Author Captain Mayor Brooks

Episode 5 – Trial, part 2

Captain Mayor Brooks

New to Other-Terrestrial? Check here! Or if you need to, jump to the beginning of the episode here!

The elevator wall was as clear as air – only a few thin lines in it let her know it was there at all.

And she could see out over the entire area, all the statues, and the masses of people that snaked through various places.

“Half of this station is just sorting areas for the streams of people that move through it,” Brooks said.

“Over ten million per day,” Dr. Y noted.  “We are seeing only a fraction of that here.”  He looked at Brooks.  “Though having a ‘foyer’ of this sort, even if not all come through here, is surprisingly inefficient, Captain.  I imagine that this is for a symbolic reason?”

“Yes,” Brooks replied.

Apollonia had her nose against the glass, but then thought of how many people probably touched it on a daily basis.  She moved back.

“Y,” she asked.  “How squirming with life is that glass?”

He looked at it.  “Compared to Earth?  Pristine.  Compared to my office?  It is a veritable zoo.”  He stepped over.  “Now that you have brought up its make-up, I believe I will take a sample.”

While he did that, Apollonia gave a wry grin to Brooks.  “So where is this hearing?”

“The Military Justice section is located three cylinders over.  We have to get on a drone ship that will take us there.”

“How long will that take?”

“About ten minutes.  I’ve signalled a pod and we’ll be picked up shortly after we get to the transit bay.”

The elevator dinged and opened.  Dr. Y took a moment longer to finish his collection, talking about his excitement in meeting such an odd assortment of micro-fauna.

They found themselves at a berthing station, where pod-craft could dock.  There were hundreds of others waiting, with three rows of nine docks.

They went up stairs and Apollonia saw that the dock next to theirs had been cleverly closed off, exposed to the vacuum that existed between the habitat cylinders.  A work-crew in vacuum suits were replacing the lock.

Their pod was already pulling up, and Brooks threw the workmen a salute, which was returned by one.

“Do you know him?” Apollonia asked as they boarded the pod.

“No.  But officers salute workmen,” he replied.

The pod closed behind them and took off.  It just used small hydrogen thrusters, and she felt the acceleration as it moved down the length of the area.

They were still inside the superstructure of Korolev Station, there were only slight glimpses of space beyond through a few small slits – or, she wondered if they were actually kilometers away, but looked tiny at this distance.

There were thousands of other pods, she saw, all pilot-less but controlled in neat lines.  Around the streams of them were hundreds of smaller but still quite large drones with flashing lights that she guessed were for emergencies.

Their trip took them down the length of three habitation cylinders before docking at another terminal.  As they got off, Apollonia noticed that it began to decontaminate itself.

She heard some odd sounds, and Dr. Y was looking back at it even as he walked perfectly alongside them.  “That is not very polite,” he said.  “They are only samples.”  Some rude noise came from the shuttle.

“Captain, that shuttle has the worst personality I’ve ever seen in a drone,” the Doctor said.

“It gives them character,” Brooks said.  “I think it might be the Lunar influence.”

Dr. Y seemed oddly confused by that, but said nothing as they went into the station.

The look here was notably more utilitarian and sober, she thought.  Aside from the SU logo and plaques dedicated to important historical events or figures, there was no decoration.

The Justice Bureau Reception Area, her tablet told her.

There was a receptionist, but they had no need to go to them, and filed down more hallways.

They took a tram and Apollonia was starting to feel strangely uncomfortable and at home all at once.  This was much more like the stations she was used to, but the higher quality and seriousness of it reminded her of times she’d been in trouble with the law.

“Never trust a cop,” she muttered.

“What was that?” Brooks asked.  She was surprised he had heard.

“Nothing,” she said.

Y looked at her, but did not share what he had also probably heard.

They got off, and the area only looked more serious to her.  There were several officials in the waiting area.  Both the walls and furniture were a very dark blue, giving everything a more grim countenance.

Oh, but there was a fish tank.  Her eyes were immediately drawn to it.

Brooks went over to talk to the men, though only briefly.

“Everyone will be here soon, it starts as scheduled, at 1830,” he said.

“Captain, with your permission, Apollonia and I will observe what we can from the Viewing Gallery.”

“Yes,” Apollonia agreed quickly.  “I want to watch this.”  She felt as if she would be helping in some way if she did, though she could not say how.

“There’s some you can’t watch,” he said.  “You especially, Apollonia, as you’ll be called as a witness.”

“I what?” she asked.  She had entirely forgotten that she, too, had a role in the actual tribunal.  “What are they going to ask me, I mean?”

“What happened, what you did – mostly relating to what I did.  Volunteer nothing about yourself or your actions unless directly questioned, and don’t try to defend me – only tell them what happened.”

“Surely there’s more I can do,” she said, feeling panic rise up inside.  “Or, could I just write it out or something . . .”

“You’ll be questioned,” Brooks said.  “But don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.”

“Go over what you said again?” she mumbled.

“They’ll give you more instructions before you go on,” he said.  “But I need to go- oh, Admiral.”

Someone came up from behind Apollonia, and she nearly jumped, as if the person was right there.

But he was only approaching, and she realized she was having a panic attack.

Dr. Y placed a hand on her shoulder, and she forced herself to take a breath.

“Good, you’re here,” the Admiral said.

Brooks saluted the man, who returned it.  Their eyes went to her.  “Admiral Vandoss, this is Apollonia Nor from Begonia, and Dr. Y, my Chief Medical Officer.”

“Ms. Nor,” Vandoss said, soberly offering her a hand.  She took it, hating how weak her grip was as he shook it.  “I am pleased to meet you,” he said.

She found herself feeling weird under his stare.  She didn’t know if she was supposed to know who he was beyond his title.

As if reading her mind, Brooks spoke; “Admiral Vandoss is the one who sent me to find you,” he said to Apollonia.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually seen you,” the Admiral said to her.  “Afraid I haven’t had time to review your data.”

She suddenly remembered where she had heard his name.  “You command the Sol Fleet, right?”

“I am overall in charge,” the man said, smiling slightly.  “Ah, well, look at you, though!  I am pleased you could be found, and in good health.”

“Relatively speaking,” she said automatically.  “I do have rabies.”

Confusion went over the Admiral’s face, and Apollonia instantly felt heat rise in hers.  Deep dark, had she really just said that to an Admiral?!

Brooks let out a surprisingly loud laugh, and Dr. Y spoke.  “She is making a jest, Admiral.  It is a cultural norm for her colony, when in a tense situation.”

The Admiral let out a guffaw as well.  “Well, I can understand humor in grim times,” he said, his belly still bouncing slightly.  “I understand if you’re nervous, but I assure you that everything will be fine.  If you don’t mind, however, I should speak to Brooks before this begins.”

“Of course,” Apollonia mumbled, stepping away with Dr. Y.

“It’s a wonder I’ve made it this far,” she said even more quietly to him.

“It rather is!” Dr. Y replied enthusiastically.

< Ep 5 Part 1 | Ep 5 Part 3 >

Episode 5 – Trial, part 1

Captain Mayor Brooks 11 Comments

New to Other-Terrestrial? Check here!

Captain Brooks’s Log:

I go to face an inquiry that may end my career in the Voidfleet.

I feel fortunate to have had time to make my peace at home, but now I must face this tribunal, over orders that were questionable from the moment they were given.  While I was initially quite certain that this would amount to nothing, I have learned that there is much going on beneath the surface.  But I do not know enough to know what game is being played.

I can see now, the dangers.

But if I can’t protect my own career, I can at least protect those around me.

“Fuck me,” Apollonia said.  “That’s Korolev Station?”

Brooks glanced to her, and for a moment she thought he was going to chide her for her language.

“Yes,” he said, opting to ignore it.  “The Moon is the de facto center of the Solar System, ever since the Earth was cut off in the Ring Collapse.  Korolev Station was already important, but it was added to and became the true seat of the government.”

“I have heard that Lunar culture is somewhat unique by human standards,” Dr. Y said.  “Their art, in particular, has a large reputation.”

“Unique how?” Apollonia asked.

Y hesitated before answering.  “Garish and extravagant.”

“There’s some truth to it being unique,” Brooks said pointedly.  “But that’s mostly in the art colonies, and doesn’t extend much into Korolev.  The station has it’s own culture.”

“I can imagine,” Apollonia muttered.  “It’s not as big as the Chain, but it’s big . . .”

“A permanent population of nearly 75 million and about double that in temporary – it’s impressive,” Brooks said.

“Looks like it’s gonna be crowded as hell,” Apollonia muttered.

“Yes,” Brooks agreed.  “It is.”

Scale could be hard to tell in space, but it looked much smaller than the Chain had been.  Which made sense; even she knew that this close to planetary bodies, having a station as big as MS-29 could be problematic.

“What are those?” she asked, noticing smaller objects near the station.  She leaned forward to peer over Brooks’s shoulder.

“Ships,” he said.

“They don’t look like a lot of the other ships I’ve seen,” Apollonia noted.  Most ships were long and thin, but still managed to look ungainly and awkward.

These . . . there was a sharpness to them.  They had a variety of designs, in all kinds of sizes.

“Fleet ships,” Brooks added, more soberly.  “Those big ones are the battleships.”

“Dark,” she said.  “Is that ship really ten kilometers long?”

“About,” Brooks said.  “Just over nine, I think.”

“And those ones?  With all the spikes?” she asked, pointing to another.  The scope seemed to understand her gesture and zoomed in on it.  The ship was a flat disc with long perpendicular spikes around its edges.

“Artillery ship,” Brooks said.  “Each of the arms contains a coilgun.”

“That’s all gun?”

“Yes.  They’re tremendously powerful weapons – but also very vulnerable.”

“Glass cannon archetype,” she replied.  When he looked surprised, she added; “I’ve played games.”

Y spoke.  “Captain, I am receiving docking instructions.  Korolev has control.”

Brooks nodded.  “That’s right,” he finally said to Apple, then frowned.  “There’s always a defense fleet around Luna, but this is more than normal.”

“It appears to be elements from the 17th, 45th, and 149th Guards Fleets,” Y noted.  “That is . . . surprising.”

Brooks said nothing, but stared out.

“Is that bad?” Apollonia asked.

“I don’t know,” Brooks said.  “The 45th are meant to be on station around Luna right now, and the 17th is under the personal command of System Admiral Vandoss.  But the 149th?  They’re not normally stationed at Sol . . .”

Apollonia sat back in her seat.  All of this was worrying Brooks, but she did not get the significance.

Yet she hesitated asking more.  After the last few days, she was starting to get an idea just how little she knew about anything outside her own narrow experiences.

It wasn’t comfortable, to think you had a good idea on what truths the universe rested, and then find out just how wrong you were.

The docking took an hour, but it was dull enough; Apollonia found she actually missed Urle and his tendency to over-explain everything, because she was actually curious about more.  Yet she stayed in her self-imposed silence, simply sitting and watching.

When the three disembarked, she followed Brooks.

The docking port fed towards the heart of the station, and when they entered the main hall she froze.

Y stopped immediately and caught Brooks, who glanced back to see her staring.

“Dark, this is big,” she said.

The area had to be a hundred meters tall, and five times that long.  Throngs of beings were moving through it, on conveyors or just walking.  Thousands of stalls lined the walls, and everything was just . . . beautiful.

The ceiling, far above, was carved marble, made in intricate shapes, every edge a beautiful line.  In between those sections were inlaid murals that reminded her of ancient paintings of civilizations long gone.

Each piece of art started with a different ancient region of Earth, showing different people using their own methods to build civilization.  It was a full tapestry of humanity, complex and detailed, capturing the whole essence of them more than anything she’d ever seen.  It was much like in the elevator she’d ridden in when they’d arrived at Plucharon Station, only on a far grander scale.

Her eyes went back down to look at a series of monumental statues, towering over thirty meters in height.  At the fore were carvings of a man and woman, hands raised together and holding the ancient agricultural implements that had let humanity form civilization, the hammer and the sickle.

She’d seen those statues before, they were famous, showing up in stock imagery, memes, posters, even as far out as New Vitriol.  Symbols of humanity’s most humble and yet greatest achievement upon which society had been built.  No matter how much the fringe colonies disagreed with the Sapient Union and its ways, no one doubted that it had been people working with their own hands that had built it all.

Somehow it had never occurred to her that she might actually see it in person.  It was so, so much bigger than she had imagined.

Beyond it were the other statues; she’d seen them, but they weren’t as well-regarded.  Each one showed the same two humans, but this time holding hands with an alien – each species that humanity had met and befriended had their own statue.

The closest was a Beetle-Slug, which she’d seen scurrying around on the Craton.  She knew they were highly intelligent and meticulously clean, but they creeped her out.

“Sorry,” she said, trying to get herself under some control.  “I didn’t mean to hold us up.”

Brooks and Y had been waiting in seemingly no hurry.  “It’s no worry.  We have time enough,” Brooks said.  “We erected these statues in the order we encountered each species.  First the Bicet-“

“They were the first aliens we met?” she asked.

“The first intelligent ones.  They had been monitoring us for a while, but decided we were worth talking to, so they approached one of our early exploration vessels.”

There were Dessei and Sepht, Corals and Qlerning, and other aliens she did not even know.  Some had five limbs and giant eyes on their backs.  Others were more like tall crabs, covered in pincers and spikes and eyes placed randomly over their bodies.  Yet another was just a bunch of floating things connected by delicate, thin tendrils.  The artwork on that one was exquisite.

Her eyes roved further, seeing two pedestals that were empty, though clearly something was in the works.

“For the Shoggoths and Star Angels,” Brooks told her, following her gaze.

“This is the largest open area I’ve ever seen on a space station,” she said, eyes now on the ceiling.  “And there are so many people . . .”

“We want to make a good impression,” Brooks said, smiling a little.  “This is the seat of it all, for mankind at least.  But once we get back into the court areas, it won’t be so fancy, trust me.”

A murmuring of voices behind them made Apollonia look back and see that a new shuttle had just unloaded.

“Excuse me,” a drone said, going above their heads.  “No loitering, please.  If you need help finding a particular department, I would be happy to-“

“We know the way,” Brooks said.

Apple dawdled, but Brooks put a hand on her shoulder to guide her away.  “You’ll get another view of it all – a much better one.”

< Ep 4 Part 42 | Ep 5 Part 2 >

Insert Filler Post Here

Captain Mayor Brooks

Ah, so I wanted very badly to continue doing Wednesday and Saturday updates consistently during each episode, and between them as well. Real life doesn’t like to give us the time and inclination for that, though, does it? I do intend to do some as the episode gets going, but I wasn’t able to get started on them today, so no neat Saturday post.

Today proved far busier than I expected, so no real content today. I could go into deeper reasons why, but really – I don’t like to get too personal.

But the good news is that Episode 5 is not just finished, but will launch on-schedule! In fact, every single episode is prepared, scheduled to post for the coming weeks. I spent a lot of yesterday doing that.

So, Monday, it begins.

Take care of yourself out there

-Nolan Conrey

Episode 5 is finished!

Captain Mayor Brooks

Episode 5 of Other-Terrestrial is written, and editing is wrapping up! Starting next Monday, the episode will begin!

Entitled “Trial”, this episode is big in scope for the characters, and will conclude several plotlines set up by previous episodes. Other-Terrestrial is nowhere near being done, however, and I have plenty of plans for the next few episodes. Things will kick up a notch in Episode 6, we’ll see the referenced (and famous in-setting) Gohhi Station in Episode 7, and Episode 8 is planned to return once more to the cosmic horror that is one of the series’ bases.

And beyond that there’s still plenty more to come.

Episode Four is over! Five comes soon!

Captain Mayor Brooks

Yesterday was the final post of Episode 4 – Home.

How did you enjoy it? Please comment your thoughts!

Episode 5 is still in production, but will be finished soon – I cannot say when, exactly, as real life is demanding much of my time and energy. But there are only a few scenes left to write before editing can begin, and then it will be a swift process to get it out.

For those reading this, thank you.

Episode 4 – Home, part 42

Captain Mayor Brooks

New to Other-Terrestrial? Check here! Or if you need to, jump to the beginning of the episode here!

“Ambassador,” Urle said.  “I have news for you.”

Though they spoke through a screen, N’Keeea’s body language perked up immediately.  “You work quickly, Acting-Captain.”

It wasn’t how Urle felt, and he let the compliment pass.  “I’ve spoken to the Ambassadorial Service, and since he’s still near, William Prince will be here later today.”

The significance of that seemed somewhat lost on N’Keeea, and Urle elaborated.  “He’s a very important diplomat within the Sapient Union, and a very compassionate man.”

In getting Prince to get involved, Urle did feel he’d done well.  The Ambassadorial Service had been somewhat reluctant; the man was one of their most prestigious members.

But the situation with N’Keeea’s people was important – and delicate.  The departments of the Ambassadorial service that operated in Dessei and Sepht space – as well as the Beetle-Slugs, who’d had numerous minor conflicts with the Hev – needed to be contacted, to learn just why they’d rejected N’Keeea.

None of this could be done in the name of the SU as a whole; only on the part of Earth and humanity.  It made it . . . trickier.

“Oh, I see,” N’Keeea said.  Something seemed off with him, though.

“I think it’s a good turn of events,” Urle told him.  “I hope it can work out well.”

“I simply hope it works out quickly,” N’Keeea replied bluntly.  “I have received a communique from Mopu; the P’G’Maig have broken through our main line of defense and have begun to move deeper into the system.”

Urle was silent a moment.  “How long can they hold out?” he finally managed to ask.

“They could not give me good numbers, the losses are not yet fully understood,” N’Keeea replied, as calmly as if he was speaking minutiae on a distant nebula.  “But their current guess is that the secondary lines can hold out for less than a month.”

“After that?”

“That is the last of our defenses,” N’Keeea said calmly.  “After that, Acting-Captain, my people will be exterminated.”

Apollonia was glad she got to see the ocean again.

Standing on the platform at the base of Lundgren Tower, she had dawdled at the door, reluctant to leave Earth.

Brooks was already inside, doing Official Stuff that she didn’t know.  Their elevator would be leaving shortly, but she just wanted one more minute of the fresh air, the cool sea breeze, the . . . the whole thing.

Dr. Y hadn’t stepped in, standing out with her.  He had never been very enthusiastic about nature, but he’d still come.

She felt like it was significant to him, all the same.  He’d said he’d never been on a planet before, just like her.  It made her happy that they’d gotten to see Earth together, more or less.

It sucked that she had to be called off to this stupid tribunal thing.  If she’d had the choice, she might have just stayed.  Become Guilli’s apprentice or something.

But she had to go to this.  And inside, she knew that it meant she wouldn’t be coming back.

At least, not yet.

“Nor, I believe we should go in now.  The elevator boarding has begun,” Y said.  “And this humidity is not kind to my poor metal body.”

“All right,” Apollonia replied, turning her back on the ocean, even though it felt like she left behind a part of her soul in the process.

“I guess we’ve got stuff to do.”

FINIS

< Ep 4 Part 41 | Ep 5 Part 1 >

Episode 4 – Home, part 41

Captain Mayor Brooks

New to Other-Terrestrial? Check here! Or if you need to, jump to the beginning of the episode here!

“Y!” Apollonia cried.  “You made it after all!”

“Indeed,” the doctor said, his head moving back and forth to surveil the surroundings.  “I realized that, well, I have not actually gotten a chance to see many planets up close.  And I thought perhaps I might see yours with you.  Forgive me for my tardiness.”

“It’s fine!” she said.  “I’m just glad you’re here.  Isn’t it great?”

Y hesitated before answering, sweeping his head back and forth.  “It is very alive,” he said finally.  “Oh, yes.  There are . . . lifeforms on every surface, it seems.”

He looked down at the ground.  “Absolutely . . . squirming with life.”

She could tell he was uncomfortable, but she was still happy to see him.  “Take a look at these trees!” she said, gesturing with one hand, taking his mechanical one in her other.

She tried to pull him along, closer, while he told her that he was already quite able to see them.

Apollonia had been so excited to see Dr. Y that she had scarcely taken notice of Brooks – or the woman that arrived two minutes later.

She was tall, like him, with the same dark hair and the same brooding eyes.

“Ian,” Maria said.  “It’s good to see you.”

“Same,” he replied, smiling genuinely and taking her hand.  Cupping it in both of his own, he glanced after Apollonia.  “Thank you for arranging this for her.”

“After what you told me, all she’s been through, it was the least I could do.  I always try to keep some VIP seats available, anyway.  Never know when someone might want to drop down.”

She smiled, but it faded quickly.  “And an Ehni as well!  I would have rolled out the red carpet if I’d known.  Very few of them have ever been to our system.  Even fewer have actually come down here.”

“Dr. Y seems quite fond of her,” Brooks said.  “Ehni don’t like going to planetary surfaces – it surprised me when he was on one of the shuttles.  Apparently they keep some spare bodies in their embassy, and he just beamed into the inner system.”

“An amazing people,” Maria replied.  “I’ll be happy to speak with him if either of us have the time.”

A silence fell between them, and Brooks watched Apple introduce Dr. Y to the forest Ranger.  The man was bombastic and affable, and Y began to ask him about fungi he’d seen.

“Oh, there are many kinds of fungi to be found here,” he said.  “And some of them are quite delicious!  Do you eat, my friend?”

As Dr. Y explained that he did not, Maria turned to Ian.

“You went home, didn’t you?”

Brooks continued to gaze forward.  “Yes,” he said.  “It’s been a long time since I had the chance.  I wanted to pay my respects.”

“I wish you would have come to me first,” Maria replied.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

“I know it’s important to you, Ian, but you don’t have to torture yourself like this every time you return.”

“It’s not torturing myself,” he said dismissively.

“Then why?  The dead are gone, Ian.  Clemence doesn’t know if you-“

“I know,” Ian replied quietly.  “And that’s enough.”

Maria took a deep breath, calming herself.  Both of their emotions could easily run too high.  But all the piss and vinegar and bile that threatened to rise in them had burned out.  It had been long enough.

“Forty-four years,” she said softly.  Forty-four years without their youngest sibling.  Forty-five without their mother and father.

She just wished she’d actually been home when it had happened.  So that Brooks and Clemence had not been alone.

Ian heard her speak, but said nothing.

Maria finally broke the silence between them.  “This inquiry, how serious is it?”

“Not very,” he said confidently.  “I don’t even know why it’s being done.  I was asked something genuinely impossible – honestly, I don’t understand what Director Freeman’s endgame is.”

“He’s an unlikable man,” Maria replied, disgust in her voice.  “But he’s got a lot of friends, somehow.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense.  Perhaps he’s just viewed as being good at his job-“

“Is he?” Brooks asked her softly.  “In your opinion.”

“Yes,” she replied bluntly.  “I think he is.  Since he became Director of the weird wab eleven years ago, the rate of understanding of all this zerospace and tenkionic stuff has increased markedly.  It’s still all nonsense to me, but they’ve made predictions that have proven to be true – and he runs a tight ship.  Even came in under budget a few years.”

“That seems hard to believe,” Ian replied.  “Do you think he can push his clout for revenge?”

“I know the man has never supported you, but even with all the negative things about him, I don’t think he’s into vendettas.  Not unless someone seriously wrongs him.”

“He might feel that way.  How much do you know?”

“Not much.  Just the public information,” she replied.  “What can you tell me about the incident?”

“Nothing,” he replied dourly.

“While you’re here, you should come visit.  Blake is always happy to see you, and you know Osei – he adores you.”

Brooks smiled, thinking of Maria’s wife and their son.  The boy had already declared that he wanted to be a star-captain like his uncle.

“I brought him some travel logs and a Tedian Moon Fluff from the Begonia system.”

“A pet, Ian?  Really?”  Maria clicked her tongue at him.

He laughed.  “Don’t worry, it’s not actually alive.  It just does a good job of seeming that way.”

“I’m sure Osei will be thrilled with them,” Maria replied, smiling warmly now.

Apollonia turned and saw them both, but must have seen the shadows on their faces, as she only waved.

Brooks waved back, and she began to tromp off into the woods, the ranger and Y both following her.

“The effect around her is not very strong,” Maria noted.

“I think it’s lessened here, for some reason.  I don’t know why, though.  I could still feel it, back when we were at the edge of the system.  But as we came deeper, she’s seemed less . . . strange and just more like a normal girl.”

There was a silence again, and their eyes simply remained where Apollonia had gone into the forest.  Then Maria spoke.

“She reminds me of Clemence,” she said softly.

Brooks did not reply, but his lips curled upwards into the barest hint of a smile.

< Ep 4 Part 40 | Ep 4 Part 42 >

The Future Ecology of Redwoods

Captain Mayor Brooks

For writing the scenes of Apollonia in the Sequoia Cloud Forest – which is simply a renaming of the modern Redwood National State and State Parks – I researched these magnificent trees in detail.
I’ve been lucky enough to see them once, and it was a spectacular sight; I do hope to see them again one day.
I cannot claim to be an expert on them, of course, but if asked, will they survive into the far future – my answer might be rather grim.
Despite being the tallest trees and some of the largest lifeforms on Earth, the trees are far from immortal. Even besides intensive logging – which could potentially grow worse if environmental regulations are undone in the name of fascist capitalist greed – changing climate could have devastating effects upon them.
In the short-term, the additional carbon in the air has actually benefitted the trees, allowing them to attain greater mass. Trees do, after all, actually pull much of their mass directly from the air to form their bodies.
But changing climatic patterns, especially droughts, threaten them. As soon as 2030, Redwoods around San Francisco may begin to face droughts they cannot weather.
Changing fog patterns and wildfires are also a major concern. While trees as large as the redwoods have substantial resistance to fires, they do cause severe stress, and fires can become intense enough to kill even them.
Unfortunately, these changes are highly likely to get worse, due to the volatile nature of a more energetic climate.
There may be ways that they can be saved, however. As human intervention caused climate change, so too can we act to save the redwoods. This involves fighting climate change and actively managing the conditions for fires in the forest.
Like many aspects of climate change, this is something we should have begun decades ago, and now we have a limited window. ‘Green’ capitalism is, at this point, a mere band-aid, and more severe action is needed if future generations – like Apollonia – will ever get to see the grand majesty of these trees.

Episode 4 – Home, part 40

Captain Mayor Brooks

New to Other-Terrestrial? Check here! Or if you need to, jump to the beginning of the episode here!

Apollonia was going to have to leave tomorrow, she knew.

This was her last evening on Earth.  The word itself, ‘evening’, actually had a real meaning to it now.  On station, it was only a term for a part of the day.  Now, in her mind, it was tied to the end.

Idly, she wondered how many other words had just lost their meaning when away from the world that had spawned them.  So many things just forgotten.

It was hard for her to be sad about anymore, though.  She’d been feeling so much, that she was almost numb.

But she was still going to enjoy these last few hours.

For once, wasting an evening did not feel like wasting a precious moment of her life she’d never have back.  For once, she was not simply sitting in limbo, unsure if anything terrible would happen in the next minute, hour, or day.  Security wasn’t going to kick in the door to this cabin, no mob was about to form and come after her.

She wondered why Guilli seemed so unbothered by her.  Perhaps people in the SU just thought differently.  Perhaps the fact that they didn’t live in constant fear made them not react to her odd presence with aggression.

After she left tomorrow, she knew her ease might disappear.  The tribunal for Brooks would begin, and she hated to think that he would have to pay for something that was not his fault.

And the possibility that the seeming perfection that was the Sapient Union might come crumbling down did not escape her.  If they found Brooks guilty of . . . whatever they said he did, they might then look to her.  Maybe she’d find out that they had dungeons, too.

But for the rest of this evening, she didn’t want to think on those things.

It was a cool night out, and she had the blanket wrapped around herself.  She was going to miss its warmth and softness.  She had no idea how expensive they were – or honestly even how money worked in the SU – or how to get one.  But she’d love to have one back on the ship.

“Guilli . . .” she asked.  “How do I get a blanket like this?”

He was writing on a tablet, and merely glanced up.  “You may keep that one.  As a reminder of Earth.”

She sat up.  “Didn’t you say they’re expensive?”

“I said they’re dear,” he said, though she felt sure that had not been his wording.  “But I know the man who makes them, and I can get another.  So, please, take it.”

She leaned back, shaking her head.  “Why are you so nice?” she asked.

“Ah, well you’re a special guest, aren’t you?” he said, smiling.  “And, truly, I like you.  You are not like everyone else, and most of the time you keep to yourself and are quiet.  It is quite pleasant.”

“I’m a special guest?” she asked.  “In what way?”

Guilli suddenly looked awkward, as if he’d been caught in something.  “Well, the only tourist of the season, and an interesting person . . .”

“No,” she said, frowning.  “I don’t think that’s what you meant.”

There was a steel in her voice that she hadn’t even intended.  But she felt a sudden dread that she was being . . . put on, somehow.  That something or someone was manipulating her.

“I . . . was told not to bring up your VIP status,” Guilli said.  “But you seem to have guessed it.”

“I’m a VIP?” she asked, eyes wide.  “Wait, why am I a VIP?”

“I don’t know,” Guilli said.  “But we are all our own VIP, yes?  So that is not very odd.”

She had the feeling he was trying to dance around the question again.

“What else do you know that you’re not supposed to tell me?” she asked.

“You make it sound so bad,” he replied, chuckling.  “But I was given explicit orders by Brooks, my superior, to treat you-“

“You know Captain Brooks?” she burst out.

The man looked confused.  “Captain?  Oh – you must mean her brother.  I am speaking of Maria Brooks.  She is Deputy Director of Ecological Protection.  I was contacted by her a few hours before your arrival and told to make you comfortable.  But truly,” he insisted.  “Take the blanket.  VIP or not, I would be pleased for you to have it.  I understand space is very cold.”  He grinned again.

Apollonia felt very awkward, not knowing what to say.  She felt a keen lack of the social graces she knew she ought to have.

How had Maria Brooks – was she really Brooks’s sister? – have known where she’d been going?  But then she remembered Norton.

Looking to the drone, she realized that she’d asked the drone to take her here.  If everything was as open here as it was on the Craton, then it could have just messaged the woman.

“Thank you, Guilli.  I’m . . . I’m sorry for being so suspicious,” she said.  The words were hard to find, and sounded stilted coming out of her mouth.

“You are quite welcome,” he replied, waving a hand to lighten the air.

“I guess I owe Maria Brooks thanks, too.  Could you tell her that for me?”

“You may tell her yourself,” Guilli said.  “She will be arriving here tomorrow morning, as I understand it.”

“Really?”

“Oh, yes.  It is not that unusual – you are not the only one who enjoys this forest.  I think, as well, that your Captain Brooks will be meeting her here.  I imagine then you and he will leave together?”

“Yeah, I suppose so.  Big important space things,” she said.

Guilli put down his pad and leaned closer.  “So what’s it like up there?  I rarely care to ask.”

“Well, it’s big and empty, of course,” she joked.  But as he stared at her, guileless, she realized it was a serious question.

“Haven’t you been to space?” she asked.

He shook his head.  “No, no.  That is no place for me!  I belong where my feet are on the ground, and that is the end of it.”  He turned to gaze lovingly out the window, but then his eyes slid back over to peer at her.

“But,” he added.  “I admit sometimes I’m curious.”

Apollonia leaned back.  “I think I said I was from a colony far from here, didn’t I?  Well . . . to be honest, it was a real shithole.  But I’ve been to other places, and . . .  Overall, despite how it’s this infinite blackness out there, you spend most of your time in small areas.  I mean, sure, sometimes there are very big chambers.  But almost all of your life is spent in a hallway, in a room about this size, or something like that.”

She let her gaze unfocus, remembering so many rooms, the walls plastic or metal or smoothed stone or some combination thereof.  “I never saw a tree before I came here,” she said.  “In the colonies I grew up in, wood was practically a legend.  I remember one guy who had a tree branch.  It was small and crumbling.  He’d charge people a credit to touch it.  To feel some kind of connection to nature.”

Guilli was quiet for a time, contemplating that.  “It is sad, no?  I have heard of many colonies that sound like amazing, nice places.”

“I just wasn’t in that kind of colony,” she said.  “They’re not all shit.  At least, I don’t think they are.”

“And . . . how does it feel to float?” he asked.

She smiled.  “It feels very normal to me.  Walking in gravity?  Now that feels weird.”

He laughed and picked back up his tablet, but seemed distracted still.

She waited, happy for a silence, happy to just be.

Then he asked.

“I’ll bet you have many interesting stories, don’t you?”

Her face split into a grin.  “Let me tell you about this one guy I knew who thought his brother was a computer . . .”

< Ep 4 Part 39 | Ep 4 Part 41 >