The Earth is dying. Since Global Warming ended twenty years ago, the oceans have been evaporating at a rate of ten feet a year. The Pollen Storms that signified the late 21st century/early 22nd century have diminished greatly in number. Our aquifers, according to recent hydrologist research, have nearly gone dry. They have proposed a fracking technique like what we used when oil was running out to extract freshwater from the deep bedrock. I propose that this will only delay the problem a decade at most. The Earth is dying, ladies and gentlemen, and we, homo sapiens, are endangered.”
A woman stood at a podium on a stage. She was bathed in radiant light, leaving the rest of the room in darkness. Next to her, rotating slowly, was a floating hologram of the Earth. The image looked like a mockery of the Earth someone from the early 2000s would recognize. The Arctic was no more. Lines and borders around the ocean seemed less jagged. Some islands were gone altogether, other areas were no longer filled with water, but all land. Large portions of the globe had a brown, almost desert quality to it, typically around the oceans. In contrast, some areas, like the Rockies and Himalayas, were covered with a lush tropical green. Even parts of Antarctica were lush.
A hand raised up out of the darkness. She pointed to him. “Yes, Dr. Cline?”
A man stood up, as an iceberg breaching the surface of the ocean of darkness. “Dr. Stover, as a species, we survived the Global Melt and the subsequent mass floodings of our planet. Alarmists back in the early 21st century predicted doom and gloom. Yet here we are. Thanks in part to our advanced scientific knowledge and technological prowess. Are you saying that we lack the ability to desalinate the oceans? I believe that ancient technology was available as far back as the 20th century. As for the water levels, that comes from the current drought we find ourselves. However, within a year or two, climatologists predict we’ll start a cycle of rain for the next twenty years. A pattern that’s been happening since the latter half of the 21st century. Matters are troubling, yes. But they are not dire, Dr. Stover,” he said to some smattering of applause and returned to his seat in the darkness.
Another few hands shot up out of the darkness. Dr. Stover smiled. “Thank you, Dr. Cline, for your sharp criticism, but it looks like some other scientists have some remarks to make about your comments. Dr. DeCaro,” called Dr. Stover from the podium.
“Thank you, Mallory,” a young woman said, standing up and being bathed in light. “With all due respect, Gregor, shut up. We cannot continue the status quo, or we won’t exist. These patterns of drought and monsoon have been getting longer and longer in each stage. If this keeps up, one stage will last just a little too long. Greg, you might live in a skyhook, or on an orbital station, but you, and the rest of humanity, are still dependent on Mother Earth.” Dr. DeCaro sat down to a different smattering of applause.
Then the yelling began. This wasn’t unexpected or unheard of. Dr. Mallory Stover had been waiting for it. She sighed and walked off the rounded stage. Rome was burning and these and these people argued about whether or not they smelled smoke. Mallory sighed again and headed toward the door.
She walked out just as the room erupted into outright shouting. Men and women popped up out of the dark seats like the extinct gophers, or a colony of equally as extinct meerkats. The atrium glowed a bright white light, almost blinding after the dark. Several white-coated individuals walked around, discussing matters of academic importances in hushed tones. Only one man stood out from the crowd, and not just his ultra rare red hair. He was dressed in the sharpest suit, and was one of the most famous man in the business world. “Doctor Stover,” he said.
“Mr. Powers,” she said. She couldn’t help but smile at him, revealing a row of pearly white teeth. She walked into his waiting arms, giving him an intimate hug.
“How’d he go, Mal?” he asked after giving her a peck on the mouth.
“About as well as expected, Petey. You know us vitriolic science types,” Mal said.
Peter Powers smiled. “Yes, my dear, I am aware how fickle the science community is. After all, I pay half their salaries. How’d they react to your proposal?”
Mallory pulled away a lil bit. “We didn’t even get that far, I’m afraid,” she said, frowning.
“Don’t worry, my company is still behind you 100%. Your work is more important than any of us,” Peter said.
A sound of a throat clearing interrupted their intimate conversation. Off to one side stood a middle aged man in a suit similar to Peter’s. He had round glasses, out of date by today’s standards except to the ultra-wealthy. He looked like a weasel in a suit. His hair was thinning, but he had a comb-over trying to hide the fact. He nose jutted out, his lips easily curled up over snaggle tooth, completing the weasel demeanor.
Peter saw him and a smile spread across his face. “Lucius! What brings you here?”
Lucius Epsilon showing a set of misfigured and pointed teeth. His legs whirred and clicked as he approached the couple. “Just checking up on my investments. Pete, you know the board will never approve of this course of action,” he said, his cane clicking on the steel flooring.
Peter nodded. “I know, Lu. Which is why I’m not gonna tell them. Krammas Corporation is my company. I can do with it as I please,” Peter shook Lucius’ hand.
Lucius smiled back at Peter. “Yes, if Epsilon Industries were as controlling as your board, I’d lose my mind too. Just be careful, Pete. You can’t trust anyone nowadays.”
“I will, thanks Lu. But for now, I’m going to take Doctor Stover here out of this toxic environment,” Peter said, as he and Mallory left the room.
Together they walked hand in hand through white walled rooms. Across walkways with glorious views of space, and the Earth far below. It no longer looked like a green and blue marble, more like a tan and black marble. The walkway was surrounded on all sides by ferroglass, a brand new highly durable transparent metal. The first couple times out onto it, Mallory was befit with vertigo. Now, it was just another window below her feet. Completely safe. At the far end of the walkway she could see the tether of the Academy of Science’s skyhook. The tether travelled all the way back to Earth.
They entered the small pod that revolved around the large Academy of Science skyhook. The garage of the Academy was set up on several tiers, on each tier, wall to wall, were vehicles. These vehicles were completely different than cars. They lacked wheels, and were more aerodynamic. The only real thing to compare them to modern cars were windshields, and even then, the windshields were sometimes small, like portholes, other times huge, taking over the entire roof of that particular model. They were more similar to jets, sans the wings, than to cars.
Peter walked Mallory over to one of the sleeker vehicles. It was bright red, and tapered on the back end to a finned point. The front end was more broad, but also had a tiny point on the hood to penetrate the atmosphere. The windshield was wide, and even covered a portion of the pod. “Hop in Mal, I’ll take you back to our place,” Peter said as the door irised open. They ducked in.
The inside was almost as luxurious as the outside was sleek. They plopped down into plush chairs. Peter reclined back in his. Both doors irised closed leaving no seams. “Actually Petey, take me back to the lab,” Mal said.
Peter smiled. “How’d I know you were gonna say that.”
The onboard screen “Mercedes-Benz would like to thank you for choosing our Extratmospheric Antigravity Vehicle L-Class. Welcome Mr. Powers, Dr. Stover. Where can we take you today?” asked the onboard computer, a face of a generic young woman.
“Let’s go bring Mal back to her lab. Then take me home,” Peter said to the computer.
“Right away Mr. Powers,” the onboard screen said, before winking off.
“You changed it. I’m jealous,” she said with a faux-pouty face.
“Oh shut up,” He said. They both laughed. They were two people in love, destined to do this banter forever. Or so it seemed. He leaned over and kissed her. She let him.
A vibration started beneath their feet. Slowly, the EAV rose on the garage, and the floor dropped away, then the world rotated outside, and the zoomed off into open space. There was no sensation of guts dropping into the lower abdomen, or centrifugal sensation. Basic gravity control matrices fixed that problem 60 years ago. So they sped through space, at an alarming pace. Within seconds, they arrived at Mallory’s laboratory. It was attached to a gigantic Orbital Space Station, with giant KC printed and lit up on the outside.
They watched as the Station loomed above them. The EAV skirted it, until it reached a small opening. The opening glowed blue. Slowly, the ship passed through the Electro-ozone Force Field, and parked in a small garage, only big enough for two or three EAVs.
The onscreen young woman flashed into view “Mr. Powers, Dr. Stover, we have arrived at Dr. Mallory Stover’s Laboratory in the Krammas Corporation’s Orbital Space Station,” she said.
“Thank you, Mercedes,” Peter said.
The onscreen young woman smiled and flashed off. The vibrations slowly diminished.
Mallory turned to him. “You NAMED her?” she cried in indignation.
“I knew it would get you going,” said Peter as he gave her a peck on the cheek.
Mallory climbed out of the vehicle, and walked to her lab, shaking her head. She had several test simulations to go to develop her plan. Of course as soon as she logged into her Omnisphere Cloud, the Vidphone started ringing. “C2, answer it on the large overhead display,” said Mallory.
C2 came out of his charging cubby. He was a squat, tubby robot with four digits on each hand and fine motor skills. Top of the line in assistant androids. “Okay, Doc!”
The image popped up on a large screen taking up most of a far wall. It had several people on it, most memorably Dr. Cline and Dr. DeCaro. “Dr. Cline, Dr. DeCaro, what can I do for you?” asked Mallory.
“Dr. Stover,” Gregor Cline said, stepping closer to the screen. “The Academy of Science has reached a conclusion.” He sounded magnanomious and also a bit ashamed.
“OH? What brought on this change?” she asked. She returned to her work, acting as if it was of little importance. But she was all ears.
Dr. Cline stopped, and took in a deep breath. “The Academy has decided that, if the picture you paint is accurate, then we are in dire straits, and the worst we can do is nothing. The least we can do is…listen to your proposal,” he admitted reluctantly.
Mallory smiled. “That was quick. I was expecting this call the day after next. I have important business to attend to, so I will make this brief. I want to start colonizing other planets with self-sustaining generation ships.”