The Colony

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