Chapter Five: The Library

Yori and Sun stepped into the vestibule of the library. Identical oak doors guarded the entrance and exit like twins, and two glass walls hung on either side creating a corridor through the center of the oval room. Etched on the glass were trees marked with the names of every Alexander.

The name of the first librarian, Paul Alexander, was at the base of the tree to the right. It was full of names and branches. The offshoots crept up to the top of the wall and almost one hundred names could be read and counted.

But the wall on the left, which continued the family tree, began with only five names at the bottom. Barely three generations of Alexanders had been etched into those branches. Sun paused at that tree. She reached out to one of the branches and slid her hand up the wall, stopping on Kate’s name. Then she quickly turned and marched on.

Yori continued to stare at the wall as she walked past, but he didn’t hesitate for long.

The Alexander Library had no comparison. It housed a copy of every book ever written; every story, speech, film, poem, letter or note that could be collected. It reached twenty stories up and was nearly a mile wide, containing a wealth of information unparalleled by all of humanity. But that was not its prize.

Sun and Yori walked past all of the words and wisdom within the library’s walls, and headed for the far side of the building where an atrium separated a smaller building from the main one.

A tall, thin man with a white braid flowing down his back stood inside the entrance. He held a book in one hand and a small, thin piece of glass in the other.

“Madam,” he said and bowed before Sun.

“Professor,” she responded, “it is good to see you again.”

“It’s an honor to be here,” he said as he turned to Yori and reached out his hand. “Curator, thank you again for the opportunity to expand the map.”

“You’re welcome, my friend,” Yori told him. “How is it coming along?”

“Excellent,” he said. “We should have the Lynoan system finished with this question, and we will be able to start mapping the Nekuian system next.”

“I see you’ve brought the latest diagrams with you,” Yori said.

“Yes,” the professor responded.

“Thank you,” Yori said and took the object. “Then let us begin.”

The atrium was an ancient Roman design with an opening in the roof and pool in the center for collecting rain water. Marble columns stretched the length of the room and armed soldiers stood on the outside of each one, keeping close watch on the surrounding grounds. Two guards also stood at either end.
The three headed for the far side and the guards opened the doors as they approached. They bowed before Sun.

“Curator,” one said as Yori passed through the threshold.

Once the doors closed behind them, the seam between the oak doors vanished, sealing off the room completely. It was a small room surrounded by a glass-like film on all sides with no handles, no doors and seemingly no way out.

Sun stepped up to the wall across from the outside doors and pressed her hand against it. A new seam appeared in the center and it began to separate, slowly revealing a larger room beyond.

Seven chairs rested against the far wall in the same fashion as the council chamber. These chairs, however, were less ornate. At the center of the room was a square, black table with the same glass-like skin as the walls they had just passed through. Sun placed her hand on one end of the table top and Yori placed his on the other. Again the glass separated and created a small opening in the center. Slowly a small, metallic box rose up on a smaller platform and the table closed around it.

The box was no more than ten inches in length, six inches wide and less than that in depth. A small rectangular hole was visible on one side, and the entire surface was covered in a shiny, silver metal with intricate markings from an unspoken language.

Sun took her seat at the far end of the room and the two men stood on either side of the table.

“Are you ready professor?” Yori asked.

“Yes.”

“Place your hand on the box.”

Yori lifted his hand and placed it in the small opening. A light began to glow from inside as the markings on the box lit up. Yori took in a deep breath.

Moments later the markings darkened, Yori removed his hand and looked over at Sun.

“We’ve found another planet,” he said.