Tag: romance

Distant Love (Part 20)

She replies in an excited tone, “This is Maeve.”

“Good to have you back, Maeve, and sorry for leaving you. The solar flare created a major problem with some of the lunar systems. Everything should be fine now.”

Maeve jerks as the holographic display reappears.

“The holographic display should be back. Now we have to go a bit faster, as we’ve lost quite a bit of time. It’ll be like that game you play. What was called – Mars Odyssey?”

Her heart misses a beat. “How do you know that?”

“It’s me, Derek.”

“No way.”

“Yes, it is. What are the odds, eh? I know it’s such a strange way to finally meet. But must get back to the task at hand. There’s not much time.”

Maeve closed her eyes and took a big breath. “Okay, let’s do this.”

Derek went through a series of actions that would need to be done in quick succession. “Okay, Maeve, let’s see what you can do.”

Seconds later, Maeve’s hands flail all around her as she controls different parts of the ship. “How’s things going, Derek? The hip has started to rumble.”

“Stay calm, the ship is starting to feel the moon’s gravity. You are doing great so far.”

Distant Love (Part 19)

Maeve waits for the communications to resume. She is sweaty and repeatedly tapping the side of the computer console. It’s been over twenty minutes since the communications ended.

She hears the clanking of steps. Someone is coming towards her.

Her mother enters with a frown, just as she had expected. “What happened Maeve? I thought we had things under control.”

“The communications abruptly ceased. I’ve tried everything I know. Things seem to be fine at this end, the lunar end seems to be the problem.”

Her mother leans back against a wall. “Well, they better get their house in order or we’re lunar dust. That moon is getting bigger all the time.”

“They will Mom. The guy I was talking to, I trust him. He’ll figure something out.”

“I hope so, Maeve. I hope so. I’m going back up. Keep me in the loop sweetpea.”

She never calls me that. Things are very bad indeed.

A cackling sound. Maeve reacts, “Is that Moon Sector C? I repeat, is that Moon Sector C?”

“This is Moon Sector C.” Maeve grinned at the sound of the familiar voice. For the briefest of moments, she wondered if he was handsome. She just knew he was.

Distant Love (Part 18)

The voice spoke to Maeve again. “Okay, our trajectory is still a bit off. Look to your right. Do you see the orange line? I need you to hold your finger on it for ten seconds. Now.”

Maeve lifts her hand to the right and holds it there.

“Peerrffect. Well..” The line goes dead, and the holographic display disappears. Maeve looks around the room, her pulse racing.

In Moon Sector C, Derek stares at a blank screen. The room is dark except for a red, hazy light coming from the four corners of the room.

Nathalie shouts, “What in the Earth just happened?”

Derek shakes his head. “It must be some sort of power cut. I think we’re on emergency power.”

“Yes, you’re right. I think I remember reading it somewhere in the Emergency Protocols.” She walks over to the door and looks through the transparent top. “We’re not the only ones affected. Scary, what if we run out of oxygen?”

“No, there is an emergency supply. I’d be more worried about the ship that I’m pretty sure is now on a direct collision course. Whatever the problem is, I hope they fix it fast. At least it would be quick.”

Nathalie stares at him, “You are a strange one.”

Distant Love (Part 17)

The communication line goes silent.

A holographic display appears around her. Each section of the ship is detailed in multicolor light. Her mouth is ajar as she hears the man again.

“Maeve, can you hear me? I repeat, can you hear me?” His voice sounds tense.

“Yes, I can hear you. It worked. A holographic display has appeared around me. It’s like I’m in the middle of it.”

The male voice takes a large breadth. “Well, thank the stars for that. So, there’s not a second to lose. I need you to turn your head left. Do you see a flashing, green light?”

Maeve frowns and looks to the left. She sees the flashing green light. “Yes, I can see it.”

“Good, the ship is currently travelling too fast. We need to reduce its velocity. Put your finger on the flashing green light for five seconds. You will feel the ship slowing down.”

She puts her finger on the light. The deceleration pushes her forward in the seat. “You should have told me I needed to be strapped in.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Trying to think about so much at the moment. Yes, you need a belt, and so does everyone else on the ship.”

Distant Love (Part 16)

He cannot be serious.

“Can you hear me, Maeve? Please respond”

Her mouth stayed shut.

“Can you hear me?”

Maeve pressed the button to respond. “No, I’ve never taken control of the ship. I’m sure the Captain would be much better; she is much better.”

The male voice responded. “I have been examining the schematics of the ship. Your control room is set up for internal communications only. It must be done from your location, and it needs to be done now, I’m afraid.

There is a backup ability to take control at your location. You need to listen and do exactly as I say.”

Maeve bites her lip. “Okay.”

“Come on, you have ruled large Empires. You can do this. First of all, I need you to press the orange button on your console.”

Was he referencing the games I play? How does he know about that? There’s no way. Look, need to concentrate on the here and now.

She presses the button. Her screen momentarily turns a bright orange. “What’s happening?”

The male voice calms her. “It’s okay. I now need you to enter the following code. The screen may go blank and the communications may be temporarily interrupted, but don’t be alarmed – C865322567.”

She enters the code.

Distant Love (Part 15)

Derek’s eyes flash from one screen to the next. It’s almost time for him to chat with Maeve again. There is sweat on his brow.

He presses the button to reopen communications with C4365. “This is Moon Sector C. Come in C4365.”

A high-pitched voice replies. “This is C4365, over. Am I happy to hear from you.”

Derek smiles. “What is your status C4365?”

“All non-essential people on board have been evacuated. My mum, eh The Captain wants to know, can we commence the procedure to land in Moon, Sector C.”

“Maeve, and I hope you don’t mind me using your first name. But, we’re going to have to talk to each other an awful lot if we’re going to get through this. I’m going to be frank, is that okay? You won’t panic on me.”

For a couple of seconds, there is silence. Then a response. “I won’t.”

“Your ship was never designed to land, not on the moon and definitely not on Earth. Still, that doesn’t make it impossible. It should be very possible if you listen to and follow my instructions closely. And the ship cannot be abandoned as it’s already on a collision course that could potentially hit a moon station. Now, my first question: have you ever taken control of the ship before?

Distant Love (Part 14)

Maeve takes off her communications headset.

That call ended quickly. What was his problem? Guess I’ll have to work with him either way,

She sends a message to her mother in the control room, updating her on the conversation.

Now she is left with a wait.

Perhaps Derek is online.

She checks all the usual gaming sites on the console in front of her,

Where is he?

She bites her lip.

This is silly. I’ve never even met the guy. Yes, I can talk to him for hours; he is considerate and funny. But I’ve no idea what he looks like or even what he sounds like. I’m so ridiculous. Oh, Derek, where are you and what are you up to? And why are you so inscrupable? Are you afraid of me or something? I wouldn’t destroy you in reality like I do at the gaming.

A beep goes off. It’s a message from her mother.

STAY WHERE YOU ARE. HYSTERIA BREAKING OUT UP HERE. PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY THAT THEIR TRIP IS BEING CUT SHORT. THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO. BETTER FOR YOU TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING.

Maeve smirks. Very good. I told you not to use all caps in your messages, though. So rude.

Hours pass as she awaits the next communication.

Distant Love (Part 13)

“You have a go C4365. You are cleared for the emergency landing at Moon Sector C. Please acknowledge”

“Thank God,” she replies.

Derek magnifies the screen and, using his mouse, draws a tangent from the ship to the landing area. “It will be six hours till we can start the landing procedure. I am going to familiarize myself with your ship. Reopen communications at five hundred hours. What’s your name by the way?”

The reply is swift. “Maeve”.

“Sorry?” Derek goes cold.

“You can call me Maeve. What’s your name?”

“Yeah, as I said, we’ll communicate again.” Derek clicks the mouse, ending the transmission.

Nathalie looks over at him wide-eyed. “Everything okay?”

“It’s my Maeve. She’s on the ship. I’ve just spoken to her!”

“No way, what are the chances? You’d better make sure that ship lands safely.”

Derek lets out a groan

Nathalie frowns. “That bad?”

He nods as he looks up at the ship’s specifications. It’s a thirty-year-old W-Class Transported. Not only is it far larger than anything he had attempted to guide to land before, it wasn’t built to land at all. Damage from a solar flare had not been countenanced.

Oh, Maeve, how am I going to get you out of this?

Distant Love (Part 12)

It is a female voice. “This is C4365 over. Please acknowledge. I repeat. This is C4365 over.”

Derek clicks on the screen to respond. “This is Moon Sector C acknowledging. What is your status? I repeat, what is your status?”

Her voice is cackling and breaking up at times. “C C C4365 in diff difficulty. Need permission.. repeat permission is needed to land in Sector C.”

Derek frowns. Emergency landings on the moon are rare, and unheard of in Sector C. This would be a management decision. “C4365 Keep your communications open. Your request is being determined.”

He ends the call and instead sent a communication request to Moon Sector A, to his manager Selena Basque.

Selena is forty-four years old with long, black hair and a tanned complexion. She is short and has a fuse even shorter. “Yes, Derek.”

“A ship is requesting to do an emergency landing in Moon Sector C.”

He hears a groan before she replies.

“Look, you’ll have to step up. You can do this. This flare has caused carnage. We already have multiple incoming here.”

The communication came to an abrupt halt.

I guess that’s a go, so Derek. Time to step up and get this done.

A deep dive into the TV Series “Travellers”

Hello ladies and gentlemen, I have just finished watching all three series of Travellers. It’s probably the best sci-fi series you’ve never heard of.

I have bad news for you, folks. There is an apocalypse on the way. I know what you’re thinking, no shit. But don’t worry. You see, the nineties were the key decade. A future super-intelligent computer (Is this even sci-fi anymore?) called the Director is sending back time travellers on missions to ensure a better future. The fact that I might like warmer summers, and will almost certainly be dead by the forthcoming ice age, doesn’t come into its calculations.

Alas, the time travellers have to take over a living body and erase the previous person. Kind of reminds me of “Body Snatchers”. Fear not, it’s all done very ethically. They take over the bodies of those who are about to die anyway.

The travellers have several protocols to protect the timeline (from Wikipedia) –

  • Protocol 1: The mission comes first.
  • Protocol 2: Leave the future in the past.
  • Protocol 3: Don’t take a life, don’t save a life, unless otherwise directed. Do not interfere.
  • Protocol 4: Do not reproduce.
  • Protocol 5: In the absence of direction, maintain your host’s life.
  • Protocol 6: Do not communicate with other known travelers outside of your team unless sanctioned by the Director.

The team historians have an additional secret protocol involving the periodic updates they receive concerning “historic information relative to [their] team’s role in the Grand Plan”. It is a sub-protocol of Protocol 2:

  • Protocol 2H: This forbids the revelation about the existence of the updates “with anyone, ever”.

The Director can invoke three other protocols in special situations:

  • Protocol Alpha: temporarily suspends all other protocols when a critical mission must be completed at all costs
  • Protocol Epsilon: can be invoked when traveler archives are threatened
  • Protocol Omega: permanently suspends all other protocols when the Director abandons the travelers because the future has either been fixed or deemed impossible to fix

Each episode is fast-paced and action-packed. A large part of the series is the relationships between the travellers and those who previously knew the host. The love story between Macy and David plays a key role in maintaining continuity and interest from episode to episode.

Another key relationship is between Grant and his wife, Kat, who can’t quite bring herself to believe her husband. Correctly, as it turns out. I don’t know if this series could be made today, as it brings up thorny consent issues. Can Kat give consent for sex if Grant isn’t who she thinks he is? Hey, it is kind of philosophical. Let’s leave it at that.

They end up completing many missions, but the future doesn’t seem to be getting better. In fact, “The Faction” ends up being created. This is a group from the future that opposes the Director. Ironically, they are from a newly created timeline where their shelter was not destroyed.

Then there is 001, who has gone way off mission, creating an empire and actually killing travellers.

Spoiler Alert.

It all comes to a head at the end of Series 3, which is probably one of the best finales ever. The director calls Protocol Omega, effectively giving up on the timeline. By the end nuclear war is breaking out, and the travellers are told all they’ve done is speed up the Earth’s destruction. What a downer! Ouch.

But there is one last throw of the device. Grant is transported even further into the past and sends a message that the Traveller program failed.

The final scene is the Director acknowledging its failure and initiating Team Two instead. So, everything you’ve watched at least in this timeline ends up never happening. Almost, like the whole thing is just one calculation of the director. I love it!

Travellers can currently be viewed on Netflix.

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