Pyxidis

By Dwayne Hauck

Welcome to a new civilization grown from the technologic marvel of our own. The people of our story have been cast away on the inhospitable planet of Mars, left to live their lives in its un-derground caves. The story is a work of fiction built on facts and coincidences, it is what could happen if the Earth was uninhabitable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 2, 2011
• ISBN: 9781105442513

Book preview

Pyxidis

Pyxidis

By: Dwayne Hauck

Introduction.

Welcome to a new civilization grown from the technologic marvel of our own. The people of our story have been cast away on the inhospitable planet of Mars, left to live their lives in its underground caves.  The story is a work of fiction built on facts and coincidences.

Special thanks.

To Gail and Dorothy who were brave enough to edit the rough words.  To Buddy and Grace who have found a good use for the first copies of Pyxidis.

Dedication.

Family is everything we do everything we are, and everything we will be.  You will see it in your home and in this story, family is everything.   My family has made this story possible.

I would also like to thank the Teachers who recognized ability and chose to encourage not crush it.  Mark Twain, thank you for your encouragement and permission to write "I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way."

To my editor and sounding board Sebastian. I truly enjoyed the journey to Mars with you, to my partner Bev all my love, and thank you for the time you encouraged me to spend in PYXIDIS, I missed you while I was away.

Dwayne Hauck

Table of contents  Pyxidis

2023 A.D.         In The Beginning 

Chapter 1.         The Story Teller

Chapter 2. Annie

Chapter 3. Outside

Chapter 4. The Journey

Chapter 5. Dena

Chapter 6. Fight or Flight

Chapter 7. Trust

Chapter 8.   The Plan

Chapter 9. Old Friends          

Chapter 10. To the Heavens

Chapter 11.Castaways

Chapter 12. Exodus

Chapter 13The Hope

PYXIDIS June 7,  2023 A.D. IN THE BEGINNING

It was a long hot walk for the family to the top of the grassy hill, and to the gathering crowd.  It was everyone’s favourite place to come and watch fireworks, but the crowd wasn’t as big as normal.  Usually everyone was lying down, flat on their backs, and staring up at the sky, but today everyone was standing in small groups of families and friends.  Many were holding each other in a tight embraces, not even looking at the sky.  The grassy hill was the highest point for miles around and had the best view of any place in the small town.  From the hill top you couldn’t see the people in the town that had gathered in Churches, Schools, and under the safety of their own roofs.  Those inside didn’t see the sky go suddenly black, they didn’t see the blackness transformed into brilliant flashes of yellows, reds, and white. They didn’t need to see as they already knew what was coming.

Back on the hilltop tiny Emma squeezed her Mother’s hand, and let out an excited gasp.  It had started and it was the most exciting fireworks display the toddler had ever seen, and she was three, Almost four as she told anyone who asked.  Her neck was starting to hurt from starring straight up at the sky, and she stole a look over to her older brother Jared.  He was perched on his father’s shoulders, excitedly bouncing up and down as if he was riding a bucking bronco.  Her mother and father were holding hands, each finger interlocked with their partners, it was all such a perfect family moment.

Never in the history of the Earth had there been so many multicoloured flashes of light exploding across the sky.  It was as if every cherry bomb, and roman candle ever made, was now being set off in the greatest pyrotechnic display the earth had ever seen.  Only the smallest of the children cheered in awe of what was taking place in the sky above them. Their tiny, smiling faces glowed red, and streaks of fire reflected in their eyes.

Millions of small fragments of the Moon were burning up as they shot through the earth’s atmosphere, leaving tails of flame a hundred miles long.  Thousands of larger fragments left trails of white smoke from the Moon to the Earth, as they smashed into the surface of the Earth.  Searing hot winds blasted the quivering surface of Earth.  Three massive uneven blocks, each the size of Texas, now blocked all the light from the Sun.  The only light was the light of the fires of the exploding Moon, and the burning Earth.

Emma’s mother was holding her husband’s hand so tight that all of their fingers had turned white, all, but one of his.  The diamond of her wedding ring had broken through the skin of her husband’s work hardened, calloused, leathery hands.  He didn’t try to break the bond with his wife, and the tears that were falling from his eyes weren’t tears of pain.  Blood and tears fell together, mixing into the emerald grass, and black soil of the Earth.  Emma and her family were swept as if they had never existed.  Every living thing, no matter how microscopic, was blown away in silence.  The speed of the blast was so great that not even the tiniest scream could have kept up with it.

Chapter one    2123 A.D.  THE STORY TELLER

It was Jon’s favourite time, time for the storytellers to take him to faraway places and times long past.  It was time to listen, with the other sons and daughters of Annie, to learn more about their history.  To learn more of the history of how they came to be cave dwellers.  Best of all it was time away from staring at a unchanging computer screen for twelve hours, waiting for something to happen.  He knew that today was going to be a great day as he had already seen his favourite storyteller, Medi, in the Great Hall.  She told the story of creation better than anyone else in the Great Hall, and always drew the biggest crowds.  Jon had heard the story a thousand times over and could probably repeat it word for word, but still he hurried to join the ever expanding circle.  He didn’t want to miss a single familiar word.

The Great Hall was a red amphitheatre carved out by millennia of retreating water and ice.  Walls and floor were indistinguishable from ceiling in their red chiselled textures.  The floor was uneven with depressions and raised mounds of soil and rock.  There were no seats and the listeners gathered in circles around the storytellers.  The storytellers would stand on a raised mound like the hub of a wheel.  Medi always had the highest spot in the hall, and the largest circle of listeners.  Even the other storytellers fell silent when she started to talk.

In a voice cracked and scratched by too much time on the surface of the dry red planet, and a mind scared by what she had seen there, Medi began; "Gather round me you sons and daughters of Annie, and I will tell you of how you came to inhabit this blood red cave we know as our Mother Annie.  I will tell you the story, as it has been told for over a hundred years.  A story of great shame and sacrifice, of survival and death, deception and truth, a story of the death of the blue planet known as Earth and our ancestor’s journey to Mars. I ask you to take this story to heart tell it to those close to you, and share it so it is never forgotten.  It is our story.

http://i.space.com/images/070402_seven_sisters_01.jpg We are the descendants of the best that earth had to offer, the best of its scientists, doctors and Builders, the building blocks for the resurrection of the Earth’s doomed civilization here on Mars.  Some say that we all carry the DNA of the first observer that discovered the Truth, others say it is not possible as he was the first to die at the hands of the evil ones to hide it.   His name was Yamishini and he was an observer on an island in the great blue oceans of Earth called Japan.    He had been observing a white dwarf star in the Pyxidis constellation, and it’s eruptions from the time he was a young student in Hiroshima.   The eruptions were at their most intense in Earth years 1890, 1902, and again in 1914, a pattern of eruptions every twelve years.  When the pattern was broken and didn’t repeat until 1944 he knew it was a sign that Pyxidis was headed towards a supernova explosion that would drench the Earth in the gamma radiation of a 1,000 solar flares.  In the Earth year 1944 through a crude telescope he discovered what was to be the impending fate of the blue planet. When the inevitable Supernova happened it would mean the total and complete destruction of all forms of life on Earth, no one or thing would live through it. He tried to warn the leaders of his country, but they wouldn’t listen as they were at war, a barbaric practise that our ancestors once condoned.  He sent his apprentice, Kou, to warn the leaders of a nation called America, and it was there that Kou found scientists that would listen.  Maybe it would have been better if they hadn’t listened, maybe the people of the earth could have had a happier ending if someone else listened.  America listened, but hid the truth from the people.  In their leaders wisdom they decided that people could not be trusted to handle the truth and that it must be hidden from them, until the final moments of the final destruction.  The leaders of three of the greatest nations on Earth formed a secret organization to plot the survival of mankind, and named it after the source of Earths destruction, Pyxidis. Under the guise and disguise of war they unleashed their most destructive weapon to end the life of Yamishini, and we are told that many more perished to make sure the old man died without telling of the future destruction.    Pyxidis used many deceptions to hide their mission of preserving life, they knew the only hope for man was to find a new home, a new planet, a new beginning.  To keep people’s eyes away from the stars they called their deceptions many things; Cold Wars, Jihad, Peace movements, and Terrorism.  Words we Sons and Daughters of Annie cannot understand the meaning of, words than caused the death of many and the distraction of all.  The discovery that allowed escape from Earth was made on our planet, Mars, at the Arsia Mons Volcano site, the Seven Sister’s caves of Dena, Chloe, Wendy, Nicki, Abbey, Jeanne, and our Mother Annie.  Annie was the chosen one as our Mother as she is the warmest of the Sisters, the sanctuary of the last of mankind. 

Pyxidis manipulated Earth’s population into believing that the exploration of Mars was about discovery, when in reality it was about colonization.  At first Builders were sent to construct a liveable habitat within the warm breath of Annie’s caves.  Airlocks to keep out the harsh toxic atmosphere of the plains of Mars, solar panels to light the gardens of Annie’s earth enriched soil,   plasma engines of the space ships converted to heat, cool, and power the cave.  We live thanks to the Builders sacrifices of never being able to return to their families on Earth.  It has been told that the Builders were lied to and never told that their journey was only one way, and that they waited to the last man and women expecting a ship to return to them to Earth.  We must all give thanks to them, and honour them in our daily lives, as surely their lives must have ended violently in the flash of a solar flare or blast of a micrometeoroid.  When the first son’s of Annie arrived they were greeted by what we all see today, hundreds of kilometres of tunnels moulded into a living, breathing society of people dedicated to mankind’s survival.  While our lives are full of struggle, and often have tragic ends, we live today when all on the blue planet perished so long ago.

While we shall never know all the details of what happened on Earth we do know what has been passed down from the last ship that made the journey to Mars.  Some say it was the apprentice Kou who had been in hiding for sixty years that came forward, others say it was a member of Pyxidis itself that let the Truth be known.  We will never know who, but we do know what happened then.  Chaos reigned on the Earth, and ships destined for the sanctuary of Annie were destroyed on the ground or in ill fated attempts to leave the surface of Earth.   Fires so massive that they could be seen from Annie’s observatory burned for years on the planet.  Anyone associated with Pyxidis was hunted down and killed or tattooed with the ten pointed star symbol of the Pyxs.  There was to have been so many, many more ships, but the truth was revealed and it destroyed the one chance of survival for so many. The artists, academics, and leaders that were destined to be on those last ships were robbed of salvation, and we in Annie robbed of their talents and gifts.  Six more caves could have been, and should have been, ready to accept the pilgrims from Earth, but Earth’s violent society would not let anyone leave.  All must be saved or none, and through their actions they chose that no one left on the surface of the Earth would survive.  It must have been a blessing when the final gamma storm enveloped the Earth, no more violence and pain, only silence, eternal silence and a violent end to a violent world.  What was once a living blue jewel in space reduced to a grey mass of space dust and gasses."

Chapter two   ANNIE

The bell to signal everyone back to work jolted Jon back to the present.  He felt great pride in being an Observer, and he was sure that the Builders would have approved of his efforts.  He was responsible for monitoring Earth, of insuring that the grey sphere that was now Earth was stable, that nothing changed.  And nothing ever had changed from the time of the great storm on Earth, or from the time of the first Observers on Mars.  Jon had been told that early on probes were sent back for a closer look at the destruction on Earth, but upon hitting the atmosphere none had ever returned so much as even a weak signal.  As he looked up at the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, he thought of how lucky Earth was to have so many more moons than Mars.  It was told that once Earth had only one round moon, and that it lit much of the earth through the darkness of night.  In the orbit cycle of Earth observation Jon had counted over 100 of the misshapen moons, slowly orbiting the planet.  Circling the planet three times a day Phobos moved as rapidly across the Martian sky as an Apprentice warned of an incoming Solar Flare.  Jon scolded himself for even letting the thought of an Apprentice enter his mind, the thought of training yet another new Apprentice was enough to slow down his pace towards the Observatory.  Another new face all full of energy and spirit, ready to change the face of Annie and everyone that dwelled in her.  But Jon was ready to face the endless Apprentice questions of why? it was easy really because that’s the way it’s done, and that’s the way we have always done it, and that’s the way we will always do it!   If that didn’t work all it usually took was the threat if you don’t like it I’m sure I can get you transferred to the Flare Medical Recovery Ward.  He never could figure out why it was called a Recovery Ward, as no one ever recovered or came back to work after they entered it.

Naira was waiting for Jon at the double doors of the Observatory.  Eight Martian years old and ready to change the world, or at least the subterranean world of Annie.  Physical contact had long been avoided within the rock walls of Annie, the enclosed disease free environment of the cave, and all its inhabitants, had to be maintained as sterile as possible.  No bugs, no animals, no plants other than in the gardens, and no touching without at least one layer of protection between people. Naira greeted her new teacher with the customary raised open right hand to show respect to his age and experience.  Her Teacher at the school, were she toiled for all of her eight years, had told her how lucky she was to have the chance to learn from the oldest most experienced Observer within Annie.  And even better was the fact that he had only lost two Apprentices in his five years on the job, and none in the last four years.  Naira was committed to make sure his statistics only got better.  As she stood silently in front of the oldest of all the Observers, a legend, she waited for his first words of wisdom. 

She didn’t have to wait long as Jon shot out Call me Mentor and it looks like I’m going to have to get a stool for you to stand on, you sure you’re not counting in Earth years, really eight years old?  So much for a good first impression, or a warm welcome, thought Naira, Mentor Jon, what a Pyxs!

Yes I’m eight years old and seven months, top of my class in school, and no I don’t need a stool. Can we get started with my training please?  Naira had never been past the Teaching Halls and it had been a long trip to the Observatory, and she couldn’t wait to see more of her new cavernous world.  The Gardens, Observatory, Kitchens, it all was going to be such a great adventure, her world was going to get so much bigger and it had to be more exciting than school. 

Jon grumpily replied Well young lady seeing as how you are such a keener we’ll start now, first we’ll start by training you about your duties as an Observer, then maybe, I’ll show you around the place. The ones with too much energy were always a problem, and this one seemed to have an attitude on top of it.  It was going to be a very long shift.

The twin doors to the Observatory swung open in unison as if they were two arms greeting her to her new higher purpose in life.  Inside the dimly lit room she could see two people.  One staring at a large screen that contained only the image of a large unmoving grey ball, the other, cloth in hand, polishing the screen in a circular motion around the ball.  It looked as if he was trying to get the grey image to spin, to move, to do something.  But nothing moved on the screen except the focus of the older lady in the chair.  Sliding up from the chair and gliding towards the doors she squeaked Jon it’s about time you got here, I need a break and she was gone out of the doors as she finished her sentence.  Without a word the other one hurried in the same direction, shoving the cloth into Naira’s hand as he pushed his way out the door. 

Naira was stunned Polishing, that’s my job?  All those years of training and I get to be a cleaner? Naira felt as if someone had just jumped with all of their weight onto her chest. Jon heard the gasp of air escaping from her throat, and remembered his first day, when he had been expecting so much more.  He remembered the sigh he exhaled, and he still had a scar from his old Mentor’s sharp blow to his head.  Over time he had learned to accept his fate and so would she, even if he had to give her a few scars to get things straight in her head. 

With his gloved hand raised high, Jon brought it down slowly and tapped his apprentice on the shoulder, and back into the present.  Don’t worry it’s more than polishing and staring at a screen all day, every hour we report to the command centre that nothing has changed, and every two hours we get a fifteen minute break in the great hall.   Even as he was saying it Jon realized how tedious and mundane it must have sounded to his new bright eyed apprentice.   Nora, that’s you name right? Trust me, you’ll get used to it, it’s not that bad, you get to do more than clean the screen.

Its Naira!  What more do I get to do, polish the floors, or maybe the buttons?  she shot back sarcastically.

Maybe if Jon hadn’t been in such a good mood from listening to his favourite story that morning, maybe if he hadn’t felt the same way as the new girl, maybe if he didn’t like this one’s spirit just a little, he would have given his Medical Flare Ward ultimatum.  But he did like this short little one, and in an excited voice he answered, Ok Naira with an N!  I know it looks bad, but our work is really important, and without us no one would ever know if something on Earth ever changed.  They need us to let everyone know if the earth ever turns blue again, if we can ever go home again. 

All Naira could think was that all the apprentices really didn’t die from solar flares, it was probably the boredom.  The thought was quickly pushed away by the passion in her Mentor’s voice.   She could feel within herself that he really meant what he was saying, that it was important, at least to him. 

Sorry Mentor it’s just that I was expecting so much................... 

Jon finished her sentence MORE, yes I know at first I did too Naira, and you don’t have to call me Mentor, you can call me Jon.  As I get older it seems that I get grumpier with young people every day.  But, you know what, I’m tired of being angry every day for no reason.  Naira it’s time that I quit being such a stiff old pain in the butt.  I’m willing to give it a try if you are, what do you have to say?

What could she say, but Yes.  While her first impression of Jon was anything but good, for some reason he seemed to tolerate, if not like her just a tiny bit.  From what she had been told in school about Mentors, There’re evil, nasty, old things that just laugh when an Apprentice gets hit by a micro meteorite. she may have gotten very lucky in her placement with Jon.  She could tolerate him, and surprisingly she almost liked him, but just a tiny bit. 

From that very first day, the two Observers started to forge a bond.  At first it was around a common desire, they both wanted MORE, not that either one of them had any idea what MORE even looked like.  Some of the best friendships can come from a simplistic shared thought, or emotion.  Jon and Naira started off sharing just one idea, being an Observer was really, really, boring.

Over the next months, working together, the foundations of friendship and a bond of trust were formed between the two. That special bond that sometimes forms between a student and a teacher, or parent and child.  It was a time of sharing of ideas and experiences, hopes and dreams, with both sharing equally.  Even though Jon knew he would never be a story teller like Medi, he tried his best, telling all his favourite stories to Naira to pass their observation time together.  She especially likes the stories of Earth and of how different the two planets were. In school they never learned much about Earth things like; one earth year would equal two on Mars.  She would have been seventeen on Earth and Jon an ancient thirty-six.   Gravity itself was almost forty percent less on Mars mainly because the red planet was only half the size of Earth, Jon said it had something to do with spinning mass, whatever that