Journey to the Heart of Luna - Andy Frankham-Allen [51]
“Why you come here?” Q’theletockus asked, the human words grating in her mouth. “We Esitonina not war with other species, we live in peace. You bring evil here.”
Bedford opened his mouth to speak, but Annabelle touched his arm gently and he looked to her. “Lieutenant, if I may.”
Bedford did not look convinced, but he stepped back discretely. Annabelle knelt on one knee and looked up at the queen. “Your Majesty, we did not bring war to you. We, my uncle and I, came in peace. My uncle is known to your people as the ‘gooddoctor’, he has helped a Selenite colony before. You must know K’chuk.”
“K’chuk told us of the gooddoctor. You his batch relation?”
“Yes, I am Annabelle Somerset. I helped K’chuk be free of the Russians, the men who brought evil to your world.”
The queen was silent for a moment. “We trust the doctor, but he bring Russians, they come from your world. Bring death sticks like these.” Q’theletockus pointed with one of her fore-legs at the carbines slung over the humans’ shoulders. “Killed many Esitonina with your sticks.”
“Not we, Your Majesty. Unlike Luna our world is divided. We have many different, uh, colonies. I am American, these men are English.”
“Like I Esitonina, K’chuk Compuntos. We are many colonies, but still one.”
Annabelle sighed. “I wish Earth was so, but it is very different to Luna. Our colonies often fight over land. Every colony wishes to be stronger than the others.”
“This not their land to fight over. Heart not know evil like this.”
“We are different to you,” Annabelle said, feeling like she was losing her footing. She had to make them understand that not all humans were the same. “It would be impossible to explain human nature to you, mostly because we do not truly understand ourselves. If you know K’chuk then you must know that my uncle, the gooddoctor, did not bring evil to you. Indeed, even now, he is being forced to work against his will. Just as other Selenites are. K’chuk and I escaped; he freed many Selenites while I asked for help. Help to stop this evil.”
“You asked for more war, more evil. More men with death sticks.”
Annabelle swallowed hard. The queen, once again, spoke true. Annabelle removed the carbine from her shoulder and gently lowered it to the ground between her and the queen. “We did not seek to bring evil to your world, but it is here now, and it will only be removed with more…evil.”
“Miss Somerset,” Bedford whispered in her ear, “the British Empire is not to be considered evil. Explain this to her.”
Annabelle bit her lip, ignoring Bedford, and praying he would not oppose her openly in front of the queen. Things were delicate, and the brash thinking of a military mind would only tip the balance against them.
“Your Majesty, please understand, if we do not use death sticks against the Russians, they will remain. They will continue to dig into the heart of this world. Many more Selenites will be killed.”
The queen became agitated. “No! They must not be with Heart.”
“They have heart, but they seek different things to us. They look for…” Annabelle was stumped. How could she explain the Russians desire for the relic and the power it offered them? Of course! “That which you worship, they look to misuse it.”
“Not Heart!”
Annabelle raised her hands, in an attempt to placate the queen. Ants on Earth were some of the most vicious creatures on the planet. They fought mercilessly to protect their nests. Annabelle recognised the sound in Q’theletockus’ voice; it was hysteria! It was just what they needed.
“We can stop them, Your Majesty, me and my companions here. But only with your help.”
5.
FOLKARD STEPPED out of the Mole Drill and walked over to Professor Stone, who was still standing near the mouth of the tunnel looking a little on the worse side of green. He had been sure the professor was stepping