Chapter 1
They pushed onwards. A mission which began nearly a millennium ago. Even at the edge of technology and physics the faster than light propulsion did not make travel instantaneous for journeys beyond those within a few tens of lightyears of Sol. Even then the seconds flickered as a ship jumped out of then back in existence.
But on this journey seconds were insignificant. Days, months, years, they all merged. The crew, mostly scientists, counted time still in Earth hours for the sake of work, recreation and sleep but beyond that the passing of anything else was meaningless.
This was a journey of generations. Of physicists and mathematics. Each generation handing down knowledge and purpose to the next. Each following generation building on the theories of those preceeding. But that was all it could be. Theories. Until the last generation reached the edge of the universe the theories would never be tested as reality.
Amongst the theorists there was also the crew whose task was to operate and maintain the ship and the families whose purpose was to prolong the population and provide the comfort and security to such an epic voyage.
Everyone had a purpose and a destiny. A ship run on almost an ancient regime historians called communism. Committees made decisions. People did their duty. An acceptance with little questioning. The ship ran in an almost monotonous clockwork fashion. Only the euphoria of some key discovery pushing the boundaries of theory broke the continual day to dayness of life.
But there was a slow stirring across the ship. A ripple of anticipation. The theorists were the first to show a mix of anxiety and excitement. Of fear and joy. Calculations showed that the goal was almost in reach. This would be the final push for the reason of this journey. The very edge of the universe was tantalisingly close. the last stars had drifted into the distance. Looking back they were but faint glimmers of light back in the direction of the core of the bubble that held all.
Soon the greatest physicists of both ancient and modern times would be proved right or wrong. Names now vague from long forgotten texts to the cleverest minds on the ship. Some would be held in highest honour. Others cast aside for being even mildly incorrect.
But for now the beams of scanners searched for telltale signs. Hints of the boundary. Looking for echoes and reflections. Something tangible to say they had arrived. Wavelengths and amplitudes varied. Particle beams from the simple to the exotic. All were sent forth to touch the unknown. Nothing came back.
Frustrations started to grow a few weeks. Physiscts and mathematicians argued. Some debates turned into verbal battlefields as sides were taken and alliances formed. Accusations of miscalculation. Berating of incomplete theory. Even thoughts and words of falsification soon abounded. Even within families factions evolved. The ship slowly became divided.
Only the crew running the ship maintained a sanity. Theirs was the single job of staying on course. Avoiding the bickering and anger the ship still had a direction to go. Navigation and maintenance still to perform. A single purpose until the ruling committee said otherwise. But that committee had now fragmented. Instructions ceased to flow. So last orders were followed in an almost religious commitment. Forward. Onward. Unveering.
One hundred days passed since the predicted date of edge fall. A quiet had finally blanketed the ship. Despondency had thrown many into introverted reflection. A wave of wasted lifetimes. Of valueless effort. Sacrifices pointless.
Some of the scientific minds had given up. Exclaiming that all theories were wrong. That the quest was now hopeless. They became useless to the cause. Resentment percolated through those that continued the fight to realign equation and observation. Slowly an elite group formed. Offering up that their beliefs now made them the superiors.
Very quickly there was an evolving caste hierarchy. A religion of science filling the void of disillusionment and despair. But underlying there simmered disention. Nothing uttered, just a feeling that permeated like an invisible wave. Passing looks between those not now at the top of the social scale. The merest of nods. Thoughts never vocalised of turning the ship around. Of returning to the birthplace called Earth. no one quite knew the percentage. The numbers of returners, as they later became known, and the forwarders. No where in the history of events was it recorded. But the written scripts showed an almost equal balance.
But all of this was immaterial. Insignificant in that which was soon to unfold. No warning, no expectation. Just an unravelling of sanity into chaos. The train of events did not creep in some slow manner but started in an abruptness that then became a steady flow.
Information overload filled every sensor within microseconds. Electronic systems almost dormant screamed in a data tsunami. No klaxon sounded in alarm. This was no alert of war even though the ship was under a bombardment of unknown substance.
The data room was almost desserted at the onset. Night had fallen hours earlier and on a skeleton crew of devoted physicists occupied the place that had become an almost morgue of science. But now it could be no further different. Every concole lit up in frantic script. equation and computer code too fast for any human eye to follow. Overload. systems crashed one by one. A domino affect as processing banks collapsed under the onslaught.
It lasted minutes. But seemed much longer to those caught in the chaos. A human perception. Then the mayhem slowed and a veil of blank fell across screens and server banks. Eventually all the sigh of overworked cooling systems remained to show any functioning of electronic devices. Those sat at consoles emerged from a trance of wonderment and shock. Some shook heads sat still staring at the dead displays. Some pushed back almost in flight of fear. All were numb and silent of voice.
Then there came a rush of physicists and mathematicians awoken by the pulse of alarms now echoing throughout the decks and corridors. With it came a rising babble of incoherent words. Scientist talking over scientist. All clamoring to be heard over the next. Bewilderment, confusion, rapid conjecture. Theories made in the moment. Turmoil with cause. No one voice dominating until a deep baritone reverberated above all others.
it was that of one Professor Clute. He had the distinction of being the elected"religious" head of the forwarders. An almost thunderous vibration of words that sent a silence throughout the now cramped room. A few words calling for order that caused an almost immediate hush but not calm within. But like a ripple people ceased all activity to turn and face Clute.
His one word resounded, repeated until its effect was made. Simply "Silence!". He repeated until the last mummers ceased. A self made echo that never faded until it was the only voice heard. The hush seemed to last a multitude of seconds but was infact a mere 5.
Professor Clute was of an aged, distinguished appearance. Those who did not know him would still identify an aire of authority and of wisdom. Not stocky, not slim he stood at six feet tall with longish grey hair and beard. One could almost have mistaken Clute for some wizard cast in a book of mythical characters in some distant past. Indeed his robes denoting hid seniority and sect enhanced that image. Simple yet at the same time strangely dramatic in monotone beige.
He moved with unsteady motion of someone within their twilight years but still purposeful of step. Taking the centre of the room as his stage he turned 360 degrees to survey the gathered people with deep set faded blue eyes.
Clute started to speak again. Dlow and deliberate. "Reset the instruments. Bring systems back on line. Start analysis. Let's find out what this is all about". His commands immediately understood by those requiring to act. He surveyed the sudden scurrying activity as bodies set forth to comply.
Slowly screens came back to life as computers rebooted. Configuration of interfaces on touchscreens rebuilt before eager eyes. Numbers and graphics once again began to dance as data once again flowed from the external arrays bristling from the front of the ship. Beams of energy sought and probed as antennae absorbed the echoes. Dishes capturing exotic particles and electromagnetic waves to be translated into meaningful form for human interpretation.
Anticipation ran high. Could this be it? The goal sought for so long. Awaited for by so many generations? A collective desire could be almost felt drifting through the ship as word spread. Suddenly the returners began to fall into belief. Turning their backs on thoughts of Earth. Those asleep woke. Those awake knew they could not sleep. It was as if a switch had been flicked.
More and more individual and group interactions spread. Groups grew bigger then fragmented. Congealed then dissipated. Slowly the noise level rose throughout the ship like the buzz of an approaching swarm of angry wasps.
Again Clute's voice was heard this time over the shipwide tannoy. "Calm, calm all". A simple message injected to bring order.
