Road to Anywhere

The Geometry of Earth

Qualifying round prompt from Multigenre Mashup Flash Fiction Smackdown, June2023: Write a story inspired by the concept of flat earth. Open genre.

Story word count = 593

Nearly a thousand years had passed since the Grav Calamity sent tsunami-like waves cascading through space-time. Experts had warned the Earth leadership, so the story goes, that the artificial singularity technology was dangerously unstable. But the prospect of cheap, unlimited power was too irresistible. The experts were right.

The destructive effects spread across the old Sol Federation worlds at the speed of light, heralding the Dark Times. Besides the physical damage caused by spatial disruption, every technology that relied on space warping failed, including all faster-than-light propulsion and communication. Thus, all worlds were essentially cut off from each other, each alone in the dark of space.

Only recently had Warp Drive technology been restored. That's where I come in as Captain of the New Federation survey starship Terra Sojourn, with a crew of ten. Our first long mission was to find out what became of Earth, the former home world of humanity.

"Entering the Sol System now, Captain," said the navigator, staring down at his transparent control panel.

I gazed at the forward holographic viewscreen. Even under magnification, Sol appeared only as a tiny dot of light. "Very good. Slow to quarter-light speed and align us with the planetary plane."

Our mission specialist could hardly contain her glee as she sat at the science station, bringing a half-grin to my face. For nearly two years of travel, she had not-so-patiently waited for this moment. Over that time, we had become good friends. "You're up, Selena," I said.

"Beautiful," she mumbled, gazing at her monitor. "Look at the outer planets, Cap."

Selena cast the image to the forward viewscreen, revealing stunning rings surrounding all the outer gas-giant planets, much more prominent than of old.

"Probably another Calamity effect," Selena explained. "The space distortion likely shattered some moonlets into smaller pieces, thus making existing rings more opaque. I fear what might have happened to Earth, since they were ground zero. Oh, my--" Her eyes widened as she sucked in a breath.

"What?"

"Earth. It's flat."

I rose from my chair and wrinkled my forehead at the image. Sure enough, Earth was disk shaped, like a cosmic frisbee. "How can this be?" Physics only allowed spherical shaped planets.

"Some sort of permanent spatial distortion, perhaps?" Selena answered, gazing closer at her monitor. "There's more. Earth is still inhabited."

*****

I guided the lander to a gentle touchdown near a small village. "Shall we?" I said, gesturing out the hatch.

A worn path wandered through hard-wood tree groves and swaying meadows toward the village. This would be only a pleasant afternoon walk if not for the historical significance.

By all appearances, we had transported back into early twentieth century Earth history. As we walked down the dusty street, dodging horse manure, scowls and narrowed eyes greeted us. Our crisp blue uniforms contrasted with the simple brown cotton clothing the people wore here.

"Who are 'ye?" an older woman challenged, hands at her hips. Others gathered around us, equally suspicious.

"Travelers from far away," Selena answered. "Where are we?"

"'Ye ain't them round earthers, are 'ye?" a man spat.

"Well," I replied, "a spherical shape is the natural geometry of planetoids--"

I shouldn't have said that.

"I knew it!" the man hissed, jabbing a finger in my chest. "The Earth be flat as God intended. There be no place here for heretics like 'ye! Be gone now!"

As we escaped under a hail of thrown rocks, a thought came to me. How ironic that the old Flat Earthers of the twenty-first century had been proven right?