Galaxies Collide

By Aaron L Bratcher

With Earth's natural resources critically low, scientists use a new technology to create a wormhole to a new world. Seventeen-year-old Fanar joins his father and many others onto Niton to establish a colony and regularly send much needed water and other resources back to Earth.
But when equipment is sabotaged, his father g

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron L Bratcher
• Release date: Jun 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088094150

Book preview

Galaxies Collide

Copyright © 2023 Aaron L Bratcher

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. No ChatBots were used in the creation of this story.

Book Cover Design by Deranged Doctor Design

Check out the author's website

https://AaronLBratcher.com

Contents

Prologue

Chapter One – Boxes

Chapter Two – Departure Day

Chapter Three – New Friends

Chapter Four – Landing

Chapter Five – Sabotage

Chapter Six – The Falls

Chapter Seven – Sickness

Chapter Eight – Supplies

Chapter Nine – Earth

Chapter Ten – Rebound

Chapter Eleven – Sampling

Chapter Twelve – The Cave

Chapter Thirteen – Spelunking

Chapter Fourteen – Stargazing

Chapter Fifteen – Decisions

Chapter Sixteen – Missing

Chapter Seventeen – The Hunt

Chapter Eighteen – Capture

Chapter Nineteen – Interrogation

Chapter Twenty – Outbreak

Chapter Twenty-One – Visiting Hours

Chapter Twenty-Two – Escape

Chapter Twenty-Three – Crystal Cave

Chapter Twenty-Four – Boom!

Chapter Twenty-Five – Rescue Mission

Chapter Twenty-Six – Encounter

Chapter Twenty-Seven – The Light

Chapter Twenty-Eight – The Promise

Chapter Twenty-Nine – Traitor

Chapter Thirty – Redemption

Chapter Thirty-One – Manhunt

Chapter Thirty-Two – Farewell Earth

Chapter Thirty-Three – Sunset

Epilogue

Landing



Landing.pdf

Prologue

Dr. James Monier watched the vertical green bars vibrate on the display, the tops flashing hints of orange. Speaking to nobody in particular, he muttered, This storm is making me nervous. He glanced up to the wall where a timer counted down, showing one hour and forty-eight minutes remaining. Technicians sat nearby in the white ten-by-twelve-meter room, their eyes on various colorful displays. A window dominated most of one wall, overlooking an underground chamber large enough to hold a football field. At the end, below and just to the right of Dr. Monier, a sheet of greyness shimmered with flashing pinpoints of color.

Movement on the floor caught his attention. A woman dressed in a bright red polyester shirt and black pants strode up to and faced the shimmering wall.

What is she doing? Dr. Monier whispered to himself. Without saying a word to anyone in the room, Dr. Monier dashed to the elevator. Once on the chamber floor, he called out, Amira? His voice sounded strangely muted, the wormhole affecting the sounds in the area. He ran up to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and leaned close to her ear. Amira?

She turned, her eyes bright with excitement. James! Come to see me off?

What are you doing?

I think that’s plain to see—I’m going through the wormhole. Just a quick step through to see it for myself. She held his eyes. We know it’s safe. How many mice do we need to send through before we can go ourselves? I want to be first. Then I’m going to spend time with Fanar. You should come home with me when I get back. It’s been a while since you spent some time with our son.

I have a lot of work to do. He’s fifteen; I’m sure he’ll understand.

Her eyebrows drew together in concern. James, he’s sixteen.

The statement weighed on him. Sixteen? Has it already been another year? He won’t want to see me. I’ve already lost him.

Amira cupped her hand against his cheek and leaned in close. He loves you. You haven’t lost him yet. She turned to the shimmering wall and looked over her shoulder, a challenging gleam in her eye. She raised her voice. But first, I’m going to Niton.

He smirked and shook his head. How could he deny his wife? He pointed at a large countdown timer on the wall, in sync with the one in the control room. How long?

She held up a water bottle. Just long enough to drink this. She blew him a kiss and, before he could say anything else, disappeared into the grey.

The entire wall flashed white just as Amira disappeared, causing him to flinch and close his eyes. Startled, Dr. Monier tapped the uplink on his wrist and yelled into it, What happened?

A muted voice responded, A lightning strike on the power line. Just a small spike. Everything’s good.

Slowly nodding, he slapped the uplink and stared at the shimmering grey wall. Two minutes passed, followed by two more. Everything is okay. She’s just enjoying herself. However, try as he might, Dr. Monier could not ease the wariness growing in him. Unable to hold still any longer, he ran after Amira into the void.

Chapter One – Boxes

Fanar Monier pushed another full box against the white wall of his bedroom. He glanced around and sighed before picking up a framed photo from his desk. Anyone could see the resemblance between him and his mother. He missed the way her eyes seemed to dance when she looked at him and how her wavy dark hair fell past her shoulders. He carefully placed the photo into an open container by his door and said, I’ll find you. Then he closed the lid and magsealed it.

On the wall next to the door, the vidscreen switched from the weather report to the complex where his dad worked. Fanar turned up the volume.

…has claimed responsibility for the vicious murder of Ryan Anderson, one of the engineers at Quasar Technologies found dead yesterday. This is the second attack from the Greeners against the company this week.

Greeners? How can they do that? How can they kill someone like that? Fanar’s stomach churned at the news.

The broadcast continued, Dr. James Monier, CEO of Quasar Technologies and inventor of the wormhole generator, would not meet with us but did provide a statement that the colonization project would proceed on schedule. Dr. Monier fell out of the public view for six months after an accident at the lab claimed the life of his wife, Dr. Amira Monier.

When an image of his mom appeared, Fanar turned off the vidscreen and slapped the remote down on the bedside table. A year after the disappearance of his mom and it still hurt. As if part of his heart had been ripped out.

The thick bracelet around his wrist vibrated. He released his grip on the remote and tapped his uplink. An image of Oswin Carter, his friend for nearly as long as he could remember, appeared a millimeter over the back of his hand, obscuring his skin. Hey, Oswin.

He and Oswin were almost complete opposites in their appearance. Oswin had light skin, limp blond hair, and brilliant blue eyes, while Fanar had dark curly hair, brown eyes, and an olive complexion.

I saw your mom on the vid. You okay? Oswin asked, his eyebrows furled with worry.

Fanar shrugged. I guess. You all packed?

Most of it went yesterday, but I need your help.

With what?

My aquarium. The temperature won’t stay up high enough. I’ve already lost three fish.

Fanar scowled. You’re not taking it, are you?

Heck, no. I just don’t want to lose any more fish while we’re gone.

Why don’t you give them away?

After all the work I put in?

Fanar paused. Only certain boxes were going on the trip. He had to identify which ones to the people coming to gather them. Everything else was going into storage. I don’t know. I only have a couple hours before—

See? Two hours! If you ride your bike, you can be here in ten minutes.

Fanar frowned at Oswin.

Okay, maybe for you twenty minutes. Still, that’s a lot of time for you to come over and help me and still make it back.

Fanar sighed. Oswin’s parents were both taxonomists as Fanar’s mom had been. When he and Oswin had met at the age of four, Fanar had declared they should be friends, and they had been for the thirteen years since then. Okay. I’ll be right over.

He slapped the uplink to end the conversation and grabbed a bag of things he would need before taking his bicycle out of the apartment and down the stairs to the crowded streets of Fort Knox.

Formerly known to house the gold reserve for the United States, the empty vault had been repurposed to house a research facility for the newly discovered technique of artificially generating a wormhole. Stable rocky strata surrounded the cavernous underground area nearly the size of an athletic stadium, making it the ideal location to form the wormholes. When Dr. Monier and other scientists had convinced the U.N. to fund the project, work had begun. The region had quickly become a modern metropolis replete with tall buildings and cramped living quarters as scientists, support staff, and other businesses moved into the area.

The street bustled with bikers and the occasional street car or autotaxi under the cloudless blue sky. As he pedaled, Fanar reflected on the news of the murder. How could the Greeners do something so horrendous? People should not kill other people. Make the planet greener and be more responsible with the Earth’s very limited resources, these were goals he could agree with… but murder? To think he had once considered joining the organization now made him sick.

Fifteen minutes later, Fanar’s hands slipped off the sweat-soaked handlebars. Breathing hard, he tapped his uplink, making a virtual display appear across the back of his hand. He tapped a couple of the virtual buttons.

Oswin’s face appeared. You on your—you look terrible. You okay?

I’ll be fine. Coming up now. He slapped the uplink and entered the building.

Oswin opened the door of his apartment, and his eyes went wide when he saw Fanar’s red and sweat-dripped face. That was fast. You sure you’re okay?

Fanar nodded as he strode into the nearly empty apartment. He’d probably pushed himself too hard, but he needed to be home in time to meet the movers. After leaning the bike up against the wall, he followed Oswin to his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. Nearly everything else had been removed.

Want me to get you some water? Oswin asked.

Fanar held up a finger and took in a few deep breaths. I’m good.

Oswin pointed to the large fish tank. See? Only twenty-two degrees. It should be twenty-five. It was fine last night, but now it’s too cold.

Six colorful fish hovered slightly below the surface, barely moving. Fanar lightly knocked on the glass, and the one nearest him moved slowly away. They’d been more lively last time he’d seen them.

He’d helped Oswin set the tank up over a year ago. The pump box connected to it had the water pump, along with multiple sensors to monitor pH, temperature, bacteria and algae counts among other things, but the aquarium they’d built had been smaller than this one. You got a bigger tank?

Yeah, a few days ago. Been saving up my water rations to fill it. Mom and Dad helped too.

That’s a lot of water. What was wrong with the smaller tank?

You sound like a Greener. I needed the bigger tank, so I used my own water rations to fill it. I’m planning ahead since I also need the practice for my responsibilities on Niton. What’s wrong with that?

Fanar didn’t respond. He knew Oswin didn’t mean anything by calling him a Greener. Still, it hurt to be identified with the group that had become combative.

So what do you think the problem is? Oswin asked. He ran his hand over his limp blond hair. It’s the pump, isn’t it?

Fanar chuckled. Seriously? The pump? How are you going to manage those tanks on Niton? His friend might be more athletic and even brilliant with fish anatomy and chemistry, but his grasp on the basics of how technology worked was grossly lacking.

I’ll have you to help me, Oswin said with a smile.

Fanar toggled the power switch and closed the valves so he could work. I don’t know why you’re bothering with this now.

Oswin watched as Fanar opened the housing of the box next to the tank. After all my work, I can’t just let them die. Carolina’s going to take care of them while we’re gone.

Inside the housing sat the water pump and another watertight box holding the array of sensors and heating element. Next to these stood a circuit board Fanar had cobbled together to make it all work. He lifted the top of the watertight box, revealing the heating element and sensors. Not seeing any visual damage, he pulled the thermistor and connected a display.

Watching the readout, he wrapped his hand around the probe. See how the display isn’t changing? We need a new thermistor.

Oswin scowled. Can we get one today?

Let’s find out. Fanar tapped on his uplink and virtual keys for several seconds before nodding. Yes, they have some.

Same place as before, right? After seeing Fanar nod again, Oswin headed out of the room. Great! Let’s go, before I lose any more fish.

They rode their bikes to an electronics store across town. Even though Oswin took his time, Fanar struggled to keep pace. Through gasping breaths, he said, This is why I prefer walking.

I keep telling you to ride more. If you do, it will be easier, Oswin said.

They racked their bikes at the front of the store and entered. The cramped confines had parts salvaged from otherwise useless items. The place only had five aisles, but each shelf had dozens of small containers with items tossed into them. It took nearly twenty minutes before Fanar found a box of interest. Unfortunately, the item he picked up had a crack in the casing, and the handful of others in the container weren’t any better.

Will it work? Oswin asked. It’s broken.

With the government taking up all the good stuff, it’s probably the best we can get. Fanar studied the item in his hand. Do you have any glue left over from the old fish tank?

Yeah, a little.

Back at Oswin’s apartment, Fanar dabbed the glue over the cracked area of the case and waited for it to set. After he was satisfied with the seal, he attached the display and dropped the probe into the water. The temperature display dropped to twenty-one point eight degrees Celsius. He removed the leads, put the thermistor in its proper place, and sealed the boxes before setting the system back into operational mode.

They watched as the water circulated through the tank. It took several minutes before the temperature readout went up. Oswin let out a whoop before slapping Fanar on the back. Stormin!

Fanar smiled and looked at his wrist for the time. I’m glad it worked. I gotta go.

Back at his apartment, Fanar paused at the threshold. His entire life stood before him, boxed and labeled. Even stacked with boxes, the place felt empty without his mom’s presence. Her encouraging spirit that kept him grounded was gone.

His mom had worked at Quasar along with his father. When initial aerials and tests had showed no danger, they’d pushed for the company and interested governments to allow families to travel together. She had been so excited when it got approved. Now she couldn’t go. Her disappearance had caused the project to be halted for six months as surge filters and other safety measures had been put in place before another person went through. Then a few more. Fanar’s mother was the only casualty.

Fanar’s relationship with his father had been strained before the accident. The past ten years of his father’s continued lack of presence made it difficult to have a connection. Now they barely spoke. With that kind of relationship, he had only one reason to travel to Niton. To find his mom. Logically, he knew it wasn’t possible, and yet a part of him believed she was there, on Niton, waiting to be found. It didn’t matter what everyone said. He knew, deep in his soul, his mother lived, and he needed to be the one to find her.

A knock on the door grabbed Fanar’s attention. The vidscreen showed a man in a grey and brown camouflage military uniform. I’ve come to escort you to Quasar, the man said.

Fanar opened the door, and immediately the soldier shoved Fanar aside and into the wall. The soldier rushed in and went around the apartment, his hand on his sidearm.

Fanar’s heart pounded. Maybe this wasn’t really a soldier, but a Greener. He rubbed the back of his head and was wondering if he should run when the man came back to the main room. Fanar was surprised to see someone in his early twenties facing him.

Space is clear. I’m Randy. For your safety, I’ve come to escort you to your training.

Chapter Two – Departure Day

This is Fanar. Everyone traveling to Niton is supposed to create daily audible log entries, so here’s mine. We’re leaving today. (System mark: Departure day)

This is Fanar. Again. Dad said my entry wasn’t adequate. Said we need everyone’s experiences and feelings so future generations will know what happens. Here’s what’s happening. We’ve been cooped up in this facility for the past three months while we train over and over how to quickly set up the buildings and equipment and wait for the big day.

For the past ten years, they’ve been testing and fine-tuning the ability to create a wormhole to Earth-like planets. Oswin and I like to call it the portal. This is the first time a group of people will leave Earth to stay on Niton, the first of the nine planets selected to be colonized. There, we can get fresh water and grow food. It will be another month before they can reopen the portal to send through the return machine and additional supplies. The return machine is so we can routinely open a wormhole to Earth for travel and provide fresh water and other resources. (System mark: Departure day)

The wall’s color switched from white to red, an indication the portal would open and a warning to stand back from the wall. The departure chamber grew quiet as everyone faced the front and conversations came to a stop. Fanar craned his neck to peer past the person ahead of him.

Here we go! said Oswin from his right. His newly grown beard and mustache moved as he smiled.

The anticipation was almost infectious. Almost. Fanar scanned the faces around him. If there was a time for the Greeners to strike, this would be it. Security stood at its highest since the project had started; however, Fanar couldn’t shake the feeling that something was going to happen.

Over three hundred people and several massive transports packed the underground chamber. Fanar wrinkled his nose as the putrid odor of sweaty bodies mixed with the hot air swept past him. Despite the air system running at full capacity, the foul tang in the air couldn’t be avoided. Fanar glanced up at the transport to his left. The tire, one of ten, stood at nearly double his height. Each transport silently waited. They were laden with equipment for experiments, portable housing units, common buildings, and other stuff he knew more about than he cared to. Because of his knack for technology, he had received extra training on the maintenance and repair of the items being taken, giving him very little personal time the past few months. He took a step away, not feeling any less intimidated by the monstrous vehicle.

He returned his attention to the red wall, where the portal would appear. After two minutes, a low-pitched whine filled the chamber, growing in intensity. He rubbed the hairs on his arm down as his body tingled with energy. He must be more excited about this than he thought.

He covered his ears and squinted. Soon everyone had their hands over their ears. The ten seconds seemed an eternity, and then suddenly he heard a pop and all went quiet again. Everyone lowered their hands. The wall became white, and those around him groaned in disappointment.

What happened? Oswin asked.

Fanar shrugged. His dad, having been at the head of the procession, headed across the vast chamber toward the wide door separating the departure room from the equipment powering the portal. Behind him were two men in white polyester garb, one familiar to Fanar and the other someone he’d never seen before, and a man who followed at a more sedate pace, whom Fanar recognized as Kellach, an expert with the equipment. Fanar and Oswin would be under his charge when assembling the buildings on Niton. His shoulders were hunched forward, and his thinning blond hair bounced as he walked with a bobbing gait. His clothing was expensive: rarely seen denim jeans and a natural-fiber shirt. Kellach didn’t appear worried, so it couldn’t be bad.

Please stand by; we will be opening the portal shortly. The announcement boomed through the chamber, pausing conversation. After the speakers went silent, the buzz in the room resumed louder than before.

I’m sure they’ll figure it out, Fanar said. He kept glancing to the front as he talked with Oswin. He didn’t see anyone exit the equipment room; instead the wall turned red, then white, and then red again.

Is it…? Oswin stared at the wall and covered his ears as the low-pitched noise pierced the air again.

The whine grew louder and higher in pitch then suddenly stopped, and the wall switched to white.

Fanar stared at the door his father had disappeared through. I wonder what the problem is. Greeners?

I’m sure your dad will figure it out. Oswin spun around, hitting Fanar with his backpack, and gestured to be followed. You gotta meet this new family.

Fanar pushed the pack away. Why?

You’ll see. C’mon. Oswin squeezed through the crowd. I think I saw them toward the back. The girls are our age. It will be nice having someone we can spend time with.

I can always count on you to find girls. They’re our age? Fanar shifted his own backpack and struggled to keep up.

Yeah, Rhona is sixteen and her sister is twenty.

Why would we get new people when we’re about to leave? They’ll have missed all the fun training.

Be nice. I don’t want you scaring them away. Oswin approached a brown-skinned girl. Rhona?

The girl spun around, causing her curly shoulder-length hair to spin around and fly in her face. Oswin! She pushed her hair back and gave him a brief hug. I’m so glad I can see you before we go through! I’m so excited I could just burst! Her eyes went wide. Oh my goodness, just imagine all the new things we’re going to see! She glanced at Fanar and then looked at him again. He often got second glances. He’d inherited the best of his parents’ diverse heritage. His mom’s flawless Saudi complexion and his dad’s French build. Her smile faded a little before she grinned again. You Fanar?

This girl was possibly more excited about the trip than Oswin. Given the opportunity, these two would probably lead everyone. He drew the corner of his mouth up into a half smile. I am.

Oswin has said so much about you. Oh! This is my sister, Contessa, and my parents. She gestured to the rest of her family.

Rhona’s parents introduced themselves as Terrell and LaKeisha King.

Fanar nodded to Contessa, who returned a slim smile. She stood at the same height as her sister but had a thinner figure. Her hair was straight and cut short at the nape of her neck.

Oswin snorted. Fanar isn’t as excited as we are about this. Seems—

Please stand by; we will be opening the portal shortly, the speakers boomed again.

I certainly hope so. Fanar directed his comment toward the far