THE TITAN CHRONICLES

Chapter One

A fresh powdery layer of snow blanketed the ground around the Nano Tech Industries compound on a cold late February night. Dr. Simon Anderson pulled his wool coat tighter around himself, the cold winter air cutting straight to the bone. The scientist was taking his usual nightly stroll around the inside of the compounds outer wall to clear his mind of the days clutter, his normal thermos of coffee half gone. He really enjoyed the solidarity of his walks, being able to focus on the days clutter inside his mind not having the board of directors hounding him to hurry up with this sample or to send that report now.

The night was getting old, as the young Dr. Anderson moved at a slower than usual pace through his normal routine. He passed the old guard George with a nod and his usual nightly greeting. He was coming upon the compounds main gate when he paused to take a sip of the hot brown liquid, swishing his thermos around as he peered up at the night sky through the bio-dome surrounding the compound.

“The moon looks rather beautiful tonight. Wouldn’t you say so George?” Dr Anderson asked the old security guard. “There’s a halo and all around it.”

With his hands on his hip the old guard peered up through the bio-dome. “Well, I suppose so Doc, but with all the technology and what not you would think they could keep the cold air out of this place. My old bones are getting tired of this blasted cold year in and year out. It’s like with each winter that passes it only gets worse.” The old man shook his head then turned to walk off. “I better continue my rounds Doc. You have yourself a good night.”

“Ok George have a good rest of your shift.” Dr Anderson said with a smile and a chuckle, he then peered back up at the full moon mesmerized by its beauty, before continuing north towards the compounds main gate.

He passed the large clear doors to the purification chamber that lead to the outside world in just a few strides. “No, that’s impossible.” He muttered to himself as he stopped and stepped back to investigate the night beyond the purification chamber. He could have sworn he saw a figure moving through the dark beyond as he had passed by the double doors. Wanting to get a better look, Simon Walked up to the clear double doors, cupped his hands around his eyes, then pushed his face against the glass peering across the purification chamber into the night beyond the next set of clear double doors. Not seeing anything but the snow and trees in the darkness beyond he brushed it off as an overactive imagination fueled by the coffee. He turned to walk away as a hand reached up and hit the glass on the outside door. Taking a second look he could now clearly see a woman pounding on the outer most door with her right hand while cradling what appeared to be a package of some sort in her left arm, her face appeared frantically terrified, she was clearly in a panic as if her very life was at stake.

“Hold on ma’am.” He yelled to the woman knowing she couldn’t hear him. “I’ll get some help.” Simon then turned and ran, back tracking to find George the night guard. He found the old man not even a hundred pace’s beyond where he had crossed his path just a few minutes before. “GEORGE!” He called out. “There is someone stuck outside the main gate.”

“Calm down now.” The old man said. “Are you sure it's not just your imagination getting worked up from that coffee?” He asked the scientist skeptically.

“I’m sure. I know what I saw. It was a woman she was holding a package of some sort in her left arm banging frantically on the main gate with her right hand. She was clearly terrified.” He paused for a short breath. “We have to see if we can help her.”

Still appearing a bit skeptical George nodded. “Alright sonny let’s see what’s going on out there then.” He said as he began to walk towards the main gate Simon following closely behind.

As they reached the main gate the old guard peered through the doors into the night beyond. “Sonny there isn’t anything out there but snow and trees.” George said shaking his head.

“I know what I saw.” Simon stated. “Open the doors and I’ll go look.” He said gesturing to the key card hanging on the old guard’s right hip.

With a sigh old George reached for his key card and held it up to the scanner. The light flashed red twice then turned solid green, there was a hiss, the air pressure was released from the purification chamber as the seal on the first set of doors was broken. After a second or two the first set of doors slid open, and the two men walked inside. As they entered the chamber the doors slid shut and sealed behind them. The two men then each grabbed a filtration mask that was hanging on the left wall and donned it. Once the men had their masks secured old George walked to the right side of the chamber by the exit and scanned his card once more. The light inside the chamber flashed red, then yellow, then turned green. Once the light turned green then the doors to the world outside the compound slid open.

An icy gust of wind blew some powdery snow into the chamber as the two men stepped out into the world beyond. “Look!” Dr. Anderson pointed with excitement. “There are footprints in the snow. I knew I wasn’t going crazy. It looks like they lead back into that tree line going up into the mountains.”

Old George shook his head. “How’d someone get out here. No deliveries have been scheduled so it can’t be a downed cargo shuttle, and the next closest compound is at least a hundred miles away it’s just not feasible and we haven’t sent any expedition crews out since that incident last week. This just doesn’t make any sense at all.” The old man said as he examined the clearly fresh tracks on the ground in-front of them.”

Not missing a beat Simon immediately began to follow the track using the light on his filtration mask to see into the darkness as he pushed into the tree line. Without much of an option the old guard followed close behind. The two had maybe gone a hundred paces into the wood line when they came to a small clearing. The ground here was bare and clear of snow, it appeared to be freshly burnt. Not saying anything the two men began to walk around the clearing one looping to the right, the other heading left. “That’s strange, I don’t see any tracks leaving the clearing.” Simon said to George as the two met up on the far side.

“I Don’t like this.” The old guard stated. “I don’t like this one-bit Dr. I feel like we are being watched. We need to head back to the compound and maybe have a group search around the area in the day light.”

Nodding in agreement Simon began to cross the clearing heading back towards the compound. As the two men exited the clearing there was a loud crack behind them like a stick snaping under the weight of a heavy foot. The two men looked back over their shoulders towards the area across the clearing where the sound had come from. Not seeing anything in the darkness beyond the clearing, the two men picked up their pace moving faster along the trail heading towards the compound. Snap. Snap. Snap. There were three more sticks broke simultaneously, this time to the left of the men off in the woods and slightly closer than the first one. Not looking back the two men began to run along the path crashing out of the forest back by the main gate.

“What’s that sound?” Dr. Anderson asked as they came closer to the main gate.

“I don’t know.” George replied through labored breaths. “It sounded like twigs being broke like something or someone was chasing after us.”

Dr. Anderson shook his head back and forth. “No not that. I hear a low whine or crying noise almost like a baby.” He said as he moved his head looking around the area. “There it is again!” He exclaimed. “It’s coming from over by the main gate.” He said as he began to trot faster towards it.

“Do you see that?” George asked. “It looks like some type of package wrapped in dark paper or something.”

“I don’t think this is just a package George.” Simon said. “I think it’s a baby swaddled in a brown blanket.” He said as he bent down and picked up the bundle of cloth. It weighed about eight pounds, and the crying got louder as he picked it up. He then uncovered the head to reveal a crying baby with a head of soft black hair with eyes like two pools of deep blue water. “Hurry up and get the doors open George. We got to get this baby to medical, it’s freezing, and it’s been out breathing the poisoned air.”

“Just when you think you’ve seen it all.” George mumbled as he held his keycard up to the scanner. Once again there was two red flashes then the light turned solid green. There was a hiss as the seal was broken and the two doors slid apart. The two men then entered the purification chamber.

Dr. Anderson, still holding the baby, took a final look back at the tree line. “What’s that?” He asked pointing out a pair of glowing yellow eyes.

“Probably a wolf.” George replied as the doors slid shut. There was a hiss as the chamber was vacuum sealed shut, and all the contaminated air removed from the chamber. Once the contaminated air had been removed fresh air was blown into the chamber and the two men removed their filtration masks hanging them back where they had got them from. “Let’s get that mysterious little package to the medical bay.” The old guard said as he stuck his keycard up to the scanner leading back into the compound. The light inside the chamber flashed red, then yellow, then turned green, once the light turned green then the doors to the compound slid open. The two men entered the compound grounds and began to jog along the main path headed straight for the medical bay.

In no time the men reached the medical bay, the small buildings double doors sliding open as soon as they came in range of its motion sensors. “How can we help you tonight?” Janet Smith the freckle faced redheaded woman behind the registration counter asked with a charming smile.

Dr. Anderson showed Janet the small baby boy as he answered the receptionist’s question. “This little guy was found outside the compound in the cold poisonous air.” He paused a second to catch his breath Janet sitting speechless. “We need to get vitals on him as soon as possible, have test samples drawn of his blood, as well as a complete medical diagnostic test ran. The faster we can jump on this the better. If the little guy has any form of radiation poisoning or disease, we need to begin treatment if we are going to give him a fighting chance at life.”

Realizing the severity of the situation Janet turned to her computer screen and began to type quickly. “Sex of the child?”

“Male”

“age of the child?” she asked.

“Maybe a month or two if that.” Simon replied with a shrug.

“Child’s name?”

“I don’t know his name. I found him in the snow outside the compound’s walls no mother or father in sight.”

“Any specific signs or symptoms?” Janet asked.

“No just cold and fussy.”

“Alrighty then Dr. Anderson let me get the little guy’s temp and vitals.” Janet said as she picked up a small scan gun pointed it at the baby and pulled the trigger. After a moment there were three steady beeps then data began to populate on the screen. “His temperature and vitals all appear to be normal Dr. Anderson, but we’ll get him back and get those tests ran as requested.” Janet then stood, turned and began to walk towards a set of solid doors at the far end of the reception lobby. “This way, follow me with the baby.”

Doing as instructed Simon followed Janet through the double doors and into the hallway beyond. The hallway had three doors to each side and another one at the opposite end. The doors on each side of the hallway were numbered one through six, with one through three being on the right-hand side of the hall, and four through six on the left-hand side. Dr. Anderson knew these to be the small medical facilities examination rooms, he also knew that the door at the opposite end of the hall led to the medical doctor’s main lab where all instruments, medicine, and other supplies were stored as well as where all test results were analyzed before being revealed to patients.

Janet opened the door to exam room one. “Bring the baby in here and get comfortable while I get everything ready to run some tests, and make sure this little guy is ok.”

Doing as instructed Dr. Anderson walked into the exam room taking a seat in the chair next to the examination table cradling the small baby in his arms. As Simon took his seat Janet disappeared, closing the door behind her heading towards the doorway at the end of the hall. After a few minutes Janet returned holding two swabs, and a bundle of vials with a needle. “I might need your help with this Simon.” She said as she lay the vials out on the exam table. “We’re going to swab the little guy’s nose and throat to check for any bacteria and what not, then I will draw three vials of blood from the little guy for testing. Now while I do this, I’ll need you to hold the little guy steady, and keep him from jerking around too much. Alright let’s get this done with now.”

“Alright, ready when you are Janet.” Simon replied with an unsure smile.

Janet grabbed the first swab. “Hold him steady, I’m going for the nose first.” She said as she steadily as possible, inserted the first swab into the small baby’s right nostril. He kicked his little legs attempting to pull away as Dr. Anderson held him steady. “That wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Janet asked as she capped off the vial for the first swab and grabbed the second one from the exam table. “Time for the throat swab.” She stated as she had Dr. Anderson gently tilt the child’s small head back. “Going in.” She said as she slowly inserted the swab into the child’s mouth and pushed it to the back of his throat quickly retracting it and capping it off in a second vial. Tears now forming in the baby’s eyes as he began to whimper and whine. “Ah, don’t start that now little guy you’re going to break my heart here.” Janet said as she got the needle and three vials ready for the last part of the labs. “Here comes the worst of it. I’m going to need you to hold him steady as possible while I get the needle set in his little arm, then I’ll draw three vials of blood as fast as I can. Are you ready?”

Dr. Anderson gave a soft nod. “Yea I’m ready. Let’s get this over with as fast as possible poor little guy probably thinks we are torturing him.

“Okay then, on the count of three. And one, two, three.” Janet counted down slowly sliding the needle into the tiny arm at the count of three as the small baby began to wail at the top of his lungs. Instantly the dark red liquid began for flow through a tube attached to the needle and in a matter of seconds, the small vial was full. Janet removed it and capped it off, doing the same with vial’s two, and three. “Alright, we are all done here now. The only thing left to do is wait for the results to get back from the lab probably sometime tomorrow, in the meantime we will just have to decide what to do with the little guy.” She said as she removed the needle and put a band-aid on the child’s arm.

Simon began tapping his foot anxiously. “I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I mean, I don’t even know what the options are.”

“Well, he will have to stay quarantined here until all his results come back, then if he is medically clear we will have to figure out where to send him.” She said with a soft smile. “The way I see it is we have one of two options. Option one, we can contact the orphanage in Elysium, and he can be sent there on the next transport out. And, option number two, you and the misses can keep the little guy; we can fix the paperwork and make it all legal here. You don’t have to decide anything tonight, but if he is healthy, you could be his best bet at a good life.”

Dr. Anderson sat for a moment in silence. “It is a big responsibility I’ll obviously have to talk it over with Sarah. I mean we have wanted kids and ever since you know…her medical condition and not being able to have kids…I mean adoption seems to be our only choice. I’ll need some time for us to talk it over and make a decision.”

“Well, you have a couple of days maybe a week to a week and a half at best.” Janet said with a sigh. “Why don’t you head out and get some rest I know it’s been a long night. The little guy will be fine here while you make a decision.”

Exhausted from the day’s work, and events of that evening Dr. Anderson left the medical center and made his way across the compound to where his living quarters were at. Once at the small apartment, Simon kicked his shoes off and made his way directly to the den where he knew Sarah would be sitting watching the news on the units holo-projector. “How has your evening been dear?” The small, short blonde-haired woman asked her eyes still on the news.

Dr. Anderson let out an audible sigh and plopped down on the coyote brown couch next to his wife. “Tonight, has been an adventure my love.” The Dr. said. “Do you still want to adopt?”

“You mean like a kid?” She replied skeptically.

“No like a monkey. Yes, a kid love. Well, a baby.” He replied.

She raised an eyebrow turning away from the news she’d been watching. “I mean we’ve had this conversation. I’d love to be a mother. You know that. You also know that with the cancer and all that, that I can’t have children naturally so when the time is right and you are ready, I’d love to adopt a baby. What makes you bring this up now? I mean I thought you wanted to wait until you were at a better point in your career where you could be home more often to focus on a family and being a father.”

“Yes, that was the plan darling, but after tonight maybe now is the best time.” Simon replied.

“What happened tonight? Is there something wrong Simon?” She asked clearly worried.

Dr. Anderson paused for a moment. “Well, I was out on my normal nightly walk, when I passed by the main gate. I saw something in the dark out beyond outside the dome. I went and got George the old security guard and had him take me to investigate outside the gate and we found a baby that appeared to have been abandoned left in the snow. Once we found the baby, I took it to the medical bay to have him checked out and get lab work ran to make sure he’s healthy. They are keeping him quarantined there until the test results come back, and they said once they come back if he his medically cleared that we have two options.”

“So, what are the options then?” Sarah asked.

Simon let out a sigh. “Well, option one is once he is cleared then they send him on the next transport back to the city where he will be placed in the orphanage.”

“Option two?”

“Option two, is he comes home with us, and we adopt him and raise him here with us.” The Dr. answered.

Sarah sat quietly for a minute letting all the information process, before offering up a response. “If you are truly ready my love then I say option two is the best choice, you know the horror stories that come out of the orphanage. I just couldn’t imagine sending a poor innocent soul to a place like that. Plus, I’ve been cancer free for over a year now and you know how badly I want to have a little family and be a mother.”

“It’s decided then.” The Dr. beamed. “I’ll convert the study into a nursery. We’ll have to come up with a name for the little guy. I was thinking Silas after my father. Janet Smith, in medical said that they can get all the paperwork submitted and fixed to make everything legitimate, so we don’t have to go through an agency.”

“Silas… Silas… Silas Anderson, hm I think it’s perfect.” Sarah said. “I can’t wait to meet the little guy.” I’ll go first thing tomorrow and pick up some little clothes for him as well as stuff for the room.”

“Ha, it’s decided then!” Dr Anderson proclaimed. “Once he is cleared by medical, we will bring him home.

Within a week, Simon and Sarah were able to pick baby Silas up from the medical bay and bring him home to his new house and family. The two loved him as their own and gave him the attention, love, and nurturing a small baby needs to grow in a healthy environment. In the blink of an eye a year had passed by, and Silas was already walking and had said his first words but soon tragedy would strike. Sarah began to get sick once again her cancer had returned, but this time it was more aggressive and caught too late to stop. Then just months before Silas turned two Sarah passed away losing her hard-fought fight with the deadly disease. Simon was left now to raise the child on his own, he knew the boy was special but wouldn’t get to truly see it for a few years.