The Firestorms
"In the year 1 Anno Adventus, which means year of arrival, the First Coming happened when our ancestors landed on this world, Pyros. They were curious as to what happened to the first expedition, which we lost contact with in 22 B.A., and the so-called Lost Colony, that disappeared in the year 10 B.A.
"They found a planet with few clouds, weak winds and no animal life, and no trace of the previous expeditions. It was in the year 6 A.A. they discovered what happened. The Firestorms started and half the colonists died, while the other half found refuge under the seas. After the Firestorms were over the survivors returned to the land and began building the cities. They were built out of the Blackstone, the only material to survive the Firestorms, and also with the Platinum metals.
"In the year 35 A.A. the first off-world orbiting Enclaves were built to escape the firestorms. These have all been used continuously until today, in the year 250 A.A.," the little red-haired girl concluded.
"Very good, Jenny," Aldona Sutkute said. Then she looked around at her class. "Now before John Simons gives his report on our city, Hattusas, I have a question for all of you. What is a heptiad?"
Small hands shot up all over the room. Aldona pointed to a little boy up front. "A heptiad is the seven year period between Firestorms."
Aldona complemented him and brought John Simons up front. "Our city was founded in the year 21 A.A. and is named for the ancient Terran capitol of the Hittite civilization. While people from all nations of Earth came to Pyros, Hattusas was founded by French, American, Irish and Lithuanian colonists with large numbers of Germans and Basques, all speaking their own languages and enriching our culture. Even Chiniveg, which are the small firestorms at the end of the heptiad come from the Irish meaning little fire, Tine Bheag. Also--" John was cut off by the bell.
"Very well everyone, that is it for today. John you can finish your report tomorrow. Also tomorrow Maria, your report on the comparison of Hattusas with Republican Rome, and Christopher, your report on the Platinum Age. You are all dismissed."
After the kids went screaming and running out of the room, Aldona walked over to the window and felt a cool breeze blowing in. She laughed as she looked at the glazed window sill, obviously when the school was built with a glass window and the firestorms melted it. That was why all windows on the planet are open now.
"Good day?" asked Teresa Little, the science teacher. Aldona turned around and walked over to her. Then the two of them left the school together.
"Taip," Aldona nodded. "I have three more reports tomorrow, I hope there as good as Jenny's."
"Yeah, that girl's a good one, she'll go far," Teresa laughed. "Now, I want to know, how are you and your pilot?"
"Ciaran and I are fine. Tonight I'm having dinner at his parents, and tomorrow is our two year anniversary, and Ciaran says he has something special planned. Actually, I had better get ready for tonight,"
"Alright then, let me know how dinner goes," Teresa laughed as she and Aldona separated. "What's that!" Teresa shouted, pointing a nubile black finger at an orange curtain in the sky. "It looked like a firestorm."
"Don't be ridiculous," Aldona said, "It's probably a daytime aurora."
"I guess you're right." Teresa agreed, knowing daytime aurora on Pyros were not uncommon.
Aldona had finished dressing and decided to wait for Ciaran outside. As she closed the curtain over her doorway, she looked up and saw the brilliant twilight auroras dancing across the night. "Beautiful isn't it?" came the familiar voice. Aldona looked over and saw Ciaran walking up to her door.
"Yes, it is," she said. "Shall we go?" Aldona held out her arm. Ciaran took it and they started off to his place in the Old Irish Quarter. As soon as they got there, Ciaran's father answered the door. "A Chiar�n, A hAldona tar isteach," he said happily. Aldona then remembered Ciaran's numerous warnings about his father speaking Irish a lot.
They went inside and Ciaran's mother, a short Basque woman came out of the kitchen. "Ciaran," she said to them, "Nola zaude? Dinner is almost ready."
In minutes all of Ciaran's siblings came in and sat down. Aldona could never remember their names. Ciaran was the only one in the family with an Irish name, the others were Basque.
"So Ciaran, I heard you have to fly tomorrow?" his father asked. "What is it about?"
"People thought they saw an Chiniveg, and I�aki and I have to fly over the Glass Sea to find out. It was probably just a daytime aurora.
"I hope it's only an aurora," Ciaran's father said, "Tine Bheag only come a few days before the Tine Mh�r."
"I'm sure that's what it is, father. Actually I was going to take Aldona. There is something I want to show her in the Glass Sea."
When it finally came time to leave, and Ciaran and Aldona left as quickly as possible. "Sl�n libh!" Ciaran shouted to them, as they started walking away.
"Sudieu," Aldona added.
"Now that's done, shall we go to your place or mine?" Ciaran asked.
"First," Aldona smiled, "about tomorrow�"
"You'll have to wait and see for that," Ciaran said. "Trust me, you will not be disappointed."
"Then until tomorrow," Aldona smiled as she walked away from Ciaran back towards her own home.
The next day, Aldona was even more anxious for the school day to end than the students were. Maria's report was exemplary, comparing the echo of Irish, English, Lithuanian and French of Hattusas with the Etruscan, Latin, Greek and Syrian of the great market of Rome.
Christopher's report on the Platinum Age was rather forgettable, mentioning only how the Age began after people saw it didn't melt in the divine heat of the Firestorms.
"Now as you all know," Aldona said to the class after the reports were complete. "The heptiad ends this year and the firestorms will begin about March or so. We will return here in June, and then start the new heptiad with the Extinguishing Festival. Now for all of you, this is your first Firestorm. I want you to all keep a journal, beginning today, and continuing until the Extinguishing Festival." The students were looking around not sure what to make of this latest assignment.
"It is a nice day with a breeze, like yesterday, and you are all dismissed." A collective cheer went up and everyone was running out to the playground.
Aldona left the now empty classroom and went over to Teresa's. "Where are your students?" Teresa asked.
"I let them go early," Aldona said.
"You just want to know what Ciaran has planned for you," Teresa laughed. "I don't blame you. I'm curious too actually."
Finally the school day ended, and Aldona was waiting with Teresa in front of the building. A short while later, Ciaran and another man whom Aldona didn't know came walking up.
"Aldona, Teresa this is I�aki Gere�o. He'll be coming with us. Teresa, you are welcome to come too. Follow us to the airfield and we can leave immediately for the Mekku Caverns."
"What are the Mekku Caverns?" Teresa asked.
"You'll see," I�aki said.
They started to the airfield and I�aki and Teresa fell into step behind Ciaran and Aldona. Aldona whispered to him, "Why are they coming along? Isn't today our special day?"
"I want them there for a specific reason. Besides, I�aki will make sure he and Teresa will stay out of the way." Shortly thereafter, they reached the airfield and took off with Ciaran and Aldona in one plane and I�aki and Teresa in the other.
"So where exactly are these Mekku Caverns?" Aldona asked.
"In the Glass Sea," Ciaran replied. "We'll be there soon, we're over the sea now."
Aldona looked out the window, having seen only pictures of the Glass Sea. The sunlight reflecting off it almost blinded her. "It's beautiful, like a still lake."
"It was formed by millennia of Firestorms, slowing melting what was once a sandy desert into a solid sea of glass," Ciaran explained. Aldona listened but did not take here eyes off the sea. The tiny islands poking up from below held her interest more than anything else.
Aldona was brought back to the present abruptly when every alarm in the cockpit went off. "What is it?" she asked. Ciaran said nothing and Aldona saw what captivated him. A small atmospheric firestorm was approaching them far faster than they would have liked.
"Chiniveg!" Ciaran shouted as he struggled to maneuver away from the blinding light. Aldona shut her eyes as the brilliant orange flames surrounded them, and soon she felt the air in the cockpit becoming almost too hot to breathe.
"It burns!" she shouted.
"I know!" Ciaran shouted. Aldona felt the craft lurch and the air began cooling. "We're below it now." He flipped on the com system, "I�aki, nola zaude?"
"Yes, Ciaran, we're fine over here, a little cooked but, OK."
"Good, I'm taking us down. You can follow us in." Aldona looked out the window and saw the storm burning over them, as the craft made an easy vertical landing.
After the landing Aldona and Teresa divided their attention between the Chiniveg above them, and Ciaran and I�aki surveying the damage on their planes. "We'll be able to fly back to Hattusas, but we aren't going anywhere until the Chiniveg dies off."
"I don't get it," Teresa said, "The Chiniveg usually don't start until a week or two before the big Firestorms."
"Could the Firestorms be starting early?" I�aki asked. "My grandfather has told me stories about how they started early in153, and the people barely got to the Enclaves in time."
"But what do we do now, Chiniveg can last for several hours," Teresa asked.
"I suggest we go to the Mekku Caverns anyway, they're only about a quarter of a kilometer away." Ciaran said, pointing to several islands close by. Everyone agreed and started walking.
Ciaran pulled Aldona aside. "Forgive me, for this. Everything's gone wrong. I was going to propose to you in the Mekku Caverns, and I�aki and Teresa were supposed to be witnesses, but is seems like that has failed."
"That's so romantic," Aldona smiled. "If you do it anyway, I promise I'll act surprised," she said as she took his arm.
"So why are they called Mekku caverns?" Teresa asked I�aki as they walked to the caves ahead.
"Well the sand and other silicates have been leached form the rocks over the heptiads long before we came to Pyros. It also leached out some of the cobalt from the rocks to form a bluish glaze over the entire caverns. When it was discovered the archeologists named it for the ancient blue glass of Earth," I�aki explained.
"Mekku was the Egyptian word for the glass ingots imported from Canaan," Ciaran added.
"You said archeologists came here, I�aki," Aldona asked. He nodded. "I remember reading about that for the history class how archeologists from Hattusas and several other cities, notably Mykenai, and Tarquinia searched for signs of previous habitation on Pyros."
"But they never found any," Teresa said.
"Oh they did," I�aki said, "at least I did, the last time I brought a friend here."
"Really?" Teresa said as they entered the mouth of the caves. "I'd like to see that."
"You two go ahead," Ciaran said. I have something to discuss with Aldona. About our long future together." Teresa's face lit up as she walked deeper with I�aki. Aldona had a look of shock on her face until they were gone, then it turned into a broad smile.
"Will you marry me?" he asked.
"Absolutely," she replied embracing Ciaran.
"An-mhaith, we'll spend the Firestorm together on the Solaris One Enclave in orbit, and have the wedding during the Extinguishing Festival!"
"I would like to get married here," Aldona mused. "On the Glass Sea, under the stars, right outside the Mekku caverns."
"Anything for you," Ciaran said. "Now, shall we see what Teresa and I�aki are up to?" Aldona responded by offering out her arm.
They walked through several conjoined caverns following the sounds of their friends' voices until they found I�aki and Teresa admiring something behind the glass. "It looks like a leopard," Teresa said.
"Actually I call it otsoa, the wolf. It's a petroglyph engraved into wall. I guess there were painted pictographs here too at one time, but they are long gone," I�aki responded.
"I had no idea you were so interested and learned in history," Teresa said.
"My people are among the oldest known. It seems only appropriate to me. Right, Ciaran?"
"I don't know, I'm only half Euskal, remember?"
"But what does it mean, a wall with a vague resemblance to a carved leopard?" Teresa thought aloud.
"Well since the image was there before the walls of the cave became glazed, we could guess that the planet was once inhabited, and might once have had indigenous animal life," Aldona said.
"Is it possible the Firestorms are artificial in nature or were created? We have yet to find a satisfactory explanation for them," Ciaran said.
"I've heard them all, like the common one, electrolysis breaking water into hydrogen and oxygen and then something in the planet's magnetic field ignites them. Most scientists don't go for that one," Teresa said, "And until five minutes ago I believed the previous civilization theory as much as Terrans believed in Atlantis or Lemuria. But now�I have some scientists friends who would love to see this, too bad it'll have to wait until after the Firestorms."
"The Chiniveg!" Ciaran exclaimed. "It could be over by now. I�aki, let's look and see." The men ran through the caverns and the women walked steadily behind them so they could find out sooner.
Moments later Ciaran and I�aki returned. "We're going!" The four of them ran out of the caverns and saw the clearing sky above them.
"Are the planes cool enough to fly?" Teresa asked.
"They usually cool down pretty quick. We just had to wait for the sky to do the same," I�aki said.
Within seconds the planes were up into the sky flying over the sea back to Hattusas. Upon landing they discovered the city was a ghost town.
"Where are they?" I�aki asked. "Could the Firestorm have gotten them?"
"Nothing's burned," Aldona said. "Let's look around." Everyone searched for any sign of what might have happened. It was Ciaran who found it.
"Over here!" his voice echoed throughout the empty city. "I found a note from my mother. It says, 'My dearest son, we have sighted a Chiniveg less than a mile from the city and guessed the Firestorms are starting early and evacuated everyone with only the minimals, being we could have days or hours. I hope you are still alive to receive this note. Love Mother.'"
"We know they went various Enclaves, can't we just follow them?" Aldona asked.
"We could, all we have are two planes. No amphibious vehicles to reach the underwater Enclaves and no rockets to reach the orbital ones," Ciaran said.
"What about one of the other cities?" I�aki asked. "Perhaps they have not evacuated yet."
"Worth seeing," Ciaran said as they ran back to the planes. "The nearest city is Susa, about seventy miles west. I think we should try there first."
When the planes landed in Susa only a few remaining people were scrambling about. All the amphibious vehicles were gone and only a few rockets remained.
Everyone ran to the closest, a private rocket filling up with a family. "Who are you?" the husband asked. "We don't know you."
"We're from Hattusas, they all left there without us."
The man started to turn his back when Ciaran and I�aki reached for him. "John!" his wife shouted. "You can't leave them here!"
"Alright, but hurry!" John said as Aldona ran on followed by Teresa, Ciaran, and I�aki. "Brace yourselves, here we go!" John shouted. His family was strapped in, while everyone else laid down on the floor as the rocket blasted off. For a brief instant the force almost crushed them until the inertial dampeners kicked in. Then Aldona stood up, and looked out the window.
"Another Chiniveg!" she shouted. Everyone closed their eyes as the brilliant orange engulfed the ship, raising the temperature. Only when they felt a moderate cooling did they look up in time to see the sky fade to dull red and black with stars appearing.
Aldona looked out the Enclave's great window at Pyros below. It was living up to its name with the fires spreading all over the planet. She turned away only when she felt Ciaran's hand on her shoulder. "I�aki and Teresa left. It's almost time, if we want to get to Solaris One," Ciaran said. Aldona nodded.
"Did you reach your family?" Aldona asked.
"Yes, and they were overjoyed to hear I was alive. They are happy for us, engaged and all. If you want to call yours, I suggest you do it now, before the storms knock out radio with the planet completely."
"By now my family's on one of the orbiting Enclaves, I'll call in a few hours."
"Well then, everything's taken care of, shall we go to Solaris One?" he asked taking her arm.
"Let's" Aldona said, as they started to the shuttle port.
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