Dadr'Ba (37 page)

The launch preparations, and simultaneous launches of Dadr’Ka and the special mission vessel, code-named An’Su
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executed flawlessly.

With great fanfare, Dadr’Ba sent part of itself, its people and resources on a mission to build a new Dadr. Its mission, to pick an object from O’Ms Oort Cloud and to craft it into a ship as they nudge it out of position to fall towards the sun, carefully planning gravity assists from the planets along the way to get thrown out of the solar system on the path to another O’M.

This new ship will embark on a journey, a trip that could take, like Dadr’Ba’s, thousands of years. This brave group of people will never see the O’M that they’ve spent their lives working toward but will ensure that Or’Gn’s great gamble almost two thousand years ago will continue beyond O’M. Their descendants and Or’Gn’s descendants will, through their efforts and sacrifices, live on into perpetuity and, God willing, spread across the universe.

This is the proudest moment of the Di’Zo’s life, not since the launch of the original seed vessel launched from a captured asteroid space station orbiting Or’Gn has there been such a historic undertaking. That seed vessel like the one they were launching now had the mission of taming a long period comet and turning it into and interstellar spacecraft and ark.

But what they’re doing now has the potential shifting Or’Gn’s desperate leap of a dying species from a collapsing world to safety on a habitable neighboring planet, into colonization of the galaxy.

The excitement and morale on Dadr’Ba are at an all-time high, and there have been no signs of activity from the resistance. Dadr’Ka will be taking nearly one-fifth of the crew of Dadr’Ba and almost as much of its equipment and resources. But now that they are so near O’M they don’t need to hold as many resources in reserve and everyone is excited and willing to pick up the slack for those that are leaving for the short time left till they reach O’M.

Dadr’Ka takes with it everything that it will need to craft and shape a long period or proto-comet into a starship, much like Dadr’Ba was originally. Like Dadr’Ba but even better, taking advantage of Dadr’Ba’s centuries of interstellar technical evolution. Candidate destinations have been identified, but the final selection won’t occur until after initial shaping and start of Dadr’Ka’s fusion engine and de-orbit maneuver.

Following what has become tradition, Dadr’Ka will cut off communication with Dadr’Ba shortly after launch and focus exclusively on its future and its path to its yet unidentified O’M. By the time Dadr’Ka begins its journey Dadr’Ba should be settling comfortably on O’M and see Dadr’Ka pass by on its way to some distant point across the galaxy.

Di’Zo almost wished he could be part of Dadr’Ka’s crew, but as proud as they must be, he and the crew of Dadr’Ba will have their work cut out for them colonizing O’M and dealing with the hostile genetically flawed aliens.

The aliens are a cancer, infecting O’M and forcing it down a path to ruin, hopefully, they’ll self-annihilate quickly, and shorten their suffering, perhaps with nuclear war, but Di’Zo must prepare Dadr’Ba if they don’t. They could be on the slow path, the path of slow and gruesome poisoning of the planet and themselves. Whatever order, technology or civil society they possessed is devolving into chaos and anarchy. When Dadr’Ba arrives, the aliens may not be capable of putting up much resistance. Eliminating them would do the planet a favor and without a doubt, be an ultimate kindness.

If the alien’s history is any indication of future action, a negotiated settlement will be impossible. If their society, if one can call it that, hasn’t already broken down to anarchy, the establishment of a Dadr’Ba settlement similar to the one in Vr’Chm will be impossible.

A fundamental change in the balance of power (military, control of resources, energy, information flow, mineral wealth, water) of O’M is needed before a Dadr’Ba settlement will succeed. Predictive analysis shows that alien armed forces would surround them and if Dadr’Ba doesn’t surrender, the aliens will attempt to destroy them.

Now that Dadr’Ba has reached the innermost region of O’M’s Oort cloud Dadr’Ba will soon begin feeling solar wind, thus heralding its entry into O’Ms solar system. Dadr’Ba will be able to take advantage of the resistance, and braking effect offered O’M’s sun’s solar wind.

To avoid detection by the aliens on O’M, Dadr’Ba will begin operating in “stealth mode.” By adjusting its magnetic field, increasing its ejectorate mass, and adding carefully calculated ion concentrations it will create a kind of force field around itself. Dadr’Ba will become invisible to radar while continuing to decelerate. It will follow a carefully planned trajectory using the system’s outer planets as gravitational brakes and when near enough follow a carefully planned trajectory designed to keep Dadr’Ba on the opposite side of the Sun as O’M until the last possible moment.

As for dealing with the crew, the CA’s psychologists have determined; based on internal intelligence from monitoring communications, social networking sites, and Nanobot Collected Intel; a more nuanced approach is necessary to help mold public opinion.  So the central committee authorized the use of all available media, Vr’Chm, news releases, infomercials, and carefully edited documentaries to sway public opinion toward a more “compassionate” approach, a focus away from the aliens and more toward saving the planet from a scourge and curing its cancer.

Su’Zi, P’Ko, and Tn’Ya silently stood on the crowded Ol’Tn street facing one of the large display panels above the street usually used in the Run with the Se’Ro’Bs but brought out now for “The Launch.”

They had said their goodbyes in person just hours ago, and now the ship wide departure ceremony was displayed on every monitor. All the public places, Stadiums, Churches, Ym’Cha’s, restaurants, taverns, bars, recreation centers and day rooms were packed with people. Even the crew members on shift had monitors set up to show the event. Special permissions were granted to allow those that couldn’t break away to view the launch through a heads up display or through their TaC-B’s.

Nobody seemed to want to stay home, and everyone appears to feel the need to be with someone, part of a group. Except everyone was quiet, needing to be close to others, but deep in their thoughts.

Much like the set up for the Run with the Se’Ro’Bs, the main street of Ol’Tn was a mass of people. Powerful thoughts and emotions pervaded the crew causing the resultant psychic energy to feel overwhelming, palpable.

The whole ship became one.

Dadr’Ba, on the verge of completing its two millennia journey, mere decades away from reaching O’M is giving birth. A select portion of the crew will now never see O’M, at least not this O’M. Their new O’M, or whatever they choose to call it could be a hundred light years away and take several millennia to reach. Most, if not all of Dadr’Ka’s crew living today will never see it.

The involvement of the Church was especially poignant, the Church orchestrated the event and had many meetings, counseling’s and public announcements in the weeks prior.

There was a Dadr’Ba wide moment of silence just before launch and then communication was permanently cut to the squadron of ships as they separated from Dadr’Ba and drifted away. Marking a new beginning, a new destiny. They will search for and find a proto-comet and will use their ship’s engines to begin nudging the proto-comet sunward, all the while starting the mining and construction processes need to turn a massive chunk of rock and ice into an interstellar spaceship, and their home for the next several thousand years.

The moment of silence lasted longer than a moment… it seemed like a mini-eternity. Unintentionally, it felt like a massive, Dadr’Ba wide multiself, retirement and a birthing ceremony in one. Though no one died, there was a definite parting. There was an extensive sharing as those departing and those staying shared pieces of themselves with each other, changing in the process, both the multiself that remained on Dadr’Ba and the multiself that was becoming Dadr’Ka.

The psychic energy was so intense Su’Zi was certain that it must’ve moved even the hard-minded D’En.

P’Ko was losing both his parents, they decided together, his father Tu’Tan, having had become frustrated with his job, decided to start anew, and there was no way his mother Le’Ta would part with him.

Tn’Ya was only losing an uncle, and Su’Zi was losing her mother. Ln’Da, Su’Zi’s mom never re-mated after the loss of Kr’T. Ln’Da and the senior Prz’Nr from the Prz’Nr crew the resistance rescued, the one P’Ko called Number One became fond of each other. Ln’Da decided to go away with Number One. All of the former Prz’Nr’s stowed away on the ships bound for Dadr’Ka.

After much negotiation between the CA and the Church, Dadr’Ka would follow a modified version of the forward-looking only policy. Acknowledging that once launched all Dadr’Ba specific administrative matters that had been in effect on Dadr’Ba would become moot, a waste of time and clock cycles. The databases that the crew of Dadr’Ka brought with them to run and administer their new ship were correctly configured but empty of data.

Contact with Dadr’Ba and its people would become prohibited, but the Foundation of the Church, the Touch of God Event and the remembrance and honor regarding people’s ancestry, was retained. It provided the foundation upon which the life cycle of the people rested and comprised the core of church doctrine.

By stowing away on Dadr’Ka, the escaped Prz’Nr’s found a safe and final escape from discovery by the CASS. Dadr’Ka’s new Commander and its new Chief of Security are both moderates that had fallen out of favor with the CA and the CASS and had already been serving a sort of internal exile.

There wasn’t a member of the resistance that wasn’t tempted to volunteer for Dadr’Ka. The decision was between; immediate escape from the persecution and fear from living under the CA and the CASS and putting up with the CA with its harsh rules, the CASS with its draconian enforcement for the remaining decades until they reach O’M and achieve the fulfillment of a generations long goal.

Very soon after launch, the former Prz’Nr’s will be able to come out of hiding.  The rapidly diverging trajectories of the Dadr’Ba and Dadr’Ka’s small fleet would make it impossible to return the stowaways. Given the stowaways extensive mining experience they would be too valuable an asset to lose. Their unconventional method of boarding would soon be excused. 

Su’Zi hoped that her Ma would find happiness with Number One on Dadr’Ka. Ln’Da had never been the same since Ba’s death. She was outwardly happy for Su’Zi that Su’Zi found P’Ko, but Su’Zi sensed deep down an awkwardness. It was almost like Ln’Da was… Su’Zi couldn’t describe it, but the nearest she could form in her mind was an uncomfortable very tenuous jealousy.

Su’Zi attributed it to the fact that Su’Zi, had found a best friend, a companion and hopefully, one day, a mate, and the wretched CA had taken her mate, and she was now alone.

Dadr’Ba is not kind to those in Ln’Da’s situation, she was tainted, though no one treated her badly if anything they respected her sacrifice and showed her deference. There were just not that many compatible mates her age. Her situation placed her one step above a leftover.

Su’Zi wondered if Z’Shi had anything to do with getting the CA to authorize Su’Zi’s mother and P’Ko’s parents as crew members on Dadr’Ka. There were far more volunteers than necessary to crew Dadr’Ka, yet all the family and close friends of Su’Zi and P’Ko that applied got selected.

Su’Zi knew P’Ko and Z’Shi are in occasional contact, but P’Ko never mentions her, perhaps, out of respect for Su’Zi. Su’Zi couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable with P’Ko’s relationship with Z’Shi and Su’Zi knows that even with P’Ko’s not fully matured psychic abilities he can sense it.

Su’Zi glanced at Tn’Ya hanging on P’Ko’s other arm, to Su’Zi she seemed shallow. Tn’Ya’s center is still focused on a deep devotion to P’Ko; P’Ko is Tn’Ya’s center mass, something firm, a foundation on which she builds from.

Su’Zi had to admit Tn’Ya’s has done quite well despite being plagued by an early life of insecurity and persecution.

Her willingness and ability to take charge as she does on occasion in the bedroom demonstrates a certain independence and strength. She thoroughly enjoys the freedom of action, the trust, and control that Su’Zi and P’Ko surrender to her. An opportunity that a weaker person might use for a kind of revenge, but Tn’Ya has never taken it too far or abused the power, instead, she’s grown to be more confident as a person because of it and seeks to please, a kind of thank you for being trusted and empowered.

Her dependence on P’Ko still shows a side of her that’s insecure and fears persecution.

So what or who is Su’Zi’s center mass? When she was younger it was her father, Kr’T but after she had lost her ba there was nothing, Ma tried to be strong, but the reality was that Ma was cast adrift in a void herself. Religion helped, Ma attended regular church services at first, but over time spirituality grew within her, she attended church services less frequently and with Mi’Ka’s aid and guidance became more spiritually independent.

Su’Zi’s center, thrown out of balance by the loss of Ba at such a young age was helped when she and P’Ko found each other, but P’Ko as strong and reliable as he is, isn’t strong enough or reliable enough to be Su’Zi’s center.

Su’Zi’s own strength and reliability surpasses P’Ko’s. Perhaps that’s it; Su’Zi needs to be her center. Having a troubled childhood and few friends, Su’Zi had to foster and grow internal strengths, that over the years caused Su’Zi to be strikingly independent yet powerfully drawn to P’Ko despite his weaknesses or perhaps because of his weaknesses.

Though Su’Zi can’t imagine her life without P’Ko, her center is still within herself. Su’Zi found herself jealous of Tn’Ya, not because P’Ko showed any favor of Tn’Ya over Su’Zi, but of Tn’Ya’s ability to make her center P’Ko and this left Su’Zi feeling isolated and alone.  

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Su’Zi found herself laying prone looking out through the transparent metallic liquid, she had parted with P’Ko and Tn’Ya hours ago and couldn’t remember how she got here.

She watched the skeletonous heroes and creatures of myth dance across the inky darkness like a slow rain falling against a black sky.

She paid particular attention to the ones that she and her father had made up so long ago, looking for a clue or a sign that her father, wasn’t entirely gone.

She came to the slow realization that he’s not entirely gone as long as she remembers him, as long as someone remembers him. She’s seen some of her father’s traits in her brother Sa’To meaning that some small part of him lives on in his son. She never speaks to Sa’To about Ba; there’s no need to.

There’s not a time when Su’Zi and Sa’To are together that their psychic interaction doesn’t touch on Ba. It’s like a special signal or acknowledgment between them when they meet. The equivalent of a verbal “Hi brother, remember Ba, how’s your day going?”

She watched as the constellations progressed across the sky and in her imagination turned it into a great Run with the Se’Ro’Bs. The Se’Ro’Bs constellation chasing the rest, then without realizing it, she saw a team of constellations chasing the Se’Ro’Bs. The thought flashed through her mind of P’Ko coming up behind the Se’Ro’Bs, unable to stop in time and jumping over it.

She’s not sure why she hadn’t yet shown P’Ko this place, it’s so special. Maybe she wants to protect it. P’Ko can sometimes be slow picking up on significant subtleties. If P’Ko didn’t or wasn’t able to appreciate the significance of this place Su’Zi didn’t know how she would react.

She had never talked much with P’Ko about her father, yet she had thought about it many times, there was just never a time that felt quite right. There’s time, she and especially P’Ko are young, they have much growing and maturing to do, and as the years go by they will become stronger, and wiser, together.