Jenni Heino Mission Log 403 [PAN2014]

This is my first effort in writing a story for ATS. So be kind
Special Thank you for Rainbowresidue for making a grammar check, so I now have the courage to show "mess"
status ( non writer )
***

So here I am, in an empty room, looking through a huge round window of the Research Science Ship S-Lola IV. It´s been a hard ride, extremely hard, and there were at times when we thought we are not going to make it. 92 researchers and scientists left the Earth and 34 are coming home. Thoughts of the past 3 months make my hair stand on the back of my neck, shills and terror are felt through the spine. We faced many troubles and we made many mistakes.. and now THIS.. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING.. but it is !
So here I stand shivering, forehead against the window , eyes watering, touching the window with both of my hands. A peaceful, esoteric hymn, echoes in the past, is playing on the speakers, tunes which have become so familiar in the last two months. A voice in the speakers says " Rest in peace Dr. Aaron Heino, you will be remembered, let the sun rays release your pain dear friend " , "Goodbye my love, my friend." I whispered with tear salted lips, touched my stomach while watching how the windowed funeral capsule was being launched towards the forever burning sun for his last journey.. this time a journey without me.

Earth down below, a dusty dry planet, which we call our home, now only two days away and I am scared! To be more precise three City Domes UsCan, AuZee and Finnor are what we call homes on the planet Earth. These three domes are what is left from the last war, World War XIII and all what is left of our civilization, what happened to Earth is a long story for another time. Seven months ago we were at Europa, one of the Jupiter´s moons, studying the quality of water and a way to send it home. Clean water, radiation free, precious resource and lack of it a reason of the human demise and survival struggle on Earth. Great progress we did on Europa. Within three months we built up a water mining factory and purification plant. We programmed AI robots to do ice mining work, water purification and logistics from Europa to Finnor. We achieved a lot and we made it work..just in time.. Maybe.

Three months ago on the 7th day of Il-mah-tar we received a distress message from Finnor. Something horrible had happened, a virus of unknown origin had been spreading first at UsCan dome where 10 000 people were infected with the virus, one similar to a Rabies flu hybrid but the disease has symptoms of Rabies and Kuru disease together. People turning into mad, mindless aggressive monsters eating flesh, running like beasts, with foaming mouths, bodies shaking like they are being electrolysed. And chaos they bring.. Unbelievable. The recorded video footage was the worst I have ever seen documented in human history, and scared the crap out of me. My first thoughts were that I am happy not being there, but the distress message urged us to come home immediately to help with the situation.
Later we received an update. The virus had spread to AuZee. A tourist group of 8 Us-Can citizens were behaving erratically with minor shakes and high fever, not understanding the questions that checkpoint of AuZee metro conjuction officials made. The infected were stunned and taken to an isolation area outside the dome. Every dome had one now and the amount of patients are increasing rapidly. The lack of health personnel and too few medical supplies made the situation difficult . Some sections of isolation areas were sealed, only those infected who had severe symptoms resided there without any help.
At supper time we gathered near the buffet. It was a time to have some positive thoughts over the news which made us all nervous, so we decided to have a potluck. We all brought something nice to the table. I brought protein bars with chocolate flavor and salted soya snacks, which I put on the plate next to water bottles. My husband, chief scientist Aaron Heino came to the room dragging a storage pallet. " Hi guys, it´s toast time ! We had totally forgotten this beverage in our cargo room, so everyone pick a soda and think of good times.. You know.. When we all were young and full of ourselves! " His spirit was uplifting and made us smile so we toasted " We´re sailin the skies in crappy old ship Lola, soon we are back in the land of Vibe Cola, Cheers.”

So here I stand shivering with my stomach cramps and fever, watching and thinking while I still can. 58 we have sent to their final destination and all the rest of us are having symptoms now. We are stuck on the orbit and have no permission to land even to receive clean water on board, but we accept it as it was inevitable. My poisoned veins are screaming for justice, someone knew this all along. This was not an accident, it was a precalculated event.

Unknown virus, they said.. Unknown origin.. Have a good Vibe.. Can´t beat the feeling ! Thank you for the Cola !

***

a reply to: dollukka

I wouldn't put the words Lola, and hard ride in the same sentence... makes people nervous...
I'm kidding, kidding.

You have talent, skill... so naturally I hate you showing me up like that.... Sticks tongue out and makes rude noises at ya...

To give you an ego munchies... your story reminds me of the way Arthur C. Clarke opened his stories... give you just enough to hook you and want to know more...

Now go away... talented writers bug me... go on ---off with you I say--- and leave me to my mediocrity.

a reply to: dollukka

A great story! You have talent.

(a humble bow)

a reply to: HardCorps

LOL i could continue but i believe it would be boring.. Lola is shut down and ride is over

Thank you

a reply to: dollukka

If You hadn't told us this Your First Effort, I would have been looking for more of Your Stories to Read!!!

Great Job !!!

I am looking forward to Reading More from You in the Near Future!!!

a reply to: dollukka

Excellent story dollukka! I wonder............ are the makers of Vibe Cola the descendants of the Monsanto corporation? They knew what they were doing, and they did it anyway. well done! Please keep writing ;o)

ETA: I think that you and I had a similar problem when writing -- our word processing program didn't translate exactly to ATS. I should have checked my paragraphs to make sure they existed once I pasted. Being a supermoderator, I could have, of course, edited afterwards, but didn't think it was right to do so, since I'm writing as a member. That's a long way of saying that I think your story would have benefitted by a few more paragraphs.

Still....... excellent effort, first or otherwise

a reply to: argentus

Thank you, i did notice it too. LOL its a shy effort and i thought to be merciful to the readers and not make it too long and painful Glad you liked it.

Vibe Cola, Gmo is the way to feed the future.. with something.

a reply to: dollukka

I'm so glad you posted it.
I enjoyed reading it, and wanted to read more.
If you ever decide to continue this story, please let me know.

a reply to: Rainbowresidue

Thank you RR ! Your help was a bliss Im not a writer but i like imaginary pictures that brain produces lol. Hugs and multiple thanks to you !

originally posted by: dollukka
a reply to: Rainbowresidue

Thank you RR ! Your help was a bliss

Im not a writer but i like imaginary pictures that brain produces lol. Hugs and multiple thanks to you !

And I'm no expert, nevertheless it was my pleasure to help.

a reply to: dollukka

I was going to say that too, very like Arthur C Clarke, and you make it easy to see the story unfold. You seem like a natural story-maker.
I loved it!

Awesome story, Dolluka!

At first I thought it would be fairly predictable, that the water on Europa was the source of the virus, but then, wow! Vibe Cola and some kind of conspiracy! Cool!

Thanks for the surprising ending to this stark tale...very engaging!

peace,
AB

I enjoyed this entry a lot-well done! I have often thought to myself-among the "icons" of life on Earth,there is a cola..consumed planet-wide,it's consumption encompassing all cultures,religions,races,nations-something that you will find everywhere,loved and consumed by billions-what a great vehicle such a thing would be,for a delivery mode of any agent that could withstand it's rather corrosive properties.I am no scientist so i have no idea if that would work in practice-but a thought-provoking story indeed.a reply to: dollukka