Scientists looking for the life-bearing Goldilocks planet - you know, the one that's not too hot, not too cold etc - are beginning to realise that life probably started without water and so are including planets in their search where liquid water may not exist. It seems water actually hinders the production of the building-block molecules necessary for carbon-based life to develop; apparently, hydrocarbons would be more suitable solvents, something like liquid methane or ethane or similar. That's a turn-up, is it not?
Okay! Enough science already. Here's another excerpt from my sci-fi novel-in-the-making, Inversion 1. Hope you're keeping up!
Inversion 1
Beginnings
Excerpt #7
With a push of buttons, I revived the two highest ranked. I paced up and down, waited till they had fully recovered before explaining what had happened, reckoning they would need all their faculties to cope. I was right. As I spoke, their eyes widened with pained incredulity. Tears flowed. Carmel's pretty freckled face turned ugly with grief. Fingers tore through her short orange hair.
'Oh, God! It can't be true. It can't be! My little brother is in Hold 18.'
She broke down. Erica2 supported her. Trepidation etched the tall blonde's face. They both looked to me for answers. I had none. I was making it up as I went along.
'Carmel... I'm sorry. There's nothing to be done for him now.
'If the computer is correct, we have around two thousand survivors. Almost all are female. All must be woken manually, individually - we can't trust the ship's systems. Besides, if everyone woke together, panic could ensue. This is where your training comes to the fore. Wake one each. Explain what has happened. Assess their reactions. If they seem capable, the four of you can wake four more. The eight will lead to sixteen and so on. It should take...'
Erica took over. Her voice was even; her cool blue eyes were fixed and determined.
'With respect, Captain, we have practised this many times. Are we to assume the female holds are safe for the moment?' I nodded. 'Then in around forty minutes, ten teams of two will have searched the men's holds for survivors. That will be our priority.'
'Keith and Michael need urgent attention in Hold 18.'
'They will be cared for in due course. Ten further teams of two will be dispatched to the men's holds once we have the numbers available. Meanwhile, with those who remain, we should have roused everyone in here in around… seventy minutes. I will then place teams in the women's holds and wait for your further instructions - it may be prudent to keep the women in stasis till we have fully assessed the situation. As you say, panic must be avoided.'
'My thoughts exactly. Thank you.'
In Erica, I had chosen well; however, Carmel was a different proposition. Events had made her vulnerable. Erica read my thoughts, had that covered too.
'Because of the predicted scale and nature of casualties, some among us may not be able to function effectively. If I factor in a twenty percent susceptibility rate, we should still be finished in here in around... eighty five minutes.'
She was good.
'Twenty percent? Is that...'
'Worst case, yes.'
Relief released a sigh.
'You know all these women well?'
She looked around and nodded.
'I do, Captain. Very well. They were carefully chosen. I'll set up teams to deal with casualties of all types. I have people in mind. Leave it with us. Our training covered many... extreme scenarios.'
‘Thank you, Erica. I’m pretty sure it’s a software problem, but other possibilities must not be ignored. Leave the dead sealed. Infection protocols must…’
‘Captain, this is our field. You can trust us. We know what we are doing.’
She turned to Carmel and the younger woman nodded her agreement.
Inversion 1, a sexy sci-fi novel, will be published soon.
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