Futurity

By P. A. García

Year 2059. After two years of searching, the crew of the spaceship Futurity finds a seemingly habitable moon in another solar system. The discovery could be the solution to the hardships of life on an overcrowded Earth. But what seemed to be the greatest find in the history of mankind will soon show a hidden, sinister face.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781071549261

Book preview

PROLOGUE

The Earth is the cradle of humanity, but we cannot live forever in a cradle.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

The hull of the Futurity was visible through a gleaming emerald haze: its very own aurora borealis. Its light defied the black of space in the Procyon star system. The host star of this part of the galaxy was an inferno of yellowish-white hydrogen and helium. It was double the diameter of the Sun and seven times brighter; its inseparable companion, in contrast, had become a weak white dwarf with a third of the solar mass, and it was much colder.

The two stars orbited each other eleven light years from the Solar System, a distance that, in astronomical terms, equated to little more than to ring of the doorbell of its seventh floor stellar neighbor. Even so, to have gotten there was the greatest milestone in the history of human space exploration; the crew of the Futurity was the first to enter a planetary system of a star other than the Sun.

It was a hunt that had taken the Futurity so far from home. Procyon's double star oversaw the richest planetary grouping ever discovered within the vicinity of the Solar System. Earth's telescopes had found in it a collection of at least ten planets as well as numerous moons—other potential worlds—and instruments had confirmed that two of the planets were rocky and were very likely orbiting within the habitable zone. Ultimately, the data provided powerfully convincing reasons to embrace the idea that both planetary surfaces would be covered in oceans of liquid water. If so, it would be the first time a world close enough to Earth to harbor life had ever been found.

And that was the object of Futurity's hunt: to find new blue dots.

A BIT OF ICE

To run away to the wrong place is to remain a prisoner.

Benjamín Prado

Deep inside the bowels of the ship, Jack Raven was illuminating the data box with his flashlight. Beside him, Germain Brown was studying it carefully. Brown, Futurity's engineer, looked over the hydrogen collector indicators. Number 5 was operating at only sixty percent capacity, slowing the ship's ion propulsion. It was not a serious problem, but hydrogen was essential, both for fuel and for water production, so it was simply preferable to not waste a single atom.

Lubos Uldin's voice reached them through the speakers of the audio system.

Attention, everyone. This is the commander. Meeting is in ten minutes.

Hearing the transmission, Raven stifled a yawn and made an annoyed expression.

There goes Uldin with another one of his meetings, he said. I hope it's something important this time.

Brown let out a growl, and then mumbled, "Anything to get out of this damn dungeon. When I designed Futurity, I made it very clear that the lighting should be the same throughout the ship."

You know the way they spend money, Raven agreed. "They take any opportunity they can to cut costs. Besides, when have you ever seen an engine room lit up like a hospital? Where would an alien monster hide if it invaded us?

Yeah, sure, Brown nodded with disdain. Anyway, there doesn't seem to be any damage to the dredger shield. Let's launch a filter purification drone and reset the electromagnets. Let's hope this works. If not, we're looking at another walk outside.

Wonderful... who was it last time? Raven asked suspiciously.

Me, Brown quickly answered, Like the time before, the time before that.

Raven smiled mockingly as the engineer resignedly entered the drone instructions into the computer panel.

In the illuminated corridor of the ship, Raven and Brown met the geologist, Pietrek Lev, and Paul Relow. Lev looked like he had not slept in days, and Relow watched him with barely concealed concern. Not in vain, the health of the crew members depended on him; Relow was the doctor on board.

By way of greeting, Lev gave them a tiny nod. The pilot and the engineer responded with identical coldness. Dr. Relow, however, gave them an enthusiastic welcome, and then said, Any idea what the meeting's for? I wonder if it's something good.

You never lose hope, do you, Relow? Raven replied.

Never, the doctor agreed resoundingly. And do you know why?

I'm all ears, said Raven.

Because only hope is stronger than time, Relow explained while gesturing with his hands. Hope feeds on time itself, bending it, until it ends up absorbing all its power. That's why it's the most valuable thing we have.

Raven and Brown exchanged looks and nodded with amusement.

You really like giving speeches, Relow, Raven mocked him without true malice.

The conversation continued until they reached the end of the corridor. There, in front of the meeting room door, they met Aldair Jenkins, biology and hydroponic agriculture expert, as he was just about to open the door. His uniform was covered in several patches of mud. Seeing them, Brown burst out, What happened, Jenkins? You're a mess. Were you rolling around in the greenhouse or something?

Hearing his colleagues' voices behind him, Jenkins turned his head.

No, nothing, just a silly fall, the biologist answered quickly.

Raven, who'd also taken notice of Jenkins' appearance, warned mockingly, I hope you didn't trip over dinner.

Jenkins gave no further explanation, simply nodding while avoiding the pilot's scrutinizing gaze. His cheeks flushed.

He then pressed the switch to open the door, and the five astronauts finally entered the room.

Commander Lubos Uldin was standing before the large table that dominated the meeting room. His hands were crossed at his back, and his body was tilted slightly forward. Next to him, sitting in one of the chairs, Dr. Janis Wolfe was pointing at something on a computer screen.

Did you make coffee? Raven asked as he broke into the room. Without waiting for an answer, he headed for a small service table, located at the end of the room opposite the door. On the table were a coffee maker, a water dispenser, cutlery, and a tray of snacks, mostly biscuits and dehydrated chocolates.

Uldin whispered something to Janis, straightened himself, and ignoring Raven, said, Well, now that we're all here, we can finally get started. Please have a seat.

Raven, after discovering the empty coffee pot, insisted, I need coffee first.

Make it two, said Brown, who had followed him to the service table and was serving himself a handful of chocolates. He ate nearly constantly in order to maintain his frame at nearly two meters tall. He was by far the burliest of the group.

Another one for me, responded Relow.

Anyone else?

Janis Wolfe raised her hand. Finally, Uldin gave up.

All right, coffee for everyone, he conceded. Dr. Relow, if you would be so kind... No one makes coffee like you.

It would be my pleasure, the doctor kindly offered.

Thank you, Doctor. While the coffee is brewing, can we get started, please? Uldin insisted.

The meeting attendees were seated around the table, and after starting the coffee maker, Relow joined them.

Well, I know that you were all busy with important things... Uldin began to say with a certain tone of solemnity.

As the commander spoke, Jenkins whispered into Brown's ear, Your plant can be saved.

Really? A smile came across Brown's face. Raven, who had heard the conversation, murmured,

I've never met anyone so concerned about a plant. I don't understand how the psychologists let you come with us instead of locking you up in an asylum...

Uldin glanced at them in reproach and resumed his speech, saying, As I explained, I would not have brought you here if it were not for something important, so please pay attention. Dr. Wolfe has something to tell us, something that significantly affects the state of the mission. Go ahead, Doctor.

Janis Wolfe brushed aside the blonde locks that had fallen over her forehead. Her resemblance to Grace Kelly, the actress of the twentieth century, was portentous: the subtle outline of her jaw, the sensual curvature of her lips, her almond-shaped eyes of an almost transparent blue... everything in her radiated an elegant beauty.

Thank you, Commander. What I have to tell you, Janis explained, straight to the point, is that we have already analyzed all the data from our observations of the Procyon system. Unfortunately, I must confirm our suspicions: no planet is fit for life.

Disappointment spread around the table like a supernova. It was confirmation that Procyon's exploration had not resulted in the expected findings, leaving them with no alternative but to declare the mission a failure and return to Earth empty-handed.

Aldair Jenkins opened his mouth in disbelief, as if to say something, but with a gesture that everyone saw, Commander Uldin urged him to leave the questions for later.

Janis Wolfe, after a slight pause for breath, continued with the exposition of the facts, aware of the interest she’d raised in her colleagues, "In short: as we already knew, the five outer planets are overly large, monumental balls of cold gas similar to Neptune. Its composition is in no way similar to what we are looking for. Obviously, it is impossible to set foot on them.

"With regard to the three innermost planets, two of them, although rocky, are too small to retain an atmosphere and, moreover, are too close to the suns, more even than the Mercury-Sun distance. The heat on its surfaces is so terribly scorching that it would fry us in a matter of seconds.

"The third, the largest of all, is a kind of hot Jupiter three times larger than the average, for which there are plenty of reasons. Suffice to say, its core has more of a star than a planet. The radiation it emits would blow up our meters.

"Finally, our most hopeful prospects, the two potential super-Earths of the system, as I said earlier, are not valid either. One is too big, ten times bigger than our planet. Their gravity would turn us into butter. However, like the outer planets, it does not receive enough light heat either.

And the other, although it does have a size within the right range—only 1.1 times heavier than the Earth—nevertheless has too eccentric of an orbit. It does not stay at a distance of optimal habitability long enough for life to arise and evolve. Most of its orbital phase is too far from the double star. It's close, yes, but it is still an inert world. There's nothing we can do.

Are you sure, Janis? Lev, the geologist, interrupted. Despite his bleary expression, he had been attentively following the astrophysics explanations.Does that mean we're going home?

Yes, I'm sure of it, Lev. But let me finish. There's more.

Continue, Doctor, please, Commander Uldin urged.

Well, I'm happy to say that it's not all bad news. In fact, I have left the best for last, Janis smiled, and a flash seemed to emerge from her bluish eyes as she did. "The good news is that we have also received the full readings of the major lunar probes. Having studied them in depth, I can say that we seem to have made what we might call a great discovery."

Discovery? What kind of discovery? Lev asked again, more restless than enthusiastic.

We’re talking about a really interesting satellite, said Janis.

What's so interesting about it? Impatient, Jenkins wanted to know too.

I'll explain it if you stop interrupting, the astrophysicist replied amicably. So, she continued once her colleagues fell silent, "the moon orbits the great hot Jupiter that we were talking about, the third from the double sun. Indications all show that it is rocky and contains heavy metals. Furthermore, its size is almost identical to that of the Earth. It is highly likely, therefore, that it also retains its own atmosphere and water. Spectrometer analyses point to that. It sounds incredible, but it seems to have found a kind of ideal thermal balance between its planet and the two stars, as prodigious as it is effective. Weird, almost miraculous, I'd say, but well, so is Earth, isn't it?

Of course it is, Janis, I've always believed it so, replied Relow. Immediately the doctor raised his index finger and, pointing to Raven, added, "Hope! Told