500 Years [Series]
This prompt response was originally submitted to r/WritingPrompts, the prompt was After spending 150 years in jail, the world finally figures out that you don't age, and have been alive since the fall of Rome, due to a genetic defect. After taking some DNA samples, NASA comes to you and asks you to go on a 500 year interstellar mission to the closest habitable planet, alone.
I may change the jail time a bit at a later date, this is not the final draft. Also, if you've read the comment on r/WritingPrompts, this is the same thing. I'm just posting it here so I have it on the sub.
Working Title.
Five hundred years is a long time. But when you've lived as long as me, five hundred years just seems like another adventure, another mission, another chance to succeed. But five hundred years, by yourself, is an entirely different matter. Five hundred years in isolation is a straight path towards insanity. I looked back up at the four suited people in front of me, three men and a woman; they simply stared back at me.
"Have you taken the offer into consideration?"
That was Greg. He looked like he led the group of NASA directors, but I knew how this worked. There was always someone else calling the shots, I used to be one of them.
"I have."
"And you agree to the terms?"
Lillian, she was young, eager to get started in the world of NASA. If only she knew what kind of things they did in the 60's to get a man on the moon, she probably wouldn't be so gun-ho about it all.
"I want to set some things straight."
They remained silent, my cue to continue.
"You will wipe my entire record; give me a new name, new life, new everything? As long as I agree to go on an," I searched for the words, to anyone else it was suicidal, to me, it was just another mission, "Expedition to the closest habitable planet, which will take approximately five hundred years?"
"Precisely."
Leonard. I didn't like Leonard, and he didn't like me. Thought I was useless,naive, unintelligent. Guess he didn't know that I had a hand in the Manhattan project, which was one of the bigger reasons why I was in jail for the last hundred years. But here they were, offering me a chance of salvation.
"And I'll be alone?"
"You'll be able to communicate with Earth via the satellites we've been sending out over the last dozen or so years," Greg said.
"So alone, on the ship?"
"Yes," Lillian said.
"And what do you expect me to do when I get there?"
"Find water, start cultivating food, use the robotics with you to begin construction of the colony," Leonard said. "The ship will be stocked top to bottom with enough equipment to create a version of New York on this new planet."
I sat in the chair for a few moments, staring at Lillian mostly. She was beautiful, almost as beautiful as the wife I had all but forgotten in Rome. Rome, such a long time ago. If only they could see the world they had cultivated, if only they could see the people that came from them.
If only they could be here with me. If only Rome could still live.
Then it dawned on me, as long as I lived, Rome had a chance. And now, they were giving me the chance to build a new Rome, to build a new kingdom, to build a new Empire. They were giving me a chance to build a new Rome. And if five hundred years of isolation was the cost of this New Rome, then I would do it. I would do it for my people.
"I will do it."
They seemed to jump at my acceptance of the offer, and all of them, except for the man that didn't speak had a smile across their face.
"That is excellent news! Excellent!" Gregory exclaimed as he started to open his iPad and send the emails to his supervisors.
"You're doing a great thing, for mankind," Leonard added to Gregory's outbreak.
I simply nodded, silent as ever and stared back at the one man who didn't speak. We had met only today, Jacob. He was a military man, I recognized one immediately. And he was probably the one calling all the shots, he probably just wanted to meet me before I agreed to the terms.
"I have one condition."
Jacob had a military manner, but my demand caused his eyebrow to twitch. That was good, it meant I had his attention.
"Name it," Lillian said, not looking up from her iPad.
I stared at Jacob and a slight grin grew across my face; I would have my home again, I would have my kingdom again, I would have my empire again. I would have New Rome.
"I get to name the new city, and create it's laws."
Jacob smiled. He and I both knew I was in a position to make demands, and these demands weren't all that overbearing. Jacob nodded, "Done," he said.
I smiled and nodded, "Then let's get started, shall we?"
Yes, I would be in isolation for five hundred years. But I would have a home again. I would have my Empire. I would have New Rome. It was only five hundred years away.
Part 2
I launched three months, or 91 days ago. Only 182,409 to go. Give or take a couple thousand for the freezer, but I'm on course and the robotics they set me up with are quite advanced. NASA's been working their asses off since the 20's, but it still took an immortal to get the program rolling.
The President said his farewells to me, but I've met so many of them this one didn't mean anything; plus I knew it was a publicity stunt, just another way for the President to make his mark on history. I'll let you know how that pans out in the next five hundred years, his name will be forgotten; I'd bet my life on that.
I guess I should talk about the ship, it's going to be my home for the next five hundred years. It's powerful, one of the most advanced ships I have ever seen. And a combined effort from both the Americans and the Russians? Never thought I'd see the day. It's impressive, and I had some suggestions for it, especially spacial design. If I was going to live in this thing, I wanted it to look nice at the very least.
And it does, plus I'm not entirely alone. The robotics they have here can hold a pretty decent conversation, but sooner of later I remember the fact that I am inside this space ship, as the only living human. There's the AI too, but I try to not talk to her, she'll be "dead" within twenty or so years and a new one will start running the ship. Not sure how it works, but while the first AI runs the ship, it also builds another one from it's memory units, so for the next five hundred years, there will be an endless amount of AI's running out of this thing.
"Imperator." That's the AI, I edited her systems as soon as we were clear of Earth, she (and all the others that will sprout from her) now refer to me as Emperor, a title that will suit me in five hundred years. NASA, and all the others back at Earth, can't do anything about it now.
"What is it?"
"Incoming message from Earth. Three minute delay."
I walked over to one of the many view screens on the deck and simply touched the screen. Everything on here was wired to my fingerprints, my voice patterns, my DNA. For all intents and purposes, the ship was me as much as I.
"Thought we'd send you a little goodbye message. You're about to hit the outer edges of our solar system," it was Lillian. Along with her eagerness to get started in the world of NASA, she was named Program Director and Head Communications Specialist, much to my delight. It was actually one of the other demands I made after I agreed to the expedition. "Our readings suggest that you are on course and there should be no immediate change, but if anything should arise, Janet can fix that." Janet's the AI, guess I forgot to mention that. "We wish you luck out there, you're doing something no one in the history of mankind could ever do.
"And don't worry, we're still working with your DNA, trying to narrow down the genetics that made you what you are. Doesn't look like we're any closer than we were when you left, but they like to remain optimistic," One of their demands actually, they wanted to know what made me who I was, but I have searched my blood and DNA for years trying to figure that out, it's nigh impossible. "The next satellite you're going to his is about thirty-two years from now, so until then messages will take months, maybe even years, to be received and sent. Until then, I hope the robotics we put on there with you will suffice." It was good to hear Lillian's voice, a natural voice. They had loaded up this ship with thousands of years worth of human history; film, music, arts, books, you name it I probably had it. But none of it was like hearing a person speak naturally, none of it was really, human. "Good luck, Dux, next time we talk will be a lifetime from now. We recommend hitting cold storage until then, just to slow down that brain of yours. If anything happens, Janet will wake you."
I wouldn't bother sending a message back if I didn't have orders to. I had to, or else the world would forget about me and my ship would float aimlessly through space. I needed to keep up my appearance, or else I would never see a human again. Recording was simple, all I had to do was say it aloud and any available camera on the ship would start. What would be my first words to humanity again?"
"Videnda mundi." I see your world. "It is quite beautiful from out here, on the edge of our solar system. First human in history to do it? I'd like to thank you all for that chance," Doesn't hurt to suck up to them, they'll all be dead by the time the program finishes. "I hope my message reaches you all in good health, as you can see, I'm perfectly healthy and about to head into deep space. It'll be thirty-two years until I get to speak to you all again, so I'd like to say goodbye and good luck. Keep the Earth safe while I'm gone, okay? I'll see what I can do out here." I smiled, a true, genuine smile, "Pax in terra, et in spatium."
And that was it. I sent the message. Thirty-two years until I wake up again. Then another four hundred and sixty-eight until I reach New Rome.
Let's just hope it's as beautiful as they say it is.
If anybody has any comments about the story, I'd love to hear them here. My PM's are pretty filled with people posting RemindMe's on the r/WritingPrompts thread, but I'll read all of the comments here!
I am thinking about restarting the entire series, covering more before Dux launches, including his past (anyone like flashbacks?), and some more interaction with Lillian, Leonard, Gregory, and Jacob before he leaves. If this does happen, the sub will be the first to know! For now, thank you to everyone who has come to the sub (and subscribed), and for everyone whose been sending me comments and PMs. It really means a lot to know people enjoy my writing, thank you all for stopping by!
Posted Aug 11, 2015, 8:43 PM UTC · edited