“This forward observation post shall immediately relay all such anticipated meteor showers directly to Earth stations! Our computer telescope-radars located upon Satellite Two are placed at the furthest distance from variant atmospheric levels. These can therefore, neatly trace graphic lines describing trajectile paths of oncoming rocks, meteors, meteoric showers and the like. Our view of the cosmos from advanced space labs upon Satellite Two is uninterrupted and constant. There are no chances of disturbances to our observational teams, and we require perfection in our agenda. This is a matter of Earth and our future. Everything is at stake here and now. We cannot fail for our success is assured.”
Senior members within the upper hierarchy of Earth Command — the primary world governance order — directly under which the World Council functioned, had issued their unanimous advice. Such comments were clearly understood nearly half a century earlier.
* * *
“Are you sure that is our correct search area?” The lady’s companion scientist had enquired at the commencement stages, when the team members were bent upon a dual observational study-pattern of attempting to rediscover the lost coordinates leading to the Twilight Zone. It was widely believed fact that such a zone had been spotted earlier in the mid twenty-fifth century, prior to the last major battle upon Earth.
This outer space group comprising twenty-four personnel was sent upon such an delicate mission for yet another reason. Matters assumed further importance when documents in form of computer records pertaining to the twenty-sixth century of Earth time were discovered and scanned for further significance. References were drawn to the Twilight Zone wherein it seemed — that is what the time keepers of Earth deciphered from twenty-sixth century Earth languages and scripts — that major intelligence of Earth records had been secured therein.
A million other factors were included, and one such fact was presence of weather, a climatic condition really, which accelerated improved good health of humans, particularly those under recuperation therapies. There were reports which went to the extent of stating that besides physiological-medical factors related to humans, the health factor of humans was rated okay for the peculiarly beneficial climatic condition was then somehow transferred to the remaining portions of Earth. Computers supplying relevant data beyond this fact were activated to further search capabilities, but were unable to perform further, at least by the technological standards of the year 4615.
Other, more efficient computer data derived reference to certain select coordinates upon Earth within which zones Extraterrestrials determined greater efficiency to land and interact with Earth humans. There were further derivations leading to inexplicable factors which correlated to an increased and fertile Earth production of the granaries of the Earth. One such derivation stated that paddy fields produced finished grains at a highly accelerated time span of one month rather than the usual three to four months. It was therefore a technologically-derived and understood factor that such highly fertile lands of the Earth could only exist at the “Twilight Zone.”
“Gentlemen and ladies of the squadron! You shall enter habited station areas inside Moon One and take possession of your individual cabins, immediately we recondition entry chamber to near equal atmospheric pressure. Remember, our present atmospheric pressure is on higher readings. We have yet to acclimatize ourselves to the internal atmospheric pressure existing in space lab, vis-a-vis the external elements of Satellite Two. Of course, the internal pressure shall always be greater as compared to atmospheric pressure present outside the space lab.” The gentleman scientist-cosmonaut and leader of the dual purpose observational crew had made that official statement nearly six months ago.
“Five Earth minutes shall be complete upon Satellite Two, for internal pressure to regulate itself upon you and your physical activities. This also includes successful regulation your individual heart rates.
“Our primary schedule remains unaltered and is of utmost importance, which is detection of meteors and space-rock showers aimed directly into Earth’s orbit, or are likely to be, within timely detection graphs produced by our altered computer generated graphic-trajectories. Additionally, we have ample spare time to devote to detection of another matter, for which we are carefully selected by the World Council.” Five minutes passed as he finished his acclimatization speech.
Satellite Two did not rotate upon its own axis like the other planets. It therefore never experienced the oddities of day, and nights, mornings and evenings. There existed just one simple, constant climate and weather while it circled the moon, remaining within total view of Earth at any given time. The time was yet not yet right to bring in altered climatic changes to the satellite, scientists upon Earth and Mars claimed.
There were other personnel now stationed upon Moon Stations, in Moon Forward Space Research Labs, who constantly recorded unknown and ever so slight climatic variations upon Satellite Two. However, that was for the future, and they were acutely aware of a future, which may perhaps extend to a time zone comparable to their great-grandchildren’s days. However, every effort was being made to hasten up those time limits: “Bring in the controlled climate of the future to present-day times!” was an accepted directive, an order and the motto.
* * *
“Towards the upper reaches of the north pole, sir. No, not at the axis! Much lower, rather below. Towards the western region, perhaps inclining at the eastern skies.”
For six months they scanned Earth at millions of probable locations simultaneously, attempting to determine the near impossible—coordinates leading to the probable, though lost, Twilight Zone. Matters had reached a peak in their era and no further justification was required to emphasize upon established facts which would prove this factor otherwise, that the Twilight Zone was reported to appear within easily visible limits from Satellite Two, and of course the Twilight Zone did really exist upon Earth, of all places! Matters were therefore accorded greater importance particularly since all previous Earth records provided no conclusive results as attempts were made by prior Earth-human generations to rediscover those critical coordinates.
For two hundred and fifty Earth days they decided to forgo manual cooking, indoor games, and various Earthly recreations. They instead, took keen turns at studying Earth as it had never been studied before.
During rest times followed by starlit days influenced by the Moon, with Earth contacts via the computer telescope-radar speaker phones, during meal times and shifts from endless studies of the skies, they also scrutinized Earth as it rotated upon its own axis from west to east, counterclockwise. They noted the hemispheres of Earth as the Moon revolved around the Earth. Robotic computers were activated to take further photographs of the Earth at given coordinates, from longer view points and from close quarters.
Until it finally happened! She was the first to spot those meridians, the lady astronaut scientist deputed from Mars Forward Research Space Lab.
“An approximate area of land measuring four hundred and fifty square miles, just northwest by east of continent two... Ahem, country two, sir.” She concluded, while gradually withdrawing her sight from a pair of extraterrestrial lenses now connected to certain computers scanning Earth’s soil.
Such lenses were uncommonly discarded a long time ago upon Earth, with no rational explanation of their existence; however there were innumerable controversies leading to extraterrestrial landings taking place upon Earth’s given coordinates in earlier centuries. There were presently other select teams despatched by Earth forward space research laboratory to research into such coordinates — if any existed— and there were viable details of one such extraterrestrial landing conclusively taking place earlier during the century.
Hence, Earth humans evaluated Earthly conclusions and discarded several theories while accepting many new ones. Earth had conclusively been visited by extraterrestrials, perhaps immediately after the last major battle fifteen hundred years ago.
* * *
“An area of land which has witnessed no major sunset or even sunrise; wherein even the moon fails to make much impact, while sunshine in its present form and impact, perhaps does not exist. Yet, every botanical plant grows to maturity like all other botanical wonders of our Earth. We have named such a country as the ‘Twilight Zone’, though immediately after the last war much havoc was wrought.”
The world population drew easy reference to the Chronicles of 3200 which continue as read in the year 4600: “There have been sightings of the extraterrestrials. Some amongst them have even talked to us.
“They — the extraterrestrial document-records — confirm our sighting and description of the Twilight Zone as a crude definition in comparison to their own perception of the same zone explained in higher intelligence and which Earthlings are unable to draw references from.
“Extraterrestrials have consented to the fact that in reality, there exists an actual ‘Twilight Zone’ somewhere in the limitless existence of nature, beyond human conception of time and comprehension. The real ‘Twilight Zone’, which they have seen and experienced, is possible to be visited, though not by utilising and application of present-day human methods of transportation, they added. Earth possesses a mere look-alike, much smaller in dimension, a fraction of an effectual ‘Twilight Zone’,” they concluded.
“Perhaps such a zone exists before one reaches the fourth dimension. Or immediately after!”
* * *
a few days later upon Earth, she held on to the gentleman’s arm while they walked into a near-continuous sunset, at the lower passages of country two — followed by twenty-three members of advanced space research programme Moon One satellite. Their team had been granted few more Earth months of rediscovery status, a term signifying advanced rest programmes. Such deviations from space programmes were required and imposed compulsorily upon all crew, immediately after two continuous tenures upon Satellite Two.
Totally non-comparable to the aurora borealis of the twentieth through to thirtieth century combine, the climate here in the mid-fortieth century was vastly different. The former seemed comparable to mere play stations in those three-dimensional “look-alike experience studios” simulated by obsolete twenty-fifth century computers.
The various entrance areas to the Twilight Zone of Earth were thoroughly rediscovered, from Satellite Two! One could not be incorrect this time. Six months were spent in thorough search and they had finally located those entrance coordinates!
“If this is Earth’s conception of the Twilight Zone...” she commenced.
The gentleman scientist smiled. Romance and he were poles apart.
Some of the most readily available advanced space stations available to mankind were installed within those particular coordinates, even before they stepped back upon Earth. The Twilight Zone was therefore rediscovered from a lost era of the Earth. All approach zones were thoroughly calculated from Satellite Two, or Moon One.
Earth Central commanders took over total controls of primary directives of Earth Stations as soon as flight rocket from Moon One appeared within ionosphere limits of Earth. They coordinated with the gentleman scientist-astronaut and finally, the remaining members of the ship unanimously decided to deviate from predetermined landing zones at the higher reaches of Earth at fifteen thousand feet above sea level and upon usual mountain landing zones.
They landed into the Twilight Zone instead and skipped atmospheric regulations-procedures. There was no need to adjust oneself to compression or decompression chambers, either. Not within the Twilight Zone! They made that crucial decision to visit Earth beaches and mountain resorts at a later date, their regular, booked suites indicating rediscovery status.
“I wonder what the actual Twilight Zone shall look like.” Her lady companion-scientist friend ended a semi-spoken sentence.
“Rather, feel like...” The astroscientist standing immediately beside them, made one final remark. “I meant the climatic changes in the real ‘Twilight Zone’ which the extraterrestrials have significantly defined as existing in another part of the universe?” The last part of his sentence formed a semi-question.
A pair of eyes observing them through extraterrestrial lenses upon Satellite Two at Advanced Space Research Lab hastily withdrew his line of sight from lower reaches of country two.
Twenty-four pairs of eyes upon Earth were looking up towards the heavenly skies, surrounded by an never-ending sunset. They were looking upwards in the general direction of Satellite Two, aware of a peculiar sense of privacy stealing upon them.
Two days had passed into nights. There was an absence of the sun above horizon points, and even the moon seemed unusually yellow in 4612 C.E. Yet the air was warm...
Copyright © 2003 by Deep Bora
