The Cartographer Read Online Free PDF Page A

voyage'?” My voice cracked as I rapid-fired questions at him.
    “Remain calm, Nathan,” Calypso replied calmly. “I am sure Satou explained the issues in returning you to the planet at this time. Earth is not prepared for that yet.”
    The mysterious statement caught me off guard and caused my anger to roll away like a tumbleweed. “What the heck does that mean?”
    He grabbed my elbow gently. “I assure you all will be explained in time. In fact, I have had Satou set you up with your own private quarters for the journey. I am sure you will find the accommodations to your liking.”
    I followed him down the hall and decided to hold my questions for later. Satou was standing outside a metallic door with two decorative metal bars forming an X across the front. When he saw us he turned and pressed a button on the wall panel, causing the door to slide open from the middle, like a mouth ready to swallow us whole.
    “I put this room together from intelligence gathered on Earth so I hope you like it,” Satou said. “If we missed anything, please speak up.”
    I entered, and my mouth dropped open when I realized I looked upon my bedroom back on Earth. The television stood in the northeast corner of the room with an Xbox attached to it. My bed along the far wall (with the same bed sheets) and my computer desk, complete with a laptop, sat in the southeast corner. Everything started to blur when tears of homesickness rimmed in my eyes and the reality of it all hit me—I was never going to see home again. Sam would forever be alone in his adventures and neither he nor my parents would ever understand what happened to me. God only knew what the news reports said right now about my disappearance. Remote cave eats teenager, news at 11.
    “It is tough, Nathan, to be taken from your home and thrown in the middle of the unknown,” Satou sympathized. “We are here for you, whether you believe that or not.”
    I sat at the makeshift computer desk and placed my hand over my stomach. I could feel it rumbling and suddenly remembered that it had been some time since I ate anything.
    “Well, for starters, I haven't eaten in a while. Is there any way you could get me a cheeseburger or something?”
    “I am afraid I don't know what a cheeseburger is, but let me show you how you can feed yourself from this room.”
    Satou walked over to the west wall where stood a metallic box similar to the one that popped out a soda earlier. He pushed a button that had a picture of a sandwich and typed in the word Cheez Berger . The machine hummed for a minute before a red flashing ERROR message splashed across the digital screen. He scratched his head and looked at me, perplexed.
    “Um, you spelled it wrong,” I chuckled. I moved around him and typed in cheeseburger and the door slid open. Out popped a cheeseburger on a red plate with fresh steam wafting from it.
    “This machine is called a Sustanant,” Satou beamed. “It is one of Caelum's greatest engineered products. It has the ability to transform any organic waste product and re-engineer it into an edible food product. I programmed this machine to include most delicacies on Earth.”
    “Are you trying to tell me that this cheeseburger is made from poop?” I grimaced and slid the plate away.
    Satou frowned. “No, not really. Try it, I guarantee you will like it.”
    I didn't move toward the burger. I continued to scowl at it like it was a moldy piece of bread weeping raw sewage.
    “How about I make you a deal?” Satou asked. “If it tastes like some kind of waste product, I will resign my position as ship's Engineer and request that Calypso promote you in my place.”
    I narrowed my eyes, lifted the burger to my lips and willed myself to take a bite and overcome my doubts. It smelled like a cheeseburger, but I wasn't sure if they used some sort of alien odor eater or some contraption to make it endearing to unsuspecting humans. Despite my reservations, my hunger overwhelmed me and I took