CHAPTER 4

THE TROUBLES

(Reflective, with awe) After some time in orbit, we approached the magnificent Pathfinder. It’s solar arrays glittered in the light of the distant sun, casting scattered points of brightness toward us as we approached it. It’s long sleek shape was alternating between brilliant white and dark gray depending on how the light cast it’s shadows against it. The docking port near the nose blinked on and off, signaling us home. Even with what was happening around me, I couldn’t help but feel a swelling of pride and expectation upon seeing it. We would soon be on our way home, safe in it’s walls.

After an uneventful docking process, we proceeded to unload the shuttle. Our first concern was, of course, Elis and the cube. A retractable cargo passageway was extended from the Pathfinder to our lander, and connected around the doors of the cargo bay. This would allow Elis and the cube to enter the ship without having to float across empty space.

In light of the weight of what we were facing, such extra safety was welcomed.

I was the first to enter the cargo hold, Joanne was needed to finish locking down the lander. Elis was watching me as I climbed down to him. He was still wearing that same soft smile.

I told him that were docked, and that the passageway was in place, and then moved to unstrap him from his restraints. He sat idly there while I worked. I stole some glances at him as I did. I noticed, a… (Pause, searching for the words) tiredness around the edges of his eyes and a thinness to his face. At the time, I did not think much on it, but later I would reflect on it as more of this situation presented itself. There was a toll that was paid by anyone who came in extended contact with the Cube. Over time we would understand that better, but these were the early days, and we did not yet understand what we in the middle of, nor how much it would change all of us. Or, for that matter, how much it would change our whole world.

With Elis unstrapped, I helped him up and we floated across the cargo bay toward the door. I opened the door, and Joanna was waiting for us at the head of the passage. She hugged Elis tightly and asked how he was doing. He gave her his assurance that he was alright, but just tired. I agreed to take him to their cabin on the Pathfinder while she went to the command pod to get us underway to Earth. The ship would basically fly itself back without our constant interaction. Setting that up would take some time, and Elis could rest a bit before we tried to move the cube from the lander to the main ship.

As we floated down the passageways, I chose to ask Elis some questions about how he was feeling. My shipboard duties finally being carried out once more.

He let out a sigh and told me that he was feeling very drained. He said that once he had a chance to rest, he’d be alright.

When we arrived at his cabin, I helped him out of his pressure suit, and stowed it carefully in the locker for him. When I returned to check on him before leaving, he was already sound asleep, floating gently against his sleeping restraints.

I realized he must have been exhausted. Hoping he would get the rest he needed, I made my way up to the command pod.

When I arrived, I found Christian and Joanna at their stations, speaking quickly to each other. They were building a flight plan for the return trip to Earth. Once the plan was made, they would then send it back to Control for approval. This would not take long, as we were still near enough the earth that the message delay was not at its maximum. Had Mars been further along its orbit, it would have been far more noticeable.

I asked them how it was going. Christian explained to me that the sudden nature of our departure was both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because we were still close enough to the Earth that our fuel would be sufficient for the return trip, it was a curse because we had to redo the plan from scratch. It would have been even worse, though, if we had not found the cube until much later.

If that had been the case, a sudden departure may have been impossible, instead we would have been at the mercy of the orbital paths of the planets to bring us back to a good place again.

(Satisfied) But, command replied quickly, and we were on our way.

Joanna asked me how Elis was doing, and I hesitated to answer. I didn’t want to add to her burden, but she deserved to know.

‘He’s exhausted. I’ll make sure we have a chance to talk on the way back, but to be honest, I’m not sure exactly what he’s gone through. It’ll be mostly on him if he’s able to talk about it,’ I said.

Joanna looked pensive as she replied, saying, ‘He’ll talk when he’s ready.’

I settled into my seat, and buckled up as we got under way.

It would be weeks until we made it back. There would be time enough to help Elis later.

We left orbit without any trouble, and settled into our path back. The crew’s mood was subdued, quiet, reflective, and I found myself with little to do except think and ponder.

I found myself wandering the ship, floating without direction down the passageways. I ended up in the cargo bay. The cube sat in the center of the bay. The only sound was the from the air ventilation system, the soft sound of air through the vents. The cube was gleaming white, having been scrubbed clean of the dust of Mars as we brought it on board. None of us had felt anything as we touched it to clean it, we hadn’t felt a hesitation or the same feelings that had restrained us on the planet. While we had cleaned it, it had remained inert, unmoving, completely inscrutable.

Elis had watched us from the far side of the bay while we cleaned. His eyes were distant as we worked. It hadn’t taken long, and as we finished, he had remained behind for a time.

Now, sitting in the bay, clean and glistening in the light, I was better able to appreciate the craftsmanship of the cube. I leaned closer and looked at it carefully. (With fond recollection, appreciation) Motifs and intricate designs were etched into its alabaster surface, depicting what I could only guess were the cities and people of the the world from my dream.

I hadn’t noticed these details in my dream, my recollection of it had been hazy and indistinct, even as the emotions and sensations had been clear and electric. Now, with time on my hands, I was able to appreciate the evident care that had gone into this cube. It was not just a device of unknown purpose, but a work of art, a testament to the people who had left it behind.

As I looked closely, I noticed the people on the cube all seemed to be in the act of looking up, in nearly every one of the scenes. Yet what they were looking at was always seemingly out of view, cut off by the top of the cube.

I stared at it for a while, taking in the sight and image of these lost people. Their buildings, both familiar, and strange.

A cough behind me drew my attention. Elis stood in the door with a soft smile.

‘I thought you were sleeping’ I said to him.

He said that he hadn’t been able to stay asleep for long. Somehow he didn’t want to be too far from the cube. He asked me what I was looking at, and, after a momentary pause, I told him of a my dream, and the people I had seen.

His eyes went wide at my recollection.

(With Feeling) ‘You’ve seen them too!’ he exclaimed.

I nodded and described them in detail, and pointed to the pictures of them etched into the cube.

He smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.

‘I am glad I’m not the only one,’ he said.

(Somewhat quickly) As we stood there, his grip tightened suddenly, and he slumped forward, throwing his other hand out to grip my arm. I reached out to support his weight.

His eyes rolled back into his head, and I set him gently down on the floor next to the cube. Carefully, I rolled him into the recovery position, and rushed to a near by computer terminal and called for help.

It wasn’t long before the crew was there, and we had relocated him to the medical bay of the ship.

Both Christian and I had greater medical training than the rest, so we were the ones who performed the examination. Physically, he seemed fine, though his body showed signs of exhaustion and dehydration. The latter was concerning, seeing as we had ample water supplies on board and had seen him drink as needed. Try as we might, we could not rouse him. We left him hooked up the monitors, and gave him an IV drip for his hydration. We hoped he would wake up soon.

We sent a message to mission control, but it went unanswered. At our distance from earth, a round trip for our message should have taken about 12 minutes, plus some time for them to think of an answer, but we never received a reply. Not that day, not the next, not at any point on the return to Earth. Whatever choices were to be made would be entirely left to us. The only thing they had replied to, was to approve our flight plan back.

(Softy)Joanna had the hardest time. Any time she wasn’t needed for ship operation, she sat waiting by Elis’ side, talking to him, hoping he would wake up. Christian took up extra duties so Joanna could spend more time with him. (Pause)

For my part, I busied myself with ship board duties, and with maintaining Elis’ physical condition. I did what I could for him. All indications showed that he was fine, but nonetheless, he would not wake up. I hoped that when we made it to Earth, we would get some answers, but the lack of a reply from mission control was troubling, to say the least.

One day, while tending Elis alone, Joanna was in the cockpit of the ship, he finally awoke.

As I leaned next to his bed, looking at his vital signs on the wall panel, his eyes fluttered open, and he took in a deep breath. I turned to face him and leaned over his bed. He reached out with his hand and gripped my forearm with surprising strength.

‘Go to the cube,’ he rasped.

‘I’m going to call Joanna, hold on,’ I said to him.

His grip tightened and he pulled me in closer.

‘Go to the cube,’ he said with urgency, then his grip loosened and his arm fell to his side again, as he slipped from consciousness once more.

Confused, and alone, I looked at his inert form once more. With a growing sense of dread, I tore myself away from him and took off toward the cargo bay where the Cube rested.

As I entered in, I paused at the opening of the bay, my hands resting on the rungs of the ladder, one foot dangling over the floor, and the other on the last rung. (Carefully, with reflection, pausing in places) I looked at the cube, it’s white sides reflecting the lights of the cargo bay. There was a feeling of urgency within me, a need to reach out and touch it. Yet, remnants of the previous feelings that kept me from touching it earlier, still lingered in my mind. As I hung there, holding onto the ladder, and staring at the cube, the feelings fought within me. Slowly, and surely, the knot in my stomach loosened, and the anxiousness melted away, leaving in its place only a peaceful calm, mixed with a growing sense of urgency and need.

(Determined) With courage now in my heart, I stepped off the ladder, and walked toward cube and placed my hands on it’s side.

(Deep breath) And that’s when I saw it all.

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