IN NATURA: a science fiction novel (ARZAT SERIES Book 2) by David Samuel Frazier

to two points on the exposed internals of the lock. Lights immediately began to flash.
      “Excellent,” Tom said, backing away. “That—just in itself—is a pure miracle,” he added, pointing at the lights.
      “Now all we need are the codes,” Alex said.
      Tom’s face fell. “Shit, Alex. I have no idea what I did with them! I remember Batter giving them to me, but . . .”
      “Tom, didn’t you build this friggin place?” Alex said, frustrated again.
      “Yes, Alex,” Tom replied, wearily, “but even I wasn’t privy to all of the codes. I doubt if I’d remember them if I were. Batter gave me a piece of paper when we left Nevada. That might have had the codes on it. Hell, now that I think about it, I probably left them in the helicopter.”
      “Pilot Tom?” Ara asked.
      “Yes, Ara?”
      “Did you look at these ‘codes’ that the human Batter gave you?”
      “What do you mean?”
      “I’m sorry. Did you look at the . . . paper? Did you . . . study it?
      Tom thought for a moment. “I think I probably glanced at them Ara—but I don’t remember what they were. I was more focused on getting that copter in the air. There were several. One was for the main doors. Some were probably for the exits. There were a bunch of them. Why?”
      Ara looked over at Alex. She knew how much Alex frowned upon mind reading.
      “With your permission, Tom, perhaps I can look into your mind for the answer.”
      “That’s fine Ara,” Tom said doubtfully, “but I swear, I really have no recollection of what was on that paper.”
      “Might as well let her try, Tom,” Alex said, looking into the female Arzat’s eyes.
      Alex was aware that anything Tom had ever done in his life—including the most intimate details of their relationship—would probably be on full display to the female Arzat, but they needed to get the codes. She was way past amazed at the Arzats’ capabilities when they put their minds to something. Clearly, telepathy aside, their intelligence level was a least as high as any human’s if not higher. Had the K-T asteroid not wiped out their world, she shuddered to think about how advanced the Arzat civilization might have eventually become.
      “Okay, let’s give it a shot,” Tom said, shrugging his shoulders. “I guess anything would be better than having to try to dig our way out of here. What do I need to do?”
      Ara slowly approached Tom and looked directly into his eyes. She raised her hand slowly, as if asking permission, and placed it on the side of his head.
      “This will make it easier for me,” she said to him, gently applying pressure.
      Tom felt a tingling sensation in his head that was not unpleasant in the least.
      “What is this—this ‘thing’ in your mind you seek?” Ara asked Tom.
      “It was a note Batter handed me just before we left, Ara.”
      “I am sorry. Can you please describe this thing you call a ‘note’?”
      “A piece of paper with writing,” Tom said, using his hands to indicate size. He could see that the Arzat still looked confused. “White,” he added, “with words and numbers written on it. Really, Ara, I remember looking at it, but I don’t remember anything specific other than that.”
      “Ah,” Ara said, “then it will be there, Tom Pilot. The mind is an amazing thing. It holds much more than one would think. Most of our entire Arzat culture and history is carried only in our heads.” She closed her eyes and concentrated, flashing through Tom’s most recent memories.
      Eventually, she could see Tom walking across the black man-made desert and having a conversation with the human Batter just before he climbed into the giant flying machine that had brought the four of them to the ARC. Suddenly, she found what she had been searching for—a small white sheet with the curious language markings of the humans. The Pilot had been looking at it right before they had left the ground. Ara froze on that