Seeking Refuge Beyond The Void

Prelude

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say…

But in the void beyond the event horizon of a black hole, where time and space break down and the rules of physics become distorted, who knows what is possible. She could be ripped apart, spaghettified, sucked into a different universe or dimension or simply suspended in time for eternity—her scream rippling through the cosmos. Yet, that is the risk she decided to take—venture into the unknown that not even modern physics can rationalize or face death at the hands of her own people.

You see, her world was dying. Life on her planet developed and evolved much later than in most solar systems, and therefore as soon as its inhabitants acquired the understanding that their sun was in the final stages of its life cycle, the ecosystems were already starting to breakdown. Life was only viable on certain regions of the planet, and even there, resources were scarce. Moreover, society was contained to only one geographical sweet spot with one governmental body keeping the people in order. Yet despite this centralized power, the people were still acutely aware of their precarious situation and their own mortality, and because of this, crime was exceedingly high. As a result, the government developed a strategy to both create a deterrent for crime as well as create an opportunity to further mankind’s exploration.

The planet was unique in its place in the universe, not because of its proximity to a dying star but rather because it lay amid a field of black holes. Whether you go: east, west, north or south, down or towards the zenith you would find a blackhole. For this reason, interstellar travel, and furthermore, the possibility of recolonizing on a new planet, was virtually impossible without a complete map of the neighboring cosmos. To make things worse, due to the distortion of time and space in the regions between blackholes, probes were utterly ineffective…both unable to return or transmit the acquired knowledge back to the planet. The inhabitants of the planet were virtually stuck in one place while at the mercy of their dying star, unless of course there were individuals willing to map the terrain manually. And while there were some who were up to the challenge, most cowered at the idea of being trapped in the event horizon of a black hole, a fate that physicist simply could not describe—the ultimate unknown. Thus, the planet needed more participants, and where volunteers could not be found, there were those who had nothing to lose. Among those who committed serious crimes, some were offered either execution or the opportunity to map out the field of black holes. If you commit a serious crime, you either die a predictable death or face the possibility of dying mysteriously in the depths of a black hole.

And so we arrive at our protagonist, Nebula, who had been charged with the crime of embezzlement. Most people on this planet were starving and opportunities to live a good life and nurture a family were scarce, as were the opportunities for education and higher professions. Moreover, only those with powerful intellects with good connections were able to secure high paying jobs, and the rest of society got the short end of the stick…but that wouldn’t stop those like Nebula from trying to build a meaningful life. Unfortunately for her, she was betrayed by those closest to her and placed on death row for her crimes. She was given the ultimatum like so many others, either take a spacecraft into the field or die by firing squad. Obviously, she took the former deal—a choice that would resound through the history of that planet for all time.

At the time Nebula had been convicted, it had been one full year since the program was started, yet not one person had returned from their mission. Every criminal or volunteer simply vanished into the void of space, never to return home and report their findings. No one could explain this phenomenon, but Nebula had a theory. While scientists believed that time could not be felt and that experience was just as relative as time, Nebula believed something different. Rather than defining consciousness purely in terms of neuronal firing, Nebula believed that mind and matter were tied together. Moreover, as the neuronal firing would slow down, so would that person’s experience of the universe. Thus, having expressed her theory to the leading scientists of the country, she was granted a particular request. If the experience of the passage of time between black holes was of slowness as she theorized, then it would become impossible to pilot her space craft as motor functions would be too difficult to coordinate. Thus, the engineers of her spacecraft created a button, that when pressed, would cause the vessel to immediately jump back home without further input. If her experience of her body was slowed to a crawl by the rules of relativity, then all she would need to do is muster one act of will to press the button, even if that action would feel like days to complete. This journey, and the many that would come after, would cement Nebula as the savior of the human race.

…

Chapter one: The Ultimate Gamble

She knew about relativity. She knew that if she embarked on her journey, regardless of her theories, that time would pass more quickly at home than in the proximity of a black hole. If she took this journey, then she might never get to see her kids grow up. In fact, she might not get to see them ever again. But still, the possibility that she might be re-united with them once more compelled her to test fate, and the potential agony of being ripped apart by extreme gravitational forces. Sure, she might face something worse than death (the death brought on by a firing squad), but she was willing to risk an even worse fate for her babies—in the same way that she cheated the government knowing the consequences. Besides, Nebula had a profound appreciation for the unknown and dreamed of exploring the uninhabitable regions of the planet since she was a child. To her, space was just another frontier, and hundreds of blackholes simply another unexplored labyrinth to unravel; She was destined to become an interstellar pioneer.

On the night before her journey, Nebula lay under the stars with her two boys pondering the heavens.

The older one asked sadly, “They say our planet is cursed, that we are trapped on all sides and all directions…all the while the sun grows larger and hotter, is there any hope for us?”

Nebula replied, “There is hope. Look out into the sky, do you see the stars? The light has traveled millions of years to reach us and has even penetrated the mass of black holes, there must be safe passage between the holes the key is finding it, which is something that I want to do for all of us.”

Nebula’s younger child asked “Do you promise you’ll come home?”

“I’ll promise that I will do everything I can.” Said Nebula, “Let us rest now. I will hold you close. Remember my embrace for like the stars that shine through the vast abyss, so too will my love reach you even if I fall into darkness.”

…..

Upon waking, she watched the sun rise over the valley, knowing full well that she may never see that beautiful crimson hue again. But she took comfort in the fact that there would be light—for no matter the size of the hole she might encounter, the event horizon would be garnished with a brilliant glow. Soon after the sun rose, they came for her…

They strapped her into the ship callously, like they had done to others on so many occasions before. She felt like just another research subject, another piece of flesh to throw into the void. Yet, she was grateful that they had listened to her theory and had fitted the ship adequately. Once the ship blinked into the labyrinth of space, a button would become functional, where if pushed, would enable her to return home. As the ship launched, under the tremendous G-force, she passed out—blue skies fading into black.

She awoke in the orbit of the planet—the great sun glowing ominously, casting its dull red light upon the atmosphere. When she managed to regain full consciousness, she was alerted by radio that she was about to jump.

“Here now you will atone for your crimes by serving your country and race by exploring the vast unknown. Travel well and may you return safely for the well-being of all of us.”

And with that, the ship jumped several light years and the stars blurred into one great light.

She arrived right between two great black holes, their event horizons emitting a powerful and brilliant aura. Before she could even register her surroundings, she noticed how hard it was to breathe. Every ounce of her willpower had to be directed into the rising of her diaphragm, and one breath felt like several minutes to take. She tried to look around, but her neck simply would not move. Her theory was correct. Her experience of her body and her surroundings had slowed to a crawl…to the point where even breathing was incredibly laborious. Gazing out into the breach between the holes, she could see many other ships—travelers who undoubtably had jumped into the space and become imprisoned by the passage of time. Without enough willpower to coordinate complex actions over a long period of time, the wayfarers had become trapped—now motionless bodies shinning in the light of the black holes.

Panic began to set in as she realized the grave nature of her situation. All neuronal processes had been slowed to a crawl, and the ability of her consciousness to regulate them had been drastically decreased. Yet somehow, amidst the fog, she was able to remember the children, and her love for them gave her the power to take one breath after the next, which seemed to her like hours of effort. Finally, she remembered the button and slowly outstretched her arm to push it. After hours of trying to reach (or what seemed like it), she managed to touch the button that would blink her ship home.

After seeing the brilliant blue horizons of her planet once more she breathed in and out, relishing the ease and comfort that breathing took since returning from the void. She had become the first human to return from the field. What’s more, her theory had proven to be correct. And so when she returned to her planet she would no longer be called a criminal but be hailed as a hero.

Even though she was successful, people began to realize that the road to another inhabitable planet was much rockier than expected. For the question remains, even if one were to chart a path between the event horizons of the black holes, how will the wayfarer be able to function despite the time slow. What new technology or strategies are needed to make the expedition possible? Furthermore, who is willing to venture out into the depths of space for the long periods of time where even breathing is difficult. Nonetheless, Nebula’s return proved that space exploration beyond the planet is possible, however complicated it may seem. Her journey would be the beginning of the society’s exploration of the path between the black holes, and only her first adventure in her quest to save humanity.