Ark II - 38. Home Again, at Last

As Ran got closer to the horizon many of the children were asleep. Not that the parents were that perky anymore. Unloading the passengers took a bit longer as no one moved very fast. Joel was carrying Ian as he was followed by the rest of his family. Angus had piloted back with Joel as the copilot. The other trained pilots would have to train to use the antigravity field, not that it was needed for the trip back.

They had a busy, fun day! All were tired and the longer day was still being adjusted to. Joel watched everyone leave the bus and take the passages to the Habitat Ring and home...for now.

The next day was a sort of chaos of another kind. It was exciting, yes, but this was everyone rushing to be sure all was ready. Athena and her robots were ready when needed. Mark and Matt set up for the artificial eggs could be used by Athena, Robbie, Robot, Rob, and Apollo could use the equipment to raise the future residents of Gaea, the animal lifeforms could be used before they revived from stasis. Joel was baffled by the technology. All animal life began as eggs. Insects started with fertilization, the larvae, pupa, to adult, but that happened in the hundreds, if not thousands! They were chemically changed as they aged. Workers and soldiers, even queens started the same. Their diets changed them. Ants. How did Matt and Mark do that? Higher lifeforms were different but started with the egg. There were worms there already and bacteria. Next were the other insects including his butterflies. Birds. Then the squirrels, chipmunks, moles...there were all these brilliant minds brought to make it possible. The ocean with plankton and algae. Then the fish. He was getting a math headache. Sara Beth was overseeing the planting of the trees and towards the end of the stasis period the other bushes and flowers. Not only that but the clinics and the hospital. Others were setting up their future labs and working areas. The City Center was planned, the theater...it took a lot of people to build this city. It would grow! The robots below were putting the other oaks in the ground along with the maples, palm trees and many others at the right stage to have them grow. Checking facts and rechecking facts. Telling Athena was to be done.

Joel checked with their buoy and saw the Earth had begun a nuclear ice age. Temperatures had dropped, due to the cloud cover that covered most of the Earth. Millions more people were dying every month. The Lunar Colony was trying to help but limited on what they could do. Mars helped as much as possible. Factions were forming. Typical. Resources were scarce. Those that had uncontaminated water and food resources were attracting those in need and there were millions that needed this. The population moved to the equator. Those in Antarctica, Ark V, were still in stasis. The protected population would be awakened soon. Mars was suffering because of the influx of people from Earth. Joel was very uncomfortable looking at the conditions of his former home. The Earth.

Hank was overseeing the machinery of the Ark and on Gaea.

The Rainbow Row houses would be finished and furnished. Tables, chairs, glassware, silverware, beds...all the things to live would be there. Individual tastes for decorating would take time but would happen.

Power! Ran gave off a lot of power and the Ark and the power collector caught a fraction of it and gave it to the Ark and Gaea in abundance.

Joel saw the near frantic pace that the people of the Ark were moving. Again, not in a panic but the need to get things in order. He also began getting the approval from them about the message to Mars.

Athena and the other artificial life would be awake only to revive any of them in an emergency.

That organized chaos was felt in the Communal Dining Area that evening.

“This is exciting!” Jim said at the table.

“We’re moving again,” Ian said less as a question but reluctant.

Sara Beth smiled, “We’re building our new home. We will be going to that home.”

“You liked it on Gaea,” Joel said. “You had fun there. In less than a week, to you. You will be living there. It will be even better.”

Ian shrugged but still uncertain, “I like it here.”

Joel laughed, “Think of it as a new cake or food and that song again. You don’t know if you’ll like it until you try it. Once you have, you’ll wonder why you were reluctant to try it.”

“I’m glad you like it here,” Sara Beth smiled. “The Ark will be here even when we are on Gaea. You’ll have your own room down there. Large enough for you, Robbie, your piano and your art supplies. You’ll have a workspace,” she grinned, “which I expect you to keep clean.”

“You’ll have a lot of inspiration,” Joel added. “It’s a good thing.”

Ian nodded and gave an, “Okay.” It wasn’t truly heartfelt. Yet.

The day came and they all went to the stasis pods. Everyone on the Ark this time. Again, Joel made sure Athena was clear about what she and the other androids were to do.

“She’s a member of the Ark,” Sara Beth reminded. “She is also a computer. Once programmed, she won’t forget.” She chuckled.

“I forget she is a computer intelligence,” Joel said waving his arms out helplessly.

Athena, who was solid in front of them, chuckled, “I take that as a compliment! You forget I’m a computer.” She smiled at them, “You all truly gave me life. I was just a computer and program it first, but you changed me. Thank you.”

Joel hugged her, “See you soon.”

“Won’t you get bored?” Kevin asked.

Athena laughed, “Around here!? Impossible! I’ll be very busy.”

Joel saw that Athena had truly laughed! Her emotions were programmed, but now seemed so natural. As an artificial intelligence she had matured. Joel saw her as a truly sentient being. So was Rob and even Robbie. Robot and Apollo were maturing. They were sentient too. Joel knew it. It could be debated, but Joel believed they had souls. Maybe just the beginning of those souls, but real.

As before, Joel was the last one to go into stasis.

One more time he woke and couldn’t believe it was time. He saw Rob and Athena leaning over him. Unchanged.

“It’s been a century?” Joel asked.

Rob frowned, “Actually, no.”

“It’s been eighty-six point three Terran Years or...” Athena began.

Joel held his hand up quickly, “I got it. Thirty-two years ahead of time.” He sat up, “Is there a problem?” His heart was also awake and pounding at the possibility.

“There is a probe heading our way,” Athena explained. “It’s sub light and ion driven. It is from Mars I determined.”

“An exploratory probe,” Joel nodded. “It makes sense. An exploratory probe would be sent to the closest stars with planets to colonize makes perfect sense.” He did the stretches he needed to do. “I won’t make decisions on my own. Revive Hank, Sara Beth, Rita, Nayef, Leah, Adel, Brice, Tom and Cindy. There are others I could include, but just them for now.” He heard the pods of those he named his as the revival gas hissed at the pods began opening.

“There are also several messages from Mars and Ark V on Earth,” Rob added.

“Ark V? In Antarctica?” Joel asked. “They’re awake.”

“Yes,” Rob nodded.

The others were appraised of the situation, did their stretches and went to the Control Room.

Using the neural interface Joel asked Athena for the information on the probe. They saw a small rocket-like object, too small for a manned object, coming at them at great speed. Not using any quantum drive. It was entering the Epsilon Eridani system.

“If I’m understanding this,” Adel began. “I was a Radio-Astronomer for a decade on Earth.” She sighed, “They look for radio signals in space. We have that here.”

Joel nodded, “They do.” He used the interface to pull up the messages from Mars.

“This is Dr. Gustov Mann of the United Worlds Space Administration on Mars’ Olympus Mons City. Commander Nesmith, it is a great pleasure to hear from you. You probably know the situation here on Mars, Earth, the Lunar Colony’s Armstrong City, Venus and the various mines around Jupiter. The Arks were sent out with the hope that, no matter what happens here our species will survive. I’m curious how you received our message and responded faster than you should have. We confirmed your authorization. It has to be you. Please respond and give updates.”

“This was received,” Joel explained, “as we knew it would be five years after we returned to stasis. This message was sent a year later.”

“Dr. Gustov Mann of the United Worlds Space Administration again. I understand the need for secrecy, Commander Nesmith. Can we get confirmation of your location? It would make it easier to communicate with you. Though communication does not seem to be a problem for you. Our scientists report the message, or messages sent by you are from ten directions at once. Impossible locations that you can not be and send the reply so quickly. Many ten light years apart! How? The theory is you found a way to communicate faster than light. No one can harm you where you are. No one has the resources to attack you now. Why would we? Please respond.”

“This was sent five years later,” Joel said.

“Dr. Frank Steinmeier of the United Worlds Space Administration. Replacing Dr. Gustov Mann. It is with a heavy heart I took his position due to the assassination of Dr. Mann a year ago. It is a troubling time now. The Earth has deteriorated to a dangerous group of dictatorships. The strongest is located in Brazil near what was Rio de Janeiro. Campos Saies is a dangerous man who seems determined to rule what’s left of the world. Ark V is still in seclusion and in stasis, but I know they will revive soon. They have to.”

“This group in Brazil hold the last unpolluted area on Earth and the influx of people.” Joel reported. “This was five years later.”

“General George Harvey, Commanding the people of Ark V. I command the nearly one million souls that were in stasis to save mankind on Earth. I’m sending this to reach Ark II, Ark III and Ark IV. I’m told Ark IV was destroyed. Ark II has been in communication with the United Worlds Space Administration faster than expected. Ark III has contacted the UWSA but more as expected. Ark II, if you can communicate faster, please give your location. We are safe underground in a complex under the Antarctic. Our defenses are keeping us safe for now. Updates from you are expected.” He said in an authoritative tone.

Joel looked at all there. “There are other messages. You may read them, but all are asking the same question. Where are we?”

Hank frowned. “Who does this General guy think he is?”

Joel chuckled, “He knows he is General George Harvey. He knows he’s in charge. He wants us to know he is. He thinks.”

“Of whom!?” Hank asked in exasperation. “Not of us!”

Joel grudged a half nod, “He is a typical military leader who has gotten so used to giving orders and never worrying if they’d be followed. They would be followed.”

Adel sat up, “I don’t know what advances there have been, but whether we give our position or not maybe moot. They probably know.” She waved her hand at the outside of the Ark. “That probe is coming here. I searched the skies for signals in the universe. Epsilon Eridani has that. The transmissions between the Ark, Athena, the surface of Gaea...it happened.”

Joel nodded, “Agreed.” He sighed. “I knew it would happen.”

“We can’t expect guests this soon,” Leah said. “Can we?”

Joel shook his head, “Not yet. I doubt any of them are going to send a manned vessel here for a while. They know or soon will know where we are. The probe tells us that.”

“They can’t ask us for help,” Nayef said aloud as he thought. “We can’t give help as we are too far away.”

Joel held his finger up, “Ah, but they can ask us for the technology we have.”

“They clearly don’t have it based on the probe,” Sara Beth said logically. “The probe is using the ion drive that we used to get here.”

“The probe has been traveling for almost thirty years,” Athena added. “Slower than what we used to get here.”

“We will reply again,” Joel shrugged and looked at Hank. “I’ve dealt with the military types for a while. I don’t just follow orders.” He grinned. “He can court-martial me.” He thought for a moment. “We will revive in thirty plus years, and he will probably be retired or even dead then. I say we ignore the probe, and it relays our position. We intercept the probe and get the same results. We destroy the probe and send a threatening message of intolerance. Whatever we do, we let them know where we are no matter what.” He smiled at everyone. “We can wait until everyone else revives to send the message from us.” He looked at Sara Beth. It was decided by all to let the probe do its job. What information it got would take a decade more to get there. “Do you want to see Gaea while we’re up?”

Sara Beth held her hands up literally stopping that idea. “No!” She looked at Athena, “Are there any problems below?”

Athena smiled, “No. All is going as planned.”

Sara Beth nodded narrowing an eye at her husband, “I never read the last chapter or page of a mystery novel to get a sneak peek. That’s cheating!”

“Anyone else?” Joel asked.

All were sorely tempted but agreed to wait thirty-some-odd years.

“In that case,” Joel laughed. “Everyone back to your pods!”

They didn’t even take the time to snack! They were anxious to see New Charleston.

When Joel again revived from stasis. It was on time. The pods were opening as usual except for the two containing Ansh and Larisa Bhatt, and no one seemed to be able to wait. The others would be told about the probe but not now.

“Any problems, Athena?” Joel asked.

“None,” Athena replied. “It was all planned and done following that plan.”

People were bumping into each other in the weightlessness, yet no one was bothered or offended. Laughter again as friends knew each other and were a bit giddy with excitement.

“Stretch as you’re supposed to,” Sara Beth instructed all of them, but more to her sons.

“Are we moving to Gaea today?” Ian asked happily.

Joel sort of nodded and grudged his answer, “We start today. We’ll go down as soon as we can get on the Harpy-busses.”

That was a match to a fuse that sprung to life and ran rapidly through the Ark. They were moving even more quickly, as hard as that was to believe. Dana Carek began directing those nearby to get the two pods containing Ansh and Larisa down and load them first.

Dana looked at Sara Beth and Joel, “I promised them, and I keep my promises. Larisa had her last contraction and her baby with be delivered in New Charleston, on Gaea.”

Joel sent his request by neural link.

“Yes, Joel,” Athena answered aloud. “The atmospheric processors are still working. The air has equalized around the planet, and they have begun shutting down.”

“Great!” Joel nodded. “The Ozone generator?”

“Is functioning fine,” Athena answered. “It covers all of Gaea.”

“Yeah,” Hank floated over. “Take away all of those movable parts and those engines and equipment can operate nearly forever!”

“Let’s load ‘em up!” Joel had that statement go through Athena and everyone heard it.

This time, loading took about an hour as all got to their seats, buckled and strapped in. The outer doors opened, and Joel pushed the throttle forward. He and Hank took the buses into the atmosphere. They got near the dome covered colony, which would be coming down soon. Joel flew so both sides of the bus could see the ground briefly.

It had changed! Joel knew it would, but...the patches of green were interrupted by patches of darker green. There was a large blue portion toward the northern part surrounded by thick dark green. Trees! Row after row of ground covered a portion just south of the lake. A lake! Okay, it was a really big pond as it had no outflow or input that they had not done. It was a oblong body of water that would be home for many fish, insects, and birds!

Joel smiled as there was a gasp from his many passengers. Really, they had not been gone from Earth for ten months. By their biological clocks. It was really in the early part of the twenty-sixth century. Two hundred years passed on Earth...Terran years and everywhere else, but not for them!

Now, Joel felt he was indeed coming and seeing his new home. He piloted around the base of the Space Elevator as the hanger bay doors opened. He and Hank landed the buses using the antigravity fields. Joel didn’t have to worry if the hangar doors were shut. They could now breathe the air. They’d close to keep the dust and dirt to a minimum from the weather.

Joel didn’t even tell anyone to walk to the city center. He just prayed no one got hurt doing it. There were elevators and stairs that took you from the underground passages to the city center and Rainbow Row. He thought he was prepared for what he’d see, but he was so wrong! They rose to then city center and Joel...forgot to breathe! The city center was a big circle in which he had planted that little sapling a week ago. Now, he saw this great oak tree. Huge! Over a hundred years old. Its canopy stretched and spread over the ground. The four fountains were working. First the one toward Rainbow Row spewed almost as high as the tree top, then clockwise to the one toward the walk to the city center from the Space Elevator, then the one toward the city buildings, then the one toward the agricultural area of farms. Then all three shot up together with a mighty splash. Benches surrounded the edges, or you could sit on the edge of the fountain. There were blooming azaleas and other flowers of color surrounding the Angel Oak. Rose bushes of many colors, red, white and various other colors. The mirrored balls surrounded the oak to give the ground below the oak to give the flowers light from Ran. The ground was often barren where the oak covered the ground with shade. He looked at the walkways of oaks that lined all the walkways with these oaks, about five and a half meters apart. There were azalea bushes and other flowers, the balled mirrors and undergrowth trees such as dogwoods. Maples. Grass grew right up to the trunks of the oaks. Again, benches around to sit and enjoy.

Then he noticed the bird songs! In the trees were birds! It was 03:30. Three hours into the day and they were singing their happy songs of the day! They flew from tree to tree. Squirrels! Was that...? Joel gasped! He knew some, but that was an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail! It fluttered not two meters from him. It was the butterfly of South Carolina! A real butterfly! A lot like monarch butterflies but had bright yellow wings. He wanted to touch it! He even reached for it, but it had never seen a Human in its life and flew away. He didn’t realize his face was wet. He was crying! He was not unhappy in the least. He was now home! HOME! He looked around the area and the grass was well manicured and there were trees everywhere. Grass covered lawn spread dotted with the trees of oak, maple...there were sweetgum trees! Sara Beth said they were styraciflua, liquid amber styraciflua, but he knew them as sweetgum on Earth. Those fiery red leaves were hard to ignore. They once grew all over the South. There were the palm trees, too. Palmetto palms as he knew them.

Jim summed it up in one reverent, almost whispered word, “Wow.”

Joel pulled the members of his family in a hug including Robbie and Rob, “Yep.”

“What are those?” Ian pointed at the mirrored balls. Sara Beth began explaining.

Everyone was hushed by the amazing scenery.

“Uh,” Rob began. “Breakfast?” He chuckled.

“Huh?” Joel asked. He forgot to eat, too.

“You sort of forgot to eat,” Rob explained. “It’s exciting, but you need to eat. There is so much more to see.”

Joel nodded, “I think we all forgot.” He turned to the crowd. “Everyone to Rainbow Row. There is a new Communal Dining Area. We can see it all...after we have brunch?”

Sara Beth laughed and nodded hugging her husband and kissing his cheek, “This is the real you. Thoughtful and considerate. And a real soft touch but wrapped in steel.” She wiped his face of the tears. “The man I love.” She inhaled deeply. “Smell that air!”

The air was perfumed with the odors of life from the trees and flowers.

“There’s a surprise for you all,” Rob smiled at them, but mostly Ian. “After you eat, we’ll see your new home, rooms and then you’ll get your surprise.”

The new Communal Dining Area was at the base of Rainbow Row and joined the left and right sides. It was bigger than the Communal Dining Area on the Ark and didn’t bend but was all flat. Arranged in a similar pattern. Athena took what was requested and cooked again. Putting the food on the plates had to be done manually. There were two long windows, one on either side. There was a patio where you could eat outside facing the ocean beyond. The window was there to look out from inside. The other window looked out toward the city center. Trees and flowers were everywhere. The storage from the Ark had been brought down to Gaea and what was grown was added. It was a growing supply again. The bathrooms were there, and the recycling would continue. Nothing wasted ever.

They went up to where they would live. Their home.

“Wow,” Ian said softly. “We live here?”

“It’s twice as big as what we had on the Ark!” Kevin marveled. “Maybe three times as big!”

“Yeah,” Jim agreed. “Room to build was not limited and it’s flat!”

Ian ran to the balcony on the far side, “We have this balcony!?”

Joel and Sara Beth came out with him. It was a terrace with furniture in the sunlight, a firepit, plush couches and chairs. Even a thin pool of water to swim in. Plenty of room.

“Yes, you can see the ocean!” Joel pointed at the vast ocean beyond. “You have balconies in your rooms. You can see the sunset.”

“Wow,” Ian said in awe.

Kevin ran out on the balcony, “Which room is mine?”

Joel turned and nodded, “Which ever you choose, but remember your brothers, your Mom and I have to choose one, too.”

After being confined on the Ark it seemed they were compensating on the rooms they lived in. All of the homes were about the same size, about five hundred square meters. Over five thousand square feet. They had a growing family and needed it. The white walls could move, but the computer controlled them. The floor was a dull whiteish gray. There were a lot of windows. There was a room next to Sara Beth’s and Joel’s for Daylia. It had a bed, desks and Kevin would have a weight machine. Ian chose a room, and they would move a keyboard into the room.

“Decorate as you choose,” Sara Beth waved at them. “It’s your room.” Then she became the mother, “Which I expect you to keep clean! You. Not Rob or Robbie. Understood?”

“Words spoken by every mother in the universe,” Joel chuckled. He got a jab in the side for that.

“We need rugs,” Sara Beth observed. “And plants! Flowers. Some greenery!”

“That’s your expertise,” Joel shrugged but smiled.

Kevin suddenly remembered something, “Hey, this was supposed to be two stories. We’re on the top floor, but only one floor. So are all of them.”

Joel nodded, “Blame your mother for that.”

“Why?” Kevin asked.

“Baby proofing,” Sara explained. “Your sister will want to climb, and stairs will be so tempting. Not in my house. We will have many births, and no child will be harmed at home.”

“Oh,” Kevin nodded his understanding.

They went back outside and was followed by Rob. Looking to their right where Hank, Rita and their family were out on their balcony. Including Robot and Apollo.

“Howdy, neighbor!” Hank said loudly to be heard. “Nice view, huh?”

“The best I’ve ever seen!” He waved at the beach and ocean beyond. “Think what it’ll be when we take the dome down.”

“We’re terraforming all of Gaea,” Hank reminded using his neural link. “All of those birds and butterflies won’t run into the energy shield?”

“It won’t always be up,” Joel shrugged. “When it is, it will repel the birds and butterflies. They can come in, but Athena will not let them out if there’s danger.”

“Okay,” Hank nodded.

“Now,” Rob said. “For your surprise.”

Joel looked back, “Oh, right!” He looked into the house. “We’re being shown something, boys. Let’s go!”

“One more thing about this house,” Robbie began. “When you, Dad Joel and Mom Sara Beth aren’t out here.” He held his arm out. “Hold on.” The floor under them began to move back slowly toward the house. A solid cover slid over the lap pool. “If the firepit is burning, it will go out.”

The condo-houses were staggered. The one below them was between theirs and Hanks. All would get the sunlight and breeze. It wasn’t all the way in, but enough to allow the sun, or Ran to reach them.

“Cool!” Kevin nodded. “Is that our surprise?”

“No!” Rob laughed, “Just an added perk.” He took Ian’s hand and Robbie took the other hand of Ian. “You’ll see.”

They went underground below Rainbow Row and boarded a tram that whisked them away toward the agricultural part of New Charleston.

Just south of the large lake were the rows of cultivation. Plants were growing and being harvested as they saw it. They got to a fenced in area and Ian gasped at what he saw. He had to be held back to keep from running at the black colt. It was young, about a year old. He was prancing and having fun with his “mother?” His mother was like the pets on the Ark. You knew she was a robot, but the colt knew her as his mother. An unusually calm mother that didn’t really move much. The colt was beautiful and coal black.

“This is the first colt or foal we’ve begun to raise,” Rob explained pointing at the horse. “He’s only a year old and hasn’t been named.” He looked as Ian stared at the colt. “We figured you could handle that. He really can’t be ridden for another year, but you won’t be in stasis again. You have the time.” He pushed Ian slightly. “Go say hello.” He gave Ian a couple of sugar cubes and let Ian go of Robbie’s and Rob’s hand and went to the fence, which was split but not wood.

“You did this for Ian?” Kevin asked.

“For everyone,” Rob corrected. “For Ian mostly. He wanted it so badly.” He waved at Ian who called to the little horse who stopped prancing and looked at Ian.

Ian spoke softly to the colt encouraging it closer. He held up a sugar cube to offer.

“We brought down Matt’s and Mark’s artificial eggs,” Rob explained. “There will be five more soon. They will need care.” He smiled as the colt came to Ian and took the sugar cube and let himself be touched. “We didn’t think people would wait for them to grow up.” He waved at the stable and five adult horses emerged. They were more sophisticated than the mother mare, but clearly androids. “Until then, there are these that can be ridden.”

The android horses came out and formed a row to see them. Another black, there was a white one, a spotted appaloosa, an American paint horse, and a mustang. The colors were clear, all had the manes and tails...only they didn’t move like horses would. No fidgeting or adjusting their stance. They didn’t make any sound but just stood still.

Ian chuckled as the colt was sniffing, knowing there was another cube. He nuzzled Ian who offered the colt the second cube. Then he lowered between the top rail and the middle rail and got in the pen with the colt. The colt let out an excited whinny and pranced around Ian. Ian was calm, not startled as the colt took off heading to the other side of the pen and raced back toward Ian, who didn’t move, but held his hand up laughing.

Sara Beth was in protective mother mode and was going toward Ian to help her child. The colt was not a baby, but not a full-grown horse. It could do some serious damage.

Joel stopped her, “Wait. See what he can do?” But the instinct to protect his child was right below the surface on Joel.

The colt stopped inches from Ian, pranced again to the right and left of Ian who was now laughing harder.

Ian held his hand out to his parents, “It’s okay, he just wants to play!”

“Musician, painter,” Joel shook his head. “And horse whisperer.”

Sara Beth smiled at what she saw. “Horses respond to the calm and tranquil nature of people.”

“That’s Ian,” Joel agreed. He looked at the android horses, “We forgot somethings.” He used the neural link and contacted Athena. “We aren’t leaving the Ark and will return to work there. Our citizens down here got used to somethings and will be unwilling to give them up.”

Sara Beth frowned, “What?”

“The pets were created for them,” Joel nodded and knew Athena would round them up and even pilot a Harpy-Lander to bring them down. “There are emotional attachments people don’t want to let go.”

Kevin and Jim got in the large pen asking to have Ian introduce them to the colt. The colt didn’t move away and because Ian trusted them, the colt did, too.

“What are you naming him?” Kevin asked petting the colt.

Ian shrugged, “I dunno. He’s quick. He’s black almost like in a nightmare, but he’s very friendly. I keep thinking about lightening. How about Lightening?”

Jim nodded, “That’s good for short. He’s black so how about Black Lightening? For the official name?”

Ian nodded happily, “Black Lightening! I love it.” He was petting the colt more, rubbing its nose and neck. “What do you think, Lightening?”

The colt whinnied again and seemed to be nodding his approval. He could just be responding to the affection, but who knows? He seemed to understand Ian perfectly.

Sara Beth touched her ear where the earbud was, and Joel heard Dana tell them. “We have a new member of the Ark here and she wants to meet you.”

“Larisa?” Joel asked. “How is she? And Ansh?”

Dana laughed and Joel heard the cry of a newborn.

“All three are fine,” Dana assured them. “Portia is breathing well. Larisa is glad to have this experience behind her. Ansh is holding his daughter!” She spoke to someone; Ansh was Joel’s guess. “Be careful, but she won’t break. Trust me.”

Sara Beth smiled at that. She looked at her boys, “We need to go back to town. You can visit every day. I promise.”

Joel looked at the pond/lake beyond the livestock area. He did so much want to see it closer. He saw a winged creature suddenly flap and leave the water. A duck? He’d have time to see.

On the way back Rob confessed, “Matt’s and Mark’s artificial eggs will be giving life to other animals. Cows, goats, sheep, pigs...” he bowed slightly and glanced at Ian. “Both to bring a species to life again and for...” he looked at Ian, “consumption.”

“How are these animals slaughtered and cut up?” Joel asked.

“We have robots that do that,” Rob answered.

Sara Beth frowned, “I’m with Ian. I’m going vegan. Perhaps if we had those that insist we use these animals to eat...maybe they should have to look it in the eyes and kill it. Cut the animals apart to eat.” She looked at Joel when she said that. “We have doctors, scientists and engineers who go up to the dispenser in the Communal Dining Area and have their meals prepared by Athena. Before they got the meats from grocery stores already packaged. They never saw the killing. Perhaps they should. Many will change if we had them do that!”

Ian was smiling at his mother.

Joel reluctantly nodded, “Your right. These people have never killed anything.” He shrugged, “I love my pulled pork, hamburger, shrimp and fish. I can’t make them convert. I’m not sure I can. We can only hope Manu and Andrea fine the good replacements.”

The tram stopped and they exited below Rainbow Row. Rob took the boys back to their home while Joel and Sara Beth went to the clinic where Larisa was sitting up and smiling at her husband who was doting on Portia. He was speaking softly in a language Joel had heard, but didn’t know. The small bundle of joy who was making those baby sounds at her father. She knew him.

“How are you?” Sara Beth asked the three of them.

Larisa sighed and smiled, “So happy to not be pregnant.”

Sara Beth chuckled, “I know what you mean. You had a harder time that I did with my three boys, but I know the feelings.”

Larisa patted her abdomen, “I’ll be soon trying to get my figure back.”

“You and a few women here,” Sara Beth smiled. “I know some good exercises and you will be on your feet in...” she looked at Dana.

“This evening if she can,” Dana said. “Getting the mothers up as soon as possible will help the healing process.”

“You’ve got a whole new world to see,” Joel said. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’s Earth,” Sara Beth added. “Here on Gaea, but it is Earth.”

Ansh looked out the big window toward the city center, “I can’t wait to see it, with my family.”

Joel looked at the squirming baby. “Welcome Home, Pontia.”