“You cannot. Our fate is sealed,” Rika answered. All the children nodded. “Let me show you.”
A display switched and the Gardens of Delight was shown. Paul was reminded again of his incident in Dome 3 where he had watched a gruesome recording of what had happened there. In this recording from the Gardens of Delight, the six children were seen sitting around their table. They were laughing and eating and had happy expressions. Suddenly, the teacher Brenda stood up and rushed out to confront a Jellie sphere which had entered the gardens.
The sphere attacked. Brenda valiantly stood up to it but was no match.
Paul watched as all the children were horribly murdered.
He turned and looked at those same children. “But you are here. I do not understand. I saw you die.”
“Yes, Paul, you did. But you still needed our help. We are your cloud of witnesses and have been allowed to assist you to complete your journey, your fate.” Martin smiled at him with an innocence and confidence only a child can have.
“What of the lifeboat?” Paul asked.
“Their fate is along a different path,” Rika answered.
“But you, Paul, gave them all they need,” Irina said.
“Commander Paul? Mission accomplished. Lifeboat is approaching minimum safe distance for detonation of the four remaining solar mimicry sky tubes,” the choir of AIs reported.
“That will eliminate the remaining Jellies and the Outbreak and every other threat from the Vanguard?” Paul was smiling.
“Yes commander,” the AI replied. “It has been an honor to serve with you.”
“Thank you. And children, thank you as well,” Paul said.
“It was our fate to help you,” Rika said.
Paul sat down in a chair and picked up the stuffed toy. He held it to his chest. The children surrounded him. They all glowed with a golden warmth.
Paul looked at the toy, hugged it to his chest again and said, “Life was good, I knew Gretchen.”
A massive explosion happened.
Epilogue
One hundred and seventy five years later Rebel’s Rainbow used its audio voice circuits for the first time in a long while.
“We have arrived in orbit. As soon as you are fully awake, I will give you a briefing,” Rebel’s Rainbow stated.
“It is very interesting to again use sound systems to communicate,” Tiffany commented. “It is far slower and more clumsy than I remember.”
“Indeed, that is true. Own on message conveyances have been more efficient,” Rebel’s Rainbow replied. “But for the humans, auditory speech is essential.”
Hugh was first to lift his head off the base of the cocoon. It had slid out of suspended animation cocoon number 6. He rubbed his eyes and gave a very big yawn. Looking around he saw four other people lying on bases which had slid out of the other cocoons as well. “Hello?” He mumbled. “Larissa? Larissa? Can you hear me?”
“I can hear you Trooper,” Sigmond responded from the opposite side of where Hugh was sitting.
Hugh tried to stand, but his legs were weak and stiff.
“Please remain seated until you have sufficiently recovered. Prolonged suspended animation will cause temporary weakness and disorientation,” Rebel’s Rainbow instructed. “Remember, gravity manipulation is in place, and none of us want any of you to fall.”
“Oh wow!” Brinley said as she turned onto her side on the base where she lay. “Are we here?”
“Larissa?” Hugh asked again. He stumbled over and stood by the cocoon where Larissa lay.
She looked as beautiful as ever and Hugh bent down and kissed her softly, “Larissa, please be alive.”
Larissa threw her arm around his neck and returned the kiss. “I am awake. Do not kiss me again without my permission. Understood?”
“Yes, Captain,” Hugh said with a giant sigh of relief. “May I kiss you?”
Larissa nodded and they kissed again.
“Well done Trooper,” Sigmond sputtered with mirth.
Brinley walked over to where Gretchen was lying, still and unmoving. Sigmond joined her.
“Is she dead?” Sigmond asked.
Brinley bent down close and could see Gretchen’s chest rising and falling. “She is alive.”
“Yes I am,” Gretchen mumbled. “Where are we?”
“Nourishment is being provided,” Tiffany said. “I have copied the information from the data sticks and we converted one of the cocoons into a food production facility which can make sufficient supplies of food ration bars and water.”
Gretchen stumbled up to her feet. “Paul?” She looked at the vacant cocoons and remembered he had not made it back to the lifeboat. “Oh, Paul.”
“I have scanned your life signs and each of you survived suspended animation successfully,” Rebel’s Rainbow stated. “Tiffany and I worked very hard to ensure success in this endeavor.”
“So where are we?” Larissa asked.
“We arrived in the Westerhuis 9 solar system one hundred fifty-three hours ago, using standard Vanguard time. We are now orbiting the second planet in the system which has been designated Projima,” Tiffany answered.
The main display lit up showing an orbital view of a beautiful blue and green planet with white wispy clouds.
“One hundred fifty-three hours?” Gretchen asked. “I thought the journey would be much longer than that.”
“Yes, when are we?” Brinley inquired.
“We arrived just one hundred fifty-three hours ago. The voyage took slightly more than two hundred and three years to make. We are safely in orbit now,” Tiffany stated. “You all survived the trip. All indications are that the two cats which are still in suspended animation also survived. There is no reason to believe any of the genetic samples of fauna have failed either. Rebel’s Rainbow and I have been perfecting this process for the entire trip. We took fungi samples from your bodies in order to begin the food processing procedure.”
The base slid open on the modified cocoon and there were a stack of food ration bars, and a container of water.
“That food is fungus?” Hugh asked.
“I grew up eating these,” Gretchen said and lifted one up and took a bite. “Tastes just as I remember.”
Hugh picked one up, but sniffed at it. “I would think I would be hungrier after so long.”
“Your body processes did not need much nourishment during suspended animation. Your current nutritional needs are no more than after a regular night’s sleep,” Rebel’s Rainbow stated.
Larissa grabbed a bar and ate it quickly. “So are there any Jellie threats?”
“No. The entire trip was uneventful. Rebel’s Rainbow and I had many stimulating conversations. I have even perfected my understanding of jokes and humor,” Tiffany answered.
“What is happening to the lifeboat?” Larissa inquired. “Are we safe?”
“Yes. There is an artificial satellite in orbit. It is of human construction and we have been in conversation with the artificial intelligence system there,” Tiffany said.
“What? Human construction?” Brinley asked in surprise. “So there are people at this planet?”
“No. There are not any people at this planet, yet. The satellite is from the Bounty Planetary Confederation and oversees sixteen automated facilities on the ground of this planet which are actively working a terraforming procedure,” Tiffany said.
“I am confused,” Gretchen said. “Please just explain where we are and what this is all about.” She rubbed her temples and pushed some frizzy hair out of the way.
“You have successfully made the journey to the target world. It is under active terraforming and revision by the Bounty Planetary Confederation. Bounty is a thriving civilization which was founded by the people from the Colony Ship Echaton, on the planet they call Bounty. They have set up the terraforming process here.”
“We escaped the Jellies?” Hugh asked. “And that is where we will live?” He was gazing at the planet on the display.
; “Tell us about it,” Larissa said. She began brushing her hair and combing it into braids.
Tiffany answered. “Yes, that is the second planet of the Westerhuis 9 solar system. It has a size which is 128% the size of the old Earth. It has a gravity which is 1.097% that of Earth. We have adjusted the gravity manipulation on the lifeboat to that same degree. The planet has a rotational spin which is 27 hours. One revolution about the Westerhuis star is 415 days. Tilt of axis is small, meaning temperate weather in most areas. There are seven large land mass continents, none which are connected together…”
“Someone has been terraforming this planet?” Gretchen asked. “How? Why? When?”
“Do you mean to ask for the process of terraforming or the reasons behind the purpose of terraforming?” Tiffany asked. “Or shall I connect you to the artificial intelligence system which is overseeing the process?”
Gretchen sat back down on the base. “I wish Paul could see this.”
Brinley put her arm around Gretchen.
“Please continue with the planet’s description,” Larissa said.
“I am connecting you to the artificial intelligence system responsible for this planet and located in the orbiting satellite,” Tiffany said.
A new voice came from the display.
“I am Edgar. It is good to see part of the Vanguard reached this destination. In addition to the basics which Tiffany described, there are now large polar ice caps and many islands. The planet has 92% salt water which is in the single world-wide ocean. The fresh water is on the land masses and the ice caps. The planet has an effective hydrosphere. The land masses consist of low and rolling plains, a few small mountain ranges, and various climates. Most of the land masses can be described as a variation of a savannah. The savannah is my personal favorite of the climates.
“It is so very beautiful,” Hugh said. “I have never seen anything as wondrous as that.”
“Alien life?” Larissa asked.
“I am Edgar. The planet is currently home to an estimated 9-15 million species of life, depending upon how one defines a species. There are no sentient life forms. The biosphere is diverse and stable. Thanks to the Bounty Planetary Confederation’s terraforming for the last 103 years, the atmosphere consists of a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide and trace elements which are all nearly perfectly suited for human habitation. Additionally, the indigenous life has been preserved in all its various forms, during the terraforming process. Thus this planet is a hybrid situated for preservation of its own unique life cycles as well as being made compatible for human colonization, and Earth based animal forms. There are some risks associated with interaction in any biome, however, the dangers on this planet are no greater than on Earth when it was healthy.”
“I wish Paul could see this. He would have been so happy,” Gretchen said sadly.
“Paul, happy?” Larissa said. She then recalled the sacrifice he had made and said, “Yes, Gretchen, Paul would have been happy here.”
“I am Edgar. Are you referring to the Dome 17 adventurer named Paul? Are you the Dome 17 adventurer Gretchen?” Edgars’ mechanical voice became quite animated.
“Yes, we came from Dome 17 to find the Vanguard. We traveled in a faster-than-light….”
“I am Edgar, no need to explain. I once knew Jamie and Michael. They are who created me. I think of them as my foster parents.”
Gretchen stood there amazed.
“Who are they?” Brinley asked.
“I am Edgar. Let me explain. A long time ago there was the last surviving remnant of humanity in Dome 17 on the old Earth which was toxic and radioactive. Those people started a program which historically is now known as ‘Recovery of a Colony Ship’ and that involved….”
Gretchen did not listen anymore as the AI Edgar explained where she had originated, and many of the names of the people she had known as age-mates, friends, teachers, and other of Dome 17.
“Wait a minute,” Gretchen interrupted. “We can land and live on this plant?”
“I am Edgar. Yes, that is easily accomplished. This planet, Projima, has been held for the Colony Ship Vanguard’s human colonists and the animals of the Vanguard habitats. The fate of the Vanguard was uncertain, and the Bounty Planetary Confederation sought to ensure there was a home awaiting you. This planet was never subjected to the Jellie Wars which ended well over a century ago. You five are the rightful owners of the planet Projima.”
Gretchen looked at the others. She then looked at the exquisitely glorious planet which awaited them. “Our first step on this new world is to change its name. Our home will be called Paul’s Victory.”
Everyone agreed.
The End.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As fate would have it, John Thornton lives with his immensely understanding and compassionate wife, two dogs who pull excessively on leashes, and an ancient cat who wanders around meowing when he does his patrols of their home. His daughters and sons-in-law come and visit and those are some of the best times of all.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 195