[M] Shifting Stars .:{Argon Jaden & AsharaSahara}:.
Hey Dad,
The two Colonels on base have finally managed to agree on locking down the buildings not in use, full or otherwise. That has left us with the recreational center (the smaller one with the library and game center to go along with the indoor swimming area, gymnasium with mezzanine running track, and exercise room), the mini airport, the smaller office building that's north of both buildings and has residential housing in it usually for higher ranks that now houses all that remain, and the main controls building. Beyond that, they haven't decided much.
I guess, things are just at a standstill. We were suppose to be receiving the next crew long before we were dwindled down to about 60 of us. I don't have the complete list of who's all still on base but I'm working on getting my hands on it. If we're stuck here, I'm going to need to know who all does what.
We got a message from Alpha Base on Earth telling us that there was a delay in the first shift shuttle and that the second would not arrive till after the first had been taken care of and arrived here safe and sound. We were told to go ahead to skeleton crew, that we would only be at this level of personnel for less than a week.
It's been 17 days since we received that last and final transmission from Earth.
Dad, what's going on? There is still the communication connection between Earth and SiOtwo. I can still access Earth's satellite system and ours are sending and receiving just fine. What's going on over there? It's like I'm getting the messaging machine but no one's checking the messages. Did we miss the evacuation orders?
Dad, get back to me soon. We have enough food to last us a while but the Colonels have already talked about rationing. I don't think the children on base need to live through that. Not only that but the systems here were not made for this harsh environment. The carbon storms reek havoc on the exteriors and filtration systems and some of the plant cycles even make it to where if anyone wants to go outside, they have to wear breather suits.
You already know most of this, though. I guess I'm just worried how long we'll last.
I'm one of I think three mechanics and neither know half of what I do. Even some of the scientists are rudimentary, which is sad. One bonus to the carbon storms: We're gaining access to ruins we didn't eve know existed. Your theory was right. There was life here once. Sentient life. Now all we've got to do is figure out why it vanished.
Do get this soon. We're running out of time.
Your son,
Demetri
He heaved a sigh as he leaned back in the library chair, staring at the ceiling as he waited for his message to send. It was a few seconds before he heard the soft chime of completion emanating from the computer. Demetri straightened in his chair and shut the computer down. He got up.
The library was quiet, the sound of the chair knocking against the table as he pushed it in hanging in the soft morning. He made his way out one of two main entrances to the expansive library.
He made his way through the building, maneuvering the halls with memorized ease. It was still rather early in the morning so he was one of four people within the structure. Due to tightened security because of the skeletal crew restrictions, Demetri had to swipe his wrist over the small black rectangle on the door frame of the main exit.
Every exterior door had a digital lock that was wired to a small black rectangle box that barely protruded from the frame or wall it was mounted all. The RFID electronic lock was for either keycards or - a more recent invention - keybands like the one on Demetri's left wrist. A keyband was a band the width of a person's palm made of a sort of fiber material that allowed it to be more than just a fashion statement. An imbedded antenna allowed it to transmit data wirelessly and several sensors allowed it to be a touch screen wrist computer, thought it was the holographic displays that most people used. These were customizable and still a bit buggy but the basics were that a screen of sorts would be projected a few inches above the band (not limited to any given side) and could be interacted with as a touch screen. Generally, the computers of very similar technology (though many still have a holographic keyboard on a horizontal plain if the screen was vertical) were used whenever possible. There was still a lag enough on the keybands with the base network to cause a bit of frustration.
As the door hissed as the lock mechanism disengaged, Demetri rotated his left arm so that the back of his palm was facing the ground. This motion triggered the keyband via a preset Demetri had active and customized and produced weather and base schedule data upon the back of the band for him to read as he pushed open the door.
He glared at the sun a few degrees over the eastern mountain ridge.
SiOtwo had been picked as a planet for the secret base due to its similarity to Earth. The yellow sun, however, was not as young as the Earth's and, instead of one moon, there were two that went in opposite directions and made an X across the sky. One moon, Epic, moved from east-northeast to west-southwest. The other moon, Morta, moves from northwest to south-southeast. The length of days and the planet's orbit were close enough to Earth's that it allowed the base to maintain the same clock and calendar of Earth. It also meant less jet lag downtime for new arrivals.
The location for Trion Base specifically had been selected due to a few factors. The base was tucked up a mile from a fresh water lake that was a third of the valley's size near the western mountain ridge. The mountain ridge itself was a wonky ring around the sizable valley that kept the weather temperate, to a degree.
Still, the weather temperament of the valley left things to be desired. For one, there were the carbon storms that were still a mystery. They were like tornados in their predictability. You could tell when one might happen but you didn't know the frequency of the storms nor the ferocity. The flora and fauna had adapted well. While the carbon was more similar to an acid rain than a dust storm and not actually made of carbon, the flora at least use it for nutrients. A part of the base's purpose was to figure out how exactly. But the storms leave an acidic haze in the air if there's not a good wind afterwards. It isn't so much a haze as it is the tiny particles floating in the air left over from the storms that burn the inside of the human body and any unprotected skin, though it takes quite a bit of particles to leave any severe damage. However, breathing in the particles could scar the lungs or internal tracks, creating all sorts of issues.
Thankfully, it wasn't "carbon season", as it got called, though that didn't stop storms from occurring on off season. It also wasn't winter where weeks would go by before they saw temps over 0. For a spring day, the forecast was clear and there were no warnings. Beyond the nice, crisp morning air, all that Demetri had to deal with was a bright sun in a cloudless sky.
Demetri sighed, starting the 10 minute walk to the science/medical facility where he was working under the lead scientist, Dr. Eppix Straus. Older gentleman that was a kind man but had little patience for stupidity and hand holding. The building itself wasn't in full use. Only a third of the building was operational and, even then, only about three of the rooms (two of which were decently equipped labs) were even actively used in a given day, excluding the numerous supply closets accessed daily.
A blaring chime came from his keyband and Demetri stopped walking. He brought his wrist up, the message already displayed off the back of his wrist from the network wide warning. Without a thought, he turned and started running north towards the controls building.
There was a perimeter breach two miles to the west.
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