There are only enough resources to support seven
hundred million people at a time on the Earth. Only that
many will be allowed on the Earth at one time.
"Ouch!" The mob had pushed Dresdal into a grated
wall. A common experience if you relaxed and got away
from the interior of the mob. In order to wiggle his way
away from the grated wall he thrust his hands between two
sweaty bodies and tried to pry them apart. He had to
reach for another to pull himself through. Then again
and again he repeated the process until he got well away
from the wall and could just float in the mass of human
flesh again a few yards away from the wall until he tried
to return.
There were tens, maybe hundreds of billions of
people in the sphere that orbited the solar system. The
mass of human flesh inside was the result of generations
of population growth on the earth where death had been
overcome with modern medicine. Only seven hundred
million could be transported to the earth at a time where
people were allowed to stay a thousand years and then
return to the sphere.
"Has your coalition finished clearing the staging
area?" High counsel member Thomas Murphy was asking high
counsel member Brendon Matthews about the next cycle of
humans to the earth.
"Jeddius Syquintos has informed me that the next
group has been notified." Matthews was speaking about
the electronic signal that awakened the seven hundred
million humans whom were the next to cycle to inhabit the
Earth.
The goal of the masses in stasis was to move to the
middle of the mob where they could relax and fall asleep
and do nothing. There were so many people in the sphere
that they could not sit, lay down, move around, or do
anything out of the ordinary floating, suspended in the
mob. Then as the mob moved around, sometimes an
individual would be floated to the edge, against a
containment wall or some other obstruction and would have
to move their way back into the mob. Some however
preferred the edges of the mob where they were awakened
more frequently by something other than human flesh and
could think and converse with others, especially those
nearing their cycle on Earth, who had to move towards the
wall.
"Has the console error been corrected that sent the
last mob through before their time?" Matthews asked
Murphy this time.
"No one complained so we just let it go. If it
happens again we'll relearn the physics of the machine
and how to reconfigure them," Murphy replied.
"Our time is about up you know? Did you get your
horses trained?" Severt Washington was standing on the
front porch of his ranch house. The scene was a
beautiful grass horizon with the sun setting and the
horses trotting back to the barn.
"one of the colts has promise, but you know it's
going to take more than a thousand years to train it to
count the herd and lead them back. I'm so tempted to
write it down for the next cycle." Boyle Teasdale was
Severt's guest. They were having an after dinner
conversation enjoying the fresh air and view.
"Yea and loose a hundred cycles after that," Severt
replied.
"I'm still tempted though," Boyle responded. "It
would be such a beautiful thing."
"You might even loose a cycle for thinking about it,"
Severt went on.
"Haven't heard of it happening to anyone. The
counsel has been generous, although they did signal Rob
Peabody to chambers."
"It happens," Severt concluded.
Dresdal had been selected for the next cycle. It was
his turn. It had been a million years since Dresdal had
a cycle on Earth. He could barely remember anything from
his last trip, except that it was green and the colors
were an extreme contrast to the dull gray sphere. He
knew he had to work his way back the the exterior wall to
catch the trolley that would take him to the staging
area. Dresdal grimaced as he made the decision to start
his way back to the wall he had just gotten away from
earlier.
"Ouch!" Dresdal said to no one in particular. The
grating has scratched him again and he was more alert
than ever. He could see the trolley riding on an upper
track. Others tried to grab the lift bar on the bottom
of the trolley but were repelled by the electric shock.
Only those who had been notified would have a neutral
current enabled while they grabbed or rode the lift bar
up to the trolley. It was a self serving system; first
come first go. If you didn't take your chance or you
missed this go-by of the trolley you could try again the
next time, but it was up to you to make the effort. The
trolley made no exceptions and it was an absolute panacea
that everyone who wanted their cycle on earth would grab
for the trolley to escape the human mass while they
could. Only those who had been selected to be taken to
the holding area were allowed to ride the trolley.
Once inside the trolley the mass of flesh was no
better than the mob outside except everyone here was
feeling positive about their next cycle on earth. "I'd
like to see the mountains," one rider said aloud to no
one in particular. A million years was a long time to
remember their last time on Earth, but some of the people
had a vague memory of what they had seen and experienced
before. "I can't wait to breath the air," another rider
responded to the mountain commenter.
The trolley reached the staging area. "Welcome,"
a soft feminine voice came over the loud speakers.
"Welcome to the planet Earth preparation area. We hope
you'll enjoy your visit to planet Earth and obey all the
rules. There will be no technology, biological science,
extraneous use of resources, building with elaborate, non
natural materials, titration of elements, minerals or
vegetation. No currency, government, social order, class
system endearing on person or group of persons apart from
another. There will be no group communication that does
any of the same, or gossip, false accusation, pride,
arrogance, procreation, theft, gluttony, deviation, or
provocation of suspicion or paranoia. Absolutely no
false rumors.
In the event of a conflict your staging area on
the planet will act as a meeting area for all who have
been named. Meetings will be conducted with Well Order
Rules hosted by the designate with the lowest staging
number. All members present will cast their vote on the
the conflict or discussion of the conflict, when called
for, and the majority rules. In the event such a
compromise or agreement can not be met or is violated,
High Counsel will decide. A retrieved light timeline
will provide absolute evidence and the council will
mandate a final solution.
A second female voice toned in. "Please listen
carefully." A three dimensional image appeared above the
staged group showing plant. "These are the foods you can
eat once you disembark on the planet." The image cycled
through a second third and fourth plant. They'll have
all the nutrition you will need to start your stay on the
planet. Once accustomed you can plant crops from these
plants." The holographic image continued with a series
of other plant life found on planet Earth.
"The memories of this lecture will be planted in
your neural storage for your retrieval once you are on
planet Earth."
"You may also use these materials to construct
abodes and items you use up to a technological point."
The flow of three dimensional images morphed into lumber
and stone and other earth related materials to be used
for construction and making things.
"From previous memories you may remember methods
you used to apply such materials and are welcome to do
so. Please remember there will be no technology beyond
the simple natural materials planet earth provides. Any
conflict or questions must be taken to the High Council
at the staging area for their decision."
There was a hissing sound as the doors to the
transport opened. A mass of bodies flowed from the
sphere staging area to the transport vehicle. The crowd
was silent except for a few 'ouches' and 'harumphs' as
people pushed and pulled their way onto the transport.
The inner edges of the transport were lined with
a soft flexible material. The people were jammed into
the transport up to the material. The rest of the bodies
acted as bumpers for each other to soften the jar of the
landing when the transport reached planet Earth.
"All aboard." A male voice took over now.
"The plunger will assist the last few people and we will
shut the doors. The flexipad will slide past those as
the doors close. Please don't be alarmed. It's for your
safety."
The doors closed and some of the people gasped.
"Departure in three, two, one." There as a
shift in the centrifugal force as everyone on board felt
the craft detach from the sphere.
The journey to planet Earth only took thirty
three minutes. "Arriving in three, two, one," the male
voice came back on.
There was a sudden jarring as the craft landed,
seeming without any landing gear. It touched down and
then bounced back up again, a few feet, and then finally
came to a stop as it plowed its nose into the ground.
The doors of the transport opened and people
just naturally oozed out. "Please depart the vehicle and
have a nice stay on planet Earth," the voice said again.
"Everyone must exit the transport. Thank you and have a
nice day."
Dresdal stepped off the transport and breathed a
deep breath. The sun felt warm as it shown down on his
face.
"You have been dropped off in the temperate zone
of the planet Earth," a loud speaker boomed from the
transport. "It's recommended that you take the first few
days and travel as far away from the drop area as you
can. Your neural storage will caution you if you travel
to any cold climates or dangerous areas. Enjoy your stay
on planet Earth and well see you in a thousand years."
The transport departed.
