Fiction-Losing Faith pt 2 [long]
Bob Roland
before each section. If anyone is actually interested, I'ld be happy to
send any part to you. For those not interested in fiction on this NG,
please ignore all future post with the word "fiction" in the header.
Last chapter we were introduced to Father Byron Eduardo Gomez, a former
catholic priest living in the U.N. New World Headquarters who now works
in the Data Recovery section, attempting to recover lost works of Earth
history from the colonists personal computers. His best friend,
Christian Anderson has returned from a battle with the Believer
faction.]
Two suns of the Alpha Centauri system hung in the sky, a painful
reminder to the colonists that this was not the world of their parents.
Over 105 years ago, they had boarded the colony ship U.N.S. Unity in the
hope of escaping from the chaos of Earth. One of the eight living
modules from the ship now made the counterpoint of Chirons first city,
U.N. New World Headquarters. Where once 10,000 colonists slept in
frozen coffins just 30 years ago there were now the government offices,
the schools and restaurants. Before materials were mined from the
surface, the first 1,000 colonists wakened lived inside it, until a
larger dome could be constructed to maintain a breathable air.
Father Gomez stared at the former interstellar vessel. Does anyone on
Earth even remember us, he thought, or did they finally destroy
themselves in a fit of madness. Such thoughts bothered him. If he had
right, he would pray for his former home.
Father Gomez and Christian walked in silence across the steel boulevard
to the mindworm breeding pits. Last year, the Giaian faction had
transmitted the technology needed to build them. The U.N. had hoped
that they would prove decisive in the war against the Believers. So far
they had met with little success.
"Chris" asked Father Gomez "Why did you ask me about how the church
viewed alien life? And why the questions about Miriam?"
Chris peered through the Plexiglas windows into the breeding pit.
"Before I answer...how much thought have you given to the native life on
the planet?"
"As much as anyone" said Gomez, shrugging his shoulders. "An ecology
doesn't get much simpler than this. We have four known examples of
vegetation, the most pronounced being the fungus. The only thing
approximating animal life are the mindworms. As for what was here a
million years ago, it's anyone's guess. The monoliths we found are
definitive proof of a prior intelligent civilization, but of them we
know nothing."
At the mere mention of the monoliths, Chris' body tensed. "Have you
ever heard of an ecology that became less complex over the years? All
we know of evolution suggests that diversity increases...not decreases.
For intelligent life to have once formed, we should see millions of
different species...not just these mindworms. Are you aware of the
theories of ecological disasters being the reason for the demise of the
original Chiron race?"
"Of course, Chris. It's still speculation. The idea is that the first
race here genetically created the fungus and the mindworms...perhaps as
a tool or a weapon, and were destroyed by their own creation."
Chris shook his head. "What if they didn't create the mindworms. What
if they had made the planet self aware instead. Before they vanished,
they somehow created a world that was of a single mind, designed to
protect itself."
"I...look Chris, I won't deny that it's one possibility but it seems
the other answers are more likely. As for the notion of a planet
becoming aware of itself....well, the only thing that would suggest this
are the reports of some colonists hearing a 'voice'. Chris, I was once
a priest. I've heard stories many would consider mad....possesion by
demons or people talking with God. Perhaps I would have believed once,
but now I see it for what it was. The human mind playing tricks on
itself."
Christian hesitated. "Father....I heard the voices myself."
Father Gomez put his hand on Christians shoulder.
"It was during the retreat. We had pulled back into a monolith to
avoid the mindworms. That's when I heard it....it was...well, let's
just leave that aside. What if there was an intelligence to this
world? How would it perceive a race that wasn't of one mind?"
Father Gomez shook his head. "I'm not sure."
"I gave this some thought. If an intelligence evolved as a single
entity, would it be able to comprehend a species that can't remember
it's own past? Can it comprehend simple human traits, such as the
ability to tell jokes or to lie?"
"Jokes, I could see" said Father Gomez. "Lies? No, I guess it would
believe that every entity is telling it the truth as that entity
perceives it. What does this have to do about religion?"
Chris turned his back on the former priest. "Father, when I was a
soldier back on Earth, I didn't believe in God. After what happened to
us on the Unity my faith changed. Religion is a....personal...thing
with me. I would never force what I believe upon someone else, but what
if someone was to tell the planet about God? And Christ? Would it have
any choice to believe as the person telling it the story would believe?"
"And this is why you asked about alien life and bible?"
Chris nodded.
"I see....I think."
"No Father...you don't see. Sister Miriam is going to convert the
Planet to her God....and it's up to us to stop it."
To be cont. in pt. 3
SnowFire
you said in the earlier thread, and others. There's an entire forum for
SMAC fiction at the SMAC forums
(http://alpha.owo.com/cgi-bin/ubb/Ultimate.cgi) and I'm sure that we'd be
delighted if you posted the story there as well (plus, no need for recaps
since the next parts would already be right below the bottom parts). Don't
worry, there's been SMAC fiction going back to June of '98 with the massive
Chronicles of Future History, which took up 14 long threads and was
basically an add-a-line story with 20 writers. The current succesor to
that has been the Chronicles of Pre-Unity, and after the Unity landed
(which was recent) the Chronicles of Pre-Unity and Beyond (CPUB). If
anyone would like to add to that, check out the old threads, or just read
the new threads.
Also, as to the person who mentioned SMAC songs... yes, there is a thread
on that to. Only about 5 responses right now, but back in the Old Test
Forums, there was a thread with like 35 responses and lots of songs.
Hope you come over and take a look at all the stuff that's there!
-SnowFire
Webmaster of The Mindworm, Chiron's First Strategy & Tactics Magazine
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Dome/7217/smac/