Exodus (The Exodus Trilogy) (19 page)

Authors: Andreas Christensen

BOOK: Exodus (The Exodus Trilogy)

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Epilogue
2245 ~ Aurora

It was their first night on Aurora, and everybody was gathered at the shuttle field, close to the safety of their three shuttles.
When it came time to sleep, they would spend the night inside, with guards posted on the outside, and two infrared scanners continuously searching for anything that might constitute a threat. With the latest radar and motion-sensor technology, they should be safe enough. They hadn’t discovered anything dangerous so far, but better to err on the safe side.

Maria Solis still hadn’t gotten used to eating with the
facemask on; it still felt awkward. You had to hold your breath as you opened some sort of lid where you could push the food in by little pieces. Then you had to wait for two seconds, as the sterilization system made sure the food was completely decontaminated, before another lid opened on the inside, and the food could be pushed into your mouth. It felt sterile and cumbersome, but for now they just had to get used to it. She quietly giggled to herself, thinking how gross eating anything with gravy or sauce would be. Drinking was easier, since they just inserted a straw, and as long as it wasn’t too hot, that worked for soup as well. She imagined there would be a lot of soup.

She had a good feeling, although there were concerns on her mind as well. But mostly it felt good. They were the first humans to spend the night on Aurora.
Thinking about the thrill of exploration made her think of her grandfather. He would have been so excited to have had such an opportunity.

The first landing party led by
Major Hammer had returned to the Exodus, once the samples were all taken, and the shuttle rockets were recharged. They had all returned on the second flight down, with more passengers and equipment, as they were eager to continue their work. Hamilton had allowed it, and put Hammer in charge, as civilian authority wouldn’t take over until all passengers were on the ground. Two more shuttles had returned with them, carrying as many as they could carry, including Maria and her father. One shuttle remained back on the Exodus, as a safety precaution in case something happened on the ground. After all, most of the people were still on the mother ship, and it would be weeks before everybody was down on Aurora. By that time, all the living quarters would be up, with the air filtering system and the first reactor online. It would be hard work, but by early summer, they should have crops planted and most of the science and exploration projects up and running.

S
uddenly Maria heard a noise from far away. It was a deep rumble, resembling a lion’s roar, although deeper. Though they hadn’t seen much yet, it being the first day and all, from everything they had discovered so far, the planet seemed to be teeming with life. She looked forward to exploring her new home, and wondered what their life on Aurora would be like. She turned and looked at her father, sitting right next to her, a little back from the campfire. Obviously, he hadn’t heard anything. He looked distant now, and she smiled inside her mask. Her mother was back on the Exodus, and she probably had that very same expression right now. They didn’t cope well with being apart. She knew she was privileged, being here in the first place. Even more so, as most people didn’t have their family around them. That was due to her parents being so high up in the Consortium hierarchy, of course, and knowing that had a bitter aftertaste. But who was she to complain? She did, however, suspect there would be a price to pay, since all that money that helped fund the Exodus project back on Earth would be worth nothing now that they had reached their final destination. Havelar would expect nothing short of obedience and strict loyalty from every Consortium associate and their families once he took charge. And how could her parents object to that, really? After all, the Consortium had taken her family away from the disaster that had awaited them on Earth, and given them a new chance.

“
What is it, dear?” she heard her father say as she stared into the flames. It was her time to be far away now, lost deep in her own thoughts. She smiled again, and regarded him fondly.

“
Nothing, Dad. Just wondering what happened to everybody back on Earth. I miss Elle … Aunt Lorena and Uncle Esteban …” She took a deep breath and her father gave her a knowing look. They both knew the odds. Of course, a century and a half later none of them would be alive, even if they had survived Devastator’s impact. So, for better or worse, all they had now was each other, which was more than most had.

“
Dad,” she finally said. “Why did they call it Aurora? No one ever told us at Selection, and we were all so busy anyways.” Her father’s face lit up, and she saw that familiar twinkle in his eyes that she’d learned to recognize even as a kid.

“
Aurora …” her father began. “Aurora was the Roman goddess of dawn. A new day … Hope, new beginnings … I don’t know if that’s why they chose that name, but I like to think so.” Maria nodded and thought of what this had all been about. What was it, if not hope? A new beginning?

“
I like that,” she said.

She was deep in thought
again when she noticed Havelar and a few of his people waving at her father. He saw it too, and rose with a sigh.

“
I just hope we can do better this time,” he said quietly, before he walked over to the head of the Consortium, soon to be governor of Aurora. Looking at her father, Maria thought he looked more subdued. Still, what he had said made her feel a deep sense of hope.

“
This time, we make our own world,” she whispered to herself, watching the flames of the campfire light up the night. The first night of their new life on Aurora.

Watch
for Part Two of the Exodus Trilogy

AURORA

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About me

I'm a
Norwegian writer, living just outside of Oslo, Norway. I write mainly science fiction, but I also try my hand at fantasy. In my writing I try to combine my interests in science and politics with psychology (which I incidentally have a Master's degree in - never thought I'd use it in this way!). I think my diverse interests and background gives me a few valuable perspectives that enhance my writing, and although my main literary interest lies in the scifi and fantasy sphere, I enjoy a good thriller or horror now and then.

From my reviews I learn
that different readers enjoy different aspects of my books. Some enjoy the adventure; some find a message of hope, while others have said they find themselves nodding as they read it. One of my favorite reviews for Exodus said that
"This book is science fiction in great form. It doesn't just make you think about the future, it really makes you think about the world around you today"

When I was a kid, I used to draw cartoons and make up all kinds of stories. It still took many years before I learned one can actually reach an audience all over the world, and even longer before I actually finished a book. Now I am thrilled to connect with readers and I'd love to hear from you as well!

I love the process of writing, and sometimes feel like I'm living the adventures of my characters. I guess that's the trick; to write the books you'd love to read (although I don't presume to know the formula for a bestseller - yet).

So what's my best book so far? The one I'm currently writing...

Connect with me online:

Website:
http://www.christensenwriting.com

Blog:
http://www.christensenwriting.com/blog

Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/author/andreaschristensen

Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/achr75

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/christensenwriting

Bibliography
:

Novels:

EXODUS
– The Exodus Trilogy
, part 1. Science fiction (high tech / space opera). 2011 (1.ed.), 2012 (2.ed)

AURORA –
The Exodus Trilogy
, part 2. Science fiction (high tech / space opera). 2013

GENESIS
– The Exodus Trilogy
, part 3. Science fiction (high tech / space opera). Coming 2013/2014