Randoms

Exodus

The sample of titanium boiled under the intesnse heat, instantly liquifying and filling the container with a silver substance. Dr. Stephen Akston increased the heat and watched as the titanium fluid turned to gas, becoming invisible to the naked eye. He shifted his seat over, placing himself infront of the gleaming high-power microscope, leaning over and placing an eye over the black rubber view piece. The atoms grew in size as he twisted a notched knob, zooming in further. The balls of matter surrounded by electron clouds bounced around the container, slamming into each other and the walls. Stephen grunted softly, satisfied with the results.

Removing himself from the microscope he slid his chair across the laboratory, passing walls of computers and screens, adjacent to workbenches and cupboards. The entire room was washed a gleaming white, the knobs and buttons the only source of colour in the room.

Bending over a sample of his special titanium-steel alloy, a sharp grey compared to the silver sheen of the pure titanium. He sealed the sample in a heating chamber and turned up the heat. He set it to the melting point of regular titanium and watched, waiting. The metal sample did nothing so he upped the heat. Still nothing happened as he continued to twist the heating knob, sending the temperature way past that of anything natural. He continued until the metal was under the same conditions as that of the sun. Only then did it start to bubble.

"So we can't fly through any stars," he mumbled, satisfied with his creation. Not that there was any room for doubt at this point, the ships had already been built, he just needed to clear his mind and set himself at ease.

The man in his mid-thirties shrugged out of his labcoat, hanging it on a hook in the lab. That would be the last time he put on the white cloth it was his last day of work too. He slipped into his enviro-suit, the reflective outer layer crinkling as he did so. As he sealed the full body jumpsuit he grabbed the visored hemlet, completely white aside from the mirrored visor. He brought it down over his head, covering the shaggy brown hair that lay atop his brow. He heard the click of the suit sealing to the helmet and the respirator hummed on, pulling air into and pushing it out of the suit.

Stepping into the air-lock, the door to the lab closed shut with a loud snap, sealing him off. The door to the outside slowly opened, harsh sunlight blinding him for a few moments. Even with the visor, it was extremely bright.

Stephen walked out onto the cracked pavement, the soles of his enviro-boots quickly growing very warm. He dared a nervous glance up into the sky, trying to get a glimpse of how close the sun was. The great glowing ball of fire sneered down at him, seemingly amused at their impending doom. In only a decade the sun would grow even larger and consume the Earth before it finally exploded, disappearing from the universe forever.

The man trudged on, headed for the giant dome in the centre of the city. It was the size of a suburb and as taller than a seventy floor apartment building, you couldn't miss it. He passed housing complexes, resting in the shade they provided under their massive reflectors. He spotted a tiny shriveled speck of green poking out from a tiny fissure in the old and weathered pavement. Stephen stooped, examining the little plant, amazed anything could grow in the intense heat the giant sun provided. He felt a little sad, longing for the days when forests still existed.

Hurrying on, his pace quickened when the great dome entered his line of sight, the giant metal structure completely mirrored on the outside. The reflected light was harsh, burning his eyes through the visor.

Soon the whoosh of the airlock filled the air as he stepped through, entering the facility. When he was safely sealed off from the trecherous outside world he removed his helmet and enviro-suit, exchanging them for Navy fatigues. He took the bundle of clothing from a security officer and headed for the armoury. he needed to outfit himself before his final mission.