Launch of the mission to the Oracle’s planet
Dr Voss is given memories by the jewel
Click the puzzle piece to work a jigsaw puzzle
The Indigo Jewel
Chapter 16 - Reaching For The Stars
Intro,
1,
2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11,
12,
13,
14,
15,
16,
17,
Epilogue,
Afterward
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants. - Isaac Newton
Humanity stands at the precipice of a new era. After centuries of carbon extraction and slowly reestablishing the flora and fauna, the world was turning it's eyes to the sky.
Building upon centuries of scientific progress, humanity has returned to space after the devastating global collapse of the twenty-first century. Quantum physics has unlocked the secrets of faster-than-light travel, finally freeing explorers from the confines of our solar system. The first interstellar colonies were established cautiously — Proxima b in 2405 after a grueling twenty-year voyage, followed by expeditions to Lalande 21185 and Alpha Centauri. But the limits of human exploration have been reached. Without a breakthrough, most of the galaxy remains a distant dream, beyond their grasp.
Layla, the current keeper of the Indigo Jewel, stands at the heart of this new age. She is both historian and astronomer, a scholar of the past and an architect of the future. She is also the wife of Alexander Galanis, the most powerful leader on Earth. Drawn by his piercing blue eyes and unyielding ambition, she supports his vision but guards her own secret carefully. The Indigo Jewel is hers alone, and she will not share its existence, not even with her husband.
One evening, as she returns home from the Ministry, she finds Alexander waiting for her in their private study, a glass of aged wine in his hand. He watches her with curiosity, his expression unreadable. "You're making history, Layla. Everyone knows it. But I wonder, do you ever have any doubts?"
She smiles faintly, setting her satchel down. "Doubt is a constant companion when you're reaching for the impossible. But we have come too far to turn back now."
He leans forward, resting his elbows on the armrests of his chair. "Your insights have guided this mission more than you let on. There are whispers—people in the Ministry say you have knowledge that no one else understands. That you see things others cannot."
Layla meets his gaze steadily, measuring her words. "I have studied history. I know the patterns that shape the future. That is all."
Alexander regards her for a moment before nodding slowly. "I trust you, Layla. But whatever you're keeping to yourself, I hope you know what you're doing. The fate of humanity rides on this."
In the Ministry of Exploration, where she plays a leading role, Layla oversees the construction of humanity’s next great endeavor—vessels designed to pierce the barriers of galactic space. She consults with physicists and engineers, pushing them toward answers they have yet to find. But even with all her vast knowledge, she cannot answer the hard questions. When she speaks with her grandmothers through the Indigo Jewel, she knows they have no answers to these questions either. The past holds no answers. And so she waits.
The answer comes to her unexpectedly. Layla is vacationing in Iceland, relaxing in the warm geothermal springs of the Blue Lagoon with a visiting scientist from the Martian colony, when a force unlike anything she has ever felt seizes her mind. She senses an unknown presence. Then, as if from all around her, the Oracle speaks, whispering to her in a language she does not know yet instantly understands. It shows her its home, hundreds of light-years from Earth, unreachable with current space technology. And then, in a flash of inspiration, it reveals what must be done.
Shaken but resolute, Layla returns to the Ministry of Exploration and seeks out Dr. Emil Voss, the preimminent physicist there. She attempts to explain to him what she has heard, but as the Oracle predicted, he is unable to grasp the concepts. Layla hesitates only briefly before setting the Indigo Jewel on his desk. He gives her a puzzled look, then reaches out to examine the Jewel. The moment his fingers touch it, his mind explodes with understanding. Concepts and principles he had never imagined appear fully formed in his consciousness. The secrets of space travel are unveiled within his mind. And then, just as suddenly, he collapses on the floor unconscious.
Others in the office gather around them and a physician is called. When Dr. Voss finally awakens, he remembers everything about his discovery—except how he came to it. The Jewel has placed the knowledge in his mind but erased its source. Dr. Voss believes himself to be the author of an incredible breakthrough that will change the course of human history. The next generation of interstellar ships, capable of spanning hundreds of light-years in mere weeks, are soon under construction. The world celebrates the achievement with great fanfare.
As humanity prepares to take its first true steps beyond its cradle, Layla watches with quiet satisfaction. She has done what needed to be done, but the journey itself must be led by another. Her daughter, Manasvita, raised in the shadow of history and destiny, is chosen by the Ministry to command the voyage. The people working on the mission know exactly where the planet lies on their star charts, but they have no idea why they are going, or what they will find. Only Layla and Manasvita understand the purpose of the mission.
In the weeks leading up to the launch, mother and daughter spend long hours together. They speak not just of the voyage ahead but of its importance to humanity. One evening, just before the launch, under the glow of the celestial dome in her private quarters, Layla removes the Indigo Jewel from its hiding place and places it in Manasvita’s hands.
"It belongs to you now," Layla whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "This has been our family's purpose for millennia. And now, it will guide you."
Manasvita clutches the Jewel, feeling its warmth against her skin. "I wish you could come with us, mother. I don't want to face this without you."
Tears well in Layla’s eyes as she cups her daughter’s face. "You are stronger than you know. And through the Jewel, I will always be with you, along with all your grandmothers."
They hold each other tightly, aware that it will be a while before they can speak again. No words can express the weight of this moment. For all the grandmothers before them, for the future they believe awaits them, they are truely grateful.
Layla’s chapter in this drama ends with the launch of the first mission beyond our stellar neighborhood, a five-week journey into the unknown. As the great ship rises into the sky, Layla watches from the command center, the Indigo Jewel’s absence a hollow place in her heart. She knows she has set humanity on a path it cannot turn back from. And she wishes she could be with her daughter when she reaches the Oracle’s world.
Copyright © 2025 Elton Smith