The Seeds of Sand

Chapter 11. Gemda

Muq and I had scoured the globe for teams to sail five of the solar sailing ships. Each ship would contain representatives from the races of Earth: Hulant, Sahu nanocomposites were on each ship with minor races scattered throughout. Each race was chosen as a team. Gemda would be aboard the SunMach1 with Hulants from the agave farm, Dassan, Chaina and Nolly and with Ern, the clone of Ernst Stramhold. The remaining nanostrides cloned from humans were still asleep when then left – Vol, Zap and Bor.

Muq and I crossed what used to be a very large ocean. The temperature grew colder and the wind wipped up. My dematerialized state drifted around more than normal, the molecules of my body were pulled apart and it hurt. Muq followed me below in the sand. The beacon that Muq had planted behind my ear helped him to keep location of me as we traveled quickly. We knew from Marie's laboratory notebook the location of the Norwegian laboratory. It was high up in the side of mountain. The mountain was covered with an ashen powder. This dessert was a new dessert, unlike the pink desserts where the Agave farm was. These mountains were grey. The looked old compared to the youthful pink mountains where I had met Muq, and he had helped me to get the agave nectar. As I flew through the air I reminisced on the meeting with Muq, my first friend on this world. They were a great team, and I could not imagine a day without him. His intelligence, kindness and common sense were endearing traits.

Muq communicated with me through my ear beacon. "We were just about to arrive at Stramhold's lab. I would see Muq emerge above ground soon."

I slowed my pace and looked for Muq. He resurfaced at the base of a tall mountain near what used to be a city. The ruins were an obvious sign of a former civilization.

I floated down and rematerialized. I looked lovely as ever. The aging process was fast. I was just a young Hulant but had matured into a young woman. Muq looked at me, pleased that I was turning into the leader than he had envisioned. It was a vision that Diego had forseen. His mission was to be Gemda's companion and help her transition in this world. It was Diego that wanted Muq to guide me.

"Gemda, how are you keeping up with the cold?"

"I am doing well. I seem to be adapting, my heart rate is increasing and the rematerialization process has offered some warmth."

"My data bank tells me that the entrance to the lab is near. There is a panel around here somewhere with a code."

"Do you know the code?"

"It is SunSirian1. It was in Diego's notebook. I can do a retinal scan to see any differences in the surface of the mountain. Ah, here it is. I've found the panel."

The door opened. Inside revealed a hollowed out mountain and large building with a panel. Muq placed his palm against the panel. A red horizontal line scanned his palm. I grabbed his hand. Beneath the glasslike smooth silicon surface was a gelatinous fluid and in another layer below that what appeared to be a human palm. How did I recognize that palm? It must have been the palm of Diego King, the lover of my genetic mother Marie Carrow. I recognized the hand through my DNA. It was a private memory that burst to the surface like bubbles of water rising to the surface to join with the atmosphere. I took a big breath. Muq looked up at me. He knew everything except for his own origin. He knew this was a hand.

"Gemda, this is a hand. I've never noticed it before. I thought that very little of me was human. But this handprint is very real. What do you make of it?"

Not knowing how much to tell him, I was cautious and conservative.

"Muq, it must be the hand of your human father. It connects you to that person who is a part of you, even it is not easily visible. It makes you feel connected to your human ancestry, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does. Let's see what we can find in this building."

We opened the huge door and entered. There in front of us was the SunMach1, the first solar ship built shortly after the meteorite and solar storms. The height and diameter of the round ship was about the size of 200 Hulants. It was a spherical ship with sails reflective and responsive. The central part of the ship was the navigation center, living quarters and everything vital to the functioning of the ship. There was a high thrust rocket attached to it.

Muq and I walked up into the brain of the ship on a walkway which was extended. Lights went on automatically. We looked around and found a compartment where someone was asleep. On the pocket of the uniform was the name Ern Stamford. He appeared to be asleep. I touched him.

"Gemda, be careful. He could be aggressive."

"He looks gentile. But thanks for the warning Muq."

When I touched Ern a series of reflective patterns started to move in a circular motion. The Shaun or nanocomposites, as we came to know him, had nanosensors that were sensitive to the touch. They were like mood rings, sensing the outside surroundings. I touched him again on his shoulder. Muq followed my lead. We were able to revive Erns by the heat from our hands activating the energy centers in the nanosensors.

Ern opened his yellow green eyes. His brain could communicate to Muq without uttering a sound. They were able to access the same database. Some thoughts passed between Ern and Muq.

"Are they two of you going to fill me in on what is going on here?" My arms were straight by my sides and I was stomping my feet impatiently.

Ern spoke, "Sorry about that Gemda but Muq and I had a security protocol to finish before we could explain more. By now if you are here you realize who I am and what our mission is. Many great scientists predicted the demise of Earth. We are now in the contingency plan phase, leaving Earth and repopulating other planets. Scientists were able to study the material composition from the meteorite. What they were able to determine is that the meteorite came from a planet where there was life. They were able to determine several trajectories that show where we need to go to find these other planets. Our ultimate goal is to take the SunMach1 and other ships to find these planets. But this will take some time. Before we do this we plan to explore our solar system and life here. I will go with you and Muq and whomever else we can gather. We must take races that can procreate so that we can re-polpulate these planets. This meant that Hulants would be on the solar ships."

I thought about what Ern said. The thought of procreating with Dassan was a bit repulsive to me, but then I'm sure that Chaina was the perfect mate for him. They would be good for the mission.

"Muq and I met a small cluster of Hulants in the pink dessert of the agave plants. They are the perfect little family for the mission, although we need to find out if they can reproduce."

"With that taken care of let's talk about the details of what needs to get done," Muq said.

"I was built to fly this ship with my nanostructures and DNA. However we need the DNA of a Hulant hybrid to guide us to another planet. Our team must look for a planet where Hulants can survive. The supercomputer brain of the SunMach1 combines our DNA and material from the meteorite to trace a path to the planet. We must push the solar ship out of the Earth atmosphere before it can sail on the sun's rays. This is where Gemda comes in. With her ability to dematerialize she will be the perfect leader for the mission."

"What!" I exclaimed! "How will I be strong enough to be a leader."

"Pump some iron!" Muq laughed. This is the first time I'd heard him laugh. Usually he was so serious and rigid.

"Very funny Muq."

"I'm serious Gemda. We need to build up your strength if we are going to do this."

"So I guess I'll start hauling around some mountains to start with?"

"If that is what it takes."

Ern commented, "I will let the two of you work out the training routine. I am going to get to work on contacting the Shaun. I can reactivate them from SunMach1."

Muq and I looked at each other and thought how foolish we must look getting into a quarrel like this. There was no wasting anytime. We needed to work together as a team.

Muq and I got working on my training regimen, while Ern revitalized the rest of the Shaun. I could not help but think that there more Sahu and why hadn't Muq contacted them? Maybe he didn't know how to or perhaps there was another reason? Did the reason have to do anything to do with me?