The Ballroom of the Night Sky

Ximena danced among the stars, holding their outstretched limbs like hands and swirling to the rhythm of a hailstorm.

Just outside the square building, a mass of black fell from the sky. The building was constructed so the sound of the environment interacted with it. Slight curves of the building inside and out whistled somber tunes.

“Missing something?” Margaret asked. Ximena smiled, and the solid mask on her face lit up around the edges.

“No, just enjoying the atmosphere.” Ximena smiled. A perfect tinkle of chimes escaped Margaret’s mouth, and she lit up from the inside out.

Ximena focused again on the dance, pulling Margaret’s arm one way, then turning her upside down in a quick maneuver. For a moment Ximena missed which of Margaret’s five arms were the top one but recovered in a snap. She led her away from another star drifting close. They weaved through the other stars, ever conscious of what might happen if they collided.

The ballroom was an open space, only a few stars gliding around. They kept distance from each other but never drifted too far, lest they be considered rude.

A balcony was set above the dance floor, and from the corner of her eye Ximena could see tall figures in black. Unlike their five-armed relatives, these figures took the shape of a humanoid form with a metal exterior. In the middle of their chests were two spinning black masses, soon-to-collide black holes reined in by mechanical bodies.

“Will your relatives be joining on the diplomatic mission?” Ximena slowed the dance, pulling Margaret ever so slightly closer. She wasn’t sure how well the stars could hear, but she didn’t mind discretion regardless. For a moment the hem of her dress nearly brushed Margaret.

“Terrance and Abu are curious. We invited them.”

“Our planet does not have the technology to stop the destruction a black hole might cause.”

Margaret made a little squeak and lifted Ximena up, her feet dangling. Margaret let out a forced laugh, and the light reflected off the many chandeliers, causing a show of colors to dance along the dance floor.

Oohs and aahs could be heard in the open space. In a whisper,

“Ximena, that was very rude of you. Our neighbors must be treated with courtesy. It’s not their fault they explode.” The whole time she was saying this Ximena was pulled by Margaret’s gravity, feeling as If she was falling down the whole time.

Ximena scoffed inwardly but kept her mouth shut. She’d have to find another way to convince the black holes they didn’t really want to visit Earth.

Silence ensued, and Ximena focused on the dance. She’d rehearsed it with Margaret before, but now she was distracted. She couldn’t afford to look rude again. Even Margaret had a limit.

The hailstorm paused, the cacophony coming to a gentle close. The pounding on the roof of the building subsided, and some stars took the opportunity to rest, others lingering on the dance floor, savoring the attention.

“You’re free to go where you please now, Ximena. Enjoy the dance.” Margaret drifted towards the dance floor and faced another star. They bowed to each other, their top arm coming close to the other, barely missing.

The gentle flow of hail was a somber tone to the night. A light tune lifted into the air; this produced not from the environment but from a few stars singing a song. For a moment Ximena was entranced. It reminded her of nights at home with her father. The sound was like the silence she’d heard back when they’d star gaze. They’d speak their dreams into it and her father would tell her he always wanted to learn what it’d be like to dance in space.

High notes deepened to a lower hum, and the sharp whistling of wind around the building elevated the song into a soothing beat.

“Who are you?” Ximena looked down to see a small stone figure at about her knee. Atop a round face was a crown of amber stones that lit up with a bright red glow. “My mother told me only the stars were going to be here. You’re ruining my party.”

“Young lady!” A figure pulled at the child’s arm, another rock alien entirely made of stone. “My apologies for the rudeness.” The figure bowed, and Ximena noted the blue jewels crowning her head, flashing different shades of blue. “My name is Woo. This is Young. A pleasure to meet you.” A blocky smile contorted to form a smile. Ximena removed her mask and smiled back.

“A pleasure to meet you too. I am Ximena, an unexpected guest.” Woo’s face cringed slightly at the sight of her, and Young just stared, mouth agape. It turned out rock aliens did not have tongues. “Do you know where the steps to the balcony are?”

“Yes. Yes, they’re over there. By the hall there. That way.” Ximena thanked her and ascended the steps.

To call them steps was a compliment. Stars floated, and the steps were merely a slippery upward slope. The rock aliens would have no problem ascending them as their feet were coarse, and apparently the terrain on their planet was covered in moss.

She pressed a spot on her dress, and it contorted around her figure into the familiar space suit, more practical for climbing.

Ximena was glad none of the other cadets could see her struggle her way up the stairs, arms clinging to the rail along the wall.

None the less she made it upstairs.

Waiting for her at the top was a dark alcove. Large tables with only a handful of sparse chairs decorated the space. In one of the chairs sat one of the black holes, in its hand a small glowing trinket that hissed as it flipped.

The other black hole was leaning against the railing, watching the stars beneath.

“What do you want? Here to join the show?” The black hole at the rail said. Ximena made her way over, placing the mask again on her face. She was supposed to look them in the face, as it was a light grid similar to hers, but her eye kept being drawn to the rim of red surrounding its two black hearts. “What do you see? The dance should be picking up by now.”

“I see stars moving to a slow rhythm. They may be taking their time.”

“We call ourselves Terrance, and you? Yes, we’re Terrance, tell me your name.”

“Nice to meet you, Terrance. I’m Ximena.” A harsher rattling sound came from behind them. Ximena ignored it. “They’re enjoying themselves. Doing what stars do best. Dancing. Doing what one does best is good is it not?”

Silence. Terrance’s faced her, a slight whirring sound escaping its neck as it turned to face her. A small pulse of light from the face grid. Contemplation.

Ximena displayed back patience, a colorful dash of lights that faded away slowly.

“You communicate as the stars do. Stars communicate with light as you do. How did you learn it? Who taught it to you?”

“I thought you’d be aware. News of stars inviting a human into their midst has been news for a while now. But we learned it from them. Took us a while though. But here we are.”

“Our joining was a while ago. It’s been ages since we crashed.”

“Then you don’t have long, do you?”

“Leave Terrance alone. Terrance is best left alone. That one is a dreamer. Lost in its head.” A tinny, staticky voice from behind. Ximena turned to see Abu had appeared right behind them. A chill went down her spine.

Abu was slightly taller than Terrance, though they both stood two feet taller than her. Upon closer inspection she could see their frames were painted in black suits. Abu’s model was older though, as it bore chips of paint and spots that spoke to unforeseen sandstorms.

“Terrance hasn’t learned yet what it is to be on your last hour of life. Still caught up in its head with destiny. Better to leave it to itself. It’s a courtesy to leave it alone, and we still remember how to be polite.”

“I would say it’s quite rude to go eating other planets is it not?” Ximena was tired of this discussion.

Terrance and Abu both faced her, masks a dull black. No color or light at all. For a moment Ximena wondered if it was possible for them to lose control of themselves and swallow bits of the universe before their time was due.

Then Abu’s face lit up in bright colors at the edges.

“You’re to the point, you get it. Being to the point is admirable, I like it. We’re not so stuffy as the stars. We’ve learned to let rules slide. I intend to enjoy myself as much as I can before I go. I also intend to enjoy myself, it’s why we work so well.”

“Think about the other black holes. They’ll never learn what earth was like if you eat it. What will you leave to them then?”

“She’s right Abu,” Terrance turned towards its companion. “She makes a point Abu. We didn’t have to come. You pressured us into coming.”

“Don’t blame me, coward,” Abu shoved a finger just above Terrance’s chest. “Take a little responsibility. If you want to perish in the void fine, but we will perish with a scene in front of us. You can dive into the abyss for all I care, but we will explore till our last moments. We’re gone as soon as this storm dies down.”

For a moment their gazes locked, frozen in place. The black masses in their chest spun vigorously, and Ximena found if she looked for too long she became light-headed. Abu scoffed and walked back to the chair, taking up the glowing object. Upon a good look Ximena, found it to be a small hourglass Abu kept spinning. It had dimmed considerably since she entered. The black hole was on its last day. There was still enough time for it to arrive at earth, though.

Terrance turned back towards the balcony.

“The dance has picked up. The pace finally picked up.” Terrance faced Ximena, a pulsing light pattern on its face. “Would you care to dance? Would you like to join the foray?” Ximena politely smiled and nodded yes. She took its outstretched hand, and they began towards the dance floor. She was already thinking of the next tactic she’d prepared.

Her stomach dropped at the sight of the stairs. She’d have to climb down, but she couldn’t let go of its hand lest she offend.

Before she knew it a force swept her beneath her legs. She let out a yelp and almost grabbed its arm to yank it down in a scramble until she realized what happened.

A rush of air threw her hair back as Terrance took a leap to the bottom of the steps with a crash. Metal met floor and yelps arose from some of the rock creatures, a crumbling sound that accentuated the drama. Terrance gently set her feet down first, then let her stand on her own.

“That was very impolite of you,” Ximena barked.

“Yes, well I’m not a star anymore, am I? Yes, but it was good fun.” A zig zag of light across its face. A tease.

Ximena couldn’t help but scoff out a small laugh. She pressed a button on the suit, and her purple dress morphed around her. It flowed with her steps, and to say the entire dance floor stopped to watch their arrival was no exaggeration. Stars stepped out of the way as they entered the space. The hailstorm outside was a harsh beat, additional rain adding a slight hiss.

Terrance assumed a lead position and she followed. Ximena was relieved as she knew this form of dance better. Their hands entwined, and Ximena felt rough grooves in its fingers where joints bent. As they danced, she came ever so close to the masses of black in its chest but didn’t feel herself pulled in its gravity.

Instead, she found Terrance was actually a good dancer.

It led with a gentle touch, though remnants of old habits came through. It’d pull her close, then immediately send her away again in a swirl or backstep. The constant rhythm of the hailstorm again slowed, and it had no choice but to pull her close and swirl with the tune.

“You’ve practiced in this metal body then?” Ximena said.

“We’ve been a black hole for a while now. It’s been ages since we were stars.” Ximena considered, then decided to take a chance.

“How did you become a black hole?” Terrance missed a beat. Ximena felt herself jerked to the side but recovered. Terrance kept on.

“Brash, as expected. Bold, something refreshing.” The stars around them became muted. No whispering like before. Whether they could admit it or not the stars were all curious. "We were a pair. A part of the same constellation. Since we were born, we’d been side by side. I remember the first time we played with each other as children. The first time I left her was to work for another constellation as an interpreter. He left and I took up the study of medicine.”

It paused, “We spent a lifetime apart. Then our lifespans ended and we decided there was only one way to get back the time we lost. Become, become something dreadful. We touched, and became a black hole. One creature, but still separate, doomed to one day fully collide destroying each other. Sentenced to die out slowly and apart from the rest of the stars but together.”

The hailstorm outside completely stilled. The dance floor became frozen.

A loud voice over the speaker.

“The storm has ended. The ship will depart. All guests must leave for their ships. Stars, remain onboard.”

Ximena leaned in close to Terrance.

“Then you understand what it’s like to need time to say goodbye properly. Please. Don’t let Abu near planet Earth. We only need a little bit more time to learn how to defend ourselves. Because if it decides it doesn’t want to leave, we’re doomed.”

For a moment Ximena’s training failed her. She looked for some kind of emotion, a sense of agreement. But all she saw was a blank mask and spinning black spheres in a robot’s chest.

A hand pulled Terrance away.

“Time to go Terrance. We must be leaving now, companion.” Abu pulled them away towards their ship.

As Ximena left the star’s ship, her suit contorted again to a space suit.

She was the last one out and her ship was just outside. As soon as she’d stepped off, the building morphed. Swirling edges and windowpanes liquified then solidified to become a sleek spaceship. It lifted silently, then shot into the sky. She scanned the horizon for the black hole’s ship. It was far away but hadn’t departed yet. She didn’t have time to ensure it never left the planet.

A rumbling echoed through the barren surface of the planet, an indication of another hailstorm. She rushed onto her ship.

A grey speck amidst a black canvas was all she could see once she’d left orbit. It’d take three days for her to reach earth again, and the black holes only a day.

She was left in space waiting and watching stars from a distance. Now their twinkling felt mocking. She felt drawn to watch the grey rock she’d left instead.

Then the impossible happened.

The rock exploded in a bright flash of red. It dimmed then brighten so bright she couldn’t look. When her gaze returned the planet was gone, only a single black hole left where it used to be.