Free Paw-Prints Of The Gods by Steph Bennion

visit,”
replied Wak, sounding apologetic. “I’ve tried to find out why but
there’s been no reply.”
    “Newbrum Police have
sent a ship to investigate,” said Quirinus. They had all heard the
spaceport rumours. “They think there’s been trouble out there.”
    “They were very
annoyed at having their planet-leave allowance reduced, I know that
much,” Wak told them. “Have you heard from Ravana?”
    “She’s due to call
tomorrow. The dig is in the middle of nowhere so she only gets the
chance when the University’s ship visits to deliver supplies.”
    “It doesn’t seem
right, everyone scattered across the five systems like this,” Wak
said sadly. He brushed away the tendril slowly descending to his
shoulder. “The hollow moon is such a cold, dark place at the
moment. I wonder if it will ever be the same again.”
    “Ostara says hello, if
it counts. And you’ll soon have me and Zotz for company.”
    “And me,” added Momus,
sounding indignant at being left out.
    “Oh yes,” Wak
muttered. “And Captain Momus. Beggars can’t be choosers.”
     
    * * *
     
    Bellona crept
nervously into the darkened hall and found a seat near the back.
The Dhusarian Church of Ascension met in the basement of a
residential block near the western edge of Newbrum’s dome, in a
hall that once hosted bingo and karaoke nights. Even now the
remains of faded posters advertising talent competitions and super
prize days could be seen, peeking from beneath the
brightly-coloured banners that church members had strung across the
walls in an attempt to make the hall their own. The latter left a
reader in no doubt it was a place of worship, declaring such things
as: ‘IN THE BLACK SEEK ONLY THE GREY’, ‘TRUE WISDOM SHINES FROM
ABOVE’ and the more confusing, ‘ALL THAT IS PART DOES BELONG’. The
low stage was backed by a large black curtain, upon which was a
silver six-pointed star with a swirl at the centre, the symbol of
the Dhusarian Church.
    Rows of chairs filled
the floor. Bellona was surprised to see that nearly every one of
the sixty or so seats was taken. The dim orange glow from the
telepathy transmitters above the pews did little to dispel the
dark, but it was clear that amongst the congregation the old were
outnumbered by the young; most of whom, like Bellona, new converts
to the faith.
    A latecomer took the
seat next to her. Selene, the girl at school who had first invited
Bellona to the church, looked darkly mysterious with her clingy
long black dress, ghostly pale skin and garland of artificial grey
flowers adorning her long purple hair. As usual, Bellona felt fat
and frumpy in her faded school flight suit, sitting alongside her
slim and effortlessly-cool classmate, but the smile she gave Selene
was that of a grateful friend.
    At the top of the
hall, a tall and muscular young man walked onto the stage. An old
bingo machine had been draped with yet another banner to become a
makeshift lectern. Bellona had yet to be formally introduced to
Captain Nyx, who by day was a police officer in Newbrum and the
youngest ever assigned his own ship. Nyx habitually wore a long
black cape in a style popular amongst Dhusarians, along with
neo-Victorian garb inspired by the vampire romances currently
enjoying yet another revival on holovid. He had the same pallid
complexion as Selene, with slicked jet-black hair and eyes
concealed by the dark lenses of the latest enhanced-reality shades.
The custom amongst star-faring settlers of naming children after
figures from mythology was well-established, yet the rumour was Nyx
had made the decision himself to adopt the name of the Greek
personification of the night.
    The man took hold of
the lectern and savoured the hush of anticipation.
    “There are no gods but
the greys!” he proclaimed, in a voice surprisingly rich for one so
young. “Praise be the ancient guardians of the stars! They are the
noble teachers who have given us a glimpse of their wisdom through
the writings of the