Planet DAN-X34

by Lamees Alhassar

  Andrews nodded. “Sure, Mr. Daniels. I understand.”

  *** The next couple of years were extremely busy at GEI.

  In order to review their activities at Dan-X34, Richard was always having periodic management meetings, during which updates were made available to him.

  On a particular afternoon, they were all seated in the conference room during one such briefing. In attendance were GEI's board of directors, Andrews, and Richard.

  Andrews was standing with a remote control in his hand and pointing at the widescreen in front of the room. There were pictures streaming across the screen.

  “As you can see, in the past couple of years we have made tremendous progress with respect to the infrastructural developments on Planet Dan-X34,” Andrews was saying.

  He paused in his speech and pressed the remote. The widescreen displayed some pictures of what appeared to be high-rise buildings that were surrounded by scaffolding and tower cranes.

  “Most of the residential apartments, hotels, and other high-rise buildings are already 70 percent completed. From these pictures, we can all see that the major structural works are finished. What needs to be done right now is the interior work and furnishings,” Andrews said.

  “Professor, can you tell me a bit about the materials that were used? Are they according to what we specified?” Richard asked.

  Andrews nodded. “Yes, Mr. Daniels. All the materials used on the projects have been in compliance with our specifications, which is 100 percent biodegradable materials. As you are aware, we had to undergo extensive study and analysis of the planet’s materials in order to be able to make building materials from the resources that were already available on its terrain. It was really a good thing that we were able to decipher the writings and inscriptions on the walls.”

  “The writings on the walls?” Richard repeated.

  “Yes, the writings on the wall of the pyramids, Mr. Daniels. It was actually the only way that we were finally able to understand how to work with the materials on the planet. You will recall that all our initial experiments were not successful,” Andrews said.

  “Yes, I do recall the frustration that we suffered back then. There was simply no way to combine the soil with any liquid in order to make any solid blocks of any kind,” Richard said.

  “Not only that, Mr. Daniels. To even dig the ground was a battle of wits. And while we struggled with that, something just kept on probing my mind: how were the earlier visitors able to erect those pyramids? We had been able to analyze the materials used to construct the pyramids and we found that they were all sourced from the planet itself and nowhere else,” Andrews added.

  “So you are saying that the writings were what guided you in the breakthrough with the planet’s materials?” Richard asked.

  “Exactly, Mr. Daniels. I mean, on several trips, I just kept wondering about the whole issue. We were virtually fighting it out with the environment while in the distance we could see the pyramids towering like some formidable and imposing giant structures. It just got me thinking, and I just had to go back to take another look at the writings,” Andrews said.

  “That is good to note, Professor. What about the amusement parks? How far have we gone with those?” Richard asked.

  Andrews pressed the remote and the images changed to reveal a wide array of structures designed in the form of an amusement park. There were some castles and waterfalls, as well as big wheels, conveyor belts, trams, and artificial hills and cliffs.

  “The amusement parks are almost ready, Mr. Daniels. Just like the hotels, the structures themselves are almost completed. The furnishings will commence immediately after the electronic and mechanical installations are completed and the necessary tests are successfully carried out,” Andrews replied.

  “Thank you, Professor. Apart from compliance with the code on building materials, what about the building process itself?” Richard asked.

  “Everything has been done through automated processes, Mr. Daniels. As you saw from the other pictures and the previous videos and live feeds, we are working strictly with robotics and automation. Our human involvement is restricted mainly to design and implementation, and occasional reviews and checks. So far, there have not been any incidences of injuries or casualties of any kind,” Andrews replied.

  “This is excellent, Professor. So what timeframe will you give for us to have Dan-X34 fully operational?” Richard asked.

  “At the pace we are going, Dan-X34 should be open three months from today,” Andrews replied.

  “Just three months from today?” Richard asked.

  Andrews nodded. “Yes, Mr. Daniels. Three months from today we can open for business.”

  *** As Andrews had predicted, exactly three months from that briefing, Dan-X34 was launched to the public. In no time it became a sellout, with lots of tourists flocking to visit the new planet.

  *** “Have you taken a look at the numbers from the bookings, Professor?” Richard asked Andrews, who was seated across his table one evening.

  “Yes, I have, Mr. Daniels. It is quite astonishing.” “Astonishing is an understatement, Professor. It is simply unbelievable. Who would have ever thought that a new space tourism program like ours would be so highly patronized and overbooked like this?” Richard gushed.

  “Overbooked?” Andrews asked. “Of course it is, Professor. Don’t you know we have a waiting list already?”

  “A waiting list?” Andrews repeated.

  Richard nodded. “Of course. When we launched a couple of weeks ago, people could make reservations online and get booked on the next available flights to Dan-X34. And those bookings could be available within 12 to 24 hours once their payments were confirmed.”

  “Exactly, Mr. Daniels. That was how the system was designed to be. First come, first served.”

  “Well, it is now first come, first placed on reservation, Professor. Things have changed dramatically over the course of just some weeks. Now, anyone who makes a reservation has to be placed on a waiting list, which is presently at 20-week delay.”

  Andrews sat up on his seat. “A 20-weeks delay? But that is not possible! We have sufficient facilities and accommodation.”

  “It is possible, Professor. Especially when GEI is offering an experience that is presently unavailable anywhere else in the world. Therefore, our supply of the facilities cannot meet the demand for it by tourists and other would-be visitors. Just take a look at the latest data that the sales department forwarded to me this afternoon.”

  Andrews collected the printout and began to review it. “This is remarkable, Mr. Daniels. I must have been too busy with other technical projects not to have realized the massive explosion in tourist numbers. And it is not just ordinary tourists, but I can see that scientists are also making bookings as well, for expeditions and scientific tours. I notice a couple of archeological organizations have made reservations too.”

  “It is the universal law of business success at work, Professor. Give the consumers what they want and they will rush at you like droves of ants.”

  “I understand, Mr. Daniels. But what are we going to do about this waiting list? Surely, we cannot allow it to continue to extend to as much as 20 weeks?”

  “Don’t worry about the waiting list for now, Professor. It only adds to the excitement and anticipation. On our part, we are going to commence an expansion project soon. I will get the board to approve this expansion before the week runs out so that we can start work in as early as two weeks from today.”

  “My, my, my, this is indeed a wonderful turn. I mean, I never expected our existing facilities to be so overbooked already.”

  “It is, Professor. The funny thing is that even though I have these CCTV cameras and surveillance cameras and systems in my office that provide me with live feed, I never knew how much people were actually on the planet until the figures came in from sales.”

  Richard then pressed a button by the side of his table and a widescreen slid out from the wall opposite
to his table. A blue dot beeped twice and then the screen came on.

  On the screen, an image of tourists and people milling through various facilities on planet Dan-X34 could be seen.

  Both Richard and Andrews watched with deep interest as the widescreen monitor automatically adjusted its resolution to enhance the visual experience of all that was being displayed.

  CHAPTER THREE

  A couple of hours later, Richard's phone began to ring.

  As it rang, Richard stirred and lifted his head from the table. He looked around and discovered that he was still in his office.

  A quick glance at his wall clock showed that the time was 4.47 a.m.

  Richard stood up and stretched. He must really have been so exhausted to have fallen asleep in his office.

  He glanced at the widescreen on the wall and observed that it was blank. There were no images on it.

  Richard frowned. That is strange, he said to himself. He could not remember putting the widescreen television off.

  He picked up the remote control but before he could turn on the widescreen TV, his phone began to ring again.

  Richard picked up the phone and saw several missed calls on it. Professor Andrews had been trying to reach him.

  He quickly picked up the call. “Hello, Professor. I’m sorry. Were you trying to reach me?”

  “Yes, Mr. Daniels. For over half an hour now I have been trying to get to you,” Andrews replied.

  “I am sorry. I fell asleep right on my table in the office.”

  “Are you still in the office?”

  “Yes. I did not make it home. Why do you ask?”

  “Then I’d better change my direction for the office. I was almost getting to your residence.”

  “Really? But it is still very early in the morning, Professor. Why were you coming to see me?”

  “It’s an emergency, Mr. Daniels. Something tragic has happened.”

  Richard sat up on his seat. “Something tragic? How? When? Where?”

  “At Dan-X34, sir. It happened at Dan-X34.”

  “What? At Dan-X34? What happened at DanX34?”

  “I cannot explain it, sir. You need to see it for yourself.”

  “What do you mean, Professor? Answer me right now. What happened?”

  “Sir, I think it was an invasion. Just check your CCTV. It is all there. It is terrible.”

  “My CCTV?” Richard asked. He dropped his phone on the table and picked up the remote control once again. Richard then tried to put on the widescreen but none of the buttons were responding.

  Richard raised the phone to his ear. “Professor, what is going on? I cannot turn my widescreen TV on.”

  “Is that so? Okay, don’t worry. I am going to be there soon to have a look at it.”

  “How far are you?”

  “I am almost at the office, Mr. Daniels. Just about two minutes from GEI HQ.”

  “Okay. Hurry up, Professor. We need to know what is happening there. Have you been in touch with anyone at Dan-X34?”

  “Yes, Mr. Daniels. Our surveillance units were the ones who called me and that was why I called on you. But when you were not picking your line, I decided to hurry over to your residence in person.”

  “I see. And you say that we were invaded?”

  “Yes, Mr. Daniels. That was what I was told.”

  “But by whom?”

  “That is what they could not really say, sir. I am almost there. We will try to establish all this as soon as I arrive, sir.”

  After Richard dropped the line, he stood up and began to pace around his office. His mind was flooded with several thoughts.

  What could have happened on Dan-X34? And who could have invaded them, Richard was thinking.

  He was also wondering about his staff, and the fate of the tourists, and scientists, and other people on the planet.

  Richard glanced again at the widescreen television. How come I cannot access it anymore, he was thinking.

  Just then, Richard’s office door opened and a panting Andrews barged in.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Daniels,” the old professor said as he came in. He was still dressed in his pajamas and was sweating profusely.

  “It is all right, Professor. What is going on?”

  Andrews fell into one of the seats. “I don’t really know, Mr. Daniels. The message that I got was from the security and surveillance unit.”

  “What kind of message was it? What did it say, Professor?” Richard asked.

  Andrews wiped away sweat from his forehead as he brought out his cell phone. He began to search through its contents before he stopped and handed the phone to Richard.

  Richard frowned as he collected the phone. “An SMS message? What of our other official channels of communication?”

  “Maybe they are inaccessible or nonfunctional,” Andrews replied.

  Richard looked at the message. “Dan-X34 under attack. Giants from nowhere are ravaging and destroying all our facilities. Please help,” Richard read.

  He then slowly handed the phone to Andrews.

  “Giants?” Richard repeated.

  Andrews nodded. “That was what it said, Mr. Daniels.”

  “Quickly, we need to establish contact with DanX34 somehow. How do we accomplish this, Professor?”

  Andrews turned and pointed at the widescreen television. “Your CCTV can be reset to create a twoway video conference medium.”

  “It can? Well, maybe if you can first turn it on. I have not been able to access it ever since you called me.”

  “Is that so? Let me take a look at the remote control,” Andrews said, and picked up the remote. He pointed it at the widescreen and pressed some buttons. After a while, Andrews shook his head. “It is probable that we have lost direct contact with DanX34. I will have to re-route the feeds from our backup servers at Operations.”

  “How long is that going to take?”

  “Not too long, Mr. Daniels. Let me just make some modifications to this remote and your television as well,” Andrews said, and stood up. He walked to the television set and began to dismantle its screen. After working on some of its components, he also worked on the remote control.

  After a while, Andrews pointed the remote back at the widescreen. Initially, nothing happened. But after a while, a blue dot appeared at the center of the screen. The blue dot beeped thrice and the widescreen came alive.

  “Wonderful, Professor. You have been able to bring it back up!” Richard said as some images began to appear on the screen.

  “Thank you, Mr. Daniels. I was able to connect to our backup servers from here. What we need to do now is establish a link with those on Dan-X34. But the connection appears to be very weak. That is why the images are still not coming through clearly.”

  The pictures that were appearing were not yet clear and visible. They were mainly blurry and the sound quality was very bad.

  “Can we access any recordings from the past one or two hours, Professor? Maybe that will give us an idea of what happened there before we lost transmission from the planet,” Richard suggested.

  Andrews nodded. “You are right about that, Mr. Daniels. Let me access our servers for the backup records from the past hour.”

  After a short while, the images on the television became clear.

  “That is good. The visuals are much better,” Richard said.

  “Yes, they are, sir. But remember, this is an old recording of the past hour,” Andrews replied.

  “I see. What can we make of all this? What really happened on Dan-X34?” Richard asked as they both watched with deep interest as the images were being relayed on the widescreen.

  On the screen, they could see two shuttles which were landing at the arrival bay. One of them had landed smoothly on the runway while the other was still hovering and coming in to land on another runway.

  “Tourists arriving,” Andrews said.

  Richard nodded.

  At that moment, the screen focused on one of the staff who was on the ru
nway. He was not looking in the direction of the shuttles. Rather, he was looking in the opposite direction.

  The man was pointing and mumbling something incoherent. His eyes were wide with terror as he stared deep into the CCTV cameras, still pointing afar.

  Another colleague walked up to him and patted his shoulder. “What are you doing looking in the opposite direction? Shouldn’t your attention be on the tarmacs?” the second man asked.

  In response, the man turned him around and pointed. Now both men were staring with their mouths wide open.

  “What? Is this a joke or something?” the second man asked.

  “What kind of joke is that? Have you ever seen such a thing before?” the first man asked, finally speaking in a voice that betrayed his fear.

  “Those things. They don’t look friendly at all,” the second man said.

  “They are hostile, mate. Very hostile. Has surveillance taken note of them?”

  “They should have. If we can see them so clearly, then they should also be watching them as well,” the second man replied.

  Their eyes had caught sight of something which was terrifying them. The skin on both of their faces appeared whiter than usual as they continued to stare in the opposite direction.

  The CCTV cameras seemed to revolve and the image on the widescreen now changed to the perimeter around the airport.

  Both Richard and Andrews gasped at what they saw. They were completely frozen and stood there with their mouths wide open and disbelieving eyes.

  Andrews was shaking his head repeatedly while Richard felt as if the entire air in his lungs had evaporated, causing them to collapse suddenly. His throat felt dry and empty all of a sudden.

  From the widescreen television, they could see some personnel running out of a building. Others were jumping out of their vehicles and machinery and running, abandoning their vehicles in the process. The fright and apprehension that was written all over their faces was very visible and clear.

  Behind them, towering very high above all the surrounding buildings, was a huge giant. It had the form of a human being but its skin was blue from head to toe. It was sparsely dressed and only wore a single piece of clothing which covered its midsection and groin.