Dark Vacuum

By Jorge Torrez

Dark Vacuum is a story of three space explorers from the year 3000 who embark on a journey to Jupiter's moon Europa. Their mission is to routinely navigate Europa and eventually locate an area to construct an outpost: the first of its kind beyond the Red Planet. However, the their trip takes a turn for the bizarre as they are distracted by an unknown presence in Europa that pulls them to explore a region not included in their surveyors map. What they uncover is much more than extra-terrestrial life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387059898

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Dark Vacuum

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Dark Vacuum

Dark Vacuum

…For ages, since the dawn of Man, humans have been looking towards the skies for answers. And in spite of Man's enormous fervor for great knowledge, in which the dominant belief has said to lie beyond the stars,  Man's only challenge has been his own intellect. Nonetheless, as we fast forward time to  the thirtieth century, we see Man astutely over come His challenges as Man  navigated through the vacuum, abyss of space in the hope to conquer the universe  as well as his ibtellect one planet and one moon at a time.… JCT

Finally, after ripping through the dark ocean of outer space at a constant 180,000 mph for over two and a half years, Colonel Combhs excitedly sprang to his feet from the coziness of his pilot's chair. Then he automatically reached for his pipe that lay atop the armrest. And as he stood, he peered out the spacecraft's windshield and placed the pipe inside his mouth. He stared intently as if peering through a giant microscope. His gaze was transfixed on Europa. Europa was one of Jupiter's moons which lay listless, like a gigantic pearl consumed in a world of darkness.  Yet it generated a dim, incandescent white glow—a warm-like radiance. Wow... what an incredible site the Colonel thought with a smile; and with his other hand, he gripped the lighter and did nothing with it. He only manipulated the lighter passing it through his fingers like a baton.  He was well aware of his monumental accomplishment. So he promptly ambled gradually with a swagger of a cocky man, exuding great confidence towards the windshield. Then after a few moments, the Colonel took a brief moment to acknowledge his weary colleagues whom sat a deck below him in the co-pilot chairs. They too were mesmerized by Europa's awe-inspiring magnificence.

Gentlemen, within a few hours we will be entering Europa's mesosphere, said the Colonel in a low and steady voice as he raised his smoking pipe to his lips, you have a few hours of down time before we begin our descent into Europa, and so make the most of it.

The Colonel not only was an anthropologist, but he was also a seasoned ex-air force test pilot with tons of flight hours under his belt. He was a non-nonsense type yet a guy with a serious demeanor. He had the physical size to compliment his aggressive disposition.  But at the end of the day no matter his disposition he was a gentle giant.

His men nodded and stretched, like cats wallowing in the laziness of the afternoon, their arms and legs while they sat.

In the interim, the Colonel proceeded to fire up the lighter. Succesfull he dipped the flame  into the tighty packed tobacco pipe careful not to burn his fingers. He was in his own world before long—the Colonel and his pipe.  Promptly, he then  siphoned  and exhaled vigorously via a small opening of his mouth as the subtle crackling of the tiny leaves burned. Finally, after several intermittent sessions  of sucking and blowing success arrived in a small, cloud-like plume of smoke. Then a smile cracked on his aged mien as he gawked at his crew with interest puffing away at his pipe.

His two colleagues, the non-smokers had remained in their seats bouncing glances at each other, at the Colonel, and at Europa with torpid eyes. Their aspect was one of surprise with a tinge of confusion. Dr. Crewshick the oldest of the three was first to acknowledge the Colonel.  Crewshick was a stubby corpulent man whose belly jiggled every time he spoke. He was the ship's attending physician as well as a chemist. But when it came to space travel, he was a greenhorn.  Not very much of experience when it came to