2199

By Thomas Gordon Sutton

The novel begins in the year 2199. Libby Britton receives a faint visual on her wall screen from a colleague stationed on Charon, Pluto's moon. After the transmission ends, she reflects on the past and all that has transpired before arriving at this day.

Around the year 2035, before Libby was born, scientists discovered cures for most of the diseases of the world. With these cures came the rapid exponential growth of the world's population. The use of fossil fuels exploded. The ultimate outcome . . . global warming.

In the year 2156, due to the greenhouse effect, the perpetual snow cover of the Great Ararat peak melts and the world makes one of the greatest discoveries of all time -- Noah's Ark.

For the moment, world attention is diverted from the many critical crises facing the planet to the discovery of the Ark. Libby, a child prodigy, is just twenty when the discovery is made. Ross Fleming, the world's leading astrophysicist, asks her to work with his team to examine the Ark.

They discover that the Ark contains a cure for global warming and the means to end starvation. There's a catch -- the Ark has to be destroyed in order to utilize its resources. A raging conflict between Evolutionists and Creationists erupts. Is the Ark sacred or just an ancient relic? There are opposing forces trying to influence how the Ark is used.

The novel ends in the year it begins, 2199. Using technology derived from the Ark, Libby is attempting to send a one-man ship through a laser beam, riding magnetic waves at the speed of light. Its destination -- Charon. With a strong female protagonist, the novel carries the reader to the future, the miraculous and the unknown.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 1, 2000
• ISBN: 9781728372167

Thomas Gordon Sutton

The author's education includes a BA in Environmental Studies/Urban and Regional Planning, which was received from San Jose State University in 1977. He has published works in local newspaper on several occasions and has authored seventeen short stories. 2199 is his first novel and Jesus, The Christ, his second.

Book preview

Chapter 1

I was awakened by the subtle sound of sea gulls squawking. I had programmed the ambiance to be that of a sunrise on a beach. As the light in my room became brighter, the full wall screen at the foot of my bed suddenly became visible. I overlooked a beach with sea gulls skimming the breaking surf. A lighthouse positioned on a cliff gave warning to ships out at sea. Straw-like grass blew back and forth from the wind. Spray from the crest of the waves cast its mist high into the air. Smoke from a beach fire filtered into the air, but was soon dispersed as the wind caught it. The many different sounds and sights blended to form a perfect morning on the beach.

Turning my head, I looked over at the wall to my right where pictures of my parents hung quietly. Glancing up at the ceiling, noticing the intensity of the wall to wall lighting, I knew it was time to get up. The synthetic lighting in my room now resembled a mid-morning on the beach.

It was 6:30 AM. Today had taken 20 years to arrive. My colleagues and I were going to try an experiment that could change the world. My mind became overwhelmed with computations and calculations. I threw off my covers and sat up on the bed. Sitting on the left side of my bed, I could see my reflection in the mirror which faced me from the bathroom. What was once a young face now showed wear and worry. After taking a shower, I sat down in front of the vanity and started combing my hair. My attention was soon diverted to the wall screen and to the incoming message. It was from one of my colleagues stationed on Charon, Pluto’s moon. It would have to be unscrambled before I could understand it.

Where is that stupid element? Before I could locate it, another message came in. This time, it wasn’t scrambled.

Looking for your element, Libby? Guess who? The wall screen was showing a faint visual. It was from Paul. He continued, Knew you wouldn’t be able to find it. Don’t panic! I just wanted to remind you that today’s the big day. All, here, is GO — please hurry. I can’t wait any longer. End transmission.

I thought back to the beginning of the project, over 20 years ago. Is this really the day? I speculated. Maybe I’m dreaming and don’t know it. It seemed like only yesterday that I was forming my team of scientists for the project. I returned to the vanity and continued to ready myself for the day. Staring into the mirror, I found myself reflecting on the past and how I had arrived at this day.

It was in the year 2156 when our world made a discovery that would change not only our technology but our belief in God. For years, scientists had warned us about the dangerous effects on our climate from the burning of fossil fuels. We had cut down the old growth forest and most of the remaining rainforests of the world. The demand to clear more land for agriculture, housing, and industrialization coupled with the increase use of fossil fuels had led to significant increases of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. The ultimate outcome … global warming.

We were being warned of the effects as far back as 1971. At that time, the scientists even predicted that our average temperature could rise by two degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This would modify our global climate and could cause a rapid melting of the floating Arctic ice pack. Coupled with the gradual melting of the land-based Antarctic ice and the glaciers, scientists warned us that world sea levels could rise by 200 or 300 feet; thus flooding 20 percent or more of our planet’s land area. The affected areas would include many of the world’s population centers and the flood plains where most of our food was produced. It was in the year 2156, when, due to the greenhouse effect, the perpetual snow cover of the Great Ararat peak melted and the world would make one of the greatest discoveries of all time — Noah’s Ark.

Chapter 2

I was just twenty years old when the discovery was made. It would change the world and influence the rest of my life. My parents had named me Mary Elizabeth, but I preferred to be called Libby. Even though I was only twenty, I was about to finish College with a double major in structural engineering, (with an emphasis in quantum mechanics), and literature. I had an IQ of over 200 and was considered a child prodigy. Up until I turned 20 and the discovery of Noah’s Ark, I was mostly interested in literature. I loved to read books and wanted to become a teacher. I remember playing school with my friends as a child. I was always the teacher, and becoming one was my dream.

My parents, Glen and Helen, raised me with a strong belief in God. While I was growing up, my father taught art at UC Santa Cruz, and my mother worked part time as a Chemist. We lived in San Jose, California. I had no brothers or sisters and was a towhead with an attitude. I only attended schools taught by Creationists. I felt proud about my belief in God.

I’ll never forget the day of the discovery. With it, a new sense of hope emerged from the masses. We were living in a time of crisis. Around the year 2035, before I was born, scientists had discovered cures for most of the diseases of the world. With these cures came rapid exponential growth of the world’s population, the J curve effect. With the growth came the demand for more food needed to feed the multitudes of people now living on the Earth.

We needed more land to grow food for the hungry people. The world’s supply of fossil fuels was being depleted, and our nuclear fission program had been a disaster. We had been unable to store the nuclear waste properly and had created sections of land throughout the world that would be useless for two-hundred and fifty thousand years. The extremely high temperatures required in fusion reactors were hard to control and far beyond our technology. Alternative renewable energy sources, like solar, wind, and hydrogen, were limited and could not produce sufficient energy for the world. For economic purposes, many countries had no choice but to burn coal for energy, adding to the greenhouse effect. The world’s use of fossil fuels exploded.

Political pressure pushed our leaders into putting the desires of the many different sects of people ahead of the long-term effects upon our environment. Soon, the last remaining old growth forests were cut down, our marshlands were covered for land use, and we had destroyed most of our rainforests. We planted hybrid trees to replace the old growth forests but they were unable to sustain the diversified ecosystems needed to support wildlife and vegetation.

We were polluting our fresh water with thermal pollution, poisons, solid materials, and eutrophication. The demand for food to feed the masses required huge amounts of clean water for agriculture.

Because of global warming and its affect on world climates precipitation throughout the world changed significantly. Since evaporation is commensurable to temperature, the higher world temperatures caused greater evaporation, resulting in less water in major populated metropolitan areas. Our last rivers were damned for water and hydroelectric power for the people.

Thermal pollution from power plants resulted in warmer water temperatures. The warmer temperatures of our rivers and streams killed most of the organisms and fish. Our remaining waterways and lakes were filling up, not only from soil sedimentation as a result of urbanization and agriculture, but also from debris and mismanagement. Pesticides and other industrial poisons, along with eutrophication, polluted much of our fresh water.

Large amounts of out tax dollars were being used to develop new technology to purify our water. High tech and costly desalination plants had and were being built to remove salt from sea water for drinking and irrigation. They were limited and costly and created additional environmental hazards.

Our world found itself in the middle of several critical crises — overpopulation, loss of land due to the rising sea levels, world shortages of food and clean water, and the rapid depletion of our fossil fuels.

The world’s carrying capacity had been exceeded in a little over one-hundred years after the discoveries of the cures for the diseases. Our Earth was not able to support the vast numbers of people living on it any longer. Slowly but surely, it was dying.

I had just finished my last final exam and decided to go to the campus pub. I was supposed to meet Susan, my oldest, closest, and dearest friend. We had gone to school together and shared many secrets. We were also planning for our vacation next week. Susan and I were going to have lunch, discuss our vacation, and celebrate taking our last exams at Mills College. As I entered the pub, the music was blasting and the air was full of conversation.

Hi, Libby. Would you like to join us? Sheila called out.

The room had an air of excitement, with talk about the Ark coming from every table. It was Friday, the last day of finals. Whenever I came to the pub, I would always check out the corner table. It was reserved for the most popular girls on campus. I recognized several of the girls as I glanced in their direction. Sheila motioned for me to come over. After walking over to their table I nodded, Not today, I’m waiting for Susan. We need to go over our plans for our vacation next week. I appreciate the offer! Standing, I asked Sheila, How do you think you did on your finals?

I’m sure I passed!

Just then, I felt someone poking me in the back. Turning, I saw that it was Susan. She looked tired. She was slouching over, a familiar sign that I recognized when she was tired. She stood 5’10, had a slender face and body, and long black hair. Her nose and mouth were mousy. Hi, Susan. Stand up, you’re slouching. You must have gone running today?"

Whispering quietly so not to be overheard, she replied. Yes, I did. Let’s get a table. I don’t like these socialites.

Fine, nice talking to you Sheila. See you around. Sheila, and a few of the girls at the table returned my gesture. Susan and I found a booth and sat down. I could overhear the conversation from every booth and table — it was about the discovery of Noah’s Ark. In a few minutes, we were greeted by Jill, our favorite waitress.

Hi, Lib, hi Susan. Did you graduate? Jill asked facetiously.

I quickly responded, What do you think, Jill?

Jill reached for her ordering device that attached to her waist belt. They don’t pay me enough to think. Hopefully I’ll be graduating next year. I’m going to miss you two. How are you today Susan?

Oh, I’m fine, thanks.

What will it be ladies, the usual? Two glasses of white wine for Susan and a glass of ice for you Libby, right?

You got it. Jill left and soon returned with our order. Susan was 22, while I was only 20. I wasn’t old enough to drink, so Susan would order two glasses of wine and I would order a glass of ice. I would pour Susan’s second glass of wine into my glass with ice. It looked as if I was only drinking water. It made me feel grown up and capable of breaking some rules. After all, I was Libby Britton, child prodigy.

After making some more plans for our vacation and feeling great about the day, our discussion turned to the discovery of the Ark. Susan, I asked, What do you make of all of this Ark stuff?

I think it’s stupid, myself, Susan replied. Our Government needs a gimmick to get us optimistic about the future. She laughed. Okay, maybe it is true. But, so what? How is an old Ark going to save the world?

I sipped my wine. Well, Susan, if it is true, it could mean validation for the story about Noah.

What story? Susan replied.

Don’t you remember the comparative religions class we took together at Mills? I had met Susan at Mills College where we shared a major in literature along with many of the same literature classes. Come on, Susan. For heavens sake! You just graduated with a degree in literature, I continued. In Noah’s time, the world was wicked, and God decided to destroy it by causing it to rain for forty days and forty nights. The rains caused a world-wide flood, killing every person on Earth except for Noah and his family.

Now I remember, Susan replied. Noah and his family were the only people to be saved by God. I always found that a little hard to believe. How could a loving God be capable of killing off the very same people that he supposedly created? I didn’t believe it then, and I don’t believe it now. According to my recollection, they remained safe because Noah was commanded by God to build an Ark big enough to hold not only his family but also mated pairs of every species of animals. Then what?

Eventually the Ark landed up in the mountains in Eastern Turkey, known as the Mountains of Ararat. I paused for a couple of seconds. You know, Susan, being a structural engineer, I would have serious doubts as to whether a structure built in those days could have survived such an ordeal.

Why?

If the world was flooded, the amount of force that much free-flowing water would create in the form of turbulence, eddies and currents — not to mention the undertows, would destroy even the best-built ships of today. If it does exist, I would give anything to examine its structural design.

Chapter 3

At home, another debate would continue between my parents and me. They were set upon my attending Stanford University on a grant. I had been asked to study with an astrophysicist. The world needed great minds like mine working on solutions for our dying planet. It was suggested that the only way out of our dilemma was in the field of space exploration. However, for the moment world attention had been diverted from its problems to the discovery of Noah’s Ark.

The press and media were in a craze. Everyone, everywhere, was discussing the meaning behind the discovery. Devout religious communities proclaimed it as a sign from God, and thousands were gathered at the foot of the mountain where the Ark was supposedly discovered. Crackpots screamed for repentance, warning the world that the end was near.

It seemed odd to me that I hadn’t as yet seen any pictures of the Ark. At home that evening, I asked my parents if they had seen any, and they both said they hadn’t either. Well, tonight we’ll finally get some answers, I said chuckling to my parents after we finished with dinner. The discussion over dinner had been focused on my accepting the grant at Stanford. What time is the live telecast? Within days of the discovery, the United States and Turkey had arranged for a world-wide press conference that was to be held tonight.

Not for another hour or so, my mother replied.

Good! I said. "That will give us plenty of time to see our favorite show, World Terrorism-Exposed." After helping mom with the dishes, I made my way into the living room and took my usual seat in front of the wall screen. As I sat on the sofa waiting, I watched my father, Glenn, make his way into the room.

He was a gentle-looking man, with black hair and a dark complexion. He was over six feet tall with an average build. His hands were small but deliberately strong. He was a sculptor. For 30 years, he taught art at the University. Now, he was a free lance artist. As he passed me on his way to his favorite chair, he patted me on the head, just like he had done a thousand times before.

Well, if the Ark is real, what do you make of it? he said to me as he passed before settling into his favorite chair. It was the same chair that I recovered lost change from as a child. He would purposely allow his loose change to fall from his pockets down into the chair.

I turned toward him. If it is the Ark from the Bible, I definitely would want to view it first-hand. I would be very concerned about its significance. What do you make of it, Dad?

Dad was slow to respond. If it is God’s Ark, I know one thing for sure — it would mean a heyday for some of the religions groups. I would view it as a glorious event, especially given the timing of its discovery. I would also be concerned over its relevance and be cautious not to read more into it than I should. Faith is my cornerstone, and I hope yours.

A few minutes later, my mother Helen made her way into the living room where dad and I had already taken our favorite seats. Much shorter in height than dad, she stood only five feet five. She was soft-spoken and had very small hands and feet. She had big blue eyes with a round face and blonde hair. Her blue eyes could mesmerize you if you looked into them long enough. Every so often at work, her feet would swell and become so big that her shoes wouldn’t fit. I had inherited my father’s height and my mother’s gorgeous blue eyes and blonde hair. My eyebrows, however, were black like my dad’s hair. Like my mother, I had small hands and feet. She took her seat on the sofa next to me as we prepared to watch one of our favorite shows.

"Tonight’s edition of World Terrorism-Exposed is entitled The Dealer, the hostess said as she went on to explain what the show was all about. The show you are