Saving Earth.

Chapter 2

Marcus woke to someone gently slapping him on the face. He raised his hands in front of his face. “Okay, okay I'm...okay.” It took a second for his eyes to adjust but he could see his father, Auggie and the precept standing over him. He sat up and rest his head in his hands.

“Marcus what happened?” asked his father.

“Nothing...I mean I'm okay. It's...I guess...I got a little excited.” Auggie looked at the others in the room.

“I'm not sure Marcus is the one for this assignment sirs.”

“WHAT! No I'm fine I just got excited I said.”

“And what happens the next time you get excited?” asked Auggie.

“Don't worry it won't happen again.” Marcus stared at his friend Auggie. The betrayal he felt at this moment was almost enough to suffocate him.

“Thank you for your opinion Augustine but I think your father and I will determine who is, or is not, going to work this assignment.”

“YES SIR” Auggie stood tall and looked straight ahead.

“And there is no need for such formality in my office.”

“YES..sir.” Auggie's posture dipped an inch and he intertwined his hands behind his back.

Gallus reached down and offered Marcus his hand and helped him to his feet.

“Let's get back to business, shall we?” said Gallus. “Everyone please take a seat.” Gallus returned to behind his desk and lowered himself into a chair that was made of the same material as Marcus's bed. The seat seemed to form around him and he let out a small groan of pleasure.

“I know this is a lot of information for you boys, especially without some warning. But we had to move fast.”

“Why?” Asked Marcus.

“Why, what?” Said Gallus.

“Why do you have to move so fast? We have forty years before they get here?”

“True, Marcus. However we can't waste a minute in assimilating you into the human's culture. They have a school season and it will start in a few months. We want you to get to know the chosen ones before their school year starts. They are on summer break right now.”

“Summer, sir?” Asked Auggie.

“It's a change in their seasons, something we don't have down here of course.” Said Marcus. At their depth nothing ever changed weather wise. It was always the same cold temperature.“They go to school for nine months and then take three months off, in the summer, before they go back to school at a higher level, or grade I think they call it.”

“Why would they do that? Why not learn year round?” Auggie asked his brow furrowed.

“It's a custom from years ago. When the culture was predominately agricultural the people needed their children for the summer month to help plant and then harvest the crops.”

“Huh.”

“Now you see what Marcus brings to the table I believe.” Said the precept. Auggie nodded his head while staring straight ahead.

“We have chosen four people for you to mentor, to become friends with, to guide. They all attend the same school.”

“Excuse me sir, all four of these humans attend the same school?” Marcus knew they would have to live fairly close to one another for that to happen.