Calan - The Immortality Paradox

Epilogue: The Sun Keepers

Date: 451, OA19,655

Location: Starmedics Facility 001, Mercury, Prime System

Second-in-command Scarlett Beringer nervously watched the new solar reflectors ascend the electromagnetic tube and launch into space, taking a wide angle orbit out of the atmosphere with enough velocity to escape Mercury. They were octagonal, fragile structures designed to redirect light for Human exploitation. In hours they would be joining their metallic siblings in orbit around the Sun, multiplying the energy output already harnessed. One step closer to a fully-realised Dyson sphere. It took seconds for the consignment to disappear out of her vision. The launching cannon eventually powered down, and a technician in full body armour descended from the control centre - a manifold, carbon-shielded capsule overlooking the Goethe Basin. In the weak gravity, he allowed his protective gauntlet to chafe along the edge of the vertical conduit, using the friction to impede his descent. He landed expertly, soles of his shoes causing a resonation across the storage facility. As Beringer waited for him to approach, he offered her a confident smile through his distorted visor.

'It's like you've come to watch your children leave the nest!' Feedback accompanied the statement and Beringer automatically reduced the volume on her communicator. Even as the Sun dipped low over the horizon, the sunlight passing through the multi-polarised viewpoints cast Harper's long shadow. Sometimes, she worried whether the company's photon cream was protective enough from the power of their neighbouring fireball.

'Roth wanted trustworthy proof that the mirrors left this time. We still haven't heard back from Facilities 003 and 004. Most likely we can assume that their loads were never sent. If the Prime system is to get its centennial upgrade, the mirrors need to be in place. I can feel the scathing report burning my communicator already.'

Harper removed his visor. Beringer could see sweat had disarranged his usually fastidious hairstyle. 'Well, you can tell the Captain my consignment is confirmed. That's a third of the expected reflectors - surely that's enough to satisfy the President of Earth? They're greedy enough as it is.'

'The Energy Secretary insisted. All one-hundred and fifty reflectors need to be operational. Apparently there's a new entertainment dome having its inauguration, and they're worried there won't be enough precipitate energy for the light show. Going to be a whopper!' She raised her eyebrows in mock exhilaration.

The technician's eyes were wide. Beringer shrugged, as mystified as he was. 'Bloody Earthlings. As clueless as their ancestors.'

'That used to be us, remember!'

'Oh yes - always slips my mind. When you leave a place, you often feel a tendency to diassaociate yourself from its bad habits.'

They walked side by side through the storage facility towards the basalt mine shafts. Soon, they were surrounded by the remnants of transport mechanisms ready to extract the magnesium and silicon ores from beneath the planet's mantle. Lines of deactivated worker robots sat idle along one chasm face, awaiting their next shift. Beringer and Harper's voices echoed from one end and back again, eerily lonely in the silence of inactivity. 'What do you think's happening with the other facilities?'

Beringer tried to avoid looking grave. 'Central thinks it's a consequence of the last solar storm. Perhaps they didn't increase temporary shielding and the main battery has been put out of action. It would explain why the underground routes are non-responsive. The carriages keep losing power halfway through the journey.'

'What about the access tunnels?' Harper had stopped outside the equipment hall and was gradually removing the body armour, placing it one piece at a time inside a decontamination chamber.