Eden's Chronicles (part 2 - Anniversaries): Takes place after the Advance
team has reached New Pacifica, shortly before their second mooncross. Devon
is still in cold sleep.
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Voice of Uly: "We've been in New Pacifica for a few months now and it is the most amazing place you could imagine. My mother sure does know how to pick a site. Twenty-four hours after finding the VTO, we were in New Pacifica with all our supplies. In route, we spotted a pod and also a few pods were waiting for us at the colony's site. While John and the ops crew started clearing the land, Baines and Alonzo took turn scouting around in the VTO for the remainder of the missing cargo pods.
Luckily they found several pods intact; others were partially full or empty. Everything was collected, including the empty pods, and transported back to the colony. Cameron had started crops of native grains, fruits and vegetables that we found during the trip. He wasn't sure if they would be ready when the colony ship landed so he was real happy when several of the botanical components were found. I guess my mother had the crops reengineered so that crops would be ready in a year just in case the food stores ran out before the colony ship got here. Again we got lucky when most of the hospital was found. A wing and all its equipment were missing but John and Julia managed to rework some components and improvise elsewhere so the hospital is in good shape. There are still some pods missing. So far, we have not seen anyone from the 3d pod but that does not mean they aren't still out there.
Since the top priority is the hospital and crops, we are still living in tents. I continue to bunk with John and True since my mother is still ill. John has been great and even True hasn't been bad but I miss my mom a lot. Even though she isn't here her plans and the changes she made are being put into place. I never realized how much she did for me; I guess I took her for granted. When she gets better, I won't. I know that Julia will find a cure especially now that the hospital is just about ready. I will miss bunking with John though, he is really different then my mom, not better not worse, just different. He isn't afraid to let me try new things were I think my mother would.
About a month after we got here, we celebrated True's birthday. She got a lot of neat stuff, some of it for her room when the units are built. We also celebrated our first anniversary on the planet. John wasn't so sure that celebrating a crash was the most festive thing but went along with it anyhow. The next day, the terrians once again came to me. John agreed to let me go with them for 1 night but they had to return me the next day. I think that they took me to the place were they cured me but I'm not sure. They had some ceremony but I didn't quiet understand everything that was going on.
A short while later, we celebrated the Martin's anniversary. It wasn't as big a celebration as the crash party, as True calls it, but it was still nice. Once again it was held in VR. I guess the next big event will be my birthday. I will be real strange to celebrate my birthday without my mom being there."
"John, I've been studying the orbital variations and it appears that we in for a mild winter here in New Pacifica." Yale stated.
"Good, we could use the cooperation of the weather if we are going to get some more buildings up." Danziger replied.
"Cameron was also happy to hear this news. He believes that we'll be good shape for when the Colony ship gets here. Luckily Devon had the scientists ensure that crops would be ready in a year, to be on the safe side."
Before Danziger could comment, Alonzo approached them with a worried expression on his face.
"Lonz, what's wrong?" Danziger asked.
"I've heard from the terrians." Danziger and Yale exchanged worried glances even though the terrians in the area had so far proven reserved yet helpful. "They want to know if Uly is ready."
"Ready for what?" Danziger asked in a concerned voice.
"Mooncross." Alonzo returned.
"Has it been a year already?" Danziger asked in a stalling tactic.
"Time flies when your having fun. Last year, Devon did say that Uly could go with them during Mooncross."
"How long do they want him to go for?" Yale asked.
"A couple of weeks." Alonzo cautiously stated.
"Nope. Mooncross doesn't last a couple of weeks." Danziger replied.
"He needs training if he is to be the link."
Danziger looked ready to take exception when Yale intervened. "How about a few days and if all goes well we will consider another stay of a couple of days."
"Sounds reasonable. I'll inform them that Uly will participate in Mooncross and stay for a few days." Alonzo hurried to leave before Danziger could get a word in.
"Wait. You tell them if Uly wants to leave, they must return him to us." Danziger demanded.
"What if Uly wants to stay more then a few days?" Alonzo countered.
"He comes back here and we discuss it. Possibly arrange a slightly longer stay the next time." Danziger returned.
"OK. I'll let them know." Alonzo managed to escape the second time.
"Do you think Devon would have let him go for a few days?" Danziger questioned Yale.
"Yes, she wouldn't have been any happier then you are with the request but she would have let him go. You're doing a great job with Uly." Yale replied with sincerity. Danziger's parenting style was very different from Devon, although both offered plenty of love and support. Under Danziger's care, Uly had more leeway, although still with strict limits, and the responsibility that came with it. Devon would be pleased that Uly was making some of his own decision and then dealing with the aftermath of those decisions good and bad. She herself tried to untie the apron strings, but even though Uly was healthy, it was difficult to forget how close she came to losing him.
Uly, when informed that he would be spending a few days with the terrians, was thrilled. Yale wasn't sure if it was because True didn't get to go or if he was really looking forward to being with the terrians. There was more then a touch of sibling rivalry between the two children, although for the most part, they got along well.
Alonzo arranged that Uly would spend 5 days with the terrians. Danziger wasn't too happy but Alonzo explained that would cover mooncross and 1 training exercise. Julia encouraged True to help her with analyzing plants so that she would not feel too left out. Even with helping Julia, True missed Uly although she tried not to show it. When the 5 days were up, Uly was returned as promised. He was excited about his stay with the terrians.
"The ceremony was similar to last year but there weren't any outcasts. I didn't quiet understand everything that they were trying to teach me, but in time it will become clear." Uly stated in a manner more mature then his years.
"Was it fun?" True asked.
"Not so much fun as interesting, although I didn't have a lot of free time."
"Do you want to go back?" Danziger asked.
"Sure, not right away but in a little while." Uly had been a little homesick but hadn't wanted to admit it.
Danziger and Yale were both relieved that Uly wasn't anxious to return to the terrians.
"So what kind of training did you receive?" Alonzo asked.
"Um, they taught me lightening. I got pretty good with it. They said I would need to practice."
"You tell an adult before you go practicing lightening. Better yet make sure an adult is with you when you do." Danziger stated.
"Really, I can practice lightening?"
"As long as it doesn't interfere with your school work or chores." Danziger replied.
"You know what else. I got to sleep in a terrian bed. Boy is that cool. It's the most amazing feeling."
"Big deal. You got to sleep in someone else's bed." True returned. She was getting a little tired about all the attention that Uly was getting.
"You don't understand. It's not like sleeping; it is like being part of the planet. I remembered what you told me about the elder and his group using the sleeping terrians to contact people. So I tried to contact my mother but I couldn't find her." Uly stated in a worried voice.
John placed his arm around the boy's should while Julia replied. "That's because your mother is suspended. She isn't sleeping and she isn't awake. It doesn't mean that she isn't there just that the dream plane can't get pass the cold sleep barrier." Uly looked relieved.
"Did you try contacting any of the missing colonists?" True asked.
"What? No, I don't know any of them. I wouldn't know who to contact."
"Sheppard didn't know your mother but he found her. You would have just had to reached out and ask if they were part of Eden Advance and it they said yes, ask them to describe where they were. Yale could have pinpointed a few areas to try." True replied.
"That is a good idea. Uly, perhaps if you have the opportunity to sleep in a terrian bed again you can try that." Yale suggested. Although he wanted to find the other colonist he wasn't sure if he wanted Uly to try. If Uly failed to contact the missing members of Eden Advance, it probably would mean that there were none to be found and he wasn't sure how to explain that to the child.
John could tell that Uly was a little disappointed that he hadn't thought to locate the missing colonist. "So, let's see how good you are with that lightening."
Uly spent the rest of the afternoon demonstrating his new ability. He silently vowed that he would try to contact the missing Eden Advance members at every opportunity.
Voice of Uly: " I guess my birthday wasn't the next big event. I'm glad John let me go with the terrians for several days; I know that he wasn't happy about it. But I have a lot to learn if I am going to be the link, especially since I am still not sure what it means to be the link."
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END OF PART 2
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Voice of Uly: "We've been in New Pacifica for a few months now and it is the most amazing place you could imagine. My mother sure does know how to pick a site. Twenty-four hours after finding the VTO, we were in New Pacifica with all our supplies. In route, we spotted a pod and also a few pods were waiting for us at the colony's site. While John and the ops crew started clearing the land, Baines and Alonzo took turn scouting around in the VTO for the remainder of the missing cargo pods.
Luckily they found several pods intact; others were partially full or empty. Everything was collected, including the empty pods, and transported back to the colony. Cameron had started crops of native grains, fruits and vegetables that we found during the trip. He wasn't sure if they would be ready when the colony ship landed so he was real happy when several of the botanical components were found. I guess my mother had the crops reengineered so that crops would be ready in a year just in case the food stores ran out before the colony ship got here. Again we got lucky when most of the hospital was found. A wing and all its equipment were missing but John and Julia managed to rework some components and improvise elsewhere so the hospital is in good shape. There are still some pods missing. So far, we have not seen anyone from the 3d pod but that does not mean they aren't still out there.
Since the top priority is the hospital and crops, we are still living in tents. I continue to bunk with John and True since my mother is still ill. John has been great and even True hasn't been bad but I miss my mom a lot. Even though she isn't here her plans and the changes she made are being put into place. I never realized how much she did for me; I guess I took her for granted. When she gets better, I won't. I know that Julia will find a cure especially now that the hospital is just about ready. I will miss bunking with John though, he is really different then my mom, not better not worse, just different. He isn't afraid to let me try new things were I think my mother would.
About a month after we got here, we celebrated True's birthday. She got a lot of neat stuff, some of it for her room when the units are built. We also celebrated our first anniversary on the planet. John wasn't so sure that celebrating a crash was the most festive thing but went along with it anyhow. The next day, the terrians once again came to me. John agreed to let me go with them for 1 night but they had to return me the next day. I think that they took me to the place were they cured me but I'm not sure. They had some ceremony but I didn't quiet understand everything that was going on.
A short while later, we celebrated the Martin's anniversary. It wasn't as big a celebration as the crash party, as True calls it, but it was still nice. Once again it was held in VR. I guess the next big event will be my birthday. I will be real strange to celebrate my birthday without my mom being there."
"John, I've been studying the orbital variations and it appears that we in for a mild winter here in New Pacifica." Yale stated.
"Good, we could use the cooperation of the weather if we are going to get some more buildings up." Danziger replied.
"Cameron was also happy to hear this news. He believes that we'll be good shape for when the Colony ship gets here. Luckily Devon had the scientists ensure that crops would be ready in a year, to be on the safe side."
Before Danziger could comment, Alonzo approached them with a worried expression on his face.
"Lonz, what's wrong?" Danziger asked.
"I've heard from the terrians." Danziger and Yale exchanged worried glances even though the terrians in the area had so far proven reserved yet helpful. "They want to know if Uly is ready."
"Ready for what?" Danziger asked in a concerned voice.
"Mooncross." Alonzo returned.
"Has it been a year already?" Danziger asked in a stalling tactic.
"Time flies when your having fun. Last year, Devon did say that Uly could go with them during Mooncross."
"How long do they want him to go for?" Yale asked.
"A couple of weeks." Alonzo cautiously stated.
"Nope. Mooncross doesn't last a couple of weeks." Danziger replied.
"He needs training if he is to be the link."
Danziger looked ready to take exception when Yale intervened. "How about a few days and if all goes well we will consider another stay of a couple of days."
"Sounds reasonable. I'll inform them that Uly will participate in Mooncross and stay for a few days." Alonzo hurried to leave before Danziger could get a word in.
"Wait. You tell them if Uly wants to leave, they must return him to us." Danziger demanded.
"What if Uly wants to stay more then a few days?" Alonzo countered.
"He comes back here and we discuss it. Possibly arrange a slightly longer stay the next time." Danziger returned.
"OK. I'll let them know." Alonzo managed to escape the second time.
"Do you think Devon would have let him go for a few days?" Danziger questioned Yale.
"Yes, she wouldn't have been any happier then you are with the request but she would have let him go. You're doing a great job with Uly." Yale replied with sincerity. Danziger's parenting style was very different from Devon, although both offered plenty of love and support. Under Danziger's care, Uly had more leeway, although still with strict limits, and the responsibility that came with it. Devon would be pleased that Uly was making some of his own decision and then dealing with the aftermath of those decisions good and bad. She herself tried to untie the apron strings, but even though Uly was healthy, it was difficult to forget how close she came to losing him.
Uly, when informed that he would be spending a few days with the terrians, was thrilled. Yale wasn't sure if it was because True didn't get to go or if he was really looking forward to being with the terrians. There was more then a touch of sibling rivalry between the two children, although for the most part, they got along well.
Alonzo arranged that Uly would spend 5 days with the terrians. Danziger wasn't too happy but Alonzo explained that would cover mooncross and 1 training exercise. Julia encouraged True to help her with analyzing plants so that she would not feel too left out. Even with helping Julia, True missed Uly although she tried not to show it. When the 5 days were up, Uly was returned as promised. He was excited about his stay with the terrians.
"The ceremony was similar to last year but there weren't any outcasts. I didn't quiet understand everything that they were trying to teach me, but in time it will become clear." Uly stated in a manner more mature then his years.
"Was it fun?" True asked.
"Not so much fun as interesting, although I didn't have a lot of free time."
"Do you want to go back?" Danziger asked.
"Sure, not right away but in a little while." Uly had been a little homesick but hadn't wanted to admit it.
Danziger and Yale were both relieved that Uly wasn't anxious to return to the terrians.
"So what kind of training did you receive?" Alonzo asked.
"Um, they taught me lightening. I got pretty good with it. They said I would need to practice."
"You tell an adult before you go practicing lightening. Better yet make sure an adult is with you when you do." Danziger stated.
"Really, I can practice lightening?"
"As long as it doesn't interfere with your school work or chores." Danziger replied.
"You know what else. I got to sleep in a terrian bed. Boy is that cool. It's the most amazing feeling."
"Big deal. You got to sleep in someone else's bed." True returned. She was getting a little tired about all the attention that Uly was getting.
"You don't understand. It's not like sleeping; it is like being part of the planet. I remembered what you told me about the elder and his group using the sleeping terrians to contact people. So I tried to contact my mother but I couldn't find her." Uly stated in a worried voice.
John placed his arm around the boy's should while Julia replied. "That's because your mother is suspended. She isn't sleeping and she isn't awake. It doesn't mean that she isn't there just that the dream plane can't get pass the cold sleep barrier." Uly looked relieved.
"Did you try contacting any of the missing colonists?" True asked.
"What? No, I don't know any of them. I wouldn't know who to contact."
"Sheppard didn't know your mother but he found her. You would have just had to reached out and ask if they were part of Eden Advance and it they said yes, ask them to describe where they were. Yale could have pinpointed a few areas to try." True replied.
"That is a good idea. Uly, perhaps if you have the opportunity to sleep in a terrian bed again you can try that." Yale suggested. Although he wanted to find the other colonist he wasn't sure if he wanted Uly to try. If Uly failed to contact the missing members of Eden Advance, it probably would mean that there were none to be found and he wasn't sure how to explain that to the child.
John could tell that Uly was a little disappointed that he hadn't thought to locate the missing colonist. "So, let's see how good you are with that lightening."
Uly spent the rest of the afternoon demonstrating his new ability. He silently vowed that he would try to contact the missing Eden Advance members at every opportunity.
Voice of Uly: " I guess my birthday wasn't the next big event. I'm glad John let me go with the terrians for several days; I know that he wasn't happy about it. But I have a lot to learn if I am going to be the link, especially since I am still not sure what it means to be the link."
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END OF PART 2