Planet B

Ch.20

They all left just after daybreak. William hadn't slept much, partly due to anticipation for the next day's expedition, partly because Joel wouldn't let him. It was a good tiredness, one he hoped he'd feel again once this was all done. She'd also told him very plainly she was joining him on the journey and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

Oooh, another one to get killed. Good luck.

William stopped mid-motion, Luke nearly knocking him over as he collided from behind. He stood in a daze as Luke caught his arm, saying something that William couldn't hear. It'd been a while since he'd heard the voice. Yes, William knew it'd only been the day before, but so much had happened since the last time part of him had forgotten the voice existed. As much as William tried not to let the voice get to him, the thought of something happening to Joel made his stomach turn.

Luke gave him a shake.

"Yo, William, you alright?"

William shook his head, trying to dispel ill thoughts that were creeping into his brain. He looked to Joel who was giving him a concerned look, images strobing his mind of the many ways she could die. He looked back at Luke and righted himself.

"Yeah," William said, "just spacing I guess."

Luke frowned but didn't voice his disbelief. He put his arm across William's shoulders and nudged him into motion again.

"As long as you don't space when it's important it's all good. Maybe try to do it when someone's not walking behind you next time, eh?"

William smiled and nodded, continuing on.

The city was a good thirty miles away, so it'd take most of the day just to get there, given regular breaks for rest and food. They weren't moving at top speed, instead taking forested routes whenever possible to avoid being detected. His father had worked at the University of Minnesota. Just before the invasion the university had installed a particle accelerator. There was actually a big hullabaloo about it. Some people were still afraid accelerators would spontaneously produce planet swallowing black holes, but the thing was perfectly safe. As long as it was operated correctly that is.

Once the invasion began and the city was evacuated, people gave the university a wide berth, not wanting to risk damage to the machine or accidentally activate it. William considered it foolishness, there were so many safeguards to prevent accidental activation that it was near impossible, but the fact that there was even a remote chance kept people away. That and the city was a Cryton hub. It was there they needed to go.

Kar soon fell in step with William and began asking about the plant life and the city and nearly everything they saw. Havlik was walking with Joel and Luke, the three talking with bowed heads as if sharing political secrets. Kar noticed William's gaze.

"He's been making the rounds," she said. "He's trying to learn everything he can about your world. I tell you, that man never stops. Even when he was my teacher his mind was always half elsewhere trying to figure something out."

William continued looking at the group, twenty volunteers in addition to the wizards and William's close friends. Havlik had indeed been asking a lot of questions. A lot. It seemed the man did nothing but that. Given that he was in a new world though, William could hardly fault the man, not that it was even a bad thing to begin with.

"William," Kar continued, "how do you keep everything so green? It's beautiful here. I assume the ecology on our worlds have fundamental differences, but there are probably tricks and strategies you use to ensure a healthy environment."

"We don't do anything, not really," William said slowly, unsure how to answer. "I mean, it rains, the plants get plenty of sun, everything just kind of runs itself. Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes, so we've got no water problems. But drier states have strategies probably, like in Phoenix, or anywhere in the south really."