news online. 😄 Inspired, I wrote in a bit of mystery surrounding a shift in earth's timeline into your story. I hope you like it.Hello, @justclickindiva. Here's my entry. I couldn't help myself when I read this NASA
“Come on!” Harkeem pounded the worn red button on the spaceship's control panel.
“Easy, tiger. If you mess this up, Pope's gonna have your head,” Shei blurted, equally frustrated as he tapped buttons on his own console.
After two decades in space, TESS was slowly shutting down as they closed in on their target. The wide screen before them revealed an endless black void dotted with distant stars.
But a distinct sphere approached.
The door to the operation centre slid open as their captain—a very tall, lean man—stormed in. “Success?”
His deep-set, brown eyes darted between the two commanders typing on their keyboards. He was met with silence. Their thinned lips and tight scowls was the answer he got. Searching for an exoplanet that wasn't disintegrating proved a herculean task.
“There!” Shei pointed at the screen. The men stood, eyes on the wide monitor as their spaceship drew close to an exoplanet in full form. There was no sign of red, scorching marks around it.
“As I live and breathe…,” Pope whispered, his eyes unblinking, drinking in the most beautiful thing he'd laid eyes on in over twenty years. “Wait. This one looks familiar. Harkeem?”
“It's BD+ 14407 - Earth.”
Pope cracked his knuckles, his lips moving in silence. “Finally, my brothers. This will be our home now—”
“Are you sure? It's different from our world. We can keep searching,” Shei suggested though his glassy eyes shone with excitement.
Pope tilted his head , studying the approaching planet. “No more search. This is it.” He pointed at his commanders. “Harkeem, sent out a Xi signal. Sheri…let them have a Sigma.”
“Sigma? Earth revolves around the sun. They are in their 21st century. Sending Sigma shifts them back a century.”
A wisp of smoke slowly curled out of Pope's nose, his brown eyes glowing red. He was angry. “Send. Sigma,” he ordered.
Sheri bent over the control panel and tapped away. A bright beacon emanated from their spaceship, darting through space with the speed of light to lock onto Earth.
The beacon carried a message. It glowed on the monitor — VI-XXXI-MCMLXXII.
Pope smirked. “Let's go home.”
Wesley couldn't take his eyes off the sky while Jeremy calmed Lynn.
“Guys, that's an error,” Wesley spit out, frowning. “That date doesn't exist—”
“Are you sure about that, young one?” An old man in a dirty black cloak, stepped out from the alley behind them.
The trio paled in shock. It was as if the old man had just stepped out of a garbage can. The foul stench oozing from him made Wesley and Jeremy pinch their noses on impulse. He grinned, displaying rotting teeth.
“What are you talking about?” Lynn asked through heaving breaths.
“The Forgotten Ones return home. You can't turn them back now…this is their home.” He chuckled to himself, turned and went the other way to join the chaos.
Jeremy snorted. “I think he's crazy—”
“Maybe not. Guys, look!” Wesley pointed to the sky. The trio watched as the fiery red streaks decorating the skyline parted to let in an odd shaped flying machine. In the blink of an eye, it vanished, confusing the teenagers.
As the red streaks faded from the sky, chaos gave way to calmness. Everyone went about their business like nothing happened.
“What's today's date?” Lynn asked instinctively. Wesley and Jeremy both gazed at their wrists.
Both watches displayed - 06.31.1972.
TESS - Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
"The Forgotten Ones." I love it. You are masterful without a doubt. Gave me exactly what I needed. I'm thrilled at the response from you, Alonicus and others. It's amazing how how thoughts run along the same vein. Sending Earth's inhabitants back a century hopefully will give them a better outcome after the "redo".
I appreciate your participation and knew I could count on you. Thanks so much for the wonderful story line in so short a time frame. Surprises await.
Take care.
!LADY