The Living World

In the vacuum of space, no one can hear you scream. Or so they say.

Looking out the window of my quarters aboard The great Taxodus 94, I gazed into the stars thinking to myself about this phenomenon.

Because there are no particles in space, there are no gas molecules for your vocal cords to interact with. In a fixed, gas filled environment, sound would be produced as a result of moving or colliding molicules. However in the vacuum of space, without the thin cloud of gaseous particals, obviously sound was impossible.

How can something be so rich in particles and matter but also be so void of exactly the same thing at exactly the same time? It never makes any sense. Space is literally the opposite of itself.

Although, knowing exactly what kind of mission we were on, and exactly where it would be, I shouldn't be questioning what should and shouldn't make sense. Quite frankly none of us knew anything anymore.

My mind churns everytime I think about it. Space is so big and so vast it seems eternal. Even in this day and age it's hard to put into perspective.

Pulling me out of my trance, the mechanical door opened behind me in my tiny bedroom. There was enough room for a small bed, a chair, a table, a nightstand, and a wardrobe. When traveling through space, there wasn't much room to spare for luxury. At least I was a part of the lucky few who even got a designated place to sleep.

"And what exactly do you think you're doing soldier? Slacking off on the job? Waking from hibernation exactly 3 days ago and not even laying a finger out of the barracks. You better get your ass to the Merc center immediately and continue your Geode Protocol Training."

A tall chiseled man towered over me. He flexed his highly trained muscles with his hands behind his back adding to his intimidation.

He stared me down, menace on his face, but I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Ethan you ass wadd it took you long enough to wake up from hibernation"

I said punching him as hard as I could in his groin.

The once tense, intimidating fellow immediately crumpled to the floor. His hands gripped between his legs, as he let out a pitiful yelp.

The menace and fake anger in his eyes were replaced with regret and tears whilst he continued to lay winded across my floor.

"Dammit… I was just… playing around……

I… I think you broke something….."

I started to feel a little bad, but not for long.

"Quit whining like a Woolly. As if it even matters."

A Wooly was a term we used on earth for people who didn't accept or… "believe" in the use of nanotech or neuro links. Like sheep, they believed whatever skeptics and ignorant media influencers attempted to shut down the progression of robotic biological enhancement.

In the present day, most people have millions of tiny robotic cells in their bodies that basically do all the hard work for us. Quick regenerative properties and easy neurological access to the internet were very basic examples of what these little robots could do.

For highly trained mercenaries such as ourselves, we received military-grade nanotech, equipped with technology that would more than triple our regenerative properties as well as our strength, speed, endurance, and reflexes. It doesn't stop there. If some form of fast-moving object were to impact our body, the nanotech in our blood would act as an internal shield to stop this object from breaking any bones or piercing past most layers of skin.

This of course wouldn't come without a cost. Energy doesn't come from nothing after all. Anyone with any sort of nanotech in their bloodstream would have to eat at least double the normal amount of calories as someone without would have to consume in one day. And someone with military-grade nanotech… let's just say Mercenaries spend a lot of money on livestock.

A bit of confusion crossed my face.

"Wait, that shouldn't have hurt at all. Is your nanotech functioning correctly? My hand should have bounced off your balls like a rubber ball hitting concrete."

Still on the floor, he whimpered.

"There… there was a nutrition malfunction in my hibernation pod…"

He tried to sit upright.

"My nanotech had to be set… Ugh… set to dormant… otherwise over the year…. it would have eaten me alive."

Now I felt really bad. Observing his crumpled state, it appeared as if he would have preferred this gruesome death.

"Oh… sorry about that…. When should it be functioning again?"

"Hopefully in a few hours… I woke up 20 minutes ago...I was gonna go straight to the bioengineer after I said hello….."

He paused for a moment. Clearly, he was going through something here.

"But I might want to stop at the med bay first…."

I helped him to his feet

"Well, maybe that will make you think twice about disturbing a woman in her time of rest."

I said, trying to hide my pity.

We slowly started to waddle our way towards the med bay. I realized this was probably the first time Ethan had seen the musky halls of The Taxodus 94 since about a year ago when the entire ship went into hibernation. People aboard the ship would randomly awake throughout the month to make preparations for our safe entry into Geode c-34's orbit. I woke up about a week ago, but that wasn't the only thing Ethan got wrong in his angry military ramble.

Since I woke up, I had been training non-stop to prepare myself for the mission to come. Who knows what kind of monsters lived on Geode c-34. Not only that, but I needed to be ready for any other catastrophe that could occur. These scientists were our future, And as long as at least one Unicorn was alive, we would stop at nothing to protect anyone who dedicated their lives to the Geode project. Ethan and I especially.

Ethan had been a "Merc" or Mercenary for 5 years before they recruited little 8-year-old me to the Unicorns.

There were many different Mercenary organizations across the solar system. There were The Scorpions, The Atlas Clan, the Centaurs, The Dragon Knights…. The list went on. But the one that happened to steal me from a chance at a normal life was the Unicorns. There I met Ethan. My direct superior, and best friend, ever since the first day they pumped me full of hormones, endorphins, and whatever other chemicals were used to ready me for my nanotech.

The Unicorns were the only clan to sponsor their Mercenaries to doctor Albedrias' crazy Geode project. Sending some of Earth's finest minds halfway across the galaxy, likely to never return was not a popular opinion, to say the least. Although, no matter how unpopular this opinion was… money talks, and here we are 50 years later.

The rest of the walk to the med bay was a mission in itself. I had to pick up and carry the poor brute the rest of the way because he kept whining. It must have looked quite entertaining for ongoing Mercenaries passing by to see a 5-foot lady carrying a 6-foot Executive Mercenary like a baby towards the med bay.

Finally, I pushed the button that would open the big metal door that shielded the mysteries behind. I hadn't seen this room since orientation day, which I didn't remember much of considering It was a year ago. Even a week later, my mind was still groggy from the year's hibernation.

I never really had a reason to visit the med bay other than that. Our military-grade nanotech could do practically anything an experienced medic could do to my knowledge. I assumed that this room was simply here to adhere to safety protocols and legalities considering that everyone on this mission was required to equip some form of nanotech in order to be accepted on this mission. Searching through the fog in my mind, I remembered signing the papers. Giggling at the idea that anyone could say no to nanotech or neuro links. How could anyone pass up free strength? Free connection to the internet? Languages no longer needed to be memorized. Anything the internet knew, you could know in an instant. It's part of what makes us a powerful species. Knowledge is power after all.

The room was dimly lit and dusty with an earthy odor that indicated the housekeeping bots ignored this room regularly throughout the year. There were old med pods that lined the wall, some with cracks in their glass and others rusted closed. But in the center of the old lab, was a scrawny hunched over elderly man. Tinkering away at something that he shielded from view. He looked like one of those old crazy scientists that the 20th century depicted intelligent men to look like in their depiction of the future. A big faded lab coat hung over his hunched back and its collar was stained by the grease of his fanatically ungroomed salty-coloured hair. He was definitely an older man which I had guessed was maybe in his 150's or older.

Ethan looked surprised

"Doctor Connelly?"

He said, completely forgetting about the pain he was in.

The man stopped what he was doing and turned around

Doctor Connelly? Like… Alister Connelly? THE Alistor Connelly? The very same Alistor Connelly whose father Frederick Connelly discovered and helped develop neuro links and the very first prototype of the nanobot that would later become the now world-renowned nanotech?

This was a dream come true. I'd never called myself a scientist, but their work always fascinated me. The true power of the human species was the result of intelligent minds such as these. People that worked to ensure that humans would stay at the top of the food chain. They were the true warriors of the world. A Mercenary was strong, but there was only so much a soldier could do without their weapons.

Dumbfounded, I dropped Ethan to the floor.

The holographic scanning present in the doctor's nanotech was easily able to identify a broken pelvis and completely obliterated reproductive system.

I felt really bad for Ethan. I wasn't sure how he was able to even stand a few moments ago… the fact that he was really hard on himself and trained till he puked must have been the defining factor in his pain intolerance. He never liked to use his nanotech when he trained. Back at Unicorn HQ, he would always find a way to turn it off and on again when he was training. This led to him getting beat up quite frequently whilst training with people with over triple times his strength. People called him crazy, but he insisted it made him stronger.

Of course, there was a reason he was an Executive Mercenary though. As crazy as people said he was, he was one of the finest fighters the Unicorns had to offer. Since nanotech acts as a strength multiplier, All this vigorous training made him seven times his regular strength on nanotech. Considering the amount of training he did, Ethan was one of the fastest and strongest men our solar system had to offer. I could bet that because of this, Ethan had volunteered into using one of the faulty pods instead of someone else.

I helped Ethan into one of the bigger, tidier med pods on the wall.

"After I flip this lever your nanotech should become active again and begin repairing the damage immediately. It shouldn't take much longer than a minute to complete regeneration."

Doctor Connally croaked in a raspy voice.

After flipping the switch, the pod began to glow green for only a moment before subsiding.

"Feel free to take your time stepping out. Give yourself a chance to heal."

Connally turned around to meet my eyes.

"Now Ms. Darkoak. I understand that you've been training quite vigorously in your time as a Mercenary."

I tensed unable to speak to the hero, surprised he knew my name.

"I've been elected to promote a Mercenary for the Biology District by Lieutenant Davis…"

Connally continued

"And out of all the Mercenaries I've seen, You seem to be the one who's taking the job the most seriously. Most Mercenaries haven't even stepped foot out of the barracks yet, but you…"

I snuck Ethan a glare for his military ramble earlier.

"You've been training nonstop for the past week. I was surprised to see you finally head back to your room on the sixth day straight."

I could feel myself blushing.

"Thank you, sir"

I couldn't help but be tense. This man was a scientific legend. He helped to develop biological technology much further than anyone could have imagined. His father may have been the one who discovered nanotech, but this man was the reason for its development and why it was so widespread to this day. Everything the mercenaries used, down to the cells keeping us alive was in one way or another impacted by this man's work.

"I have discussed with lieutenant Davis, and she and I both agree that you would make the perfect Executive Mercenary to defend the Biology Department."

My jaw dropped to the floor

"Me? An Executive Mercenary? I couldn't. Please consider someone else. What about Ethan? He's one of the greatest soldiers the Unicorns have to offer! Besides, he already has experience being an Executive."

I looked to Ethan for help as he stepped out of the med pod stretching his hips.

"No can do Ari. I've already been assigned as an apprentice to the task force. I'll be starting to boss around people like you pretty soon… unless you take the offer of course"

"Ms. Darkoak if I may?"

I looked back over in defeat.

"I understand you might not feel experienced enough for this kind of responsibility, but I've seen you train. I’ve also seen the spark in your eye at the mention of biological advancements. I dare say I would have no one else but you for this position."

"But sir…"

I stammered

"There's no telling what lies on Geode. I cannot guarantee the safety of someone as important as yourself in the hands of an inexperienced Mercenary such as myself. What if…”

"Please.”

He cut me off

“Hold your excuses. I am an old, crazy scientist. I’ve lived a long life and I can live on through my work even if something happens. Besides, I have a little trick up my sleeve…"

He turned to the table that we disturbed him from upon our arrival.

"While you chumps were snoring all year, I've taken it upon myself to work on something revolutionary!"

A clunky bracelet-like object with a large mechanical pendant lay open across the table with wires and energy crystals messily sticking out of it.

"Through the use of nanotechnology and neuro links, I have found a way to neurologically transform memories into downloadable data that theoretically could be stored in a device! And if I do this correctly… this could completely download someone's cognitive neurology at the moment of death!"

"You did what?"

Ethan asked, confusion on his face.

Dumbfounded I turned to Ethan.

"This is amazing! It means that memories can now be stored in a device! Assuming a human being at its core is a series of memories with patterns of neurons firing… you could hypothetically download your mind into a device or into the internet and live as zeros and ones for the rest of eternity!"

I turned to the doctor

"Sir you might have just solved death!!"

He laughed

“Well, that is the dream. But I still have some work to do. If I keep going at this pace, I should be done by the time we land on Geode. This being said…”

He turned to take a small object out of his large lab coat, which I recognized to be an Executive Mercenary’s badge.

“I will no longer accept no as an answer. You must accept this badge and earn your place as the protector of the Biology Department, as I will accept no one else for the position.”

He reached over to hand me the small object and waited for my hesitation to pass.

Trying to hide my excitement, I eventually reached to accept my hard work’s prize. I had put on a reluctant face the entire time. I really was nervous to accept the position, but deep down this was what I had always wanted. To be in my own independence was not only a dream come true but to be working with none other than the man that expanded nanotech was truly straight out of a fantasy.

“Sir I won't let you down. I will do everything within my capabilities to protect you and your department from any dangers you may face.”

The doctor smiled. Relieved that I finally gave in.

“Good. I look forward to working with you in the future. Now take this e-journal and begin your Executive documentation. Exec Mercs have a lot of paperwork after all.”

He handed me the small cubic object with a wink

“Now get out of here you hooligans, I have some work to do.”

I barely remembered walking back to my quarters. My mind was filled with hundreds of anxious questions, concerns, and newly found priorities.

“E- journal...”

I said to Ethan

“How do I even start?”

“Hah, I didn't think you would have the guts to take the position.”

“Ethan!”

I said, annoyed.

“Right, sorry. Um, I'm not sure… I guess you could start with the mission? Like, why we’re here, where we’re going.”

“Yes… alright, I gotta go. Go tell the Lieutenant that I’ve accepted the position. I've got some work to do.”

I practically slammed the mechanical door in his face by the time we got to my room and I immediately got to work.

Rushing to sit at my small desk, I pressed the button on the small cubic object, and immediately, a hologram projected my face back at me, recording everything I did.

‘Hmm, where should I begin…’

I thought to myself.

‘In the vacuum of space……’

Forming the words in my mouth, I said

“In the vacuum of space…”

A moment passed

“No one can hear you scream.”

I tried again this time more confidently.

“In the vacuum of space, no one can hear you scream. Or so they say.

In the vacuum of space, no one can breathe or speak. Or so they say.

In the vacuum of space, living without a surrounding modified environment is impossible. Or so they say.

“50 years ago, lead astronomical scientist Arlong Albedrias and his team were stationed on Pluto's moon Charon in search of nearby planets to continue the Class 3 Expansion Project. Their mission was designed to expand our civilization past our solar system and finally into another. What they found amongst the stars changed everything we knew about science forever.

“Rouge planets are Celestial bodies that the human race has known about since the 20th century. Planets that in one way or another, no longer orbit a star and continue to drift aimlessly through space until they collide with another celestial body, or fall into the orbit of one.

“46 million lightyears past the 21st century’s perceivable universe, lives the rogue planet Geode c-34. Three times the size of Earth, it was theorized as a frozen Wasteland void of life. But 50 years ago, thanks to newly discovered holographic scanning technology, Albedrias received readings that might suggest otherwise.

“25 years ago Albedrias sent the Boreas 12, the first artificially intelligent android probe to land on Geode c-34. Its mission was to research and photograph evidence of life and send it back to our solar system so it could hopefully widen our understanding of this possibly miraculous phenomenon.

“The mission was successful. What it found still puzzles scientists to this day. Miraculously, Millions of organisms littered the surface of the planet.

“What was originally theorized as a cold, and inhospitable wasteland had turned out to harbor a dense and warm atmosphere that was equipt with more than enough biological material for millions of alien species to flourish. Perplexed scientists were able to identify that a large majority of the life found on this planet was in one way or another an organism that decomposes other dead organisms. Saprotrophic and detrivoric organisms were in a clear abundance and littered the surfacing wildlife. Giant mushrooms acted as trees that forested the landscape inhabited by larger wormlike creatures that burrowed in the rich soil.

“Sending more research probes widened our knowledge, hungry scientists. They learned that not only did this planet contain life, but this planet was ALSO a life. The very soil that the probes studied was actually a part of a Colossal dead and decomposing organism. A being so large we had ignorantly mistaken it as a celestial body.

Could this… thing even be classified as a celestial body? Was there any way a biological organism such as this could actually exchange gasses, eat, consume water or reproduce at such a large scale, let alone in the void of space? And how in god's name would something like this die? Nobody knew. A creature of this mass scale was unheard of.

“This not only changed our entire perception of biology but also lead to technological advancements humanity could only dream of. Biologically produced chemicals, fossil fuels, degenerative gasses and flammable liquids on Geode must be as abundant as water is on Earth. Not to mention the other undiscovered materials that may exist in this never before seen world.

“Albedrias had to excavate. Both for research and profit purposes. At the prime age of 84 years old, he gathered a crew of the most highly trained individuals. With the world's finest Mechanics, Mercenaries, Physicists, and Biologists at his aid, he set to the stars in his prized ship “The Taxodus 94”

“My name is Arianne Darkoak and I was chosen by Doctor Connelly as the Executive Mercenary of project Geode's Biology department. This e-journal will act as my travel log to document our findings and my personal experience over the duration of this journey. Our mission is to establish a hospitable excavation colony and research center that will aid and better our understanding of this extraordinary environment and possibly even life itself.

My mission, along with my fellow Mercenaries, is to protect the crew at all costs, ensure the safety of all passengers on board our ship, the Taxodus 94, and aid our fellow companions in better understanding Geode c-34.

“We are 2 earth months upon arrival to the rogue "planet" Geode c-34 and our first course of action is to fall into orbit and assess the celestial body from above. Hopefully, after a few months of research, we can safely strategize a means to land and start a sustainable colony.”