Worlds Apart 02 Edenworld by James Wittenbach

Author:James Wittenbach [Wittenbach, James]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science fiction
Published: 2010-03-07T20:52:12+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

As darkness fell, Magnus Morgan took out his recorder and made a journal entry. We have used the Shrieks to survey the subterranean fault line along almost its entire length. Although the feature is fault-like in appearance, it does not appear to be seismologically active, nor does it mark the boundary of any tectonic plate. The seam itself is almost perfectly straight, unlike anything found in nature.

The planet as a whole does not seem to be geologically active. The crust is exceptional thick and stable, and almost uniformly composed of dense metals, with the aforementioned high concentrations of molybdenum, titanium, cobalt, coborundum and other less common elements.

Our supposition remains that the planet was subject to terra-forming at an earlier stage of its history. Our knowledge of colonial terra-forming was obviously incomplete. We thought they could only transform the surface of a planet. This seam shows they could build a planet from the core outward and suggests that not only could they build a planet, but they also would have been able to do so in perhaps less than one century.

Mission observations: The morale of the landing team remains high. All team members are working with admirable efficiency. The villagers of Blackwood have moved past the bean-crushing incident and become active and helpful in assisting us in achieving our mission. They have expressed tremendous curiosity about our technology ---ships, landing gear, instruments, and most especially, our power packs.

A shadow fell across him, blockading what diminished light was still radiating from the sun. He looked up to see Doctor Cuthbertson standing over him.

“How fares your mission?” Cuthbertson asked.

“It fares well,” Morgan answered. “Your people have been very ... helpful to us.”

Cuthbertson gestured in the direction of his village. “The people of Blackwood have prepared a meal for you and your ... ‘landing team?’ ... I believe that is the expression. Many of your friends are already there. I would ask you to join them.”

Morgan closed his recorder and stood. “All right. That’s very hospitable of you.”

“Come this way.” Morgan and the man walked down the hillock toward the village. Although it was growing dark outside, warm light spilled from the windows of each building. As they drew nearer, Morgan saw that the streets were bustling, now as in the light of day.

“You keep busy,” Morgan observed.

“We do work harder in the Unfinished Lands than elsewhere. The Unfinished Lands have no tolerance for idleness.”

Morgan remembered looking at the ground below as the Aves had made its approach. The land had indeed had an unfinished look to it; irregular hills, broad sloppy waterways too shallow for navigation, sparse vegetation except around the widely scattered settlements; subjected to nearly constant wind from the harsh weather at the planet’s margins. “I can see why they are called the Unfinished Lands.”

“According to our legends, this world was constructed by the Progenitors as a place of perfect contentment. They completed building the Inner Prefectures, and were working on the Middle Prefectures. They were planning on finishing the Outer Prefectures later.

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