The contrast between the dusty darkness of Deck Zero and the interior of Alani’s Sun Chamber was like stepping through a Jump Gate on a world locked in ice to an ocean world of warm tropic islands. Jack had smelled the rich scent of orange blossoms long before they reached the Sun Chamber, but now inside the chamber, the air was so thick with the scent it made breathing difficult. "The air..." choked Jack, coughing. Alani flipped a switch on the wall next to the door. The sound of fans came on and Jack could feel a breeze clearing the chamber. "Sorry, I'm used to it and forget to turn the fans on." There were Sun Chambers recessed into the walls of the main corridors all throughout the ship, and Jack had seen the inside of many of them as botanists worked diligently to keep every Sun Tree healthy, but this Sun Chamber was unlike any of the lesser Sun Trees. The trees up on the living and working decks of the ship were intentionally kept small so they would not outgrow their chambers, but the tree Jack was now looking at had never known such restrictions. The tree was a wild thing, thick with Sun leaves that glowed with bright yellows and oranges, and the branches bent under the weight of Sun Seeds ready to be harvested. The Sun Chamber structure itself was a column of burnished gold, wide at the bottom, tapering slightly in the middle, and flaring out at the top. The column rose all the way to the ceiling of Deck Zero, several hundred feet above. Jack had mistaken the column for one of the massive support columns that held the RS-40’s engines. “I supply 20% of the oxygen on Deck Zero,” said Alani, leaning against her tree in a pose that rightly showed her pride for the beauty of the tree. “Grandfather supplies 40%, and two of my brothers are up towards the bow producing the remainder.” Jack shook his head in amazement. “There’s 1,360 square miles of open deck down here, how can four trees provide enough air?” “There’s only sixty people on the Survey Teams down here, and even then they’re only here a few hours a day,” explained Alani. “That’s not much consumption, so it’s easy to maintain the correct oxygen level. We often have excess that is transferred either into storage, or to the upper decks.” Jack nodded as he walked around the base of Alani’s tree. “That makes sense.” “There’s thousands of trees on each of the upper decks,” added Alani. Jack laughed. “Your room is bigger than a hundred of mine.” “Most of it is machinery to move the air where it needs to go.” Alani went to a panel of storage drawers in the wall and pushed a button. The drawer slid open and she lifted out a plain gold and red locket on a chain. She inspected the seed inside before holding it out to Jack. “Here’s your Life Seed.” Jack walked over and took the locket. “Do I have to do anything special?” Alani shook her head. “No, just never take it off. The more you wear it, the better it will adjust to your breathing patterns.” Jack slipped the locket over his head. “I feel a breeze.” “It will slow down once it gets used to how much air you use,” said Alani. “It will also adjust for thinner atmospheres and provide you enough air to survive. If we ever have a hull breech and start venting atmosphere, stick the locket in your mouth and breathe like you would through a breathing tube.” “I heard it can increase your life span,” said Jack. Alani shrugged. “That varies from person to person, but really it just helps you stay healthy by making sure you’re always breathing toxin-free air. But don’t push it, you can’t walk through a methane cloud or anything, you’d still need a spacesuit for that. Basically, think of it as your oxygen life-vest.” Jack dropped the locket under his shirt. “Thanks, I was starting to get mad because they wouldn’t give us one.” “I’m sorry about that,” said Alani. “Some people don’t want you guys on the ship, but it’s not up to me to judge. My job as a Sunth is to provide air for everyone. I won’t deny anyone on the ship the air they need to live.” Jack turned back to the tree. “So, is it weird having two bodies?” Alani closed the locket drawer. “I’m the fourteenth generation of genetic clones, so most of the bugs are worked out by now, but I don’t have two bodies, I only have this one. We developed the idea from a species that can separate into two independent bodies, then come back together. But, we couldn’t replicate it, so I’m physically permanently separated from my tree, but with a deep neural connection. My tree can act independently when it needs to, but it only has a rudimentary intelligence. Basically, I’m a hybrid divergent species from a true Sunth.” “I thought the term ‘Great Tree’ meant old tree,” said Jack. “It originally meant, Wise Tree, but the meaning shifted after we started the genetic cloning program. Now it means a Sunth that has a biological body instead of a tree body. There is a small group of Sunth purists that are seriously against the program.” Jack reached out and touched one of the leaves on the tree. He felt a little shock and snatched his hand back. “Yeah, I can understand that, there are Aedens that are against the bio-mechanical augmentation program. Technically, I’m an Aeden cross species-hybrid. I have bio-mechanical augments, and Atan blood in me.” “As far as we know, the Atan refugees the Aedens took in are the last surviving Atans,” said Alani. “I know a lot of Atans,” said Jack. “Some think there has to be more surviving Atans somewhere.” “I hope so,” said Alani. “They were the teachers of the universe.” “Yeah, my teaching A.I. was programmed by the Atans.” Jack walked around the tree again. “Hey, where do you sleep?” “My room is up on the third level,” said Alani. “Do you want to see something cool?” Jack shrugged. “Sure.” Jack followed Alani up an ornate wrought iron stair that wound up and around the interior of the Sun Chamber. Jack ran his hand along the banister that was made to look like a tree branch with leaves. The next level was an observation level to see outside through the ship’s external cameras. There were four alcoves with a comfortable looking settees at each of the alcoves. Each settee was covered with pillows and stuffed animals. “I’ve been there, that’s the starboard side” said Jack pointing. “This is really cool.” Alani bounced onto the port settee, and caused a cascade of stuffed animals to fall on the floor. “I like this one because it’s where the sun rises.” Jack walked around the observation deck, looking out each of the windows. He noticed posters had been hung on the walls. He stopped at a large poster-photo of himself in his Survey Team uniform with the words ‘Jack Aestar - Boy Explorer – Hero of the RS-40’ emblazoned in bold print at the top of the poster. The poster had been included in last month’s Teen Ruk Magazine. Alani ran over and stood between Jack and the poster. Jack squinted an eye at Alani. “Really, you’re a fan?” “Oh grow up,” said Alani. “You’re the only tween star on the RS-40, and I’m loyal to my ship, so don’t go getting a big head. Should I put up a poster of Takto-ne of the RS-70? Gah, I hate his music.” Jack shrugged. “The magazine editor told me I have a responsibility to be an example for other kids and blah blah blah.” Jack held his hand out to Alani. “What?” “I can see the marker you’re hiding in your hand.” Alani turned red and grinned, then handed the marker to Jack as she stepped aside. Jack signed the poster. ‘To my good friend, Alani.’ Alani blushed again. “How can you be such a jerk in one breath, and so cool in the next?” Jack shrugged. “It’s a talent.” “I can see inside your head,” said Alani. “Why do you want to go back to a place that’s treated you so bad?” Jack sighed. “I can’t let them beat me.” Alani was silent for a moment before replying. “Okay, I guess I can understand that. I know where the Atan artifact is at, I’ll take you. Will you help me rescue the Sunth on Aeden?” “Of course, and if I decide not to come back, I’ll give you back the Life Seed.” Alani shook her head. “You can keep it for helping me. Come on, I’ll show you where the artifact is.” The two headed back down the stairs. “By the way, get out of my head,” said Jack. “Luca called his Teddy Bear, Mr. Buckles,” said Alani. “Yeah, so?” “You called yours, Cat.” “I thought it was a cat, but everyone kept saying, ‘That’s your A.I.’, but I thought they were saying, Aya, so that’s what I started calling her.” “Aww…. I see a memory of you when you were four. You had underpants with little tigers on them.” “That’s it!” said Jack. Alani squealed and took off at a run with Jack in close pursuit.