The Storm
March 21st, 2023, Scientists at the Sunspot Solar Observatory, New Mexico discovered solar storms developing on the sun. Sporadic whips of radiation half a million miles long toward the outer solar system, making the sun look sporadic, almost animal-like, wild, and untamed. At first, the American Scientists were baffled. Something must be wrong with the instruments. They contacted other facilities around the country and came to the same conclusion. International facilities are called up. Every single one replied with the same answer.
Massive solar storms towards the other solar system. It seems to be a once-in-a-millennium event, rewards would go to the Scientists, and celebrations to all. Looking more into the event, something was amiss. With the speed of the rotation around the sun, and the sporadic speed of the whips. One of the whips would hit Earth in late October, a little over two years from now.
The world must know, but how do you tell a planet of eight billion souls that they all might be dead in a few years if no action is taken? Simple answer? The Truth. To survive as a species you must work together. A U.N. Special Emergency Session is called with every major Scientist to present their findings to the world, many do not believe what they are hearing. A solar storm coming to destroy us? Impossible some say!
All representatives are given time to correspond with their respective national scientists to confirm the findings. All confirm the fears.
“The time to act is now!” The lead scientist says to the assembly “If we do nothing, We die.” He says. Voice Shaky with fear.
The following 2 years and 6 months are an atrocious nightmare for the nations. Stockpiles of everything from fuel to baby formula. Nations must put their pride behind them to survive. The United Kingdom rejoins the European Union for easier transport of goods. Russia Withdraws from Ukraine with the promise of being one of the main oil suppliers of Eastern Europe. In October of 2023, Hamas used the panic to attack Israel.
Israel uses horrendous tactics to defend itself even though their years of suppression of the Palestinians cause these monstrous acts to be unleashed upon them. The USA and EU put pressure on both sides that if the fighting doesn't stop and differences aren't put to the side they will be left behind in preparation efforts for what Scientists call “The Storm”. A U.N.-sanctioned and overseen developments for an official state of Palestine to be born. Israel with their years of acts of aggression toward the Palestinians was punished with the country split in two. East to west. Israel is on the top and the Republic of Palestine is on the bottom. All holy sites are Neutral zones, No side has overall control, it is evenly spread out. Negotiations finished in September, so no maps were updated yet.
October 18th, 2025, the day finally arrives. All flights and shipping are locked down for the storm. All non-essential flights were grounded months in advance, these were the stragglers. The International Space Station is sent into orbit to be behind Earth before “The Storm” hits, all essential Satellites are put into a similar orbit, and the non-essential ones are left to record their final moments, collecting as much data as their storage can hold and transfer to the surface. And if they survive, it will make the world's space agencies' lives better. The cameras are pointed in the direction of the sun, to catch the whips of radiation hitting the blue marble.
10:30 am EST. World Wide Air Raid sirens sound, and all civilians are notified to enter underground shelters. The world waits and prays for its survival. Tentrials of radioactive light begin to come from the sun, the sun begins to make sporadic sparks of light. The rays of light heading toward the Earth look like squid tentacles reaching for their prey.
At 11:45 am, the tendrils reach the moon's orbit, and the whips of light begin to move close together aiming for its target. The theory was that these whips of radiation would cover the earth and eventually move past it, like all other solar storms. But they're too precise, too logical, too intelligent. Whips begin to reach out on the North American continent. Violent worldwide earthquakes begin, and the whips break into the earth’s crust across the northern national lines of Canada and The United States. To the south, whips break into the lines between the United States and Mexico. The continental United States is surrounded by these red whips of light. Alaska and Hawaii are surrounded, and all territories of the US are surrounded.
11:59 am, the ground starts to crack, shaking, pulling in and out. Then stops, and the earth stands still. The field of tentacles surrounding the landmasses begins to pulse colors of Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, and Orange. All non-essential satellites capture this event. The rope is pulsing faster and faster, the sun pulses these colors. Separate tendrils form and reach for all satellites American-owned wrapping around them.
At noon, pulsing sounds emanating from the field begin to erupt. A loud pulsing hum grows louder and louder. “Thump Thump” “Thump Thump” getting faster and more rhythmic “Thump Thump Thump Thump” “Thump Thump Thump Thump” “Thump Thump Thump Thump”. The sound reaches into the bunkers scaring the innocent civilians. Screams and cries emit from children, and mothers and fathers cower covering their children.
12:01 pm, a final pulse from the sun shoots out towards its spread-out tendrils making an electronic swoosh hitting the atmosphere. In the blink of an eye all objects covered in the field of lights, disappear. Simple, just vanish. In their place, water, crystal-clear blue water where they once lay.
12:02 pm, on the calm waters of The Sunset Sea, sits a lonely fishing ship, called “The Bright Stone”. Her captain, Viktor Godwin, is a simple fisherman making just enough to make a little coin and to feed himself, his wife, and 5 children. His oldest, Elrik Godwin, was Viktor's first mate. He and his family live in a small cabin near Flint's Finger of Westeros in The North under House Stark.
The captain decides to test some new fishing spots out west deep in The Sunset Sea. A very dangerous move, no one ever catches fish out that way. But Viktor had a dream of a fresh catch enough to feed his family for the coming months, and plenty of coin to be made in the markets of the Finger. He was determined.
The sea was calm, too calm, not a bite in hours. Elrik raises his concern “Father, I told you this would be a bad idea. No one has caught fish out here before.”
Viktor annoyed “Shut it, boy! I know what I’m doinn. The Smith came to me last night and told me to come here and fish. An that's what I’m gonna do!” Viktor yells angrily to his son. Trying not to show worry in his voice. “This could be bad, if we don't catch any fish, we won't eat tonight.” He stares out into the blue water with a worried look on his face. He knows The Smith would never lie, right?
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As he looks out, a bright light appears in a flash with a monstrous roar and thunderous clap. He shades his eyes from the brightening light, his bagger arm sleeve protecting the rest of his face. Elrik in confusion jumps down to hide from the light. Viktor shakily lowers his arm in fear, praying for no Sea Dragons to be coming for them. As he looks out westward in fear he sees. Land? There's no land out here. Never been recorded at the very least. Land mass this size should be hard to find. He squints and sees pillars. Pillars of glass? His son and other crew members of “The Bright Stone” look out Port-Side, and see land.
Dumbfounded Elrik Says to his Captain “Father, What should we do?” looking up at his father he sees something he has never seen on his father's face. Fear. Pure fear, eyes wide, and his heart racing. He yells to his father “Father! Are you alright?” Viktor still not hearing his son stares at the landmass. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears getting louder and louder, eyes beginning to get dry.
Sweat dripping from his brow and getting in his eyes. Stinging but not paying attention. He keeps staring, “Why would The Smith give me a dream to come out here? A warning? A message from the other Seven?” He feels a hand on his shoulder. He jumps and screeches a horrible scream of pure fear.
It was his son Elrik, “Father” in a calm tone, “Are you alright?” he looked into his father's eyes.
Viktor still with a fearful look “Y-y-yes. M alright. Let's get the ship ready and get the seven hells out of here! I don't want to find out what that land mass is.” Panic ensues, shipmates pulling lines up, packing boxes and barrels getting the ship to sail for the mainland. Many tripping over one another.
Elrik Stops before entering his cabin to get some more rope. He looks up into the sky squinting, he sees a little dot in the sky moving. “A bird?” It moves fast across the open sky. He has a shaking feeling, whatever it is is watching him. Shaking off the feeling, enters his cabin.
254 miles above the planet, the ISS sits in its strange new orbit. Solar radiation burns on its outer shell and sits 6 astronauts inside her safe interior. Her commander, Johnathan Danials looks out at the surface of the planet. “Any news from Houston?” still looking at the alien planet. His eyes may be old to some, but they're still as sharp as they were 20 years ago. “This isn't Earth” he confidently says in his mind to keep the others from panicking.
Patricia Wilkins pulls herself over in zero gravity. “Still nothing yet, They all must still be in the bunkers underneath waiting for radiation to return to normal levels. Which by the computer's calculations should be a couple of minutes from now. 10-20 minutes.” she says, looking from her commander to her tablet in her hands.
Still looking through The Cupola, Johnathan sighed, placing his finger at the bridge of his nose “Will we still be in contact range with Houston?” his eyes pressed closed trying to stop the coming headache.
Patricia looking back at her tablet in surprise exclaims “Maybe, of all the essential and non-essential satellites, an estimate of around 1500 are still in various orbit levels. Mainly the essential ones survived The Storm.” she clicks another section on her tablet. “Of the ones we can contact though is a different story. About 200 are fully online. But the good news is that the Medium Orbit refueling center is still online. Which we can use to get the other back as well.”
Johnathan looks over at her with a surprised look. “That many? The original estimate was that we would only lose about 4000. But 1500? And how many are ours? Other nations must be there as well?”
Patricia looks back at her tablet. “So far, Just ours.”
Looking back down to the planet Johnathan orders “Get in touch with the Russian Engineers on their side of the station. They must have some idea as to what is going on”.
“On it!” Patricia turns herself to move to the east side of the station. Pulling herself forward passing scientific equipment, and computers with errors on screen. Her other crew mates, were Daniel Santiago, Bruce Chang, Amanda Cruz, and Mia Thomas. We're working on the other computer for information from the other working satellites.
Patricia taps Daniel's shoulder, “Daniel, I need your help opening the Russian airlock door. Takes two because they're old.” This was Daniel's first time on the ISS, which made him the “New Guy” in space.
Looking up from his work “Yes sir” he said respectably.
Patricia laughs “You don't need to do that here newbie. It'll only take a minute, but mind the smell that comes out. One of the Ivans snuck a bottle of vodka inboard the last flight up. So it's bound to smell like alcohol.” Daniel, at hearing this little fact awkwardly smiles, pulling the handlebars in the direction of Patricia.
Making it to the airlock splitting the station into sections, it has a worn Russian flag at the top. It’s been there since the beginning, seeing crews come and go. Patricia and Daniel grab the worn lever of the airlock and heave. Whizzing and mechanical noise of gears of the old door opening.
Patricia yells to the crew inside “Aleksei? Dimitri? Are you guys alright? Did you survive? We need help getting in touch with Houston.” Floating inside the section, no one’s there. “Hello? Anyone?” Patricia says confused.
Looking further inside, it's empty except for a floating bottle of unopened vodka. “Daniel, Stay here and look around for anyone. I'll be back.” Patricia said in a panic pulling herself back to The Cupola to her commander. “Commander! Commander! We have a situation with the Russians!” She yells grabbing a bar to stop her speed.
Johnathan, not saying a word, quickly pulls himself with full force to the other side of the station. Patricia follows, trying to keep up with him but he's moving too fast. Bruce, Amanda, and Mia noticing the commotion quickly follows their commander. Reaching the Russian it became instantly aware something was wrong.
Two Russian cosmonauts are supposed to be in this section of the station, and yet no one is here. Just a lonely bottle of Vodka floating in zero g. “What the hell? Where could they have gone? We would know if they left in the escape pod.” The commander says going further into the section of the station. One of the computer screens shows a video ready to play. Johnathan clicks play, the screen starts to play a video of the two Russians speaking Russian minutes before and right when The Storm hits.
“Солнце выглядит красиво. Лучи радиации похожи на танец Лебединого озера .” (“The sun looks beautiful. The rays of radiation look like a dance of Swan Lake.”) Aleksei says, looking out the window.
Dimitri performing final lockdown checks chimes in “Меня не волнует, как красиво это выглядит, закройся и отойди от окна, чтобы не выжечь глаза, идиот.” (“I don't care how beautiful it looks, lockdown and get away from the window so you don't burn out your eyes you idiot.)
With a smirk on his face, Aleksei is about to lock down the window when he notices the rays of light splitting up. With a worried look, he says “Ох, Дмитрий, вам стоит прийти и посмотреть это!” (“Uhh Dimitri, You should come and see this!”)
Dimitri pulls himself over, “Что это, черт возьми?” (“What in the hell is that?)
The Camera starts to shake violently, the station starts to creak and groan as multi-color light comes through the window. Aleksei trusts himself back in fear and yells “Что это за херня!! Что происходит!!” (“What the fuck is that!! What is happening!!”)
Dimitri is cowering in a corner of the station yelling “О БОЖЕ МОЙ, ПОМОГИТЕ МНЕ!! ПОЖАЛУЙСТА, НЕ ДАЙТЕ ЭТОМ КОНЕЦ!! мама! мама! Мама!!!!” the screen cuts to static with the final translation being “OH MY GOD HELP ME!! PLEASE DON'T LE-”. Silence. The kind of silence that would drive the calmest person mad.
Jonathan turns to his 5 other crew mates, horrified by the events that have just occurred. Not looking, he says “Patricia”.
She replies shakily “Y-y-yes sir?”.
He locks eyes with her and calmly says “I don’t care what you have to do, what rules or laws you have to break. Get us back in touch with Houston. Now.”