by Rishi Sriram
and within the city, there were numerous sections. Each section warranted its
own water facility, and nearby, a food storage for weekly use. There was an
area of the booklet that also mentioned informational videos on his personal
screen. There was a diagram in the booklet showing how to access the videos,
and he followed its instructions to get there. He tapped a few buttons, and
there was a long list of videos, including “What to do when you get sick on
Mars?” “What to do when you are lost?” and the last one on the page, “How
to use the facilities of the dorm.” The list continued, but he didn’t bother to
scroll down. He wasn’t sure if he would have the patience to watch and
process all of the videos, although he knew he had to. There was a subtle
beep coming from under the seat; Nathan glanced at it just when the intercom
rang again.
“Passengers, hold on tightly to your seats. We are preparing for takeoff in
Five, Four—” A crowd of passengers chimed in to the countdown through
their radios, “Three, Two, One…Blast Off!” The entire ship shook and a loud
boom exploded as the SS Noah rocketed toward space. At the speed the
vessel was going, Nathan could feel the air whistling past his ears as they left
the Earth’s atmosphere. His ears popped as the SS Noah flew faster through
space. A screen emerged from the seat in front of him, a remote at its side. A
flat surface unlatched from the seat in front and opened itself on his lap. He
could see in the distance, numerous robotic attendants walking down the
aisles, handing out supplies and edibles to the colonists. It was interesting to
see the scientific advancements that had been made, in motion. NASA had
managed to control the movement of the shuttle significantly enough to allow
the crew and others to safely walk around during travel.
Nathan’s limbs ached from the tank encounter. It had really drained the
energy from him and he craved a bite to eat.
Seemingly endless decks of rows of seats lined up one behind another.
Above their ceiling were nine more decks of seats—the one way the shuttle
was able to fit so many people into the aircraft. It was convenient for Nathan
that his seat was on the first deck, and that he didn’t end up fighting to take
an elevator.
The first thing Nathan noticed during the travel was the complete lack of
motion. It did not feel like they were moving at all; he had to give it to Crane
Enterprises technology for everything they had accomplished. There was no
turbulence and only calm movement. He tapped a button, and the seat slowly
reclined backward and the material seemed to collapse. The firmness and
stiffness in the seat had disappeared; the back of the seat, melted and now
soft and mushy. Nathan felt like he was resting on a soft cloud, enveloping
him with softness as he snuggled deeper into the warm comfort. It was
complete relaxation and peace. Small bumps popped up behind him,
massaging his back, relieving him of all the uneasiness in his limbs—it felt
like all the tension in his body had been released. He was completely
loosened; the anxiousness in his body had been unknotted.
Neon lights flickered through the sides of the shuttle, in vast white-dotted
artwork. The vessel was a work of over a million workers, built from the
material of almost a hundred ships. For its massive proportions, it was built in
a similar fashion of a military jet. There were wings the sizes of skyscrapers,
the marble-white material was purposed as solar panels, absorbing the sun’s
light into energy. It was unbelievable to think that the ship had been
constructed by humans; it was something that belonged in picture books or
fictional stories, not real life. Yet there they were, witnessing such masterful
craftsmanship, the hard work of talented individuals coming together.
There was a soft clicking noise, the white roof above them slowly sliding
to the side, making way for a clear covering.
It was a sight to behold. They were covered in a dark blanket that was
space, contrasting with patterns of blacks, yellows, the occasional white, and
other magnificent colors. The white specks were shaped as circles, flickering
with flames and power. The stars dotted the expansive dark blanket in an
intricate pattern. This was space. This was the universe.
Closing his eyes, he could envision the creation of supernovas and
galaxies; it was as if he were a little kid again, entranced in the beauty of
space. The bright stars and galaxies exploded in his mind with endless color,
immense beauty radiating off them. The imaginary heat was intense, and his
soul embraced the power of the natural cosmos. It was all in his head, but
somehow he could feel the energy pulsing through his veins. He pensively
gazed. He could tell that it was going to be an interesting journey, one that
would change the future of humanity.
CHAPTER 3
THE RED PLANET
Fact: Methane can be interpreted as a sign of life, and is found in both
Earth and Mars atmosphere.
Day 1 on Mars:
Landing was complete mayhem. The sensation was virtually similar to
the feeling when a rapid rollercoaster streams down the final drop and
suddenly stops; rocketing the passengers forward. Same idea though
multiplied tenfold. The pilot made an announcement, warning passengers to
remain seated for the next hour. It was wearisome, sitting in the same
position for an hour, fighting the urge to get up and stretch. Till then, the
colonists were allowed to get up and move around, be it to stretch or even to
use the bathroom. But at this point, it was as if the colonists were sitting in
class listening to a redundant lecture, and the end of the class period seemed
further and further away. The shuttle entered the red planet’s atmosphere,
puffy red clouds concealing the windows, specks of dust clinging to the glass.
It was clamorous; the shuttle rocked side to side, rackety noises leaving the
ventilation above. The screen in front of the colonists displayed
measurements of different gases in the atmosphere: carbon dioxide, argon,
nitrogen, oxygen, and a fluctuating measurement of methane. The young
children and some adults were frightened, worried that the ship would give
out under the noise, and the pilot was no less reassuring.
“Hang onto your seats, folks; we are experiencing some minor issues with
the atmosphere. It’s nothing to worry about.” The shuttle suddenly
accelerated and passengers rocked forward, those who were asleep awoke to
impact and looked up confused. The noises began to exponentially get louder.
Nathan tried to contain his laughter, in response to the expression of the man
to his right. Then the ship slowed down again, the passengers assumed they
were about to land, and they began to get quiet. The fiery clouds outside the
windows dissipated, shifting to the sides, revealing a large crystalline dome
beneath. The dome was encased with a clear material, the layer directly under
it covered with a military-grade substance. No unwanted items or people
could get through the boundary, in or out, the dome was entirely safe.
Connected on the east end of the dome was a smaller hemisphere; it seemed
to be a landing dock. The SS Noah glided towards the smaller dome, and
hovered above as the barrier opened up. Little by little, the shuttle lowered
itself, and landed acutely on the platform. It took a rough half-hour to get the
shuttle in the ideal position. The shuttle hovered back and forth, left then
right, and then back some more. The landing required the pilot, and the
robotic program to meticulously maneuver the shuttle and settle it on the
platform.
The shuttle shook, and exhaust from below blew out of the ends. The
shuttle made a dinging noise, and the intercom sounded, “Ladies and
gentlemen, welcome to Point A, Mars. We have landed roughly seventy nine
hours from departure, making it a little over three-day trip, so we are on
schedule. Local time is…irrelevant, and the temperature is maintained at
seventy degrees inside the dome. For your safety, please remain seated with
your seatbelt fastened until the light above your head flashes. This indicates
that you are given permission to move and take your belongings. Please
check around your seat for any personal belongings you may have brought
with you on board.
“Don’t forget to remove your space suits and tuck them under your seat
before you leave. And there is one more thing, so listen carefully. Each
colonist will now be associated with an identification code such as 19 RSB;
your old names are gone. Forget them, remember your new ones. It is
unnecessary and impractical to learn the names of one hundred thousand
different people, especially when such can repeat. So the identification code
is the most foolproof identification process. You will shortly be given a
unique code, which is engraved in your safety bracelet to never be forgotten.
This is the first you will have heard of the safety bracelet, although this is no
need for concern. This bracelet’s purpose is, for sheer identification, a name,
if you will. And secondly, to be used whenever you require any assistance. If
you are in any danger, if you require another hand to work with, if there are
things you don’t understand, this bracelet will help you receive all of said
information. With a simple tap, your personal virtual assistant will hear out
your question, and answer it for you either directly or in the form of a
projected video. This bracelet once worn will be permanently attached to
your body and cannot be taken off. This way, the location of all colonists can
be monitored. This may seem an invasion of privacy, but it is only for the
most advantageous results and your own safety. You will find your bracelet
in a pocket beneath your seat. Take it out, and latch it on to your right hand
immediately, and remember that wherever you attach it; it cannot be
removed. That’s it. On behalf of Crane Airlines and the entire crew, I’d like
to thank you for joining us on this trip.” The passengers reached underneath
their seats and pulled out their silver bracelets, adorned with their
identification code. Still queasy, Nathan took his bracelet, and latched it on to
his right hand. His code was 57,473SNG. The two ends connected with a
click, and it was light on his wrist. He tried to move the bracelet down his
arm, but it didn’t budge. The pilot continued speaking:
“Have a nice stay and we hope you’ve enjoyed traveling with us!”
Nathan’s stomach suddenly twirled, and he rushed to the restroom, heaving
up everything he had eaten in the past twenty-four hours. People gave him
dirty looks as they walked by; he was continuously embarrassing himself. He
washed his face and stared at himself in the mirror, not an ounce of energy in
him. More than anything, what he needed was sound sleep, but first things
first; he had to get settled in. Sleep would have to come later.
He hesitantly unstrapped the comfortable suit, and pulled it back over his
head, tucking them underneath his seat. A small thought crept into his mind: I
didn’t quite finish watching all of those videos like I was supposed to. Not
even some of them on the first page, what am I going to do if I need help with
something? He sighed, thinking to himself, In that case, I’ll have to deal with
it, and I need to stop being so lazy.
Nathan walked out of the shuttle and took a large whiff of air; it smelled
just as fresh as the air back on Earth, even fresher, considering how polluted
the air on Earth had become. It was absolutely beautiful. Greenery stretched
from end to end of the dome, fresh plants and vegetables at every nook and
corner. Natural essences blossomed in the air, wildflowers ordered across the
earthen ground. It felt as if the colonists had just entered a greenhouse of
immense proportions, stacked with countless specimens of plants. Newborn
leaves rested across the red planet, under a sky of leaden gray. The sky
seemed to stretch out to infinity, the burning horizon scarcely visible in the
distance.
They had everything they needed here. One large building in the viewable
distance towered over the greenery, shining different colored lights in
numerous areas of the dome. He was entranced by the refined features, and
walked forward in a swirly daze. He reached his arms out, taking in the
natural aspect of the colony, and his hands warped through something. He
stepped back, retrieving his hand like he had touched hot metal. He moved
his hand from one side to the other. It was a hologram, it wasn’t real. He
looked up; there was a subtle title at the top, “Colony Concept for Future.”
That was disappointing. The plants weren’t real, not nearly to the extent that
the hologram had projected.
Nathan moved down a set of stairs. The stairs sounded metallic, and made
a weird noise as his feet touched them. There was a large rectangular door
that shifted upward as it was approached by a person. He walked through the
door and looked around. The actual colony consisted of a large number of
small buildings scattered around the place. There was one slightly larger
building in the center, but nothing compared to the tower he had seen in the
concept hologram, large stretches of flat land, and open fields everywhere
else.
His eyebrows furrowed, observing the lights flashing above the buildings.
“The lights help to differentiate the buildings, helping the colonists get
around,” a voice spoke behind him. He turned around, it was Kara.
“Thanks,” he nodded.
Kara grinned, “The lights also make it easier for colonists to get from
place to place with the help of this map.” She pulled out a holographic phone
and shined the map of the colony in front of them. Like she had said, there
were different colors marked around the map, and in the bottom right corner
of the map was a key. Yellow lights were designated to food and water
storages, and blue, green and red lights were associated with apartment
housing. The colonists flocked toward a large screen that hovered ahead of
them. It was a presentation slide, and there were labels about farming and
how their daily schedules would commence. From behind the screen eme
rged
a man floating over a hover pad, it was Kara’s father. There was a lot of
murmuring coming from the crowd, mixed with squeals of excitement.
Kara’s father cleared his throat, waiting for everyone to settle down. The
crowd shuffled around and managed a moderate quietness.
Nathan hadn’t seen Kara’s father in a long time, but he recognized him
from his dominant characteristics. His dirty blond hair was neatly cut all
around. He had sharp features: a pointed nose, and refined jawline, but a
gentle look in his eyes. There was a microphone wrapped over his ear,
hanging in front of his mouth. Mr. Schultz tapped the mic once, sending
feedback across the dome.
Mr. Schultz stretched his arms out and grinned a little, “It’s nice to see
you all here, and I humbly welcome everyone to Point A on the Mars
colonization expedition. My name is Dexter Schultz, I was your pilot, and
will be your moderator living with you for the…well the rest of my life. I’m
going to be giving you all the information you’ll need to know to help
guarantee your survival.” He enunciated the last word heavily, as if it was a
wild animal, something you shouldn’t mess with.
Nathan had thought about that a lot, that if things didn’t go well, they
could very well lose their lives. The whispering quieted down and it was
completely silent.
“That’s better.” Mr. Schultz gestured toward the screen and showed an
image of a small seedling.
“This is your plant. Your job is to nurture it, support it, and grow it into
the finest herb you will find. This plant is also called the uni-plant.” Mr.
Schultz waved his hand across the air, the image on the screen magnifying
microscopically, revealing tiny particles interacting with one another.
“Those are the roton particles, man-made and electrically charged with
the ability to power up an entire dorm in seconds. I’m sure you’re wondering
why such powerful molecules are inside a mere plant? That’s where you’re
wrong; it’s not just a mere plant. It’s the future of this colony. If you look
around you can see that there is a vase placed outside of every dorm. Each
vase is filled with soil, and a uni-plant seedling has been placed inside it.
Your important task is to record its daily energy levels to assure that it is