The Bookwyrm

The elevator continued it's path to the stars, though those stars weren't visible against the glare of the sun at the moment, even in the blackness. The true journey to the stars starts on the Hawai'iloa, Fetu thought. The Orbital Ring, which had seemed like a thin line from the surface, was slowly getting thicker. Fetu knew that where the Beanstalk met the Ring was a large city, the space equivalent of Seaport. That city, a disk that extended for miles in every direction from the Beanstalk's apex, connected to the main body of the Ring on either side. The ring's main body was made of hundreds of long habitat units, filled with simulated Earth-like environments. Some portions of the ring were sprawling metropolis, others were peaceful plains or forests interspersed with ponds and lakes, and yet others held rarer biomes. Each of these units, many miles wide and tens of times as long, was encased by a glass ceiling miles up that kept the Ring's various populations safe from the vacuum of space. The simulated atmosphere was enough to provide a convincing day and night cycle, so that if it weren't the fact that the ground to the "North" and "South" of you curved up to meet that glass case, you could almost imagine you were down on the surface. To the Ring's residents, East and West were the directions along the Ring's circular length, while North and South were perpendicular to that direction. Of course, these colonists wouldn't get to see the main body of the ring. The city at the top of the Pacific Beanstalk also served as a spaceport to the wider solar system, complete with docking ports for shuttles and ships of various types and sizes. A special ISEA shuttle was waiting for them at that city, and it would take them to the Hawai'iloa, the meeting point of various similar shuttles throughout the Solar System, and the craft that would take them to their new home.

A few more minutes passed as people loaded and were strapped in. Then an announcement came over that ascention would begin in one minute. Right on cue, a shudder ran through the entire elevator structure, and it slowly started to rise. The acceleration chairs tilted back slightly, so they were angled upwards. The elevator began accelerating, and the rate of acceleration continued to build until each passenger was pressed back into their seats. Not as much as the old rocket launches, but still a considerable amount. The bright blue sky above slowly darkened as the details of the world below shrank into miniscule specks. The blue sky eventually faded to a complete black, and the sun shone a stark white against the blackness. The earth slowly curved away, revealing it's true nature as a round body. An announcement came from an automated voice: "Force dampeners activated. It is safe to move around the elevator cabin." The chairs tilted back to their original positions and people began unstrapping themselves from their seats and gazing out on the amazing horizon around them. The Orbital Ring wasn't that high in the grand scheme of things, and the elevator wasn't even at that point yet...but the view was still breathtaking. Fetu smiled as she gazed out upon the fragile world, the one that had barely been saved by the sudden and mysterious effects of Starshaping, a power that defied all known physical laws. Humanity had nearly razed Earth to the ground, but Starshaping gave them alternative energy and the means to restore the planet's various systems. With that sure foothold, they'd been free to expand to the solar system, which was now quite populous...and now they were voyaging to other systems. And Fetu got to be a part of the next step in those voyages.

Why would you think I would know?

Fetu led her family to the far end of the lobby area, where a series of doorways for entry stood. Each person was checked for identification, then passed through. The doors led to a long, wide corridor, and though it had no windows, it was pleasantly lit. Guides led the group of several hundred through the large corridor, until it began to split into several smaller corridors and stairways. Labels on the walls said Elevator O4. Guides helped split the large group into manageable sections, and lead each smaller group down the smaller hallways and stairwells until they each came to an airlock-like doorway. Fetu and her family stepped through the door and into the elevator. This elevator, elevator O4, was a passenger elevator on the outermost part of the Pacific Beanstalk. Most of the elevator was made of durable glass, as was this part of the Beanstalk itself, giving the colonists of Seaport spread out below them. The huge elevator was made of several tiers filled with acceleration chairs for the early parts of the ascent, and tables and lounge areas for when the trip was smoother. Aides took luggage and other items and placed them in special compartments while other guides led them to their assigned seats and showed them how to strap in. Fetu's family was led to a set of acceleration chairs on the second highest tier. Light from the sun and the twinkling blue ocean beyond filtered through the huge front window of the elevator, giving the area a bright atmosphere. As Fetu and her family secured themselves in their seats, she could feel her own excitement mixing with theirs. They'd each ridden the Beanstalks multiple times, but...there was something invigorating about the experience. "We'll be off in a few minutes," she told her children. "Hold on tight."

I want this movie so bad.

*Showing my sister my copy of Tress* "It's a beautiful book." - Me "Is that made of Ron Weasley?" - My five year old sister Out of scudding nowhere.

@The Bookwyrm: You should write a book about your chickens and call it the chicken coup. (This is Insa. I stole his computer temporarily. I'll give it back now.)

"Head of Astrobiology is Dr. Frialio. I think I saw them somewhere around-" Fetu was interrupted by an announcement over the loudspeaker. "Elevator unit O4 is ready for boarding. All Hawai'iloa colonists and other registered personnel, please proceed to the boarding corridor." "That's us," she said, standing up. Her four children made their way back to her and Makaula. "I'll introduce you to the rest of my family later," she told Bennu. "We'd still love to meet your wife. But for now, let's get in the elevator."

What is this "something" that we would have never had?

"Do you have any family coming with you on this expedition, Bennu?" Fetu asked kindly.

Hoid?

Fetu and Makaula sat down. "I'd be happy to tell you what we know," Makaula said. "It was about four years ago that ISEA's preliminary expedition of explorers and scientists to Namaka arrived and began their testing. They approved it for colonization, which is what our expedition is about. "As you know, we're finding that there are several types of biospheres that seem to be in some ways universal. Eden, the planet around Alpha Centauri A, for example, was found to have incredibly Earth-like attributes and an Earth-type biosphere, with familiar biochemistry, genetic molecules, the works. We don't know if this is because of parallel evolution or a panspermia event yet; that's obviously one of the biggest questions in our field right now. "Other worlds, like TRAPPIST-1 e, have water based life, but different biochemistry. And yet other planets have alien biospheres utilizing other solvents altogether, like ammonia or methane. Some utilize these other solvents but still have DNA. Others have entirely new genetic molecules we never could have predicted. "But even those alien biospheres seem to follow familiar patterns that echo in certain characteristics across worlds. So there are patterns here that we could never have predicted." Makaula continued, an excited look in his eye. "Ansible communication with the small ISEA base on Namaka gives us more specific details, but overall, we know that Namaka, like Eden and other worlds, has an Earth-type biosphere, with familiar biochemistry, nucleic acids, familiar plant and animal types, the works. The atmosphere and gravity are quite similar to that of the human homeworld. But, as you know, even our own planet's biosphere is still under exploration, so there's still centuries, if not millenia, of science waiting for us on Namaka alone. "We'll probably mostly be focusing on trying to map as much of the biosphere as we can, especially in the oceans, as 90% of the planet is covered with water. As for the "astro" part of our field, we'll be trying to find similar analogues between Namaka's life and other Earth-type biospheres, and try to see if we can find any clues as to why the biospheres are so similar." Makaula looked as if he wanted to add something, but then realized how long he'd talked for. He fell silent, a slightly embarrassed look on his face. Fetu smiled. She loved hearing Makaula talk about his science; he was normally pretty soft-spoken, but once you got him talking about his interest in biology, he could go on and on.

"Astrobiology, huh?" Fetu turned to Makaula, who smiled in turn and stood up from his seat beside Fetu's. "My husband, Makaula, is one of the best Astrobiologists there is. You two will probably be working together." Makaula shook Bennu's hand. "A pleasure. Yes, though I am working in the Astrobiology department, the head of that department was given to someone else. A certain Irti Frialio."

Fetu stood from her chair with a big smile on her face. "Thank you!" she said, offering her hand to shake. "And who might you be?"

Fetu stared as Ladcral walked off. How'd someone like him get selected? "Interesting man," Makaula said. Fetu snorted.

Fetu turned and gave Ladcral a strange look. She briefly turned to her husband, who shrugged. "...The elevator up to the Orbital Ring," she said, slowly, as if explaining to a child. "Are you a Hawai'iloa colonist?"

Seaport, South Pacific Fetu Malamalama exited the main doors of the airport and out into the city of Seaport. It was a beautiful day. The sky was a deep blue, and lazy clouds drifted through the air. The city around her glinted in the bright sun in white and silvery colors. Seaport floated at the base of the Pacific Beanstalk, a city built entirely for the transferring of things and people to and from space. The gigantic elevator was anchored to the seafloor below, and as Seaport was anchored to the elevator, the city was stable. The city was a marvel of technology, and it showed. As it had been built after the Reclamation Act of 2047, the city was perfectly in tune with the environment. No signs of pollution, a variety plants growing around - and even on - the towering silver buildings. The transportation system on the ground and in the air was fully autonomous and systematic. The thing that made Seaport most distinctive, though was the gigantic Pacific Beanstalk that grew from it's center. The space elevator shaft was huge, casting a large shadow onto part of the city at any time of the day. Made of solid and sturdy material, some of it shipped from offworld, it rose up unimaginably high into the sky, fading into almost nothingness before meeting with a thin white line in the sky that arched towards the horizon to the Northeast and Southwest. The Orbital Ring. Both around and within the Beanstalk, as it was nicknamed, were gigantic building-sized elevators that carried people and cargo from the planet's surface to space, and vice versa. From up there it was far easier to load them onto a shuttle and bring them across the solar system. Fetu and her family were heading for one of those shuttles, currently waiting up on the Ring. That shuttle would take them to the Hawai'iloa, the ship that would carry them across the stars and to their new home on a distant world. Makaula, Fetu's husband, stood beside her with her hand held in his. She turned and looked into his eyes, and he gave her one of his perfect smiles. She kissed him, a short action that conveyed infinite love. Their four children looked as excited to start the adventure as Fetu felt. Hi'ilani, in her early twenties, was an adult in her own right, and an apprentice Astrobiologist to her father. Their teenage sons, Atamai and Ka'ohu, still deciding their futures, but knowing they wanted to do something with the stars. And little Masina, only 13, who took a step of bravery in agreeing to leave her home behind for a new world and new hopes. "You all ready to get going?" she asked them. They nodded enthusiastically. The family called one of the city's automated hovercraft and piled in, and it started flying them towards the base of the Beanstalk, which was as tall as a skyscraper in it's own right, and many times as wide. The Spaceport, as it was called, was organized in a systematic way that got passengers and cargo easily moved into space, or unloaded from space. The hovercraft landed at one of the outer platforms of the Spaceport. "How much longer till we get up there?" Ka'ohu asked. "Just wait quietly, Ka," Fetu said. "We'll be there soon enough." Pacific Beanstalk Spaceport After entering the main Spaceport, they were taken to a side waiting area where the Hawai'iloa colonists, at least at this Beanstalk, were waiting. Similar gatherings were taking place at the other Beanstalks across Earth, and probably in a few other worlds. An announcement came out over the speaker: "The elevators taking the Hawai'iloa colonists to the Orbital Ring will be ready to load in one hour." "Well," Fetu said, turning to her family. "We have an hour. Go find some of your friends, kids, just meet us back here before then." The three youngest ran off in a clump, but Hi'ilani stuck around. "You heard me." "It's fine," Lani said. "I don't need to-" "Come on, isn't Paul at this Beanstalk? Go say hi to him." Lani blushed slightly and couldn't hold back a small smile. Makaula laughed at his daughter's embarrassment. "Go on," he said gently. "It's fine." Lani smiled again and vanished into the crowd. Fetu settled down in one of the chairs in the waiting area, filled with love for her family and pondering their future.