Les Lynam's Blog: Time Will Tell - Posts Tagged "earth-day-mars-gaea-future"

People seemed to like the tale I spun for Story Hop. Here are a couple of Earth Days that may or may not come to pass:

April 22, 2059

Mingxia was on edge. Her eyes darted from her console to the door and then to the chronograph app open on her wrist unit.
"You seem tense, Mingxia," Jian-Min prompted as he sipped his tea.
"You are mistaken, Jian-Min, I am straining to contain my excitement."
"It is almost time. The sun has set. Soon the last of daylight will pass."
Mingxia wished she had been able to see that sunset... her last sunset. "Soon all will be brighter," she said stoically.
"Very much so. I imagine our people in Australia will be amazed by our display," Jian-Min said with a smile. "It will be difficult for many years, but we have many leaders in places that will allow them to take charge and reshape what remains. Gaea will heal herself and be better for the cleansing."
Mingxia shuddered, then quickly gathered her nerves, hoping Jian-Min did not see. "I am envious of those who remain to assist with Gaea's new birth," she sighed.
"Mingxia! Our names will forever be on the lips of our people. We have made it all possible!"
"Yes, of course," Mingxia replied. She reflexively dipped a brief bow to the console she faced.
'It is time," Jian-Min declared as he set his empty cup on the pedestal that held his family's ceremonial tea service. "Initiate the program."
Mingxia typed in the code-word. Her finger briefly hovered over the enter key. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and pressed the key. She stared at her console in shock. She had helped write the program. It would take less than a second to link to all of the radar stations on the military net. At the same time, jammers would cause all of the radar stations that were not on the net to crash.
"I have contacted our family in Zhanjiang harbor. They have begun the countdown on their bomb."
"At least it will end quickly for them," Mingxia lamented.
"Do you know the significance of this day, Mingxia?" Jian-Min asked, then continued when she didn't reply, "It is the 99th Anniversary of the farce the American's call 'Earth Day'. A day when they pretend they care about our planet."
"Jian-Min!" Mingxia interrupted. "Look at the screen! It is beginning!"
Excited chatter filled the radio waves all across China as the simulated missiles moved into radar screens all along the military net.
"It is beginning," she whispered, but her thoughts said, "It is the end."


April 22, 2061

She quietly slipped into the room behind her husband. "Jon? What are you looking for?"
"Call me a sentimental fool, Quin," he said as he turned to her. "But today is Earth Day. I think it's the 101st Earth Day, if I remember my history correctly."
"So why are you out here?" Quin asked.
"It's just a couple of weeks past opposition. About 98 million kilometers and running away from us. Closest we've been since 2054."
"Jon, hydroponics 57 has given up all hope. They're going to open their bubble in hopes that the blight won't spread."
"I know, Quin. I heard." He turned back to his telescope.
"I don't see how you can sit here so calmly stargazing," Quin shouted.
"I guess it's the symbolism," he replied wearily. "Earth Day. Wanted to see if the old girl is getting any better."
"Better?" Quin snarled.
"I think the dust has settled another few degrees of longitude in the northern hemisphere. Nothing to see but ice, though."
"With all of our problems here on Mars, why do you care what happens there?"
"Still seems like the old hometown, Quin. I guess I'm pulling for her. Wish I could see how it turns out."
Quin threw her arms around her husband and dropped tears onto his shoulder.
Jon turned and pulled his wife's head against his chest. "Can't say your old Granddad didn't warn you." He shook his head slowly. "I wonder how he knew?"
"Oh, Jon!" Quin sobbed.
"Shhhh... there's nothing we can do. This potato blight just makes the food supply that much shorter. I'm 49, Quin. I just wanted to say goodbye to the old homestead on my Last Earth Day."

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In case you haven't read my OTHER posts, this is a sneaky way to get you to go back. There are some linking clues in my first blog as well as this last one from the Story Hop. Also, these stories contain some hints about what's to come in Time Will Tell books 4 and 5.

I'd appreciate it if you take a minute to comment. If you enjoy the short stories, let me know. If not. Let me know. Thanks!