Proxima B

“Well, fifty years ago or so our planet looked like this. As you can see, both poles were still covered with a thin layer of ice, the deserts covered one third of the current surface and the species of animals were fifteen percent more than today. But what mayn’t be relevant – which is actually not true – is the fact that we keep on multiplying exceedingly despite the strict laws that many states in the world have imposed. About twelve billions of human beings are now living on our planet. At this rate, there won’t be enough resources for the human population and its needs!”

These words were uttered by Matthew, who tried to catch somebody’s eye while he was scrolling through some other images of the Earth behind him. The planet was mauled by hunger, famine, out-of-control climate changes and pollution.

“That’s the fact, gentlemen: if nothing changes, the human race will die out itself. And it will take thousands of animal and plant species with it into the abyss,“ the Lieutenant-General kept on saying. While moving to the right, he added, “But fate, God or whoever you want has decided to help us.”

Each face in the audience revealed an increasing curiosity. The General kept on saying, “Four years ago our telescopes spotted this one!”

The image of a new planet appeared on the giant screen.

“What you are seeing behind me is Proxima B, an exoplanet that is a little more than four light-years from us!

It orbits around a red dwarf star and, as far as we know, it is the only planet where it is possible to live,” Matthew told us. In the meantime, he kept on scrolling through the images on the giant screen behind him.

“But what impressed us was the fact that you could see that star. It shouldn’t have been so, since our telescopes aimed at a point from which no exoplanet should have been visible… We racked our brains for a long time, but we couldn’t realize why it was exactly there! But in the end we got it…”

Matthew paused for a while, scrolled through the images on the screen again and let the audience know why that planet was exactly there.

“There it is, ladies and gentlemen! Yes, you got it right. It’s a black hole, a wormhole, whatever you want to call it. It allowed us not only to see the planet but also to shorten the route, according to our calculations, from four light-years to five and a half terrestrial years!”

After that, the General went in the middle of the stage again, and the pitch of his voice changed.

“So, the real reason why you are here is that all of you have been selected after an estimate by which you have been regarded as the best in your own field. Chemists, engineers, biologists, doctors, soldiers, physicists, you, essential members for any worthy human society. I’m going to give you one week to decide if you want to take part in this one-way travel to colonize this new planet! We know that many of you have their own families and children and we know yours may be a hard choice, but, please, know that once you’ve landed on Proxima B, on this second opportunity, your loved ones can join you thanks to a second travel in a short time. So, you can start to live again all together! This is the last chance to survive.”

The man talked as if he had already faced such a mission, but actually he had spent most of his time during the last four years studying each single detail concerning Proxima B.

“Any questions?” Matthew asked as soon as he ended his speech; some boom operators began to move around in the audience while waiting for someone to ask for the floor. David raised his hand, and so did some other people belonging to several groups that had been asked to attend this lecture.

“Hmm… you! Tell me!” Matthew said, calling a chemist in his own sector.

“What is the conformation of this planet? And what temperature should we expect once we get there?” the chemist asked him. His voice came out of the speakers inside the hall.

“It’s a rocky planet, or we wouldn’t have thought of establishing the colony right there. We mean to land on the intermediate zone, and precisely near the equator, where temperatures should be similar to the temperatures of the Earth…,” Matthew answered. He kept on looking for someone else who wanted to ask him other questions.

“You, in the second row!” he said. The question was made by a physicist this time.

“What kind of atmosphere are we going to find?” he asked him.

“From the data that have emerged, according to our survey, we have assumed that Proxima B’s atmosphere is similar to the one of the Earth, since it is made of a mix of oxygen and nitrogen,” he answered.

The hands among the armchairs were raised up almost with one voice one more time. Once again it was the General who decided to whom the microphone had to be handed.

“The girl in the second row! Yes!” Matthew exclaimed as he pointed at Emily with his left hand.

“How many of us are going to leave?” the beautiful soldier asked him.

“In the first mission, thanks to which we will be able to establish the first colony, five hundred people – be they men or women – per mothership are involved. Those who have been selected, after an estimate by which they had been regarded as the best in their own fields, are being accommodated onboard the motherships. I’m honored to share this travel with those who are going to accept.”

Suddenly one of the members of the personnel came forward from behind the scenes; he went closer to Matthew and whispered something in his ear. All of a sudden, the General kept on saying,

“Unfortunately, my time is over. Those who are going to accept should report their availability in one week from today. If you accept, that will be fine. You’ll be informed of further directions; you’ll be trained for your travel. If you give up… well, in that case you’ll be replaced by other illustrious co-workers in their respective fields. And remember… For the benefit of all! Make your right choice! Always!”

Finally he said, “Thank you all.” He walked towards the backstage, which stunned most of the guests who, after a few moments of silence, began to murmur.

The President, who was holding his glass in his hands and was waiting for him behind the scenes, cried out, “Great job, first Lieutenant!”

“Thank you, Sir!” Matthew answered. Then he retired in his dressing room.

The sun was shining in Washington, even if it was really cold. Emily fled the seat of New NASA Corporate and looked for a bench under the sun to warm a little and meditate on what she had heard in the lecture. She gazed up at the sky and at the clouds through huge skyscrapers, the electric traffic noise with which the streets were filled, the buzzing of the passers-by or of those who were working nearby. The girl closed her eyes for a while and cut herself off. After a few minutes, on the street opposite the bench on which she was sitting, a taxi equipped with an automatic guidance system stopped. She had called for it before leaving the structure. The young Marine got into the taxi. “Washington-Dulles International Airport, please!” Emily exclaimed while fastening her seat belt.

“Right away, lady. The arrival is scheduled in twenty-four minutes,” the artificial intelligence in the car answered, and it set off into traffic immediately. Emily was watching the sky above her once again; there, the space among the buildings was occupied by flying aircraft and bus drones equipped with an automatic guidance system that constituted the traffic in the sky; she glanced at her smartphone before grabbing her plastic card in order to pay for the race.

After about fifteen minutes, the car came in front of the main entrance of Dulles Airport.

“Here we are: Washington-Dulles International Airport. Thank you. Goodbye.”

The robot’s voice came out of the car speakers and once Emily swiped his card, the remote power door locks were disabled and, finally, the girl could get off the vehicle.

On the return flight to Arizona, Emily could not help thinking about what New NASA Corporate had proposed to her a couple of hours earlier. The fact of leaving her beloved Arizona, the place where she was born and had grown up, made her excited and sad at the same time. She had always been a determined person, but this time she was not even able to make a choice.

Phoenix, Arizona.

When Emily entered the barracks, she began to tidy her own belongings in her cupboard. She should have stayed in Washington one more day, but she had decided to come back to Phoenix one day earlier. So, after emptying her bag, she lay in her bed and thought. After about two minutes, a knock on the dormitory door was heard.

“Miss Parker, Chief Master Sergeant Lucas Douglas is waiting for you in his office!” a soldier informed him before closing the door and going away.

On Lucas Douglas’ office door, two knocks were heard; the Sergeant stopped doing anything and exclaimed, “Please, come in!”

“Sir, did you want to talk with me?” Emily asked him, standing at attention in front of the entrance of the room.

“Yes, I did, Miss Parker. Please, sit down,” he told her. He pointed to a chair in front of him.

“How are you? How was it in Washington?” the Chief Master Sergeant asked her. He seemed to be smiling.

“What did you know about this, Sir? I’m referring to the topic of that lecture…,” asked Emily, who was a bit surprised.

“Just what it must be known… Sincerely, it was me who urged you to be applied for this project, Miss Parker!” the man clarified once more.

“Why me, Sir? Many others are waiting for this thing and are better than me,” Emily said in a trembling voice.

”Emily, listen to me. This thing is not for trained people. Trust me. Nobody can be prepared for such a thing. This is a fact of right people. And you’re the right person. I know that,” Chief Master Sergeant said, staring at Emily’s eyes for a few seconds.

“I can feel you. You feel disoriented. Probably, those who were with you feel disoriented, too. But trust me. One day you’ll understand everything,” he kept on saying.

Emily’s gaze was resolute but it was seemingly resigned when she answered, “Okay, Sir. I’ve made my decision! I’m agreeing to take part in the mission!”

“Well done, soldier! Great choice!” he exclaimed. After that, he burst out laughing. That was something redeeming.

The man finally addressed Emily, who was about to quit her office, by saying, “I was forgetting that today is your day off!“

“Thank you, Sir,” the young Marine answered. Then she closed the door behind her and walked towards her accommodation.

Springfield, Missouri.

Abigail lived in one of those terraced houses in the eastern residential area of Springfield. She and her husband had chosen quite a quiet area to live in. Her family spent its own life almost completely within that district. The University where she taught was in that district; the biochemical engineering laboratory of which she was in charge was in that district as well; the factory where her husband, Sam, worked was a few blocks away from the University; the school attended by their three children was nearby as well. You could say that particular structure was conceived for the whole city of Springfield as well as for many cities in the United States. The districts, or rather the areas, were built in order to meet the citizens’ needs; moreover, it would not be so worth moving over great distances due to the large number of inhabitants and the high volume of traffic.

The plane by which Abigail was traveling had just landed at Branson. It was approximately 2 o’ clock in the afternoon when the woman appeared from the sliding doors of the arrivals hall. She was very happy to see her husband, who had asked for a day off on this occasion, with their children.

“Mom!” her children shouted as soon as they saw her. Then they ran to her and hugged her. Their mother hugged them, too, of course, and then she said hello to his husband.

“Welcome back, my darling,” Sam told her, taking her luggage off her hand. After other fond greetings among the woman and her children, the whole family went out to their car. It was one of the latest models produced by the company where Sam worked at that time. It was an electric car that looked like a mid-sized space gray SUV with all optional equipment.

Once Sam was on his way home, he asked her wife for information about her travel.

“So? What was that travel you were talking about?”

Abigail waited a few seconds before answering.

“Would you mind if we talked later when we would be at home? I’m so tired…”

“All right,” Sam answered. They kept on traveling.

That same afternoon, after getting back home, Robert and Cody, the two eldest children, had gone at a friend’s house for studying while little Gwen had been brought to classic dance classes. Abigail had all the time she needed to relax and unpack her luggage until the front door opened.

“Darling, I’m back!” Sam said with his deep voice. From her bedroom, his wife, who was almost done with the arrangement of clothes in her wardrobe, told him something in response.

Then Sam added, “I’ve ordered some pizzas tonight.”

From the hallway he was getting closer and closer to the bedroom. Abigail locked the empty suitcase and left the bedroom to go to the sitting room while Sam was changing his T-shirt. The woman was in the sitting room in her flat; she was sitting on one of the sofas that were part of the furniture that was designed in a modern style when suddenly her husband joined her.

“So, tell me everything,” he proposed in a rather calm tone. Abigail did not hesitate and went straight to the point as she used to do.

“I’ve been selected to take part in a mission of colonization of a planet that is just beyond the solar system,” she said, looking straight into his husband’s eyes.

“What? A new planet?” he asked in amazement.

“Exactly!” she answered. Then she added, “I’ve been selected to take part in that mission as a chemist together with 1,499 people who are playing their own roles.”

Sam remained impassive at first. He tried to understand whether Abigail had something more to say. Then he began to nod, which made his wife suspicious.

“Sam, it’s a one-way travel, you know…” she added while the man was still silent.

“This is amazing!” Sam exclaimed suddenly. All of a sudden, he, who was sitting in front of the sofa where Abigail was sitting, got up from his sofa.

“Have you already decided to accept?” he kept on saying.

“Of course I haven’t,” she answered in a tone that was almost breezy. Then she added, “I’d like to know what you and our children think of it.”

Sam ran his hands through his hair, which was as black as pitch. Doubts were beginning to assail him.

“Wait…” Abigail said. She meant to break that embarrassing silence that had fallen all around for a few seconds. “We’ve been told that it will be possible for the first colonizers’ families to reach the planet thanks to a second travel that will take place a short time after the first one!” she exclaimed, intending to calm her husband down a bit. Some moments after hearing those words, he sat down again and met Abigail’s gaze again.

“Do you realize what you’re asking me to do?” Sam asked her. He was almost upset.

“I didn’t ask you anything, Sam! If you don’t want me to accept, I won’t do it. But I want you to know that we’re doing this for the future of our children. Do you remember what we talked about at Ben’s party? Our planet is seriously in danger, and this is an important way of salvation, and we’ve been chosen to be saved…,” she answered.

After hearing these words, Sam started thinking. On the piece of furniture next to him, his eyes met a photograph of himself together with his wife and their three children…

Missoula, Montana.

David was sitting on his comfortable sofa. He had drawn his head back and his mind was filled with thousands of thoughts. The silence surrounding him was broken by Roth’s barking outside. Somebody was coming. The man stood up, pulled back the curtain and watched through the window. He noticed Gaia’s car. She was coming home from work. David repositioned the curtain almost in a huff and sat down on the sofa again. The front door opened. David’s wife came in. The dog, which kept on barking, was not let in. “Finally you’re back, darling!” the woman exclaimed. She was a bit tired. She put her bag and her coat on the other sofa. David stood up and came up to her; he hugged her and held her tight. His hug was tighter than usual.

“So? How was it?” Gaia asked her husband. He stood silent for a while. Then they looked straight into each other’s eyes.

“I just need to tell you about the lecture…” But there were something in his tone that did not fully convince her.

“What’s up?”The woman asked him. She was getting a bit worried.

“No big deal, actually. Don’t worry,” David told her. He meant to calm her down. Then he kept on saying, “We’ll talk about it in a while. Meanwhile, get ready. Your supper is in the oven.”

The woman followed her husband’s advice and after making sure Leo was sleeping in his bedroom, she went downstairs back to the kitchen, and there was David. He was sitting at the table while waiting for her. The same old prayer was recited. Then Gaia’s supper began. She used to eat legumes and bread.

“So? What was the matter?” the woman asked while she was putting her first spoonful of soup in her mouth. Once more, David did not answer her immediately; rather he waited a few seconds, which let her get more suspicious.

“Listen, Gaia, I’ll put it bluntly,” he said, and then he looked up, stared at his wife that gave up eating for a while. “The U.S. Government and New NASA Corporate need to carry out a mission of colonization of a new planet that is just beyond the solar system,” he resumed, “and they would like me to take part in this mission in my capacity as architectural engineer.”

She remained impassive after hearing these words. David lowered his face for a while; he did not know whether to go on talking and how to continue.

“They explained everything to us during the lecture. They’re recruiting the best pilots, soldiers, doctors, chemists and engineers of the world, and I’m part of this group. We must reach our decision within seven days. Then we must appear in Washington again. And I’m sure that the best choice is to say yes.”

It was hard for them to hear those words, especially for David’s wife, who was increasingly dumbfounded.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Gaia wondered. She leaned the spoon on the dish almost violently, and the tablecloth was spattered with some drops of soup.

“Listen to me, my dear…,” he said.

But he was abruptly interrupted by his wife, who asked him, “Are you aware of what you’ve just said?”

“Listen to me!” David tried to press her, who, however, would not listen to reason.

“Haven’t you thought of Leo and me? How long would it take to accomplish this mission?” she asked him.

“You got it! Actually, it’s a one-way travel! Once you’re gone, you can’t come back!”

Gaia opened her eyes wide as if she did not believe in what she had just heard. David made the most of his wife’s silence. So, he could finish his speech.

“Obviously, I saw to Leo and you, too. If the mission is successful at the first attempt, the spaceships will come back and other people, including the families of those who had left first, will be caught.”

Gaia’s expression changed for a moment.

“What do you mean?” she asked him. She was full of doubts.

“That’s so. Before leaving, we must sign a contract with the Government and New NASA Corporate that assures us that we shall live a new life on Proxima B!” David said finally with increasing certainty.

Gaia’s soup had gotten cold; moreover, she had lost her appetite due to the piece of news she had just heard.

What came out of her mouth were only the following words, “I don’t know what to say…”

“Listen, my dear. This mission aims to save the whole human race, and I feel compelled to be part of this project, sacrificing myself for my neighbor, just like I was taught by my parents and my grandparents,” her husband told her.

His words sounded differently from five minutes before, which made Gaia look less hesitant about the matter.

“We should talk about it with Leo, too,” the woman said, nearly forcing herself to speak.

“Of course. I’ll do it tomorrow morning,” the man added. Then he kissed her wife on the cheek; she stood up and leaned the dish, which was still half full, on the sink.

“I’ll go home. I’m exhausted,” she said.

“Okay. Tomorrow morning you’ll see this matter in a different light. Trust me,” David added, letting her get into bed. She deserved her own rest.

David sat down again and grabbed his tablet with both hands. On its monitor a document stood out. All information about the mission could be found there.

New York.

The noise of the cues hitting alternately the cue balls on the pool table was the background to country music and the soft murmur that resounded through the same old pub on the 44th street where Michael used to go. He was a regular by now. It was about 11 o’ clock in the evening and the man was sitting on his usual wood swivel seat. He was ordering his same old glass of whiskey.

“Another shot, Sten!”

The barman did not hesitate to satisfy Michael’s request.

“Hey, my friend, are you attempting to make up what you’ve missed lately?” Sten asked him almost ironically while pouring some other whiskey in Michael’s glass that he drank in one gulp.

“By the way, where have you been?” the man asked from behind the counter.

“It’s not your business!” Michael answered in his usual drunken man’s tone. Sten had known him for a long time and he could not take it out on him. Instead, he kept on insisting, regardless of him.

“Come on, my friend, admit it! You may have done some nice blonde girls!”

Michael glanced at him almost threateningly. Sten realized that he would rather give it a rest and devote himself to the wiping of some glasses with a tea towel before putting them back in place.

“Do you mind if I stay here a little longer?” the man asked him. His expression was getting sadder.

Sten looked at him carefully, and then he replied, “You know I’d never kick you off, Mr. Stateman… You’re my best customer!”

Michael outlined some kind of smile and raised his glass, which meant that he was asking for some more whiskey.

“Actually, I did meet a nice blonde…,” he said while he was looking for Sten’s gaze.

“Did you? Who was she?” the barman asked him.

“She was a doctor in Washington… I was there for a lecture,” he answered.

Sten started to look at Michael just like he used to do after his tenth glass.

“I was asked to be the pilot of a spaceship that is going to take part in a mission of colonization of another planet in order to save the Earth,” Michael confessed. His speech caught the attention of the five men playing pool. Sten laid the tea towel and approached the ex-pilot, pulling the glass off the counter.

“So, you should save the Earth, shouldn’t you? Very good, Mr. Stateman!” Stan said; he smiled almost mockingly at Michael while he was exchanging a few glances with the pool players that began to come towards the counter.

“I dare say that we already scored today…,” the counterman said finally while beginning to wash the glass in which the man had gulped down his whiskey.

“So, tell me: what’s with the mission, bro?”

One of the five men, a colored one, went next to Michael and put a hand on his shoulder, as if he, who did not believe anything he said either, wanted to mock him, especially given the condition in which the ex-Marine was.

“And to think that I was bothering about dying here on Earth while this hero is going to save us all!” a man mumbled snootily. He and other men were surrounding Michael, who was still sitting comfortably on his stool. Sten had already realized how things would go on, so he tried to handle the situation.