Atomic Star
by David Baresch
An atomic fright, an inferno’s might, radioactive bursts race to the
sky, here the fury of a nuclear star, here a world of atomic power - it
blisters, it blazes, it festers bright, an orb of gold, a ball of
light, burning wild, and giving fight against the ever, ever, night.
And toxins spray, they billow and twist, they reach for the stars in
fountains arrayed. Particles punch, gravity’s breached, protons break
free - they stream away.
And a nuclear surge hurtles forth, wave after wave of light soars, and
a mass of death nears the world, filling the night with auroras’ bright
- this a blizzard to torch, this a blizzard to scorch, this a blizzard
to waste the lands into seas of desert sands.
But high in the skies a barrier is met, an invisible cloak deflects the
threat, the onslaught hits, the storm splits, and nuclear hail spirals
away, it radiates out, lost in space, and an atomic flash slowly fades.
And far below the world awakes, unaware of the raid, unaware of being
saved, and unaware of a shield, an ultra-violet shield - its name the
ozone layer.
But in that early dawn, how did this halo form, how did it shroud a
world defying nuclear fall?
Well… there is a story, and it is just a story, and it goes something
like this…
2
Long, long, ago, in the blackest voids of space, a desert world turned
in storms of toxic rain - here nothing thrived, here nothing survived,
no ozone layer shielded, and rolling ball of hell writhed.
Then one day, on a solar coast, a tiny object glowed, it shone angelic
gold, and closed in, nearer and nearer, and reached the arid world.
And soon a machine of ocean size passed over the world’s sky, casting a
shadow, vast and wide, eclipsing the morning’s rise.
The vehicle droned, its engines slowed, it flowed to a gentle halt, and
like a great tectonic plate it dimmed the light below.
And within the craft a crew sailed, a crew of a thousand-and-one,
curiosity prevailed, visuals were hailed, and there below the
travellers saw a barren lifeless globe.
Unknown to the world this wondrous sight had come from a far-off time,
this floating disc, its elegant drift, it glided upon the solar tides,
it sought new life, it sought new worlds, it sought new ways untold,
and it bore a name, a famed name, this the star-craft ‘Tranquility…’
3
Mission Tranquility
“The Universe, a vast ocean of discovery, these are the data files
of the SC Tranquility, its mission - Project Progress - to seek out
alien enhancements, to learn new and improved ways of thought, to offer
peace and goodwill to all encountered, and to help life progress as it
has never progressed before!”
4
“Quartz,” said the craft’s Captain, JK Tiberius, sat in the command
seat of the Tranquility, “what data are you getting from that planet
below?”
Quartz looked into an array of dancing lights swirling on mists above
his breathing console, “The environment is hostile captain, the world
lacks natural defences.”
And nearby, the team of Flyers, guiding the giant machine, listened in.
"Elaborate."
“UV, sir,” answered Data Hologram Aer, “ultra-violet light, it’s
saturating the world’s terrain.”
Captain Tiberius sat up, a gleam of interest shot out of his eyes.
“What’s the rating on the UV scale?”
Multi-coloured of clouds information drifted around the Heart - the
flight control center - an anatomical-like veins within the hologram
lit up, electric blues, greens, and reds, glowed, and Aer keyed
searches and swiped at the ghostly data using silent but powerful sound
waves that emanated from her being.
“Surface UV exceeds 11, sir, established.”
"11? How bad is that?"
"Fatal, sir," said Officer Quartz.
"Devoid of life then?"
"Not quite, sir," said Aer. "I'm reading life-data."
“Life-data? What kind of life lives on a nuclear wasteland?”
“A very basic form…” said Quartz gazing into the luminous mists,
“…microbial life.”
“Microbes… and how can these microbes survive in that hell-fire, pray
tell?”
“Life exists on this planet only within the oceans sir,” said Aer,
“established.”
“Water density is acting as a barrier captain,” said Quartz.
“Established? Aer?”
“Aye-aye sir, established, the sea-based microbes are protected from
82.075% of the harmful rays.”
The Captain’s eyes flared - a challenge formed, “DH Aer,” he said,
“would land-life thrive on this world if it had an atmosphere?”
The hologram glowed and brightened, “it has the potential to sir. This
is a habitable zone.”
"Meaning it's not too far from its sun, yes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Quartz, can it be done?"
"Using known molecular engineering, there is a possibility."
“Numbers,” the Captain raised his voice, “DH Aer, state the possibility
of successful evolution.”
The machine pulsed, “There is a 31.7% chance of success sir,
established.”
"Quartz, how?"
“The molecules need to be redesigned to feed on radioactive sunlight
and to exhale oxygen as waste.”
“Photosynthesis, you mean photosynthesis, yes?”
“Yes sir, the oxygen waste from the microbes would pour into the
atmosphere increasing breathable levels. However, it would take eons
for land-life to evolve - and the evolution of intelligent life is no
more than a hope.”
"And an ozone layer?"
“A possibility Captain, an ozone barrier would reduce most of the
incinerating UV that is now striking the planet’s surface.”
"Aer, check for volcanic activity."
The hologram’s ‘veins,’ electrified in all the colours of the rainbow,
data fired throughout the machine, “established Captain, eruptions are
pumping water vapour skywards.”
"Water vapour...?"
“Approximately 95% of the volcanic emissions on the planet below read
water vapour, sir, hence the oceans.”
“Another plus,” said the Captain, “Aer, check plate tectonics, and
report.”
"Plate tectonics exist, Captain."
"Are they on the move?"
"Yes sir, established, sir."
“And tectonic fault lines act as drains for heavier toxic particles,
right?”
Yes Captain,” said Aer, “gravity brings the particles back down and
onto the terrain. Much of the poisonous volcanic emissions cascade
through the fault lines and are trapped within the planet’s crust.”
“Thus making a good possibility of a breathable atmosphere…”
“That’s the difference between this planet and the red planet, sir,”
said Quartz.
“You mean the last planet we passed?”
“Yes sir,” said Aer, “the fourth planet from this sun has no tectonic
plates. Underground pressures erupt from one massive volcano, so
poisonous gases do not drain away.”
“Exactly,” said Quartz, “on the sister planet deadly gases fill the
atmosphere leaving a fog of hostile air.”
The Captain paused and thought, “What would be the next step to give
this planet a nudge and a chance of becoming a home to land-life?”
“A molecular engineer would need to go down and into the ocean to
collect and alter microbes, sir.”
"Hmmm...and the surface is a deathbed."
"Sir."
“The Brigante - molecular transference - would it be possible
to throw a Line and sail molecules up from the seas and onto the
Tranquillity?”
“Minus zero,” said DH Aer, “the microbes minute size, the density of
the water, the disruptive effects of radiation, these would seriously
hamper any such attempt.”
“Right… right… and… Quartz, who is the chief molecular engineer
on-board?”
“That would be CME Cy Ano, Captain.”
“Chief Molecular Engineer Ano… hmm… Quartz… is it worth risking losing
officers just to kick-start life down there?”
“Captain, intelligent life produces genius, genius has the potential to
improve the lives of all, and genius has been known to come from the
most unlikely parts of our worlds.”
“Yes… you are right Quartz… I once remember studying about a brilliant
12-year-old African slave boy who discovered how to pollinate vanilla
orchids.”
“Yes indeed sir,” said Aer, “Edmond Albius, on the island of Reunion.”
“He was uneducated as such,” said Quartz, “but he succeeded where the
highly educated minds of the day had failed, genius from an uneducated
12-year old slave boy.”
The Captain nodded. “And the universe needs to keep producing genius.”
“Yes sir,” said Quartz, “and to keep learning and progressing.”
“To risk the lives of a few crewmembers may have far greater benefits
for the future than we can ever imagine,” mused the Captain.
“Yes,” said Quartz, “throughout our histories the few have given their
lives for the many.”
“Winston Churchill,” said Aer, ‘Never… was so much owed by so many
to so few,’.”
“Well, Tranquillity, we have a choice,” said the Captain, “do we fly on
and let this planet crumble or do we risk the few for a potential
greater good?”
“Captain,” said Quartz, “should CME Cy Ano agree to work on this
mission then I am prepared to accompany her onto the planet’s surface.”
The Captain turned aside, his eyes cast downwards, “Thank you…” he
weighed up the decision that he was about to make, to send two of his
officers onto a world awash with radiation, and if things go wrong…
“Go and talk to her Quartz, make sure that she understands the gravity
of such a mission and her right to decline.”
"Yes sir."
5
In her cabin, Cy Ano gathered her tools in nervous silence, her
thoughts had fallen to the greatest of depths and weighed heavily on
her, she had made a covenant, she would go onto the planet below, she
would attempt to give land-life a chance, but had she agreed to put an
end to her own life?
‘I’m a lab technician…’ she pondered, ‘this mission… the radiation… the
dangers… will the morning come… tomorrow… and to know that there is no
tomorrow… what does that feel like?’
Synapses flashed, the darkest of memories flared, the most unwanted of
stream of images sparked through Cy Ano’s neurons – a friend - her
smile - a friend who chose no tomorrow – Sakura – one who decided to
leave – Sakura – one who took a leap of horror.
In the edgy loneliness of a walled cabin, Cy Ano remembered - Sakura...
“…Final ascent,” the elevator announced, “Floor-36 - Sky Floor, enjoy
the views.”
The doors slid wide, Sakura stepped out, this her exit, here, a long
empty corridor lay before her, few had business at these heights.
Her eyes bulged, they darted from left and right, “Where…?” she
whispered, “The emergency exit…? Where…? There!”
She walked slowly forward, CCTV followed, and black, pointed,
high-heeled shoes clattered noisily.
The escape door, she stood before it – gray, wide, metallic – she
paused, looked down, second thoughts perhaps.
Her pale slim fingers, nails painted deep red, stroked the long silver
dust covered release bar with … ‘Should she…?’ she pushed.
Sakura forced the rod downwards, locks sprang free, iron bolts
hammered, buttresses struck, metallic screams raced out, she winced.
Echoes resounded, Sakura froze, echoes faded, echoes died, and quiet
returned.
‘Had anyone heard – listen - no, no one had heard.’
She exhaled, shouldered into the flimsy metal – resistance,
air-pressure – she pushed harder, the sheet of aluminium bowed and
popped open – stale air rushed.
Sakura coughed, spluttered, reached for her mouth, here a threshold
unused.
Cautiously, she palmed the door, it grated, opened wide, and an alien
dimension met her eyes.
The stairwell - sparse, hard, barren – here, the roar of silence
hissed, here a vacuum of nothingness pressed, here concrete reared most
ugly, ‘Crash!!!’
High-pitched sound waves pierced through Sakura’s skull, she cowered,
covered her ears, wave after wave screeched and thudded into the naked
walls.
‘It’s just the door, Sakura,’ said an inner voice, ‘a panel of
aluminium slamming shut, that’s all, it is nothing, walk on.’
She took the first rung, her pencil skirt restricted, a heel gave way,
she fell, clawed, hit the handrail, pain shot through her forearm,
tears filled her eyes.
“Why does nothing ever go right for me,” she asked herself, “why…?”
She forced the stiletto back into the shoe, clambered onto her feet,
tested the heel, and stepped onwards - struggle, life a struggle to the
very end.
The final stair, here stood the last physical barrier, a black wooden
door, shadowed, unwelcoming, a coffin lid in another life perhaps, she
pushed the rotting timber.
The door freed, wind snatched, the obstacle flew wide, it smashed into
the outside wall, rattling and pounding as an onslaught of elements
lashed.
Skylight rushed in, blinded, a gale tunnelled, her windpipe blocked,
outside a crow flared, screaming and twitching, talons spread, claws
pushed, and the hunter of corpses shrieked into the air – welcome to
the roof of the city.
Fear, cold, Sakura held her hands to her neck for warmth, hunched her
shoulders and battled on, this the riverbanks of her Rubicon.
And now there was just one more barrier to go, an organic one, could
she go through with this, could she stop the voices and torments that
grow in volume every tomorrow?
Memories of Sakura stormed like lightning through the skies of Cy Ano’s
cranium, she envisioned last steps of one that she loved, and feared
the coming hours when she too would feel death’s breath.
She left her cabin and neared the point of departure, the Dock. ‘A life
of air-conditioned laboratories,’ she thought, ‘staring into petri
dishes… but this assignment… a Rubicon.’
CME Cy Ano wished that today was tomorrow.
6
“Jet,” the Captain hailed the Chief Mechanic.
"Jet here, sir."
“Prepare the Brigante for two, Dr Quartz and CME Cy Ano are going down
to that planet, they’re on their way to you now.”
“Is that wise Captain?” Jet queried, “That world is awash with
radiation, it could disrupt the Brigante’s coordinates, there’s a
possibility that we might not be able to sail the officers back up to
the craft.”
“Both have been briefed, they are aware of the dangers, they have
accepted the mission, do what you can - oh, and bring them back safely
- that’s an order.”
The Chief Mechanic shook his head and sighed, “Aye, aye, captain, I’ll
meet them at the Dock.”
Quartz and Cy Ano entered the Mapping Room, here their molecular
structures were scanned, numbered, re-scanned, and triple scanned for
molecular reconstruction accuracy, the officers were going to sail,
their bodily cells would separate then stream at near speeds of light,
on the planet below the cells would be re-mapped and reassemble into
their original state.
“Quartz,” said First Medical Doctor Genna, “you’re taking a god dammed
risk sailing down and into that hotpot of radiation.”
“We’re following orders Doctor,” said Quartz.
“Orders...” said Genna, “orders to fry in hell?”
“Dr Genna,” the First Science Officer ignored, “do you have are the
anti-suits and medication prepared?”
“Yes, yes, everything’s ready, for what good it’ll do you,” and he
fired a beam into the two crew members’ eyes, “that’ll stop radiation
entering into the body too deeply, and the antis... they’ll give you
about 90% protection, radioactive particles are tiny, they pass through
most things, so get down there and get back up again ASAP, doctor’s
orders.”
“Chief Mechanic,” said Quartz, “we’ll need to land as near to the ocean
as possible, we need to get straight under the water to avoid high
toxic doses.”
“I’ll do what I can,” said CM Jet, “but the extreme atomic levels might
disrupt instruments… let’s hope...”
The two crew members entered into two tall slim tubes, Jet gave an
order, voice recognition activated.
A heavy droning filled the Dock, two beams of deep blue light
encompassed the officers, a pale inner-mist swirled, and seconds later,
as if by magic, both of the SC Tranquillity scientists had cast off and
disappeared.
On the planet below, two flashes of blue light flared, mapping
processed, and the crew members’ cells reassembled into their
biological forms.
The anti-suits burst into life, red lights flashed, alarms sounded,
“Danger, danger, fatal levels of radiation,” warnings voiced, “evacuate
this area immediately.”
Quartz depressed a button on his suit’s collar, “Jet, Jet, we’ve
materialised in a deep crater, it’s swamped with nuclear particles,
sail us out of here and onto the shore ASAP, over.”
"Repeat, repeat," said Jet.
“Jet, what’s going on,” Captain Tiberius hailed from the Heart.
“It’s the radiation sir, it’s interfering with the instruments.”
“Captain,” said First Hologram Aer, “I have contact, speakers on, sir.”
“Quartz, this is Tiberius, what’s going on down there, over?”
“We’re … deep crater sir, … need … sail out … area and quickly, o...”
“Comms are poor Quartz, Jet will get you out of there, hang on, out.”
“Jet,” shouted the Captain, “get the Brigante focused and sail them out
of that pit and on to the ocean’s edge.”
“I’ll do what I can sir, it’s the high radioac...”
"Do it and do it now! Out."
"Aye aye, Captain," Jet sighed.
7
An alien crater on a cursed planet - shadowed, silent, ominous, here
killing particles fall, stack, burn, here cliff faces tower, encircle,
imprison, here a den of certain death.
Through their visors the stranded crew members glanced at each other, a
seemingly crystal clear atmosphere surrounded them, an atmosphere that
held a massive question mark.
“I have lock-on,” Jet transmitted.
“Go Jet go,” yelled the Captain, and a Capture Line delved into the
crater.
“We see it,” cried Quartz and orange lights cascading from the stars
darted and flickered around the cavernous depth, “guide it Jet, guide
it.”
The lights drew together into two streams and fell on the crew members,
“Locked!” shouted Jet.
"Go!" shouted the captain.
And the two crew members began to fade from sight, the Brigante was
readying to set sail again, but radioactive particles had other ideas,
they swarmed and smashed into the Line, atoms ricocheted, the Line
dispersed and the ray of hope faded.
“Cast off aborted,” machine-life calmly announced.
Quartz and Cy Ano’s molecules were reset, alarms and red lights warned
again, and the two astronauts found themselves standing in the same
deep crater.
“Jet, what happened?” shouted the Captain.
“Radioactive interference sir…”
“Captain,” said Aer, “Dr Quartz’s location is near to the ocean,
someone needs to go down there, haul them out of that hole, and get
them underwater.”
“Conditions are too volatile FH.”
“Well… permission to be of assistance in the Dock sir.”
“Granted,” said the captain, “see what you can do.”
The Heart had fallen silent, Tranquillity’s engines throbbed, the
Flyers, the crew, and the commanding officer were all deep in thought,
their focus their two comrades, their friends.
“Hold the craft steady and in a geostationary orbit, right above the
two crewmembers,” ordered the Captain.
“Aye aye, sir.”
Digital timepieces flipped slowly, long minutes passed, “Jet,” the
Captain hailed the Chief Mechanic, “sail them up to the Tranquillity as
soon as you get lock-on, our mission here is aborted, forget about the
ocean, we don’t have the technology to undertake this kind of hope yet,
sail them straight back here.”
“Aye, aye, Captain, we’re working on it.”
“Captain,” said Flyer Smith, “a blue response is pulsing on Aer’s
console.”
“Check it out please Flyer.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” and Smith peered into the data, “sir, the Tranquillity
has lost weight.”
“Lost weight? Details Smith.”
“Readings say 35.75 tonnes disappeared 11 minutes ago.”
“Disappeared? Flyer Akerus, take full steer control, Smith, find out
what’s going on, and hail Aer, we need her back up here.”
8
The stranded crew members sat on sand covered rocks waiting, hoping, Cy
Ano gazed at the bright circle of skylight far above, how small she
felt, and the Tranquillity was up there too, somewhere, would Jet be
able to get a Line down to them, and if not... come tomorrow, what…?
…Sakura gazed up from the rooftop, ‘the sky, so vast, how small I am,
how unimportant I am, to others I am nothing.’
She walked slowly on that shivering, sodden, asphalt roof, a puddle,
she stepped aside - her Jimmy Choo’s unsoiled.
The inner-voices increased their volume, they rankled, urged,
protested, how to silence those tormenting voices?
The precipice – here she rested her palms, the stone damp, she leaned
forward, looked down – dizzying - could she go through with this?
Far, far, below vehicles glided over strips of tarmac - tarred canals
flowing through a valley of towers.
Crowds made their ways to-and-fro, carefully avoiding contact with one
another, they pounded the solid concrete slabs, ‘so many,’ she thought,
‘why had life made so many?’
She sat on the capstone, with care she swung her legs over the edge,
her feet dangled in empty space.
Gasping, she gripped onto the lip of the slimy bevelled-edge capstone
behind her - a shock of icy wind blasted, her hair whipped, it slapped
angrily across her face , the city heights, this, no place for a child
of the world.
Fear and radiation crippled Cy Ano’s thoughts, ‘to burn without fire,
to wither, to turn to dust, this, no place for a child of the world.
And in that blizzard of distress did Sakura take a last look out at
that great thronging metropolis, her home, a glory, ‘which light is
home?’
“Family, home,” the CME silently whispered, “which star is home?”
*****
“What are you thinking?” Quartz broke Cy Ano’s trance.
“Oh, er.. home, sir.”
"Me too."
“Perhaps that’s what we all think of in moments like this.”
“Yes, maybe.”
“Home,” Cy Ano said, “the farm, the horses, the quad-bikes, the
delivery drones – family - what are they doing now, what are they
thinking now?”
Quartz smiled, “agriculture, the countryside, did you study there?”
“Oh, no, no, sir, I studied in the city, there wasn’t any schooling in
the farmlands, I started out in anatomy and went on to microbiology.”
"And how was it?"
“It was tough but fun too and I made some good friends in the dorm.”
"Your own room?"
“No, ah… I roomed with another girl… Japanese… a friend sir… er,
Sakura.”
“Many fallings out?”
“No, not really, she was always pleasant, she loved gaining knowledge
and helping others, she taught me some Japanese phrases and I learnt a
few karate moves from her too, she was great to be with, we became
close during that time.”
“Oh, and do you still keep in touch?”
“No… I… she… she fell from a building...”
"No!"
“… just 25-years old sir, such a short and wasted life.”
“I’m sorry to… er, an accident?”
Cy Ano looked down and shook her head, “No… er… do you know what sakura
means sir?”
"No, I..."
"It means cherry blossom."
"A beautiful name."
"Yes, and perhaps foreboding too."
"Foreboding?"
“Yes sir, in springtime, in Japan, the winds are fierce, the blossom
blooms, its colour stuns, but within a few days it is ripped from the
trees and falls like snow, it hits the ground, carpets the streets, and
there it withers and dies.”
“Foreboding, Sakura, yes I… er… life ephemeral, as Japanese poetry
says.”
“I’m sorry sir, erm… this isn’t an appropriate time too...”
“No, no, not at all, not…”
“Oh, err, and… er, how about you sir? Where did you study?”
Quartz smiled hoping to lighten their predicament, “Well this place
here reminds me of my desert life. I trained in the desert before, have
you ever done that kind of training?”
“No sir, I’ve only been to the northern continents, the global weather
changes in the 60s drove us all to the far north and south… so, what’s
desert life like?”
“Well it’s a constant sweat in the day and temperatures plummet at
night, a coating of sand is always on your tongue, and it slides down
your throat.”
"Yuck!"
“The grains find their way into your ears, your nose, your boots,
everywhere, there’s no escape from it.”
“I don’t fancy that, sir.”
“Yes,” smiled Quartz, “it’s not the most pleasant of places.”
“What did you do there?”
“Mostly extreme terrain training and guard duty.”
“Guard duty, ahh, I’ve done that before and hated it, what’s it like in
the desert?”
“Well, we would lie-low, belly down, scanning the terrain, and mostly
things were incredibly still, quiet, and sleepy, the occasional breeze
would lift the top layer of sand and sends pale waves flowing across
the terrain.”
“Well that sounds romantic.”
“Not when it stings your eyes, and when you move you find that the sand
is entombing you, you have to haul yourself out of it.”
“I guess it’s almost without life there, yes?”
“Well, that’s an interesting question, I was once on guard duty, alone,
watching over a stretch of desert, it was hot and draining so I
squirmed deeper and deeper into the cooler ground, breezes blew,
top-sand streamed, and, almost hidden, I peered out at the lifeless
desert, then, a flicker of movement grabbed my attention.
A desert bug, coal black and glistening in the sunlight, stumbled by, I
watched it clamber over small ridges of sand that were sizable mounds
for the insect, as it traversed, its smooth black body titled this way
and that, and like a jeep struggling over dunes, but then…” Quartz
paused.
"But then sir...?"
“But then,” he said, “a sudden eruption of sand.”
“An eruption… what happened?”
“Yes, that is, err, was, the question, the eruption was small, about
half-a-meter in height, I looked on, the dust slowly settled, and the
bug had disappeared.”
“Was it a gunshot, sir?”
“No, it wasn’t a bullet, it was something else - something was there,
something invisible.”
"Invisible?"
“Well, almost, so I fixed my gaze on to that mysterious vanishing
point, about an hour of stillness passed and I continued to observe.”
“That’s the scientist in you sir.”
“Hmm…well… I watched, I waited, and then finally a fly landed about a
meter away from the point of detonation.
The insect explored, it turned from left to right, stopped, rubbed its
two front legs together, seemingly it searched.”
“Food perhaps?”
“Most likely, then the insect neared the vanishing point, I kept my
eyes wide, curiosity blazed, the fly edged nearer and nearer when,
splash, a spray of sand shot into the air, a trapdoor spider leapt out
from its underground lair, within a blur of time it had grabbed the
unsuspecting insect – vice-like.
"The fly bulged – stunned, it arched, its reactions slowed, and within
a second it had been dragged under the ground and into the horror of
the spider’s den.”
“Wow, if I’m reborn again as a desert creature I want to be a trapdoor
spider.”
“Reborn again?” Quartz gave a wry smile, “That’s just a few decades
away, but in the desert, and as a trapdoor spider, perhaps not.”
"Why not?"
“Well, my story isn’t finished. Breezes blew, the terrain smoothed,
drifting sands caked onto my sweat soaked skin, and the weight of
drowsiness provoked, but I resisted.
"Another hour of nothingness passed when a buzzing sound broke the
quiet, I looked up, a wasp, it hovered near to the trapdoor’s lair, I
awaited the next shock of nature.”
“Well, it certainly seemed to be a good day for the trapdoor.”
“Not quite, an amazing and unexpected scene was about to unfold before
me, the wasp hovered above the vanishing point but there was no flash
of sand, the trapdoor lay dormant, ‘Why didn’t it attack?’ I asked
myself.
"Then the wasp landed right on top of the lair, but nothing happened,
the spider’s lack of action intensified my interest.
"The wasp took to the air again and using its legs it began pulling at
the trapdoor, the spider resisted, but the wasp was the stronger, soon
the trapdoor had been dragged out and onto the desert floor, it kicked
wildly, sand flew, the wasp buzzed loudly and finally toppled the
spider onto its back.
"With great swiftness the winged insect landed on the spider’s belly,
held it down, and injected its sting deep into the trapdoor’s soft
undercarriage.
"The spider hammered its legs into the sides of the assailant, but to
no avail, the wasp stabbed with ferocity, venomous bursts flooded into
its victim.
"The spider’s struggle slowed, and soon all movement froze, but the
creature was not dead, merely paralysed.
"Then, to my shock, once the wasp had gained control, it proceeded to
lay grubs onto the still breathing arachnid, and on that dry desert
plane I witnessed a horror of nature.”
“What? Grubs? Why sir?”
“Soon the grubs would hatch, they would feed on spider meat for several
days, and the trapdoor was still alive, the meat fresh, the wasp had
given its offspring the best nutritional start to life, eating a live
spider.”
“Oh, that’s disgusting.”
“It is a system of nature, would you still opt for the life of…”
A sound, something moved, impossible, something struck, impossible, Cy
Ano screamed.
9
“Jet,” Captain Tiberius hailed the Chief Mechanic, “update, report.”
“The sun’s particles are playing havoc with the Brigante, Captain. We
might have more success when the sun goes down.”
“Jet, we need to pull them out of there ASAP. Do not think about
waiting for night to come.”
“Of course not sir.”
“Next update in 12-minutes and every 12-mimutes after that.”
"Sir."
“Captain,” said Flyer Smith, “data update.”
"Report, Flyer."
“The loss of weight is equivalent to that of an ark sir.”
“An ark… a shuttle craft… what the…? Smith, get down to the Quay and
check it out.”
“Aye, aye, sir.”
“And if you see Aer tell her get to back to her station, she’s needed
on the data.”
"Sir."
More lights flashed from the hologram’s console indicating activity on
the planet’s surface.
“What the hell is going on down there?” Captain Tiberius questioned to
no one.
All the Brigante’s attempts to secure a Line to the science officers
were failing, a sense of helplessness permeated the throughout the
Tranquillity, were two valuable crew members about to be lost?
10
“Snake!” Cy Ano screamed.
“No, a rope?” Quartz looked up, bright sunlight blinded his vision.
“Grab it,” shouted a voice speaking in perfect late 21st century
English, “climb up!”
A bemused Quartz and Cy Ano looked at each other, “Stay here, I’ll
check it out,” said Quartz.
“This isn’t the 2020s, sir, I’ll go first,” and Cy Ano grabbed the rope
her hope and strength renewed.
“I see, ladies first - the 2020s.”
*****
“Aer,” the Captain bellowed over the star-craft’s speakers, “get back
to the Heart now, your console is glowing with activity from that
planet below, we need the data read, get up here now!”
The commanding officer paused and took a breath, “Flyer Akerus, set the
flight path to automatic and see if you can you make anything of the
data.”
“Aye aye sir.”
Akerus stared into the mists of information, “I can make out two life
forms on the planet’s surface sir, and that’s it.”
“Thank you Flyer, stay with Aer’s console until she returns.”
Cy Ano clambered up, shadow gave way to intense light, someone gripped
her arm and hauled her onto the land.
Moments later Quartz appeared from the edge of the precipice, his
vision adjusted to the solar rays and there he saw two shadowy figures,
Cy Ano and Aer - behind them stood an ark.
“Established!” said Aer, and she momentarily faded and flickered as
vast amounts of radiation smashed into her light particles, “quickly,
into the ark, gamma-ray amour is activated, 81.7% protection.”
The two crew members ran, jumped into the craft, closed their eyes,
breathed sighs of relief, and sheltered and rested.
Aer shimmered, brightened, and darkened, clearly damaged by radioactive
exposure, “I’ll geeeet you back to the star craaaaft,” she said
awkwardly.
“No,” said Cy Ano, “get me to that ocean’s side.”
“Data indicates thaaaat the Captain has abandooooned thiiis mission,
plus you’ve allll-reee-dee been heavily exposed…”
“No, right now I have the chance to assist and create a new world, to
help new life evolve, that is far too great an opportunity to turn
down.”
“Goddess Cy Ano,” smiled Quartz.
“Sirrrr,” said Aer, “you are the commanding officer here, Iiiiii advise
that we follow the Captain’s instructions and leeeeave this planet
immediately, what are your orders siiir?”
Quartz looked down, thought for a second, and looked up again. “Let’s
fight the deluge on beaches good hologram.”
“Aye… aye-aye sir.”
“And maintain comms silence, I don’t want us to be sailed out of here
in the middle of potentially giving life to a planet.”
“Sir, established.”
*****
“Jet,” the Captain hailed the first mechanic, “anything in the way of
communications with the officers?”
“Ay Captain, well kind of…”
“Kind of…? Explain mechanic, what are you saying?”
“There was a burst of static and a rattle of voices but nothing that
the computers could make out.”
“Understood, keep trying.”
“Captain,” said Flyer Akerus.
“What is it?”
“Err, the life forms, Science Officer Quartz and Cy Ano, they’ve, um,
moved.”
“Moved! How moved? Details Flyer.”
“They are 5km from their previous location.”
“5km? Are the readings accurate, interference?”
"I..."
Flyer Smith burst into the Heart, “Sir, one of the arks left the
Quayside some 45-minutes ago.”
The Captain’s anger intensified, “what is going on here, and did you
tell Aer to return to her watch?”
"No, I..."
“No! Well go and get her and bring her up here right now, I want her on
that console!”
“Aye-aye sir,” and Smith hurried away.
*****
Quartz and Cy Ano raced towards the silver gleaming ocean that dazzled
in a rain of starlight, they dived into the powerful oncoming rollers
that crashed onto a seemingly endless shore, soon they were under the
water and out of reach of most of the deadly protons, their suit alarms
silenced, and they gazed at the alien under-world.
“Two life forms are in the sea Captain,” said Flyer Akerus.
“How did they do…?”
“Permission to take samples, Dr Quartz.”
“Granted, Chief Molecular Engineer.”
The search began, Cy filled lithium ion powered detector tubes with
seawater, ‘red,’ the device indicated negative, and Quartz took the
opportunity to go for a swim.
He drifted through the unsoiled waters as if in flight, ‘An entire
ocean to one’s self,’ he thought, ‘why was that so thrilling, why could
such remoteness, aloneness, and desolation be so exhilarating? Why do I
feel so free, why do I feel that I never want to leave these
wastelands?’
“Sir,” said Akerus, “there’s some kind of object beside the sea.”
Aer’s console crackled, “FH Aer to Tranquillity, arrrre you getting
this, over?”
The Captain dashed to the console, “Aer, is that you?”
"Sir."
“Get back to your watch now, we need to track the officers below and
help bring them back quickly and safely, and where have you been?”
The interference continued, “Thiiiis… FH Aer, hail… frrrrom… surface.”
“What? FH Aer are you telling me that you are on the planet’s surface,
did you take an ark without authorisation?”
“Estaaaablished… Following orderrrrs, bringing them back safely.”
Tiberius let out a long sigh, paused, “First Hologram… do what you can…
and get them back up here ASAP - then we will have words.” the Captain
turned to the internal hailer, “FM Jet.”
“Here sir.”
“Dr Quartz, CME Cy Ano, and DH Aer will return to Tranquillity by ark.”
“By ark? DH Aer?”
“That’s what I said, locate that ark and be on stand-by, they might
need assist.”
“Aye-aye Captain.”
Within the ocean a bright green light pulsed from the base of one of
the test tubes, “Dr Quartz!” Both observed the pulsing glow from the
seemingly empty vessel, “Magnify to visual,” said Quartz, tiny grains
appeared, they grew to the size of marbles. The science officers looked
on intensely.
“These molecules would be irradiated on the land,” said Cy.
“Can they be modified?”
“Their structure is simple sir, a basic form of life, modification
shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Let’s get into the ark, you can work on them there. Aer, we’re coming up.”
The molecules were sealed in the container and the two Tranquillity
crew members stepped onto land, but Aer was nowhere to be seen,
puzzlement crossed their faces.
“Look sir!”
It looked like a fishing-net, it lay about 10-metres from the ark, red
and green lights shimmered across the netting, a tennis-ball sized
silver orb lay in the middle.
“It’s the remains of Aer,” said Quartz, “the radiation has torn her
apart, you go into the ark and get working, I’ll gather her up.”
It was an awkward moment, how does one react when a machine, a friend, a saviour, dies?
Within a short time Cy reported success, “Doctor,” she said, “these
cells now have the ability to feed on sunlight, that energy should help
them to multiply, and their waste will be oxygen.”
“Good,” said Quartz, “photosynthesis, and after a very long period of time a breathable atmosphere may well exist.”
“Yes sir, and an ozone layer could form and protect the planet against most of the sun’s harmful rays.”
“The planet has tectonic plates,” said Quartz, “most of the poisonous
volcanic gases will drain through the fault lines and bury themselves
far below.”
“There is hope for this planet sir.”
"Hope, yes."
Quartz and Cy Ano left the ark, together they carried the container, in
it was their covenant to this world, they scattered the molecules,
smiled, and saw that it was good - a new world born from man and woman.
*****
Fuzzy visuals from the ark beamed into the Tranquillity’s Heart,
“Quartz!” shouted a jubilant captain, “you’re alive! And Molecular
Engineer Cy Ano…?”
“Fine and well sir, we’re in an ark, Aer rescued us from that pit.”
“FH Aer!!! When we’re through I want to have a word with that hologram.”
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible sir.”
“Wha…? You mean… she didn’t make it?”
“She didn’t make it sir.”
The Captain fell silent, after a long pause Quartz spoke, “Sir, with
your permission we’ll return to the star craft using the ark, the craft
and ourselves will need to be quarantined… Sir?”
“Err yes… yes Quartz… err make your way up. Ah… Flyer Akerus take FH Aer’s watch for now.”
"Sir."
*****
Quartz and Cy took a last look at the dusty world, they wondered how
the same scene would look in a million, or 10-million years’, time –
time - its vastness, it gave pause, such a blip in history is a single
life.
“Back to duties officer,” said Quartz, Cy Ano nodded.
The First Science Officer engaged the ark’s power packs, alarms and warnings voiced, “Fatal error! Fatal error!”
“Tranquillity,” hailed Quartz, “the ark… multiple failures… radioactive particles… return… hampered.”
“Flyer Akerus,” said the Captain, “put that ark through to Mechanics.”
“Quartz, Jet here,” said the Chief Mechanic, “we’re with you, keep us updated, but comms are poor.”
The ark slowly rose to a height of 20-metres, there it violently
titled, “Ark, G-15-4, go to manual with emergency back-up tracking,”
Quartz ordered.
“Complied,” said the machine, “voice recognition equals First Science Officer Quartz, complied.”
Using the joy-stick Quartz levelled the craft, initiated boost, the
craft rocketed skywards, G-forces locked the two crew members into
their seats.
“Fatal error, fatal error, westward turn and descent to activate in 12-seconds… 11…”
“Jet,” Quartz groaned, “are you getting this?” and with effort he grabbed at a bag and awkwardly attached it onto his anti-suit.
“9… 8… 7…”
No reply came from the Chief Mechanic.
Algorithmic fears rampaged throughout Cy Ano’s being, “Time to go,” it was Sakura’s voice, “time is up!”
“6…”
Cy Ano grabbed at the armrests.
When is the right moment to go, when is the right moment to jump, and how is that timing reached?
“5…”
The ark shook with violence.
Muscles tensed, arms straightened, Sakura leant forward, and a body leapt into open space.
“4…”
“Cy Ano, we’ve lost control, I’m going to eject us, we’re on the edge
of space, no parachutes at this height, do you understand, comply?”
Free-fall – the adrenalin, a heart almost exploding, a body
unshackled, the rush, spinning, flailing, screaming past a blur of
tower windows, this, the final journey.
The ark lurched portside, Cy Ano grimaced and gripped like she had never gripped before.
Was there still hope, perhaps she would survive, some have fallen
from planes and walked away, miracles happen, was this a day of
miracles?
“3…”
“Officer, do you comply?”
Sweat poured, weight rapidly shed.
“CME Cy Ano, do you comply?”
Did she pray?
“CME Comply!”
Did she think of loved ones?
“Comply… Doctor.”
“Brace! Brace! Brace!”
“2…”
“Fatal error! Fatal error!”
“1!”
The craft veered wildly and darted downwards, G-forces stretched and crushed.
“We’ll go now, the higher the better.”
“Fatal error! Fatal error!”
“Jet, Mechanics, we are ejecting, repeat we are ejecting in 3…”
“Brace! Brace! Brace!”
“2…”
“Fatal error! Fatal error!”
“1!”
They jettisoned.
The final thoughts… were there regrets, who did she damn, who did she forgive, and was there still hope?
The upper atmosphere, thin, dark, and cold, minus-60 - Cy Ano gazed at
the planet’s curvature, a mass of land spread out far, far, below.
Falling, the speed, so high, it was both stunning and terrifying, the anti-suits had silenced, here a stratum without noise.
The last meters of life neared - death by height.
“Nice one Quartz, got ya.”
Balls of orange light encompassed the two falling beings, a massive
bruising jolt halted their rapid descent, and seconds later the two
crew members were reassembled and stood in the Brigante of the
Star-Craft Tranquillity, alarms rang out, “Hazard! Hazard!!”
Jets of foam shot onto the two crew members and ballooned into airtight
polythene balls, Quartz and Cy Ano, stepped forward within the
contamination orbs and shuffled to quarantine, there their suits were
removed, chemically cleaned, and jettisoned.
Monitoring began, after several days Dr Genna and his AI team gave the
two the all clear, however the long term effects of their exploits
would remain unknown.
Alone, in her cabin, Cy Ano recalled her near-death experience, she
thought of her friend, Sakura, they now had a shared experience, but
for very different reasons, and with very different outcomes.
And with Sakura it would always be, ‘why?’ a smart lady, a promising
future, ‘why?’ The spring comes, the sakura stuns, a few days pass and
the beauty falls, withers, and turns to dust.
*****
“Time to celebrate!” said Captain KJ Tiberius, stood on a rostrum in
the Tranquillity’s great hall, Quartz and Cy Ano were positioned nearby
and hundreds off-duty service crew cheered emphatically.
“But first, business, updates from sensors dropped onto the planet tell us that CME Cy Ano’s bacteria is alive and well…”
More cheers sounded, the Captain carried on regardless.
“…The molecules are taking in sunlight and exhaling oxygen, ladies and
gentlemen we have photosynthesis!” another roar of celebration.
“In communications with the Astral Exploration Union (AEU), I suggested we that name the microbe, ‘The Goddess Molecule,’ but that was rejected for some reason.”
A murmur of laughter went around the hall.
“Oh really?” the Captain looked up, “and there was I thinking how creative I was being.”
The laughter increased.
“Well… the, perhaps, better news, is that the AEU has decided that the cell will be named, cyanobacteria.”
A long rapturous applause went up, the Captain clapped and gestured to
Cy Ano, she stepped forward, bowed, straightened, and smiled.
“But, unfortunately,” said the Captain, “there is a downside to this
success story, and that is of the loss of First Hologram Aer.
"Now… Aer… well, she decided to do things her own way, and without my
permission, she ferried down to a planet awash with radioactive
particles to recuse two of the Tranquillity’s team, regardless of her
own safety, an incredible act of valour.”
Sombre applause.
“But for Aer it was a flight too far. We all know Aer as a hologram,
but I prefer to think of her as an enhanced human, she had all of our
attributes and more, and she gave her all to help save Science Officers
Quartz and Cy Ano. I would have to say that Aer was human plus.”
Whooping, whistling, and cheering bellowed out from the crowd.
Tiberius looked up in surprise, these were cries of joy while he felt
certain that his speech was one of dignified respect, this was not the
reaction that he had expected, he gazed out the excited crowd, Quartz
tapped him on his arm.
The Captain turned, the two science officers wore big grins,
bewilderment encompassed Tiberius, then his two faithful companions
stood back to reveal Aer.
“Aer,” said a shocked Captain, “it’s you?”
“Not quiet sir, I am 67.93% Aer.”
“What…?”
“Sir,” said Quartz, “I retrieved the netting and data orb from the
deceased Aer and attached it to my anti during our escape from the
planet, Cy Ano and myself set out to revive the lady who had saved our
lives.”
“Yes,” said Aer, “I was badly damaged, I have lost a lot, but thanks to
the science officers I am here and ready for duty, established.”
“First Hologram Aer, welcome back on board!”
Roars and cheers, and Aer glowed in brilliant streams of colour which radiated out from her sculptured curves.
“I am not all there yet, Captain,” said Aer, “but I’ll input digital
captures of my previous self to try to be the FH Aer that you once
knew.”
“Well… Aer,” said the Captain, “you certainly look all there to me!”
Laughter. Applause.
“And when you are ‘all there’ we need to have a word about disobedience...”
The crowd silenced.
“...and the success that risk taking can sometimes… sometimes… bring!
And, to everyone here, I want to say, what a cruel joke this is to play
on your captain.”
Laughter rang out.
“OK,” said the Captain, “it’s time to party, time to celebrate the
Tranquillity’s achievements, let’s up music, ‘Beat Master,’ kick it off
with ‘Best Partner,’ by Jasmine, that sounds appropriate, get that
powerful Japanese lady’s voice rocking the Tranquillity!”
And the celebrations began…
“This is the Heart, Captain, flight course sir?”
“Err… flight course, err, yes, err, take us… erm… out there!”
Epilogue
Millions of years passed, and desert campfires burned on young world, a
tribe sat around a mangled shape, chanting, the object of their
attention was neither wood nor stone and the ancients marvelled at the
mystery.
The artefact bore a name, ‘Ark G-15-4,’ the wise studied, imagined, and
proffered answers, they declared the Ark to be sacred and so they
taught.
The Ark had been placed by a far mightier power, it was a message from
beyond this world, it was a sign from an almighty architect, follow the
architect.
And this relic shaped the world, thousands upon thousands came to pray,
they raised their arms skywards, unaware of the radiation that poured
down from a blazing atomic star, and unaware of a halo, an ozone layer,
that gave protection.
“The Universe, a vast ocean of uncharted discovery, these are the
data files of the SC Tranquillity, the mission - Project Progress - to
seek out alien enhancements, to learn new and improved ways of thought,
to offer peace and goodwill to all encountered, and to help life
progress as it has never progressed before!”
THE END
© 2017 David Baresch
Bio: Why Sci-Fi, why science? Well, I am one of the very few, and
lucky, to have experienced a close encounter, and from that moment on I
knew that extra-intelligence existed – and changes occurred.
“I don’t remember you being that tall,” old acquaintances would say,
and I became easily restless, bored, and frustrated at the slow pace of
the world around me. I began to think in possibilities, I lost faith in
answers, I began to approach everything with doubt.
And I ask myself, ‘are these natural changes or did something else
happen as a dark beam sped and passed through my being?’
Since that mysterious event I have followed alien sightings with
interest. My disappointment is that I have never come across an
encounter that is similar to my own, am I alone?
I see Sci-Fi as either visions of a possible future, or writers
influencing the future, or the future sending information back through
time (this is a theory being considered from scientific observations of
the ‘spooky’ atomic world).
I see science as, ‘a constant endeavour to improve’. I see this as a
worthy mantra for life, ‘a constant endeavour to improve!’
‘Atomic Star’ is intended as Sci-Fi plus education. I would like to
thank all who have shown interest, I hope there is something in the
story for you, and I hope you will all, ‘Reach for the Stars!’
D. Baresch
Author of ‘Tides of March’ (Amazon.com) Giving experience of an
earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown).
Writer of articles for ‘The Weekly Telegraph’ & ‘New Humanist’.
Comment on this story in the Aphelion Forum
Return to Aphelion's Index page.
|
