Free Demeter by Dr. Alan D. Hansen Page A

this.” He jumped high and did a somersault. As he was landing, he realized that he was overcorrecting by about twenty degrees. This isn’t going to be pretty, he had time to think as he landed on one foot, then spun toward the ground in an ugly fall. Cynthia and Debbie were close enough to each catch an arm as he was going down, preventing a more serious end. Debbie burst out laughing.
    “I think you dislocated my shoulder,” Ryder complained toward his sister.
    “You’re welcome,” Cynthia said back at him, smiling.
    In the distance they saw Randy, Joel, and Athena playing a game of leapfrog, headed toward a low building about sixty yards from the Pegasus. Miss Li was smiling at them, and then turned back toward Ryder. “I think it’s time we gather up our bags and walk,” she said, emphasizing the word walk , “into the port of entry.” She motioned toward the building.
    Cynthia quickly grabbed her bags and said, “Let’s go.”
    Ryder picked up his own bags, now realizing how much lighter they felt in the lower gravity, and joined Cynthia. “Come on, Dweeb,” he called to Debbie.
    Debbie grabbed her bags and started to catch up, then paused. “Becky, come on.”
    Ryder caught a glimpse of Rebecca out of the corner of his eye and saw the girl smile for the first time since he’d known her. She grabbed her bag and quickly joined the small entourage.
     

Chapter 8: Challenge
    Around the building there was a lot of activity. Dozens of people moving back and forth, and small groups of others clustered in circles talking. There was one group of five young men playing a game similar to hacky sack. They looked like normal teenagers wasting some time, but they had a greenish-brown skin color that Ryder had never seen before. He tried not to stare. As Ryder, Cynthia, Debbie, and Becky were passing, one of the group half looked at them and sneered. “Earthling grubs.” It was obviously intended as an insult. Ryder wasn’t sure why it irritated him so much. He replied, “Well, Earth grubs eat green grass,” and regretted it as soon as he said it.
    It was clearly the wrong thing to say. All five of the young men turned and stared with malice in their eyes. As the young men glared, Ryder noticed their irises were mostly orange with yellow speckles that created a disconcerting combination. Trying to look away, he looked down, and noticed they were wearing boots with pointed toes. He started sweating as he suddenly flashed back to Barry Hales.
    “Ryder, hurry up. We need you inside,” he heard Miss Li call. Mr. Small walked toward them, intercepted the five young men, and had a whispered conference. The group turned as one and walked off in the opposite direction. But Ryder saw the leader of the group turn his head with a look of clear contempt on his face. He figured this wouldn’t be the last he’d see of the hacky sack players. Great, he thought, a hundred light years from Earth, and I still can’t get away from bullies.
    As Mr. Small rejoined them Ryder asked, “Are those the Sagittarians?”
    Mr. Small grinned. “No, those are just some hotshot Cryellians up to mischief. The Sagittarians are much more intimidating.” He hesitated, then continued. “They really aren’t that different than we are. Six thousand years of evolution isn’t much. Our DNA still matches up tightly with the Sagittarians, and the Per-Sian’s for that matter. It’s more their manner. Their posture is ramrod straight. They emit a sense of command by their very presence.”
    “So they’re giants?” Debbie suggested.
    “Not really. Let’s see, the most pronounced feature is a hawklike nose. Their hair is uniformly dark. Most have high pronounced cheekbones. I’d say that is the most common look of the officer corps, but they are really as varied as people on Earth. But their demeanor sets them apart. Not always to the better.”
    Inside the facility, Ryder was in awe at the size of the complex that was built right into a