Teardrop From The Past

by Jason R. Hemmings

  By tomorrow, we would return to Earth for the others. The thought of leaving Nouveaux saddened us. But the reassurance we would all return here soon, left us with a note of quiet optimism.

  The Lorelei were indeed a fascinating race. I kept thinking of what Andromeda had said; about us being like their children in a way and the secrets she promised in time.

  Time was something I had to extend for all of us if we were to continue here. It was still a possibility, but like that delicate bloom on the bay earlier, I got the feeling someone held our futures with the same delicacy in their hands. Before long, I realised that responsibility resided with me. I had to succeed, for all of us.

  5

  Nebula To Nouveaux

  The following morning, my friends and I returned to Earth. From the nebula, the Phoenix went to light drive leaving Neptune behind, along with a fiery trail of golden light from her wings.

  As we travelled through the emptiness of space, I spoke with Lorius in private. He began by telling me Nouveaux was everything he had hoped for, but then despondently asked the odds of regenerating the sun for the planet. I told him like all things in life, we had a chance; slim that it may be. Given time, I believed I could calculate the necessary adjustments to the Phoenix to try. It was the best I could offer. Besides, what choice did any of us have, with the Earth's future coming to an end. If we stayed there, we would most definitely be finished. With Nouveaux, there was time to find a miracle. The sun would last perhaps as long as a year. We could escape the fate the Progressionalists had in store and buy ourselves time to find an answer to continue. Lorius conceded to my persistence. We had no other options. He was tired of running too, like myself. I put my arm around him and promised I would find a way out of this dilemma; even if it was the last thing I ever did. Lorius nodded his appreciation of my continued efforts to keep the flame of our population alight and indeed the Lorelei’s.

  I returned to the bridge with Lorius, then began the approach to the space station at point one glide. The Phoenix’s engines sighed with relief as she tilted softly, letting the sun glisten on her wings. The Progressionalists went unaware of our silent arrival. Their fleet of ships had increased to twice the amount since we left. I had the feeling they were planning something soon for us perhaps.

  The Earth was regretful in mood, as she seemed to pity her sorrowful appearance these days. It was truly disgraceful what the Progressionalists had done to this exquisite lady. The teardrop which clung to her cheek, we called our home for the present, was a painful reminder of what was once a beautiful place. Her life was ending; nothing could prevent that now. It was some compensation the Progressionalists existence would end with it, along with their destructive, disgusting wake they left on everything they touched would at last be vanquished.

  Lightstar completed docking, as the council members informed me they would tell the others about Nouveaux. They would offer the choice to the rest of the population whether to stay or to leave. No secrets would be hidden from them. I reminded my friends, we did not have much time.

  We left the Phoenix to rest, then I made my way to my cottage on the agricultural plain, stopping briefly by the Tree of Regrets and finding Liberté’s name on the leaf again. The last time I stood here, I felt old and saddened with loneliness. This time, I touched the leaf and a smile edged across my face. My temporary youth and refreshed spirit had given me new hope in so many ways. I had found a new home for the Council of Light. There was at least the illusion of a future for us. I had discovered Liberté again. Her memory left a delicate touch of contentment each time I thought of my return to her. The Lorelei were fascinating; even to be revered for their wisdom. For a moment, I wondered if they had an ulterior motive for our return to the planet. Where they using us for their own gain? But that foolish thought was quickly cast to the stars, as I remembered Liberté. Even if I doubted the Lorelei, I did not doubt her. She endorsed their race’s authenticity for me. A friendship or love is only to be trusted when there is nothing to be gained from it, after all. The belief I had for Liberté melded as one for the Lorelei.

  When I reached my old home, I found Equualeus and Aries waiting for me. They were as enthusiastic as usual, humming their excitement of my arrival. They told me they had missed me. I reciprocated my feelings for them too. I held out my hand and they landed softly onto it, then looked at me in a curious manner. They sensed something was wrong. I explained we would be leaving soon. The Earth's life was almost gone, but I had found us a beautiful new planet to live on, with flower meadows they could be next to. Aries spoke quietly as she asked me if Florii would be coming with us. Her tiny face became sad as she spoke and her little blue eyes dulled with doubt waiting for my answer. I smiled at them both and promised Florii would come too. They would love it on Nouveaux; it was a wonderful place. They would be happy there. They started buzzing with excitement from my words. I told them to go and play in the meadows; we would be leaving in a few days. So they pirouetted with delight before leaving.

  I rubbed my fingertips on the lavender bushes next to me, then let the scent bring a thoughtful reminiscence of my old home on Earth years ago. Standing in the crystal rain, as part of the mirage cast by Andromeda had left a transparent blend of past and future, which made those empty lonely years apart from Liberté be almost forgotten. My return to her would not be soon enough.

  By the evening, I went for a walk on the plain. I found Florii in an orchard, picking fruit and putting it into a basket. She was crying softly as I approached her. I asked her what was wrong. She said, returning from Nouveaux had saddened her. Florii kept thinking of the planet. It had been wonderful to be amongst real meadows, orchards and feel the sun on her skin again. Those fond memories of her home on Earth surfaced. Florii felt like she was young on Nouveaux. Being here was like she had only dreamt it. I knew what she meant. The nebula to Nouveaux was like drifting into a daydream you were most reluctant to leave.

  I insisted she come and have dinner with me. She smiled with eyes filled with regret, much like the expression the Earth wore only earlier. As we walked beside one another, I was certain of one thing; our regrets would be washed away upon our return to Nouveaux. Our blemished past would be forgotten before long, if all went well.

  Clemetia waited for me, when we reached my cottage. She said the population had decided to come to Nouveaux with us. We would begin leaving over the coming days.

  I had Dream make dinner for us. For dessert, I found an old recipe for tarte Tatin; a caramelised apple tart made from the fruit Florii had brought from the orchard. I played the light harp again after dinner for quite some time. We did not say much to one another. I think we were all lost in our own daydreams of Nouveaux. The call of the Lorelei’s mysterious world seemed to enchant us.

  In the coming days I co-ordinated our departure, with the in-between times at my laboratory testing calculations for the regeneration of Nouveaux’s sun. I became frustrated at my progress, despite my efforts; but there was still time.

  Eventually, the Phoenix was ready to leave. Everyone was on board. Saying goodbye to my old cottage earlier was surprisingly more difficult than I thought it would be. It seemed I was still leaving a part of my past behind here.

  The door to the spaceport opened and I edged the Phoenix slowly through to leave our home of twenty years behind. With the mythical bird only a mirage to the Progressionalists, we held our position at a safe distance from the teardrop which shimmered and glistened from the sunlight.

  I had placed energy charges at various points on the station to ensure the Progressionalists would not discover where we were going. It was better they thought we had perished in some unfortunate explosion on the space station. That way, it may ensure they would never follow us. It was extreme, but necessary. My friends and I gazed at the giant teardrop for one last time, before Lightstar engaged the detonation sequence. As the seconds counted slowly away, the hollow expectation of the intended destruction of our old home filled us with t
he poignant irony, that Earth would soon follow in the same way.

  The count reached zero and instantaneously the charges on the station began. One after another, the dazzling explosions blew huge sections of the structure apart. The solar panels shattered into silvery dust, which caught the sunlight, leaving a ribbon which resembled a rainbow in colour. Suddenly, the Progressionalists ships began to flee as they noticed the teardrop fall closer to the Earth as its shape diminished with each blast. Then, a brilliant white light illuminated the night of space, which was so bright you could barely look at it. A small energy wave rippled out from the explosion, as the light faded and the station was gone. Clemetia wiped tears from her face, as Lorius and I shook our heads in disbelief at what we had done. As the debris drifted silently away, our fate was sealed. There was nothing left here. We had to find the courage to begin a new life on Nouveaux. There was a moment of silence on the bridge, almost like we had attended a funeral in a way, both for our old home and the impending disaster to come for Earth.

  I set the course for the nebula and turned the Phoenix away from the planet. I engaged the light drive and in an instant we left Earth behind for the last time, with teardrops from the past in our eyes and hope in our hearts for a better future on Nouveaux.

  A few hours later, we reached the nebula and not a moment too soon. Lightstar reported the reactor on Earth had failed and a huge wave of immense magnitude was heading this way for us. All that once was on Earth, was lost. Even its name was now only a memory. Andromeda had been right with her prophecy that the imperfections would cause this disgraceful catastrophe, which luckily we had both escaped.

  The Phoenix edged away from the nebula and it gradually dissolved away behind us, leaving the emptiness of space. Lightstar said the nebula no longer existed on her charts. It seemed to have been closed by something or someone; perhaps for our protection. There would be no way the wave from Earth's demise could reach us now. We were safe. I brought the Phoenix to rest. Nouveaux greeted us one more time with her elusive and seductive gaze.

  We had arrived at our new home, but for how long was a question only I held the answer to. For now though, we had made it this far. I descended the Phoenix through the outer rim’s coloured ribbons and the clear skies to a familiar clearing by now, where I set her down. The thrusters cushioned our landing and the engine’s relief was similar to ours, as we began the next chapter of our lives on this new-found paradise. I only hoped I had enough time to complete the dream for us all.

  6

  Teardrop From The Past

  A sparkling crystal rain made of light cascaded from the sky, as I left the Phoenix with Lorius, Clemetia and Florii. We walked slowly down the long ramp to the ground to be greeted by the Lorelei. They were only the few from the monument like before, with Andromeda and Liberté to the front; their blue eyes glowing as their apparitional bodies floated in the air.

  Andromeda approached me silently, with her piercing topaz gaze that I could feel undressing my spirit again. She lowered her head in sorrow, when she discovered the teardrop I could not disguise for Earth. She conveyed her deepest sympathy and regrets for us and for the Earth. Her eyes suddenly lost their lustre as my news only confirmed her distant belief of what would happen eventually to Earth, one day. After a few moments, the richness returned to her eyes and she welcomed our return to Nouveaux.

  Andromeda held out her arm and a lilac coloured ribbon of electricity formed. I stepped away and put my hand on Lightstar, but Andromeda quickly reassured me the ribbon was only a gesture of friendship on behalf of the Lorelei. The energy ribbon was a symbol of unity for both our races. She reached out and wrapped it around my hands. It fizzled and felt like the caress of a woman's fingertips on my skin, then emitted a feeling of kindness, warmth and understanding, even after it was gone.

  I thanked Andromeda for allowing us to remain on Nouveaux. I would spend my remaining time here searching for the solution to our mutual dilemma. She spoke softly, as she told me there was plenty of time to resolve the matter.

  Andromeda had another surprise, but this time it was not for me. Lorius was asked to step forward, as Andromeda called one of the Lorelei to greet my old friend. His expression was one of curious surprise as the figure approached him, wearing a delicate smile on their face while long golden hair flowed behind them. As the figure spoke Lorius’ name, simultaneously my old friend and I recognised who the figure was. It was Smyrna; Lorius’ late wife. He spoke her name repeatedly, obviously stunned by her reappearance. I felt for my friend. Smyrna’s reunion was like Liberté’s had been for me. Andromeda granted her permission to go with Lorius. My old friend left with her, glancing back at times to me in disbelief.

  As I looked back at Andromeda, I noticed she held a transparent image of Earth in her ghostly hand. It sat there, like a miniature sculpture of our lost world; only this version, was the original and beautiful version, untainted as it once was. A teardrop of crystal light fell from her eyes onto the image dissolving it instantaneously. I noticed Clemetia wipe a tear from her face, from the touching scene Andromeda amazed us with.

  Andromeda looked at me and whispered the words, ‘We must never let this happen again…’ in a chilling and quite disturbing tone. A loud noise that resembled thunder, echoed in the canyons beyond the clearing and I nodded my understanding to her, as I began to feel the regret inside of her seep out momentarily, like a teardrop from her soul.

  Andromeda invited me to be with Liberté, so I smiled my thanks and left the others to be alone with her. On the way to the waterfall Liberté told me not to be concerned with Andromeda’s mood; it was not personal. She was suffering the loss of our worlds. Earth was gone and Nouveaux was growing old. Andromeda had told the Lorelei the truth about the sun. Apparently I had made Andromeda feel guilty for her deception to the others on my last visit. Andromeda was like a mother figure to the Lorelei; she both protected and was proud of them. As the watery light fell from the waterfall into the river we stood beside, I began to understand Andromeda a little more through Liberté’s explanation. I looked deeply into Liberté’s eyes for a while. They began glowing, as I told Liberté it was so lovely to be near her again. This was only the first of many wonderful times with her to come.

  Over the coming days, the rest of the Council of Light were introduced to the Lorelei. In a strange kind of way, it was like witnessing the coming home of lost children to their loving parents. The Lorelei looked after them and wanted to be part of their lives here.

  To begin with the Phoenix was home, but before long the Lorelei created individual dwellings made from crystal light for us, in whatever style we desired. I recreated my old home, while Florii chose her old house where she grew up. The structures were only an illusion of course, but somehow they felt real to the touch for us, without intruding upon the scenery they sat amongst. Like the Lorelei, they vanished or appeared in the same time as it took for rain to fall.

  In the coming weeks, I continued with my efforts to discover a way to regenerate the sun, but in the end, the solution still eluded me. This particular afternoon, I sat defeated with my head in my hands by the shoreline, as the waves tried to console me, one by one, without success. Suddenly, I heard Andromeda's voice. She promised she would help me when the time came. I told her I could not create enough power in the Phoenix's energy core to create a sufficient explosion to give new life to the sun. She just smiled and said I must have faith in my beliefs; she would give them a helping hand. It was time to reveal another secret to me.

  She held her hands together and a sphere shaped object began to form between them, at first with an orange light, which quickly changed to red, then white in colour, until it shone brightly as she lowered her hands. The globe remained suspended where Andromeda created it, as I watched with fascination. Then she gazed into me again momentarily. When she was through, she told me to return to the Phoenix with the globe. I would know what to do by the time I reached there. Before I could ask her, she began to diss
olve like raindrops drying in the sun.

  Eventually, I found the courage to touch the globe, as it continued to glow incandescently. I expected it to feel warm, but it was icy cold in my hands. Andromeda had performed a miracle upon my return to the Phoenix. I suddenly became aware of the use of the globe and the final calculation which had been impossible to solve, now appeared simplistic to me. I used the globe to charge the energy core in the Phoenix to a level far greater than I ever thought possible.

  By evening, the Phoenix was ready at last. I had the solution, but as I told both my friends from the Council of Light and the Lorelei, a doubt crept into my thoughts about the possibility that it still would not work. Our lives here would be ended the moment it failed. Once again, Andromeda came to my aid. I was to have faith in my ability. Maybe it was something to do with her knowing smile, which convinced me. She convinced the others too, leading to a unanimous decision to try what I still thought was a long shot for the longevity of the sun. It was disconcerting considering the outcome if I did not succeed. So in the end, I resolved to have faith like the others.

  We all knew this day would come when we arrived here, where the illusion of paradise would wane, but hopefully not for long. I said goodbye to Lightstar, Dream and the Phoenix, as they gallantly volunteered to complete the miracle journey that would be their last. We all watched, as the Phoenix elegantly took off and began her last flight. She climbed powerfully through the sky until she vanished through the outer atmosphere.

  All we could do was wait.

  We watched the heavens optimistically for a moment, as the Phoenix reached the sun. Suddenly, there was a dull thud from above and the brightness was quickly stolen from the sun. The sky fell away to nightfall and the only thing I noticed was the intent gaze from the Lorelei's eyes. Silence filled the night and us, until a fiery ember appeared that resembled the shape of a mythical bird in the sky.