Chapter 7 Children of the Moon

Chapter 7

Children of the Moon

  The tunnel that led to the perfect replica of Kian’s old house was rather spacious; fifteen feet wide and twelve feet high, it dispelled any possibility of claustrophobia. Still, Kian felt like a mouse in a maze, no more like a mouse in a trap. Such a bleak assessment of his situation would only rob him of hope. However accurate it might be, he had to keep his spirits up and cultivate a genuine interest in his current surroundings. Learning to live here was not an option but a necessity, they would see to that. After all Kia and the others was hanging on the whim of heartless fools.

  His captors were mad men who truly believed they could turn him into a God, preposterous and disgusting. This was his new reality. He must learn to live in it without losing his mind. If insanity was contagious, his plight was dire.

  Miles was talking but he was not listening, big mistake. Listen and learn, pay attention, gather facts formulate a plan. All that would take time, how much time he could not know, so he must start now.

  “What is this,” Kian asked genuinely curious about the material surrounding him. He was after all deep beneath the surface of the moon; it would be nice to know that the tunnel arching over his head was stable and hopefully meteor in proof. Kian was no scientist but he knew Luna has no atmosphere to protect it from any space junk spinning her way. 

  “Glass,” Miles said as he stopped and lovingly stroked the smooth white walls curving up around them.

  “Oh,” Kian could not hide his apprehension, “that’s, unexpected.”

  “Not really Kian, I mean James, heat from our laser drills pressure from the surrounding material has resulted in a material with glass like properties but actually bear an astonishing molecular resemblance to diamond. I suppose saying out tunnel system is made of glass would like say the human mind is the same as the first IBM computer.”

  “So it’s really really, strong, glad to hear that. Another thing, I thought the moon had less gravity than Earth, but I feel the same weight, how’s that work?”

  “The material from which we have constructed Luna interior living space also conducts energy we generate from helium 3 and gather from the sun. Light as well as artificial gravity emanates from every square inch of its most useful surface. Moreover, most of us can interface with Luna’s artificial intelligence buried in her core via sensor chips embedded into our central nervous system. Let me demonstrate.” With that, Miles looked up and with thought alone he turned the tunnel into a tube of total blackness and zero gravity.

  Suddenly they were floating blind.

  “Shall I remove the air as well?”

 “No, no turn on the lights and let me down.”

  “Very well, point made, I assume.” Miles said smugly, just before soft white light instantly expelled the black and he dropped to his feet, chuckling when Kian dropped flat on his face.”

  “Point made, no wonder you people have a God complex.”

 Miles grunted, “Come,” he commanded without offering to help Kian to his feet. “Our transport is ready.”

   Moments later, they reached the end of the tunnel, which slid up and out of sight as they approached revealing what looked the backseats of a spacious stretch limousine. The only difference was they did not have to bend down to enter, which made it more like an elevator. However, this was no elevator or limo.

  On entering Kian settled into the overstuffed black leather seat facing what he assumed was the front of the vehicle while Miles seated his self on the seat facing him. Though happy to see large oval shaped windows just above the seats Kian was disappointed to see only more featureless white tunnel curving off in both directions.

   Suddenly his body sank deep into the seat cushions locking him in place. More artificial gravity he assumed. ‘Invisible seatbelts, okay I’m impressed…’   Kian thought.

  “Good,” Miles said reminding Kian his thoughts were not his own, just as the tunnel rushed toward Kian with break neck speed.