SD 50507.08
Planet Terminus: Terraforming Station 1: briefing room
I lowered my head, gathering all what I was about to to tell
them. There were plenty of people there, and most of them were simple
civilians, scientists, engineers, or psychologists. Strange strange...
the name of the Planet was Terminus... I oddly asked myself who could
have named that planet... maybe, we had to be called the 'First
Foundation'? If Asimov had been in life yet, he would have been glad of
our choice.All the people in the room were looking at me, waiting,
eager, for my speech... but one pair of eyes was missing, in the middle
of all the others... William, where are you?
It's you that brought
me here, Will, it's you... I wanted to join the Terminus equipe just as
a scientist, one out of 1000... but you made me a leader, even over Von
Hibel.
years ago, just in memories
All looked at Smith,
who was smiling, pleasant, to all the people in the room. He seemed
extraordinarily at ease, even in such a situation.
"I'm only telling
that I want YOU to promote her. Not a military promotion, not as a
rank, just..." he began, as voices talked over his, "... just for her
merit, for her past experience in StarFleet, for the fact that SHE
built Terminus Terraforming Station 1... she took us here. That is.
Make her chief of this mission"
He didn't seem to have supporters, in the crew. All were suspicious,
all were full of hate towards StarFleet, and... but he managed to calm
them.
"We can aim for more." he began again, quietly, "Humans never
gave up... did they? Maybe when Earth began collapsing, and climate and
mysterious forces seemed to decide that our planet could no more exist?
Maybe when we discovered a safe way to travel in Space, and, just when
we began exploring with the USS Asimov, we acknowledged that there were
other races, other civilization ready to wrack us away? Maybe when we
founded our first colony on Mars, and then on Pluto, and we began
terraforming, but..." he made a little pause, "but we lost three
million people before having the optimal technology"
He looked
around, all knew the answer, and some seemed impressed by this speech.
Some others, though, looked bored. Von Hibel was looking at Smith with
deep interest.
"You all know the answer. No. We did never give up.
But we needed anybody's help. We didn't prove shame to keep any
alliance, any friendship, as a treasure. And we don't have to prove any
more even now. We need doctor Enright's help. We do. We can aim for
more. We can go further! Even through the boundaries of our own galaxy"
His
eyes lit of an unexplained fire, "When I joined the Space Army, known
as StarFleet, I wanted to explore. I was no more then a boy, a stupid
boy without any experience. I joined to fight for territories, to
conquest, to... oh, well, that's hard to explain... very far times, far
from now. Now I know that science is more. It's conquesting with peace.
Terraforming"
He stopped for a while, and repeated the word twice, to contemplate it, to explore it deeply, "Terraforming"
"You
don't know how many meanings can this word have. Terraforming. We're
transforming all territories to our own. We're interfering, we're
assimilating... we're destroying. Terraforming is not so much far from
war"
Loud chats began between the colony members, and many yelled
something towards Smith. That speech was too much hard, for them, and
many took it as an offence. A hard hit.
"If you don't want to accept this idea,... sirs, madams... please, let me finish my speech in a civil way"
Smith
waited for a while, then went on, "... you can accept the simple fact
that Terraforming would not be possible without StarFleet. And that's
all. If you didn't trust doctor Enright, now trust her. Give her a bit
of faith. You can't deny... without her researches - and for these she
sacrificed her StarFleet career - you wouldn't be here"
Smith made a step back, and looked with a satisfied smile at the crowd of civilians.
Nella
was really amazed, and was slightly smiling, too, a little embarassed,
"It seems I candidated myself as a president - Enright for president -
isn't it, Will?" she asked, jokingly.
Smith quickly turned to her, "Yes, of course. It's OK... they will make you president"
"But
I didn't..." she murmured, but William interrupted her, "Oh, come on!
You will do better then one of these guys... you've been a StarFleet
officer, and an excellent Department Leader... you are a scientist,
too... who could do better?"
Von Hibel made a step forward towards
the two, and smiled, pleasantly, "Doctor Nella Enright, you are now the
Director of Research and Development. And you earned it. We are all
sure that you will do of your best." he said, not really coldly.
Smith smiled, and Nella was very glad... was really glad, at that time.
present times - oh no gulp gasp
I rose my head, and my eyes met the crowd. I looked around, and met Von Hibel's face. I nodded.
"Sirs,
madams. We're going to choose a name today, for our colony. This
colony, that stands as a testment of Mankind's strength and
civilization. We're going to name our home, the home that we built: and
this name will survive us as a path that the First Colonizers left for
all to follow"
EOL
Doctor Nella Enright
Director of RandD department
Terminus Terraforming Station 1
Planet Terminus: Terraforming Building 1: Head of RandD
As I turned, still sitting on my chair, professor Von Hibel sat
in front of me. I smiled to him, trying to appear calmer then I was. He
handed me a little Palm PC, and slightly shrugged, "In fact, it was an
excellent idea, Nella. It was... You managed to unite the groups. Now
Psychologists and Engineers ger along perfectly"
I shook my head, "After the recent events... well, I wouldn't be
surprised if they stopped working. The Fleet is collapsing. It will
give us no more help. The Fleet is preparing a war, and... I talked
with Captain Ackbar, recently"
I was feeling myself at ease, as I returned back to Earth, or back to my quiet Fleet SCI Department.
Von Hibel wide opened his eyes, in surprise, "What did you do? He will
track us, find us... find you! He is searching for you, fool"
I nodded, and this time spontaneously smiled, "No, don't worry
professor. He won't find me. I've confused the master signal, and he
won't manage to re-build it"I stood up, and began walking to and fro in
my office,
"The war that the Fleet is preparing won't be easy. You know, a
strong... intelligence - well, I don't know how to call it - called the
Mitara Excellence in our language, want to gain control over all the
Sector 2 Federation colonies. When the Mitara will reach this planet,
we will fall under their control, and, personally, I don't think that
the Fleet will decide to help us." I sighed.
Von Hibel shrugged again, "We must absolutely do something! You haven't
heard what people who managed to escape from the Mitara say about it...
It will absorb any form of life here, destroy us, ... and we will be
lost without any chance"
"Well," I answered, just without thinking, "If some people managed to escape... we have some chances"
Professor Von Hibel closed his eyes, and I sat near the window.
Terminus was not an easy planet to live in. Rain and snow storms almost
every day, huge wind... and one or two meteor collisions every year. It
was hard work to change the asteroids route, and we needed many probes
every time. Probes, missiles, high-power beams... all those things.
What a luck we had the best scientists in the world!
Urgent UltraBeam communication to doctor Enright my computer stated, with his feminine but monotonous voice.
"Open a channel." I answered, quickly, and moved to my desk.
LONGCOMM+
The face of Captain Ackbar appeared on screen. I scrambled the signal
before ackmowledging that he had to know the correct frequence, if he
called me.
"Nella! I have news!..." he began, but I brusquely interrupted him.
"Yes... the war. I know. Many losses?" I asked, coldly, my face unexpressive.
"Many... but, I was talking of other news! I've found Smith!" he yelled to me, before I could talk again.
My eyes lit, and I neared the screen, "Really? How is he? Where?" I asked, quickly, without letting him answer.
Ackbar smiled, and relaxed on his chair. I could feel him leaving me in suspense.
"He's fine. Nella..." he came nearer to me, he wanted to look streight
in my eyes, "... I know where you are. But I have no time for Genesis.
With this Mitara war... Anyway, I will bring you Smith"
"What had happened to him?" I asked, curious, a bit annoyed, a bit worried.
Ackbar shrugged, "Well, I don't really know. Smith talked of a -
something like 'Gateway', and 'Hyperspace'. The fact is that I found
him in Sector 5... three sectors away from home! How did he arrive
there"
I smiled, embarassed, and nodded. I perfectly knew what Smith had
talked about, "Thank you, captain. If you need furnitures, or...
anything, well, Terminus will give you"
The Captain smiled again to me, "I know that you are it trouble, too...
Don't worry. You'll pay the bill another time. Ackbar, out"
--LONGCOMM--
As the connection shut off, I stood up and walked up to the shuttle bay.
EOL
Doctor Nella Enright
Director of RandD department
Terminus Terraforming Station 1