THE ENDLESS DARK OCEAN_A space epic that will change the history of the universe

by Boris Mosso

  —You see? It doesn’t surprise me that you know that too… What I’ve felt the least from the beginning in any case, is courteous treatment, but that’s not your fault.

  —I’m very sorry if it has been so.

  —The more I review the reports and studies gathered about the object and about this lost breed in time and space, it’s hard for me to believe in the device’s mysterious powers we’re looking for. My crew doesn’t like the ambiguous course and dangers we face in the pursuit of your object. They don’t say it, but what they think is more evident every time. Also remember, that without even finding System X yet, we already have a casualty.

  —Lena, the information available…

  —I’ve already read hundreds of files and seen hundreds of images about the case, and nowhere do they explain what type of weapon this device is, nor what power or operation it has. You must tell me something specific or I’ll keep thinking we reached this lost corner in the universe, because of Espacia’s Councils’ desperate infatuation. Can you open your mind and your heart?

  Trivian couldn’t say anything yet; only in the right time, the truth will be disclosed, but that moment was unknown for now. Nobody can know the truth yet, not even Renar, however, he was cornered by Lena. She had taken him off-guard and faced him unexpectedly and inevitably.

  —Lena, we have reasons… the object is real. This journey is not in vain. It’s not only a matter of faith.

  —Are you saying it was a matter of faith at the beginning?

  —Don’t misunderstand me, Lena. We found striking signals in the capsule, which validate this search. I don’t know how our incursion is going to end, but for some reason, the Espacian Councilors have sent us… you should trust their wisdom.

  —At this point, I need specific things. I know you know.

  —We must do something to find it and use it, but we still don’t have the whole picture. In some unknown way, this object will become something real. An entire civilization tried to use it unsuccessfully, it’s true, but they were saved by powerful universe strength; an intelligent and superior force from anything known. They gave them this devise before withdrawing…

  —Professor, that’s questionable. It’s not certain about how advanced those visitors were. Maybe, at the very least, it might be an amulet, or something given to cheer them up to strengthen their hopes, I don’t know. Or maybe the famous object wasn’t any good, maybe they wanted to experiment with them socially, to see what path they took…

  —Do you think they were saved from a devastating invasion just to play a trick on them? To give them a useless item?

  Pranus approached then and waited.

  —Are we ready?

  —Yes, Captain; we’ll perform the last approach to get completely into this system. We’ll emerge on the first important planet’s side. A gaseous world, exactly behind a rubble ring that surrounds all the worlds.

  —Proceed.

  —At your command.

  The spaceship performed a one light year leap. When accomplishing the star breakdown, they came out very close to the gaseous planet, blue and with faint hoops surrounding it. The holographics showed it with its rocky moons orbiting around it; it was a splendid show.

  —Well, Professor, we’ll end this conversation for now. I’ve presented unknown factors and concerns, impossible to recognize in front of my crew; however, many of these questions hang over their heads. Thereby, I ask you to keep it confidentially.

  —Don’t worry about that.

  —I demand sustainable explanation next time we touch this subject. Do it for them. While they’re Espacia’s disciplined soldiers, who will die if necessary, due to principles, I can’t ask them for sacrifices without them knowing and believing in this when I don’t even believe it. Do you understand what I’m saying? Am I clear, Professor Trivian?

  —Yes, I understand what you’re saying.

  —Fine, I’ll leave now.

  Lena was already standing and walking towards the bridge center. Trivian breathed relieved, since he was already overwhelmed by the insightful questions from Lena, and he had no more solid excuses nor believable responses.

  —Officer Pranus, is there anything detected from Commander Terilian? Something regarding technology?

  —The readings don’t show anything yet.

  —I understand. How does this solar system look?

  Pranus looked thoroughly at a couple of holographics describing the system’s planets with colored lumpy lines. They built orbits inside the planetary layout, rather traditional, since they gathered and interpreted the information which streamed lavishly from the spaceship’s observatory, showing hundreds of information and complex astronomical equations and also from navigation, on the screens.

  —We’re located at some twenty-eight thousand light years from Lumina’s core. It’s most likely that this system has formed from a massive molecular cloud, that will make some four thousand five hundred million years. The astronomical sensors indicate the setting of a very hot protoplanetary dust disc at the beginning, something typical… Afterwards, it rises from an elliptical layout in which the planets move about.

  —What about the inner bodies?

  —The main star is similar in almost all its parameters, to that of Espacia’s sun.

  —It’s a type G star.

  —Exactly. It has ninety-nine-point seventy five percent of the solar system’s total mass. We found four rocky planets close to its star and four outer gaseous ones, both groups separated by an asteroid’s belt and rubble, considerably nurtured; it looks like a fifth destroyed rocky planet’s remains, added to several protoplanets and planetoids. We detected a ninth important object. It looks like a planetoid breaking the elliptic layout, further back from the eight planet which we’ll orbit in a few minutes. This, nearby the sun’s areas worlds. In the systemic outskirts, we detected a huge rubble cluster from where comets emerge, traveling to the solar system’s inner part for sure. All this is found at one light year behind us, at the last position we sustained. It’s an irregular rubble cloud surrounding everything. Somewhere, back there, a tenth considerably large planet, should be spinning… although very distant.

  —What about this blue world?

  —It’s the eight planet. It’s forty-nine thousand kilometers round and fractioned… it’s almost four times Espacia’s size. Rock nucleus, surrounded by multiple elements’ frozen structure: methane, water and then liquid ammonia. All covered by a very thick and higher temperatures gas layer. Some frozen moons also orbit it.

  —Fine, continue…

  —The planetary complex looked like a system with one sun, but we found out that it could be a binary system. Its companion would be ten times smaller. It would keep existing in an elliptic orbit, regarding the main sun from… the spaceship’s observatory instruments indicate that this small and notional sun’s entire orbit, would last twenty-six million years. But it’s still something to be proved with greater studies, it may well be something else.

  —Right, that’s not significant now. Everyone be alert.

  —Right.

  Andra remained sitting and very concentrated in front of her instruments verifying movements and paths in the navigation holographics, adjusting at the same time, the proximity angle to the bluish planet. A little further back, Dimia, Rastias and Lustan, also busy with the details for the entrance into the gaseous giant’s orbit.

  —I want all the details in holographic from the first rocky planet, coming from our position.

  —There it is… it’s that red growing spot in the image. We’ll soon have it in more detail; it’s the system’s fourth planet.

  —Fine. Design an alternate route to get there, with short approach leaps.

  —At your command.

  —The suggested path was mapped out in the holograms, seeing the planet bigger each time. It was small, rocky, reddish and lifeless; the remote biological activity sensors ruled it that way at the beginning. However, that should verify
approaching to its vicinity, since other much older Espacian travelers, had already encountered with great and unpleasant surprises descending into, apparently, dead planets in the past.

  Two very small moons orbited it, which appeared amplified also, in two additional holographs, but still fussy.

  The lights in the room dimmed while some STF’s and robotics’ Officers approached through the hallways.

  Through the bridge deck’s transparent wall, the deep blue gaseous planet approached at full speed, showing light blue tones and orange rings clearly, surrounding it. On the screen, the Vector escort could be seen moving alongside them, waiting for Lena’s decisions. She breathed deeply and thought for a few seconds; then she spoke to Pranus:

  —Maybe this is the point where Commander Terilian moved at some point.

  —Could have. We’re scanning in detail. We’ll briefly prove if similarities to System X exist. We’ll have the confirmation in a few minutes; Mister Renar is matching up the orbits’ equations and uploading all the data in his programs.

  —Let me know how the measurements come out.

  —Fine.

  Lena just recently learned that Renar was already on the bridge. She saw him through the far right from the transparent area. Trivian was beside him showing great interest in the operation that the star archeologist was performing.

  When she glanced at him, it seemed that Renar was magically floating in space, wearing a gray suit that intensified his wide back and his proportionate shapes, who Lena observed for a couple of seconds.

  It reminded her of standing alongside his virtual bed, with a Visol cup in his hands. The memory was permanent every night before falling asleep. Sometimes she felt shame when she remembered that visit. Other times in the darkness of her rooms, she imagined different things.

  Renar was very concentrated in front of two floating holographics. She had already seen him performing astronomic verifications in the proximity to both systems visited in previous days, although without establishing a conversation with him.

  She only saw him those few times for the past days, realizing reluctantly, that she missed in a certain way, having him close. Something in him intrigued her; he didn’t appear to be completely compromised with the situation which they were in and in general, one couldn’t see him affected by her either, despite that, he wasn’t cynical. She found him overwhelmed at times when stepping away from the rest of the crew, and other times, completely dominating the situation when he needed to speak; however, his gaze disclosed something else, he showed assurance but profound sadness also.

  She saw him engaged in an overwhelming and undecipherable conflict almost all the time, notwithstanding the great inner strength she sensed in him, which led her to rely on the star archeologist unconsciously.

  Suddenly, she found him watching and smiling at her also, greeting her with a subtle hand movement from some twenty-five meters away; Lena ignored him completely.

  Doctor Zenda also entered the bridge, followed by Dantori and Elenda, then she saw Drexiliander and Atisia talking to Andra.

  Gander, along with Doctor Dirva and Chan were behind, at seven meters away from her, studying the system’s holographics and the distant fourth planet, which was scanned at the same time by the remote sensors on board.

  She also saw Lesir, Blesten and Rombar, gathering at certain distance, elated before the image at plain sight, from the enormous gaseous planet to which they were gravitationally anchored to, exactly then.

  Dantori and Elenda made some inaudible comments from where she was. She noticed that the new STF and the war pilot were together again. That had been something constant, before the Officers’ dinner and several noticed it also, after weeks of traveling.

  As well as Dimia and Betinia, who also seemed to enjoy the company with each other during the intergalactic transit, which at this point, turned out to be extremely dangerous and stressful.

  With the passing of days and weeks, several crew members and passengers looked for company and comfort from their worries and fears. The pain produced by the separation from loved ones left behind, was more evident on their faces. In the long run, almost all of them found refuge in others; with the intention of keeping high spirits and their minds clear.

  Estrader appeared at the bridge with Bajir now. Apparently, the crewmen sensed that something important was about to happen.

  Pranus approached Lena talking to her lowly and calmly:

  —Captain Lena, there are coincidences in the readings. This could be our System X.

  —Does Mister Renar agree with it?

  —Indeed, he has confirmed it.

  —At last, something tangible, call everyone to the bridge; there will be a meeting for Officers and scientists.

  —Right. Captain, there’s another issue that should concern us… We detected a geometric discrepancy, it was just for a moment and emanated from the inner planets.

  —I understand, the scientists should explain it.

  After a few minutes, the Officers and scientists were situated in the same place from the first meeting, thirty-four days ago. Once again, the oval table emerged from the floor and a holographic appeared over it, representing the Lumina Galaxy. Eleven stars previously selected from the eighteen in total, stood out in an expedited approach. Both systems already discarded, faded away, only one star remained shining excessively on the layout.

  Lastly, a star grew even more in size and luminosity, until the holographic layout showed the solar system where they stood, in its fullness. The planets began to materialize one by one there.

  The Officers sat down around the table, while Fromdert’s, Koner’s and Borlan’s holographics emerged, along with Dramstor, the escort spaceship’s first Officer again.

  —Fine, we’re all here now. As you can see, we just broke into the third solar system which we need to explore. We apparently have a precise opportunity at last.

  Lena remained quiet and after studying the attendees’ faces briefly, she continued. Without a doubt, there was expectation in them.

  —Officer Pranus informs me that there have been coincidences found with System X.

  —Explain the astronomical fundamentals to us, Mister Renar.

  Renar and Trivian were the only ones who remained standing at a couple of meters away from the oval table.

  —Right. Just as Captain Lena says, this systemic disk shows important coincidences to the model we’re searching for.

  To find them, I will remind you that the scientists of this capsule’s study program in Espacia, applied an automated model for years, which reconstructed a solar system’s configuration just as it was, at a specific moment from the past; including mathematical corrections by the matter’s gravitational huge influence and from the dark energy present in the universe, which precipitates its expansion, accelerating it heterogeneously.

  —Is it like a static image from this system in that remote time? Which is compared with the information found in the capsule, regarding this lost civilization’s solar system?

  —Something very much like it, Officer Drex. Simply put, it performs an accelerated regression to its original shape from one hundred million years ago. Thereby, we found enough consistent information as to suppose that this is our System X; the capsule’s origin.

  Some nervous smiles spontaneously were present, although they all remained quiet.

  —Now we’ll begin the rocky planet’s exploration. Professor, explain the logic for the search to us.

  —Very well. If Commander General Gobar Terilian had been in this solar system, then that small red planet could be the first world he visited after arriving here.

  The planet enlarged in the holographic, standing out huge along both of its tiny moons.

  Captain Frombert then interrupted Trivian.

  —Why do you think so, Professor?

  —Very simple; it’s the first non-gaseous system coming from the outside. In this world, we could spot visible remains from important civilizations or s
ettlements. But there’s a more powerful reason to begin from there. The readings indicated the existence of some geometric defect in the small planetary system, including both of its moons.

  —Geometric defect?

  Renar was the one answering the question.

  —It’s not clear yet, Doctor Zenda. The signal lasted a second or less.

  —But, what is that?

  —Doctor Zenda, a geometric defect is defined in space or over lunar or planetary surfaces, when an object or non-natural structural formation is detected, showing straight cuts and corner angles repeating within the same structure or object. For example, an asteroid that has two apexes in seventy-five degrees down bubble, in the rocky body’s different areas.

  —In the same spacial object?

  —Yes.

  —It would be odd. Really almost impossible… It would have to be something artificially created.

  —Exactly. That’s a geometric defect. Something that could be intentional in its configuration or construction. It could even be some spatial vehicle parked on the planetary surface.

  —I understand now. It could be one of Terilian’s stranded or parked spaceships around there.

  —Right, doctor, it could even be that.

  —Let’s continue. Then what’s the plan, Professor?

  —When we arrive to the fourth planet’s edge, we’ll perform several shallow explorations. We should send probes or robotic spaceships to the other rocky planets orbiting on the other side of this asteroids’ belt, to buy time. The first of those planets is very near to its sun, and the poles remain frozen. The rest of the surface suffers a very drastic alternated heat dispersion, which made life impossible to emerge.

  The second planet is found coated with a very heavy and toxic thick gas atmosphere, however, the third planet orbits at a proper distance for life. Our observatory data indicates organic elements’ abundant traces: carbon and silicon, added to the presence of mighty water oceans. To which we suggest visiting as soon as possible.

  Doctor Zenda interrupted then.

  —Water oceans? What else could those oceans have, Renar?