Thursday, May 22, 2014

Stealing Stars [Prose]

Mission Log. Day 13: The scars on my hands are a reminder of the past four years. When I decided to set off towards the stars and attempt this so called career as an astronaut, I knew what the job would entail, but not the cost of my work. The craft has changed; there is no longer need for exploration as there once was. Afters years of studying space's history and discoveries, planning and practicing, I'm finally on my own mission. 

It was once said that possibilities are endless, but energy isn't, and neither are the possible solutions to our dwindling reserve. My mission isn't simple, but its certainly worthwhile: steal stars from the sky to add to Earth's supply. Each star is approximately 1.5 x 10^28 kilowatts, comparable to 1.5 million solar panels acquiring energy for three cycles.

Mission Log. Day 35: I believe I've chosen my target star well. According to the scanners, this stars, so named 生存 (shēngcún), will suffice our Earth's civilization for centuries. For no, I'll flat in the space between stars; reaching Shēngcún and acquiring it properly will take some time.

Mission Log. Day 48: I wonder if people realize how brilliantly the dim light they see in the night sky above them dazzles. The smoky haze that clouds our atmosphere makes it difficult to see the true effulgence the stars sparkle with. To think within a year's time, Shēngcún will be mere stardust, filling the tanks of our transports and powering every light the city needs to blind the night. 

Mission Log. Day 64: When I signed up for this mission, I was unaware of the disservice I would be doing to the world. I was told I was adding our survival, but in doing so, I'm destroying one civilization to aid another. Stealing stars from the sky, carrying them out of space and watching them crushed to stars dust, all so we can turn on the light. 

No wonder we're in the dark in the first place. 

© 2014 | Jazelle Handoush

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