Trappist-1_The Tree of Life

by Todd Fries

  “Hello my old friend. Are we ready for some flying lessons?”

  “Ready? I was ready the instant I realized you were flying this thing around the cosmos. I was jealous to say the least. I should have had you fly the Altair, but since you were the only one capable of understanding how to fly this thing, I suppose I had to let you go first.”

  “You’re mistake. Not mine.”

  With the formalities out of the way, he turned his attention to the two goons behind them.

  “Do you mind stepping back a bit? We need some room.”

  One of the guards answered.

  “We have orders sir. We’re not to leave this room until you activate the 360 degree view screen.”

  Nickolas was amused. These guys had no idea what was in store for them. General Taylor was smart. How else could they keep track of him unless they could see what was going on outside. He had been ordered to hover just above the tarmac, so any deviation might result in the use of deadly force and unless these guys could see out a virtual window, they’d have no idea if they were sitting 20 feet above the runway or 100 miles in space. Since there was no feeling of acceleration, the opportunity to mislead them was a real concern.

  Nickolas didn’t respond, but took a seat in front of the control panel and pressed his finger against the surface and dragged it, creating a transparent wall. It was Jin Lei who did it the first time, showing him how to make the initial screen expand to encompass the entire room including the ceiling and floor. At that time, they were still on the Moon at Stellae Mysterium and seeing the lunar landscape all around them took their breath away. It was like standing on the surface without a space suit and the emotional impact was the same. They felt naked and exposed and the blinding Sun was surrealistic in the dark of space.

  When he turned on the screen, the glare reminded him of that day. That same Sun was now blinding the two soldiers and they shaded their eyes while gasping in surprise, and when they finally looked down at their feet, they nearly lost their balance as their boots appeared to be floating in mid-air, several feet above the runway. After steadying themselves, they recovered their senses and the child-like wonder on their faces returned to chiseled frowns. They were professional soldiers and any show of emotion was taboo. Nickolas said one word and smiled.

  “Rookies!”

  Major Brooks shook his head in disbelief and took a seat next to Nickolas.

  “So this is the view you had in space? It must have been like sitting in a bubble. I envy your adventure.”

  “Oh it was something all right. The only time I had to turn it off, or at least limit the view was when I went to sleep. It was unnerving to see and feel the entire universe around me. There are times when an opaque floor is a blessing. At any rate, are you ready to get started?”

  “You’re the boss.”

  Nickolas took him through the procedures starting with things as simple as opening and closing the internal doors, expanding and retracting the view screen and then how to select navigational targets on the display. When he took his trip to Mars, he simply found the planet on the view-screen, tapped on his target and then confirmed his selection. Once this was done, the ship was fully automated and immediately accelerated toward the goal.

  As the ship approached any planet, it automatically slowed until it achieved a safe orbit and then waited for the next command. It was model of simplicity. Since that time others figured out how to enter complex navigational coordinates for destinations invisible to the naked eye, but for their purposes, the ground crew had deployed a balloon, which was secured to the runway by a long string that extended about 300 feet in the air. Nickolas would use this as a navigational target, allowing them to hover just above the base. It would be enough for the Major’s first lesson.

  So for the next several hours, nothing happened of any interest. It was all about theory and explaining the function of each switch or button. Eventually the guards felt bored and retired to one of the other rooms to eat their lunch and chat for a while. It was then that Nickolas took his opportunity to talk. Using his eyes, he motioned with his head and directed the Major’s gaze to the other room. He whispered to the Major.

  “We’re alone. What’s going on? Why are they training you to fly this thing?”

  “I assume I’ll be the pilot on an upcoming mission. What about you?”

  “I think that once I’m done training you, my usefulness will be over. They’d never trust me to operate the vessel on my own. Hence the armed guards.”

  “Yes. I was wondering about that.”

  Nickolas looked him in the eye.

  “What do you think about all this? General Taylor and his new command?”

  “I don’t know what to think. As a soldier I follow orders and it isn’t part of my job to question a superior officer. Regardless. Like you. I’m also concerned about what happened with General Reynolds and our treatment since General Taylor arrived. I would have talked with you sooner, but he’s kept me occupied with training and other duties. I think he’s trying to keep us apart.”

  “I know what you mean. It’s not overt, but none the less, it seems difficult to get any private time with anyone else. That’s why I wanted to catch you here. We may not get another chance in the next few days.”

  “So what’s on your mind?”

  “You know how I felt when I took-off with this ship after our mission to Stellae Mysterium?”

  “Yes?”

  “We’ll I’m feeling that same way again. The General had a plan and a good one and was about to reveal it after his wedding. Don’t you think it’s a bit coincidental that he dies just hours before making his announcement? General Taylor doesn’t know that I have his hand written letter with the details of his declaration. What do you think he’d do if he found out about it?”

  The Major answered.

  “You wouldn’t have it very long.”

  “Precisely. And what does that tell you?”

  Major Brooks pondered for a moment.

  “That what you’re saying is correct and that the military has taken SM1 by force?”

  Nickolas seemed stunned that the Major seemed so unsure. Couldn’t he see it? It was obvious to him and yet the Major didn’t seem to grasp the reality of it. Nickolas took a step back and explained.

  “Think about it. What good will it do humanity to waste this resource on spy missions and bombing raids. The human race has the chance to expand onto other worlds, ensuring our survival as a species. General Reynolds made the correct choice, but the powers above him interceded before he could formalize his plans. Do you understand?”

  The Major responded.

  “Believe me. I’m on your side, but how do you fight the US Government? How do you overpower the people in charge? Do you really think that you have any chance of stealing this ship? I agree, but you also have to be realistic. If you didn’t want this to happen, you should have never come back. Now it’s too late.”

  Nickolas couldn’t argue with his logic. The man had a point. Maybe he shouldn’t have come back, but then what? If nobody had the ship, then there’d be no chance for humanity. Even if the military had it now, it didn’t mean that it would control it forever. Evolution was the nature of politics and power. The winds of change could shift in the other direction, but when? And what about their friend General Reynolds? Didn’t he deserve justice? Didn’t he deserve to be heard?

  While he had the General’s letter, there was no place to send it. He couldn’t leak it to the media. All communications were highly restricted. There was no way to get information onto or off the base without going through proper channels. It was like being stranded on an island. They were under the absolute power of a dictator in the form of General Taylor and he had control over everything. Nickolas remained silent for a moment and then answered.

  “You may be correct, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do something about it. What’s right is right and doing the right thing is never easy or safe. Can you really abandon
the man who gave you your career? The same man who granted you the opportunity to do and see things that no other humans have ever done? God has called us to be agents of change.”

  The Major gave him a quizzical look. Nick continued.

  “Yes. You! You’ve also been called. We know there are forces that work against God everywhere. Do you think Satan could ignore the purpose of this vehicle? What do you think is happening here? Our battle isn’t against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers of this world. Even so, God always provides a way, even when the world says it’s impossible. Where’s the faith you had when you finally understood the spiritual nature of this ship?”

  Major Brooks seemed to turn red. Nickolas wasn’t sure if it was anger or embarrassment. Finally the Major spoke.

  “So what’s your plan?”

  “I don’t have one yet, but that’s why I’m talking to you. We need to start figuring out what to do before it’s too late.”

  “Too late?”

  “Once your proficient in running this ship, who knows where you may end up. In fact, you might not get the chance to fly it much at all. The General’s going to want you to train others like yourself and eventually this could be based anywhere in the world. Do you really think you’ll be the only pilot trained to operate her? This is just the beginning. They know I have a good relationship with you, so they’re using that to ensure my cooperation. You’ll be training everyone else. Not me.”

  The Major seemed to be deep in thought, but continued playing with the controls. He turned back to Nickolas.

  “Ok. Let’s say we do this, what’s the first step?”

  “Simple. We contact Mark Sallsmann.”

  “Why?”

  “Chances are he’s working on the propulsion system right now. That’s probably his equipment in the other room. He’s our way into the ship?”

  “But what can he do?”

  “We need to find out, and to start planning. The first step is to get together and discuss this in private.”

  “But can you trust him?”

  “We don’t have a choice. Our options are limited. I’m not saying this isn’t risky. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, but these are people hand-picked by General Reynolds, so we’ve got that going for us. He wouldn’t pull these people out of their day jobs without being very sure of their values and core beliefs. He was too fixated on fulfilling the God-given plan to colonize other worlds. So my gut tells me that he prayed pretty hard before deciding on these people and if they are here, they’re here by God’s design.”

  The Major seemed to relax a little.

  “You’ve got this all figured out. Don’t you.”

  “Of course. Jillian, Jacob, Mark. They all fit in and have a purpose for being here. Heck, Jillian probably has access to the ‘botany’ room upstairs.”

  “Botany room? Is that what you’re calling it now?”

  “Why not. It fits. That room is perfect for transporting seedlings and soil and other biological matter. It’s all part of the grand design of this ark.”

  The Major didn’t respond, but gave him a dirty look and then Nickolas saw his eyes pointing toward the doorway behind him. When he looked over, the guards were coming back, so turning his attention to the control panel, he continued to instruct the Major on the finer points of flight. The way it stood now, he’d have to be instructing everyone on the finer points of how to steal this ship once and for all.

  TIME AND SPACE

  Jacob heard a knock on his door. He hesitated when he remembered what happened the last time he answered it. He rubbed the scab on his head. He’d been working on his own, re-creating his research, but also delving into areas that he never considered in the past. In recent weeks he’d become even more convinced that the triune symbols were a direct link to old Hebrew script and as he revealed the nature of the ‘Tree of Life’, he wondered about its significance when applied to the Word of God.

  For instance, he recently read about the “holographic” universe. Scientists were now thinking that the entire universe might be one vast hologram. What science thought of as reality, might be an illusion. From what he read, everything that we saw, felt and heard in three dimensions (our perception of time) emanated from a flat two-dimensional plane. The idea was similar to ordinary holograms where a three dimensional image was encoded on a two dimensional field, such as the hologram on a credit card. Using their theory, the entire universe was encoded. The universe was similar to watching a 3-D movie, where pictures were perceived as having height, width and depth, but in reality were flat representations on a screen.

  When he examined their diagram, he observed a timeline showing the holographic universe running from left to right. The far left, denoted as the holographic phase, was blurry because space and time were not yet defined. At the end of this phase (denoted by the black fluctuating ellipse) the universe entered its geometric phase, which could now be described by Einstein’s equations. The cosmic microwave background wasn’t emitted until 375,000 years later. The patterns imprinted on it carried the information about the very early universe and seeded the development of other structures such as stars and galaxies in the late universe (far right).

  UK University of Southampton (Photo: Paul McFadden)

  He realized that the symbolism in the ‘Tree of Life’ already told this story. The Kabbalists, thousands of years ago, already believed that time and space had a beginning in the form of the Creation. The first three Sephirot were called the Supernal Sephirot, which were considered the primordial energies of the universe. Each stage describing the emanation of the universe on the ‘Tree of Life’ was numbered from one to ten. Each number was thought to express the nature of the Sephira. First was Keter, which was thought of as the product of the contraction of Ain Soph Aur into a singularity of infinite energy and limitless light. In the Kabbalah, it was the primordial energy out of which all things were created.

  The next stage was Chokmah, or Wisdom, which was considered to be a stage at which the infinitely hot and contracted singularity expanded forth into space and time. It was often thought of as pure dynamic energy, of an infinite intensity, forever propelled at a speed faster than light.

  Next came Binah, cooling and nourishing it into the multitudinous forms present throughout the cosmos. It was also seen as the beginning of time itself. The final stages of evolution were considered to exist beyond any space on the tree, called the Abyss (Daath), between the Supernals and the other Sephiroth. After Binah, the universe got down to the business of building the elements needed to fulfill its evolution, creating new combinations of materials until it was so dense that by the time it reached the stage of Malkuth, the initial pure limitless energy had ‘solidified’ into the physical universe we know today.

  But the ‘Tree of Life” didn’t only speak to the origin of the physical universe, but also man’s place in it. After the energy of Creation was condensed into matter, it reversed course, flowing back up the Tree until it once again united with its true nature. God himself.

  So whatever General Reynolds was planning, he was behind it all the way and fully believed this vessel was an ark designed to help mankind expand into the cosmos. The more he studied the ancient script, the more convinced he became. There was no way all of these pieces fit together by coincidence. These writings were made by a Being of extreme intelligence with access to the past, present and future. There was no one that stood above time and space except the Creator and Master Designer.

  He took a deep breath and turned the handle and when he opened the door, he relaxed. It was Nickolas. Stepping aside, he waved him in and showed him to his seat.

  “So what can I do for you today?”

  Nickolas seemed to squirm as if uncomfortable or afraid to talk. Knowing he might have something important on his mind and needing a way to break the ice, he offered him some water. After observing him drink, he perceived a change in attitude and saw him begin to relax. When he felt like he was read
y, he waited in silence for Nickolas to make the first move.

  “I hope I’m not intruding too much by stopping in without notice. I was in the area and felt like we should get to know each other a little better. I understand you’ve actually been here for some time. Correct?”

  “Not so long as you might imagine. General Reynolds sent for me a few months ago and I’ve been hiding here most of the time. I was so involved in my project that it was easier to have food delivered and many times I skipped a meal without even realizing it. It’s no wonder that you might think I just arrived. However, since pulling my work from me, I’ve had a little more time to start exploring.”

  “Does this anger you?”

  “I don’t know. It’s both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand it takes the pressure off me, but on the other, I miss it. It’s hard to explain.”

  Nickolas leaned in closer.

  “Oh I think I do. It’s been feast or famine for me most of my life. The moment I think I’ve accomplished some goal, I find out that I’ve only scratched the surface. It’s the one thing that archaeology and science have in common. Every new idea seems to start as a blurry haze and by the time it coalesces into a workable solution, another new concept impacts the root of the first one and you end up starting all over again. ”

  “I think I understand. Everything is a moving target.”

  “Correct. In those instances knowing what to do next can be challenging.”

  He looked Jacob in the eye.

  “How close were you to the General?”

  “I’d like to think we were pretty close. It’s hard not to like someone who agrees with your ideas.”

  “And how did you feel about his death?”

  “Most unfortunate. He was one-of-a-kind and will be hard to replace. In fact, I don’t believe he can ever be replaced. There are very few individuals in this world totally free from bias, but he was one of them. There wasn’t a single idea that he didn’t consider. Most would have dismissed my theories before they ever got to the drawing board, but he never hesitated a moment.”