Mars the Divine (Empire of Time Series) by John Argo

Page 16.

"They are very sacred and important," Sam agreed with conviction but a look that told me he knew no more about it.

"I see Olympus Mons, and the Syrtis, and the deserts... What are these six points?" I turned the coin over, and saw the remnants of indecipherable writing. In the middle was the faint image of a man wearing an odd helmet.

"Don't know what the six points are," Sam said. "I found that in the mines one day. I was drilling for explosives, because that was my craft, and saw this thing just happened to be lying next to my boot. So I picked it up, put it in my pocket, and kept on working because we were busy and you gotta work smart around explosives. No time to be distracted. Forgot all about it until a few weeks later when they tossed me out of the city and I had to grab what old dirty clothing I could. Not even a chance to say goodbye to the kids. About a year later, down in a Triber market, I had a man look at it. He was a doctorologist who'd been tossed from his university for questioning the literal Godpods. He looked it over in his tent near the used parts bazaar, where on a good day it smells like onions and on a bad day you don't want to know. He told me he had an idea about the six points, but he wouldn't tell me. He did say the man on the back is Gore Washing Town. That's an ancient founding father, he said."

The face was oddly pitted, but I didn't think to ask about that. "What's that thing on his head?"

"A wig."

"No."

"I'm serious, that's what he said. He said he saw some ancient coins in a museum, and some of the people on them wore wigs."

"He wouldn't tell you about the six points?"

"No. He handed it back to me quickly, almost as if he were scared. He said if They, meaning I guess the Temple cops, found me with this I'd be in serious trouble."

I could tell that Sudie was suddenly getting very nervous. She stirred in her blanket, half rose, half sat, leaned against the wall, squirmed as if she couldn't get comfortable. Her eyes were distant, and her lips roiled over the dark cavern of her mouth. When you don't have a tongue, it takes work to keep your mouth moist inside, particularly when you occasionally flip out and relive terrible events. Sam rushed over to hug and comfort her. "Careful now," he told me. "She's having a flashback."

"I'm sorry."

"Hold on." He led her to their sleep alcove in a far corner, spoke comfortingly, offered her a drink of super-schnapps that I could smell from here. Rocket fuel. Wow. I wanted some of that, but she needed it far more just then.

Minutes later, Sam returned. He looked thoughtful. "I got to turn in," he said.

"The six points," I pressed.

He said dubiously, avoiding my gaze. "I don't know if I should even have showed you." He held out his hand. I placed the rag and the coin in his palm. He rose and carefully restored it to its shelf above the heating cube before sitting on a step near me. Finally, having deliberated, he said: "I showed it to you because you were close to Sudie and Shan at one time.

I said: "I was educated in the Temple, you know."

He nodded, still looking down. "I know."

"These six dots can only be one thing." He continued to nod, and I said: "They are the six stations of the Holy Mother."

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