A Present From The Terraforming Crew

Phase 1: Planting

The steel beating of four rotary engines, copy pasted to an entire air fleet, kicked up the dust on the barren planet surface below. The blast of noise made it impossible for the crammed together people inside to hear each other. Kajetan Jurkowski, packed as the sardine that he was and having been eternally jostled from the moment they left the space station above, was one of the few that took the time to look out the window. Opposite him, a band of thick plexiglass, clear as crystal, ran across the entire craft.

The grey mass of a planet loomed out from under the craft. The fleet, all in perfect formation, were gradually dipping down, making it seem as though they were being swallowed by the planet. A grey corona of starlight stretched its tendrils out from the penumbra of the planet. The morning sun, or whatever goes for morning and sun on this planet, illuminated only what details stood out in front of a dim light. The ridges of hills, the swirling of glittering sand tornadoes that kicked up the ashy dust with ease, and the fleet of craft that cast silhouettes on the horizon.

The TV stations, previously having bored everyone half to death with bland safety instructions set against a concrete grey wall, was blaring news from back at the solar system. Despite being cranked up to full volume, it was still barely audible over the bustle. News about the Greater American Prosperity Corporation’s newly unveiled plans they had been teasing to terraform Jupiter: The last un-terraformed planet in the Solar System. A few man-on-the-street interviews with residents of (planets) (Talk about dispute Kajetan is a part of?) (Also a bit about Kajetan not knowing anyone and feeling uncomfortable with everyone everywhere)

The rows of seats, with the frequency and comfort of a church pew, were laid out back to back. Those with weak lumbars were standing up and chatting, clinging on to the metal handrails that snaked above each chair like piping. The craft had the width and length of a warehouse, but with the busyness of a sports game. Kajetan, clutching his book like it was any moment going to be taken, read as much as he could of it. The noise, every time he had to squeeze back as somebody rushed past through the isle, it all contributed to such distraction that he found himself re-reading the same few passages over and over as his eyes glazed over. Sir Horace of the submarine HMS Dauntless had shouted to get below decks about five times in his head. The craft gave a shudder and that prompted Kajetan to give up.

There was a reason for the shaking, and everybody else knew it as they dove to their respective seats. An amber light had flicked on, one that everyone else but Kajetan seemed to have seen, but with no alarm associated. Looking out past the mass of bodies, the copters in their rows made sudden nose-dives at regular intervals, one after the other. The row in front of Kajetan’s copter descended and, after enough time for a short back and forth between the pilot and whoever was organising the swarm of copters, they dipped down.

Those who weren’t strapped in, or were holding onto the handrails that ran above the rows of seats, found themselves thrown about, sometimes making sudden and intimate contact with the person in front of them. Those who were around Kajetan had the presence of mind to sit the hell down, and Kajetan had the presence of mind to stow his book in the footlocker under his seat before it leapt from his hand and blinded someone.

The sun that had started to creep in

Not a speck from the waves of dust splashing against the window strip stuck, as if they hadn’t even made contact with it, leaving the view clear.

One woman clung to the edge handrail, leaning out of the doorway.

Boots down. The rows and rows of bodies clad in cheap respirators hit the ground, kicking up dust as they did.

- Mgbeke brings up that it’s phase one of the terraforming

“If you get hit by a tornado, don’t panic. That should be first on your list. As soft as the sand here is, your groundspikes are more than capable of burrowing deep enough for you to hang on. (List signs of tornado)”

Mgbeke stifled a grimace (at having to say what she’s going to say next).

“And those of you who are looking to join the management track after we’re done here should be the most motivated to make sure your

- Kajetan, middle of nowhere

- Mgbeke approaches him

- Uncertainty from the audience

- She picks up speed as she gets closer and rushes to embrace him

- She plants a kiss on him and asks what he thought

The figure picked up speed, kicking back dirt as it drew closer to Kajetan. He dropped his tools on the ground and faced it, hands on hips. As they grew close enough to be identified, Kajetan smirked. Mgbeke dove onto him, wrapping her arms around him and planting a kiss on his lips; Kajetan returned with one on hers.

“So, what’d you think?” She asked, grinning.

He scanned her in her brown jumpsuit, up and down.

“You look cute in that outfit.”

“Not that. About the speech; do you feel inspired?”

“Oh yeah,” Kajetan grumbled, picking up his first emergency beacon and global network positioning system, “I’ve never been more inspired to stick poles in dust at regular intervals.”

Mgbeke smiled, shaking her head ever so slightly.

“You look cute in your outfit, too,” she said.

“I really don’t like telling the crew about the manager track thing. Chances are none of the lot of em are going to be chosen and corporate will just go with the outside hire. But that’s what they tell me to tell them.”

- Talking about what they’re gonna get from their job, revealing to the audience that they’re essentially being paid a pittance

- Bring up that romance on the job is forbidden

(Summarising the work for the rest of the day after Mgbeke leaves)

(Mgbeke) “Please. I’m just asking you to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t knock over any equipment or anything.”

- Environmental scientist comes in asking to talk to the field manager (Mgbeke)

- Whatever happens attracts everybody to figure out how to solve the problem

“I really am an environmental scientist; I wasn’t lying about that.”

- “It’s not that I’m against it, but I’m just sad we’re going to waste all of this effort; y’know?”

- The tornado comes back

- “Let’s just hope not too many people are living here in a hundred years.”

Phase 2: Finding

- Talking about looking out at a lush planet which will be mirrored in Phase 3

- The planet now operating normally for a while, but stuff seems

- Bomb components detected

- The bomb is non-functional?

Phase 3: Regretting

- Talking about looking out at a lush field like in Phase 2, except surprise this is Venus