Topic: Journeys End - A onevision story of the future.
Faraway Lad
Senator of the UP. Permanent Ambassador to the Court of Saint James
posted
JOURNEYS END
The year is now 3112.
In space orbits a planet, once home to a veritable legion of hero’s now they have left and the planet drifts along abandoned to a welcome, pleasant and prosperous anonymity. However in one small part of the planet sits a derelict and shunned complex of buildings. Nature has started to reclaim them, and creepers and vines now twine around once tall and majestic buildings. The roadways and walkways that connected these homes and offices, laboratories and work shops are cracked and split, wild flowers and grasses now blow languidly in a gentle breeze.
A small flyer enters the atmosphere in the dead of night, easily avoiding the planets commercial warning and flight path control systems. As it starts its final approach towards the buildings suddenly and swiftly parts of the derelict complex start to come back to life. Automated tracking systems power up after decades of hibernation. Weapons systems spring up from concealed bunkers fully activated and locked on as the vessel continued on its downward trajectory.
Inside the flyer a slim female hand reached forward and pressed a few buttons. As recognition codes shot through the air to the command and control centre the weapons powered down, and slowly returned to their hardened bunkers. “Stage One completed” the woman thought.
A few minutes later the flyer was landing at a small docking port half way up a derelict tower block. The engines flared for a few seconds more, the glow from the exhausts illuminating an empty space that showed here and there Mother Nature’s attempts to reclaim the building. As the dust from the landing settled a small door opened in the side of the flyer and a bright beam of light flooded out from the vessel. By chance or design the beam of light struck a small door in the far wall.
Silence descended once again to the docking bay, punctuated only by the gentle clicking of the metals in both the flyer and the dock as they both cooled in the darkness of the night.
Eventually, after what seemed an age but was only a few seconds in reality, a figure appeared silhouetted in the door of the flyer. It paused, and then slowly walked down the steps and towards the door at the other end of the light beam. As she reached the entrance an electronic scanning wave came from a panel in the centre of the door and swept up and down her body. After a second, the scanning wave switched off and the docking door slid open.
The woman stepped through.
-------------------- Faithfull
From: Newcastle upon Tyne England | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
Faraway Lad
Senator of the UP. Permanent Ambassador to the Court of Saint James
posted
And found herself in a long empty and very dusty corridor. The corridor was only illuminated by small red emergency lighting, giving just enough light to see by. It did give the observer, if there had been one, the first chance to see who this woman might be. At first glance she might be taken for someone in her late 40’s maybe early 50’s. She was attractive with a fit and athletic body and as she walked forward slowly but confidently, she seemed to know where she was going. She passed various rooms and seemed to pause and reflect. Once, reaching what looked like a common room, she stopped and for a few seconds a smile flitted across her face as happy memories raced through her head
After turning a few corners and going through a few more body scanning doors she came upon a door that looked different to the rest. This one somehow seemed more robust than the others and somehow managed to give the impression that it would not let just anyone through.
“This is new” she thought.
She then noticed the small panel on the right hand side of the door. As she moved towards it, the panel powered up. A light shone out and she paced her right eye against it.
“Please state your name” said the computer.
“Brittany Quank” replied the woman.
Lights flickered on the control panel and then the computer continued.
“Retinal and voice scans match records. Please place hand in receptacle”
Brittany moved her right hand to a point just below the panel and felt the tiny pinprick in her finger.
Almost instantly the computer responded.
“DNA strands matched. Please proceed, and welcome back Everyday Girl it has been a long time since you were in the Security Office”
As the door opened, Brittany gave an involuntary shudder. It was years since she had used that name, many years indeed. She thought she had put all that LMBP stuff behind her, especially since…….well since that day with her grandfather. Over the years the rest of them, the LMBP she had grown up with had all either died or moved on. Now He had called her and asked to see her one last time. She smiled as this was a place filled with happy memories, and it was typical of Him to bring her back here, to come back to where they had both spent many happy and carefree years.
Moving through the security office Everyday Girl noticed with slight surprise that this part of Levitz Plaza was fully powered and lit. ServoBots were busy cleaning and maintaining the rooms. It looked as if the LMBP had just left for a moment and would be back anytime soon. But of course that would not happen, not now would it.
“Hello EG, long time no see” said a voice from above her head. “He’s in the back room he’s been waiting for you”
Looking up Brittany gasped, “Gladys” she stammered looking at a slightly dingy disco ball, a lot of the glitter having tarnished, “is that really you”
“It is EG, but no time to catch up, I’ve been asked to watch out and make sure you are not disturbed, go on you go through”
Brittany walked through into one of the back corridors and then quickly found her way to the room she was seeking. Only now did she hesitate and for a moment, just a moment her composure faltered. Even though she knew what to expect it was not going to be a pleasurable moment.
“Come in” said an old and feeble voice from inside the room. She was expecting it, but the frailty of it still shocked her as did the fact that he knew she was there.
“How does he do that” she thought and she walked through a door which opened as she approached it and into the room “we never figured that one out”.
The room was large and mainly empty and dark except for a small circle of light in the centre. The light was gentle and soft, like an autumnal sunset, and in the background she could hear faint music.
“Beethoven, if I am not mistaken” she thought.
A sweet smell of apple orchards and freshly mown grass blew across the room. All in all the room was surprisingly quiet, peaceful and refreshing.
In the centre of the circle of light stood two, human, female and very pretty nurses. Brittany noted that they were wearing slightly old fashioned military nursing uniforms. Another example of this government looking after one of their own perhaps, making sure that he keeps his part of the bargain, making sure perhaps that he did not tell secrets.
As Brittany walks towards the light the nurse’s nod to her in greeting.
“Not long now” says the smaller blond one sympathetically.
“We’ll leave you two alone, you must have a lot to say” adds the second taller brunette. “We’ll just be outside if you need us”
Together they walk off into the darkness; Brittany hears a door open and close and is aware they have left the room.
In a chair in front of her sits a very old man. The few wisps of silvery hair left on his head do nothing to hide the liver spots on an otherwise bald head. In his arms IV drips feed him nutrients and medicines. Other tubes monitor his heart and blood pressure, whilst a few more tubes are discretely placed to take care of his bodily functions. Across his nose and mouth is a large mask, helping him to breath. His face is ancient, heavily wrinkled and, as is the way with very old people close to death, it seems to have started to collapse in on itself. The old man had his eyes shut, his breathing, even with the mask, was strained and a rattle came from his throat with each breath.
Brittany looked at him for a moment, a tear came to her eye unbidden as she remembered the man he used to be, a long time ago when he was young fit and had his life in front of him instead of now when it was almost all behind him. She remembered back to when he had played games with her as a toddler, when he had been there for her, always watching, always supporting her being as proud as punch when she had graduated from college and jokingly disapproving when she had brought home boyfriends. A good friend to the family and her true……..
“Well God Daughter” said the man in a voice that was surprisingly firm and resonant, “Am I that old and repulsive you don’t have a kiss for me?”
“Uncle Darden” said Brittany with a mock frown “don’t tease” and she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him as he raised a skeletal hand from the armrest and tenderly patted her arm.
“Tease? Me? Never” Faraway said with a smile
“But no” he continued then he coughed, struggling to breath, “Thank you for coming my dear” he said, reaching up to remove the mask so he could talk a little easier. “It is so very selfish of me to want company at this time I know but I am so glad you of all people could be here”
Brittany shuddered a little at that use of the phrase “at this time” she didn’t like to think about what that meant.
Her God Father was the last living connection to that time, now so long ago, when the LMBP had taken her to their hearts. Although medical advances had greatly prolonged human life it had not made them immortal nor had it been able to halt all of the ravages of old age. Faraway had out lived them all, all her friends in the LMBP and most of her family had all gone on the great journey. With Faraway’s passing one of her last direct and physical connections to the old days would be gone. A great and living link to the past would have disappeared and now those times would be “History” with a capital H and people would learn about it from holo’s and university courses.
“Hush, of course I came, how could I leave my, my God Father alone at a time like this” was all she said as she pulled up a chair and sat next to Faraway, whose eyes had closed once again in a contented sleep.
Tenderly Brittany pulled up the oxygen mask over his face and tucked Faraway up in the wool tartan rug he had across his knees.
She sat and held his hand. Not long now she knew, his message bringing her here on this specific day and at this specific time had been quite detailed and had warned her that this was the end. She knew all she had to do now was to wait. To wait until it all began.
The room was very still and quiet now, the lights had dimmed a little further and the readouts on the monitors next to Faraway gleamed brightly in the twilight. The circle of light seemed to be getting a little smaller and a little darker as the minutes passed by. All it needed to complete the picture was the loud tick tock of a grandfather clock thought Brittany. As time went on her eyelids grew heavy and her head drooped, she too fell into a deep sleep.
Now the room fell deathly silent, almost the silence of the grave.
-------------------- Faithfull
From: Newcastle upon Tyne England | Registered: Jul 2003
| IP: Logged |
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