Black Hole Sons
Faruq
6 months of living lean and a childhood obsession later, Faruq vies for elbow room with a man who apparently hasn’t showered in a week. The sounds of children’s shrieks fill a space that’s packed like sardines. Several new initiates have formed chanting circles. They’ve been keeping the rest of the ship awake for hours now. He digs through the one bag allowed. The holo projector inside died hours ago, its power backup is sitting on an entryway shelf millions of miles away. Faruq accidentally makes eye contact with the giant of a man in the next seat. He’s decked out in head to toe gear barking the destination. A hat blazing OUR ETERNAL HORIZON and jacket proclaiming THE END OF THE COMMONWEALTH, THE START OF THE JOINING. He tries to play like they didn’t make eye contact, but it doesn’t work.
“First time?”
Faruq smiles, but it comes off unnatural. The other man is undeterred.
“Yea, first time.”
“It’s my fifth. Tickets are pricey, but ever since my first time a decade ago, I’ve made it a point to get out here every couple years when I have the credits.”
He points to the lapel of his jacket. 5 visitor badges sit in a neat vertical row, each with a different design from past years. The last one matches Faruq’s, showing a dark void in a crowded sky with today’s date swirling towards the center. VISITOR is sprawled across the center. His smile widens. It’s now that Faruq notices they’re not far apart in age.
“You’re in for a treat. Make sure you save enough time for the Observation Deck. Even the science junkies regret not allotting enough time to just take a long look. The view is just…well, you’ll see. Wouldn’t wanna spoil anything!”
His grin expands and accentuates the wrinkles across his face. Faruq smiles back with less enthusiasm and reminds himself that this was the seat he could afford. And it was good advice, considering Faruq could only spring for a day pass.
“Thanks for the tip. I’ll try to head there first.”
“No problem! I’m Mick, by the way. If you want to make the most out of your visit, come find me. I’ve got the 3 day pass, so I don’t mind showing a first timer around.”
Mick extends his hand out and Faruq shakes with growing gratitude.
“Faruq. And I might just take you up on that. I’m gonna try to get some sleep.”
“Good idea, You wanna be firing on all cylinders when we land.”
This time, Mick notices as Faruq tries to shift in his seat and makes room on the elbow rest. Some rest finally comes as he angles his body towards the wall of the ship.
*******************************************************************************************************
Faruq suddenly jerks awake as the ship decelerates. A sense of panic wells up. Mick looks over reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, that bump just finally means we’re getting to the last leg of the trip. We still got a few hours though.”
He pointed up to the screen at the front. It showed the ship hurtling through a dark void along a dotted line. A countdown showed nearly 3 hours left in the trip.
“Thanks, Mick, I haven’t ever traveled this far out of the Commonwealth before.”
“Me either before my first trip to Horizon. Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”
“Mind if I hit the head?”
“Go for it. I think the one in the back is free.”
Mick waddled his massive frame into the aisle, barely making enough space. Even with Faruq’s thin body, the aisles were claustrophobic. He tries his best to avoid the knees of other passengers as he makes his way to the back. Academics in patchy business wear sit on their computers, talking to each other in hushed tones. Visitors try to sleep or wrangle their families as the hours drag on. Some people are dressed as colorfully as Mick.
A group of 3 initiates sit in a circle on the floor a few feet away, holding hands and swapping stories. They take up an inordinate amount of space in the vestibule leading to the bathroom. Their metallic Initiate badges reflect the lights of the ship as they bob in excitement. One woman dominates the conversation.
“My brother joined a few years ago, I can’t wait to finally see him again!”
“Don’t they house sexes separately?"
“Yea, but he’s already taken the journey.”
“Already? I thought it took years to get to that level?”
The woman beamed with pride at that comment.
“Normally yes, but my family’s been with the Black Hole Sons for generations. They try to keep families together, even if we join at different times. Besides, we’ll all be together in the end, regardless of how long it takes.”
The other two nodded in agreement. Another man spoke.
“They truly are wise. Hopefully that will convince my own brother to take the plunge soon. I just know the journey would mean so much more if he would join me.”
At that the woman leaned forward and took the man’s hands in her own.
“Remember the teachings. All will be together. The road is one we all must travel.”
At that comment, the other two nodded in fierce agreement. Their voices rose slowly until someone on a nearby seat shushed them into a low whisper. As the line marched forward, their conversation became distant. Just a few more hours to go.
***********************************************************************************************************
Faruq is suddenly awoken from a deep sleep by Mick’s elbow.
“Wake up, Faruq. You’re not gonna want to miss this.”
He gestures towards the main screen where the progress bar usually sits. A screen with the company logo has taken its place with a message: “Please standby for an important announcement. We will be landing soon.”
“There’s some rules you’re gonna want to hear. The Black Hole Sons eject someone every year.”
Faruq rummages for the set of headphones provided by the ship attendant. The lights turn up and an announcement follows.
Please turn your attention to the screen in front of you. We have a short message for those traveling with us to Centaurus A139.
A screen embedded in the headrest in front of him comes to life. A woman dressed in a Galactic Princess company uniform gestures against a background of the Horizon black hole and its surrounding stations. The screams of children and chants of devout initiates fade into the background as the headset pairs with the audio.
-and thank you for flying with the Galactic Princess. We appreciate your business. For those of you making the trip for the first time, there are a few ground rules that the Black Hole Sons ask us to respect.
The screen zooms in and hovers around half a dozen stations orbiting Horizon. They appear as hunks of metal in various states of disrepair, some clearly built decades before others. Labels appeared below them: Church of the Eternal, Son’s Quarters, Daughter’s Quarters, Observation Deck, Education Center, Pilgrim’s Point.
Visitors are asked to stay in these three areas and asked to keep their visitor badges clearly visible above the waist.
A glimmer highlights the Observation Deck, Education Center, and Pilgrim’s Point.
Any new initiates joining the Black Hole Sons are asked to come straight to the Church. Please make sure your Initiate badges are in plain view with your personal code facing forward. They would like me to mention how excited the organization is to welcome new children into the warm embrace of Our Eternal Horizon.
The screen rotated towards the Observation Deck.
Those from the scientific community are asked to report directly to the Observation Deck. A shuttle will ferry you directly from our landing site to the reception area where you will be escorted to your preapproved research stations. Please do not deviate from your designated zones.
The screen panned out to include the entire Black Hole Sons complex. The woman began speaking again with a corporate smile:
We thank you again for flying with us. We know you have a lot of choices in spacecraft and we hope to see you again. Please remember that visiting Centaurus A139 is a privilege granted to us by the Black Hole Sons. Please keep the rules in mind so that everyone can continue to enjoy a once in a lifetime experience.
The screen fades to black as the intercom overhead buzzes to life.
This is your captain speaking. We are a few AU’s short of docking so sit back, relax, and remember to fly the Galactic Princess for all your Galactic Commonwealth travel plans. We hope to see you again soon.
Mick glanced up from his screen with a childlike smile on his face. Despite the exhaustion of the trip, the whole ship starts buzzing with anticipation. A smile gently tugs at the corners of Faruq’s mouth, now too awake to sleep for the rest of the trip.
Cass
Cass was usually an antsy traveler. First up on landing, first to have her bag at her side, first out of coach and onto the tarmac. Today, she was bringing up the rear as the attendants flashed their impatient smiles for her to deboard the Galactic Princess.
She checked that her Visitor badge was visible. Other visitors gave her badge sideways glances at the “Family Exemption” in bold letters across it. She knew there was a big secondary market of collectors. At least the trip would be worth something.
No. Stop. She stopped on the bridge and took a deep breath. Find your center. This isn’t what she talked about in therapy. She was here for her brother.
She navigated a maze of ports with increasingly nicer ships. She dodged in between visitors arriving with porters for their luggage, scientists from prestigious universities, and other guests.
A coach ticket was better than still drinking the Kool-Aid, she thought as she joined her huddled masses into visitor lines.
It’d been years since she stayed here with her family. Cass couldn’t deny the spectacle of the immigration hanger. It dwarfed even the CommonWealth’s capital building in size. Nearly a hundred stories tall of meticulously maintained metal framing and inches of glass separating it from the frigid vacuum of space. The walls were decorated with murals. The initial 4 founders, the expansion, and finally the acquisition of Horizon and the proximal space around it.
She could see the other stations circling them in stable orbit. The Church, as the second biggest structure, was suspended in synchronous orbit above the Observation Deck. The Sons and Daughters Quarters never strayed too far from each other, though were never close enough to matter to its occupants. Their orbits varied widely day by day as thrusters prevented their decay into Horizon. She knew from experience that the Sons kept the newest side facing the Observation Deck so visitors wouldn’t react poorly to its underbelly. A hunk of poorly kept metal hurtling through space at thousands of miles an hour. In a way it made sense. Why repair something when the true journey was so close at hand?
“Next!”
Cass took a moment to root herself and stepped forward to the immigration desk. Here for her brother, then she’s out forever.
The immigration officer was young and dressed in an initiate’s robe. The new ones often got jobs like this. Still excited, enough to put on a good front even for the most mind numbing jobs. At least she never had to subject herself to this. The officer lingered on her visitor’s badge. The thousand watt smile was lost for a moment before he regained composure.
“Purpose of your visit?”
No polite chatter. Hidden upside of being a pariah.
“Family visit.”
“They’re going on the journey?”
Cass barely suppressed an eyeroll. She could hear the excitement in his voice. And the judgement.
“Yes, I believe that’s the term for it.”
The officer hid his wince by looking down to process the paperwork. Probably not a legacy like her if he knew how to hide his disdain. A few stamps later she’s handed a folder with a big red approval stamped across the top.
“Even a former daughter is always welcome back in the fold.”
He’s just doing his job. It’s not his fault.
“Yea, thanks. I’ll keep it in mind.”
She follows the crowd out of immigration. The swell of people disperse into the Welcome Center, essentially a massive metal box. Desks staffed with initiates ferry people to their designated areas. Scientists towards the attached Observation Deck, typical Visitors led to their guides, and Aspirants holding signs for those with family exemptions. Better to have more experienced members share the start of someone’s journey. Even better if you have to guide the lost like her.
After scanning the crowd, she spots a solemn faced woman holding her name on a sign. More than likely she was put on this shit detail based on some failed test. Her shit detail. Cass filters through the crowd until they are just two feet from each other.
“Cassandra?”
“Yes, that’s me. You can call me Cass.”
“I’m Sister Ava. I’m here to guide you to your brother before his journey. He’s asked you to be here, even if you’ve left the fold. Because of your family’s legacy, we’ve been able to make an exception.”
Ah, there it was. The reception she was expecting. At least she didn’t have to hide her scorn any longer.
“Thank you Sister Ava, how generous of the Sons. If I could be taken to my brother now?”
Ava’s mouth pursed in disapproval.
“Of course. If you could please follow me, your brother is waiting at Pilgrim’s Point for us.”
Ava steps to one side and gestures behind her towards a port. Cass takes the passenger seat in a cheap two seat shuttle. Ava takes the wheel, flipping switches and asking traffic control for takeoff. Cass feels her ears pop as the shuttle seals in its atmosphere and the engine grumbles to life.
She could see other shuttles periodically taking off and heading in multiple directions. Some to the Quarters, many to the Church. Each seeing their little view of the Horizons or the Sons. After she left, they left, she thought she could see it all as it really was. Just a bunch of people doing what they always did. Starved for meaning. But as the shuttle approaches the bare rock of Pilgrim’s Point, Cass wasn’t so sure of that any longer.
Fletcher
Fletcher hardly had a moment to appreciate the Welcome Center before being taken directly from the immigration line towards a waiting set of initiates. His mentor warned him about the tight restrictions on visiting scientists, especially sociologists, but he’d expected some semblance of a warm welcome. At minimum a polite one.
Instead, he was taken by the elbow out of line after his paperwork cleared and shuttled directly towards the research station. Specifically to the partner research station set up between the Commonwealth’s premier university and the Sons. His mentor explained that it was set up decades ago when the Sons were a much smaller group in an effort to study Centaurus A139. Back when black holes still held mystery. As the Sons grew more influential, sociology grew their share. Within strict limitations of course.
The initiates pushed him through the crowds of visitors and towards a large set of double doors tucked in the corner of the Welcome Center. A pair of initiates stood on each side, their eyes scanning his face and badge. After conferring, one shoves a laminated page into his hand while the other buzzes the door open. Before Fletcher could ask any questions, he was through the door.
The moment the doors close, the sounds of the Welcome Center are quickly replaced by the hum of computers. Overhead fans try their best to dissipate the heat of the electronics, but since they were 10 feet up on the ceiling, all Fletcher could feel was the hint of a breeze. The room itself was massive, maybe one quarter the size of the Welcome Center by quick estimation. At one time, it seemed to be organized into specific work stations along its perimeter. Chemical work benches along one section, telescopes pointing up along another. Now it was one haphazard mess with beakers spilled onto sets of calculations and binders for approved government projects scattered all around the space. Overwhelmed, Fletcher took a moment to exam the laminated sheet he was given:
Standards of Conduct for All Researchers
All researchers must have an escort when leaving their Research Station.
Any changes to your research period must be approved in writing by the Sons 3 months in advance.
All research material sent outside the station must be screened by the Sons.
Any participation in nonresearch organizing is strictly forbidden
He could feel the stares of the initiates on the other side of the wall. He’d heard about what a research position here was like. It seemed outrageous. Less so now.
He heard the other researchers moving around the station. A woman about his age approached him.
“‘Are you Fletcher? From Dr. Morgan’s lab?”
“Yes, yes that’s me. Are you from her lab as well?”
The woman took his hand forcefully and shook it. It was comforting to know this assignment wasn’t totally barren of normal human interaction. She took a step back and smiled.
“No, I’m from a sister university, but also from the sociology department. Dr. Morgan gave my lab director a heads up to give you the official welcome. I’m Sherry.”
Fletcher let the relief flood his face. Sherry responded in kind.
“Thank you so much, Sherry. I’ll admit this whole thing has caught me off guard. I mean we all hear the rumors about assignments here, but never in a million years did I think it was so stark.”
“Ha, you sound like me a year ago. I had that same look as you do. Before I left, my professor told me that I was ‘killing my darling’ by coming here to study the journey.”
Sherry let the comment hang in the air as she gestured for Fletcher to follow her towards a corner of the room. They passed other academics working at leisurely paces. Some introduced themselves, others didn’t bother to glance up from their telescopes or calculations. Finally, they came to a few mismatched desks arranged in a large rectangle. Sherry took a seat on the desk closest to the wall.
“This will be your station. At least until the next batch of sociologists come through. Now that you’re here, I get upgraded to the one with a view.”
Sherry pointed towards a desk 10 feet away. Fletcher followed the view up. The desk barely crossed the edge of the large window up above while the others got a look at the blank edges of the ceiling. A strict upgrade from his office back at the university.
“It’s just us here?”
“For now it is, but the other desks are reserved for the universities on the other side of the Commonwealth. I used to rotate between them but-”
Sherry pointed towards the entrance.
“-they can be pretty specific about the most minute details. It’s all written out in that original contact between the Sons and the Commonwealth like decades ago.”
Fletcher looked towards the door and back at Sherry with a puzzled look. Based on the rumors he heard, he was surprised they cared about this research station at all.
“Look, I know what you’re thinking. Came out here for a passion project, no matter what the haters said. Got warned not to, that the field of studying journeys was dead. Just statements made from out of touch or tenured academics that lost their way a long time ago. How bad could it be?”
It was uncomfortable how right she was. Sherry noticed and reached out to touch his arm.
“Listen, it’s not all doom and gloom. I don’t mean to be cruel, but the faster you understand what you’re in for, the better. Then the real work begins.”
Fletcher felt a smile come on. He looked up at Sherry.
“The real work?”
Sherry smiled back and hopped off the desk, bidding him to follow her towards a computer bank in the corner.
“Yep! The real work. You actually came at a great time. There’s someone scheduled to head out on their journey later today. A legacy at that.”
“Really, a legacy? And they’re letting us watch?”
Sherry nodded and continued with her explanation.
“These computers may be ancient, but they do the job. You can see here that they connect to those telescopes the astronomers use. They usually keep their scopes pointed at Horizon around the clock so they catch everything we’d want to see. They’ve got all parts of the visible and nonvisible spectrum covered.”
Fletcher watched as Sherry clicked through a program on the desktop and brought up a display of Horizon for their vantage point. She cycled through several filters to prove her point. UV, Xray, anything a STEM graduate student could desire.
“But here’s where the magic happens.”
Fletcher watched as Sherry cycled through several photos in quick succession. Initiates in their ships through multiple stages of their journeys. Other members of Sons at a respectful distance, faces in reverence of what they witnessed before them.
“I’m actually pretty proud of this last set I got. I was actually awake at the same time as Sam, one of the astronomers. I was able to get his help manually adjusting the settings on the scope.”
Sherry scrolled through a set of a dozen photographs or so. They showed what appeared to be a family of 4: a mother, father, and their two daughters, hardly teenagers. The first photos showed them embarking on a small ship, just enough room for the four of them. As the slideshow progressed, the ship approached Horizon. There was a window on the back of the craft. He could see the family waving towards the camera as they approached Horizon, quickly at first, then gradually slowing down even as the boosters began to engage. The timestamps between stills jumped further and further apart as the family of four continued waving towards the camera, their movements and smiles slowing. Finally, as the last set of photographs became nearly hours apart, they froze completely. A couple of X-ray sets showed them intersecting with the densest part of the accretion disks, the material surrounding Horizon’s event horizon. Then, as the photos continued, their expressions, their craft, and their bodies grew redder and redder until they faded into nothingness.
No matter how often Fletcher saw these progressions, it still held his attention. The power of Horizon, to captivate people into throwing themselves in day after day, year after year.
“Magnificent. You don’t see many families taking the journey together.”
Sherry looked from the monitor to Fletcher with an expression of pride.
“Right? I was able to get first author on a paper for this. Even made enough inroads staying here that I tracked down their extended family in the Welcome Center before they hopped back to the Commonwealth. That’s on the hush hush, Frick and Frack out there would boot me back home in a second if they found that out.”
Sherry pointed her thumb like a hitchhiker towards the door. That rumor, Fletcher was acutely aware of. The Sons were not known for their welcoming nature to scientists ever since their group was in zeitgeist. Still, to get interviews with those involved, that was unheard of these days.
“I remember that paper. It got me off the fence about coming here.”
“I’m glad to hear it! It’s good to have another person here still passionate about the journey and not just following the trends of academia. As long as people behave in interesting ways, we should be there to document and study it.”
Fletcher smiled his first wide smile since leaving the university. He’d been on a rollercoaster of emotion since deciding to come here and it was good to have something on the horizon to look forward to.
“I couldn’t agree more. So, when’s this legacy leaving for his journey?”
“Sometime today actually! I was able to get someone familiar with the scope to operate it, so we should be getting primo documentation that we can publish together! In fact, rumor has it that he invited his family to witness his journey.”
“Isn’t that pretty common?”
“Yes, but one of his guests is actually a former member. I’ve heard from credible sources that she’s here. If we’re lucky, we’ll have someone close to this legacy member to talk to that won’t be shy to share their insights and true feelings.”
Fletcher felt a wave of excitement pass through his body. He began powering on an adjacent work station and made sure his credentials worked. He could feel his hands shaking.
“I’m feeling lucky already.”
Faruq
Despite Mick’s advice, Faruq started his tour of Horizon at the Education Center. He’d checked the schedule on the way out of the Welcome Center and hopped the earliest shuttle with a flood of other visitors.
Faruq jostled for space, his body pushing against the metal door. He could just turn his head to make out their destination; a large, metal box with a single dock on the front. It reminded him of the brutalist architecture he’d learned about in school. Besides a single arched window, there was no other way to look inside. Faruq could hear the other passengers talking about what they thought was. Trust falls? Rituals? Signing over your worldly possessions?
He was full of the same questions too. They all were. Children were granted access to the Commonwealth intranet in primary school and it wasn’t long before they all discovered Horizon. From then on, only those chosen to go into STEM really knew anything about it. The rest was stories told late at night with what little was available.
The shuttle touched down. A tunnel extended out from the inscrutable building. The airlock hissed as the atmosphere of the shuttle linked with the building inside. An automated voice came from the loudspeakers as the door to the tunnel opened:
“Welcome to the Education Center. Please follow the yellow lines in an orderly fashion into the building. All visitors must adhere strictly to your guide’s instructions. Deviating from the predetermined path is strictly forbidden. Thank you and we hope you enjoy learning about the Black Hole Sons.”
Faruq followed the crowd. He heard the people in front of him gasp and almost did the same as he crossed the threshold into the building.
Inside was one cavernous room, nearly the entire volume of the building. Sets of stairs flanked them on all sides leading to dozens of crossing catwalks up above. In the center of the room was a scale model of Horizon, about 10x larger than Faruq himself. Miniatures of the surrounding stations orbited the Horizon model on noiseless tracks, reflecting their counterparts live. Along the walls of each stairway and hanging from wires parallel to the catwalks were displays of Sons memorabilia and depictions of notable moments in their history. Portraits of early leaders stood alongside blueprints of the early stations. Faruq felt himself being funneled into one of 3 areas penned in by felt rope, his footsteps echoing on the white marble floor. An initiate at the head of the group brought him out of his thoughts.
“Welcome to the Education Center. I am Initiate Cleo. I have been a member of the Black Hole Sons for a few years now and I am excited to take you along our storied history. Please follow all my instructions clearly and feel free to ask any questions you have as we go. Do not deviate from the green line beneath you.”
Cleo gestured towards the green line starting at their feet and disappearing up a set of stairs on the far right wall.
“Doing so will be an automatic ejection not only for you, but everyone in your group. Now, the entire tour should take about 2 hours including a 30 minute period at the end where the other groups will rejoin us for a presentation. And of course, we have a gift shop.”
Cleo stopped for a few polite chuckles.
“Now if you’ll follow me, let’s begin. We have a special treat for you all today. One of our family has generously invited everyone to be a witness to his journey. It’s a rare occurrence, but I remind you that photos are strictly forbidden.”
Cleo turned heel and walked up the stairs at the right wall with the crowd following behind. Faruq felt the excitement of the crowd around him. Not many people outside the Sons got to watch an old family member embark on their journey. The new initiates often made theirs a public display of their belief. The old guard valued privacy. Cleo spoke as they crested the first catwalk.
“The Black Hole Sons were first established in 2855 with our founder Jeremiah Luccard. He was a physicist living in the early galactic age. Humans had just gotten the technology to travel to the outer bounds of the Commonwealth where we stand today.”
Cleo gestured towards a large portrait of a serious, dark skinned man. His coal colored eyes met Faruq’s intimately, like they had a mutual secret. Cleo had moved on a few steps and sounded out a warning to keep up. She stopped at a painting depicting Jeremiah teaching a class with Horizon displayed on a monitor. The painted crowd was up in arms.
“He had begun to see Horizon for what it really was. More than just a scientific curiosity, but as a goal dreamt of by mankind for time immemorial. A place where petty squabbles and differences were washed away as a singular point. As you can see here, it was not well received. He was quickly a pariah among the so-called learned men.”
Cleo continued on, pointing out the early studies of Horizon through the personal journals of Jeremiah. Faruq leaned over the glass at meticulous hand drawn depictions of Horizon along with notes of its significance. “The Big Crunch” was heavily underlined in many of the margins. Cleo stopped the group in front of an artistic representation of the Big Crunch. A painting of the stars, galaxies, and planets accelerating towards a common central point. Horizon.
“Now I’m sure many of you saw in Jeremiah’s personal notes the significance of the ‘Big Crunch’. Who is familiar with the concept?”
A few hands shot up. Cleo nodded in appreciation.
“Good. For those unfamiliar, the Big Crunch is the sister concept of the Big Bang. Scientists posit that all we know will reverse course, reforming what once started it all in a single point. It was Jeremiah that put all the pieces together and discovered what will be the center of all things.”
Cleo let this hypothesis hang in the air before sweeping her arms towards the model in the center.
“Our Eternal Horizon.”
The crowd exchanged looks with one another, oohing and aahing. Faruq was just as surprised. He’d heard rumors about what the Sons believed, but it seemed too fantastical to be real. The Commonwealth discouraged the dissemination of Sons’ ideology so he assumed that anything he heard had been grossly exaggerated. Turns out the filtered theories from the academics weren’t as far off as he’d thought.
“Once Jeremiah realized this, he sent his calculations to everyone he knew, but by then he was too late. He’d lost all credibility and thus died a martyr to our cause. He established the Black Hole Sons, but only to himself.”
Cleo paused for dramatic effect before moving on. Faruq could hear the people around him whispering in equal parts confusion and fascination. The center of all things? Cleo stopped in front of another man’s portrait, his expression purposefully soft. Kindness in his eyes, though Faruq thought he could see a twinkle of deception.
“Fast forward a few hundred years and we have Haley Lucas. Another physicist ahead of his time, Haley took the benefit of hundreds of years of scientific advancement and picked up where Jeremiah left off. The story goes that he stumbled upon references to the Black Hole Sons while working late in university one night. That night led to many others as he saw what Jeremiah saw long ago. A chance to bring everyone together.”
Cleo let the crowd study the portrait for a few minutes before leading everyone up the next catwalk. She brought everyone to a stop in front of a set of blueprints for a spacecraft.
“And here we have the birth of the Black Sons you see today. With his savings, Haley funded the first craft able to approach Our Eternal Horizon without being crushed under the immense pressure. The first journey came shortly after.”
Cleo didn’t hold for questions or pause this time. Faruq saw her speed in excitement. The crowd sped up to match. Cleo brought everyone to a slow walk as they started to pass the biggest picture they’d seen so far. A wide shot of Haley as he looked towards the camera from the aforementioned craft. He stood there, a grin decorating his soft expression, red as if through a filter set strictly for him and the craft he was in. A plaque read “The First of Many Journeys”.
“Here, Haley and Jeremiah finally collided. Until this point, it was only theoretical what would happen when someone approached a black hole. Haley, filled with conviction, finally proved it. As someone approaches the event horizon, they start to slow until their movements are virtually still. Then, over the course of days, they and everything around them begins to turn redder and redder until they eventually disappear, but only from the visible spectrum. We have consistent readings that everyone who chooses to embark on this journey sits at Our Eternal Horizon, waiting together for the inevitable. Haley spread the word before his journey and dozens came to honor his conviction. As they saw him fade, the Black Sons were born anew.”
Cleo took a moment to let everyone look closely at the photo. They each took turns studying Haley’s face. As Faruq approached, he could feel Haley’s eyes follow him from a time long gone. He wondered if that’s what the Sons’ felt as they gazed at Horizon day in and day out. After a few minutes passed, Cleo ushered them another level up to the largest mural of all. It took up the entire length of a catwalk and hung two levels tall. It showed Horizon in the center, inviting everyone into its inky embrace. Photographs were placed around its perimeter. Families, individuals, all gazing back at Faruq. Some faces delirious with happiness, others grim with conviction. All looking backward from the window of a craft.
“And here we have the final stop on our tour. Our Singularity Mural. Hundreds of people who have been shown what Jeremiah knew hundreds of years ago and what Haley proved to the world after. That with a gravity resistant ship, we can all come together at the end of all things and the beginning of the next. Unchanged and unwavering for the next step in a journey we’re all destined for. All we are and all we will be contained in Our Eternal Horizon.”
Cleo paused and a light smattering of applause grew into clapping that filled the entire space. Faruq found himself clapping hard by the end of it. If there was one thing Cleo and the Sons knew, it was showmanship. As the crowd filtered up the steps and into the gift ship above, Faruq took an extra moment to look at the faces gazing back at him. Families with their children, the elderly, even multigenerational groups, all hurtling towards what they thought to be a certain existence. Together. He couldn’t help but feel the draw of such conviction. Faruq wondered what kind of face he would see gazing back at him today as someone embarked on their own journey.
Cass
Cass disembarked from her shuttle and tried to squeeze her way through the crowd at Pilgrim’s Point. The Point used to be little more than a bare viewing platform on an asteroid closest to Horizon and it showed. Haley’s original launch point was an enclosed metal square, almost monk-like in its asceticism. As the Sons grew, so did the Point. Multiple viewing platforms were added until the asteroid was obscured under irregular structures built by the highest backers of the Sons or its oldest member families. Most days, the Point would be host to Sons’ leadership whose attendance was expected for every journey. Today was another story.
Cass tried to filter through people without drawing attention to herself, but her escort made that impossible. Sister Ava made a point to elbow as many people as possible, probably to get her assignment over with. As a consequence, many in the crowd recognized Cass as what she was; a fallen member. Her plain clothes stuck out among the Sons robes and high class dress surrounding her. She remembers talking with her therapist about wanting to make a statement. To stick out as a sign of protest. Now she just wanted to disappear until she reached her brother.
Ava guided her through circular viewing dome after dome. They were connected by tunnels put in place as the Point grew, each with a security scanner both in and out. Ava held the back of her palm and made direct eye contact with the camera that sat above the pad. She made sure to enunciate “AND GUEST” every time. Likely her own little protest to babysitting a fallen member.
Cass felt the back of her right hand where her own chip used to be. When she learned there was no way to remove it without leaving a scar, she didn’t leave her apartment for a week. Years later, it still itched whenever she was reminded of the Sons.
They finally reached the vestibule before the launch point. The Sons did their best to preserve Haley’s original structure. Cass stood in front of the ancient metal door she’d imagined countless times in her childhood. She used to dream about walking through it, the cheers of legacies and donors pushing her forward with their enthusiasm. The same door her parents walked through over a decade ago, like every generation before theirs. Their parents.
The door hissed open. Ava stepped back from where they came as Cass stepped into the plain circular metal room before her. A small wooden bench sat in the center, bereft of any decoration. The far wall was completely transparent. Matter swirled inwards in the space before them, Horizon a blank space at its center. A man sat at attention, viewing Horizon as if it was sharing a secret only he could hear. He looked thin. The customary journey robes hung loosely on him like a cape. Cass felt a sob well up from her chest as he turned to face her.
“It’s good to see you, Sis. Thanks for coming. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“Hey Orion. I wasn’t sure I’d come either. I was hoping you weren’t going to ask to be honest.”
“Cause you wouldn’t come or cause you were hoping I wouldn’t do it?”
“You know the answer to that.”
Cass crossed the room in a couple of steps and took a seat next to her brother. She took his hand in hers. Orion met her gaze with that frustrating expression their parents used when they asked too many questions. Serene, like they had all the answers.
“Dammit Orion, we were out! What happened?”
“Cass, I know you’re not gonna understand. That’s why I didn’t reach out to you when I made up my mind. I wanted to respect your decision. And I want you to respect mine.”
Cass got up and started pacing the room. She was getting agitated and her brother could see it. She tried to remember the grounding techniques she’d talked about with her therapist before coming, but with her brother in front of her, it all went out the window.
“How can I do that, Orion? We were out! Out for good! And now here you are, serene as can fucking be moments before you hurtle yourself to a certain death. How can I support that?”
Cass could see Orion start to get on edge. He was always the emotional one, not her. But here she was, far from her apartment on a rock she’d planned to never come back to in a million years having a conversation she’d had nightmares about for weeks. She watched as Orion composed himself before continuing on.
“You know why I want you here, Cass. I need you here. Not because you agree with what I’m doing or because it’s tradition. I want to be able to wave to my big sister as I join our parents out there on Our Eternal Horizon.”
“Dammit Orion, they aren’t there. It’s just deception and death you’re heading to, don’t you see? Why can’t you see that?”
Orion tried to keep a steady face. Cass could see tears welling up in his eyes. At this, her own started to flow freely, making small tinkling noises as they hit the metal floor.
“Maybe you’re right, Cass. Maybe you’re right. I know you worked so hard to get me out and I’m grateful that you didn’t leave me behind, but what exactly am I supposed to go back to? My single apartment, in an ocean of strangers, none of whom would notice if I was gone? In fact none of them have!”
“I know what you’re going through Orion, really I do. There’s support groups for people like us.”
“Ha, people like us, Cass? Those people are people like us.”
Orion gestured towards the watching crowd of acolytes. Their solemn expressions watched without judgement or expectation. They knew what was going to happen, once someone got this far, there was no going back.
“No, Orion, they’re not. They like to think they know what’s going on, but they don’t. Don’t do this, Orion. There’s nothing but death out there.”
Orion sat still for what seemed like hours. Cass looked out at Horizon, as if for answers of her own. She swore she could hear the flow of matter drawn towards its void, unwavering in its conviction of the end.
“Cass, you can’t know that. I’ve made up my mind. I asked you to be here because you didn’t leave me behind and I won’t leave you behind either. But don’t do this. Don’t try to make me doubt now. You might think there’s nothing out there, but I know there’s nothing for me to go back to in the Commonwealth. Our future was always with them, out there, with generations of our family waiting for us.”
There was a finality in his voice that made Cass shudder. Their parents had sounded much the same over a decade ago, as they told them to be brave and that they’d be waiting for them in Horizon. How they ignored their cries and turned their backs to get on that ship. She remembered how they didn’t cry, they didn’t sob. They just turned back and waved as she and Orion stayed behind in the Point for days until nothing was left of their smiling faces. Red fading to black. It was over.
Another 30 minutes passed before Cass found the strength to speak up again.
“Ok, Orion. If this is what you want, I’ll be here for you.”
Orion looked up with a smile and met her gaze.
“Thank you, Cass. That’s all I ever wanted.”
Another 15 minutes passed in silence. Orion stared at Horizon, again sitting straight up like he was going for full marks in class. Cass sat beside him, staring at the floor, trying to be anywhere else in the universe but here. Quietly, Orion got up and pressed a button near the far window. It was time. Cass got up and stood next to him.
“Thanks, Cass, for everything.”
“I’m going to miss you, Orion. Tell Mom and Dad I said hello.”
“Ha, I will. And you won’t have to miss me for long. We’ll be together again.”
“Yes, yes we will. I love you little brother.”
“And I you, sister.”
Cass took a few steps back as Orion cinched the front of his robe and patted himself down. An overhead speaker asked if Orion was ready to proceed, to which Orion nodded. A small air lock opened with a hiss and Orion stepped in. The door closed behind him as he stood facing forward, conviction coming off of him in waves. Cass felt a rumble as a small attached shuttle started up. She tried to count 5 things she could see in the room, but it was so barren it was impossible. Cass held her breath as the platform rocked to the shifting weight of the shuttle leaving its station.
Fletcher
Sherry wasn’t kidding, the work had begun in earnest. They’d spent the last couple of hours making sure they had all the angles at Pilgrim’s Point covered. Sherry had taken the liberty of putting a countdown on the screen until the legacy left for his journey. Until then, they’d already obtained a lot of useful sociological data, and not just about the Sons.
“Fletch, pan a little towards Horizon. Is that who I think it is?”
2 hours in and he already had a nickname. Fletcher didn’t mind, he was already more at home here than the lab back at university. He did as Sherry asked and found what she was looking at. He zoomed in towards a separate viewing bubble that housed a stone faced couple in fine regalia.
“Is that…the Emersons?”
Sherry bumped his arm. He picked up some of her excitement.
“I fucking knew those billionares were part of the Sons. This legacy making their journey public has brought everyone out of the woodwork.”
“I think I saw the Murphy boys in the corner nearest the entrance earlier.”
“The heirs to the restaurant chain? I’m surprised those boys have enough wherewithal to put their suits on in the morning, much less make it out to the cult end of the galaxy. You get a picture?”
Fletcher nodded. Sherry rotated back to her screen, prickling with glee. Rumors had circulated for decades about which powerful family or politicians were involved with the Sons. For the first time in just as long, they were able to get actual proof. They both knew that releasing this information would have to be done carefully. Anonymously if possible. But for now, this research station was seeing more action than it had in a while. Fletcher chuckled at the thought of his mentor’s slackjawed expression when he returned with this data. His thoughts were interrupted when Sherry tapped him on the shoulder.
“Come over here. I think I’ve got eyes on the sister that the legacy invited.”
Fletcher rotated and slid his chair over beside Sherry. She had a live feed pulled into the series of walkways that led to the launch site. He could just make out someone in Sons robes being followed by a woman in her mid-30s. Too casually dressed to be rich, too informally dressed to be Sons. Fletcher and Sherry sat in silence as she tracked their movements until the final opaque tunnel leading to where the legacy was set to launch from.
“I got some good stills of her. If we’re lucky, she’s shunned enough that once this is over, she’ll walk back to the Welcome Center alone. She’ll probably stay there a few days as the journey ship gets closer to Horizon. We should be able to get past Frick and Frack out there with a pass with that much advance notice.”
“Are you sure we should be trying to catch her like that? Nevermind what the Sons think, wouldn’t she be pretty upset about being ambushed by us?”
Sherry didn’t break from her screen as she continued to gather stills of the crowd.
“Nah, you’re thinking about it too much. Leaving the Sons is a real arduous task. You basically lose everyone you’ve ever known, not to mention the threat of lawsuits. To give all that up, you gotta have something you’re going towards. This is our best chance to get an inside analysis from a former member, not to mention how family dynamics plays into it. Trust me. She’s probably excited to get the truth out there.”
Fletcher could see her point, but it wasn’t a comforting one. It seemed a lot to assume on what could be the worst day of this person’s life. Still, Sherry had a point. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It could get the station here more funding. Do a lot of good for those that are still trying to leave.
Fletcher took a deep breath before continuing to scan the launch point. He still had a few days to think about it. For now, it was best to get the data and decide what to do with it later. Sherry had the crowd and it was up to him to watch for signs of the legacy beginning his journey.
He could just make out a set of thrusters departing the launch point. He called for Sherry’s attention.
Faruq
Faruq wandered aimlessly for a bit after leaving the Education Center. The shuttle dropped him back at the Welcome Center where it had become crowded with vendors. The legacy journey was leaked far in advance and by now, every visitor knew what a big deal it was, even if they didn’t know why. The Observation Deck was connected to the Welcome Center and a line had formed an hour ago in anticipation.
Faruq had been standing in line for about 30 minutes after exhausting all the displays in the Welcome Center. Vendors walked up and down the line, some licensed, most not, hawking buttons, pins, and pictures about the upcoming and previous journeys. A few approved vendors had workers packing official commemorative badges displaying “I HAD THE LEGACY TREATMENT”. It was gaudy. Faruq heard a familiar voice call to him from the stairway above.
“Hey Faruq! You made it! Look up, I’m over here!”
Faruq followed the line across the room and halfway up the stairway to the Observation Deck. Mick was waving back at him like a madman, peppered in commemorative badges.
“Hey! Come on up! I’ve got a spot just for you!”
Faruq could feel judgemental glances from the people around him as he squeezed his way through the line. Based on what he’d seen, it’d be unlikely he’d pay to come this way ever again, and it was a big galaxy. A few minutes later he reached Mick who was having trouble containing his eagerness.
“Hey Faruq, I’m glad you made it! I heard rumors about this legacy journey in the forums before coming and I’m pumped they turned out to be true. And talk about luck. Your first day here and you get to see what all of us pray to see every time we come!”
Mick had put on at least 5 more pounds of new merchandise since they left the ship. He’d pinned ticket stubs from multiple Education Center tours in places of honor on his vest.
“I guess so, what’s the big deal about this journey?”
Mick made an exaggerated face of surprise as they both marched forward in line. They were admitting people in groups of 10, and by Faruq’s estimation, they were only a few minutes from the front.
“You’re kidding right? A legacy journey is a rare sight to see. It’s a lot of peoples’ dream to see one, but they’re usually so reclusive that most of us don’t.”
“But you’re here every few years. You’re telling me you’ve never seen one?”
“No way, man. This is special. Rumor has it that this legacy left the Sons years ago. Given how they let him back in the fold, that must mean his family is old blood in the Sons. And to have it open to the public like this? This legacy must have serious juice.”
“But isn’t this still just some guy to us?”
“Maybe to us, but not to everyone else. They bring everyone out for this kind of event. Leadership, high level brothers and sisters, even people from the Commonwealth that don’t usually wear their Sons association on their sleeve. It’s the biggest event of the last 50 years around here!”
Faruq felt a wave of anticipation kick in. They’d reached the elevator up. He could see the shaft extend up 20 stories and stop at a flat metal platform above. The elevator doors opened and the initiate gestured for them to go in. Mick was holding his breath on the ride up. Faruq found himself doing the same.
As the elevator came to a stop, the doors opened to a large glass dome anchored at several points to a round metal platform. People and vendors alike were packed like sardines. Above them was Horizon with its belts of rotating matter. Pilgrim’s Point took up about a fifth of the space. Mick grabbed Faruq by the elbow and dragged him through the crowd.
“Most people mill about underneath Pilgrim’s Point, but that’s actually not the best place. The best place is actually right over there. That’s where you get the best view of the launch point. That’s where the legacy will leave, and we’ll have first dibs.”
Mick pointed towards the far corner where a group dressed much like him were gathered. They squeezed themselves into a space where Faruq could hardly breath. Mick pointed above to Pilgrim’s Point. He could just make out a small ship docked there.
“That’s their ship. Keep your eye on it no matter what.”
Faruq began to mentally lock in as an announcement came overhead.
“Ladies and gentlemen. We have a special treat for you today. A member of one of our oldest families has asked his journey be made public. Please resist taking any photography and keep your devices on silent. It is a solemn moment and any interruptions will be cause to black out the viewing dome.”
Mick leaned over and whispered in Faruq’s ear:
“Here it comes.”
Faruq tightened his neck to prevent the shifting crowd from disturbing his view. A few minutes passed without change. Then, it happened.
At first he thought it was nothing. Just a trick of the light. But after he squinted, he knew it was real. The ship had activated its engines and launched from Pilgrim’s Point. The crowd around him gasped. He could hear some people sobbing silently.
The ship launched with greater speed than he anticipated. It crossed at least half the distance to Horizon in just 5 minutes. Then he watched as the ship slowed noticeably. The ship’s engines released more fuel, but progress stalled. As it did, he could just make out a face from the viewing port in the back.
It was a man, not far in age from himself. His face was somber, much like the faces he saw at the Education Center. His robes were of a different color and higher quality than many of those he’d seen pictured. Despite all the eyes on him, his gaze remained fixed on Pilgrim’s Point. He looked…sad.
“Badass” he could hear Mick whisper behind him.
Fletcher
He’d been holding his breath ever since they made the overhead announcement. Sherry had fallen silent too, her gaze transfixed on the large monitor in front of them. They’d been able to get an angle of the launch from the side. He watched as the small ship engaged its thrusters with surprising speed. He’d only seen pictures before and it surprised him how fast it covered most of the distance to Horizon. Hard to believe this person, all these people, were in such a rush. Though if he thought his friends and family were waiting for him at Horizon, he supposed waiting was the last thing he wanted to do.
Sherry flicked at the controls and followed the ship as it slowed down. It had reached halfway there and seemed to start flying through molasses. From their angle, he could see the lone passenger dressed in high Sons regalia waving the customary solemn wave to Pilgrim’s Point. He’d mostly seen people embark on their journeys through official Sons press releases, so it caught him by surprise that this person seemed so..so resigned. He couldn’t help but think, resigned to what? Wasn’t this person hurtling towards all the people they’d ever loved?
He broke from the monitor and looked towards another. He played with the controls until he could see what this person was launching away from. A lone woman, standing at their one viewing port, hands around her mouth in agony.
His thoughts turned to the paper he’d work on with Sherry about this. It really was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Sherry was right. It’d be a shame to let it go to waste.
Cass
She told herself she wasn’t going to cry. She agreed with her therapist that these people didn’t deserve the satisfaction. That she wasn’t going to give them the chance to sneer down their noses at her as her brother supposedly went towards his eternal togetherness. So much for that.
She watched as Orion sped away from her directly towards Horizon. She wanted to do anything to slow it down. Anything for a few more minutes of them being in the relativistic time zone. But she knew better. The ship was built for speed. Just in case anything went wrong with the design, anyone inside would be hurtling towards Horizon as fast as outside observers could watch. Cass’s body became wracked with sobs as soon as her brother’s wave slowed. It was over, he was in Horizon’s grasp and there was no turning back.
Orion kept a stiff upper lip, but she could see him cry as she started to cry. He was probably watching her now, leaving Pilgrim’s Point, waving at her like an idiot anyway. She covered her mouth to try to quiet the worst of the sobbing. All they’d done to get out. All she’d done. Came to this.
Despite her best effort, she found herself wishing the Sons' principles to reality. That she was only taking the long way round to being with Orion again.
