Part 2
Atlantis had a population of 8,587 humans. Therefore, it was a decent-sized colony, as far as colonies went. This was mostly due to the abnormal longevity of the colonists' life spans on Mitzelgran. While having an extended life was certainly a benefit, the side effect of memory loss was not. Approximately 35% of the human population suffered from it. The ones who did were, like Cosmo, over the age of 300 and mostly male. The reason for this was debated among the planet's leading scientists, including Cosmo himself, who was still allowed into the debate forums. It was thought to be linked to the ancient Earth disease known as Alzheimer's, but the cure for that particular illness had been found, and was ineffective here. No one knew what caused it for sure.
Cosmo's discovery of the particular combination of plants and herbs to lessen the effects, which he called Memory Soup, was regarded as nothing short of a miracle. While the results were temporary, it was the only known treatment. Most of Mitzelgran's leading scientists were investigating the properties of the ingredients. Cosmo was one of them, though his absentmindedness sometimes led to his colleagues underestimating him.
As Hamlet, Horatio, and Kilroy arrived at the Galaxius estate, an attractive tall woman with long, blonde hair ran up to them.
"Hello! I see you have a visitor."
"Yes. Kilroy, this is our mutual friend, Infinity Armstrong. She's an archaeologist. Infinity, this is Kilroy March, captain of the Copernicus. He has just arrived."
"Oh. Are you from Earth?" she asked.
"Yes, I am."
"You're a long way from home, Captain March."
"Call me Kilroy, please."
"All right. I've made a discovery, but that can wait. I want to hear all about Earth. I've never been there, you know. I'm a second-generation colonist. My father, Dr. Thor Armstrong, was on the first mission over 300 years ago. He was the ship's doctor. He still practices occasionally, but he's mostly retired now."
"May I inquire about your mother?"
Infinity stiffened noticeably. "I haven't seen her since I was a little girl. She and my father didn't get along. She didn't come with us on the mission."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Kilroy replied.
"It's okay."
"So, what did you discover?" Hamlet asked.
"Recently, I entered the mines with a native guide, and we found the ruins of a city predating the mine tunnels, which have been around for nearly a thousand years. I've gotten the Mitzelgranians' permission to start a dig in an abandoned section of the mines, but I will need some assistance. I was hoping that you and your brother would be willing to help," Infinity explained.
"Certainly," he replied. "It would be a grand adventure. What do you think, Horatio?"
"For once, I agree. When do you want to get started, Infinity?"
"As soon as possible."
"I can help," Kilroy said.
"The dig could take weeks. Can you stay that long?" she asked.
Kilroy thought it over. It wasn't as if he was on a tight schedule. He'd simply been mapping the region of space, hoping to find something exciting to bring home. Well, something exciting had just bit him in the nose, so to speak. He was here, and he might as well make the most of it.
"Sure," he replied. "I'm an explorer and trader by profession. I might as well explore."
"We can start in two days. I just need to procure some supplies."
"Great," Hamlet said. "We'll see you soon, then."
As Infinity left, they entered the house.
* * * * *
The Galaxius' home was decorated with various replicas of famous artwork, mostly by Van Gogh and Rembrandt. A few light sculptures by a local hologram artist, Jewel Silverstar, lit up what would otherwise be very dark corners. One was of an ancient rocket being launched from Earth. Another was of a local plant called dragon's tongue, named for its bright red and gold stalks that resembled a long, forked tongue surrounded by flames. The eclectic art blended together to create a stunning visual effect.
"Mother," Horatio called. "We have a visitor."
Dominia stepped out of the bedroom. She hadn't gone to bed yet, but she was wearing a long, silk gown and a robe. "Who is here at this hour?"
"This is Kilroy March, captain of the Copernicus. He landed here to refuel. Hamlet and I found him wandering around outside. He has nowhere else to stay."
"All right. Captain March, you may have the spare room for now. How long do you plan to stay?"
"Not long, Ma'am," he replied.
She nodded.
"Also, we ran into Infinity Armstrong on the way home. She found some ancient ruins below the mines and needs help exploring them. We all agreed to assist her. We plan to leave the day after tomorrow."
"So soon?"
Hamlet nodded. "It'll just be for a few weeks, Mother. It won't be that long."
"All right. I suppose I don't have to tell you to be careful down there. There's been rumors of things living deep in the mines, things that the natives won't even deal with because they're too nasty. I've heard tales of rock monsters that can camouflage themselves, so you don't even notice they're breathing down your neck until it's far too late. I've also heard about poisonous fungi, giant bats that drain a person of blood, and all sorts of inhuman creatures. You may want to take your father's old laser pistol."
"Excellent idea. Well, I guess I'll show Kilroy to his room. Good night, Mother."
"Good night," she replied and went back into the bedroom.
Kilroy found his bed to be very comfortable, even though he had strange dreams about falling in the darkness. When he woke the next morning, he couldn't remember any of them.
* * * * *
The next morning, Kilroy met Cosmo at breakfast. The older man seemed unusually sharp. A cup of steaming hot liquid that gave off a sickly sweet smell was in front of his plate. Noticing that Kilroy was eyeing the mug, Cosmo pointed to it.
"That's my memory soup. I invented it to cure the mental fog that comes with living here. It only works for a little while. Say, I'm almost out of ingredients. Would you mind looking for them, if you have a chance?"
"Uh…" he wasn't sure how to respond. "What exactly are the ingredients?"
"Don't trouble yourself," Dominia interrupted. "Hamlet and Horatio can find them. They know exactly where to look."
"Well, perhaps Kilroy could come with us," Horatio suggested. "Would you like to? It would give you a chance to see a bit more of the area, before we have to go underground."
"Sure."
"Wonderful," Cosmo exclaimed. "Now, the things you need to look for include ethereal mist, a spiceweed, a blackroot, two handfuls of greenberries, two dragon's tongue stems, a handful of starflower petals and three spiderblossoms."
"What's ethereal mist?"
"It's fog so concentrated that you can actually contain it in a bottle. Ethereal mist has certain chemical properties which make it a very useful catalyst. You can get it from the swamps," Hamlet explained.
After finishing breakfast, the twins started their all-terrain vehicles. Kilroy rode behind Horatio. The weather report said that there was a strong chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon, so they had to gather the memory soup components before then.
* * * * *
