Daughter Nature

There weren't always dragons in the Valley.

In fact, there’d been no mention of them since our migration to Kepler. Over time, their existence had taken on a mythical quality. We weren’t sure they had ever been real.

Our days on Earth were long behind us, ever since a spontaneous fire burned most of the land mass with the exception of one area now known as Memphis. Surrounded by thick walls and a solid gold biodome, it was virtually impenetrable. No one from the Kepler colony had ever stepped foot inside, and information about it was scant, save for the urban legends that spread amongst the people. It was rumored that the only child of Mother Nature herself ruled over this mystical place and its people, known as the Sugen. No one knew her real name. She was simply referred to as…Daughter Nature. Her abilities ranged from shapeshifting to being able to communicate with animals. She could time travel, air bend and walk on water. Her best friend was a white deer named Desi. Exquisitely beautiful, her brown skin and doe-shaped eyes could stop the heart of many a mere mortal, but few had ever had the pleasure of seeing her. The idea that such a woman could be left roaming the earth fascinated me from the time I was a small boy, living life on a faraway planet.

Kepler in 3888 A.D. was thousands of years ahead of earth in terms of technology and light years away in distance. No one had to work. They only did so by choice. AI and machines did all of the jobs that nobody wanted to do. With so much free time and access to every conceivable modern-day amenity, our population should have been thriving, but for all of our advances, life spans were growing shorter and shorter. It was not uncommon for members of the community to die in their late 40s and early 50s. They weren’t overweight, and we had long since eradicated the diseases that took the lives of many earthlings before the fire: cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, car accidents and others. The best scientific minds could not understand why Keplerites were dying younger and younger with every passing year. Our commander-in-chief transitioned when he was just 42. As his only son, I was the one to discover him, ashen and unresponsive for no apparent reason. The coroner had ruled the cause of death as undetermined. Now as the acting Commander, the Council had tasked me with finding the truth, and I was going to do so at all costs.

I believed Memphis held the answers I sought, but I had no idea how I was going to get inside. It was of no consequence. I was leaving and would trust that with the spirit of my father guiding me and Kepler’s technological advances, my mission would be a success. The lives of my people were at stake.

Through the years, advances in travel had made it possible to get to many places within a galaxy in almost no time at all. What once took years could happen now in mere moments. Cars, busses and trains were a thing of the past. We learned how to utilize water sources as fuel for our all-terrain ships. No need for gasoline, oil or electrical charging. Kepler’s air was exquisitely clean. We had eradicated smog and pollution since moving there. Oxygen was manufactured. The sun and moon were replaced with replicas that provided both heat and light. There was virtually no more sickness. We made food that nourished. Everyone was paid the same, so crime became non-existent. We harnessed all we had from nature, so it became unnecessary and obsolete. Everything in Kepler served a specific purpose.

Within a week’s time, I had prepared for my first journey to Earth. Answers for my father overrode any feelings I had of worry and fear. I knew it was my destiny to go. I set my ship’s guidance panel for the coordinates of Memphis and quietly landed minutes later.

The Earth’s surface was scorched brown with no signs of life. I descended the ship, knelt down and scooped up a handful of what was something I learned about in school called “dirt”. In the former days of Earth, it had been used to grow things but had since lost all its nutrients and power. It crumbled in my hand and slipped through my fingers onto the ground. Earth was cold and still with very little light. Ahead in the distance, I could barely make out the glint of the gold dome. I didn’t know of any way in and felt certain that some sort of alarm system would be in place to warn the Sugen of possible intruders. In earnest, I started on foot toward this place of mystery and legend, wary of my steps and listening keenly for any sound that might give my presence away. As I neared the community, the dirt underfoot turned to mud. My progress slowed dramatically, as my feet slogged through it, determined to get as close as I could to look for a pathway in. I realized I hadn’t eaten anything all day, so I unzipped my backpack and took a quick capsule of Kepler energy. This revitalized me instantly and made it possible to continue my trek. Before long, the mud gave way to a stream. I had seen flowing water in Kepler but never on the ground, only in treatment facilities to make fuel and, of course, in our body cleaning systems. I gingerly reached out to touch it. It was cold but seemed harmless. It was the only thing standing between me and Memphis and appeared to run around the entire structure. I had no idea how deep it was.

I took one step, then two…and whoosh! I dropped what felt like ten feet into an abyss of absolute darkness. My grandfather prepared me for times like this. I had to stay calm. The water threatened to pull me further under. Don’t panic. Press the button just inside the strap of your pack. I fought against the current, felt for the pack’s button and pressed. The pack immediately inflated and pulled me to the surface of the water, as I sputtered and gasped for breath. I’d only been on Earth a short time and had already nearly died. If I were to survive, I’d need to make smarter choices moving forward.

I shrugged the pack off and held it tightly in front of me. It carried me along, allowing me to survey the walls of the biodome. I saw no doors. Cold and wet, I was starting to grow weary. I had to find a way to dry land. Just then, the straps on my pack caught hold of something, and I was jerked to a halt. It was then that I noticed that the water was growing shallow. Large rocks were protruding through its surface. I freed my bag from what felt like something rough and sharp. Maybe it was wood of some kind, another thing I’d learned about in school, and grabbed hold of a rock. From there, the rocks were close enough together that I could maneuver my way to the bank.

I had made it across and was mere feet away from the walls of Memphis.

Just then, I heard voices. Soft and low, they were giggling and whispering. I tucked myself behind a rock and tried to still my breathing. Peering from my hiding place, I could just make out two young girls each carrying a basket, its contents unknown. Thankfully, they didn’t see me. I thought no one ever left the walls of this city under any circumstances. What were they doing out here? Just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished. I must be close to a way in.

I waited for a few moments before venturing from the safety of the rock. That’s when I saw it: A glowing object lay on the ground, just steps away from me. The brilliance of its ever-changing colors was captivating. I moved forward for a closer look, and upon further inspection, could see that it appeared to be a large egg. We had eggs in Kepler, but nothing like this. It was as big as my head. Had the girls I’d just seen been gathering these in their baskets? My curiosity got the better of me. I reached out to touch it. The colors seemed to inhabit me. I felt warm and radiant and full of light. Purple, turquoise, orange and pink danced before my eyes. I was enveloped with a sense of overwhelming peace and love, unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I felt myself drifting down, my eyes growing heavy. Sweet sleep. I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to. The orb lit up the Earth’s surface as I succumbed to slumber. I let her carry me off.

I awoke with a start. How much time had passed, I couldn’t say? I sat up slowly and discovered that I was inside the walls of Memphis, named not for a city in Tennessee but as an ancient capital of Egypt. It defied description, and I imagined it to be much like the Garden of Eden described in the text of the Bible. A land of milk and honey. A Valley full of lush green trees, fruits and vegetables, brilliant sunshine, flowing streams, colorful flowers, animals roaming freely, and the most elegant and regal-looking people I’d ever seen. They wore robes of finery, trimmed in gold and silver. Their skin shone like polished bronze. Some of the people were dipping chalices into crystal-clear lakes and drinking. Some of the people were resting comfortably on blankets and laughing with their children. Some of the people were sampling grapes and pomegranates and pineapples.

And some of the people were cooking. They rubbed brown objects together. Smoke began to rise, then sparks shot out and burst into orange flames. Fire. No one in Kepler had ever seen fire, but here, the Sugen not only were harnessing it for their own purposes, but they also knew how to create it.

The Sugen were dragons.