As KMA had evolved over the millions of years without us, bacteria, plants, and animals that needed regular daily sunlight would have obviously died off and left the world to those heartier lifeforms. The only plants and animals that existed on the moon today were those that were able to thrive without a regular feast of sunlight. We had plants and animals on Earth that thrived without any sunlight at all, so this was nothing new to us. But every single crop that we brought with us besides mushrooms required a regular daily dose of sunlight.
That was why we brought UV lighting along for our greenhouses. We were going to slowly introduce an evolutionary change to all the fruits and vegetables we planned to regularly grow outside the greenhouses one day. We would offer false sunlight to these plants during the ‘shadow period’, slowly reducing the amount every month. This would have been easier performed with some genetic engineering, but our two genetic engineers burned up in the atmosphere.
The problem arose from the fact that the UV lighting fixtures were brought along as an emergency back-up plan. We were headed for a tropical moon where seventy percent of the globe experienced a form of summer almost year-round due to no axial tilt. Basically there was nearly a zero percent chance that we would use them even with the five-day shadow we passed through every month. And because of this, we discovered only nine UV fixtures in the two surviving shuttles. That meant three lighting units for each of the three greenhouses. Each greenhouse would be a quarter acre in size, so three light fixtures wouldn’t even be enough by half. As a matter of fact, placing all nine fixtures in one of the greenhouses would probably work, but definitely no less than that.
This dilemma was being raised while Zane, the red-head, and John were anchoring the perimeter beams to the ground. The holes were dug, concrete was poured, and the twelve corner post-anchors were setting by the time the horticulture team and the biologists were presenting me with this information.
“You’re suggesting we put all the UV lighting fixtures in only one of the greenhouses and risk losing everything in the two others?” I asked.
“What I’m suggesting is that we put all the heartier crops in the other two greenhouses and the frailer or more demanding crops in the one with the UV lighting,” Ensign Lopez stated, “The diagrams tell us to put three lighting units in each greenhouse but I can assure you that this won’t be enough.”
“Yet you say it would be enough for two-thirds of the crops to have no UV lighting,” I said.
“No, that’s obviously not ideal either, but I’d feel more comfortable knowing that no matter what happens, one-third of crops will definitely survive,” she replied.
“We know for certain that some of the crops will be perfectly fine with a five-day span of darkness every month,” Keyandra added, “So doing this will guarantee us more than a third of the crops surviving.”
I listened to all their arguments and suggestions, allowing them to present their reasoning. I wasn’t a biologist or a horticulturist and I knew very little in regards to how much sunlight was required for potatoes, corn, barley, or peas. I had to defer to their knowledge on what was best for the plants and ultimately for the colony.
“Your suggestion makes sense,” I replied, “Let Electrician Edwards know that I agreed to install all nine units in one greenhouse. But I’m counting on all of you to decide how to split the crops in order to guarantee the best survival rate. And I’d like the horticulturists here when Edwards is installing the fixtures. You need to figure out the best positioning.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the ensign replied, closing up the storage trunk with the lighting units inside, “Take this trunk to the supply tent please, Petty Officer Reese.”
They started to go about their business and I found an opportunity to see how Zane was doing. Everyone had been so busy since we arrived earlier today that I didn’t get an opportunity to even see how he was holding up. I found him welding a metal beam to one of the upright corner anchors cemented to the ground. The red-head was kneeling next to him wearing her own matching welding helmet. I wondered just then why he had two helmets and better yet, why was he teaching her how to weld? This frail teenager would have been better serving the colony with a lighter workload that didn’t involve the movement or positioning of steel beams.
He gave me a quick wave with his plasma torch and then finished his weld a second later. Then he lifted his visor and smiled at me.
“What finally brings you around, lovely lady?” he asked.
“The usual – more and more problems and the constant need for some of the supplies that were on the doomed shuttles,” I replied.
The red-head lifted her visor and smiled up at me as I approached, “He’s teaching me welding so I can actually have a trade.”
It worried me just then that she seemed to be apologizing. While I could see that Zane was merely taking her under his wing, I wondered if she thought it was something more.
“Once we get the initial structures built, there will be no further need for welding,” I said, “In order to do welding, we’d need some metals and I have to say that mining isn’t something this colony will be doing. If you want to learn to build, I’d recommend getting with Faith Marhofer. We’ll definitely be working with lumber more than metals in our foreseeable future.”
I felt bad instantly as Zane gave me a curious look. He didn’t see what I saw in her eyes. This was a girl who had probably mistaken his caring ways as a form of desire or love.
“Well, I could use the help now that John was pulled away to get the plumbing set up in the shuttles,” Zane said, “We’ll find her something more suitable soon.”
“Well, keep an eye on the sky. It’s going to be getting dark soon and I want us all in the shuttles before then,” I said.
“Yes, ma’am,” she replied, dropping her visor and hiding her expression behind the dark glass.
Why couldn’t I remember her name?
Chapter Twelve
When looking to determine how the sleeping arrangements were going to be split between the shuttles, we struggled to make sure that the whole colony would be happy. These shuttles, after all, weren’t going to just be some temporary housing. We were most likely going to be living in them for upwards of a decade or more. It was only supposed to be temporary had we arrived on the tropical moon with plenty of trees to chop down, plenty of land for planting, and plenty of good weather for working outside.
At first, we suggested dedicating a shuttle to all the bachelors, but that only accounted for three people. Not sure why it took us that long to realize something so basic. Then we thought about using it to house all the bachelorettes which was entirely more plausible being that we had six of those. That meant that the other shuttle would need to house eleven of us which seemed a little unfair. Finally it was determined that the Captain of the colony should have a separate quarters, which certainly wasn’t plausible of course, so instead, I would join the bachelorette shuttle, bringing Zane along with me.
This meant one shuttle would house eight and the other would house nine. It was the most comfortable possibility and by putting up makeshift walls using food storage trunks, Zane and I could have our own semi-private room, leaving the rest of the space for the other six. The other six would also have some walls made of storage trunks towering between some of the cots, but not quite like the more private cubicle we created for me and Zane. The most uncomfortable part would be that there was only one bathroom per shuttle which included a single shower, a small sink, and a toilet. The sewage tanks would need to be emptied every two to three days.
We met as an entire colony at the end of the day in the outdoor ‘courtyard’ between the two shuttles where the two land rovers were parked along with the rowboat and the two storage tents. Reports were shared, letting everyone know what had been done so far and what still needed to be done in the coming days. Besides the two storage tents near us, no other structures had been completed yet. Bob’s Quonset-like chicken barn was nothing more than a bunch
of partially formed portions of framework on the ground. The greenhouses were anchored to the ground as I’d seen earlier with the framework for the walls and the windows just getting started. No one started on the nuclear reactor yet because we were content running all the equipment off the shuttles’ generators for the time being.
It was getting dark out now and an enormous section of hazy white light took up the whole eastern sky. Had the sky not been dirty and hazy, I believe we’d have been looking at Kepler 963a. Everyone was dismissed to their shuttles, agreeing to get started the moment Tau Ceti rose in the morning. While that was still about ten hours away, we didn’t want to risk anyone getting lost, injured, or mauled on the unknown world, especially since we didn’t have any medical supplies or medical personnel. It may have seemed wasteful to hide indoors for half the day every day, but we needed every able body and we needed all to stay healthy, so it was a sacrifice we agreed to make at the suggestion of Commander McEwen.
We retired to our small cubicle near the pilot’s cabin where Zane and I had barely enough room for the two of our cots and the storage trunk taking the place of a nightstand between us. The others were chatting beyond the wall of storage trunks paying no mind to the two of us.
“It feels odd walling ourselves off from the rest of them,” I said, sitting down at the foot of my cot, “It seems very snobbish and antisocial and I really don’t like it.”
“We have no choice all because of me,” Zane said, keeping his voice low, “Imagine if these people wanted to walk around in their pajamas with a man living among them. We should have split up men and women even if it meant splitting up married couples.”
“You really mean that?” I asked, feeling a bit hurt.
“I obviously wouldn’t want that, but imagine how I feel right now. How do these women feel knowing there’s a strange man among them every single night?” he said, laying down on his cot with his feet up on the pillow.
“You’re not a strange man and they all know you as a friend,” I said, “And we’re married. And most of those women out there are much too old for you.”
I laughed when I spoke the last sentence. He chuckled as well.
“For real,” he whispered, “How old is that Geologist Nancy Cartwright? Someone said she was our age – lower thirties – but I would have guessed upper forties. And the Master Chief scares me. I keep seeing one of those angry school principals who doesn’t even smile for the school pictures.”
“Remember Nancy before the journey? She was quite attractive and youthful, but the frail-and-pasty look doesn’t work for her like it does with younger girls like Renata,” I said.
“Speaking of Renata, what was that earlier today?” he asked, “It seemed like you were putting my job down and at the same time telling her to get away from me. I don’t recall seeing you behave like that before.”
I was hoping I hadn’t been so transparent. If he saw it, then she probably did as well. People would soon know me as the jealous wife chasing away any of the young women when they got near my husband. That wasn’t me at all and he certainly didn’t deserve it.
“Did you see the way she looks at you, Zane?” I asked, searching for a way to explain, “She looks at you like I always did when we first met. And you’ve got to admit she’s quite attractive for a kid. When we all lost our pigmentation during the long sleep, it gave us the appearance of being sick and near death. But that girl – she somehow turned out to be a porcelain goddess. It works for her.”
“First of all, she’s not a kid. She’s technically twenty-two years old. And second of all, her mother ignores her and so does everyone else for the most part. She just needs someone to talk to and someone who will listen,” he said, turning on his side and propping his head on his hand, “I don’t mind keeping her company and not in the way you’re probably thinking. She’s just a nice kid… woman.”
He got up and sat down on the cot next to me, “Do you know who the most beautiful person in the colony is? It’s the same person it’s been for years. The same person from the very beginning. There’s only one person I want to spend all of my time with, but for now I have to share her with the entire colony and I can accept that. Can you please share your faithful man with the entire colony in a purely clean and platonic way? I’m the same guy you’ve always known, so I give you my word that you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
He always had a way with words. And as he pressed his lips to my cheek, I remembered he had a way with other things as well. He placed his hand over mine and intertwined his fingers with my own. I turned to kiss him just as we were interrupted.
“We’ve thawed and prepared our first dinner, Captain,” someone hollered from beyond the makeshift wall, “Thanksgiving dinner, of course.”
I laughed, kissed him quickly and then rose from the cot. I took his hand and lifted him to my side.
Zane
Chapter Thirteen
After sharing an enjoyable dinner of corn, turkey, and mashed potatoes and gravy, all of which had been originally prepared, packaged, and flash-frozen back when I was still just a toddler according to storage time, we all sat on the floor of the shuttle and dreamt aloud about our futures. It was evident to me immediately that we were searching for ways to avoid thinking or talking about the pain of losing half the colony earlier in the day and that was alright with me. We would remember them publicly and in private, but that could wait for another day.
With the empty plates before us and the two drink pitchers nearly empty, we theorized about our new home and the people back on Earth who never heard back from the CP-4. And since we already left the ship in orbit where we had no means to return, we had no way to contact Earth and let them know we made it here safely. We brought nothing with us that would permit some form of transmitter that could reach the Earth from here. Whether this was all an oversight on our part or intentional, probably only Sarai and Commander McEwen knew. If she did, she wasn’t offering any clues in our circle.
“I’d like to make a trip to the river tomorrow and get some samples,” Hannah said, bringing the conversation back to the labors ahead of us, “I’ve got a dozen tests I’d like to perform before we consider filtering it for drinking water.”
“I’ll come with you as well,” Nancy offered, “It’s just to the west of our camp, correct?”
“Yes, less than a quarter mile straight out of the tail of this shuttle,” Sarai admitted, “And I agree that we should always travel in groups of two or more, so definitely take Nancy when you go.”
“You know what? That brings up a question I have. There was never any evidence of significant animal life here,” I said, looking to Sarai, “Nothing bigger than a guinea pig, I thought. So why all the precautions regarding us walking in groups of two or avoiding being out after dark?”
“It’s true that the robotic landers never witnessed any large or frightening animals, but we still can’t be too careful. They only explored an area no bigger than a large city, and there are many large cities on Earth with no lions or bears in them. But those animals still definitely exist on Earth. And even while testing the water in the river, we don’t know if there are alien piranhas here or not,” Sarai said.
“And you never know when or if we might come across the Hawke Jump crew,” Leah Paulus added.
We all turned to her in that moment, giving her some looks of confusion mixed with curiosity. The Master Chief seemed startled by our reactions and immediately raised her hands in surrender.
“Just a joke, people,” she chuckled, “In poor taste. I’m sorry.”
“Hawke Jump… why does that ring a bell?” Sarai asked.
“I remember something about that. It was a ship that vaporized itself shortly before we left Earth,” I said.
“It was an experimental spacecraft that was supposed to either ‘fold space’ or simply leap the distance between two stars instantaneously,” Leah said, “There was a two-man test crew that was supposed to fly the Hawke Jump here actually.�
��
“Here?” Faith Marhofer jumped in, “As in Kepler Moon Alpha? Or as in the Tau Ceti system?”
Leah shrugged, “I’m pretty sure they were coming to this moon. Let’s remember that we all were already in training when it transpired. We already had the funding and the approval to start a colony on this moon. What better place to target your experimental jump drive than the moon you were going to colonize anyway?”
“Dear Lord!” I blurted, turning to Sarai, “When did you say this moon was struck by a meteorite?”
I didn’t want her to answer because I was fairly certain I remembered what she had said before. The math was too perfect and too frightening.
“Thirty-two and a half years ago,” Sarai looked to me wide-eyed, “And going by Earth time, we left there thirty-two years ago.”
“Wait…” Leah interrupted, “So the ship didn’t vaporize when they attempted the jump? You’re suggesting they actually jumped and instantly arrived here?”
“Well, how big was the ship?” I asked, “Shuttle-size or Terraformer-size?”
“Stop… we need to get McEwen over here,” Sarai said.
We all looked at each other for a moment, perhaps all wondering if this was really a possibility. Sarai finally stood up and started for the door. I followed quickly at her heels. She reached for the flashlight hanging next to the door, but I grabbed it before she could.
“I’ll go get him. You’re the one who said it wasn’t safe to go out there in the dark,” I said.
“And I said it wasn’t safe to go out alone, so I’m coming with you.”
Colonization Page 12
