Capitulo Cuarenta y seis

October 10 2020.

Two days after Andromeda 3000 left the Earth. Hundreds of people joined the historical expedition that will travel the space in search of life in another Galaxy. They have the most advance computer system that will send informations back to Earth during the expedition. All the data will be automatically spread out sa lahat ng itinalagang locations.

Today they were gathered to discussed the hibernation process na magaganap ilang oras mula ngayon. Everybody was so excited and scared at the same time. Others are still hesitant to trust silent kill to pilot the big ship and the drug that was designed to preserve their youth. Hundreds of humans was used for experiment and eighty percent of them had died.

"I gathered information about Sarah and the rest." Kallyra said.

"What do you think happened to them?" her friend Ashton asked.

"I have a feeling they survived. I got their data before we lost their signal. They are heading to the east, 0.28 AU away from us." she answered.

Binaba niya ang baso na may lamang alak. Nakapuwesto sila sa may pinakadulo sa likod ng mga nag-uumpikang pasahero ng Andromeda 3000. Nasa gitna nila ang captain ng ship at nag-didiscuss ng mga rules although na-practice na nila kung papaano kikilos sa loob ng ship isang buwan bago sila sumakay.

"Ang nangyaring pagsabog ng Andromeda. What do you think really happened?"

Pinagmasdan niya ang mga nagkakasiyahang mga tao sa paligid at muling lumagok ng alak. "That's simple. Although Andromeda is perfect that even if it was hit by micrometeoroids and space debris it will not malfunctioned. Together with silent kill help it won't give us negative result. The probable one was a person inbugging a virus in the program to affect the running system." She shrugged her shoulder. "Andromeda was like Titanic, it was not prepared for the majestic intrusion."

Umiling siya at payak na ngumiti. "Right... pero sa tingin ko hindi system virus ang dahilan ng pag-eject ng capsules natin." Marahas na nilingon niya ng kaibigan.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Someone woke up before us."

She stared hard at the wine in her glass. She can see her blurred reflection moving with the liquid. "I don't know... I might thank him whoever that person is." mahina niyang sambit. "You've met the cold queen of Egypt... sa tingin mo? Magpapasalamat ka ba o magalit sa taong naging dahilan ng inyong pagkikita?"

Kung hindi nag-eject ang capsule niya that time, she woudn't have the chance to meet Lucas.

Lumambong ang kaniyang mga mata ng maalala ang pag-uusap nila ni Maxwell ng mga panaginip tungkol sa past life nito. The feeling of knowing the cause of Lucas death is still with her, cold and painful.

She knows something had died inside her. It was her fault. What if Lucas really board that ship because of her. Then, selfishness was the cause of his death.

Dumiin ang kapit niya sa wine glass na hawak.

But she was still hoping...

She was desperately hoping to go back to the time before she left Lucas.

Her friend fall into silence as well. Nakita niya ang malungkot nitong mata, kahit pilit nitong itago ay nababasa niya roon ang sakit. Hindi na niya ito pinansin at muling ibinalik ang atensyon sa nagpupulong sa kanilang unahan.

"Hey, its you right, Professor Kallyra Romanov?" Sabay silang napabaling sa nagsalitang babae sa tabi nila. Nasa edad forty at blonde ang kulay ng buhok, tipikal na Amerikana. Nakasuot ito ng puting lab gown tulad ng kaniyang kaibigan.

"Yes! Hi..." nakangiting aniya at inilahad ang palad para sa pakikipagkamay.

"I'm Carla Williams, biologists. I'm your fan, I did not expect you're more beautiful in person." Nakangiti nitong hayag na may bahagyang paghanga sa asul nitong mga mata. They shake their hands briefly.

"Thank you, you are beautiful as well Dr. Williams." she said sincerely, the woman is really gorgeous despite the age.

Nakita niya sa gilid ng kaniyang mata ang papalapit na si Maxwell kasunod nito si Shekaina.

"Mrs, Williams, hi, nice to see you again." Si Shekaina. Lumapit ito at nakipag-beso sa ginang. Nakangiti naman itong gumanti. Nakipagbeso din ito kay Maxwell.

"Forgive me young lady, I don't think I remember your name?" nakangiting tanong dito ng ginang in a welcoming manner.

"We've met at the farewell party, I'm Shekaina Gonzalez."

"Oh... I'm sorry, you are Mr. Sarmiento's doctor right?" tabingi ang ngiting tumango naman ang dalaga. "I haven't congratulated you on your marriage young man." Baling nito kay Maxwell. "You and your wife is a perfect match."

Nginitian ito ni Maxwell, matapaos na makipagkamay dito at diretsong lumapit sa kaniya. Humapit ang isang braso nito sa kaniyang beywang at mabilis siyang binigyan ng halik sa gilid ng kaniyang ulo.

Tipid siyang ngumiti sa ginang ng muli siyang hinarap nito.

"Dr. Williams, I read your book about the theory of human evolution part 2. It's quite eye opening. Charles Darwin will be proud, you're one of his decendant I heard." si Shekaina. Tumawa ng malakas ang ginang na nakakuha sa atensyon ng iba pang mga naroon.

Lumapit din sa kanila ang isang kilalang Archeologist katulad ng kaibigan niyang si Ashton. Nakisali ito sa kanilang usapan, napapansin niya ang maya't maya nitong pagmamasid kay Maxwell. Lumapit na rin sa kanilamg grupo ang nasa unahang mesa.

"Look at this, this capsule holds the remaining solution of Dr. Gabor anti-aging project." Rijahabad with his curly shoulder length hair and a big round spectacles pricked at the tube he is holding, showing the object to them.

"Wicked. I know its safe but I can't help myself from being scared. Imagine, what if we woke up and find out it didn't work, right?" Shekaina shrugged. "Dr. Gabor is not here and we cannot do anything."

Rijahabad smiled and shook the bottle. "That's one thing. No worries, we still have here Professor Romanov. Knowing that she is here make it more safe, right?" The scientist fixed his round spectacles and give Kallyra a wide smile. Everyone smiled and raised the glass to her. Kallyra calmy raised her glass and took a sip.

"Kallyra? I can't see that. No offense but, we have a lot of cosmologist and astronomer here. Every person in the ship was well chosen. With different field of expertise." Umangat nang kusa ang kilay ni Kallyra sa litanya ni Shekaina. The woman can't seem to take Rijahabad statement.

Lahat ng mga naroon sa kanilang umpukan ay napatingin sa dalagang nagsalita. They were staring at her ridiculously. Napansin man iyon ng dalaga ay tila binalewala lamang nito ang mga mapanuring tingin sa kaniya.

"Well that is one thing. Ms. Gonzales as you are a doctor here as well. We hope that if ever mishaps happen we will look for you." Mrs William gave Shekaina a smile after faking a cough.

"There will be no problem." Shekaina smiled widely. Tinaas niyang bahagya ang kamay. "I was sent here by my father to help and of course I'll do my part as a doctor."

Ashton continue to fizzle the glass he's holding while Rijahabad tuned the tube inside the beaker as he stare.

"Well that's great." Ashton pushed the wine aside after filling his glass. "The first Andromeda is still out there, Silent kill doing all the work. We can toast for that one!"

Khalid, a man in his sixty raised his own glass joining the toast. He cleared his throat and finished the wine hurriedly. Tumama ang tingin nito kay Kallyra at kumunot ang noo. "Professor Romanov, lets talk about your age freezing drugs. It keeps me awake at night wandering why you're so amazing!"

Laugh was heard after. Ngumiti si Kallyra sa lalaki. Maxwell have his eyes focused at her.

"Previously, when the Andromeda was disclosed to the university. We focused on the age freezing drugs. We specially put on a subject to study your drug..."

Amazement can be seen at the man's eyes while giving introduction to her patent medicine.

"Age-freezing drugs? That is Nikita Fujiwara's creation, Mr. Khalid." Shekaina stared at the man.

"No no no... Nikita Fujiwara is my disciple and she is a friend of Kallyra. That is how we get the right to study the drugs, young lady." Khalid accent is very sharp as he spoke, no one noticed Shekaina's sudden stiffness. Matalim nitong tinapunan ng tingin si Kallyra.

Kallyra wanted to roll her eyes at the woman but chose not to, ipinagpatuloy niya ang pakikipag-usap sa mahusay na chemist. "Nikita gave me the portfolio Mr. Khalid, the part where you highlight the effects of the drug to freeze the reaction as we would face several significant hazards, physiological effects of long term isolation is important. We just have to improve the drugs; avoiding the effects of weightlessness to the muscles, joints, bones and immune system."

"Oh, Is it possible for me to help? I set some experiments about that too."

"I'm currently working on that and since we met here, we can work this together. I will send the formula later."

"That is wonderful!" Khalid claps his hands and patted Rijahabad shoulder continuously.

Nagpatuloy sila ng kwentuhan, hanggang sa utusan na silang lahat na magtungo sa capsule room. Bago sila sumakay sa Andromeda ay naturukan na sila ng gamot, tataas lang ang bisa noon sa oras na makulong na sila sa kani-kanilang capsules dahil naglalabas ng sleeping gas kasama ng oxygen ang mask na isusuot nila sa loob.

Bukod pa roon ay ang mga maliliit na hosts na ikakabit sa kanilang mga katawan na ikokonekta sa ugat nila upang mag-provide ng body nutrient during the hibernation process. Isa-isang nagsipasok na sa kani-kanilang mga capsules ang mga pasahero.

Everyone gasped in awe after witnessing the imposing line up of the capsules inside the hibernation room.

"See you after a hundred years maybe?" si Ashton. Naglalakad sila palapit sa sarili nilang capsules. They both wearing their space suit na nagkakahalaga ng $5,000,000 bawat isa, ang complete space suit na sinusuot nila ay nagkakahalaga ng $14, 000, 000 dahil ang 70% ng cost ay para sa backpack at control module.

Kinindatan niya ito at huminto sa tapat ng RSF 712, her brand new capsule. Iniscan niya ang kamay at lumitaw ang hologram sa screen sa kaniyang harapan. Tumingin muna siya sa paligid upang siguruhing walang nakakapansin ng kanyang ginagawa.

Mabilis niyang sinet-up iyon, she has to wake up bago ang nakatakdang oras ng kanilang paggising upang makaalis siya ng walang nakakapansin. Year 2092 dapat sila nakatakdang gumising, naalala niyang after a year pagkagising nila ay matagumpay silang nakapasok sa Galaxy II at muli silang natulog ng tatlo pang taon habang naglalakbay sila papalapit sa solar system. That was the time when her Capsule eject, the distance to the blackhole was probably 1.98 AU away from the sun.

Sa tabi ng kaniyang Capsule ay ang capsule ni Ashton at naroon na ito, hindi tulad niya ay wala itong binago. Nakaramdam siya ng bahagyang panghihinayang. Mukang nakapag-desisyon na ang kaibigan. Wala na itong balak bumalik sa lugar kung saan nito nakilala ang una nitong pag-ibig.

"What are you doing." Huminto siya sa ginagawa at nilingon ang nagsalita sa kaniyang likuran. It's Maxwell.

"Why are you still here?" hinarap niya ito. "Go back to----"nahinto siya sa akmang sasabihin sa nakikitang emosyon sa mga mata ng kaharap. She was not sure but she can see the fear and sadness in his eyes. Napalunok siya at hindi nakagalaw ng haplusin nito ang kaniyang pisngi.

Ramdam niya ang magaspang nitong palad sa makinis niyang muka. Nilapit nito ang muka sa kaniya at nilapat ang noo sa kaniyang noo habang nakapikit ang mga mata.

"M-Maxwell..." she gripped his arms and tried to push him away but he held her nape.

"Just one minute..." mayroong pakikiusap sa tono ng boses nito, ito ang unang beses niyang narinig na ganito ito kalumanay magsalita sa kaniya. "Let me hold you like this Kallyra..." Nilunok niya ang bara sa lalamunan at hinayaan itong yakapin siya. Nanatili silang ganoon sa loob ng ilang minuto.

"Maxwel..."

"I'm scared... I don't know why I'm feeling this way." Humigpit ang yakap nito sa kaniya.

Bahagya siyang natawa. "The high and mighty Pierce Maxwell Sarmiento is scared." Tukso niya. She bit her lips when he did not reply. "Hey... bitiw na Maxwell kailangan mo nang pumasok sa Capsule mo."

"Hindi ko maintindihan ang nararamdaman ko... I felt like my chest will explode if I don't hold you like this. It felt like this will be the last time I'm going to see you..., sabihin mo kung bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko." Mas lalong humigpit ang yakap nito sa kaniya.

"H-hindi ko alam..." ang tangi niyang nasabi. Naramdaman din niya ang pagsikip ng dibdib dahil sa mga salitang bintiwan nito. It was the same feeling she felt ng malaman niyang may pag-asa pa siyang makabalik sa panahong naroon si Lucas.

A kind of feeling of losing someone again.

Like she was making the same mistake again.

Subalit hindi siya dapat magpadala sa ganoong pakiramdam. Lumuwag ang yakap nito at matiim siyang tinitigan. She was taken aback by the loneliness and agony she saw in his eyes. At wala siyang nagawa ng mariin siya nitong halikan.

"I'll see you again after seventy years, sleep tight...

....Lyra."

Tuluyan na siya nitong binitiwan at walang lingon iniwan siya doon. Nanlalabo ang kaniyang mga mata at hindi niya namalayan ang pagtulo ng kaniyang luha. She opened her mouth to catch her breath when a sudden wave of sadness hit her and she felt like drowning.