Enlightenment [Book 2: SEKTOR V Trilogy]

Chapter 34: Leaving Earth Behind

Chapter 34: Leaving Earth Behind

From a rational standpoint, Maddy should have felt very relieved. Against all odds, she'd somehow managed, with the help of Gus Lebanchek and others, to save all of her people. Not so long ago, this outcome would have been unthinkable. Out of the 4,375 Humans not slated for immediate extinction, 1,112 members from Næsta Kynslóð managed to cheat death...at least for the time being.

The evacuation of the "extra 814" from the Institute to Arcturus was a harried, frenetic exercise that required her full attention. As soon as that was complete, she then had to make sure all the technical details associated with their black hole time capsule escape were in place. Throughout it all, she had zero time for deep thought or any other type of self-reflection.

However, after three days in deep space, the harsh reality of that word—"extinction"—began to weigh on her. Gradually, a sense of deep melancholy set in.

Gus had watched this transformation take hold and knew what she was going through. He knew because he was going through it as well.

"Is that it?" she asked him.

"For us?" he replied.

"No, not for us, or for the people we saved. For everyone else. For those we left behind without a fight. For those who had no idea the end was upon them. We could have done more. We should have done more..."

Gus had similar pangs of guilt. Probably more than she did, given the millions he and others on the Selection Committee screened and ultimately decided were unworthy of survival. He got to play God and hated every minute of it.

Which few were "worthy for survival"? That aspect bothered him the most. Getting into the seemingly trivial biomarkers that acted as "tie-breakers" for life, the Chief Biologist on his team had the most power. It was understandable, given the need for an extremely strong and diverse gene pool for such a small, vulnerable colony. Nevertheless, it bothered him...a lot. Was having 1.4 percent greater bone density relative to an otherwise identical candidate enough of a reason to grant life over death? The scientists seemed to think so. He wasn't so sure...

One thing was clear. Both Maddy and he were in pain. But looking back would do no good.

"I lost my entire extended family. I grieve with you... But there was nothing more we could have done...nothing that would have made a real difference. An ant cannot slay an elephant. For us to knowingly witness the loss of our planet and almost everyone on it to a deplorable, invading life form, is unthinkable. However, the keyword to remember is almost." Gus tried to project a conviction he did not feel. But if he could convince Maddy, perhaps he'd succeed with himself. "With the aid of our new, powerful friends, almost represents hope and a chance for a real future. A future we can build together."

Maddy didn't reply. She knew he was right. She also was not in any shape, mentally or emotionally, to comment on his purposefully ambiguous statement about togetherness. She did feel something for Gus, but exactly what she wasn't sure. Their current situation was much too fluid, much too unsettled, and much too complicated. They would have two years together in an enclosed box circling a supermassive black hole at half the speed of light to figure personal matters out. Right now was certainly not the time for any of that.

Quintavius and Melkaan entered the observation deck where Maddy and Gus were sitting.

"Odd seeing the night sky from a completely 'alien' perspective, isn't it?" Melkaan asked them both telepathically.

Maddy wanted to be alone but felt obliged to engage in small talk with their hosts.

"To be perfectly honest, I was never much into astronomy on Earth, so I can't tell the difference," she said with a weak, tired smile.