Earth Mars Tales

Chapter 1

She held him down, gun pointed at his head, there staring at her, he knew she was gone, he knew after everything they had been through, it did not matter. She would kill him right here and now and it would not bother her in the slightest, she feels nothing for him, no love left in her heart for this man who loves her with all of his….the end had come and from the most unlikely of places, from…love.

Earth Mars Tales

James Matherson, born on Earth, raised to be strong willed, assertive and quick witted, taught to value intelligence as much as strength. James was brought into an Earth on a verge of collapse, an earth with very little resources, and a very high population count. In the year 2048 Science begins to understand and explain the planet’s natural cycle of climate and astronomical changes.

With the longitudinal studies and observations confirming our position within the stars and galaxies a better understanding of how our position in the galaxy affects our planet’s climate is grasped. It was soon understood that the planet in its natural rotations around the sun and the sun’s rotation within the galaxy pulls the planet around the galaxy and every 6,000 or 7,000 years the planet enters a cosmic hotspot of cosmic activity that begins to affect the planet and change its climate drastically. Just as a solar maximum is the time when the earth is nearest the sun and takes on the most Solar Rays.

The Earth also enters another maximum called the Collision Maximum, during this one-hundred-year period the earth is in such a location that multiple asteroids are on a collision course with the planet. During these periods the earth has a much higher chance of being bombarded by large comets. Collisions from comets this large would cause quick and decimate climate changes around the globe no matter where it landed.

The Earth will enter its next Collision Maximum in the year 2100. Governments and large corporations had come to the conclusion that the species must become an interplanetary society and by the year 2090, a colony was established on Mars and a large planetary terraforming operation was in effect. Mars colonists turn to science to aid them in their mars work and daily struggles. Genetic Editing and Cybernetic enhancements are outlawed on Earth, but on Mars no such laws are in place and the Mars colonists looking for a way to survive in the harsh Martian Climate, research and invest heavily in these two fields.

James born on August 2nd, 2088 on earth, to a Scientist father and an artistic mother, is soon faced with tragedy when in the year 2098 at the age of 10, James mother died from complications to Genetic breakdown disease. She is not the first or the last and James’ father, Mark, who began studying the disease when his wife first contracted it, turns inward and becomes obsessed with finding a cure. Soon James is spending the majority of his time at school facilities and other child care programs, left to his own thoughts, sandness, and guilt as he is unable to understand where either one of his parents has gone.

James is watching a star collapse around him and observing the planets around the star begin to be consumed and destroyed, swirling into crumbled masses of rock, metal, and ice.

Suddenly the destruction pauses and James hears a voice in his ear, “as we can see, star collapses can be a real destructive force to the planetary bodies around the star. When these occur, civilizations within their boundaries of destruction have only two choices…can anyone tell me what those choices are?”

James is physically at his desk, but via Virtual Reality glasses or Personal Computer goggles, he attends his school day and lectures. Astronomy and Introduction to Astrophysics are the planned curriculum for the day and honestly most days they are included somewhere in the curriculum plan, with the species becoming a multi planet species, governments decided that a much bigger emphasis must be placed on science and math field’s early in children development courses. James thought about the question and he knew the answer so he raised his hand.

“James, please share your thoughts” the teacher motions to James to stand and with a quick hand wave, she disappears from the rest of the class’s view within the simulated solar system and James appears in their view.

“Star collapses can pose dangers to any civilizations that do not possess the technology to either 1. Escape the destruction boundary area via some technology… say space flight”. As James speaks he highlights and creates an oval around the collapsing star and surrounding space to estimate and show in the simulated space the destruction area.

”or 2. Create the massive facilities needed to surround the star and either retain, diverge, or converge the energy from the star”. James centers back to the collapsing star and using his thumb and index finger creates a sphere around the star. As he does this the simulation adjusts to show the surrounding space around the star and its planetary orbits to return to their peaceful states. James fades out of view in the simulated space in the other children’s VR glasses, and the teacher reappears hovering over the simulated space.

“Very good James, any civilization that has technology capable of space flight would need to find a new habitable planet within the “Goldilocks” zone of a different star within a different solar system.”

The teacher uses her index finger and thumb to highlight the star surrounded by Jame’s Sphere.

“The sphere or Dyson Sphere as it has been called is a much more complicated technology that requires a multitude of space flight and space construction technology in order to build, but would allow that civilization to be able to take the energy as it is released from the star and safely store or convert it”.

The teacher removes the sphere and the star in the simulated space begins to collapse once again.

“As far as we know a Dyson sphere is possible but can only be created by an advanced civilization, what we call a Type 2 on the Kardashev scale”.

The teacher pauses “Can anyone tell me what the Kardashev scale measures?” James recalls the scale being covered in yesterday’s lecture, he remembers the VR simulation for each of the types, at least types 1 - 3. But before he can raise his hand another student raises her’s.

“Yes, Ella, can you explain?” The teacher fades from view as Ella appears she is already speaking.

“The Kardashev scale measures a civilization’s ability to consume energy, Type 1 is capable of harnessing all the energy on the civilization’s planet, Type 2 is capable of consuming the solar system’s host star energy, and a Type 3 is capable of harnessing every energy source within the galaxy.” As she says this Ella uses her two hands to pull the solar system in the simulated space causing the view in the simulation to expand to encompass not just the local solar system but the whole galaxy.

The teacher smiles and says “That is correct Ella, and class do we know what those energy sources are within the galaxy?” James is about to answer when he notices a yellow light outside of the solar system closer to the edge of his VR glass that signifies he has a message incoming.

The solar system fades and his father appears standing in his lab, “James, finish up school, and then I want you to get some things ready for a trip, I will explain once I get home”, and then James father is gone and the solar system reappears, James wonder what kind of trip he and his father would be going on and to where?

James’ father, Mark or Dr. Matherson, as most people called him, had black hair with traces of white and gray sprinkled throughout, most days now he had a gruffly half shaven beard and his face most often portrayed a sense of dismay if not a deep thought that eventually would give way to dismay. He was of average height, and had a thin waistline, having worked on his feet most his life. He spent the majority of his time in labs, lectures, or his own study, ever since the passing of Jame’s mother. Dr. Matherson was a geneticist and scientist at his core but had also acquired his doctorate in medicine as it was required to have served some time in a medical practice working with human genetics and the public in order to acquire one’s own lab for research from the government.

This meant in the early days of Jame’s childhood, his father actually worked out of his own doctor’s office. Those were some of Jame’s happiest memories, he can still remember spending the day with his mother at home in her studio where she would paint and create amazing art pieces that depicted far off planets, solar systems, or sometimes just deep space. She would tell James about the solar system and show him all the most recent imagery taken from the most advanced telescopes looking out into space. She had a deal with NASA to create artistic renderings of anything that was discovered to help show and excite the public and keep them interested in the work that was going on off planet…work that was expensive in resources, man power, and currency. But she was a gifted artist and her works very much inspired the public and ignited passion in every child that saw them, causing them to want to look up and see the stars in a new light. After working all day James and her would walk the short distance from their house to his fathers doctors office. In those early days his father was seeing patients with genetic diseases and helping to identify and cure them of the ailments…if he could.

A combination of cosmic radiation, our planet’s decimated climate, and the weakening of the planet’s magnetic field had created large areas around the planet that would get canvased in cosmic radiation that would break down the genetics of any living thing in those vicinities. The result was large populations of people with ever evolving genetic diseases that mutated, or completely destroyed the genes. Since these changes occurred at the genetic level they also had a high probability of being passed down into future generations, it seemed as if space itself was trying to destroy the species it had just a short time ago provided all the ingredients needed to be created. Jame’s father was at the forefront of research to better understand the resulting mutations and genetic diseases, and for a time it appeared that his research was yielding positive results for his patients.

James remember’s his father being happy in those times, visits to his office were fun and his father was always eager to discuss his latest research with Jame’s mother. She would always listen to his father go on and on about his research, never understanding much of it, but always happy to see her husband elated and passionate about helping his patients. All that changed after the first large asteroid impact occurred, when it struck the planet and impacted into the United States within the North American Alliance, it struck with the force of a 5 megaton explosion, and delivered a host of precious metals, along with a massive increase in radiation far beyond the impact site.

The North American Alliance or NAA as it was commonly called, consisted of all the nations of North America with elected officials for each nation from the Bahamas and the Caribbean all the way up to the far north encompassing Canada and Greenland. It was created on that day, when it became clear all the people’s of a continent are linked together, aid and resources were sent from all over the continent to assist the United States in recovery. The Impact site was just outside the city of Las Vegas, but it still decimated half the city, killing an estimated 500,000 people instantly. It would go on to claim many more lives in the years after, as people far outside the impact radius succumbed to various forms of radiation poisoning. The United States in response to the impact event would go on to found the NAA, promising to aid any nation that joined and promising to share in any and all resources gained from the asteroid impact site. All the nations of North America would eventually join, and all nations would eventually end up sending miners into the impact site, drenched in radiation and amassed with precious metals.

James finished his Virtual Reality class work, consisting of more studies on type 1 and type 2 Kardashev Scale civilizations, sol system energy sources, earth based energy, and gravity VR simulation training. James most enjoyed the gravity VR simulation training, in these VR courses students are shown different gravity based simulations that allows the participant to feel what gravity would feel and function like in different environments. Everything from low earth orbit, lunar, to deep space gravity can be experienced in these simulations, lunar being one of the most popular among the younger generations. After finishing his course work James began packing some clothes and threw in his personal computer goggles, the PCG’s was pretty much how most people interacted with any virtual or augmented reality. James wanted to pack more clothes but was unsure of what exactly to pack. His father made frequent trips around the NAA to various countries within the borders but he usually ventured on these trips alone, leaving James at home to mostly fend for himself except for some occasional help from the household AI.

James could go and ask his father for more details, but usually once his father was in his lab it was hard to get his attention off of anything that wasn’t work related. James figured his father would have to come to him at some point, explain a little more detail about where they were going, and maybe even why they were going there. James felt his stomach grumble and he realized it was about time for dinner. He put on his PC goggles to check to see what was on the household AI schedule for dinner tonight. James glanced at the calendar and pinched his thumb and index fingers together to open the application. Up popped a large weekly calendar with all of his and some of his fathers weekly events, functions, and for James a chore list. It also showed the household AI scheduler and what James’ father had programmed for the week and in particular today’s dinner meal plan. James glanced at today’s meal and pinched his thumb and index finger together. Chicken and Tortellini with a side green salad, scheduled for 6 PM.

James glanced up at his Virtual wall clock and saw the time read five fifty eight, if he wanted to change the recipe he had precious minutes left to do it. James quickly opens the dinner plans, removes the listed items by grabbing and throwing them behind him, glances at the “add recipe” and selects “breakfast” from the virtual drop down list. James has just enough time to grab the “Pancakes, Bacon, eggs, and toast” recipe and drop it into the dinner plans selection; he has just selected “Confirm Dinner Plans” when the virtual wall clock reads six o’clock. James hears the kitchen appliances in the kitchen begin to turn on, stove being lit, mixer being prepared, ingredients being moved around. Most homes on Earth, if connected to a household AI, were also fitted with kitchens designed for consumers to buy what was termed ‘plug and cook’ type appliances. These kitchen appliances were designed to integrate and talk to the household AI and were used to add to the household AI’s possible recipe selection. Just plug the appliance in and the household AI reads what it is capable of and designs recipes based on its operation procedures. James knew his father would not approve of the change in dinner plans, but James also knew his father made little effort in enforcing pretty much any rules, always wrapped up in his work. It seemed to James it really didn’t matter what he did or didn’t do or ate or didn’t eat.

It was a little while after dinner that Jame’s father finally came up from his lab. By then James was finished eating his dinner and was enjoying a movie in his PCG’s while laying down in the living room.

His father poked his head around the corner and into the living room, “James did you pack?”.

James sat up and looked at his father “I packed some clothes I guess…you didn’t really say how much to pack or what to pack for…Dad come on that’s not a lot to go on”.

His father had his PCG’s on and he was looking at James but he was clearly looking at some virtual display windows of some sort that were distracting him, he was trying to discern something.

“I meant to pack…everything…or anything you want to take off the planet with you, I need to go to Mars for work and I need to go as soon as possible”.

James was frozen, half of him was frozen in thoughts of excitement and amazement about venturing to Mars, but another half of him was frozen in complete terror that his father was even suggesting something as huge as this.

James wondered if his father even cared or had any feelings about leaving the planet he called home, the way he was just so nonchalant and was saying it, as if it was just a short trip or plane ride away.

”Dad what do you mean you need to go to mars? That’s not a short trip we just make, do I have any say in this at all?”.

His father looked at James, gave him a half smile and said “Ummm No, you’re a child and I have research that can only be done on Mars, the trip there is a long one yes, but I assure you the journey will be safe.” James’ father, seeing the sense of dread on his child’s face, removes his PCG’s and sits on the floor with him.

“James, I know this seems like an impossible journey, and I know this is a huge change for us to make right now, but trust me when I say we need to do this”.

He grabs James with one hand and puts it on James left shoulder, then he says “Your mother always wanted to go, and I think my work is pulling me there for a reason, and I think it would be good for us to get a new start”.

James didn’t want a new start, he wanted his mother to be alive, he wanted and believed his father was going to save her when she got sick. When his mother died, James did not blame his father, he knew it was not his fault, but Jame’s just always had thought his father was capable of solving any medical problems, now that image was shattered and he was not sure how he saw his father now. Sitting on the floor with him hearing him discuss his mother wishes, James felt wretched with grief, tears began welling up in his eyes, he let them fall, grabbing his father and hugging him tightly.

Jame said “Okay, Mom always used to tell me she thought we would be good martians”.

James’ father laughed through his own tears, holding his son close, he felt a sense of dread as he held onto the hope he was making the right decision.

The next few days went by quickly as Mark helped James pack the necessities and any personal item that would fit in a small backpack. Mark has the rest of the items stored away in a storage space that he decides to pay on yearly basis for a very reasonably small price, as long as he pays the first ten years up front. Figuring a trip to mars will take over one earth years to travel to, and potentially longer for a return trip, the investment seems worth it. In a manner of a few weeks all the furniture is packed and moved to the storage along with all the important family memorabilia that Mark and James decide to leave behind, either too bulky or risky to travel with in space. Mark has been practicing moving and working in zero gravity via virtual reality simulations in his PC goggles. Mark decided it was probably wise to have James doing the same, anything to help mentally prepare them for the trip ahead.

After getting everything packed up, Mark was asked by his corporation to head over to the rocket launch lab or RLL and get himself and James fitted for space suits and to get mentally and physically tested for the trip ahead. On the way over to the RLL, Mark had put on his PC Goggles to look over some work and research notes from his lab assistant when James suddenly interrupted his focus.

“So what kind of tests are we doing?” He asks with a slight tremble in his voice. Mark can see the fear on Jame’s face and sense that he is unsure of the tests and if he was prepared for them or maybe it was a fear he would be unable to pass them. Mark took his PC goggles off and looked over at James.

“Don’t worry you are going to be fine, these tests are relatively easy and quick … at least the mental tests are.″ Mark said, trying to reassure James as best he could without concealing too much of the truth from him. James looked at his father in complete awe.

“What do you mean by that?” James asked, his voice cracking a bit, his eyes getting wider and his breathing starting to increase in heavier and heavier pants. “What are the physical tests like?” James asks in between his heavy panting.

“Well beyond testing the medically required physical to ensure one’s survival on the trip through space, the corporation also requires each MDA or Martian Destination Astronaut to undergo a series of physical tests to test compatibility for gene editing and or cybernetic enhancements.”

Mark replied, trying to sound confident in his company’s plans to hopefully alleviate some of Jame’s concern.

“The company just wants to know if your mind can comprehend and undergo the stress of a 9 month journey in space, and if your body can physically hold up to the trip.”

Mark explained, “Beyond that the tests are pretty standard physical tests like you have been doing in your VR simulations, you have nothing to be worried about.”

Mark was confident his son would pass both the physical and mental tests, he had been preparing in VR simulations for weeks now for all the high speed demanding tests. Mark even had James and himself attending mental preparation classes at his company to prepare for the long journey through space, these were designed to train and prepare the participants for the trip and the mental paradigm shift that occurs watching your home planet slowly vanish from your view as you travel further and further away.

When they arrived at the company rocket launch labs, as they walked to the door Mark checked his PCG’s and asked the AI assistant for the testing locations. A blue translucent and glowing orb appeared floating in the space in front of Mark as if hovering just ahead of him appearing within arms reach.

“Good afternoon Dr. Mathis. The RLL has scheduled mental and emotional tests to be administered to you and your son in lab room 107 and 108 at two PM pacific standard time”. The AI assistant replied in a soft spoken female voice, overlaying a map of the facility in the goggles display while highlighting rooms 107 and 108 on the map. Then the AI assistant disappeared from Mark’s view in a quick blue zap of light.

Mark thought it was a little strange both his and James evaluations were scheduled at the same time, but he decided it was probably part of the assessment to help determine if a ten year old was okay to make this trip. Mark’s company had partnered with the NAA after the asteroid impact and had at one point been a part of NASA. Soon after the asteroid impact the NAA had put the company in charge of the asteroid impact site and containing its radiation and minerals, not long after that the company had outgrown NASA and expanded beyond its reach.

Now the company was in charge of the Mars colonization efforts and with this endeavor the company employed most of the local population within the US from within various industries such as Mineral extraction, Engineering, Cybernetics, Pharmaceuticals, and any other industry that could provide something of use for the advancement of the species.

“Dr. Mathis, your scheduled mental and emotional tests will begin in five minutes.” Mark’s thoughts were interrupted by his AI assistant, as they rounded a corner and came upon rooms 107 and 108, Mark glanced over at James and could see he was still a little anxious.

“I’ll see you soon James, take it easy in there, try to stay relaxed, answer their questions honestly and you will be fine.” Mark quickly said to James as they both entered their scheduled testing rooms, Mark upon entering the room began to feel a little uneasy and unsure of himself, he realized he felt anxious too.