The Frigid Heart (ONC-2021)

Falcon and the falconer

Spaceship Pegasus.
Centaurus constellation, Centauri trinary system.
Planet Proxima Centauri -B.

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"Entering Mesosphere of the Planet Proxima -B.
Cleared for landing at the base camp, East wing of terminator line.
Estimated time for landing via space-pods is 6 mins 22 seconds, Earth time.
Estimated surface temperature -optimal, -24 degree F.
Atmospheric pressure- 989.6 millibars.
Oxygen -16%.
Gravity - 0.94 g.
No expected solar flares for next 9 to 11 earth days.
Please approach the docking station and ensure to wear oxygen masks."

The imperial symbol of a falcon in flight adorned his helmet in golden gleam. His armor steel and strong, the emperor walked the hallway connecting the imperial quarters to the dock. His footsteps were firm, with determination. A line of commandoes followed him, their armaments drawn up and ready.

Through the glimmering glass panes of the hallway, a sharp ruddy beam splintered their visions. Reflexively their hands went for cover. "Argh!"

A pale young man, in an attire much similar to the emperor, curiously went closer and squinted his eyes.

Hundreds and thousands of swarming hexagonal black discs contorted in and out near the dying star, like bees buzzing around a hive.

In reality, each hexagon must have been the size of a house, but they appeared as tiny dots and patches shadowing only a part of Proxima Centauri sun.

"Incredible," the young man whispered in amusement, "I had only read, but now I see."

"Barren is all I see," the emperor slowly lowered his hand, three of his fingers had intricate and ornamental rings made of Auronium - an expensive element, just next to Zantium in the interstellar era. "...just like our future."

The transition of black nothingness to blinding white light when the ship entered the stratosphere, alerted them to continue towards the dock right away.

"Activating space-pods one to fifteen. Please wear oxygen masks and safety harness. Initiating departure in 10, 9, 8, 7..." the pleasant feminine voice instructed the team about safety measures through comms.

The emperor and the prince entered a vacuum drawn doorway into a space-pod. Soon all the fifteen space-pods dropped out of the Pegasus - first in a freefall, later by gaining rocket speed to land on the rocky surface of the Terminator line of Proxima B planet.

"Hold your balance, son! The balance is the key." The emperor warned in a muffled tone through his mask, as the space-pod got caught up in a heat wave above the white destination mark on Principal basecamp.

"Yes, father." The boy said, his tone obviously dismissive and disobedient. "May I please know why we're here, at least now father?"

The pod staggered before it landed with a jolting thud, the emperor's grip was tight around the support handle, his clenched jaw more tighter. "Have you been skipping your flying classes again?"

"That's not the answer for my question."

The emperor sighed while he undid his harness, "son, can't you see the planet? It's lifeless."

"And?"

"The empire has to become stronger, now more than ever. People are giving up. It's too much work. You see, the Terraforming is failing." The emperor stepped out of the pod, his heavy breaths fogging the transparent Oxygen mask tethered to his back by a thin tubing.

"Is that why you've brought me, father?" The prince prepared himself holding his breath, for he knew what was going to come next.

"I'm afraid, it is." The emperor sulked for a second then continued, "I, Edmund Eralan -the falconer, will not hesitate to do anything... anything to raise humanity to the Inikan order. That I swore by the Supreme Inikan Codex. Now, my son. As the future king - as the future falconer, are you with me?"

"Y-yes, father." The prince couldn't meet those steel grey eyes of his father, so piercing, so terrifying, yet so calm.

"I see that you hesitate, Matthias." The emperor stood stern, his hands tied behind his back, face a bony mask.

"I would never, father. So I pledge." Prince Matthias reassured holding a fist to his chest, though somewhere in the back of his mind there was an ominous unwillingness to blindly follow a faith that was so dictorial. But he was in no position to judge, he had to live by the Inikan Codex, he had to.

'I pledge with my life, I pledge with my blood, I -Matthias Eralan, the future heir to the throne of Empire, take the oath of Inikan faith. That I will hold my humanity in these hands and lift it to the order of Gods. I shall not... ' The oath he had taken just a year ago was stuck in his brain like an earworm. In dreams and in wake, those words never left. It was as if they were etched somewhere on his soul.

"So I pledge," The emperor nodded.

"Sir, sorry to interrupt. But levitars are here to take you to the camp." The King's Confidante arrived on a black circular disc that levitated at a foot's distance above the ground of rocky terrain, he gestured his hands towards two other levitars floating beside him.

The prince, swayed to find his balance on his levitar as the confidante helped him.

"Get used to it, this won't be your last time." Edmund said, unbothered to look at him. He pulled his center of gravity forward, the levitar automatically sped surpassing both the prince and advisor toward the colony. His grace somehow made it look easy. But for Matthias though, every little strand of muscle in his body tensed and stiffened as the levitar shook.

"I'm gonna have to learn how to control this thing," Matthias groaned as he flung his arms on either side to balance himself, "can't we just walk? Sure it'll be a couple more minutes to reach. But, these flying things are lame. I'd rather prefer a magnetic mono-wheel from back home than this plate of nothing."

"Levitars. These flying things are called 'levitars', Matt. And you'll see why we need them here soon enough." Moving his front foot on to the edge, the confidante tied his hands back and stooped his head down like an eagle targetting its prey.

A sensor blinked on the confidante's levitar anteriorly.

"So I pledge." The confidante mocked a salut before he zoomed out of the place in speed and was vanished.

"Ahh..now I get it." Matthias took in a deep breath and moved his left foot, a little by little till it touched an edge. Suddenly the levitar sped up, as he clumsily stayed on board, holding on to his dear life. "Huh..ha..whohaaa!"

A giant makeshift base camp with multiple steep buildings, scrap mounds, with spewing toxic gases from foundries stood at a distance. A continuous smog hovered above and around the camp, many workers did their jobs by wearing transparent oxygen synthesizing masks, their clothes dirty red from dusty whistling winds. A number of bot and droid labourers handled heavy weights and carried them to and fro around the camp.

A giant tubular structure of several meters stood at the end of the camp facing towards the sky, probably to launch Dyson miniatures into the space when needed.

A mirage danced at the horizon, rays from the sun scattered and eclipsed as hexagonal honeycomb shadows appeared and disappeared from the Dyson swarm.

"Incredible." The future falconer gasped again.

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Wc-1086

Thank you very much for reading.❤️

I have a genuine doubt, since I'm keeping chapters very short, I have a weird feeling that the story is not moving forward.
Do you feel like that while reading?
Is it getting boring??
I need some help here.

Thanks. :)