6. Everything was a trap

“Merry!” nor whispered, nor shouted Tim, while waking the girl.

When the spaceship reached an asteroid and children feet made the first steps on the stable grounds, the relief and sleep took over them.

 

“Merry, where are we?”

Merry opened her eyes: new clothing, warm bedding �" everything looked like a dream. The girl didn't wonder, that someone has washed up and changed them, probably the only possible way to get into this fantasy was while being clean.

It was cosy, you could stay without any fear. Peacefully, without any interruption by the wind, the thinnest spider web was moving downwards. Tim sighed, if spiders can live here, it means that probably this isn't a research station. It wouldn't be strange, if they were kidnapped as test subjects. Tenants of Eris had to be rare and interesting, at least Tim hasn't met any other ones except themselves.

The boy was treading around, finding nothing, what could be at least a little suspicious, nothing interesting enough to inspect in your hands. This was the dreariest place, truly like a ward for the test subjects, even walls were white without any ornaments or at least paintings. The boy was leaning for a door handle, and a soft light has reached him through the gap. Without thinking about expressing gratitude for lodging, he worried about sneaking out without anyone's attention, while nothing bad happened to them. No one could house children without any charge or reason. Now they will be asked to pay, or worse, if they truly got into the research lab, then... Tim raised his shirt searching for any incisions, marks of inoculation, or stamps �" any proof that someone not only changed their clothes, but also examined them. Of course, there were no such a thing, because children were brought for another purpose.

When boy slightly opened the doors, he saw a few dark creatures arguing, and since he didn't know the name of the planet entitled them as creaturians. The dwellers of this planet were dark and ugly, having only a few strands of hair, little horns and reversed eye on one side, while instead of another was only a hole left, they were like soldiers protecting the building. Creaturians furiously argued.

“They are the seeds of Sirius!” gnarly protested one. “They came to wash away our colours.”

“What kind of evidence you have?” tried thinking more calmly the other.

“Yet we can't know, if there are any other lives in space,” humbly with trembling voice interfered the third one.

“They are Sirians, we have to shut them in! We have to dispose of them! You need evidence: their skin is white, they must be from Sirius. Sirians were the only aliens we've seen... Means there are no others, means they are Sirians as well.”

“We have to report to our captain Ceres, while nothing bad has happened,” again a trembling voice was trying to interrupt.

The bad�"tempered creaturian turned right at Tim, making the boy jump back out of fear, shutting the door.

“Very well, the situation will be reported to Ceres,” the creaturian stopped quarrelling and went to get authority to dispose of new guests.

 

   �"   �"   �" 

 

“Sir, we have a few outsiders in our asteroid.”

Interested she raised an eyebrow, “From where you say they came?”

“They're from Sirius,” then creaturian mumbled something and corrected his statement. “At least I think so, we have to send them back!”

“So you don't know!” she leaned forward, giving some fright to the bad�"tempered creaturian. “Romus, you intended to dispose of them without my knowing?”

“I don't know,” Romus completely lost his will to argue, “I am defending you from the evil those kids might have brought, I am willing to protect you.”

“I have to make sure myself, if those outsiders are evil. Laurelius has already reported, that he found them next to a lateral tunnel and after my order he dressed them properly, he laid them down. You wanted to get rid of the children! No, I am not angry about that, children or not they have to be prepared to our rules and misery. I just can't believe, that you thought I am unable to defend myself against two kids. Romus, if they were from Sirius? You would have suffered yourself! Firstly, the member of the crew has to look after himself, no one has to take on any dangerous actions without my knowing. Because you forgot the most important principle, I want Laurelius to replace you as a first scout.”

The creaturian nodded his head obediently and as a response to commandment informed:

“Children are located in the room on the right.”

Romus couldn't dare to escort, the rule to take care of himself meant, that he is forbidden to get into the room with those strangers. Now, as a lower scout he was unable to act without Laurelius' order.

 

�"  �"  �" 

 

Everything happened so fast, Tim hadn't found a convenient and well-hidden escape. He looked through the window, but bad luck! Some creaturians were always present, marching, so you couldn't get out through here. Surrounded by a sufficient number of corners and window sills, he wouldn't even get a scratch landing, yet Merry might not manage to climb this route. No, he has to look for another way.

Unfortunately, the captain entered the room. She was wearing black armour, through gaps her slightly radiant white skin was revealed. With helmet on, you could only see small patches around her eyes and long light uncontrollable hair sticking out everywhere. Captain was escorted by Laurelius, an oldest creaturian.

“Where is our spaceship?” Insistently asked Tim.

Merry interrupted this impolite questioning and spoke with flattery:

“You have the cosiest room I've ever seen, could we stay here?”

“Of course, we usually can't let foreigners stay, but you, just you are obligated to stay here, even if you opposed,” smiled Ceres while glaring at Tim, as if she saw through his escape plans.

Merry was rejoicing and not even a little afraid of Ceres harsh voice, or spooky looking black armour. She playfully went up to the captain and took off her helmet. Ceres didn't resist as if a sequence of actions was known to her.

“Tim, but she is from Sirius! We are in a star!” All shadows were washed away from Merry's face with an admiration for Ceres slightly radiant skin.

Tim frowned: something was not right, all the residents of this planet were black, they were afraid of Sirians, but Ceres was white up to the strands of her hair. They all must have feared her, so he mustn't trust the captain.

Instead of captain, Larelius was giving explanations, “You belong to us, since long ago, since your first breath in space, dust of Sirius has gotten into your lungs. All started from those little particles, which are attracted to this asteroid. To be precise, it's our captain who controls this gravitation. So your travel, your being here �" everything was planned.”

“In other words, since your first breath, everything was a trap. You can't leave anymore,” continued his idea Ceres.