Dar's Adventures in Space 1: Space Crazy Read Free Page A

his room and joined her in the living room. “Okay.”
    Denrika settled into her favorite chair. “Yes, about your father, again …He came here from the planet Earth, through a worm hole not too far from here.”
    “Earth is in the Milky Way galaxy, right?”
    “That’s what he told me.” She fiddled with her hair. “He said he was an astro-naut from a place called America .”
    “Did he speak Universal Ontarrin? Or Satiren?”
    “No, he spoke something he called ‘English’, and in the beginning we had a hard time understanding each other.”
    “Did you learn his language?” Dar asked.
    “Some, he was much better at learning ours…Although he was here maybe six months.”
    “What was his name?”
    “Dar, you know his name…It was Edward Meltom.”
    “Edward Meltom,” he said softly.
     

    Garnic glanced across at Dar. They were in class, watching a vidograph of a joining. All Satirens, when they reached the age of “awakening,” which was usually about fourteen, received four years of “love school.” Satirens were a unique race amongst many in the Ontarrin galaxy. In addition to the hormones and chemistry needed for normal bodily function; they possessed fifteen other hormones and chemicals exclusively for love. The species had a strong sex drive, designed for finding the right partner, or partners, and forming lasting relationships.
    “Psssssttt, Dar,” Garnic hissed.
    “What?”
    “Hey, look, Miratta.”
    Dar looked over his shoulder at the female two desks back. “So?”
    “She keeps looking at you.”
    “So?” He wasn’t impressed. Not a single female in the whole class would give him the time of day. He knew the purebreds probably had a joining or two, it was quite expected for them to experiment with what they were taught in school. But Dar didn’t have any females interested in him, he knew everyone knew, and it embarrassed him.
    “Maybe she wants you.”
    “Don’t be silly.”
    “A problem, Dar?” the male teacher asked.
    “No, sir.”
    “Is any of this sinking through that half breed brain of yours?”
    “Yes, sir.” Dar was absorbing every ounce of it; he just wasn’t sure when he’d ever get to put it to use. Maybe once he was out in space he’d find a partner to join with that wouldn’t judge him. It wasn’t fun to be the different one.
    “Psssssttt,” Garnic pestered.
    Dar did his best to ignore him. There was no way Miratta could be interested in him. He felt confident there wasn’t a single female in the Satiren colony of Aknarra that would join with him. A few minutes later, the buzzer sounded and class let out for the day. Dar collected his things and left. Garnic stayed behind to talk to a female, and he figured he’d catch up with Dar on the walk home. As Dar walked down the hall, he felt someone behind him. Please, not Krodus again, he thought with dread.
    “Uh, Dar?” a female voice said.
    He stopped and turned, surprised to see Miratta. “Hi.”
    “Umm, hey, I was wondering if I could talk to you?”
    “Yeah, sure.” He wondered if his luck might be changing. “Wanna go outside?”
    “Okay,” she said, following him. They went out, and Dar found a table and bench under a scruffy Gummak tree.
    “So, uh, what did you wanna talk to me about?”
    “I have Master Franik for Physagraphy.”
    “Mmm, I hear he’s tough. Never had him for class. Master Strinin was my Physagraphy teacher”
    “Well, uh, he wants us to write a paper on Satiren chemistry.”
    “Oh.”
    She brushed her bangs off her face. “I was thinking of doing my paper on half Satiren chemistry.”
    “You can do that?” he asked, surprised.
    “I thought it would make for something different.”
    “Ah, I see…So, what do you need of me?”
    “Oh, I wanted to hear about your experiences with joinings.”
    Dar slumped toward the table, resting his chin on his hands. How embarrassing. Did he want to be truthful and tell her of his lack of experience? Or did he want to lie and