This World

A CHAPTER: Butterfly

“Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say,” said the floating Sphere. “Go on, take off your helmet. There’s oxygen here.”

The latch and catch mechanism opens up and moves back, and the protective visor also moves back, disappearing in a compartment at the back of the spacesuit.

“The helmet staying on is a good idea because the air smells of overcooked broccoli. Permission to keep the helmet on.”

The Sphere stops moving. “Permission not granted.”

“Being this far from Soteria with only one Sphere is not protocol.”

“Communication link with the team is weak. However, scanners might be picking up a unique object a few feet ahead,” said the Sphere.

“Might be?”

This planet has three seasons and three different hemispheres. Today, the sky is pale violet, changing every three minutes. The ground is soft; the boots sink with every step. So any minute now, the atmosphere changes its colour. And voilà! An Egyptian Blue colour rolls across the sky.

“Are you recording this?”

The Sphere moves sideways. “Of course, the recordings started the minute Soteria left your solar system.”

“Stop! Something is moving. Look ahead past the tall strands of vegetation. What is that?”

“Apart from you, the scanners are not picking up any other organism,” said the Sphere.

“Permission to put on the helmet.”

The Sphere moves forward again. “Permission denied. Communication is still down. However, vitals are normal for the other team members.”

“More reason to get back to Soteria.”

“Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say,” said the Sphere.

“Why do you repeat that?”

The Sphere stops moving. “Perhaps the supper menu is something that might pique your interest at this time. There is rice pilaf, green beans, carrots, and an assortment of plant proteins.”

“What’s the status on the other teams?”

“Checking the status,” said the Sphere.

Pointing. “There it is again! What is that?”

The Sphere spins clockwise and stops. “Yes. The scanners are now working. It looks like a translucent giant butterfly. Pull out your tablet to zoom in on the object.”

The tablet neatly sits on the left arm of the spacesuit. Pressing the green button brings up images from the Sphere.

“What else do you see?”

The Sphere stops.

The image on the screen glitches for a few seconds.

“There are organisms in proximity,” said the Sphere.

“Organisms. How many?”

“That information isn’t known at this time.”

Great! No tides crashing on the shore. No underground cities to stroll through in the coldest of winter months. No taste or smell of coffee. No four seasons. No sections of the atmosphere are only rich in oxygen. No outdoor jazz festivals. No strolling bear foot on the sand. No long conversations into early mornings with the girl that clings to your heart. No quick trips to the Depanneur for another bottle of red wine. No poutine and steamies. No home, just a spaceship name Soteria, veggies, plant protein, a bunch of artificial intelligence Spheres - one is lacking in personality and the crew.

“Get back to the ship now!”

The Sphere rocks from side to side. “Check your surroundings. Please focus on gathering samples.”

“There’s nothing else that needs to be done here. Get in touch with the others. Why are communications down? Of all days? Of all times? How does the other team get two Spheres with great personalities, and this mission has you?”

The Sphere keeps rocking. “How fortunate you are to be here, to see this butterfly.”

“The helmet is going on. The findings in this sector are documented. It is time to return to Soteria; those are the orders.”

The Sphere stops rocking. “Communication is restored. Wait. There is a message. The other team encountered an unexpected environmental emergency. The ripple effect is coming your way. Get back to Soteria!”

“What!?!”

“Run!”

END