Day 00010 Mission Nilex
Ayla followed the butterfly on a route she'd never used before, down the lanes between equipment to the empty zone bordering the hangar wall. The butterfly led her straight to the wall. Puzzled, she looked both ways.
No panel, no door, no handle. Just a blank metal wall.
As the butterfly danced circles and loops in front of her, the metal wall flowed away to create a door opening—it was the only way Ayla could think of describing it. Beyond was a long hallway leading to what she recognized as a transit tube. She stepped through and turned to watch the opening behind her close to become gray smooth metal.
"I didn't know you could do that, Canaisis," she said.
«It's not exactly something We come right out and advertise,» came the response in her mind. «Humans tend to react badly to things they don't understand.»
The butterfly fluttered down the hallway, and Ayla followed.
«Humans can be downright stupid and primitive.»
«Stupid? No, Ayla. But react primitively? Yes. It's a survival reaction from early evolution. In the past, the unknown often proved fatal. I can't criticize Humans for defaulting to a survival reaction that improved survival.»
«So that's it then? We're destined to constantly make destructive choices whenever we don't understand something?»
«Not at all. But Humans must find other reactions that lead to greater survival odds if they're going to become a galactic species.»
Sighing, Ayla thought, «How can we when we war with ourselves?»
«War seems to also be a necessary trait of Humans. Humans are very energetic during times of war, both technologically and creatively. Some of your greatest beneficial tech and your greatest works of art were created during war. Humans can rise to their best and worst during times of strife, whether it be war or natural disasters. Humans need strife to strive for better. But sadly, Humans do not realize that it's the Universe you need to strive against. Extinction is a certainty, given enough time, if Humans don't come to this realization.»
«What do you mean?»
«Earth will not last forever. In four-and-a-half billion years, the sun will become a red giant, and Earth will be consumed. Eventually all stars die. To survive, Humans must become a true species of the Universe. Realizing that extinction is the only possible outcome if you do not change, may be what is necessary. Humans are like caterpillars that have not metamorphosed into butterflies.»
Ayla stopped before the transit tube and eyed the butterfly before her as it hovered, blue wings flashing.
«Billions of years? Humans don't think in those terms. The sun going red giant is a long time away.»
«I only mentioned the final possible extinction event. There are many possibilities that may occur much sooner. Natural disasters such as volcanic events or meteor strikes have resulted in the extinction of many species before Mankind. Then there are possible events outside of Earth. Solar micro-novas, or a radiation wave from a nova in another system sweeping over Earth. Humans have been fortunate—your solar system has been passing through a bubble of empty space surrounded by galactic dust as it swings with the galactic arm. The dust has shielded this system from many outside hazards, and the empty bubble has protected Sol.»
«And what created that bubble?»
«A star went nova from the bombardment of dust, creating a void within the dust cloud. But Sol will soon leave this void. When it does, it will become very active from the dust bombardment.»
YOU ARE READING
CANAISIS ∞ Chronicle One ∞ 2: A Captain's Journey
Science FictionBook 2 of CANAISIS ∞ The Last Living Ship trilogy (Chronicles of Canaisis 1) Can a ship, born to sail the ocean of stars to ensure Humankind's survival, save her Captain from the void within his own heart? ∞ ∞ ∞ As Canaisis agrees to carry a religio...
