Europa

by Robert Mills

  Richmond and Charlet were clearly unhappy to see me go, but I promised to visit them as often as I could and they wished me well. By then both were well established and had secure employment, Richmond in a well-regarded law firm and Charlet in a bank.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Callisto is a heavily cratered moon that lacks any mountains or deep valleys. Unlike its sister moons it orbits outside Jupiter’s main radiation belt. This means that the only protection required when walking on the surface is a normal thermal spacesuit suitable for temperatures as low as minus 190 degrees Celsius. The cities of the colony consist of interconnecting insulated buildings on piles driven into the moon’s surface. All the buildings have windows, which was a welcome change for me. I had missed the view of Europa’s icy surface from my former luxury apartment built on an observation tower. My new accommodation was smaller than that which I had left behind, but more than adequate. My new job was routine, but at least it provided me with some new challenges. I found my workmates congenial, but at first my leisure time was hard to fill.

  I was aware that one of the differences between my new and former homes was the greater opportunity to enjoy leisure activities on the moon’s surface. The early colonists were keen to spend some of their free time outdoors and soon began devising sporting activities suitable for a microgravity environment. An attempt was made to play a kind of football, but the cumbersome suits and the icy surface of the moon made this almost impossible. They had more success with golf, for which specially adapted sets of clubs were devised. The game was played on a type of artificial turf specially developed for low temperatures. However, the ball could be hit much further than on Earth, so holes had to be much longer and players had to ride in ice buggies between shots. Despite all the difficulties, a nine-hole course was established and played regularly by a group of dedicated enthusiasts. However, by far the most popular sport was skating.

  I first ventured outside the buildings of the colony in a surface rover, an open vehicle with wide wheels, powered by hydrogen fuel cells. The combination of a lightweight body and microgravity meant that little energy was required to propel a small number of people across the surface at speed. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to try skating for myself. And so it was that I went for a beginner’s lesson at the New Viking Microgravity Skating Club. The skates used are wide and have two blades each for extra stability. At first I felt very unsteady, even at low speeds, but gradually I got the hang of it. When I was able to get up speed and watch the craters flying by as I cruised between them I began to enjoy myself. I became a full club member and skated every weekend and occasionally on weekday evenings. I’d hoped when I joined the club that I would have the opportunity to meet some new people and after a while I did make some friends among the membership.

  An expert can propel him or herself forwards at speeds of up to sixty miles an hour. I never became good enough to go as fast as that, but I became a competent cross-country skater. That was until my accident. It happened during a weekend I spent with other members of my club at Valhalla, an area where a huge asteroid or comet struck Callisto about four billion years ago creating an impact basin. The central region is about 600 kilometres across, but there are a series of rings around it with a diameter of around 3,000 kilometres. It had been chosen for the outing because there are some particularly fine skating runs and the resort has a number of other leisure activities on offer.

  We set off to the spaceport on a Saturday morning and caught an early flight to Valhalla. By then there were two terminal buildings in Callisto City, one for passengers taking shuttle craft to the Interplanetary Terminal and another for those taking flights to destinations on Callisto itself. There are regular domestic flights to other cities on the moon and others that go to holiday destinations, like Valhalla and Asgard. The thin atmosphere of Callisto makes jet propulsion impractical and the space planes currently in use are small and light and powered by rocket motors that use liquid hydrogen and oxygen as fuel. Because of the very low environmental temperatures, less insulation is required in the fuel tanks than would be needed on Earth and take-off requires much less energy, because of the low gravity and thin atmosphere.

  Soon after take-off we were able to enjoy a panoramic view of Callisto City and the cratered landscape of the surrounding area. As we climbed higher we could see the bright frost deposits on the more elevated parts of the terrain and the smooth dark appearance of the areas surrounding them. I thought back to the first time I’d seen Callisto as I approached in the interplanetary space cruiser all those years before. I couldn’t help remembering that I’d shared that first view of the moon with Marvin and, more particularly, with Liv.

  At first we flew over the gently undulating, cratered landscape that surrounded the city. Then we had our first sight of Valhalla in the distance. It reminded me of the times when, as a child, I had thrown a stone into a pond and watched the ripples spread across the surface of the water. As we came closer I began to get an impression of how vast an area it covered and then we were directly over it and could no longer see its edge.

  The Valhalla Resort had been built near the edge of the impact basin and has its own runway and passenger terminal. There is a geological research station about ten kilometres away, but no other development is permitted in the region, which has been designated as a Jovian Area of Special Scientific Interest. There are, after all, plenty of other areas where the Callistan cities of the future can be built and there is nothing like Valhalla and its smaller sister impact basin, Asgard, on any of the other Jovian moons.

  When we landed, robot porters took care of our bags and we were driven to the hotel in an autonomous surface rover. Indeed, the whole resort was highly automated with robots also acting as receptionists, waiters, cleaners and kitchen assistants. The human staff consisted of four duty managers, two robot maintenance engineers and two executive chefs.

  After a light lunch, we set off on the tour of the impact basin. In order to preserve its surface, an elevated monorail had been built with a circular route going out towards the middle of the impact basin and then back and out over the rings around it, before returning to the resort. We boarded one of the carriages, which was equipped with powerful searchlights to allow us to appreciate the view, and were soon on our way. The surface of the impact basin is pockmarked with craters, resulting from the many meteorite impacts that have occurred since its formation. Our route took us close enough to the research station for us to get a good view of it.

  “That’s an outstation of Callisto University’s Geology Department,” said one of my companions.

  “It must be pretty lonely working out here,” I said. “Still I suppose some people like to live in isolated places.”

  “It wouldn’t suit me,” said another. “I’d go mad out here.”

  When we reached the series of concentric rings at the edge of the basin, we were able to get a close look at them for the first time. The commentary provided informed us that they had been created by the same projectile that had gouged out the impact basin. The ferocity of the impact had melted some of the water ice and hurled it distances of up to 2,000 kilometres. As the water and partially melted ice landed on the frigid surface it froze before it could be evenly dispersed. It was certainly an impressive site.

  By the time we got back to the resort it was almost time for dinner. The restaurant was on the top of a tower some 500 metres above the ground. It was circular with the tables arranged around the outside of the room and the kitchen in the centre. It rotated slowly, so that diners were able to look out across the impact basin of Valhalla and then the rippling terrain that spread out from its edge while they enjoyed their meals. We scrolled through the menu tablets on the table and made our selections. The menu was extensive by Callistan standards and offered several different styles of cooking. A robot waiter took our order and trundled away. I found the company congenial and the food excellent,
and it was late when I finally retired to bed.

  The following morning we rose early and dressed ready to go skating. The resort rented out skates and skating suits. This was essential as only limited luggage could be taken on the space plane. The autonomous transport system took us to the nearest suitable ice field. At first I was unsteady on the unfamiliar skates but once I’d got used to them I managed to go faster than I’d managed previously, experiencing the exhilaration of speed skating in microgravity to a greater degree than ever before. When we were well away from the resort we stopped and turned off our headlights so that we could look up at Jupiter without the interference of light pollution. For a while we gazed at the huge ball of gas, banded with beige and orange.

  On the way back I attempted a high-speed turn, lost my balance and fell awkwardly. I could feel a searing pain in my right leg that was much worse when I tried to move it. My fellow skaters clustered round me, and one of them called for help on his wrist tablet. I was collected by a robotic rescue vehicle and transported back to the hotel. My injury was assessed in the automated sick bay and a fractured bone in my upper leg was diagnosed. It was clear that I would need to be evacuated to the Callisto City Hospital and this was duly arranged. I spent a week in the trauma unit, an experience that reminded me of the accident I had as a teenager. On this occasion my stay was prolonged by the fact that there was no one to take care of me at home. I made a reasonably good recovery from my injury and did try skating again but I felt so insecure that I headed back to the clubhouse almost immediately. It was a great disappointment, as skating had become an important part of my life.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  And then early one morning about a year after my accident the comms alarm woke me from a deep sleep. I immediately recognised the familiar face of my daughter on the smartscreen by my bed.

  “Hello Dad, I’m sorry to call so early,” she said. “I’ve got some bad news. Uncle Marvin died last night. It was very sudden; a heart attack they think.” I felt a bit light headed and at first I was unable to speak. “Are you alright, Dad?” she asked anxiously.

  “Yes, dear,” I said, “it’s a shock, obviously, but I’ll be OK in a minute.”

  “The funeral’s on Wednesday,” she continued. “I thought you’d want to attend; you can stay with us.”

  “Yes dear, of course I’ll come. What about Richmond?”

  “I don’t know if he’ll be able to make it, but I’m sure he’ll come if he can.”

  “How did you find out about it?”

  “Aunty Carolla called me,” she said. “I was surprised she knew how to get in touch with me. It’s years since I’ve seen her or Uncle. Look, I must go now; take care, won’t you? Bye.”

  The screen went blank and I lay there for a while, my mind numb and unresponsive. Marvin had been such a very important part of my life and I was only too aware how much I owed him. However, the worst thing for me was the realisation that I wouldn’t have another opportunity to ask for his forgiveness. I told myself that it wasn’t important and in any case he wouldn’t have given it, but I failed to convince myself.

  I went into the office as usual and requested time off to attend the funeral. I hadn’t taken any leave since the previous year and the office was quiet, so my boss readily agreed to my request. The following day I headed for the Callisto City Spaceport to board the Jovian Shuttle for the short journey to Europa. The new international terminal is an impressive building with transit tubes radiating from it in all directions. The shuttle vessels themselves are housed in giant hangers to protect them from the intense cold and the doors only open when they are ready to take off.

  It was a long time since I’d made this trip, but the ship was much the same as I remembered, with its rows of reclining seats, each with a large smartscreen providing information, entertainment and multiple views from the craft’s external cameras. There was one difference though: I was able to fly direct to the newly opened space port in New Rome, rather than having to land in Europa City.

  I always find the take-off exhilarating. The ship lifts into the sky effortlessly in the low gravity of Callisto and soon the passengers are treated to a panoramic view of its surface. The network of buildings in the colony, each connected to others by transit tubes, can be clearly seen. These silver-coloured structures stand out against the moon’s dark, cratered surface like an elaborate spider’s web. As we ascended I could make out the huge oxygen concentration and generation plant that supplies a large part of Callisto City.

  Gradually the surface features of the moon became indistinct and before long we were traversing the eternal night of space, the sky dominated by the massive bulk of Jupiter with its angry red eye. I settled back in my seat to enjoy the spectacle. Once I’d tired of watching the view, I switched to the entertainment section of my screen and selected a news channel. The common currency of the South American Economic Community had been devalued, sending shockwaves through the financial markets of the solar system, and the President of North America had ended media speculation by announcing that he would be seeking a second term in office. In sport, Manchester United Football Club had appointed a new manager who had pledged to win promotion to the European Premier League. There was also an item on fashion; apparently skirts were longer but trousers were shorter and the colour for this season was apple green. I switched back to the external view and ordered a relaxation cocktail.

  Memories of the parts of my life that Marvin and I had shared flooded into my mind, but soon I was thinking about Liv. Mostly I remembered the happy times we’d spent together and I knew for sure that I was still in love with her, even after all this time. I wondered if she would be at the funeral and if I would have the chance to speak to her. If I did, I was uncertain what I’d say to her. I’d resigned myself to spending the rest of my life without her, so perhaps it would be best if we didn’t meet.

  I was disturbed from these thoughts by the announcement that we were about to land at New Rome’s spaceport. I turned my attention to the images on my smartscreen. The surface of Europa is very different in appearance to that of Callisto. It’s covered by observation towers that protrude through the crust of ice, like a weird man-made forest. Amongst them are the mouths of the oxygen collection ducts that allow Europa’s thin atmosphere to be sucked into the underground oxygen concentration plants and the huge radiation collection dishes, which supply electricity-generating plants underground. Soon we could see the vast doors of the landing bay sliding open to receive us.

  We landed pretty much on time and Charlet met me in the terminal building. It was good to see her after such a long separation. If the Jovian Shuttle wasn’t so expensive, I thought, I’d make the trip more often, but I knew that the fares weren’t likely to fall any time soon; the need to negotiate Jupiter’s massive magnetic field means that a large amount of fuel is needed, even for the shorter journey from Europa to Ganymede.

  We headed for the transit station and boarded a vehicle bound for the section of the accommodation zone of New Rome where Charlet lived. She had moved since I’d last visited and now had a larger apartment in a better neighbourhood. Her husband Tibor had been promoted and they were keen to have more space. Although she spent much of her childhood in an apartment high up on an observation tower, she seems to prefer living underground.

  Charlet was born on Europa and has never known anything other than life as a colonist. I have sometimes felt sad that she will never set foot on Earth, but I know that she would find the high gravity there intolerable. She herself is untroubled by this; Europa’s mainly subterranean world is the only one she’s ever known. She has her mother’s blonde hair and her face reminds me of Meena’s at the same age. She’s always been the more outgoing of my two children and I’ve always found her easy to be with. She has a daughter of her own now and is a devoted mother. Lucie is a delightful ten year old and I’d missed spending time with her, though of course I’d seen h
er regularly on the large smartscreen in my living room.

  At first we travelled in silence then Charlet said, “Richmond’s joining us for dinner.”

  “That’s good,” I said. “I’d love to see him and catch up with his news. Is Zara coming too?”

  “No, she had a prior engagement.” This came as no surprise; my son’s wife has never liked me.

  “How are you getting on, darling?” I asked. “Is life treating you well?”

  “We’re doing fine, thanks,” she said. “There’s always too much to do, but I guess that’s always the case when you have a career and a child to look after.”

  “How do you manage? Lucie must get out of school before you finish work.”

  “She does, but fortunately we have a childcare robot now. I was nervous about leaving her in its charge at first but now I don’t give it a second thought.”

  That evening Charlet served a splendid meal and I had a chance to find out how Richmond had been getting on since I last saw him. His legal practice was busy and profitable and his son, Bertie, was doing well at school. Richmond has always been a quiet, thoughtful character with little to say for himself, but that evening he was more talkative than usual. It might have been because he’d escaped from the watchful eye of his wife but perhaps it was simply because he hadn’t seen me for so long.