MARDUK - THE REBIRTH OF A SYSTEM

Marduk watched the final orbit around Earth from the research ship’s observation section. Widely separated islands were visible on the planet’s sunlit side. They had replaced the great continents that had once stretched without interruption. As the ship moved on, the settlements in view fell behind, and broad expanses of water appeared below.

The final survey report was open on the screen before him. Marduk looked away from the planet and reviewed the records listing the islands. He had visited each of them with his team. He had examined living conditions, energy systems, and settlements, and seen for himself how people had adapted to the new order. Now, watching those same places from orbit, he compared the information on the screen with his own observations.

He opened the section on energy systems. Then he moved to the settlement records. Information collected over weeks and the scientists’ assessments had been combined in the same file. After reading an observation about one island, he returned to the corresponding survey record. He checked that the notes he had kept during the mission had also been incorporated into the final text.

The officer nearby waited without closing the records on his own screen. When Marduk reached the end of the report, he turned to him.

“Have all the samples been classified?” he asked.

“Yes. The records have been archived, too,” the officer replied.

“Is there any work still waiting to be transferred to the data center?” Marduk asked.

“No. All information about Earth has been transferred,” the officer said.

Marduk looked at the file before him again. This was the last report of their months-long Earth mission. No area remained to be investigated, and no unfinished work required the team’s return. He read the final assessment and prepared the file for transmission.

“Send it to the Federation,” he said.

Marduk kept his eyes on the screen as the computer carried out the order. A few seconds later, an indicator appeared confirming that the report had reached Galactic Federation headquarters. After seeing it, Marduk closed the file and leaned back. The officer nearby closed his own work screen as well.

Earth filled the wide view at the front of the observation section. For a while, Marduk watched the planet without opening any records. For the first time in a long while, he had no region to investigate and no report to prepare. The other team members aboard had finished their work, too. He did not need to summon them for another survey or assign new tasks.

He looked up at an alert from the main communications system.

“Priority message from the Galactic Federation,” the computer said.

“Display it,” Marduk said.

The assignment from Federation headquarters opened on the large screen. Marduk straightened in his seat and began reading. Exploration ships had reached a new star system. After the first few lines, he moved to the coordinates, then reread the information about the location of the discovery. The system was not in their universe.

The officer beside him had turned toward the screen, too.

“In another universe,” Marduk said. “Open the exploration ships’ initial records.”

The officer brought them up. The first images of the previously unrecorded system showed a star and its surrounding planets. Marduk read the notes beside the image. Preliminary surveys had revealed more than one planet. None had been investigated in detail.

“There are no detailed planetary surveys,” the officer said.

Marduk opened the rest of the assignment. The Federation wanted a comprehensive investigation of the system. The mission had been assigned to the team under his command. He read the message to the end, then returned to the images. The planets were visible as small dots. These images could not tell them about surface conditions or whether life existed.

“Transfer these records to the bridge,” he said. “Have them reviewed with the assignment.”

He stood and left the observation section. By the time he reached the bridge, the team had received the new assignment and returned to their stations. The image of the star system sent by the exploration ships was on the main screen. Before going to his own station, Marduk stopped beside the navigation officer.

“Have we received the coordinates from the Federation?” he asked.

“Yes. They’re being loaded into the system,” the officer replied.

Marduk asked for the exploration image to remain on-screen. As the science officer opened it, he reviewed the scope of the survey in the assignment once more. The information obtained by the ships that had made the initial discovery was in the file before them. Their own work would begin from that point. Without closing the file, Marduk turned to the science officer.

“As you read the assignment, keep track of the planets in the image,” he said. “Let’s see which ones have records.”

The officer placed the preliminary survey data beside the image. Marduk read the records he indicated in order. While the team prepared on the bridge, the two worked at the same screen for a while. When Marduk finished reading, he glanced at navigation and headed to his station.

Marduk looked at the main screen. During the Earth surveys, they had earlier records to compare with their observations at the places they visited. Here, they would encounter planets that had not yet been mapped in detail. Their atmospheres had not been examined. They knew nothing about their life-forms. There was a new sun to investigate as well.

“We’ll start with the initial records,” he said. “Don’t draw conclusions yet about planets that haven’t been surveyed in detail.”

The science officer studying the screen turned toward him.

“Our information is limited to the first observations,” he said.

Marduk sat down. The same assignment file was open on the screens before the team members. They had closed their work on Earth and begun studying the new coordinates and exploration images.

“The Earth mission is complete,” Marduk said.

Those aboard turned toward him. Marduk waited for the navigation officer to finish. After checking his screen one last time, the officer looked up.

“The new coordinates are loaded,” he said.

“We’re heading to another universe now,” Marduk said. “Set a course for the new coordinates.”

The navigation officer worked at the controls. The image of Earth on the main screen gave way to the star-filled darkness of space. As the research ship slowly changed direction, Marduk watched the course information. When the officer finished, he ordered an increase in engine power.

Everyone on the bridge had returned to their duties. Marduk looked at the small observation screen behind him. Earth was still visible, but its islands grew harder to distinguish as the ship moved away. After a while, the planet became a small blue dot in the darkness.

Marduk turned back to the screen before him and left the new assignment file open. Their survey of Earth had ended. Now he and his team were heading toward a star system none of them had seen. The research ship continued toward the new coordinates.