I don't have much to say about this, just enjoy the chapter and have fun reading.
2080 ( Cydonia, Mars)
We finally found the source of the anomaly. strangely it was a temple in the deep canyons of Mars. My colleagues have been studying this temple in their free time and one of them got the courage to go inside the damn thing. We brought him back to base to make sure he was alright but in his hands was a strange metallic object we dared not touch it not knowing if we would follow the same fate as the fool who went into the temple.
This fool Dr. Kain finally woke up babbling about visions he saw of a city with beautiful skyscrapers and a different planet. I would've dismissed him as a person who finally lost it. We've all lost a lot, our friends, homes, and families. But the mathematical equations he's been making sense and might just work. This may be the breakthrough we've been looking for but I, Dr. Mathews, head of the FTL project, have the final say. I think this is a worthwhile endeavor although resources may be limited I'm sure I can convince the higher-ups to invest in this.
Upon further medical treatment of Dr. Kain, his biology was completely his, producing something akin to a star; we did blood tests and stress testing his new biology. His blood is like a nuclear reactor but there were no I'll effects felt by my other colleagues. It improved their health. To say Dr. Kain was a medical anomaly of the understatement of the century, he also displayed the ability to throw solar flares and manipulate electricity. It was very strange. I would've dismissed these findings If I hadn't seen it myself.
In other news we've renamed the FTL project, It's called project [GRAV-DRIVE] Given the original gravitational properties of the artifact it's fitting. The prototype is near completion Dr. Lockheart is very eager to test the new grav-drive. We'll test this technology near the orbit of Jupiter by the end of next year. The high-ups are what's left of many space programs and Mr House the head of the directorate back on Luna has taken great interest in the odd phenomenon my colleague Dr. Kain went through and set aside a small army of construction robots to build a research dome around the temple. The next few years will be interesting, to say the least.
2081 ( Dome Research Faculty, Mars)
The construction of the dome was fast-paced, it took six months and the construction of the first star yard has been completed as well. The ship is complete and we're ready for the first testing of the prototype Grav-drive. A separate team is working on the stellar person phenomenon or as some people call it the starborn initiative. Dr. Kain has been reassigned to this project learning how to replicate the result of his transformation. As for me and my colleague Ms Olivia Lockhart, we're about to exit the atmosphere of Mars and make history. Mr. House wanted to be on the ship so I quote " witness history in the making".
Mr House was impressed with the pace and progress of the programs on Mars as he faced the viewpoint of the first possible interstellar ship he was excited about. " Dr Mathews I thank you for this great opportunity to experience a once-in-a-lifetime experience." Matthews shook his head "No I should be thanking you for visiting us for a momentous occasion but enough talk it's time for action." The engines were slowly turned on and the craft lifted off into space, we made it into Mars orbit. " Alright, we have the coordinates set at Jupiter orbit 3, 2, 1…..
It was a beautiful light show seeing it was like a kaleidoscope but as it started it ended quickly and there was Jupiter. Dr. Lockheart checked the reading and she looked excited until she looked at another screen and her face became confused. " What's wrong Dr. Lockheart?" Robert House asked. She looked back at both of us. "Something is very wrong. Jupiter's magnetic field should be much stronger than this. It's like something weakened it…." she looked back at the Grav-drive with utter dread. I had the same reaction except I was looking at Earth. Mr House Quickly understood that the Grav-drive caused Jupiter's Magnetic field to weaken. "Ehm" Mr. House got our attention " This is a very serious problem. The Grav-drive needs to be refined For the time being I'm restricting the use of Grav-drive around the Habitable planets and Earth. We don't want every prospective colony worlds to be destroyed every time we jump into its orbit." We were slightly dismayed but understood why these restrictions were in place. If we ever wanted to go back to earth we needed to make sure we didn't accidentally kill it off.
I said " I understand Director House we will refine the Grav-drive Project all while functional it's too dangerous around habitable planets. This is only a prototype so there is still time to make it safer, I'm sure we'll have a safer Mark 2." Mr. House nodded " Until you can make it safe these restrictions will be in place." We nodded and returned to Mars once we arrived back. Mr House returned to the Lunar capital before he left he told us that we'd receive more resources soon.
We're so close to reaching the star that I can almost feel it. I looked back to Earth. It was slowly turning white and wasn't limited to the northern hemisphere; most of the south was also covered in snow. He sighed. Nuclear winter is starting….
2082 ( The Hub, Mars, Formally Dome Research Faculty)
A couple of scientists were looking out the new observatory. What they were looking at was Earth; the former blue ball is now white. They sighed in despair. Earth is in its nuclear winter. They hope whoever survived the war makes it through this harsh winter. A new dawn had come; the Directorate had declared that all outposts and colonies would be reorganized into the United Colonies. A lower council will be established in the coming years to give the colonies a voice in how they should be governed.Many people saw this as the directorate tossing a bone to the colonists so there wouldn't be any discontent while others are hopeful.
The dome's name was officially changed to the Hub as it became a hub of research and trade as a midway point between the colonies. The team researching what is now officially called the Starborn phenomenon has made progress; it appears that anyone can enter the temple and have their being enhanced; the directorate has restricted and made trials for who can join. Mr. House entered the temple itself. I don't have any feelings about Mr. House becoming an immortal autocrat although other people are concerned about having an immortal oligarchy. The people who became Starborn were trained brutally to perform mental tests and taught to uphold the law. To protect humanity and the United Colonies to help mankind, later that year these Elite Starborn would be known as the Starborn Rangers.
The Mark 2 version of the Grav-drive was near completion; the destructive properties have been worked out but many are still frustrated with the full efficiency. The ship only has enough space for 5 lightyears of jumps that's barely enough to get to the next star system but not enough for a return trip. The focus for now is to make sure people don't get stranded in unexplored space expanding fuel capacity and efficiency is the top priority for the Grav-drive project. It'll probably take another couple of years to get to the 40 light-year range but time is all we have and time waits for no one.
Mr House's dreams of colonizing the stars are becoming closer to a reality; he could see now colony ships heading to unknown worlds. It's a good thing he'll live long enough to see it happen. These will be children of the sky as they fly far out into the cosmos pioneering and charting out the galaxy.
AN: And that a wrap Don't worry I haven't forgotten about the wasteland just gotta wait a little longer I mean earth is fucked by nuclear winter and were too early in the timeline for any major wasteland stuff to happen so be patient. Until next time children Lone Ranger out.