3GR355

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. After nineteen months aboard Pilgrim 2, Dodge McAllen would testify that was not true. He could hear their screams. He could hear the nagging, their constant bickering. There are no secrets on a spaceship. Living in close quarters had started to take a toll on all of them. Their screams, the fighting, the accusations, the silence of their angry stares exchanged over MREs. The tension was palatable and it was constant. There was no escape, nowhere to hide. And damn it, Dodge was tired of it. Tired of it all.

Planet Earth was, for the most part, toast. Rapid climate change heated the atmosphere so much that it was unmanageable to yield crops. No grains or vegetables could grow in the harsh conditions. The sun’s heat vaporized everything it touched. Destruction was not instantaneous. If it was, that would have been merciful. Dodge and the crew wouldn’t even be on this mission. It was more of a decomposing famine, whittling life a little at a time. A wilting decay of substance.

Change could have restacked the deck. But it had been a tough sell. The stark realization of a dying planet was too overwhelming for many to accept, so they ignored it. They did nothing. As though nature would have no reconciliation. The naysayers were the loudest protestors. They ignored the signs when they had a chance to act. Droughts, epic wildfires, violent storms, no snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains. For years, the planet’s cries for help were silenced. Civilization remained unconvinced of impending doom. People chose other battles, outrage over legislation that could make a difference. Furious backlash over mandating of all things, paper straws. Staged rallies with people screaming through their bullhorns that it was all ‘Conspiracy!’ Nature was ignored. Nurture was as well.

It was as though the science didn’t exist.

Dodge remembered what life was like before the planet started dying. The cool nights in April which required a bonfire. The idea was ridiculous now. No heat was needed nor was it wanted. The epic snowfalls of a January morning, a memory. Pebbles of ice would blanket the ground for days on end. An undisturbed wonderland. Frozen. It was an unbelievable notion to those that hadn’t lived to experience cold temperatures. Plenty of people had experienced ‘winter.’ They couldn’t forget. They spoke of those days now as though the evolved climate was out of date, like telephone landlines.

It was as though Earth’s habitable climate simply became obsolete. Like it too was an outdated technology. No reboot, no scan, no replaced hard drive could repair the damage now. Earth’s environment just didn’t work anymore.

The immediate problem was there was no food source. The heat not only stifled harvest, but the sun also did damage too. The feverish ball in the sky burned its rays and evaporated water quickly. Beach vacations were a bygone era. The oceans had disappeared, leaving sand dunes as far as the eye could see. Water became the most valuable commodity of all. And it too was in short supply.

The sand in the hourglass drained thinner by the day. Planet Earth, and all the people on it, was almost out of time.

The Agency won the government bid. Their primary task: find an alternate planet to sustain life. The redundant task: Keep everyone alive until primary task accomplished.

The Agency took their role seriously. A plan was initiated. H20 was mass produced by The Agency. Food was created in The Agency’s AI factories. Tasteless morsels full of protein (so they said) loaded with the proper amount of daily nutrients. Manufactured water and artificially created nutrition stocked the supermarket shelves. Crisis averted. People bought it. They had no other options.

Pilgrim 2 was intricately involved in The Agency’s primary task. The ship was one of nine such missions exploring the dark tangents of the universe, searching for an alternate planet to sustain life. Each of the nine spaceships was identical in design. Each was state of the art, constructed and specifically designed for space ‘long hauls.’

Locating another habitable planet meant leaving the solar system. And the next.

Each ship and its crew of six had been methodically dispatched to different areas of the cosmos. Seek and search. The brief: locate new worlds, discover a new planet. Give mankind another chance not to screw it up. Each spaceship was named Pilgrim followed by a number. A homage to discovery. Hope for duplicated success.

The crew aboard Pilgrim 2 consisted of the best and the brightest minds The Agency could round up. Each a genius in their field of expertise. A motely combination they were, all intrepid explorers at heart. Most surnames of those on board were followed by an alphabet of credentials. Commandeer Dodge McAllen, a veteran astronaut, was Pilot and had volunteered for this assignment. His crew, along with the others, were governed by The Agency.

One of the nine spaceships needed to locate a sustainable, habitable planet. And fast. If they found an environmentally friendly planet, a mass exodus had to be coordinated. The Agency suits countered at their shareholders meeting that this was tangibly feasible and could be accomplished in short order. If the mission was successful, that is.

The Agency was given more funding. A Hail Mary.

Pilgrim 2 had travelled four hundred million lightyears so far with no luck yet.

Dodge ducked his head under the hatch that opened to the command center. The ship’s Hub. The Agency’s engineers had maneuvered a way to produce gravity on board, full time if warranted. Dodge or any of the crew could flip a switch and turn it off, if they desired. But gravity simulated some normalcy, made doing their work easier.

After a trillion dollars spent on each spaceship, Dodge cursed under his breath that still they couldn’t design an opening to accommodate an upright six-foot-tall man. His arrival at the ship’s Hub was poorly timed considering his current mood.

Gigi, the ship’s Communications Officer and brilliant geologist was in a mood of her own. She nodded towards Dodge as he entered but continued on a tirade.

“Give me my out of orbit citation, Wells. You are not the center of my universe. Write it up. I’ll rip it up. And move on,” Gigi said, her mouth set in a smirk as she flashed a peace sign with her fingers.

Dodge shook his head. More arguing. He wasn’t surprised. He sat in his task chair. The main monitor was alive with shapes and data, ablaze with colors and graphs.

“What’s mission critical?” Dodge asked. He had received an alert to report to the Hub. Dodge kept his eyes averted from Gigi and Wells. He hadn’t addressed either one of them specifically. He knew better. They’d accuse him of taking sides or worse, playing favorites.

Gigi leaned forward in her chair as she glared at Wells.

Wells sighed. “Sir. Just going over geospatial data for region IX-19875.”

Dodge keyed in IX-19875 on his keyboard. The ship had the capacity to scan a proximity area of space, to detect whether a solid or mass was located. If so, readings of data, including oxygen levels, carbon dioxide emissions, temperature etc. were taken by the ship. Once a candidate was located if it returned favorable readings the next step was to launch an unmanned probe for more conclusive surface data. If the probe were to return viable information, it was permissible for part of the crew to dispatch the discovery capsule to the surface for further exploration. So far, they had launched only two probes. No meaningful data was returned by either probe to justify further inspection.

On Dodge’s monitor, a typography map of the region below the ship was blinking, never issuing data, just blank. The cursor of Dodge’s monitor blinked in place with a message: No data found. The area in space below the ship, labeled IX-19875 in The Agency’s atlas of the galaxy was empty. No mass detected.

Dodge glanced back and forth between his blank monitor and the main monitor, which was full of colors, where a data graph on the menu sidebar was constantly updating figures, taking readings. The image showed a circular mass, similar to a planet. Dodge pointed to it as he asked, “What’s that view on the main screen?”

Gigi exhaled. “It’s a glitch. That’s what I was explaining to Wells. There’s nothing there.”

Wells ignored Gigi’s sarcastic tone and kept typing on his keyboard. “I’ve sent Mia a message to report to Hub,” he stated.

Mia served as the ship’s Navigational Officer and Co-Pilot. The Agency always planned for redundancies.

Dodge watched the main monitor; its readings indicated a mass was identified. The graph was updating every second, drawing a green outline of the shape below. The green lines pinpointed a planet directly below the ship. Dodge squinted his eyes as he studied the readings on the sidebar, his heart racing. This was the most comprehensive data they had located since the mission launched. And Gigi thinks it’s a glitch?

Mia entered the Hub but stopped just inside the hatch opening as she cautiously gauged the others. Her expression was vague, her eyes bright.

Dodge nodded once in greeting as he rose from his task chair. He moved to stand in front of the main monitor. He motioned with his hand for Mia to come in for a closer look.

“What do you make of this?” Dodge asked, pointing to the green circular outline on the main monitor.

Gigi folded her arms over her chest. “It’s a glitch. The software needs calibration. I’ve initiated a download.”

Mia said nothing as she walked towards Dodge, her eyes fixated on the main monitor. Dodge noticed the rapid rise and fall of Mia’s chest.

Her eyes darted from Dodge’s monitor to the main monitor. “It’s not a glitch,” Mia stated. “The download has already been overridden,” Mia confessed. “It won’t do any good,” she said, transfixed, her eyes wide as she absorbed the data on the main monitor.

Gigi unclenched her jaw. “What do you mean? You’ve altered the system?”

Mia held her palm up, a plea for silence. Especially from Gigi. Mia picked up the metal clipboard of the printed findings, started fumbling through the historical data from the last hour.

“Altered? No. I programmed the system so only I had permission to make changes. Including software downloads,” Mia muttered. Wells pursed his lips. He and Dodge knew Gigi’s eruption was imminent.

“What’s going on?” Dodge tried to quell the situation, intercede Gigi’s reaction with a question.

Mia was absorbed in the data of the printouts. “Yes, yes, yes,” she stated as she flipped through the pages on the clipboard.

“Mia. What is going on?” Dodge enunciated each word as he waited for Mia to acknowledge. His Texan drawl invalidated his frustration.

“I’m buzzing Ronnie and Lewis to report to the Hub,” Wells said as he punched the codes into the system to alert both. Lewis was the ship’s maintenance engineer and physicist. Ronnie, or Veronica, was the ship’s Medical Doctor. And quasi-Botanist.

“Fine,” Dodge agreed. Lewis’ presence would give them more hands to break up a catfight.

“Mia,” Dodge said her name, as Mia’s eyes skimmed the printouts, engrossed with the data on the sheets.

“Mia, what’s going on?” Dodge said as her gripped her forearm hard to get her attention.

“Ouch,” she said as she looked Dodge in the eye. “That hurt.”

Dodge pointed to the main monitor as Ronnie and Lewis entered the Hub. They too, stopped short of entering as the confrontation unfolded.

“Do you know what’s going on? Why does the main monitor show a mass detected? Yet the scan for IX-19875 says no mass detected. Clearly, we have a discrepancy,” Dodge said as he pointed to his blank monitor screen.

“It’s a glitch,” Gigi said, annoyed. As Communications Officer, her diagnosis should suffice.

Mia started shaking her head. “It’s not a glitch. We’re not scanning region IX-19875.”

Dodge was confused. “We’re not scanning IX-19875? What are we scanning?

Lewis laughed. “One of us can look out the port window in the prep bay. See if we see a planet.”

Ronnie rolled her eyes.

“What? That’s a solid idea,” Lewis said as he shrugged his shoulders.

Mia corrected her posture. “We’re not scanning region IX-19875. We’re scanning region 3GR355.”

Dodge felt the blood rush to his face. 3GR355 was not even close to where they were supposed to be. Pilgrim 2 was way off course.

Dodge ran his fingers through the hair at his temples. “Why?” He was furious.

Mia cleared her throat. “Because there’s life there.”

The Hub was deathly silent, only the beeping of the main monitor’s readings going off every thirty seconds.

“Look, The Agency mapped the discovery routes for all of us. They did not make 3GR355 a priority. Why do you think that is?” Mia looked at everyone in the group.

“Because the galaxy where 3GR355 is located is full of solar storms, decomposing asteroids, and rogue flyby comets,” Lewis stated. “Any planet would be destroyed,” he continued.

Mia smiled. “Right. And who did the research that identified those solar storms, decomposing asteroids and flyby comets? The Agency. That’s who. Why do you trust them?”

Dodge was about to lose all self-control. “Why would we not trust the data? What did you base your theory on? A hunch?”

Wells stood, put his hand on the back of his task chair. “Look, I don’t want to rain on your cherry pumpkin parade, but we need to motor out of here. If we’re really in 3GR355, there’s a lot of crap that could go wrong. We need to haul ass. Like now,” Wells said.

Mia’s eyes filled with tears, she opened her mouth to say something, but Dodge cut her off.

“Let me recount your activity. Please, jump in here if I miss something. First, you re-routed the navigational course, on your own, with no thought to mention much less get approval and then you disabled the system? So, no one could change course unless we had your approval?”

Mia nodded as she exhaled. “Yes,” she admitted, her voice barely audible. “There’s life there. I know it.”

“How far off course are we?” Ronnie asked. As the ship’s Medical Doctor, it was her task to keep everyone healthy. Food rations, exercise, both had to be accounted for the duration of the trip. An increase in travel time had implications. Lethal implications. Possibly.

Mia inhaled a fitful breath. “Look, 3GR355 is a code. The Agency located a habitable planet there a long time ago. The region mapped as 3GR355 is their plan. It’s their egress. They already know it’s a place where life can exist. The Agency made the reputation that it’s not viable. But it is.”

“How do you know that, Mia? Where’s the proof of that theory?” Dodge asked, his tone was calmer than he felt.

Lewis chucked. “Happenstance, boss. She’s not fessing up her sources.”

“More like shittenstance,” Dodge said. “Mia, you’re relieved of your duties. Your actions have not only jeopardized the mission, but you’ve risked the lives of everyone on board.”

“We’ll need Mia to un-do whatever she’s done to the system. Otherwise, we can’t change course to get out of here,” Gigi informed the group. Usually Gigi was the most outspoken on the ship. Dodge thought it was strange that Gigi hadn’t used the opportunity to nail Mia on her defiance and blatant misuse of authority.

“Fine,” Mia said. “I’ll unlock the system.” She walked to the main monitor’s terminal.

“How far off course are we?” Ronnie directed her question to Dodge.

He sighed. “Not sure. We’ll run a navigational diagnostic first. See where we are.”

Mia typed some commands into the system. The screeching sound of the capsule doors in the ship’s bay echoed throughout the Hub. Dodge lunged for Mia, grabbed her hands and lifted them off the keyboard. Lewis ran to the terminal, frantic to undo whatever command Mia had issued.

“What have you done!” Lewis screamed at Mia. Ronnie’s eyes were wide, her face pale.

Dodge let go of Mia’s hands and pushed her away from the computer terminal. “Keep her over there,” he commanded.

“Was that what I think it was?” Dodge asked.

Lewis hit several keys on the keyboard, but the screen was locked. “Damn it. She’s jettisoned the supply capsule,” Lewis said.

“Initiate the recall,” Dodge said, his eyes locked with Mia’s.

Mia shook her head. “No can do. Recall override disabled. We’ll have to go down there and get it. I’ll have to go too. I’m not giving anyone the code on the capsule.”

Dodge felt the bile rise in his throat. The crew had been bickering for months. He was bone tired of it, but damn it he couldn’t let one lone ranger put them all in jeopardy. And that was exactly what had happened. No use arguing with her. Her could see the jet of her jaw that she wouldn’t budge.

“Mia, Lewis, follow me. We’re taking the discovery capsule to 3GR355. Wells, you’re the point man on the ship.” Dodge’s tone sounded confidant. Dodge left the Hub, Lewis and Mia followed.

The trio loaded into the discovery capsule in silence. Dodge was furious but afraid too. Lewis said nothing while he readied the capsule. His easy-going personality was muted. It was difficult to find any humor in the situation.

As they clicked their seatbelts in place, Dodge instructed Wells to initiate launch countdown. As the capsule lights flickered off, Wells’ voice over the coms counted down, launch in 3, 2, 1. As the discovery capsule detached from Pilgrim 2, Dodge smiled. The countdown reminded him of where his dreams launched. The space coast of Florida, where the area code became the same launch countdown, 321. That was when the planet was alive and reaching for the stars was only a dream.

The descent through the atmosphere of 3GR355 was quick, the journey only lasted two to three minutes. The rocket booster clicked on, spurting air for an easy landing.

With a soft thud, the capsule stopped. Dodge unbuckled his seatbelt, eager to retrieve the supplies they'd need for the duration of the mission. He would deal with Mia and her reckless actions later.

“Tell me you didn’t deactivate the homing beacon on the supplies capsule,” Dodge said. “Otherwise finding the supply capsule is going to take some time.”

Mia and Lewis unbuckled their belts, too. The discovery capsule was small inside but there was just enough room to maneuver around. Dodge had his back to the small port window of the capsule, where he waited for an answer.

Lewis and Mia were speechless. They said nothing as their eyes locked in place to something behind Dodge.

“Well? Did you deactivate the beacon or not?”

Mia’s mouth dropped open. Lewis took two steps back, leaning his back against the hull of the ship.

“What?” Dodge asked. Mia pointed to the small port window behind him on the discovery capsule.

Dodge turned. The glass was foggy, then the fog vanished. Fog, then it’d vanish.

A giant hairy eye leaned in close to the capsule’s window, looking inside.

Something on this planet was alive.

And it was watching them.