Tevun-Krus #101 - The New Frontier

On the Edge of the Known - A Story by @DavidGibbs6

On the Edge of the Known

by DavidGibbs6

Swarn cleaned the probe with compressed gasses and checked the reading again. The atmospheric concentrations had moved by a whole percent, which was cause for a celebration. He turned awkwardly in his suit, looked across the raggard mountain ranges and the valley where his farm lay, almost expecting to see something. When nothing stirred, he reminded himself that there wouldn't be anything to see, so he started back to the habitat for some breakfast and to tell Jeeala the good news. It was finally starting to change, things were going to get better and maybe one day their future children would have a place to call their own.

Of course right now the farm was an uninspiring mess. Ponds covered half the land, the bland looking algae, washing everything grey and green as the light reflected around the landscape. The makeshift fields were separated by dirt roads that were little more than wheel tracks and foot high shoulders. Up close you could see they were covered in a horrid variety of molds, but at this distance they just added to the murky grey scene. A series of long fence looking structures rose out of the ponds, supported by giant thin wheels. These were the rakes that worked perpetually to drag the ponds supplying the fields with organics. One day the soil would be a rich mixture of moon soil, sand from erosion and organic matter, hopefully enough to grow trees in. For now though the only life besides their fellow settlers were all the simple plant types and bacteria. There was talk of some mushrooms coming soon, but out here, you waited to see it before you got excited about it.

Swan longed to actually feel the wind he could see as it blew grit across the land, wearing down dirt piles and exfoliating the paint from the rakes. In the five years he had been on this space rock of a moon his dreams had diminished to only two types. One where it was done, something happened and it was all over, somehow he had skipped to the end and the moon had been terraformed overnight. He could stand in the field, the wind twisting his hair and touch things with his actual hands, feeling the sticky molds and spongy algae. Those were the nice dreams. There were trees and it was just like the company promotional videos. The other type of dream was just like this. It was a whole night on repeat, checking the valves and setting the harvesters to rake the algae into compost piles. Only to have to wake up and do it all again for real.

He was surrounded by automated equipment and he was starting to feel like just another one of the machines. Jeeala had joked that they would replace him with the next mechanoid that got produced. He knew they wouldn't, why would they when he was cheaper and more versatile. He practically ran on the dream of a promise of a future. That, protein slabs and salad.

After a light meal for breakfast that included two 3d printed slices of what was supposed to be celebratory cake, they went to do the rounds together. Mostly they took readings, checking that things had operated when they were supposed to and that sensors were dust free and working. It was easy enough work but over a hundred acres it certainly took time to do. At first it had been thrilling, driving the buggy about the farm, watching as the giant automated excavators dug the ponds, but as the years wore on, the monotony stole the excitement. The excavators moved on to neighboring properties and the temporary ponds started to feel like permanent fixtures.

Somehow even in the wide open space it managed to feel not so liberating. This was supposed to make them free. Instead it felt claustrophobic, dangerous and like a large gamble that could go bust at any second. Word had been floating though the message boards that some of the settlers had murdered their partners or families. Of course the gossip was all about and with it came the conspiracies. Mostly though it was thought of as a nasty business that sometimes happens when you stick some people in these conditions. All the psychological evaluations in the world weren't going to save everyone all the time. Most people out here were the kind who got on with the job and didn't fuss too much about things outside their own business. Sometimes he wondered if the company had chosen incurious, easily pleased people or if it was the conditioning and constant reinforcement that made people that way. There was always the possibility that it could be just the work that did it.

It was just before lunch when Jeeala spotted the lights from a delivery drone against the mountain backdrop and they picked up the pace with a renewed vigor. It was exciting to get a delivery even if it was just more company updates. Sometimes it was upgraded boards to be fitted to machines, other times it was new bio engineered algaes with better outputs. It was a constant job to keep up to date with ever growing terraforming advancements. Last month they had launched a new ground cover, literally shooting cartridges of the spawn into the sky with mortar style tubes. Supposedly it was going to spread a new, more grass-like plant that would embed in the molds, use them as a nutrient source and grow taller. He hadn't seen any signs of it yet and he suspected that something had gone wrong with the engineering. Each step was supposed to bring them closer to a breathable atmosphere and the whole project was managed by TerraNovA. They sold the land packages, vetted potential buyers and investors while managing the planning. If successful they hoped to make this a thriving waystation to even more distant and valuable planets and moons. The farms, besides providing a breathable sustainable atmosphere, would eventually provide food for a bustling station township.

As he strapped the oxygen tanks into the buggy and hooked his supply into the mainline, Swarn wondered what it could be. He was well read on coming developments and nothing he could think of fit the bill. It made him worry a little, he wasn't used to uncertainty in his life. Even the occasional storm or downpour were things he prepared for mentally and they didn't phase him in the way they did some people. The whole thing was a little disconcerting, but he kept it to himself not wanting to worry Jeeala with his thoughts. She had seemed happy of late and sat quietly on the trip back seemingly enjoying the ride.

It took some time to stow the buggy, decontaminate and get out of the gear before checking the mailbox. By the time he did, the drone had attached and released the package from the sealed carry case and onto the elevation platform. Jeeala helped him shift the sizable box bearing the company logo, to a mobile trolley and together they slit the seal and removed the lid.

Inside was standard packing, a foam protection piece with a small cut out for a company instruction booklet. This was slightly different in that the booklet was brightly coloured and bore the word congratulations across the front. Swarn gently pulled it free from its place, looking up Swarn realised for the first time that Jeeala was not just smiling but beaming at him.

"I wanted to wait for the right time to tell you, but I wasn't sure when that would be." She was positively glowing now. "I guess now is as good as any. I called the company the other day while you were out doing the North run and they are sending us an extension to the habitat and a bunch of new stuff. Open it and see."

Swarn was taken aback, he wasn't sure what to expect but this hadn't been it. Quickly he opened the card and read the uncharacteristically, somewhat fancy writing inside.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Inside is your starter kit.