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At twenty past six in the evening, the usual winds of Pluto played frolic
with his long and curly hair, swirling around his head.
He could hear distinct sounds jarring him back to reality from a scenic
view that made him forget the past and the future. Pluto breeze was always
like that - melancholic and sweet sounding to one's ears, cajoling one
through centuries of unknown time. The breeze also produced an unknown
effect that dulled the mind, compelling one to nearly half forget the
present time in a timeless world.
Perched high at nearly sixty five thousand feet above sea level of Pluto's
soil, upon it's highest lunar mountain top, he reveled upon a starry sight
clearly etched amidst an oncoming velvet skyline stealing across the
approaching evening. The scenery appeared to be etched several million
light years ahead and almost obliterated the skies.
The second moon of Pluto was rising!
He stood up gently, taking utmost care from habit rather than any other
naturally planned movement-- to avoid disturbing loose pebbles and stones
underneath his flexible platinum-steel shoes. He felt gentle tugs of a
breeze slowly gathering momentum; understanding from previous experience
that the same breeze would soon be converted into gale force winds; and
then, no human was considered safe during those moments of time.
Not in 3610 c.e. Not upon Pluto.
During every alternate earth month Pluto’s second moon always appeared in
the starlit skies later into evening time, inevitably accompanied by
savage and harsh winds cutting across the planet's surface, curving and
shaping their individual pattern across it's soil.
At an approximate period of ninety earth days comprising one month of
Pluto time, the second moon arose in those starry skies every alternate
earth month; and it altered Pluto's surface formation for another month to
come.
*
He took a final look at the milky-orange- globe appearing gently into a
spherical form, before beginning a slow, steady walk down pre determined
routes between low lying boulders. The journey, which stretched for the
most part of an hour, took him across slanting, desolate plains and down
to a height covering fifteen thousand feet-- towards another end of the
low lying plain. Nearly to an edge under Pluto's highest mountain point,
though lower now, to a height of fifty thousand feet.
He silently approached an inter-planetary zero gravity space ship
with determination defying logic; for the past and future coexisted in no
actual reality for him while that trudge down fifteen thousand feet
brought him back to some sort of a wakefulness; to present day time.
Inter-planetary telescopic computer-radars built within the space ship's
internal interlocking mechanisms detected each and every sound his
footsteps made in co-relation with ever increasing gusts of wind; and
instantly deciphering the confirmation of sound barriers which his boots
created, secondary robotic computers were auto switched into action,
scanning the soil, the horizons and evening lights of Pluto’s heights.
Central data computers matched the approaching human's dual dmna patterns
with prerecorded patterns, now preserved and intact inside its central
mechanisms…..Controlling the entire operational functions of the
inter-planetary ship--his official space vehicle authorized to travel
within the confines of their solar system comprising ten planets.
During other occasions he was permitted to fly solo past the final
barriers of their solar system and into deep, inter-stellar space…..
Earth command, the highest body of humans controlling governance of all
the habited planets – took adequate care of their trusted and reliable
hyper deep-space operatives and personnel.
He knew that advanced research space labs upon earth ground- stations
needed those details every minute and day of Pluto time. He was also aware
that time was short, because this would perhaps be his last and final
flight to Pluto for a long time to come. Perhaps for the next six-months.
*
They were expecting an extraterrestrial flight within one Pluto day -
forty-five hours at the most. It was supposed to have occurred one and a
half Pluto days ago.
At least that was what advanced research programme flights had determined,
now docked two and a half miles beyond earth's moon. Even Mars’ forward
research space stations delivered simultaneous readings.
The
‘world council’ members, operating directly under earth command had
requested his presence at their headquarters upon earth stations, about
one earth week prior to his departure to Pluto space stations. They
briefed him in total about this future extraterrestrial meeting and
apprised him of the intricacies involved. He complied with their sincere
inter-planetary advice and later, completed his briefing with earth
command few days prior to his final departure.
Capturing radio-light signals emitted from unknown sources in the vastness
of their universe was a commonly accepted factor, and advanced research
programme flights simply performed that; filtering all such radio signals
which did not match the level of normal static interference or noise.
These were termed jumblers of inter stellar sounds which constantly moved
across the universe.
Meaningless and undeterminable sounds.
Except those certain sounds which, when filtered into finer deciphered
jumbles of sound patterns, made sense; immediately deviating from patterns
of usual static into fine, comprehensible messages--causing proximate and
conclusive meanings to be translated in sequence, which even the
un-scientifically inclined janitor sweeping advanced research laboratory
floors did not fail to understand.
*
He adjusted loose strands of longer hair flowing across his face while
climbing up chrome-steel ladder steps to a height of fifteen feet, looking
back and down just once to confirm that the chrome-steel ladder steps were
auto folding two feet under him.
A single door opening in to compression adjustment chamber was activated
by a series of computers, now programmed to keep the large steel door
open, until he would be comfortably seated inside.
“Please verify your identity. You are requested to confirm your nail print
of the right thumb. I repeat! Please enter your right thumb nail into the
confirmation slot beside the entrance door." A metallic, computerized
voice eased near total metallic stillness within confines of the space
ship and he complied. It simply implied that immediately after his
thumb-nail print verification, almost every important function within
internal parameters of the space ship--including take off and landing
procedures-- would be directly converted to his individual manual control.
The auto computerized prerogatives allotted to the ship’s central computer
data banks would cease functioning temporarily….. All the functions except
auto pilot controls.
Higher space ship control formalities required his second set of dna
pattern be confirmed thoroughly for there were no alternatives except
direct manual controls at higher functioning levels of the zero gravity
space ship.
"Allow take off at the fifth second immediately after compression
adjustment", he said to nobody in particular, noting the two feet thick
steel entrance door slide noiselessly to a shut position;
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