Starship Genesis

by Linda M. Miller

  “This planet meets the requirements, Korban.”

  “Deonna, assemble the crew. We have some things to discuss.”

  “Korban, this is the most promising planet yet. It’s incredibly perfect!” she exclaims.

  “Deonna, please.” She nods, curiously. The Starship Genesis has a crew complement of ten people. We’re very comfortable together, having served for the past three years on the Genesis Project—our world’s most prestigious space program.

  I break out the vass, set glasses, and begin pouring for everyone.

  “A celebration, Korban?” Garner states as he enters the room.

  “I thought it would be appropriate before we commence the last phase to celebrate. Deonna has made our final selection of the Genesis Program.”

  “Here, here!” Noah says. Everyone joins the toast.

  “First, to Deonna Lyte, who has been searching three long years for worlds devoid of life. So far, we’ve been fortunate to outfit 12 planets that meet the Genesis requirements. A very successful endeavor. And second, to the best crew and friends that have made it all happen. Soon it will be over and we’ll all return home to help with the evac process to Seth 5.”

  Talon joins in, but is silent.

  “Something on your mind, Talon?” I ask.

  Talon is slow to respond, staring at his glass. Talon is my first officer, ship’s doctor, and Senior Scientist.

  “I know what the Magistrate has told us. But we’re scientists. Our world is too populated for them to evac every person on that planet to Seth 5 in just three years.”

  “What’s your point, Talon?” I ask.

  “I believe our people are being consoled to make a more orderly evac possible.” Garner breaks in.

  “It’s true. Even if we have enough ships to evac, the lunar cycle and the intensifying gravity of TerraValle complicates the process. We’re talking a developing black hole here.”

  “Talon, I would be lying if I didn’t tell you I’ve been considering ending our mission early in order for us to return to TerraNorre and assist with our people’s evac.”

  “Korban, what’s gotten into you?” Deonna counters.

  “We’d only be postponing the last project...not canceling it, Deonna.”

  “We may never get this opportunity again, Korban.” Cassie adds.

  “Korban, I just spoke with Renner this morning. They’re boarding a ship to Seth 5 tomorrow.” Renner is Deonna’s husband; a scientist on TerraNorre. He is involved in the evacuation.

  “Renn told me they were going to make it. All we have to do is complete this last plant and we’ll be going home.” A hologram communique expands in front of us.

  “Your Magistrate.”

  “Korban, there is no time for details. We’re in a state of emergency. You are ordered not to return to TerraNorre.” The Magistrate appears disheveled. People are running panicked in the background.

  “Your Magistrate, we can help with the evacuation.” We watch helplessly as the building collapses inside the hologram.

  “We are proud of your efforts, Commander. We’ve evacuated everyone we can. TerraValle is...” An explosion ensues and the communique ends abruptly.

  “Your Magistrate!”

  “No!” Deonna screams.

  Cassie screams as well.

  I turn to Garner, feeling like someone punched me in the stomach. I can barely stand.

  “Get them back, GET THEM BACK!”

  Garner can barely talk...“Genesis...to TerraNorre. TerraNorre... this is the Genesis! Please respond!”

  “Back to your stations. We’re going home.” I react. Everyone scrambles.

  “Korban...,” Garner yells desperately. “I’m only getting space static. It’s like...there’s nothing there.”

  A giant wave has crashed on me. I struggle to set navigation. But Garner is right. Nothing is showing in that sector.

  “Korban, we’ll only be returning to an enormous black hole. We can’t risk getting pulled in.” Talon advises. He has his one hand on his chest and he looks like he’s trying to catch his breath.

  “Options, anyone!”

  “Korban...our families. Can we check for survivors?” Deonna asks tearfully?

  “No one could survive that.” Garner counters.

  I see Deonna trying to hold on, but she collapses and we all realize her family was leaving the next day, which means none of them made it.

  “Deonna. I’m sorry!” Garner says remorseful.

  Deonna runs to her cabin. Garner starts to go after her.

  “Hold on, Garner. I think she wants to be by herself right now.” Talon counsels.

  “There’s nothing we could have done. This wasn’t supposed to happen yet,” I reply.

  Even though it was predicted, we’re all in shock. Our families are gone. The pain is too great to bare and it sears my mind like fire. Many of the crew weep silently and can say nothing.

  “Maybe we should head to Seth 5 to see if there is anything we can do to rescue those who were in transit.” Garner suggests.

  “Seth 5 is all we have now.” Noah adds.

  “It seems logical. But I’m pretty sure none of us has any family on Seth 5,” Talon interrupts. “I’ve never been there. Anyone else?”

  “I’ve seen footage of Seth 5,” Noah replies. “It’s mostly industrial- commercial, thus far. Military facilities. Living quarters are going to be tight because of the refugees.”

  “Right.” I admit.

  Cassie is bent over on her console, “My mother, my family...” Cassie is the part of the crew I’m the closest with. I care for her loss. I walk over to comfort her. I touch her hair.

  “Continue,” I say.

  Talon speaks first. “Seth 5 is going to be chaotic. We’ll find desperate people scrambling for everything they can grab...Think about this ship. Supplies may or may not be a problem for Seth 5 and us.

  “Who is in charge on Seth 5, now that the Magistrate is gone?” I ask.

  “Bonner Rye.” Garner replies.

  Talon looks him up, “He’s a politician mostly. A very good orator. But I’m not impressed with his actions. He made his fortune off of trades between the asteroid colonies in the Terra System. He shorted them cash-wise when the demand for copper and ore hit bottom.”

  “It doesn’t matter, people. Seth 5 is our new home.” Garner counters.

  “I don’t want Seth 5!” Cassie cries. “I want TerraNorre!” I wait for anyone to counter with a better option.

  “Alright then, I’m setting a course for Seth 5. 0800 is our arrival time.” I look over my crew and they are drained of emotion. “We should all take a few hours to compose ourselves.” Everyone leaves the area. Cassie looks at me, her face red, in tears and in pain. I embrace her and try to comfort her.

  “I’m so sorry about your family, Cass.”

  “Korban, your family too. All gone. I can’t take this...knowing...I’ll never see them again.”

  I kiss her head.

  Noah walks in.

  “Korban, I think...Oh...I’m sorry. I didn’t know...”

  “It’s alright, Noah.”

  “Can we talk, when you get a moment?” Noah asks.

  “I’ll come see you later.” I turn back to Cassie.

  “Korban, what about us...and the rest of the crew.”

  “Cassie, we’ll all have to make a new start on Seth 5. It won’t be easy. But we have each other.”

  She collapses into my arms again and weeps.

  “I need to visit other crew members, Cass. Do you think you can help Deonna through this? She’s lost Renn and the children.” A pause ensues and she wipes her face.

  “Yes... I’ll go talk to her.” She touches my face lightly. “We all need you now.” She kisses me and leaves. I head down to medical to see Talon. Noah is already there, and Talon is pouring a beverage into three glasses.

  “This is the only prescription I have.” Talon stares out the portal. “I never thought it was actually g
oing to happen.” He adds.

  “I’m hearing thousands of voices in my head,” Noah replies.

  “Drink up, Noah. It will help you sleep.” Talon advises.

  “I can’t help wondering if all of those life seeds we’ve planted will take hold out there. There’s no guarantee; but I wish we were going to be around to see it all happen.” Talon finishes his drink and pours another round.

  “Have we got any of this for the crew?” I ask.

  “It’s my private stash.” Talon says. “But I have enough to share.”

  “I think we should hold a memorial before we reach Seth 5. It will give us closure.” Noah adds.

  “Good idea, Noah. What do you have in mind?”

  “We should have a service and naming of the deceased that we know of. I can set that up. Maybe you could find some words to say.”

  “I’ll work something up. How about 1900 hours?”

  “Done.” Noah replies.

  I try to wind down in my cabin. But I can’t forget my family and my home. Holographic pictures of my sisters and older brother adorn my walls. My parent’s picture at our beach home is my inspiration. Each picture carries a message and I listen to their voices, knowing I’ll never have real conversations with them again. I pass out, finally. My mind drifts and I view an entire seascape all around me. I’m at the sea shore with my sisters. The ocean waves are calming. My oldest sister takes my hand and smiles at me. She says nothing. But she puts a stone in my hand. I look down at the stone. It’s in the shape of an egg, like the life seeds we’ve been planting...is it a sign? I drift off again. Next, my brother, Arb, stands next to me laughing. He puts his arm around me. I want to tell him I’ll miss our hikes together. He pats me on the back and disappears. Then I see my mother. She smiles at me...straightens out my hair...she fades away. I wake up.

  What are the words that will comfort my crew members? I too, am overcome with my own grief at the moment. A luxury I can’t afford. I must rise to the moment. 1900 hours arrives. I’m still unprepared. We’re gathered in our ready room. Everyone is silent. A flame is burning in a chalice in the center of the table. Cass and Deonna wear veils on their heads.

  I begin the service.

  “I know that words are never enough to comfort. Nothing I can say will bring our loved ones back. But we can let them each live on inside us, if we let them. We are their survivors. Let’s live to make them proud.”

  Cassie nods. The others line up and we each tearfully call the names of our loved ones who have passed. Deonna’s husband Renn and her two little daughters appear before her. She nearly collapses, and Talon catches her. Each of us has written their names on paper and we cast each name into the flame to send them to a heavenly place.

  I tell the crew, “Remember. Remember them always.”

  The memorial adjourns. Hugs and embraces are exchanged.

  “Deonna, I’m deeply sorry for your loss.” Talon tells her. They were beautiful girls, and Renn was a good man.”

  “Thank you, Talon. I really appreciate that.” She wipes tears from her face.

  “Korban, why don’t I take the con so that you can sleep?” Garner asks. I take him up on his offer. Everyone leaves and Garner proceeds to the navigation room. He looks around to see that he is by himself.

  “Starship Genesis to Seth 5. Melican, please respond.”

  “Garner, is that you?” Melican asks. “We feared that the Genesis was part of the holocaust.”

  “That’s negative, Melican. We’re en route to Seth 5 and will arrive at 0800 hours.”

  “Wonderful, Garner. Does anyone know we have spoken?” Melican asks. “No. I’m the only one.”

  “Very good. We’ll greet the ship when you arrive. If everything goes as I expect, you will become Commander of the Genesis going forward.”

  “Thank you, Melican. I look forward to it. Out.” Garner then deletes the recording. That night I experience the same vision as earlier. I realize the vision means we need to finish our mission. Early in the next cycle, the Genesis arrives in the Seth System. The Seth System contains 15 planets. Up to this point only Seth 5 has been colonized. Seth 5 is surprisingly magenta and cyan colored. Not what I would expect.

  “A ship is approaching us, Korban,” Garner informs me. “It looks like a freighter.” A hologram appears before us.

  “Starship Genesis. We are pleased to welcome you to Seth 5.”

  “Thank you. And you are....” I respond.

  “I am Melican, Liaison with the new Magistrate. ”

  “I take it Bonner Rye is now the Head Magistrate?”

  “Correct. It is my privilege to welcome all incoming refugees to Seth 5 and assimilate them into our new society. With that, we do have new and more necessary regulations we must advise you on, otherwise our society will not prevail.”

  “I see...It was our understanding that regulations administered on TerraNorre would continue here on Seth 5.”

  “Things are changing here at a very rapid pace, Commander. It seems that law and order must be administrated up front to ensure compliance. We will need a full inspection of your ship and medical check-up with vaccinations for your crew.”

  I’m not liking what I hear at this point.

  “You can dock the Genesis in the Seth 5 Station where your crew will begin processing. We will then transport you down via a shuttle craft to Seth 5.”

  “Melican, with respect. The Genesis has not completed its mission. However, we have responded to Seth 5 to get a status with the recent holocaust at TerraNorre.”

  “We’re aware TerraNorre is gone, Commander. There’s no returning to our home system. This will be your home now.”

  “That’s wonderful to hear, Melican. However, we expect to fulfill our mission. We’ll be happy to return to Seth 5 upon its completion.”

  “Commander, we believe it is now your responsibility to return to Seth 5 and serve your people here. There are other planets in this system we can explore and colonize.”

  Noah stands up with his back to the hologram,

  “Korban, he wants this ship. Starships like the Genesis are hard to come by at this point.”

  “Korban, two more ships are approaching the Genesis. They are heavily armed.” Talon relays.

  “Melican, I didn’t expect you to greet us with an armed response like this.”

  “What do you mean, Commander? We’re giving you a military escort in honor of your service to TerraNorre and the people of Seth 5.”

  “Like heck,” Noah responds. “It’s time to leave.”

  “Thoughts anyone?” Noah continues to stand with his back to the screen.

  “Those cruisers are going to force us to dock.” He tells me. I quickly set a course away from Seth 5, as the other two ships approach and fire on us. The ship rocks from the blasts.

  The Genesis, a flag ship, quickly warps through space from the pursuing ships, casting a faint star-like trail that disappears before them. Neither ship can match its speed.

  I contemplate how my 300 years of pilot experience has just paid off. 300 years, I think. It seems like only 50. People on TerraNorre average life spans of 900 years. I’m still young, by all respects. Our large population on TerraNorre is a great accomplishment to the geneticists; increasing man’s life span. But it also has contributed to the evacuation problem from TerraNorre to Seth 5. Too many people, not enough ships. It seems to me that the government seat at Seth 5 has been compromised.

  “What now?” Noah asks.

  I turn to the crew. “I have had a premonition. I saw my sister at the sea shore as I slept. And she put a stone in my hand. It was the same size and shape as the life seeds.”

  Deonna seems to find consolation in the moment and smiles. “We’re going to finish the mission.”

  I look at Deonna. “We need to complete the mission.”

  THE 2016 EXCAVATION

  MARCH 25TH YANAMA DISTRICT, PERU

  275 Miles Northeast of Lima Peru

  “Matt, I�
�ve found another.” Ray exclaims. We gather around him and lift the large clay pot from the ground where Ray has been digging.

  “This makes 10.” I say.

  Of late, we’ve been asked to head an archeological dig here in Peru. Being avid fans of Machu Picchu, the Mexican pyramids, and other pre- Columbian sites, we couldn’t pass this opportunity up.