Leaving Planet Earth Read online

  But it came to be widely used in World War 3, allowing high speed infiltration and exit of combat zones. And of course Earthbound Jumping is still standard practice in the current semi-ceasefire.

  Whilst others focused on attempting lengthy terraforming processes, or designing giant Ark Ships, the GFO adopted the high risk strategy of augmenting Jump technology to allow for interstellar travel. We're a long way off extragalactic travel but still, we've developed the ability to literally hop around our Galaxy in search of a new home.

  People said it would take a miracle but the GFO got just that. A twin planet, light years away from home.

  Cut to News REPORTER in TV Studio.

  REPORTER: Today the GFO confirmed rumours that it has identified Earth's twin planet. They've spent billions Jumping across the Galaxy, and now are set to spend more money exploring this new planet, choosing a site for a permanent settlement. We'll be hearing the reactions of World Leaders later in tonight's programme.

  GFO FILM SECTION 2

  Cut to VELA being interviewed by JAMES BLAKE.

  [2008 - Three years on from the announcement of the Mass Migration Project.]

  JAMES: Can we talk about the early missions to New Earth?

  VELA: Absolutely.

  JAMES: Do you think they cast a shadow over the excitement of discovering New Earth?

  VELA: Of course. The terrible loses suffered on those early missions stay with us. But those failures allowed us to get to this point.

  JAMES: You're comfortable talking about failure?

  VELA: Well I think it's important we're honest about the fact that things can go wrong. But perhaps more importantly those failures taught us what we needed to know to move forward.

  JAMES: What was it about those early missions that was so revealing?

  VELA: It really consolidated the theory that our migration into space was being inhibited by a human deficiency – not a technological or scientific one. The video logs kept by the crew were invaluable in this discovery

  JAMES: There was some particular footage…

  VELA: That's right, one of the Pilot Pioneers made some very interesting observations.

  Voiceover.

  PILOT: It starts with stupid stories. And then they're up all night clicking through endless pictures of their family and friends. Then people they don't even know. Like they're here but not here. They're obsessed with memories and places and they go on and on until one day they're gone.

  Their body is sitting there but it's like…empty. They don't eat. They don't talk. But they don't die.

  VELA: I was asked to create a system to help people acclimatise to the new planet. Their new home. The early missions made it clear that this system was going to be key to making the emigration a success. We needed to know how The Pull, could be successfully diagnosed and treated.

  JAMES: You found yourself at the centre of it all?

  VELA: The theories I developed in collaboration with others have become central to our settling on New Earth. But not me, myself.

  JAMES: Now is it right that the programme has been accelerated? Things have had to move quicker than you planned?

  VELA: I wouldn't put it like that. We are getting closer and closer to sending out our preparatory team for permanent settlement. Once that is in place, New Earth should be ready for the arrivals within a couple of years…

  JAMES: And given the situation on Old Earth…

  VELA: Well exactly. Getting people off Old Earth as soon as possible is going to be of huge benefit to their emotional wellbeing, not to mention personal safety.

  JAMES: An escape from the problems of Old Earth?

  VELA: Again I wouldn't put it like that. It's not about running away. It's a positive step forward.

  As you know the technology required has been in place for some time. The only thing stopping us up till now, was ourselves. Our final frontier has been about conquering the human mind.

  GFO FILM SECTION 3

  [Understanding The Pull and the development of Space Migration Psy-architecture]

  JAMES: We've been given exclusive access to the secret labs of the GFO here at their headquarters in Edinburgh. It was here that Vela recruited her team from all over the world, and redefined the boundaries of Psy-architecture, the discipline she herself created.

  The focus for the team was tackling The Pull. The challenge was detecting tiny, almost invisible symptoms and then developing a programme of psychological and pharmacological procedures to protect you.

  Let's hear from some of the key figures.

  Cut to – footage of VELA visiting the GFO Headquarters and shaking hands with the staff. As well as shots of the building and the research taking place.

  Jon Oberlander introduces himself of a Professor of Epistemics and talks about the Quantified Self Movement in relation to tackling The Pull.

  DK Arvind and Janek Mann describe their work in Speckled Computing Technology and the development of the Personal Quantifier.

  GFO FILM SECTION 4

  [Interview with VELA from New Earth.]

  JAMES: What can people expect when they arrive?

  VELA: Well the Acclimatisation Programme begins the moment you arrive. But all you have to do is listen and observe, and know that Day One is just the first step.

  JAMES: There won't be a test then!

  VELA: No, it's about us making sure we get it right for you. Follow instructions you're given and be open. Occasionally you may be asked to take part in a small task or exercise but always with support and guidance.

  JAMES: By the preparatory team who are, how many of you –

  VELA: There are fifty of us who have been here for six of your years.

  JAMES: Which is of course the time it takes for New Earth to complete just one Rotation around its two suns.

  VELA: That's right. We've been preparing for 52,596 Old Earth hours, give or take, to welcome you.

  JAMES: It's a well-oiled machine?

  VELA: It's what they've been trained to do.

  JAMES: That's good to know. I, for one, am incredibly excited.

  VELA: Well I'm glad. It's what we've been working for.

  JAMES: Thanks so much for giving us your time, Vela. I know it will be of huge comfort for those Jumping today to hear from you.

  VELA: Thank you.

  Cut to JAMES speaking straight to camera.

  JAMES: Hopefully that prepares you and puts you at ease. Although if you're anything like me, you'll probably be somewhat overwhelmed. So I'll leave you with your mentor and say, have a good Jump.

  The film footage crackles and SINEAD’s face appears. This is not part of the official GFO film. She is standing in front of the Pledging Station – the one that was closed off to the audience at the departure point – she is holding up her Quantifier.

  SINEAD: Okay. Right. So I pledge myself to New Earth and Hoverboards, Cyborgs, Wormholes. Because I'm ready, you've won me over!

  Sorry.

  The footage crackles out and leads back into simple text appearing on the screen/s – which slowly repeats through a few times, until it rests upon the final slide for a period of quiet time.

  – We will soon make the Jump to New Earth.

  – Please wear your seatbelt.

  – You will need to switch off your phone before we Jump.

  – If you want to send a message to people on Old Earth before you leave –

  – Do it now.

  – Facebook, Tweet, Text.

  – Now turn your phone off.

  – Your time on Old Earth is over.

  MENTOR: Okay ladies and gentlemen. We are now going to begin preparing for our Jump. Vela has made this very easy for us.

  Our first step is to take a moment to recognise the importance of The Story of the Gatekeeper. An ancient parable created by our forefathers as they began to discover meaning in the stars. Only now do we see the true wisdom of our ancestors.

  A film appears on the screen.

  ‘For
many years The Gatekeeper lived in a cave at the top of a mountain. Inside of him he held every single atrocity ever committed by humankind; every act of violence, cruelty or selfishness existed right at the centre of his mind, and he was doomed to look into that void forever.

  The people of the world knew they must look after this man. Feed and cloth and nurture him. No matter how bad it gets. As his skin greys and his hair falls out, as he vomits blood, and his body convulses, we will look after him forever.

  After thousands of years he begs for death. But the people know it is a feeble trick from a desperate man. They will be punished if they don't keep staring their misdemeanours in the eye. They must just live with him however they can.

  One night a young girl is asked to keep watch. A rite of passage for all young children. And it is this girl who sees the man in a way no one ever has before. She sees his black hole eyes and choked breath, but is not frightened of him. He senses this girl is different and so he asks her to release him from all the sadness which lives inside him, to push his fragile body off the mountaintop.

  The girl has been told this is wrong but she trusts the Gatekeeper. She wants him to be free. And so they begin to climb the steep rock face ahead of them, slow and steady. Eventually, in the stillness of the sunset they reach the summit, she looks at him one last time and then pushes his fragile body off the mountaintop.

  His body falls through the air and hits the rocks below and explodes into a haze of grey green cloud. The cloud disappears and no trace of his body remains. There is only silence.

  The girl turns to leave and he is there standing beside her. No longer withered and tired. He has a simple open face, he is relaxed and steady.

  He takes her hand and they stride across the sky. He is reborn, and we are all reborn. Humanity rises above its primitive fears and obsessions with our lowly beginning. And we walk out amongst the stars.

  It is the Gatekeeper who brought us here. He gave us all the strength to stretch out our hands, to climb and then to fly.’

  The film comes to an end. The audience are left in silence for a wee while.

  After a couple of minutes the MENTOR stands.

  MENTOR: The next step is for you all to make your Pledges to our new society so that you can adopt the New Earth Oath.

  Now, you will be aware that the Pledging Station at our departure point was not available for you to use. The GFO are masters of Jumping but sadly we can still fall pray to technical failures. It's nothing to worry about though. I am going to recite the pledge I made, just before I made my first Jump some time ago. We will listen to the Pledges made by people who Jumped before you. We hope these will inspire you. Then in silence you will consider your own personal Pledge.

  We will then take The Oath together.

  So first for my personal Pledge. I never expected to have to recite this to anyone.

  Soft underscore of music begins.

  I pledge myself to New Earth because I am ready to leave. I can see that Old Earth has failed, and I've known it for a long time now. I remember when the riots began – or protests as some people called them – I remember thinking there is something dark at work here and I don't want to be a part of it anymore.

  For too long I have watched towns, cities and countries crumble. The discontented have taken over our streets – smashing windows, stealing, raping, stamping on the graves of our ancestors – as though intent on destroying humanity's progress.

  I do not want to salvage what I can from the wreckage.

  I want to rise up and out. When that first foot smashed through that first window it made a crack in the glass that will never heal. But it opened up the possibility of the universe and so I must go out amongst the stars.

  I am choosing to look forward, to be part of something that is fair. To be part of a society that will look for solutions that work, no matter how difficult. New Earth is going to be about the peaceful and the kind, the good and the patient – the majority.

  Towards the end of this speech a multitude of voices begin to weave in and out of the sound and as the MENTOR finishes the audience are presented with a collage of voices reciting their personal Pledges. This ebbs and flows, sometimes we can hear just one Pledge being spoken, sometimes it is a cacophony of voices, it builds to a crescendo and then silence.

  After a moment or two of silence the voices begin again – this time all saying the same thing. They are taking the Oath.

  I stand here preparing to Jump, and I pledge myself to the betterment of humanity. I recognise that humanity's survival is more important than my own. I agree to hold onto that idea. I agree to help myself. I agree to be helped.

  And so, with this Oath I pledge my commitment to New Earth and promise never to allow myself to become a burden to humanity.

  The MENTOR joins in with the Oath and text appears on the TV screens:

  With this Oath I pledge my commitment to New Earth and promise never to allow myself to become a burden to humanity.

  Silence. The bus draws to a standstill.

  MENTOR: Okay all. I am happy to tell you that you have successfully made the Jump. We are here.

  I'm sorry to disappoint those of you that thought you'd be putting on your astronaut suit and gravity boots, but we're a little more sophisticated at the GFO!

  The first thing we have to do is get you all safely into the Acclimatisation Centre and have you undertake your initial transitioning process. Once that's complete we will head into the House of The Gatekeeper where we will formally mark Final Closure.

  The MENTOR opens the bus door.

  Let's go. Don't be nervous now. You've made it.

  The audience begin disembarking.

  THE CAR PARK

  As they cross the car park the MENTOR chats to individuals and then every so often calling out to the whole group.

  As the audience walk towards the Centre, VELA is on the external staircase scanning the crowd arriving.

  HARPER comes to her. We cannot hear their conversation, but it is clear that HARPER is trying to get her to come back inside, but VELA is reluctant. Over the course of the audience splitting into their three groups, VELA and HARPER finish their conversation and head inside together through the top floor entrance.

  HARPER: We need you inside.

  VELA: In a minute.

  HARPER: I don't think you're really meant to be here.

  VELA: …

  HARPER: Please. You need to look at the final redraft of your speech for tonight.

  VELA: There is time.

  HARPER: Your sister did arrive at the departure point. She checked in. I looked it up.

  VELA: Who asked you to do that?

  HARPER: No one I thought I… People had said that…

  VELA: Let's go and look at these redrafts.

  HARPER: Yes. OK. Great.

  The groups are led into the building.

  – Group One go with SAAD and head up to Level 5 – to the Mining Department.

  – Group Two go with JOST and head up to Level 4 – to the Old Earth Museum.

  – Group Three leave with EMILIA and head to Level 3 – to the Mapping Station.

  LEADING AUDIENCE INTO THEIR FIRST SPACE

  MENTOR: Just keep following me. Lovely. Don't worry about the other groups, they're going on their own journey.

  You have a number of experiences to go through across three floors so please stay energized and alert. I will be with you for some of your journey, but at other times you will be joined by my colleagues. You will also be guided by these little things lighting up (Indicates Quantifiers.) and the chiming of the Gatekeeper Bell. That will be your sign to move on, to begin the next part of your Acclimatisation.

  When all the audiences are in place their Quantifiers will light up and the Gatekeeper Bell will ring out across the space.

  The MENTORS will open the door to their respective spaces.

  MENTOR: Firstly you're going to…

  SAAD: The Mining Department.

&nbs
p; JOST: The Old Earth Museum.

  EMILIA: The Mapping Station.

  THE MINING DEPARTMENT

  MINER EXPERIENCE

  The audience are led into the space. THE MINER is surrounded by wires and cables.

  HAL: Hello. Welcome hello, come on in. Lovely. You guys are fresh aren't you? Still a bit of residual Jump energy. Looks like some of you have only half arrived. Jumplag can be pretty hairy. It can feel like your internal organs have all broken asunder and are wriggling about inside you. You'll be glad it's a one way trip, put it that way. Think of the poor mentors who are Jumping back and forth to pick you guys up. Anyway…

  HARPER enters.

  Oh hi. I'm just…

  HARPER: Sorry to interrupt Hal but I need you to run a check for Vela.

  HAL: Well of course, anything for the big boss.

  HARPER: Can you run a check on PQ X900.

  HAL: Of course. Everyone hold still. I'll send a buzz round.

  Pause.

  I'm not picking anything up.

  HARPER: Thought as much. Great thanks. Sorry to waste your time everyone.

  HAL: Not at all.

  HARPER exits.

  HAL: Hey there you go. A demand from the big cheese. She has her eye on everything.

  Anyway, we are building towards Final Closure later, which is exciting. But right now this is Personal Quantifier Induction.

  My name is Hal, but my colleagues and I get called, sort of, semi-officially, ‘The Miners’. Now I didn't come up with that, but I have always kind of hoped for a cool nickname, and as a child I did secretly call myself CosmoBoy. That's what you get for having parents who were obsessed with Sci Fi. It is of course relevant, I'm a Data Miner. Statistics, graphs, anything with numbers, we dig down to see what we can find.

  One of the many things this little thing does is ‘reflect’ your mood. They went through a lot before they got to ‘reflect’, the words ‘monitor’, ‘capture’ and ‘record’ were all deemed a bit 1984. But they didn't need to worry because this is all totally transparent and totally accessible. Pretty much every surface in the building has some level of digital interface with both output and input for people to access at almost any time.