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Novelo Rectangle

The day was coming to an end. Soon, the two moons would be the only light sources in the starry sky. Duncan sat at his desk in the research centre, his face full of tension. His access to the central server had just been cut off, and he knew he had to find a solution immediately. He picked up the videophone and called Tannis, his trusted colleague."Duncan! What's going on?" asked Tannis."I need your help. They cut off my access to the central server. I have some important climate data that we need to analyze immediately. I'll send it to you; can you handle it?""What kind of data is it?" asked Tannis. "Does it concern our project?""Yes, it's climate change data from the last decade," Duncan replied. "Someone made sure the funding for our project was cut, and it seems they're trying to stop us from continuing the research.""I understand," said Tannis decisively. "Send me the data, and I'll start the analysis right immediately. What about the other project, the Ark? Are we continuing?""Of course, we're continuing. It's almost ready. I hope we won't need it, but... I'll also send you a simulation program. I want to see where our world is heading. I'm not very optimistic, but it's good to know.""Gladly. Will you stay at the centre? Maybe you want to come here? We'd be happy to have you for dinner.""No. There's no need. I'll go home, call me there. When can you have an answer?""It depends on the volume of data. I'll try to have it ready tonight or tomorrow morning."Duncan closed the call, thanked Tannis, and began preparing the data for sending. He knew the situation was critical and feared the worst. But with Tannis' support, there was hope that the research would continue despite the obstacles. Maybe he could get the funding for his project back if he presented all the evidence to the government.With nothing else to do, he left the research centre, his face visibly showing signs of disappointment. The centre was a large, shiny building, full of advanced equipment and laboratories, but the prevailing feeling was one of neglect. The once polished floors were now dull, and the walls, full of scientific diagrams and charts, bore the marks of years of neglect and lack of funding."Professor! Join us for a drink," the voice belonged to Ethan, one of his students. A group of them was sitting outside a small café near the University.Duncan smiled politely and was ready to decline. But something made him change his mind. It had been a long time since he had relaxed outside. Since... he didn't want to continue the thought. After all, there were some of his best students there."Alright, kids, but just for a little while," he said and sat with them. Ethan offered him a seat, while Liam went to order another drink. The group was completed by two girls, Emma and Olivia.Duncan took a sip of his drink, looked at the young faces, and sighed deeply. "We should have made a better world for you," he said, lowering his gaze.Liam asked, "What do you mean, sir?""Think about the vast forests I remember from my youth," Duncan began. "Those rich, green expanses, full of ancient trees and wildlife, have receded in the face of relentless human expansion. Now, they have been replaced by iron buildings and large metal structures, creating a cold, grey landscape.""The temperature has risen significantly," added Ethan. "Heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires are now common occurrences.""Exactly," continued Duncan. "Even more worrying is the situation at the poles. The ice that once covered the Arctic and Antarctic regions has almost melted. The rise in sea levels threatens to flood coastal areas."Emma commented, "But there are some scientists like you who are closely monitoring the changes. For example, the changes in ocean currents that affect the climate worldwide."Duncan nodded. "But who listens to us? Indifference and greed have driven the planet to this state. Warnings about the climate crisis have been ignored or dismissed as exaggerations.""Is there nothing that can be done? What is the government doing?" asked Olivia with concern."The big heads in the government claim that none of this means anything," Duncan replied. "Politicians and corporate leaders prefer to ignore the alarming signs, clinging to short-term economic gains.""They talk about green development, yet in practice, they destroy acres of forests just to place a wind turbine with a limited lifespan," commented Ethan."In my village, they stopped cultivating half the fields to install solar panels. With compensation, of course.""Yes," answered Duncan. "They cut funding for genuine environmental research and divert resources to energy-saving campaigns, which are superficial and barely effective.""They leave the big industries unchecked," added Emma. "The large companies are responsible for the majority of pollution and environmental destruction.""While they tell us not to turn on the air conditioning and not to use plastic straws. As if it's our fault," added Olivia.Duncan smiled briefly and concluded the discussion, "Greed and indifference dominate, leaving the planet to slowly but steadily march toward destruction. Only if we realize the urgency of the situation and act immediately can we hope for change."After saying goodbye to the students, he left. A little later, he entered his home. Duncan's house was full of memories but now felt empty and cold. The walls were adorned with photos of Nina in happier times, but her absence was felt everywhere. Nina had been a petite girl. They had met as students and remained in love until the end. A strange illness took her from him, and to avoid depression, Duncan dedicated himself to his work. It was through this dedication that he discovered Nina's death, and other mysterious deaths, were related to increased solar radiation. Thus, he began his crusade to inform the world about the effects of climate change, finding few companions in this effort.As he entered the house, the videophone indicated an incoming call. Duncan approached the videophone and pressed the accept button. Tannis' holographic image appeared before him."Welcome, what's new?" Duncan asked, with a trace of hope in his voice."Not good," Tannis replied with a deep sigh.Tannis was one of the few who shared Duncan's concerns. They had met years ago at a scientific conference. Tannis, a young and rising scientist then, had been impressed by Duncan's research and dedication to saving the planet. Since then, the two have become close collaborators and friends, sharing the same worry about the future."Do you have the analysis I requested?" Duncan asked impatiently."Yes, and you're right," said Tannis with a heavy tone. "The data is undeniable. The situation is worse than we feared.""Who listens to us, though?" Duncan continued, disappointed. "The government prefers to ignore and continue destructive practices.""It's too late anyway," replied Tannis, sadness in his eyes. "The changes are already irreversible.""How much time do we have?" Duncan asked, worried about their next move."Less than a year," Tannis responded. "The protection from radiation will soon disappear, and the consequences will be catastrophic. The upcoming tropical storms will be the planet's last breath."Duncan remained silent for a moment, absorbing Tannis' words. "We must proceed with the Ark plan. Crimes against nature will be paid for, but at least some of us could be saved.""I'll help as much as I can," Tannis said decisively. "We can't give up now.""Thank you, my friend," Duncan said. "Tomorrow, I'll meet the High Commissioner. Let's hope he understands the situation.""Good luck," Tannis said. "We'll talk soon."Duncan ended the call. He turned to his notes and the results he received from Tannis. The truth was harsh. Within a year, no living creature would exist, except perhaps a few bacteria.All that was left, he thought, was the life-saving plan. He gathered the data he had and quickly made a brief report. The next day, he would meet the High Commissioner and had to be ready. He didn't expect support or, more importantly, funding for his plan. At least he hoped for formal approval so they wouldn't obstruct him when the time came to launch the Ark.Then he went outside to admire the sunset. In his region, it was one of the best on the planet. Soon, the "three stars of the Sun" appeared. Of course, he knew they were just the three inner planets, but he preferred the mythological version that referred to them as the "guards of the Sun." The Sun's rays illuminated the Great Pyramid, the only ancient structure that remained intact. It was an imposing building, made of massive stones that joined with such precision that no modern tool could achieve. Inside, Duncan hoped it would remain intact even after the disaster.The next day, he set off for the government mansion. It was an imposing building made of white marble, full of columns and statues that reminded him of the ancient glory of their civilization. The walls were decorated with paintings depicting great victories and important moments in their history. Although he was a victim of government propaganda, he knew he would be received because of his great scientific reputation. Of course, such a thing was not easy, and he had to go through all the gears of a harsh bureaucratic machine first. Eventually, however, he managed to speak privately with the High Commissioner Ormaz.Ormaz held the position of Supreme Commissioner for nearly ten years. He was a man with deep wrinkles on his face, signs of years of effort and struggle to maintain peace and balance in the world of politics and science. At least, that's what he implied, since, all he cared about was maintaining his position. However, he knew that he would soon retire, mainly due to his age nearing thirty-five.He always considered it a great success to compromise between various interests: industry seeking profits and the academic community seeking knowledge and progress. Funding from industries had increased significantly during his tenure, and in return, many new inventions became their property. However, many in the academic community and beyond believed that science was simply being sold in the name of speculation. Although he had a way of dealing with objections, if they became dangerous, he knew it was important to maintain balance. Thus, Ormaz had to accept whoever asked.With a heavy heart, he therefore instructed his secretary to let Duncan in. It was the first time in a long time that he felt intense worry about the future. If Duncan's concerns were made public, they would cause turmoil in the world. Perhaps a new economic crisis would recur. That's why it was important for him to keep the mad scientist, as he secretly called him, under surveillance."Welcome, what kind of disaster have you prepared for us today?" Ormaz said sarcastically."Drop the irony, Ormaz. We've reached the end," Duncan replied."Come on, you say the same thing every time. What's new?" Ormaz asked."I've already shown you that temperatures are rising, ice caps are melting, and the ozone layer is almost gone, and you did nothing. What more are you expecting?" Duncan asked disappointedly."I've told you many times that I'm not a scientist, so spare me your tricks and tell me clearly what you mean," Ormaz replied annoyed."I mean we need to build an ark with essential plants and animals and as many as we can and send them somewhere else. There will be nothing left here soon," Duncan confidently stated."What do you mean, flee? We're talking about billions of people. We can't scare the world in this way," Ormaz reacted strongly."I'm not talking about everyone, I'm talking about a few animals and plants that could survive somewhere else, and I hope for a few thousand people. Only those we can save now," Duncan said desperately."You have strange ideas, Duncan. If you were in my position, perhaps you wouldn't want to make such a decision," Ormaz said ironically.Duncan glared at him without saying anything. Ormaz, wanting to end the meeting, said, "Look, I can't release this to the public; it will cause chaos, and you know it.""But by the Great Pyramid of the Gods, you understand nothing. All you care about is the stock exchange, but soon there won't be even that," Duncan said."Give me a day; let me talk to the Minister of Technology, and tomorrow I'll have news for you. Just one day," Ormaz pleaded."Okay, tomorrow I'll be here. Tell your lackeys to leave me alone. Three hours of interrogation just to get me here," Duncan said disappointedly and left.Ormaz sat pensive at his desk. Deep down, he believed that there was no danger, and all this was a result of the anger of the professor whose funding had been cut off. After all, he never considered Duncan's work as science. The word 'environmentalism' seemed useless to him. However, he knew it could become dangerous. His country had won the Great War thanks to the new weapon, the atomic bomb. But such a revelation would cause ruptures among allies and those who eyed the planet's power. He knew what he had to do. He threw Duncan's notes into the incinerator and picked up the phone.Duncan had no illusions. He knew Ormaz would simply ignore him. He just had a secret hope that this time he would be proven wrong. He went to the research centre and checked his laboratory. It was an underground room full of tubes and state-of-the-art equipment. The walls were lined with shelves of plant and animal samples.He thought again about his meeting with Ormaz. Then he made his final decision. He called Tannis on the videophone and said, "The Ark is ready. Tomorrow we will launch.""So Ormaz agreed," Tannis asked. "No, and I don't think he will agree. I just want to present him with a fait accompli," Duncan replied."I will be by your side no matter what happens. But it's dangerous to challenge Ormaz," Tannis warned."You know very well that in a year none of us will be here. I hope that the launch will gain such publicity that we will manage to evacuate people with another Ark," Duncan said."Alright. Tomorrow at sunrise, I'll be there."Duncan ended the call, locked the laboratory, and left. The Sun had set, and the "Guardians of the Sun" were in the sky. Suddenly, he thought it might be the last time he saw them. He was right. At the door of his house, the fatal bullet found him. They approached him quietly, immobilized him, and shot him in the head. Death was instantaneous."Nina, I'm coming to you," was his last thought.The next day they were talking about a drug addict who, to get his dose, resorted to murder. His funeral was a public expense, and the entire University was there. After the ceremony, the devastated Tannis couldn't forget his duties. He went to the laboratory but couldn't get in. Thus, the launch was postponed indefinitely.Ormaz attended the funeral after expressing his grief on television for the loss of the great professor. He even promised support to the widow of the deceased before someone whispered in his ear that Duncan's wife had already died. Then he locked himself in his office, certain as ever that the power he held over the planet would be eternal. He was wrong.A short while later, a major tropical storm hit almost the entire planet. Temperatures rose sharply, and plants soon withered. Skyscrapers that seemed indestructible were destroyed by wild winds, and animals died from hunger and extreme weather conditions. No one survived to remind us of the greatness of the civilization that preceded it. Centuries passed, and the atmosphere was almost dissolved. The great buildings rusted and collapsed, and after millions of years, only red dust from the rusted iron remained, giving the dead planet a reddish colour. As if it were the blood spilt by a tribe that, at its peak, chose suicide as its only solution.Of all the magnificent civilization, only two things remained to remind people of it: A great pyramid, a monument that something had once happened here. The ancients who built it said time fools everything, but the pyramid would even fool time. The second thing that remained was Duncan's laboratory basement, where some bacteria survived.Several million years later, a meteorite crashed into the planet. Without an atmosphere, it arrived untouched on the surface and detached a large piece along with Duncan's laboratory. Red dust soon covered the crater, but the piece that broke off departed into space. The same piece fell as a meteorite on the third planet, which also lacked an atmosphere. Duncan's bacteria caused the production of oxygen and water, and soon the first animals and plants appeared. Billions of years later, two members of the Homo Sapiens tribe were discussing."Do you think there was ever life on Mars?" one said, looking at the reddish planet in the sky."Let's make sure to preserve it on Earth first, and then we can look to Mars," the other replied.

"The Fourth Planet"

spyrosm

spyrosm

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The Fourth Planet

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Spyridon Magklaras

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