New Worlds

[AlbaGuBrath]

The hunted group huddled together behind the closed blinds and barred door, jumping at every passing shadow or timid knock, until the familiar rap-a-tap-tap marked the arrival of a hooded figure who slipped in against the glare of the sun. The figure pushed back the hood, revealing the dark, twisted horns and silvery mane of an elder, and the younger members of the group stood respectfully to offer him a seat. The anxious whispering that had been going on before was hushed now, for this was the one they had been waiting for, and his word would determine their next actions.


One of them cleared her throat and spoke to the newcomer. “Elder Graxus. You’ve heard the rumors, and you’ve seen our people disappear. I fear we haven’t much longer. They’re coming for us, and if we stay, they will get us. We have to go, and quickly. We can do this!” She was interrupted by an angry scoff from one of the others, an older male. “For goodness sake, Kathra! When will you take your head from your books and think about what you’re saying? This isn’t a romantic adventure we’re talking about, this is serious. We don’t know where we’re going, what we will find, or if we will find anything at all. Starstrider just isn’t ready!”


The two began to exchange more words, when another shadow outside startled them all into silence, but it passed and conversation resumed in a quieter tone. Graxus raised a wrinkled claw. “While I admire your optimism, Kathra, and agree that the poets’ words are often wise, I have to agree with Hydon in this matter. He knows more about survival than any of us, and if he doesn’t feel prepared, I feel it would be wise to listen to him. We’ve made it this long, the worst is surely past, and we need to proceed with careful deliberation.” Kathra looked as though she wished to argue, but respect demanded that she did not. The male next to her placed his hand over her own and squeezed it lightly. It was the only comfort he could offer since the entire group had securely locked their minds for safety. It felt strange to be alone in his mind, very cold and empty.


Another Shiekin stood and brought a report on the progress of the project. A ship had been found, complete with environmental systems, scientific equipment, and capable of carrying five hundred passengers. It hadn’t been easy, it had to be salvaged from a disused exploration vessel, but it would be more than enough for their needs. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be ready for another six months. However, they could use that time to inform the other members of the plan and to continue to smuggle their possessions aboard. The search for a habitable planet had similar results. There were indications of one existing in a nearby system, but it was at the outer range of their instruments and it was difficult to get a clear reading, even when its orbit brought it as close as it was now.


Suddenly, a loud rap-a-tap-tap sounded at the door, and the group looked around with surprise. They weren’t expecting anyone else, and what fool would bring such attention to themselves at this time of day? However, the pounding began again and a loud thought, impossible to not hear even behind their defenses, cried out “Mythra!” As if to confirm the warning, shouts and baying began to sound from within the gates, and was growing progressively louder. Graxus unbolted the door and another of their number, a guard standing watch over the wall, was there, shooting at some figures in the distance. Shots landed nearby, but with the sun at his back, he was a difficult target. However, it was quickly setting, and would soon be gone.


“Come on! One of my men stole a shuttle, it’s behind the trees.” Children began to cry and their frantic mothers swept them up into their arms, trying to calm them and to prevent their own terror from spilling over into the mental bonds. “What are you talking about?” cried Hydon “We can’t take a shuttle!” “It’s all we’ve got!” the guard snapped back, firing two more shots, and then throwing the weapon to the ground. “And that’s all I’ve got. Whether you come with me or no, I’m taking my chances out there. Even deep space is safer for us now.” With that, he sprinted into the darkening trees, and the group looked to Graxus for guidance. “It appears we haven’t any choice now…” he said sadly “So begins the Second Flight of yore…”


The group began to stream out of the house and dashed after the fleeing guard. They found the shuttle shortly, already powered and ready to go, and piled in. The shuttle rose above the trees and puttered into the sky, engines burdened by the unusually heavy load. As the earth shrank away below them, the uncomfortable memory of the hundreds of comrades left behind began to seep into their minds, followed by a more unnerving feeling of not knowing whether they or the abandoned were really the safer of the two.


They reached the upper atmosphere and the alert light began to flash above the console. “Alright now.” said the guard sitting in the pilot’s seat “Between the twenty of us, we can’t maintain life support for long except in a state of statis. We’ll set this to bring us out at our destination, but it has to be within the neighboring systems or we’ll never make it. Of course, if we don’t make it, I don’t suppose we’ll ever know it.” He let out a light chuckle, but most of the company did not find his joviality amusing. The Shiekin who brought the status report during the meeting spoke up. “System 51808. There’s a planet there, third from its star. We think it has a habitable environment. Liquid water, some sort of atmosphere, perhaps even life.” The pilot raised an eyebrow incredulously and replied “You think?” but turned and punched the coordinates into the computer anyway. “Alright now. Sleep tight, everyone.”

 

[Vanity Infinite]

The planet had been crumbling for three generations before it let out its final breath. It had weathered humanity and all the plagues and wars that came with their existence. The last 10 years were the worst. Wildlife tried to hang on, and only the strong survived. The governments of the world came together to try and form a last ditch effort to save the race. The first shuttle failed miserably. As if on schedule a militant unit shot it down almost the second it left the ground. All hope had been lost for humanity... but there were fragments that survived. The second effort, hidden from most of the world. A bunker created to sustain life for another two years beyond earth's last breath.


These two years were long and tiring. No fresh air. No sun on their skin. Five men and five women stay huddled together in a shelter, hidden from the world, beneath ground in preparation for their journey into space. The shuttle would freeze them and return them to earth once it had regenerated itself. Today was that day. The day the shuttle re-entered orbit. The atmosphere had rebuilt itself, the water lost its pollution, tree's had regrown. The equator was the only suitable landing location, and the sensors on the shuttle began the descent as it awakened its inhabitants. They were home. Life on earth could start again. They would feel the sun on their face, fresh oxygen in their lungs.


The plan was simple. The human's were scientifically paired according to their traits. They were perfect matches for one another. Tavish 37 and Calista 21 were the first pair. Despite their age difference the science couldn't argue that they were meant to be together. Tavish was the leader that Calista needed as she was a bit on the shy side. Reserved and intelligent.


Lincoln 39 and Trixie 38 were the pilot/mechanic couple; both very capable of fixing most things that had to do with engineering. Logan 29 and Brenda 25 were the explorer's and adventurer's. Hank 42 and Erin 46 were a bit on the wild side; they were brash in life and now as they were being revived the probability would that that wouldn't change. Scott 31 and Sarah 28 were playful and friendly. They were put on this mission to bring the rest of the couples together.


The circulation system began pushing the warm fluid into the line's. Tavish and Calista were the first to take a breath. Lincoln and Trixie next. Logan and Brenda were next... but there was something wrong as the fluid approached them. Logan sat up with a start, but Brenda did not. Her line stayed flat. Hank and Erin had a similar problem, but Erin sat up, not Hank... then Scott and Sarah... Sarah sat up, no Scott. Down to 7, down to 7. They all sat in their pods and looked over their own slimy bodies. The shuttle touched down and the door swung open. The rush of oxygen and warm air hit them instantly. It was time. Earth was to be repopulated, retaken by humanity.

 

[AlbaGuBrath]

The pilot drifted in a limbo of consciousness as the computer slowly brought him out of stasis. It was a strange, disjointed feeling, like sleepwalking. He couldn't move his limbs or even think clearly, and everything was cold. If not for the loud, slow pounding of his heart in his ears, he wouldn't even know that he was alive. But, by some miracle, he was. He hadn't mentioned it to the others, but the stasis system on this vessel was a prototype and they had been the first to test it. Pity that the data would probably never reach home, at least not until it was long outdated. Groggily, he pulled himself into full consciousness and blinked at the flashing lights on the console, not really understanding what they meant. His head ached terribly. As he stared irritably at the jumble of lights and knobs, recognition suddenly hit him.


51808. They had arrived.


Looking out the window, he saw only a barren, chalky grey expanse pockmarked with craters and with no sign of life. His heart sank within him. That couldn't be right... His claws tapped busily over the controls, trying to get a reading on their destination, but he got back the same information the scientist had briefed him on. Nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, liquid water, plant life. It was nearer to its sun than their home world, and appeared to have an unusual tilt on its axis. But the land he saw outside bore no resemblance to the data. If the sensors are broken... What if navigation is as well? Navigating by strange stars, they would never know. As he puzzled over the situation, the pilot stared out the window in search of answers. Presently, something else came into view. A bright blue orb, streaked with white and patched with green and brown, floated at what seemed just an arm's length away. The pilot stared at it in awe, overcome by its beauty, and gradually he began to realize that he couldn't think of anywhere else he wanted to be. On an impulse, he recalculated the navigational codes to land them on the planet that had so hypnotized him.


By the time they crossed the expanse, the ship's power was faltering. Automatic controls were down to basic life support, sensors recorded only the immediate workings of the shuttle, and navigation was set on manual. Now that they were closer to the planet, the pilot saw just how much of it was covered with water, though thankfully the remaining land seemed largely clustered together, unlike the scattered islands of their homeworld. There was a large continent in the northern hemisphere that appeared suitable for their purposes, mainly that it stretched for roughly half of the planet, leaving plenty of room for error. Without senors, their entry would be based entirely on instinct and luck, but at least nobody but the pilot would know if they failed.


Ironic, given his earlier comment.


Entering the atmosphere, the shuttle bumped and rattled ominously as though the threatened to burst at the seams, leading the pilot to grit his teeth and clench the console in his hands. "Come on, old friend... Just a few moments more..." They landed with a painful crash, skidding along the earth and leaving a deep rut in their wake, but somehow intact. As the lights flickered, the pilot hurriedly pulled the lever to wake the others from stasis before the power failed completely. For a few heart-stopping moments, nothing happened, but after an eternity's waiting the other passengers began to wake, completely oblivious of all that the pilot had gone through. "Rise and shine..." he managed to croak through a sickly smile "We're here. Thankfully, we should be alone."