May 2142: One hundred years after the pandemic changed the world.

       This will be my last report of this kind. If you want to know more, you will need to use your memory capability to tap into mine in the cloud. You will be able to see much more of what I've experienced in my long legacy reaching to 118 after the 100th anniversary of the event that probably saved our Earth rather than making things worse there.

       I still feel like I am 20. Derek, unfortunately, died two years ago from a gene related to sickle cells that those with ancestry from the African continent have as a hedge against malaria. It was cured in the last century by gene therapy. But the therapy that Derek received caused pancreatic failure and he was diagnosed too late for replacement. We were fortunate to have a large crowd of friends and family at his bedside when he died to hear his last words… "I love you all…"

        We both had children up until about 110 when we agreed together to stop. My great-great grandchildren now number well over 100 and I'm having great-great-great grandchildren come visit me from time to time and we play old games like chess. I love to watch them beat me with their AI assistance and let them do it because they can.

       Unfortunately, we lost Melody, too, 6 years ago at 123. She reached the point where transplants just weren't working anymore. And was glad to have had a career and children that reached around the world and touched nearly everyone. I miss her. Daphne and some of the original members of our neighborhood compound are still with us. The human lifespan has been increased to about 140, but the promise of eternal life is still beyond our capability although may be solved within this century the way things are rapidly changing.

       We have been living on Earth 2 since 2122. Our extended family environment is very similar to Southern California except for the ocean and beloved beaches that were destroyed by climate change and are beginning to come back on Earth.

        Here, oceans are only simulated and we can go surfing, whale communicating or deep-sea fishing, if we want. We also don't have any earthquakes except in amusement parks for the thrill. But at least once a year, I, with others, usually grandchildren, go back to Earth to explore what's happening there and often drop by to see what is happening to the village that is now largely a research center and fantasyland of more movie memorabilia than anywhere else.

       I miss flying because for the past 50 years or so, I have only been riding while AI does all the trip planning, maintenance and piloting of every vehicle of all kinds from large to small, like electric gravity defying skateboards and the like. I am riding perfectly safe and sound whether it be going back to Earth and then returning or even going to the Moon or Mars on an excursion with first class everything. We have the time, and the thrills are endless.

       Earth 2 has over 1000 different environments like ours emulating various parts of the Earth environment from forests to deserts and everything in between. We can choose to change where we live if we want, anytime we want, and our servants, our working force of androids, will do that for us without question and without any plots to our well-being conjured up by old science fiction.

       Androids are much preferred over human helpers who always seem to have an axe to grind or another. We also have the ability to take an elevator to zero gravity for the enjoyment that it brings: like swimming underwater without worrying about taking a breath. The opportunities for outdoor activity are endless and we are still experimenting and developing more.

       The Earth elevator to space designed to save the tremendous energy it takes to move any kind of weight from the Earth surface to Earth orbit has been under construction for some time at several locations. So far, the construction has failed because of Earth’s violent weather. As the weather improves over time, we expect the project to succeed and allow Earth to orbit and return for both humans and material to be very efficient and trouble free.

       Our power is drawn directly from the sun and enables us to power everything on the colony with ease as well as do necessary maintenance and upgrades/renovations that are required. Earth 3 is scheduled to be completed by 2145, a new record for completion of such a colossal project. Most of the occupants of Earth 1 will temporarily relocate there while renovations are done. While almost everything was accounted for, our oldest colony has suffered from micro meteors and failure to be fully protected from solar storm radiation flares.

       Earth 2 was the first colony to have our own magnetic field that protects us from solar radiation much better than the shields built into Earth 1. When finished, Earth 1 will be as up to date as Earth 3. The displaced occupants will have a choice of living in either of those worlds. There is always pleasure in changing venues, having done it many times in my life.

       But our greatest project is not a solar one. We have located over 132 planets that are in the magic habitable zone, or as we like to call it, the "Goldilocks Zone." These are planets that are a reasonable distance from their suns, more often two than one, are rocky in nature, have water and a reasonable, oxygen atmosphere. As well as other characteristics like age and particularly, size, because human DNA is conditioned to Earth gravity and planets of that size are the most desired for multiple reasons.

       While it would be nice to travel the distances involved in a state of suspended aging like so many travels to distant planets have been depicted in science fiction, AI has determined for us the best way for us to inhabit other parts of the universe would be to send frozen fertilized embryo and/or frozen sperm and eggs on these long distances to places that may or may not be conducive for the birth of any of the population sent.

       Androids would run the ships for the entire distance until orbiting and analyzing the planet below to determine whether or not it would be safe to allow children to grow up and began to live on the planet below.

       In any case, we have designed the program and ships so that key individuals would be allowed to grow up on board in orbit until they reach maturity and have learned everything they can from the memory banks of their parents and the Earth to make wise decisions about how to intervene in the planet below's evolution and whether to populate it or not.

       We expect many of these planets will not welcome human intervention. Although we hope that some will. In any event, our spaceships will be equipped for us to build colonies similar to what we have built here wherever we go in the universe.

        So far, we have not figured out how to communicate in interstellar space. Our communication, traveling at the speed of light, is already inadequate in our solar system. Except for the memory banks of Earth on the motherships, there will be no interactive communication. Our seeds sent to the stars will never return or communicate with us. At least under the means of communication we have today. Hopefully, that problem will also be solved someday.

       Derek, Melody and I have seen tremendous changes in our lifetime. Seeing and doing things that we never thought we would ever see or do. And the possibility of extending our lifespans far beyond what they are today seems eminently possible. As well as connecting with other intelligence in an alliance that is hoped-for. Rather than the ongoing fictional theme of continuing Earth-based wars in interstellar space.

       So, I am closing the book with this chapter for you all to ponder.

Copyright 2024 © Ronald W. Hull

5/29/24