“I’m sure Vinod would agree,” Rachael replied. “He mentioned something like that when we first met while waiting in line for Henry’s lecture. I miss him. I wonder when or if I’m going to see him again.”
“I’m sure he’ll decide to come here when we tell him what we’ve seen, although the petrins better provide classic rock or Vinod will thumb his nose at paradise. But he’s one of the 103ers after all is said and done. I don’t see too many of them turning down the opportunity to come here. Half of all cults think some savior or alien is going to whisk them to paradise on a spaceship or comet.” After a few moments of reflection Joshua added, “If information truly is everything, does that lessen your idea of a creator?”
“Not at all,” Rachael replied. “Someone had to create a universe in which information exists. For that matter, who created the information to begin with?”
“You’ve remained consistent in your views,” Joshua said with a smile. “I’ve always admired that in you.”
Rachael sat quietly for a moment, lost in her thoughts. “There is one thing that disturbs me, though.”
“What?”
“I was dead, and for all that time before I woke up, there was nothing. No near-death experience, no floating out of my body, no traveling down a tunnel, and no angels or beings of light.”
“Are you wondering why you weren’t in heaven or some afterlife?”
“Yes. I mean my spirit had to be somewhere, right?”
“It wouldn’t make sense for you to be in heaven if you could be revived in the mortal world.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that if the possibility existed that you could be brought back, maybe you weren’t actually dead. Seth said that you were in a suspended state, and maybe it wasn’t much different from the frozen frog he described. You still contained life, but you weren’t actively living or, as he put it, fulfilling your purpose.”
Rachael couldn’t suppress a smile. “The Gospel According to Seth. Are you saying that you agree with it? That death is the loss of the last copy?”
“It seems to me that if you want to believe in heaven, then the concept of a last copy makes sense because when the last copy is lost, it’s permanently removed and can’t be retrieved. Maybe you only go to heaven when your last copy leaves this universe.”
Rachael pondered Joshua’s last statement, which seemed to assuage her doubts and give her solace. She leaned over and wrapped her arms around him. “I’ll make a believer out of you yet, Joshua Andrews.”
Joshua and Rachael mounted the arachnids and once again took to the air. They followed the forest, which led to the foothills of the snow-capped mountains. At times they flew low, skimming over the treetops; at other times they flew high in order to get a birds-eye view of New Eden. They reached the foothills of the mountain and followed the forest slopes to higher elevations.
Joshua pointed to a waterfall in the distance, which originated from an outcropping of rock high above and far from the rock face in front of which it fell. As they got close, they realized it was immense in height—over five hundred feet—but was narrow in width. The water evaporated in a mist before it reached the valley below. They flew through the mist as water droplets condensed on top of their heads and shoulders. They positioned their arachnids to hover at the midpoint of the falls between the rock face and the falling water, mist still drifting across their bodies.
“Let’s see if the arachnids will fly through it,” Joshua said as he commanded his mount directly through the falls.
When the weight of the water hit the creature, the arachnid dropped precipitously in height until it made it through, at which point it regained its flight. Rachael followed Joshua, and the two hovered in front of the falls, soaking wet from the torrent.
“It’s warm,” Rachael commented.
“Really warm,” Joshua said. “It must be coming from a geothermal spring.”
They followed the falling water to the bottom, where they landed the arachnids and dismounted. The height of the falls caused the water at this lower elevation to be more of a rainy mist than a torrent. They stepped into the center of the falls, their arms outspread.
“It’s still warm, but not as warm as it was above,” Rachael noted.
“The evaporation on the way down must cool it. It feels like we’re in an enormous shower.”
They spent a few minutes reveling in the refreshing downpour before getting back on their mounts.
“Our clothes aren’t wet at all,” Rachael said.
“They’re completely hydrophobic,” Joshua agreed. “They don’t get wet.”
“Josh, everything in this world except for the rocks and water is living,” Rachael said examining the fabric of her shirt. “Do you think this is some type of living material?”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. I can’t envision the petrins using synthetic materials when everything is made from DNA.”
Back on their arachnids, they rose into the air and followed the waterfall to its precipice. They noted that the water flowed from a cave in the mountain.
“Looks like it comes from an underground spring,” Joshua said.
“The mountain must be volcanic and is therefore heating the water.”
They flew higher up the mountain and reached the end of the tree line, where the mountain’s bare rock was exposed. They hovered and took in their surroundings. The air temperature had dropped considerably.
“Josh, it’s getting colder. Should we keep going up?” Rachael asked looking up the mountain. “It’s got to be pretty cold where that snow line is.”
“I don’t think we’ll freeze. Otherwise, the petrins wouldn’t have left us alone.”
As they continued up the mountain, the air grew even colder. Joshua noted that the fabric of his clothing was mutating, becoming thicker and adopting a fur-like texture. “Our clothes are definitely alive,” he said.
Rachael’s clothing grew thicker too, and her chill slowly dissipated. She also felt heat rising from the carapace of her arachnid. “Josh, the arachnid seems to anticipate our every need.”
“Yeah, just like our clothes.”
They flew higher still and reached the snowline. The temperature had dropped further, but they were nevertheless comfortable and warm. They soared through a high-altitude valley covered with a thick ice-blue glacier. The glacier gave way to a steep snow-covered incline, which they followed to the summit, where they stopped and dismounted to gain a better view.
The snow was deep, and their legs were buried up to their knees; it was light and fluffy but nevertheless slowed their progress. Now on top of New Eden, the air was crystal clear, and they had a panoramic view of their new world. They looked in the direction from which they’d come and saw the forest that had guided them. At the edge of the horizon, they could just barely make out the village where their home was located. To the right, the mountain beneath the snowline was covered with thick vegetation.
“Looks like there’s an ocean over there,” Rachael said as she pointed to the right.
Joshua looked to the left and saw more forests and fields, which culminated in a distant red landscape devoid of vegetation. “I think I see a desert,” he said.
Rachael walked next to Joshua and wrapped her arms around him as she admired the varied landscape. “Josh, this really is a paradise.”
“This has to be one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen.”
“The sun is getting lower,” Rachael said. “It’s probably going to set soon, so maybe we should head back.”
Suddenly, one of the arachnids, which had remained motionless, shivered.
“What’s it doing?” Joshua asked.
The creature leapt into the air, flipped over, and landed in the snow on its back, its legs pointed at the sky.
“I don’t know,” Rachael remarked. “Is it playing dead?”
The couple moved towards the overturned creature.
“Josh, check out its belly. It looks like
the material on our bed at home.”
Joshua bent over to examine the creature’s new posture. “You’re right. It feels exactly the same.”
He climbed onto its belly. “Come on,” he said as he helped Rachael up with his outstretched hand.
“It’s warm,” Rachael said moving her hands over the belly of the creature.
The second arachnid now leapt into the air and landed upright on top of the first one. Their legs interlaced, and the combination of the two created a sealed sphere that enclosed Joshua and Rachael. The clear membranes of their wings acted as windows that allowed the couple to see in all directions, and the interior of the newly-created sphere grew warmer as the fabric of their clothing returned to its thinner state.
“Josh, they’ve created a shelter for us.”
“I guess there’s no need for us to go home. We can spend the night here.”
Joshua and Rachael lay inside the shelter and considered the amazing events of the day. Shortly afterwards, the sky grew dark, and the spiral galaxy rose over the horizon. Thin bioluminescent lines developed on the inner surfaces of the legs of the arachnids, illuminating the habitat with a soft white glow.
Joshua was in absolute bliss and hugged Rachael. “If this isn’t heaven, it comes awfully close.”
The galaxy became obscured by a bank of clouds, and a light snow started to fall. Joshua and Rachel embraced each other and watched the falling snow before making love on the summit of humanity’s new home.
35
Dome
Joshua and Rachael awoke to rays of bright morning sunlight slanting into their cocoon. The night’s snow had been heavy; their shelter having been completely buried, golden light had begun to melt the white drift. Water dripped from the overhead carapace.
“Wow, it looks like we’re buried,” Rachael said, peeking outside.
“Nice and cozy in here,” Joshua commented as he hugged Rachael. “I wonder how we get out—not that I’m in a hurry.” He smiled and pulled her closer.
Suddenly, the shelter quivered and shook, causing its inhabitants to gently roll left and right, as if they were in an amusement park ride.
“Whoa,” Rachael said. “Is it an earthquake?”
The shaking stopped, and the powdery snow covering the shelter slid off, enabling Joshua and Rachael to see a bright vista underneath the clear morning sky.
“Not an earthquake,” Joshua said. “Just the arachnids shaking the snow off.”
Cold air swept into the shelter as the interlaced legs of the arachnids separated. The top arachnid jumped off its partner and into the snow with a crunching sound.
“Guess this is our cue to get down,” Rachael said as she climbed out, Joshua following her lead. The upside-down arachnid flipped into an upright position, its carapace shedding more snow.
“Our saddles are still snow-covered,” Joshua pointed out. “Must have been a really cold night to get such an accumulation.”
A few moments later, steam escaped from the top of the carapaces as the remaining snow melted quickly.
“Guess they turned their defrosters on,” Rachael laughed.
The saddles were soon warm and dry, and Joshua and Rachael were in the air again, flying down the side of the mountain towards the jungle in the distance. After they descended below the snowline, they followed the swathe of forest for several miles. Beyond this was a patchwork of fields, some with grass, others with orchards, and still others with plants that would eventually become houses for humans.
They stopped in the first orchard they came to for a quick breakfast before taking to the sky again. They cruised over varied ecosystems, from large deciduous woodlands to evergreen forests, as well as rivers, streams, and freshwater lakes. The colors were vivid, with the forests clad in deep green, while the waters presented a silver sheen. Each new scene was a testament to the bioengineering genius of the petrins.
Joshua figured that this side of the mountain was the windward side since there was more vegetation on the slope than the one facing their home. The windward side of the mountains always received copious rainfall since moisture-laden wind, sweeping up the mountain, cooled and caused water to condense and fall as rain.
As they reached a lower elevation, the vegetation turned into a thick rain forest with jungle-like plants and trees, some of which were unfamiliar. The temperature had risen, and the air was more humid. The terrain was still mountainous, with numerous waterfalls spraying mist into the air and surrounding jungle.
Their destination was the ocean they’d seen from the summit the night before. They traveled for several hours over the canopy, occasionally hovering when they saw an interesting tree or waterfall. They soon neared the large body of water, which was rimmed by a pristine sandy-white beach. The water was a crystal blue color that rivaled the waters of the Caribbean. The couple followed the beach line and landed near an adjacent orchard. Surrounding the orchard was thick jungle—mostly shadow—and the beach itself was a mere two hundred feet wide.
Joshua and Rachael selected their lunch from the orchard and sat on the warm sand, gazing at the ocean as the arachnids positioned themselves under nectar trees. It was a tropical paradise in every respect, one they had all to themselves.
“We must have covered a good two hundred miles this morning,” Joshua commented, eating a piece of fruit that tasted like a cross between a grape and an apricot.
“And encountered many climate zones along the way,” Rachael added. “Everything from snowcapped mountains to a tropical rain forest.”
Joshua stretched out and absorbed the warmth of the sun. “Definitely much warmer than last night. Maybe we can go for a swim to cool off after we finish lunch.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Rachael said while taking a bite of her fruit. “It still amazes me that the petrins can grow food and shelter at will. You need something, and it’s just . . . there.”
“It’s quite pleasant, but it’s also highly efficient,” Joshua remarked. “Think about it—no need for harvesting natural resources or for manufacturing facilities. The petrins grow whatever they need simply by coding DNA. If humanity decides to come here, there won’t be any poverty or starvation. Everyone will have food and shelter in abundance.”
“I guess that’s true. Everything here literally does grow on trees.”
After lunch, they strolled up to the water line, and Rachael, bending over, swept her hand through the shallows. “It’s warm, like bathwater. Very tropical.”
Joshua dipped his hand in the water and tasted it with his finger. “It’s fresh water,” he said, eyebrows raised. “No salt at all.”
“A fresh water ocean?” Rachael said.
“Sure, why not.”
“Pretty odd. Salt is an important part of Earth’s ecosystem, including its ocean.”
Joshua waved off the remark as if shooing away a fly. “The petrins can balance everything perfectly through genetic engineering. The ocean can have any characteristic they choose.”
“Right. This is paradise,” Rachael said as she started taking off her clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“Somehow I don’t think our organic apparel was made for swimming,” Rachael said. “Besides, there’s no one to see us, and we have the whole planet to ourselves.” She looked at Joshua mischievously. “Adam and Eve started out sans fig leaves.”
Joshua and Rachael stripped naked and ran into the ocean hand-in-hand. The water wasn’t deep, and they waded out a hundred feet until the water lapped at their necks. The ocean was crystal clear, had no fish or vegetation, and had minimal wave crests. Rachael and Joshua embraced, unashamed in a world that was all their own.
“I wonder if there’s anything like algae in the water,” Rachael said.
“I doubt it. Most of the oxygen here is probably produced by vegetation.”
Rachael stood on the soft, sandy bottom and glanced towards the mountain peak where they had spent the night. “It’s like a postcard,” Rachael admitted
.
“Made more beautiful by your presence,” Joshua said, kissing her on the lips.
Joshua and Rachael frolicked in the ocean for some time before exiting and donning their clothes. They sauntered along the beach for a distance, his arm around her waist, and encountered another large area where homes were growing.
“Beachfront property,” Rachael joked.
“I’m sure these are going to be in demand,” Joshua said, mildly amused as he noted that the homes were in various stages of growth.
As they continued their walk, they heard a low rumble behind them, and they turned to see the arachnids flying towards them before landing on the beach, their wings kicking up a cloud of sand.
“Looks like our Ubers have arrived,” Rachael said, winking. “Where to next?”
“I want to check out that desert we saw from the mountain.”
They got back on their transports and were in the air again, headed towards their next destination.
The desert was on the leeward side of the mountains, so they had to reverse direction. They flew fast, pushed along by the ocean breeze, reaching the other side of the mountain by circumnavigating the base. There were more patchwork fields, but Joshua observed that there were fewer forests and more grasslands, causing him to surmise that the area received less rain than that by the beach. The air was still warm, but less humid.
They rose higher to get a view of the red desert, the fields below giving way to a vast grassland. As they continued, the grassland stopped abruptly in a straight line, beyond which there was no vegetation, only red desert. The sky seemed darker, although they could still see the sun directly overhead. As they approached the division between grassland and desert, the arachnids descended with no command from their riders.
“What’s going on?” Joshua asked. “My arachnid is going down, but I didn’t direct it to.”
“Mine’s doing the same thing,” Rachael said.
The creatures flew lower and landed on the edge of the grassland. Joshua and Rachael disembarked, walked towards the desert, and stopped at the edge of the fine-grained sand. The dividing line extended to the horizon to both the left and right. The desert consisted only of red sand, rocks, and boulders, with no trace of scrub, cactus, or weeds. It was barren. The sky above was nearly black, and Rachael thought she could see stars.
New Eden Page 39
