Science Fiction: Welcome to my Worlds

do the same—preferably on documents dealing with magic and the arcane, but nearly any subject would be of some interest. Patiently, she waited for Tellus to notice her.

“Yes, what is it boy?”

“Diokles sent me to help with the translations sir.”

Tellus raised his bushy brows. “You are familiar with Sumerian?”

“Yes sir.” She might be only nineteen but she had no doubt her gift with language would soon put her far ahead of most of those here.

Tellus gaze swept the pile available, pulled out one of the smaller volumes and handed it to her. A quick glance showed her it was a book of children’s stories. Certainly not what she would have chosen, but it was a place to start. She settled into an empty desk by the doorway and began immediately writing the Greek version into a blank codex that had been provided. Intermediate notes would not be required for this. She settled into a routine of the translation and could not keep the smile from her face. She was home.

She was so deeply engrossed in transforming the Sumerian tales to her native Greek that she didn’t hear the heavy footfalls in the corridor until it was too late. A Roman soldier entered the room, his arms bigger around than her thighs and his eyes cold and contemptuous. He pulled a dagger from his belt and drove it through Calixta’s arm, pinning her to the