Trappist-1_The Tree of Life

by Todd Fries

  His thoughts were interrupted when Jillian continued with her presentation. He turned his attention back to her lecture.

  “We know that life can take a foot-hold almost anywhere and that living things are very resilient and adaptive. The biosphere of any new habitable planet can be converted to suit the needs of man by first bringing in the plants required to sustain life. The colonization of a planet doesn’t necessarily mean that humans are occupying the land, but that Earth born life has been transplanted to a new home, light years away. It’s through that process that we can pave the way for future generations.”

  As she continued her discussion, the team sat back in awe at this astounding turn of events. She continued to discuss the transfer of beneficial bacteria as well as new agricultural practices designed to enhance field production. The introduction of genetically altered grass to start populating the empty plains and it went on for over an hour before the General called the meeting to a halt.

  The team expected that he would now ask for their input and opinions, but he didn’t. He simply stated that if there weren’t any more questions, they should think about everything said today and that he would call another meeting in the near future. Leaving the room, the team stayed behind to talk about all they had seen and heard, and when they discussed it amongst themselves, they concluded that it was probably a wise move on his part to let this “sink-in” before listening to feedback. And so with nothing else to do, they excused themselves and returned to their quarters for the evening.

  THE PARTY

  “Welcome everyone!”

  Samuel smiled. It was his bachelor party and his guests of honor were arriving. Today he was dressed in khaki shorts and a Hawaiian shirt and looked every bit the tourist without his general’s uniform. As was custom, he had the whole resort to himself and as the wave machine generated the soft splash of surf against the beach, he pulled up a stool and poured himself a drink.

  “Salute!”

  Everyone held up their glass.

  “Salute!” They shouted in return.

  This was a stark contrast to the serious meeting of the other day. The General didn’t seem to have a care in the world and this made everyone relax. They were happy for him and if anyone deserved a break, he did. The man had dedicated his entire life to supporting the development of classified projects, managing missions that were carefully hidden from the public and protecting not only his country, but the world.

  In his early days he had been a part of the 1975 Apollo 19 mission which also included a young Nickolas Roshenko. While they never met during that project, they were forever tied together in a complex web of history with only one thing in common. Stellae Mysterium. It was here that SM1 had been revealed, but it took over 40 years to do it. Both of these men had more experience than the rest of the team combined and they were lucky to have such insightful and daring people within their ranks.

  Nickolas expressed his good mood.

  “Soon our friend will embark on the ultimate mission! Marriage!”

  Everyone laughed. Major Brooks continued.

  “Nothing more dangerous than treading those waters. We were safer on the Moon!”

  General Reynolds broke into the conversation.

  “Now wait a minute. You’re talking about my Kathi! We’re going to be just fine. It’s always good to have a reliable partner on an excursion of such import.”

  Nickolas reacted.

  “An excursion? Marriage? Dude! I’m starting to believe you really don’t know what you’re signing up for! Perhaps we can still talk you out of it.”

  They chuckled, but none of them were being serious. This was the normal banter between men, but not only men, but men who had sacrificed much to get where they were today. Each in their own way had put aside much of their lives to accomplish both personal and professional goals. They were specialists and experts, dedicated to finding the truth. There could be nothing more noble, especially when it advanced the quality of life for mankind.

  Jacob finally got the courage to speak.

  “As you know, I study Jewish history and am a Hebrew scholar and theologian. Before the revelation at Sinai, a man would meet a woman on the street and if they both desired marriage, he would bring her to his house and have sex privately and she would become his wife. Once the Torah was given, they were instructed to acquire ‘her’ in the presence of witnesses and then she became his wife. A woman who was ‘acquired’ in this way was called mc’kudeshet or arusah [a betrothed woman]. This is why you now have a fiancé and why you’ll be performing the marriage ceremony in public - with witnesses - and why a divorce is required if you ever separate.”

  The General looked at him seriously.

  “So you’re calling my fiancé a ‘mc’kude-shit?”

  “No! Mckudeshet! Not shit!”

  Jacob was taken aback because he appeared to be angry, but the General turned his frown into a smile and tussled the hair on his head.

  “You may be as smart as a whip, but you still have a lot to learn young Jacob!”

  Jacob smiled. Nickolas looked over at one of the other men sitting at the bar.

  “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.”

  He extended his hand to a good looking young gentleman.

  “My name is Mark Sallsmann – Engineer.”

  “Engineer?”

  “Maybe astrophysicist is more appropriate, but yes. I’m on the Generals team. I have degrees from both the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”

  “Oh?”

  Nickolas immediately thought of Jin and wondered if they knew each other at MIT.

  “Did you ever meet a man named Jin Lei?”

  He shook his head.

  “No. I don’t recall that name. What did he study?”

  “Never mind. I just thought you might know him. Anyway, what is it that you do for the General?”

  General Reynolds broke into the conversation.

  “He’s my number one choice to reverse engineer our little spacecraft. He and his wife Lori are both extreme engineers with degrees in physics, which I deemed necessary to understanding the propulsion system of SM1.”

  Nickolas seemed confused.

  “My interpretation of your briefing was that you planned to use the craft to visit other exoplanets? Not to reverse engineer the design.”

  “Why not do both?”

  “How?”

  “If we send a team to one of these exoplanets, Mark and Lori can go along and conduct their studies at the same time as the rest are doing other scientific work. In essence. Kill two birds with one stone.”

  Nickolas shook his head.

  “Amazing. I should have known. Won’t they need a lot of equipment?”

  Mark answered.

  “Actually, we’ve already started our study on the cold fusion drive and are making progress. Much of our work will involve complex equations, combined with simple tests of the engine. We will also work to determine if we can off-load power to other terrestrial equipment such as lighting, electric motors, etc. There’s probably the equivalent of a ‘plug’ somewhere on this craft. We just have to find it and then interface with it.”

  “So the ship would act as a generator when not in flight?”

  “Exactly. Also, we need to figure out how to measure power consumption and if we have a limited supply of fuel. You’ve already flown the thing over 50 trillion miles, so one has to wonder if the needle on the gas gauge went down or if it needs some sort of maintenance. It’s our job to figure that out.

  From a physics standpoint, nothing is everlasting. It’s not theoretically possible to have a power source that never consumes itself over time. Even the Sun has a limited lifespan. While this might be the most advanced power plant ever conceived, there are no manuals or specifications for us to follow. Does this make sense?”

  “It makes sense. I suppose we can’t count on this ship travelling another 100 miles, let alone 40
light years to Trappist-1?”

  “Trappist-1 is over 235 trillion miles or almost 10 times the distance to Proxima. If we ran out of fuel between here and there, the mission would be over for everyone. That’s why the General is weighing all options. If the intent is to colonize, we should make all efforts to establish a human presence on the first trip. There might not be another.”

  Nickolas looked at the General.

  “I don’t envy you. Making this decision. Can I ask how far along you are on planning this excursion?”

  The General took a sip of his drink and sat down.

  “We’ve put a lot of effort into planning a trip. We can either take the safe road by simply going back to Proxima b, or we can gamble on the seven planets surrounding Trappist-1. There are also planets around K2-72. This is why the work of Jacob was so instrumental. We may not get a lot of mileage out of this machine, so we have to make every trip count.”

  Nickolas asked the obvious question.

  “Do we know anything about these planets?”

  General Reynolds explained.

  “We’re dealing with red dwarf stars with planets orbiting in very close proximity. For example K2-72c completes one orbit every 15 Earth days, yet even being that close, it’s likely to be about 10% warmer than our planet while K2-72e has a 24 Earth-day year and may be 6% colder than Earth. As you know there are 7 planets around Trappist-1 and all of them might be temperate, which means they could have liquid water on the surface.

  There are three planets in that system that seem very interesting and each resides in the habitable zone. Two are almost the same size as Earth. Trappist-1e is slightly smaller in diameter, but Trappist 1c and 1f are just a tad larger. They also orbit their star within a matter of days, just like Proxima b. By definition, these planets are also tidally locked to their star.”

  He reflected for a moment and smiled.

  “Can you imagine standing on one of these worlds and looking up into the sky? These other planets would be twice the size of the Moon as seen from Earth. It would be a spectacular sight.”

  Nickolas agreed.

  “I have no doubt. In looking at Jacobs ‘Tree of Life’ analysis, it would certainly seem that K2-72 and Trappist are prime targets. Seems to me you’ve made up your mind, but the only thing holding you back is the ‘risk-factor?’”

  The General leaned in close.

  “It’s a huge risk for everyone. This isn’t just about the crew of this expedition, but about the future of life on Earth and how we expand into the cosmos, ensuring our legacy as human beings.”

  “Then why not Proxima b? We already know that’s habitable. Why extend all the way to Trappist-1?”

  “Because the clues lead to Trappist.”

  “You mean your interpretation of the clues?”

  “I suppose, but the evidence laid out today by Jacob is quite convincing.”

  “But the fulcrum point of Jacob’s ‘Tree’ is where?”

  The General hesitated and then answered.

  “Proxima.”

  “Correct! And everything extends from Proxima b. Isn’t it also possible that this is a sequential map of our eventual progression into space? Maybe we’re jumping the gun by going all the way to Trappist before we’re ready. What is your American saying? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?”

  The General didn’t respond, but Nick realized this might be the type of feed-back he was searching for when he presented his case to the group. It occurred to Nickolas that the General was still conflicted on what to do and while he was certain of his love for Kathi and his impending wedding, he wasn’t so firm on his recommendations regarding SM1. He didn’t envy him, dealing the burdens of decision, but if he could help him in any way, he would do so without hesitation. He continued.

  “Is there something else you know that we don’t? Something that’s driving you toward one destination or another?”

  The General didn’t answer, but Jacob offered some advice.

  “If I were the General, I’d look at all the facts and weigh them against their importance. There are some things that are irrefutable and others that may demand more analysis. The problem with the irrefutable ones is they can be too perfect in their design. Such precision can create doubt, being too circumstantial to be believable, which is why a form of ‘faith’ is required, even in the presence of such overwhelming evidence.”

  Nickolas leaned in close to Jacob.

  “If I read between the lines, you also want to go to Trappist-1?”

  “What I want isn’t important. I can only provide what the Lord has decreed.”

  “So there is a decree?”

  Jacob smiled.

  “When I was young, I put my faith in God at an early age. For me, the truth was irrefutable, but there were many who didn’t agree. These scars attest to that fact.”

  He pointed to his face and around his eye. He proceeded with his story.

  “One day I was beaten by some men who had no respect for the Word of God and in their ignorance, desecrated my bible and nearly took my life. The evidence was right in their hands, but I would have been better off throwing that book in with the slop for pigs. The truth can be right in front of a man’s face and never see it. Facts and figures are good, but even those aren’t enough to sway the heart. So when I present such fantastic notions based on math, mystic symbolism and Hebrew iconography, it isn’t enough to sway all who come across it. Can you truly say that you are completely convinced?”

  Nickolas hesitated. He trusted the General and anyone he selected to help him, but Jacob had a point. Even with everything presented so far, he wasn’t sure if Trappist-1 was a good idea. He’d already been to Proxima b, so his preconceived ideas included going there and nothing else. He had seen this world with his own eyes, collected soil, water and air samples and returned with concrete information about its environment. This was something he could understand, so why skip all the way out to such a distant point without knowing for sure? He chuckled.

  “You’ve got a point. On the one hand, I have the security of knowing what I’ve seen with my own eyes, but I also can’t dismiss the overwhelming evidence of the Lord’s hand in all this. Too many times I’ve come to my own conclusions, only to be proven wrong again and again. At one point I thought that SM1 was an ancient alien building with a statue of one of those aliens in the King’s chamber. Now we know that SM1 can fly and that statue was a space-suit that only becomes soft and pliable when exposed to a habitable environment outside the planet Earth. We found all 66 books of the bible in the library room and even so, I still question the biblical evidence as it’s revealed to me.”

  He glanced at General Reynolds.

  “I think I understand your plight. SM1 is just one piece of a giant puzzle of information that cannot be rationally segregated into neat little buckets of knowledge. You’re going to have to step out onto the ledge at some point and take that leap of faith.”

  General Reynolds took a drink and added his comments.

  “You’re both correct and you’re both wrong. There isn’t a single correct answer, but there might be. What I mean is that God is usually pretty specific and learning to understand His will in all this is no easy task. Perhaps I’ve surrounded myself with too many experts from too many fields of science and religion, but history will judge what we decide here and someday our children or our children’s children will look upon these days as some of the most important in human history. So in answer to your question. Are there things I know that you don’t? Yes. Some are just as you say. So irrefutable that I hesitated to review them all at this time. Mainly for the same reasons you discussed.”

  Nickolas pressed the General one last time.

  “So even you don’t know which planet to visit first. Do you?”

  Their conversation was interrupted by Major Brooks, who put his arm around the General and yelled for a round of shots.

  “Everyone toast! To the General and his lovely bride!”


  “Salute!”

  Nickolas returned to the party and celebrated a new beginning. Not only for the General, but perhaps for the human race itself. The answer would come soon enough, but for now he was content to relax and enjoy the evening. The best was yet to come.

  UPHEAVAL

  The next day, Nickolas examined himself in the mirror as he combed his hair. His tuxedo looked nice. He wasn’t used to seeing himself so debonair, but even though the suit was a bit uncomfortable, he really didn’t mind as it made him look years younger and much wiser. While the ceremony would be limited to a small group, the reception sounded like a lot of people were attending and he looked forward to playing the part of a rich aristocrat.

  For most of his life, he never wore anything more than jeans, khaki’s or shorts as he was either in the field working or doing the other work of archaeology. He never had a desk job that required a suit and tie, so to see himself all pressed and clean was an unusual and welcome sight. He was just about to put on his jacket, when there was a thunderous pounding at his front door. Someone was screaming unintelligibly and he hastened to get there as quickly as possible. When he swung it open, Hannah was standing in her bridesmaid gown, tears pouring down her face.

  “Come quickly! Somethings happened!”

  She charged down the hall before he could ask about it, so he followed at a trot until they entered General Reynold’s apartment. When he stepped inside, it was strange sight to behold. Kathi was laying on the couch, crying into a towel and there was an empty vase lying next to a puddle of water; a bunch of cut flowers strewn across the floor.

  “Where’s Samuel?”

  Hannah pointed toward the bedroom. When he went inside, the General way lying on his back and appeared to be asleep.

  “Is he dead?”

  She nodded.

  Nickolas approached and felt for a pulse. The body was still warm. Not finding anything, he tried the carotid artery, but felt nothing. There was no breath movement and it was clear the man was no longer a part of this world. He wondered what happened. Was it a heart attack? A stroke? He was about to move away when he noticed a small trace of red behind his head. He motioned to Hannah.