The screen flickered in the otherwise dark house, casting shadows on the walls across the room. The advertisement, no doubt touting some useless gadget designed to somehow ‘improve happiness’ in 7 days or less, was coming to an end. It gave way to a darker scene: a black expanse with small sparks of color. Planets, stars, solar systems, galaxies, and every other form of celestial body played across the face of the otherwise darkened abyss. The announcer’s voice, a deep and confident bass, greeted the empty room.
“Hello, Anu Family, and welcome back to ‘Aftermath: The Tale of Humanity’s Survival.’ Last week we discussed the Sun, and the unique circumstances that caused the acceleration of its demise. You saw our video feeds and artist renditions of the Sun becoming a red giant, the destruction of the planets from Mercury to Jupiter, and the records of The Great Migration. This week, instead, we will discuss life after the migration, and the creation of Hasis.
“After The Great Migration, Humanity was stranded.” The picture changed, showing the small fleet of ships floating in deep space. As the voice continued, the screen would shift to represent the daily life of the show’s subjects. “The survivors of the rapid expansion were stuck in space with a very limited supply of food and an even more scarce supply of energy. Although the Sun had expanded to a size hundreds of times larger than previously recorded, it only produced energy at half the rate of past years. The survivors made do: small personal gardens were used to feed the inhabitants of each ship, all water was recycled, and the ships were adapted to use as little energy as possible. This time in our history is commonly referred to as The Scavenger Era. Members of this period of history were renowned for their resourcefulness. Nearby asteroids were mined for their metals, and every ship sported solar collection cells. The power to provide heat became the most precious resource, which in turn started the practice of using BTUs as currency. Yet even with these clever adaptations, prospects were bleak until The Atra Corporation stepped in.
“At the time, Atra Corp was run by only one person: James Atra. He was the engineer who discovered the method of harvesting and converting the kinetic energy of the micrometeoritic impacts into electricity. Combining this new source of electricity with his improved solar cells and transducers, Atra started generating more electricity than he needed. He began trading the excess electricity for materials to build more collection plates. By the end of the fourth year, Atra had personally created and installed enough technology to power almost 25% of the entire fleet’s energy production. He was soon hailed as the savior of humanity. Unfortunately, his pace was not sustainable.
“During the fifth year after The Great Migration, the Sun began to recede. It was collapsing in on itself to become the white dwarf we know today. In a matter of months, the energy given off by the sun was far too small for even Atra’s plates to harvest efficiently. Humanity was once more on the verge of death. As the darkness settled on the last vestiges of humanity and the cold began to creep into the back of their minds, every pair of eyes turned to one place: the workshop of James Atra. Once more, Atra set about saving humanity from a cold and miserable end. With the aid of his slowly growing workforce, Atra drafted a series of strong cables for connecting the fleet together. These cables would not only provide a shared source of electricity, but would also serve as the backbone of what we would soon call ‘Hasis.’ Using the last bits of energy at their disposal, Humanity began to drift closer to the sun. By the year’s end, humanity would be on the fringe of the now White Dwarf.” The screen showed a time lapse of the fleet as it slowly gathered more materials, transforming from the meager collection of ships into a full-fledged superstructure. “It seems like our time today is almost up. Join us next week, here on Aftermath, when we go further into the evolution of Atra Corporation, the implementation of the sloops, and the creation of Pseudo-Planet Hasis. Thanks for watching.” The holographic screen dissipated, surrendering the room to the darkness. In an adjacent room, an alarm clock began beeping to signal the start of the work day. Far above the small domicile, the Night Simulation Structure drifted out from in front of the sun. The pure white light cascaded into the room. The southern hemisphere of Hasis was waking, right on time.
* * *
Michael nearly leapt to his feet, quickly donning his thermal bodysuit. It was finally time! As the collection plates kicked in, power began returning to the room. Lights blinked on and a whirring noise behind the wall started up again. Michael stifled a yawn as he checked the holograph set. He had fallen asleep with it running, again. If his parents had found out, he was sure he would receive a stern lecture on the importance of conserving energy, later.
“Good morning, Sadie.” As Michael spoke, a small ball of light appeared on the wall. It took the shape of an animated feline and mimicked a stretch.
“Good morning, Michael, and happy selection day!” The avatar purred, her tail twitching eagerly. “Are you ready to begin the day?” Michael nodded, reaching for the sink. A small gush of water met his hand, allowing him to slick his hair out of his eyes. The whirring in the wall finally stopped as the panel nearest Michael opened with a click. He reached inside, pulling back the Vita-Pill and popping it in his mouth. Sadie mimicked a jump, her image ‘leaping’ across the room before coming to rest inside the wall nearest the bed. A chart manifested next to her, along with a pair of glasses and a pointer. The cat started motioning to the graphic. “Today’s sunlight duration is set to Average, with an expected exposure level of approximately .06 microsieverts. Your itinerary is to board the Hachinohe Skip in approximately 20 minutes and report to the Southern Hemisphere Processor for testing and subsequent job selection.” Michael smiled.
“Thanks, Sadie. What do you think I’ll get? Engineering? Tech? Or will I get something boring like Dad and Mom?” The avatar purred as her props faded. She mimicked rubbing against the wall before lying down.
“I wouldn’t be able to make that assertion, Michael. But your parents have a very respectable job. Without agriculture workers, who would provide the raw materials for your Vita-Pills? Atra Corporation depends on all of the workers to keep us safe and happy.” Michael smiled.
“You’re right. I’m just nervous. You only get to select a job once. If my affinities aren’t high enough for the technological jobs, or for security, I might get stuck here even longer. I know we need Aggies, but I’ve been here too long already. 19 years is too much time spent in this backwater sector.” Sadie never looked up from cleaning herself.
“The important thing is that you select a job. If your affinities suggest that you’d be happy somewhere, then it’s guaranteed to be a good choice. Everyone has a place on Hasis, and the job selection process just lets you discover yours.” A ball of twine appeared in front of the cat, and she immediately reared her butt in preparation of a pounce. “Besides- as your Digital Avatar, I’ll be with you wherever you go. So stop worrying!” She pounced, rolling over with the ball caught in her claws. Michael laughed.
“I guess so. Well, I suppose I should head out.” Michael clicked the sleeve of his bodysuit, causing a holographic selection screen to appear. Sadie rolled to her feet, the twine that had been entangling her vanishing instantly.
“May I make a suggestion, Michael?” She began purring again. Michael nodded, spreading his arms out wide. After a moment, a full tuxedo flickered into existence over his bodysuit. “This sleek holo-suit was designed by Gior specifically for job applicants on their way to testing. It inspires confidence in your abilities, and is currently on sale for only 46 million BTUs for a one-suncycle rental.” Michael took a quick once-over of the ensemble.
“Only 46? Alright, why not? It’s my selection day. I deserve a little something extra.” The sound of brief applause answered his decision as the suit lost the holographic glow of preview mode. Sadie smiled.
“Excellent choice, Michael. The charge has been made to your account. Please enjoy your new suit.” Michael grinned, spinning once and watching how responsive the suit was to movement. It kept up with his motion perfectly, as only a newly programmed holo-suit could. He looked great and felt better.
“I think I will, Sadie. Alright, I’m off. Next time you see me, I’ll be a whole new person. I’ll have a new job, new house, and a new life with my assigned life companion.” He reached for the door eagerly. Sadie purred.
“Good luck, Michael. You’ll do fine. I’ll remain here and oversee your belongings being moved into your new house. I’ll see you in a few hours!” She turned and vanished into the wall as Michael opened the door. He paused and took a deep breath. Everything he wanted was waiting for him, just ahead. All he had to do was claim it. He purposefully strode forward into the light outside, the door closing automatically behind him. From here on in, nothing could possibly remain the same.