The Solar Wind

by Laura E. Collins

  The Solar Wind

  Laura E. Collins

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or organizations, or persons; living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © 2011 by Laura E. Collins

  All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

  Chapter 1: Leaving Earth

  “Are you one hundred percent sure you want to do this?” This wasn’t the first time Alexis had asked Ava this question. The two women have been friends ever since childhood and they knew each other well, but times have changed. It was not news to anyone in this age that human survival on Earth would soon come to an end but no one knew for sure when. Several hundred years ago a colossal meteor crashed into the Earth. “The Great Impact of 2079,” as it was known, changed the course of history. The event wiped out half of the Earth’s population in less than seventy two hours. The aftermath in the years that followed was a steady stream of chaotic wars, famine, epidemics, and a total restructuring of society. It also marked the beginning of the movement towards space migration. The powerful meteor impact pushed the Earth out of the ellipse of its orbit. Each year the Earth spiraled further and further away from the sun, in consequence causing turmoil within the weather patterns. The surface temperature now resembles a perpetual winter. Most of the remaining civilizations have built underground cities to sustain human and animal survival. Registries were created for people to apply and wait their turn to be selected to move on to one of the few space stations now in orbit. The most advanced and largest space station, Earth II, will not be completed for at least another ten years. Once completed, it is estimated that the remainder of Earth’s population will be able to successfully migrate. After three years of waiting on the registry, it was now Ava’s turn to be evaluated for transport.

  “Less than one hundred people a month on Earth are selected for transport Alexis. Nathan and I applied together before we were married. It’s what we wanted for our future.” Ava’s voice was flat. Ava and Nathan met in college. They were immediately enamored by one another and never spent more than a few days apart. Ava pursued a career in healthcare and Nathan a career as a nuclear engineer. During graduate school they applied for migration to one of the space stations. They felt they had a good chance of being selected quickly because of their professions, which were much needed in space. A year ago Ava and Nathan married, anticipating beginning a new life together away from the dismal cold underground cities they had grown up in. The happy couple was married for only seven months before Ava received notification that her husband had suddenly become ill with a resistant virus strain. Nathan had been working on an assignment in a distant city. Ava rushed to be with him, however she was too late. By the time she arrived, the city had been quarantined and, unfortunately, Nathan had succumbed to the illness only minutes before she arrived. All the hospital allowed Ava to do was to identify him through a biohazard barrier and collect his sterilized personal effects before they promptly cremated him. There was no funeral, no formal farewell. There was only grief.

  Nathan’s death had been a terrible shock for Ava, the sorrow that followed was difficult for her to bear. It seemed that life was never easy. In these times, death commonly touched everyone’s life on Earth. Ava did not have any known living relatives. She considered herself now alone in the world. Her parents had died from illness when she was seven years old. Her aunt, Katherine, raised her as her own daughter until she too passed away two years ago. Ava looked upon Alexis as an older sister and felt sad about the idea of leaving her and her husband, Marc, behind to pursue a new life away from Earth, but that seemed to be the best option for her now.

  In order to prevent overcrowding and overuse of the limited resources on the stations, migration became strictly controlled by the Intergalactic Transport Organization, a collaboration of the remaining governments on Earth. The sole purpose of the organization was to monitor the census of each station and select applicants for transport based on certain criteria when openings were available. The system was corrupt, biased and unjust, but the world was not what it once was. The ITO considered human survival its number one priority and it pledged to do whatever was necessary to sustain the fragile internal environments on the stations. This is the rationale the ITO uses to justify its selection process. One outbreak of a resistant virus could be detrimental to the population of the stations, therefore only the healthiest people were chosen for transport. An applicant must submit to a complete physical exam with blood tests to evaluate his or her overall health. Applicants with any type of chronic medical condition were placed further down the list, those with cancer or other terminal illnesses at the very bottom. The younger and healthier you were, the better your chance of being selected. All females of child bearing potential were required to have a small hormonal implant inserted into their arm before migration to prevent pregnancy in order to control the population on the stations. Once chosen for migration and residency established, a new resident could apply to have the implant removed to permit fertility to be restored for one child to be born, and then it would be replaced. Unauthorized births could place a family at risk for deportation back to Earth. Ava had such an implant placed prior to applying for migration to comply with the selection requirements.

  Next, the ITO would consider the applicant’s profession. Applicants with a desired skill, trade, or profession were selected next. Criminals and those convicted of crimes were not even considered. Applicants who are actually chosen must go through a second exhaustive screening process for verification. Chosen applicants are given a small checklist of items that can be brought on to the station. Precious few personal items are allowed due to the cost of transport and limited space. The expense involved for transport was another obstacle. Some saved every credit possible for years to afford the passage fee. Ava had planned for the fee as most people did, starting at a young age. The credits left to her from her aunt’s death and from Nathan’s passing made migration possible.

  Ava’s interview with the ITO went very well. Ava, a healthy twenty-five year old woman would be an asset for Orionis, one of the older space stations in orbit. The main health care facility on the station was in need of another Nurse Practitioner to help assume the care of its residents. It seemed that the physician, Dr. Brennan Grant, and the other health care providers were struggling to keep up with the demand for services and requested the addition of a new provider as soon as possible. Ava hoped to be selected for one of the more modern stations; however she felt relief and excitement to finally be chosen. She wanted a fresh start and wished for the best beginning of her new life.

  Alexis accompanied Ava to the ITO Migration Port. It was a long journey as there were only seven of them on Earth. Ava’s travel trunks have already been collected, inspected, and scanned for transport. Ava gave Alexis the rest of her belongings that she would leave behind. She could only stay with Ava until they reached the first security gate on the public underground observation deck. Only the few people cleared for migration could progress beyond that point. The port was alive with activity as workers scurried about. The two women were able to see the base of the starship, The Solar Wind, through the enormous glass windows. The ship’s massive size awed them; its height projected above the freezing Earth’s surface. Loaders diligently prepped the vessel for transport. Various crates were being loaded into the hull. Ships mandatorily were designed to transport people as well as building materials, resources, food, and plant life. To conserve energy and resources, ships consolidated missions as much as possible.
The only thing for Ava to do next was to say good-bye to her good friend.

  “I am sad to be losing you Ava. You are like a sister to me. Promise me that you will keep in touch. I want to know everything about your life in space. You’ll keep me updated won’t you?”

  “Of course I will Alexis. Besides, you’re not losing me. It’s not like I’m going to cease to exist. I’ll message you as soon as I am settled. The clinic I’ll be working in is supposed to be swamped. I’m sure I’ll be happy there. I need to be busy; it helps to keep my mind off of other things.”

  “Nathan would be so proud of you. I just wish things were different. I am worried about you being all alone up there.”

  “Orionis has a good reputation for stability and safety. I’m sure things will be fine.”

  “That’s not what I meant Ava. I’m worried about you. Please make an attempt to be social. I know how sad you still are.”

  “I promise I will try to be more social.” Ava smiled. “Change is what I need right now. I’d be lying to you if I told you I wasn’t nervous, however, this is a good thing for me. I believe it is. I’m not expecting it to be an easy transition, however, I’m positive that this is what I need to do. I know I can take care of myself.”

  The boarding announcement audibly rang out around the transport station. “All passengers please report to your debarking dock. Lift-off will commence in sixty minutes.”

  “I’d better go; I still have to go through security. Thank you for everything, I’m going to miss you. Good bye Alexis, take care of yourself O.K.?” Ava said, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

  “Bye Ava, good luck and be safe. Let me know that you are OK.” Alexis could barely speak. She hastily wiped a few fallen tears back with the sleeve of her coat.

  “I will.” The two women hugged each other. Ava turned and walked towards the security gate. The security check was exhaustive; however things seemed to flow seamlessly. Once cleared, Ava was assigned a seat on the ship and directed to the boarding dock. There were twelve people waiting in line to board The Solar Wind. Ava noticed a family of four with small children, two sets of young married couples, and two men. One in his early twenties, and one who appeared to be his early forties. There was also one other young woman waiting in line. She had a petite stature, sandy blonde hair, and looked to be about twenty four years old.

  Due to the size of the ship, the voyage to Orionis would take seventeen hours at Light speed. Smaller vessels had the ability to travel faster at Absolute Velocity. The station itself was located half-way in between Mars and Earth. The internal temperature of the station was expected to be warmer than the temperature on Earth because its location closer to the sun than the Earth is now. Ava had seen pictures of the station on the internet. Orionis resembles the appearance of an atom, with a central core, or nucleus, which comprises the station itself, and several massive rings that crisscross around it in space to act as gravity stabilizers, a common feature of the older stations. Its longevity, prime location as a transportation hub, low crime rate, and strict government gave it a good reputation; at least this is what Ava has read.

  The seats were arranged in pairs and Ava was relieved to see that she was assigned to sit next to the young blonde woman she had seen in line. She dreaded the awkward feeling of sitting next to one of the single men for such a long trip. Nathan’s death was a wound still fresh to her and she had no interest in forming a relationship with anyone of the opposite sex right now.

  There were no windows to the outside world on the ship. Interstellar travel has come a long way since its inception; however it is still a delicate operation. At least the seats were roomy and each person had their own monitor to watch programs or search the internet. Passengers could even recline into a laying position to rest, if desired. Ava secured her small carry-on bag in the locking compartment underneath her seat and buckled her safety harness. Only 10 minutes now until lift-off.

  “Hi, I’m Helena Marks” said the young woman. Ava introduced herself and the two young women began to talk. Ava felt surprised to see how friendly Helena was, not many people were in this age. Most everyone kept to themselves. Helena’s perky twenty-four year old personality cheered Ava a little bit. She discovered Helena’s reason to travel to Orionis; to be a sever technician migrating for a job. Her parents had encouraged her to migrate as soon as possible after college. They too wished to join her at the first opportunity. Work was scarce in her location of what was left of the United States. She hoped to begin a new life and one day visit some of her other friends that have migrated to the other stations.

  One of the starship attendants made final rounds to check to see that everyone in the human transport cabin was secure before lift-off. “This is it, there is no turning back now” Ava mumbled to herself.

  After a brief count-down The Solar Wind blasted off. After they cleared Earth’s atmosphere, the disposition in the cabin seemed fairly peaceful. Ava and Helena chatted amicably about their lives on Earth and what they each knew about Orionis. Ava liked Helena’s upbeat and positive outlook on life. She appeared to be very trusting of strangers, something that Ava was always cautious about. Helena’s peppy personality matched her physical appearance perfectly. Her travel attire was practical and fashionable. She wore stylish silver boots, light gray pants and a new white cropped coat. The perfect waves of her shoulder length hair bounced whenever she turned her head. Even her eye makeup looked perfect, applied expertly around her light icy blue eyes. It seemed fairly obvious that she had come from a privileged family and was a tiny bit spoiled despite her need for a job. Ava and Helena got along with each other agreeably, both seemed relieved to have met each other and would be friends starting out in a new environment. Ava expected to be entirely alone beginning her new life on a space station and was happy that she now had a new friend to share experiences with. As the trip grew tiresome, Ava reclined her seat and drifted into a dream-less sleep.

  Chapter 2: Orionis

  Ava woke at the sound of the intercom. The starship attendants issued instructions for the landing procedure that would begin soon. Ava felt as though she should be taking notes as the instructions seemed to go on forever. The passengers were advised to report immediately to the ITO Migration Point in the hangar on Orionis to begin the check in process. Although nervous, Ava brimmed with excitement as the ship landed.

  The passengers formed a line awaiting the cabin doors to open. Several minutes passed and they groaned as they slowly slid open. Ava raised herself up on the tips of her toes and gained her first glimpse of her new home. The gigantic brightly lit hangar bustled with activity. There were many starships present of all shapes, sizes and colors; some large, some small, and some coming and going through the airlock. People seemed to be everywhere doing various tasks, though everything seemed to be well controlled and calm, business as usual on what seemed to be a typical Monday. Large monitors were positioned around the hangar with vivid green words, numbers, and symbols indicating the status of the various vessels present. One of the starship attendants ushered the passengers out onto the landing dock and down the steps to the ITO Migration Point. Ava’s deep blue eyes flashed all over the hangar taking it all in as they approached the office. Since she was in the middle of the line behind Helena they would have to wait their turns to be processed. While waiting and filling out an electronic questionnaire, Ava could not shake the feeling that someone’s eyes were on her. She glanced around a few times and thought she saw someone in the distance staring at her. For a split second their eyes met. He leaned against one of the monitor kiosks staring intensely at her with wide eyes. The distance made it impossible to discern specific features. Ava could see that his hair and eyes were dark, his face expressionless.

  “What are you looking at Ava?” Helena demanded, realizing the story that she was telling did not hold Ava’s attention. Ava looked down at Helena and glanced back at the stranger who had disappeared.

  “It’s nothing. I wonder how mu
ch longer we have to wait to be checked in.” Ava remarked slightly impatiently, changing the subject. She didn’t want to dwell on it, although that didn’t stop her from looking around frequently. By the time her turn came she had not seen any further sign of the stranger.

  Ava sat down at the small desk as the uniformed ITO officer began to process her arrival. The officer, a cheerful middle aged woman with short blonde hair smiled as Ava handed her the electronic tablet to sync. “Let’s see, Ava Amherst, age 25, hair; Auburn, eyes; blue, height; five feet seven inches, weight; 130 pounds, marital status; widowed, occupation; Nurse Practitioner. Oh yes, I processed your approved application. You’ll be working at the Orionis Medical Center on Level 3 in the outpatient clinic with Dr. Grant. They are looking forward to having you there, they are so busy.” Ava liked the officer’s friendliness.

  “Let’s get your ID processed and then we’ll go over your orientation schedule and living quarters arrangement.”

  Each new immigrant to Orionis received a photo identification card that was linked to a bank account and served as a debit card when making purchases. The ITO on Earth assisted Ava to create an account on Orionis and transferred her credits prior to her departure to expedite this process and ensure she would have access to her money immediately after arrival, not that she had much saved. There was no such thing as legal money lending or “credit” anymore. The amount of money, or credits, a person had at any given time in their account was all a person could spend. If you didn’t have the money to buy something, you simply did without. If you spent more than you had, you were arrested. This system often set new immigrants up for failure due to the high cost of living on the stations.

  “Okay, everything’s all set Ms. Amherst. Tomorrow you will report to the ITO orientation office on Level 3 at 8 a.m. for the new resident orientation program. They will review all of the major laws of this station among other things. You can access the station handbook and map from the internet in your quarters. Tomorrow you will also be taken on a short tour of the third through fifth levels to help you become more familiarized with where things are located. Your quarters are located on Level 4, residential district number three, unit number forty-seven. You’re lucky; a single dwelling became available last week so you won’t have to share with anyone. Your first day of work will be on Wednesday. Report to the Outpatient Clinic at the OMC at 8 a.m. Dr. Grant requested that you shadow him for a week or so until you feel comfortable on your own, then they’ll work out a schedule for you, but they will talk with you more about that on Wednesday. Now, if you’ll have a seat in the waiting room next door we’ll finish processing your group and escort everyone to their quarters with their travel trunks.”