Gravitational Constantly: A Novella (3 page)

“Destination?” a computer voice with a female tone asked.

I was startled and fell over in my seat, looking around. I sat up and dug in my pocket, cursing under my breath. I pulled out the receipt from earlier and read the name of the hotel, “Spiti.”

“Acknowledged,” the computer returned.

The shuttle was there in just a few minutes. The hum slowly dissipated until I came to a complete stop. The mag-lock engaged, the hatch door puffed as the hydraulics were released, and it swung up and open. I pulled myself to my feet and got out, examining the shuttle in bewilderment of its efficiency. As quickly as it had arrived, the door closed, locked and prepared to depart. The electric hum wound up before it took off on its way. I made haste toward the hotel, stumbling more than I care to admit.

There was no one in the lobby, save for a single clerk behind the desk: a small woman with red hair, a round face and matching waist. The conversation was short and slurred. I had my key and was in the elevator. Brass buttons, white marbled floor, room 617. Green light means enter. Spectacular view; space and stars … and darkness. Bed. Sleep. Darkness.

When I was eighteen we moved to a split-level house. My brother and I both had a room on the bottom level. The bottom level was half underground and half above, so you really couldn't call it a basement. My room was on the back side of the house. The back deck was above my bedroom window, which blocked out most of the sun. It was a dark room and that suited me pretty well, I guess. I had chosen to paint the walls a deep moss green, and although it never seemed to suit my overall personality, it provided the right light for that period of my life—great for late nights and late mornings. When the sun set each day, it passed over the deck and into my window. I had gotten a spectacular set of faux bamboo blinds to blot out the sun's wrath, which caused an amber-orange glow to radiate through my room. At that time it was the only lighting that I had ever felt totally comfortable with. Perhaps it was the spectrum of light that my eyes preferred, or maybe it was the thought of something beautiful being extinguished, but somewhere my soul found peace in a sunset.

I awoke in my hotel room to that orange glow. I lay there, propped against my headboard for half an hour or so, watching the sun fade to twilight. The light never fully fades away on Luna, but instead diffuses over its protective domes and filters down to the eye in a persistent twilight. Beautiful and sad. Once the sun had set completely, I made myself get up and take some aspirin and a shower. My head felt like it had been in a vise after last night at Cosmos. I thought about Jayce and Cara and tried to put the events of the evening in order. An exercise in futility. I did recall that I enjoyed myself.

I sat in my robe for some time, looking over the tourist attraction brochures and museum pamphlets. There is a lot to do on Luna for new comers: a trip to the Neal Armstrong National Park; a visit to the casinos; a day at Luna One, the amusement park; or a guided tour of all of Luna's districts and its infrastructure. Nothing particular seemed to strike me.

I got dressed and found my wallet and hotel key. When I left the hotel, I suddenly realized that it was probably a nicer place than I had intended on staying. All of the rooms had very nice white wood and brass trim doors that I hadn't noticed the night before. The carpet was a pristine deep blue with a very plush under cushion that was pleasant on the soles of your feet. The elevator exited to a grand staircase wrapped with intricate wood handrails on both sides, which led into the lobby. A crystal chandelier with dark purple stones glimmered overhead. I was pleased by its elegance, but I doubted that I could afford to stay at …
Spiti
—I’d read from the sign on the wall.

The bellhop opened the door for my exit, wearing a matching blue suit that complimented the carpet. His cufflinks were brass with red ovals and yellow trim. He wore a black tie with a perfect double Windsor. I liked that.

“Good day, sir,” said the bellhop. “Can I call you a shuttle?”

“No, thank you,” I said. “How far of a walk is the park from here?”

“Luna One is quite a ways. You’ll probably want me to get you that shuttle,” he said.

“No, um, not the fun park,” I said with some effort. My head was still hurting and my body felt the effects of the hangover. “I just want to go to the park … park. You know?”

“Oh, then you want to go to Armstrong Park. It's just eight blocks down the main drag here. Can't miss it. Don't worry, you can still have fun there too.” He laughed.

I tried to laugh too, but all I managed was “Yeah, I'll try,” and dryly at that.

On the way to the park, I passed other hotels with fancy architecture. The “Hotel Endeavor” had a glass monument that looked like the original shuttle from early space exploration. People were going and coming from the hotels in shuttle cars. Families, couples, and groups of friends scurried about. Everyone was smiling or laughing, it seemed. This was certainly a place of happiness or distraction. I couldn't tell which. It was like Luna was just one giant amusement park and everyone was enjoying the ride. Maybe it was the hangover, but I didn't seem to share their excitement. I also noted that out of all the people I passed, I was the only person alone.

I had held out hope for Armstrong Park. When I was younger I used to dream of going to the park and seeing Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's landing site. The area had been closed off and made into a monument. They even had the original lander anchored in place and sectioned off. It seemed like something out of movie when I was a kid, but now I worried that the ease of travel to Luna would water down the experience.

Plants and trees densely populated the park, despite being on the Moon. They had gone to great lengths to ensure that
some
part of Earth had a presence on Luna. It was surreal to see ferns and lilies, great pines and other coniferous vegetation growing here. It achieved their desired effect: it was comforting. On the many stone walkways, there were vendors selling everything from memorabilia to ice cream. I made my way past young couples eating ice cream cones while sitting on benches, families pushing strollers, and staff mulching flower beds. I arrived at the center of the great park where the Armstrong 'walk' took place. There was a monument there featuring a great silver plaque engraved with Armstrong's famous quote. Other tourists were leaning against the railing, taking pictures and pointing at the lander. It was hard to believe I was standing there. If I hadn't looked up to see the blanket of stars wrapped around a giant blue-green marbled Earth, I would have sworn that this had been any other park on Earth. But it wasn't. And I was on Luna, in Armstrong Park. Alone.

I got an ice cream cone and sat on a bench, watching people come and go for some time. There was a sort of calm and serenity sitting on that bench that I had seldom felt—maybe never. The atmosphere light and airy, soft jazz played from somewhere in the park. Nothing like I've ever heard before. Progressive. Every note from the piano seemed to be on my mind. It droned out the laughs and conversations from passersby. I was lost in a timeless tune recorded on vinyl, with all the scratches and perfect imperfections that come along with it. If the pressurized plating above my head had cracked and all the air, and myself, leaked out into space ending the tune with a static hiss, that would have been fine by me.

I stayed in the park until it closed, walking the many pedestrian paths, observing and enjoying the contrast of flora and its very existence on Luna. On the way back to my hotel, I thought about stopping at one of the restaurants and bars. I was peckish and despite waking up with a hangover, I again had a thirst. For a moment I thought about going back to Cosmos. Cara's face floated by in my mind, a smiling, lovely face with sad eyes. There was something to her, for sure. I shook my head, discarding the idea, and made my way into a dining mall.

There were restaurants of all kinds, ranging from fine cuisine to quick food. I headed upstairs to a bar and grill with a spectacular view of Earth. Seated at a table for two, I ordered a steak and a gin and tonic. My meal was delicious. A medium-rare porterhouse made to perfection with a cool pink center. It wasn't until I began looking at Earth did I start to think about having beef on the Moon. The idea of eating food that isn't capable of surviving in your current habitat is somehow unsettling. There is a weight to that fact that is intangible. Perhaps it's Nature telling us we aren't supposed to leave Earth. Our bodies may be weighed down by gravity, but our souls float through time and space. How can one separate themselves from that acknowledgment?

I had finished my meal and was polishing off my drink when I heard a group of men laughing as they came around the corner of the bar behind me.

“It's just as I always say, when you are right, who can stop you?” said a familiar voice.

Two men began chuckling.

A foreign voice bellowed out, “Well, I for one am relieved to hear that the grant has gone through. I know I'm not the only one excited about this project.”

“You most certainly are
not
the only one excited about it,” said a third gentleman.

The men shared a brief laugh. “I'm personally … Well, I'll be—”

I knew the owner of those vocal vibrations. Smooth and full of confidence. It had to be …

“Andy!” he exclaimed.

I turned to confirm my suspicion. It was Jayce Godspeed.

“Gentlemen, if you will excuse me, I'd like to catch up with my dear friend here. Everyone is happy? I'll see you both at the labs in two days, then?” Jayce dismissed his present company.

The men nodded, confirmed the appointment, shook hands, and departed.

“I've just got to find out what destiny has in store for the two of us. We are sure to do something great together,” Jayce said to me, strolling over to my table.

I stood and shook his hand and my head. “Good to see you too,” I said in some disbelief. I had not imagined I would run across Jayce at Cosmos, nevertheless a second time for that matter. I didn't believe in destiny, or fate, or any wonton nonsense like that, but this was starting to get bizarre.

He looked me up and down, smiled, and said, “Looks like you came out okay after last night.”

Somewhat embarrassed, I glanced at the view of Earth and laughed. “Yeah, maybe I overdid it a little?”

“Nonsense. Your first night on Luna should always be that fun. Listen, Andy, I hate to run out, but I have to meet a colleague for a drink and talk business.”

“Working late, huh?”

“Unfortunately my job never allows me much time for rest, but it is quite worth the price.”

He extended a handshake, and I reciprocated once again. He turned to walk away and then stopped, turned, and said, “I want to see you tomorrow, at my office, in the Science district. A fella like you should get to see what Luna is really all about. I'll give you a tour myself.”

Oh, lucky me. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, Mr. Godspeed
, I thought to myself sarcastically. But deep down it really did make me feel special, even if it was in the tiniest of respect.

“Sure, um, where, where is your—”

“Tell you what …” Jayce bristled with excitement. “Go by Cosmos and pick up Cara first. She knows the way. I'll call her tonight and let her know you will be by tomorrow morning. Ten o'clock. Sharp.”

“Cara … do you think she—”

“She would love to come,” Jayce said as he was walking away. “Besides, she likes you!” he shouted as he turned back and gave me a wink.

The next morning I left my hotel, still neglecting the need to find more affordable lodging. Long-term plans and money were the last things on my mind. As I rode the shuttle car over to Cosmos, all I kept thinking about was Jayce's comment regarding Cara.
She liked me
?
What did that mean
? I had a suspicion that Jayce was playing a game, or just trying to get a rise out of me. Either way it was working.

I arrived at the Port District and made my way to Cosmos. It was nine o'clock when I walked up the steps to find Cara sitting at the top. She was perched on the top step and when I came closer, she greeted me with a smile. She had her dark brown hair tied in a black and white polka dot scarf, a matching dress that was modest, but hard to be so with a shape like hers, and dark hose with black flats. This was going to be tough, but not impossible.

“Good morning,” Cara said after a brief moment of awkward silence from me.

I returned her smile and my cheeks reddened slightly. “Good morning,” I echoed.

“I hear you were the lucky winner. A tour of Luna's finer delights, by none other than Jayce Godspeed,” she said with a laugh.

“That's me, the lucky one.”

She held out a hand for me to help her up and rose ever so gracefully as I pulled her toward me.

“Jayce really must like you. I just don't see what he sees.” She laughed hard, obviously joking.

“Me neither. You think he just wants to use me for one of his experiments?” We both laughed and headed toward the shuttle cars.

We waited for the shuttle car to pull into the destination box and unload its passengers. There were only small crowds of people out this early; most seemed to be heading to the Space Port with their luggage, wrapping up their vacation and ready to head home.

“I'm glad you're coming along,” I said finally. “I wouldn't know where I was going if you hadn't.”

“Well then, I'm happy to be of service,” she said with some sass.

I stood there smiling at her for a moment. “I'm glad you came. And grateful,” I said sincerely, just as the shuttle car pulled in.

Cara looked at me like she was about to say something, but the doors whooshed open and awaited our entry. I took her hand and helped her into the shuttle then followed. I sat opposite of Cara and strapped myself in. She unbuckled her safety strap and moved to the seat beside me. She leaned close to me, smiled, and said, “Are you ready to see the
future
?” The doors closed and we sped off nearly as fast as my heart was racing.

…

You couldn't see the interior of the Science district from any other part of Luna. Our shuttle raced along the track outside the main interior of the Luna shell. There was nothing but a two-way shuttle track running from the hub of Luna to the Science district. A long corridor of steel and glass left you feeling vulnerable while looking out into the vast emptiness of space. If felt like we were on a road trip, just like on Earth. We were halfway there, in the middle of no-man's land, and a feeling of doubt came creeping in. I began to worry about the shuttle car breaking down, stranding us in the cold vacuum of space. Although, the thought of being alone with Cara made that possibility easier to swallow. The lights from the last stop at the Port district were growing dim, and the lights up ahead were beginning to get brighter. We rode in silence, both staring out the window at nothing, and at everything. The black of space can seem like the black of a deep dark ocean. The longer you stare at it, the more compelled you become to swim through it. I was drawn to it. I wanted to push off the railcar with both my feet and drift up, up and away forever, spinning slowly while watching the stars twinkle and wink at me, bathing in the soft light of the sun—reflected, smoothed, and cooled by the moon. It didn't take long to get anywhere on Luna. The ride only lasted half an hour at most. This was the longest I had spent in a shuttle car. The walls of the Science district were high and covered with piping, electrical conduits, steel gray and white access panels here and there, rotating instruments of some sort, and hundreds of blinking green, blue, white, and red lights. I had not realized it before, but the Science district was twice as big as any other district.

We exited the shuttle car at the first and only stop in Science. It had tight security: all bags were checked, all visitors were subjected to 3D X-Ray rotational scans and IDs looked over. We were allowed access to the central holding area that opened up to several avenues of travel, but most were restricted. We went down the main street that led to several key buildings, including
Futura
, the place Jayce worked. When we opened the doors to the lobby, we found a smiling Jayce. He wore khaki slacks, a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the collar, and a tan jacket. Dressed casual, he looked sharp regardless. His blond hair was combed back with a bit of a wave that made him look like a magazine ad.

“You're late!” exclaimed Jayce with a smile that was full of teeth, white and excellent. “I've got so much planned for us!”

“Oh, Jayce, do take it easy on us today,” Cara said with a pleading smile.

Jayce came between us, grabbing Cara and my arm and dragging us forward, “Let's go! We have to get out to the solar fields before sunrise!”

I looked up at the clock in the lobby. It was 9:55 AM. “We're not really late, Jayce—” I was saying when he cut me off.

“Come on! Hurry!” He started into a run and looked back at us laughing. “Let's go! Run!” He was off like a madman, zipping through the crowd of people in the lobby. Cara and I looked at each other and laughed. We went after him, running through the lobby, laughing like children. Every few feet Jayce would turn and yell “hurry up” or “we're going to miss it.”

We scuttled past people and burst through security with Jayce waving his badge and yelling, “Let 'em through, let 'em through!” We got to an internal transit station with a small shuttle car.

Jayce opened the doors and was flailing his arm in a circular motion. “Get in, get in!” Cara and I barreled into the car, falling on top of each other. Jayce hopped in and slammed the door closed. “Solar Fields! Step on it!” he yelled, laughing.

The shuttle car whizzed off through several dark tunnels and then emerged under nothing but pressurized glass and open space. This car was much faster than any of the local transit cars in the main districts. Lights flew by like stars.

“You're crazy!” Cara shrieked at Jayce.

“Andy, come over here! Look!” He was pointing to the largest satellite dish I'd ever seen. “Want to see the future? You can, with that …” He clasped a hand around my shoulder and beamed with excitement. His eyes gleamed and he laughed as he watched me stare at the mechanical wonder with an open maw. We rolled past the satellite and soon we were approaching a golden sea on Luna's surface.

Light shimmered off the golden solar panels like light on the surface of water. The panels were beginning to turn as we pulled into the sub-station. The door clunked as it unlocked, and Jayce gave it a kick and jumped out, extending an arm to pull out Cara and then myself with an excited urgency.

He ran past us yelling, “Come up, come up!”

We followed up the stairs to a control booth that overlooked a basin in Luna's surface. Within the basin were hundreds of solar panel arrays, all turning in unison. Golden light reflected off and washed over us starting from head and moving to toe. We stood side by side, not speaking as we were enveloped in a warmth I've never known. A blanket of light wrapped around us, penetrating every pore, every dark crevice and labyrinth in our soul. I hadn't realized it, but I had closed my eyes and let my breathing slow to heavy rise and falls.

“Are you awake now?” Jayce's voice pulled me back to the physical universe.

I opened my eyes and saw the control booth was now a yellow and gold bathtub filled with liquid light. Jayce and Cara were watching me with smiles on their faces. I would have felt embarrassed, but I could tell they had just bathed in the same fount of life that I had.

“It's the only shower that really wakes me up. Know what I mean?” Jayce said.

I smiled and looked at Cara. “So, that is why we were in such a hurry. Thank you, Jayce,” I said sincerely.

Jayce just gave me a nod and a smile. Cara looked back and forth at both of us and said, “Oh no, I've lost him to you now,” referring to me I supposed.

Jayce laughed and began to leave the control booth. “Come, we have so much more to see!”

That was how much of the day went. We bounded from one incredible sight to the next. Jayce always saying “hurry up” or “come on, come on.” Cara tagged along, always behind me. Something told me that this wasn't her first tour. I had a feeling that Jayce had taken her through these same excursions before, but she showed no signs of boredom. She laughed with us, shared in quiet moments of awe, and when we visited the Gagarin Canyons, she stood close to me and our hands met. I don't think it was intentional for either of us, but as we stood at the edge of the shuttle car station, looking into the dark canyon, we must have drew from a feeling of loneliness in that darkness, and our fingers reached out like tendrils of hope—to cling to something, anything. They found each other, and we stood there holding hands.

We ended the day's tour at the giant radio-telescope that we had seen on our ride in. Jayce said he had saved the best for last. At that point I didn't doubt him. I'd seen more wonderful things in one day on Luna then a lifetime on Earth. The radio station was nicknamed “VSA” or “Very Small Array.” It was a jest at the VLA (Very Large Array) on Earth, which has twenty-seven radio-telescopes working together. Jayce explained that the size of the VSA and its location on Luna gave it a superior reception and “look” into and beyond our galaxy. It's most predominant feature: the ability to project synthesized constructions of its findings on the inner dome. It was like watching a live planetarium etch out the galaxy in 3D above your head.

Jayce had one of the technicians point the telescope here and there, rattling off figures, distances, and theories. All of which were very beautiful and interesting, however I was not paying it any interest. My head swam and I felt nervous, yet excited. A thousand eels writhed in my belly. I was perspiring, although it was cool and comfortable in the station. I knew what ailed me. A very old and fickle disease. One that starts small and slowly grows with exponential weight in the heart. In the left ventricle, or maybe the right. It was love. Or perhaps it was just an attraction. But it wasn't
just
an attraction. At least not an attraction of normal magnitude. There was an unmistakable pull tugging at my every breath now. I tried to pay attention, but Jayce just looked like a muted television show, directing the tech to move the telescope, pointing at this, turning to Cara and me and smiling while raising his eyebrows as he waited for some sort of acknowledgment on the subject.

I leaned against the railing overlooking the technician's station where he and Jayce punched in coordinates and looked over star charts. Cara stood beside me, leaning against the same rail. Above our heads, a stellar nursery was coming into focus. A deep blue and purple cloud of gas and debris swirled around disks of bright pink matter that would eventually form stars. The rainbow of warm reds and cooler purples lay in a field of a perfect blue gas ocean. I felt a sense of ease wash over me, calming my nerves. I realized at that moment that no matter what I did from that point on in my life, I would be free. There would be no reason to feel scared or apprehensive. Shy or timid. Fear had been wiped from the palette that I would paint my life with. And it had only taken one day with Jayce to do it.

No one in the room spoke as the scenery changed, zooming in and out, moving here and there about the nursery. A piano began to play softly as we delighted in the harmony of the chaos being projected on the dome-sphere. Cara's hand slid across the railing and sat atop mine. Without hesitation, I placed my other hand on hers, touching her soft, warm skin. Time stopped, and nothing mattered. The music played on and I caught her eyes with mine. Somehow we seemed to be of sharing the same string of consciousness at that moment. She seemed to be saying to me, “
Nothing matters anymore. We're free now, Andy.”
I'm not sure how long we were locked in that gaze. It could have been a few seconds or a few minutes. I felt a new set of eyes gazing on us and turned to catch Jayce watching us. I tried to gauge his reaction to what was obvious to anyone with eyes, but Jayce was as perfect as ever and just gave a little smile, which Cara and I returned. I felt like I had come home and found my two long-lost friends. I'm not sure if it was fate, karma, divine intervention, or gravity, but I was thankful in any case. My father used to tell me that love, any kind, was a force, just like gravity, and that the human soul was gravitational constantly.

We left the VSM and boarded the shuttle car back to Futura's main office. I thanked Jayce profusely for everything that he had shown me. It was probably the only time in my life I had thanked someone so sincerely.

“Don't mention it, pal,” Jayce said, staring out the window. “Besides, if you're going to be working with me, you had to see what we do here.”