Like a body that ceases to exist, yet for a brief time cellular life continues, so too the Earth was dead, but packets of life still clung to existence.

#

They had a home in the crystal caves, a subterranean colony on Earth behind the water that fell from seventy meters above and exploded in a dark pool at the canyon floor below. In the evening Radan enjoyed walking along the narrow ledge behind the glowing crystal spires, smoking his pipe and humming a song of forgotten words. The cool spray-wind and sound of the water chimes gave him solace.

Inside Mrs. Silver vaporized dirty dishes and lightly dusted with antimatter spray leaving a clean fresh scent in the air. She liked a clean home, and she liked her wine warmed not quite to the boiling point, but just enough so the vapors soothed her senses and warm liquid bathed her palate.

It was sensible. Wine should be sensible, the home too for that matter, but not tonight. Tonight nothing made sense.

Instead she just sat there drawing no comfort from his arm as it lay lightly on her shoulder, not looking at him or at anything for that matter.

“We knew this day would come sooner or later,” he pleaded. “It just seemed like we could avoid it by not thinking about it. We’ll need to begin making preparations very soon.”

Shaking her head she breathed a heavy sigh. “You make your preparations, I’m not going anywhere! What’s to say they’re right? How do you know we won’t fully live out our lives here?”

“Sarah.” He was desperate to look in her eyes. “You’ve felt the rumbling in the rocks. The rise in water temperature has been constant for nearly a century. The planet is dead, and there’s nothing any of us can do to save it!”

Pulling away she stomped into the bedroom leaving him to contemplate his thoughtless words. He found her lying on the smooth granite surface of their bed, eyes closed, listening to music, trying to nullify the inevitable. Climbing along-side her he adjusted the anti-gravity settings on his side and joined with her listening to music.

She knew he was there. The same wave that carried music directly into their mind carried their thoughts from one to the other. Camshaelaf; he recognized the melody, a sweet lilting balm for her troubled soul. And in the distant corner of her mind she could hear him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Recoiling at the caress of his hand on her bare arm, she shivered.

“Sarah.” The music had stopped. Bending his thoughts out, he imposed them on her. “Please, I know it hurts to talk about this, but there is a lot of sense in what they are saying. I believe them when they say our days here are numbered. Twenty-five, fifty years at best and the Earth will become uninhabitable. And those will be hard years! The comfortable lives we enjoy now will rapidly deteriorate. Food will be scarce, the lava pumps will slowly break down and the sun will eventually overtake all life here. I don’t want that fate for us.”

“Better that, than to be disintegrated into atoms of electromagnetic energy and beamed into the heart of the sun, what an absurd idea. Who dreams up these things anyway?”

“Dreams; maybe they are dreams, but they are good dreams, Sarah. You know our plight as well as anyone. The sun continues to swell as it runs out its life. The photosphere is now where Mercury used to be. We can’t escape its fury, but we can flee into it.

“And what then Radan? Have you stopped to think beyond tomorrow? So all of Earth’s population beam themselves into the sun, not to live there, but to exist as some inanimate, non-feeling, unconscious electromagnetic essence of what we are! And then what? Hope for some savior to rescue us before the sun goes supernova? No thank you. You make your preparations. I’m not going!”

Rolling toward her Radan broke the mind link between them. Anger flashed in her eyes. Not the anger of a storm whose fury wrought up wind and rain and lightning, but the anger of hurt betrayal. He loved her eyes, like he loved looking into the infinite crystal well. “I’m not going,” he sighed.

Adjusting the electrostatic blanket, she turned away. “That’s more like it, I’m glad you‘ve come to your senses.”

“Sarah.” She wouldn’t face him. “I mean I’m not going with you.” He paused wondering if she was listening. “And you must go. I need to know you’re alive. I need to know there is someone. . . some reason to return.”

The morning brought no relief. He felt tired, deprived of sleep, drained, lacking confidence. Sarah lay beside him; shoulder turned, eyes shut, ambivalent to his presence. Reaching gently to her shoulder, so lightly as not to wake her he kissed her on the back of her head and slithered out of bed. The tile, warm from the lava pumps, smooth against his bare soles brought a sense of reality and truth. This was his home, his sanctuary of rest and peace for nearly a century.

Coffee vapors swirled comfort in the air, and normalcy returned as he gently sipped the steaming brew. The genetically enhanced chair hugged him as he sat and energized the info channel. The reception was bad. Garbled images emitted sound as though straining to break through. He felt vibrations underfoot.

The chair gripped him even tighter, and in horror he realized the Earth was erupting around him. The crystal walls of his home shimmered and sparked as cracked sections ground together. Freeing himself he sprang for the bedroom. The arch above cracked, showering him with glowing crystal shards. There was Sarah, standing beside the bed, her eyes fixed on his. He lunged toward her as the wall behind the bed burst. Her arm slipped from his grasp as lava and steam-water exploded toward them, throwing her to the floor. Hot ash bit the flesh around his cheeks and eyes like a million attacking insects. And in that instant the lights died. Flickering once they extinguished leaving them in absolute darkness.

#

Dropping to his hands and knees he groped. Finding her ankle and pulling himself to her he ran his hand the length of her body, limp and lifeless. Warm liquid surrounded her. Seized by fear he lifted her to his shoulder and made for the entrance. Burnt flesh, hair; fabric mixture consumed the air choking him, scalding his lungs.

Pressing forward he stumbled over the genetic chair, nearly dropping her.

Outside he lay her in a small nook smoothed by erosion. Glowing crystal pillars undamaged by the quake threw shadows across the cavern. Water from the damaged falls deflected onto the walkway and pooled beneath them. “Sarah!”

She coughed, heaved her chest, squinting her eyes open. “What?” she said in a bewildered whisper. Unable to finish, she collapsed in his arms.

“Sarah!” She didn’t stir. Lifting her to his shoulder, he began the descent to the canyon floor. Debris littered the narrow path, and his steps faltered as slippery sections caught him unaware.

Radan tried to shut out the sound of screams and moans as others emerged from their broken caves. Already on the canyon floor teams gathered to help the survivors. Pushing into the crowd Radan yelled. “Is there a doctor here? Can anyone help us?”

A young android-woman, escorted by an older man, took Sarah from him and laid her on a metallic mat. “Are you a doctor? Please, help us!”

“I’m no doctor, but I have some training. Look here.” Motioning to the man beside her, she gently lifted Sarah’s arm. “Third degree burns over five percent of her body. She’ll live, but she’ll be in a lot of pain when she wakes up.” Slipping a neuralizer on the base of Sarah’s neck she snapped on the device. “This will keep her sedated until we can get her to the integration chamber.”

“Integration chamber. What are you talking about? We’re not nearly ready to go!”

“I guess you haven’t heard.” Looking up at the older man she beckoned him to explain.

“Solar activity caused the moon to disintegrate,” he said. “A fragment drawn in by the Earth’s gravitational pull hit us. Evacuation has been moved up. A few of us will remain as long as possible to help the others, but any further delay will be disastrous. You won’t have any trouble moving her. The anti-grav mat will transport her for you. Simply pull her along beside you.”

Radan looked on as the young woman, still working, bent over Sarah.

“I’ve given her antibiotics to stop any infection, but I don’t have any flesh restorers. They may have some at the chamber.” Energizing the anti-grav mat she stood and guided it to waist height. “It’s time for you to go. There’s nothing more I can do for her, but she’ll be alright.”

“Thank you.” Radan said. “I don’t believe I got your name.”

Turning to face him, her soft eyes, dark smoke void of any pupil met his. “Andromeda Five,” she said. “You’re welcome.”

Grabbing the anti-grav mat, Radan began the ascent on the gravidic sidewalk to the integration chambers.

Thick masses of people and androids crowded around him. Most were calm enough considering the circumstances. Sonic wires leading the way to the chambers issued calm clear instructions for electronic integration. Radan watched as the chambers flashed and occupants disintegrated into electromagnetic energy. The essence of humanity would be forever changed. They would hibernate in the sun until a savior could release them from their long solar sleep. But who would the savior be? Radan shook the thoughts from his head, and turned to the man facing him.

“You’re next,” said the attendant.

“No, wait,” said Radan. “My wife needs medical attention!”

“I’m sorry sir,” said the man. “There’s no doctor on hand. If you’re not prepared to go, please step aside and let the others board. But you might as well go. Once she’s dematerialized, she won’t require any care. You can tend to that . . . later.”

Pushing his wife toward the chamber, Radan gently kissed her face. “Sleep well my darling.” And with a flash of atomic energy she was gone.

“You’re next sir.”

Radan was startled, caught off guard. “No, I won’t be going. Is that e-travel portal working over there?”

“I think so,” replied the attendant, but you might have trouble getting out. There is a lot of traffic through the portal to the chambers. Good luck. Next!”

#

The dome, tumor-like bulging from the side of mount Mashan, stood alone, the last of the surviving structures on Earth’s surface. Radan noticed the state of disrepair. Ruptures in the genetic skin. Equipment torn from its contacts. Exposed tendrils of genetic material and electronic components openly visible. Thick, moist atmosphere penetrated the sterile surroundings.

Quickening his pace, Radan noticed the beehive of activity around him. Technicians stripped down instruments, loaded them on robotic carts and sent them away. Bodies poured into the corridor and flowed past him, quick paced, urgent in their stride.

The door to the auditorium closed quietly behind him. Once in his seat, Radan joined the collective. A thousand minds linked, one to the other in a great hum of confusion, until at last, the Overseer addressed them.

“Your attention please.”

The great hum evaporated into silence. “We realize you have all come here on very short notice. We’ll inform you of your mission soon. We regret the haste in which all this must be done, but in truth we didn’t anticipate these events.

As you know, the moon has begun to disintegrate. The fragments will without fail impact the Earth, ending all life here, much sooner than we originally thought. The evacuation is going smoothly, and we expect some seventy-percent of Earth’s population will make it. But not all of you will be going. To brief you on the mission I’d like to introduce Dr. Radan Silver, an expert on antimatter propulsion. Dr. Silver please.”

Bending his thoughts out over the wire, Radan began. “My distinguished colleagues, first may I express profound appreciation for the sacrifice you have made to be here and to be a part of this mission.

Evacuation of the planet has begun. Our hope is that as many as possible can be saved.  Some time back we made a breakthrough in teleportation technology.  Without going into detail, we successfully teleported an individual into the sun and bound his electromagnetic signature to the sun’s gravitational field.  After some time we were able to successfully retrieve the electromagnetic signature and re-materialize him back on Earth.  Humanity, or should I say the essence of humanity will be stored inside the sun, in a sort of electromagnetic hibernation. From today forward, like a giant container it will hold the human race. That is, until someone comes to free them.

You’ve heard the term savior used. That’s hardly the term I’d use to describe any of us. But if by some miracle you succeed, you will indeed have earned that title.

Our inability to break the light barrier has restricted us greatly in our quest to locate habitable planets and has stunted our expansion into the galaxy. Now, our survival depends on locating a planet near a sun where the human race can continue its existence. This is your mission, your job.”

The room exploded with the confusion of a thousand minds full of questions, anger, and ridicule.

The Overseer intervened. “Your attention please! May we have your attention! Dr. Silver, please continue.”

“I know it sounds impossible, but we’re out of options! You’re being asked to pilot a ship into the expanse of the galaxy and locate a habitable planet. Your ships will be equipped with everything you need to succeed, including the basis of an entire civilization. Genetic samples of our greatest scientists have been stored as electromagnetic patterns in your ship. When you reach your destination, you will bring them forth to inhabit the new planet and begin a colony there. In time they will return to rescue the inhabitants of Earth who are asleep in the sun.” He paused, collecting his thoughts, giving them time to assimilate the information. “And even if they can’t return, the human race will live on in them.”

Speaking above the awful din that followed the Overseer addressed them. “I know you must have many questions. These will all be answered while you continue to prepare. Please believe me, time is critical. You’ll receive individual instructions at your next station. Success to you all!”

Radan sat alone in the dull auditorium light. Until now his actions were purely impulse, action without thought. Every action had already been planned, well thought-out in advance. His movements were automatic, like a robot executing instructions, an unfeeling machine acting for the good of its master, until now. Now the impulse died, now he began to feel. Remorse, anger, regret, his last words with Sarah were angry, desperate words, and now she was gone. What chance would they ever have to reconcile? Hanging his head, slumping forward he leaned on the chair in front of him.

“You know, she might be better off than any of us.”

Radan startled to the voice of the Overseer. He hadn’t stopped to consider she might still be listening on the wire.

“I’m sorry,” began Radan. “I haven’t had a moment to think until just now. Who are we kidding anyway? It all sounded so plausible when we used to discuss it in our dreams, but the reality of it is so different, so desperate.”

Loren Garet listened thoughtfully, wrenching back tears, then forcefully.  “It doesn’t have to work Radan. It just has to give hope, some reason for all those entrusting their future to us, not to just give up and die. However small the chance may be, the hope is real Radan, and we owe it to them to do our best to make that hope a reality.”

Looking into her eyes, soft, brown and young, he couldn’t help but smile.” You’ve always had a way with words Loren. Everything just happened so fast, it took me by surprise.”

“Think of how they must feel. Did you see the look on some of those faces as you were describing the mission, which you did very well I might add. They’re going to need a strong leader.” Her look became serious now, as though looking inside of him. “I’m not going to tell you to forget your wife. I want you to bring her along with you, every memory, every strand of hair, every touch, and the scent of her skin. Then come back to get her!”

#

Now over a millennium later, silently slipping through the endless void of space, Radan awoke.

A new star dominated the backdrop of space, young and violent, inviting. Searching the surrounding blackness, Radan engaged the computer. “Planets,” he demanded, and immediately he was engulfed in a visual of the solar system.

The star cradled three planets close to her in a death grip too hot for habitation. Those farthest out were of no consequence, too massive and cold. It was the fourth planet that made an electric shiver of excitement pass over him.

Were he still of flesh and blood, his palms would likely be sweating, but not now. Now he was part of the ship, converted into electromagnetic energy and merged with its electro-genetic nervous system.

“Delta,” he demanded, and the stats of the fourth planet appeared. Gravity ninety-eight percent, temperature slightly above normal, water! Water vapor saturated the atmosphere.

“Life forms,” he commanded.” The planet was devoid of life.

“We’ll need a soil sample. Computer, assume orbit.” And in the lonely hours to follow, Radan thought of Earth.

We always thought evolution to be our master, he mused. That it controlled our destiny and sculpted our existence. Mankind never considered the technology it developed would change the essence of what we are far greater than any act of nature.

On the last day, he remembered watching the rockets through the mist as they were loaded into the Gatling gun, long silver needles tapered at both ends, small, about five meters in length, nearly three meters in diameter.

A hundred Gatling guns pointed at the sky, each with a cartridge of ten. A thousand ships of hope, one thousand civilizations was their payload, and one thousand pilots charged to pick a suitable world.

One by one the pilots entered the teleporter, disintegrated, and merged with their ship. Lastly Radan took his place, sliding along electric wires, jumping the genetic synapse, like lightning he moved through the intricate nervous system that was now his ship.

The guns began to fire, each in its turn rotating the next rocket into position. Now, over a thousand years later and as many light years distant, Radan Silver contemplated the end of his journey.

#

Radan eyed the planet. A cloud covered surface, knotted by violent storms, swirled with an opaque color of orange and gray. The ship, near enough now to extract a sample, sent out its beam.  Like the tongue of an alien amphibian it licked the surface of planet delta.

Water, sterile as predicted. Water again. The greenhouse below prevented direct detection of land masses. He would have to perform a methodical search.

This planet is not so unlike Earth. Near the end, the sun had evaporated most of Earth’s oceans. Water vapor, like a thick canopy hung over the planet, and Earth’s temperature began to rise. Mankind fled below the ground.

“Land!” He nearly shouted. “Composition,” he demanded. Details scrolled: Silicon quartz, iron, traces of oxygen, and some unidentifiable compounds, every sample sterile.

Months passed barely noticed.  Landing trajectory, temperature variations, weather patterns, all carefully calculated. Radan knew the time had come, Neatly mapped landmasses were displayed before him, the most protected sections identified. The terror of decision hung over him. This was a one way trip. Once landed, the rocket could not take off. One misstep in any of the thousands to follow and Radan would never see his wife again.

“Computer, deploy a communications beacon. Commence the landing sequence. Target the Sea of Tranquility.” Had he a mouth, he might have smiled, proud of his knowledge of ancient history, relieved just to have made a decision.

Peering into the mist, Radan watched for the first sign of land as the rocket plunged headlong into the vaporous sky. “Altitude,” he demanded and luminous numbers flashed decrements as the planet raced upward to meet him.

At two thousand meters the anti-gravity chutes deployed, slowing him for a graceful landing, until the needle nose of the ship buried itself in the soil of the Sea of Tranquility.

“Computer, open a log, mark coordinates. This is Captain Radan Silver. The first phase of our mission is complete. I have successfully landed in the Sea of Tranquility on planet - - Hope. All systems are functioning one hundred percent. The coordinates provided are based on the space-time displacement from the system Sol.

The human race, as I knew it, no longer exists. 

An ancient custom my race once knew was called sun bathing. For recreation, they lay flesh exposed to the sun’s rays, browning in its radiation.

Now comes the dawn of planet Hope. Soon we’ll leave our ship and attempt to re-establish the human race here. Someday we’ll return, to bring forth those we’ve loved and left. Those bathing in the sun.