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Science Fiction and Fantasy
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| INFINITY: PLASMA LIFE ON EUROPA AND BEYOND OUR GALAXY | |
| By PeterRSaree | ||
| 01 March 2008 | ||
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Hello, back again after a short hiatus. I had writer's block, and I wanted to absorb some of the comments made on this site regarding my previous work. I tried my hand at dialogue in this story, and the topic fits directly under the Sci-Fi category as well. Still a bit long at over 2,000 words. However, I do not like to break up the work into parts if I can avoid it. I have also tried to avoid going back and forth between present and past tenses. The story is interesting and enthusiastic, two of my strong points. INTRODUCTION OF THE SCRIPT Fade into the interior of an earth spacecraft carrying five passengers. The passengers are Dr. Greevey (Astrophysicist and Mission Leader), Dr. Mann (Engineer and Pilot), Dr. Chin (Oceanographer and Computer Specialist), Dr. Cedric (Astronaut and Mathematician), Dr. Hal (Astronomer), and Dr. Peng (Microbiologist). The best military and scientific minds of the planet Earth have brought these individuals together on the spaceship ‘Peacenik Europa’, the first manned mission to Jupiter’s mysterious sixth moon, Europa. Peacenik Europa represents a 300 billion dollar joint effort by the developed nations of Earth. The ship is currently flying past the enormous planet Jupiter, with rockets at full blast in order to escape the tremendous gravitational pull. It is this same gravitational pull that has inspired the current mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa: tidally generated heat on Europa has created a subsurface liquid ocean under Europa’s smooth, icy outer surface. It is now universally believed that liquid water exists underneath Europa’s surface, as opposed to multiple layers of ice. All previous attempts to penetrate Europa’s surface and submerge into the moon’s liquid ocean have failed, leading to the destruction of billions of dollars worth of robot probes and instruments. Once Peacenik Europa begins to successfully maneuver within Jupiter’s gravitational pull, the scientists begin to prepare ship’s computers and instruments for the descent into Europa’s subsurface ocean. Portals to launch powerful explosives to penetrate 100 miles of outer surface ice are opened on the ships exterior by the ship’s computer.
THE DESCENT TO EUROPA
DR. GREEVEY: “READY TO LAUNCH EXPLOSIVES IN 20 SECONDS. 20, 19, 18, 17…..”
DR. GREEVEY: “3, 2, 1. LAUNCH ALL EXPLOSIVES. IMPACT ON EUROPA
SURFACE IN 30 SECONDS".
The explosive charges detonate on the surface of Jupiter’s Europa. The charges are layered so that they explode in increments, sending a grand spray of small ice particles many miles into the Europa sky. DR. CEDRIC: “Ladies and gentlemen. Looking at this beautiful ice show in the sky and considering the computer’s analysis of the shape of the surface depressions, my estimation is that the ship needs to approach the surface of Europa on an angle. We need to skim the surface of the ice and descend into the moon’s crust on a downward incline. This will reduce stress on the ship’s hull, and a computer simulation has shown that this is the mission’s best opportunity for successfully submerging below the ice surface.” DR. GREEVEY: “IT’S YOUR CALL ON THIS ONE, JACK.” DR. CEDRIC: “THANK YOU FOR THE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE, MIKE.” THE SHIP DESCENDS ON AN INCLINE BELOW THE SURFACE OF THE MOON. EACH LAYERED EXPLOSION SENDS SHOWERS OF SMALL ICY PARTICLES UPWARD PAST THE SHIP. THIS ACTUALLY WORKS TO COOL THE SURFACE OF THE SHIP AND IS SOMEWHAT OF A SURPRISE, BUT NOT TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. A FEW HOURS LATER AND PAST THE ONE HUNDRED MILE MARK IN DESCENDING DEPTH, THE SHIP PENETRATES THE SUBSURFACE OCEAN. DR. CEDRIC: “WE ARE NOW ONE MILE WITHIN THE LIQUID OCEAN. DR. CHIN AND DR. PENG, WHAT SHOULD WE BE LOOKING FOR?” “I CAN GET US HERE AND BACK, BUT NOW THAT WE ARE HERE I’M IN NEED OF YOUR EXPERTISE.”
THE PLASMA ENTITIES
DR. GREEVEY: “CHIN, DO YOU SEE ANY OCEAN LANDMARKS THAT LOOK SIMILAR TO THOSE ON EARTH.” “MAYBE THAT WILL GIVE US A STARTING POINT.” DR. CHIN: “DR. GREEVEY, THE SHIP’S COMPUTER IS PROGRAMMED TO DO A 100 YARD SCAN OF THE SURROUNDING OCEAN AREA. ANALYZING THE SCAN, I SEE A ROCK FORMATION THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE SOME TYPE OF REEF. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT ANY FORM OF LIFE WILL BE VASTLY DIFFERENT FROM EARTH LIFE. IT COULD BE SILICON-BASED, THERMAL-BASED, FOR EXAMPLE. YOU MAY BE LOOKING DIRECTLY AT IT AND NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS LIFE. THE SHIP’S COMPUTERS HAVE BEEN PROGRAMMED TO TEST FOR MULTIPLE FORMS OF LIFE THAT THE UNAIDED HUMAN EYE CANNOT DETECT.” DR. PENG: “I CONCUR WITH DR. CHIN. LIFE ON EUROPA, IF EXISTING AT ALL, HAS AN INDEPENDENT ORIGIN FROM ANY LIFEFORM ON EARTH. HOWEVER, THERE ARE LESSONS THAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THE ORIGINS OF LIFE ON EARTH. IF ONE WERE TO PICK A STARTING POINT TO SEARCH FOR ALIEN LIFE, ONE WOULD START WITH MICROBES AND MICROBACTERIA, THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR LIFE ON EARTH. AS IN THE CASE OF HUMAN STEM CELLS, IT IS THEORIZED THAT ALL LIFE FORMS MIGHT EVOLVE AND DIFFERENTIATE, BUT ORIGINATE FROM A COMMON SINGLE CELL SOURCE SUCH AS MICROBES AND MICROBACTERIA.” DR. CHIN: “TO PUT YOUR MINDS AT REST, WE PLANNED A STRATEGY FOR OUR SEARCH. WE ARE NOT JUST SEARCHING THE EUROPA OCEAN BLINDLY. A BLIND SEARCH WOULD BE HIGHLY INEFFICIENT AND WOULD STRAY TOO FAR FROM COMMONLY RECOGNIZED SCIENTIFIC METHODS.” "IT WOULD BE TANTAMOUNT TO GOING ON A BLIND DATE WITH A WOMAN AND TRYING TO GUESS THE MOST EROTICALLY SENSITIVE AREAS ON HER BODY.” Cheng’s unexpected metaphor allows the crew to share its first laugh together. They all hope that there will be more laughs and smiles to come. DR. CHEN: “NOW THAT I CAN SEE THE ROCK FORMATION ON THE OCEAN FLOOR, IT DOES INDEED SHOW PROMISE AS A REEF OF SOME SORT. DR. PENG, WE WILL BE IN RANGE TO DO A COMPUTER SCAN SOON. PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK OF THE SCANS.” DR. PENG: “THE INITIAL SCANS ARE ON THE COMPUTER SCREENS NOW. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF GELATANOUS SUBSTANCE ON THE ROCK FORMATION. THERE MIGHT BE ALIEN LIFE OR THERE MIGHT BE LIFE INSIDE THE SUBSTANCE.” DR. HAL: “NO SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE OCEAN ITSELF. JUST LIQUID, NO SOLID OBJECTS FLOATING OR SWIMMING.” DR. PENG: “LET’S GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THAT SUBSTANCE ON THE ROCK FORMATION. THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR, AND WHAT I THOUGHT COULD BE PRESENT WITHIN EUROPA’S OCEAN. WE ARE LOOKING FOR SIMPLE LIFE FORMS, POSSIBLY SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISMS.” DR. MANN: “NOW CLOSING IN ON 50 YARDS DISTANCE FROM THE TARGETED ROCK FORMATION.” DR. PENG: “Dr. Greevey, I would advise sending the ship’s probe to take a closer look at the gelatinous substance on those rocks. I’m guardedly optimistic that the substance might be the waste product of some simple life form, based on initial scans.” There is less than a 50 percent chance that this substance is an alien life form." DR. MANN: “Probe release, now probe within 25 yards from the object.” 20, 10, 5, impact with the substance, now.” Dr. Greevey: “Look at that, the object is glowing after impact. What are the ship’s readings?” Dr. Cedric: “External radiation levels rising quickly. At the calculated rate, we cannot remain at this distance for much longer due to dangerous radiation levels. I recommend that we move to a safer distance.” Dr. Greevey: “Recommendation noted and accepted. Dr. Mann, reverse the ship’s position quickly, please.” DR. MANN: “Reversing ship’s course.” As the ship began to back away from the now glowing gelatinous substance, the substance released itself from the rock and began to approach the Earth ship. The distance between it and the ship closed fast, much too fast for the Earth ship to outrun it even at top speed. The gelatinous substance caused the ship’s radiation levels to increase to dangerously high levels. The radiation exposure was short lived, however, because the gelatinous substance caught up to the ship, expanded and enveloped the ship. The impact was mild and the crew was alive within the ship that was now immobile inside of the substance. Dr. Greevey moved to check the radiation levels. Dr. Greevey: “Is everyone alright. Yes, good. Radiation levels seem to have decreased to acceptable levels. This substance seems to be shielding us from the external radiation.” "Dr. Chin and Dr. Peng, do you have any idea of what this thing that surrounds us is, and if there is any possibility of penetrating the substance?” Dr. Chin: “The substance reminds me of a particular species of deep sea jelly fish, although thicker in mass. Any ideas, Peng?” Dr. Peng: “Actually, I have many theories. However, I’m quite sure that this substance is not a substance at all, nor is it gaseous. The substance seems to be a form of plasma, quite common throughout the universe.” Why it chased the ship and enveloped it I cannot say at this time.” At that moment, the substance began to move the ship as if it had an intelligent reaction to the conversation inside. The ship, encased within this plasma substance, quickly reached a high rate of speed. The scientists noticed a large chasm at the bottom of Europa’s ocean floor. The substance moved the ship down the chasm. It was at this moment that Dr. Hal noticed the dark black matter in front of the ship. The whole ocean of Europa was dark, but the dark matter was so dark that it was clearly distinct from the ocean floor, which it seemed to swallow up through its center. Dr. Hal: “My god, my god. We should be dead by now. I'll be damned. That’s a black hole in the middle of Europa. The gravitational pull alone should have crushed us.” At that point, the plasma substance began to glow red and then turned white, which meant it became hotter and more radioactive. Heat and radiation levels within the ship stayed within acceptable parameters. The plasma, with the ship inside it, continued to move toward the black hole at a high rate of speed. Considering the unimaginable gravitational pull of the black hole and the radiation being emitted from the plasma, the plasma was now traveling beyond the speed of light. This was something not possible according to known physics. The ship was still intact inside this super-heated plasma. Dr. Hal: “My god, we are entering the mouth of the black hole.” Dr. Mann: “I cannot predict time of impact at this speed and distance.” Dr. Greevey: “Brace yourselves for the impact.”
THE BLACK HOLE
The Plasma hit the base of the black hole with a loud, deeply penetrating thud. The feeling was like standing next to an Asian gong. The scientists felt the reverberations. The ship was now enveloped in total blackness, and even the white hot plasma heat that appeared like a supernova before the dark matter could not be seen within the worm hole. The scientists knew that there was some type of interface between the black hole and the plasma that was keeping them alive, with the ship intact and moving forward. What was on the other side of the black hole? Dr. Greevey: “How long do you think it will be before we clear the black hole?” Dr. Cedric: “It is impossible to calculate and therefore impossible to know.” Dr. Hal: “Well, I knew we would be in for some surprises, but I think you will agree that this is beyond any of our imaginations.” Dr. Greevey: “Actually, when you consider our situation, it is in the realm of human science. I have heard theories that smaller versions of black holes may exist in earth’s oceans. The Bermuda Triangle, the site of many airplane crashes and capsized ocean vessels, has been theorized to contain a small black hole causing shifts in ocean currents and dramatic changes in weather patterns. However, this would be impossible for an earth ocean because everything else would be sucked up in the gravitational pull of dark matter. This is not necessarily true of Europa. The 100 mile deep smooth icy surface of the Europa moon could act as a self contained environment for a black hole. The tidal shifts caused by the gravitational pull of Jupiter and the other Galilean moons surrounding Jupiter not only produce heat, but they act as a buffer that prevents Europa and other surrounding space bodies from being sucked through the centrifical force created by the black hole. The plasma existing in the ocean of Europa seems to have the ability to create some type of electric or magnetic field that allows the plasma to pass through the black hole with little or no external stress. Absolutely radical, but in the realm of human scientific thought.” Dr. Mann: “Any idea what we will see on the other side, if there is another side.” Dr. Greevey: “In theory, a black hole should have an ending point.” “A worm hole to somewhere.”
INFINITY
At that moment, the dark matter ended in a split second. The scientists are in awe at what they see. Plasma entities are everywhere growing in different colors and stages. Some are huge beyond comprehension, and some are as small as the ship. There is a sudden explosion that seems to give off a tremendous amount of radiation. From the radiation are born thousands of little plasma entities. Dr. Greevey immediately thought of the ‘Big Bang’ that formed the universe and everything in it. Some of the newly born entities look like galaxies in miniature. Some of the larger plasma entities are pushing up against folds in rock-like formations suspended in space. As the folds grow larger due to the enormous energy output from the plasma, the plasma enters the rock formations and in seconds the rocks glow from the heat of the plasma within. There is a blinding white light like a super-heated explosion, and the dead space rock is now a miniature star emitting both explosive radiation and white light. Some huge plasma entities have enveloped space rocks larger than the planet Jupiter. One of the larger plasma entities contains seven Jupiter sized planets within its body. The space rocks seem to be going through a transformation process within the living plasma. As the rocks transform within, shaped by the white self-contained heat, the energized plasma seems to move the planets at high rates of speed to unknown destinations. Dr. Greevey wondered what the end result of this transformation process would be. As the rocks in various stages of transformation begin moving, Dr. Greevey clearly observes the gelatinous substance forming on each of the rocks. Dr. Greevey recognizes the primordial ooze. Then, the knowledge hits Dr. Greevey like a bolt of lightning: these plasma entities are the parents of the universe; from the beginning of time itself.
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