Breaking Interstellar: Cosmic Lives Matter

by Michael Tobin

  Chapter Six: Something toothy this way comes!

  The jungles of Titania Alpha, and the creatures within, are reminiscent of an earthly time-period known as the Cretaceous. Many planets throughout the universe, that have carbon-based life-forms, follow similar paths of evolution. Chemistry is similar, throughout the cosmos. Earth, for the most part, may have very well continued along the line of reptilian dominance, had not a large rock fallen from space, wiping clean, or nearly so, the slate that took some 250-million-years for Mother Nature to write. After this cataclysmic event, our mammalian ancestor who survived, managed to create a foothold that became more secure as the millennia flowed lazily past in a river of time.

  However, Titania Alpha had not been dealt such a devastating deathblow from above. But, over time, the lifeforms that invaded from the sky, might prove to be just as cataclysmic to the indigenous life forms, as a rock from space. Nearly unstoppable, bent on dominance, the creatures from within the metallic disks, are already making their presence known. Changing things in ways that might be slower than an impact, but just as deadly over the long-stretch. Whether indigenous, or alien; both fight for survival. The great difference, is that the invaders from space can think outside the box, manipulating Mother Nature in ways that fits their needs and desires. Lesser creatures might be wise to get out of the way, or suffer the proverbial ‘elbow in the face’.

  These days, the climate on Titania Alpha, in the regions surrounding the colonies, is steamy and hot. Attempts to hold nature at bay, have been a great challenge for the android pioneers. For the most part, what keeps an android up at night, is the constant worrying that the perimeter fence will be breached, allowing large toothy creatures to seek vengeance against the disruption of ancient hunting grounds. While they stand a better chance of survival from such an attack, the soft, fleshy humans, are tasty bite-sized morsel’s, with just the right amount of juicy crunchiness.

  From within steamy dense foliage, a large male toothy, watches angrily as two offending creatures busy themselves with repairing what his son had destroyed earlier in the day. He can still here the boy whimpering sadly, deep in the jungle as mom nurtures injuries inflicted by their new enemies. Bright light had struck his boy in the nose and rump, sending him screeching, like a boy ought never do! With anger still strong, father toothy seeks to destroy! He stealthily watches. But confusion sets in, as the wind brings no familiar odor from the pair of soon to be victims. Standing on strong hind legs, he parts the foliage with front forelimbs, readying to charge. At nearly 11-tons, and 14-feet-tall at the shoulders, he’ll close the distance rapidly, surprising his prey with a mighty roar, a mouthful of snarling teeth, and copious amounts of bad breath!

  “Okay Avery, I’m ready! Move the crane closer!” Adak yells down to his mate. He balances on a lofty high-wire, suspended 25-feet above the ground. With the repair job nearly completed, he looks forward to seeing their kids after a hard day’s work. He absentmindedly ponders about the earlier attack which damaged the fence. During that attack, the poor animal was wounded by laser-fire. It screeched bloody-murder, quickly disappearing into the dense jungle growth, sending birds panicking in all directions. At the time, he thought the animal was alone. However, the small stature of the beast, should have warned him that mom and dad might be near. Adak’s workday, soon takes a turn for the worse, due to the mother of all mistakes on a hostile world.... complacency!

  “Here it comes!” Avery warns. “Watch your fingers!” The crane moves closer, delivering the last thick wire for the repair. Adak, deftly attaches it to one side of the last gap in the fence. Then, while shimmying along sideways, he drags the wire, securing it perfectly along the way, closing the gap. Job finished! Except for connecting everything into the electrical-grid. Adak winks down at Avery, offering a thumbs-up. They both know family-time with the kids, is near. The sun grows hot. Glare from the rays, cause him to lose track of his situational awareness. Clinging to the inside of the fence, he has false belief that he is safe. Outside the fence, the jungle foliage trembles, as something dangerous lurks closer. Adak, without a care in the universe, busies himself with arranging loose tools back onto his utility-belt.

  With the mightiest of roars, papa toothy explodes from the thick jungle growth! Foliage is torn asunder, as the angry animal breaks into the clearing between himself and the fence. With powerful muscles pumping with adrenalin, the creature lunges like he’s never lunged before. All 11-tons, leave the torn vegetation behind, as strong hind legs push his impressive mass into the air. With heart pounding hard, the angry father stretches his neck to increase his bite range. A bright beam of light nearly slices his snout, as the other victim comes out from hiding. Adak tries to scramble, but as in a nightmare from hell, he’s frozen in space and time! A deer in the headlights!

  The poor fellow, never had a chance! He lost focus on an unforgiving world. More often than not, that’s an irredeemable mistake on Titania Alpha. Six other androids had already been lost to the elements, because of this failing. He sees death incarnate, leap for him. He sees the blinding beam of energy that made an effort, but missed. Everything moving in slow motion, as his life flashes before his circuits! Gripping the wire in panic, instead of letting go and falling into the enclosure, he sets up a huge win for the charging beast. Like a dangling piñata, he presents himself for a good tearing, and papa toothy tears like he has never torn! Sparks fly!

  Papa toothy’s leap is not tremendously high, but high enough. He clings to the fence, 10-feet off the ground, forcing his shout through the wires and finding a leg! With a sickening crunch, the enraged animal bites down hard, pulling the heavy android through the wires as if he were nothing. A sour, burning-flavor causes the beast to go berserk, as torn electro-polymer leg muscles, light-up his taste-buds. Adak, hangs from the monstrous jaws, being shaken like a rag doll. He doesn’t yell out; even though doom is nigh. Thrashing about, he desperately seeks freedom. Suddenly, papa toothy’s mighty fangs, manage to cut into one of Adak’s main power-cells inside a thigh! .... Pow! A great electrical-snap, and puff of smoke, dominate the moment!

  Such a jolt of burnt torture, the great beast has never known! It makes the sour taste from before, seem like mother’s-milk in comparison. With a tremendous snap, and puff of burnt stench, enough juice to kill 20-humans, flows through the animal, finding ground under his wet, calloused feet. Current flows hard, emptying the contents of the battery in a painful discharge of electrons. Papa toothy locks down even harder from involuntary reaction, his head swings back violently, smoke and fire pouring from his jaws. Like a pissed off alien Godzilla, the big male maniacally whips his head hard, the same moment the battery loses power. Greedy jaws, release in the android’s favor. Adak is thrown high, flailing like a ragdoll and passing back over the fence in a beautiful parabolic arc. He lands hard, in a heap of smoking wreckage he does! Arms and legs sticking out in places that didn’t seem natural! Not unlike Beetle Bailey, after the Sarge gets done with him!

  With jaws agape, saliva flowing like a river, the mighty beast forgets all pride, painfully screeching bloody-murder, like no dominate male ought ever do! Papa toothy, high-tails it like he’s never high-tailed it before. With teeth, gums and lips severely burnt, he now understands his boy’s lack of pride. Each of them will surely remember to give these tall skinny-one’s a wide berth in the future. Gathering his family, he moves them along the migratory path they had been on, before coming to blows with the prey.... that is not prey.

  “Adak! .... Adak! .... Are you still alive?!!” Avery calls, frantically. She leaps from the crane’s cab, running to his side. She had never seen anything like it in all her long years. Her mate had flown from the jaws of death, barely clearing the top of the fence, and landed like a ton of broken bricks. When Adak was taken, Avery would have bet her next ration of electricity, against a successful outcome to the horrific situation.

  Movement, from the pile that is Adak.... Slowly an arm untwists itself from the wreckage, r
eaching to pull a wad of debris from his mouth. He takes a deep breath. “Oh, I’m just super! .... Never felt better! .... How’s bout you?” He replies sarcastically. His entire body radiates pain signals. His CPU working overtime to organize and prioritize the damage.

  Avery moves quickly, removing debris and helping the fallen android untangle from the mess he had become. “I didn’t see the monster, until it was too late!” She admits. “Wow Adak, your lucky to be alive.” She pulls on his tangle, noticing that he still had both legs. One torn to shreds and burnt to a crisp, the other heavily damaged and hanging by a thread. “Another inch of damage on the other leg, and it would have been lights out forever!” Avery exclaims frightfully. Without that one battery, he would have lost all higher-learning, and for all intents and purposes, be dead....

  “I can’t believe I let myself get carried away.” He jokes. “It was nice of the good fellow to toss me back. Who would have thought a toothy would ever catch and release, huh?.” He moans, allowing himself to turn down the intensity his CPU interprets as pain. He can’t do away with it completely, but even a little is a big help. He reflects; glad to still be around to feel it.

  “And I have the entire episode, recorded for your viewing pleasure!” Avery exclaims. Her internal video system had caught the entire nightmare. Later, she’ll share the video with everyone that wishes a good laugh, and a lesson regarding complacency. The look on the flying androids face is priceless! She thinks.... Adak had gained his freedom, only to realizes he’s 30-feet in the air, with a hard landing coming on fast!

  “Good old Avery! I can always depend on you for the finest video captures!” Adak knows he’ll never live this one down. Into the unforeseeable future, he’ll be the brunt of many jokes. However, still being alive to hear them, is not such a bad thing. Not such a bad thing indeed! Avery makes sure Adak’s remaining battery connections are up to the rigors of movement. Although papa toothy’s bite came close to severing the last vital electrical link, it still looks unscathed. Members of a fast-response team arrive, whisking a smiling and embarrassed Adak, off to the android maintenance/research facility at the habitat. Avery, goes with....

  Others remain at the fence, repairing the damage from the attach. Soon, electricity is introduced to the perimeter defense, allowing for a welcomed sense of security within the enclosure. However, it’s difficult for the stubborn carnivores to avoid the fence, as it blocks several long-held migratory paths. Staying safe on Titania Alpha will always be an uphill climb for the new kids on the block!

  The next day, Avery joins others at the commons, where the children take a break from school, enjoying lunch. Carla and Bryce call her over to their table. The air is filled with nonsensical chatter, as fifty of the eldest kids from the Payne habitat settle down. At nearly 12-years old, they are the most senior humans on the planet. When not in training, they help around the place as much as possible. It’s a tough world for them, that should never be taken for granted, or suffer a horrible, painfilled death. For the most part, they’re good kids, if not rambunctious and hard-headed at times.

  “Hey Avery.” Bryce greets. “Pull up a chair and join us. How’s our toothy-fighting friend doing today?”

  “Hi Bryce.... Hi Carla.... Well, he’ll live. That’s the good news. For the most part, he’s going to require a new left leg and battery compartment. The other leg is damaged, but repairable. He has multiple scrapes and tears in his epidermis, some of which will leave beautiful scars to help him never forget how lucky he is to have survived.” Sitting down, she ruffles Nolan’s hair; Carla and Bryce’s boy. He’s the eldest human on the planet, and is very proud of that fact.

  “Hi Avery!” Nolan greets, excitedly. “Glad to hear Adak’s going to be okay. I hope he gave that toothy what-for. I sure would have!” He boasts, receiving laughs from the gang.

  Avery is about to retort, but Bryce intercedes. “Nolan, curb that mouth. Why, if you went through what pour old Adak went through, you would’ve been swallowed whole, with nary a scream before going down. So, try to have some respect.” He scolds the red-faced boy, who gets harder to control, with each passing year.

  Avery removes a video tablet from her backpack, placing it in front of the young man. “My boy, take a look at this, and tell me just how you would’ve given that beast ‘what-for’.” Other youngsters gather around, as the screen comes to life. Avery never tires from watching the terrible video. The ghastly lunge of the monster, the violent pull through the fence, the electrical explosion, and being torn asunder before the freedom-flight back into the enclosure. The crowd is stunned into silence, dark faces turn ashen, white faces turn even whiter at seeing such a horrific spectacle.

  The group remembers to breathe, waiting for some sarcastic response from Nolan. Outwardly, the boy seems unaffected, but his guts churn from the horrible video. His arrogance level has been growing by leaps and bounds lately. “Well.... Well, I.... Ummmm.... Avery, you didn’t video-shop that very much, did you?” For his response, a deluge of scoffing befalls the one who would have so bravely tamed the beast. Nolan turns red again, not enjoying being the center of attention this time around.

  “Oh, that’s okay my boy. Sometimes, seeing isn’t believing. Someday, you’ll understand.” She ruffles his thick hair, trying to smooth wounded pride. “Soon, you all will be old enough to receive advanced survival training. Then you’ll learn how to ‘really’ give the toothy’s what for.” The crowd goes wild. Even Nolan, forgets his ‘foot in mouth’ experience, joining the enthusiastic ruckus.

  “Okay! .... Okay!” .... Bryce steps in, attempting to get a semblance of order. “Quiet down! .... Quiet down everyone! I know you all have grievances about not being able to go beyond the fence. I hope Avery’s video puts a little fear in your hearts. Perhaps now you can get a good understanding of the danger, and know we weren’t pulling your legs after all.” He glares at Nolan. “My boy, you aren’t still putting thoughts in the others heads about venturing beyond the fence, are you?”

  Nolan perks up at such a question in front of the others. He can’t possibly answer honestly under such circumstances. “No sir! .... Not me! .... Why, I’m a paragon of virtue, Bryce. How can you ask such a thing?” He offers his best innocent look, but everyone knows the truth.

  “Well, if you do go out there without permission; you’ll wish the toothy got you first, instead of me.” Warning firmly, he realizes it’s risky to admonish the boy in front of others. Sometimes it worked .... and sometimes, not so much.

  “Yessssss, Bryce!” Nolan, fakes his submission. Turning his head towards his siblings, he rolls his eyes, getting a few chuckles. Bryce, lets it go. He didn’t enjoy locking horns with the boy, and lately that’s been happening plenty....

  Carla notices that Bryce’s effectiveness with the young man has expired. So, she changes the subject, informing of the next day’s schedule. “Tomorrow, Bryce and I are leaving the compound to survey for the elevator anchorage site. SPS Democritus will enter orbit soon, and it’s our task to start the ball rolling down here. So, I’m asking you all to be on your very best behavior while we’re gone. Shira will be staying with you. Please, cause her no strife.”

  “Yessssss, Carla.” Comes a chorus response from the gang of young humans.

  The kids finish lunch and help pick up the mess they made. Then, off to school they run, leaving the androids to their own devices. Avery excuses herself, wishing to get back to Adak’s bedside. “Good luck out there. And boy do I mean it! Watch your six, real good! Those toothy’s mean business, and their migrating this time of year.” Shaking hands, she heads across the common.

  Bryce and Carla return to their quarters in the habitat. There is much to organize before heading into the wild. Upon entering, they’re informed of a message that arrived from Oberon Prime. It’s a welcome change to what lately had become a busy and frustrating day. News from their neighbors takes three-years to travel the relatively short distance between the two worlds. So, actual conversat
ions are impossible using current human technology. Even so, radio-silence is a good thing for the most part. When all eggs are in one basket, so to speak, it's best not to advertise one’s location more than necessary. The universe is not a warm, cozy place. Threats come in all shapes and sizes. After hearing about the Einstein’s encounter with space pirates while in route to Oberon Prime, everyone wonders when it might be their turn.

  The two androids settle into seats at the communication console on the old bridge, activating the video system. The screen brightens with the smiley faces of Nyla, Wil and their dirty-dozen. Although, Nyla had made them clean up and dress nice, so they weren’t so dirty now. “Hello Bryce! Hello Carla!” Their good friends send greetings from the past. “Kids, say hi to Bryce and Carla!” Nyla instructs, over her shoulder.

  “Hello Bryce! .... Hello Carla!” The gaggle of youngsters, yell in unison as they try hard to behave themselves. They had never met the friends of their parents, but realize the importance, and act accordingly.

  Nyla continues. “We hope all is going well over there these days. We miss you very much! We’re doing fine here, and the children are growing like weeds, as you can plainly see. Yesterday we celebrated their seventh birthday, and they’re all very healthy....”

  The video continues a few more minutes. Wil, puts in his two-cents worth before ending the communication. “Last week we received an update from SPS Tesla. It’ll be arriving into orbit soon, and we all look forward to that. We hope the Democritus is also on schedule for you folks as well. Stay healthy, and we look forward to hearing from you.... Take care, and please say hello to everyone for us.”

  The video ends, leaving Carla and Bryce feeling sad, wanting more. They know that they’ll never again be able to see their old friends in person. Not with 18-trillion-miles between the two worlds. Using current technology, even if they had an operational spacecraft, it would take nearly 11,000-years to make a one-way journey. There is it seems, a lot of space in outer space!

  The next morning dawns bright and hot. After gathering the necessary equipment for the task ahead, Bryce and Carla meet Kimora and Jace at the main gate. Kimora and Jace have been trained in the art of geology, adding another level of security and opinion, while hunting for a suitable space-elevator anchorage. While it would be convenient to have the elevator-base located inside the fence, it must be kept a respectable distance away from the settlements. Even then, a failure of the monstrous cable, would still pose a deadly risk. So, all they can hope for, is to minimize the risk as much as possible.

  “Hey Kimora! Hey Jace!” Bryce exclaims, giving his good friends firm handshakes.

  Greetings go all around. They review data from security-sensors that are placed outside the fence before leaving the enclosure. More than once, before the sensors were in place, members of the community were ambushed as they left the predictable exit of their lair. Over the years, three of the android pioneers had been dismembered and scattered into the jungle by vicious predators. So, caution is the name of the game these days. The fact that an android’s electrical system puts a sour taste in their mouth, and the electro-polymer muscles don’t taste very good, doesn’t seem to matter to the beasts. Until they get a taste, that is! They live just to be mean and ferocious, for the sake of being mean and ferocious. Hearing themselves roar, is like a fantastic drug to their walnut-sized brains!

  The group reviews the topographical map of where they hope to search. “Okay, then it’s agreed; we’ll head off to these coordinates at the granite-mounds region. That’s a two-hour hike, so we better get going.” Kimora advises.

  They check the power-settings on their laser rifles, making sure they’re not set too high. It’s been found that a hot burn to a sensitive area, is better persuasion than trying to make a kill shot. Violent reactions, instead of a flight response, often ends badly for all. That, plus a dead animal will only lure more meat-eaters to the area. They are under no illusions that they’ll ever make the area totally free of monsters, but they strive for that, none the same. As the population of humans grows, there may come a need for harvesting the animals, but for now it’s good to just leave them be....

  “The coast is clear.... let’s head out.” Carla informs, inputting the proper sequence of numbers into the gates control panel. A loud clank, as powerful electromagnets release. She opens a mechanical latch, and the group enters the no-man’s-land beyond. The day is hot and steamy. They are quickly swallowed up by dense vegetation at the edge of the jungle. The going is slow. The four androids carefully make their way towards their destination. All around them the jungle is alive with a cacophony of screeches, as flying and non-flying creatures alike, flee the heavy footsteps of androids maneuvering through the undergrowth. Twigs and fallen branches, snap under heavy feet. Stealthy progression seems impossible for these mechanical juggernauts.

  One of the fleeing species of flying creatures, is well known to the scientists. On Earth, it would be considered a heavy-weight raptor. Something on the scale and impressiveness as a Harpy Eagle, once found in the jungles of Belize and regions south. However, these birds of prey are colored in tropical bright-blue and iridescent-red plumage. The children had taken to befriending a few that would dive and retrieve food-scraps, when tossed on the ground. A name for the feisty birds became popular, and they’re now commonly known as ‘Cerulean-flame’s’.

  “Carla, don’t look now but we’re being observed.” Kimora says softly to her friend, who looks towards a slight ruffling of the foliage not too far away.

  “Oh my, what a beautiful creature!” Carla exclaims with a strained whisper, hoping not to scare the bird away. But scare it away she did, just like all the other creatures that are near their path of disturbance through the thick growth. She’s happy to see wildlife still in the area, because this indicates less chance that something ferocious is nearby. Suddenly, she’s hoping they could stop and smell the roses, instead of work, work, working all the time.;

  “Okay you two bird watchers, let’s keep focused on the mission.” Bryce whispers, bringing their minds back down to Titania Alpha. “Remember, we’re not inside the safety of the fence, so keep an eye out for toothy’s, instead of beautiful feathers.” In return for the good advice, he receives looks that would terrify a toothy.

  “Oh, don’t worry that tin-skull of yours Bryce!” Carla retorts quietly. “Let’s just hope we keep seeing these smaller animals all day. Because, when they’re near, it means that toothy is not. Or probably not, anyway.... But, we’ll keep an eye out as always.” Bryce leads the way, as the group pushes and smashes their way toward their goal. All manner of small creature’s scurry to and fro in mad panic, as their neighborhood is violated. Now, it’s the androids who destroy, just trying to make it through their day. Sometimes, monsters come in all shapes and sizes; but not always with big teeth, or mean intentions.

  Within an hour, they break free of the thickest part of the undergrowth. Ahead, the terrain climbs steadily, vegetation diminishing, as granite bedrock takes its place. At the top of the slope, a rocky plateau spreads for many square-miles. It’s this area, that interests the android scientists. It’s one of only a handful of places, where planetary bedrock is exposed at the surface. Making it possible to anchor and hold the tremendous stresses involved with a space-elevator.

  While life on Titania is a satisfactory one for the pioneers from Earth, they know it will always be important to reach out into the universe; for other worlds to inhabit. And in doing so, propagate not only the android species, but the human animal also. And the most efficient method for leaving the confines of their new world, is to ‘climb’ out of the gravity-well, instead of relying on inefficient rockets. Just creating a rocket-based space system, would require an infrastructure that’s unattainable for the sparsely provisioned pioneers. Especially, when the elements needed for such a launch system, are spread across the planet, and must be mined and processed. While above their very heads, a spaceship from Earth, will soon enter orb
it; with all the necessary equipment to create the lift-system that will replace any need for rockets, and the pollution they bring. Either way, getting back to space, is a lofty-priority indeed; and never an easy one.

  “Break-time!” Kimora announces. She sits on a wide piece of granite, picking thistles off her jumpsuit. “We’ve been at it hard for over an hour, and I for one, need to take some time out.” Even android electro-polymer muscles need a break now and then. Continuous output causes heat buildup that is never good in a machine or computer. She breathes deeply, taking in massive amounts of air. After filtering, it bathes her main CPU, which is housed under the armor-plating of her breast-plate. She exhales much warmer air than went in. Her electro-polymer muscles relax, dissipating built-up heat into the environment.... Electronic nirvana!

  “I second that motion!” Carla says sincerely, plopping her well-padded metal posterior down next to her good friend. “Kimora, you couldn’t have picked a better place to rest. What a view we have from up here!” She compliments. Carla can only respond with another long sigh of pleasurable relief. Then, she too notices the view. One can see for miles and miles on such a beautiful day!

  “You win.” Bryce gives in, sitting next to his better-half. Even if he chose to object, he wouldn’t stand a chance. Besides, he could use a rest also. After all, he’s no spring chicken anymore.... Jace takes a seat, relaxing before unpacking and organizing the ground penetrating radar equipment that’s essential for determining the usefulness of the granite terrain.

  In the distance, lies the low jungled-valley they had just traversed. Beyond that, another mountain-top plateau of flattened granite, rises high above the jungle. The vista is breathtaking, even for an android. Without the ability to recognize and appreciate beauty, a creature cannot truly become sentient. Doctor Maxwel Sohn and his robotic engineers, hit the proverbial nail on the head, when they learned the secret to truly animate these machines.

  “Ah, this is the life, huh gang?” Jace says to nobody in particular. He lays on his back against the cool granite, hands behind his head.

  “Jace, you took the words right out of my mouth.” Bryce responds, wistfully. “If I didn’t know better, I’d bet a gold ounce, that we’re sitting someplace in the Rocky Mountains back home.”

  Looking up at the puffy clouds that pass lazily, Kimora tries to recognize patterns in the ever-changing shapes. The blue background of the sky, isn’t all that much different than that of Earth’s. It’s easy to forget that they are actually hell-and-gone, from that cradle of humanity. She wonders, if Earth-like planets are the norm, or the exception, in the universe. “Hey everyone, I see an elephant in that cloud up there!” Imagination gone wild, as she points.

  All eyes take to the sky, as Kimora points toward her vivid hallucination in the fluffy condensation above. It doesn’t take long before Carla responds. Squintingly gazing at the heavens, she recognizes the misty specter. “Well Kimora, I can honestly say, that’s the most wonderful elephant I’ve seen in a long time! My, but doesn’t our processors make the most out of a bunch of one’s and zero’s....” She jokes, with an infectious laugh.

  “And over there, I can see what reminds me of Carters-crater” Jace directs his finger to an abstract looking cloud formation in the distance. He speaks of an event that happened to a friend of theirs that remained on Earth, long years past. In the process of saving humanity’s best chances for long-term survival, he had to fly his fighter jet, right into the ground. The crater that was created by that event, became a long-standing point of humor between Carter and his circle of friends and co-workers. He took it all in stride, like the good android he was. Usually, laughing harder than the one who made the joke. Besides, he got a new arm out of the deal!

  “My my, Jace. That’s quite a stretch of the imagination.” Kimora announces. “But the longer I look at it, the more I see your point.” She says, chucklingly.

  It had been a long time since any of them had thought about the brave friend that was left behind due to a psychological anomaly, preventing him from attending the mission. Bryce is moved by the thought, and wonders aloud. “I hope he had a good life with Tina and the gang. I miss them.” .... His words trail off, as Carla interjects.

  “Oh, I’m sure he had a wonderful life, Bryce. Tina doted over him all the time! If not for the anomaly, he would have surely stayed behind anyway. I would have!” She says, of the handsome android who fell in love with a beautiful human female.

  “Hey, he might very well still be alive out there somewhere.” Kimora offers hope. “After all, we’re still kicking, aren’t we? And if anyone’s a survivor.... it’s Carter!”

  “Here, here! I’ll second that, Kimora!” Jace agrees, adding “And, if he is still alive, I wonder just what he’s up to these days.... And what kind of planet did he inherit after the implosion of humanity....” Shortly after they left Earth, communications were kept to a minimum to prevent an electromagnetic footprint from giving away the starship’s positions in space. No communications have been directed toward Earth in many tens of thousands of years.

  “Well unfortunately, we’ll probably never know the answer to that question.” Bryce responds sadly.

  Jace, notices his partner, as she picks thistles off her jumpsuit. She twists to get the difficult to reach ones. He skootches closer. “Hey Kimora, hold still and I’ll get those.” He offers, beginning a grooming procedure.

  “Thanks, Jace! I knew there was a gentleman in there someplace....” She quips with a laugh, relaxing as he picks, picks, picks. Soon, a quid pro quo fest breaks out, as the group of machines engage in simian-like grooming behavior, reminiscent of early primates on Earth. Minus the hairy knuckles, of course.

  Soon, Bryce brings focus back into the group. “Hey Jace, did the equipment survive the rough and tumble through the jungle?” He inquires, breaking the trio’s nirvanic-trance.

  Jace, had lost track of the fact that they were there to work. Kimora picks the last of the prickly thistles off his back, allowing him to focus on the task. He makes a quick check. “Well, at first glance, it looks like everything survived. But we won’t know for sure until it’s fired up.”

  The androids busy themselves with unpacking the gear. Before long, they have the ground-penetrating apparatus assembled and ready to be calibrated. Kimora is at the controls. “Well, let’s just turn this baby on, and see what we see....” She announces, flipping switches and adjusting a few dials. The machine comes to life, a display shines brightly in her face. After some careful adjustments to the many dials, calibration is accomplished.

  The device penetrates the ground using a form of modified electromagnetic radiation. Granite is perhaps the least conductive materials it can examine. The penetration will be considerably hindered by the dense crystalline structure of the rock, but they only need data to a depth of 100-feet, which is easily within capability of the device. The main objective is to find an area of rock that’s not only consistent in depth across a specific region, but also free of major fault lines or defects that will fail the anchorage.

  “Okay Bryce, it looks like we’re good to go as far as the equipment is concerned. Is there a specific area where you want to check first?” Kimora inquires of the expedition leader.

  “Wherever you wish my dear. This entire granite plateau looks good as far as I’m concerned.” He offers freedom of choice, while his better half puts in her two-cents worth.

  “Let’s start over there Kimora.” Carla points to a nice area of rock that seems a little smoother than the others. With the equipment calibrated and raring to go, Kimora begins the systematic process of ‘mowing the lawn’ so that a comprehensive data-set can be obtained. It’s a concerted effort, as Carla and the other two, help by removing debris ahead of the device.

  Back at the Faraday habitat, Shira has lost track of several of the older children while she and Wilma prepared lunch for the gang. Supervising nearly fifty rambunctious kids, is a challenge that taxes even the most skilled
of androids. Between keeping squabbles to a minimum, and preventing food-fights, the two mechanical-supervisors have their hands full.

  “Wilma, have you seen Nolan and Keith? They seem to be missing from our little party.” Shira inquires, placing plates piled high with sandwiches, at key locations on the table.

  “No I can’t say that I have.... and I also can’t say that I’ve seen Ashley or Erica either. Have you?” Wilma inquires expectantly.

  “Oh, those kids! Wait until I get my hands on them!” Wilma exclaims, calling out for the wayward children, as their teacher Jarad arrives at the gathering with a question of his own.

  “Hi Shira. Hi Wilma. Have either of you seen Nolan and Keith? Those boys disappeared from classes a couple of hours ago, along with Ashley and Erica.” Jarad asks, nearly beside himself with irritation at the young humans.

  “Well, that tears it!” Shira exclaims, irritation broiling her circuits! “Those youngsters have flown the coop; and who knows where they have gotten off to. My circuits! Bryce and Carla are going to blow a fuse when they find out!” Shira doesn’t hold back. Nolan is already on probation of sorts. Now he’s spreading his disobedient influence to others.

  “Oh, now don’t you worry about it so much Shira.” Wilma offers support. “Those little scamps escaped before you had the chance to do anything about it. I’ll get on the radio and alert the Faraday to be on the lookout. And I’ll call Bryce and Carla too.”

  Outside the norther perimeter fence, wind-blown sand, partially covers a dropped sandwich. A Cerulean-Flame picks at the cellophane wrapping, trying to get at the goodies inside. Snapping wildly, along with monstrous flapping of wings, it keeps its partner away from the culinary delight. Nearby, human foot-prints lead away from a make-shift tunnel, dug under the fence. Twigs and branches had been placed over the tunnels openings, in a juvenile attempt to keep the secret passageway from being discovered.

  “It’s not too far now Ashley!” Nolan promises, as he helps her across some difficult jungle terrain. “See up ahead? The jungle thins, and then we have smooth rock to climb up the hill. We’ll get a better idea of our surrounding from up there.” He offers hope.

  “Oh, I can’t believe I let you talk me into this fool’s adventure, Nolan!” Ashley exclaims venomously at the handsome boy. Looking back, she sees her friends bringing up the rear. “Common Erica!” She calls with a strained whisper, so’s not to wake up the entire jungle.

  After surveying a goodly portion of the rocky plateau, six exhausted android scientists take seats once again under the limited shade of a scrawny tree. Heated muscles cool, as the group reviews the data they had compiled thus far.

  “Well.... here, here and here, we have some rock that seems unsatisfactory.” Kimora informs, adding. “However, these other regions show great promise. I’d like to re-trace our efforts there, just to confirm our findings. With the supply ship due to arrive within a month, we better be ‘very’ sure about where the anchorage will be the strongest.” She advises, sternly.

  “No problem, Kimora.” Bryce supports her view of the data. “After the break, we’ll hit those areas again. Right guys?”

  “Whatever you say, Bryce.” Jace responds absentmindedly, as he focuses on something in the far distance that’s grabbed his attention. Bryce and the others, notice a look of shock grow on Jace’s face. They look in the direction of his focus. About a mile away, across the great divide of lowland jungle, they notice four tiny objects, rapidly ascending the rocky slope of another plateau. The objects are bi-pedal, moving rapidly....

  “Kimora, hand me the binoculars.” Bryce asks, quickly rising. “I have a bad feeling about those little dots over there.” He adds with trepidation. Now, the others are getting on their feet also, focusing attention on the distant movement.

  “Here you go, Bryce.” Kimora resists the temptation to use the glasses first. But, Bryce has overall authority among the group, so he gets first dibs.

  Putting the glasses to his eyes, Bryce takes only a moment before confirming his worst fears. “By all the damned circuits!” He curses loudly, despair gripping him hard. “Those kids are going to be the death of me!” He yells, maintaining the surveillance. “Those four dots are Nolan, Keith, and....” He squints hard, but can’t name names. “and two girls!”

  Carla is quick to grab the magnifiers. She brings them to her eyes, focuses, and confirms the observation. “Oh, those boys!” She exclaims, adding. “And those girls are non-other than Ashley Cromwell and Erica Struthers! .... But, why are they running?”

  By this time, Kimora has had a chance to retrieve her own binocs. She focuses on the children and scans down-slope from where they had exited the jungle. A cold chill, flows through her circuits. “Oh my! .... They’re being hunted!” She yells the horrible words.

  An adult toothy, breaks from the dense line of jungle at the base of the rocky slope. She sniffs at the air. Two juvies, pop out after her. Snapping and biting at each other, they jockey for dominance in a cruel world. More sniffing from mom. She lifts her massive head, screeching her frustration at losing the trail of odor she’d been following. Its been a day without food on the migratory path, and she knows her baby’s must eat soon to maintain strength for the journey. The scent is a strange one for mother toothy.... but food is food, after all.

  A terrible screech crosses the expanse, rattling the circuits of all! Bryce reaches for his radio, calling home. “Gavin, do you copy?” He transmits, as the others begin to gather their weapons. No answer. He calls again.

  The third call gets through. “Hey Gavin, this is Bryce. We have an emergency! .... There’s four kids outside the fence! And, they’re being stalked by toothy’s! Is the helicopter operational?”

  “Holly crap! .... Toothy’s you say? .... Holly crap! .... Yeah, she’s airworthy! We can be airborne in five!” Gavin assures.

  “Great! But, try to make it three!” Bryce thanks his lucky stars, adding. “The kids are on table-rock mountain! .... Just a mile, due-north of the colony! Hurry, Gavin!”

  “Okay, Bryce.... Stay calm! We’re on it! I have Tara with me.... We’re on our way!”

  Bryce leads the way down toward the waiting and unforgiving jungle. Anxiety runs high. Many expletives, as the jungle slaps at the four quickly advancing androids. Another distant roar breaks through the growth, sending cold chills through their circuits.

  On table-rock mountain, four scared youngsters run uphill, breathing heavily. Checking their six, they see three toothy’s advancing up the slope towards them. One large and two smaller ones, suggest a mother with her cubs. The matriarch sniffs high and low; searching for the scent of dinner. Close on her heels, two juveniles snip at each other, instead of learning. She wheels violently; letting go with such a roar, that it can be heard miles away. With renewed focus, the scolded youngsters, shake mom’s saliva off their heads and try to behave. Movement ahead! .... A new scent wafts past their eager noses....