novelraw Chapter 358 358: Science is eternal
Chapter 358 358: Science is eternal
More time had passed. This time it was a year… or maybe a year and a half? I don't know. Not that it mattered much, actually.
The world's attention to the inner solar system was gradually waning. Now that two planets had been terraformed, even if one of them still wasn't complete, and the planet Raab had become a stable colony that was continuously producing large panels of glass that joined in the orbit of the Sun to form the Dyson Sphere, humanity was beginning to anticipate new challenges. From the inner solar system it was time to move to the outer solar system.
Although some colony outposts were already present on some moons of Behemoth, they could not be defined as true colonies. However, now that energy consumption was no longer a problem thanks to the Dyson Sphere, which although not completed already released enormous amounts of energy, the Eden Union decided to start an exploration program of the entire outer solar system, or at least of the space between Behemoth and the last gas giant, Nephilim.
The Eden Union had selected several teams that would actively explore the various moons of the planets to determine what resources they possessed and how they should be used. Thanks to the data obtained from this mission, then, the Eden Union would have established which moons would have been used for the sole purpose of exploitation and which instead would have been terraformed. While terraforming a moon so far from the sun would have been impossible in the past, it was no longer possible thanks to the energy of the Dyson sphere and the abundance of mineral resources. There were also rumors that some of those moons, such as the icy moons similar Europa and Enceladus or the methane-rich moons similar to Titan, should be considered nature reserves given their particular characteristics and their potential ability to host life.
As for the animals, they too were undergoing changes. On Eden, but also on all other terraformed planets, a new large group of creatures had joined the herd: the cephalopods. They had proved to be a great asset to both humans and animals, since their eight arms, intellectual powers, and extraordinary adaptability could single-handedly do the work of ten men.
The cause of their introduction into the pack had obviously been Nefertiti. During that year she had worked strenuously to get cephalopods to be included among the new intelligent creatures. It hadn't been easy: many of them hid in the deep sea, where most creatures couldn't go, and instinctively ran away as soon as they saw large creatures coming as they linked them to their predatory sperm whales. And even once introduced into the pack they all had needs and needs that had to be respected.
It had taken a lot of time and effort on Nefertiti's part to officially introduce cephalopods into the pack, but day after day, week after week, month after month, she never gave up and finally succeeded. She wished she could do the same with other animals, such as arthropods, but unfortunately no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't communicate with them. Apparently, that wasn't her fate.
But Nefertiti still had no intention of stopping there. Over time, in addition to the animal world she had begun to take an active interest in the human world, and therefore she was aware of the mission introduced by the Eden Union to explore new worlds. So she had an idea: since cephalopods like squid and octopuses were used to freezing deep seas and enormous pressures, why not use them to explore the subterranean oceans of giant planets' moons?
Humans would have needed a laser to penetrate the thick ice and would have had to melt the surface for days before reaching the oceans beneath it. But the cephalopods could have teleported directly there and obtained information without any effort. Of course, there were other marine animals as well, and humans could have used submersibles equipped with teleportation technology… but squids and octopuses possessed some of the best eyes in nature, with which they could easily move even in total darkness. While other creatures would have had to struggle, cephalopods would have had no difficulty since this was their natural environment.
Nefertiti was sure it was a brilliant idea, but she needed a more 'scientific' point of view to determine if it was really good or not. So she decided to turn to the smartest family member available to her: Blue.
Unlike many of the other commanders, Blue hadn't retreated. She had continued to practice her role as a scientist even after the end of hostilities. After all, there was always something new to study and learn. One of the few certainties of science, in fact, was that every time the answer to a question was found, infinite new questions arose.
Blue liked that. She loved them to explore the mysteries of the cosmos and the potential of matter. During those years she had participated in the most disparate projects: telescopes, terraforming, the Dyson sphere, studies of dark matter and energy, black holes, wormholes, gamma-ray bursts, and an infinity of other things that Nefertiti could barely manage to remember how complex they were. If anyone could help her with a space project, it was none other than Blue.
"… and so that would be my plan. Obviously she needs some tweaking and any advice is welcome, but still… what do you think?" she asked as soon as she was done explaining everything in detail about her idea of her. After that she was silent waiting for an answer, forcing a smile in hopes of making a good impression.
Blue was facing her, sitting on a chair as if she were a chicken, with her tail elegantly wrapped around her legs. Though her plumage had grayed to almost no color, it was still smooth and well-groomed. Her legs, on which her claws were beginning to dull, were mostly featherless as they had begun to fall off, but still very beautiful nonetheless. The velociraptor held her head high, maintaining a sort of royalty. You couldn't help but respect her as she looked into your eyes.
Blue giggled. "Ah, girl… I still remember when you played hide and seek driving your father crazy, and me having to calm him down. And now look how much you've grown" she said with a smile. "I couldn't be more proud"
Nefertiti didn't know how to respond. "So… do you agree?"
"Of course I agree! It's a very good plan" the velociraptor replied. "This will not only speed up the exploration process, but will allow us to analyze new environments without risking polluting them, improve our connections with humans even more and guarantee savings in terms of time, energy and resources. It's really perfect"
"Wow… thank you, Aunt Blue. I'm glad you liked it"
"No need to thanks. What will you do now?"
"Uh… I'm going to see Uncle Al. I'm going to ask him to pitch my proposition in front of Eden Union. I will also contact some scientists, both human and animal, for more support. After all, if you told me it's a good idea, why would they think otherwise? Perhaps I will also ask for help from some people I know who may have an influence in the final decision. For example I could ask Jocelyne Jersey, even though she is no longer on the executive branch of Eden Union, to put in a good word for me…"
"Why don't you ask your father?"
Nefertiti froze. Blue was watching her quietly, but she could see a certain firmness in her eyes. "Yeah… I could consider that" she said hoping to drop the subject.
But she Blue wasn't going to let it go. "Little one, don't try to deflect my question. Why didn't you talk to your father about this project? He would definitely help you"
"I don't want my Dad getting in the way, okay!?" snapped Nefertiti.
"Why?"
"Because... yes"
"You know I'm not satisfied with such a direct explanation. I'm a scientist, I'm not looking for simple answers"
"Because this is my project, okay? Not my father's!"
Nefertiti said those words almost without thinking about them. When she realized this her eyes widened and her mouth opened slightly, not knowing what to say.
Blue pursed her lips slightly. "Are you afraid that your father will take over your project? You know he would never do that"
Nefertiti shook her head. "I know. But that's not what other people will think" she said. "Everyone would think that the project belongs to him. Even if he was telling the truth, a good chunk of the population would think he just saddled me with it to give me a reputation. After all, what is naive little Nefertiti compared to the great war hero?"
The young spinosaurus slammed her tail on the ground in anger. Though she was trying to stay calm, quite a resentment shone through her words. As she spoke she looked in every direction, as if she was trying to avoid Blue's gaze.
The velociraptor sighed. "I don't think the problem is how others see you, but how you see yourself" she sighed. "You feel overshadowed by him, don't you?"
Nefertiti looked down at the ground. Her claws scraped the floor lightly. "I don't feel overshadowed. I am in the shadows" she replied. "He… he's him. He is the one who saved the world, who defeated armies, who created a new age of splendor for all animals and humans. And I… I'm just Nefertiti. I'm nothing compared to him"
The young spinosaurus gritted her teeth, making a soft noise similar to scraping metal. "When I was one year old, I just played; when he was one year old, he was fighting hard in the forest to survive. When I was three, I was still just playing; when he was three, he had taken a city hostage and put the whole world in check, freeing our captive people and laying the foundations for a new world. When I was four, I still just played; when he was four, he was facing the united fleet of humanity. By the time I was seven, I had begun to understand my role a little, but still spent my days playing games and evading responsibilities; when he was seven, he was working hard to save the world from a nuclear conflict. And I could go on for a long time. I've spent most of my life doing nothing, just having fun, and only recently have I realized what my role entails. And then…"
Her voice fell into a whisper: "I am fully aware that no matter what I do, I will never measure up to him. He will always shade me. Any successes I achieve will be nothing compared to his successes. I mean, look at me! What am I proposing? A blueprint for a mission to two icy moons? How can this compare to saving the world?"
Blue was silent as Nefertiti vented, a kind of pity in her eyes. She could understand how the young spinosaurus felt. Not only did she face pressure from the role she was expected to fill in the future, but she was also overshadowed by her own parent. Every creature, especially young ones, wanted to leave their mark on the world, and hated being compared to someone else's successes. It must have been awful for Nefertiti to be aware that she would always be compared to her father.
But the young spinosaurus hadn't finished yet: "Every time someone looks at me, they don't see me. When they talk to me they never say 'hey, you're Nefertiti, right?', they always just say 'hey, you're Sobek's daughter, right?'. They don't even see me as an autonomous thinking being, to them I'm just an extension of my father. When they talk to me, they actually hope their words reach my father through me. They don't want me, they want him. No matter what I do or say, I am always only 'Sobek's daughter', not 'Nefertiti'. Therefore… at least for once, I want to present my project alone, without saying anything to my father. Even though I know he'll be angry later, at least when he yells at me everyone will know that project is mine and mine alone. I know it's worth nothing compared to my father's successes, but at least I'll be able to say 'here, I'm worth something too'. At least I'll have done something of my own"
Blue reached out a paw towards her and touched her face. "Little one" she whispered. "You are worth a lot. I know what you are going through and I can understand your frustration. But you don't have to let that affect your decisions or your relationships with people. You are as valuable as and more than your father, and you will find your way to prove it"
Nefertiti shook her head. "How? The wars are over. My father made them finish"
"War is an easy way to gain fame, but it is also the bloodiest. If you really have listened to your father even once in your life, then you should know how much he hates to be remembered for the carnage he has wrought" Blue said.
It was true: Sobek didn't like to talk about the bloodiest moments of the war. Even though all those lives had been sacrificed for the greater good, Sobek still felt the responsibility for ending them. It wasn't unusual for him to wonder if there really wasn't another way. Sobek preferred to be remembered for the good things he had done: revolutionizing the economic system, freeing the dinosaurs, creating the Eden Union, helping in the advance towards the stars. Not for war.
Blue took Nefertiti's muzzle in her hands to be able to look into her eyes; if the spinosaurus wanted, she could have easily shrugged her off, but she didn't. "You don't have to ask yourself how to be like your father. You have to choose your way forward. You won't be a bloodthirsty pack leader like your father was, and believe me, that's a good thing. You will be remembered for something else. You could be a diplomatic pack leader, a visionary pack leader, an adventurer pack leader. Even if you are still young, you have already made a great contribution to the herd by opening the door to cephalopods"
"How can it be important? My father did it with dinosaurs, and he was much younger than me…"
"I told you not to compare yourself to your father. Your father was born and lived in a very different time from yours, a worse time. He was forced to grow up quickly and never had a youth or adolescence. He had to become an adult right away, and that's not a good thing. On the contrary, you were born in an age of peace, a better age. You don't have to feel inferior because you've never had the opportunity to feel fear of being eaten by a predator or starving to death. This is a new era and there are new challenges. You will be who you decide to be. Your father passed on all of his gifts to you, but he also gave you something that he never had"
"And that would be?"
"A choice, Nefertiti. Your father never had the chance to choose. He had to grow rapidly to survive and he had to fight to save the world. He never did something for his own will, but only because fate forced it on him. You... you are different. You have the choice of which path to take. You could be the pack leader who will lead animals and humans to other solar systems, or the pack leader who will make contact with an alien civilization, or even a lazy pack leader if you want. But it will be your choice. So, forget your father and his successes, and stop seeing yourself overshadowed by his shadow. You just have to decide which path to take and move forward"
Nefertiti gave a slight spasm. "How can I choose?"
Blue smiled. "Just ask yourself what you want to do"
"I…" Nefertiti chewed the air for a few moments, then she said: "I would like to explore new worlds. See the cosmos from another perspective. I would like to bring life to spread and blossom in every corner of the universe. I would like to know what lies beyond the borders of our solar system. And I also wish our relationships with humans were stronger. I would like to help eradicate racism, decrease crime, improve equal rights. I would… I would like to do a lot of things"
"Then you already have goals. You already know what kind of pack leader you want to become" Blue said with a smile so wide it almost came down to her neck. "You'll be a great pack leader when the time comes. Go now, and exhibit your project as you see fit. But whatever happens, never wonder what your father would do. Ask yourself what would you do"
The velociraptor approached and nuzzled that of the young spinosaurus affectionately. Nefertiti stood up and started to activate [Teleportation], but then she stopped: "Are you really sure I'll be a good pack leader?" she whispered.
Blue nodded. "When you were born, your father said that one day people would say 'the daughter is better than the father'. In all these years he never changed his opinion, even when you were acting rebellious". Suddenly a small tear fell from her right eye: "And looking at you now, I totally understand why. You are already better than him, Nefertiti. You just have to find the strength in your heart to believe it"
The two dinosaurs looked at each other for a few seconds. Nefertiti's huge eyes mirrored in Blue's pearly ones. No one knew what they said to each other in that silent communication, but finally Nefertiti gave a slight smile and activated [Teleportation], disappearing into thin air.
Blue remained motionless for a moment observing the point where she had disappeared, then she turned around and went back to sit on the chair, going back to work. In the following days she would hear of the fact that Nefertiti, the daughter of the pack leader Sobek, had proposed a combined mission of humans and animals to explore the outer solar system, so as to speed up operations and improve unity between the two peoples. When she heard that, she couldn't help but smile.
Blue would continue to study, experiment and evaluate throughout her life. She would even support the research teams by analyzing the samples they sent her. Discovering the wonders of the whole Creation made her happy, so she didn't see why she should retire.
Her death would come some time later, quite suddenly. She went off doing what she loved best, which is science. She had fallen asleep one night while she was studying some rock samples obtained from a moon of Leviathan similar to Titan. Incredibly, she had managed to hold out long enough to confirm the greatest discovery in history: when her subordinates found her, they found out that she had fallen asleep over her notes, which clearly showed that traces of organic molecules were present in the rock samples. Basically, alien life. In her last act, Blue had discovered that Eden wasn't the only inhabited world in the universe. Even if what she had obtained was only a colony of microbes, it was a momentous discovery.
Blue was buried in front of her workshop and a statue was carved in her honor. Countless universities, in years to come, would be named after her. Her name would be written in every scientific text, she would forever be remembered as one of the greatest scientists in history, rivaled only by Henry Wu and Malcolm Croft. This was Blue's legacy, and surely she would have liked it: her discoveries would in fact inspire a new generation of scientists and open the door to a new understanding of the universe and all of her innumerable mysteries.
A scientist could die, but science was eternal. And thanks to the science that Blue helped to discover, the race among the stars continued with incredible speed.