Page 34 of Alien on the Moon

Carmen elbowed her. “We just want to spend time with you,” she corrected her blunt sister diplomatically. “And… maybe we don’t know where to go.” She looked up sheepishly.

Elena laughed and threaded her arm through Rylan’s. His chest warmed at the familiarity. “Let’s go then.”

The picnic took them away from the lab for almost three hours, and they returned to chaos. Jaku, normally found with a grin or a smirk, had lines of worry on his face. The sight sent shivers of discomfort down Rylan’s spine.

“Rylan, where have you been? Your comm is off.” He shot a careful look at Arccoo and Elena’s sisters. “Can I show you something in the lab?” he asked pointedly. Rylan checked the comm device on his wrist. The battery had died. He swore softly.

Distracted, he offered vague apologies to the prince and the sisters before following Jaku to the lab. He was halfway down the corridor when hurried footsteps followed him.

“What’s wrong?” Elena asked, her voice tense.

Rylan shook his head. “We shouldn’t have stayed away for so long. Go back to your sisters. I’ll find out what happened.” He almost winced at how terse his tone was but worry overtook his senses. Elena stopped, hands on her hips.

“Nope, we don’t talk to each other like that. I’m coming with you, and we’ll figure this out together,” she said.

Rylan drew a deep breath into his lungs and kept walking, making Elena almost jog to keep up with his long strides.

“We’re going to talk about this later,” she promised ominously.

The lab was a flurry of activity that quieted somewhat when they entered. Everyone flashed them grim looks. Rylan’s stomach tightened with anxiety.

He strode to Jaku’s desk with Elena hot on his heels.

“Well? What is it?” he asked impatiently. Jaku looked up from the sample box on his desk, where a few squigs were lazily wriggling around. No, not lazily, more… sluggishly. Rylan frowned as he leaned closer.

“Why are they green?” he asked slowly, lifting his eyes to take in Jaku’s somber face.

“It started this morning. They seemed off when I checked on them, so I took a few to test. It’s like they’re…”

“Dying.” Elena finished for him, covering her mouth with her hand. “Well, shit.”

“Have you tested the soil?” Rylan asked brusquely.

Jaku nodded and pulled up test results on his screen, tilting it so Rylan and Elena could see. “This is why I tried to call you. The soil is reverting back to what it was before we introduced the squigs.”

“Oxygen?” Elena asked.

“Decreasing steadily.”

Rylan cursed and started pacing. The squigs were meant to be the answer to most of their problems. It had been working, so why did it stop? What happened to them?

“Have you tested for diseases?”

Jaku shook his head. “I didn’t want to dissect any of them without your say-so, sir. With your permission, I’ll pull a few and start running bloods.”

“Do it. Elena.” He turned to her, taking in her shaken expression and wide eyes. “You’re one of our best researchers. Find every possible disease squigs could have and compile a table of symptoms, prevention, and cures.” Elena nodded, happy to have something to do.

Rylan turned to the department heads listening to the conversation.

“Kyn, I need soil samples taken every hour. Analyze for nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, and sulfur. Test pH every ten minutes.”

Kyn nodded, scurrying off to mobilize her team.

“Triim, I need eyes on the squigs at all times. I want to know every movement they make.”

Triim saluted him and started suiting up.

“Stiya,” Rylan heaved a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry to leave this to you, but you’re best at communicating with the royals. I need them entertained and kept away from the lab until we figure this out.”

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