The Blue People of Cloud Planet (44 page)

‘Quite right, so initially I’ll put in a simple diverter which they can operate before they go underground then I’ll work on a thermal valve so we can maximise the hot water flow.’

‘Where are the bricks coming from? How are you going to make them?’ Alison asked.

‘There are mineshafts full of bricks apparently, but not at this dwelling, so Seren has arranged for boatloads to be delivered. They should be arriving within 7-10 days but there are some a couple of dwellings from here. Olivia, could you collect these using the lander? Then we’ll start on the first chamber in the next few days. What with the hot water bottles and this redesign of their sleeping quarters we’ll give the Blue People a much warmer environment at night.’

‘That’s really imaginative and thanks to both of you,’ said AJ, ‘but now what about longer-term solutions?’

Alison and Steve jointly explained that they had surveyed 20 estuaries and their associated valleys on different parts of Cloud Planet using ROL-2. They reminded the other astronauts that, before the arrival of cloud collar the lower slopes had been extensively farmed by the blue workers and trees were felled regularly from the upper regions.

However, since then, the entire lower slopes have become forested with these unique huge trees. Also it appeared that, apart from those destroyed by the tsunamis, the dwelling structures higher up the valleys are intact. It was a reasonable assumption that what they had seen in these valleys was typical for all the valleys of Cloud Planet.

‘The bottom line,’ continued Steve, ‘is that the formation of all this extra forest has taken billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of this planet. We know that the cloud collar has reduced surface and underground temperatures but the loss of all this carbon dioxide means the barrier in the upper atmosphere is severely depleted.

‘It is a reverse greenhouse effect!

‘Our Earth is experiencing global warming because of a build-up of carbon dioxide in the upper atmosphere but .....

...... this planet is global cooling!’

‘So what do you propose?’ AJ asked.

‘Deforestation, remove the trees from the slopes,’ replied Steve.

‘What cut down all those trees? That would take decades!’ Olivia snorted.

‘Burn the trees, Olivia,’ Alison countered, ‘controlled razing to the ground of the valley slopes. This will put the carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. Also we give the Blue People their slopes back for cultivation.’

‘The rivers would form one firebreak,’ Steve added, ‘and the upper slopes with their huge rainfall the other. Plus, I think the burning might help start dispersing Cloud collar.’

‘Yes, I see,’ replied Olivia, ‘and then repair the damaged dwellings – I’d like to be part of that – transporting materials and Blue People.’

‘With your permission AJ, we’d like to start as soon as possible in the estuary above this line of dwellings.’

‘I think everybody’s in agreement with our action plan, but what are you going to do, Scott?’

Nobody had noticed that Seren and Hotenka had appeared by Scott’s side. Scott stood and took off his tunic top.

Both he and Seren had a red triangular tattoo above their right nipples.

‘Oh, no!’ Olivia groaned and turned away, but the relevance had not struck the other astronauts as quickly.

‘I am going to travel around this planet with Seren,’ Scott said. ‘I have work to do among their people.’

There was surprised disbelief among the astronauts and Olivia had buried her head in her hands. Even Scott was a little surprised that these words had come out but there they were clearly in his mind. And Seren, beside him, smiled in satisfaction.

Then the silver-haired leader moved forward and his eyes blazed,

>> i have sent the signal every midday sun > and this female >>

He pointed at Seren.

>> who is the last of my line >>

Everyone then realised that Seren was the leader’s daughter.

>> has visited the dwelling of the golden message every twenty suns of her life > to await your coming > and she has borne no young > until now > with this fine man > and it is a male birth >>

Then the leader pointed to Scott and the penny dropped for AJ and the rest of the astronauts who were shocked. Olivia felt sickened and couldn’t look.

>> this man is now exalted among our race > i have requested that he accompany my daughter > and spread his seed among our people >>

AJ was affronted and about to protest. Then, suddenly, he could not understand why he did not feel anger at losing control of his top astronaut. However, Olivia had warned him of the telepathic control of the Serenites and he realised that this request by Hotenka could not be challenged. So he changed tack to alleviate the tension.

 ‘Well Scott!’ AJ said, raising an eyebrow, ‘looks like you’ve drawn the short straw!’

‘The analysis of the DNA of the Serenites and their blue workers shows remarkable similarities to species on Earth. The DNA of the workers is very similar to cold-blooded reptiles on our planet whereas that of the Serenites shares over 99 per cent with human DNA. This explains the successful mating between life-forms from different stars in our galaxy.’

Another Disturbing Discovery

Scott, Seren and Hotenka then left the meeting and headed for the refreshing waters of the cool pool. The remaining astronauts had still not fully absorbed this latest turn of events and were about to express their views when AJ held up a hand to silence them.

‘Let’s move on, something about this planet still puzzles me,’ he said quickly, realising that their hosts could read their minds and would be offended if they made undiplomatic remarks. ‘I accept, Steve, that Cloud Planet is global cooling and, I presume, has been for some considerable time. Can you give an estimate?’

‘It’s very difficult’, Steve replied, ‘I’ve tried some modelling with Zec-C but there are so many unknowns. The best we can come up with is somewhere in excess of 100 years. What’s on your mind, AJ?’

‘In that case I’m surprised that the icecaps are relatively small considering the coldness of the sea. I think Zec-C estimated that they are only 1000 kilometres in diameter. If we’ve been global cooling for over a century, I would have thought that they would be much larger.’

‘Don’t forget the very high salt levels in the oceans,’ contributed Alison, ‘that would prevent the sea from freezing.’

‘Or perhaps there were no icecaps at all before the cloud collar!’ Pete suggested and Martha nodded her approval at this piece of lateral thinking.

Suddenly Olivia looked up. ‘Something has been gnawing away at the back of my mind since I first saw those stunning scenes in the dark pyramid,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘You know – all those people on that huge red beach – but surely it’s not that big now? Zec-1, have you got comparative figures?’

‘I have indeed,’
replied Zec-1,
‘the strip of red clay at the edge of the sea is currently about 100 metres wide. In the hologram and before the cloud collar it was 500 metres wide with a small slope from the land to the sea.’

‘Olivia, you’re right,’ cried Martha, ‘but what does it mean?’

‘It means that sea levels have risen!’ answered Olivia gravely, ‘Zec-1, can you give us a figure?’

‘I estimate from the slope of the beach that the difference in levels now and before the cloud collar formed is between 4 and 6 metres.’

‘But that’s a staggering rise!’ AJ said with alarm, ‘Those oceans are massive!’

‘So where has all that extra water come from?’ Pete queried.

‘What about the extra rainfall from the cloud?’ Martha offered tentatively.

‘No, that would be recycled from the sea.’ Steve explained.

‘There’s only one process that could account for that rise in sea level – melting ice!’ Olivia added and she watched the faces of the astronauts as their expressions changed from puzzled to disturbed understanding. ‘What do you think, Zec-1?’

‘My only conclusion, based on the measurements available, is that, before the cloud collar occurred, both icecaps were approximately four times their current size.’

For a moment all that could be heard was the splashing of bodies in the pools and the patter of feet on the clay surrounds. Shafts of light washed across the huge triangular plinth illuminating the stunned astronauts as if they were caught frozen in spotlights.

‘My God!’ breathed AJ, ‘This planet is cooling and still the icecaps have melted to one quarter of their original size! How can that happen?’

‘There is only one answer,’ replied Olivia grimly, ‘those mother-discs and cylinders are capable of melting planetary icecaps and they may have done it deliberately! Bloody hell! What if they’ve gone on to Earth!’

‘The estimate of the size of the icecaps before the cloud collar is quite accurate. I have examined the digital data from the early probe sent to the star Seren and I can confirm that 35 years before the landing on Cloud Planet, the icecaps measure approximately 1800 kilometres diameter. Extrapolation back in time by a further 165 years using simple differentiation, and assuming a constant rate of melting, gives a figure of about 4000 kilometres. For information the icecaps would have completely melted by 2225.’

Two days later, Olivia took ROL-1 to the next but one dwelling from the capitol city. She landed just before sunrise and, from her position outside the pyramids, watched the light sheaths as they raced into the clouds. Then the dwelling came alive with blue workers and Serenites as they went about their business.

Although she was collecting clay bricks for Pete, she knew that Scott was here. She was determined to face him again to confront him with the gravity of his actions and how deeply he had hurt her. As she entered the pyramid, Olivia saw Scott sitting by one of the upper pools. She steeled herself to act with composure and logic and walked up the ramp towards him. As she approached, he turned, surprised and his arms moved to cover his bare chest.

‘Olivia! I didn’t know you were coming.’

‘I’m collecting bricks for Pete, remember but I wanted a word. Why are you?’

She moved forward and pulled his hands away. Her stomach sickened.

There were now three red triangles on his chest!

Olivia’s face reddened and all the planned control flew ‘out of the window’.’

‘You bastard!’ she shrieked and flew at him with her fists. ‘You couldn’t wait to get me out of the way so you could screw that bitch and how many more of these creatures have you fucked whilst I nearly died up there!’

‘Olivia! I couldn’t control myself, couldn’t resist their telepathy.’ Scott shouted as he tried desperately to ward off her furious assault. Finally, he managed to catch hold of her wrists and they glared at each other, their faces centimetres apart.

‘I bet you didn’t try too hard. You’ve hardly kept your eyes off their tits since we landed! And another thing – you’ve broken the main interplanetary code – you’re a disgrace!’

This final damning sentence was like a hammer blow and Scott’s face crumpled as he sat heavily on the edge of the pool behind him. He buried his head in his arms.

Olivia calmed herself, her fury spent, and then she felt sorry for him. After all he had saved her life twice and found out how to defeat the Black. But, even so, she could not forgive what he had done to her.

‘I never want to see you again,’ she said with quiet finality. Then Olivia turned and walked out of the pyramid.

Scott watched in turmoil as she disappeared through the door. Suddenly all thoughts of her were vanquished from his mind and all the guilt was gone. He turned his head and saw Seren standing waist deep in the cool pool and her eyes sparkled.

>> come > come to me > you are one of us now >>