It was . . . thought that we could be of the most use here."

So she was going to be evasive, too. I started getting nervous again, though it was hard to imagine this warm, motherly woman having a sinister motive.

"Thought by who?" I prodded, hoping to shake loose more information.

"It was the consensus of quite a few people, actually. And, of course, we felt it would be good for Sean—and Molly—to get to know you, given our political connections. No doubt you can learn from them, as well."

Again with the politics. "Was there anyone specific who asked you to come here?" I was getting tired of the runaround.

She hesitated so long I thought she wasn't going to answer. Several fields of corn stubble went by my window before she finally said, "Well, yes. In fact, I believe you've met him once or twice. Allister is pleased that you're adjusting so well to your new status, but wants to be sure nothing, er, interferes with your continued progress."

"Allister?" Rigel asked sharply from behind me. "Allister Adair?"

"Aye, that's right, dear," Mrs. O'Gara replied, never taking her eyes from the road. I thought her expression looked a little tense.

"But . . . he's staying at our house right now. And he never mentioned anything about another Martian family moving to Jewel." Suspicion rang in his voice.

I gauged how fast the car was going, wondering how much it would hurt if I jumped out at this speed. If these people were all lying, there was no knowing what they really intended. They could even be another group sent to kill me. What if—

"Our house is a bit small for guests, you see, especially with all the boxes and clutter, as we're just moving in. I'm sure he felt he'd be more comfortable with you. As for not mentioning us, he, er, implied he isn't precisely your favorite person, Excellency. He may have wanted you to meet us without any preconceptions."

I relaxed slightly. Much as I disliked Allister, I was pretty sure he didn't want me dead. Just practically in prison.

"In fact," she continued, "I probably shouldn't have mentioned the connection at all just yet. I do hope he won't be put out with me."

"What connection, exactly?" If Allister had specifically sent for them—

She turned onto my street, making me wonder how she knew where I lived. Or did all the Martians know that now? I hoped not, but she pulled right into my driveway without me giving her any directions. She stopped the car and turned to face me, her expression anxious, which lessened my own fear a little.

"Allister Adair is my brother, Princess. Uncle to Sean and Molly."

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