Sunday, May 8, 2011

Home World - Prolog (A SF Novel by William DeSouza c2011)

“The greatest test of courage on Earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”
Robert G. Ingersoll

Prolog:


John Solomon read the data scrolling across the computer screen and raised an eyebrow in a skeptical expression. Everyone else stood back quietly, already knowing the contents of the data file Solomon was reviewing. The lab was not crowded, with only seven others in attendance, but each person could feel the walls closing in on them as the magnitude of the data was now reviled to yet another.


As director of the astronomical project, it was his shoulders that everyone leaned on to get what they needed. It was his responsibility to ensure that any papers published by the team was fact checked and peer reviewed and it was his ass on the line should anything get out that could not be verified. This – this data however, was not something he ever could have imagined would include his name. As he stared at the screen, he could not fathom how he’d be able to support his own emotions, never mind that of any one else.


The chair Solomon sat in creaked as he leaned back, the last of the text finished flashing across his mind, repeating over and over again in his thoughts like an old fashion reel to reel tape that had come to the end but not stopped.


He stood slowly, looked down at the terminal then quietly turned to the others in the room and, pausing for a moment, finally said, “How many times have you checked the data, the signal feed, and has the computer finished decoding the information and verified the contents?”


He had too many questions to ask and what he was looking at only presented him with more questions.


“We’ve checked it all four times. We’ve all seen it and we’ve all examined the data and verified our conclusions with the computer model. We even got access to the new processors at Plans de Ville in Quebec. It’s all been verified, checked and double checked,” replied the young assistant, somewhat exasperated.


Solomon continued to gaze at the screen. He had only just come back from a well needed vacation with his family when he received the emergency call to report to the lab.


He had said to his wife before going to the facility where he work, “Go away for three weeks and you find out they can’t do anything without you.”


In hind sight, he realized he should never have come back.


He picked up the hard copy printouts and paced as he flipped through the reams of paper in his hand. He turned to the project supervisor, Terrance Leblanc, his assistant, “Have you gone to anyone else with this?”
“No, not yet. I wanted you to see it first and get the full team involvement. I need everyone’s input and back up before I contact Geneva and Hawaii with my findings. We need to get corroboration on this before we can even think of taking it to the UN.”


“I agree – we don’t want to jump the gun on this one; it just doesn’t make any sense.” Solomon paused to think. His head was beginning to throb with pain, mixed with confusion. “OK, I agree, we do need to look into this further. But I hope you’re dead wrong and the data is faulty. Let’s make the call. Also, we should contact NASA and see about getting time on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. We’re going to need additional readings up close and SOHO should be able to give us what we need. But I hope to God that we’re wrong – it’ll be the end of us all if this is true.”


Solomon put down the printouts without emotion, turned, and walked out of the lab quietly, heading back to his office at the end of the hall, a blank gape on his face. He was not sure what to think about what he had just learned. He hoped that it was a dream, a bad dream. He even pinched his arm to check, chuckling to himself when it hurt.


I must be out of my freaking mind, that’s it. This is not real and this is not happening he thought.


“How do you explain the end of the world to your children?” He said it out loud to no one.


He couldn’t think past that thought, the only thing that he could hope for now was that the data was flawed in some way and that the team had made a gross error in gathering and interpreting the figures.


He reached his office, opened the door, and ignoring his secretary, went into the inner chamber, closing the door behind him.


----


Leblanc picked up the ringing phone, “Hello - Terrance Leblanc speaking.” Leblanc’s office was spacious and well appointed but simple in taste. He liked the simple life and although the pressures of his job at the Astrophysics and Geosciences Institute could sometimes get demanding, he could always count on his knowledge and his teams’ abilities to keep everything on an even keel. This time however was different and he wasn’t sure how he was going to cope.


The voice on the other end of the line identified himself as Alexander Falardeau. In a French Canadian accent he said,“It’s good to talk to you again Terrance. We haven’t had a chance to get together in what – must be eight months now.”


“I know – it’s been too long my old friend. I wish the circumstances were different Alexander. I take it you’ve received the email and my attachment?”


“I have - and to say that I’m skeptical is putting it mildly. I’m not sure how I feel about this data you sent. That being said, and in the interest of gathering the truth, I’ve authorized your team three weeks on SOHO to confirm or disprove your theory.”

Falardeau was more than concerned that he was playing into a hoax or just plain wasting his time and resources on this. There were other groups that wanted to use SOHO and putting Leblanc's group at the head of the cue caused a minor stink. He had known Leblanc for many years however and knew him enough to know that he did not react on a whim. He would have checked the preliminary data several times over before going this far.

“Thanks Alex. I know you’re pulling in a number of favors and strings to get us this time. I hope that I’m way off. I hope that I’m dead wrong.”


The call ended and Leblanc was left staring at the wall in front of him, numb with fear and doubts.


----


Solomon walked along the canal holding his clasped hands behind his back. His shirt and pants were wrinkled and sagging. His eyes were puffy, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in a month. He walked aimlessly, not seeing the beauty and wonder unfolding around him in the park.


Several children were playing nearby while attentive parents and caregivers watched and listened to laughter and song. Birds flew overhead cawing to each other, dancing on invisible air currents. He didn’t hear the sound of the wind blowing gently, the leaves on the trees rustling. He missed the gurgling rush of water flowing past as it lapped against the rocks lining the canal.


Leblanc, sitting on a bench by the canal stood when he saw Solomon approach. He noted that Solomon had an empty and distant gaze as he walked. He hoped that he didn’t have that same appearance.


Solomon almost walked past and only stopped when Leblanc spoke up, “I see you haven't come to enjoy the park.”


“Pardon?” Solomon stammered. “What?”


“Oh – I’m so sorry Terrance. I’ve been somewhat distracted of late.” Quickly changing the topic, “I must admit that I was surprised you asked to meet me hear of all places. I wasn’t in the mood for a walk” He looked around only now seeing the beauty that surrounded him.


“I felt a change of venue was appropriate and under the circumstances, the wide open park seemed proper.” Leblanc gestured to the bench he was sitting at as both men took a seat.


It was half past three in the afternoon and on a Wednesday. Other than the park play area, there were not many people about. The odd jogger ran past, as did several people in suits cutting across the park, on their way to work or maybe home. There was no risk of being overheard as the two men spoke.


Solomon, tired and spent, spoke first, “I am guessing by your tone that you don’t have good news.”


“No.” Leblanc turned to face Solomon, crossing his legs at the same time. His corduroy pants made a shifting noise on the plastic recycled bench as he did.


"I’m afraid I don’t have good news. But I do have a silver lining of sorts.”


That last comment gave Solomon a pause. He detected a note of optimism in what Leblanc just said, even if it didn’t show in his expression. He lifted his head, ready to listen to this silver lining.


Leblanc went on, “As we calculated and feared our data was not flawed. The suns hydrogen helium mixture of fuel is running out. It is inexplicable and makes no sense, but at the present rate of decay it will begin to expand slowly in thirty-five to forty years and will engulf Earth and the inner planets in fifty years as a red giant.”


So far Solomon was still waiting for the good news. He anticipated that Leblanc would confirm the original calculations and so did not seem surprised, only disappointed.


Continuing, Leblanc said, “I’m telling you this in the same way it was told to me by NASA and like you, I was at a loss for words. I spoke with Alexander Falardeau and he confirmed our findings with the SOHO data. The final projections only double checked this morning.”


Leblanc was becoming irritated and stood, his own frustration showing. He was the head of the project and he couldn’t do anything. He felt helpless, as if he were in a small boat meandering down a river without ores, powerless to affect his direction and not knowing where he was headed, or how fast he would get there.

He spoke again after sitting back down, “One last thing.”


Solomon interrupted, “The question of why?”


“Yes. None of the projections can tell us how or why this process started. None of the data can explain why or how things began to go wrong. Were our own theories of sun formations so wrong as to grossly miscalculate the life and death of a star? I have no answers and nether does anyone else. This is completely out of the scope of our understanding since nothing we know tells us that we were wrong.”


Leblanc stood once more and paced a short distance before walking back to the bench, and after taking several deep breaths, sat.


“I said that there was a silver lining and here it is…” hesitating and with a slight tremor in his voice, he continued, “Operation Exodus, the mass evacuation of planet Earth.”


Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said as Solomon sat staring blankly at Leblanc, his mouth open in total shock and disbelief. After a few moments he began to laugh, shaking his head.


He wiped away a tear from his left eye when he gained control of his emotions. “What the hell are you talking about Terrance? You’ve completely cracked up, is that it? Can you take me to your happy place or share whatever drugs you’re on so I can fee that good?”


It was Solomon’s turn to stand and pace. He walked away, stopped and turned, and still shaking his head went back to the bench.


“Tell me you’re not serous, that you just wanted to pull one final joke over on an old man like me.”


Leblanc shook his head and said, “You’re not that old and I’m not kidding and I would never joke about this.”

“No, of course you wouldn’t. Then tell me what in the hell you’re going on about - and get to the point of this very quickly. I’m in no mood for any levity.” Solomon’s voice was beginning to show the strain he was under.

“When I spoke with Alexander, he said that NASA confirmed what we now know to be the final end of our collective and ancestral home. He then told me about a project that a black operations team had been working on for the past several years - Operation Exodus. It was brought back to life in 1994 with the discovery and confirmation of a near earth asteroid, 1994 WR12. At the time President Clinton authorized the funding for the current incarnation, but it was under Ronald Reagan that the initial concept was conceived.”


Leblanc had to pull out his Blackberry tablet and scan his notes. He unzipped the leather case and flipped up the tablet computers cover. After calling up the file he continued. “When the Star Wars Missile Program was first announced and we were at the height of the Cold War in the early nineteen-eighties, some bright boys at the Pentagon decided that we may not win another all out nuclear war and that the missile defense shield would not protect the United States. They came up with original concept to – well, simply put, leave Earth and settle on another planet.”


Solomon was dumbfounded. He could not conceive that anything so far fetched could not only get the attention of the President but funding as well. He didn’t want to interrupt Leblanc however so he let him proceed.


“The idea was to settle on pre-fabricated stations set up on the Moon or Mars, wait for the fall out to settle, and return. Now – before you walk away again, let me finish. They may have received some initial seed funds to develop the concept further, but that’s as far as they got. Nothing was said of the project again until NASA started the Near Earth Object Program. When we began to find an abundance of potential planet killers in the nineties, 1994 WR12 being one of the first and largest, NASA quietly went to the President and received additional funding to further refine the plan to evacuate the planet – or at least selected members of the planet.”


Leblanc cleared his throat. He saw the look of disbelief and skepticism on Solomon and knew that he had the same look only hours ago. “I know that this is hard to fathom, it was for me too, but that being said, if it can work, it’s the only chance that we have as a species to survive.”


“What about trying to stop the reaction? We just can’t up and leave! And go where? Six billion people are not going be able to hop on a bus and just take off to the stars ya-know!” Solomon was livid. In all his life he had not heard such a story. He was sure that Leblanc had lost his mind.


"The exodus is obviously not an overnight thing. There’s years of work ahead to get to a point that will give us a fighting chance, but we do have a head start. This will come as a shock, but some of the ships have already been built, and tested."


That stopped Solomon as he was about to interject. Somehow it didn’t come as a total surprise to him that some of these ships existed, knowing about all the reports of mystery planes in the sky over remote desert air bases.


Leblanc went on, "We will continue to find out how and why this happened. The full scientific and financial weight of every major country is already being mobilized to try and answer the question of why, but no one that I've spoken to at our lab, NASA or the European Union thinks we'll have the power to stop it, and then reverse the process even if we’re able to ascertain the cause. As far as the six billion people..."


Leblanc paused, swallowing hard. "It’s been decided that..." He stopped again, his voice showing strain. "That in the time we have we will only have enough ships and space for sixty to seventy million people."
Solomon did not speak, the silence becoming almost painful for Leblanc as he waited for a response. Any response would be good right now. He was beginning to think Solomon was suffering a stroke, or gone into a catatonic shock.


After a time Solomon did say something. "Only enough ships for sixty to seventy million? Is that all we can save of the Human race? Out of six billion people? Who gets to play God?"


Questions and more questions with no answers in site. Solomon stood and began to walk along the pathway. His thoughts were ripping apart at the seams as disjointed images began to swirl around in his mind. Images of the sun ripping itself apart and coming back together seemed to be in an endless loop while the sky above turned the color of blood and then faded to nothing. An inky blackness that exploded into more nothing. Flashes of light mixed with images of his family and friends winked on and off as he continued to walk.

Leblanc followed closely but gave his friend room and time to think. Solomon was in a fragile state, and Leblanc did not want to push him further. Solomon's faith in Humanity, science and his God was being tested right now in a battle that raged in his mind and played out in reality of life and the current crisis. It was anyone’s guess what the outcome would be.


Leblanc had held back and had not elaborated to Solomon that the actions to save Humankind were already unfolding. NASA and their operations team had activated Operation Exodus on the orders of the President. The existing fifteen ships were being readied, and construction on the remainder already begun. As for playing God, that would be left up to a committee formed through the auspices of the Security Council in the United Nations.


The developing plan is to hold a lottery in every country but only those selected would be told, and only just at the last minute. This was to try and avoid mass panic and disrupt the exodus. A few lucky ones would be selected on skills, education, and experience – they would be guaranteed a slot. Everyone would have to have a willingness to leave behind a past with no assurance of a future. Certain death in exchange for the strong possibility of death. What a hell of a choice thought Leblanc.


Solomon's pace was slow, almost meandering. He stopped and quietly turned to see Leblanc standing just behind him.


"Someone once said that the past is all we have. That people remember you for your past deeds, not your future work."


"I know - it was you that always said it." Leblanc said softly.


"I guess without a race to remember our past we end up with no future. I'm sorry, I've been too self absorbed and letting my personal feelings and emotions cloud my ability to accept the reality. You're right of course, we need to plan for the only option Humans have for the survival of the species."


"Your reaction is not unique my friend, we’re all going through it."


"OK, what's next?"


Leblanc outlined the plan in greater detail, leaving out the parts he felt might push Solomon over the edge. When he was finished, he felt reassured that Solomon would be on board and all right. Having a purpose and roll in the project would keep Solomon focused and in touch with the here and now. He also felt better going over the Operation Exodus protocol with someone else. Talking about it allowed him to vet the plan in his own mind.


After they finished, Leblanc shook Solomon's hand. "I'm off to New York this evening to meet with the operations team. They’ve asked for my expertise in stellar cartography and navigation."


"Thanks again for understanding. I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. But you will have my full cooperation and support."


“We’re all going to need as much help as we can get. I also have some jobs for you if you’re up to it.”
Solomon agreed to help out in whatever way he could and after being given a quick overview, the two men parted.


Leblanc headed out of the park to hail a taxi. He was still worried about Solomon, but could do nothing more to help him cope. At the same time he knew that Solomon would be OK in the long run and he would give one hundred percent of himself toward the effort.


The birds continued their dance, singing to each other as they soared through the sky. Two squirrels with long bushy tails chased each other up one tree, jumped the short distance to another then down again. Children could be heard in the distant play area and the light breeze brought along the sweet smell of nature, and life.

Solomon leaned against the railing beside the canal with his hands clasped. He closed his eyes and thought to a distant time when people were oblivious to the realities of the world around them.


"Not now, no longer are we so naive and complacent about our world. Pity.” He spoke to the birds, and trees and wind. Nobody was in earshot of his lament.


"We're sentenced to die the day we're born - And that day is upon us all." He rose up, opened his eyes to look into the sky. "Why God did you allow this to happen? Why condemn the whole planet?"


He knew there would be no answer. "At least we'll survive as a species, and that should be something."
Turning, he started to walk back to his car thinking, there is much work to do, and so little time to do it.


TO BE CONTINUED........