Cain's World

Abel had woken up from the sleep chamber nearly twenty minutes after Cain. His brother looked miserable and near dead already. Cain kicked over the bucket which slid on the floor towards him, and his brother threw himself forward to catch it in time before vomiting all over the floor. Abel looked over at his brother who didn’t look any better.

“How long have you been up for?” asked Abel, wondering why his brother had woken up from his hibernation before him- the computer was programmed to wake them both at the same time.

“About 30 min” replied Cain.

Neither of the two brothers’ were in a good mood.

“AVID” called out Cain, looking at the space-vessel around him.

The spaceship’s computer made a few noises, as if it were waking up with them, “What are your commands?” it said. The voice programmed on the computer was created with the idea it would be pleasing for both men and women talking to it. Something with the wavelengths. Because of this programming, Cain hated hearing it- it felt like the computer was lying to them.

“Step One Initiative” the young man continued.

“Confirmation number and vocal authorization required,” said the computer.

“C098- Citizen Leader Cain Malborne” said Cain.

“Vocalization 1 of 2 complete”

Abel wiped the drool off his face, feeling better now the vomit was all out of his system. He stared at his brother who waited for him to confirm his identification for the computer.

“C063- Citizen Leader Abel Malborne,” said Abel.

“Vocalization 2 of 2 complete. Emergency Replenishment Liquid has been processed,” said the computer. Both the brother’s looked towards exit where a pouch of liquid was rushed down a tube to be collected.

“Please Replenish and proceed to ship’s command center for Status Report, Citizen Leaders,” said the computer.

Cain had nearly exited the door by the time his brother got up from his hibernation bed. He tossed Abel the pouch of grey liquid which his brother caught with a slight grin on his face. Abel sucked it out of the bag- feeling his jaw muscles, teeth, and taste buds begin to work again. The flavor was plain, rather it was unflavored- the nutritionists didn’t want the taste buds to do much after waking up from a 115 year sleep.

As they walked, both of the brother’s forgot how big the space ship vessel was, then again- it was a colonization vessel holding 2675 colonist embryos that were slowly growing. Cain and Abel were each 14 years old, but their minds lived several lifetimes, only their bodies were young. The both followed the lit up arrows the ship’s computer called AVID generated, guiding them through the space-ship’s many doors and labyrinths. Part of the ship’s structure was built in to their memories through dream-imprinting.

They arrived at the ship’s command center, just as they entered AVID spoke: “Finger Print required. Please attach VR head-set” it said.

Cain and Abel walked up to opposite sides of a circular table holding headsets. They put their hands on the touch screen which lit the column blue, allowing a magnetic lock that held down the headsets to turn off. Both the boys put them on, and heard AVID’s voice in their heads: “Phase 1 Completion Step: Memory Weel and Status Report Commencing” …

Through their eyes- their bodies were transported to a world of white. A woman stood in front of them: The visual representation of AVID. She began to speak as the world around Cain and Abel shifted between images and shapes of worlds and stars and lives long passed. They stood above a world that once represented Earth.

AVID spoke: “Welcome Cain and Abel- the chosen leaders, re-incarnated, of the human civilization. I’ve been tasked to remind you of where you came from, and where we are headed…”

Cain and Abel stood silently watching the evolving images of Earth from the time it was born to the time it evolved. It showed the evolution of a world that was broken down and re-built.

As the images changed in front of them, AVID continued: “Civilization endured cataclysmic destruction several times over. The Solar System was breaking apart due to a force physicist called the Reversing Bang. The source remains unknown even to this day…”

Cain and Abel watched a ship that was being made, the time-lapse was in the span of 200 years. They were building the colonization vessel, the spaceship transporting the human civilization to a new system.

“Earth’s leaders, Cain and Abel of past generations, cloned several thousand cells to bring to a new world. Although, not everyone on Planet Earth could leave. This brought the world into the Chaos Phase…”

The images flashed into a world of poverty and violence. The colonization vessel was damaged and rebuilt. The ship wasn’t big enough to fit the 8 billion people who wanted to leave, and they hated these scientists for trying to find a way without them. Cain’s body, deep in his cells, remembered the Chaos Phase that lasted for nearly 100 years. He lived and died nearly two dozen times during this time of civilization- assassinations, violent mobs, and angry individuals. He was always backed up to rebirth again, but the world hated those who were trying to leave the planet without them. The United Nations built a wall around a continent that protected the colonization vessel. AVID continued…

“The United Nations built a wall around the space vessel so no more sabotage would harm the mission. It was decided that no individual of that Earth could leave the planet on this new vessel, but only random genetic codes that were picked out by the people of Earth. Democracy failed, and the Chaos Phase continued, but only for several years. A comet called TB911 was about to destroy the human race…”

AVID FINISHED: “115 years since this vessel entered space”

The VR system flashed: MEMORY WHEEL COMPLETE

“We needed to make all that easier” said Cain, “All those memories are blowing my head up”.

Abel was taking off the headset with his brother, “Proceed with Status Report”.

AVID made a few noises before proceeding, “Four solar flares and two comet showers have passed, but no damage to the ship. 13 failed sensors In Section 2D, 4D, and 1B due to low power panels. 6 unidentified objects in space have passed the ship”….

Cain stopped the computer in the midst of its report, “Please send report to personal data-pads, and we will review it individually”.

AVID: “Confirmed. Report sent to data pads”.

“Phase 1 Completion” said Abel who was now walking over to another part of the ship’s computer, picking up a small pad where AVID sent the information to review.

“Vocal authorizations required” said AVID.

“Complete” they both replied, granting the computer permission to complete its instructional programing.

“Vocal authorizations CONFIRMED: Phase 1 COMPLETE” spoke AVID. A blue light then lit up the floor panels beneath them; “Countdown begins: 150 years before self-destruction”.

Phase 2: World-Makers: 125 years Remaining

25 years have passed since they woke up. Abel huffed exhaustingly as he ran.

His lungs weren’t as strong as he had hoped, even after these daily exercise routines. Abel ran through the ships docks, thinking about the one thing that was weighing on his mind for the last two decades: the fate of the colonists they held in their hands. The ventilated air around him made his sweat non-existent. It took him longer than usual to get tired. The twenty miles he ran around the ship was probably equivalent to three miles on Earth’s gravity. This body would last him 125 more years whether he exercised or not, but it helped him relax.

Abel arrived back to his quarters, a small room that was 10x12. The walls were made from computerized magnets that changed the rooms dimensions as he walked through- moving with him. Reflecting projections created a 3-D environment that made the room seem larger than it was. Abel said the word ‘bed’ and the magnets formed a rectangle block where Abel fell into- the small magnets moving around his body as if he was on a water bed.

He would later join his brother Cain in the world-building programmer. He laid in his bed and wondered about his brother. They were born in a world of chaos. Their parents had been the founders and chief engineers of this colonization vessel, and were ultimately murdered. Cloning cells wasn’t available just yet, otherwise they’d be with them on this mission. Abel and his brother grew up with science and technology all around them, and soon took the role from their parents several life-times over.

Cain was in a bad mood since they both awoke, and Abel knew his brother remembered what happened before they left Earth. The memory floated back into his mind:

Chaos and panic all over the world as the asteroid was going to hit the planet. People were climbing over the walls surrounding the colonization vessel, hoping to escape. Abel had already been in the command deck, waiting to shut the doors as his brother got inside. The familiar face of his younger brother showed through the security screen, and he saw a group of people behind Cain. Abel didn’t want to reveal his identity, but decided at this point it didn’t really matter. He ran out in front of the crowd which shouted even louder seeing someone exit the ship. Abel saw his brother and the strangers fight past the mob to reach the fence.

“You’re not going to take them with us” said Abel as he shouted over the roaring crowd of people.

“Just a couple, Abel. They’re practically family” yelled Cain as he moved through the people. His new young body found it hard to push passed the adults that were ravaging around them. Luckily, they didn’t know who he was. The security guards at the gate nearly knocked Cain backwards before the young man showed them his security badge: The highest security clearance there was, VIP’s. Immediately the guards let Cain through as he signaled the guards to let the few chosen people to pass. In the midst of all the panic, the guards didn’t bother checking the followers for security badges- assuming they were with the VIP for a reason.

They got on the platform and began walking towards the entrance of the ship. Abel stopped them- telling them they can’t board. Both of them argued until Abel took out a radio from his jacket. Abel yelled for the security team to get rid of the strangers who had no clearance being here. Things got a lot worse. He didn’t know the guards would open-fire on them. Everyone boiled into a panic.

“You need to leave now, sir!” said Mathius, the Chief Security Officer, “Find us a new home!”

Abel was holding Cain back and ended up forcefully dragging his crying brother. A small syringe shot into Cain’s neck and he felt his body go numb with the fading image of his brother Abel dragging him across the ship.

Abel gave out a long sigh. What a mess. Not a great way to start their mission, he thought.

“Citizen Leader- Abel” announced AVID, “Phase 1 Recon Satellite has docked and is ready for extraction”.

“On my way, AVID,” replied Abel, quickly jumping out of bed.

He arrived to the satellite dock station. The computers already began to transfer the data from the satellite to the ship’s computer- emptying its contents for Phase 2 travel.

Abel looked over the data. His teeth grit in frustration as he looked over the contents. Only 7 planets in their travel path within the next 50 years, all hostile and incapable of human colonization. He needed to make a decision. Should he change course and send another satellite to explore? Should he maintain the course and hope the satellite finds capable planets? These was one of the many hard decisions he needed to make.

Cain was already in the World-Maker program. For the next 125 years this would be their primary daily work- attempting to create civilization on capable alien worlds. The Virtual Reality program allowed the construction of every world imaginable. Their mission was to find a world where humanity can adapt, in case that planet does get picked up by the Recon Satellite. Cain figured his brother was checking on its contents now. A big part of him hoped that they got lucky and a planet capable of colonization is coming their way. How he was going to live with his brother in the meantime, was going to be a nightmare. He had several nightmares after he was put into the hibernation bed. The drug his brother shot him with didn’t mix well with deep concentrated sleep. He shook the thoughts out of his head. There was more important things to concentrate on.

“Scrap it, AVID” said Cain as he stood within a white room wearing a VR headsets.

“Confirmed, World #004 destroyed”.

An ocean world with that much storms and pressure, wasn’t ideal no matter what we did.

“Create a high-pressurized planet,” said Cain.

AVID went through its data-banks, “I’ve referenced the planet’s pressure to that of Venus. Would you like me to adjust the pressure further?”

“Venus pressure is fine” replied Cain.

He knew Venus had a temperature of 900 degrees Fahrenheit, and its surface was covered in carbon dioxide with sulfuric acid clouding the surface. The air pressure on Venus was 90-100 stronger than Earth. It was also called Earth’s Twin, if Cain remembered correctly.

“Put human with no-variations on the planet” said Cain, watching the world in front of him. A person suddenly popped onto the planet’s surface and was immediately crushed to the surface.

“Remake with Average Bone density to the 25th”

AVID recreated a person that looked like a stout, thick, deformed being. The computer put the person on the planet and Cain watched it remain still.

“Walk around,” said Cain.

The human being looked like it wasn’t doing anything, but Cain zoomed in to find that it was actually slugging itself forward, not walking like we normally do.

“Put edible vegetation on the planet,” said Cain.

A light of red flashed around the room, “Impossible” said AVID.

Cain needed to remember that this wasn’t Earth. He could create vegetation beds capable of withstanding the pressure, but it wasn’t any use if the humans took so long walking towards them- then again, an average life with this type of planet would be entirely different.

“Create root vegetables, adjust density and cellular configuration to life on this planet,” said Cain.

The world was suddenly covered in a potato looking vegetable. Instead of being underground, it remained above it- spreading like a ivy across the planet’s surface.

It’s a start, thought Cain. “Initiate survival mode” he said.

The human didn’t have to shuffle far until he got to the nearest root vegetable. He was beginning to lean over to grab it until it plopped on the ground. Cain watched the thick human crawl around like a worm and begin to eat the potato. Luckily, it’s teeth was thick enough to eat the potato.

“How long for plant to digest with configured internal process?” asked Cain.

“Process to digest one altered vegetation crop is 10 days” replied AVID.

Perfect. We would just have to evolve into thick-boned, iron-skinned, worms that feed on rock-potatoes. Cain smiled. Somehow, I don’t think his brother would approve of it.

“Scrap it, AVID” said Cain, taking off his VR set in exhaustion. If Earth survived, they could build stations and homes on the planets to adjust to the environment. We would have to evolve one way or another, but survival was above all the first thing to take care of. They didn’t have enough resources or power to modify every plant cell they brought. They were already handicapped, and finding a suitable planet under this handicap was looking impossible.

He took a deep breath. He had some time left, not enough, but still some time. There’s still hope, thought Cain, if there wasn’t we wouldn’t be on this mission.

He left the VR room and headed to the kitchen to see his brother Abel reading some reports on his tablet. He ignored him on his way to the fridge.

“We keep ignoring each other, its going to be a very VERY long life, Cain” spoke Abel, eyeing his brother.

Cain didn’t say anything at first, but then looked at him.

“Maybe you should shoot me” he replied, referencing the event that happened before they lifted off.

Abel put down his tablet, “That’s not fair, Cain. I didn’t know they were going to shoot them”.

“Why didn’t you just let them board”

Abel looked serious, “You know why. We let them on board, then everyone gets onboard. That’s exactly how the Chaos Phase had started, Cain”.

“We were about to leave; we could have got them on” replied Cain.

Abel was visibly irritated, “You think you can show up late on the day we were suppose to lift off with people to bring on board? What were you thinking?” he shouted. Abel then stopped, and slowly mellowed himself out.

Cain’s glare dropped to the floor.

“We have a responsibility, brother,” said Abel. “For our family and friends, but more important- to the civilization of the planet”. Abel stopped talking and noticed his brother crying. He stood up and walked over to him, putting his arm on Cain’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Cain. I truly am.”

“I know, I know. I just don’t know if I can do this” mumbled Cain as he cried.

Abel hugged his brother. This amount of pressure was immense for both of them. They both knew living together for over a hundred years with the responsibility of everyone’s life was going to be hard. Their decisions were going to be difficult.

“What did you find out from the 1st Recon Satellite?” asked Cain, now brushing the tears from his eyes and putting himself back together.

His brother walked back to his tablet and showed the planets it had found. Both Cain and Abel knew that it was no use putting these planets into the World- Maker program- they were already too hostile and toxic to live in.

“Do we follow our course or adjust it?” asked Cain, knowing either one could prove wasteful.

“I say we turn the ship, and follow another course of stars. Maybe we’ll reach stars or planets that provide the neighboring conditions for life”

Cain looked at his brother, “Then again we might find one in our current direction”.

Abel nodded, “but we know 50 years will be wasted since none of those planets we’d hit are good for colonization, if we turn then we save time and still have some hope”.

Cain nodded slowly, seeing the logic. He looked up to his brother in agreement.

“AVID, please turn the ship 90 degrees and follow straight course,” said Abel.

“Vocal authorizations required” said AVID.

“Approved” the two brothers said in turn.

“Vocal authorizations CONFIRMED, ship is in process of turning” spoke AVID. A blue light then lit up the floor panels beneath them.

“Send out Recon Satellite in new direction,” said Abel.

“CONFIRMED. RECON SATELLITE SENT: WILL RETURN IN 50 YEARS”

Phase 3: Growing Fear : 75 Years remaining

50 years have passed since they altered courses. Each day was just like the last. The ship was inspected from top to bottom, the colony’s status has been reviewed, and world-making programmes have continued to see if human life can adjust to harsh conditions.

Cain and Abel both waited eagerly for the recon satellite to be sent back. Today was the day. They didn’t know when it would come back, but each of them at their own spot on the ship, couldn’t think of anything else. Both were ready to run over to the retrieving station when AVID announced its return. As if the ship was reading their thoughts, a noise sounding the turn-on of the ship’s broadcast system shuffled.

“Citizen Leader- Abel” announced AVID, “Phase 2 Recon Satellite has docked and is ready for extraction”.

Cain ran to the satellite docking station to find his brother already there, putting his identification code on the computer. The computer was about to finish extracting the information from the recon satellite.

Cain carried his tablet with him so he could read it without looking over his brother’s shoulder. The data had gone through and they both sat quietly focused on every world the information displayed.

“0 planets in the next 50 years” said Cain, looking at his brother in shock, “We’re in a wasteland, Abel!”.

Both the brothers were on a verge of panic, but their minds refrained from loosing control.

“This was always a possibility” said Abel quietly, still processing the information. Some of the information the satellite got back revealed a strange anomaly in its course.

“75 years left, Abel” said Cain, “We don’t have much time left”

“I know!” snapped Abel in anger, “Trust me, I KNOW!”.

Both sat quietly contemplating what to do. 75 years felt like no time at all. 75 years till the ship uses its remaining power level in an act of self-destruction. Otherwise, we would all starve, suffocate, and slowly die in the cold and empty spaceship. They needed to find a planet.

“AVID, please turn the ship 45 degrees, follow a course diagonal to our last direction,” said Abel. They needed to move away from the anomaly, he thought, go around it. Unknown wavelengths were never a good thing to come cross. Abel thought about the Reversing Bang- the unknown source that was breaking apart the whole universe. Some scientists even claimed that the anomaly caused the shifting direction of the asteroid which destroyed Earth.

“Vocal authorizations required” said AVID.

“Approved” said Abel, not giving it any more thought.

Cain looked at his brother who was contemplating something. If they followed their last course, they would have passed the toxic planets. With this current course they found ourselves in a disserted wasteland in space. This new direction was hoping to get out of the wasteland and head nearer to our previous destination where planets were found.

“Vocal authorization of C098- Citizen Leader Cain Malborne required” said AVID.

Abel looked to his brother who was contemplating the decision.

“Approved” said Cain.

“Vocal authorizations CONFIRMED, ship is in process of turning” spoke AVID. A blue light then lit up the floor panels beneath them.

“Send out Recon Satellite in new direction,” said Abel.

“CONFIRMED. RECON SATELLITE SENT: WILL RETURN IN 50 YEARS”.

Phase 4: Cain’s World: 1 year remaining

Cain had woken up and walked into the kitchen to grab a juice. He listened quietly to the silent and lonely ship. After the last recon satellite returned with the report of 0 planets, Abel had taken a turn for the worst, giving up on the idea that they’d find a planet to colonize. They sent more recon satellites in the same direction, but hope was nearing its end. The human race would end with two brothers- Cain and Abel. This downward spiral of thought had made Abel a drunk for nearly 20 years and he ended up taking his own life 4 years ago. The human race would now end with one.

Cain looked at an image he put on the table of his brother, Abel. He was still grieving him. The ship’s computer was programmed for both of their authorizations, not expecting suicides in its programming. There wasn’t much Cain could do on his own. There was a recon satellite doing a short-term mission, but it wasn’t expected to return for another 5 years. They would all be dead by then.

Cain got up and headed to the VR world-making room, and began running more potential world scenarios. Some worlds worked and most worlds failed. He was trying to find a needle in a haystack.

“Confirmed, World #45,165 destroyed” said AVID.

After a pause, “AVID, project Earth” he told the computer.

The room around him suddenly turned to earth and Cain looked around at the familiarity of it. He zoomed himself in to a part in Monterey along the coast, and felt himself standing on a cliffside.

The room imitated the wind and sounds of the ocean. The birds in the sky flew by him. He closed his eyes and pretended to smell the salty air. His heart was relaxed. Nothing beats home, he thought. Cain opened his eyes again and realized what he had to do. It took him over 10 months to come up with an open-world program through the VR system. He ended up connecting the colonization’s dream imprinting into the VR program.

If they couldn’t find a planet to colonize, then they would spend these last moments living lives in the VR- living as if they had never left Earth.

The room around Cain was blinking in red, and glaring alarms rose around him. The ship has reached its end and was in the process of counting down to self-destruction. Cain had plugged the colony into the dream program and activated it. He walked over to his sleep chamber and closed the lids. He closed his eyes as the machine turned on. He swore he heard something in the distance about a recon satellite, but it was too late. Cain started to dream.

The world he created took him in.